Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

Chapter 353 My cannon is thirsty!

Ding Wei and Kong Jie both agreed with Li Yunlong's unconventional battle plan.

This march northwards into northwestern Shanxi and the recovery of lost territory along the way were of extraordinary significance to the Eighth Route Army.

Afterwards, the four brothers Ding Wei, Kong Jie, Li Yunlong and Xing Zhiguo worked together to develop a marching plan.

At present, the tentative plan is to attack and recapture Xinxian County, Yuanping County, Gang County, Ningwu County and Shenchi County on the way north.

If we fight well and the Japanese reinforcements cannot arrive, we can also consider attacking Dingxiang County and Dai County.

The Japanese reinforcements from Taiyuan were blocked by the Eighth Route Army troops stationed in Jinzhong Military Region led by Xing Zhiguo.

The Japanese troops stationed in the Datong area are the 26th Division, which is affiliated with the Mongolian Garrison Army and will most likely move south to reinforce the Japanese First Army.

The Japanese reinforcements heading towards Datong were blocked by troops from the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region.

As for the 20th Division defending the Zhengtai Road, the main force of the 129th Division was sent north to put pressure on it.

At present, the 21st Division has returned to the Xuzhou area. The Japanese troops in Taiyuan are not large, consisting of one independent mixed brigade, two infantry regiments, and one cavalry regiment.

Soon the headquarters called Li Yunlong back and agreed to Li Yunlong and Ding Wei's battle plan.

After receiving a reply from the headquarters, Li Yunlong immediately convened a meeting of the backbone members of the Jinzhong Military Region, including Ding Wei, Kong Jie, Xing Zhiguo, Zhang Dabiao and combat staff officer Yang Ziyun.

Seeing that everyone was present, Li Yunlong got straight to the point: "Headquarters has agreed to our battle plan."

This first sentence cheered everyone up.

"Great, Captain, when can we set off?" Zhang Dabiao was eager to try.

"Departure in seven days."

Li Yunlong's eyes were fierce:
"Our first stop is Xinxian County. This county fell on November 11rd last year, and it has been a year."

"We have a guerrilla unit in Xinxian County. It's called the Xinxian Company and has about 300 soldiers."

"Our reconnaissance company has already contacted the Xinxian company commander, Comrade Zhao Zhengwu."

"The Xinxian Company will help us recruit soldiers when the time comes."

Li Yunlong never fights a battle without preparation. Since he has decided to do it, in addition to buying intelligence from Boss Lin, he also sent scouts to various counties to collect intelligence, contacted local county brigades, district squads and underground organizations, and sent scouts to Taiyuan to monitor the enemy situation. Once the Japanese in Taiyuan set out, he would receive intelligence immediately.

The local guerrillas and underground organizations in each county knew very well who were ordinary people and who had surrendered to the Japanese, so as to avoid recruiting traitors and spies into their ranks.

"Old Li, let our independent regiment take over the first battle of Xinxian." Kong Jie asked for battle with a serious expression.

"Okay." Li Yunlong looked at Kong Jie. "The first battle will be handed over to your independent regiment. There are 400 Japanese soldiers and 600 puppet troops in Xin County. The total enemy strength is about 1000. Your regiment must fight quickly and capture the county before the Japanese can react."

Kong Jie acted like he was the one who would win the first battle: "I promise to take the county town within half a day!"

"Old Kong, you're pretty quick!" Ding Wei regretted it deeply. Just when he was thinking about something, Kong Jie snatched away the first battle mission.

"The early worms get eaten by the birds." Kong Jie said proudly, "Who made you look so absent-minded?"

"Old Ding, what are you thinking about?" Li Yunlong looked at Ding Wei. "What's the matter? Are you dating someone? Are you going to separate from your partner this time? If you are dating someone, why not just take your partner to northwest Shanxi?"

"Old Ding is dating? Old Li, you're talking nonsense. We don't even know which mother-in-law's girlfriend is in her belly!" Kong Jie joked.

"Haha..." Everyone laughed.

"Old Kong, I'm going to go to hell!" Ding Wei stared at the map and said worriedly, "I'm thinking that the Japanese troops stationed in Datong are the 26th Division. Given the combat effectiveness and equipment level of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region, they may not be able to stop the 26th Division from coming south to reinforce."

A staff officer said, "The Japanese 26th Division is defending Datong, Yanggao, Yunxian, and the entire northern Shanxi region. The Japanese can only send two infantry regiments to reinforce them. The Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region should be able to hold them off, right?"

Ding Wei glanced at the staff officer. "What about the puppet troops? And what about the Japanese artillery regiment? Two infantry regiments, an artillery regiment, plus puppet troops, can the troops of the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region hold them back? If the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region loses all its resources helping us block the attack this time, what will happen the next time the Japanese raid the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region?"

The most powerful firepower of the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region was a mountain artillery battalion, which was allocated to the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region by the headquarters after Li Yunlong handed it over to the headquarters. In addition, there were several 70mm infantry guns, more than ten 82mm mortars and dozens of 60mm mortars.

This equipment and firepower are quite good compared to the previous Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei troops, but it is still far behind a Japanese division.

"Old Ding's words make sense." Li Yunlong nodded and looked at Xing Zhiguo. "So, let's send a mountain artillery company from our New 50st Regiment to reinforce the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region, and also provide them with 1 rounds of ammunition and artillery shells."

These 50 rounds of bullets were mainly captured from the Japanese, because many soldiers in the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region used captured Japanese equipment.

"Yes." Xing Zhiguo nodded, "I'll arrange it as soon as possible."

"That's no problem." Ding Wei nodded. "With this support, the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region should be able to stop the 26th Division."

Li Yunlong said: "As long as the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region can help us hold off the Japanese 26th Division for half a month, that will be enough."

The distance from Datong to Xinxian is more than 200 kilometers. After the railway was blown up, the Japanese had to spend four or five days just on foot to march.

In 20 days, Li Yunlong was confident enough to capture five county towns. Next, Li Yunlong assigned combat tasks to each unit, those who stayed behind stayed behind, those who attacked the reinforcements attacked the reinforcements, and those who provided support provided support.

After a week of busy work by the officers and soldiers of the three regiments of the Jinzhong Iron Triangle, the troops were soon ready to set off.

On a starless night, the troops of the Independent Regiment and the New 1st Regiment advanced into northwestern Shanxi and first marched to the headquarters of the New 3rd Regiment.

Then, after a day's rest at the New Third Regiment's headquarters, the main force of 12,000 people headed towards Xinxian County.

The reconnaissance company and the Sharp Blade Commando were responsible for clearing the way and obstacles for the main force. After a night of forced march, they destroyed six Japanese checkpoints and three Japanese strongholds along the way. Before dawn, the troops finally arrived outside Xinxian County.

In a forest, Li Yunlong's tank troops, artillery troops and logistics transport troops were hiding in the woods.

Reconnaissance company commander Wang Hongcai reported the current enemy situation in Xinzhou to Li Yunlong, Kong Jie and Ding Wei.

A number of battalion commanders and company commanders were also listening.

“目前新州的情况跟之前汇报的一样，根据当地游击队传来的最新消息，他们打探到新州县城的鬼子伪军有4门75毫米山炮和4门70毫米步兵炮，其中2门75毫米山炮是晋造装备。”

"Our attack on the Japanese stronghold has alerted them, and martial law has been imposed in the city."

"In addition, Xinxian Company Commander Zhao Zhengwu has already led over 100 elite soldiers and ventured into the city."

"When the battle begins, the soldiers of Xinxian Company will join forces with our main force."

Li Yunlong and Kong Jie nodded. It seemed that the information about their advance northward into northwestern Shanxi had not been leaked, and the Japanese did not know that they had been targeted.

"What about the train station? How is the enemy's troop deployment at the train station?" Li Yunlong said calmly.

Wang Hongcai already had a clear understanding of the troop strength and firepower deployment at Xinxian Station.

"There was a squad of Japanese soldiers and a company of puppet troops stationed at Xinzhou Station, about 180 people, two artillery towers, and six machine guns."

As Wang Hongcai spoke, he drew a sketch on the ground with a branch, marking the locations of the two artillery towers.

Xinxian Station is very close to the county seat and is rarely attacked by guerrillas, so the Japanese troops deployed here are not large, and the troop strength and firepower are similar to those of a medium-sized stronghold.

"Our three cavalry regiments have already moved to the vicinity of the county town to prevent the Japanese and puppet troops from breaking out."

Wang Hongcai added.

The county seat of Xinxian is located in the Xinzhou Basin, and the surrounding terrain is almost all plains. Once the enemy dares to abandon the city and flee, they will immediately be exposed to the iron hoofs of the Eighth Route Cavalry of Jinzhong.

"Old Kong." Li Yunlong looked at Kong Jie, "Whether we can have breakfast in Xinzhou County depends on your group!"

"My cannons are thirsty. The battle will be over in three hours at most!"

After understanding the enemy situation, Kong Jie's expression became serious. He quickly called together the battalion commanders of the independent regiment and made battle deployments:

"The Special Forces Battalion, the Second Battalion, and the Third Battalion will move to the East, North, and West Gates of the county town to launch a feint attack."

"The reconnaissance and guard companies are responsible for attacking the station."

"The first battalion will launch the main attack from the south gate of the county town. The artillery battalion will be responsible for attacking the south gate and shelling the station, providing artillery support for the attacking forces."

孔捷的炮兵营下辖12门120迫击炮、12门105榴弹炮和12门75毫米山炮。

"After the first battalion enters the county town, don't rush to attack in depth. First, fight along the city walls and capture four walls. Then, all four battalions will attack in depth together, surround the enemy at the county town headquarters, and wipe out the Japanese in one fell swoop."

"Do you all understand your respective tasks?"

"Understood!" The company commander of the independent regiment's direct battalion responded loudly, full of murderous intent.

Political Commissar Li Wenying added: "After the infantry enters the county town and captures the railway station, the artillery units should immediately go into hiding to avoid being targeted by the Japanese aircraft."

Kong Jie hurriedly nodded and gave the artillery battalion commander many instructions. The artillery battalion was Kong Jie's treasure. If it was bombed by the Japanese planes, it would be a big disaster.

"Yes!" The artillery battalion commander of the independent regiment received the order.

"set off!"

At Kong Jie's command, the troops of the independent regiment immediately encircled the county seat of Xinxian.

An hour later, the sky gradually brightened, and the troops quickly arrived at their designated positions and prepared for the attack, waiting for Kong Jie's order.

"Fire!"

In the command center, Kong Jie gave the order to attack without hesitation.

(End of this chapter)