Regarding the chaos in Shanxi, except for those who pay attention to the situation here, they know that the current counteroffensive launched by the Eighth Route Army has made the Japanese army a little anxious. What the people in China are really concerned about is the battle to defend Nanjing, which has already begun.

After the Battle of Songhu, the Japanese army made the decision to attack the capital of the Republic of China in order to deter the enthusiasm of the Chinese War of Resistance. The troops dispatched to the Songhu battlefield did not decrease at all, but continued to increase their troops and launched an attack in the direction of Nanjing.

It is precisely because of this that the current strength in the hands of the North China Front Army is somewhat overstretched. As a result, after the number of troops stationed in Taiyuan was seriously reduced, the troops deployed on the front line had to be transferred back.

Elsewhere, the Japanese army was also somewhat deficient. Even if they urgently mobilized troops from Pingxian and others, and wanted to rush to Shanxi, when the railway was lost, their speed of mobilization was also very slow.

In order to consolidate the fruits of victory, the North China Front had to choose a conservative strategy, withdraw the troops on the front line, and hold some of the territory currently occupied in Shanxi. As for the operation to encircle and suppress the Eighth Route Army in Shaanxi, it had to be suspended for the time being.

It's just that in the face of the current chaotic situation in Shanxi, the Jin Sui army is more relieved, stabilizing the current retreating defense area and preparing for another battle in the future. The Eighth Route Army, however, began to consolidate its control over Lü Liang.

But the real focus of the Eighth Route Army and the North China Front Army was undoubtedly on the two trains that had just departed from Yangqu and were preparing to go to Xinzhou. Around these two trains, the commanders of the two armies began to deploy troops and arrange their troops.

After receiving a report from the Yangqu garrison, they still control the county seat and the railway station, and the North China Front also seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. At least for now. Both trains are still under their control.

But for the telegram sent by the North China Front Army, the garrison officer of Xinzhou seemed very big. According to the instructions of the North China Front. They needed to protect both trains at all costs until their reinforcements from Hebei arrived.

The question is. After losing the supply of the railway, the pass from Taiyuan to Yangqu was controlled by the 120th Division of the Eighth Route Army. It is undoubtedly a very difficult thing for the Japanese army to enter Xinzhou smoothly.

If the Japanese troops mobilized from Hebei want to take the nearest route, the 115th Division, which has already placed its troops in the border area between Xinzhou and Hebei, is also a challenge they need to face. This unit, the Japanese army no longer dares to despise it!

In general, after looking at the current arrangement of the Eighth Route Army. Okabe Naosaburo said with a slight headache: "Your Excellency Commander, judging from the current situation, we are afraid that our two trains are already surrounded by the Eighth Route Army.

If we want to reverse this situation, we must withdraw the troops encircling and suppressing the 129th Division and transfer them to Xinzhou to strengthen the defenses there. At the same time, the army aviation was dispatched to support the Xinzhou side.

After the 5th Division returned to Taiyuan, the 116th Division was dispatched to besiege the blocking line set up by the Eighth Route Army in Yangqu. Only in this way can we guarantee the safety of both trains. But that's it. The war between Changzhi and Jincheng will be suspended. ”

'Eight Tooth Road! Why, in just a few days, our situation in Shanxi is so messy? The Eighth Route Army is here, with a total of deployed troops. It's only 50,000 or 60,000 people We have quite a few troops here!

Why, in this situation, we are passive everywhere. There was also the 5th Division. Itagaki is not very cautious in doing things, and he is also known as the division commander who knows Huaxia best. Why. They will also suffer such losses? ’

Regarding Terauchi Shouichi's anger, Okabe Naosaburo smiled bitterly: "Your Excellency Commander. It can only be said that we all despised the Eighth Route Army. From the situation mentioned in the Itagaki telegram, the combat effectiveness of the Eighth Route Army should not be underestimated.

It can be said that the quality of its individual soldiers is not much worse than ours. At least from the Chinese troops we have fought so far, the Eighth Route Army is indeed very elite. In addition, they fight independently, and there is a clear division of labor among the subordinates, which will lead to such a situation.

The current situation in Shanxi is somewhat unfavorable for us. It can be seen from the fact that the Eighth Route Army stopped pursuing Luliang and stopped pursuing it, and the Eighth Route Army did not want to fight to the death with us. After all, the other troops in Huaxia seemed to be wary of them.

But in any case, at present we must ensure the stability of Taiyuan, Jinzhong, Yangquan, Xinzhou, Shuozhou, and Datong. If we lose the occupied territories again, I am afraid that our previous efforts will be in vain. ”

With Okabe Naosaburo's calm analysis, although Terauchi Shouichi was very unwilling, he could only give an order for the 116th Division to return to Taiyuan. And the retreat of the 116th Division also made the Jin Sui Army breathe a long sigh of relief.

In this way, at least for the time being, the Jin Sui army can still control the four territories of Linfen, Jincheng, Changzhi and Yuncheng. With the development of these four territories, I believe that the Jin Sui army can quickly recover some of its strength under the condition of retaining a certain combat effectiveness.

It's just that these have little to do with He Zhengdao, who is currently traveling to Xinzhou by train. After leaving Yangqu Railway Station, two trains continue north. Soon after leaving, He Zhengdao sent a telegram to the 129th Division.

Liu Bocheng, who received the telegram, still felt a little troubled by the current Japanese army's sweep of his base areas. But on the whole, the power of the Japanese sweep was not as great as he imagined.

From this point, it can also be seen that He Zhengdao said at the beginning that with the increase of the Japanese army in the occupied areas of Shanxi, the logistics supply line will be too long, and there will be a situation where it will be difficult to take care of the end of the end. Once the equilibrium is upset at a certain point, the Japanese army will fall into chaos and coincide.

I learned that He Zhengdao had set off smoothly from Yangqu and would soon arrive in Xinzhou. Liu Bocheng also realized that it was their turn to counterattack. For this reason, orders were quickly issued to all departments to block the retreat of the encircled and suppressed Japanese troops.

Even Liu Bocheng said very seriously: "Call the 385 Brigade, and in this counterattack against the Japanese army, we will also use the armored vehicle units we captured in Yangmingbao." It's so easy to come and go when you want to come and go.

We will order all units of the division to fight this battle well, and I believe that there will be no fighting in the vicinity of our base area this year. When the time comes, we will be able to spend the New Year in a down-to-earth manner. After beating the little devils, we can have a good year with the people in the base area. ”

Since the capture of the Yangmingbao airport, it is known that a number of armored vehicles have been captured during the operation. He Zhengdao directly ordered that the reconnaissance company responsible for blocking the armored forces should be temporarily placed under the command of the 129th Division and run in these armored vehicles there.

Although the run-in time was not long, in the process of pursuit, compared to the two-legged pursuit of the Eighth Route Army. These armored vehicles, even in the process of pursuing at night, believe that they will also pose a deadly threat to the Japanese army.

As Liu Bocheng expected, compared to the withdrawal of the Fifth Division to Taiyuan, the operation began at night. The Japanese army that encircled and suppressed the 129th Division was also very helpless when they received the order to return to Xinzhou immediately.

Even the brigade commander who saw the telegram said a little angrily: "We have just arrived here, and we have just launched an encirclement and suppression of the 129th Division. Now that we are only halfway through the battle, let us retreat immediately. How exactly is it directed? ”

In the face of the brigade commander's complaints, the chief of staff, who synthesized intelligence from all over the country, quickly said: "Your Excellency the brigade commander, I believe that the front army has made such an instruction, but I am afraid that it is also out of helplessness. At present, we have not many troops in Xinzhou that are actually available.

The previous Taiyuan City was attacked, and most of the brigades stationed there suffered casualties, and Taiyuan City faced a situation of empty troops. Even the Fifth Division under the command of General Itagaki is currently urgently returning to Taiyuan. Presumably, it is also aware that the current situation is very unfavorable for us.

Although it is not known why the Front Army issued such a task. But I think that compared with the elimination of the Zhina army here, the safety of Xinzhou City is undoubtedly more important. And this is an order personally issued by His Excellency the Commander. ”

Even if they know that this kind of change of order will cause major mistakes to the troops. However, in the face of the telegram that came, the Japanese brigade that had entered the 129th Division could only choose to break away from the battle as quickly as possible and return to Xinzhou City.

It is a pity that when the Japanese army just chose to retreat, the Eighth Route Army, which had been hiding before, poured out from all directions. On their way to retreat, small-scale raids and ambushes were made.

Many of the Eighth Route Army, which was holding back their strength, mostly used battalions as combat units to block and ambush the Japanese troops who were urgently retreating. In the face of the Japanese army who wanted to evacuate quickly, the Eighth Route Army that participated in the battle felt that the battle suddenly became much easier.

Received a telegram from Liu Bocheng that the 129th Division was currently intercepting the Japanese troops who had evacuated from Daixian and others. If nothing else, it will take at least one day and one night for this Japanese brigade to return to Xinzhou.

At this moment, there are only two trains left in Xinzhou. This means that He Zhengdao has every chance to capture Xinzhou City. In a short period of time, control the situation in the entire Xinzhou.

Thinking of this, He Zhengdao immediately said: "Send a telegram to the headquarters, informing us that our department intends to seize Xinzhou City, cooperate with the 129th Division to encircle and annihilate the Japanese troops currently in Xinzhou City and the surrounding areas, and ask the headquarters to cooperate."

At the same time, a report was sent to the 1st Division, and in the evening the entire Yuanping Castle was blockaded and an attack on the Yuanping Castle was launched. Be sure to take down the original flat castle completely at nightfall. The garrison of the column launched an attack from the Baode side to attract firepower for the main force of the column.

I believe that if such a dozen words, the entire Xinzhou will become a mess. Even if the Japanese army finally knew that their two trains had fallen into our hands, I believe that if they want to get them back, I am afraid that there is no possibility.

With our two main divisions, 129, 120, 115, and 116, are we still afraid that we will not be able to control the situation in Xinzhou? Next, in this short period of time in Xinzhou, it is our Eighth Route Army that has the final say. ”

After realizing that the two main divisions of the Japanese army, the forces are currently concentrated near Taiyuan. If you want to break through the defense zone of the 120th and 115th Divisions, I am afraid that it will take at least three or four days.

And these three or four days can indeed make the Japanese troops stationed in various cities in Xinzhou become the turtles in the urn of the Eighth Route Army! (To be continued.) )