The Japanese had a good idea, but the Eighth Route Army on the Niangziguan position had already changed its personnel.
Even if the 2nd Independent Brigade still defends its position, it will not be easily touched by the Japanese.
More than 200 meters away from the independent regiment's forward position, Japanese infantry stepped on a mine.
boom…
In the violent explosion wave, fireballs burst out, and several Japanese soldiers around were instantly blown into pieces by powerful mines.
The moment the fireball burst out, the observers of the Independent Regiment on the position saw the Japanese all over the mountains and plains.
These devils were holding rifles, hunched over, and with fierceness and murderous intent on their faces, they silently approached the Niangziguan position.
As soon as the landmine exploded, the enemy's sneak attack plan went bankrupt.
In countless directions, the Eighth Route Army flares were raised, and the entire 1 kilometer in front of the position was illuminated as if it were daytime.
The attacking Japanese were slightly startled, they were still a little uncomfortable being exposed to the light from the darkness.
"Kill me..."
Upon seeing this, the infantry captains waved their command sabers and gave the order to charge with a stern expression.
Since a sneak attack fails, the only option is to attack by force.
Based on the offensive experience gained from the 23rd Division and the 110th Division, the Eighth Route Army soldiers were resting in the tunnel at this time.
It will take some time to get out of the tunnel.
At this time, the Japanese soldiers were only more than 200 meters away from the Eighth Route Army's forward position. It only took a few minutes for them to rush to the Eighth Route Army's position.
The division commander has issued a death order to the 220th Infantry Regiment. It must capture the Eighth Route Army's position tonight.
The Japs were screaming to kill as they rushed towards the Independent Regiment's position with rifles in hand.
Boom boom boom…
Japs kept stepping on the mines that had just been laid by the independent regiment's engineers, but the Japs turned a deaf ear and charged towards the independent regiment's position one after another.
However, it was not a dense charge, but a skirmish line attack. An infantry regiment spread out 2 kilometers in length and adopted multiple echelons of attacks.
In the rear, the 221st Infantry Regiment of the 35th Division was ready.
Once the 220th Infantry Regiment attacked the Eighth Route Army's position, the 221st Infantry Regiment immediately came up with reinforcements.
…
In the Japanese Army Command Headquarters.
Watching more and more flares being fired into the sky, the entire 220th Infantry Regiment was exposed to the night sky that looked like daylight.
Kanji Nishihara, commander of the 23rd Division, and Takaaki Kuangmu, commander of the 110th Division, immediately sensed something was wrong.
"Mr. Sang Mu, the Eighth Route Army did not have so many flares in the middle of the night."
Nishihara Kanji looked at Kuangmu Chongming and said.
Sangmu Chongming also said: "It's a bit strange."
Beside the two old Japanese, some captains of the 23rd Division and the 110th Division were also present.
Nishihara Kanji and Kuwaki Takaaki specially called six infantry commanders to observe the 35th Division's attack.
If the 35th Division can really capture Niangzi Pass, it will be a good time for the commanders of the regiment to learn the tactics of the 35th Division.
If the 35th Division fails to attack Niangzi Pass, the commanders of the regiment can also learn from their experience and lessons.
"What's so strange about this?"
Tokusatsu Shigeta of the 35th Division did not notice anything bad at all:
"This shows that the Eighth Route Army is at the end of its war effort and needs to launch more flares to feel safer."
"Sangmu-kun, Nishihara-kun, don't worry, you also have a share of the credit for capturing Niangzi Pass."
"After all, if you hadn't attacked here for two days and two nights, causing heavy casualties to the Eighth Route Army and exhausting the troops, it would have been difficult for our 35th Division to capture Niangzi Pass."
Nishihara Kanji said: "Shigeta-kun, isn't it too early to talk about capturing Niangzi Pass?"
Shigeta Tokumatsu sounded confident: "Then let's wait and see."
After finishing speaking, Shigeta Tokumatsu confidently raised his telescope and looked in the direction of the battlefield.
The Eighth Route Army launched a large number of illumination bombs, and even at night, Shigeta Matsutori could see the battlefield situation with a telescope.
Seeing the soldiers about to rush into the Eighth Route Army's position, Shigeta Tokusatsu raised the corners of his mouth slightly.
It seems that this victory came too easily.
Takaaki Kuwaki and Kanji Nishihara are two idiots.
The Eighth Route Army has reached its end. They only need to gather their troops to launch an attack in the middle of the night to capture the Eighth Route Army's position. Unexpectedly, they gave up.
On the side, Kuangmu Takaaki and Nishihara Kanji looked at each other, and both saw a look of doubt in each other's eyes.
What's happening here?
We fought with the Eighth Route Army for two days and two nights. Every time the Japanese attacked, the Eighth Route Army opened fire when the Japanese were more than 100 meters away from the forward position.
This time, the Eighth Route Army actually put soldiers from the 220th Regiment of the 35th Division into the Eighth Route Army's positions?
All the Japanese commanders also looked puzzled.
Just when all the Japanese officers were confused.
The Japanese soldiers were about 30 meters away from the Eighth Route Army's forward position. Suddenly, sparks as dense as stars burst out from the Eighth Route Army's position.
"Da da da…"
"Boom boom…"
An extremely dense burst of gunfire sounded like exploding beans.
"Nani?"
The faces of all the Japanese including Shigeta Tokumatsu suddenly changed, and they quickly raised their binoculars and looked in the direction of the battlefield.
Caught off guard, Japanese soldiers fell into a pool of blood one after another.
Where are the stars? They are clearly the tongues of fire spurting out from the machine guns and submachine guns of the Eighth Route Army.
While the flames were raging, bullets were like dense raindrops, shooting wildly at the Japanese soldiers.
Although the Japanese soldiers were also fighting back, the firepower was completely suppressed and they all looked for bunkers to escape.
Once the Japanese infantry found cover to hide, it would be difficult for the Eighth Route Army's gunfire to hit the Japanese infantry.
But just then.
Boom boom boom…
In the sky, from behind the Eighth Route Army's position, a dense rain of artillery shells rose. In the night sky, you could even see the orange-red trajectory of artillery shells as dense as a spider web.
Shells fell rapidly on the enemy's formation, dense explosions of fireballs flew up, soil was blown away, rocks were blown to pieces, and accompanied by a terrifying shock wave, each enemy was thrown flying from behind the bunker, and even
Exploded into minced meat.
"Nani?"
Seeing the dense rain of bullets and artillery shells, Lieutenant General Shigeta Tokumatsu suddenly opened his eyes wide with disbelief on his face.
"This is impossible!"
"How can an ordinary Eighth Route Army have such powerful firepower?"
Lieutenant General Shigeta Tokumatsu said loudly with disbelief on his face.
Lieutenant General Sangmu Takaaki and Lieutenant General Kanji Nishihara looked at each other, and both saw a look of disbelief in the other's eyes.
This Eighth Route Army is definitely not the Eighth Route Army that defended Niangziguan two days ago!
"Garand, large-caliber heavy machine guns, 20mm machine guns, a large number of 60mm, 82mm mortars, 75mm mountain cannons..."
Nishihara Kanji spoke solemnly:
"The Eighth Route Army defenders at Niangziguan were replaced by Eighth Route Army troops from northwest Shanxi!"
Lieutenant General Sangmu Chongming nodded with an ugly expression.
To be continued...