Lin Zhiqiang was right. As early as when the anti-resistance roundabout troops broke through the national border and entered the territory of Chabei, the Japanese and puppet troops in Rehe were already alarmed. In fact, it was impossible not to be alarmed. The roundabout troops were equipped with tanks and heavy artillery. , and it was a car, and the action was earth-shattering, and people dozens of miles away could detect it. The Japanese and puppet troops along the line were not dead, and they also had radios in their hands.
From the perspective of the Japanese and puppet troops in Rehe, where exactly the Anti-Union troops equipped with tanks, cars, and artillery are pointing is a problem for the Kwantung Army headquarters. It is not their turn to worry about it, but one thing is that they must What we strive to achieve is that the Tubal Road that has entered Rehe must not be allowed to join the anti-resistance alliance in Xing'an West. That would be a real disaster for them.
The Tubal mountain mobile warfare in the pass and the guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines are both strong points. They are especially good at opening up base areas in the hinterland of the Japanese army. Their survival and mobility capabilities are extremely strong. Although the Japanese and puppet troops in Rehe launched many brutal raids in the past, they still have no It can wipe out those damn Tubal Roads operating here, or even clear them out.
In the eyes of the Japanese and puppet troops in Rehe, those Tuba Road soldiers who once operated in Renan are like a group of lice and as stubborn as a clump of weeds. No matter where they enter, no matter what methods the Kwantung Army adopts, No method can be used to drive them away. No matter how tough the methods are, even massacre, they cannot scare them away.
Even if you can't change into single clothes in June and July, or can't change into cotton-padded clothes in the coldest months of winter, you will probably wear a torn cotton-padded coat from winter to winter, and you won't be able to eat food for several days, and you will have to live on feed that animals don't eat. , there are not even a few guns, and bullets are extremely scarce, but they are still fighting.
Even though the Japanese and puppet troops in Rehe concentrated their forces many times to carry out repeated raids and sweeps in the Renan Mountain District, and dispatched a large number of military and police officers, they carried out several massacres on the common people in the Renan Mountain District who dared to help these Tubal Roads. They also adopted the Northeast's experience in dealing with the Anti-Japanese Alliance and vigorously built group tribes. However, at most they could only restrict the development of these Tuba Roads, but they could not eradicate them. They even squeezed them out of the Renan Mountains and drove them back to the capital south of the Great Wall. Didn't do it.
The survivability of these people is so strong that they can survive and develop even in an environment with no living conditions at all. At the beginning of this year, they finally withdrew into the pass, and the Japanese and puppet troops in Rehe were finally relieved. However, he did not expect that in less than half a year, he would return to the pass and so many troops would arrive as soon as he arrived.
Not only did tens of thousands of troops arrive at once, but the more serious equipment was replaced by cannons. Before, there were only a few bullets, but now there are not only a sufficient number of light and heavy machine guns, but also a lot of artillery. This cannot but make the Japanese puppets in Rehe A sense of fear arose in the Jun's heart. They knew that if these Tubalu came to visit them again after half a year, they might not come because they were not kind and kind.
Whether it is the Kwantung Army in Rehe or the Mongolian garrison in Chahar, including the North China Front Army, which has suffered a lot from the 18th Group Army, they now have a unified understanding that if they cannot be controlled in a short time, once they are If they are allowed to take root, I am afraid that Ren Rehe, which has always been a model province for the Kwantung Army, will never have peace.
What is even more terrifying for the Japanese and puppet troops in Rehe is that it is not only the Tuba Road that is already several times stronger than the Tuba Road that has come to Rehe at this time, but also the defeated Anti-Japanese Army who once fought in the north of the Kwantung Army. Connected to the mountains and rivers of Rehe, even before the establishment of the Puppet Manchukuo, it was originally part of Xing'anxi Province in Rehe.
To the east, it can threaten the Kwantung Army's hinterland in southern Manchuria, and even to Fengtian Province, one of Japan's most important military bases for maintaining the entire war. To the south, it can go south to Jehol at any time, cutting off the Kwantung Army, the North China Front Army and the Mongolian garrison. The connection between the three major strategic groups of the Japanese military in China.
In the view of the Kwantung Army, these anti-resistance alliances are well-equipped, well-trained, and extremely powerful. The battle in the north has proved this. If the two merge and cooperate with each other and complement each other's advantages, there will never be peace in Rehe. It is not unusual for small things to be completely thrown away, even for the entire Rehe province like Longjiang, Sanjiang and other provinces.
And what the loss of Rehe would mean to the Kwantung Army, and even the entire Japanese army invading China, they can figure out with their eyes closed. Using Rehe as a base, going east can threaten the Kwantung Army's hinterland in southern Manchuria, and even the entire Japan. Fengtian Province maintained one of the most important ordnance bases throughout the war.
To the south, you can go south to the pass at any time, cutting off the connection between the entire Kwantung Army, the North China Front Army and the Mongolian garrison army, the three major strategic groups of the Japanese army in China, and connecting them with the so-called base areas behind enemy lines of the Communist Army in North China, and attacking the Japanese army in North China. Dominance poses a fatal threat.
Tubal Road originally had poor equipment and even poorer ammunition replenishment. Although it had a strong presence in the countryside, due to limitations in logistical supplies, it was never able to fight a real battle with the Imperial Japanese Army in an upright manner. Its own strength also had a negative impact on the Japanese army in North China. There is no real threat, but once the Anti-Japanese Alliance with strong military and industrial strength joins the North China battlefield, will the Japanese army still control transportation lines, major towns, and major strategic resources in North China as it does now?
When it was discovered that the Anti-Alliance Forces had entered Xing'anxi Province, the senior leaders of the Japanese and puppet troops in Rehe had already formed a common idea, that is, no matter how high the price was paid, the Anti-Alliance Forces would never be allowed to join up with those on the Tubal Road and concentrate It has become their consensus to use more troops to cut off the connection between Keshiketeng Banner and the paddock to the west.
In fact, in the battle that led to the defeat of the vanguard brigade, the Japanese and puppet troops actively retreated because their flanks were defeated and they were worried that the entire army would be divided. Another important reason was that the sneak attack was successful. Although it caused serious casualties to the vanguard brigade, the Japanese and puppet troops themselves also suffered heavy casualties under the stubborn resistance of the vanguard brigade participating troops.
Especially under the repeated attacks of the three regiments that were transferred later, the Puppet Manchukuo Army, which served as the main force of the sweep, suffered heavy casualties. After a regiment of the Puppet Manchukuo Army on the flank was defeated, the Japanese commander was worried about insufficient troops on hand, and the surrounding troops appeared. There were more and more Tuba Road, and he took the initiative to retreat when he was surrounded.
Although the Japanese and puppet troops did not bring any decisive losses to the advancing army in this battle, it was through this battle that the Japanese and puppet troops understood the current predicament of the advancing army. According to the current situation of the advancing army, in With the outer line of the Great Wall in the south already blocked, blocking the northern line at all costs and cutting off the connection between the advancing army and the Anti-Japanese Alliance has become the first strategic choice of the Japanese and puppet forces.
As long as the Japanese and puppet troops still control Chifeng and Chengde, they can cut off all sources of supplies for the advancing army at any time. The production of food alone is insufficient and requires a large amount of foreign imports in Rexishan District. Even without fighting, these Tubal Road starvation will be eliminated. If they fail, as long as these Tubal forces are not allowed to contact the Anti-Japanese Alliance, and they have no military industry and stable supply channels, no matter how hard they try, what can they do?
Although the current advancing army is no longer the first batch of the Lao Eighth Route Army to leave the border back then. At that time, the advancing army only had a few hundred people. Although it lacked guns and ammunition, the supply problem was still relatively easy to solve. Although the number was small, the strength was also small. , but the troops are also very capable, and it is easier to raise supplies.
But now the total strength of the advancing army has reached tens of thousands, and the daily supplies required are a huge number. These supplies only rely on the poor people in the area. In recent years, they have been forced to grow opium, which has caused many problems. In the Rexishan District, which has become a pure grain input area, local financing is almost impossible.
When Lin Zhiqiang was formulating the combat plan at the headquarters, he discussed this situation with the head of the headquarters on the map many times. After repeated discussions, especially considering the local food production in eastern Hebei, as well as the means of transportation and the tightness of the blockade by the Japanese and puppet troops. After waiting for some circumstances, it was decided to abandon the southern front, concentrate as much mobile power as possible, and give priority to ensuring the connection between the northern front and the Anti-Japanese Alliance.
Due to its current location, the leading brigade will be an important barrier to ensure contact with the Anti-Japanese Alliance. Once the leading brigade collapses, the entire traffic lifeline will be completely exposed. Under the unfavorable situation where the Japanese and puppet troops are more familiar with the terrain, Even if all the current cavalry of the advancing army were gathered together, it would be difficult to ensure the safety of this hundreds of kilometers of transportation line.
That's why Lin Zhiqiang repeatedly suggested to the head of the headquarters that while other units have already moved eastward, the vanguard brigade should postpone its eastward advance for at least three days and take no action until the next move of the Japanese and puppet troops is determined. , we will decide whether to go eastward depending on the situation.
The old commander, whose qualifications and abilities were among the best in the entire army, also agreed with Lin Zhiqiang's idea and his focus. The food problem has become the top priority of the entire army. After the entire army is deployed, the replenishment of ammunition will also become an urgently needed supplement for the entire army.
Relying on limited air transport alone to provide all the supplies for the nearly 100,000-strong army can only be a drop in the bucket. If we want to really open up the situation in the Rexi region, which produces almost no food except opium, and ensure transportation lines with the Anti-Japanese Alliance , is still extremely important, unless the advancing army wants to pay a heavy price and turn south to re-open the communication line with the south of the Great Wall.
However, there are no arsenals in the pass, and the Jidong area is also barren and poor. It has never been a grain-producing area in China in history. Re-opening the communication line with the pass southward can only be in vain, even if a certain price is paid. I'm afraid it won't be worth the loss, because the ammunition still needs to be transported from the Anti-Japanese Alliance in the north.
According to the complexity of the changing situation, the old commander agreed to Lin Zhiqiang's suggestion. However, out of careful consideration, he conducted a certain study on the entire current battle situation with Yang Zhen and Wang Guangyu from the north. Yang Zhen The call back there was very fast, and in the telegram, Yang Zhen didn't have much opinion on the deployment of the advancing army.
However, Yang Zhen also reminded the advancing army in the telegram to a certain extent that when heading north, they should not compete too much with the Japanese and puppet troops for major cities and focus their main energy on the countryside. For large groups of Japanese and puppet troops in towns, measures should be taken.
They can be squeezed away by means of crowding and trapping, and no matter how dispersed the troops are, the headquarters must have at least one to two brigades of mobile troops in its hands.