The Japanese army had a radio station. At six o'clock in the afternoon, the brigade commander received telegrams from the three brigade captains in Lingqiu City!
It’s a mixture of joy and sorrow, and the mood is very complicated!
The three-pronged raiding force went into the mountains for one day but failed to capture a single civilian. This is worrying!
This is great news for the Independent Regiment to stop the mopping up troops who entered the mountains at all costs. It shows that the mopping up troops entering the mountains to capture the people hit the Independent Regiment's weak point, forcing them to come out and fight for their lives!
But when he saw the casualties on both sides, he couldn't be happy again.
The casualties suffered by the troops in one day were too great. Not counting the Imperial Alliance Army, the Japanese casualties alone were tied with the Independent Regiment!
If the Imperial Association Army is also included, the casualties of the mopping up troops are twice as many as those of the independent regiment. In terms of casualty ratio, he is definitely a miserably defeated!
The Lieutenant Colonel and Chief of Staff thought for a while and reminded: "General, although the casualties are a bit heavy, we have an absolute advantage in strength. Even if we continue to fight according to this casualty ratio, the independent regiment will be completely killed by us!"
"And as the independent regiment becomes weaker and weaker, this casualty ratio will definitely drop!"
The major general brigade leader shook his head and replied: "No, even if the casualty ratio is one to one, the casualties we have to pay for this sweep are far beyond the capacity of the troops!"
"There are only so many imperial troops in the whole of North China. If we eliminate an independent regiment of the Eighth Route Army, we will lose more than two thousand imperial troops. Then it is impossible for us to destroy the Eighth Route Army even if we use all the troops in the whole of North China!"
The Lieutenant Colonel and Chief of Staff asked thoughtfully: "General, you mean to change the battle plan!"
"Can't change!" the brigade leader replied firmly!
"The independent regiment that had been avoiding fighting yesterday came out to fight us desperately today, which shows that our move into the mountains to capture the people hit their weakest spot!"
"So the big action plan cannot be changed!"
Having said this, a sneer slowly flashed across the corner of the brigade leader's lips, and then he changed the subject and continued.
"However, we can make some minor changes to the entire battle plan!"
"Reply telegrams to the three brigades now: the operation will continue tomorrow, and the troops will continue to go into the mountains to arrest people!"
"But we can no longer do what we do today at all costs!"
"We are going to build a plank road openly and secretly to Chencang: On the surface, we are going to go into the mountains to arrest people, and force the hiding Eighth Route Army out! In fact, we are annihilating these Eighth Route Army!"
"Of course, it would be better if we could capture some common people by the way!"
"We eliminated more than 300 Eighth Route Army soldiers during the day today. We will kill another 300 of them tomorrow. It will only take five or six days for us to kill almost the main force of the Independent Regiment!"
"The general is wise and humble. Go and give the order now!"
Last night, the main force of the Independent Regiment crossed the Japanese and puppet army blockade and hid in the woods, waiting for cover!
Because the independent regiment has a limited number of radio stations, many battle reports can only be transmitted through cavalry correspondents, so it was not until eight o'clock in the evening that Li Hao received the battle report from the political commissar!
After reading it, Li Hao and Hong Linfeng's expressions became very solemn!
The independent regiment suffered far more casualties than the Japanese Major General Brigade Commander knew!
The total casualties of the independent battalion and guerrillas exceeded 400, and more than 340 people were directly killed. Two companies of troops were wiped out in just one day!
Li Hao didn't expect the bad news to come so quickly, and it took him a long time to react!
"Captain, the Japanese are too cruel, they hit our weak spot with one punch!" Hong Linfeng analyzed with a serious look on his face!
"In order to cover the movement of the people, the troops still fought against the Japanese even though they knew they were no match. Many troops sacrificed their entire platoons. It was really tragic!"
"I think we can't wait here any longer. If the Japs continue to use the same method to attack us tomorrow, the internal troops will definitely be wiped out!"
Li Hao replied with a stern face: "They killed more than 300 of us in one day. This revenge must be avenged!"
"The troops have rested for a whole day and should have regained their energy! Order everyone to be ready for battle and set off at any time!"
As soon as the commanding combat officer rushed out of the tent, Hong Linfeng's eyes flashed and he asked: "Commander, where should we fight? How should we fight?"
Li Hao stared at the map and analyzed with a serious face: "The Japanese and puppet troops in the base area are too cautious. They don't divide their troops even if they are covered by planes during the day. They also go out of the mountains after dark, leaving us no chance to take advantage of them, so there is no need to think about attacking them."
Got it!
Hong Linfeng quickly reacted: "Then attack Lingqiu City and follow the original plan to lay siege to the Japanese army and provide reinforcements!"
"Just fight like this!" Li Hao affirmed!
"Chief of Staff, take the first battalion and the artillery battalion to Lingqiu City. You will be given two hours to rush outside the city and launch an attack. Then within an hour, you will take down all the strongholds and peripheral defense lines deployed by the Japanese and puppet troops outside the city, and fire the artillery shells.
Get to the top of the city!"
"I will lead the cavalry battalion, two main battalions, the commando team, and the reconnaissance company, hiding on the road where the Japanese reinforcements must pass, and be responsible for the reinforcements!"
"Try to kill the returning troops in one night. Even if I can't kill them, I will still hit them hard!"
"In addition, in order to ensure safety, regardless of whether our combat objectives are achieved or not, the siege troops must evacuate the battlefield and enter the mountains before six o'clock in the morning!"
"Captain, please rest assured, I promise to complete the task!" Hong Linfeng replied with excitement!
He has been waiting for this moment for two whole days, and now it has finally arrived. He can't wait to go to the battlefield now!
On a mountain ridge less than one kilometer away from Lingqiu City, a gun tower and three bunkers were built along the mountain. The shooting holes were facing the road. Shooting from a high position could definitely block the entire road so tightly that not even a fly could fly.
past!
This is the first bridgehead that the independent regiment must cross if they want to march outside Lingqiu City!
Huge searchlights illuminate the road and the area around the blockhouse. If you want to approach the blockhouse quietly and blow it up with explosives, the possibility of success is almost zero!
Hong Linfeng and two battalion commanders hid behind a dirt bag, holding binoculars to detect the enemy's situation!
"Chief of Staff, the first battle in the county town will be handed over to our first battalion. Give me one hour, and I will promise to take down the gun towers and bunkers on Liangzi and kill all the Japanese and puppet troops inside!" said Chen Bingyi, commander of the first battalion.
Face eager to try, please fight!
Hong Linfeng was surprised to refuse, and shook his head and replied: "You only have three mortars, and your offensive is too weak to be able to attack Lingqiu City by force!"
"Don't forget that our real purpose tonight is to besiege the city and provide reinforcements!"
"In order for the Japanese to be fooled, we must hit them hard enough so that the Japanese can't figure out our strength, and then they will be afraid and order the front-line mopping up troops to come back for reinforcements. Only then will our reinforcements have a chance!"
After saying that, Hong Linfeng turned his attention to the artillery battalion commander Yuan Qingfeng!
"Let the artillery battalion begin the first battle!"
"Battle Commander Yuan, you bring up a platoon of two mountain cannons and blow up the gun towers and the bunkers on both sides. Then the first battalion rushes over to cover up the kill. We strive to end the battle within fifteen minutes and defeat the little Japs in the county.
We don’t know how many troops we have, so they are scared!”
"Boom boom..."
Three hundred meters away, two mountain cannons fired at the same time!
In less than a second, two flames burst out from the thick brick wall of the turret, and then the sound of the explosion reached Hong Linfeng's ears!
When the smoke from the explosion cleared, two large holes had been blown out of the brick wall of the turret, which was on the verge of collapse!
"Fire two more shells, and then hit the bunker next to it!" Hong Linfeng ordered, staring at the gun tower, his face full of excitement!
"Battle Commander Chen, your mortar platoon is also firing to blast the Japanese and puppet troops who have escaped from the turrets and bunkers!"
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