The War of Resistance Against Japan: Starting with a Calm View of Life and Death

Xiaowangzhuang is a small mountain village in Yuanping County. Located in a hilly area with complex surrounding terrain, it was a guerrilla zone where the Eighth Route Army operated.

As agreed, the 771st Regiment should have arrived ahead of time and secretly assembled nearby.

Zhou Jindong ordered his troops to stop and rest in the woods at the entrance of the valley. He sent Zhang Fang with a few quick-witted soldiers, dressed in civilian clothes, to search for the 771st Regiment's contact point or sentries.

He then led Wang Quan and several other key members, spread out a map, and confirmed the final location.

Not long after, Zhang Fang, who had been sent to scout, ran back crouching low, his face showing a mixture of lingering fear and relief: "Captain, we found it! There's a hidden sentry from the 771st Regiment under the old locust tree at the east end of Xiaowangzhuang. But..."

"But what?" Zhou Jindong's heart tightened.

"We almost got into a fight!" Zhang Fang wiped away a cold sweat. "We had just sneaked over and hadn't even exchanged the code when their sentries pointed guns at our heads! Luckily, we gave them our unit number and our purpose in time, so they didn't shoot, but they clearly didn't believe us and took us to their camp."

Their regimental commander is furious, saying he saw a large group of "Japanese soldiers" coming this way and was about to organize his troops to ambush us!

I explained the situation clearly. Their sentry has already gone to report, and they told us to wait here, but not to approach the camp or move around.

Zhou Jindong and Wang Quan exchanged a glance, both seeing the relief in each other's eyes.

Sure enough, this Japanese soldier's outfit almost caused a huge misunderstanding.

"Come on, take me there. Wang Quan, you and your men stay put. No one is allowed to move without my orders, and no one is allowed to brandish their weapons!" Zhou Jindong took off his Japanese army jacket, revealing a faded Eighth Route Army uniform underneath, and removed his hat. Then, he led Zhang Fang and two guards, following the sentries of the 771st Regiment towards the camp.

As they approached the edge of the woodland outside Xiaowangzhuang Village, they saw a group of Eighth Route Army soldiers in gray uniforms lying in ambush behind rocks and earthen embankments, their guns pointed in the direction they had come from. The atmosphere was tense.

"Halt! Who goes there?" a deep but stern voice shouted.

Zhou Jindong stopped, raised his hands to indicate he had no weapons, and loudly proclaimed, "I am Zhou Jindong, the captain of the Ningwu County Brigade, ordered to meet up with the 771st Regiment of the 129th Division! This is my bodyguard!"

There was a moment of silence on the other side, and then a stocky, dark-skinned man who looked to be in his forties stood up from behind cover. He had a Mauser pistol slung over his waist and his sharp eyes scrutinized Zhou Jindong.

"Zhou Jindong? Ningwu County Brigade?" The man looked Zhou Jindong up and down. "He doesn't look like him to me. Our sentries just reported that a large group of Japanese soldiers is coming this way! Where did you get that skin on your bodies?"

He pointed to the soldiers behind Zhou Jindong who were still wearing Japanese military uniforms.

Zhou Jindong took a step forward and gave a standard military salute: "Reporting to the regimental commander, we are indeed the Ningwu County Brigade. This Japanese uniform was captured this morning during an ambush of a Japanese transport platoon."

We wore these clothes to save time and avoid detection. We meant no harm; it was an order from our superiors.

As he spoke, he took out the emergency order signed by the district committee and the military sub-district from his pocket and handed it over.

The man—who should be Wang Jianguo, the commander of the 771st Regiment—took it, quickly scanned it in the dim light of dusk, and then compared it with the appearances of Zhou Jindong and Zhang Fang. His expression softened slightly.

But he remained vigilant. He waved his hand, and the gun barrels of the soldiers behind him lowered slightly, but they still did not relax their guard.

"Captain Zhou?" Regiment Commander Wang Jianguo handed the order back to Zhou Jindong, his tone softening slightly but still scrutinizing. "Your 'greeting gift' is quite special; it almost made my soldiers mistake you for Japanese soldiers."

Zhou Jindong said with a wry smile, "Commander Wang, I'm really sorry. The situation was urgent, and we didn't think of that. On the way here, we had the soldiers quickly remove the markings from their clothes to avoid any misunderstanding. We didn't expect things to almost go wrong."

"Hmph, you guys reacted quickly." Wang Jianguo snorted and pointed to the soldiers lying in ambush around him. "Look, if I hadn't been careful and hadn't ordered the troops to open fire directly, but instead sent out sentries to stop and question you first, you would probably have lost quite a few men by now."

Next time, remember, it's good to change equipment deep behind enemy lines, but you must inform friendly forces beforehand! This is war, not child's play!

"Yes! Commander Wang's criticism is correct; we did not consider this carefully," Zhou Jindong sincerely admitted his mistake.

He knew in his heart that this was indeed his oversight; he was only thinking about the benefits of disguise and forgot that he might accidentally hurt friendly forces.

Of course, it is also possible to be accidentally hit by friendly fire.

Wang Jianguo's anger subsided somewhat, and he waved his hand: "Alright, since it's a case of mistaken identity, it must have been a misunderstanding. Your county brigade has come at the right time! I was just worried that while I had enough men to fight at the station, I was severely lacking in manpower to move the machinery. Where are your troops now? How many are there, and what kind of equipment do they have?"

Hearing Wang Jianguo's tone soften, Zhou Jindong felt relieved and immediately replied, "Reporting to the regimental commander, our county brigade has sent four companies this time, totaling more than nine hundred people."

The unit was equipped with over 500 Type 38 rifles, over 200 Hanyang Type 85 rifles, 11 captured Type 91 light machine guns, 3 Czech-made machine guns, 1 Type 92 heavy machine gun, 1 Type 82 mortar, and 4 grenade launchers. Ammunition and grenades were also relatively plentiful.

The troops are currently resting and awaiting orders outside the valley, ready to be commanded by the regimental commander at any time!

Wang Jianguo was shocked!

Is this even the kind of weaponry and equipment a county militia should have?

He believed them even when they said it was his friendly 772nd Regiment!

He seemed to have thought of something, his eyes lit up, and a smile appeared on his face: "Goodness! You've got some serious resources! A county brigade with firepower stronger than our entire main regiment! Especially that Type 92 rifle and that mortar, they'll be useful in tough battles!"

He stepped forward and patted Zhou Jindong on the shoulder with considerable force: "Come on, let's go to our command post and explain the situation in detail. By the way, have your men go into the village in shifts to rest, and keep a close watch. There are cellars and caves dug by the villagers behind the village where you can hide temporarily. Remember, make sure you get rid of your yellow skin properly; it looks awkward!"

"Yes!" Zhou Jindong answered at attention, then turned to Zhang Fang and whispered a few words, instructing him to inform Wang Quan to lead his troops into the village carefully and to disperse and hide as much as possible.

Zhang Fang turned around and ran back to relay the order.

Zhou Jindong followed Wang Jianguo, and surrounded by a group of guards, into the depths of Xiaowangzhuang.

The village was small, and many houses had been burned down by the Japanese, leaving only ruins.

The 771st Regiment's headquarters was located in a relatively intact farmhouse courtyard. It looked ordinary from the outside, but there were many people coming and going inside, and large military maps were hanging on the walls.

Upon entering the room, Wang Jianguo pointed to a bespectacled, scholarly-looking cadre sitting at the table and introduced him: "This is our political commissar, Li Shuheng. Old Li, this is Comrade Zhou Jindong from the Ningwu County Brigade, who has brought four squadrons with him."

Don't underestimate them. Not only are there more of them, but their weaponry is also superior to ours. I really don't know who the main force is!

Political Commissar Li walked over and shook hands with Zhou Jindong. His hands were warm: "Comrade Zhou Jindong, welcome, welcome! We've heard about your deeds, well done! You lifted the siege on the east side of our military sub-district! It's great that you could come and cooperate this time!"

"Political Commissar Li, you flatter me. It's all thanks to the superiors and the soldiers' bravery," Zhou Jindong said politely, then asked, "Regimental Commander Wang, Political Commissar Li, what's the situation now? Do you have any specific intelligence on the Japanese transport train?"

Wang Jianguo walked to the map and pointed to a location: "Based on the intelligence sent out at great risk by our underground comrades, it's basically confirmed. The special train departed from Taiyuan and will pass through here around eight o'clock tonight."

The route followed the North Tongpu Railway line, crossing the Dashahe Railway Bridge fifteen li ahead. That bridge was a steel frame structure; the Japanese had a fixed outpost and a bunker there.

He traced his finger on the map: "Our plan is to blow up the Dashahe Railway Bridge and force the special train to stop on this side of the bridge."

To protect their equipment, the Japanese will definitely park near the bridgehead, then organize their forces to retake it or forcibly repair it. We'll ambush them from our pre-arranged positions at the bridgehead! We'll strike hard as soon as they stop, before they've settled into their positions!

Political Commissar Li adjusted his glasses and added, "The special train itself is estimated to be escorted by a Japanese army company, about two hundred people. In addition, there are an unknown number of puppet troops."

In addition, at least one company of Japanese soldiers would be dispatched from Yuanping Station to clear the area and guard the line an hour before the special train arrived.

With the reinforcement company sent from Shuoxian, the protective force is not weak. We must act quickly and decisively, ending the battle and seizing the equipment before reinforcements from the surrounding counties arrive!

Zhou Jindong stared at the map, his mind racing with calculations: "How long is the bridge? Where are the Japanese pillboxes located? What are the possible reinforcement routes from the direction of the station?"

"The bridge is about 60 meters long, with a steel beam structure. Below it is a riverbed, and the water is shallow in winter, so people can cross it." Wang Jianguo picked up a charcoal pencil and marked a few points on the map. "The bunker is on a high ground 30 meters west of the south end of the bridge, controlling the bridgehead and the railway line on the south side."

Yuanping Station is about ten miles to the north. It would take the Japanese reinforcements about forty minutes to an hour to arrive. The reinforcements from the north will come along the railway line, so once the fighting starts, we must divide our forces to block the northern front!

Zhou Jindong nodded and asked, "Are the preparations for blowing up the bridge complete? Is there enough explosives? The timing of blowing up the bridge is very important. If it's too early, it will alert the Japanese, and the special train may stop early or take a detour; if it's too late, the special train will have already passed by."

Political Commissar Li said, "We have prepared some explosives, all gathered from various places. We also found an old worker who used to work on the railway; he knows the key stress points of the bridge. But time is too tight. The comrades who are to blow up the bridge need to get close to the bridge piers to plant the explosives, which is very risky. The Japanese have sentries patrolling the bridgehead."

Zhou Jindong thought for a moment and then proposed an idea: "Regimental Commander Wang, Political Commissar Li, I have a suggestion. Didn't our county brigade just capture a batch of Japanese military uniforms?"

A small team could be sent, disguised as a Japanese patrol or "reinforcements," to approach the bridgehead openly. They could then eliminate the sentries, seize control of the bridgehead, and provide cover for the demolition team to plant the explosives. This method has a higher success rate and is safer.

Wang Jianguo and Political Commissar Li exchanged a glance, both seeing approval in each other's eyes.

"That's a great idea!" Wang Jianguo slammed his fist on his palm. "We'll use your skin! Do you even know the terrain around there?"

"Zhang Fang's First Squadron often operates in this area and is very familiar with the terrain," Zhou Jindong said.

"Alright! The demolition team will be led by our regiment's engineering platoon; they specialize in this. Your county brigade will send a platoon, dressed in Japanese uniforms, to cooperate with the operation and be responsible for eliminating both visible and hidden sentries at the bridgehead and controlling the scene."

"I'll have the First Battalion send a company to work with you, to lie in ambush in the woods south of the bridge. Once you've secured the bridgehead, they'll immediately provide support, establish a defensive line, and prepare to intercept any reinforcements coming from the Yuanping direction!" Wang Jianguo quickly made the deployment.

Political Commissar Li continued, "Our main force, along with the remaining three companies from your county brigade, will ambush them on the rocky slope and abandoned quarry 500 meters north of the bridge. After the special train is forced to stop, the Japanese will definitely disembark and deploy their defenses. We will then launch a strong attack from the north! We'll use the terrain to divide them and achieve a swift victory!"

Zhou Jindong immediately said, "Our heavy machine gun and mortar can reinforce the main attack position on the north flank. Grenade launchers and light machine guns will follow the camouflaged troops and provide fire support nearby."

"It's settled then!" Wang Jianguo glanced at his pocket watch. "It's three in the afternoon. Five hours left. Split up and prepare immediately! Captain Zhou, tell your men to take a break and replenish their rations."

After dark, at 6:00 PM sharp, the camouflage troops departed on time! They must secure the bridgehead and complete the explosives deployment by 7:30 PM! The special train is expected to arrive around 8:00 PM. Time is very tight!

"Yes! I guarantee I will complete the mission!" Zhou Jindong answered, straightening his back.

After leaving the command post, Zhou Jindong hurried back to the temporary resting place of the county brigade.

The soldiers have entered the village in batches and are resting in relatively intact houses or cellars, eating cold dry rations, guided by the villagers.

Zhou Jindong immediately summoned several squadron leaders, including Wang Quan, Liu Rengui, Liu Heiqi, and Zhang Fang.

He quickly explained the 771st Regiment's battle plan and division of labor, and then said, "Zhang Fang, your first company, pick out thirty soldiers with good mental fortitude."

The entire group was dressed in Japanese military uniforms and equipped with Type 38 rifles and Type 96 light machine guns, just like the standard equipment of a Japanese patrol.

You will personally lead the team to cooperate with the engineering platoon of the 771st Regiment in the task of controlling the bridgehead.

Remember, you disguise yourselves as a "Japanese patrol," pass by the bridge to conduct an inspection, then suddenly launch an attack, take out the sentries, and take control of the situation!

The movements must be swift and ruthless; not a single one can escape!

Zhang Fang patted his chest confidently: "Don't worry, Dongzi! Leave this job to me, I guarantee I'll handle it perfectly!"

Zhou Jindong then looked at Wang Quan and Liu Rengui: "Wang Quan, your second company and Liu Rengui's third company, along with our heavy machine gun and mortar, will be incorporated into the main attack force of the 771st Regiment and ambushed on the north side of the bridge."

"Issue the unified command of Commander Wang of the 771st Regiment. Concentrate firepower. Mortars should focus on the areas where the Japanese disembark and potential heavy firing positions. Heavy machine guns should block the railway line to prevent the Japanese from spreading out and establishing a defensive line."

"Understood!" Wang Quan and Liu Rengui replied in unison.

"Liu Heiqi, your fourth company will serve as a reserve force, ready to be deployed by Commander Wang at any time. In addition, two platoons will be assigned to assist the village militia and underground party comrades in organizing transport teams in advance. Once the battle begins, you will act immediately."

The machinery is very heavy and requires a lot of manpower. Tell the villagers, "These are machines for fighting the Japanese invaders; they're the lifeblood of our arsenal!"

Liu Heiqi nodded emphatically: "Don't worry, Captain, I know how to move things. Back when we were in business, we did this kind of work all the time. I'll oversee everything!"