With only such a pitiful anti-tank weapon in his hand, how could he not let Lieutenant General Eitaro Uchiyama feel the thorns in his back and restless when facing hundreds of enemy tanks? Especially in the current Baoding battlefield, almost all the
The Japanese army maintained an offensive formation, which meant they could not build anti-tank trenches or rely on natural blocking positions such as large rivers.
Lieutenant General Eitaro Uchiyama finally understood why the enemy stopped the attack at Baoding on the west route and at the river on the middle route when they still had the ability to continue their offensive. This was to avoid the relatively large flow of water.
The Hutuo River and its relatively dense tributaries west of Anping.
The battlefield in central Hebei is a vast expanse of plains and fertile fields, which is indeed the best natural position for large-scale tank operations. However, the area west of Anping and south of Wangdu to Boye is where the Hutuo River and its main tributaries converge. The rivers in this area are similar to
Compared with the Tang River, the Cao River in the north of Baoding far exceeds the two rivers around Baoding in terms of water volume and density.
The enemy set the battlefield along the line from Baoding, Gaoyang, Hejian to Cangzhou, not only avoiding the Hutuo River with the largest volume of water, but also avoiding the dense tributaries of the Hutuo River south of Qingfengdian. On the battlefield they chose, although there were Zhulong
There are two larger water systems: the Hutuo River and the Ziya River downstream of the Hutuo River. However, the density of the water network is incomparable with that to the west of Anping.
Moreover, although the Ziya River and the Zhulong River separated the enemy's overall defense from each other, they also limited the width of the enemy's attack front and increased the difficulty of roundabout operations. However, they also made the Japanese offensive route only
Choosing a relatively narrow route will help it take advantage of its firepower.
At the same time, the enemy stopped its offensive on this line. On the western front, it could get the cooperation of the so-called Shanxi-Hebei-Luyu Military Region. On the eastern line of Cangzhou, it could get the cooperation of the so-called Hebei-Shandong Border Military Region. This also drew the Japanese army deeper
The depth of one's own rear creates a favorable opportunity for the Hebei, Shandong and Yu Military Region that is operating behind it to carry out a large number of sabotage actions against its own rear.
The most critical thing is that the terrain in this area lacks large natural rivers, which gives full play to the advantages of its armored clusters. On a battlefield that lacks large rivers and is flat, the assault power of the armored clusters can be imagined. The enemy stopped the attack termination line
On this line, it was not the brainless staff officers of the front army who came up with it. The enemy's logistical supplies stretched too long and were unable to support it, so the attack had to be terminated.
As for the so-called protrusion on the Baoding battlefield, it’s not that the enemy is incapable of leveling it. It’s that it consciously left a trap for itself on the Western Front during the actions of large-scale armored groups. It can even be said to be used to guide its own.
A bait for the reinforcements to take the bait. To distract the pressure on the entire river battlefield before the enemy's main force moves south.
Not only did the five regiments of their own troops have to attack in the direction designated by the enemy, but they could also only fight in the battlefield chosen by the enemy on the entire battlefield west of the Zhulong River. Even in the entire Jizhong
When fighting, the entire deployment can only be based on the enemy's ideas.
Although he was an artilleryman, he was a rising star among the Japanese generals. When Lieutenant General Eitaro Uchiyama realized that the resistance in front of him was already preparing for a counterattack, he quickly saw the terrain he was in and directed the entire reinforcement operation under his command.
above, the threats and disadvantages it brings.
Despite some hesitation, Lieutenant General Uchiyama Eitaro repeatedly sent messages to Okamura Neiji, asking the divisions currently invested in Hebei to retreat to the south bank of the Hutuo River as much as possible before the enemy's large-scale counterattack.
Reinforcements arrived, and they had enough strength to save a little more strength before facing the enemy troops moving south.
However, General Okamura Neiji did not give any reply to his suggestion. Lieutenant General Uchiyama Eitaro's concerns were not invisible to Okamura Neiji. But it was precisely because he could see it so clearly that Okamura Neiji did not
There is no way to issue this order. Even General Okamura Neiji believes that not only cannot the order of contraction and retreat be issued at the moment, but on the contrary, the rhythm of the attack must be strengthened.
Okamura Neiji believes that once the enemy retreats to the south bank of the Hutuo River and the enemy launches a pursuit, the impact of its tanks will be much higher than it is now. And no matter how strong the Japanese army's marching ability is, in such flat terrain,
You can't outrun a tank even if you're on the battlefield. Rather than being eaten up by the enemy in pursuit, it's better to stick together with the enemy as much as possible.
Utilizing the impact of the Japanese attack to complete the segmentation of the enemy's defense system, the enemy's tank tactics were used as a deterrent to reduce the tank impact that each division may face. And in General Okamura's view, as long as it can
Once the enemy's infantry is eliminated, no matter how many tanks the enemy has left, it will have no effect.
Therefore, to Uchiyama Eitaro's request to shrink his troops, break away from the enemy, and retreat to the south bank of the Hutuo River for defense in the shortest possible time, Okamura Neji did not give any reply at all. His request only had two words: attack,
If I could sum it up in one sentence, it would be to attack, attack, and attack again.
Whether Okamura Neiji's attack can achieve the effect he wants, at least Uchiyama Eitaro cannot see it at the moment. But at the same time that his request was rejected, the Anti-Japanese Alliance's counterattack operations across the entire Jizhong battlefield have begun secretly
Start preparing.
In addition to using the night to secretly mobilize the troops to the planned attack departure point, the troops are also seizing the time to replenish ammunition and speed up the repair of battle-damaged equipment, especially tanks and half-track armored vehicles. After Chen Hanzhang's deployment of two armored divisions, the
The battalion and most of the maintenance personnel worked hard to repair the equipment. By the time the battle started, the battle-damaged equipment had been replenished to a certain extent.
Even for tanks that were completely destroyed, the maintenance personnel of the Anti-Japanese Alliance did not give up. They made full use of the complete parts that could be disassembled and tried their best to restore a batch of equipment. They even used the Japanese battle damage that had been towed back and were scattered on both sides of the Cao River.
Tanks, a company was cobbled together, Type 1 tanks that could still be used, and a batch of self-propelled artillery were modified on the battlefield.
And just when Lieutenant General Uchiyama Eitaro, who was unwilling to be passively beaten, was about to make his request to Okamura Neiji again, the all-out counterattack on the Western Front of the Anti-Japanese Alliance had already begun on the Baoding battlefield. Chapter 1
The targets of this wave of attacks were placed on the five Japanese regiments on the Baoding battlefield.
According to Yang Zhen's deployment, the participating troops took the tank group as the forerunner and continuously launched attacks behind the Japanese army and on the flanks. Especially the penetration of the 1st Armored Division, which did not pay attention to a regiment attacking Mancheng from Wanxian County.
. Instead, they bypassed the flank of this regiment, forcibly crossed the Tang River to the west of Wanxian County, and directly attacked Qingfengdian, a strategic point behind the Japanese army.
Qingfengdian is located along the Pinghan-Han Railway, at the junction of Dingxian, Wangdu, and Tangxian counties. Its strategic location is extremely important. Once the Anti-Japanese Alliance seizes Qingfengdian, it will completely close the retreat of the Japanese army in the Baoding battlefield, and
Completed the encirclement of five Japanese regiments on the Baoding battlefield.
Although Lieutenant General Eitaro Uchiyama ignored Neji Okamura's request to invest all his troops and carry out a strategic counterattack, he left two infantry brigades on the Qingfengdian front line and built a large number of defenses in a short period of time. But it was not
It means that these two infantry brigades will resist the combined attack of infantry and tanks and persist on the front line of Qingfengdian for too long.
After receiving an Anti-Union tank infantry group, they bypassed the Wanxian line and penetrated deeply. A large number of Anti-Union mechanized armor groups appeared on the flanks and were launching an attack on their left flank. They had cut off the Baoding battlefield and connected with Gaoyang.
Lieutenant General Eitaro Uchiyama almost didn’t mention the report on the front-line connection.
Where is the anti-alliance target that is attacking behind him in Jingwan County? With Eitaro Uchiyama's ability, he can know where the target is even with his eyes closed. And once Qingfengdian is lost, what kind of force will he face on the Baoding battlefield?
He can judge fate without guessing.
After receiving the report, Lieutenant General Eitaro Uchiyama's first reaction was that the enemy's penetration into Baoding must be contained. Even at all costs, Qingfengdian must be preserved. He could not remove these five troops from the 11th Army.
The carefully selected field regiments were just thrown on the Baoding battlefield.
For Eitaro Uchiyama, who has always been particular about being quick and resolute, he immediately stopped the attack without even asking General Okamura Neiji. He ordered a regiment between Baoding and Gaoyang to stop the enemy troops from advancing towards Baoding at all costs.
The impact of the battlefield.
Order the two and a half regiments on the front line to immediately break away from contact with the enemy, alternate cover, and retreat as quickly as possible. Order the six infantry brigades on the Gaoyang battlefield to launch a full counterattack against the enemy between Baoding and Gaoyang.
In the shortest possible time, re-open the connection with the Baoding battlefield.
As for the regiment attacking the city from the front, we must make every effort to get rid of the entanglement of the anti-alliance forces in front of us. We must complete the turn within four hours. Launch an attack from west to east, disperse the enemy's forces, and defeat the two and a half regiments in the front.
Under cover. Uchiyama Eitaro's order to this regiment is that even if the regiment is completely destroyed, it must reach the Caoheji line within twelve hours.
At the same time, he clearly knew that Baoding could not be defended at all, and he did not want to face opponents with firepower and equipment that far exceeded those of the Yichang battle. The surrounding terrain was far inferior to that of Yichang, which was located in the mountains of western Hubei, and was more important.
Eitaro Uchiyama made the same mistake he made in Yichang.
The order given to each regiment leader is that after completing the evacuation, each unit should abandon Baoding and withdraw to Dingxian. Each unit should not make any stop in Baoding, let alone try to stick to Baoding. The retreat termination line of each regiment, and the establishment of
The new defense line is located on the Quyang, Dingxian, and Anguo lines.
After issuing a series of orders, Uchiyama Eitaro directly called the Qingfengdian defenders. He ordered the two infantry brigades of the Qingfengdian defenders to hold on to the front line of Qingfengdian for at least three days with an extremely firm attitude.
Buy enough time for the main force on the Baoding battlefield to retreat.
Lieutenant General Eitaro Uchiyama's wish was good, but the reality was far from being as simple as he expected. If he had taken action as soon as he made up his mind to retreat, the anti-alliance counterattack deployment had not yet been completed, and even though he had escaped unscathed
It's almost impossible. But he still has a chance to retain part of his troops, at least not to fall into such a predicament in such a short period of time.
It was just the disagreements and disputes with General Okamura Neiji that delayed him too much. By the time he gave the order, the two and a half Japanese regiments around the Baoding battlefield had already been attacked by Chen Hanzhang's two regiments who launched counterattacks at the same time.
They were tightly entangled. The regiment on the Western Front was also entangled in the Wucun line in front of the city by a regiment led by Chen Hanzhang.
Several Japanese regiments participating in the entire Baoding battlefield were either unable to implement Lieutenant General Uchiyama Eitaro's order to retreat or simply could not implement it. Is it that easy to get rid of the entanglement of the Anti-Japanese Alliance in person? Uchiyama Eitaro's orders on the Baoding battlefield
How could he be able to get rid of his opponent if he wanted to?