Rise from eight hundred.

Major Kurokawa Honor was actually not the first Japanese officer to die in the Battle of Hengyang.

  6 am on June 1st!

The vanguard of the Japanese army on the east route arrived at Quanxi City, about 20 miles away from Hengyang city!

The first to arrive were the plainclothes team, who were not wearing military uniforms but were still brutal, and Fang Xianjue's worries came true. The Japanese plainclothes team captured dozens of Chinese civilians who had no time to escape in the nearby villages, and forced them to walk in front of the team with guns, covering the Japanese army's seizure of the new wharf on the east bank of Leishui, making the Chinese defenders afraid to shoot.

As time went by, by 1 p.m., more and more Japanese troops arrived. A squadron leader came to the bank of the Lei River and carefully observed the movements on the opposite bank. Under the scorching summer sun, both sides of the Lei River were calm, and even the reeds were motionless.

The Japanese infantry squadron leader did not dare to be careless and ordered his soldiers to use infantry artillery to fire across the Leishui River to test the situation. After firing for more than ten minutes without any sound, they were sure that the Chinese defenders had indeed collapsed.

As a result, the Japanese soldiers rushed to the riverside and rushed to the other side at full speed on motorboats and wooden boats.

The brigade commander had promised their two infantry battalions that whichever infantry battalion could plant its flag on the terminal building of Hengyang Airport within two days would be the first to achieve the credit.

  As the 68th Infantry Battalion of the 57th Infantry Brigade of the 6th Division, they had marched all the way to the Leishui River, less than 15 miles away from the Hengyang Airport. How could they still suppress the thought of winning the first merit?

At the same time, Lieutenant General Sakuma, commander of the 68th Division, was still on a truck 40 kilometers away from Hengyang. His eyes were fixed on the map of Hengyang in his hand. He had no intention of looking at the scenery outside the window. That was about to become the fertile land occupied by the empire under the iron hoof of the 68th Division. If it were someone else, wouldn't he have been in high spirits long ago?

It's not that Lieutenant General Sakuma has no interest, but this Japanese Army Lieutenant General knows very well the importance of this battle to the 68th Division, which has finally won the battle to attack Hengyang.

If they fight well, the Type C Division may be upgraded to a Type B Division like the 116th Division. If they fight badly, not only will he, as the division commander, have to serve as deputy to Yokoyama Isamu, but the 68th Division will also be completely reduced to a public security division.

Therefore, Sakuma had planned the battle of Hengyang long after winning the Battle of Tanzhou, especially the Hengyang Airport on the east bank of the Xiangjiang River, which was a place he must take. Even when the 11th Army Command temporarily modified the battle plan and ordered the 68th Division to attack the west of Hengyang City, he still ordered the two independent infantry battalions under the 57th Brigade under the division to keep their goals unchanged and rush to Hengyang Airport, and made a solemn promise.

"Your Excellency the division commander, the 6th Infantry Battalion sent a telegram saying that they have crossed the Leishui River and are about to arrive at the outskirts of Hengyang Airport!" When the convoy stopped, the captain of the division's communications squadron ran to the front of the car and reported to the Japanese Army Lieutenant General who was rubbing his forehead to drive away his fatigue.

"Yes! Call Major Ogasawara back and order them to speed up their march and try to reach Hengyang Airport and capture it by the evening." A hint of excitement flashed in Sakuma's eyes.

The Guangdong-Hankou Railway had been successfully cut off. If the airport was taken, the Chinese defenders in Hengyang would be isolated and unable to get any help from the outside world. The slogan shouted by Mr. Yokoyama Isamu at the military meeting, "Take over Hengyang in three days!", would not be an empty talk.

"Mr. Miki, what are you writing?" Major Shichiro Ogasawara, the captain of the 6th Infantry Battalion standing on the bank of the Leishui River, suddenly asked the second lieutenant communications officer Kazuo Miki, who was standing slightly behind him.

"Major, it's a diary, recording my feelings!" Lieutenant Kazuo Miki replied a little awkwardly.

"Oh? Can you show it to me? I also want to know what my soldiers think when the Imperial Army is advancing triumphantly." Ogasawara Shichiro was in a obviously good mood as he looked at the large group of soldiers who had boarded the ship and started to leave the shore.

Since the captain had spoken, Lieutenant Kazuo Miki dared not hesitate and handed over his diary respectfully.

"In May of the 19th year of the Showa era, the sky was clear, a rare sunny day since entering the water town of Hunan Province, China. Comrades chased each other in the fields, and this ease was also due to the complete defeat of the Chinese army.

Just the day before, that is, on May 5, we finally captured Tanzhou, an important city in Hunan Province that the imperial army had been unable to capture for a long time. Countless imperial soldiers gave their lives to capture this city. I believe that my brother who died in the battle under the city of Tanzhou two years ago can finally rest in peace.

On May 5, the short holiday came to an end, and our division received an urgent combat order, requiring us to quickly assemble and march to Hengyang. Although everyone was eager to relax, as an imperial soldier, combat was our way to gain glory.

Prior to this, the imperial army had swept across the line from Henan Province to Guangxi Province in China. Although the Chinese army was said to have a million troops, it seemed vulnerable in front of the imperial army.

This time, the 116th Division has taken the lead as the vanguard to advance to Hengyang. The war is imminent, but everyone is convinced that Hengyang will be captured this time. Ono-kun and I made a bet that after capturing Hengyang, whoever kills the least enemy will buy a drink.

On the 29th, our troops were getting closer and closer to Hengyang. Along the way, we encountered very little resistance, but these had become our habit. Fleeing without fighting had long become a habit of the Chinese army.

On the 30th, our army approached Hengyang, and our air force kept circling overhead. This has always been our combat habit. Destroy the enemy's will to resist with intensive artillery fire, and then completely eliminate them with the spirit of Bushido.

Captain Ogasawara invited several squadron leaders to drink, and I, a small communications officer, was also fortunate to attend. During the meal, everyone talked about the upcoming Battle of Hengyang. Our 11th Army has deployed three divisions to participate in the siege of the enemy city, but in the eyes of everyone present, this is a bit unnecessary. Why would we need three divisions of the Imperial Army to capture a small city like Hengyang?

That night, everyone drank a lot and was in a good mood. Everyone was celebrating the upcoming victory.

My dear mother, I miss you very much. I left you a year ago and came to a foreign country. But please don't worry, I will definitely complete my brother's unfinished business with all my glory. I look forward to seeing you again in Tokyo."

Major Ogasawara Shichiro read softly the words that his communications lieutenant had been recording over the past few days, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

  The communications lieutenant was in a relatively happy mood, all thanks to the military merits of the Imperial Army!

"June 6st, sunny! Our infantry battalion, led by Mr. Ogasawara, is crossing the river with high morale."

This is the text that Kazuo Miki just wrote!

"Mr. Miki, you write very well, but I still want to give you some advice. When you keep mentioning me in your diary, don't forget the two gentlemen, the brigade commander and the division commander!" Major Ogasawara Shichiro instructed with a smile on his face.

"Hi!" Miki Kazuo quickly stood at attention and lowered his head.

  The horrifying sound of "Boom boom boom!" suddenly tore through the sky!

That's the sound of rapid-fire cannons firing continuously!

The two Japanese officers who were talking suddenly turned their heads to look at the center of the river, where columns of water continued to rise from the surface of the river.

A Japanese squad leader who was standing on the bow of the front motorboat and looking around was caught off guard and was lifted into the air by the blast of an exploding shell. He tumbled several times in the air and fell into the surging Leishui River.

In an instant, there was a burst of gunfire on the river and a raging fire broke out!

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!" A lung-piercing voice rang out on the shore.

  The diary that recorded Lieutenant Kazuo Miki's good mood fell to the ground and was stained with mud!

Ambushed in the reed marshes on the riverbank opposite the Lei River was the 190st Battalion of the 568th Regiment of the 1th Division.

After the 6th Division arrived in Hengyang on June 30, Fang Xianjue arranged for it to defend the Hengyang Airport. A total of more than 190 people from the 568th Regiment, an engineering company directly under the 190th Division, and a guard company had a simple dinner in Hengyang City, crossed the Xiangjiang River from the east of Hengyang City overnight, and stationed at the Hengyang Airport where no fighter planes were taking off or landing.

Just as the Japanese thought, Hengyang Airport was far away from the city and could have been abandoned, but the army in Hengyang still needed supplies. Once the Guangdong-Hankou Railway was cut off by the Japanese army, the airport would become the only channel.

Fang Xianjue’s idea was that if the Japanese army focused its main attack direction on the southwest of the city, then the Hengyang Airport would be defended as long as possible. If the Japanese army deployed heavy troops to attack the airport, the defenders would destroy the airport and then withdraw back into the city.

  We can't just give up such an important airport to others like that!

Of course, a more important tactic is consumption! Even if the Japanese army suffered a few hundred casualties during the attack, it would weaken some of its strength in the future siege. This is actually very cruel. Hengyang Airport is located on the plain east of the Xiangjiang River, with no strategic location to defend. The consumption of the Japanese army is actually also the consumption of the officers and soldiers of the 10th Army.

But as the saying goes, 'A merciful army cannot be commanded', even though Fang Xianjue, the supreme commander, has already understood this, he will still do the same.

All the positions outside the city of Hengyang were actually used to consume the Japanese army, consuming not only blood and life, but also morale.

The Japanese army is not emotionless wooden men. The large number of corpses and wounded soldiers will also make them feel afraid. By the time the Japanese army has cleared all the positions outside the city, their morale will certainly be far lower than when they first arrived. Only then will Hengyang City have a glimmer of hope.

As for the Hengyang defenders, their morale might be low, but does a solitary army need morale to improve its combat effectiveness? If they don't want to die, they have to fight desperately. Including Fang Xianjue, all the Chinese who are still in Hengyang have no other choice.

The 190th Division, which chose to accept the order, quickly arrived at Hengyang Airport under the leadership of Division Commander Rong Youlue, and sent the 586st Battalion of the 20th Regiment to Leihe, miles away. The combat mission assigned by Rong Youlue to the battalion was not difficult, "put up a brief resistance, then retreat." The st Battalion did not need to hold on to the death, but only needed to delay the Japanese army's attack speed and buy time for the deployment of defenses at Hengyang Airport.

But Major Yang Jihe, the battalion commander of the 190st Battalion of the 80th Division, was no ordinary man. During the Battle of Changde, he was still the deputy battalion commander and personally led an infantry company in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. He killed more than 30 Japanese soldiers with a record of 70 deaths and injuries. He used the dead Japanese soldiers as streets to build fortifications, and the only dozen remaining soldiers hid behind the fortifications made of Japanese corpses to face the shooting of the Japanese reinforcements, in order to cover the evacuation of the wounded soldiers in the hand-to-hand combat.

That guy, the Japanese army's crazy machine gun bullets swept the fortifications made of corpses, real blood and flesh flew everywhere, Yang Jihe hiding behind him had blood all over his head and face, looking as ferocious as a devil. Several Japanese soldiers who were the first to attack a barricade just watched a red figure jump out from the pile of corpses, holding a submachine gun and shooting at them.

Unfortunately, no one kept that horrific and bloody scene in their memory, because all the Japanese soldiers who were stunned and slightly slow were shot on the spot.

The strong smell of blood even overwhelmed the smell of gunpowder on the battlefield for the first time, causing the Japanese army to pause their offensive for 15 minutes. It was during these precious 15 minutes that reinforcements from the 190th Division arrived, and Yang Ji and the captain, who had only five soldiers left, survived.

It is said that the Chinese soldiers who came to support also stared at the "blood demon" in front of them who lowered his gun and grinned at them for a long time before they were sure that this was one of their own.

After the Battle of Changde, the ruthless Yang Jihe was directly transferred to the first battalion as the battalion commander.

Just tell me, how could such a ruthless person offer even a little resistance?

"Captain Yang, I order you to withdraw your men immediately." The commander of the 586th Regiment called from the fortifications he was setting up about 7 miles to the rear.

"We can't let the Japanese get away with it like this. We have to teach these bastards a lesson. If we retreat without a fight, we will only boost the enemy's morale and destroy our own prestige!" Yang Jihe twisted his neck and directly confronted his own commander.

The colonel didn't have a temper either. "Courage" itself is a double-edged sword. If used well, it can be invincible. If used poorly, it can become "reckless". If used improperly, it can lead to the death of hundreds of people.

Fortunately, the major Yang Jihe was not a reckless man. He not only planned to attack the Japanese army halfway across the river, but the confidence that gave him the courage to fight the Japanese army in one wave came from the four anti-tank guns behind him.

  Fang Xianjue was also a smart man. He knew very well how difficult it was for the more than 190 officers and soldiers of the 2000th Division to go upstream. Since he had given them such a difficult task of defending Hengyang Airport, how could he not give them some support?

Not only did they promise to support the Hengyang Airport position with the eight artillery pieces in the city, but they also allocated four of the few anti-tank guns in the city directly to the 8th Division.

The German Empire's 37mm anti-tank gun has been one of the most reliable supports for Chinese infantry since the Battle of Shanghai.

With an effective range of 1000 meters, the gun can be used as artillery to kill infantry, and can also be used to directly aim at armored targets and fixed fortifications. The 89 mm thick armor on the front of the Type 30 main battle tank equipped by the Japanese infantry can often be penetrated by this gun in one shot.

Using such artillery to attack wooden boats and motorboats is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

The motorboat in the front was immediately blown and rolled over on the river surface, and more than 10 wooden boats following behind were blown into flying wood chips. The only way to survive was to jump into the river.

Fortunately, it was already June, the temperature was already 30 degrees, and the Lei River was not too turbulent at this time. As long as we were good enough at swimming, we could still swim back or to the other side of the river.

But unfortunately, the infantry battalion led by Yang Jihe was the spearhead battalion of the 586th Regiment, equipped with more than 20 light machine guns alone, not to mention 5 heavy machine guns.

"Hit me! I didn't even dare to go into the water when it was so hot. How dare you play in the water in front of me?" Yang Jihe was a ruthless man as well as a clever man. He glared at him and gave the order.

20 light machine guns and 5 heavy machine guns opened fire at the same time. The Japanese infantrymen in the water became sitting ducks. The surface of the Leishui River was dyed red with blood. Except for a very small number of the more than 300 Japanese infantrymen who boarded the boat who were able to escape back to their own river bank, more than 300% were buried in the -meter-wide Leishui River.

  The list of personnel killed or missing included a Japanese captain and four Japanese second lieutenants!

Ogasawara Shichiro, who was standing on the other side of the river, was furious at what was happening, but there was nothing he could do.

His infantry battalion was equipped with 12 heavy machine guns and 2 infantry cannons, but the Chinese firepower points were hidden in the vast reed marshes, and the Japanese army could not determine the specific location of the firepower points in a short period of time.

Firepower coverage? Relying on two infantry guns, it's better to save money! Don't let the rapid-fire guns ambushed by the Chinese on the opposite bank of the river steal your fire before you fire a few shots. That would be the real trouble for the 2th Infantry Battalion.

This wave of fierce fighting lasted only 15 minutes and ended with China's complete victory. From this moment on, the Battle of Hengyang officially began.

The Japanese 11th Army sacrificed the lives of 304 infantrymen! It was a blood sacrifice!

In the afternoon, the 6th Infantry Battalion changed its strategy and continued to feint an attack on Yang Jihe's camp on the bank of Leishui River with a part of its troops. However, the main force of more than 400 people bypassed Quanxi City and quietly crossed Leishui River from the south, intending to outflank the Chinese troops who dared to stay on the river bank to block them.

Yang Jihe had already used two infantry squads to guard the flank five miles away from his own flank. Once they spotted the Japanese army, they would immediately light a bonfire made of wet firewood to warn them. The four heaviest anti-tank guns were also sent to the Wumacao defense line in the rear early.

As soon as the shadow of the 6th Infantry Battalion appeared, more than 586 officers and soldiers of the 1st Battalion of the 500th Regiment immediately ran away with their guns in hand.

The more than 6 Japanese infantrymen of the 400th Infantry Battalion, who were already exhausted from running and marching in the hot weather, were directly EMOed.

The Chinese fled just as the brigade's second lieutenant communications officer Kazuo Miki described, but why did it feel so bitter?

They don’t know that an even more bitter taste is yet to come!

That night! Kazuo Miki wrote in his diary: "Mom, we underestimated the enemy's will to resist. In the bushes, there were already more than 200 bodies of the imperial officers and soldiers who died in battle. They were fished out of the river in the evening. Their faces were as white as the snow in my hometown. On a summer night in Hunan Province, China, I was actually a little cold!" (End of this chapter)