sbdcsierra Chapter 500
Chapter 500
At the same time that Tada Shun was holding a military meeting, Dashagou in the mountainous area south of Zhangjiakou.
At this time, the Second and Fourth Corps of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region had all entered the designated combat area.
At the same time, the six main regiments of the accompanying Fourth Military Division also rushed to the planned combat site.
According to the front-line headquarters' combat plan for Zhangjiakou, the main force surrounding Zhangjiakou was Yang Dezhi's Second Column.
Huang Yongsheng's Fourth Column captured Xiahuayuan and Xuanhua.
The main force of the military sub-district was responsible for blocking the reinforcements of the Japanese army in Huaian, Tianzhen, Yanggao and other places west of Zhangjiakou.
We will strive to capture Zhangjiakou within three days and destroy the rebuilt Independent Mixed Brigade No. 2 in Zhangjiakou.
At this time, inside the Dashagou Command Center, a group of people were discussing how to take Zhangjiakou.
"What's the situation in Zhangjiakou? It won't be like Wutai, right?" Commander Xiao asked Chief of Staff Peng Shousheng.
In the Battle of Zhangjiakou, Commander Xiao was sent to Zhangjiakou by Division Commander Xu to command the troops and serve as the commander of the soon-to-be-established Jireliao Army.
Peng Shousheng shook his head. "Ever since Ren Jianyi rebuilt the Second Independent Mixed Brigade, our troops haven't fought this guy yet!
This person had been serving in the Kwantung Army. After we killed Abe Nobuhide last year, he was transferred to North China to take over Abe Nobuhide's position as brigade commander.
But after taking over, this old devil didn't send troops to sweep us, but instead strengthened the military forces in Zhangjiakou!
"
After hearing the Chief of Staff's words, the Political Commissar Cheng Zihua asked:
Strengthen military forces?
"
Peng Shousheng nodded.
"Since the Second Independent Mixed Brigade was completely annihilated by us in the Battle of Shijiazhuang two years ago, the Japanese army has rebuilt this brigade.
Not only was the system restored, it was even strengthened!
In addition to the original five reinforced infantry battalions, a heavy artillery squadron equipped with six 150mm howitzers was added.
In addition, there is a tank squadron equipped with Type 94 light armored vehicles and Type 97 tanks.
The total force is approximately 10,000!"
"
In addition, there were two puppet army divisions with about 7,000 people. However, the Japanese army seemed to distrust these two puppet army divisions and placed one in Xuanhua and the other in Xiahuayuan.
The main forces of the 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade are concentrated in Zhangjiakou.
In addition, Huaian has an infantry battalion of the Independent Mixed 2nd Brigade!
"
After listening to the Chief of Staff's words, Commander Xiao was thoughtful:
In other words, there are more than 7,000 Japanese troops in Zhangjiakou now!
"
Peng Shousheng nodded after listening.
"Hitomi Yoichi didn't strengthen Zhangjiakou's defenses like he did Wutai?"
Commander Xiao asked doubtfully.
Hearing this, Peng Shousheng shook his head.
“No, after we received the information from Wutai, we immediately contacted the intelligence personnel in Zhangjiakou.
They scouted the area around Zhangjiakou.
There has been no news of the Japanese army reinforcing Zhangjiakou's defenses in recent times.
However, the number of fortifications outside the Japanese army in Zhangjiakou has increased."
The Second Political Commissar, Rui, who was standing by, heard what the Chief of Staff said and thought of something.
The situation in Wutai should be accidental. People like Jia Linzhongdao, the newly arrived commander of the 109th Division, are probably rare in the Japanese army.
Since we captured Zhangjiakou, the Japanese army has strengthened the outer fortifications after reoccupying it.
We didn’t have many heavy weapons for siege before.
The Japanese troops in Zhangjiakou probably also discovered this.
But this time......
"
Hearing this, Commander Xiao's brows relaxed and he nodded.
But he still couldn't help but say to the Second Column Commander Yang Dezhi and Political Commissar Su Zhenghua in front of him: "
You two heard it too. Although Zhangjiakou’s defense is not as good as Shijiazhuang’s, you two should listen to me carefully.
I don’t want what happened at Wutai to happen to you, the Second Column!
"
After speaking, there was a pause.
"If you find something wrong, evacuate immediately!"
Hearing Commander Xiao's words, Yang Dezhi and Su Zhenghua nodded seriously.
They had both heard about what happened in Wutai. If it weren't for their firepower to suppress the Japanese army, Wutai would have suffered a major defeat.
Commander Xiao looked at his watch and said, "
It is now nine o'clock, and we will launch an attack on Zhangjiakou at one o'clock in the morning.
Tomorrow at noon, I want to see you take Zhangjiakou!
"
"Yes!"
"Commander!"
The two of them quickly replied seriously.
Then the meeting was adjourned, and Yang Dezhi, Huang Yongsheng and others began to rush back to their own troops.
At twelve o'clock in the morning, the night enveloped Zhangjiakou, and the mountains outside the city cast shadows in the moonlight, appearing deep and cold.
As time went by, the chirping of insects around was gradually replaced by a heavier atmosphere: the two main regiments of the Second Column of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region and the Fourth Military Sub-district had quietly completed the encirclement of Zhangjiakou.
Yang Dezhi, commander of the Second Column, stood at the front line of Zhangjiakou and observed the Japanese fortifications on the Zhangjiakou city wall through a telescope.
Unlike Wutai's strong fortifications, Zhangjiakou's main defense relies on the outer fortifications.
Although the Japanese troops in the city were prepared for war to a certain extent, they obviously did not expect the Eighth Route Army to launch a large-scale offensive at this time.
The artillery regiment of the Second Column has quietly completed its deployment.
Twelve Soviet-style 76.2mm field guns and 12 122mm howitzers were quietly hidden among the valleys and hills outside the city, with their muzzles pointing towards Zhangjiakou's outer fortifications.
The regimental mortar unit was deployed in a concealed position two kilometers away from the outer fortifications of Zhangjiakou, ready to provide close combat fire support to the attacking troops at any time.
In addition, the engineering battalion is already ready to carry out obstacle clearing work at the periphery at any time, waiting for the artillery bombardment to end and provide a passage for the upcoming siege operation.
At the same time, the Fourth Column on the southeast side had also split up and quietly reached the outskirts of Xiahuayuan and Xuanhua.
Huang Yongsheng's mission for the Fourth Column was very clear, which was to eliminate the outer strongholds of the Japanese and puppet troops in these two places, cut off the retreat routes of the defenders in the city, and eliminate the Japanese and puppet troops in these two cities.
And organized the Japanese troops from the direction of Peiping to reinforce Zhangjiakou.
Zhangjiakou front line position.
At 12:55 in the morning, Yang Dezhi whispered an order: "All units, take your positions and prepare to attack!"
At one o'clock in the morning, the quiet outside of Zhangjiakou City was suddenly torn apart.
The Second Column Artillery Regiment took the lead in action. Relying on the surrounding mountains and commanding heights, all artillery positions had already been deployed.
With the commander's order, 12 122mm howitzers and 12 76mm field guns began to roar.
The shells whizzed down towards the city walls, bunkers, and the Japanese military camps outside the city.
Suddenly, a corner of the city wall collapsed, and the Japanese fortifications were directly overturned.
Some bunkers and machine gun firing points were blown up into the sky with flames shooting up into the sky and debris flying everywhere.
The 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade defending the city responded hastily, alarms sounded one after another, and soldiers rushed to their positions in panic.
Ren Jianyi was awakened by the deafening explosion in the Zhangjiakou headquarters. He quickly put on his military uniform and rushed out of the command post.