More than 4,000 Northwest army officers and soldiers escorted by bayonets lined up in a long queue, carrying injured brothers silently southward. Each of them was disheveled and looked depressed, which was in sharp contrast to the well-equipped and confident officers and soldiers of the First Division who escorted them.
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In just three and a half hours, the fortified city of Dengzhou in southern Henan was captured by the 16th and 9th Anjia Army Divisions. To the horror and helplessness of the defenders, the attacking enemy did not use ladders to climb the city, but instead used powerful mortars.
Artillery fire bombarded the city's head, while death squads were sent to plant huge amounts of explosives, blowing six large holes in the city wall, and then swarmed in and rushed into the city from all directions.
The Anjia army's siege troops were all equipped with light machine guns and machine guns, raining bullets and flying grenades. They beat up the various resisting units until corpses were scattered all over the ground and the army was defeated. In the blink of an eye, the brigade headquarters set up in the county government office was surrounded, and all the northwest
The soldiers' morale was completely lost, and they put down their weapons in despair and allowed themselves to be manipulated by their opponents.
Yin Jinan, Deng Bin and other generals rode their horses past the long queue of prisoners, entered the south gate, dismounted in front of the heavily guarded enemy brigade department, entered the courtyard together, and soon entered the main hall.
Li Zhide, deputy commander of the 46th Brigade, was directing a group of staff officers to collect enemy documents and maps. When he saw brigade commander Wu Liheng arriving accompanied by division commanders Yin Jinan, Deng Bin and other officers, he quickly stepped forward to salute and report.
The young and mature Yin Jinan asked: "I heard that you captured more than ten famous generals from the enemy's 13th Mixed Brigade?"
"They were all gathered in the backyard and imprisoned. It was a pity that Pan Jiayang, the commander of the 17th mixed brigade, escaped. Under the desperate cover of hundreds of guards, the grandson crossed the river on horseback and fled to the northwest. The brothers of the First Division even blocked him fiercely and could not keep him.
, and finally allowed him to successfully cross the river and escape with a dozen remaining soldiers." Li Zhide's face was filled with regret.
Yin Jinan nodded: "Zhide, just leave one regiment in the city. Lead your soldiers to the north of the city to assist the brothers of the New Ninth Division in digging the nine-kilometer-long trench. The engineers and soldiers of each regiment must take on the task of guidance and demonstration.
I'll go check it out myself before the sun goes down."
"Yes...Master, aren't we going to attack Nanyang? Why are we digging that big trench five meters wide and two meters deep?" Li Zhide asked in confusion.
"Stop talking nonsense! Go quickly!" Xie Chi, who had just been promoted to major general, deputy division commander and chief of staff, shouted loudly.
"yes!"
Li Zhide left quickly with his adjutant.
Xie Chi smiled slightly: "This Li Zhide is good at fighting but doesn't want to use his brain. Isn't this guy a fellow disciple of the master?"
Yin Jinan smiled and nodded: "Senior brother Li is from the political section of the fourth phase of Huangpu. He has a good relationship with Commander An. He is also one of the first batch of Huangpu comrades to join our independent regiment. During the rest in Nanchang, you also equipped them with rifles.
What about the lesson on collaboration, have you forgotten?"
"I haven't forgotten, but I can't figure out which period he is from Huangpu, haha! Let's go and see Brigadier Zhang Miqing of the 13th Mixed Brigade to see how to deal with it. Hutou is fighting with enemy reinforcements in the north.
"The two machine gun battalions of our division are estimated to have been reinforced in place. After seeing the enemy generals, they sent a report to the commander. Let's go and take a look when we have time." Xie Chi said with a smile.
At Womaling, five kilometers north of the city, there was loud gunfire and roaring artillery fire. The enemy cavalry brigade, assisted by two regiments of infantry, charged three times, but could not pass the blocking line formed by strong firepower on the east and west sides. Gu, the commander of the 44th Division,
Changfeng personally climbed up the smoke-filled hills to observe the enemy's situation, and secretly praised the performance of his brigades.
Over the past five months, Gu Changfeng, who has worked hard to bring a new division composed almost entirely of recruits to the current level, feels deeply satisfied and proud. From the early morning raid in Sangzhuang to the current Womaling, he has worked hard Temple blockade, twelve consecutive hours of fierce fighting and rapid march, the brothers of the 44th Division still have such fighting spirit and tactical organization level. How could he, the division commander, not feel gratified and proud? The enemy troops coming in a hurry did not carry heavy weapons. It was difficult to pass through the powerful firepower network composed of eight thousand soldiers of the two brigades. The pitiful dozen or so mortars of the enemy's two infantry regiments were accurately hit by twenty-four mortars of the two machine gun battalions before they were placed stably. No matter how brave the thousands of enemy infantry and cavalry were, they could only charge with their rifles and their flesh and blood bodies.
Gu Changfeng put down his telescope, retreated to a depression about ten meters behind the hillside, took off his helmet, turned around and asked: "The enemy cavalry is indeed moving to the northwest as we expected before the war. It seems that they are really going to cross the gentle slope to the west. They wanted to ride down the river and break through our blocking line with the speed of their horses, but unfortunately they still don’t know that we have captured Dengzhou, and they want to go there and die. It is estimated that there is a brigade or even a division of reinforcements coming behind them, otherwise they You won't be so hasty and reckless... Lao Yan, how are you doing with the 131st Brigade?"
"Dengyun (Fang Buqing) was very happy to receive your order. He was leading the division's engineer battalion and more than 4,000 of his brothers to dig a horse pit. Dengyun ordered the 5,000 brothers to open two camps at the foot of a 100-meter-wide gentle slope. At a distance of 30 meters, everyone is ordered to dig five small holes in front, back, left, and right of themselves, a large number of them densely packed. It is estimated that it will be almost done by this time."
The deputy division commander, Major General Yan Yaohuan, has a thick beard. He is 27 years old this year. He is from Ninghai, Zhejiang. He graduated from the second phase of infantry in Huangpu. During the Eastern Expedition, Chen Jiongming was injured and recuperated for more than half a year. After recovering from his injury, he joined the headquarters as a captain and staff officer to participate in the Northern Expedition. After the Northern Expedition, he was promoted to colonel and staff officer of the Military and Political Department. He and Gu Changfeng were classmates in the Huangpu general class. During the formation of the 44th Division, Chiang Kai-shek transferred him as the deputy division commander of the major general. It was a pleasure to work with Gu Changfeng.
Gu Changfeng laughed: "Isn't Fang Dengyun always complaining about not being reused? This time, let him have the 131st Brigade to block the 5,000 cavalry and see how well he fights. Order the 130th Brigade to quickly reinforce the 131st Brigade in order to Use the most powerful firepower to block the attack! Let’s go, Lao Yan, let’s go over and take a look.”
On the west side of Qian Temple, the elite cavalry brigade under Pang Bingxun's command was assembled. Major General Huo Jianxun, the brigade commander on the high hill, tightened the reins, drew his saber, widened his eyes and shouted loudly:
"Brothers, our brigade has been blocked here by the enemy for two and a half hours. Seeing the smoke of Dengzhou City rising into the sky in the distance, the brothers guarding the city are in danger. If we don't break through the enemy's blocking line and rush to Dengzhou's aid, how can we face the commander? And the tens of thousands of brothers who defended Dengzhou City?
The main force led by the commander has reached behind us. As long as we move forward with all our strength, we will be able to turn the crisis around and make great achievements! Listen to my order, all go south, kill-"
"kill--"
The sound of horse hooves resounded like thunder, and the angry shouts of killing shook the wilderness and soared into the sky. Five thousand cavalrymen rolled southward and rushed up the gentle slope like a flood that burst the embankment. They rushed down the flat gentle slope like mercury pouring down the ground, their swords shining brightly. Under the sunlight, through the thick dust and smoke, the dazzling blade lights stung the eyes of the officers and soldiers on the blocking position in front.
The ground trembled and the sound was like thunder. Brigadier Fang Buqing saw the surging enemy cavalry moving forward with great force. He was horrified and shouted loudly for everyone to shoot. But the officers and soldiers behind the bunker had already been overwhelmed by the huge enemy cavalry galloping towards them.
The momentum was shocking to the point of trembling with fear, and the consciousness was shaken. The rumble of horse hooves covered up Fang Buqing's shouts, and no one reacted to pull the trigger.
"I'll fuck your mother--"
Fang Buqing, whose face was flushed with anxiety, rushed to the heavy machine gunner's position, kicked away the machine gunner who stared stupidly in front of him with his mouth open, quickly squatted down and fired the first shot. The sudden sound of gunfire finally shocked the five thousand brothers on the position.
When I woke up, there was a sudden burst of gunfire and smoke. The mortar position behind the position opened fire. The brothers from the 130th Brigade who came to the rescue rushed up to the high ground on the east side. The dense rain of bullets poured out on the galloping horses that were galloping in the dark.
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Hundreds of war horses rushed down the gentle slope and were about to accelerate. One horse's hooves suddenly missed the ground and fell into small pits more than thirty centimeters deep. The overturned horses collided violently, making a dull crashing sound.
One by one, the horses were thrown into the air. The horses rushing behind them could not stop, and they violently collided with each other. The sound of breaking horseshoes, collisions, horses neighing, wailing, and the explosion of artillery shells came one after another, making a sound of whistling bullets.
It hit like a torrential rain, with blood mist rising up. The scene down the gentle slope more than 300 meters wide was miserable, like a hell on earth. Nearly a thousand fallen horses and cavalry corpses piled up into a winding low wall in the blink of an eye.
Thousands of war horses were still running down uncontrollably. Under the heavy blows of bullets and mortar shells, limbs were flying everywhere, screams could be heard endlessly, billowing gun smoke, and lasing explosion light, covering the entire area.
The reflection turned into a purple red, and the generals Gu Changfeng and Yan Yaohuan standing on the mountain in the southeast were stunned and shocked.
The sound of gunfire gradually became thinner, and thick smoke and dust were still swirling in the sky up and down the slopes. The sight was filled with the screams of dying war horses and their dying cries. The blood of men and horses dyed the dry earth red, and streaks of blood flowed along the path.
The ditch flowed disorderly, and within a radius of two miles, there were bloody bursts that were disgusting. The nearly 10,000 officers and soldiers of the 44th Division behind the position lay dumbly on the bunkers and on the high ground, looking ahead sadly and horrifiedly.
A horse's scream suddenly sounded, and four horses rushed to the top of the slope from the northwest. They stood still. Huo Jianxun, the cavalry brigade commander on the horse, looked down at the bottom of the hellish gentle slope. He suddenly took off his hat, looked up to the sky and roared, drew his pistol and pointed it.
His temple clicked decisively, and a gunshot sounded. His strong body fell off the horse. The three people around him dismounted, helped Huo Jianxun's body and shouted hysterically. Then they all pulled out their guns and committed suicide beside Huo Jianxun.
, one of the figures knelt on the top of the slope, looking north for a long time.
Everything was silent between heaven and earth, and the bright sun shone on the sad faces of the officers and soldiers of the 44th Division. Gu Changfeng stood on the mountain like a javelin and stared at the top of the slope. He slowly took off his military cap and yelled with all his strength:
"All - salute -"
Eight kilometers due north of Xiaji, more than a hundred exhausted cavalry rushed past the main reinforcements that were quickly heading south and rushed to the south of the town. The chief of staff on horseback was quickly led to the commander Pang Bingxun.
Pang Bingxun was shocked when he saw the chief of staff of the cavalry brigade with tears on his face and hurriedly stepped forward to help him.
The dirty chief of staff knelt down with a "thud", touched his head to the ground, and cried sadly: "Brother, I'm sorry for you, brother! The whole cavalry brigade was wiped out, and the fourth brother committed suicide in grief and anger, and was buried in front of five thousand brothers.
...Big brother...little brother is incompetent. Even under the Nine Springs, he has no face to face five thousand brothers..."
"Lao Wu stop——"
"Boom——"
The chief of staff's body suddenly leaned back, and the smoking muzzle slipped out of his open mouth. Blood and brain matter spattered from the back of his head.
Pang Bingxun trembled all over and stood for a long time. The whole audience was silent and extremely shocked.
Pang Bingxun's mouth squirmed a few times, then he spurted out a stream of blood arrows with a "wow" sound. His strong body leaned back and fell straight down. The whole hall exclaimed in unison and rushed to help him.
The old chief of staff saw Pang Bingxun's eyes closed tightly and his anger was as high as a thread. He was shocked and hurriedly ordered: "Order our division to stop advancing, change the rear team to the front team, and immediately withdraw to Nanyang——"