The 78th Division's defense area in Zhongtiao Mountain was on the periphery, and it was the first group of people to be beaten once the Japanese launched an attack.
There are dozens of divisions in Zhongtiao Mountain. Although they all have serial numbers of the Central Army, there are many factions, such as the Civil Engineering Department, the CC Department, the Fatty Hu Department, etc. Ability is not important, the faction is the most important. Although Chief Wei is in name only boss, but he can command only a handful of troops.
Zhao Sihu's 78th Division is one of them. Zhao Sihu was a puppet army before and had no foundation in the Central Army. He did not dare to disobey the orders of the superior department!
They act as death squads when attacking, and are used to cover large forces when retreating. They are cannon fodder units. This is why Zhao Sihu took the initiative to move closer to the Eighth Route Army.
The 78th Division couldn't even eat, and was seriously short of ammunition. However, the order given to him by the superior department was to capture the Japanese outpost Moyunling opposite Langtou Mountain.
Moyun Ridge is more than 1,500 meters above sea level. It is only separated from the 78th Division's defense area by Langtou Mountain by a relatively gentle valley. The Japanese deployed a brigade on Moyun Ridge. It was a hand of the Japanese extending into the Zhongtiao Mountain area. Commander Wei had very clear intentions. Obviously, he wanted to cut off the devil's hand.
Zhongtiao Mountain is located in the southeast of Henan Province and on the north bank of the Yellow River. It runs northeast and southwest, with the northeast high and the southwest low, with a width of 170 kilometers and a depth of 50 kilometers. The highest peak is Shunwangping of Yuanquli Mountain with an altitude of 2321 meters. The average altitude of the mountain range is 1249 meters.
It starts from Yongji in southern Shanxi and faces Guanzhong in the west, to Jiyuan and Mengxian in northern Henan in the east and is connected to the Taihang Mountains, to the north is the Yuncheng Basin, known as the granary of Hedong, and to the south is the rolling Yellow River.
It forms an angle with the three mountains of Taihang, Luliang and Taiyue, and its strategic position is very important.
Around Zhongtiao Mountain, the Japanese deployed three divisions to confront the more than twenty divisions of the Central Army of the Kuomintang. No one could do anything to anyone.
In this winter offensive, the man in Shu was ambitious but had high vision but low hand. He made a thick stack of combat plans. The specific offensive goals of each regiment were clearly defined. Among them was the mission of the 78th Division - to capture the Demon Army. Yunling!
This is not what a commander with three million soldiers would do, and he does not take into account the current situation that the 78th Division does not have 30 rounds of ammunition per person;
In his opinion, there is no problem for one division to capture the position of a brigade. Zhao Sihu is a famous general who fights Japanese invaders vigorously promoted by the government. He is a first-class Yunhui Medal winner. He can't even deal with hundreds of Japanese soldiers. That is Niang Xipi's waste. !
At the 78th Division headquarters, Zhao Sihu, Wang Junjie, Chen Chao, Zhao Musheng and others are discussing the attack plan, and Commander Wei's order must still be implemented.
Although Wang Junjie is a political cadre, he is a cadre with both military and political excellence who was sent to the Independent Regiment under Yanzhou. He has also fought with Chu Xiong for more than a year. He has learned 70% to 80% of Chuxiong's fighting skills, otherwise Chu Xiong would not point his general over.
Chen Chao was an espionage officer, and Zhao Sihu was also the commander of the puppet army before, so Wang Junjie took over the command without hesitation, and Zhao Sihu didn't even object.
Because he already knows Wang Junjie's true identity - a member of the Standing Committee of the Brigade Party Committee, and his background in Yanzhou, there is nothing wrong with him taking command!
"Comrades, the Japs in Moyunling are like dog paws that have reached into our defense zone. Even without Commander Wei's order, we have to chop them off;
Moyun Ridge is the barrier of Langtou Mountain. If we capture Moyun Ridge, the brigade headquarters will have to walk dozens of miles of unjust mountain roads to transport supplies. Based on this, Moyun Ridge will be in our hands, so this time we Not only must we defeat it, but we must also defend it for a long time!
According to the intelligence sent back by the reconnaissance team, the Japanese troops on Moyun Ridge include a total of three field squadrons, including the baggage team, about 800 people;
They built three lines of defense on the ridge and built dozens of large and small bunkers. Fortunately, these bunkers are all conventional fortifications with masonry structures. They cannot withstand our Wei Yixiao artillery. This time we will let them try to be bombed. The taste!
The main attack task was carried out by Comrade Zhao Musheng's regiment. Among the 500 veterans supported by the garrison, a company was transferred to serve as the sharp knife company. The 16 Wei Yixiao artillery were also operated by the instructors of the garrison. This was the key to winning the battle of Moyunling. key……"
Wang Junjie spent nearly an hour making detailed arrangements. Zhao Sihu and others nodded repeatedly and had great confidence in winning this battle.
"Comrades, do you all understand your respective tasks?"
Wang Junjie asked loudly after finishing the deployment.
"Understood!"
Everyone answered in unison.
"Very well, the time to launch the attack is set at a quarter past noon. This time is when the Japs have lunch. Let's give the Japs a big welcome gift!
Everyone, go down and get ready! "
Everyone went down to prepare, and only Wang Junjie, Zhao Sihu and Chen Chao were left in the headquarters.
Wang Junjie then said to Zhao Sihu:
"Captain Zhao, this time is very important. The fifth regiment has not been reorganized yet, so I took over the command. This is just a temporary measure;
After the adaptation is completed, you will still be responsible for the command of the fifth regiment. I will not interfere. I hope you can understand. "
Zhao Sihu had no intention of competing with the brigade leaders for command. He now knew nothing about the fighting methods of the independent brigade, so he might as well watch from the sidelines.
"Commissioner Wang, you're welcome. I don't understand the combat methods of our independent brigade. Your command can greatly reduce the casualties of comrades. I don't have any objections. I can just learn from the leader."
Zhao Sihu's performance made Wang Junjie very satisfied. As the brigade commander said, he was a smart man.
"Captain Zhao, we are all revolutionary comrades. We don't have to be so polite in the future. There are still more than two hours left. Let's study together?"
Zhao Sihu and Chen Chao nodded one after another, and then got together to continue studying the Japanese defense.
At noon, Moyun Ridge, the Japanese frontline
The Kikuchi squadron defending the forward position was having lunch. Since the Chinese army on the opposite side had never taken the initiative to attack them, the Japanese seemed a bit casual.
The Japs' forward position consisted of more than a dozen bunkers, large and small. The bunkers were connected by two trenches. The bunkers were built against the mountains. There was a squadron of Japs in total, and the defense was very tight.
Hattori Jiro took out a rice ball from his backpack and held a box of canned beef in his hand, preparing to enjoy his delicious lunch.
"Hey, Hattori-kun, have you heard that the Chinese people on the opposite side may launch an attack on us? How dare you come out to eat?"
When Hattori Jiro saw that it was his fellow countryman Yamashita, he just motioned him to sit down with his eyes and said with great disdain:
"The Chinese counterattack? Are they throwing stones at the imperial army?
I wish these cowards would come and attack us so I could harvest their heads with a machine gun. "
"Yoshi, Hattori-kun is really enviable. Unlike me, he is just an ordinary rifleman."
"Don't be discouraged, Mr. Yamashita. The Chinese are so poor that they can't even afford bullets, but riflemen can also make great achievements."
"Hattori-kun, I heard that you set a goal to kill 100 Chinese soldiers? How many have you accomplished?"
These words scratched Hattori's itch, and the two brats began to brag. One boasted that he had killed 52 people, and the other said that he had killed 35.
"Hattori-kun, is that a cow flying in the sky?"
Yamashita asked, looking at the mysterious objects flying over in the sky with black crows.
"Bagayalu! Cannon——"
"Boom boom boom..."
The violent explosion of more than a dozen thunder cannon explosive packs made Hattori shut his mouth forever.
That "strike" was never said out loud until death. There is a Chinese saying that goes well:
"Don't pretend to be cool, or you'll be struck by lightning if you pretend to be cool!"
