Of course, the Japanese missiles could not damage the Eighth Route Army fighters at all. They were either dodged by the "La 5" fighters or exploded in advance.
However, it is difficult to identify the premature explosion with the naked eye, because both fighter planes and missiles are moving at high speed in the air, and the distance between the missile and the target can be observed from the ground. The point is that the Eighth Route Army fighter planes were frightened and "fleeed in panic", and the Japanese successfully captured it.
Air superiority... After victory has been achieved, who cares whether the hit rate of anti-aircraft missiles is too low?
Li Yunlong shouted to Wang Xuexin in the telegram: "The enemy has at least one division and is well prepared. They took the initiative immediately and we are about to be surrounded! Request to retreat, request to retreat!"
These words were actually staged for the Japs. Wang Xuexin believed that the communications of the Eighth Route Army might have been monitored by the Japs.
Jiulian Town has been under the control of the Japs for several years. Many people have become vassals of the Japs under the brainwashing and education of the Japs. This is one of the reasons why the Japs' bombers can receive flame instructions.
Therefore, Li Yunlong certainly could not say in the telegram: "Commander, you are such a damn talent. This time the Japanese have fallen into our trap again..."
Everything has not been settled yet, so of course you have to proceed with caution.
This was the fastest and clearest retreat of the Eighth Route Army.
Originally, Wang Xuexin wanted to act, for example, let the independent regiment resist for a while and then retreat, but the Japanese offensive was too fast. While they launched a fierce attack on Jiulian Town, there was a tank regiment on each flank with a tank regiment.
The large group of infantry carried out an interspersed encirclement.
Under this situation, the three regiments in Jiulian Town would be surrounded if they hesitated for even a moment.
This is not what Wang Xuexin wants to see. If the war situation develops like this, the Japanese can implement the tactic of "encircling the point to provide reinforcements", and the initiative will be transferred to the Japanese again.
Therefore, Wang Xuexin simply ordered: "Allow retreat!"
The three regiments were all mechanized troops, equipped with half-track vehicles, so the retreat was fast and smooth.
This is one of the strengths of the half-track vehicle: its rear wheels are tracked and are not afraid of bullets, and there is armor protection at the rear. Soldiers can shoot while retreating, and the Japanese following from behind cannot get close at all.
In fact, the Japs don't have equipment that is more powerful than a half-track car. The Japs even have a "Tiger", but they can't stand the thickness of the armor of a half-track car.
However, the half-track car is stuck at the sweet spot of speed and armor: any Japs' equipment with thicker armor than the half-track car cannot keep up with the speed, and any equipment that can keep up with the speed has no armor.
In fact, the only Japanese vehicles that can keep up with half-tracks are cars and three-wheelers. Isn’t it true that these two are seeking death? A hail of bullets from the Eighth Route Army’s repeating rifles hit them and knocked them upside down. After a while,
No one dared to follow them anymore and could only watch helplessly as the Eighth Route Army withdrew.
Even the Japanese who surrounded us from the flanks could not do anything to the Eighth Route Army for the same reason.
The only thing that can stop the half-track car is the Japanese Air Force.
Lieutenant General Takeda Uchiharu, who directed the Japanese attack, immediately realized this. He immediately ordered the communications troops to send a signal to the aviation forces to pursue the Eighth Route Army.
In fact, Takeda Uchiharu did not need to order the Japanese Air Force to know what to do.
However, at this moment, the Eighth Route Army's "La-5" fighter suddenly appeared in their sight again... This made the Japanese Air Force very embarrassed.
Lower your altitude and swoop down to attack the Eighth Route Army ground troops?
This means that they will be in a disadvantageous position and likely to be shot down by "Pull 5".
Attack the Eighth Route Army aviation?
They don't seem to have any intention of fighting...
The Japanese were right about this.
The Eighth Route Army Air Force uses the word "tangle". They rely on the speed of "pulling 5" to fight guerrillas with the Japanese, playing "the enemy advances, the enemy retreats, the enemy advances," unless the enemy dives and shoots, they will always be beaten.
Don't dare to do anything if you drag it in the air.
This scene made Takeda Uchiji so angry that he pointed his saber into the void ahead and yelled fiercely: "Go forward, don't give the Eighth Route Army a chance to breathe!"
Takeda Uchiharu thought:
Even if we can't catch up with these Eighth Route Army troops, if we can drive them back to Zhangjiakou, the mission will be considered accomplished!
The Eighth Route Army was too cunning. The imperial army had been preparing for so long and had such a huge advantage, but in the end they were still unable to encircle and annihilate them.
However, this should be a problem with half-track armored vehicles!
Takeda Uchiharu was right, this was indeed a problem with half-track armored vehicles.
At this time, if the Japanese also have half-track armored vehicles and can catch up from the rear at a speed not inferior to that of the Eighth Route Army... the Eighth Route Army will have to allocate part of its troops to cover the rear.
However, Takeda Naiji felt at ease when he saw the Tigers passing by one after another.
He believed that even if the Eighth Route Army's half-track armored vehicles were fast, it would be in vain if they could not defend any location. The "Tiger" would level all obstacles in its path, and it might be able to break into Zhangjiakou.
Then Takeda Uchiharu began to think a lot:
This place is only more than a hundred kilometers away from Zhangjiakou. If it reaches Zhangjiakou before dark, the imperial army can mobilize the air defense system overnight, and then repeat the process of this battle tomorrow morning: use the air defense system to cooperate with fighter planes to seize air superiority, and then use
"Tiger Style" stormed Zhangjiakou.
However, just when Takeda Uchiharu was dreaming about attacking Zhangjiakou, his staff suddenly reported: "Your Excellency, Lieutenant General, the Eighth Route Army fled to Shagou Town and stopped there. It seems to be organizing a defense there!"
"Shagou Town?" Takeda Neiji frowned: "Does the Eighth Route Army think it can stop our army's attack there?"
After hesitating for a moment, Takeda Uchiharu turned to the staff and asked: "How many troops does the Eighth Route Army have there?"
"There is only one regiment!" the staff officer replied: "But what is very strange is that after the Eighth Route Army regiment entered Shagou Town, it completely blocked it and did not allow people to go out. We can't get any information from it!"
"It seems..." Takeda Naiji touched his chin and said to himself: "The Eighth Route Army is hiding something in Shagou Town!"
After a while, the staff officer reported: "Your Excellency, Lieutenant General, our vanguard has arrived at Shagou Town and is waiting for your order!"
The first thing Takeda Uchiharu thought was that there might be an air defense system there... It might be this thing that the Eighth Route Army was protecting.
He ordered: "Order the troops to launch an attack, and at the same time, let the aviation force pay attention to the fact that the Eighth Route Army probably has an air defense system!"
"yes!"
Then Takeda Uchiji added: "Pay attention to the use of 'Tiger Style'!"
Takeda Uchiharu's idea is: If the opponent is an air defense system, then the "Tiger" should be used to strengthen the ground offensive.