Colonel Shigenobu Yoshigu and more than 2,000 imperial officers and soldiers of the 503rd Infantry Regiment were surrounded. In fact, the defeat on another battlefield was a far greater blow to Saburo Okabe.
Compared with the counterattack of Zishan's three fronts and four regiments, which will not invest more than 5,000 troops, the battle that really determines the fate of the 1st Division on the night of March 16 actually depends on the confrontation between China and Japan on the northwest plain.
Both armies.
Compared to the three battlefields in Zishan that were already in full swing, on the plain about 6 kilometers away from Zishan, before 12 o'clock in the evening on the 16th, everything was basically quiet, not to mention silent.
But this kind of calm, for the Chinese and Japanese officers and soldiers in the trenches, they all knew that it was only temporary, and no one knew when this false tranquility would be broken.
Hattori Akitaro has not slept for two days. As the top commander of the First Division here, he is very aware of the importance of this line of defense. Only if he holds this line of defense, the Chinese army will not be able to attack 20,000 people.
The rear wing of the division's main force was outflanking, but this dedicated Japanese Army Major General knew that just because of his importance, he could not leave before the main force of Zishan evacuated. He and his army must become the last unit of the entire division to evacuate.
.
The evacuation time given to him by Division Commander Okabe Saburo was after 11 o'clock on the evening of the 16th!
Hattori Akitaro did not fully follow Saburo Okabe's military orders. At 9 o'clock after nightfall, the Chinese completely stopped the excavation operation that originally lasted for three days and three nights. This abnormal signal made Hattori Akitaro feel extremely uncomfortable.
A good hunch, maybe the Chinese general attack will be tonight.
Therefore, after entering 11 o'clock, Hattori Akitaro did not follow the original evacuation plan and only ordered an infantry brigade to withdraw from the position and join a baggage squadron staying behind the position to evacuate backwards.
There are still 4 infantry brigades and a tank squadron on the position, as well as all infantry artillery squadrons and mountain artillery squadrons.
If the Chinese launch an attack in the early morning, more than 4,000 elite imperial officers and soldiers will definitely crush their ambitions. Looking at the flashes of fire and thunder-like explosions coming from the Purple Mountain battlefield a few kilometers away, Hattori Kotaro secretly felt cruel in his heart.
It has to be said that Hattori Akitaro is indeed a veteran with rich battlefield experience. Just from the signal to stop digging trenches, he can basically judge that China is preparing a big move. He will not hesitate to give up the perfect time to withdraw the main force, but also keep the main force in the battlefield.
It dealt a heavy blow to China on the battlefield.
Indeed, in the trenches that were only 180 meters away from the Japanese trenches, the Chinese soldiers all had grenades on their waists, and the ammo belts hung diagonally were filled with yellow and orange bullets. Except for a few, they were lying on the battlefield and staring.
There were observation posts in front and a few infantrymen chatting in low voices. Most of the soldiers were resting against the inner wall of the trench with their rifles in hand.
The 16 infantry companies located in the frontline trenches all received the regimental military order from the signal corps: to suspend excavation, the entire army rests, and waits for the general attack order!
Although at 6 pm each person had already had dinner with two white flour steamed buns and a bowl of broth, at 11 pm, the cooking teams of each company once again brought each person a steamed bun filled with fat and a boiled egg.
It’s considered a snack in the evening.
"Hurry up and go to bed, the general attack won't be so early!" An experienced veteran picked up the steamed buns and killed them three times, five by five, and divided them by two. He reminded the recruits around him of the eggs and at the same time, he put the boiled eggs in his pocket.
He smiled with satisfaction and said: "This is a rare thing. It can just fill your belly after the battle."
"Brother, how did you know?" the recruit asked curiously. Except for the brigade headquarters, no one knew when the general attack on the Japanese position in front of them was going to be.
"Stupid! If the general attack is launched in two hours, then there is no need to give us extra food! Just this big steamed bun and two big pieces of fat, it will take at least 4 hours. If the Japanese want to escape, they will definitely
We have to run in batches at night. In order to reduce our casualties, the leaders deliberately gave the Japanese more time to leave the position first. We can capture this position with minimal casualties." The veteran glared because the battle was imminent.
The recruit, who was excited and nervous and couldn't sleep, finally patiently explained to him.
"Then we didn't let a lot of Japanese go free for nothing?" the recruit was still a little confused.
"Run? I'm asking you, who can outrun our 683rd brigade with just their feet? I'll let him run for three hours to see if they can outrun us. If they can't bear the scraps of metal," the veteran said confidently.
answer.
"Understood!" The recruit nodded.
"If you understand, then go to sleep. Only when you have enough energy can you fight the Japanese." The veteran closed his eyes and snored slightly in less than a minute.
Although the new recruits were still nervous and excited, with the calm performance of the veterans, their hearts gradually calmed down. In addition, it was really hard to dig out the earth these past few days, and it didn't take long for them to fall asleep after closing their eyes.
Ten percent were veterans who had experienced the great transfer of thousands of miles, four-year veterans, three-year veterans accounted for 30%, and the remaining 60% were said to be new recruits, but in fact, it took as little as half a year and as many as two years.
, the extremely reasonable personnel composition is very similar to the composition of the Japanese divisions that entered the Chinese battlefield in the early days. This is the main reason why the 683 Brigade can be called the strongest infantry brigade of the Eighty Group Army. Coupled with a full set of German weapons and equipment, the 683 Brigade
If you are not strong enough, God will not agree to it.
"Chief, I think the little Japs are ready to retreat. I don't know how far they will run. Otherwise, if we advance the time of the general attack by half an hour, I guarantee that we will catch them until they run out of breath." It was a few steps away from the Japanese position.
In an underground command post less than 400 meters away, Wang Xiaoqiang somewhat eagerly reassured Brigadier Cheng, who was facing the darkness.
"Do you really think the Japanese on the other side will run away?" Brigadier Cheng turned his head and looked at Wang Xiaoqiang who was eager to fight with a dull expression.
"The little Japanese commander opposite is a powerful character." Wang Xiaoqiang shook his head. "It's not a good idea. He has the whole army in full formation and is waiting for us!"
"Oh? Then you, Madman Wang, have realized this, so why are you still thinking of launching a general attack half an hour in advance?" Brigadier Cheng asked with a smile.
"Hehe! In the past, the little devil's equipment was still the same, but now! We have already replaced our guns with cannons. We can't stop our charge with just a 38-meter cover and a pheasant neck. Even if he has a few thousand soldiers, he can't stop us.
The Japanese guarded the trenches with their eyes wide open. All the commanders and soldiers of the 772nd Regiment and I are confident that we can break through the defense line in front of us within 20 minutes and kill him in a river of blood!" Wang Xiaoqiang replied proudly.
"Okay! It's a good thing to have confidence and determination, and it's not in vain for me to select your general Wang Xiaoqiang, and use the 772nd Regiment as the main attack group of the entire brigade." Brigadier Cheng was obviously very satisfied with Wang Xiaoqiang's statement.
Even though it's all a battle, it's completely different whether or not you have an idea of the enemy's possible deployment. The lunatic warrior takes into account the possibility that the opponent's entire army is ready, but still maintains a determination to win. That's both self-confidence and confidence.
It's determination.
This is also the reason why the five infantry regiment commanders under Brigadier Cheng each have their own strengths in combat, but whenever there is a critical moment, he will not hesitate to choose the madman general as his vanguard.
It’s a preference and an affirmation!
Wang Xiaoqiang is like a sword, and he can dance with it when he is showing off his skills, but if he is required to clear a bloody path for the entire army, then he will definitely move forward.
As the saying goes, the commander will lead the troops. After the 772 regiment lost its commander Ye, who was both civil and military, two years ago, its strength has not declined but has increased. In the past two years, its record has been ahead of the 771 regiment, which was once on par with them.
And the 686th Regiment, the first main regiment of the 511th Division.
"However, you are now the leader of a regiment, and the leader of a large regiment with nearly ten thousand people. If you were placed under that person, you would have to be a major general-level division commander. Don't think about it when thinking about the problem.
Just think about the battlefield in front of you, then think about why the brigade headquarters set the time for the general attack to 3:30 in the morning, and then answer me after you think about it." Brigadier Cheng's smile faded, and he asked Wang Xiaoqiang a difficult question.
There was no problem with Wang Xiaoqiang's tactics. No matter what time it was, the Japanese defense line had to be fought. It was just a matter of risking one's life.
But this time point is the best time point for Brigadier Cheng to get stuck after going through nearly ten deductions and communicating with Tang Dao several times.
After being silent for a while and smoking two cigarettes, Wang Xiaoqiang finally gave his answer: "The reason why the brigade headquarters set this time is, firstly, because this is the time when the human body is most likely to become sleepy, especially because the Japanese army suspected me
The army will launch an attack at any time, and there is no way to enter such a state of deep sleep;
2: The Japanese army may have had a fluke mentality. After 12 o'clock, they still saw no movement from our army, so they deployed some of their main forces to retreat quietly. This also virtually reduced the attack pressure on our army and reduced casualties!
Three: Give our officers and soldiers more ample rest time to recover their physical strength!
That's probably all. Brigadier, there are so many twists and turns in your head that I really can't think of them."
"You are dishonest. Since you became the regiment commander, you have made many more twists and turns than when I first met you! Why, you are afraid that you will become bald all of a sudden, and it will make me look like a brigade commander.
This level of skill can be seen through by you, the commander, right away!" Brigadier Cheng looked at Wang Xiaoqiang with a half-smile.
"Conscience of heaven and earth, chief, I swear to God, I don't have the connections like Lao Xu and others. I really can't flatter you." Wang Xiaoqiang argued with a grimace.
The brigade chief of staff on the side was having a hard time holding back his laughter. Wang Xiaoqiang is really a living treasure. If you swear, swear, why did you take Commander Xu and other senior commanders out to block the gun? Believe it or not, Madman Wang, that’s all.
If the words reach the ears of those regimental commanders, they will collectively tear down the door of your 772 regiment headquarters.
"It's not that you, Madman Wang, can't take the photo, it's because you don't want to take the photo! Hurry up, I'll give you a chance to flatter me, and tell me the most important reason. What's on your mind like a monkey, I can still
I don’t know.” Brigadier Cheng turned his head and looked into the darkness, the corners of his mouth slightly raised.
What he was happy about was not that he was being flattered by his first general, but that he was finally relieved to let his proud subordinate go.
The 921st Division Headquarters has made a decision that after the Zishan Battle, the Japanese army will not launch a large-scale attack in southern Hebei for a long time. In view of the good development trend in southern Hebei, the 921st Division will learn from the Si Xing Regiment.
Promote the Jinan model to other base areas.
The 683rd Brigade will be stationed in Taiyue Mountain to establish the Taiyue Military Region. The military region will be centered on Taiyue Mountain. The base area will be the triangle between Tongpu Road, Baijin Road, and Lintun Road, and will govern a total of 32 counties.
By then, the 772nd Regiment headed by this madman war general will become the patron saint of hundreds of thousands of people in 12 counties. With the ability he has shown now, it is completely enough.
"Hey, I don't know if what I said is right. I think the biggest reason why you are stuck at this time, Chief, is to make the little devil commander opposite you uncomfortable and unable to sleep. This guy will make mistakes if he doesn't rest his brain!
Confused, if you are confused, you must not make a mistake!" Wang Xiaoqiang said with a chuckle.
"How's it going? Chief of Staff, I mean Madman Wang is Zhang Fei who knows how to embroider, right? Otherwise, you would think that the head of the 683rd Brigade, Tang Tuanzuo, who is as smart as a ghost, has the closest relationship with him.
That's because like attracts like!" Brigadier Cheng smiled and looked at the Chief of Staff.
The chief of staff gave Wang Xiaoqiang a thumbs up!
"The more intense the fight on the Four Elements team is, the quieter our side is, and the longer the delay is, the less our opponents can figure out our rhythm. If we make our opponents anxious, they will make mistakes when they are anxious!" This is what Brigadier Cheng said at night.
A concluding speech was made after setting this time point at a brigade headquarters operational meeting.
Hattori Akitaro was in such torment, from 11 o'clock until 2:30 in the morning, the position on the opposite side was still silent, with no intention of launching an attack.
Finally, Hattori Akitaro, who could no longer wait any longer, made the decision to dispatch another infantry brigade to evacuate. If there was no movement from the Chinese by 4 o'clock, Hattori Akitaro would personally lead another infantry brigade to evacuate the battlefield.
The last group to leave the battlefield will be after 5:30. At that time, all the heavy weapons and equipment will have been moved away, and more than a thousand people, all composed of light infantry, will see if the marching speed is fast enough.
At least Hattori Akitaro's wishful thinking seemed good at that moment, but by 3:30 in the morning, Major General Hattori Akitaro, who had packed up and was about to leave the frontline headquarters to join the infantry brigade that had begun to leave the trenches, suddenly heard
A sharp scream came from the air.
The pale-faced Japanese Army Major General looked up and saw dots of meteors twinkling in the sky, like a beautiful meteor shower!
But that does not make people wish, but brings death!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" Amidst the brilliant fire and the shocking sound of explosion, Hattori Akitaro was stunned.
In this psychological duel, he completely lost!
The Chinese were extremely cunning in using time to make him make mistakes. On the position where he once again mobilized a thousand people to evacuate, there were only less than 3,000 infantry. What's more, what's terrible is that an hour ago, he also evacuated 4 infantry artillery squads and
2 heavy machine gun squadrons.
This is because he knows that heavy equipment can slow down the march during retreat, but he is reluctant to discard these heavy equipment, so he can only evacuate early.
This means that the two infantry brigades still on the position and the infantry brigade that has just left the position and intends to assemble, only have 12 heavy machine guns and 2 infantry cannons to provide fire support for them.
Fortunately, there is still a tank squadron that has not left yet. The 57mm howitzers of 6 97 medium tanks and 40 7mm heavy machine guns can also provide some support to the infantry.
Without these, Hattori Xiaotaro would really want to die.
But Hattori Akitaro still underestimated his opponent. This time, the 683 Brigade actually used its heavy firepower, including 12 150mm mortars, 12 Type 41 75 mountain guns, and 12 75mm Bo
The Foss Mountain artillery, the 82 mortars equipped by each regiment, and the 80 "flying thunder cannons" quietly constructed in the front-line trenches.
It's far from the legendary 10,000-gun salvo, but it's definitely over a hundred!
Especially the 80 thunder cannons on the front line. Although the range is very short and the furthest can only be ejected 250 meters away, it is enough.
The job of the 5-kilogram explosive package is to destroy the forward fortifications and the infantry in the first-line trenches.
More than 10 minutes of artillery preparations, not to mention mortars, mountain artillery, just the special explosive packs for thunder cannons. The "crazy" gunners of the 683 Brigade killed 800 of them. That was 4,000 kilograms of explosives. The 683 Brigade
I bought a little bit of it every month from the Si Xing Tuan Military Factory, and it took me a whole year to save up, but it was all gone in 10 minutes.
Even a group leader like Wang Xiaoqiang, who has seen a lot of things in the world, was so distressed by his subordinates' way of pouring out ammunition for free that his cheeks trembled with distress!
What should I say! This is good, so that these bastards can survive being scolded by me. I won’t be able to scold them to death after the war. Wang Xiaoqiang can comfort himself.
Hattori Kotaro underestimated his opponents and overestimated his own people.
Hundreds of cannons were smashed in at once, and the blazing wave of air was overwhelming. Not to mention the infantry on the front line, even the tanks of various types that were semi-surrounded by the fortifications were shaking violently. The armored soldiers of the Japanese tank squadron were not idiots. Seeing this
With the heavy artillery fire, it was judged that the front-line infantrymen must not be able to hold the trenches.
If the infantry cannot hold on, it means that the Chinese will soon approach their tanks, which are used as fixed firepower points 400 meters away. A few days ago, the 1st Tank Squadron was lit alive by the Chinese with crude incendiary bottles.
The scene is still vivid in my mind, they are still waiting here, what is that if they are not super idiots?
"Each tank will immediately leave the fortifications after the artillery fire stops and maneuver to support the imperial infantry fighting the Chinese in various areas!" the squadron leader of the tank gave the military order with a livid face.
For mobile support and fighting the Chinese, the two key points seem to be fine. Those who understand understand will naturally understand, and those who do not understand, then go to hell!
Therefore, the 22 tanks of the 2nd Tank Squadron, which Hattori Akatsuki had high hopes for, had already lost their fighting spirit during an artillery battle on the battlefield.
How can 3,000 light infantry resist the charge of 6,000 Chinese elite infantry who have been recuperating all night? Can they take the lead?
At 4:10 in the morning, Hattori Akitaro desperately sent a farewell message to Saburo Okabe that the defense line in the northwest plain was broken and the entire army was shattered!
At that time, only 40 minutes had passed since China fired the first artillery shell!
........
By dawn, only gray military uniforms were cleaning the battlefield. The battlefield was littered with shit-yellow corpses, among which gray military uniforms occasionally fell to the ground.
The recruit knelt in front of his squad leader. When he broke through the defense line, the veteran fired twice and killed two Japanese soldiers in the trench. However, several machine gun bullets from 100 meters away also hit his chest. The recruit could not stop the charge.
Until the battle was over, he returned to the battlefield and found the squad leader who had done a simple bandage.
The recruit took out the crushed boiled egg from the veteran's purse and put the crushed yolk into his mouth. The veteran smacked his lips tremblingly a few times and made an inaudible sound: "It smells good!"
The recruit's face was darkened by gunpowder smoke, with two white marks washed out all over it. He struggled to carry his breathless squad leader on his back.
On the battlefield filled with smoke, the recruits' desolate and solemn roars rang out: "Forward! Forward! Our team moves forward!"
That was the first military song he learned from the squad leader when he entered the army!
