"Although our weapons and equipment are very sophisticated, the enemy this time is the Kwantung Army after all, so we cannot be careless."
Seeing the relaxed and happy expressions on the faces of the battalion commanders, Zhao Gang looked solemn and his tone was serious.
He knew that Li Yunlong never hesitated when facing the Japanese.
The superiors have recently praised the New Regiment many times, especially Commander Li Da, who has been commended many times as a model heroic leader and combat backbone... He even publicized the performance of the New Regiment throughout the army. Now the New Regiment is recognized as the trump card regiment of the entire Eighth Route Army. The main team needs to be even better.
The New Regiment also deserves these awards and publicity. It has wiped out more than 10,000 Japanese soldiers this year, and has also provided weapons and ammunition to its superiors to support several artillery regiments and several infantry regiments.
Although Li Yunlong has the capital to be successful, he has never been successful.
Now, even if the New Regiment encounters a full formation of Japanese troops head-on, they can still fight with real swords and guns, and the chances of winning are very high.
However, these battalion commanders are obviously a little distracted. They are battalion-level commanders, and such emotions can easily be transmitted to their subordinates.
Underestimating the enemy will cause big problems.
Li Yunlong heard the meaning of Zhao Gang's words, glanced at the battalion commanders, and said in a stern tone: "Strategically, we can despise the enemy, but tactically, we must pay attention to the enemy, and we must not underestimate the enemy."
Brother Chen Feng said this when he was drinking with Li Yunlong, and he felt that what he said made sense.
After all, after so many victorious battles, it is impossible not to look down on the little devils, so this sentence is very suitable for educating soldiers.
There is no conflict between looking down on little devils and not looking down on little devils.
When several battalion commanders heard this, they looked thoughtful and quickly understood this sentence.
It's like an enlightenment.
Then several people admired Li Yunlong again, thinking that it seemed that the group leader had been studying very well recently, and he could say such profound and reasonable words.
Several battalion commanders expressed their opinions to Zhao Gang and Li Yunlong that they would only despise the Japanese and never underestimate the enemy.
Zhao Gang also conducted a self-examination and said that during this period, he practiced marksmanship and did ideological and political work for the county brigade, while neglecting the main camp.
Several battalion commanders said that they would ask the battalion instructors to strengthen ideological education when they return.
Li Yunlong continued: "Now let me deploy specific combat missions."
"Same as the last battle, each battalion does not carry Maxim heavy machine guns, but all other weapons."
"In addition, all the tents captured from the last annihilation of the 9th Brigade were made into camouflage cloaks, and every soldier participating in the battle must wear them."
The little devil's tent cloth is very thick and airtight. It can be worn as a cloak to keep out the cold.
Of course, the most important thing is to be able to camouflage. It snows heavily in the winter in the north, and it is normal for the snow to remain unchanged for a month or two.
"Captain, aren't there ditches on both sides of the road in Chenjiagou?" Zhang Dabiao said, "Let's just do the same as last time, lie down in the ditch, wait for the Kwantung Army to come, and fire on both sides. He was caught off guard."
"The Sharp Sword Squadron has been there to conduct reconnaissance." Li Yunlong glared and said, "The Japanese have already filled in the ditch."
"We wear camouflage cloaks and lie down in the snow to make sure the Japanese can't see us."
"The terrain there is such that the Japanese would never have imagined that there would be people hiding in the snow. It's safe to catch the Japanese by surprise."
Zhang Dabiao nodded with a sudden expression, and then stopped talking.
Second Battalion Commander Zheng Yu asked: "Captain, do you need to lead an artillery battery?"
"Of course we have to bring the artillery battery." Li Yunlong said, "The artillery battery is responsible for long-range artillery support."
The 60mm mortar equipped by the new regiment weighs only 40 kilograms, and there is a cavalry battalion to help carry the shells, so the soldiers of the artillery company can march lightly.
"Any question?"
"There is no problem adjourning the meeting. Each battalion will go back to prepare, and let the cooking squad prepare four days of dry food and distribute ammunition."
"Leave the day after tomorrow morning!"
Li Yunlong glanced at everyone, and then said with a solemn expression.
"Yes!" the three battalion commanders replied in unison, stood up and walked outside.
The next day, the cooking squads of the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the New Regiment and the Cavalry Battalion began frying dry food and distributing ammunition.
The logistics department began making snow camouflage cloaks.
Early in the morning on the third day, Li Yunlong led the first battalion, second battalion and cavalry battalion to set off for Chenjiagou.
The winter sky was gray and it was still snowing lightly. The soldiers wore white cloaks and stepped on the snow.
Although Yangcun is only more than 50 kilometers away from the mountain road of Chenjiagou, it is necessary to start early because the snow will slow down the march.
Despite the rugged mountainous terrain and the biting cold wind, the officers and soldiers were running fast with their guns on their backs and their morale was high.
Some heavier ammunition boxes and heavy equipment were given to the army horses to carry them.
The soldiers can move forward lightly, which greatly saves physical strength.
After a day's rest and march, Li Yunlong led his commanders and soldiers to Chenjiagou at midnight.
At that moment, Li Yunlong asked the soldiers to find a place to set up tents to sleep and rest.
There were many tents seized from the Japanese. Even if some of them were used as camouflage clothes, there were still many left.
He himself took Zheng Yu, Zhang Dabiao and Sun Desheng to conduct reconnaissance. It was already midnight and no Japanese vehicles were seen passing by on the highway.
After reconnaissance, it was found that the ditches on both sides of the road had indeed been filled in by the Japanese.
In fact, it’s not just here. After the Japanese Kwantung Army was ambushed here, the entire area with local dogs on both sides of the Zhengtai Highway was filled in.
The Japs' tactics were not static. The Japs became more sophisticated after suffering too many losses. It was difficult for the Eighth Route Army to capture much in ambushes and sparrow battles.
Unless there is a major combat operation, the Japanese and puppet troops usually carry only a small amount of weapons and ammunition when they go out.
Even the ammunition storage in the Japanese strongholds and gun towers was not much. Sometimes the Eighth Route Army made great efforts to knock down the gun towers or strongholds, but not much was captured.
"What a stupid little devil, he's quite smart."
Seeing that the ditches on both sides of the road were actually filled in, Second Battalion Commander Zheng Yu cursed.
"It's about playing conspiracy." Zhang Dabiao raised the corner of his mouth, "We Chinese are the ancestors of his little Japan."
Li Yunlong didn't want to talk nonsense, so he drew a bayonet and drew a line in the snow, indicating that this was the Shota Highway.
Then he said: "This is the Zhengtai Highway. Wait until 5:30 in the morning for all commanders and fighters to enter the ambush position."
"The first battalion is ambushing on the left, and the second battalion is ambushing on the right. Remember to be well camouflaged and never be exposed."
"In order to be concealed, the ambush location should be 100 meters away from the road. If it is too close, the flaw may be spotted by passing Japanese soldiers."
"And after entering the ambush position, soldiers should be deployed to sweep away traces in the snow."
It gets light very late in winter. In snowy weather like this, it usually doesn't get bright until around 7 o'clock. It's no problem to enter the ambush position more than an hour in advance.
Li Yunlong glanced at Sun Desheng, who looked expectantly, and said: "If a Japanese soldier escapes, the infantry should not chase him, but hand the escaping Japanese to the cavalry."
Even though they are here, it seems inappropriate for Li Yunlong not to give the cavalry battalion some tasks.
Although there may not be a few Japanese soldiers escaping, it can still warm up the cavalry battalion.
"Yes!" Sun Desheng looked slightly happy.
Zheng Yu said: "Captain, since there are no Japanese vehicles passing by at night, I suggest that the soldiers lay some land mines on the road at night. They are large land mines composed of explosive packets and a dozen large lumps."
"The second battalion commander's suggestion is good." Li Yunlong nodded and praised, "Remember to get a few more and cook a big meal for the Japanese."
When they ambush the Japanese tank regiment in Hulugou, the engineers of the New Regiment used this kind of land mine. When it exploded, it turned into a Japanese tank.
If you want to blow up a little tortoise, let alone a Japanese truck, and you have to pull the string to explode, you don't have to worry about being crushed by the Japanese wheels.
Li Yunlong took out his pocket watch and read the time on the watch with the faint light: "It is now 12:25. Wake up the soldiers on time at 5 am. After breakfast, we will start entering the ambush position at 5:30!"
The three battalion commanders shouted in unison: "Yes!"
Li Yunlong added: "By the way, remember to arrange for engineers to lay land mines on the highway."
"Let's go to bed."
Li Yunlong took the three battalion commanders and guards to the Xinyi Regiment camp on the other side of the mountain, got into the tent and fell asleep.
At 5 o'clock in the morning, Li Yunlong and several battalion commanders were woken up by their respective guards, and then each battalion commander sent an order to wake up the soldiers.
The soldiers began to have breakfast, which consisted of fried noodles, horse meat jerky and mixed with snow. One bite of fried noodles and one bite of snow, or one bite of fried noodles and one bite of horse jerky.
Li Yunlong ate the same food as the soldiers.
After breakfast, the first and second battalions entered the ambush position one by one under the leadership of their battalion commanders.
There is no need to mobilize before the battle. The morale of the new regiment is very strong. With just one order from Li Yunlong, the soldiers will roar and charge upward.
In less than half an hour, each unit entered the ambush position. All the soldiers were lying in the snow and camouflaged.
The soldier in charge of pulling the string was closer, lying down 50 meters away from the road, his whole body lying in the snow, and his body was covered with snow.
The advantage of the cloak modified from a tent becomes apparent. The cloth made of this material is not only windproof and rainproof, but it can also keep out the cold when lying in the snow.
It took more than an hour for the soldiers to enter the ambush position before dawn.
After dawn, the highway began to become lively, and occasionally Japanese trucks or tricycles drove by at lightning speed.
Time passed while waiting. Li Yunlong’s order was that no one was allowed to move, and he had to keep his shit in my crotch.
More than 1,700 soldiers from the two battalions lay quietly in the snow and waited.
I don't know how long it took, but Li Yunlong raised his telescope and looked towards the top of the mountain ahead, and happened to see the lookout post on the top of the mountain sending out a signal.
"Here we come." Li Yunlong lowered his voice and said to Zhang Dabiao beside him, "Let the soldiers prepare for battle."