Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Changjin Lake, a Hundred Battles, a Hundred Victories

Chapter 160 Pursuit of the Flag-Escorting Squad! The Regimental Flag!

After wiping out the main force of the Japanese 110th Regiment, the various units of the Independent Detachment began to clean up the battlefield and eliminate the scattered Japanese soldiers.

During this encirclement and annihilation battle, some small units of the Japanese army escaped directly through the junction of several units of the Independent Detachment.

Just like when Chen Ming used tactical infiltration before, in the military field, the various units are not closely integrated, but rather leave certain gaps.

The troop movements and defenses are usually not concentrated in one place, but rather consist of multiple scattered defensive lines.

The gaps between the positions were extremely large, allowing a small number of troops to control a large amount of land.

These gaps were impassable for the army, and they dared not bypass them, otherwise, if their supplies were cut off, the army would not be far from destruction.

Therefore, to break through, the only option is to knock down these scattered positions one by one, but this gives the enemy enough time to deploy reinforcements.

The Independent Detachment's encirclement and annihilation operation was a case in point; the troops were dispersed into several attack directions, leaving gaps between them.

These gaps allowed the rout of Japanese soldiers to seize the opportunity, with a small number escaping directly through the gaps where several units of the Independent Detachment were joined together.

However, Chen Ming was not without options when it came to dealing with the Japanese soldiers who had escaped.

After all, they had superior forces, and he also had some mobile troops to deal with the Japanese soldiers who managed to escape.

Cavalry battalion.

As one of the few mobile forces in the independent detachment, they were responsible for reaping the Japanese soldiers who managed to escape outside the encirclement.

At this moment, Xu Desheng, the cavalry battalion commander, was leading a cavalry company of two hundred men in pursuit of a small Japanese squad.

This Japanese squad was strange; not only were they much stronger in combat than the soldiers of the 110th Regiment, but their behavior was also different.

Before the Independent Detachment had formed an encirclement around the Japanese 110th Regiment, this small Japanese squad realized something was wrong and broke away from the main force to escape.

With their tenacious fighting spirit, they directly routed the soldiers of the 1st Platoon, 3rd Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, who were responsible for blocking this Japanese squad.

It should be noted that this is the First Battalion of the Independent Detachment, the most powerful unit in terms of combat strength.

Many of the soldiers in the brigade were veterans trained by Chen Ming, and they were not afraid of the Japanese at all when the numbers were equal.

A platoon of thirty-seven soldiers encountered this Japanese squad and suffered more than half of their casualties, yet the Japanese squad still managed to escape.

He Jianxin couldn't stand it, so he contacted Xu Desheng and ordered him to lead a cavalry battalion to catch up with the Japanese and wipe them out.

After several hours of pursuit, Xu Desheng finally led his cavalry squadron to catch up with the Japanese troops.

"All of you, charge forward and kill these sons of bitches of Japanese devils! You think you can run away after killing our soldiers?"

Xu Desheng pointed his saber and led his cavalry squadron in a charge.

In the course of several hours of fighting, this Japanese squad had used up a lot of ammunition; they lost their heavy machine gun and ran out of bullets for their light machine gun.

Thirty-eight years later, the Japanese Type 96/99 rifles used 7.7x58mm bullets, which were not compatible with rifles. Only the Type 11 light machine gun (the Type 11 light machine gun) and the Type 38 rifle, which were used 38 years earlier, used 6.5x50mm bullets, but they were prone to malfunctions.

Once the infantry lost their machine guns, they could no longer pose a significant threat to Xu Desheng's cavalry with only rifles.

"Sir, we're in dire straits," said a Japanese sergeant in the squad.

At this point, the fleeing Japanese squad had run out of ammunition and food and could no longer run.

Infantry units are significantly less mobile than cavalry units.

When the Japanese squad leader heard what his platoon leader said, he understood what the other side meant.

"You cover me, I'll burn the regimental flag," the Japanese platoon leader said solemnly.

"Sir, are we really going to burn the regimental flag? If we lose the regimental flag, our 110th Regiment will be completely wiped out," another Japanese sergeant said.

The regimental flag is the most important thing for a regiment. As long as the regimental flag is still there, there is still a possibility of the regiment being reorganized.

If the regimental flag is lost, the unit's designation will be completely lost, with no possibility of reconstruction.

"We are now in dire straits. We cannot let the regimental flag fall into the hands of the Chinese army. We cannot be the first regiment to have the regimental flag seized by the enemy. Absolutely not!" the Japanese platoon leader said resolutely.

"Sir, let's try one more time. We'll stay behind to provide cover. You take the regimental flag and go. We absolutely cannot let the 110th Regiment be destroyed by us!"

The Japanese sergeant wanted to make another effort; the regimental flag was of paramount importance to them, and they absolutely did not want to burn it unless it was absolutely necessary.

"No, we have to burn it. The enemy cavalry are faster than us; we can't escape," the Japanese squad leader said firmly.

Even if some people were left behind to provide cover, it would be difficult to escape the pursuit of the Eighth Route Army's cavalry.

On the plains of the Datong Basin, cavalry were far more mobile than infantry.

Even if the Japanese flag-guarding squad leader was unwilling, he had to make a decision.

"Hai!"

Upon hearing this, some of the remaining Japanese soldiers shed tears, while others clenched their teeth, their faces filled with humiliation.

Just as the Japanese soldiers were about to burn the regimental flag, Xu Desheng saw them suddenly stop, looking puzzled.

"What are those Japanese devils doing? Why aren't they running away?"

"I don't know, how about we fire a couple of shots and see?"

The cavalry captain spoke up.

"Alright, whatever they're up to, a few shots and they're done for." Xu Desheng nodded.

The Japanese suddenly stopped running, they must be up to something. Xu Desheng did not order his troops to charge and fight the Japanese, but decided to fire a couple of shots first to see how things went.

Upon receiving the order, the soldiers of the cavalry squadron immediately dismounted, took the grenade launchers attached to their horses, and began to aim.

To compensate for the cavalry's lack of firepower, the cavalry battalions of the Independent Detachment were equipped with grenade launchers, and mortars were also temporarily provided for special missions.

Several skilled cavalrymen completed the preparation and firing process in just ten seconds.

"Bang bang bang!"

"Bang bang bang!"

Several grenades blasted the Japanese flag-guarding squad, which had been gathered together, into pieces, and the burning of the regimental flag came to a halt.

"Well done! Charge in and beat the dog when it's down!" Xu Desheng was overjoyed to see the grenade launcher soldiers in his unit perform so well.

As one of the few standing artillery units in the cavalry battalion, their proficiency in operating grenade launchers is higher than that of other units in the independent detachment.

After all, the mobility of cavalry makes it difficult for them to have many opportunities to utilize mortars.

They could only master the grenade launcher to an exceptional degree. The cavalry battalion even had two skilled individuals who could launch grenade launchers from horseback using specially designed saddles, but they weren't in this company.

The infantry units of the independent detachment, because they had more powerful and longer-range mortars, were not as proficient in using grenade launchers as the cavalry units.

Led by Xu Desheng, the remaining cavalry immediately charged towards the Japanese.

The distance of over 300 meters was covered in an instant by the cavalry charge.

"Quickly, destroy the regimental flag! Where are the gasoline cans?"

The Japanese squad leader was in excruciating pain from the explosion, and his hands and feet were broken, yet he was still shouting loudly.

"They've been bombed and disappeared!"

A Japanese soldier shouted.

The gasoline canisters used to burn the regimental flag were blown away by the recent explosion and their whereabouts are unknown.

"Quickly, blow it up with grenades!" the Japanese squad leader shouted.

"I'm out of grenades!"

"I'm gone too!"

"I have two left, hurry!"

A Japanese soldier pulled out two grenades and crawled toward the regimental flag, preparing to detonate them and destroy it.

Although this might not completely destroy the regimental flag, the enemy could make some repairs based on the fragments of the flag.

But they have no other choice right now.

"Pfft!"

A fine head rolled to the ground, spun twice, and then slowly came to a stop.

"You still want to ambush your grandfather with a grenade? You're dreaming."

Taking advantage of the horse's momentum, Xu Desheng chopped off the head of the Japanese soldier holding the grenade with a single stroke, and spat out a mouthful of saliva.

Seeing that the only Japanese soldier with a grenade had been killed, the rest of the Japanese soldiers immediately crawled or jogged towards him, wanting to take the grenade and continue destroying the regimental flag.

Xu Desheng swung his sword left and right, and the company commander cut down several Japanese soldiers. The other soldiers also used their sabers to hack at the remaining Japanese soldiers.

Compared to killing Japanese soldiers with a rifle, hacking at them with a knife is much more satisfying.

In the end, the Japanese failed to destroy the regimental flag.

Logically, the Japanese soldiers wouldn't carry the regimental flag with them; they would usually store it in a safe place within the county town.

However, there are always exceptions. A system is one thing, but its actual implementation is another.

This Japanese regiment probably thought that the North China Expeditionary Army Headquarters had mobilized three regiments to encircle and suppress the main force of the Eighth Route Army in the Huai'ren area.

With so many troops in the plains, wouldn't it be a sure thing to deal with the limited firepower of the Eighth Route Army?

Only when they were certain that their troops had a sure chance of victory did they put on the regimental flag, symbolizing an offensive that was "inevitable"!

At the same time, the regimental flag was used to improve the morale of the Japanese 110th Regiment, which was described as having "weak combat effectiveness and low morale".

(Note: When they felt certain of victory, the Japanese had a precedent of carrying their regimental flags to show off, such as the troops attacking Nanjing after the Battle of Shanghai.)
However, the Japanese soldiers of the 110th Regiment did not expect that this seemingly "victorious" battle would become the battle in which they would perish.

Not only was the entire army wiped out, but even the regimental flag was captured by the Eighth Route Army.

After dealing with the Japanese soldiers, Xu Desheng looked with great interest at the flag that the Japanese soldiers had been so concerned about even as they fought to the death.

He used his saber to lift the regimental flag, wiped the blood off the saber in his hand, and then placed it on his sore buttocks, which had been aching from riding for a long time.

It's a decent piece of cloth, perfect for padding my bottom.

Xu Desheng did not recognize the Japanese regimental flag and thought it was just an ordinary flag.

Carrying this flag serves as proof of the battle's success, making it easier to report achievements after the battle is over.

After quickly cleaning up the battlefield and collecting weapons and ammunition, Xu Desheng continued to lead his troops in pursuit of the small groups of Japanese soldiers who had managed to escape.

Meanwhile, Chen Ming, at the command post, was unaware that his cavalry battalion had achieved such a great feat, capturing the first Japanese regimental flag.

The crucial point is that he didn't even recognize his own cavalry battalion commander, Xu Desheng. He directly used the regimental flag to wipe the blood off his saber and even used it as a pad for his buttocks.

Chen Ming is very busy now, directing his troops to clean up the battlefield and recapture Guangling, Lingqiu and other counties that were previously abandoned.

One of the three Japanese armies had been wiped out, and the remaining two armies, totaling two regiments, posed no threat to the Independent Detachment.

The current issue is not how the Japanese should encircle and annihilate the Independent Detachment, but rather what to do next after the 110th Regiment has been completely wiped out by the Independent Detachment.

The headquarters of the Japanese 110th Division.

Japanese division commander Hayashi Fangyilang sat silently in the operations conference room, his brows furrowed.

A few hours earlier, he received a telegram from his 110th Regiment requesting support, claiming that the main force of the Eighth Route Army, numbering 20,000, was besieging them and the situation was extremely critical.

At first, he didn't believe it. According to the intelligence from the dispatched army headquarters, the total force of the Eighth Route Army was not this many troops. How could there be a force of 20,000 men besieging them?

Moreover, the battlefield is not just at the 110th Regiment's location now; the other two regiments are also engaged in combat with the Eighth Route Army.

It was impossible for the Eighth Route Army to gather so many main forces to besiege its own 110th Regiment.

It must be that their 110th Regiment has once again fallen into the trap of "weak combat effectiveness and low morale," and they are trying to reduce their responsibility for poor combat performance.

However, since Minakami Genzo has asked for help, he must have encountered some trouble.

After reporting to the dispatch army headquarters, Hayashi Fangyilang still managed to transfer two infantry battalions and four puppet army regiments to reinforce the troops.

Not long after, Lin Fangyilang received a farewell telegram from the 110th Regiment, which left him dumbfounded.

No? You're serious? This time it really isn't a lie?
Lin Fangyilang panicked. If one of his regiments were wiped out by the Independent Detachment, his division's strength would be greatly diminished.

He immediately reported to headquarters and urgently dispatched reconnaissance aircraft to investigate the situation, but received news that no friendly troops were found and that the Chinese army was cleaning up the battlefield and burying corpses.

The two infantry battalions that provided support, along with four puppet regiments, also discovered that the Chinese army had reoccupied the county towns of Guangling and Lingqiu.

This news further confirms that the 110th Regiment has most likely been wiped out.

Therefore, even though Hayashi Ichiro didn't believe it, he still reported the news to the Expeditionary Army Headquarters.

Inside the headquarters of the North China Expeditionary Army.

Gangcun heard Chen Ming's name again. He had developed a sense of aversion and resistance towards the Independent Detachment and the name Chen Ming, and was unwilling to face these two words again.

Every time he heard the name of the Independent Detachment and Chen Ming, it meant that his North China Expeditionary Army had suffered another loss of men and troops.

At this moment, he felt a deep disgust for Yoshio Shinotsuka, who had already committed seppuku.

If it weren't for that idiot Yoshio Shinotsuka repeatedly sabotaging the unit and allowing the Independent Detachment to develop, would the Independent Detachment have reached its current state?
In just two and a half years, a small district squad has become a major threat to the North China Expeditionary Army!

The North China Expeditionary Army was already under enough pressure, and now Chen Ming was causing chaos in northern Shanxi, making the pressure even greater.

The key headquarters also required him to dispatch elite troops south to the Pacific theater.

Without elite troops to suppress the unrest, the counterinsurgency campaign will be much more difficult!

Besides the Eighth Route Army, the puppet troops also gave Okamura a headache.

This very force, which he had initially planned to win over, has now become a hindrance to them.

He also witnessed the entire operation that led to the annihilation of the 110th Regiment.

The Eighth Route Army broke through the positions of the three puppet legions with very little effort.

The three puppet regiments collapsed at the first contact, leaving the 110th Regiment's flank positions directly exposed to the Eighth Route Army's guns.

Most importantly, after these three puppet regiments collapsed, no one notified the 110th Regiment on the front line, causing the 110th Regiment to believe that the flank position was secure and continue to focus on attacking the main position.

As a result, the 110th Regiment lost its forward positions directly when faced with the Eighth Route Army suddenly attacking from the puppet army's positions, and a battalion of troops was divided and surrounded.

Meanwhile, the second-line positions also suffered heavy losses due to the strong attack by the Eighth Route Army.

One regiment lost most of its fighting capacity, and the remaining troops, facing the overwhelming numbers of the Eighth Route Army, were ultimately outnumbered and annihilated.

"These collaborators are utterly useless idiots. I must have been out of my mind to even think of recruiting this bunch of trash," Okamura cursed.

The puppet troops were weak in combat effectiveness and fighting spirit in their battles against the Eighth Route Army.

But they showed no mercy to ordinary people, and when they harmed them, they were even more ruthless than the Japanese devils.

The scourge of these puppet troops caused constant resistance from the people in the occupied areas, providing a large number of reserve soldiers for the development of the Eighth Route Army.

This is also one of the reasons why the Eighth Route Army could never completely wipe them out.

Okamura was a China expert, and he knew that for a small country like Japan to rule such a vast continent, military coercion alone would not work.

Therefore, in order to maintain stability in the areas they occupied, the Japanese maintained a facade of benevolence in the cities they controlled.

In areas where resistance forces were active and the people were close to the Eighth Route Army, the "Three Alls Policy" was adopted to deplete the war potential of the resistance forces.

As a result, not only did the area where the resistance was active not shrink, but the occupied area was also thrown into chaos by the puppet army.

This resulted in the Eighth Route Army growing in number and strength with each battle.

The problem now is that with the elite troops transferred away, the counterinsurgency campaign has become increasingly difficult, and the Japanese have no choice but to rely on puppet troops to maintain order.

It can only be said that the puppet troops have now become like poison for Wu Dalang; if you drink it, you will be slowly dragged to your death, but if you don't drink it, you will die quickly.

Having thoroughly studied Chinese history, Okamura had a premonition that if victory could not be achieved in the Pacific theater in the short term, the mainland battlefield would become even more devastated.

By then, the empire's war will be nearing its end.

However, the most important thing now is not to think about the puppet army, but to consider how to deal with the impact of the annihilation of the 110th Regiment.

With one of the three armies missing, leaving only two regiments, they no longer had the opportunity to continue their mission.

After much deliberation, Okamura made his decision.

"Order the remaining two regiments to return in an orderly manner. The two battalions that rescued the 110th Regiment and the four puppet regiments should also return. They are not allowed to attack."

“Abandon unimportant small cities and strongholds in the Huai Ren region, and withdraw troops to Datong and important surrounding mines.”

Gangcun adopted a conservative approach, allocating less important land to the independent detachment and concentrating its forces on defense.

Once the dispatched troops have recovered in a few months, they will rebuild and retake the lost territory.

If you lose the land but lose the people, you lose both. Pulling your fist back is not out of fear, but to accumulate strength so that the next punch will be more powerful.

After the Japanese retreated, the Independent Detachment took advantage of the situation to occupy the areas abandoned by the Japanese and confronted them.

Chen Ming also began to take stock of the gains from this operation.

(End of this chapter)