After the 12th Division of the Japanese Army, which had entered Suiyuan, captured the two blocking positions that had entered Zhuozi, many officers and men of the division felt that the following battle seemed to be much easier to fight, and after each brief attack, the Eighth Route Army would abandon the blocking position.

Such successive victories made the 12th Infantry Brigade, which had previously been depressed, and the main forces of the division and regiment that joined with it, seem very happy. In their opinion, the troops of the Eighth Route Army, which were guarding Zhuozi, were no longer able to resist their attack.

At present, the Eighth Route Army's continuous resistance looks more like a dying struggle. After making such a judgment, the Japanese army finally sent the killer troops in their hands, and under the cover of the tank armored brigade, they went straight to Zhuozi City.

And at this moment, the third division of the independent column also waited here for a long time. According to Ho Zhengdao's order, the 3rd Division was to fight a decisive battle against the Japanese 12th Division around the fortifications established around Zhuozi City.

An infantry division fighting a unit with heavy artillery and tank armoured brigades may sound fanciful. But in fact, the combat deployment of the independent column is really like this.

According to Ho Zhengdao's deployment, the 3rd Independent Division will stop the 12th Division's offensive at Zhuo Zicheng. Around Zhuozi City, the units of the Eighth Route Army also fought a decisive battle with it in Zhuozi, buying time for the 1st Division and the Rapid Reaction Division to encircle.

It was learned that the Eighth Route Army was trying to rely on the fortifications around Zhuozi City to block the attack of the large army of the division. Yamamura Seitaro also felt that it was necessary to annihilate the main division of the Eighth Route Army, which was stationed in Zhuozi, to clear the way for the troops to attack Suiyuan.

Looking at the Zhuozi map hanging in front of him, Yamamura Kiyotaro also knew that this battle should be fast rather than slow. The long-lasting battle was undoubtedly very fatal for the 12th Division.

Ever since they joined up with the 12th Infantry Brigade, their logistical supplies have been intermittent. According to the information provided by the baggage troops, there are now a large number of guerrillas of the Eighth Route Army operating in the direction from Zhuozi to Ulanqab.

Despite the recent victory, Kiyotaro Yamamura feels that victory is just around the corner. It's just that as the commander of the division, he still has some worries about the victory of the division so smoothly, and feels that there must be a conspiracy behind it.

Thinking of the mountain village Kiyotaro here, he naturally hopes to end this encirclement and suppression war as soon as possible. Since the beginning of the war, they have made good progress. But the number of casualties in the army still made Yamamura Seitaro feel heartbroken.

Seitaro Yamamura, who convened a meeting of his generals, said with a stern expression: "From the current situation we have, the Eighth Route Army has deployed at least one main division in Zhuozi, trying to block us with the help of the city fortifications here.

A few days ago, there was chaos in eastern Hebei, and the attacking troops in the Datong direction failed to make a breakthrough. In order to change this unfavorable situation, it is necessary for us to eliminate the units of the Eighth Route Army operating in Zhuozi in the shortest possible time.

According to the report of the army aviation, in the next few days, I am afraid that they will not be able to provide effective support. First, their ammunition has been consumed very much recently, and second, the meteorological department has reported that it will only be rainy weather in the past few days.

But we must hurry up and deal with the enemy in front of us. The longer the war drags on, the worse it will be for us. Therefore, in the next battle, you must cheer up. Our enemies are still tenacious! ”

Listening to Seitaro Yamamura's words, several brigade commanders and wing commanders who participated in the meeting all felt that God seemed to help the Eighth Route Army. Without the support of the air force, it will be much more difficult for them to attack the blocking position of the Eighth Route Army.

Beginning at dawn tomorrow morning, the heavy artillery brigade began shelling the outlying positions of Zhuozi City. Tank brigades and infantry brigades work in tandem to deliver assaults from these three places. It is necessary to advance the troops to Zhuozi City in the shortest possible time.

The rest of the troops, as the reserve of the division, waited for orders at any time. In addition, the cavalry brigade and regiment transferred a cavalry wing to ensure the safety of our baggage troops in the rear and to receive our baggage troops from Ulanqab.

These damn guerrillas, their sabotage and harassment, have caused us quite a bit of trouble. The next task of your cavalry brigade is to clear the dirt roads that are moving near the highway, understand? ’

'Hey! ’

Compared with the arrangement of troops before the 12th Division began to attack, Jiang Shan, the commander of the 3rd Division of the Independent Column in Zhuo Zicheng, looked at the main commanders under his command and said with the same serious expression: "Comrades, the most difficult moment has come!" ”

In a short sentence, the leaders who participated in the meeting felt that the atmosphere was a lot more solemn. In fact, the troops responsible for blocking the 12th Division in the previous time were more of Zhuozi's garrison troops.

Except for the blocking battle in the first battle, which was the responsibility of the three regiments, the main forces of the remaining three divisions were all building fortifications in the rear. Now the entire vicinity of Zhuo Zi City has become a large blocking battlefield, and this will also become a meat grinder.

Regarding the serious expressions of the main regiment commanders under his command, Jiang Shan continued: "According to the commander's order, our third division will be nailed here for at least a week. In fact, as long as we hold on, the little devil won't last a week at all.

Now the 2nd Cavalry Division has gone around to the rear of the Japanese division. It can be said that after the little devil enters Zhuozi, unless the little devil uses the plane to provide them with supplies. Otherwise, they will not be able to get any supplies from the rear.

I think the commander of the little devil must know about this situation. The only way they want to break this impasse is to end the fight with us as soon as possible. The longer it drags on, the more unfavorable the situation will be for them.

Their men need food, their tanks and armored vehicles need oil, and their heavy artillery needs shells. Even if they brought a lot of supplies, but during this time, they also consumed a lot.

During this time, our rear blocking troops also spared one or two small devils' material transport troops from time to time. But most of the materials that were brought over were grain. Most of the shells and fuel were captured or destroyed by us.

Now the troops sent by the column to the eastern Hebei have launched the Eastern Hebei Campaign. Most of the reserve troops that the North China Front can mobilize have now been mobilized by us. It can be said that in a short period of time, the little devils were unable to send troops to support the Kwantung Army that we were dealing with.

After going down, tell our soldiers that even if we fight our three divisions together, we must drag the little devil's division in Zhuozi. Lao Tzu wants to let the little devils know that when they reach Lao Tzu's territory, it is not so easy for them to escape even if they want to. ”

Thinking of the military order made with He Zhengdao, Jiang Shan was also very clear. Compared with the 1st Division, the 2nd Division, and even the 4th Division, the 3rd Division is the only main division that has not experienced a bitter and bloody battle. This made him feel that it was necessary to show the combat effectiveness of the third division.

Training for combat is the training slogan that the independent column has always emphasized. Now He Zhengdao has entrusted such a task to their three divisions, even if he fights to the point of a single soldier, Jiang Shan will not easily retreat.

'Please rest assured, the division commander, our regiment is only afraid that there will be a soldier on the position, and we will never let the little devils break through from our position. Please give the order to the division commander! ’

As the most elite regiment of the Third Division, they were naturally responsible for the frontal blocking position that was the largest to withstand the Japanese attack. It can be said that the little devil chose three directions for the breakthrough, and the three divisions all arranged a main regiment for defense.

And the troops stationed in Zhuozi City, in addition to the troops directly under the division, also have the main regiment that acts as a reserve force. In terms of strength alone, the number of troops under the command of the 3rd Division at this moment will not be much less than that of the attacking 12th Division.

It's just that the gap in the weapons and equipment of the two armies is indeed not small. Even if the Third Division is equipped with a mountain artillery battalion and a field artillery battalion, the caliber of the artillery is much smaller than that of the little devil's heavy artillery brigade, both in terms of range and caliber.

Just when the main forces expressed their determination, Jiang Shan said with a smile when the meeting was about to end: "You don't need to look at death like home, we also have strong reinforcements this time." Commander, you won't let us fight the three divisions together.

Next, on the blocking positions that your three regiments are responsible for, there will be a reconnaissance battalion sent by the reconnaissance brigade to cooperate with the defensive operation. Those little devil tanks that you can't gnaw on will be handed over to them to solve when the time comes.

Except for the heavy artillery of the little devils, we are temporarily powerless to fight back. I can tell you one news, that is, the tanks and armored vehicles of the little devils, this time they will be our live targets. When the time comes, I'll see how many tanks the little devils have to send to death.

What you have to do is to dodge the shelling of the good little devils, and prevent the little devils' infantry from breaking through your blocking positions. If you can't even do this little thing, then you can go to the cooking class and carry the cauldron! ”

As soon as they heard this, several regiment commanders immediately said with a happy face: "Division commander, the reconnaissance brigade is also here?" ”

'Here we are! However, they did not come much. The commander sent them over to help us deal with the tank threat of the little devils. Of course, they are in the position, and they will cooperate with you in defense.

Needless to say, you should all know how strong the combat effectiveness of the reconnaissance brigade is. Sending a reconnaissance battalion to strengthen your defenses is tantamount to sending you reinforcements from a main regiment. So, don't get too nervous, you know? ’

'Yes, Commander! ’

Both sides held pre-war military meetings one after another, and each returned to the final deployment of its troops. The two armies that formed a confrontation seemed to have a tacit understanding to obtain a quiet night before the war.

It wasn't until the early morning of the next day, looking at the sound of artillery fire that broke the silence in the distance, that the officers and men of the Third Division stationed on the position knew that the little devils were about to start attacking. Next, it is not yet known who will kill the deer!

But anyone could have imagined that today's battle would be a bloody one. Whether it was the attacking Japanese army, or the defensive Eighth Route Army. They will all revolve around Zhuozi's outer blocking positions and launch bloody battles.

And the confident Japanese tank crews did not know that they would usher in a real nightmare day today. The early advent of the bazooka will also tell these Japanese troops that the tanks they are proud of are vulnerable! (To be continued.) )