The Battle of Southeast Shanxi actually ended earlier than the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain.
On January 18, the main force of the three major Japanese armies had basically withdrawn from the mountainous area, leaving only sporadic small-scale battles.
After counting, the 80,000 Japanese troops who invaded southeastern Shanxi suffered more than 20,000 casualties, and their battle damage rate was close to that of the main battlefield where fierce fighting was going on at Zhongtiao Mountain.
In particular, the ambitious Naoji Sakai's 108th Division suffered nearly 5,000 casualties, and an entire infantry regiment was trapped in the Taihang Mountains. Although there were still radio stations available for contact by the 18th, the top brass of the Japanese North China Front had long been in despair.
However, the more than 3,800 people in his unit were not classified as missing as usual, but were directly classified as killed in action.
This is actually quite scientific. When the Chinese New Year was over and spring was about to enter, the traces of the last remnant of the infantry regiment were discovered by a herbalist in Taihang Mountain and reported to the Four Lines Regiment, which dispatched a new company commander.
The mountain infantry company and part of the reconnaissance company led by Gu Xishui went to encircle and suppress the enemy.
The entire battle lasted only one hour, and the remnants of the Japanese army, which were already like walking zombies, were all wiped out. After counting, there were only more than 370 people left, including two Japanese majors!
His senior commander was nowhere to be seen, so he asked the only five Japanese prisoners still alive and got an answer that made everyone's hair stand on end.
The Japanese army colonel who died of illness before the Chinese New Year did not avoid the tragedy of becoming a food reserve just because of his rank.
All that could be found were a pair of colonel rank insignia and a command knife buried deep in the ground.
Facing the five devil-like Japanese prisoners with empty eyes, even Gu Xishui, who had always been wise and courageous, didn't know how to deal with them.
It was Tang Dao who sent a secret telegram to establish contact with the Japanese 108th Division headquarters through intelligence agents in Licheng, requesting a prisoner exchange.
The 108th Division, eager to obtain information about the 132nd Infantry Regiment in the mountains, was forced to compromise and exchanged for the release of 100 captured Chinese resistance personnel and intelligence agents in exchange for the five Japanese soldiers who had been fed fat and white.
Tang Tuanzuo always knows how to maximize profits.
Of course, as long as these five Japanese soldiers are alive, the true and cruel scene in the mountains will not be covered up. When it is spread out, it will have a great impact on the psychology of the Japanese soldiers. That is the time bomb Tang Dao planted for the Japanese soldiers.
The lead is in the hands of Tang Dao, it just depends on when Tang Dao is willing to light it.
Even if Naoji Sakai was decisive enough to quickly silence these five people after learning the truth, it would still be too late.
When rumors are not supported by the truth, then they are the truth!
On the 27th, Tang Dao, who was responsible for supporting the 46th Independence Brigade and Leng Feng's troops, led his troops to successfully return to the Sizhou Mountain area. China's Second War Zone announced to the whole country: "Completely smash the Japanese army's attack on our southeastern Shanxi and southern Shanxi.
We killed more than 70,000 Japanese troops at the cost of 80,000 casualties!”
As soon as this statement came out, not only the whole of China was shocked, but even the Western world turned its attention.
The number of 70,000 Japanese soldiers killed and wounded is extremely high for China today.
The Great Patriotic War has been going on for more than a year and a half. China has also experienced the Battle of Songhu, the Battle of Xuzhou, the Battle of Central China, and several other large-scale battles in which both sides invested nearly a million troops. The casualty figure of 70,000 was very important to the Chinese army.
It may be called sparse and common, but for the Japanese army, it was an unprecedented first time.
In particular, the Second Theater of Operations did not hide its casualties. The total military and civilian casualties were about 80,000, which was definitely a huge loss. However, if compared with the 70,000 casualties of the Japanese army, it shows that the battle losses of both sides were similar.
Moreover, for the first time, China has included the losses of the people. You must know that in order to prepare for this New Year's Day offensive, Japan implemented a terrible high-pressure policy against the civilians in the occupied areas of southern Shanxi. Anyone suspected of collaborating with the enemy will be punished.
At least more than 10,000 people who were too late to evacuate were massacred. If the losses of the people were put aside, this might be the first time that China and Japan had a complete draw in a large-scale battle!
If the comparison between China and Japan reached 2 to 1 like in the Battle of Songhu, it would be okay. However, this time the Japanese dispatched 260,000 troops, which was slightly more than the Chinese troops stationed in these two areas.
After all, on paper, the 921st Division of the Eighty Group Army stationed in Taihang Mountain has an establishment of 50,000, and the Fourth Army Regiment has an establishment of 3,000. The total number of the two armies does not exceed 20,000.
Of course, both the Japanese side and the Chinese Military and Administrative Ministry are actually well aware of the fishy nature of this, but the Chinese Military and Administrative Ministry can't bring it to the table and say it, while the Japanese army has no shame in saying it.
No matter how many people there are in the 80th Army and the 4th Army Regiment, you actually dispatched 80,000 people from the Three Grand Army, but in the end, you were beaten into pieces? Why don't you just say that there are 100,000 people? That's absolutely
Westerners who have been waiting to see Japanese jokes will burst into laughter.
The Japanese Empire wants to save face, and even if it knocks out its teeth, it can only be swallowed.
However, the news was so explosive that Western media in the mountain city and many domestic media did not immediately report it.
It is one thing to wait for news from the Japanese side, but more importantly, it is to wait for the top brass of the Chinese military to hold a press conference.
What the old cunning commander of China's Second Theater Command said cannot be guaranteed to be 100% accurate.
This lasted for nearly a week. Faced with China's high-profile "boasting" in the Second Theater, the Japanese North China Front responded by refuting China's exaggerated results, but they were secretive about the number of casualties among their own officers and soldiers.
Saying it was a military secret made the Chinese and Western media begin to believe that cunning and stingy old man.
Then, on February 3, China held a grand press conference in the mountain city and invited nearly 40 Chinese and Western media. The Chinese general who attended turned out to be Minister He of the Ministry of Military Affairs. This was the first time in the past year that the standards were high.
The Chinese military didn't know what was wrong. In such a cold winter, the press conference was not held indoors, but in a small square.
In order to prevent Japanese spies and spies from causing trouble, a clearing operation began the night before yesterday. Around this small square, two layers of sandbag fortifications were built inside and outside, and a heavily armed infantry battalion surrounded this small square that can accommodate hundreds of people.
The water is blocked.
In fact, the external defense has been placed 700 meters away. Unless someone can accurately kill the target with one shot from this distance, the venue is absolutely safe.
This safe distance was changed by the security department of the mountain city only after Commander Xue of the 9th Army mentioned that a certain colonel had accurately killed an enemy from 500 meters away when he returned to the mountain city to report on his duties.
Although the incident of being able to shoot someone in the head from a mile away is magical, it actually happened on the battlefield. If you don't know, forget it. If you know that if you don't change, the military and political ministers who attended the press conference will be in danger, then
But it is a responsibility that no one can bear.
The Chinese and foreign reporters who entered the venue went through three rounds of searches in total before they were able to enter the core venue. When had those 'foreign uncles' and 'foreign ladies' been treated like this? There were many complaints. There were even arrogant gentlemen from the Gallic Empire.
To put it bluntly, if China cannot provide eye-catching news, don't blame him for the black humor he is accustomed to.
To put it bluntly, this arrogant gentleman with a rumpled coat has already prepared his mockery.
Then, the media reporters who entered the venue were blinded by the glare.
They finally knew why China prepared this press conference in the open air.
Because there are too many real objects.
On the square with a radius of nearly a kilometer, there are rows of Japanese military officers, lieutenant ranks, and command knives with exquisite patterns, and more, there are photos!
There are photos of Japanese lieutenants and lieutenants who were killed, and each photo has the name and serial number of the officer.
There are also photos of piles of captured weapons, including rifles, machine guns, heavy machine guns, and even Type 41 mountain cannons lined up.
In order for Chinese and foreign reporters to make sure that these seized weapons are not fake, heavy weapons such as mountain cannons are basically arranged in a row, and then a panoramic lens is used. If one lens cannot fit, then arrange several more rows. Go for it yourself if you have good eyesight.
Count away.
The government sent a special plane to fly to Chang'an, and then used trucks to transport reporters from several major radio stations and newspapers controlled by government departments to the Zhongtiao Mountain War Zone to take pictures. Military ranks and command knives were also transported back with the special plane.
It can be seen that this time the Chinese side is not only very cautious in approving the results of the war, but in fact, it has been holding its breath in its heart. Don’t you think that we Chinese like to exaggerate the results of wars and falsely report military achievements? Then let’s slap you in the face with the facts.
The Chinese and foreign reporters were so excited that they didn't even bother to listen to Minister He's impassioned speech at the microphone. They all sent the simple communication drafts they quickly wrote to their entourage to send telegrams.
In the future, whoever has traffic will have wealth. In this era, it is no exception. Opportunity means traffic and status. Whoever takes the lead will be the top name in the news industry.
These things are enough to prove the huge results China has achieved in this battle. The Japanese may not only suffer heavy casualties, but even retreat in some local battlefields. Otherwise, how could the Chinese have so many officers' military rank badges?
Are there even corpses?
"The dragon of the East may be opening its eyes!" The title of the article that the proud Gallic gentleman sent to his Baal Daily News was enough to make the people of the Gallic Empire re-examine the ancient East.
"An important battle that changed the war situation in the ancient Eastern country!" The headline of the news media controlled by the Rockefeller Foundation even raised the height of this battle by ten points.
This special feature, reprinted from the war zone bulletin, made Tang Tuanzuo's eyelids jump, but it was not because the American reporter was too boastful. Maybe only Tang Tuanzuo knew about it.
Anyway, Tantai Mingyue, who was sitting under the oil lamp and writing the invitation list, was so focused that she didn't even raise an eyebrow.
"Do you think we should invite Miss Laura? After all, you have been working together quite happily. On our wedding day, whether she can come or not, we must have etiquette!" The reporter from Tantai University frowned slightly with delicate eyebrows.
There is a hint of indescribable sharpness in it.
"Don't write the invitation. It's not good for someone to see it. In the name of you and me, I asked Chief of Staff Gong to convey it on your behalf. What do you think?" Tang Dao looked calm and answered his fiancée after careful consideration.
.
"Okay! Miss Laura is really a friend of our Chinese people. I read this news and it has really won China a lot of reputation in the world. I really want to express my gratitude to her in person." Tantai Mingyue.
He nodded and said.
Then he looked at Tang Tuanzuo, who would become her husband in half a month, with some surprise, and asked with concern: "Why is your face a little red? Are you feeling uncomfortable?"
"No, the fire is burning so brightly that I feel a little hot. Just in time, I'm going to do some boxing to loosen up my muscles and bones." Tang Dao took off his cotton clothes and shouted outside: "Heavy Rain, come here and do a few moves with me."
Hearing Tang Dao's greeting, Xia Dayu ran out of the nearby hut and looked at the heavy goose feather snow flying in the small courtyard with a confused look on his face!
Tuanzuo, where did you make the wrong move?
Under the oil lamp, Tantai Mingyue pursed her lips and smiled.
Doesn’t my husband know this? My husband, a straight man, can only take the initiative to be passive. Even if the little princess of the Rockefeller family is interested in him, it will be too late.
And Tantai Mingyue is confident enough. The love she and Tang Dao fought for in the flames of war cannot be replaced by looks and family background.
However, even though she was so confident, she felt a sense of sourness inexplicably, and stabbed Tang Dao a few times inadvertently. She looked out the window at her husband, who was only wearing a shirt, beating poor Xia Dayu into a miserable state in the heavy snow. The bright moon in Tantai
I couldn't help but roll my eyes.
These two guys deserve to be frozen. Who makes the officer look like a flower attracting bees and butterflies at all times, while the orderly doesn't know how to transform into a bee?
Xia Dayu: I request to be transferred to a front-line infantry battalion to stay away from this 'devil couple'.
Not only did the foreign media hype the Battle of Shannan in China's Second Theater Zone, but the entire Western world turned its attention to this ancient Eastern country that they once thought would definitely be defeated.
Some Western people who were originally sympathetic to China attributed the victory of this battle to their own donations, thus gaining an indescribable sense of accomplishment.
According to statistics, since American newspapers widely published the results of China's Second Theater of War, in just one week, American people have donated nearly 500,000 U.S. dollars, and Chinese groups across the United States have even raised funds to purchase two squadrons.
The funds for the fighter jets are sent directly to the Chinese Embassy in the United States.
As far as the public is concerned, high-level officials in the United States have also begun to frequently meet with Chinese diplomats to express their recognition of the bravery of the Chinese army on the Chinese battlefield.
Japan, on the other hand, was extremely passive. Two consecutive invitations from its ambassador to complete ministerial-level meetings were rejected.
This imaginative signal released by this loose and hard move really made the Japanese furious, but there was nothing they could do about it.
Although the Japanese cabinet has long proposed a war in Southeast Asia, Japan has always been extremely afraid of the developed industry and rich mineral deposits of the United States. Without a suitable opportunity, to touch the world's largest manufacturing factory, Japan
I don’t have the confidence yet.
The saying "weak countries have no diplomacy" has been vividly interpreted by the Western world at this time.
Of course, from the underlying logic, the Western countries are actually very unhappy when Japan launches a full-scale war against China. They do not want to abandon their interests in China, and China will not be too quick to subjugate itself and completely become Japan.
As vassals, they can gain more benefits from this land.
A China that can stand up to Japan but cannot continue to be strong is the outcome they most want to see.
Only in this way can they continue to suck blood from this land of 40 million people, just like a vegetable field full of leeks.
But for China at this time, it is no longer important how dark and dirty it is. What is important is that I won this time and the Japanese are not invincible.
It is impossible to destroy China in three months, and it is impossible in three years. We can fight for three hundred years!
What the Chinese want is confidence!
Compared with the sensational West, China is relatively calm.
The only people in the non-occupied areas who received news of the victory were college students who held a victory parade as usual, while the faces of the common people were a little more joyful, and soon it was as if nothing had happened.
It's just that this New Year is different from the past. Every household in the occupied areas has not hung up red lanterns representing joy and victory, which was very rare in the past two years.
Because it costs money, which is very difficult for most Chinese people who are trapped in extreme poverty at this time!
But in this New Year, even if they would rather celebrate New Year's Eve hungry, they still have to hang up the red lanterns.
That represents hope and a beautiful vision for the coming year.
Only by continuous victory can the flames of war not reach our hometown and our loved ones return.
At this time, China had recruited more than 6 million soldiers. Not only every household had a son, but one out of every ten households was wearing military uniform.
A sparsely populated province like Shaanxi Province, or the county where the 17th Division was originally located, has a population of only a few hundred thousand, but has sent more than 10,000 troops, and every household has a military presence.
Why don’t elderly parents want their sons to return home early?
After a year and a half of constant despair, they finally saw hope.
Governments at all levels have also shown some performance. For example, in Sichuan Province, which produces the largest amount of grain, the county governments have stated that the grain payment in the coming year will be 20% more than last year, and Chuding will also strictly ensure the number of people needed to reach the peak.
Although the people in the occupied areas were unable to obtain news information from the outside due to the deliberate blockade by the Japanese army, Chinese underground intelligence agents had long been authorized, and slogans saying "The Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain was won" were posted in rural areas and cities.
The news of this kind of victory, coupled with the fact that trucks loaded with wounded Japanese soldiers had been seen long ago, makes people even more daydream and excited.
An undercurrent is surging in the Japanese-occupied areas.
The 80th Group Army operating in the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei area is obviously easier to recruit than before. In northern Hebei alone, a regiment of the 80th Group Army recruited nearly 2,500 young men to join the army at the New Year's Eve, and its scale expanded rapidly.
This is the transformation brought about by faith.
The pessimism about defeat that originally filled all walks of life after the Battle of Central China could not be said to be swept away, but could only grow in the darkness.
However, in this favorable environment, a defection occurred that shocked the country.
The Japanese finally breathed a sigh of relief from the completely passive situation after the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain.
