At this point, Lieutenant General Iwamatsu finally realized that it was better to rely on oneself than to rely on others. Commander Okamura and joint reinforcements were unreliable.
Removing the crisis in Taiyuan City is the top priority now.
With this in mind, Yansong directly spoke to Tuqiao, the commander of the Twelfth Army stationed in Shandong, and asked Tuqiao to help his brothers and ignore Okamura who was in trouble.
"According to the command of His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief, if we continue to fight like this, my First Army and your Twelfth Army may all be folded inside!"
Shandong and Shanxi are close to each other. The First Army in Shanxi and the Twelfth Army stationed in Shandong often communicate with each other and support each other. Yansong's words can be said to be close to Tuqiao's heart.
In particular, the First Army and the Twelfth Army carried out large-scale defense changes at Okamura's special request.
The separation of the troops under their own control gave both Yansong and Doqiao a sense of crisis.
In particular, the May 1st mopping-up offensive launched in North China against the Eighth Route Army's Jizhong Military Region was not as smooth as imagined.
Tuqiao, who had been paying attention to the battlefield in Shanxi, continued to receive news that the Twelfth Army troops fighting against the Eighth Route Army in the Taihang area of Shanxi suffered heavy casualties.
This naturally further fueled Dohashi's dissatisfaction with the command of Commander-in-Chief Okamura Neiji.
…
At this time, the battle situation continued to evolve.
As for the first force, Kong Jie used another trick. He first sent a force to pretend to attack Yangquan, attracting the first part of the Tianzhong Brigade dispersed in Jingxing, the first part of Pingding County in the south of Yangquan, and the first part of the Tianzhong Brigade deployed on the Zhengtai Line in Yangquan. Japanese and puppet troops on both sides.
The Japanese army was indeed fooled and returned to Yangquan to aid.
The Eighth Route Army's commonly used tactics of changing families, the little devils are now wary of.
After Kong Jie's plan succeeded.
Ding Wei's mobile troops immediately seized the opportunity and attacked according to the original plan, directly cutting off the Shouyang section of the Zhengtai Line Railway, and then penetrated into Liao County to cut off the Japanese retreat.
After Tanaka's mixed brigade gathered in Yangquan.
Kong Jie asked Shen Quan to contact Niangziguan's old friends, the Xiguan garrison and Xixiang squadron, and the Dongguan garrison Jiangteng squadron. They were all descendants of the rebel gentry in the Southwest War and were marginalized. They said they were guarding traffic arteries, but in fact they were Go to the top of Niangziguan Mountain to enjoy the wind.
These little brothers of the empire have long been riddled with holes under the Eighth Route Army's various means of coercion and inducement.
In this battle, they also received battle reports. The Sixth Division was in danger. If they were destroyed, the superiors would be furious and investigate closely. They usually help the Eighth Route Army transport supplies, open roads, and collect benefits. They will definitely be found out.
At that time, he might even become a scapegoat.
After all, during the winter offensive, they helped maintain the logistics line and material transportation line from Shen Quan to Hebei.
Therefore, Shouyang's Fourth Brigade went to reinforce Taiyuan, but Shouyang was surrounded and the railway line was cut off.
The Tanaka Mobile Brigade was attracted to Yangquan County again.
Jingxing was attacked by Kong Jie again using the strategy of seizing the opportunity to attack the west.
At this point, reinforcements from all aspects of the Sixth Division are temporarily unable to come.
The troops conquered Jingxing, and in addition to harvesting a large amount of supplies, under Kong Jie's arrangement, they also cut off the nearest channel for Japanese reinforcements in the SJZ area to march westward to Yangquan.
Use the cover mobile force to penetrate Xiyang, attack the rear of the southward detachment of the Sixth Division, and at the same time support the siege of the headquarters of the Sixth Division by the brothers.
At this time, Captain Tanaka Brigade was a little depressed.
The troops were concentrated in Yangquan, but there were Ding Wei's intersecting troops in Pingding County in the south, the Fourth Mixed Brigade of Shouyang in the west was absent, and there were loopholes in the defense line. Jingxing in the east was lost, and the Sixth Division in the north was besieged.
Maybe you'll get caught up in it accidentally.
But Major General Tanaka is also very capable, almost in the same vein as the runaway general Ishikawa.
He quickly contacted the Yangquan Iron Triangle trio and conspired with Kawadao and Qian Dekai. He could pretend to rescue the Sixth Division first, and then secretly march westward to Shouyang. What was he doing? Save Taiyuan!
Not long ago, the rescue coalition army led by Yansong, an old Japanese soldier, was defeated by the Eighth Route Army.
The Eighth Route Army's Xishan artillery group and Dongshan artillery group began to shell the inner city continuously, and the underground party in the city began to cause sabotage. Even Yansong himself had to wear the clothes of an orderly and hide in a safe house to take command.
Yoshio Iwamatsu, who was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot, had already been rushed to the doctor for a sudden illness.
He could only personally call all the mobile units in Shanxi for help, and promised to recommend Tanaka as a major general as long as he attacked westward and joined the 4th Brigade and Iinuma's southbound detachment to rescue Taiyuan City.
In addition, Kawashima and others said that our Yangquan defenders can join up with your remaining troops and continue to feign attacks to cover your westward advance. We will definitely succeed.
Never mind that arrogant Sixth Division.
It is better for the county magistrate to take charge now!
Tanaka weighed the pros and cons, and after thinking about it, I was in charge of the First Army and not a brigade directly under the Sixth Division, so why should I rescue him?
Isn’t he a warrior and proud of the Imperial Army? Let him go to hell with this pride!
So Tanaka made up his mind, and following the advice given by Kawashima and others, he led his troops to withdraw directly and advance towards Taiyuan.
Of course, on the surface, there are still a small number of troops left to fool the Sixth Division, indicating that our Tanaka Brigade is still fighting on your back!
Just like that, the door to the back and side of the Sixth Division suddenly opened wide.
On the other side, Doqiao, the commander of the 12th Army, also secretly communicated at Yansong's request to the headquarters of the divisions and brigade of the 12th Army entering the Shanxi battlefield.
What are you doing?
Withdrew from the Eighth Route Army base area in the swampy Taihang area, sent reinforcements to Taiyuan, and rescued the First Army Headquarters.
After the order was issued, the troops of the 12th Army that were originally operating in the Taihang area quickly evacuated, and the headquarters at all levels did not even say hello to the headquarters of the Sixth Division.
at this time.
The headquarters of the Guancun Division withdrew from the base area of the first team and walked for several days. Due to radio interference and joint attacks by the Eighth Route Army pursuit troops, ambush troops, and interspersed troops, the troops suffered heavy losses and were forced to discard many heavy weapons. Mechanized vehicles.
In particular, the Eighth Route Army carried out large-scale sabotage attacks, destroyed roads, and blocked attacks along the way. The Japanese transport truck troops were forced to abandon their trucks, leaving fuel for tanks and armored vehicles, and continued to retreat in embarrassment.
The heavy artillery regiment had also used up all its artillery shells and was overtaken by the Eighth Route Army's armored forces. After the assault, almost all of them were discarded.
In addition, Lieutenant General Guancun was a little angry.
He led the Sixth Division to fight to the death against the Eighth Route Army under pressure. The troops suffered heavy casualties, and they also had their steel teeth broken into pieces and penetrated into their stomachs.
The result was good. Commander Okamura not only did not immediately transfer reserve forces from other battlefields to his Sixth Division, nor did he provide more air reinforcements.
Instead, because his Sixth Division successfully contained the elite main force of the Iron Triangle of the Eighth Route Army, he actually directly ordered the Sixth Division to slow down on the retreat and continue to contain the elite forces of the Eighth Route Army.
Only the transport aircraft units were left to airdrop supplies.
The medium bomber and heavy bomber units were transferred to the Niudao Manchu Group that broke through the first line of defense in the Huangyadong area of the Eighth Route Army.
Only some light bomber and fighter support was provided to the 6th Division.
Okamura said so well in the communication, "Guancun-kun, please hold on, you have received material supplies from several forward camps on your retreat, which is completely sufficient for the food consumption of the troops.
Your department will continue to contain the Eighth Route Army troops. When the Huangyadong area is secured, the Niudao Manchu Division will advance across the board to reinforce your department. "
Guancun believed this at first.
I received the news a few days later.
The Niu Dao Man Division, the Third Mixed Brigade, his southward detachment, and the Xiangyuan field troops were jointly attacked by the two main brigades of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army, 385 and 386, and other troops in the Huangyadong area.
Not to mention destroying the Huangyadong Arsenal of the Eighth Route Army according to plan, they are also hurriedly asking for help from outside, and they are as anxious as a headless fly, scurrying around the Huangyadong mountain area!
After hearing the news, Guancun felt as if he were mourning for his heir. He even lost the confidence to wait for help.
The commander of his Yamashita brigade told Guancun, "General, we can no longer sit still and wait for death. The Eighth Route Army's encirclement is getting stronger and stronger.
In the past few days, I have become more and more aware that something is wrong.
First, Shouyang's Fourth Mixed Brigade went to Taiyuan, and then the Tianzhong Brigade fought against the Eighth Route Army, but was unable to make any progress.
Some battle orders originally belonging to the 12th Army seem to have disappeared, and we can't even get in touch with their communications department.
I suspect something must have happened.
Taiyuan is in crisis again. A large number of reinforcements are rushing to Taiyuan, and there are no extra troops to reinforce our Sixth Division.
If the fight continues like this, General, I'm afraid our division will be fighting alone.
At present, our southward detachment is surrounded by the Li Yunlong Department of the Eighth Route Army on the mountain road from Licheng to Xiyang, and Jingxing has also been captured by the Kong Jie Department of the Eighth Route Army.
The defenders of Zhangjiakou even dared not go out.
Datong's main force went to the EEDS Basin to sing triumphant songs all the way, and I'm afraid they will follow in our footsteps.
If we die here now, the Sixth Division will be completely wiped out.
Your Excellency, General, since the founding of our Sixth Division, we have defended Kumamoto in the Southwest War, attacked the Jiaozhou Peninsula in the Sino-Japanese War, participated in the Shahe Battle in the Russo-Japanese War, and then to the Songhu Battle, the Nanjing Siege, and the Wuhan Battle. We have been the vanguard all the way. , never flinched.
We don’t want to be so aggrieved to be divided, surrounded and eliminated by the Eighth Route Army during the retreat. We are willing to defend the honor of the division with our lives, build fortifications in this mountain and fight bloody battles with the so-called elite independent first detachment of the Eighth Route Army to let them know that the emperor The elite of the army are not in vain. Even if the entire army is annihilated, we will still support them.
But before the deadly battle, we implore the general to break out. Our armored regiment, the remaining forward troops, and the baggage troops will launch successive charges during the day regardless of the cost to paralyze the Eighth Route Army.
In the evening, please invite the remaining commander of the 4th Brigade Nishino Regiment and the general's guard brigade to take the opportunity to break out! "
Guancun was still hesitating.
Suddenly, a group of officers wearing victory turbans outside the command tent rushed into the headquarters. One of them said to Guancun: "Your Majesty General, we have done everything we should do. The fault is not the fault of the general. I implore the general to break out and find reinforcements to fight back." .
If we are still alive, we are willing to continue to fight with the general on the battlefield.
If we unfortunately die in battle, please General, please help us take care of our families and take a look at the cherry blossoms in our hometown for us!
If the military fortune lasts for a long time, the imperial army will surely win! "
"Martial fortune lasts forever, and the imperial army will surely win!"
The Japanese officers shouted together.
Major General Yamashita saluted with a military salute, "Please take care, general! Gentlemen, let's sing a song to say goodbye to the general!"
One of the captains said: "Shall we sing King's Generation?"
The chief of staff said: "We Kumamotos will never give in and will never be afraid of difficulties. We fight this time for ourselves and for the honor of the Kumamoto Division. We sing our own military song!"
"General, please give me your command sword and military uniform! I will command the remaining troops for you and paralyze the judgment of the Eighth Route Army. General, please prepare early!"
Guancun finally sighed. He did not live up to the good intentions of the officers and decided to lead his team to break out.
At this point, this once arrogant Japanese lieutenant general was already filled with loneliness and humiliation.
In this battle, his Sixth Division could be said to have suffered a disastrous defeat at the hands of the Iron Triangle of the Eighth Route Army.
Even just the First Independent Detachment of Northwest Shanxi Province of the Eighth Route Army beat the Sixth Division, which was almost unable to parry.
Under the attack of the Eighth Route Army troops who were like wild wolves.
When the old Japanese Guancun looked around, more than half of his Sixth Division headquarters had been destroyed.
There is simply no capital to continue a large-scale decisive battle with the Eighth Route Army.
The Japanese Sixth Division was in a very bad situation.
An independent Sixth Regiment cooperated with the tank troops, coordinated with the New 1st Brigade, and the New 10th Brigade continued to besiege the remaining Japanese soldiers.
Commanders Lao Yang, Lao Wei, and Lao Fan, who came from Shanxi, Chahar and Hebei, had a head-to-head confrontation with the Japanese elite field troops for the first time. While they felt stressed, they could not suppress their excitement.
At this time, the Sixth Division was already like a lost dog under the repeated attacks from the main force of the first team.
Lao Yang and the others chose the safest method of attack. A steady and steady attack could completely destroy this Japs.
The reinforcements from the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei brothers were even more excited. For the first time, the soldiers had large-scale artillery support, including various American-made howitzers.
The Japanese heavy artillery, armored vehicles, tanks, everything.
Moreover, the fortifications are strong and the ammunition is sufficient.
The battle was so hearty that the brothers in the army said it was so enjoyable and it was an eye-opener.
With God's help, the Japs accepted the coarse grains from the advancing camp. It had not rained for three consecutive days. The Japs were suppressed in the mountains and had no water source.
"Damn it, even the wind that God is blowing is towards us. The supplies dropped by the Japs, hehe, they floated to our position while the Japs watched helplessly, and we took advantage of it directly! "
In the headquarters, when talking about this matter, Li Yunlong was so stunned that he almost smiled crookedly.
Kong Jie said with a smile: "This is because God wants to help destroy the little devil. It can be seen that those who have gained the truth will get more help, while those who have lost the truth will have less help. The ancients do not deceive us!"
Not only that.
The Sixth Division is really too fat. If this iron triangle eats meat, other troops will naturally want to take advantage of it.
New reinforcements are constantly gathering, and the various defense lines, surrounding, intercepting, and dividing, are constantly being improved.
Kong Jie, Li Yunlong, and Ding Wei have even been planning whether this battle can be completely ended by annihilating the Japanese Sixth Division Army.
Unfortunately, something unexpected happened.
Who would have expected that an old Japanese soldier named Guancun could be so decisive during the evacuation, even breaking his arm to survive.
The Japanese moved even more quickly, launching a breakout at night and attacking in the east and west. They used the division's main force to launch a sudden counterattack, which caught the blocking Eighth Route Army by surprise.
As a result, the little devils were able to break out part of the way.
After hearing the news, Kong Jie didn't pay much attention. After all, it was a field division of the Japanese army. The battlefield situation was changing rapidly. There were too many factors to consider. Even if you took all human factors into consideration, there would still be surprises. factors!
To completely annihilate the Japanese field divisions requires not only strong strength, but also incredible luck.
Unwilling to do so, Li Yunlong angrily cursed, "Damn it, it's all my fault that our brothers' troops failed to live up to expectations. The troops' adaptability is too poor.
If this were replaced by our Iron Triangle Army, would the little devil be able to escape? "
