The commander of the Japanese 1st Infantry Brigade Major General Hattori Akitaro and 3,300 Japanese soldiers died in the battle!
The fighting spirit was completely lost. The 2nd Tank Squadron, which had already separated 500 meters from the front line when the Chinese bombardment ended and the charge horn sounded, did not escape the disaster because of their cleverness. 17 of the 20 tanks were lost, and only 17 of them were lost.
Three Type 97 light tanks escaped because they were lucky and did not get stuck.
In fact, if it hadn't been for the temporary retreat of these 20 tanks, even if the defense line carefully constructed by Hattori Xiaotaro had undergone such a fierce bombing, it would never have collapsed in less than 30 minutes!
But this is the battlefield. Even if all members of the 2nd Tank Squadron resist as hard as the Japanese infantry, it will only cause more casualties to the Chinese side and will not conflict with the final battle situation.
However, in this battle, the 1st Division not only suffered a huge defeat and completely humiliated the Imperial Japanese Army, but there were also bright spots.
After the two infantry brigades that had previously evacuated felt the rumble of artillery on the front line 2,000 meters away and 4,000 meters away respectively, they showed the temperament of true soldiers, abandoning unnecessary baggage without hesitation and heading into the darkness!
The military order was like a mountain! The Army Major responsible for leading the infantry brigade confidently answered the investigation team leader sent by the division headquarters who questioned him.
The military order given by Major General Hattori Akitaro was to retreat as soon as possible. The two Japanese majors resolutely completed the military order from the general.
As for why the baggage and even the infantry artillery and some heavy machine guns were abandoned on the plains, there is no need to go into details.
The young officers of the 1st Division chose to protect the people, rather than being like some old stubborns who would rather die carrying the heavy equipment. In that case, the final outcome could only be that both people and equipment became the spoils of war for the Chinese.
From a certain perspective, the choice of the two Japanese majors was okay. At least because of their decisions, nearly 2,000 Japanese soldiers and hundreds of wounded soldiers left the battlefield alive.
Otherwise, with the marching speed of the 772nd Regiment after breaking through the defense line, using three infantry companies as arrows to stride into the darkness in an attempt to annihilate another broken force, the two infantry brigades may not be able to get rid of this powerful pursuer.
Along the way, the Japanese army abandoned a lot of infantry artillery, heavy machine guns and various supplies, but the officers and soldiers of the 772nd Regiment were not very happy.
Because they met their opponent this time, they chased for nearly 7 kilometers in one breath, only to find that they were still at least 3 kilometers away from the Japanese army. The opponent's speed was not slower than theirs at all. As brave as Wang Xiaoqiang, he could only bite his back teeth and declare
Stop the pursuit.
After all, the First Division still had more than 10,000 troops. If someone got anxious and launched a counterattack, it would be like stealing a chicken but losing a lot of rice. Wang Xiaoqiang would not do such stupid things.
The Battle of the Western Front was a complete victory. The 683rd Brigade annihilated more than 3,800 Japanese troops at the cost of more than 500 officers and soldiers being killed and 800 wounded.
This created a record on the battlefield in North China. It was the first time that they won a positional battle on the plains with a loss ratio of 1 to 3. Before that, the Four Lines Regiment had not achieved such a record.
Tang Dao, who had led 500 elites to raid the Japanese temporary division headquarters and successfully killed a Japanese division-level chief of staff, received the battle report from the 683 brigade. He happily called back to congratulate him: "In the Battle of Zishan, we defeated the Japanese offensive.
Your army has accounted for at least half of the success. On behalf of the millions of soldiers and civilians in southern Hebei, I would like to express my gratitude to all the officers and soldiers of your army. Long live the 683 Brigade!"
Although Tang Dao is meant to be the icing on the cake, it does not actually exaggerate the role of the 683 Brigade.
It wasn't that the main force of the 683 brigade had been lurking in the Taihang Mountains, which attracted Saburo Okabe's attention, so that at least six of his infantry brigade reserves did not dare to enter the main battlefield of Zishan. The pressure on Zishan's three defense lines was at least more than double the current level.
Not to mention that the 683rd Brigade directly broke through the Japanese defense line on the plains with one blow and wiped out nearly 4,000 Japanese invaders. It was considered a complete conclusion to the Battle of Zishan.
By the morning of the 19th, the losses of the 1st Division and the 3rd Division were as high as 19,000. They basically crippled this powerful Kwantung Army force, and also beat up the old rival 3rd Division.
Going to the front line of the Yellow River, when I think of the Battle of Zishan, these turtles and grandchildren must tighten their legs.
But this was not the final loss of the Japanese army.
Because Colonel Shigenobu Yoshigu and his 2,000 subordinates are still surrounded by the Four Elements Regiment!
By the morning of the 19th, 2,000 Japanese troops were surrounded in a hilly area of less than 0.5 square kilometers. Nearly 6,000 elite troops from the four lines surrounded from three directions were not in a hurry to launch a final attack, but instead built fortifications on the spot.
Shigenobu Yoshigu and the 2000 Japanese troops didn't know if they were in a daze. They didn't even assemble the entire army to attack the only escape route, which was about 1,500 meters wide. After discovering that they were surrounded, the Japanese troops used the original fortifications to defend themselves.
He looked like he was going to fight to the end.
"Commander of the little devil, you have something!" Ye Chenghuan, who was in charge of commanding this battle, arrived at the frontline headquarters of the encirclement. After carefully observing the Japanese infantry in the encirclement with his binoculars as they desperately dug trenches and built fortifications, he was quite surprised.
He shook his head regretfully.
The only way out of last night's encirclement was not a gap left by the tactical coordination errors of the four infantry battalions. It was deliberately left by Ye Chenghuan.
If the Japanese army escapes through this gap, what awaits them will be an ambush by three elite infantry companies of the 3rd Battalion. Most of the Japanese soldiers in the encirclement will not have the chance to see the sun this morning.
If the Japanese army stayed in these hills and resisted, it would be a troublesome thing. If they wanted to swallow these 2,000 people who were in desperate situation and had complete fortifications, even if they were as strong as the Four Elements Regiment, it would be a bit hot.
Unfortunately, Ye Chenghuan's move was discovered by the Japanese commander. Instead of escaping overnight, he stayed in this hilly area and planned to fight to the death.
"It's a headache. There are at least 2,000 little Japs here. If we want to kill them, we have to pay a certain price. But after the battle of Zishan, all the troops suffered heavy losses. Some infantry companies only had half of them left. Those individuals
When the company commander saw me, he didn't even smile even though he had won the battle." Shangguan Yun also frowned.
"Yes! The battle was won, but the losses to the troops were too great. Not to mention the company and platoon leaders. I saw that the regiment leader was such a strong man. He went to the field hospital and looked gloomy when he came back.
If you want to get rid of water, he personally led the mountain infantry company and the reconnaissance company to sneak attack the Japanese division headquarters this time, with the intention of venting his anger on Saburo Okabe." Ye Chenghuan also sighed.
"No, I have been in the army for so many years, and I have never seen such a 'small-minded' commander as the regimental commander. He never stays overnight when he has a grudge, and he has to avenge it today. It's a pity that Saburo Okabe runs so fast.
He left a small division chief of staff to act as his scapegoat. I guess the evil spirit that the commander did not express was going to be directed at these devils," Shangguan said.
While the two were talking, the signal soldier ran over and handed over a telegram.
"Surround them instead of attack them. We'll wait until I get back! Surround them to death and send all the anti-aircraft guns of the anti-aircraft battalion to the battlefield!" Tang Dao's message was concise and clear.
"Chief of Staff Shangguan, it is you, an old comrade, who needs to understand the regimental commander, and you are telling me so." Ye Chenghuan smiled bitterly and handed the message to Shangguan Yun.
"Sir, what do you mean by this wave of Japanese troops?" Shangguan Yun glanced at the telegram and was slightly surprised.
The purpose of deploying the air defense battalion is absolutely clear. It is to prevent the Japanese army from using their aircraft fleet to open up an escape route for this wave of Japanese troops. This should also be the only possibility for this wave of Japanese troops to escape.
"The regiment commander's move is so cruel! As soon as the 48 40mm anti-aircraft guns of the air defense battalion are pulled over, unless the little devil uses hundreds of fighter planes like last time, we will eat him as many as he comes. If we are not afraid of him, just
I'm afraid that he won't come, but this is the first time in my life that I have seen the regiment leader surrounding the place to call for reinforcements!" Ye Chenghuan sighed.
"That's not the first time that other troops can have as many anti-aircraft guns as our Fourth Army Regiment. Anyway, when I was in the 88th Division, I felt very awesome when I could see 12 mountain cannons." Shangguan Yun also said the same thing.
The face is filled with emotion.
"Director Ye, you don't even know that when I first arrived at our regiment's station that year, the regimental commander took me to visit the artillery company. I glanced at the 12 Bofors Mountain Cannons placed on the playground. I felt like I was dreaming at that time.
It felt like I could think of artillery all over my mind when I went to bed at night, and I cried a lot when I woke up. If my 542nd Regiment could have had this equipment, how could we have lost all our elite regiments on the Songhu battlefield?"
"Haha! Chief of Staff, Shangguan, you said you were in a dream. Then when I first came to our regiment, it was Grandma Liu who entered the Grand View Garden. You could still recognize the Bofors Mountain Cannon, but I had never even seen the MG34 machine gun.
At that time, Heizi demonstrated to me the firepower of that thing. The long continuous shot broke a tree as thick as a calf. My head was buzzing at the time. If the national army had this kind of firepower,
I'm afraid I won't live long enough to enter the Taihang Mountains." Ye Chenghuan said with a smile.
"Haha! Director Ye, don't dwell on the past. Brothers also fight sometimes, so here comes the little devil! The two brothers happened to team up to fight the robbers. Besides, we don't distinguish between you and me. We are the same pot.
Let’s eat here.” Shangguan Yun quickly smiled and comforted his colleagues.
"Then what if one day the little devil is beaten away?" Ye Chenghuan sighed slightly.
"Then..." Shangguan Yun frowned slightly, met Ye Chenghuan's gaze, but answered calmly.
"The regimental commander has proven on the battlefield that he is a real Chinese soldier. Although Shangguan Yun is not talented, he made the decision the moment he chose to follow the regimental commander to the battlefield in North China to follow Jiwei!"
"Yes, the Chinese people and the historical process will choose the real Chinese army." Ye Chenghuan's eyes lit up slightly.
"However, before thinking about that, do we have to kill these little devils first? Okabe Saburo, who has fled back to Handan, may not give up on these little devils so easily." Shangguan Yun said with a smile.
"Haha! That's how it should be. Send an order to each battalion and the regimental commander to encircle the Japanese troops in the encirclement circle. If one person walks away from that direction, the battalion commander will personally go to the regiment headquarters to make a review!" Ye Chenghuan also laughed.
Although the battle is difficult and the losses are huge, it is heartbreaking to be able to taste the fruits of victory, especially when the two thousand Japanese invaders are surrounded and watch them have to struggle to survive. For two years,
For the Chinese soldiers who have been in a defensive posture for many years, it is a hearty pleasure.
Of course, for Ye Chenghuan, there is another level of joy.
This can be regarded as the most heart-to-heart chat between the two top five commanders of the Four Lines Regiment. One did not beat around the bush, and the other also confessed what was in his heart. But there was no doubt that Shangguan Yun gave the answer Ye Chenghuan wanted most.
The fact that Tang Dao became a secret member of the 80th Army was the top secret of the 80th Army. Ye Chenghuan was not high enough and did not know that his commander was already a member of the 80th Army, but he knew that Tang Dao could transfer him to
The important position of serving as the director of the Political Department of the Four Corps Group speaks for itself.
Lei Xiong and Tang Dao have always been as close as brothers, and the relationship goes without saying. Now Chief of Staff Shangguan Yun has frankly stated that he will obey all decisions of Tang Dao. The future direction of the Four Elements Group has basically been determined. Ye Cheng, who has a special mission
Why is Huan unhappy?
The various units of the Fourth Army Regiment surrounded the hills, put down their firearms and picked up shovels, like thousands of hard-working prairie dogs. The initially formed circles of trenches visible to the naked eye surrounded the battlefield.
In this situation, you may say that it is possible to escape a mouse at night, but it is really difficult to escape a living person.
Colonel Shigenobu Yoshitoshi, who was watching all this with a telescope, had a clouded face. He knew very well that it was impossible to escape from here by his own strength. The only hope was that the North China Front did not abandon them and the division did not abandon them.
.
After all, there are still the 10th Division and the remnants of the division in southern Hebei! Moreover, the reinforcements of the 4th Division are already on the way, and the total is still more than 40,000 troops. It may be difficult for another Zishan Battle to save their lone army.
It’s not too big!
Colonel Shigenobu Yoshigu could only comfort himself in this way, otherwise what else could he do? Should he have a caesarean section to apologize?
Here, the Chinese side achieved great victories in various battlefields and surrounded 2,000 Japanese troops. This basically set the tone for a complete victory in the Zishan Battle, while the Japanese side was filled with sorrow.
Even Major General Okuma Konosuke hurriedly led nearly 10,000 Japanese troops to Handan on a special train, but he could not make the ashen-faced Lieutenant General Okabe Saburo smile at all.
On the afternoon of the 19th, a major general-level military meeting was held at the Japanese frontline high command in Handan.
Sitting in the chief position was Lieutenant General Saburo Okabe, who was personally appointed by Commander Taten Shun. Seated on both sides were Lieutenant General Yoshio Shinozuka and Major General Konosuke Ohma, commander of the 10th Division. Further back was the 1st
Major General Toshio Takahashi, commander of the 2nd Infantry Brigade of the division left in Handan, Major General Sebuhira Se, commander of the 8th Brigade of the 10th Division, Major General Kei Setani, commander of the 33rd Brigade, and two other chairs were vacant.
Originally, the Japanese army had two lieutenant generals and five major generals in southern Hebei, but now there are two less. The losses are comparable to the Shanxi East War in September 1938.
Saburo Okabe, as the supreme commander of the southern Hebei region, did not sit down. Instead, he stood in front of the map of the Handan region. He turned his back to several Japanese generals and remained silent for a long time. He did not speak, and no one spoke. The entire meeting
The atmosphere in the room was so heavy that it was rarely seen in Japanese Army combat meetings.
"Colonel Shigenobu Yoshigu and 2,000 Imperial officers and soldiers are surrounded. Although our front army's Southern Hebei Division lost the first battle, we must not give up on them, otherwise this battle will become a shame for our Imperial Army!" Saburo Okabe, who had not spoken for a long time, finally read from the map.
Leave before.
Once you open your mouth, you will set the tone for this combat meeting.
Saburo Okabe has already told everyone in subtext that the discussion in this combat meeting is not whether we should save, but how to save.
Yoshio Shinozuka, who was sitting on one side, had his facial muscles twitching slightly, but he resisted the urge to speak.
His 10th Division had just suffered a major defeat half a year ago, and its strength has not yet recovered. Saburo Okabe almost pointed at his nose and said, it's your turn to take over the 10th Division.
Seeing that Yoshio Shinozuka did not express his position, Saburo Okabe's expression became even more gloomy. He simply ignored the division commander and turned his attention to Konosuke Daokuma who had just arrived in Handan.
"Yes, I agree with Lieutenant General Okabe's point of view. The battle to rescue 2,000 imperial officers and soldiers is imperative. Our army came here to follow the commander's order to annihilate the stubborn Chinese army. Now we are willing to accept Lieutenant General Okabe's orders.
Everything is dispatched!" Seeing Saburo Okabe turn his attention to himself, Konosuke Daxiong stood up directly with an impassioned look on his face.
Yoshio Shinozuka's face almost turned green. He knew better than anyone what kind of bird Konosuke Okuma was. This guy suddenly had such an experience. Did he take the wrong medicine?
"Yo Xi! Mr. Big Bear, the empire will never forget the bravery of you and the Imperial officers and soldiers of the 4th Division." Okabe Saburo's gloomy expression instantly improved a lot.
It doesn't matter how bad the Injury-Free Division's combat effectiveness is, what's important is their attitude, and the attitude of Okuma Konosuke is very good.
'Nonsense! You fool, you are a lieutenant general, so of course you are not afraid of this crazy old man. If I want to get into trouble with him at this time, am I not asking for death? Besides, he has the final say whether to fight, but how to fight is not up to me.
"Is it possible that he can still run away from my headquarters and stare at me?" Daxiong Konosuke didn't even look at Shinozuka Yoshio. He sat down with the encouragement of Okabe Saburo and started to complain crazily in his heart.
It can only be said that the Japanese generals here have 800 tricks, and Major General Daxiong alone accounts for 799!
With Okuma Konosuke taking the lead, the other major generals naturally had no choice but to stand up and speak. However, Major General Futose of the 10th Division was also a good person and expressed a positive attitude, but he did not want to send troops.
The meaning behind the words depends on the division commander.
"Our division has the important responsibility of guarding southern Hebei Province, and the number of troops we can mobilize is limited!" Yoshio Shinozuka set the tone when he opened his mouth. "But the lives of 2,000 imperial officers and soldiers are equally important. This battle is imperative, but
I think the key point of tactics lies not on the ground, but in the sky!"
"That's great!" Saburo Okabe breathed a sigh of relief. Even if the 10th Division was only willing to send out one infantry regiment, he could still use up to 20,000 troops. At least he would not be at a disadvantage in terms of strength.
"As for the Army Air Corps, I will personally coordinate!"
"The whole army is standing still and waiting for reinforcements! The division is reorganizing and fighting again!" At dusk, Colonel Shigenobu Yoshigu, who was surrounded by the Four Elements Regiment, received a telegram that reassured him.
However, what the Japanese commander did not expect was that the wait would last for nearly 10 days!
In hilly areas, there is nothing but turf!
Hungry people will really turn into herbivores!
PS: I went out yesterday and didn't get home until 10pm. I didn't have time to type, so I took a day off. I would like to inform you.
