The two people who basically reached an agreement once again paid military salutes in front of Sun Mingjin's tomb. Fang Xianjue, who was in a good mood, decided to go to Tang Dao, the offensive and defensive training base that had been in place for more than half a year.
Many people in that base knew about it, but all the generals in the war zone knew that Tang Dao had offended that person. Unless they had to, the Four Lines Group was destined to carry the ash bucket until the end of the war. Although they were very sad, in order to avoid suspicion,
However, except for a few generals such as General Guo, the deputy commander of the 27th Group Army, and Major General Xie Jinyuan, who were very close to Tang Dao, Fang Xianjue, whose military headquarters was in Hengyang, had never come to see it once.
Thinking that he would have to cooperate with the powerful army of the Si Xing Regiment in the future and that he was now a casual counselor of the Ministry of Military Affairs, Fang Xianjue no longer had the scruples he had before.
However, before leaving, he still sent guards to inform Zhao and Sun, who were waiting for him at the foot of the mountain, that he would stay with his close friends in the tomb for two days, so that they could return to Hengyang City on their own without waiting any longer.
After arranging everything, Fang Xianjue, who was in a good mood, let Tang Shanhe sit on his shoulders and accompanied Tang Dao and his wife to walk down the mountain. He listened to Tang Shanhe's sweet voice telling him stories, and Lang Lang burst out from time to time.
laughter.
Although young life is delicate, looking at it growing strong, mature life forms will always have expectations for the future involuntarily.
Especially in these war-torn years, this thing called hope is even more precious.
This may be the happiest day for the famous tiger general in the 9th Theater since his best friend died in combat in December last year.
But this tiger general in the army may not have expected that the surprise given to him by the Colonel of the Engineering Corps was far from over.
Sitting in Tang Dao's assault jeep, which many division commanders were not equipped with, Fang Xianjue arrived at the legendary offensive and defensive training base.
When the jeep was still 1,000 meters away from the base, Fang Xianjue couldn't help but take a breath when looking at it with the naked eye.
What kind of training ground is there? It is clearly a carefully constructed military fortress!
There are no walls blocking the fortress, and countless loess-built houses are clearly visible. It is precisely because of these houses that people cannot see how many forts and fortifications are deployed inside. However, the outside of the fortress is lined with deep trenches and barbed wire.
They were densely covered, especially several artificially built hills that were 20 to 30 meters high. Facing the attacking side, they were all cut into nearly 90-degree cliffs, which looked terrifying.
"This is..." Fang Xianjue asked subconsciously as he looked at the military fortress that was obviously different from what he had imagined.
"Hey, this is a terrain replica of a corner of HY City. It is a fortification design made by Ye Chenghuan, Director of the Political Department of our regiment, and Leng Feng, Chief of Staff, after nearly ten field offensive and defensive drills!" Tang Dao chuckled.
road.
"It seems that you, Commander Tang Da, have been preparing for a rainy day since last year! Your sense of the battlefield is really the second person I have ever seen in my life, and only Mr. Baili is better than you." Fang Xianjue's eyes flashed.
Out of amazement.
What he marveled at was obviously not how tight the fortifications in front of him were, but that Tang Dao actually started preparing for the Battle of Hengyang a year in advance. This kind of predictability of the battlefield was so strong that even he was in North China, Japan in February.
The front army suddenly became completely alert after launching a surprise attack on the first theater.
"Thank you, Commander Fang. I can't say I have a sense of battlefield. Being prepared for danger in times of peace is a characteristic of the Chinese nation. Our regiment is based in Hengyang. If there is a war, Hengyang city will be the central battlefield. Naturally, I can only order our regiment to replicate the terrain of Hengyang."
, do the corresponding deployment of fortifications and defensive drills. The more you sweat in training, the less you will bleed in war." Tang Dao said modestly.
"It's better to sweat more in training and bleed less in war. If I can really return to the 10th Army, I must convey your concept of Commander Tang to the entire army." Fang Xianjue strode towards the civil fortifications.
He wanted to see how Tang Dao's Four Lines Regiment was capable of deploying fortifications in urban defense battles. Although he had only studied under Mr. Baili for a few months, he was well versed in the key points of positional defense, "three points for guns and seven points for fortifications."
, the 10th Army also attaches great importance to the construction of various fortifications in its daily training.
For example, his young chief of staff, Sun Minyu, studied architecture and had considerable insights into the construction of field fortifications. Although he was a bit young and arrogant, Fang Xian absolutely admired and valued him.
"Come on, first tell me your opinions on the defense of Hengyang City, such as where the Japanese army's main attack direction will be." Fang Xianjue did not ask whether the defense focus of this military fortress, which simulates part of the terrain of Hengyang City, is not inside but outside.
This is a low-level question, but it asks about Tang Dao's judgment on the direction of the Japanese army's main attack.
Although this simulated military fortress had actually exposed Tang Dao's intentions, he still wanted to hear Tang Dao's analysis.
"HY City is a small town. However, it is small, but its strategic location is extremely dangerous. The Xiangjiang River, Zhanshui River, and Leishui River surround the city. In modern times, Wu Sangui first proclaimed himself emperor in Hengyang, and later Zeng Guofan trained troops in Hengyang.
They all took a fancy to the strategic value of Hengyang as the hub of Hunan Province and an important waterway of the Xiangjiang River.
This geographical environment is quite similar to Xuzhou. Both are small in scale but very important in location. Xuzhou is the intersection of Jinpu and Longhai railways, and Hengyang is the intersection of Guangdong-Han and Hunan-Guangxi railways.
Moreover, the most similar thing between the two cities is that there are no mountain barriers around them, and they belong to the "place of four battles" often mentioned in military books. The so-called place of four battles means being surrounded by enemies on all sides." Tang Dao has obviously been in Hengyang for most of the past six months.
Traveling around the mountains and rivers is not for nothing. I have already understood the strategic location of Hengyang and the surrounding terrain.
When he said this in one breath, he was filled with family treasures. Fang Xianjue nodded frequently, admiring the young army colonel in front of him who was not yet 30 years old.
As the saying goes, don't fight an unprepared battle. Tang Dao simply made all the preparation work in advance. No wonder he led the Four Lines Regiment to traverse the battlefield for so many years without losing a single defeat.
This has something to do with the military quality and equipment of the officers and soldiers of the Four Lines Regiment. More importantly, it must be that the commander Tang Dao has enough foresight and meticulous preparations.
Tang Dao waved his hand, and Shi Dakuan, who was the driver for the two of them, quickly took out a map of Hengyang from his backpack and spread it out in front of the two of them.
This map is really not small. Not only does it contain detailed place names and street names, but it also includes the height and length of the mountains around Hengyang, the width of the rivers, and even a small stream. It is simply a miniature sand table.
"This is what Jia Yue and his surveying and mapping team spent five months painting. This is the only painting in the whole of China." Tang Dao looked at Councilor Fang with a warm luster in his eyes and said.
Fang Xianjue's heart felt slightly depressed. This feeling of being able to see the overall situation almost from sitting in the command post is simply the dream of all commanders. You are totally greedy for me, aren't you?
"However, if Chief Fang is reinstated and can apply for our Four Elements Regiment to participate in Hengyang, then this map will be hung in your war room, Chief Fang." Tang Dao pursed his lips and continued.
"Remember from now on, you can't breathe heavily when giving gifts. No wonder you are still a small regiment leader." Being treated like this by Tang Dao, Commander Fang Da, who had always been serious, couldn't help but want to roll his eyes.
"Haha! Tang Dao will definitely keep Commander Fang's teachings in mind." Tang Dao laughed and pointed at the map. "Since there are four sides to attack, which side will the Japanese choose as the main direction of attack?
What is not controversial is the east of the city! Hengyang faces the Xiang River to the east. This section of the river is wide, the water is deep and the waves are rough. Moreover, we have several airports in Liuzhou and other places at this time. We already have air control in our hands. The Japanese army is carrying the bombs dropped on their heads.
The possibility of forcibly crossing the Xiangjiang River is unlikely.
In the east of the city, our defenders only need to use one or two battalions to guard along the river bank, and set up mines in the middle of the river. About eight 37mm anti-tank guns are set up on the bank. Once the Japanese army is really stupid and attacks, they have permanent
The fortified 37mm anti-tank artillery or the Japanese 70mm infantry cannon can teach them how to behave!
Even if they really succeed in forcing the crossing, the river bank is flat and there is no obstruction. We will set up heavy artillery positions in the city and use pre-set artillery units to cover the Japanese troops landing on the river bank with artillery fire. We can let them stand no matter how much they come.
Come up and go out lying down.
This place can be used as a place to lure enemies!"
"I have an idea, good!" Fang Xianjue looked at the map of Hengyang City and nodded noncommittally.
He had made a special trip on horseback to observe the terrain in the east of the city when he was stationed in Hengyang at the beginning, and he came to the same conclusion. Unless the Japanese were crazy, they would choose this place as their main attack site.
"The north of the city is possible. If the Japanese army attacks Hengyang, Tanzhou must have been lost. If the Japanese army comes from that direction, the front will naturally reach the north city." Tang Dao pointed his hand towards the north of Hengyang City.
"Oh?" Fang Xianjue didn't even nod this time, but raised his eyebrows slightly.
Fang Xianjue has been fighting with the Japanese army for many years, and he is extremely familiar with the tactics of the Japanese army. Although the Japanese army always likes to boast that they are tough, in fact, they rarely adopt central breakthrough tactics in actual combat. They engage in encirclement warfare.
Sometimes, a large number of troops and heavy firepower are invested in the frontal battlefield to attack violently to attract the opponent's attention, while the truly decisive attacks are usually launched from the roundabout wings.
In addition, since the first two battles of Tanzhou, the Changheng Highway has long been destroyed to prevent the Japanese army from coming from Tanzhou. It is difficult for the Japanese heavy artillery and tanks to transport through this road. There is still steam water in the north of the city. Although steam water
It is not as wide as the Xiangjiang River, but it is also one of the three Xiangjiang rivers and is not easy to swim across.
From the terrain and tactical point of view, the north of the city was not a good place for the Japanese army to deploy troops. Fang Xianjue personally did not agree that the Japanese army would launch a main attack from the north of the city.
"There is steaming water in the north of the city. Even the Japanese with their short legs will drown if they fall in. Yokoyama Isamu probably won't be that stupid. Most of the main attack areas can only be in the west and south of the city." When Tang Dao saw this, Fang Xianjue said this
The look on his face showed that he didn't know what he was thinking, but he changed the subject and pointed at Xicheng and Nancheng.
Fang Xianjue's eyes were calm, but he really hoped that Tang Dao would have a different opinion.
The matter of city defense had been debated several times at high-level military meetings within the 10th Army. The generals of each division and brigade had different views on whether the Japanese army should attack from the west city or the south city. The debate was quite fierce.
To the west of Hengyang City, Da Ximen is the boundary, and the terrain on the north and south sides is completely different. From Da Ximen to the north to the Zhishui River area in the north of the city, the terrain is open and flat, with fish ponds everywhere. However, from Da Ximen to the south to the Xiangjiang River, the terrain is open and flat.
It is an undulating terrain with endless hills, and the mountainous terrain runs parallel to the east-west Hunan-Guangxi Railway.
Zhou Qingxiang, commander of the 3rd Division of the 10th Army, believed that the terrain in the northwest of the city was open and flat, which was conducive to the movement of the Japanese mechanized troops and could give full play to their firepower advantage. It was very likely that the Japanese army would choose to attack in the northwest. He opposed the south of the city as the main attack of the Japanese army.
The reason for the direction is also very simple. It is a feint attack from the beginning and will cause heavy casualties to the infantry.
This view was once the mainstream among the generals within the 10th Army, and even Chief of Staff Sun Minyu was persuaded by this view.
Fang Xianjue did not agree with this view. He believed that the mountainous area to the south of the city was indeed difficult to attack, but it was also not conducive to the defense of the city.
Since ancient times, the taboo in defending a city has been to dodge. For the attacking party, once they seize the commanding heights outside the city, it is equivalent to seizing the initiative to attack the city. Therefore, since ancient times, the emphasis on siege of a city is "defend the danger but not the ridge".
"To attack a city, seize the mountain first." The Taiping Army knew this well back then. When they defended a city, they usually defended the high ground outside the city instead of defending the city. When attacking a city, they first seized the high ground outside the city and launched a condescending attack inside the city.
The Japanese army was quite conceited about its artillery strike capabilities and mountain combat capabilities. Therefore, when they attacked a city, most of them first seized the commanding heights and then bombarded the city with artillery from a high position. This is why the Japanese army used heavy troops in the three battles of Tanzhou.
Attack Yuelu Mountain, and General Xue simply located his theater headquarters in Yuelu Mountain.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! That mountain range is actually the lifeline of Tanzhou. Once Yuelu Mountain is lost, Tanzhou City will not be able to hold on.
"Sir Fang, I am not talking about the threat the commanding heights pose to the city, nor am I saying that although the mountains south of the city are not conducive to the attacking side, once the attack is successful, they can quickly control the entire Hengyang and end the battle quickly.
Let’s just talk about the principle of quick battle and quick decision that the Japanese army has always advocated. If they mainly attack the west of the city, even if they succeed, will they still have to attack the south of the city? Well, when attacking from the outside, they attack from the rear, but attacking from the inside can make the mountains shorter.
What? Instead of struggling to conquer the west of the city and then attack the south, it would be better to crush the most difficult part of the city to the south first.
In addition, Hengyang Airport, Guangdong-Han Railway, and Hunan-Guangxi Railway are the three most strategic military facilities in Hengyang. Among them, Hengyang Airport and Guangdong-Han Railway are located outside Hengyang City and are basically undefendable. They will be lost once a war breaks out.
The Hunan-Guangxi Railway is different. This railway is close to the south of the city. One end is connected to the urban area of HY, and the other end is connected to the southwest rear. Reinforcements and supplies must come through this line. It can even be said that this is the lifeline of Hengyang. If the Japanese army
With the south of the city as the main attack direction, we can cut off the Hunan-Guangxi Railway, cut off all connections between Hengyang and our southwest rear, and become a lone army.
Therefore, I can be sure that the south of the city will become the most fiercely contested battlefield between the two sides after the war." Tang Dao pointed his finger at the mountainous area south of Hengyang City and said with great confidence.
The reason why Tang Dao dared to build a simulation training ground based on the terrain around the south of Hengyang City half a year in advance was precisely because this judgment was personally made by the former tiger general at the military meeting at the end of May, and the Japanese army did exactly this.
.
This time, he just announced the time point one month in advance.
And if Hengyang had one more month, it would be enough to make a lot more preparations in advance, as long as Fang Xianjue could be completely convinced by him.
Regardless of the fact that the transfer order from the Military and Administrative Ministry has been issued, Fang Xianjue will fly to the Mountain City Military and Administrative Ministry in two days to report. But Tang Dao knows that except for the transferred commander of the 190th Division, the 10th Army is not under his control.
Ge Youcai, commander of the 10th Reserve Division, and Zhou Qingxiang, commander of the 3rd Division, were both his confidant generals, and the 10th Army was still firmly under his control.
This is like Tang Dao not having any worries even after leaving the Si Xing Regiment for more than half a year. From the chief of staff to the commanders of several major battalions in the Si Xing Regiment, they are all comrades who have fought with him on the battlefield for several years, even though the Military and Political Department sent a regiment leader
, not to mention that military orders cannot be issued from the regiment headquarters, it is very likely that people will not live long and die due to accidents.
In this troubled world, if you want to survive, you have to stick together. Brothers who have never died help each other. Who can guarantee that they will live to see the sun tomorrow? This is true for everyone from that person to an ordinary soldier.
"If that day comes, the south of the city will belong to your Four Elements Regiment and the 10th Preparatory Division." Fang Xianjue gave Tang Dao a deep look and gave Tang Dao his promise. "Let's go, take me to see what your regiment has designed."
fortifications.”
PS: I’m a little late in updating again today. I mainly want to check the terrain and various information around Hengyang, which is a lot of trouble.
