In fact, this is also an old tactic used by the Japanese army throughout the entire Anti-Japanese War period, which is to attack frontally and make detours on the sides, but the strength and focus of the attack are focused on which side, and decisions are made based on the battlefield situation. Sometimes the detour is used to contain the attack, and the front is the focus of the attack. Sometimes, the front is used to contain the attack, and the side is used as a breakthrough.
I have to say that although this tactic of the Japanese army is old-fashioned, it is indeed practical and flexible when used. It makes you aware of it, but it is impossible to guard against it.
In the all-out Anti-Japanese War a few years later, the Japanese army skillfully used this roundabout tactic to win the Battle of Songhu, Battle of Nanjing, Battle of Wuhan and Battle of Xuzhou, thus occupying half of China in one fell swoop.
Even after the war, these achievements of the Japanese army were listed as classic examples of roundabout attacks by military academies in Western countries. It can be seen that the Japanese army has used this tactic with great proficiency and flexibility.
However, today, in the Yanshan Mountains, the Japanese army's invincible roundabout tactics are greatly restricted.
Originally, if the Chinese army did not have troops on the outside, this kind of mobilization of the Japanese army would have been able to occur unnoticed and catch the 139th Division by surprise.
But now, under Zhou Wen's prediction, Miaohua led a detachment to rush to the front of the Japanese 24th Regiment. After discovering that the Japanese army had indeed mobilized troops to the 139th Division defense line on the western front, they decisively launched harassment and sniping. Moreover, the 139th Division, which received advance warning, also strengthened the defensive measures of the position.
It can be said that in the attack on the Western Front, the Japanese army first lost the suddenness of the battle.
Of course, they don't know that yet.
Although walking along the wall of the Great Wall, the distance between Phoenix Mountain and Cherry Orchard is less than 10 kilometers, but to walk down the mountain, you have to go around nearly 20 kilometers. Moreover, the mountain roads are rugged, crisscrossed by forests and streams, and the march of the large army is accompanied by countless mules, horses and carriages, so the speed is naturally slow. In addition, many mountain roads could barely be passed by only one large vehicle, and the entire march was very long.
The Japanese army did not fail to consider and make arrangements for safety along the way. They sent several infantry squadrons to trek through the woods and mountains on both sides of the mountain road, keeping parallel with the main marching team and protecting both wings.
However, the attack of the first team never followed common sense. Zhou Wen, who had been instilled with the idea of guerrilla warfare in his previous life, did not allow the first team to launch an all-round attack this time. Instead, the engineer platoon planted thousands of mines in the woods or on the mountain at the north end of the mountain road.
During this Great Wall War of Resistance, Zhou Wen brought 3,000 S-type mines imported from Germany, which were the famous "Bounce Betty" in World War II.
In the previous battle against the 14th Huncheng Brigade, he had only used a few hundred of them, but this time, he used thousands of them directly on the north side of the only way the Japanese 24th Regiment must pass.
The purpose is actually very simple, which is to disconnect the guardian forces of the two wings of the devil from each other.
German S-type mines are small in size and painted green. They are very convenient and concealable to place in the soil, under grass, trees, or even on trees. According to the different landforms where they are buried, they are divided into trip fuses and trigger fuses. Even if the Japs want to send engineers to clear mines, with the simple method of using probes to clear mines, it will not take more than ten or twenty days to remove the mines. Minefields are cleared.
What's more, Zhou Wen's purpose in setting up the minefield was not to kill the enemy, but to temporarily block the Japanese advance in the north, allowing the second detachment to have time to calmly deploy in the north.
The first detachment was all concentrated in the south to harass the Japanese and several infantry squadrons guarding the southern flank.
This formed a pincer attack with the first detachment in the south and the second detachment in the north. As long as the Japanese showed a flaw, they could seize the opportunity to eat up part of his troops.
The Japanese army wanted to rush to attack the Great Wall defense line and did not want to have too many entanglements with the Chinese army on the outside. The mercenary group is eager to tangle with you. It would be better if you turn around and deal with me. The mountains are high and the forests are deep. I can just take you around the mountains.
Therefore, because the strategic purposes of the two sides were different, the tactics of the mercenary group made the Japanese army with superior strength fall into a passive position.
Only now did Yamada Guiura realize that the strategy adopted by the division commander to ignore the Chinese outside troops and directly attack the Great Wall defense line was somewhat unrealistic.
If it were an ordinary Chinese army, it would be fine, but for this elite Chinese army, it only took half a day for the 24th Regiment to be killed and injured by landmines, dozens of people were killed, and the infantry squadron to the south suffered hundreds of casualties. price.
Although it was the first time for Yamada Guiura to fight against a mercenary group, the previous destruction of the Mishan Brigade and the 14th Mixed Brigade made him wary of this Chinese elite.
If we say that Yamada Guiura, who is still in the headquarters 10 kilometers away, only understands the combat power and tactics of the mercenary group from the thin telegraph newspaper.
The commander of the 24th Regiment, Colonel Keita Sakaguchi, who was in the marching team, now personally experienced the strength and ferocity of this Chinese force.
Keita Sakaguchi, who has rich command experience, understood what kind of people his opponents were just through the first battle report.
The number of people they exposed was not large, but the pain they caused themselves was considerable.
They are familiar with mountain warfare and know the terrain of this mountain range well. They have shooting skills and individual qualities that are no less than those of imperial soldiers, but their individual weapons and equipment exceed those of the imperial army.
What troubled him even more was that the Chinese army's tactics were extremely vicious and cunning.
They never had too much entanglement with the Japanese troops. They would only fire a few shots or two before running away, and their marksmanship and artillery skills were extremely accurate.
What surprised Keita Sakaguchi even more was that this small Chinese force must have an unknown and fast way of communicating. They seemed to act dispersedly, constantly irritating the Japanese infantry officers and soldiers. When you are hot-headed and rush to pursue them, they can quickly gather together and bite off a big piece of your flesh with intensive and precise firepower.
Just an hour ago, a small team serving as the vanguard on the right wing was troubled by the continuous sniping. The team leader led dozens of soldiers to break away from the team and rush into the woods. In less than 10 minutes, there was a heavy barrage of gunfire. Cannon fire.
When the Japanese soldiers from the two squadrons heard the sound and rushed to support, they only saw dozens of Japanese corpses scattered everywhere. There was not a single person left alive in the entire team, and everyone showed signs of having been shot.
This made Sakaguchi Keita even more vigilant.
By laying mines in the north and harassing and ambushing him in the south, this elite Chinese force may not only be hindering his westward advance, but there must be a bigger conspiracy behind it.
You know, his 24th Regiment only has a total of 3,500 troops, and a few days ago he had sent a brigade to attack and contain the 139th Division's positions. Now even including the mountain artillery squadron reinforced by the brigade and regiment headquarters, there are only less than 3,000 troops left.
If the Chinese army takes a bite out of you, you won't know how many of your troops will be left when you arrive at the cherry orchard?
