There were stops and starts along the way. Although the road conditions from Xingtai to Jingxian were a little worse, the distance that was originally only more than 200 kilometers and could be reached in one day was lengthened by Yang Zhen to three days. However, although it was a bit slower,
But along the way, Yang Zhen also had a clear understanding of the terrain of the next major combat area.
Yang Zhen was not in a hurry after coming out of Xingtai, but Chen Hanzhang over there was waiting a little anxiously. Ever since the front finger of Hejian was attacked by the Japanese army last time, he had not been very reassured about Yang Zhen's safety. Especially this time.
On the way, from Linqing to Gucheng, and through a confrontation area where the enemy and ourselves were intertwined, Chen Hanzhang became even more worried.
After Yang Zhen set out from Xingtai, he almost never stopped asking for telegrams along the way. Although Yang Zhen was accompanied by guard troops, the confrontation area between the two armies was so long that it was impossible for him to deploy heavy troops to guard all areas.
Who knows if a small group of Japanese troops will take advantage of their weak defense areas to penetrate deep into themselves?
Fortunately, although he was a little anxious waiting, Yang Zhen finally arrived safely at his headquarters in a small village south of Jingxian County. After arriving at Chen Hanzhang's headquarters, Yang Zhen did not bother to rest, but simply wiped out
After showing off his face, he ignored the firm opposition of Chen Hanzhang and Du Kaishan and rushed to the front line of the confrontation between the two armies north of Texas to inspect.
In a cleverly set up concealment on the front line, after carefully observing the Japanese front-line defense positions, he did not ask any questions. It was not until he returned to Chen Hanzhang's headquarters and the three of them had a conversation that Yang Zhen said: "Old man
Chen, I came here mainly for two things."
"First, I need to learn more about the changes in the enemy situation on your side. Second, I would like to hear your opinions on the deployment of the first phase of the battle. From the perspective of the next situation in the entire theater, where you are
The position is crucial. Especially once the Japanese army launches a landing operation, your flanks will be directly within the attack range of the Japanese army. So I want to hear your opinion on the deployment plan."
"I'll talk about the second thing later. What I need to know most now is the first point. Especially since the end of the East Henan War, have there been any major changes in the activities of the Japanese troops on the front line in Texas, and have there been any major changes in the overall deployment of the Japanese troops?
Changes, including changes in the deployment of Japanese troops on the front line, please tell me in detail."
Regarding the several questions raised by Yang Zhen, Chen Hanzhang seemed to be very confident and said: "No. 1, since the Battle of East Henan entered the stalemate stage, the frequency of activities of the enemies in Dezhou on the front line has changed from the previous general calm to only
A small number of reconnaissance operations turned into extremely frequent activities."
"We even organized squadron-level troops many times to launch continuous tentative attacks on various supporting points on our front line. The largest one involved two infantry brigades, which attacked the Mulberry Garden in front of our Texas and the eastern front of Texas.
In Huangjia Town on the north bank of Jiahe River, Hou Jiaji launched an attack."
"During the attack, the Japanese army used a combination of tactics to launch continuous attacks on several of our army's defense points. In Huangjia Town, they once broke through our army's forward positions and captured several supporting points of our army's front-line defense.
However, after our army’s follow-up reinforcements arrived, they immediately retreated and absolutely did not engage in any fighting.”
"At the same time, the Japanese troops on the front line in Texas also used disguised reconnaissance methods many times in an attempt to penetrate into our depth for reconnaissance. On the surface, the entire operation was to figure out our front-line defense deployment. But this approach of the Japanese army, I
I always feel like something is wrong.”
"In his operations, except for the one in Huangjia Town, he almost ran away with one blow. Even after he succeeded in Huangjia Town, as soon as he discovered that our reinforcements were dispatched, he immediately withdrew to the south of the Majia River and never carried out any further operations.
Any love for war. If these actions are simply to find out the strength and configuration of our army's front-line defense forces, they cannot be so hasty."
"However, since the Chongqing First Theater Front retreated to the west of the New Yellow River, in addition to constant artillery battles with us, the enemies in Texas have almost stopped all of their extremely frequent small-scale operations. Moreover, some less important operations at the front have also been abandoned.
secondary position."
"The troops have been shrunk to a certain extent to the second-line positions. However, they have increased the investment of troops in the main defensive positions on the first line. At the same time, they have also continued to strengthen the defenses on the first and second lines and increased the deployment of firepower.
Judging from the currently known intelligence alone, the Japanese troops on the front of Texas have increased the firepower of two artillery squadrons. At the same time, the number of rapid-fire artillery deployed has also been greatly increased."
"No. 1, according to the intelligence we have obtained so far, the Japanese troops in Dezhou City have been reorganized. This time the Japanese troops were reorganized and did not follow the past habit of using the original battle-damaged troops as the basis to recruit new troops.
Instead, all Japanese troops in Texas were reorganized into the 22nd Division, under the unified command of Lieutenant General Saburo Isoda, commander of the 22nd Division."
"At the moment, the Japanese troops in front of us have placed their main forces on the front of Dezhou. On the left side of the Dezhou battlefield, the line from Gucheng to Xiajin, and the right side from Deping, Jizhen, Xin'an Street to Lingxian, there are only one line on each side.
A brigade of troops was released, and the entire defense was dominated by puppet troops. However, the Japanese troops in Jinan and Yanzhou did not have any northward transfer."
After Chen Hanzhang finished speaking, Yang Zhen thought for a moment and then said: "Old Chen, according to normal military deployment, the Japanese army in the Texas battlefield should definitely not give up its flanks. Our army has a powerful tank cluster and maneuverability
Far more than infantry."
"They have concentrated their forces too much on the front. Isn't this a fatal weakness that exposes the flanks and allows us to make detours? The current deployment of the Japanese army is a bit too abnormal. Judging from the situation on the entire Texas battlefield, the Japanese army dares to do this
, there must be a backup plan. You must warn the commanders of the various units on the front line to be cautious when taking action."
Regarding Yang Zhen's evaluation, Chen Hanzhang nodded and said: "No. 1, I think so too. The Japanese army's move was too contrary to military common sense and took the initiative to expose their flanks to us. In addition to trying to conceal it, or releasing smoke to cover it,
I can't think of any other reason other than true strategic intent."
"If they follow their current deployment, almost all their troops in the Dezhou battlefield will be handed over to our lips. Once our army attacks quickly from both wings, there will be no contact between the enemies in Dezhou and the Japanese army in Jinan south of the Yellow River.
, will be quickly divided by our army. Unless the Japanese commander is crazy, they may have ulterior motives for doing this."
Having said this, Chen Hanzhang walked to the map and pointed at it and said: "No. 1, I am not very worried about the Texas battlefield. The terrain here is beneficial to our army's equipment. Now I have left two reinforced regiments in my hands, all equipped with them.
I bought trucks and half-track armored vehicles and used them as mobile troops. Even if the Japanese army has any conspiracy, I can mobilize the troops as soon as possible to defeat the Japanese army's strategic intention."
"Even if the Japanese army places their main attack direction east of Jinpu Road in order to cooperate with their landing on the Bohai Bay, I have nothing to worry about. What I am most worried about now is our west, Guantao, Linzhou, west of Jinpu Road.
The front line of Qing and Wucheng is the entire Hebei-Shandong border area, the joint between our army and the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region."
"The current strength of our army is mainly concentrated on the front and two wings of Dezhou. Therefore, in this direction, the troops of the Hebei, Shandong and Henan Military Region are mainly responsible for defense. Compared with the water network vertical and horizontal area in the northwest of Linqing, there is almost no defense in this direction.
It is a large river and the terrain is flat, which is also conducive to the operations of large Japanese armies."
"Although this is the old base area of the Hebei, Shandong and Yu Military Region, both the people's sentiments and the enemy's sentiments are quite favorable to them. They are basically fighting on the inside. But the troops in the Hebei, Shandong and Yu Military Region also have to take care of northern Henan.
With the situation in both directions from east Henan, they definitely cannot invest too much troops here."
"Right now, they only have two brigades and a few division-affiliated troops on the front line of Guantao. Not only is the main force somewhat insufficient, but the firepower equipment is also very weak. Except for the two brigade-affiliated artillery, they are here
Only a mountain artillery battalion reinforced by a field artillery company and four mortar companies equipped with Japanese 150mm mortars were deployed in this direction."
"And judging from the intelligence fed back by our liaison personnel, in addition to the two brigades in this direction, they have independent regiments and regiment-level detachments belonging to several divisions. Although they seem to have a lot of troops, they generally lack training.
The equipment is also very poor, and there is no experience in coordinated combat with infantry and artillery.”
"Most of the experienced backbone troops in the original military divisions had been upgraded before the war to form the main brigade. On average, only one old unit was left in each division, and the core regiments composed of transferred personnel were used as the main force and for
Use the old to lead the new. At present, some of the troops deployed in this direction by the Hebei, Shandong and Yu Military Region were even armed by local forces during the battle, and some of the new recruits were upgraded."
"Most of the old troops have only one battalion or even one company. Most of the remaining members are local armed forces from county brigades or independent battalions, as well as a large number of recruits. Once the Japanese army attacks in this direction, its real
The only ones that can play a major role, besides the two main brigades, are the two independent regiments that were expanded from the original divisional backbone regiments and their combat effectiveness is pretty good."
"The remaining troops will not be able to cope with such a war at least in a short period of time before they undergo major training. I also know that most of their main forces are still on the battlefield in Shanxi, and there are not many old troops available, so they can only be deployed in
Key directions. But this kind of overemphasis on southern Hebei and neglect of deployment in northwest Shandong really worries me."
"If the Japanese army adopts a multi-pronged attack, attack northward from Linqing and Xiajin lines, avoid the preset positions constructed by our army's eastern cluster along the water network zone in the upper reaches of the Fuyang River. Take advantage of the weak strength of the Hebei, Shandong and Henan Military Region in this direction
According to the situation, we will forcefully move northward and seize Qinghe, Jixian, and Nangong."
"At the same time, on the front of Dezhou, we will use a force to counterattack from Dezhou to the north to contain our troops in the Texas battlefield so that our troops on the front of Dezhou have no time to take care of others. We will also dispatch troops to attack in the northern area of Henan at the same time to distract our troops from the Hebei, Shandong, and Henan Military Regions.
strength and energy. Then this change in the situation will be quite dangerous for us."
"Especially since there is no big river in this line, it can be used as a natural blocking position. In addition, the focus of the Hebei, Shandong and Henan Military Region's defense deployment is not in this direction. Once the river is cleared and Hebei County is lost, not only our army and the Hebei, Shandong and Henan Military Region will be
The flanks of the troops are in considerable danger. Even the connection between the two strategic clusters of our army in the east and west will be forcibly severed by the Japanese army."
"At that time, the two major clusters of our army in the east and west will not be able to look after each other, and the connection with the troops of the Hebei, Shandong and Henan Military Region will be severed. In addition, the Japanese army will land on the Bohai Bay on the right wing of our army's entire North China battlefield, and even conduct more than one landing operations, then our entire army will