At 2:30 in the morning, the guard battalion arrived at the Huangzhuang stronghold.
More than a hundred Japanese and puppet troops staying here are waiting in full formation.
In the afternoon, they began to build defensive positions around them, with the gun towers and bunkers as the center, extending to both sides, cutting off the highway that led the guard camp directly into Jinzhong...
This is the peripheral defense line deployed by Major General Miyazawa around Xingling.
The returning troops killed the main force of the independent regiment, and the outer defense line killed the fish that slipped through the net of the independent regiment. They cooperated with each other to annihilate the independent regiment in one fell swoop.
Second Lieutenant Sato is the supreme commander of the troops remaining at the stronghold.
In his opinion, the fish that slipped through the net in the Independent Regiment should all be stragglers who were organized into squads and platoons.
With a reinforced squad and two platoons of the Imperial Alliance Army in hand, relying on fortifications for defense, he can definitely pick up the slack and kill them easily.
As a result, the Eighth Route Army appeared in a mighty and mighty manner, with no end in sight, and the team also carried a large number of mortars and heavy machine guns.
No matter how stupid Second Lieutenant Zuoto was, he knew that the Eighth Route Army in front of him was not a fish that had slipped through the net as his superiors had inferred, but the main force of the independent regiment.
When in despair, call the authorities immediately...
"Moses Moses... This is the Huangzhuang stronghold. We are attacked by the main force of the Eighth Route Army... The opponent's strength is unknown and equipped with a large number of heavy weapons. We are asking for reinforcements... Boom boom boom..."
Before Second Lieutenant Sato finished his desperate report, a violent explosion sounded outside the gun tower...
At the headquarters of the Japanese Fourth Mixed Brigade in Yangquan, Major General Miyazawa continued to pace back and forth in the war room, waiting for news.
The expression on his face was much more complicated than before.
In addition to anxiety, there is also a touch of nervousness and anxiety!
Yes, it’s anxiety…
For fear that the returning troops would have an accident in Xingling,
At three o'clock in the morning, the quiet war room suddenly rang with a rapid phone ring.
Before the combat staff on the side could react, Major General Miyazawa had already rushed to the phone and grabbed the receiver first.
"This is the brigade headquarters... Have you found out the latest battle situation in the Xingling area?"
"Report to the general... There is no news yet in Xingling, but something happened at the Huangzhuang stronghold surrounding Xingling!" Immediately came the report from his subordinates on the receiver.
"Huangzhuang stronghold?" Major General Miyazawa asked.
Harada Zhongzuo immediately ran to the sand table, found Huangzhuang, and marked it.
"Hai..." the subordinate on the other end of the phone continued to report.
"The remaining troops at Huangzhuang stronghold reported that they were attacked by the main force of the independent regiment... The opponent's troops could not be seen to the end, and there were five to six hundred people in sight... equipped with a large number of mortars and heavy machine guns..."
"After the Huangzhuang stronghold was attacked, it only lasted five minutes before losing contact!"
"I believe that the main force of the Independent Regiment has successfully broken through in the Xingling area and is so powerful that they have also broken through our outer defense line around Xingling!"
"They are marching very fast... They can still travel at least twenty kilometers before dawn!"
"Nani... How could the independent regiment besieged in Xingling have a chance to break out... What do the returning troops do for food? Where is Matsushima-kun? I handed him three infantry brigades, but he couldn't surround one of them. What do I want him to do to strengthen the regiment?"
Harada Nakazuo, who was staring at the sand table, suddenly analyzed: "General, Xingling is two hours away from Huangzhuang, which means that the battle that took place in Xingling ended two hours ago!"
"The breakout troops of the Independent Regiment appeared quietly outside the Huangzhuang stronghold, and there were no troops to pursue them... This means that our return troops encircling Xingling are probably in trouble."
"Otherwise, even if the Independent Regiment successfully breaks through and leaves Xingling..."
"The returning troops will also follow and pursue, and notify the Huangzhuang stronghold in advance so that they can prepare for interception instead of hastily responding!"
Major General Miyazawa's face became increasingly ugly. He stared at the sand table for a while and then began to issue orders: "The breakout troops of the Independent Regiment have crossed our outer defense line around Xingling. They can still march at least twenty kilometers before dawn, but it is also possible Stop in advance to rest and hide anywhere within twenty kilometers.”
"Immediately contact all strongholds along the line, dispatch all scouts and intelligence personnel, find out the hiding spots of the independent regiment's breakout troops at all costs, and guide the aviation force to bomb them!"
"Since the infantry can't deal with them, let the aviation force bomb them. I don't believe they can't be killed!"
"The investigators and intelligence personnel heading to Xingling continue to move forward!"
"Regardless of whether the return troops commanded by Songdao Dazuo were really defeated, we must find out how they were defeated, so as to prevent other troops from making the same mistake!"
Tanjiagou is a ravine less than five kilometers away from the Xingling battlefield.
The independent regiment's former enemy headquarters, assault company, artillery company... are all hidden here.
At four o'clock in the morning, all the troops of the Independent Regiment remaining in Xingling were concealed, and the specific losses and results of each battalion were gradually sent to Li Wensheng...
"Captain, these are the specific results and losses of our battle in Xingling... The previous results were only our estimates, and the summary above is the most realistic!" Li Wensheng said happily.
"In less than two hours of fighting, we annihilated a total of 2,938 people below the captain of the Japs team... We sacrificed 452 people, seriously injured 49 people, and there are no statistics on minor injuries!"
"The reason why there is such a disparity in casualties is that artillery plays a vital role!"
"They consumed a total of 2,438 mortar shells during the battle..."
"Almost all the mortar shells we carried with the army were consumed... Each battalion also used 386 grenades, more than 18,000 rounds of heavy machine gun bullets, more than 27,000 rounds of rifle machine gun bullets, and more than 8,000 rounds. Submachine gun bullets, nearly 2,000 pistol rounds, more than 2,100 grenades and grenades..."
"It can be said that tonight's victory was largely due to our firepower!"
Kong Jie waved his hand and said with an indifferent expression: "It doesn't matter whether he created it with firepower or not, just win!"
"Tell me about the seizure!"
"The mortar shells we carry with the army have been exhausted. If they are not replenished, the more than 20 mortars equipped in the team will become decorations!"
"Not only are they unable to fight against the Japanese, they will also become a burden to the soldiers!"
Li Wensheng happily replied: "Captain, don't worry..."
"Killing nearly three thousand little devils in one battle, there's no way they won't be captured!"
"In addition to the various ammunition that we destroyed, we also found more than 2,000 mortar shells and more than 500 infantry artillery shells in the Japanese army's baggage train, which can completely make up for the battle losses!"
"Nine mortars, 13 heavy machine guns, two infantry guns, more than 30 light machine guns, and more than 1,400 rifles were also seized..."
"Several battalion commanders want to supplement the troops with light and heavy machine guns and artillery...to further strengthen the firepower of the troops and increase some attack capabilities!"
Kong Jie did not nod immediately and hesitated for a while before answering: "The number of mortars in each battalion's machine gun company has increased to five, and the number of mortars has also increased to five..."
"Continue to add more, and there will be more than seven mortars and more than eight heavy machine guns..."
"Adding so many weapons at once will definitely affect the troop's mobility!"
"Our next task is to penetrate Jinzhong. The marching speed cannot be affected in any way. We must not sacrifice a small amount for a few mortars and a few heavy machine guns!"
Li Wensheng was silent for a moment and replied: "The marching speed of the cannon battery will definitely be affected..."
"Several battalion commanders have thought of some solutions..."
"They plan to add a platoon to the machine gun company and add a new platoon of soldiers..."
"With more people, the load of the cannon company soldiers will naturally be reduced!"
Huang Yu suddenly said: "Captain, I have an idea..."
"Since the number of mortars and heavy machine guns equipped by the cannon company far exceeds their capacity, why don't we dismantle the cannon company!"
"The machine gun company was reorganized into a mortar company and placed under the direct control of each battalion!"
"All heavy machine guns are transferred to the company, and they are combined with the grenade squad directly under the company to form a fire platoon, equipped with two to three heavy machine guns!"
"Each infantry company of the Independent Regiment has more than a hundred soldiers. Even if they take turns marching with guns, three heavy machine guns will not affect the marching speed of the troops..."
"And I think that only when a company is equipped with a heavy machine gun can its firepower advantage be fully utilized!"
Huang Yu's proposal is definitely more feasible than setting up a bloated machine gun battery.
Equipping a company with heavy machine guns can also enhance the firepower of each company, allowing each company to have independent combat capabilities, killing three birds with one stone.
He nodded immediately: "Huang Yu's proposal is better..."
"I will notify all battalion commanders in a moment that the machine gun company will be reorganized into a mortar company, and the heavy machine guns will be transferred to the main company, and a firepower department will be established directly under the company!"
"As long as it does not affect the marching speed of the troops, the light and heavy weapons we captured tonight can be equipped with the troops..."
At the headquarters of the Japanese Fourth Mixed Brigade in Yangquan, Major General Miyazawa finally received the bad news from Xingling.
Of the more than 3,000 returning troops, except for two or three hundred who were lucky enough to survive, the rest were all wiped out...
Looking at the information in his hand, Major General Miyazawa was silent for a while, unable to believe that it was true.
He didn't believe he was defeated until the surviving soldiers told the story of the battle.
Then the whole person turned into an angry lion, staring at Harada Chuzuo and began to give orders: "The Independence Regiment is bullying others too much!"
"Since the sweep, the imperial army has been defeated by more than six infantry brigades... Four of the infantry brigades were almost completely destroyed..."
"If this revenge is not avenged, I, the brigade commander, will have no face to stay here!"
"Pass me an order: More scouts and intelligence personnel will be searching for the hiding place of the Independent Regiment. Aviation troops will be on standby at any time. If we find the main force of the Independent Regiment, we will bomb them. I will blow them all into pieces!"
At one o'clock in the afternoon, the Japanese discovered the hiding place of a company in the guard camp.
By the time the Japanese plane arrived at its destination, the guard company had broken out in all directions, leaving them in vain...
At three o'clock in the afternoon, Japanese intelligence personnel found the hiding spot of the Second Company of the Guard Battalion.
But the Japanese intelligence officers themselves were exposed. After being eliminated by the second company of guards, the soldiers of the second company pretended to be Japanese intelligence officers and guided the plane to drop more than 20 heavy bombs on a wasteland...
