dognovel Chapter 766: The Japs Join Forces 1
Chapter 766: The Japs Join Forces 1
Chapter 766: The Japs Join Forces
766 The Japanese gathered their forces
On May 131, Ye Qingshan in Shaoguan finally received the victory report from the st Division of the Gui Army.
"Commander, good news.
An urgent telegram from Commander He of the 131st Division of the Gui Army.
Last night, their division launched a surprise attack on the Danxia Mountain position occupied by the Japanese.
There was only one battalion of Japanese soldiers stationed there.
Finally, after a night of fierce fighting by the 131st Division of the Gui Army, we successfully recaptured most of our original positions in Danxia Mountain.
In addition, the logistics base of the Ninth Mixed Brigade of the Japanese was also partially destroyed by the 131st Division of the Gui Army.
Early in the morning, Xia Yang, the commander of the New 1st Division, excitedly took the telegram and found Ye Qingshan to report the good news.
"Oh? There has been no movement for two days.
The brothers of the Gui army are indeed planning a big move.
Danxia Mountain was recaptured, and a lot of logistical supplies of the Japanese 9th Mixed Brigade were destroyed.
So, it’s time for the Ninth Mixed Brigade of the Japanese on the Western Front to withdraw.”
Ye Qingshan washed his face, threw the towel on the lanyard, and walked outside.
"Yes, Commander, your judgment is the same as mine.
So, I have informed the Chief of Staff and our four main regiments on the Western Front.
Immediately launch a counterattack against the Japanese 9th Mixed Brigade.
Hell, they've been hammering at us on the Western Front for nearly a week.
Now it’s our turn to fight back.”
Xia Yang said through gritted teeth.
Although, the group suffered heavy casualties in a bloody battle in Shaoguan City.
But in fact, on the western front, they fought a positional battle with several main regiments of the Japanese 9th Mixed Brigade to block the Japanese.
The casualties were also considerable.
Fortunately, the artillery units of the new regiment followed up.
In terms of artillery fire support, the New 1st Division is not inferior to the Japanese artillery.
What's more, there were no more Japanese bombers causing trouble in the sky.
Under such circumstances, the troops on the western front blocked the Japanese 9th Mixed Brigade that attempted to attack Shaoguan from the flank.
“It’s okay to be a drowning dog.
But let the regiments on the western front be careful, the main force of the Japanese 9th Mixed Brigade is still there.
Even if some of their logistical supplies were destroyed, it would be unlikely to defeat them.
We can just take advantage of this opportunity to recapture a few defensive positions on the western front of Shaoguan."
Ye Qingshan instructed Commander Xia.
“Yes, Commander.
I will warn them.”
Not long after Xia Yang left, Xiao Wusheng came over with another telegram.
"Is that good news too?"
Seeing the smile on the young Wusheng's face, Ye Qingshan guessed that the telegram in his hand should be good news.
Xiao Wu nodded vigorously: "Yes, Commander.
Good news,
“Today is a good day.
This early morning, we received good news one after another.
Say it. "
"Commander, this is a telegram from General Xiao and Commander Sun back home.
Commander Xiao said in the telegram that they had repelled two Japanese divisions two days ago.
An attack on our homeland.
Currently, the battle line has stabilized in the northern mountainous area.
The Japanese's attempt to invade our hometown while our main army was heading south has failed."
Xiao Wusheng said quickly.
After hearing this, Ye Qingshan also laughed: "Well, it is indeed good news."
For Ye Qingshan, if something happened in his hometown base in southern Zhejiang,
In fact, he couldn't continue this battle.
Without the arsenal in the base, the ammunition supply to his troops on the front line would be cut off.
That would be simply fatal.
Fortunately, Ye Qingshan has a good partner.
Xiao Shanling commanded several regiments of troops, with a force far smaller than that of the Japanese attacking forces, and firmly blocked the Japanese in the mountainous area north of southern Zhejiang.
Ye Qingshan could imagine that the battle on their side would certainly not be easy.
"Commander, Chief Sun said.
A new batch of supplies of materials and ammunition will arrive in a week.
This time, the ammunition and supplies sent by the logistics department will be the largest since the war began.
Especially the artillery shells, which almost emptied our arsenal."
“Well, Sun Mingxu is quite efficient.
The reason why we have been able to hold on until now in Guangdong Province over the past month.
It’s all thanks to his logistics department.
Organize tens of thousands of laborers to cross the complex mountain roads throughout Fujian Province.
Send a steady supply of materials to our soldiers on the front line.
If we win this battle.
Lao Sun's logistics department should account for at least 30% of the credit."
Ye Qingshan was very satisfied with the logistics transport team headed by Sun Mingxu.
He commanded the 89th Army at the front line to attack the Japanese fiercely, and the troops actually consumed a lot of ammunition.
If it were any other national army unit, there would be such a huge consumption of ammunition.
The logistics may have gone wrong long ago.
However, up to now, Ye Qingshan has not worried about logistics supplies.
All this is thanks to Sun Mingxu.
A week later, Sun Mingxu sent over the largest batch of ammunition and supplies since the war began.
Naturally, he also received instructions from Ye Qingshan.
Ye Qingshan prepared such a huge supply of ammunition and supplies in advance.
Of course, it is not only for the 89th Army to use.
In fact, it was prepared in advance for the 86 elite troops of the th Army who were returning home.
The returning vanguard, namely Long Wendong's 4th Division, marched almost lightly.
No heavy weapons were carried.
In this case, even if they arrive in northern Guangdong.
Without heavy equipment, their combat effectiveness will be greatly reduced.
Ye Qingshan needs to prepare enough heavy weapons and ammunition for them in advance so that they can be equipped when they return.
Can quickly restore combat effectiveness.
On May 131, the retreating Ninth Mixed Brigade of the Japanese army attempted to recapture the positions on the Danxia Mountain front from the st Division of the Gui Army.
But they were all repelled by the 131st Division of the Gui Army.
In the afternoon, the three main regiments of the New 1st Division also arrived at the Danxia Mountain line.
Together with the 131st Division of the Gui Army, they garrisoned the Danxia Mountain position.
In this way, the Japanese 9th Mixed Brigade would have no chance of retaking this place.
Under such circumstances, the Japanese 9th Mixed Brigade could only retreat in a panic.
If they don't retreat now, the remaining logistical supplies they have will be used up.
By then, they won't be able to retreat.
“What a pity, if it weren’t for the fact that we don’t have enough troops.
We can’t let the Ninth Mixed Brigade of the Japanese get away like this.”
Ye Qingshan looked at the map and felt regretful.
There is no way. The remaining troops of the New 1st Division are less than 10,000.
Even if the more than 131 people of the st Division of the Gui Army are added, the number is not large.
It is already difficult to defend the key positions from Danxia Mountain to Shaoguan.
It is impossible to take advantage of the opportunity to annihilate the Japanese Ninth Mixed Brigade.
Ye Qingshan was very satisfied as long as he could hold his position and delay for three weeks.
As the Japanese 22th Mixed Brigade retreated, the Japanese nd Mixed Brigade that attacked Shaoguan no longer dared to stay north of Shaoguan.
The Japanese couldn't figure out whether Ye Qingshan had any reinforcements.
What if, the Japanese 22nd Mixed Brigade does not retreat and is surrounded north of Shaoguan?
Without the support of the 9th Mixed Brigade on their flank, they would most likely be annihilated here.
In the end, the commander of the Japanese 22nd Mixed Brigade, Mishan Milu, still backed down.
They chose to retreat dozens of kilometers to the east of Danxia Mountain.
Wait for the arrival of the two infantry regiments of the Japanese 40th Division before launching a new attack.
“This time, we are fighting the Japanese in northern Guangdong.
Take three weeks as the critical point.
In the first half, the Japanese were unable to capture northern Guangdong.
Well, wait three weeks and my 86th Army will come back.
The battle will now enter the second half."
Looking at the sand table, Ye Qingshan realized that the key to the victory of this battle lies in northern Guangdong.
All in these three weeks.
And now, ten days have passed.
There's still half a month left.
But this half month was also extremely troublesome.
Just because, on the sand table of the command center, Ye Qingshan could already see it clearly.
Ten minutes ago, the headquarters staff received a report from the reconnaissance unit.
It was learned that the two Japanese infantry regiments that had marched south from the Xiangxi battlefield had entered Guangdong Province.
We will reach the front line in two days at most.
After joining forces with the Japanese 22th Mixed Brigade and the nd Mixed Brigade, they will surely attack the Danxia Mountain position again.
"Notify Commander Xia and tell him.
The Danxia Mountain position should be defended if possible, and retreat to Shaoguan if not.
But we try to hold on to Danxia Mountain for a week before retreating.”
Ye Qingshan asked the young martial artist next to him to send a telegram to Commander Xia.
Commander Xia left Shaoguan yesterday and headed north to Danxia Mountain to take charge.
Now, the Danxia Mountain frontline in the north is their frontline position facing the Japanese troops heading south.
Shaoguan has become the second line of defense.
It can be said that after more than a week of hard work.
Ye Qingshan's New 1st Division has recaptured most of the defensive positions in Danxia Mountain and Shaoguan that were lost by the Tenth Army.
Of course, the main credit for retaking the position on Danxia Mountain should go to the 131st Division of the Gui Army.
The two lines of defense in northern Guangdong returned to Ye Qingshan's hands.
Ye Qingshan has gained a lot more confidence in holding out in northern Guangdong for another two weeks.
Whether it is Danxia Mountain or the defensive positions on the front line of Shaoguan, they are actually easy to defend but difficult to attack.
They have the advantage of geographical location.
At this moment, Ye Qingshan's only disadvantage compared to the Japanese is the problem of manpower.
The main force was sufficient, relying on the strategic defensive positions in Danxia Mountain and Shaoguan.
Even stopping the main force of the 11th Army from advancing southward would not be a problem.
Initially, Ye Qingshan transferred the Tenth Army to northern Guangdong for a specific purpose.
It was to stop the main force of the Japanese 11th Army.
On May 40, two infantry regiments of the Japanese 22th Division successfully joined up with the Japanese th Mixed Brigade and the nd Mixed Brigade.
They received a death order from Seishirō Itagaki.
Within one week, break through the National Army’s defense line in northern Guangdong, otherwise all of them will commit suicide to apologize.
"Gentlemen, we have no way out in this battle.
Even if it means death, we must succeed. "
In the Japanese command tent, the newly appointed Japanese commander Jiang Xiajiro.
Looking at the Japanese 22th Mixed Brigade and the nd Mixed Brigade standing on both sides, as well as the many major generals and colonels of his own brigade, he spoke in a loud voice.
"Hi!"
All the Japanese generals bowed and nodded.
Jiang Xiajitaro was the major general brigade commander of the Japanese 40th Division. It was he who led the two infantry regiments of the 40th Division and was the first to escape from the Xiangxi battlefield.
Anan Weiji, the old Japanese, has not been able to take over northern Guangdong after such a long time with the 22th Mixed Brigade and the nd Mixed Brigade.
I was already very dissatisfied.
After the three Japanese brigades join together, they will naturally not hand over the command to the commanders of these two brigades.
Hand it over directly to Jiang Xiajilang and give a death order.
"Within two days, take down the Chinese defensive positions in Danxia Mountain."
Jiang Xiaji is ambitious.
However, the two brigade commanders of the Japanese 22th Mixed Brigade and the nd Mixed Brigade sneered in their hearts.
I think Jiang Xiajilang is already used to fighting other Kuomintang troops in Xiangxi.
I thought that the 89th Army of Ye Qingshan that they came to northern Guangdong to deal with this time was the same as other Kuomintang troops.
At the beginning, their thoughts were similar to Jiang Xiaji's.
However, after they took command of the troops, they had fought a bloody battle with Ye Qingshan's New 1st Division in northern Guangdong for ten days.
Only then did they realize that they were dealing with a force that was completely different from other national army forces.
Ye Qingshan's New 1st Division is outstanding in terms of firepower, soldiers' fighting will, and combat proficiency.
They were the strongest national army troops they had ever seen.
Jiang Xiajilang thought about it for two days and then took over the Danxia Mountain position. He was really stingy.
However, these two Japanese brigade commanders had no intention of reminding Jiang Xiajilang.
Let him hit a wall and kill his arrogance, it will do no harm to both of them.
On the afternoon of the 7th, the Japanese deployed three infantry regiments and two artillery battalions.
They began to attack more than 10,000 national army troops on the Danxia Mountain front.
Among the 131 soldiers defending Danxia Mountain, the st Division of the Gui Army had nearly people.
The remaining 4,000 people were from the three regiments of Xiayang's New 1st Division.
Although there are 10,000 defenders in Danxia Mountain, the length of the defense line they have to defend is more than ten kilometers.
Moreover, it is divided into more than 20 defensive positions and hilltops of various sizes.
In this way, once the troops are dispersed, there will not be many people left in each defensive position.
Boom boom boom!
The Japanese artillery continued to bombard the Danxia Mountain positions.
Even the Japanese bombers came.
Although, the fighter group commanded by Meng Jifei also rushed to join the battle and drove away the Japanese bomber group.
But this did not prevent the Japanese from having an overwhelming advantage in firepower on the Danxia Mountain side.
The artillery of the New 1st Division is still mainly on the Shaoguan defense line in the rear.
Xia Yang was not transferred here and it was too late.
The artillery brought by the 131st Division of the Gui Army was simply a confrontation with the enemy's artillery.
The largest artillery in the hands of the Gui army was just a few 75mm mountain cannons.
Xia Yang even discovered that this was the second-hand 75mm mountain cannon that had passed through their hands a year ago.
It turned out that he was bought back by Gui Jun's brothers.
"If I had known earlier, I would have given up the position and sold more artillery."
Xia Yang smiled bitterly.
At the beginning, when Ye Qingshan sold the extra second-hand artillery in the army, he encountered a lot of opposition from these generals.
Nowadays, who would complain about having too many artillery pieces?
Now it seems that Ye Qingshan’s decision was correct.
The Japanese attack lasted from the afternoon of the 7th to the 9th without stopping for a moment.
The attack continued day and night.
The defense lines in various parts of Danxia Mountain were in crisis and the defending troops suffered heavy losses.
Commander Xia and Commander He of the 131st Division of the Gui Army were extremely anxious.
Ye Qingshan asked Xia Yang and the others to try to stay in Danxia Mountain for a week.
But if the situation continues like this, they may not be able to hold out for five days.