You can't walk through the canyon, where the Japanese infantry regiment was completely destroyed. For the battlefield, that is a shortcut, but it is also a dead end.
We can't leave the mountain ridge because Liu Tuanzuo said that Japanese planes are likely to come to help.
Marching on the bare mountain ridge is undoubtedly the best target for Japanese aircraft.
Jiuguan and Fululing have almost exhausted the 20mm machine guns of the Independent Regiment. In the battlefield of Qigen Village, the Independent Regiment and the 386th Brigade have no other anti-aircraft firepower except the heavy machine gun MG42 that can attack the air.
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Liu Lang's guess was correct.
After seeing the sharp explosion in the canyon without any sound, he was hiding in the depression and watching the soldiers, led by the squadron leader and squad leader, arduously climbing the hillside to seize the commanding heights. Last month, Yoshio immediately
He requested the aviation wing's support from the division headquarters.
However, in addition to reporting to the division headquarters that the entire 40th Infantry Brigade had been ambushed by the "Tuba Road" and was surrounded on a 2,500-meter-long mountain road, he ultimately retained the fact that the 79th Infantry Regiment had been basically wiped out.
information.
Last month, Liangfu still had a glimmer of hope. He could defeat the encircled "Tuba Road" here and continue to attack Niangziguan. At that time, the deaths of two infantry brigades of the 79th Infantry Regiment were attributed to the attack on Niangziguan.
Guan Battle. Perhaps the big boss behind him can still intercede for him, so that his military career will not end in the 20th Division.
Yes, when the 79th Infantry Regiment was all blown up in the canyon by the Chinese crazy explosives, Liangfu knew last month that whether the battle was won or lost, it was the 40th Brigade's business. For him,
As far as the major general brigade commander is concerned, the battle has actually been defeated.
Someone must be responsible for the casualties of 2,700 imperial officers and soldiers. The captain of the 79th Infantry Regiment, Morimu Yinshi Dazuoye, has been killed in the battle, so only he, the major general brigade commander, will bear the responsibility. The thought that he might be replaced by the commander of the North China Expeditionary Army
He was ordered to commit seppuku to express his guilt to His Majesty the Emperor. He made a cross incision on his abdomen with a cold samurai sword and finally died of pain. Cold sweat broke out on Yoshio's forehead last month.
Last month, Yoshio didn't know that because of his own selfish interests, he missed the last chance to save the 40th Infantry Brigade. His rescue telegram let Kawagishi Bunzaburo far away in Shijiazhuang know that the 40th Infantry Brigade was surrounded, but he did not
Know how bad the situation is.
Because, according to the intelligence he received, the "Tuba Road" in the Chinese theater only had one infantry division and two infantry brigades with nearly 10,000 people. Maybe there would be another brigade, which could exceed 15,000 people.
It has to be said that the Japanese intelligence agency is really pervasive. Top secrets such as the numbers and numbers of the troops deployed in Shandong in the 2nd Theater can appear on the desk of the top commander on the front line of the Japanese army. Just from the perspective of knowing the enemy.
, China’s 100,000-strong army in time and space was not unjustly defeated.
The 18th Group Army that came to the front line of eastern Shanxi with the 129th Division did indeed belong to not only the 386th Brigade and the 385th Brigade, which were affiliated with the 129th Division, but also the 343rd Brigade, which was affiliated with the 115th Division. It was indeed similar to what Bunzaburo Kawagishi had predicted.
The total number of red troops in the region does not exceed 15,000.
"You idiot Yoshio last month, an infantry brigade was surrounded by more than 10,000 people on Tubal Road and still had to go to the division headquarters for help." Kawagishi Bunzaburo angrily picked up a pen and drew a big "" on the location of Shigen Village.
Cross, and then gave a decisive order: "Kisimura-kun, inform the 38th Aviation Wing to dispatch fighter planes to assist the 40th Brigade in defeating the invading enemy. I need them to dispatch at least two aviation squadrons of fighters. I request them to send all available fighters there."
The sight of the Chinese people was wiped out from sight, including the humble Chinese peasants."
"Hi!" Kushimura Kushiro nodded heavily.
This time he didn't dare to chatter casually. The newly formed allies were so stupid that they fell into the encirclement of the "Tubal Road", which was no more than an infantry division. Although it was not a big problem to defeat the enemy who overestimated their capabilities, it was inevitable.
Delaying the division's plan to launch an all-out attack on Niangziguan at 4 p.m.
Perhaps, because the 40th Infantry Brigade could not rush to the battle site in time, the division had to change its general offensive plan to tomorrow. The North China Expeditionary Army Headquarters had to criticize the division again, and the Itagaki Division at Xinkou attacked
It's really hard, just waiting for them to break through from Jindong and invade Taiyuan!
"Also, Lieutenant Colonel Hashimoto Hiromitsu of Jingxing County was ordered to send two supply squadrons, with the 79th Infantry Brigade of the 79th Regiment remaining behind as the main force, to advance towards Qigen Village and assist the 40th Brigade in annihilating the Chinese in the mountainous area.
Without returning to the county seat, Major General Liangfu was assigned to command the attack on Niangziguan last month. They were told not to be careless along the way, so as not to fall into the trap of the Chinese encircling the point for reinforcements. The field radio was kept on along the way and sent to the baggage regiment every hour.
The regiment headquarters will report on the march situation." Kawagishi Bunzaburo, who had regained his composure, continued to order.
"Hi!" Kimura Jiuzou bowed his head again, turned around and went out.
The chief of staff of the Japanese army was both aggrieved and a little lucky.
What's frustrating is that as the war progresses, Bunzaburo Kawagishi becomes more and more powerful and does not give him, the chief of staff, a chance to speak. He makes all military orders arbitrarily. His current situation is like that of a colonel.
The rank-and-file messenger will copy the original text of His Majesty's Lieutenant General's military order and convey it down.
Fortunately, it seems that the battle for the division is not going well. The 28th Cavalry Regiment was completely wiped out. It can be said that they were arrogant and ran into the independent regiment.
Since then, more than one and a half regiments have been lost. The 80th Infantry Regiment that attacked Fulu Ridge on Snowflake Mountain has lost more than 1,600 people. Since the Shanxi War, the entire division has suffered more than 4,000 casualties, which is also a terrible number.
You know, it seems that the 80,000-strong Itagaki Division in northwestern Shanxi has been fighting hard, but has only suffered 8,000 casualties so far, and they are facing nearly 200,000 Chinese troops.
The Chief of Staff of the 20th Division, who was harboring various petty concerns, did not know that not counting the more than 3,000 men of the infantry brigade who were being beaten, the 2,700 men of the 79th Infantry Regiment had been completely destroyed.
To the division's 4,000 casualties, an additional 2,700 had to be added.
It is estimated that when he heard this number, the colonel was not at all grateful. The 20th Division, which had a strength of 28,000 men, had a casualty rate of almost 25% by the time he sent the order.
And this number of casualties will increase.
Because last month, Liangfu did not expect that he would be at a disadvantage in the initial battle for the commanding heights.
In order not to be discovered by the leading Japanese soldiers, the three infantry battalions were hidden in bushes or mountain forests far away from the ridges and hills that could threaten the Japanese army.
According to common sense, the one who is closer must get to the top of the mountain first.
However, the Japanese troops were on mountain roads. The terrible thing is that mountain roads are usually in ravines. To put it bluntly, they had to climb mountains and ridges.
Although the three infantry battalions are a little further apart, they are all in areas with similar altitudes.
In other words, the Chinese army is farther away but does not have to climb mountains, and the Japanese army is closer but has to climb mountains. Now the competition between the two sides is to see who is faster.
The Japanese soldiers wearing cowhide boots with embedded iron plates had no problem running on flat roads. The daily rigorous training and sufficient nutrition were enough to make up for the bulkiness of the boots. But when it comes to mountain climbing...
The officers and soldiers of the two battalions of the Independent Regiment all wore imitation "Liberation Shoes" with rubber soles, while the red troops wore lighter cloth shoes. Don't think that wearing cloth shoes can't run fast. On the contrary, the cloth shoes are tightly tied to the feet with straw ropes.
It is light and breathable, except for the poor protection of the feet. It is definitely the best choice for marching.
Don't think that the Red Army is poor just because they still wear straw sandals. The Red Army, which often walks hundreds of miles, pays more attention to the feet of its officers and soldiers than any other army in the country. When a full-scale war breaks out, the Sichuan Army, the Gui Army, the Hunan Army and even
While some soldiers of the Central Army were still wearing straw sandals, the red troops already had several pairs of cloth shoes in their backpacks.
The main job of the aunties and sisters-in-law who support the front line is to do other things, but to make cloth shoes with the soles of their shoes. It can be said that the foot mobility of the Red Army, not only in the world, at least in Asia, is unmatched, and this
Cloth shoes are one of the important reasons.
The officers and soldiers of the Independent Regiment were all well-nourished, and the shoes on their feet fit well, so they were naturally faster than the Japanese army.
Therefore, in this life and death competition, most of the commanding heights were seized by the three infantry battalions. The Japanese army could seize either the hills closer to them, or the soldiers who were already on guard were able to seize them first.
occupied.
However, for the entire encirclement, it is only one tenth or two.
The biggest advantage of the commanding heights is that you can shoot at the mountain road from a high position, and you can also throw grenades and so on. For enemies who need to shoot upwards from tens of meters or even hundreds of meters away, it is absolutely suppressive.
No matter how good your marksmanship is, you have to expose at least half of your body and shoot upward. You may be killed by a bullet flying from nowhere at any time. That kind of terrible psychological pressure is huge for a veteran who has been on the battlefield for many years.
. That will also lead to inaccurate marksmanship.
The soldiers on the commanding heights can throw grenades while hiding themselves and shoot downwards without risking their heads. As long as they have enough bullets, they can shoot downwards as much as they want. The treatment of the two is the same.
Just like their location, they are separated by heaven and earth.
For the Independent Regiment and the 772 Regiment ambushing one side, seizing the commanding heights can suppress the Japanese aggressors with firepower, compress the Japanese aggressors' living space, wait until the encirclement is completely formed, and then use enough mortars to drive them out and then kill them.
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For the Japanese army, seizing the commanding heights can leave enough openings for the brigade. Not only can they break out of the encirclement, but they may also be able to rush out of the gap to counterattack the Chinese army, thereby defeating the invading enemy. The Japanese army, even if they are there
At this moment, everyone from the top commander to sergeant-level officers did not think that the "Tubal Road" could do anything to them, even if the Chinese mortars were extremely fierce.
But, they still have planes! Bombers taking off from Yangmingbao, more than 100 kilometers away, will arrive in 25 minutes at most.
Therefore, at the beginning of the war, the commanders of both sides asked the officers and soldiers of both sides to seize the commanding heights with all their strength. This is the lifeblood of the Chinese and Japanese armies and cannot be lost.
Obviously, from the current point of view, the Chinese army has basically achieved its strategic goals and captured more than 85% of the hills.
As for the Japanese army, they were not too disadvantaged. Driven by their strong short legs and strict military discipline, they also captured several hills that were enough to protect some of the infantry's living space, and even enough hills to tear apart the Chinese encirclement.