Faced with the dramatic changes in the war situation, Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Sadichi, who was stationed in Kaifeng and commanded the Western Front, was unusually calm compared to his colleagues who were in a hurry. A comprehensive counterattack by the Anti-Japanese Alliance on both wings of Pinghan Road began, and the battlefield west of the Pinghan Line
The overall situation is very pessimistic.
But perhaps the situation was not as aggressive as that faced by Lieutenant General Eitaro Uchiyama, but Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Teiichi did not panic at all, let alone be disrupted. Instead, after receiving the order from the commander of the front army,
He calmly adjusted the deployment according to the predetermined plan.
The two divisions deployed on the battlefield in the southeast of Shanxi launched a counterattack along the Pinghan-Han Line, and did not hastily change the original steady and steady attack posture. The timing of the adjustment was quite accurate. The resistance along the Ping-Han Road was
The coalition forces were already entangled with the two divisions on both wings.
The Eastern Cluster of the Anti-Japanese Alliance has used its troops to the extreme. That is, Hou Guozhong was engaged in a fierce battle with the 65th Division in En County. It was impossible to deploy either the Eastern Cluster or the Western Cluster he faced.
After the reinforcements were received, they suddenly launched a fierce attack across the entire battlefield in the depth of the southeast Shanxi battlefield.
The fierceness of their attack was almost completely different from their previous calm and unhurried performance. However, after the two divisions adjusted their attack posture, they did not all launch a direct attack on Changzhi.
, but aimed directly at the Huguan line east of Changzhi.
Ignoring the interception and siege of the surrounding Shanxi-Hebei-Luyu Military Region troops, they continued to fight and rush towards Huguan. The entire battle in the southeastern Shanxi battlefield suddenly escalated to several levels. From the original calm intensity, it quickly turned
It was extremely intense. The battle situation changed so quickly that people felt somewhat overwhelmed.
However, the attack intensity of these two divisions suddenly increased, and the focus of the attack shifted to the Huguan line east of Changzhi. However, the deputy commander-in-chief, who personally commanded the battle in southeastern Shanxi, felt the arrival of fighter planes. Regardless of whether the Japanese army attacked Huguan
, or the area east of Huguan, the complex mountainous terrain along the entire combat area makes it impossible for the two divisions that have always been in a group to maintain the current situation and can only divide their forces. This is for the battlefield in southeastern Shanxi
Say, here comes the opportunity to divide and conquer.
In fact, the deputy commander-in-chief's vision was quite accurate. While intensifying their actions, the two Japanese divisions also divided their troops into two groups, one along the Changzhi-Gaoping highway, and continued to attack in the northeast direction. The other group was divided into two groups.
Pass through Mishan, towards Yincheng, and go straight to the Huguan line.
Facing the two Japanese divisions that had finally divided their forces, the deputy commander-in-chief, who believed that the fighter planes were coming, was concentrating his forces, taking advantage of the convenient terrain from Gaoping to Huguan, and adopted mobile ambush tactics to prepare for an attack through Mishan first, and then directly into Huguan from Yincheng.
When the Japanese troops passed by Guan, the situation on the battlefield in southeastern Shanxi changed unexpectedly.
From the border area between Lin County and Pingshun, a Japanese army organized by an independent brigade suddenly appeared in the western mountainous area of Lin County outside Hongti Pass, and carried out a forcible penetration attack in the direction of Hongti Pass. Behind this independent brigade, the Japanese army
A large baggage brigade was dispatched, carrying a large number of mules and horses to support the brigade's operations.
The equipment and equipment of the brigade were obviously specially adjusted for the purpose of conducting mountain penetration operations. In addition to the four Type 41 mountain guns and the 92nd infantry gun belonging to the infantry brigade, it is also equipped with an independent mortar.
The artillery brigade is equipped with the latest Japanese Type 2 120mm mortars and Type 97 90mm mortars.
Although it is not equipped with special anti-aircraft weapons, at least half of the heavy machine guns equipped in this brigade have spare anti-air shooting gun mounts. The heavy machine guns also equipped are not the Type 92 heavy machine guns generally equipped by the Japanese army, but the latest
The Type 1 heavy machine gun and the light machine gun are not the crooked guns commonly used by the Japanese army in North China, but the Type 99 light machine guns.
The rifles used were not Type 38 rifles, but all were equipped with Type 99 rifles. Among all Japanese armies, including the Kwantung Army, this brigade was the first to realize universal use of light weapons and ammunition, effectively reducing
This reduces the logistical burden. At the same time, this brigade is also equipped with a large number of 100-type submachine guns.
It can be said that this Japanese brigade is armed to the teeth, but it has also been carefully considered in terms of weapons and equipment, making it more suitable for mountain operations. In other words, the appearance of this Japanese brigade in Lin County is definitely not a temporary move by the Japanese army, but
A carefully planned operation.
As for when this Japanese army was mobilized to Lin County, no precise information was obtained, whether it was a division of the Hebei, Shandong and Yu Military Region east of Lin County, or the fifth division of the Taihang Military Region to which Lin County belonged. All attention was directed to the north.
Attracted by the county battlefield, the fifth division of Taihang, which belongs to the Lin County area, was caught off guard by the sudden emergence of this Japanese army.
Once the Japanese army broke through Hongti Pass, the Japanese army formed a pincer-type offensive in the entire southeast Shanxi battlefield. In addition, the Japanese and puppet troops in the direction of Shexian County suddenly increased their offensive, overwhelming the entire Dongyang Pass defense force.
Contain it tightly. If it cannot be blocked before it passes through Hongti Pass and enters Pingshun, the situation in the entire southeastern Shanxi battlefield will tend to deteriorate rapidly.
At the same time when the Japanese army suddenly launched an attack in the direction of Pingshun, the Japanese 35th Division deployed north of Kaifeng, under the full cover of the large number of trains mobilized by the Japanese army and the full cover of the Japanese army's only remaining army aviation force, was also in the shortest time.
Time to join the battlefield in southern Hebei. It tightly entangled the anti-alliance troops on both sides of Pinghan Road, preventing them from reinforcing the battlefield in southeastern Shanxi.
At the same time that the situation on the entire Western Front battlefield was changing suddenly, a rather large Japanese fleet, covering a large number of troop transports, suddenly appeared in the sea off Qikou. Under the cover of fierce naval artillery and the naval aviation unit,
Forced landings were carried out on the Qikou front line.
As the Japanese army's operations in southeastern Shanxi and Qikou unfolded, the situation on the entire battlefield further complicated. Whether it was the eastern front cluster or the battlefield in southeastern Shanxi, the pressure increased. As the Japanese landing fleet appeared along the Qikou coast, the Japanese army
The entire strategic intention of the Japanese army has been completely exposed. In other words, the battle has progressed to the current point, and the Japanese army has already exhausted its daggers.
Faced with the sudden change in the situation, the deputy commander-in-chief on the battlefield in southeastern Shanxi showed the calmness and adaptability expected of a veteran. He transferred a regiment from the Shexian battlefield and immediately rushed south to Pingshun to set up defenses.
At the same time, a brigade from the front battlefield in Changzhi was deployed as a reserve force to quickly reinforce Pingshun.
The deputy commander-in-chief gave a fatal order to the commander of the Taihang Military Region who was in charge. Before the end of the battle on the front line south of Changzhi and Huguan, the Japanese brigade that suddenly appeared at all costs was to be intercepted between Pingshun County and Pingshun County.
In the mountainous area in the east, we cannot allow even one Japanese soldier from this brigade to cross Pingshun County.
However, for the troops besieging the two Japanese divisions on the front, not a single soldier was mobilized. Only some slight adjustments were made in tactics. The originally planned siege of three and one on the battlefield in front of Huguan was moved out of the way of the front.
The tactic of outflanking the enemy from both wings and behind and annihilating the enemy on the move was changed to launching a general attack from all sides simultaneously.
After receiving the enemy information report on the battlefield in southeastern Shanxi, Yang Zhen did not hesitate at all. He ordered the main force of the Hebei, Shandong and Henan Military Region, which had completed the encirclement and annihilation of the Japanese army, to immediately dispatch two brigades of troops southward to outflank the Japanese and puppet troops in front of Dongyang Pass.
The route of retreat. Cooperate with the Dongyangguan troops to completely eliminate the enemy in Shexian County.
Ordered the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei troops that had already entered Maguan and Huangyuguan lines, and the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei brigade serving as reserve force, to immediately move south with all their strength to reach Pingshun, which was under the command of the Shanxi-Hebei-Luyu Military Region. Ordered Tao Jingfei's brigade to be deployed at Shimen.
Division, immediately went south to reach Neiqiu, serving as the reserve force for the entire Western Group.
Yang Zhen agreed very much with the deputy commander-in-chief's deployment and determination to win in danger. In order to support the battlefield in southeastern Shanxi and ensure that the deputy commander-in-chief would not be stretched thin when faced with enemies on three sides, he used the maneuverable weapons in his hands.
Troops, a considerable part of the troops are allocated to the Shanxi-Hebei-Luyu Military Region.
Yang Zhen's actions on the battlefield in southeastern Shanxi ended there. He didn't say anything else. He didn't even express any opinions on the deployment and determination of the deputy commander-in-chief. His calmness made him feel calm in the battle situation.
After the new change, the bosses who came all the way from Peiping were a little surprised.
Everyone knows what the southeastern Shanxi battlefield means to the entire southern Hebei battlefield. Once the southeastern Shanxi battlefield is broken through, plus the Japanese troops landing from Qikou, a formation will be formed behind the hundreds of thousands of anti-alliance troops in the southern battlefield of Hebei.
A pincer-type offensive. Coupled with the Japanese troops dispatched from the front, the entire anti-Japanese coalition participating troops in the southern battlefield of Hebei were in a situation of being surrounded on three sides.
The southeastern Shanxi battlefield and the Jinpu Road front have actually become a life-and-death chess game in this battle. Once the southeastern Shanxi battlefield is broken through, at least the anti-alliance troops on the Pinghan-Han line will face a life-and-death battle. But it's better to get to him, just
He hung it up as if it had nothing to do with him. He did not express any opinions on the deployment of the battlefield in southeastern Shanxi.
Although I have always admired Yang Zhen for rarely dictating his brothers' troops, the boss was very dissatisfied with Yang Zhen's handling of such an important direction. This not only affects the outcome of this battle, but also the outcome of this battle.
It is related to the life and death of hundreds of thousands of troops in the battlefield in southern Hebei. You should always express some opinions. After all, the troops in the battlefield in southern Hebei are all your elite anti-union forces.
Regarding the boss's dissatisfaction, Yang Zhen put down the red and blue pencils in his hands, smiled and said: "Boss, why should I express my opinion? The deputy commander-in-chief has led troops for many years, and his actual combat experience is far better than mine. He has always done so during the Red Army.
He is known for fighting tough battles and fighting hard. Whether it is his commanding ability or other aspects, he is far better than me."
"In addition, my old commander who defeated Sun Wu with troops is stationed in the Shanxi-Hebei-Luyu Military Region and is responsible for front-line command. With the two of them personally taking charge of the battlefield in southeastern Shanxi, what else can I feel uneasy about? The most important thing is that I
I don’t have any different opinions on the deputy commander-in-chief’s deployment.”
"This battle in the southeastern Shanxi battlefield seemed to have been turned into a confusing situation by the Japanese army. It was besieged on three sides and the momentum was extremely large. But judging from the three-way Japanese army's actions, the center point was the two divisions on the Changzhi battlefield.
As for the actions of the Japanese and puppet troops in Shexian and Linxian counties, they were just to attract and disperse our troops, and they played a supporting role."
"The deputy commander-in-chief made up his mind to attack the two divisions on the Changzhi battlefield first under the situation of being attacked from three sides. It seems that he is in danger of winning, but in fact he is attacking the core of the Japanese army in this battle. As long as these two divisions are eliminated
, or severely damage them and force them to retreat, then the Japanese army will be at the end of its rope on the entire battlefield in southeastern Shanxi."
"As for the other two routes of Japanese and puppet troops, neither route is enough to pose a fatal threat. Moreover, with the enemy in Lin County dispatched, the tricks that the Japanese army can play on the entire western front battlefield may only end here. According to the current situation
Judging from the situation, although the situation is a bit more dangerous, overall the initiative in the war situation is still in our hands. As long as we can achieve the strategic goal south of Changzhi, the Japanese and puppet troops on the other two routes will not pose much of a threat.