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

Chapter 80: Deciding to Eliminate the Enemy, Chen Ming Commands a Brigade
A Japanese force of over 1,400 men swaggered into Meng County.

This battalion is called the Kawasaki Battalion. Because one company was transferred to support other battlefields, it now has only three companies, totaling more than 900 men. With the addition of the two companies transferred from the 4th Brigade, the total number of men is more than 1400.

The Kawasaki Battalion Commander was full of confidence regarding this sweep of the Chinese troops surrounding Meng County.

According to intelligence, the troops around Meng County should be Eighth Route Army troops.

After the Hundred Regiments Offensive, Tada Shun, commander of the Japanese North China Area Army, believed that although the Eighth Route Army had shown considerable strength.

However, after the Hundred Regiments Offensive, under the joint restrictions of the Nationalist government and the Japanese army, the Eighth Route Army fell into a predicament of scarce supplies and reduced manpower.

Tada Shun believed that after the Hundred Regiments Offensive, the Eighth Route Army's combat effectiveness recovered very slowly, and Wei Lihuang's (evaded) Central Army base in the Zhongtiao Mountains became the last unstable factor for the Japanese army in Shanxi.

The Japanese army's attention has now shifted from the Eighth Route Army to the Zhongtiao Mountain base area in southern Shanxi.

The decision was made to first defeat the Nationalist army in southern Shanxi, and then focus all efforts on dealing with the Eighth Route Army.

Influenced by this mindset within the Japanese army, Kawasaki did not pay much attention to the Eighth Route Army around Meng County.

Although the Yamazaki Battalion was completely annihilated by the Eighth Route Army last time.

Can the Yamazaki Battalion compare to the Kawasaki Battalion?

He now commands over 1,400 soldiers, twice the size of the Yamazaki Battalion.

Yamazaki was able to hold out for a whole day with only a few hundred soldiers from the Locust Army, despite being besieged by more than 20,000 Eighth Route Army troops.

This clearly shows that the Eighth Route Army was already very weak; they could fight for a whole day in a battle with a 40:1 ratio.

The Kawasaki Battalion was far superior to the Yamazaki Battalion in both personnel and equipment.

Kawasaki believed that even the most cunning enemy would be crushed by absolute power, no matter what schemes or tricks they plotted.

In Meng County, Kawasaki sternly reprimanded the cowardly Japanese major in front of a group of officers.

"Cowards! So many Locust Army soldiers, with the county town at their backs, are scared away by a bunch of Eighth Route Army guerrillas and dare not even leave the city. It's a disgrace to the empire!"

"Hay."

"A coward like you should go back to your country. The empire doesn't need cowards like you," Kawasaki continued to curse.

"Hay."

The Japanese major lowered his head, not daring to refute.

More than 200 Japanese troops and more than 700 puppet troops outside the city were defeated one by one within three days, and they could not even hold out until reinforcements arrived.

Whenever reinforcements arrived, they found only ruins that had been completely cleared away, with not even a trace left by the enemy.

He was indeed frightened by the fierce offensive of the 2nd Independent Regiment, and in his anxiety, he sent a distress telegram.

The commander of Kawasaki's field infantry battalion, who was of a higher rank than him, could only endure the scolding.

As for subordinates overthrowing superiors, that only applies when a superior makes an unreasonable judgment.

At this point, the Japanese major should be worried about being overthrown by his radical subordinates, since it was his own cowardice that brought shame to the entire garrison in Meng County.

"Lieutenant Colonel, please let me lead the vanguard in this sweep against the Chinese army." The Japanese major, feeling ashamed, requested to be the vanguard.

He knew that if he didn't do something soon, he was finished.

The Japanese military allowed for decision-making errors, but it would never tolerate cowardice!

If he is deported back to his home country because of his cowardice, he will face endless darkness. He might even be forced to commit seppuku as soon as he returns home.

"Okay, this time you'll be the vanguard."

Kawasaki felt a great sense of accomplishment when he saw that Major Kawasaki had overcome his cowardice after being scolded and educated by him.

With just a few words, he awakened the Bushido spirit in the other party, turning a coward into an Imperial soldier who dared to take the lead.

This sense of accomplishment brought him great joy.

"This time, we must find the Chinese army active around Meng County and wipe them out in one fell swoop. Let the Chinese army know that going against the Empire will only lead to their destruction."

Kawasaki said this in front of a group of Japanese officers.

"Hai!"

The Cangshan defense line, located only 15 kilometers from Meng County, is the defense zone of the 1st Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Independent Regiment.

Two days after the Kawasaki Battalion arrived in Meng County, they launched a fierce attack on the positions of the 1st Company of the 2nd Battalion.

Because the Japanese major reported that the enemy forces active around Meng County were very strong, the commander of the 4th Brigade equipped the Kawasaki Battalion with two additional Type 92 infantry guns and four Type 41 mountain howitzers in order to eliminate this enemy force in one fell swoop.

With the addition of mortars, a total of sixteen artillery pieces were deployed, creating a formidable firepower.

The soldiers of the 1st Company of the 2nd Battalion fought tenaciously. After holding out for six hours, they finally received an order from Chen Ming to retreat under the cover of the 3rd Battalion and lure the enemy deeper into the mountains.

At the same time, Chen Ming reported to the division headquarters the Japanese intention to attack the Independent 2nd Regiment's defense zone with a battalion plus two infantry companies, totaling more than 1,400 men. "Telegram to headquarters: The Japanese army has gathered more than 1,400 men to attack the Independent 2nd Regiment's defense zone. Our Independent 2nd Regiment is now engaged in combat with the enemy and cannot withdraw from the battle."

"Our unit requests to launch a counterattack against this Japanese force. The Independent 2nd Regiment is confident that after striking a blow against the arrogance of the Japanese army, we can withdraw calmly."

After the telegram was sent to the division headquarters, the division commander took it very seriously and immediately went to see the general.

Since the Japanese have already launched the first attack and the troops have already engaged in combat, fighting is inevitable; there's no other way.

The area where Chen Ming's Independent Second Regiment was located was on the edge of the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region, separated from the Jin-Ji-Lu-Yu Military Region where the 129th Division was active by the Zhengtai Railway.

To coordinate the troops to assist the Independent 2nd Regiment, the commander-in-chief needs to coordinate.

"Commander, the 2nd Independent Regiment has already engaged in combat with the Kawasaki Battalion. Now Chen Ming is requesting to launch a counter-offensive and fight the Japanese. What do you think?"

"Didn't you come to me already? Then let's fight!" the boss said with a smile.

The 2nd Independent Regiment belonged to the 129th Division. If the division commander decided not to fight, he would order the 2nd Independent Regiment to retreat in shifts.

Since we've come to him, it means we've decided to fight. We need him to coordinate with the troops in the Jin-Cha-Ji region to support the Second Independent Regiment in the battle.

"Although the Second Independent Regiment is only one regiment, it now has more than 3,000 soldiers and a powerful artillery battalion. Its combat strength is comparable to that of five ordinary regiments," the division commander said with a smile.

"We saw the fighting power of the Independent Second Regiment in the last battle of Lijiapo. They already have the strength to fight the Japanese in the field."

"My idea is to join forces with other units to wipe out this audacious and reckless Japanese force in the mountains. Even if we can't annihilate them all, we can at least dampen their arrogance and then retreat calmly."

After listening to what the division commander said, the general looked at the map and pondered for a moment before asking a question.

Which of our troops are active in Meng County?

"It's the 714th and 716th Regiments of the 2nd Independent Brigade of the 120th Division," the division commander said.

"Okay, I'll contact the 2nd Independent Brigade right away and have them cooperate with the 2nd Independent Regiment in their operations," the commander said.

After the Hundred Regiments Offensive, the Second Independent Brigade now has fewer than 2000 men, suffering severe losses in combat effectiveness.

The Independent Second Regiment now has more than 3,000 members. In the Hundred Regiments Offensive, not only did it not lose any strength, but it became stronger with each battle.

Therefore, there is no problem in having the 2nd Independent Brigade cooperate with the 2nd Independent Regiment in combat.

With the coordination of the commander-in-chief, Brigade Commander Wang responded positively to the order and obeyed the headquarters' operational deployment.

Chen Ming also made contact with two regiments of the Independent Second Brigade.

"Chen Ming of the Independent Second Regiment has quite the big talk. He just opened his mouth and said he wanted to wipe out a Japanese field force of more than 1,400 men with just one regiment," Brigade Commander Wang remarked.

"However, he has the ability to talk big. More than three thousand men are all armed, have plenty of ammunition, and have an artillery battalion. They are stronger than my entire brigade."

"He's not living the life of a regimental commander, he's clearly living the life of a brigade commander."

Hearing his brigade commander's sigh, Regiment Commander Zhang also spoke up:
"Yes, everyone knows that the Second Independent Regiment is the most capable unit in Shanxi Province. In the Battle of Lijiapo, their battalion plus the artillery battalion had more than 1,200 men."

"The Yamazaki Battalion, which fought against the Japanese, ended the battle in half an hour, eliminating more than 500 Japanese soldiers while sacrificing only 37 of its own soldiers. It became famous throughout Shanxi Province, and even the leaders in the rear took notice of it."

Brigade Commander Wang nodded and continued.

"The Second Independent Regiment has volunteered for the battle this time, which shows they are very confident. Our brigade will play a supporting role and assist the Second Independent Regiment in fighting a battle."

"That way we can get a share of the spoils and replenish our weapons and equipment. Even a landlord has to pay wages for hiring day laborers. Does Chen Ming think he can just move an entire brigade of mine without giving anything in return?"

After the Hundred Regiments Offensive, the Independent Second Brigade lost one-third of its personnel and most of its ammunition. Some soldiers couldn't even get a gun, and on average, they couldn't even get eight bullets.

The entire Eighth Route Army suffered losses to varying degrees during the Hundred Regiments Offensive, but units like the Independent Second Regiment, which grew stronger with each battle, were still a minority.

The double blockade imposed by the Nationalist government and the Japanese army after the war exacerbated the shortage of weapons and ammunition.

Now that the Independent Second Regiment is advocating attacking this force of over 1,400 men, let's have one brigade-level unit capture it as a supporting attack.

Brigade Commander Wang wouldn't mind having three or five hundred rifles, nor would he mind having one or two hundred; he just couldn't work for free.

Commander Wang did not come; instead, the commanders of the two main regiments of the Independent Second Brigade did.

Although there was coordination from headquarters, he, as a brigade commander, couldn't possibly take orders from Chen Ming, a regimental commander.

Once the two regiments of the Independent Second Brigade arrived, Chen Ming immediately assigned them combat missions.

"Commander Zhang, Commander Tian, ​​with our three regiments working together this time, those Japanese troops of over a thousand men won't be able to leave the mountains alive and well." Chen Ming smiled and shook hands with the two regimental commanders.

The two regimental commanders were also very pleased and shook hands with Chen Ming.

A person's name is like a tree's shadow; Chen Ming's reputation was earned through battle after battle.

A little over a year ago, who could have imagined that a force of over 3,000 men, plus a main force, would be a small district squad of only 12 men?
Chen Ming's ability to develop a small district squad into the most combat-effective force in the base area in just over a year is beyond doubt.

Both regimental commanders admired Chen Ming.

(End of this chapter)