Songhu: Never Give Up

The ferocity of the Japs was fully demonstrated when they were faced with a desperate situation, and they refused to give an inch until they were all killed in battle;
The commandos participating in the north-south advance were equally fearless of life and death. They continuously attacked the Japanese upper line of defense, advancing step by step, and every step forward came at a great cost.

The life-and-death struggle between the two sides lasted for a full hour. The two commandos from the north and south finally broke through the enemy's defense line and successfully joined forces, cutting off the enemy's position in the middle.
Then the 179st Regiment of the 1th Division and the 300st Battalion of the nd Detachment pushed forward from the middle to the east and west. The troop strength on the attack front of more than meters was completely sufficient.

In order to speed up the defeat of the Japanese, the 179th Division and the nd Detachment sent another unit to attack the Japanese from both the east and west directions.
The Japanese couldn't hold on any longer. Blocking the advance from the north and south was already their limit, so they added thousands of troops to the attacking force to launch a centripetal attack.

The remaining Japanese soldiers who were holding out suddenly collapsed. They fled in squadrons, showing that this was also a pre-planned breakout operation.

Although the two Japanese regiment commanders have destroyed the military flags, they just need to take responsibility for it. They still hope that they can stand up for some of their soldiers and leave some seeds for the 104th and 58th Regiments.

After the order to break out was issued, the two old devils looked at each other, then drew their sabers and fiercely stabbed each other, then fell together while hugging each other.
Those who don't know may think that because of their love suicide, they don't seem to be loyal to Yu Ren at all.

"Yamamura-kun, see you in the ghost toilet of Yasukuni!"

"Ueda-kun, I'm waiting for you!"

The two old Japanese finally achieved their wish of dying together, but whether they can be buried together depends on the Chinese.

After the two old devils went to the ghost toilet, the remaining 2 devils scattered like birds and beasts, looking for ways to survive in all directions;

It was already past five in the morning and the sky was bright. The Japs' whereabouts were completely exposed, and there were bullets of revenge everywhere.

At this time, there were ambushes in the southeast, northwest, and northeast. The tens of thousands of soldiers of the 77th Army and the Guerrilla Column surrounded the Japanese in the Horseshoe Valley. No matter which direction they fled, it would be a dead end.

There is no siege on three sides and one left open, only ambushes on ten sides. There are steel walls and iron barriers everywhere. No matter which direction you rush in, you will die.

The battle soon lost its suspense, and all that remained was to encircle and annihilate the remaining enemies. With a troop difference of more than ten times, it was only a matter of time to kill them all.

Soon the remaining Japanese soldiers were wiped out. Due to the sufficient manpower, none of the surrounded Japanese soldiers escaped. At least the 104th Regiment was completely wiped out in the true sense.
Some of the battalion outside the 58th Regiment escaped, and a small number of remnants also escaped from the cavalry and artillery regiments, but according to international practice, they should be completely wiped out, but the Japanese would most likely not admit it.

"Brother Yue, it was really satisfying. None of the surrounded Japanese escaped. We completely wiped out two infantry regiments, one artillery regiment, and one cavalry regiment. It was definitely a great victory."

Ji Xingwen arrived before he did. This should be the most satisfying battle he has ever fought. He now admires Yue Qianli with all his heart.

When Yue Qianli saw that only Ji Xingwen came, he immediately understood that Feng Zhian was probably not willing to contact him. After all, the level difference between the two was too big.

It would be embarrassing for a military commander to come to Yue Qianli to share the spoils. It would be better to give it all to Ji Xingwen.

He already knew the distribution plan. The guerrilla column belonged to the central army, so it would be great if he could get half of it.

The two exchanged pleasantries for a while, and seeing that Ji Xingwen looked a little embarrassed, Yue Qianli immediately understood what was going on. He did not want to embarrass him, but took the initiative to bring it up, saying that brothers should settle accounts clearly.

Yue Qianli took the initiative to say:
"Brother Ji, my suggestion is to hand over 11 105mm heavy artillery pieces to the headquarters, and we can add the remaining two to make five. What do you think?"

Commander Feng had already given Ji Xingwen the autonomy. It was inevitable that the heavy artillery would be handed over to the headquarters. This was the rule. The other equal divisions were also agreed upon before, so Ji Xingwen had no objection and said politely:
"Brother Yue, this time my 77th Army is indebted to you. I am not afraid of you laughing at me. The Northwest Army is afraid of poverty and has not had any serious replenishment since it went south.
With this batch of spoils, the 77th Army will be able to survive for several months. In one word, thank you! "

Yue Qianli held his hand and said:
“Brother Ji, your words are too serious;

When two brothers do business, it is natural that everyone gets a share. Please give my regards to Commander Feng. I hope we can work together to fight the Japanese next time!"

Ji Xingwen also said emotionally:
"Brother, I am also looking forward to it. It is so exciting to fight the Japanese with Brother Yue, just like chopping melons and vegetables.

I have military duties to attend to, so I'll take my leave now. See you later!"

After Ji Xingwen finished speaking, he left the headquarters accompanied by Tian Yuanxi. The next thing was for Old Tian to meet with him to divide the spoils;

Feng Zhian did not make any request for the battle report. After all, they came to help out, and they were already satisfied to get half of the spoils.

This time, it was not just a little bit of equipment. There were more than a dozen 75mm cannons, enough for the 77th Army to arm an artillery regiment.
In addition, there are infantry guns, mortars, anti-tank guns, anti-aircraft guns, light and heavy machine guns. These heavy equipment can improve the firepower of the 77th Army by several levels.

The 77th Army certainly cannot use so much heavy equipment, especially the 75mm guns. It would be good enough if they could keep 12 of them. The rest can be sold to other Northwest Army brothers in exchange for a lot of food and money.

It is no exaggeration to say that this battle will definitely allow them to upgrade their muskets to large ones and take a big step forward in terms of equipment and support.

At the Fifth War Zone Headquarters, Commander Li kept his eyes fixed on the west of Huoshan. It was obvious that he was also paying attention to the battle in Horseshoe Valley.

This means that more than half of the division has been surrounded. It is not a small matter. Not only him, but even the Military Commission is eagerly waiting for news from the guerrilla column.

General Zhuge Bai came over and said:
"Mr. De, the 179th Division, in cooperation with a part of the guerrilla column, has already wiped out the artillery regiment and the cavalry regiment. There are still about 4 devils in the encirclement.

The Nationalist troops that surrounded and annihilated them numbered over 2. Yue Qianli has deployed all his main forces this time, and with the cooperation of two divisions of the 77th Army, the battle should be over in a day at most. "

Commander Li nodded slightly and said:
“4千鬼子依托环形工事也不是那么好打的，2万围歼4千，也才5比1的兵力优势；
Once it gets light, the Japanese planes will come to support, which will not only make the attack more difficult, but also cause heavy casualties to the attacking troops, and at the very least, allow the Japanese to break out. " "Mr. De is right, but I still have great confidence in Yue Qianli and the guerrilla column. This time, the 13th Division will suffer another setback at the hands of Yue Qianli, and it will be easier for him to fight later."

As soon as General Bai finished speaking, the theater chief of staff Xu Zuyi walked in excitedly. Commander Li, who was always calm, couldn't help but greet him. He had a hunch that it was related to the battle in the Huoshan direction.

"Commander, Jiansheng, the guerrilla column has a good victory report!"

Commander Li and Bai Jiansheng looked at each other. The good news came too quickly. It was just a little after ten in the morning. It was beyond their expectations.

Commander Li took the message and looked at it impatiently. He immediately showed a smile that was hard to hide, and then handed the message to his old partner.
Bai Jiansheng couldn't wait to take it and looked at it, then said in disbelief:
"Yue Qianli is truly a great general of the country. He defeated 4 Japanese invaders in just half a day, and it was a complete victory, with not a single one left alive!
Although he attributed most of the credit to the assistance of the 77th Army, any discerning person could see that more than % of the credit should go to the guerrilla column.

Duke De, with Yue Qianli as a fierce tiger, the battle in Jiangbei will be much easier to fight. Dong Jiuer, the old devil, must be more cautious when sending troops, so as not to accompany his brother Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko."

Bai Jiansheng, who was always serious, rarely made a joke, and Commander Li couldn't help laughing. If they could kill Dong Jiuer, the devil prince, the Fifth War Zone would be able to hold its head high in front of the people of the whole country.
Of course, this is just a thought. The old Japanese, Higashikyuu, is not stupid. After Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko, he is the only one the Japanese royal family can rely on.

Xu Zuyi also interrupted and said:
"Yue Qianli is quite capable. He handed over the 11 captured 105mm heavy howitzers to the headquarters, which is enough to equip a heavy artillery regiment."

Although Li Delin was the commander of the theater, he was also tempted by the 11 heavy artillery pieces. There was only one heavy artillery brigade in the entire Fifth Theater, with 16 German-made 105mm howitzers. Having 11 more pieces would make anyone happy.

Commander Li nodded and said:

"Yan Mou, send a telegram to the Military Commission immediately, saying that we have annihilated more than 10,000 enemies and seized a lot of spoils. I want to commend Yue Qianli and the guerrilla column for this time."

Bai Jiansheng also interrupted and said:
"Add my name as well, and report the achievements of the 77th Army as well. The main achievements naturally go to Yue Qianli and the guerrilla column. We can't let the honest people suffer."

Commander Li nodded in approval, and Bai Jiansheng said with great interest:

“Duke De, in the battle of Xuzhou, you gave the guerrilla column 5 reinforcements, and Yue Qianli defended the southern line;
This time he was given 8 reinforcements, and I suggest that he be given greater responsibility."

Commander Li thought for a moment and said:
"The guerrilla column is a sharp sword. Only when it is hanging can it play the greatest threatening role. Telegraph Yue Qianli and lead the guerrilla column to retreat to the mountainous area south of Shangcheng and north of Macheng to wait for action. Be ready to support the Second Army in the direction of Shangcheng at any time."

Bai Jiansheng understood immediately and praised:
"Mr. De's arrangement of the guerrilla column is very clever. With the previous experience of the 13th Division, as long as the guerrilla column is hanging over their heads, the Japanese will have to think twice when they invade deep into the enemy's territory alone."

This is exactly the effect Commander Li wants; the unknown deterrent power is the greatest.

Once the victory of Ma Ti Gu was announced, it spread immediately across the country, both inside and outside the Great Wall, igniting the anti-Japanese enthusiasm of thousands of people and greatly inspiring the morale of the soldiers on the front line. For a time, the anti-Japanese enthusiasm of the National Government’s army and civilians reached an unprecedented high, and they were full of confidence in the prospect of the Battle of Wuhan.

At the Ninth War Zone Command, the First Corps Commander-in-Chief Xue Boling came back and said to Chen Cixiu:
"Commander, the guerrilla column belongs to the Ninth War Zone. It is not a good idea for them to stay in the Fifth War Zone. We should let them return to the base as soon as possible. My First Corps is in need of a mobile unit."

Chen Cixiu had not expected that the guerrilla column would fight so brilliantly, giving Li Delin an advantage for nothing;
Yue Qianli was a strong general in his civil engineering department, but now he helped the Fifth War Zone to step on the Ninth War Zone. He was not very broad-minded and followed Xue Boling's words and said:
"The guerrilla column is only temporarily loaned to the Fifth War Zone. It is inevitable that they will return to the base. Once they defeat the Second Army's offensive, I will apply to the Military Commission to allow the guerrilla column to return to the base and be used as a mobile force in the war zone."

Xue Boling immediately smiled and said directly to Chen Cixiu:
"Commander, I have already arranged it for you in advance. When the First Corps is needed for combat, you must lend me the guerrilla column.

The Hata detachment is extremely crazy, so it is just right for the guerrilla column to deal with them properly."

The Ninth War Zone was composed of the First and Second Corps. The First Corps was composed of the elite troops of the Central Army, while the Second Corps was composed of a variety of troops, including the Central Army, the Guangdong Army, the Guangxi Army, and the Hunan Army.
The commander of the Second Corps, Zhang Xianghua, was a big shot in the Guangdong Army, and the main force was also the Guangdong Army. Chen Cixiu could hardly command them, so the First Corps was his direct line, and he would naturally not refuse Xue Boling's request.

After Xue Boling left, Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Wu Yizi came over and said:
"Commander, I have been classmates with Bo Ling for many years, and I have never seen him think so highly of someone. In the battle west of Huoshan, the guerrilla column made the Fifth War Zone steal the show. I can't let the 60 elite troops of the Ninth War Zone be outdone by a bunch of miscellaneous troops."

When Li Delin was mentioned, Chen Cixiu's face turned very ugly. As the commander of the same war zone, he couldn't lose to Commander Li. He immediately said with a cold face:
"Send a telegram to the Military Commission!"

At the Second Japanese Army Headquarters, the usually calm Prince Higashikuni was furious and for the first time used the national curse to greet Tanaka Shizuka:

"Bakayaluo, what a bunch of rubbish! The 13th Division has brought disgrace upon the Empire. Will they not fight if they meet Yue Qianli?
What's the point of the empire keeping this bunch of rubbish?"

"Damn it! Two more regiments were wiped out by the guerrilla column. When did the Empire's field regiments become a tofu army?

This useless person, Tanaka Shizuka, should be loyal to His Majesty!"

It is no wonder that Prince Higashikuni was angry. Prince Asaka Naruhiko was his oldest brother. The two brothers had a good relationship since childhood. They were the only two people in the royal family who knew about military affairs. They were praised by the Japanese as the "Gemini" of the royal military.
The hatred for killing his brother is irreconcilable. As the ninth son of Prince Kunimiya Asahiko, he has the responsibility and obligation to avenge his mynah brother.

The Chief of Staff, Major General Suzuki Ryumichi, naturally knew why the prince was so angry. Although the Japanese high-ranking officials kept the matter of Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko secret, people at his level still knew about it, so he leaned over and said:
"Your Highness, I heard that the guerrilla column suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Lanfeng. The five detachments before the battle have been reduced to three. Now is the guerrilla column's weakest time.
The guerrilla column appeared on the battlefield at the eastern foot of Dabie Mountain. This is also an opportunity for the Second Army. If the guerrilla column can be completely wiped out, the results of your battle in Jiangbei will be even more brilliant. "

Prince Higashikuni's face looked better. He now had four divisions and one brigade, as well as a heavy artillery brigade and a large number of aviation and tank units. It would be no problem for him to deal with a small guerrilla column. This was indeed an opportunity, so he nodded and said:
"Suzuki-kun, it's not difficult to destroy the guerrilla column. The difficult part is how to lure them out for a decisive battle. I'll leave this to you!"

Suzuki Shigemichi already had a detailed plan in mind, and he bowed and said:
"Hey, Suzuki will definitely not let His Royal Highness down. I'll go make a battle plan right now."

(End of this chapter)