sbdcsierra Chapter 275: Advancing with unstoppable force
Chapter 275: Advancing with unstoppable force
He stood up, walked to the large map hanging on the wall, pointed to the locations of Yangquan and Niangzi Pass, and began to lay out the attack plan in detail.
The air in the headquarters was filled with a tense and serious atmosphere, and the flames in the furnace seemed to become even hotter at this moment.
"Three brigade commanders, let's make arrangements for the operation."
"The Independent Brigade is responsible for attacking Yangquan. You are the most experienced siege troop in the Independent Column.
So the mission of attacking Yangquan is now handed over to you, Li Yunlong. You must fight well for me. The 37th Division stationed in Yangquan is not jealous. "
Gaoda gave the instructions, his eyes revealing his trust in Li Yunlong, but also a warning.
Li Yunlong patted his chest and assured: "Commander, don't worry, the task of attacking Yangquan will be handed over to my independent brigade. I guarantee that we can take Yangquan City."
He was very confident about this. The number of personnel in the independent brigade has now reached nearly 5, 3 more than the 2 planned.
These were soldiers secretly recruited by Li Yunlong. Nominally they were auxiliary troops, or logistics troops, but the training they received was exactly the same as that of regular troops, and they could take up guns and fight the Japanese at any moment.
Li Yunlong was secretly proud in his heart. He knew that if the 5-strong independent brigade failed to capture Yangquan, he, Li Yunlong, could go back home to farm.
Although the 37th Division had more than 18,000 people, not all of them were stationed in Yangquan City. Instead, they were scattered in surrounding cities. Therefore, there were only less than 37 troops of the 1th Division in Yangquan City, and the remaining 8000 were in surrounding cities.
Gao Da then looked at Kong Jie and ordered: "The mission of the Ping An Brigade is very important, which is to launch an attack on Niangzi Pass. The defenders of Niangzi Pass are less than the size of a regiment. This should be very easy for you. I will give you two days to capture Niangzi Pass. Can you do it?"
Kong Jie said loudly: "Yes, Commander. I will ensure that the mission is completed."
Gaoda nodded in satisfaction and looked at Ding Wei standing aside: "Old Ding, the mission of your New 1st Brigade is relatively simple. You are responsible for blocking the enemy troops coming from Taiyuan and Jinzhong for support."
"Yes, Commander." Ding Wei replied.
The soldiers of the New 1st Brigade are good at guerrilla warfare and blocking warfare. They are fully prepared and confident for the tasks they are about to perform.
After giving the order, Gaoda looked at the three and said, "Three brigade commanders, this operation must be quick, accurate and ruthless. No procrastination is allowed.
We must catch the Japanese off guard. As for the specific arrangements of the troops, you can handle them yourselves; I only want the results.
Okay, everyone go back and prepare. "
"Yes, Commander."
Everyone responded in unison, then turned and left the command center.
The heavy snow was still falling outside, but the warmth inside the command center did not diminish at all.
Li Yunlong, Kong Jie and Ding Wei walked out of the command center with serious expressions on their faces. They knew that the next battle would be a tough one.
They mounted their horses and, along with their guards, quickly disappeared into the boundless snow and wind, returned to their respective troops, and began intensive and orderly pre-war preparations.
.................
1 month 3 day.
The snow in the sky finally stopped, but the ground was still covered with thick white snow.
The temperature was still very low, and the cold wind outside was whistling as if it could penetrate everything.
However, the barracks of the independent column's troops were bustling with activity, with the soldiers quickly packing their luggage and equipment, preparing to go into battle.
Except for a certain number of troops left behind in each brigade, all other combat troops were dispatched to launch an attack on the Yangquan area.
Nearly 7 troops of the independent column set out from Ping'an County and Heyuan County respectively, and the mighty army began to march in the world of ice and snow.
Every soldier was wearing a thick cotton coat and a white cloak on the outside. Although the cold wind was biting, the soldiers were marching hard in the snow, and every soldier had a very warm heart.
As long as they were fighting the Japanese, they had no complaints no matter what the weather was.
March 1, 4 am.
Before it was fully light, the artillery regiment of the independent brigade launched a fierce artillery attack on the Japanese positions outside Yangquan.
Hundreds of artillery pieces and rocket launchers roared in unison, and hundreds of artillery shells and rockets whizzed towards the Japanese positions outside Yangcheng.
Since the last time Yangquan City was captured by the Eighth Route Army, the 37th Division has built more solid permanent fortifications and positions.
Violent explosions sounded outside Yangquan City. The Japanese soldiers hiding in the tunnels and warming themselves by the fire were frightened by the sudden explosions. They immediately picked up their weapons and ran to their positions, ready to fight.
After the bombing, the Japanese positions outside Yangquan City had been blown to pieces.
"Go ahead, comrades."
The soldiers of the independent brigade took the opportunity to launch a fierce attack. Five infantry regiments launched fierce attacks from all directions of Yangquan. The shouts of the Eighth Route Army soldiers and the sound of charge horns were everywhere.
"Charge the enemy's position and occupy it."
Tens of thousands of Eighth Route Army soldiers rushed towards the Japanese positions outside Yangquan at the fastest speed in the cold wind.
There were determined expressions on their faces, and the hot air they exhaled condensed into white mist in the cold air.
The soldiers' feet struggled forward in the snow, but the flame of fighting burned in their hearts.
The Japanese soldiers hiding in the positions fought desperately, their eyes bloodshot from the sudden artillery fire. They crawled out of the tunnels in panic, trying to use the weapons in their hands to stop the Eighth Route Army's attack.
However, the Japanese soldiers who rushed to the position from the rear camp were attacked fiercely by the soldiers as soon as they entered the position.
The machine gun fire drew deadly tracks in the snow. Countless Japanese soldiers were killed and fell in the snow. Their blood dyed the snow on the ground red, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding white.
The Japanese never dreamed that the Eighth Route Army would launch a large-scale attack in such weather.
Their commander paced anxiously in his command post, trying to comprehend the sudden attack.
When the troops of the independent brigade arrived near Yangquan, Li Yunlong ordered the reconnaissance battalion to set off first and kill the Japanese sentries around Yangquan.
Under the cover of night, these elite scouts quietly eliminated the enemy's sentinels, leaving the enemies in Yangquan without an eye for early warning.
Therefore, it was not until the independent brigade launched a large-scale artillery attack that the Japanese in Yangquan reacted.
Originally they thought that the weather was just too cold, so the observation post did not send back any news.
But now, the roar of artillery fire and the flames of explosions shattered their illusions, and they realized the impending crisis.
Tens of thousands of Eighth Route Army soldiers advanced triumphantly and captured all the Japanese positions outside Yangquan with great force.
Even the most important high ground outside Yangquan was quickly captured by the independent brigade.
When the Japanese soldiers stationed on the high ground launched artillery attacks, they were instantly attacked by hundreds of rockets. The entire position was filled with flames, and the explosions were deafening.
"Hurry, the enemy's artillery fire is covering us, we have to move quickly!"
A Japanese squad leader roared and tried to organize effective resistance.
But before he could finish his words, a rocket exploded near him, engulfing him and the surrounding soldiers in fire and smoke.
When the Japanese came to their senses, thousands of Eighth Route Army soldiers had already launched an attack on the heights.
"Comrades, charge for victory!"
A company commander held up the flag and shouted loudly.
His voice was particularly clear amid the artillery fire and gunfire, inspiring the soldiers around him.
The Japanese fought desperately, but it was of little use as they were quickly wiped out by the soldiers.
The Eighth Route Army's offensive was like a tide, wave after wave, unstoppable.
The Japanese soldiers on the high ground fell one after another, and their resistance seemed so powerless in the face of the bravery of the Eighth Route Army.