The old Japanese Suzuki's guess was correct, but not entirely correct.鴠
This time, the Eighth Route Army troops, led by the 358th Brigade, launched a decoy operation against the Suzuki Regiment. In the final analysis, it was because the Nishino Regiment stationed in Baode County was as cautious as a tortoise and did not allow the soldiers to take advantage of it. Opportunity to attack Baode County.
Everyone had no choice but to turn their attention to attack the Suzuki United.
From this perspective, it was precisely because of the cowardly Nishino Regiment that the Suzuki Regiment was framed by the Eighth Route Army.
If the miserable old devil Suzuki knew the real situation, I don't know what he would think.
At this time, a large-scale pocket ambush formation, dominated by the Eighth Route Army of the 358th Brigade, set up around Xiaonanzhuang, finally emerged.
When the Suzuki United was completely surrounded, the final decisive battle between the two sides also began.
For the soldiers of the 358th Brigade, this was a quite rare large-scale encirclement and annihilation battle.鴠
The scale of this battle was so large that almost the entire Japanese army was completely surrounded by pocket formations.
It is also a quite rare battle for the entire Northwest Military Region.
And the ultimate goal is to annihilate the Suzuki Alliance.
If this combat goal can be achieved, it will directly break the precedent that the Eighth Route Army troops in northern Shanxi destroyed the Japanese army without being organized.
For the entire Mongolian army stationed in northern Shanxi, it was absolutely an unprecedented shock.
It will definitely stimulate the anti-Japanese movement from northern Shanxi to Inner Mongolia.
"Your Excellency, Captain, the situation is very bad. Our army has been completely surrounded by the Eighth Route Army from all directions. The Eighth Route Army's vanguard troops have already started a confrontation with our army's guarding troops!"
The Japanese chief of staff brought bad news to Suzuki, and Suzuki looked gloomy.
At this time, although he was caught off guard by the pocket formation deliberately set up by the Eighth Route Army, the arrogance he used to have on his face was somewhat restrained.
But from the bottom of his heart, he still didn't take the Eighth Route Army troops in front of him seriously.
He always believed that the Eighth Route Army troops were just fighting behind enemy lines. How could they be the opponent of the imperial troops?
After thinking for a while, Suzuki decided to give it a try.
He immediately summoned several officers to quickly analyze the current battle situation and pointed out:
"The Eighth Route Army came well prepared this time and deliberately led our troops away from the fortifications in Guzhen, where they set up a pocket formation and surrounded our troops."
But the Eighth Route Army thought too simplistically. How could the Imperial Japanese Army be besieged by the Eighth Route Army? "
He pointed the direction of the final decisive battle directly to the north:
“In previous years, when our army carried out large-scale raids on the Eighth Route Army base areas, Tubal Road, which had backward equipment and scarce ammunition, was still able to cunningly break through the encirclement of our army.
With our regiment's sophisticated equipment and strong combat effectiveness, we only need to choose one direction to concentrate our forces. Like an unstoppable sharp knife, we can directly open a hole in the northward encirclement of the Eighth Route Army and break out of the encirclement. "
For this reason, the old Japanese Suzuki has even begun to deploy troops to break out of the encirclement.
"Quickly retreat to the stronghold and cannot hold out for the time being. After the troops have rested, we will find ways to attack these cunning Eighth Route Army soldiers!"
"Hi!"
…
After Suzuki's order was given, the little devils moved quickly.
At this time, Suzuki United couldn't care less.
Even the vanguard brigade that was originally planned to be rescued and was trapped in the front section of Xiaonanzhuang by the Eighth Route Army was unable to control the remaining No. 100 troops after being bombarded by artillery fire.
Some Japanese officers at the headquarters even believed that the remaining vanguard brigade could be used as the final containment force to cover the retreat of the main force.
Then, the situation on the entire battlefield rapidly evolved.
The Suzuki regiment, which was still rapidly approaching Xiaonanzhuang, immediately reduced the strength of its left and right wing troops.鴠
At the same time, the forwards changed into defenders, and the defenders changed into forwards, maintaining the original battle formation and retreating in the direction of Guzhen.
As soon as the little Japanese retreated, the Eighth Route Army headquarters immediately understood the Japanese army's intentions.
"Interesting, Lao Kong, it seems that the little devil has made up his mind and is preparing to concentrate his forces to break out in the direction of Guzhen. He can't even take care of the disabled vanguard brigade!"
Captain Yang of the 715th Regiment, who was at the forefront of the announcement and looked at the rear with a telescope, said.
Kong Jie nodded and replied: "The Suzuki United, which has always been arrogant, has suffered a lot this time. Now it is frightened by us and has no intention of continuing to attack.
It's just that his little devil can come and leave whenever he wants. How can it be that easy? Do you really think that our pocket array is just a decoration?
When the Japs want to withdraw, our pocket array will move accordingly, keeping the Japs in our pockets and beating them all the way. Even if the Japs can eventually escape back to Guzhen, we will have almost exhausted all the troops in the ten cities. "
Then, Kong Jie said: "Lao Yang, the mechanized combat troops brought by Lao Li and me this time cannot be exposed too much.
Therefore, the final battle to encircle and annihilate the Suzuki Regiment must be your team.
As for the Suzuki Regiment's artillery units, armored units, and even the flying units that may arrive at any time, you can safely leave them to us! "
Captain Yang nodded heavily:
"Okay, Lao Kong, don't say anything else. You and Lao Li have helped our 358th Brigade a lot this time. We will remember this favor.
As long as we can knock out the Japanese artillery and armored units, this little Japanese is like a toothless tiger. If we can't even deal with such a sick cat, our 358th Brigade really has no shame in staying in this small area of northern Shanxi. Went down. "
Kill——鴠
The battlefield was filled with shouts of death and the sound of gunfire and artillery. At this time, the Suzuki Regiment was like a flock of sheep being torn apart by wolves from all directions.
The soldiers of the Eighth Route Army attacked from all directions around the retreating formation of the Japanese army. With each attack, they were able to snatch away a few fat sheep from the herd.
After making up their mind to break out and retreat in the direction of Guzhen, the Suzuki Regiment's rear artillery unit immediately launched artillery bombardment toward the rear and the direction of the Eighth Route Army's attack on both wings to cover the retreat.
At this time, the remaining artillery fire of the Suzuki Wing was still strong.
As an elite unit of the extremely wealthy army stationed in Mongolia, the Suzuki unit's firepower configuration is quite powerful.
Especially after the Mongolian Army Garrison went south to reinforce the First Army and dealt with the Eighth Route Army in the Taihang Base Area, the Mongolian Garrison Command took into account the arduous task of the Suzuki Regiment to garrison the town and specially enhanced its firepower allocation.
Attached to an artillery brigade.鴠
Among them, there is an infantry artillery squadron, a mountain artillery squadron, and a rapid-fire artillery squadron.
This kind of firepower configuration is completely different from the equipment gap between the Eighth Route Army-level combat units with the same organization as the Japanese army.
This is also the reason why Suzuki old devil often has arrogance on his face.
With such a sophisticated firepower configuration, coupled with the strong troops of his Suzuki Regiment, it was far more powerful than some of the field regiments of the First Army. The entire regiment totaled nearly 5,000 people.
That overall strength is nothing to brag about.
Even if the artillery squadron attached to the Pioneer Brigade was trapped by the Eighth Route Army, it was defeated by the mechanized combat troops arranged by Li Yunlong and Kong Jie.
The firepower of the Suzuki Regiment's artillery brigade has been weakened to a certain extent.鴠
The remaining firepower is still strong.
I saw the remaining artillery pieces of the Japanese artillery brigade, including some infantry guns, Type 41 wing guns, and Type 94 37mm rapid-fire guns, with full firepower.
The shells that kept exploding, the smoke spreading everywhere, and the fierce firepower almost cut out the dividing lines in the fighting areas on the wings and tail of the Suzuki Regiment that was trying to retreat.
Due to the fierce Japanese artillery fire, the 716th Regiment and Yanbei Detachment, which were pursuing from both sides, and the soldiers of the 715th Regiment who were pursuing from the rear, were indeed suppressed by the Japanese artillery fire, and the momentum of the attack was hindered.
The Japanese guard troops deployed on both flanks and back took the opportunity to get rid of the pursuing Eighth Route Army troops, cover the main force, and maintain the combat formation to retreat.
Fortunately, when the soldiers pursued them, they were like scattered wolves chasing the densely packed sheep that were completely covered together.
Although the Japanese artillery fire was powerful, the casualties caused by the soldiers were quite limited because the soldiers' lines were spread out.鴠
In the temporary headquarters of the accompanying army, looking at the evolution of the situation after all the artillery fire from his side was fully launched, the old Japanese Suzuki had a smile on his lips.
Everything is developing in the direction he speculated. The artillery fire of the Japanese Empire is definitely not something that these backward Eighth Route Army troops can stop.
However, the little devil's pride did not last long.
The mechanized combat troops arranged by Kong Jie appeared again on the left and right wings of the Suzuki Wing.
At this time, seven or eight more armored vehicles were quickly brought in to participate in the battle.
That was another armored unit hidden by Kong Jie.
When dealing with the vanguard brigade where the Japanese fell into the trap first, naturally not all of them were exposed, only half of the armored troops were exposed.鴠
Carrying eight armored vehicles and various combat vehicles, it took the lead in destroying the artillery squadron of the Japanese Pioneer Brigade.
But the strength of the armored force shown at this time was different.
This time, the eight armored vehicles that quickly circled up from both sides of the Suzuki Wing were specially equipped with American-made 75mm howitzers.
Boom——
The terrain outside Xiaonanzhuang is open, and this terrain is very suitable for armored troops to fight.
Only eight armored vehicles were seen, four on each side, divided into the left and right wings. After spreading the convoy into a dispersed formation, they moved forward while the additional 75mm howitzers continued to bombard the artillery positions where the Japanese were showing off their power.
The Iron Triangle's armored forces are so elite.鴠
When the armored vehicle moved forward, the driver and the artillery cooperated quite tacitly. One kept the vehicle moving forward at a constant speed, and the other roughly judged the location of the artillery impact point based on the vehicle speed, and then opened fire at the Japanese artillery unit.
With one explosion after another.
These cannonballs seemed to have eyes.
The first two rounds hit directly on the edge of the Japanese artillery position, knocking some unlucky little Japanese off their feet.
The shells that fell immediately afterwards hit an area of the Japanese artillery position, and the two Type 41 mountain cannons were blown over on the spot.
The Japanese officer who was directing the artillery attack looked horrified.
The greatest threat to artillery on the battlefield is enemy artillery.鴠
He quickly ordered the guns to be turned around and fired back at the armored vehicles of the Eighth Route Army that were pursuing from both sides.
However, the mobility of both sides is not on the same level at all.
The Japanese artillery positions cannot be moved within a short period of time, but the eight-way armored vehicles that circle around to pursue the artillery attack have high mobility, and the individual tanks are relatively scattered. At the rapid speed of the vehicles, the Japanese artillery shells hit the vehicles. body.
What does it look like at this time?
Just like the ancient cavalry, on the vast grassland, with fewer troops, they chased the infantry with more troops but less mobility.
Although their number is small, they can rely on the mobility of war horses to ride on horseback and continuously shoot bows and arrows to destroy enemy infantry.
However, it is difficult for the enemy infantry to use bows and arrows to kill the cavalry who are chasing and dodging quickly on both sides.鴠
What the little devil in front of him felt at this moment was probably the frustration of the infantry facing the cavalry's guerrilla tactics.
The Suzuki Regiment is also equipped with several armored vehicles, plus some military trucks, which can also be used for mechanical vehicle operations.
Seeing the Eighth Route Army's armored vehicles continuously attacking their own artillery with artillery fire, the anxious old Japanese Suzuki immediately ordered the few armored vehicles and some tanks in the team to be sent out to attack.
But then, he saw a scene that made him a little desperate.
I saw only the enemy's Eighth Route Army armored vehicles, except for the American-made howitzers that were constantly bombarded.
In the direction of the roof of the car, there was actually a soldier carrying a trumpet-shaped weapon, and then he opened fire on his empire's armored vehicle.
The flaming shell hit the front armor of a Japanese armored vehicle directly.鴠
Then... there was a loud bang, and the little devil's thin-skinned tank was blown to pieces in an instant.
The little devils were stunned. They had never seen such fearful artillery fire.
This is simply the nemesis of armored vehicles.
During the confrontation between the two sides, the Japanese artillery force was suppressed by howitzer fire loaded by the Eighth Route Army's armored vehicles.
The Suzuki Regiment's left and right wings and back were immediately weakened by artillery fire originally used to suppress the pursuing Eighth Route Army troops.
The soldiers of the 716th Regiment on the left and the Yanbeibei Detachment on the right seized the opportunity and attacked again, dragging down the Japanese guards on both wings.
As the confrontation continued like this, the Japanese army's retreat gradually slowed down.鴠
Only then did the old Japanese Suzuki realize with a look of horror that it seemed unrealistic to break out of the Eighth Route Army's encirclement at a faster speed in this way.
The overall retreat speed of the Japanese army was not as fast as the movement speed of the Eighth Route Army's pocket encirclement formation.
The depth of the eight-way pursuit and the space for the troops to move are obviously wider than that of the Suzuki Regiment in the encirclement.
The Suzuki Alliance, which was surrounded by the enemy, had to maintain a defensive formation at all times to prevent it from being completely broken up by the Eighth Route Army and to defeat them one by one.
The overall team is relatively concentrated and moves much slower.
However, apart from this method of concentrating troops to evacuate to Guzhen, Suzuki had no better choice.
If we divide our forces to break out, we will fall into the trap of the Eighth Route Army.鴠
The Eighth Route Army had significantly more troops, and with the pocket formations surrounding them on all sides, once the Japs dispersed, they would have no chance of fighting back.
At this point, the last pride in the old Japanese Suzuki's heart was completely shattered.
He realized that nothing could be done and it was time to call for help.
…………
