Age of Rebirth

Chapter 540

The morning sun burst out, and thousands of rays of light illuminated the battlefield. The corpses of Japanese cavalry were all over the ground on both sides of the abandoned Yellow River. The ice surface was stained with pools of blood. As soon as the Japanese cavalry climbed to the shore, they were hit head-on by the long-awaited Tongbatu troops.

With the superior cavalry, to deal with the Japanese cavalry who fled and became infantry, there was no suspense in the battle. In the dark night, with sabers waving, horseshoes sounding like thunder, the Japanese army did not know how many cavalry squadrons were intercepting and killing them The panic situation was even more serious. After several times of rushing back and forth, leaving a lot of corpses, the Japanese army ran back and was intercepted by the [-]st and [-]th regiments chasing up from behind. The only ones waiting to bring the Japanese soldiers were the dead destiny.

Tong Batu watched the soldiers dragging up the war horses happily, and pulled out half of Yingzuo's command saber in his hand. Under the reflection of the morning glow, a cold light flashed, and Tong Batu couldn't help but admire: "Good saber! Send the report, Master!" He pointed out that the Second Cavalry Brigade set up an ambush between Gongyi and Yanshi, and after a night of fierce fighting, they wiped out the Japanese Kagezuo cavalry regiment and a Japanese infantry brigade, with a total of more than [-] soldiers and captured more than [-] horses. As soon as the regiment captain Yingzuo and below are arrested, please ask for instructions on the next move, Brigadier Tong Batu."

Tang Qiuli, who received the telegram from Tongbatu, praised the case: "Okay, Mongolian men, I really have you. I ordered Tongbatu's second cavalry brigade to go north immediately, capture Anyang, and close the retreat route of the Japanese garrison on the front line from Anyang to Zhengzhou." , remember, this battle is suitable for a quick assault, taking Anyang by surprise, and in addition, a notice is issued to commend all officers and soldiers of the Second Cavalry Brigade.”[

After receiving the order, the Second Cavalry Brigade quickly left Gongyi, crossed the Yellow River to the north, and passed through Jiaozuo and Huixian County at the fastest speed, disregarding Xinxiang and Hebi. After the squadron, Anyang was completely occupied on the same day, and the Japanese army that Rensuke Isoya used to guard the line from Zhengzhou to Anyang was cut off.

At the same time, more than [-] combat troops in the Zhengzhou and Anyang regions led by Yuan Jinghao, Sun Zhenbang, and Zhou Yushan were divided into three groups. The troops went straight to Xinxiang, and the rest of the troops, led by Yuan Jinghao, attacked Zhengzhou.

The battle in the three places started at the same time. Facing the tide of independent divisions, the Japanese troops stationed in Zhengzhou, Xinxiang, and Hebi were out of proportion. The battle ended smoothly in just a few hours. , The independent division troops recovered all the lost ground lost by Tang Enbo's Eighth Army when it fled, and the price paid was extremely light.

After the battle in Zhengzhou and Anyang was over, Tang Qiuli ordered that the three brigades under Yuan Jinghao, commander of the Shaanxi Garrison Command, have a total of more than [-] troops, and the commander of the Independent Division Transportation Command, Zhou Yushan, had a total of more than [-] troops. Stationed on the line from Anyang to Xinxiang, ready to repel the troops coming from Hebei at any time, intending to reinforce the troops of the Japanese First Army.

Sun Zhenbang, the commander of the Yellow River Defense Command, had four brigades with a total strength of more than [-] troops. They immediately went north and entered Licheng in the Taihang Mountains to stand by. , Prepare to participate in combat operations against the Japanese troops under Yamaguchi.

Tong Batu's Second Cavalry Brigade, after handing over the defense of Anyang to Yuan Jinghao's headquarters, immediately returned to the Taihang Mountains and stood by in the Xiangyuan area, ready to participate in combat operations against the Japanese Army's Yamaguchi headquarters in the Wuxiang area.

Tang Qiuli issued a series of orders to adjust the deployment. After recovering the front line from Zhengzhou to Anyang, the big hole that the Japanese army tore in Henan was finally blocked. He no longer has any worries. This means that Isoya Rensuke The retreat route of the First Army was cut off, and the Japanese army had no choice but to fight all the way, and it was absolutely impossible to turn back.

At the same time, Tang Qiuli had no intention of letting the mad dog who broke into the base area of ​​Taihang Mountain pass, let him leave Taihang Mountain alive, break into his own home, burn, kill and loot, let him go like this, don't say sorry to Taihang Mountain Tang Qiuli felt sorry for the common people in the base area.

He also has a deeper consideration. The Japanese army under Yamaguchi is the only Japanese army in North China fighting in the Taihang Mountains. It is in a confrontation with Yan Xishan's Jin army. There is no sign of retreating at present, and it is just to dispatch troops for himself. The general will bring ample time to eliminate Yamaguchi, and Li Zongren of Xuzhou will eat the first army of Isoya Rensuke. The overall strength of the Japanese army in North China will drop a lot, and the difference in strength compared with the Japanese army will also be relatively narrowed. .

The key now is whether Li Zongren's main combat troops in the Xuzhou theater, the Guangxi Army and the Sichuan Army, can arrive at the scheduled time. It is already the morning of December [-]. Zhang Zizhong's Sulu Garrison Corps is desperately blocking the already almost crazy The Japanese army, the battle outside Shangqiu has ended, the troops retreated into the city, and started street fighting with the Japanese army.

As soon as the battle in Henan was over, Tang Qiuli turned his attention to Shangqiu, and he sent a telegram to Zhang Zizhong, which read: "Brother Jin Chen, yesterday, the rest of the Independent Division has retaken all the land from Zhengzhou to Anyang. The main point is that the Japanese First Army has already retreated, and it will definitely march eastward desperately, capture Xuzhou, and go south to join the Japanese army coming from the sea, in order to avoid the fate of being surrounded and wiped out in Henan."

"The battle in Shangqiu will inevitably lead to a more tragic situation. The pressure on the brother's headquarters will increase sharply. We will weigh the pros and cons. In order to avoid greater losses to the troops, the Sulu Garrison Corps can withdraw from Shangqiu after [-]:[-] noon today. Transfer to Haozhou, Anhui to rest and reorganize. The remaining blocking tasks can be undertaken by Tang Qiusheng's troops in Xiaoxian County. .”

Zhang Zizhong replied: "Master Zuo Xunjian, our troops have fully transferred to the urban area to fight. The Japanese attack was more violent than yesterday. It seemed that they did not care about the casualties. When they saw the call, they knew that the road ahead was cut off. The so-called trapped beasts are still fighting. However, The Sulu Garrison Corps used to be the 29th Army, which lived in Pingjin for several years, and was bullied by the Japanese. Although it was under the command of the division, it fought several times with the Japanese army, but there was no remarkable record."

"Now the Master has entrusted us with the important task of guarding Shangqiu. Since we are loyal, we also know that the enemy is outnumbered. However, we, as soldiers, have no reason to be timid in front of the battle. Although the battlefield is bloody, it is a pity. Thank you on behalf of all the officers and men. Please take back your order. Our department will continue to block the Japanese army in Shangqiu until midnight on the [-]th before withdrawing according to the original plan. We will not be responsible for the soldiers, and we can also comfort the old army commander. Eagerly hopeful, Zhang Zizhong, commander of the Sulu Garrison Corps of the Independent Division.

After receiving Zhang Zizhong's call back, Tang Qiuli was silent for a long time. He did not expect that one of his telegrams would actually hurt Zhang Zizhong's military pride. From his reply, Tang Qiuli could see a decisive attitude. It is also his concern. The combat effectiveness and equipment of the Sulu Garrison Corps can be said to be the weakest among all the troops of the Independent Division. Facing the superior Japanese army, even if they complete the blocking mission for two days, the troops will suffer heavy casualties.

However, he has no good solution. Even if he ordered Tang Qiusheng's five brigades to leave Xiao County to reinforce Shangqiu, it would be too late, and this is the old army commander Song Zheyuan's troops. Sorry to Song Zheyuan, Tang Qiuli thought sharply in the headquarters, hoping to find a way to help Zhang Zizhong.

It suddenly occurred to him that although the Dingbian air force has not yet formed an army, it should be no problem to send a dozen bombers and fighter jets. There is no Japanese air power in North China. He immediately sent a telegram to Le Yiqin to dispatch the planes. Bomb the Japanese positions outside Shangqiu and directly provide air support to Zhang Zizhong's troops.

Just as Tang Qiuli expected, Isoya Rensuke, who led the army to storm the Shangqiu defense line, learned that Anyang and Zhengzhou were all taken back by Tang Qiuli's troops. It wasn't that there was no turning back, Su had been on a mission to go south, what he was afraid of was Tang Qiuli's troops coming from behind him, Shangqiu fought for more than a day, and fell into a stalemate again.

He couldn't see the possibility of conquering immediately, and what annoyed him was how he encountered these stalking Chinese troops, which was exactly the same as Kaifeng's style of fighting, first the periphery, and then street fighting. If the fight continued like this, there would be no three days Left and right, the fundamental law passed Shangqiu, and as for Xuzhou, it was even more elusive. [

He had no choice but to take advantage of Tang Qiuli's time to mobilize the troops and stab him in the back, quickly open the Shangqiu Passage, and take a road to the south of Xuzhou. For this reason, he issued a death order to each division. Before six o'clock in the evening, Shangqiu must be conquered.

At the same time, just to be on the safe side, he sent a telegram to Xiangyue Qingsi asking for help, requesting the commander to send troops quickly to reopen the gap in Anyang, so as to avoid the situation where the First Army was attacked. The No.20 Third Division, which was transferred from the front line, immediately went into the battle to attack Anyang.

On the front line of Anyang, a war broke out. Isotani Rensuke went crazy. He knew the importance of time to himself, so he ordered the troops to attack uninterruptedly. When he was repelled once, he immediately replaced with new troops and launched another attack. The city of Shangqiu was full of artillery fire. , Gunshots were like waves, and the billowing smoke covered the sun.

The Japanese soldiers went crazy. They all knew that there was no way out. If they wanted to survive, they had to open up a road to the south of Shangqiu. The battle ended at dusk. Then the Shangqiu defense line was shaken across the board.

General Zhang Zizhong, who heard the news, personally led the guard regiment of the Reserve Corps, facing the soaring artillery fire, and rushed towards the breakthrough. This is the most elite unit in the entire Sulu Garrison Corps, with more than 1000 soldiers, following the tall figure of the commander. , Shouting and rushing towards the Japanese troops pouring in like turbid waves.

The two torrents collided with each other, splashing blood flying all over the sky. The cruel hand-to-hand combat is the best battlefield to test the will of soldiers. inside.

(To be continued)