After a day of negotiations on the 17th, the Eighth Route Army and the First War Zone finally agreed that the territories of both sides would be divided by the Sushui River. The area to the south would belong to the First War Zone, and the area to the north would belong to the Eighth Route Army.
The deputy commander-in-chief also felt aggrieved when negotiating with Wei Lihuang, although this was not General Wei Lihuang's original intention.
But that’s all it can do, what else? Fight with the First War Zone?
You must know that the Eighth Route Army is currently being heavily encircled and suppressed by the Japanese. After finally annihilating one of the enemies, you want to start fighting with the First War Zone again. Are you stupid?
After the negotiation, the deputy commander-in-chief also took General Zuo back to the headquarters, and announced Yan'an's order to let Lao Song temporarily take over the post of commander and political commissar of the Shanxi-Hebei Border Military Region. As for the treatment of Liu Yu, we will wait until the battle is over. .
It is said that when Liu Yu buried the prisoners alive, the parents could still sit still. This matter can be big or small, and they can be dealt with.
But when Liu Yu publicly harassed Ushijima Minoru, he really couldn't sit still and quickly ordered Lao Song to rush back to Linfen.
The purpose is self-evident. The powerful force of the Shanxi-Hebei Border Military Region must not fall into the control of others.
Now that something has happened to Liu Yu, and his dismissal is certain, we must first stabilize the mood of the officers and soldiers in the Shanxi-Hebei Border Military Region, and then consider the next thing.
Regarding the handling of Liu Yu, there is already a quarrel in Yan'an.
Of course Lao Song would not seize Liu Yu's military power. When the deputy commander-in-chief left, of course he would scold Liu Yu. After the scolding was over, it would be time for him to go and take charge of the logistics. He would still control the army. Leave it to Liu Yu.
On March 18, Political Commissar Xie's 385th Brigade was left to garrison the Wenxi front line. Liu Yu ordered all the trains from Taiyuan and other places to be loaded onto the troops of the Shanxi-Hebei Border Military Region. They took the train back to the north and returned at 6 p.m. on the 20th. Taiyuan.
At this time, Shiling Pass in the north had been devastated. More than half of the fortifications built by the Taihang Construction Corps for Commander Nie had been destroyed by the Japanese. Only the Taotaoshan, Yuquan Valley, and Xigou line positions were still there. 115 In the hands of the teacher.
Once Liu Yu arrived, he directly ordered his troops to take over the defense line of the 115th Division, and then launched a counterattack against the Japanese 14th Division.
The 115th Division, the troops of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region, originally had 5 regiments and about 12,000 troops stationed on the front line of Shilingguan. When they came down, there were only more than 6,000 troops left, and half of their strength was lost in 11 days.
The 120th Division stationed on the flank and the main force of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region on the Wutai side also suffered heavy casualties.
However, the 14th Division was not much better. Their casualties were greater than those of the 115th Division. So when Liu Yu launched a counterattack, the 14th Division, which was already at the end of its strength, was directly beaten to the head.
Various shells roared down over their heads.
Although the 115th Division also had artillery before, they were basically 75mm field artillery. Look at this time, they are all heavy artillery over 105mm!
According to the Japanese classification, guns with a caliber of 100 mm and above are all heavy guns.
In just one night, all the defense lines originally occupied by the 14th Division were taken back.
Of course Liu Yu refused to stop just like that, and ordered the 122nd Division to launch a fierce attack on Xinkou.
The front line of Lancun south of Xinkou was the defense line built during the previous confrontation between the 14th Division and the 115th Division. The Japanese had set up a regiment here, which was quite difficult for a while. Peng Xuefeng had to wait for the artillery brigade and armored brigade to come up. Say it again.
As for the Japanese army, they panicked when they learned that Liu Yu had returned with his troops. The 3rd Division gave up the attack on the base area in northwestern Shanxi and reinforced Xinkou.
The 2nd Division left one regiment to garrison Dingxiang, and the remaining main force also moved towards Xinkou.
Three more permanent divisions are about to be placed in front of Liu Yu.
Seeing this situation, the Eighth Route Army headquarters was worried that Liu Yu's troops would suffer too many casualties. While ordering other troops in the Shanxi area to recover the previously lost base areas, they also ordered Liu Yu to postpone the attack.
Because the battle lasted for nearly half a month, other Eighth Route Army units suffered heavy casualties, and their ammunition supplies could not keep up. Especially the troops behind enemy lines in Jizhong, Jinan, Shandong and other places, their base areas have been cut into pieces by the Japanese, and they are no longer able to carry out the task of containment.
If Liu Yu insists on fighting the Japanese in Xinkou, Tada Jun can continuously call in reinforcements, and Xinkou will probably become a large meat grinder!
Compared to the Japanese, the Eighth Route Army was more worried about such a situation.
The troops in the Shanxi-Hebei Border Military Region are not only Liu Yu's personal efforts, but also a facade force specially built by the entire Eighth Route Army.
Or do you think that Commander Nie, Commander He, and even the acting commander of the 115th Division, Chen, are really willing to send their heroes and ace veterans to Liu Yu's side one by one?
It’s just a tacit understanding.
Finally, on March 25, under the order of his superiors, Liu Yu led his troops to withdraw to Shiling Pass. After ordering the 122nd Division to stay at Shiling Pass, he transferred the New 1st Division, New 2nd Division, and Armored Brigade to Jingxing.
Now the Japanese felt like they couldn't fight anymore.
The Shiling Pass where the 122nd Division was stationed and the Shiling Pass where the 115th Division was stationed were completely different things.
Let's talk about Tumen Pass. Although the Xinkou area is also a basin, the scope is still a bit small. Looking at Jizhong, once Liu Yu's armored troops are allowed to protrude from Tumen Pass, they can really run away with joy!
Has Shimen also turned into a meat grinder?
How can it be?
The geographical location of Xinkou is special. It is difficult for Liu Yu's follow-up troops to pass through without destroying him, so it must be attacked.
But at Shimen, Liu Yu said that I won't give you a second thought. I'll put a force to keep an eye on Shimen, and then the main force will bypass Shimen and push all the way south along the Ping-Han Line. Let's see what the garrison troops in other areas of your little devil can do to resist.
Even if the Japanese catch up, Liu Yu can return to Taihang Mountain via Taihangxing and Zhiguanxing in southeastern Shanxi.
Therefore, as of March 28, when the armored brigade arrived at Jingxing, the Japanese 5th Division, 110th Division and other units also began to withdraw from the Tumenguan front line, and deployed layers of defenses on the Huolu and Longquan front lines, intending to block Liu Yudong's Tumenguan pass. road.
The defense line of Tumenguan is relatively complete. None of the mountain defenses such as Baodugu and Lianhua Mountain were knocked down by the Japanese. However, many of the surrounding bunker fortifications were blown up by the Japanese and need to be rebuilt.
At this point, the combat operation, which the Japanese called the Spring Cleanup, and the Eighth Route Army called the Battle of Southern Shanxi, came to an end, and both sides ended in a lose-lose outcome.
The Japanese 20th and 36th Divisions were completely wiped out, losing the two large fertile basins of Linfen and Yuncheng. The other divisions also suffered losses to some extent. According to the last data released by the Japanese army, more than 60,000 troops were lost.
The losses on the Eighth Route Army's side were more in strength. The troops behind enemy lines in Jizhong area were basically disabled, and their casualties were no less than those of the Japanese. If Liu Yu hadn't annihilated two divisions and regained two major basins, this would have been impossible. The Eighth Route Army's first battle can be said to have been a disastrous defeat.
Why should the headquarters try its best to reduce the losses of Liu Yu's department? If all the troops in his hands are exhausted, it will be really difficult for the Eighth Route Army. Even if it can eventually inflict greater damage to the Japanese, with the national strength of the Japanese, this loss can be made up for immediately.
You must know that the Japanese are not fighting on two fronts yet, and their eyes are entirely on the Chinese battlefield.
. . . . . .
"Commander, I'd like to apologize to you."
Liu Yu looked at the two cadres brought by Lao Song and was speechless.
As soon as the Japanese retreated, Lao Song came with his men.
Orders from Yan'an and the headquarters came down to remove Liu Yu from all his posts, imprison him for seven days, and circulate a notice of criticism.
If the merits of this battle were not small, the punishment would be more severe.
Liu Yu was still a little arrogant: "Tut it, just turn it off, it's not the first time!"
Thinking back to when Liu Yu first joined the Red Army, he was in solitary confinement every three days. After arriving in northern Shaanxi to reorganize the Eighth Route Army, Liu Yu had not been in solitary confinement for three years.
"Don't tell me, I still miss the days in the solitary room."
Listening to Liu Yu's words, Lao Song couldn't laugh or cry, and comforted him: "Don't take it too seriously. I punish you because I care for you. Don't worry, I will be reinstated soon."
Liu Yu waved his hands unhappily: "I won't do it anymore. I won't do anything anymore. I'll kill a Japanese lieutenant general and bury thousands of Japanese soldiers alive. They deserve it! This is how I should be punished." Are you being unreasonable?"
Lao Song smiled and said: "As a comrade, I also think you did a great job! To be honest, if I were sitting in your position, I might have done more extraordinary things than you! But my position is political commissar, and after doing this job, I have to Fulfill your responsibilities. Okay, don’t complain, just treat these 7 days as a break.”
