Although the 115th Division failed to complete the operational concept of annihilating the Japanese reinforcements, reaching the current stage is enough to call it a great victory!
This Pingxing Guanqiaogou ambush battle not only tactically eliminated 2,200 Japs and destroyed more than a hundred cars and baggage carriages, but also strategically interrupted the overall operational rhythm of the Japanese army in Shanxi and laid the foundation for the next step. The mobilization of the oral defense line buys precious time, which is of extremely far-reaching significance.
And this only affected the situation of the Anti-Japanese War in Shanxi. Internally, the battle fought by the 115th Division could be said to be a good sign for the Eighth Route Army that was going to march eastward.
As soon as the words came out, the tense and depressing atmosphere in the war room disappeared instantly. Everyone fell into a commotion and turned their attention.
"Have the troops withdrawn from the battle now? How are the casualties?" Upon hearing this, the boss's face as strong as steel immediately showed joy, and he asked quickly.
"All participating troops have withdrawn from the battle and are moving towards Baiyatai. The 115th Division suffered a total of more than 400 casualties, half of which were blocked at waist stations. Yang Wu's independent regiment withstood the strength of a Japanese regiment. The frontal attack has caused a lot of casualties. We have already evacuated the waist station and moved in the direction of Pingxingguan." The chief of staff handed over the confidential battlefield briefing message in his hand and said roughly.
"Okay, damn good! 400:2200, a casualty ratio of 1:5.5 in frontal combat. This is the highest casualty ratio the Chinese army has achieved on the battlefield since the Marco Polo Bridge Incident. I want to see who will fight now. You dare to underestimate us, if the battle of Pingxingguan is won, the 115th Division should be the first to make the contribution."
The boss took the battlefield briefing and read it quickly. He praised him repeatedly to the point of swearing. He breathed a sigh of relief, looked around, his face was solemn and solemn, and his words were sonorous and powerful: "Comrades, as the advance force, the 115th Division handed over a group of This impeccable answer sheet also brought us a victory, a victory in the battle against the Japanese invaders! In this battle, we paid the price of more than 400 comrade casualties to break a point of view, that is - —The Japanese are by no means invincible!”
"Comrades, look at how this battle report of the 115th Division says "little devil". The three main regiments were cut off at the waist and tail, and the Japanese army was unable to fight back. In the end, when the units retreated, they even You don’t even dare to fight back! Is this what you call invincible? Ridiculous!”
"400:2200, this is the casualty ratio we achieved! Comrades, I hope you remember that in future battles, we will sacrifice many comrades, but we must remember that the final victory It will definitely belong to us!”
"This is the first victory, but it will never be the last victory for the Chinese!"
The penetrating and impassioned words resounded in the headquarters. These words made all the commanders and soldiers present feel excited, and the impression that the Japanese army was invincible no longer existed in their minds.
From this moment on, from the time when the 115th Division attacked and the Japanese reinforcements did not dare to fight back against the retreating troops, the myth of invincibility surrounding the Japanese army was shattered.
The boss's short and powerful wartime speech was of great significance. It deeply affected the senior commanders and fighters present who would become military commanders of various units in the future. It was like a seed buried in the hearts of these commanders and fighters, taking root and sprouting. Eventually it slowly affects the entire army.
Is the Japanese army invincible?
It's history now.
"Comrade Chief of Staff, please send a telegram immediately to ask for instructions from Cave House." The boss looked at the appearance of all senior commanders and combatants, with a comfortable smile on his face, and continued to issue orders.
"yes!"
victory!
The victory that the Chinese people have been longing for for countless days and nights has finally come.
News of the Pingxingguan victory was reported layer by layer, and finally arrived at the cave dwelling for processing. Soon after, a clear message about the Pingxingguan victory was sent from Yancheng and spread throughout the country as quickly as possible.
Nanjing, Presidential Palace.
In the President's Office, Mr. Zhongzheng was sitting on a chair, wearing a neat and solemn Mao suit, with his back straight and his eyebrows furrowed. He held a pen tightly in his right hand and reviewed the telegrams sent by the armies of the Songhu Battle.
bad news!
All bad news, no doubt about it!
The 159th Division and the 160th Division of the Left Wing Army responsible for the defense of Luodian were all killed, more than 20,000 people...
The fall of Wolpo...
Yang Xing fell...
The Japanese soldiers have already pointed at Zhongzao Bang and Dachang Town.
"Nang Xipi, the Japanese's war mobilization speed is too fast, far exceeding the original idea. If we continue to increase our troops at this rate, it won't be long before the Japanese army's strength will exceed 200,000. Why hasn't the League of Nations intervened in Japan's actions? ..." Quickly correcting various military telegrams, Brother Zhongzheng was full of worries. The war situation had evolved beyond the plan.
Since the outbreak of the Battle of Songhu, due to the initial failure of the Ninth Army to capture the Japanese Marine Corps headquarters in Hongkou, the Japanese Marine Corps relied on the powerful defensive headquarters to successfully resist the Ninth Army's attack. The Shanghai battlefield evolved into a tug-of-war, with both sides constantly adding troops to increase their bargaining chips.
From late August to the present, the Japanese army has rapidly mobilized for war. In just half a month, it has increased the strength of three divisions out of thin air. The total strength of the 9th Division, the 11th Division, the 13th Division, the 101st Division, as well as 2 heavy artillery brigades and tank squadrons has reached 130,000, approaching the 200,000 mark.
You know, this is a total of 130,000 Japanese troops, not some miscellaneous domestic army.
In addition, there are more than 30 warships from the Japanese Navy's Third Fleet and Fourth Fleet participating in the battle, including four aircraft carriers!
On the other hand, apart from the rapid increase in troops, neither the air force, navy, nor artillery has any advantage.
The National Revolutionary Army currently has a total of 8th, 9th, 10th, 15th, and 19th Group Armies participating in the war, and the 21st Group Army is rushing in, with a total strength of 73 divisions and about 750,000 people.
750,000: 130,000. The strength of both sides is tentatively equal.
But if the Japanese troop strength exceeds 200,000, the balance of the Songhu battlefield will flip in an instant.
However, what worries Mr. Zhongzheng the most is that the war has reached this intensity and the League of Nations still has no clear mediation attitude.
Mediation by the League of Nations.
This is what Brother Zhongzheng must strive for, because China alone cannot defeat Japan, an industrial country, and must rely on the power of the League of Nations.
For this Battle of Songhu, he devoted almost all his direct troops, and even sent the teaching corps. If it failed...
That would be a disaster.
