If we hadn't fought a small group of troops of the Puppet Manchukuo Army on the Changneck Liang line and captured a prisoner of the Puppet Manchukuo Army, and realized that we were on the wrong path, we still don't know the strength of these two regiments. No matter where you go, if you don't do it right, you may end up in Chifeng in one go.
Moreover, when these two regiments arrived, they also experienced a series of problems such as organizational confusion and disjointed forces. Heavy weapons such as heavy machine guns and mortars were lagging behind. After most of the troops had already arrived at Straw Hat Mountain, It has been nearly three hours, but there are still squad-sized scattered troops arriving one after another.
When it was formed, most of the troops were transferred from old units, and there were basically no problems with their combat effectiveness and discipline. However, a series of problems such as running-in within the unit greatly affected the overall performance of the unit. The most important thing is that these two regiments were It was established too late, and there was no time to conduct an infantry-artillery coordination training and unit combined tactics training.
Even the most basic tactical training of the cavalry has not been completed. If it were not for the Manchurian and Japanese puppet troops in Jehol and the Japanese and puppet troops in the adjacent Chahar area, which had deployed a large number of cavalry troops, the advancing army would have only two The cavalry regiment is simply not enough for use.
Otherwise, the advancing army would not hastily form these two regiments after leaving the border. Even if they are formed, they should temporarily stay in the Yanmen Military Region or the Jidong Military Region as the rear area for training. An infantry regiment will be formed from It will take at least half a year to form combat effectiveness, let alone cavalry, a technical arm of the 18th Army.
Faced with this situation, it is necessary to use them as the main force to complete a series of tactical counterattacks and consolidate the various high-level pairs that have been seized. It is indeed somewhat unreliable. If it is not done well, it will weaken its own strength, but it is blindly passive. Being beaten defensively is definitely not Lin Zhiqiang's style. Moreover, the lane gate ditch and Yangshugou ditch on both sides of Straw Hat Mountain can be controlled with long-range firepower.
But for the artillery of the current army, in Lin Zhiqiang's opinion, firstly, the limited force should be concentrated on the front of Straw Hat Mountain, and secondly, after the consumption of the few artillery shells in the middle of the night and a day of fierce fighting, there are not many left. It is simply unable to undertake the task of remote blockade.
Third, although the altitude of that area is lower than Straw Hat Mountain, the terrain is relatively complex and the vegetation is relatively lush. Even if there are enough artillery shells, it is difficult to completely blockade it. Therefore, even if the 1052 Highland is different from the several small highlands in front, Seize it, but the two mountain passes, Yangshugou and Chechemengou, must be taken back.
Looking at the somewhat stubborn Lin Zhiqiang, Yang Jicai was speechless. After weighing the pros and cons for a long time, Yang Jicai could only propose that the infantry battalion led by him should be carried out when the third regiment had lost its combat effectiveness and the two horse-mounted infantry regiments still needed training. To capture both lands.
However, considering that in counterattack operations, the collaborative capabilities of the anti-alliance forces, infantry tanks, and infantry and artillery that have undergone comprehensive training are much higher than those of the advancing army, if the troops suffer greater losses now, it will not be conducive to the next operation. After several After thinking about it, Lin Zhiqiang once again rejected Yang Jicai's suggestion.
In his opinion, although these two cavalry regiments have not completed the final training and the organizational structure has not completed the final deployment, the troops selected have been tested for a long time. Although the cavalry tactics are still much worse, the Basic infantry tactics are still acceptable, especially mountain warfare and night fighting that the Guanneri troops are good at. Their level is no worse than that of ordinary troops.
Moreover, the terrain of these two places is complex and the mountains are rugged. Judging from the terrain, it is impossible for large troops to pass through. Even if the Japanese and puppet troops occupy it, they cannot place too many troops. The Japanese and puppet troops seize these two places more as a warning. Point, although the organizational structures at the regimental and battalion levels of these two cavalry regiments are still being adjusted.
However, the company-level organizational structure is relatively complete because it is based on companies drawn from other units. It is still no problem to draw two companies mainly composed of veterans and use night fighting as the main tactics to recapture the two places. Yes, Lin Zhiqiang still has confidence in this.
However, Yang Jicai did not agree with Lin Zhiqiang's concept. In Yang Jicai's view, since the terrain of the two places is extremely complex and the mountains are rugged, which is not conducive to the passage of large troops, the Japanese and puppet troops are destined not to use those two places as the main direction of attack. But it also proves from the side that the two places have no strategic value at all.
Retaking these two places, for the front line of defense of Straw Hat Mountain, is only equivalent to expanding the defense line on the flanks. At the same time, it disperses the troops that are still not abundant at hand. Although the two places have little strategic value, who knows? It can ensure that the Japanese and puppet troops will not fight back with all their strength after losing these two points.
When the time comes, the two companies are alone, and their strength is extremely weak. The Japanese and puppet troops will fight back with all their strength. Whether they can hold it is still a very serious problem. If they cannot hold it, they will need reinforcements, which will undoubtedly consume their limited troops. , and also cannot form a complete defense line with the Sixth Brigade in the south, which is not worth the gain in the current situation.
Just when the two people were arguing and no one could persuade the other, a telegram sent from the headquarters of the advancing army made Lin Zhiqiang give up the idea. The headquarters told Lin Zhiqiang in the telegram that just before he was fighting on the front line of Straw Hat Mountain At that time, the troops previously dispersed in Longhua and Ningcheng had been concentrated. In addition to retaining some troops to monitor the Japanese and puppet troops in Chengde southward, 70% of the main force and artillery had been diverted to the siege of Chifeng.
At the same time, the headquarters has concentrated some troops and some field artillery units to carry out large-scale damage to the railway line between Yebaishou and Chifeng, and concentrated the forces of two brigades to prepare for the attack on Chifeng. The task given by the headquarters to Lin Zhiqiang is to carry out large-scale damage to the railway line between Yebaishou and Chifeng. After the battle started, they tightly blocked the front line of Straw Hat Mountain, cutting off the westward breakout route of the Japanese and puppet troops in the northern part of the paddock, and were ready to counterattack at any time to prevent the Japanese and puppet troops from returning for reinforcements.
The headquarters also clearly told Lin Zhiqiang in the telegram that the anti-alliance roundabout force currently fighting fiercely with the Japanese 23rd Division in Linxi had seized the Japanese airport in Linxi and repaired it in the shortest time after it was blown up by the Japanese army. On the two runways, part of the aviation force of the Anti-Japanese Alliance has begun to gradually enter the Japanese airport in Linxi.
The Anti-Alliance Forces are currently repairing command facilities such as the tower, which is expected to be completed at midnight tonight. Starting from tomorrow morning, the Anti-Alliance Aviation Force will provide air fire support and air-drop ammunition for the battle in Jehol, especially for the current advancing troops. The shells that are in short supply will be included in the first batch of airdrops.
After receiving the telegram from the headquarters, Lin Zhiqiang quickly looked at the map. Based on the troop assembly situation sent by the headquarters and the planned combat area, he judged that the headquarters' tactical intention was to start with Straw Hat Mountain and take the road from Chifeng to Paddock. It is the waist, with Chifeng as the tail.
Block the head, cut off the tail, and hit the waist. Try to separate and surround the Japanese and puppet troops from Chifeng to the paddock. Try not to let these Japanese and puppet troops get close together to increase the difficulty of encirclement and annihilation. Lin Zhiqiang believes that the headquarters adopts this tactic.
The purpose should be to prepare in one breath to deal with the entire main force of the Japanese and puppet troops in Jehol gathered in the paddock in one battle, so as to settle the war situation in Jehol as soon as possible.
Lin Zhiqiang is also very clear that the reason why the headquarters made this determination is actually not very easy. Although the troops that the headquarters can mobilize exceed the Japanese and puppet troops in terms of quantity and firepower, the advantage in military strength still requires the deployment of some troops.
Blocking the possible northward march of the Japanese and puppet troops from Chengde and destroying the railway from Yebaishou to Chifeng were not absolute.
If most of the artillery of the advancing army can be mobilized to participate in the battle, then the firepower may be absolute, but the gap in training level will invisibly offset this part of the advantage. Even if the Japanese and puppet troops in the paddock can be surrounded or annihilated,
Even if they were defeated, the casualties suffered by the advancing army would not be too small.
However, despite knowing this situation, the headquarters still concentrated its forces in the paddock to fight a big battle in Chifeng. In the final analysis, it was because of the food problem. Although Yang Jicai brought thousands of bags of flour, the food could not sustain the entire army.
Too long.
The scattered units have been operating in Rehe for several days. Except for the second column and the fourth brigade, which concentrated their forces and took advantage of the mobilization of Japanese and puppet troops, they opened up Ningcheng County and obtained more than 100,000 kilograms of grain.
, the amount of grain obtained ranged from four to five hundred kilograms, while the quantity obtained was only over a hundred kilograms.
As for the food obtained by the Fourth Brigade, most of it was blown up by Japanese aircraft during transfer due to lack of transportation means. The amount of food obtained by the entire army was simply unable to meet the needs of the troops. Under such circumstances,
Next, it has become a top priority to deal with the Japanese and puppet troops in Rehe as soon as possible.
If you follow the headquarters' plan, you must ensure sufficient strength in hand after the friendly forces launch an attack. Since the headquarters has designated these two regiments to be incorporated into the leading brigade on the spot, you must do it in the shortest possible time.
Complete the final improvements to these two groups within time.
Thinking of this, Lin Zhiqiang finally changed his original plan of dividing his troops to recapture Yangshugou and Chemenggou, and immediately started to combine the remaining strength of the third regiment, which was less than three companies, with the two regiments.
Used as the backbone, these two units, which were used as cavalry regiments according to the headquarters' original plan, will be temporarily changed to infantry regiments.
At the same time, some adjustments were made to the strength and firepower of the two regiments, and the final running-in of the troops was carried out. Several training staff and company platoon leaders were transferred from the anti-alliance troops brought by Yang Jicai to sharpen their guns against the troops of the two regiments.
Conducting company- and platoon-level tactical drills, especially company-level mountain offensive and defensive operations drills, is a key drill. As for synthetic training, it is too late now.
Now for Lin Zhiqiang, he can only hope that these two troops, which are still a ragtag group of people, can mature as soon as possible. Although he also knows that this is unlikely, it is better to sharpen his guns in battle than not to sharpen them. As for how they can be sharpened, he can only
We won't know until we are on the battlefield.
However, most of these troops were transferred from the infantry troops, and a few companies were cavalry companies directly under the original divisions. Except for a few companies that were upgraded from local troops, most of the troops had good old foundations and lacked
The only thing is that the organization has not been finally straightened out, and the running-in needs to be strengthened, of course, except for the cavalry tactics that the cavalry should originally use.
As long as the organizational structure is straightened out, training is strengthened before battle, and the running-in speed is accelerated, at least it should not be a big problem for defense. Isn't there a saying, if you sharpen your gun before battle, it will be useless if you are not quick. The shelf is opened first, and as for the battlefield Let’s talk about the performance above.