readx; A convoy of more than 20 trucks and jeeps set off from Changsha and drove north along the highway. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

The trucks were at either end of the convoy, and they were filled with heavily armed soldiers, each with a machine gun mounted at the front. In the middle of the convoy was a jeep. Experienced civilians realized that there must be high-ranking officers in the jeep, but they could not necessarily guess that in the back seat of one of the inconspicuous jeeps, it was Gao Fei, the commander of the Fourth Theater of Operations, who was leaning on it.

Goofy was so tired that he closed his eyes as soon as the car drove and was always half-asleep along the way.

Xue Yue, commander of the Ninth Theater of Operations, used the phrase "Chongtong Great Victory" for the first time in a telegram. When Goofy saw it, his heart moved inexplicably, and he knew that it was time to celebrate the victory.

"The second phase of the War of Resistance", Gao Fei suddenly thought of this word.

This is not just a military concept, but a political one. From the beginning of 1939, Chiang Kai-shek published many articles and speeches, and the Nationalist Axe used the horsepower of the propaganda machine to vigorously propagate and instill to the people the basis, content, and significance of the formation of the second phase of the War of Resistance against Japan, with the aim of making the people of the whole country cheer up from the defeat of the army advancing step by step, the authorities retreating again and again, losing a large number of territories, and losing a large number of troops, so that they could see the prospect of victory and strengthen their confidence in the War of Resistance. During this period, there were only two large-scale operations in which the two armies concentrated their main forces. The first was the Battle of Nanchang, which ended in failure from March to May 1939, and then the winter offensive.

When truckloads of war booty were transported into Changsha, the common people were in tears, and the smoke of firecrackers in Liuyang filled the figure of the soldiers who were wrapped in the smoke of gunpowder from the front line. Gao Fei knew that this was exactly the victory that Chiang Kai-shek and the people of the whole country desperately needed psychologically.

Gao Fei opened his eyes and asked Mao Bingcai, who was sitting next to the driver, "Where have you been?" ”

"Tang Tian, it's half the way."

The speed of the car was slow, and under the wheels was a wartime highway that was barely opened to traffic when the army attacked, and then sent troops and civilian workers to sort it out after the war. Before the war, Gao Fei organized the people to destroy roads and return to the fields, and this "earthy" method effectively restricted the advance of the heavy artillery of the Chinese army with the infantry, and greatly reduced the attack capability of the Chinese army. When drafting the detailed report on the operation of Chengyucheng, Gao Fei specifically mentioned that this article should be included in the successful experience.

The guns on the battlefield have not stopped, and the whole country has begun to celebrate the victory.

Chongyang, Tongcheng, these famous and unknown cities, jumped into the country's major newspapers and periodicals, and Gao Fei, Lao Hei, Xie Yi and other old names were once again hyped up.

Yucheng.

Several huge victory arches have been erected on the main streets of Chongqing. On these memorial arches decorated with pine and cypress branches and flowers, the words "Celebrating the victory of the winter offensive" are very exciting. The streets of the wartime capital are mixed with victorious celebrations.

In front of a shop, a large red silk cloth reads: "We celebrate the surrender of the enemy by annihilating the Japanese army!" ”

In the eyes of the optimistic boss and the proprietress of the pair, there is no doubt that the devil will surrender by next year at the latest.

During the day, Gao Fei received congratulatory telegrams and letters from the National Political Axe, the Military Commission, the National Assembly, and many mass organizations, party and government officials, and celebrities. Among them, he got his wish and saw the congratulatory message sent by Chairman Chiang Kai-shek full of joy. For Goofy, in fact, this one is enough.

The car slows down and slowly stops. Gao Fei subconsciously tidied up his military appearance and cheered up. Fu Lin Pu, a small town between clear water and green mountains. A special ceremony will be held here today. The day before yesterday, when the adjutant recorded a telephone call asking for instructions, he signed the word "as intended" without thinking, and ordered all other activities to give way. These days, Goofy is besieged by journalists, celebrities and events, by flowers, spotlights, applause and rhetoric of praise and boasting. He needed such an activity to calm his mind so that he would not forget the true meaning of war and victory.

Xue Yue, Chen Cheng and others greeted them under the car. Today is a special occasion where people salute and return the salute calmly, with a short greeting and no greetings

The troops were already standing in front of a sunny hillside. Thousands of soldiers, like a young jungle, all dressed in neat military uniforms, full battle attire, black steel helmets, and leggings as if they were about to set off on an expedition.

The sun of the green mountains, a brand new tombstone.

Under the leadership of Gao Fei, the officers with straight uniforms and shining stars slowly climbed the steps with military hats in their hands.

Minglian: "Chongyang is immortal, and the battle of Tongcheng was successful." ”

The generals hung their heads, paid a moment of silence for the dead soldiers, and bowed three times. 100 soldiers as heroic guards of honor fired their guns into the air.

The sound of gunfire was like thunder and rain, echoing in the heavens and the earth for a long time

Chiang Kai-shek's telegram to Gao Fei:

"In this winter offensive, more than half of the enemy was annihilated, the good news came, the whole country was excited, all the commanders were powerful, the soldiers used their lives, there was no encouragement, all the meritorious personnel in this battle, I hope to find out and evaluate the report, the dead and wounded officers and soldiers, and should be checked and reported, with the reward, since the foundation of the victory has been laid, the heavier the responsibility of my soldiers, I hope to encourage the department, extra caution, redouble efforts, do not be arrogant, do not slack, magnify the achievements, use the collection of great encouragement, and look forward to it."

He Yingqin's congratulatory message:

"General Gao: This battle, after a complete victory, the sound of the Jie, Liang Shen congratulated, my brother commanded well, killed the enemy and achieved results, and the merit was great, the army suffered this fiasco, and the heart was cold, and I still hope to make persistent efforts and move forward to obtain full success."

Message from the National Axe:

"Senior Commander's Honor: This winter offensive is a serious relationship with the war situation, the commander has a good command, his subordinates are loyal and brave to his orders, annihilate the stubborn enemy, protect the whole of Hunan, the good news is coming, the whole country is happy, he should immediately reply to the telegram to congratulate him, and send a message to his subordinates, and work hard."

A joint congratulatory message signed by 15 members of the National Council for Political Participation, signed:

"Zhang Lan, Kong Geng, Chu Fucheng, Jiang Yong, Dong Biwu, Xu Deheng, Deng Feihuang, Liu Shumo, Fan Yusui, Li Zhongwang, Xu Xiaoyan, Chen Bosheng, Li Cong, Qin Bangxian, Gao Xibing, Shi Liang."

At 5:30 a.m. on December 6, 1939, a light convoy passed by quickly on the streets of the mountain city of Yucheng and headed straight for the suburban airport.

At the heavily guarded Yucheng Airport, the lights and signal lights on the apron and runway are turned on. A few minutes after the convoy arrived, a plane waiting at the end of the runway started its motors with a roar, rushed forward slowly and quickly, gradually broke away from the ground, and turned its head in mid-air, straight into the twilight eastern sky.

Chiang Kai-shek leaned on the sofa seat in the cabin, looking tired.

Beginning early in the morning, the radio station broadcast the news of "destroying more than 10,000 enemies" in turn. The major newspapers and periodicals went to great lengths to issue the issue, with the headlines of the columns printed in walnut-sized characters on the front pages, and the second, third, and fourth pages were stuffed with commentary articles, war reports, news photos, frontline interviews, side notes, and observations, and so on. Chiang Kai-shek flipped through the newspapers, and he was really convinced by Chen Bui, Wu Tiecheng, and Wu Dingchang, and so many articles were magically conjured overnight!

Since it was a "victory," the National Political Axe, the National Assembly, the Military Commission, and various mass organizations had to send congratulatory telegrams and letters as usual. When Lin Wei, deputy director of the chamberlain, asked whether to send a congratulatory telegram in the personal name of the chairman, Chiang Kai-shek had already made up his mind and replied: "No need, please make arrangements, I will go to the door to congratulate him." ”

Regarding the victory, Sun Ke, president of the National Political Axe, said in an interview with a Hong Kong reporter: "The Chinese [***] team has gained the initiative, and it is expected that there will be an astonishing military development within half a year, and the victory of the [***] team in northern Hunan will lay the road for the counterattack against the Chinese army and the recovery of Hankou and Guangzhou."

At a mass rally to commemorate the National Day and celebrate the "great victory" from all walks of life in Guilin, Guangxi, General Bai Chongxi, deputy chief of staff of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech: "This great victory is the pivot for me to turn defeat into victory. ”

Since the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, no matter whether the international situation is favorable or not, the national strength has failed, and the people are suffering, the people need the tonic of "victory" psychologically, otherwise why should they continue to endure hardship?

When the sound of the plane's motor faintly came from the clouds in the western sky, Gao Fei led the main generals of the Fourth Theater to walk out of the temporary waiting lounge on the side of Nanyue Airport.

But Gao Fei's heart was heavy, not only because he did not receive Chiang Kai-shek's congratulations, but because he was still there worried about the new 9th Brigade that was still fighting bloodily in Tongshan, and he was still worried about his brother: Suozhu

At 7 a.m. on December 5, thick black smoke rose from a violent explosion around the Tongshan urban area. A new assault on Tongshan began.

The enemy launched another onslaught, breaking through the block. The commander of the 18th regiment, Qin Hancheng, personally commanded the soldiers to fight the enemy with grenades and white blades. After a terrible street battle, all the enemies who broke into the neighborhood were annihilated, and the position turned from danger to safety. During the battle, the commander of the enemy's 215th Wing, Okada Erda, and many other officers were killed by the [***] team.

The Chinese officers and soldiers repelled the powerful offensives of the Yue army with tragic battles, and the position was full of corpses, and what remained in the memory was a piece of blood, and the attack of the Yue army also suffered heavy casualties, and the historical record of it was also bloody. After the war, Kawado Heiichi, commander of the 33rd Wing of the 214th Division of the Japanese Army, recalled:

On the 5th of December (December), the onslaught on Tongshan began. The fighting was extremely fierce, especially the heavy casualties among officers at all levels, and people could not extricate themselves from their grief and indignation

On the 5th, the attack on the enemy position that had not been captured in the previous attempt was continued, and in the battle, the newly arrived Captain Akira Sekine, the commander of the 1st Group, and the commander of the 2nd Group, Captain Hatsuo Adachi, who was wounded, were killed. The captain of the 3rd Brigade, Suhachiro, was seriously wounded and saved from the position, but a few days later contracted gangrene from his wound and died.

At the same time, I reported the battle situation and casualties to the division commander, and the commander of the Gansu Division expressed his understanding of the difficulties of our wing and transferred the 3rd Brigade of the 215th Wing to my command. However, during the attack on the enemy's key point on the 5th, the brigade unfortunately strayed into the grenade ambush area of the enemy soldiers, suffered great losses, and the captain of the brigade, Captain Takushi Hiraoka, was also unfortunately killed

Squadron leaders and squad leaders, who led the charge on the front line, suffered even more serious casualties. Only one squadron leader was equipped before the battle, and all the squad leaders were killed. On the evening of the 5th, when I reported the battle situation and casualties on the phone, I couldn't help but shed tears. I told the division commander that the 214 Wing did its best. The commander of the Gansu Division was silent for a long time on the other end of the phone.

From December 5 to 6, the divisions of the New 9th Brigade relied on their dilapidated positions to block the frenzied offensive of the Japanese army. At several points, the two armies repeatedly fought over them. The corpses of the soldiers, the corpses of their comrades, there were corpses everywhere. Seeing it all day, I was numb, the battle was tense, the psychology was nervous, and I didn't have time to think about my life and death. The smell of rotting corpses made people nauseous, swollen, and didn't want to eat, but later they got used to it.

In the new offensive of the smashing army, the total combat attrition of the whole brigade has reached two-thirds, from the brigade commander to the soldiers, looking forward to the arrival of reinforcements every day, I don't know which Peking Opera lover took the lead, and the whole city's positions were popular like a gust of wind in the two sentences of Yang Liulang's singing in the opera:

"It's just not about the reinforcements, it's annoying to mention the reinforcements."

On the evening of 6 o'clock on the 12th, the commander of the 33rd Division of the Japanese Army, Tagoro Gansu, led the senior officers to pay homage to the eastern mainland. After the ceremony, he drew his sword and swung it at Tongshan City.

Out of consideration for being familiar with the attack route and the tactics of the defenders, Ganji Jutaro took the three main wings as the vanguard of the third offensive.

From the very beginning of this offensive, the two sides fighting each other can be described as "dying and struggling" at the same time.

On the 4th and 5th, two days of fierce fighting, the three officers of the Kawado Heiichi Wing who had just acted as the captain were all killed. The Chinese defenders of the West Gate position, which the wing attacked, seemed to be unable to fight and die. On the evening of the 6th, Heiichi Kawado took off the major general's uniform that he had just worn for two days, folded it neatly with his own hands, and hit it in the marching backpack. He gathered more than 200 remnants of the wing, and he held the flag of the wing, ready to make the last charge.

The soldiers sensed the meaning of this charge from the expression of the wing commander, and entrusted each other with the aftermath. They gathered in groups of three or five, shouted the name of a village or a mountain in their hometown, and then returned to the group.

When Major General Heiichi Kawado's team was about to set off, a staff officer from the division headquarters rushed to learn about the situation, and immediately called the division commander Shigetaro Kasuma to report the situation. Shigetaro considered that this attack did not mean much to destroy the defenders' positions other than to show the loyalty and courage of the emperor's people. He instructed Heiichi Kawado to launch an offensive in the early morning of 7 July, with the cooperation of the air force, and canceled what Heiichi Kawado would later call the offensive action of "a tragic battle to the death."

Tadao Kodamama's 213th Wing attacked the Chinese positions on the 4th and 5th. Taking advantage of the high terrain, Chinese officers and soldiers frequently inflicted a large number of grenades on the Yue troops, while the fortifications of the defenders were destroyed one by one under the bombardment of the direct artillery of the Yue troops. On the afternoon of the 6th, the army poured into the position, and the soldiers of the two countries fought in a melee, and for a time the flesh and blood flew sideways, and the sky and the earth changed color.

Kodama reported the battle to Shigetaro Katsuta, saying, "There were few tragic and heroic scenes in modern daytime battles. ”

Tadao Kodama was a highly talented student at a liberal arts university before joining the army, and it was the war of aggression that turned this young man with the temperament of a poet into an iron-blooded soldier. Recalling this battle, he said: "The destruction of the enemy from the top of the world was originally a means to achieve the goal of war, and for this reason, the death of our side was inevitable. But when the wheel of war spins fast, death becomes the goal, as if everything is just to make more people die. When war finally reveals its callous nature, politicians and military strategists can do nothing about it. ”

At 3 a.m. on 7 December, the 14th Mixed Brigade of the Yue Army, which had just been engaged in the Tongshan operation, broke through the defensive positions in the northwest of the city and immediately expanded to the surrounding areas. At 5 o'clock, all the defenders of the position near Xiaoximen were killed, and the army broke into the city from here. The defenders resisted in the already constructed roofs and junction fortifications. Gun muzzles stick out of the darkness, and grenades explode from unexpected places. The army had no choice but to stop where it was and wait until dawn before making progress.

At 10 a.m., Shigetaro received a report that the co-captain, Yuosa Sekiguchi, had been killed.

Yuyoshi Sekiguchi participated in many important battles in the war of aggression against China, and was quite famous among the Chinese and Chinese armies. At 8:20 a.m., Yukichi Sekiguchi personally went to the front line to supervise the battle, and when he saw his men suffering heavy casualties in the grenade attack by the defenders, he instructed his soldiers to bravely pounce on the grenades thrown by the defenders, and pick up the grenades and throw them back before they exploded. Yukichi Sekiguchi personally demonstrated among the soldiers of the assault detachment, throwing back four grenades in a row that were about to explode, and the soldiers cheered loudly with excitement.

Just as Yuyoshi Sekiguchi got up to leave, the defenders' machine guns strafed, and two bullets hit him in the face, and the young general, who had "made great achievements", was immediately devastated by the anger.

A few days later, Heiichi Kawado filled the vacancy.

It was the last bullet fired by the last soldiers that knocked the group of soldiers to the ground, and the explosion of grenades like spring thunder was mostly the last fight of the bloodied bodies and mutilated limbs of the weak soldiers.

At 3 o'clock in the morning, the position of the 2nd Battalion of the 19th Regiment of the New 9th Brigade was broken through by the Japanese army. The commander of the 5th Company and the remaining 20 people of the company all died.

One hour later, the position of the 3rd battalion of the regiment was breached, and the deputy commander who led the regiment to fight and more than 30 people on the position were all killed.

At dawn, the 20th Division position, the regiment commander, the commander of the 3rd Battalion, and the officers and soldiers led by him all died.

At 9 o'clock in the morning, the army rushed into the city from the north and west of the city.

Without any worries, he groaned and said to the adjutant beside him:

"My new 9th Brigade immediately said to defend to the death, turned to street fighting, the army has entered the city in a big way, our brigade has suffered heavy casualties, has been divided by the army, at this time, I can no longer control the troops, only to lead the last 37 fighters of the brigade headquarters, and fight to the death with the enemy! We revolutionary soldiers, swear to die for the country, and never be prisoners of the Japanese! Please take care of Sister Chun and my whole family on my behalf, and Jin Suozhu will never live up to the trust of the chief and the trust of the people of the whole country. The commander of the new 9th Brigade of the National Revolutionary Army, Jin Suozhu, is a masterpiece! ”

After saying that, the lock post picked up the submachine gun and walked out without hesitation.

It's not a big deal, it's just a death, and I'm no longer the lock pillar I was at the beginning.

I should have died when I was in Dachang, and I should have died when I was in Jiangyin, so let this be my final destination!

(To be continued)