At about three o'clock in the afternoon that day, after blocking the Japanese troops of the 32nd Division for eight hours, the Japanese troops relied on their superior strength to break through two lines of defense of the Eighth Route Army. The 37th Regiment and the 38th Regiment of the Hebei, Shandong and Yu Military Region passed through the tunnel one after another
Withdrawing into the city, the Japanese army gathered forces and gradually approached the eastern suburbs of Heze.
For a time, the people around Heze were panic-stricken. The big households in Heze City surrounded the headquarters. These big households wanted to know the Eighth Route Army's next countermeasures.
Within the headquarters, Zhou Weihan had already rushed to the city defense fortifications department first, and only the deputy chief of staff was in charge.
"Little comrade, we have been sitting here for more than half an hour. Since the three comrades responsible for your army in the democratic government are not in the city, we must find someone who can speak with weight. I think your army
Zhou ** is enough, he is a comrade who can make the final decision!"
Mr. Dong Jinglun was getting older and his physical strength was not as good as before. He took a deep breath and then said: "Comrade, please find Comrade Zhou, okay!"
The Heze Democratic Government, the Southwest Shandong Region Government, and the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region Headquarters are located in a compound where the three agencies are connected. The person responsible for receiving these large households in the city is an officer from the Region Government.
"Mr. Dong, everyone must be aware of the situation in recent days. Many cadres of the district government are not in the city. However, I have reported everyone's wishes to a chief of the headquarters. The chief is currently handling official business at hand.
We'll be there in a minute, please wait a moment!" The clerk said in a relaxed tone as much as possible.
"Okay, let's wait!" Upon hearing this, Mr. Dong turned to several people in the room and said, "Everyone, even if you are in a hurry, you have to hold back. We have to believe that the comrades of the Eighth Route Army are waiting!"
The people who came to the door were all councilors of the democratic government. Mr. Dong was highly respected and was the talker for many big families in the city.
Mr. Dong made his words clear, and even though several people present were anxious, they had no choice but to sit down and wait.
Not long after, the deputy chief of staff rushed to the conference room where the guests were being received.
"How's the situation inside?"
"Boss, they are very cooperative, but they want to see Mr. Zhou!" the officer said.
"Okay, go and do your work, I'll handle the things here!" the deputy chief of staff said with a smile and patted the officer on the shoulder.
"yes!"
The deputy chief of staff tidied up his appearance and pushed the door open. Several people waiting in the room stood up one after another.
"Mr. Dong, I have kept you waiting for a long time. There are too many things on my hands, and I can't get away from them. Everyone, please sit down, please sit down!" said the deputy chief of staff, holding Mr. Dong's hand.
"Comrade, where is Comrade Zhou?" Mr. Dong tilted his head and looked out the door.
"Comrade Zhou Weihan has gone to the front line to command operations. Don't worry, in terms of official position, my official position is higher than Zhou Weihan!" the deputy chief of staff joked.
When everyone heard this, they immediately felt relieved. Mr. Dong took the hand of the deputy chief of staff and said: "Comrade, the enemy is at hand, and the Japs are approaching the city. I know that your army is busy at this time, so we really shouldn't disturb you.
However, several of your comrades who serve in the democratic government are not here, so we have no choice but to come to you!"
"We are not here to raise an army to question the charges. We all support the Eighth Route Army. But now that the little devils are here, half of my neck is buried in the loess. It doesn't matter whether I die or not. But what about the people inside and outside the city? The little devils will not do that.
We should be merciful to them. Let's discuss whether we should organize the evacuation of the people in the city first."
"Mr. Dong, I know everyone's worries. Thanks to you all for maintaining stability in the city these days, the Japanese army may come to the city, but they will never be able to enter Heze County. I can assure you of this.
Among the Eighth Route Army's troops in Heze County, there are four infantry regiments stationed there, and other reinforcements are on the way!"
"This time, the Japanese army will definitely defeat Heze City and repulse the Japanese attack. In the future, the entire southwestern Shandong region will be able to ensure stability for at least one year!"
"As for whether people in the city need to evacuate, I personally don't think it is necessary!" the deputy chief of staff said with a smile.
"Okay!" Mr. Dong stood up and said: "A few of us are here because we want to hear this sentence. We believe in your army. After we return, we will cooperate with the comrades of the democratic government to maintain order in the city!" Mr. Dong said.
"Thank you, everyone!" the deputy chief of staff saluted with a military salute.
In fact, after the deputy chief of staff entered the room, several people in the room felt relieved. After the Eighth Route Army regained Heze, the various policies it implemented and the style it displayed won the support of many big households and people in the city.
However, the Japanese army was about to approach the city, and the people in the city were inevitably panicked. At the same time, they were also afraid that the Eighth Route Army would look at them like the Nationalist Army, grease their soles, and ignore many people in the city.
Therefore, Mr. Dong asked to see Zhou Weihan by name, and the deputy chief of staff had been sitting in Heze for a long time, and several of them were counselors in the democratic government. How could they not know the identity of the deputy chief of staff.
As for the deputy chief of staff, he took time out of his busy schedule to meet with everyone to express the attitude of the Eighth Route Army. He is still here and the Eighth Route Army will not leave.
A temporary headquarters was set up in the east of Heze City, with Zhou Weihan personally in charge.
Some people living near the city fortifications were mobilized by the local government and moved to other places in advance. The 37th Regiment withdrew into the city. The soldiers of the 38th Regiment sat on the ground for a simple rest.
A staff officer from the headquarters shuttled through the crowd and found Zhou Weihan.
"**Commander, the current personnel of each regiment who can continue to fight have been reported. There are 1,132 remaining personnel in the 35th Regiment, 1,022 remaining personnel in the 37th Regiment, 856 remaining personnel in the 38th Regiment, and 980 remaining personnel in the 40th Regiment. All the wounded have been sent to
The hospital in the city!" the staff report reported.
"Yeah!" Zhou Weihan nodded after hearing this. The casualties were as expected. The 40th Regiment participated in the blocking battle on the old Yellow River route in Dongming. The 35th Regiment and the 36th Regiment participated in the blocking battle in the area west of Heze. The three regiments
They all fought against the 35th Division, and the 37th and 38th Regiments participated in the blocking battle with the 32nd Division east of Heze.
The above-mentioned regiments were all formed after the recapture of Heze. Although they relied on fortifications to effectively slow down the march of the Japanese army, their own casualties were also considerable. Zhou Weihan and the deputy chief of staff were very satisfied with the combat effectiveness displayed.
"Notify the logistics department that ammunition supplies must be replenished in time, and the stretcher team organized by the local government must remove the wounded in time!"
"Minister Song has made arrangements!"
"good!"
The battle plan was put forward early in the morning, and everyone was responsible for everything. Zhou Weihan only needed to coordinate and command. When the critical moment came, Zhou Weihan was free.
"Where are the group?" Zhou Weihan said to the correspondent.
"Commander **, I contacted you via walkie-talkie half an hour ago. The First Regiment and other units are less than thirty miles away from Heze County. Do you still need to contact us?"
"Continue to ask several regiments to report their positions!"
The correspondent heard this and turned on the walkie-talkie: "Hey, this is the command post. This is the command post. If you hear me, please answer!"
"Commander **, each regiment has divided its troops in Shilipu. The first regiment is marching along the south of the city and is currently in Kangzhuang. The third regiment is currently in Zhangwangzhuang!" the telegraph operator said.
After hearing this, Zhou Weihan stood up suddenly and looked at the battle map hanging on the wall: "Okay, I finally caught up with this good meal, now I'm waiting for the guests to be served on the table!"
Outside Heze City, there are open areas in four directions. There used to be a small number of residential buildings. However, in order to ensure the security around Heze County, the Japanese army fortified the walls and cleared the fields and moved all the people away.
This would also facilitate the Eighth Route Army's subsequent battle.
On this occasion, Zhou Weihan made a desperate move and pressed all the chips in his hand. Heze City was garrisoned by the withdrawn 37th Regiment, 38th Regiment and the military region directly-affiliated teams. The 35th Regiment and 40th Regiment originally west of Heze were deployed.
Several fortifications outside the city.
Due to too many obstructions in the city, the heavy artillery battalion was deployed in the two corners outside the east gate of Heze. At that time, the first regiment, the third regiment, and the assault regiment would also use the artillery positions as the starting point to launch attacks on the Japanese troops of the 32nd Division.
.
While waiting anxiously, the headquarters' walkie-talkie buzzed, and the 35th Regiment in the forward position reported that the search team of the 32nd Division had revealed its traces.
This time, the commander of the 32nd Division, Sakai Takaki, conscientiously implemented the orders issued by Okamura Neiji. Although he was anxious to contribute to the river, under his command, the Japanese troops under his command moved step by step and advanced steadily, rarely going deep alone.
"Sir, Heze is close to the city. The Eighth Route Army may have received the news a long time ago. Its reinforcements are on the way. Should they launch an attack immediately?" Yoshizo Ishibashi, the commander of the search team, said anxiously.
"What do you say about Xinxiang Airport?" Sakai Takaki asked the adjutant.
"Sir, Xinxiang Airport reported that reconnaissance planes previously found traces of the main force of the Eighth Route Army at the junction of Dongming and Heze. Judging from their marching route, there should be three regiments of the Eighth Route Army, with a total number of about 5,000 to 6,000 people. Calculated according to time,
The Eighth Route Army reinforcements will arrive in Heze in about two hours!" the adjutant replied.
"No, based on past experience, the Eighth Route Army's marching speed cannot be compared with other Chinese armed forces. The senior Eighth Route Army knew clearly that the imperial army's target was Heze County, so they must have issued a death order to urgently reinforce Heze with 100,000 troops. The marching speed of the reinforcements
It will only be faster!" Sakai Takaki said in a deep voice.
"But, sir, these Eighth Route Army troops are fighting one after another with no time to rest. They are physically exhausted. How could it be possible..."
Before the adjutant finished speaking, he was interrupted by Sakai Takaki: "Don't underestimate the Eighth Route Army. The current predicament of the 21st Division is the best proof. Unfortunately, our department is beyond our reach, so we can only save our own lives!"
After finishing speaking, Sakai Takaki looked around at everyone present: "Facts have proved that the Eighth Route Army faced by the Imperial Army this time is a formidable enemy and cannot be underestimated. This battle must not be divided rashly!"
"Once our troops launch an offensive against Heze County from all sides, our forces will inevitably be dispersed, giving the Eighth Route Army an opportunity. Therefore, I decided to attack Dongcheng and defeat the Eighth Route Army from the front, in order to wash away the shame of the Imperial Japanese Army and prove that
The strength of the Japanese Imperial Army!”
"Although our unit has suffered casualties before, except for the artillery regiment, we still have 6,000 combatable soldiers. As long as we clench our fists tightly, the Eighth Route Army will not be able to eat anything!"
The adjutant on the side reminded: "Sir, the Eighth Route Army is an organized artillery unit. The Sixteenth Division will be destroyed here. We must be on guard!"
"You are too cautious. The information reported by the 21st Division stated that the Eighth Route Army that is currently fighting also has large-scale artillery. Can the Eighth Route Army still have an artillery unit?" Tsuchida of the 212th Regiment.
Tai San was extremely dissatisfied with his adjutant's timidity.
"Okay, the war is coming. You all need to work together. There are some things you have to guard against!" Sakai Takaki stopped the quarrel.
"This time, the search wing is still the leading attacking force, with the 211th and 212th Wings on both sides, and the headquarters and artillery wing in the middle of the two infantry wings. The overall formation is in a triangular formation. The Imperial Army troops can support each other.
, and can avoid being bombarded by the Eighth Route Army due to too dense formation!"
Soon after, the Japanese army officially launched an attack. Facing the Eighth Route Army's defense line outside the city, the Japanese army adopted the tactic of searching for a breakthrough in the center of the regiment, attracting Eighth Route Army troops to surround it, and then two infantry regiments attacking from the periphery, determined to capture the Eighth Route Army in one fell swoop.
Troops outside the city.
After the battle started, Zhou Weihan quietly walked up to the city wall. In the field of vision of the telescope, several Japanese tanks drove straight in as usual.
"Young, you fought well, you hit really accurately, *** soldier, did you see it?" The monk on the side also held a pair of binoculars in his hand to observe the situation on the battlefield.
Different from the previous battles, the artillery regiment's combat artillery battery was on the battlefield at this time, and with just its debut, it knocked out two Japanese tanks in one fell swoop.
Caught off guard, the Japs suffered a loss. The remaining six tanks retreated rapidly, and the Japanese offensive was immediately frustrated.
Seeing that Zhou Weihan didn't answer, the monk continued: "Commander, we also have a tank company, why don't we let the tank company go out, tank against tank, that would be so fun!"
"Hmph!" Zhou Weihan snorted when he heard this: "My head is flooded? Let the tank company go head-to-head with the Little Japanese Tank Squadron?"
The monk wanted to say something more, but Zhou Weihan interrupted: "You are so capable, why don't you take charge!"
"That won't work. I have the heart, but I don't have the ability!" The monk laughed dryly.
Zhou Weihan glanced at the time and called the monk to go down.
Within the headquarters.
When the telegraph operator saw Zhou Weihan coming in, he hurriedly stood up and said: "Commander, Yan Wangshan called back, the flight team is ready and can take off at any time!"
"Okay, call back to Yama Wangshan. The flight team will take off immediately. At the same time, repeat the previous content. After the flight team arrives at the battlefield, don't rush to start bombing. The ground troops will provide ground guidance. The area covered by the red smoke bombs is
The specific location of the Japanese army!”
"Yes!" the telegraph operator responded.
As Takaki Sakai said, the Japanese infantry alone had nearly two regiments of troops. With such strength, the Eighth Route Army would not be able to sustain even if it assembled twice as many troops, and it would probably end in a tragic victory.