The prelude to the ground offensive in the Battle of Jiangxi first began in Xianghu Town, northwest of Jingdezhen. As soon as the battle began, the Japanese army first began with intensive artillery fire and fierce aerial bombardment. Within about 10 kilometers of the front of Xianghu Town, the Japanese army deployed a heavy artillery brigade and two mountain artillery regiments, and its fire coverage density reached an unprecedented level, almost like a carpet bombardment. Not only that, but the Japanese concentrated two wings of bombers to support the operation, and appeared on the battlefield at the same time as the heavy artillery fire.

The Japanese learned their lesson and began to use massive firepower strikes with the aim of killing and injuring the enemy's living forces with high efficiency. The Japanese army was very cunning and dispatched more than a dozen tanks into the attack, and the Japanese army was afraid of the bazooka of the Eighth Route Army, so the tank fighting vehicles did not advance to about 200 meters, but were used as steel fortresses. Machine guns and artillery on tank fighting vehicles formed supporting fire, and Japanese infantry attacked slowly forward in a skirmish.

The cunning Japanese launched an infantry attack, not to break through the defensive line, but to attract the defenders of the Eighth Route Army to come out and use short-range firepower to deliver blows. The Japanese soldiers did not advance when they reached about 150 meters, but lay down on the spot and fired, so the oppressive blow worked. The Eighth Route Army's position was often bombarded by tank guns and Japanese 92 infantry guns, and the casualties of the Eighth Route Army on the position suddenly intensified.

On the first day of fighting, the 7th Division, which defended the frontal position in Xianghu Town, suffered more than 400 casualties. When night came, inside the military headquarters, Xiao Feng walked back and forth angrily when he heard the battle damage report. The chief of staff said: "Now it can be confirmed that the Japanese army is not trying to break through the defensive line, but fighting for attrition." The Japanese army is trying to use its powerful firepower to kill and injure our living forces! Xiao Feng stopped walking and said: "Is there any countermeasure to the Japanese army's fighting style?" An operational staff officer said: "Army commander, the Japanese infantry will not attack after hitting about 150 meters, the intention is to attract our defensive forces into the trenches, and then use short-range firepower to attack and strike." ”

The operational staff officer continued: "It is recommended that the defending troops put the Japanese troops close to fight, and the Japanese troops will not attack within 100 meters." It was proposed to use mortars against Japanese infantry, and fortress guns against Japanese tank and infantry artillery positions. "Order the defending troops in the forward positions, and the Japanese attacking troops are not allowed to enter the trenches if they do not approach the positions, and even if the Japanese troops enter the positions, it is not terrible, so that our close combat advantage can be brought into play." The artillery brigade was ordered not to use heavy artillery for the time being, and to use mountain artillery to bombard the Japanese tank and 92 infantry artillery positions. ”

The fierce battle began the next day, and the Japanese army painted the scoop according to the gourd, still using yesterday's tactics. Inside a tunnel fortification, soldiers listened to the deafening bombardment outside, ready to attack. The soldiers on one side of the tunnel are all hunting with submachine guns, which is to prevent the Japanese army from entering the trench and quickly counterattacking, and the soldiers lined up in front on the other side, armed with light machine guns, are waiting for the battle, which is to quickly form strike fire after entering the trench fortifications and suppress the Japanese army at the fastest speed.

The Japanese soldiers, after entering 150 meters, quickly lay down and fired at the forward positions. However, a strange scene appeared, there was no figure of the Eighth Route Army on the position, and the Japanese tank guns and machine gun fire, including infantry artillery, were at a loss and could not find the target. The Japanese soldiers received an order to attack 150 meters without attacking, in order to attract the defensive forces of the Eighth Route Army to attack, so the rigid and highly disciplined Japanese soldiers would not seize the opportunity to continue the attack.

Just when the Japanese soldiers were at a loss, ** landed on the heads of the Japanese soldiers. Inside an artillery bunker, a mountain gun sticks out of the muzzle, and the gunner skillfully operates. The defensive position was a civil tunnel fortification, but the artillery bunker was a reinforced concrete fortification, which was to prevent the Japanese from striking at the artillery position. "Report, data from the front!" An artillery commander raised a flag and shouted: "・・・・・・ ahead." "The shell exploded on the right track of a Japanese tank fighting vehicle, and a huge shock wave overturned the tank.

Soon another shell concentrated on the upper part of the tank, and the fragile tank armor of the Japanese army could not withstand such a blow, and in an instant it became a pile of scrap metal. Mountain artillery is not very effective against moving tanks, but it is a different story to fight stationary tanks. After several rounds of mountain artillery fire, 3 Japanese tanks were destroyed, and the other Japanese tanks hurriedly retreated. The Japanese army's 92 infantry artillery positions were also destroyed, and the Japanese army seemed to be somewhat stunned.

A 92 infantry artillery position was hit by shells, the infantry guns were blown away, and the body of a Japanese soldier flew in the air. The Japanese offensive quickly came to an end, and the ground attack was temporarily halted except for the Japanese bombers in the sky. In the headquarters of the Japanese division, division commander Yamamoto Shuo was greatly shocked when he received a report from the attacking troops at the front. "Your Excellency General, according to the Air Force reconnaissance, no artillery positions of the Eighth Route Army were found, and it is obvious that the artillery positions are in underground fortifications."

The chief of staff of the Japanese army continued: "The Eighth Route Army is very cunning and quickly perceives our tactics. The forward troops reported that the infantry attack entered the predetermined area, and the Eighth Route Army did not enter the trenches at all, but used intensive mortar bombardment to hit our attacking soldiers. "The Eighth Route Army has strong melee firepower, intending to lure me into the position and then implement the means of strike. Ordered the forward positions to raise hot air balloons and direct the artillery to strike at the mortar and artillery positions of the Eighth Route Army. Yamamoto gave the order decisively.

The Japanese raised the hot air balloon, and the news was quickly fed back to the command of the 3rd Army. "The Japanese army raised the hot air balloon in order to observe the situation on the battlefield from a high vantage point and carry out precision strikes. Immediately report to the command and use heavy artillery to strike at the Japanese artillery positions! Soon the command agreed to use heavy artillery to counterattack. After the Japanese raised the hot air balloon, the efficiency really doubled, the mortar and mountain artillery positions were suppressed, and the Japanese tactics worked.

At this time, the heavy artillery fortifications of the Eighth Route Army lifted the veil of mystery, and the barrel of the black hole was revealed. At the sound of an order, the heavy artillery of the Eighth Route Army began to roar. A Japanese heavy artillery position was hit and immediately shrouded in gunsmoke. At the same time, a Japanese mountain artillery position was also bombarded. With the heavy artillery counterattack of the Eighth Route Army, the Japanese artillery fire began to weaken, and the Japanese offensive was also suspended. The Japanese reacted quickly and quickly launched a counterattack. The observation posts on the Japanese balloons accurately reported the position of the heavy artillery of the Eighth Route Army, and the Japanese shells whistled.

Because the artillery positions of the Eighth Route Army were located in underground fortifications, they had a strong ability to protect themselves from the Japanese artillery bombardment. On the other hand, the Japanese artillery positions were completely unprotected, and in less than half an hour of artillery battle, the Japanese artillery was quickly defeated. An hour later, in the headquarters of the Japanese division and regiment in Huangshan, a Japanese combat staff officer reported: "Your Excellency, the Eighth Route Army suddenly launched an artillery counterattack, and the artillery positions were attacked. The Eighth Route Army hid artillery positions with artillery caliber of 105 mm. It can now be confirmed that the Eighth Route Army was equipped with 105-mm heavy guns. ”

The chief of staff said: "I just received a report from the artillery brigade that two 105-mm heavy guns were blown up and six were damaged. The mountain artillery regiment reported that 6 75-mm mountain guns were blown up and 12 were damaged to varying degrees. The currently exposed artillery positions, whose artillery is shifting positions. "The Eighth Route Army was very cunning, the artillery was hidden in the underground fortifications, and the artillery battle was very unfavorable to me. Heavy artillery brigades and mountain artillery regiments were ordered to disperse and build artillery positions, and artillery positions were to be constantly transferred. ”

In the headquarters of the 2nd Corps in Jingdezhen, all the generals were smiling. Tan Zhenlin, chief of staff, said: "The Japanese army did not expect that I deployed heavy artillery firepower and caught the Japanese army by surprise. Xiao Feng reported that the Japanese artillery positions were scattered and the power of artillery fire decreased. During the day today, the Japanese army changed its tactics and took advantage of the fact that our defending troops could not enter the trenches in time to defend them, and broke through many positions. But the Japanese did not succeed and were repulsed by our counterattacking forces. ”

"It's a foot high. The magic is high. We've been carefully prepared to finally make a difference. We should not fight a war for which we are uncertain or unprepared, and this is the experience of war that we have summed up. Although we were able to contain the Japanese offensive, we still paid a lot of casualties in the three-day defensive operation, which shows how strong the Japanese army's combat effectiveness was. Although the Japanese army suffered losses, as our strength was fully exposed, our tactics were gradually familiar to the Japanese army, and the next battle would be even more brutal, and we must maintain a clear understanding of this. ”

Political Commissar Teng Dai said: "Tell Commander Xiao that the officers and soldiers should be organized to sum up experience, especially good defensive experience, which must be implemented in a timely manner." The 7th Regiment of the 20th Division suffered the least combat losses for 3 consecutive days, and their good experience must be brought out. "Report, the wounded at the front are down!" An operational staff officer reports. "Mr. Peng, I'll go to the field hospital to see the wounded!" The political commissar Tengdai went far away. Peng Dehuai nodded and said: "The defensive operation has just begun, and timely rescue of the wounded soldiers is the key. ”

After the political commissar left, Peng Dehuai continued: "How is the situation in the direction of Shangrao? "Song Renqiang reported that the 41st Division of the Japanese Army was a complete feint, and there was only one mountain artillery regiment in the department, and the attack was not sharp." "Now that our heavy artillery has been exposed, order Song Renqiao to strike hard at the Japanese army's mountain artillery regiment, since it is a counterattack, we must fight a counterattack." "Report, Jiujiang called, the Japanese army launched a landing operation." As soon as Peng Dehuai's voice fell, an operational staff officer made an urgent report.