Chapter 739: Attack on the Eighth Route Army Headquarters
The Eighth Route Army broke through the outer line and Shimen was in emergency. Telegrams from the Shimen defenders were sent like snowflakes to Beiping, Taiyuan, Xingtai and other places.
In fact, whether it is the Eighth Route Army or the Japanese army, both the enemy and ourselves are locked in a war of attrition. What is at stake at this time is military strength, logistical supplies, and willpower.
The Japanese army had an advantage in logistical supplies, but due to their deep penetration into the Eighth Route Army base areas, the supply lines were stretched too long and they were frequently attacked by the Eighth Route Army.
Although the Eighth Route Army was limited by supplies, it had the advantage of geographical location and people. When the Japanese army entered the base area, it was plunged into a vast sea of people. The only thing it could not afford was time.
Shimen was attacked by the Eighth Route Army, but the main forces of the surrounding Japanese troops were mobilized to participate in the sweep of the Eighth Route Army base areas. The remaining troops of the Japanese Independent Fourth Mixed Brigade on the Zhengtai Line were not enough to protect themselves, so how could they dare to send troops to reinforce Shimen.
The 9th independent mixed brigade stationed in Taiyuan went north to sweep the Beiyue area, and the 15th independent mixed brigade stationed in Peiping swept the Jizhong base area south of the Beining line. The remaining two brigades could only guard Taiyuan and the
In Peiping, the 108th Division stationed in Xingtai went deep into the southern Hebei base area.
In a word, the Japanese army will be in the current situation where the left and right are outnumbered. In the final analysis, Okamura Neji took too big a step and wasted his time. This gave the Eighth Route Army the opportunity to attack Shimen.
At the North China Expeditionary Force Headquarters, when Okamura Neiji received another telegram from Shimen asking for help, the expression on his face was extremely complicated, and he seemed to have a sense that time could not wait for us.
"General, it seems that the Shimen defenders really can't hold on any longer. It is reported that the Eighth Route Army's offensive was extremely fierce. With the help of aircraft and artillery, it broke through the western peripheral defense system of Shimen in less than an hour.
The defense line is also in a critical condition, which is why General Yamazaka Toichi sent another telegram asking for help!"
"The Eighth Route Army is currently constructing the terrain and digging trenches. The Shimen defenders said in the telegram that once the Eighth Route Army completes the fortifications and launches another attack, Shimen's current strength may not last two days!"
"Nani? Two days?" Okamura Neji frowned: "Baga, Yamazaka Chaoichi is really a loser. There are tens of thousands of people defending Shimen and there are solid fortifications. The Eighth Route Army broke through the outer defense system so quickly.
, he is the shame of the Japanese Empire. Shimen represents the face of our North China Expeditionary Army. The scale of industrial equipment in the city is no less than that of Jinmen, and it must not fall into the hands of the Eighth Route Army!"
"Your Majesty General, are you going to withdraw the mopping up troops?" the adjutant asked tentatively.
"The large-scale raids against the Eighth Route Army's base areas have been going on for more than ten days. If the attack continues, it will also weaken the strength of the Imperial Army. However, since the Eighth Route Army dares to attack Shimen and challenge the bottom line of the Imperial Army, they must not allow the Eighth Route Army who appeared in Shimen to return safely.
!”
"In accordance with the clear instructions of the Dispatch Army Headquarters, the 110th Division, 108th Division, 41st Division, Independent Fourth, Ninth, and Fifteenth Brigades and other units will withdraw their troops at dark, but they need to create a good environment for the Eighth Route Army.
To give the illusion of continuing the raid, the main force should return secretly, and all units should work together to encircle and annihilate the Eighth Route Army in the Shimen area!"
"Hi!" the adjutant nodded in response, and then said hesitantly: "Your Excellency General, the Intelligence Department has just found out the specific location of the Eighth Route Army headquarters and found its traces near Xiying Town in Xiangyuan!"
"Youxi!" A hint of joy flashed across Okamura Neiji's face: "Judging from the area where they appeared, the Eighth Route Army in the Shimen area must be from the Taihang base area of the Eighth Route Army. At present, there must be an empty guard force around the Eighth Route Army headquarters. There is an old Chinese saying
, you do the first grade and I do the fifteenth grade!”
The Japanese army has never stopped searching for the specific location of the Eighth Route Army Headquarters, but has achieved little success. This time, for some unknown reason, a good thing like God's help actually allowed the little Japanese to discover the location of the Eighth Route Army Headquarters.
"Send a report to the 10th Independent Mixed Brigade stationed in Tunliu, and immediately abandon Tunliu. Hebian Chuitaro led all the troops to attack Xiying Town, and together with the defenders of Xiangyuan and Wuxiang County, they will destroy the Eighth Route Army headquarters at all costs!"
"Hi!"
At the same time, in the western suburbs of Shimen, two regiments of the New Tenth Brigade and a large number of militiamen in the rear crossed the outer city ditch.
The distance from Shimen's Outer City Ditch to Inner City Ditch is two thousand meters. The original Japanese fortifications only occupied the first half, and the second half of the kilometer was still open land. In this case, it was still necessary to use traffic trenches to shorten the attack.
distance.
Digging traffic trenches can be said to be a very well-researched knowledge. The soldiers of the Eighth Route Army have always studied this aspect. After yesterday's systematic soil work, both the soldiers and the people have become more comfortable with it.
According to yesterday's grouping, tens of thousands of people are scattered everywhere in an organized manner. Generally, they dig up from both sides of the head first, using the earth on top of the head as a shield, and then gradually dig deeper, digging into kneeling or standing positions.
For bunkers, you can take a stand, and then dig on both sides to connect the individual bunkers to form a communication trench that extends in all directions.
The soldiers divided the work according to the order of attack, using the method of front and back, first on the back line, first on the center and then on the left and right. The first echelon of assault regiments and supplementary regiments were deployed at the enemy's front line, first digging bunkers for lying down and then gradually forming kneeling and standing fire.
bunker.
Every thirty or fifty meters, straw and door panels were put up on the top of the trench to build a unique bunker, and then each bunker and bunker were connected horizontally to form a communication trench.
The two regiments of the New 10th Brigade in the second echelon built vertical communication trenches, and the communication trenches outside the enemy's fire range were built by militiamen and civilians.
The conversation was divided into two parts. The Eighth Route Army headquarters, the boss and others received good news from the front line.
"Boss, the fight at Shimen is going quite smoothly. Don't mention it. Although this method of soil work is crude, it is still useful. But why is there still no movement from the Japanese army?" said a clerk at the headquarters.
"Yes, according to the current progress, I am afraid that our army has captured Shimen before the reinforcements of the Japs have arrived!" Another officer also maintained an optimistic attitude.
"How can it be so easy to capture Shimen? The backbone is the hard one. The early offensive troops are advancing very fast. The heat has come. Now Okamura Neji should consider how to withdraw his troops. However, our Eighth Route Army's base area is not
He comes whenever he wants!"
"Send a report to Jinan, Shanxi, Chahar and Hebei. The coward has suffered enough and it's time to vent his anger. The Japanese army must not be allowed to easily withdraw from the base area. The main force will kill and injure the Japanese army on camera. After the war, production in the base area will be resumed immediately.
Construction, help people carry out spring plowing!" said the boss.
"Yes!" the officer responsible for conveying instructions responded.