At the operational meeting, Lei Ming, the commander-in-chief of the joint operations, looked solemn and said majestically in the face of the commander of the tank regiment and the commander of the special regiment, including the captain of the mortar group, the captain of the light machine gun group, and the captain of the grenadier group: "Ladies and gentlemen, the front command orders our units and other units to form a rapid assault force, go straight to the east to capture the key point of Daxing, and then occupy the Vietnamese Ridge in the east to cut off the retreat of the northeastern army. When the generals heard this, they were immediately excited, and they all geared up. Ma Lin, deputy commander-in-chief of joint operations, motioned for everyone to be quiet.

Lei Ming continued: "An army of Wu Peifu's 4th Corps has moved to Xichuan, and the battle will start tonight." The front command ordered our troops to set out at dusk, and at 10 o'clock at midnight they crossed Xichuan and went straight to Daxing. Immediately after everyone returned, they made preparations, checked the vehicles and equipment, and set off at dusk. ”

Ge Yunfei saw that the Japanese army retreated to the Datong River and deployed heavy troops, so it was not easy to continue the offensive on the western front, so he set his sights on the eastern front. After the right and left groups captured Dingzhou and Qinchuan, Ge Yunfei's long-standing plan for animal husbandry was ripe, and Wu Peifu's secret corps created conditions for moving eastward.

At present, the Japanese army is defending about 12 divisions in the Gaima, Hamgyong Mountains, Wojibong Peak, Langlin Mountain, and the northeastern coastal zone. Since you want to destroy the living forces of the Japanese army on a large scale, you must strike a thunderous blow. As the saying goes, soldiers are treacherous, and the tactics of war are not immutable. Without tanks and combat vehicles, Ge Yunfei would not have been able to encircle the Japanese army's battle plan in real time. Due to the ability of tanks and combat vehicles to attack fortified positions, the Japanese army talked about the tiger's color, and the Japanese army's attention was focused. However, the ability of tanks to penetrate at long distances has not yet been seen by the Japanese army, and it is completely possible to take it by surprise.

At dusk, 96 tanks and combat vehicles and a huge convoy set off from Qinchuan to advance towards Xichuan. Tanks and tanks were filled with soldiers, and trucks were filled with soldiers, and a light machine gun was mounted on each truck. The strength of the special regiment is 1,200 people, and the mortar brigade, light machine gun brigade, and grenadier brigade are 300 people each. The tank crew is about 400 people, the number of logistics regiments belonging to the tank brigade is about 800 people, and the total strength of this mechanized assault force is about 3,200 people.

An assault force close to an integrated brigade seems to have few troops, but the strike fire is terrifying. Tanks and trucks were mighty, and at this time, Wang Ying, commander of the 1st Tank Battalion, commanded 12 tanks in his own battalion and still served as the vanguard. In May, there is not much rain on the Korean Peninsula, and the road surface is relatively dry. The sandy roads built by the Japanese army were good and relatively smooth, and the tank tracks were crushed on the road surface, and no large clouds of dust were raised. Wang Ying stood on the open turret and looked forward with half of his body exposed, and a company commander of a special regiment sitting in the car teased: "Battalion Commander Wang, what a majesty!" ”

"Dude, we are now a family, each other." "That's different, we're far from it!" "Why don't we change?" "Don't chill me, I don't have those two hits." As he spoke, an infantry unit appeared in front of him, and the soldiers on foot took the initiative to move out of the way of the continent and let the tanks and vehicles pass. The infantry looked at the torrent of steel, and it was hard to control their excitement. The prestige of the tank unit has long spread throughout the army, and the officers and men of Wu Peifu's 4th Corps have never seen tank fighting vehicles, and they are particularly curious about this mobile steel fortress. The tank crew took the initiative to greet the infantry, and the atmosphere was quite enthusiastic.

There was a rumbling cannon sound from the front, "The 4th Corps' assault on Heecheon has begun!" Wang Ying said excitedly. The special company commander asked: "Battalion Commander Wang, this time we are going to show our might again." "Dude, we don't fight!" "Not going into battle?" The commander of the special regiment had a puzzled expression on his face. "We passed through the north side of Heecheon and continued to advance eastward, and our task was to take Da Hung and cover the capture of Viet Nam Ridge by the 4th Corps. Dude, this is a big battle, all I can say is a lot. ”

At midnight, tanks and trucks crossed Heecheon, and the flames of the explosion and the barrage that appeared in the night sky were gradually left behind. Heecheon was defended by a brigade of the Japanese army, and the 37th and 38th divisions of the 13th Army of the 4th Corps attacked from the north and west respectively, with the aim of forcing the Japanese army to retreat to Myoxiangsan in the south. The assault troops took the opportunity to pass through the north side of Heecheon to prevent the Japanese from discovering the traces of the tank troops. Daxing is located on the east side of the valley of Miaoxiang Mountain and Langlin Mountain, according to general military common sense, the attack along the direction of the river valley is very tolerant of being attacked by the Japanese army from the north and south.

This is general military common sense, but the Japanese army just ignored the ability of tanks and combat vehicles to run long distances, so the Japanese army only deployed a brigade in Heecheon and a wing in Daxing. On the contrary, the Japanese army deployed four divisions on the front line of Miaoxiang Mountain and one division on Langlin Mountain, which could not only echo the north and south, but also ensure the safety of the strategic points of Daxing. Without tank troops, the Japanese army's deployment was impeccable, but the tank force's long-distance attack ability exposed flaws in the deployment of the Japanese army.

At 3 o'clock in the morning, Wang Ying's pioneer tank battalion encountered a Japanese cavalry patrol. In the face of the steel dragon, the Japanese patrol force fled in despair. Soon the command of the Japanese army in Seoul received such terrible news. "The enemy's tank unit actually appeared in the direction of Daxing, what is the enemy's intention?" Oshima Yoshimasa. Okamura Ninji's face turned a little pale and said, "Your Excellency Commander, we have made a major miscalculation!" "What major miscalculation?"

"The enemy's tank units have always been on the task of attacking fortified positions, and they are suitable for attacks on the plains, so they ignore the long-distance ability of tank fighting vehicles. Since our defensive focus was on the Western Front and the enemy's progress on the Eastern Front was slow, there were major gaps in our military deployment on the Eastern Front. The valley of Wolf Forest Mountain and Miaoxiang Mountain, west side is Heecheon, east side is Daxing, Vietnam War Ridge. According to the military common sense of the past, the enemy army would never launch an attack to the east along the river valley, and it was easy to be attacked from the north and south. ”

"However, we ignored the mobility of the tank fighting vehicles, and the enemy took advantage of this by suddenly launching an attack at Heecheon, covering the tank troops to cross Heecheon and go straight to Daxing. Daxing is a key point that there is no danger to defend, our department has only one wing in Daxing, and it will soon miss in the face of the impact of tanks and combat vehicles, and the enemy's goal is the Vietnam Ridge on the east side of Daxing! "Okamura-kun, the Viet Ta Ridge is the only way for the northern divisions to retreat, but the enemy's appetite is too great, and he wants to eat my 12 divisions in one go, and the enemy's existing strength is not enough to achieve the purpose of the campaign?"

"The enemy launched an attack on the front line of the Tumen River, and the number of troops invested was actually to confuse us. If I'm not mistaken, Ge Yunfei must have recruited reinforcements and secretly entered the court in Chushan, and then assembled in Songyuan. If nothing else, the enemy forces attacking Heecheon are reinforcements. Your Excellency, the situation is very critical, the northeastern defense line has lost its defensive significance, and all units of the northern defense line should be ordered to quickly retreat in the direction of the Vietnam War Ridge, provided that the Vietnam War Ridge cannot be missed! ”

Okamura Ninji felt powerless, and he knew in his heart that it would take three days for the four divisions in the Hamgyong Mountains, the four divisions in the Gaima Plateau, and the two divisions in the coastal area of Cheongjin, including one division in the Wojifeng Peak, to retreat to the Viet Nam Ridge as quickly as possible. A division defending Wolf Forest Mountain is half a day's journey away from Daxing, but once the division leaves the defense line of Wolf Forest Mountain, the enemy's main force will definitely advance eastward, so the Wolf Forest Mountain troops cannot move for the time being. Nowadays, there is a division in Hamhung, which is the only unit that rescues Viet Chan Ridge.

However, from Viet Nam Ridge to Hamhung Pingchuan, it is very suitable for tank troops. The cavalry reconnaissance unit reported that the enemy army had hundreds of tanks, and a division may not be an opponent of tank fighting vehicles, and a cold sweat broke out at the thought of this. While Okamura was thinking wildly, Commander Oshima Yoshimasa had already given the order to retreat, and he ordered two divisions along the eastern coast, four divisions in the Hamgyong Mountains, four divisions in the Gaima Plateau, and one division in the Wojifeng Peak to quickly retreat in the direction of Viet Chan Ridge.

Ordered a division of Langlin Mountain to temporarily remain still, ordered the Daxing defensive troops to hold on to death and not to retreat, and ordered the Japanese army in Hamxing to quickly support the Vietnamese Ridge. When the Japanese combat staff officer recounted the battle order, Okamura Ninji came to his senses. "Okamura-kun, do you need anything to add?" Yoshimasa Oshima asked. "Your Excellency, Wolf Forest Mountain is important, but the Vietnam War Ridge is related to the fate of the entire army in the north. It is suggested that the defending troops of Wolf Forest Mountain should quickly attack to support Daxing, and the defending troops of Woji Peak should go directly south to intercept the enemy's eastward advance. ”

"What Okamura-kun said makes sense, if Hamhung's troops are intercepted by the enemy's tank troops, it is very dangerous to have only one brigade in Viet Nam Ridge, let the troops of Wolf Forest Mountain support Daxing and buy time for us to hold on to Viet Nam Ridge!" Oshima Yoshimasa adopted Okamura Ninji's suggestion, in fact, Okamura Ninji's suggestion was to sacrifice the Japanese division in Wolf Forest Mountain, although he did not say it explicitly, Oshima Yoshimasa knew it.

"Report, the 113th Brigade defending Heecheon is difficult to withstand in the face of the strong attack of the enemy's two integrated divisions, and at present, more than half of the casualties of the brigade require a retreat in the direction of Miaoxiangshan." An operational staff officer made an urgent report.

"No, order the 113 Brigade to fight until not a single soldier is allowed to retreat!" Okamura Ninji gave orders on his behalf, and his tone seemed hoarse. Oshima Yoshimasa just nodded expressionlessly, and after his subordinates left, Okamura Ninji said in a gloomy mood: "Your Excellency General, we put our heavy troops on the line of the Datong River, and the enemy disrupted our military deployment with a slight turn, obviously the enemy has long planned this, Ge Yunfei is too cunning." "Yes, the enemy army placed two corps on the southwest side of Miaoxiang Mountain, so that the four divisions on the front line of our Miaoxiang Mountain could not move, and it is not by chance that the enemy army tried to eat our northern divisions."

While Yoshimasa Oshima and Okamura were sighing, Ge Yunfei and Cai Ye of the Fengtian headquarters were also anxiously paying attention to the battle situation. "Commander-in-chief, Wu Peifu called, the headquarters has captured two-thirds of the area of Xichuan, the Japanese defense has no signs of retreating, and the resistance is very tenacious." "Is there any movement in the direction of Miaoxiang Mountain?" "The 7th Army, which served as a garrison, called, and there was no movement from the enemy army in Miaoxiangshan! It seems that Okamura Ninji saw our intentions! ”

"I saw that our attempt was too late, so what did we do earlier! Order Wu Peifu to surround Xichuan and end the battle by 8 o'clock tomorrow morning! "Report, Zhang Zuolin called!" An operational staff officer reports. Cai Ye took the telegram.

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