On this night at the end of March, along the Yellow River on the border between Shanxi and Shaanxi. The main forces of the Northwest Group Army began to cross the river at dozens of Yellow River crossings, and put on a posture of launching an attack on Taiyuan. Due to the limited strength of the Japanese army, it could only defend various strategic points in Shanxi. With Taiyuan in central Shanxi as the core and Baotou in the north and Datong in the north and Changzhi in the south as the two flanks, the Japanese army concentrated six divisions and regiments to implement point-to-line defense, basically abandoning the east bank of the Yellow River and even the western part of Shanxi.

At the time of the victory in the air battle in Jiangxi, the Northwest Group Army of the Eighth Route Army, under the command of Commander Lin and in accordance with the strategic arrangements of the General Headquarters, issued an offensive order, and there is no doubt that the prelude to the western counteroffensive was slowly opened. The main force of the Eighth Route Army crossed the Yellow River at night in order to prevent Japanese air raids, but also to attract Japanese air raids. Lin's campaign deployment was clear, and the open ground counterattacked at the same time. While seizing air supremacy, strive to eliminate the main force of the Japanese army in Shanxi.

In the face of the increasingly severe situation on the Chinese battlefield, especially after the Japanese army turned to defensive operations in an all-round way, Okamura Ninji formulated a strategy in Shanxi to delay the entry of the main force of the Eighth Route Army into the Central Plains in order to consolidate the Central Plains. At present, Itasun Seishiro has learned that Lin's troops have been secretly transferred to the northwest, and he also knows that the Eighth Route Army is about to launch a counteroffensive. Due to the limited number of troops, the defense focus set by Itahima Seishiro was: to deploy on the front line in the southwest and north of Shanxi, with the center of gravity being Taiyuan.

Itayo Seisishiro's defensive headquarters was located in Taiyuan, focusing on defending against the offensive of the Eighth Route Army. Upon learning that the main force of the Eighth Route Army had begun to cross the river, Itayo Seishiro immediately ordered the Japanese army aviation teams at all airfields to attack all crossings of the Yellow River.

On the morning of 29 March, the Japanese army headquarters in Taiyuan was filled with the sound of telegrams, and the atmosphere of the battle was very tense. At this time, all the Japanese army and air teams at all airports were dispatched to carry out large-scale air raids on the crossings of the Yellow River.

The Japanese army has 4 military airfields in Shanxi, the largest being Taiyuan Airport, followed by Datong Airport. Smaller ones are Yangmingbao Airport and Yangquan Airport in Dai County. "Your Excellency General, Lin's main army forcibly crossed the Yellow River, and it seems that it was affected by the air battle in Jiangxi. We use air superiority to carry out strikes, at least to delay the enemy's military deployment. As soon as the Japanese chief of staff finished speaking, an operational staff officer made an urgent report: "The Air Force reports that the Army Aviation Corps has encountered a large number of enemy planes along the Yellow River!" ”

Everyone was shocked when they heard this, "Is the news accurate, how can this be that?" The chief of staff of the Japanese army asked urgently. The operational staff officer handed over the telegram, and the chief of staff broke out in a cold sweat after reading the telegram. At present, due to the urgency of the air battle in Jiangxi, the Japanese army aviation team in Shanxi has transferred one combat brigade, and now there are only three combat squadrons left in Shanxi. According to the situation of the enemy, the Japanese air strike force in Shanxi was mainly ground strikes, so the Japanese army deployed five bombing squadrons in Shanxi.

The sudden discovery of a large number of enemy planes intercepting this means that the fighters covering the bomber planes will face a catastrophe. Sure enough, all the bombing teams dispatched by the Japanese were intercepted by enemy fighters. At present, there is no advanced Zero fighter fleet in Shanxi, and there is no preparation for urgent reinforcements. The key point was that the Japanese army and air forces suffered heavy losses in the air battle in Jiangxi, and the air force was simply unable to concentrate on effective reinforcements at this juncture.

Itatsuko Seishiro immediately sent a report to Nanjing, and the anxious Okamura Ninji had no choice but to order the army aviation team stationed in Baoding to rush to support. At present, the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army is the prelude to a major counteroffensive in order to take the lead in the west. In order to win the first battle, the two independent flying regiments of the Northwest Eighth Route Army prepared 500 fighters and 150 bombers. In addition, the Japanese army did not know anything about the flying teams of the Western Eighth Route Army, which was the most terrible.

The headquarters of the Northwest Group Army of the Eighth Route Army is located in Wubao in northern Shaanxi, which is adjacent to the Yellow River, and this inconspicuous town has become the brain of the Northwest Eighth Route Army. At present, the combat strength of the Northwest Group Army of the Eighth Route Army is as follows: five integrated armies, two independent divisions, one cavalry division, two artillery divisions, one tank brigade, and two flying regiments, with a total strength of 210,000 troops. The strength of the Japanese army in Shanxi was 6 integrated divisions, 1 cavalry division, 2 heavy artillery brigades, 1 armored brigade, 3 fighter squadrons, and 5 bomber squadrons, with a total strength of 180,000 troops.

At this time, in the headquarters of the Northwest Group Army of the Eighth Route Army, the atmosphere of the big battle was equally strong, and the sound of telegrams and the excited expressions of the generals seemed to merge into one, playing an exciting movement. Although Commander Lin's face and expression did not show any joy, the generals beside him, through his eyes, could clearly see that the flickering gaze was shining. Once upon a time, the Eighth Route Army was able to attack with such a huge formation, as a general who fought on the battlefield and the iron horse, how could he not be enthusiastic.

"Mr. Lin, Deputy Commander Nie reported that the first battle was won. The 1st Independent Flying Brigade shot down 2 enemy bombers and 4 fighters, and the 2nd Independent Group shot down 3 enemy fighters and 1 bomber, ?????。 Chief of Staff Zuo Quan reported excitedly. Political Commissar Teng Dai said: "Mr. Lin, it seems that the intelligence is accurate, the number of Japanese cover fighters is not enough, and it is confirmed that they have been mobilized, I think I can make up my mind!" "Order Nie Rongzhen to dispatch a group of bombers to focus on bombing Taiyuan Airport."

"Report, the commander of the 1st Army, Chen Guang, sent a telegram asking to continue crossing the river during the day and quickly deploy troops." An operational staff officer reports. "Mr. Lin, crossing the river during the day can speed up and the troops can be deployed quickly, I think they can make their own plans according to the situation." Political Commissar Teng Daiyuan suggested. "Order the 2nd Army Commander Yang Dezhi and the 3rd Army Commander Yang Chengwu to carry out operations according to the situation, and there is no need to ask for instructions!" Hayashi's words were very light-hearted, which meant that the threat of the Japanese Air Force had been contained.

At the meandering crossing, a large number of troops crossing the river were gathered. In the early morning, it was discovered that the Japanese fighters were attacking, and the first officers and men quickly evacuated and hid on the west bank. However, before the Japanese bombers could take a stand and start bombing, a large number of fighters of the Eighth Route Army roared in. At this time, the officers and soldiers of the Eighth Route who were about to be bombed immediately looked excitedly to the sky. Regarding the situation of the Eighth Route Army Flying Regiment, not to mention that the officers and soldiers at the bottom did not know about it, even the generals at the division level did not know about it. When the officers and men saw the fighters of the Eighth Route Army pounce on the Japanese fighters, they immediately got up from the ground and cheered.

The Japanese fighters were caught off guard by the sudden appearance of interceptor fighters, the Japanese bombers fled one after another, and the few Japanese fighters desperately took cover. The air battle scene quickly moved away from the ferry, and many soldiers still craned their necks to look into the sky, but there was no shadow of an airplane in the sky. "Commander, where did our fighters come from, why haven't you heard of them?" A company commander asked the regiment commander in confusion. "It's a military secret, even I don't know!" A bearded regimental commander had an equally bewildered face.

"Regiment leader, there is no little devil plane in the sky, and Lao Tzu will no longer worry about eggs in the sky!" The company commander seemed to speak the minds of the soldiers around him. Many veterans still have vivid memories of the indiscriminate bombing of Japanese fighters, and they feel it the most. While the soldiers were talking happily, the marching horn sounded, and the troops began to form themselves and continue their march towards the ferry. The shocking appearance of the Eighth Route Army's air force invisibly gave the soldiers a tremendous encouragement and increased the desire of the officers and men to fight.

In the afternoon, in the Taiyuan Headquarters, all the generals heard the sound of explosions coming from the direction of the airport, and it seemed that they had a sense of apocalypse. The Japanese generals could not bear the enemy's air strikes on the Chinese battlefield, but they had to accept the reality. The news of war damage continued to be reported, and the news was getting worse and worse. "Your Excellency, there has been a major error in our intelligence, the enemy has made careful preparations for the attack, and has secretly deployed an army aviation team in the west. In the morning air battle, the 156th Flying Combat Group suffered heavy losses and was already unable to cover the bomber group. ”

The chief of staff of the Japanese army continued: "The two combat squadrons in Baoding arrived at Datong Airport, and were intercepted by a large number of fighters of the Eighth Route Army on the way to reinforce Taiyuan. Itatsuko Seishiro was silent, he knew in his heart that the days of the Japanese Air Force's unscrupulous airspace in China's airspace were gone. Report, call from the Nanjing Command! The chief of staff took the telegram and looked at it. General, Commander Okamura called, all the bombing teams have withdrawn from Shanxi, and the headquarters is urgently recruiting fighter team reinforcements! ”

This move undoubtedly announced the end of the Japanese air attack in Shanxi, and the reinforcement of the fighter fleet was nothing more than an increase in defense, with the aim of containing the bombers of the Eighth Route Army. Ban Hengzheng Si Hao knew in his heart that there would be no air support for the next defensive operation in Shanxi. At the same time, it means that the enemy has begun to ravage themselves in the air. The Japanese army aviation troops suffered heavy losses in Songhu and Nanjing, and air supremacy changed hands, and the Japanese army would not announce this news.

However, Seishiro Itatsune would not give in, and immediately ordered the defending units to prepare for air defense to meet the enemy attack. For ground defense operations, Itachi Seishiro was full of confidence, but he underestimated his opponent and underestimated the Eighth Route Army's strong combat effectiveness and ability to attack fortifications. Three days later, the Japanese airfields were bombed with high intensity. In particular, a new type of incendiary bomb paralyzed the Japanese airfield. Incendiary bombs are certainly terrible, but Itatsune Seishiro analyzed that the enemy's ground forces will never use incendiary bombs in an attack.

Incendiary bombs can burn not only forest vegetation, but also civilian buildings, and this kind of bomb will not be easily used by the enemy, but it is said that Itatsuyo Seishiro was correct in his judgment. In the ensuing offensive operations, the Eighth Route Army did not use incendiary bombs again. However, Banheng Zhengshilang's opponent was too terrible, he did not expect that after the main force of the Eighth Route Army crossed the river, it did not immediately attack, but Fu Zuoyi's troops in the north took the lead in the Battle of Baotou.