The Japs stationed at Niangzi Pass had a large group of more than a thousand people.
Considering that there are artillery positions on the high ground and artillery detection radars among the Japanese, a brigade is more than enough to guard Niangzi Pass.
The Japanese have done nothing else these past few days, except using helicopters to lift artillery and shells to the high ground... Several of the howitzers in the highland artillery fort were damaged by the Eighth Route Army, so the Japanese added a few more guns and stored a large amount of ammunition.
With these artillery pieces, the Japanese were confident that even if several regiments of the Eighth Route Army came to attack, there would be no return, so they felt reassured about Niangziguan.
Who would have thought that all their artillery would be buried in the fort after a loud bang. Instead, the Eighth Route Army's artillery fire bombed Niangziguan again...
The difference was huge now, and the situation at Niangziguan took a big turn.
The Japanese immediately realized that if they did not capture the Eighth Route Army's new artillery position, Niangzi Pass would definitely not be able to be defended, so although they suffered heavy losses at the beginning of the battle... the artillery on the highlands was completely wiped out, and only the infantry protecting the artillery survived.
, the infantry stationed at Niangzi Pass was bombed and burned to death, and more than 300 people were killed, and a quarter of the force was lost.
However, the Japanese immediately launched an attack on the Eighth Route Army's artillery positions.
This is not to say that the Japs are brave. The Japs stationed at Niangziguan are not the Kwantung Army but the 97th Independent Mixed Brigade. They have dealt with the Eighth Route Army before and know that it is best not to provoke the Eighth Route Army in the mountains.
But it's not up to them.
Naosaburo Okabe would never allow Niangzi Pass to be lost, otherwise the Yamada Division, including the independent tank brigade, would be sealed on the other side of the Taihang Mountains, so he issued an order directly to Niangzi Pass: "Be sure to capture the enemy's artillery
Position, no matter the cost!"
Who dares to disobey such an order?
Otherwise, I'm afraid everyone will be shot when we go back!
So the Japanese could only bite the bullet and attack the Eighth Route Army's artillery positions. They only hoped for one thing: the Eighth Route Army's infantry hadn't arrived yet and they had to face only the artillery.
But the reality is cruel...
Wang Xuexin deployed a regiment of troops on each side of Niangziguan in the mountains.
In fact, it cannot be said to be a deployment. These two troops were mobilized from both ends of the Taihang Mountains, and one of the regiments was still the main regiment.
These two regiments, plus the regiment originally stationed at Niangzi Pass, bring the total strength to three regiments.
These three regiments have been gathering near Niangziguan for some time, and at this time, under Wang Xuexin's order, they were marching towards the artillery position.
The Japanese came just in time. Several regiments of the Eighth Route Army rushed up and surrounded them all in the mountains, chasing them and beating them fiercely.
This should be said to be a mistake made by Naosaburo Okabe's command.
He should be able to tell that the Eighth Route Army has more than just artillery ambushing in the mountains... In the Taihang Mountains, a few divisions can't be seen, and a few regiments are even more trivial.
If the Eighth Route Army has infantry cooperating with the artillery, wouldn't it be courting death to send a brigade to compete for its artillery positions?
Naosaburo Okabe should have dispersed this brigade in Niangzi Pass to defend with favorable terrain, so that they could at least hold Niangzi Pass and wait for the large forces to arrive.
As for the Eighth Route Army artillery on the high ground...in actual combat, the infantry are the most afraid of artillery, and the infantry are the least afraid of artillery.
If the infantry charges together and is covered by artillery fire, they will be vulnerable.
But if they spread out and lie down on the ground or hide in trenches, no matter how hard the artillery fire hits, they won't be able to hurt many people.
What's more, the Eighth Route Army's artillery forts on the top of the mountain must have limited artillery shells. It is also a good thing to use these infantry to consume some of the Eighth Route Army's artillery shells.
Okabe Naosaburo didn't react until the Japanese were surrounded in the mountains and unable to move, but by this time it was too late to regret and could only order Niangjiguan to gather the last bit of strength to organize a defense.
But this "last bit of strength" was just over a hundred people plus a group of car soldiers who didn't know how to fight. How could they withstand the attack of the main force of the Eighth Route Army equipped with repeating rifles? It was occupied by the Eighth Route Army in just half an hour.
The battle is not over yet: the Japanese trapped in the mountains are still resisting. This is because the mountainous terrain is complex and it is night, so it is difficult to eliminate them in a short time.
However, this did not affect the overall situation. The main force of the Eighth Route Army quickly organized a defense at Niangziguan and chased to the east for a while... Seeing that the situation was not good, some Japanese car soldiers turned their cars around and tried to escape.
But at night and on a small road, driving was actually not as fast as the Eighth Route Army running. In the end, they were caught up one by one and then transported the supplies back. There were so many bullets and cannons that no additional supplies were needed.
Within the Taiyuan headquarters, Chen Songyong reported information one by one to Wang Xuexin, both from the Eighth Route Army and from the Japanese.
After Niangzi Pass changed hands, the Japanese responded by sending two more artillery regiments to Niangzi Pass quickly.
Wang Xuexin knew what Naosaburo Okabe was planning. He hoped that at the critical moment, he could rely on numbers to suppress the Eighth Route Army's artillery and help the imperial army break through.
But this is obviously in vain. Those artillery regiments that come up in front of the artillery detection radar will die, not to mention that the narrow terrain of Niangzi Pass is not suitable for artillery deployment at all.
Chen Songyong couldn't help but said: "Naosaburo Okabe is in a hurry!"
"Are you not in a hurry?" Zhang Zongping continued with a smile: "The ones being surrounded are the Kwantung Army he brought from the Northeast, more than 10,000 people! If they are surrounded and annihilated, where will his old face go? In the future, the Kwantung Army
Do you dare to say that Okamura Neji is suitable for intelligence and not fighting?"
"Hey!" Chen Songyong said: "Did you say something good to Okamura Neji?"
There was a burst of laughter from the command headquarters. The officers and soldiers were all excited about the victory on the battlefield, and the atmosphere was relaxed.
Wang Xuexin frowned and considered for a moment, then ordered: "Order the troops at Niangziguan to shrink their defense lines to defend the artillery positions!"
"yes!"
Zhang Zongping couldn't help but asked: "Commander, the Japanese have been beaten back steadily, are you still worried about the safety of the artillery position?"
Wang Xuexin asked back: "Have you forgotten that the Japanese still have helicopters?"
After saying this, Zhang Zongping understood that the Japanese might actually send out a special brigade to surrender in desperation. At this time, the focus of the attack on Niangzi Pass was on Niangzi Pass and the siege, searching for the remaining Japanese troops.
The battle situation after that turned out to be exactly like this.
Naosaburo Okabe actually sent the artillery regiment to mislead the Eighth Route Army. His real intention was actually the artillery positions on the highlands, and he also concentrated his forces to attack one side...
Naosaburo Okabe was worried that he would not be able to get anything in the end by dividing his troops and attacking both sides, so he simply attacked only one side.
If one side can be captured, the Eighth Route Army's artillery fire will inevitably have a blind spot on Niangziguan, so there will be room for maneuver.
Moreover, Naosaburo Okabe still let the helicopter take the risk of rappelling directly on the target high ground... Only in this way can the enemy artillery be caught off guard.
What Naosaburo Okabe didn't expect was that the Eighth Route Army had already shrunk its defense line and was waiting for them on the position.