Age of Rebirth

From a brigade commander of the No. 20 Ninth Corps to a temporary corps commanding five brigades of more than [-] people, and shouldering an extremely difficult task, Jing Zhanqi has always been clear-headed. The first Ximan blockade was regarded as an easy battle.

Ximan Blocking Corps, more than 40 people have to face more than [-] withdrawn Kwantung Army troops. The huge gap in strength is doomed to this blocking battle. It is hard and bloody. Moreover, Jing Zhanqi knows that he commanded The Ximan Blocking Corps is a temporary formation of troops. It plays a supporting role in the Ximan Blocking War, buying enough time for the Outer Mongolian Field Corps that is about to start going south.

But Jing Zhanqi cherished this opportunity very much. He sent a telegram to the teacher to reassure the teacher. At the same time, it was also to express his determination. In fact, he knew how big the problem was now!

First of all, to capture Siping, Siping is not an obscure county. On the map of the Northeast, Siping's geographical location is very unique and important. It is almost between Fengtian and Xinjing, connecting the two provinces of Jilin and Liaoning. , like an iron gate, across the period, railways and highways run through the county to the direction of Xinjing, known as the southwest gateway of Xinjing, and it is one of the dozen or so counties where the Kwantung Army fortified in the Northeast.

Historically, this city was also a battleground for military strategists. The Kuomintang and the Communist Party fought for the future and destiny of the country. In the bloody battle, more than [-] soldiers from the Kuomintang and the Communist Party fell here, and it is famous all over the world.So far, it is still called the city of heroes.

However, the situation facing Jing Zhanqi.But it is not very bad. At this time in Siping City, the Kwantung Army does not have many garrison troops. According to intelligence, there is only a Siping garrison and a gendarmerie brigade to strengthen the size of the brigade, plus a division of Manchukuo. Fortifications.But it is very solid. After years of operation by the Kwantung Army, a complete defense system has been formed.

If you have enough time.For a city like Siping, which has complete fortifications but is empty of troops, Jing Zhanqi does not think that capturing Siping is a huge problem.There are tanks and heavy artillery.You can also call for air fire support, but now, what is lacking is time. On the one hand, the troops have to deploy defenses on the east bank of the East Liao River, and they must also capture Shuangliao to link the two ends of the blocking line.It is impossible to attack Siping with many troops.

therefore.The Jingzhan Banner was used to capture Siping with only one regiment and one battalion. In terms of the number of troops, it was even less than the Kwantung Army and Manchukuo soldiers in Siping City, but this is what Jingzhan Banner said. The limit of the forces that can be used.

The five main brigades plus the artillery and armored units add up to more than 8 people, which seems to be a lot, but if they are distributed between Siping and Shuangliao, the blocking line of more than 90 kilometers seems to be stretched. For a Siping alone, after the capture, at least one brigade more troops are needed to defend.

Jing Zhanqi collected his thoughts and looked ahead. Under the sunshine of July, Siping looked like a dead city. The fortifications composed of barbed wire, bunkers and reinforced concrete surrounded Siping tightly like a long snake. In the middle, although the sound of gunfire from the direction of Ximan could not be heard here for the time being, Jing Zhanqi knew from the division's report on the battle situation that more than 40 Kwantung Army soldiers were rushing towards them like the ebbing sea.

"Chief of staff, convey my order. The first regiment and the brigade are directly under the engineer battalion. The armored forces have two tank regiments and one heavy artillery regiment to form a siege force. Immediately launch an attack on Siping and tell the first regiment leader that I only have six of them. In a few hours, Siping must be taken, how to fight, the siege troops will study and decide on their own, and the troops heading to Shuangliao have reached their positions now?" Jing Zhanqi put down his binoculars and asked Wang Xujiang, the brigade chief of staff.

Wang Xujiang is a very capable chief of staff. He first used the phone to convey the order of the brigade commander, and then he answered the question, "Brigade commander, I sent a telegram outside the door three or ten minutes ago to inquire about the progress of the troops. The second brigade has arrived in Shuangliao and is preparing to attack. The rest of the troops are deploying and building fortifications. However, there is a bad situation. Faint gunfire!"

"What?" Jing Zhanqi's face finally changed, and the sound of cannons could be heard in the direction of Shuangliao, which meant that the retreating Kwantung Army troops would not be more than [-] kilometers away from Shuangliao. The second brigade from the Liao direction wanted to take down Shuangliao on the one hand, and to stop the Kwantung Army troops swarming in on the other hand.

Jing Zhanqi thought about it sharply, and said: "Chief of Staff, order the third brigade to send a regiment of troops, carry a full set of equipment, and strengthen it in the direction of Shuangliao, under the command of Xu Tingzhi, the commander of the second brigade. Report for help, ask for air fire support, otherwise, with our current strength, we will not be able to stop the little devil who is desperately trying to escape!"

After giving the order, there was a big question mark in Jing Zhanqi's mind, "The North China Field Corps has more than [-] troops. Could it be that it didn't entangle the Kwantung Army in the Ximan area on the line from Yihuta to Dalin? What if Commander Yuan was more courageous, concentrated five or six brigades and two tank brigades, recklessly penetrated the depth of the retreating Kwantung Army troops, rushed to the Shuangliao area quickly, and jointly blocked them, the pressure on himself would be greatly relieved !"

Of course, this is just Jing Zhanqi's personal good wishes. He doesn't think he is better than the division commander who commanded millions of troops, and the commander of the North China Field Corps, Yuan Jinghao. Yuan Jinghao's troops did not do this. It must be reasonable and practical. difficulty.

In fact, Yuan Jinghao, who commanded more than 40 troops of the North China Field Corps and pursued the ferocious Kwantung Army, had considered such a tactic, but no matter how he argued it, he was not fully sure. The biggest possibility was that the assault troops would fall into In the anti-encirclement of the Kwantung Army, in this way, a pursuit battle will become an encirclement and anti-encirclement war, and the battlefield will become a mess, which will disrupt the overall campaign deployment, risk!

Mengdongkailu, the frontline headquarters of the Independent Division, after receiving the telegram from Jingzhanqi, the division commander Tang Qiuli just said, "Jingzhanqi lived up to high expectations. The Battle of Ximan can have an expected ending. The Kwantung Army's two The big heavy army group has been blocked in our preset area, okay!"

The division pointed to Ge Zhenzhuang, the director of the staff department, but said worriedly: "Teacher, the current battle situation in western Liaoning is basically fixed, and there is no change. The initiative is in our hands, but what I am worried about is the battle situation in Ximan, Ximan The retreat speed of the Kwantung Army troops is beyond our imagination!"

"The division pointed out that the original combat plan was that during the offensive, the North China Field Corps would use its superior ground-to-air firepower to continuously consume the Kwantung Army's active forces and delay them in the predetermined area. However, the current situation is that the Kwantung Army The army had no intention of blocking it at all, and only retreated quickly. The Battle of Baolong Mountain was a special case. In this way, the huge pressure would be concentrated on the line from Siping to Shuangliao to prevent the Kwantung Army from retreating to Xinjing. On the brigade!"

"There is a huge disparity in military strength. The Siping and Shuangliao blockade lines are more than [-] kilometers long, and there is no dangerous terrain to use. The Jingzhan Banner Corps is also a long-distance march and hastily deployed defenses. The Outer Mongolia Field Corps will take five days at the fastest It took five nights to arrive, and the Ximan Blocking Corps had to block the crazy attack of the Kwantung Army troops five times more powerful than itself, I was worried...!"

Ge Zhenzhuang did not continue, but Tang Qiuli knew what he wanted to say, "Director Ge, you are right to worry, the situation on the Ximan battlefield has changed, so Liu Cuigang and Le Yiqin, who commanded the air force, will be sent to the battlefield in western Liaoning All the aviation forces are devoted to the Ximan battlefield, especially the air fire support for the Ximan blockade corps on the line from Siping to Shuangliao, which must be kept uninterrupted!"

"In Han Tie's hands, it is impossible to draw out troops. Our teacher pointed out that the only help we can give to Jing Zhanqi is the plane. When you send a telegram to Jing Zhanqi, you have to explain this point. He only needs to persist for five days. After five days, the Outer Mongolia Field Corps will definitely arrive!"

Before Ge Zhenzhuang went out, the division pointed to Colonel Chen Feng, the director of the communication department, and hurried in, "Master, I received an urgent telegram from Jing Zhanqi, the acting commander of the Ximan Blocking Corps. The second brigade of the Ximan Blocking Corps has arrived. At the time of Shuangliao, the sound of cannons on the west bank of the Dongliao River could already be heard, and subsequent reconnaissance proved that there were at least three divisions of the Kwantung Army troops less than [-] kilometers away from Shuangliao!"

"The second brigade of our department is preparing to attack Shuangliao. Shuangliao has only two brigades in our blocking force. I am afraid that it will not be able to block the attack of the Kwantung Army troops of the three divisions. In view of this, I ask the division to advise, Mobilize the aviation bomber fleet to provide air fire support for our department!"

"Jing Zhanqi is so clear-headed! It's rare!" Tang Qiuli sighed and said, "Two telegrams were combined and sent together, replying to Jing Zhanqi, the division pointed out that it agreed with the request of the Ximan Blocking Corps, and the aviation unit will help you Provide round-the-clock uninterrupted air fire support, and in addition, tell Jing Zhanqi in the telegram that you must be mentally prepared to lose half of your troops, and the Ximan blockade will be a brutal bloody battle!"

After Chen Feng recorded the order, he left in a hurry. Tang Qiuli was silent for a while, and asked, "Director Ge, has the direct corps not reached the intended attack position yet? If the direct corps doesn't do anything, neither can Sun Zhenbang's troops!"

Ge Zhenzhuang replied: "Master, an hour ago, Chief of Staff Zhao sent a telegram saying that it would take about two and a half hours for the troops directly under the Corps to reach the planned attack position. The Outer Mongolian Field Corps has made all preparations. Do you want to send a telegram to urge Chief of Staff Zhao to launch an attack in advance?"

(to be continued) (to be continued...)