The Eighth Route Army's underground intelligence organization was simply unable to compete with the Japanese intelligence agencies.
Neither the Eighth Route Army nor Chongqing could match the intelligence gathering capabilities of the little devils.
Just relying on not being afraid of sacrifice or working hard can't make up for the gap in strength.
As the Japanese occupied areas continued to expand, the problem of insufficient manpower became more and more obvious.
Only then did they have to establish autonomous regions in an attempt to use China to govern China.
The Chongqing government does not pay attention to the countryside because there is no profit other than collecting grain.
After the war started, the vast rural areas became the source of recruitment.
Farmers, who were already living miserable lives, lost their main labor force and were on the verge of bankruptcy.
The Eighth Route Army adopted a strategy of encircling cities from rural areas with precise entry points.
Neither the Japanese nor the Chongqing government knew anything about the Eighth Route Army's methods, but there was nothing they could do about it.
First of all, eating two meals a day; secondly, none of the soldiers or government workers can do this without receiving military pay or salaries.
Hu Yi doesn't value money very much.
He is a soldier, good at attacking, ambushing, and retreating or escaping.
But I have never done anything like rescue.
The only experience I had was when I rescued and killed the big-nosed traitor who was captured by the detective team in Sanjiaji many years ago.
There is a first time for many things. If you do it enough, you will naturally become proficient at it.
Saying goodbye to the enthusiastic villagers, the team disappeared into the moonlight.
Although we were walking in enemy-occupied territory, there were villagers standing guard at every intersection along the way.
Hu Yi even had the illusion that the enemy-occupied areas here were no different from the base areas!
At least, the work done behind enemy lines is simply not comparable to what the Independent Regiment can do.
Before dawn, the team met up with the armed work team of the 9th District of Hebei Province, which came to respond.
In the early years, after the Northeastern Army entered the customs, they once rested and recuperated in HD.
HD borders Taihang to the west and is dominated by medium and low hilly landforms, while ravines crisscross the North China Plain to the east.
When he heard that the incoming troops were led by the staff of the First Regiment and had just been reorganized into the guard battalion yesterday, the work captain Guo Xing was a little disappointed.
The various departments of the Eighth Route Army kept secrets strictly confidential, and he did not know the Independent Regiment.
There are more than a dozen independent regiments in various parts of the Eighth Route Army, and local county governments have established independent battalions one after another. Therefore, he did not have high expectations for the more than 100 soldiers coming to the guard camp.
After asking the staff to arrange the accommodation for the soldiers, they immediately took Hu Yi and hurried to the next village for a meeting.
Guo Xing was not in a good mood.
There is a guerrilla brigade of only a hundred people hidden in the village.
There is also a company of the assault regiment directly under the autonomous army military headquarters that arrived first.
The equipment of this company is not even as good as that of the county brigade. It is half guerrillas and half bandits.
Hu Yi had no idea what Captain Guo was thinking, so he naturally didn't say anything.
Along the way, I exchanged commands with the sentry from time to time.
Enter the village, enter the courtyard, enter the house.
There were four people sitting in the room. Captain Guo directly introduced: "This is Hu Yi, the staff officer and guard battalion commander of the First Regiment."
He began to point at a sturdy man and introduced: "This is the deputy captain of the county (guerrilla) brigade Gong Shaofeng."
Pointing to a man dressed as a peasant wearing a turban next to him: "This is Minister Liu of the Ministry of Enemy Industry."
Finally, he pointed to the young man in his twenties on the other side of the table: "This is Captain Wang Dashan of the First Company of the Assault Regiment of your Autonomous Army."
Finally, he pointed to a thin man with a round face and short height sitting on the seat: "This is Director Liu of the Enemy Industry Department of the Southern Hebei Military Region."
Hu Yi saluted one by one.
Introduction completed.
Wang Dashan stood up and directly pulled Hu Yi to sit next to him: "Hey, that Battalion Commander Hu? Were you in the Ninth Company of the Independent Regiment before?"
Minister Liu, who was sitting at the top, was stunned for a moment: "You don't know me?"
Company Commander Wang turned to look at the political commissar: "I don't know him yet! Hehe, I have admired the name of Commander Hu for a long time, and when I meet him today, he is well-deserved."
"I just served as the commander of the guard battalion of the First Regiment yesterday." Hu Yi said calmly, without explaining that the Ninth Company had been promoted to battalion and that the Ninth Battalion assisted the reorganization of the First Regiment.
"Captain Wang, when you say that, I'm confused." Captain Guo was stunned for a moment. Could it be that this Battalion Commander Hu still has a strong background?
Wang Dashan said that he was the company commander of the independent regiment. Under normal circumstances, even if the main regiment had three battalions and nine companies, Captain Hu was ranked ninth and must have been the worst off. He felt even more unsure.
Minister Liu nodded to Hu Yi, as if he knew the situation, and waved his hands to keep everyone quiet: "The situation is urgent now, if there is anything we can discuss later. Captain Guo, Vice Captain Gong, please tell us what you have learned first."
"Okay!" Captain Guo nodded, spread out the map on the table, and got straight to the point: "The superiors arranged for Brigadier Li Chenghua to infiltrate the top brass of the Autonomous Army. However, the enemy's intelligence organization was pervasive and found out the identity of Brigadier Li. He borrowed the name half a month ago. In the name of a meeting, Brigadier Li was detained."
At this point, Captain Guo's tone became serious: "The enemy brutally tortured Brigadier Li for half a month, cutting off his hamstrings and blinding him. However, Brigadier Li never acknowledged his identity. The Japanese Military Police lost patience. Yesterday it was publicly announced in the newspapers that Brigadier Li had access to the Eighth Route and would be publicly shot at noon today."
Deputy Captain Gong understood some of the situation and immediately added: "Currently, the armed workers and the county brigade's suicide squad, led by Captain Wu, have sneaked into the city. We have learned that the enemy has arranged the execution site at the West Gate Mass Grave."
Minister Liu said in a serious tone: "According to the latest news from superiors, the enemy has learned that we are preparing to rescue. Therefore, there are great variables in this rescue. In other words, the enemy may have laid a trap."
Captain Guo nodded and pointed to the map spread out on the table: "Now, let me first introduce the enemy's strength and distribution.
Stationed in HD is the first independent mixed brigade of the North China Front garrison, which mainly performs static garrison tasks.
The Japanese garrison is equipped with two chariot brigades, a mobile artillery team including an artillery squadron and a mountain artillery squadron, five independent infantry brigades, and auxiliary units such as cavalry and engineers. They are mainly equipped with light infantry weapons, with a total of more than 5,000 people. "
Gong Shaofeng, who was next to him, was afraid that Hu Yi and Wang Dashan would not understand, so he explained: "Although the Japanese garrison is far inferior to the enemy's regular divisions in terms of firepower, mobility, and depot capabilities, their strength is not something that our Eighth Route Army can compete with."
Guo Xing nodded: "Captain Gong is right. Currently, the HD Devil Brigade headquarters has a chariot fleet, an artillery team, and an infantry brigade, with a total strength of more than 1,500 people."
Guo Xing slid his finger on the map: "Two of the other four Japanese infantry brigades are located along the railway, and the other two brigades are stationed in eight counties without railways."
"There are not many Japs in the county. There are only one squadron of more than 200 people in several counties. The Japs seem to have many people, but in fact they are seriously under-strength. Once they dispersed, they gave us the opportunity to defeat each one."
When Captain Guo said this, he paused: "However, the number of puppet troops in each county is very large. For example, the Japs stationed in Linzhang only have a squadron of more than 200, but Guo Qing's puppet troops have a brigade of more than 3,000, and Wei The county is under the jurisdiction of your Autonomous Army, and the Japanese have only deployed one squadron, while the Autonomous Army has more than 14,000 troops."
"Coupled with the fact that the Japs arranged to serve as instructors in each artillery tower, the troops in the Japs' counties were further diluted. In many counties, there were only two squads of Japs stationed there. Even under such circumstances, we did not dare to attack casually. The main reason It is the Japanese chariot brigade, which can move quickly through railways and highways and can reach any county or town within two hours."
Captain Guo's words were very concise and he quickly introduced the situation between ourselves and the enemy.
Minister Liu glanced at the four people at the table: "The current situation is serious, and the superiors have issued orders to rescue Brigadier Li at all costs!"
Obviously, the superiors spared no expense in order to rescue Brigadier Li. In other words, even if all the ministries here are exhausted, the rescue operation cannot be cancelled.
Hu Yi has been thinking that Brigadier Li is disabled, and even if he can be rescued, it will be of little use.
Moreover, the casualties of the rescue team will be very high.
From a military perspective, this approach is simply undesirable.
Obviously, the superiors had deeper considerations.
The Eighth Route Army is behind enemy lines and must reorganize the various departments of the Autonomous Army. We must not give each department the image of being unwilling to save the enemy.
Therefore, this rescue operation is more likely to be to reorganize the autonomous army.
Captain Guo mentioned just now that the Japanese knew that the Eighth Route Army would rescue them, so
It is very possible to go head-to-head with the powerful Japanese.
Looking at it from a deeper level, it is impossible for the Japanese to execute Brigadier Li without being indifferent to the two regiments under his command.
In other words, the Japanese will definitely attack Ziyi Tuan at the same time.
Hu Yi was thinking about something on his mind.
Minister Liu began to arrange the rescue mission.
Guo Xing is the prototype of the double-gun Li Xiangyang.
Gong Shaofeng's real name is Gong Shaofeng.
Minister Liu has a greater background.
(End of chapter)
