"Duo Tianjun is here, and the North China Anti-Japanese War is about to usher in a new stage!" Tang Dao said meaningfully at the military meeting where the main force of the Four Lines Regiment marched into southern Hebei.
The main force of the Si Xing Regiment marched into Jinan. This was not decided by Tang Dao or the Si Xing Regiment headquarters, but an order from the Second Theater Command.
Before the first month of the year was even out, the Second Theater Headquarters sent a message to the headquarters of the Fourth Army Regiment and ordered the Fourth Army Regiment to send a main force to sneak into the southern Hebei region to launch operations against Japan.
The reason is very simple. Tang Daoke still holds the position of deputy director of the Jinan Administrative Office. It is most normal for him and his four groups to enter Jinan.
The director of the Jinan Office appointed by the national government had secretly arrived in the suburbs of Handan years ago and had already begun work.
Tang Dao knew that this was the reaction of the man in the mountain city to the 80th Army Group that entered a large number of enemy-occupied areas. He did not mention officially appointing officials, but also ventured into enemy-occupied areas to carry out work.
However, Tang Dao was also curious as to who the great master was who was so concerned about his officials rather than his own life that he dared to arrive in the Japanese-occupied areas to carry out work without the protection of the army. Such people were common in the 80th Group Army, and they could be found under that man.
Not much.
March 16, 1939!
On the 10th day after the Japanese North China Front Headquarters announced the arrival of the new commander, Lieutenant General Duo Tianjun, the 1st Battalion, 1st Company, 2nd Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Company, 5th Company, and 3rd Battalion 7th Company of the Fourth Army Regiment
, 10th Company of the 4th Battalion; 3rd and 4th Battalion Artillery Company, 1st Company of the Cavalry Battalion, 1st Company and 2nd Company of the Artillery Battalion, 1st and 2nd Company of the Air Defense Battalion; 1st Company and 2nd Company of the Transport Battalion; 1st Company of the Guard Battalion, Regiment Headquarters
A total of 6 infantry companies, 5 artillery companies, 1 cavalry company, 3 special forces companies, and 2 baggage companies, including directly affiliated reconnaissance companies, mountain infantry companies, and engineer companies, totaled about 5,000 troops sent to southern Hebei.
Of course, such a large-scale troop march cannot be carried out with much fanfare. Wouldn't that give Duo Tianjun, a new official, an opportunity to make a fuss when he takes office?
Southern Hebei is not a big mountain like southeastern Shanxi. The two important cities in the area are Handan and Xingtai. The northwest of Handan is the eastern flank of the main ridge of the Taihang Mountains, which is a mountainous area. The central and eastern parts are plain areas, which are the most important food in Handan.
Cotton and oil production areas; and the mountainous areas to which Xingtai belongs only account for 20% of the city's area, with up to 80% of the area being hills and plains.
This means that the fighting method of the Four Troops Regiment arriving in southern Hebei will be very different from that of the past year. If they are surrounded by a large number of Japanese troops in this undefensible plain area, it will be the end of the entire army.
There is no luck in this game.
Therefore, the main force of the Si Xing Regiment going to Jinan went in batches, almost an infantry company accompanied by an artillery company. Tang Dao personally led the guard company, cavalry company, reconnaissance company, mountain infantry company, and escort company to advance.
.
Although the engineering company and the baggage company are auxiliary troops, the army of the Four Corps, no matter what type of troops it is, has strict military training. Its combat effectiveness may be comparable to that of the four major infantry battalions, but not everyone can bully them.
of.
Moreover, the 80th Group Army's local armed workers team provided information along the way, so we were not afraid of being attacked by the Japanese army.
Although the Fourth Army's trip to southern Hebei was said to be fighting the Japanese, it was obviously not for a big fight. None of the 12 Bofors mountain guns of the mountain artillery company with the strongest artillery support was moved, and neither were the materials transported by the two baggage companies.
Mainly food or ammunition.
Only insiders knew that the two baggage companies were transporting a large number of mines and excavation tools with all their strength.
That was Tang Tuanzuo’s secret weapon against the Japanese army’s so-called “Three Guangs Policy”!
Since the Japanese wanted to use the tactic of exterminating every household, Tang Tuanzuo used the method that had been practiced on the North China Plain with great success to fight with them.
Sparrow warfare, mine warfare, and tunnel warfare are all successful tactics practiced with blood by the 80th Army and the vast number of soldiers and civilians in the base areas.
When sparrows are foraging for food and flying, they never fly in groups. They are mostly one or two, three or five, or a dozen, flying east and west, gathering and scattering, with small targets, fast speed, and flexible movements.
'When attacking the garrisoned enemy, the militiamen make use of the favorable conditions they are familiar with to understand the enemy's various situations, take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness, and launch a surprise attack; when fighting an ambush, our soldiers and civilians set up ambushes on the only way the enemy must pass.
, lure the enemy into a trap, and use volleys of guns and landmines to kill and injure the enemy in large numbers; in the blocking battle, our soldiers and civilians adopt the method of dispersion and concealment, and look for the right opportunity to eliminate the enemy.'
This is the strategy that Commander Liu of the 921st Division named "Sparrow Warfare" in the "921st Division's Tactics Report on the First Anniversary of the Anti-Japanese War" in July 1938, and it was gradually promoted.
The reason why Tang Dao carried company-level units instead of battalion-level units this time was that he planned to adopt the method of sparrow warfare and spread the main force into the vast plains and countryside in companies and platoons.
If a small group of Japanese troops are encountered, such as at the squad or squadron level, the militia developed by the Eightyth Group Army stationed in the local area will cooperate with the platoons and companies to harass, ambush, block and annihilate them;
If the Japanese army begins large-scale reinforcements, they will immediately telegraph the troops stationed in surrounding villages, townships, and counties to harass the enemy reinforcements along the way, slow down their marching speed, and cover the evacuation of local soldiers and civilians.
In the past, the reason why the Japanese army could dispatch an infantry squadron to achieve the purpose of "clearing the countryside" was just to bully the soldiers and civilians in the base area with poor weapons and equipment. A single infantry squadron could withstand the attack of the 80th Army with nearly a thousand people, and it had enough time.
Hold out until reinforcements arrive.
But when the Four Elements Group appears in southern Hebei, this good wish of the Japanese will completely come to nothing!
In order to cope with this situation of being dispersed and fighting independently, the Fourth Army Regiment once again updated the equipment of the infantry squad during the spring training.
In view of the characteristics of plain offensive and defensive warfare, the demand for firepower is more intensive than the pursuit of range. The number of long rifles in the 15-man infantry squad has been reduced to 6, and the bolt-fire rifle has been completely eliminated from the infantry squad.
5 people are equipped with semi-automatic rifles, 3 are members of the improved 60mm mortar team, 2 are MG42 machine gun shooters, the machine gun is equipped with a bipod, one precision shooter chooses to be equipped with a gun according to his own wishes, and the other 4 people are all equipped with submachine guns.
The little foreign girl gave a big gift last time. Although she gave 230 submachine guns to friendly forces, she still has more than 600 MP38 submachine guns in stock. With an infantry squad equipped with 4 guns, it can equip 150 infantry squads.
There are currently 12 infantry companies in the four major infantry battalions, a total of 36 infantry platoons, and each platoon has 4 infantry squads, which is enough to cover all personnel. Tang Tuanzuo is naturally not stingy in distributing this new equipment to all personnel.
Line infantry.
In addition, in order to continue to strengthen the close-range firepower, in addition to the heavy-duty pikemen, the artillery team, machine gun team and submachine gunners are all equipped with Black Star pistols.
Although this placed a lot more demands on the infantry, between being tired and saving their lives, the officers and soldiers of the Fourth Line Regiment made the choice almost without hesitation.
There are not that many semi-automatic rifles in the Four Lines Regiment, but this has long been planned by Tang Dao. Rostav received an order to purchase 10,000 Czech semi-automatic rifles six months ago, and had already placed the order a month ago.
Secretly transported to the Fengfeng coal mine controlled by the German Empire.
After the main force of the Four Lines Regiment arrives in the mountainous area there, the infantry will change gear and then rush to Handan and Xingtai villages and townships!
Dozens of 40mm anti-aircraft guns ordered by Tang Dao have also arrived. Instead of carrying bulky 20mm anti-aircraft guns, they only carry 2 anti-aircraft companies of 7mm heavy machine guns. They will also add 24 40mm anti-aircraft guns close to Fengfeng Coal Mine.
.
However, the two anti-aircraft companies will not accompany the dispersed infantry. Instead, they will be stationed in Tang Dao with the guard company, reconnaissance company, mountain infantry company, 1st cavalry company, engineer company and other units led by Tang Dao. After the reconnaissance company conducted a survey
The purple mountain behind.
Zishan, also known as Mafu Mountain, is located 15 kilometers northwest of Handan City. It is known as the "No. 1 Mountain in Handan".
It is located at the junction of the Taihang Mountains and the North China Plain, covering an area of about 20 square kilometers. It is a remnant of the Taihang Mountains. The mountains of Zishan are towering and the foothills are restored. The main peak is 4 meters above sea level, making it the highest point in Handan City.
Because the exposed huge rocks and towering cliffs of the mountain are mostly purple, golden and brown "purple quartz", it was named Purple Mountain.
Of course, the main reason why Tang Dao personally selected it as the location of the Sixings Regiment Headquarters is that it is located at the junction of the three counties (cities) of Handan, Wu'an, and Yongnian, and is not far from Xingtai. It is completely possible to support various ministries from here.
In other words, Tang Dao's tactical deployment has been very clear. The Si Xing Regiment headed by him has three light infantry assault companies, one cavalry company, one guard company, one heavy force company, two air defense companies, and two baggage companies.
Together, they form a cluster that can be defended when retreating and successful when advancing.
This can also be regarded as the supply base for the various units of the Four Lines Regiment. All firearms, ammunition, food, and personnel can be supplied from here.
If two baggage companies with 1,500 people are added, the available troops of the Fourth Army Regiment Headquarters can reach nearly 3,000 people. With the fire support of one heavy force company and two air defense companies, the Japanese army can dispatch a detachment with a strength of 10,000 people.
There is no way to gain an overwhelming advantage.
