Glorious Mission 1937

On January 1th, the North China Front Army tried 27 Japanese soldiers and 32 officers. Among them, 3 soldiers were sentenced to death by the military court of the North China Front Army because of serious violations of discipline and Bushido spirit, and 5 of them were sentenced to death. Fixed-term imprisonment, and the rest were all sentenced to fines or dismissal from the military.

In the next few days, the North China Front Army tried the remaining Japanese and puppet soldiers who violated discipline. Every time the trial court was overcrowded, and every time a Japanese and puppet soldier was tried, there were constant applause inside and outside the court. In other words, the Spring Festival in 1941 was not lonely.

On January 1, which is the second day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, the North China Front Army once again posted a notice to make the results of the trial public. A total of 30 people were sent to the military court in this trial, 158 of whom were sentenced to death, 19 Some people were sentenced to life imprisonment or fixed-term imprisonment, and the rest were punished with varying severity.

What made the citizens of Peiping even more rejoicing was that the North China Front Army Command also announced that the 2 soldiers sentenced to death would be publicly shot on February 7, the tenth day of the Lunar New Year.

As soon as this news came out, it completely ignited a storm of public opinion among the Chinese and Japanese people. For a while, the military and civilians of China and Japan were arguing about the military discipline purge of the North China Front Army. Some agreed, some opposed, and some disdainful In short, there are also those who scold Neiji Okamura for hypocrisy. In short, newspapers and magazines have become a mess.

But no matter how the outside world commented or questioned, the North China Front Army's actions to clean up military discipline did not stop. Soon, the Chinese people in the occupied area clearly felt that the previous vicious spirits had become more benevolent.Although the older girls and the younger daughter-in-law still dare not go out into the streets, the men no longer worry about being killed suddenly.

With the public execution of those soldiers who seriously violated discipline on February 2, the military discipline of the North China Front Army has greatly improved, and the general Chinese people in the occupied areas have a certain improvement in their opinion of the Japanese army. At least Okamura Ning The next best person is not one or two.

In addition, Okamura Neiji took the opportunity to put forward propaganda such as "love the people" and "goodwill", and a large number of "people-friendly" handbooks were sent to the hands of ordinary people. In a short period of time, Okamura Neji established a firm foothold in North China. up the heel.

Okamura Ningji's series of combined punches were indeed very clever. The atmosphere in the public security area has changed greatly in a very short period of time, and this change is extremely beneficial to the Japanese army.Except that the hostility of the Chinese people towards the Japanese army has eased a lot.The most important thing is that the military discipline of the various units of the North China Front Army has improved significantly.Subsequently, Neiji Okamura ordered the garrison troops in various places to speed up their training in order to quickly improve their combat effectiveness.

At the same time, Neiji Okamura, Yukio Kasahara and others gathered again in Cuimingzhuang to discuss the sweeping of the Chinese resistance forces in the public security area.

February 2.The North China Front Army Command issued a combat order.In view of the presence of a large number of Dichina armed forces in the public security area.The danger to the Imperial Japanese Army is increasing day by day, and the front army decided to carry out a large-scale sweep of eastern Hebei, western Shandong, southern Shandong and the periphery of Pingjin during the Lantern Festival in China, codenamed "Yuanxiao".

这次大扫荡方面军司令部决定抽调第12军21师团、32师团、混成第10旅团各一部。另外调集第7军下辖的36师团、37师团全部以及方面军直属的第27师团、战车No.30团、山炮兵第5旅团、重炮兵第9旅团各一部，配合以伪军5个旅，共计15万人。另外冈村宁次又将山本一木的特战联队以及甲贺千代子的情报部队全部抽调出来，协助扫荡部队作战。

The North China Front Army kept this operation strictly confidential. Only the division-level headquarters had detailed combat plans, and the following were not clear.Coupled with the frequent dispatch of the Japanese army during this period of time to conduct large-scale military training, neither the troops of the Nationalist Government nor the Eighth Route Army were prepared against the Japanese.

In addition, the North China Front set the mopping up time on February 2, which is the fifteenth day of the Lunar New Year, which is the Lantern Festival.Among the traditional festivals that Chinese people value throughout the year, besides the Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, the Lantern Festival is the most important.Moreover, the Japanese do not make small moves during the Spring Festival, so no one would have thought that the Japanese would launch an attack on the Lantern Festival.

Jidong. Jixian. Tiangezhuang.

This is the Division Headquarters of the Eighth Route Army Jidong Army Division and the Division Headquarters of the Jidong First Division of the Jidong Eighth Route Army. Speaking of the Jidong First Division, the division commander is Bao Sen, who is the commander of the Eighth Route Army Jidong Army Division and the division commander of the Jidong First Division .

The First Division of the Eastern Hebei Division started as a unit of the Fourth Column of the Eighth Route Army. This unit and Chen Feng's troops led the Jidong riots. After the war, this unit and Chen Feng's troops cooperated a lot. At that time, the Eighth Route Army and Chen Feng's troops each took away 1939 troops.

Different from the Eighth Route Army in Shanxi, the Eighth Route Army in East Jidong received strong support from Chen Feng's troops, and they had sufficient weapons, equipment and supplies. Therefore, this army was the first to be reorganized after the Eighth Route Army participated in the Anti-Japanese War.

At the beginning of 1940, the Eighth Route Army Headquarters carried out a major reorganization of the Jidong Army Division. It was organized into three divisions and one column. First Division Master.After the establishment of this army, it did not disappoint the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army. It organized 3 battles against the Japanese and puppet troops in eastern Jidong, wiped out a large number of Japanese and puppet troops, and once drove the troops outside Tangshan City, and even threatened Peiping. Support Chen Feng's troops and other anti-Japanese troops.

It was precisely because of the support of Bao Sen's troops that Chen Feng had the energy to concentrate the troops in the eastern Jidong and Rehe regions to fight the decisive battle with the Japanese and puppet troops, and finally regained Chengde, the capital city of Rehe Province.

However, because the activities of Baosen's troops caused great shock to the Japanese army, as early as when Tada Hayao was in office, the North China Front Army specially dispatched an intelligence team to collect intelligence from the Jidong Army Division, and repeatedly deduced and annihilated them on the sand table. The strategy and tactics of annihilating the Jidong Army Division.

However, due to the extremely covert activities of Baosen's troops, the Japanese army was not fully sure that they would kill Baosen's troops in one blow, so the Japanese army kept holding back.Five days ago, the Japanese army received insider information that Bao Sen would lead the first division of the main division of the Jidong Army Division to Tiangezhuang in Ji County on the day of the Lantern Festival. The plan for Jixian County, which is across the river, is likely to be the attention of this Chinese army attacking Jixian County. It seems that the purpose of going to Tiangezhuang is to investigate and get familiar with the terrain of Jixian County.

After confirming the accuracy of the news, Neiji Okamura ordered Hideki Tojo's 7th Army to immediately mobilize the main force to carry out an ambush. He issued a death order to completely annihilate this army, especially that Bao Sen, who could be captured alive as much as possible, and killed if he could not be captured alive. No matter what, he could not be allowed to escape.

On the day of the Lantern Festival, the entire Tiangezhuang was very lively. Although the population of this Zhuangzi was not very large, with only 80 people in more than 300 households, there were seven or eight hundred officers and soldiers of the Eighth Route Army celebrating the Lantern Festival with them today, so the whole Zhuangzi was very lively.

After dinner, the people in Zhuangzi and the soldiers of the Eighth Route Army sang and danced together. They were very happy. The prosperous bonfire illuminated most of Zhuangzi.Since the Eighth Route Army deployed a large number of guard posts on the periphery, they were not afraid of the arrival of the Japanese at all.What's more, the defenders in Ji County also know that there are not many real Japanese soldiers. There is only one reinforced squadron with more than 250 people, and there are not many puppet troops. Not many were mopped up. In the eyes of the officers and soldiers of the First Division of Jidong, it was the luck of the little devils not to come, and it would be better if they came.

Besides, during the Lantern Festival, some bastard came out to sweep up the place in his free time, so everyone was unprepared.But they didn't know it at all. Just as they were carnivaling, the gates of Jixian County opened wide, and cars left the city quietly one after another. Artillery, full of dangdang.Behind the car is a group of neat infantry, two columns, stretching for nearly a kilometer.

At the same time, another Japanese army, which was completely mechanized infantry, also set off from Zunhua, targeting Tiangezhuang, and all the Japanese and puppet troops in the Pinggu area were also dispatched, heading towards Tiangezhuang.

Most importantly, in order to capture Baosen alive, Okamura Ningji dispatched a combat team from the Special Operations Wing to assist the Seventh Army.This team had arrived here long before Bao Sen's troops arrived at Tiangezhuang, hiding and waiting for orders.

At 12 o'clock sharp, the bustle had dissipated, and the villagers all went back to their homes.After Bao Sen arranged the patrolling troops and guard posts, he discussed with political commissar Shan Degui the possibility of attacking the county seat of Jixian County. The two of them and several staff officers played several times on the sand table, and the results were not bad, although they were not sure of victory. , but at least there will be no danger. Even if the mission fails due to the little devil's reinforcements, they can retreat calmly, and they will definitely not be bitten by the little devil's tail.

However, when they were having a meeting, a dozen strange figures suddenly appeared in the woods outside the village. When you walk in, you will find that these people have undergone special training. One who seems to be the leader suddenly asked: "Katou, Have you made contact with Your Excellency Tojo?"

"Reporting, Your Excellency Commander, we have been contacted. Your Excellency Tojo said that a reinforced infantry brigade and artillery squadron of the 36th Division have set off from Jixian County and are expected to arrive at the scheduled location in half an hour. In addition, Zunhua and Pinggu The entire army has also been dispatched, and if the defenders in Jixian cannot wipe out this Chinese army, then the other two armies will encircle them."

"Yoxi! Remember, our task this time is to assist the Seventh Army to wipe out this Chinese army. The Chinese have placed a large number of guard posts on the outskirts of this Zhuangzi, and the cordon is directly placed 2 kilometers away. Our task It is to kill all these guard posts, so that His Excellency Tojo's troops can quietly complete the encirclement of the Chinese army, understand!"

"Hay!"

"Yoxi, we don't have much time left. Prepare according to the original plan. Now we start to adjust the watch. It is a quarter past midnight, and we will act on time at 20:[-]!"

"Hay!"

........

.....(to be continued..)