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

Once the tasks were assigned, everyone immediately went their separate ways.

Zhang Fang ran off to pick people and tidied up his yellow coat.

When the soldiers heard that they were going to impersonate Japanese soldiers, they were both nervous and excited. They helped each other to straighten their clothes and try to cover up their Eighth Route Army aura. Some even deliberately wore their hats at an angle to make the Japanese soldiers look like lazy, nonchalant soldiers.

Wang Quan and Liu Rengui inspected the weapons and equipment, especially the Type 92 heavy machine gun and the mortar, wiping them repeatedly, calibrating the sights, and distributing ammunition to the crew.

Zhou Jindong himself was not idle either. He found Regiment Commander Wang Jianguo and reconfirmed the communication signals, the attack routes and retreat routes of each unit, as well as the contingency plan in case the plan failed.

Time passed by, and the sky gradually darkened.

On a winter evening, darkness falls early. Before six o'clock, the fields are already shrouded in a vast twilight.

Zhang Fang led thirty "Japanese soldiers" and twelve soldiers from the 771st Regiment's engineering platoon, and quietly left Xiaowangzhuang, heading towards the Dashahe Railway Bridge.

They were wearing Japanese army yellow woolen overcoats, carrying Type 38 rifles, and their formation was loose. From a distance, they really looked like a tired Japanese patrol on a routine mission.

Zhou Jindong watched them disappear into the darkness, silently calculating the time in his mind. Then, he led the main force of the county brigade and the 771st Regiment, under the cover of night, towards their respective pre-arranged positions.

Around 7 p.m., all units arrived at their designated locations.

Zhou Jindong lay prone under a large rock behind the rocky slope on the north side of the bridge, raising his binoculars to observe the dark outline of the railway bridge in the distance.

Under the faint starlight, the bridge resembled a giant, crouching serpent. The outline of the bridgehead was faintly visible, and several dark figures moved about on it; they were probably Japanese sentries.

To the south, Zhang Fang and his "patrol team" should be arriving soon.

Time passed very slowly; every minute felt like a year.

A cold wind blew from the riverbank, carrying a biting, damp chill.

The soldiers lay motionless on the cold stones and mud, only their breath rising in the darkness.

Zhou Jindong rubbed his fingers, which were stiff from the cold, his eyes fixed on the direction of the south end of the bridge.

Around 7:20, a few short shouts in Japanese came from the direction of the bridgehead, carrying far in the quiet night.

Zhou Jindong's heart skipped a beat. He knew that Zhang Fang and his men had "returned to their posts."

A figure could be vaguely seen moving on the bridgehead; the beam of a flashlight flickered a few times and then went out.

About five or six minutes later, a sharp "smack" suddenly came from the direction of the bridgehead, like the sound of a gun butt hitting something, followed by several muffled groans and the sound of a heavy object falling to the ground.

But the sound was brief, and silence soon returned.

A few minutes later, a lantern lit up on the bridgehead and swayed three times from side to side.

That was the agreed-upon signal: the bridgehead was under control!

Zhou Jindong breathed a sigh of relief and whispered to the communications officer beside him, "Send a signal to Commander Wang that the bridgehead has been captured."

The messenger immediately lit a tinderbox and waved it behind him.

Almost simultaneously, he saw a faint firelight respond from the woods on the south side of the bridge.

Immediately afterwards, several dark figures darted out from their hiding places on the south side of the bridge and crept towards the bridge pier. It was the engineer platoon of the 771st Regiment, carrying heavy explosive packs, and under the cover of the "Japanese soldiers," they began to move towards the bridge pier.

The time was drawing ever closer to eight o'clock.

In the distance, the long, deep sound of a train whistle could be faintly heard, piercing the night sky.

coming!

Zhou Jindong's spirits lifted, and he whispered to the soldiers around him, "Prepare for battle! Check your weapons! Do not fire without orders!"

The soldiers gently pulled the bolts to chamber bullets, unscrewed the back covers of the grenades, and placed them in a convenient position.

The mortar operator adjusted the muzzle angle, the loader held the shell, and held his breath.

The heavy machine gun was aimed at the relatively flat area on the north side of the railway bridge.

The train whistle grew closer and clearer.

In the darkness, two bright headlights, like the eyes of a giant beast, swept across the railway line.

The heavy wheels rolled over the rails, the sound growing louder and louder, the rhythmic clanging pounding against everyone's heart.

Zhou Jindong saw through his binoculars that it was a hybrid train pulled by a steam locomotive.

Behind the locomotive were several boxcars, and further back were several flatbeds, with tall, angular objects covered by canvas—presumably those machine tools.

Behind the flatbed truck were several freight cars, and at the very back was a passenger car.

The train was moving slowly, heading towards the Dashahe Railway Bridge.

The train drew closer, its engine spewing thick smoke that billowed into the night.

Zhou Jindong's heart began to race; he could hear the sound of his own blood flowing.

Four hundred meters... three hundred meters... two hundred meters...

The huge, dark shadow of the locomotive was already approaching the bridgehead.

suddenly!

"BOOM!!!"

A deafening roar came from the direction of the bridge pier!

The violent explosion shook the earth, and the towering flames instantly tore through the night, illuminating the entire railway bridge as if it were daytime!

The explosives pre-planted in key parts of the bridge pier were successfully detonated!

In the firelight, it was clear that a section of steel beam near the south bank of the railway bridge emitted a piercing metallic twisting sound before suddenly collapsing downwards!

The locomotive driver, who was traveling on the bridge, was clearly stunned by the sudden explosion and instinctively pulled on the brakes.

"squeak----!!!"

The sharp, piercing screech of brakes tore through the air, and the train wheels rubbed against the rails, sparking a series of dazzling sparks!

The immense inertia propelled the heavy train forward dozens of meters. The locomotive had already crossed the collapsed bridge, but the rear carriages sank sharply due to the broken steel beams, and then came to a screeching halt at the edge of the break!

Under the immense force of inertia, the connection between the carriages of the several flatbed wagons emitted a teeth-grinding creak. One of the flatbed wagons even tilted to one side, and a corner of the canvas covering it was lifted, revealing the outline of a huge, dark machine underneath.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

The train was immediately filled with panicked shouts from the Japanese soldiers, all in Japanese.

The doors of the front and rear freight cars were suddenly pulled open, and Japanese soldiers in yellow uniforms jumped out of the cars like dumplings being dropped into boiling water. They quickly used the cars as cover and looked around with their guns raised.

The canvas on the flatbed truck was also lifted, and some Japanese soldiers climbed onto the roof and set up machine guns.

"Fire!" Regiment Commander Wang Jianguo's roar, relayed by the communications officer, echoed throughout the ambush position.

"all!"

On Zhou Jindong's side, the two mortars that had been prepared beforehand opened fire first.

The shells, with a sharp whistling sound, ripped through the night sky and crashed into the area in the middle of the train where Japanese soldiers were jumping off in large numbers.

"Boom! Boom!"

The explosions lit up the sky one after another, and shrapnel and shockwaves knocked the Japanese soldiers who had just landed overboard. Screams and cries of alarm immediately filled the air.

"Da da da da da—!"

Several heavy machine guns and a dozen light machine guns, which were lying in ambush on the north side of the hillside, opened fire at the same time!

A hail of bullets swept towards the train parked beside the broken bridge like a deluge.

The bullets struck the metal carriages of the train, making muffled "thud thud thud" sounds and whistling ricochets.

The Japanese machine gunner on the roof had barely opened fire a few times when he was riddled with bullets and rolled off the vehicle.

"Throw the grenade!"

Soldiers near the railway line hurled the grenades they had prepared toward the train.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Explosions echoed one after another, and both sides of the railway line were shrouded in flames and smoke.

The Japanese soldiers were clearly stunned. They hadn't expected to be ambushed so fiercely behind the Da Shahe Bridge, a location they considered absolutely safe.

Some of the Japanese soldiers, relying on train carriages and railway embankments, fought back desperately.

The crisp "bang, bang" of the Type 38 rifle and the "rat-a-tat-tat" of the Type 11 light machine gun mingled with the fierce firepower of the Eighth Route Army.

However, many more Japanese soldiers were thrown into chaos by the initial attack, especially those in the middle carriages, who were caught in a pincer movement and suffered heavy casualties.

"Charge! End the battle!" Seeing that the Japanese soldiers had been suppressed, Regiment Commander Wang Jianguo decisively gave the order to charge.

"Drip drip drip drip—!"

The stirring bugle call rang out.

"Charge!"

"Kill the Japanese devils!"

The soldiers of the 771st Regiment and the Wang Quan and Liu Rengui Company of the county brigade, like tigers descending the mountain, leaped up from their positions on the north slope, bayonets in hand, and roared as they charged toward the train!

Zhou Jindong also drew his pistol and, along with his guards, charged forward with the advancing troops.

Intense gunfire and explosions also rang out from the south end of the bridge. It was Zhang Fang and his men, disguised as "Japanese soldiers," attacking the Yuanping Station garrison that was attempting to reinforce from the south along the railway line.

The battle became intense from the very beginning.

The charging troops quickly approached the train.

Some of the stubborn Japanese soldiers tried to parry with their bayonets, but they were quickly overwhelmed by the sea of ​​Eighth Route Army soldiers.

The dull thud of bayonets piercing flesh, angry roars, and death screams echoed around the carriage.

Zhou Jindong rushed to a sealed freight car and saw a Japanese sergeant leaning against the wheel, firing wildly with a Mauser pistol.

He raised his hand and fired a shot; the Mauser pistol bullet struck the Japanese sergeant's arm, and the pistol fell to the ground. A soldier from the county militia nearby raised his bayonet and plunged it into the sergeant's chest.

"Conserve bullets! Use bayonets and grenades to finish off the remaining enemy!" Zhou Jindong shouted, while vigilantly observing the battlefield.

He saw several soldiers trying to climb the tilted flatbed to inspect the machinery on it.

"Be careful! There might still be Japanese soldiers on the train!" Zhou Jindong said before he could finish.

"Da da da!"

Suddenly, machine gun fire erupted from the top of the flatbed truck, and two soldiers who had just climbed up were hit and fell.

"Damn it!"

Zhou Jindong cursed, snatched a grenade from the soldier next to him, bit the pin with his teeth, paused for a second, and then threw it forcefully onto the top of the flatbed truck.

The grenade flew in an arc and landed precisely behind the machine gun emplacement on the roof of the vehicle.

"boom!"

The explosion flashed, and the machine gun fire stopped abruptly.

"Charge!" Zhou Jindong waved his hand and led several soldiers to charge forward.

They climbed onto the swaying flatbed truck, where they saw four or five Japanese soldiers lying haphazardly on the roof, and a Type 11 machine gun overturned to one side.

On the flatbed cart, two dark, metallic-looking machines were secured with thick ropes and wooden beams.

The machine was huge, taking up almost the entire flatbed, and covered in oil stains and incomprehensible Japanese markings.

"This is a machine tool?" A soldier reached out and touched the cold metal surface.

"Don't move!" Zhou Jindong stopped him. "Go find the tools, cut the ropes, and prepare to unload the truck!"

Several soldiers immediately drew their bayonets or pulled out captured Japanese entrenching tools from their waists and vigorously chopped at the thumb-thick hemp ropes.

"Liu Heiqi! Liu Heiqi!" Zhou Jindong turned around and shouted.

"Here! Captain, I'm here!" Liu Heiqi and a few others ran over crouching low.

"Tell the men of your fourth company to hurry up and find sticks and crowbars! Organize the villagers! Get ready to move things!" Zhou Jindong pointed to the chaotic battlefield around him. "Gather all the mules, horses, and carts! Load the heavy things onto the animals, and let the people carry the lighter things!"

"Yes, sir!" Liu Heiqi responded and turned to run. He had a loud voice, and he shouted at the top of his lungs across the battlefield, "Fourth Company! Anyone with strength, come with me! Go and help the civilians!"

Hundreds of people who had been hiding and waiting on the outskirts of the battlefield poured out from the gullies and woods under the leadership of the local Party organization and militia.

They carried shoulder poles, pushed wheelbarrows, and wore baskets on their backs, their faces showing a mixture of tension and excitement.

These were all reliable masses, numbering in the thousands, who had been secretly mobilized by the 771st Regiment and the local Party organization a day in advance.

"Fellow villagers! Follow me! Split into small groups and stick close to the leaders!" Several cadres waved their arms and shouted to maintain order in the crowd.

The crowd split into several groups and ran towards different carriages.

Meanwhile, the fighting on the battlefield continued, but it was nearing its end.

Having lost their train as a support and being divided and surrounded, the Japanese company guarding the train put up a desperate resistance, but under the overwhelming attack of the Eighth Route Army and the county brigade, their resistance grew weaker and weaker.

Regiment Commander Wang Jianguo and several others rushed to the vicinity of the train. He saw Zhou Jindong directing men to cut the ropes and shouted, "Captain Zhou! How's the situation? Was the machine damaged?"

"The locomotive made it through, but the middle section of the bridge collapsed. The last few carriages and the engine room are stuck at the break!" Zhou Jindong wiped the sweat and dust from his face. "Commander Wang! We have to hurry! Japanese reinforcements could arrive at any moment!"

"Understood! My men are cleaning up the battlefield, capturing those who aren't quite dead yet! You guys hurry up and unload the trucks!" After saying that, Wang Jianguo turned and shouted to the communications soldier beside him, "Send the signal! Have the troops blocking the southern bridgehead take turns providing cover and move this way!"

"Yes, sir!" The communications soldier ran off to relay the order.

Soon, Zhang Fang led a group of soldiers dressed in Japanese uniforms back from the south.

He ran up to Zhou Jindong: "Dongzi! We've held off one wave of Japanese reinforcements from the south, but their numbers are growing and their firepower is fierce! We blew up a section of the railway track and temporarily stopped them, but I don't think we can hold them off for long!"

"Got it! You guys go help move things too!" Zhou Jindong said without looking up, forcefully turning a huge gear stuck on the car with both hands.

The power of the masses is immense.

With two or three thousand people working together, the efficiency was astonishing.

Thick ropes were cut, heavy timbers were pried open, and dark metal components were dragged off the flatbed truck.