Chapter 745: Niuxin Mountain Battlefield

The main point of this plan is to lay an ambush position in the powerful terrain around Niuxin Mountain in Shanhaiguan, and use the hundreds of thousands of troops retreating from Liuguhe as the left flank, and then the eleven field infantry brigades and artillery brigades that arrived later as the right flank to form a huge ambush circle and load all the southbound troops of the Kwantung Army into it, which is the only way for the Kwantung Army to pass through the Shanhaiguan.

At the beginning of the plan, it was fiercely opposed by Feng Jiwu, risky, too risky, the southward troops of the Kwantung Army, although after six days of attrition, at least there were about 330,000 to 340,000 troops, and the troops withdrawn from the Liugu River, after six days of combat attrition, had lost a lot of troops, plus the reinforced troops, the total strength was only about 260,000 people, in the face of the Kwantung Army troops whose strength far exceeded the fighting, such an encirclement, could it swallow the Japanese army?

With less than 70,000 or 80,000 troops of the Japanese army, the encirclement was not much thicker than a layer of paper, and the Kwantung Army broke its pockets, rushed through the Shanhaiguan Pass, and approached the periphery of Tianjin.

Besides, during the Second Pingjin Campaign, the battlefield chosen to fight the Itagaki Division was Niuxinshan, and the commander of the Kwantung Army who had suffered losses could be fooled again? "The use of troops is no more", in one place, ambushing the Japanese army twice, this is a taboo for soldiers, what if the Kwantung Army's southward forces continue to come? Do you still have troops to block and send reinforcements?

Therefore, Feng Jiwu resolutely opposed such an adventurous plan, he believed that it would not be a problem to use the existing position of Liuguhe and the experience gained in a few days to block the Kwantung Army for seven or eight days, although the casualties of the troops would increase, but this insurance, if the reinforced troops were pulled up, the Kwantung Army would not want to cross the Shanhai Pass in this life, and it would be easy to do a few counter-assaults to beat the Kwantung Army back to the Jinzhou front.

Tang Qiuli was very happy with Feng Jiwu's outspokenness, which showed that the senior commanders at the level of the independent division and corps no longer blindly obeyed, had the ability to think independently, and could express their views on fighting.

Tang Qiuli is very sure, what he grasped is that the Kwantung Army is moving south, eager to enter the pass, in order to relieve the siege of Tianjin, to complete the Pingjin Plain, eliminate or severely damage the strategic attempt of the independent division troops, today's daytime, the Kwantung Army's frantic attack, it can prove this point even more, the battle report from the Tianjin front, also gave a reason, the Japanese army in Tianjin, has been compressed to the core position, the commander of the southward unit of the Kwantung Army who was forced by the Japanese base camp, even if he suspected that there was an ambush in Niuxin Mountain, relying on the strength advantage of fighting, Will also crash over.

Moreover, in this battle, Tang Qiuli did not plan to completely annihilate the more than 300,000 troops of the Kwantung Army, as long as he suffered heavy losses, he would achieve the purpose of the campaign, Niuxinshan ambush, Feng Jiwu's five brigades, a sudden flank attack from the Nuruer Tiger Mountains, Liu Chun's six cavalry brigades, the interception of Dahongluo Mountain in the northwest of Jinzhou, three fierce punches, the Kwantung Army went south, and if it did not die, it would spit out a few mouthfuls of blood, and the bones and tendons would not be broken, and the vitality would not be able to escape, and there was still the ability and confidence, to go south again?

This is much more effective than fighting a positional battle in the Liugu River, paying a large number of casualties every day, and using the blood and lives of the soldiers to block the Kwantung Army from moving south, and it can eliminate the living force of the Kwantung Army to the greatest extent, and the risk is a risk, and the odds of victory are great, as long as the first fist is hard enough and fierce enough, and it is not found how many ambushes there are, coupled with the shadow of the total annihilation of the Itagaki Division, the first reaction of the Kwantung Army troops who encounter an ambush is to retreat, and it will create a zào opportunity for the last two fists, this battle must be fought, and the commander of the Kwantung Army will be beaten. Not daring to go south, Tang Qiuli was full of confidence and determination.

He finally persuaded Feng Jiwu, and Feng Jiwu put forward a lot of details on the plan, so there was a military meeting tonight, in the howling sea breeze, the two were silent for a long time, "Jiwu, you must master the time to get out of the battle, don't let the Japanese army entangle," Tang Qiuli said instructively, this is an extremely dangerous task, he doesn't want Feng Jiwu to be in any danger.

Feng Jiwu didn't pay much attention to it, how many vicious battles and hard battles he had fought, he was used to it, and he probably couldn't stand the feelings and atmosphere of such a parting, he hurriedly said goodbye and went to various units to check the preparations, only Tang Qiu was left in the room, and it became more and more empty, he called in the communication staff officer, "Send a telegram to ask for reinforcements from Shanhaiguan troops, have you arrived at the designated position?" "After a while, the staff officer came back to report that the troops had reached the front line of Niuxin Mountain and were waiting for the order of the division commander.

"Okay, order the troops participating in the battle, immediately enter the right flank of Niuxinshan, unfold according to the original plan, build fortifications overnight, all the troops, be sure to do a good job of camouflage and concealment, all air defense troops, in the airspace around Niuxinshan, arrange tight anti-aircraft firepower, if there is a Japanese plane, enter the ambush airspace, I will be held responsible, the entire aviation team, enter the first-level combat readiness," Tang Qiuli ordered, to see that it was already the second half of the night, the outside was quiet, the retreating troops were already on the way, and it was time to go, He went to the Niuxin Mountains to command an ambush campaign against the southbound troops of the Kwantung Army.

In fact, he still had a faint worry in his heart, what if the Kwantung Army's troops went south later, and then came? Originally, it was to fight more with less, even if the Japanese army of a division and regiment came, it would not be able to bear it, it was a trivial matter to break the belly, and it was beaten and surrounded, and half of the family background was explained here, and Jiwu's worries were reasonable.

Taking advantage of the night, several cars turned off the headlights, after driving in the dark for a period of time, until the place where the Japanese could not be seen, the lights were turned on, in the bright pillar of light, a group of soldiers, solemnly galloping past, the queue could not see the head and tail, but could not hear a little noisy sound, one by one dragged the large-caliber artillery cars, all turned off the lights, only the sound of the motor could be heard, galloping in the direction of Niuxin Mountain in the night.

didn't go far, turned around the foot of a mountain, and a few soldiers wearing armbands appeared on the opposite side, waving small flags in their hands, blocking Tang Qiuli's convoy, a major ran over in a few steps, pulled the car door, and without waiting for the guards to ask, he lowered his voice and said viciously: "Looking for death?" No vehicles are allowed to turn on their lights on the march, and you have not received an order from the corps headquarters? From that unit, report the number and take out your documents."

Sitting in the front seat, the captain of the special guard detachment who was personally protected was just about to get angry, Tang Qiuli stabbed him, and realized that the entire marching team, only the convoy was marching with bright headlights, and it was a violation of discipline, it seems that Feng Jiwu's secrecy work is in place, and it is difficult for these car soldiers, it is the darkest time, it is still so orderly, more than 100,000 people retreat in the dark, and there is no chaos at all.

The major turned on the flashlight, looked at the documents, and was stunned, the commander of the special guard detachment of the division headquarters guard brigade, that is the division commander's personal guard, could it be that the division commander is in this car? Looking over, there was only a vague figure, Tang Qiuli had already turned his face away, raised the collar of his windbreaker, covered half of his face, and violated the discipline of night marching in front of his subordinates, if he was looking at his face, he would be embarrassed.

Although he muttered in his heart, the major groaned slightly, and still wrote down the unit number and name of the detachment leader, etc., with a businesslike posture, and let him go after a few words of warning, the detachment leader in the front row muttered in his mouth, quite indignant, as the personal guard of the division commander, where is not it highly regarded and respected, those major generals and brigade commanders saw it, and also said hello, but was reprimanded by a small major lieutenant colonel, besides, he played the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Tang Qiuli frowned slightly, but said with a smile: "What's the matter, I'm uncomfortable?" The commander of the special guard detachment stuck out his tongue and heard the ridicule in the words of the division commander, but he didn't dare to mutter, he bumped all the way, and arrived at the Niuxinshan command post at about four o'clock in the morning.

Only the troops withdrawn from the direction of the Liugu River made Tang Qiu anxious, so far, only three brigades of troops, arrived at the designated position, the other troops, are still on the road, slow, too slow, it is about to dawn, but also to build a position, camouflage, hundreds of thousands of troops, there are too many preparations to be made, he ordered: "Send a telegram to the retreating troops of Liuguhe, at five o'clock in the morning, all must enter the preset position on the left flank of Niuxinshan, and at ten o'clock in the morning, all preparations for the ambush must be completed." There is no way to feel distressed, the time is too tight.

The brigade commanders all returned to their respective units, the staff officers also went down to the troops, and in the command headquarters, only Tang Qiuli was left, and he didn't find out why, since Mei Ting and Mei Xue left, he often felt a kind of loneliness, maybe he was used to the days when the Mei sisters were by his side, or he was not used to the absence of women around him, Mei Xue left for only two days, as if a long time had passed, and the sisters too, they didn't find a telegram, telling sù to beat, they had arrived at Dingbian safely, and the taste of people was uncomfortable, he shook his head self-deprecatingly.

The sky gradually brightened, the troops withdrawn from the direction of the Liugu River had all arrived at the designated position, and were nervously building fortifications, facing the cool morning breeze, Tang Qiuli climbed the main peak of Niuxin Mountain, the rugged mountain road, on both sides of the green trees and grass, with crystal dewdrops, wet his trouser legs, a shallow stream, meandering at the foot of the mountain, a refreshing coolness, let his heart refresh, slightly faint brain, regain fù clear.

Overlooking the foot, misty, a big road winds between the mountains, this is the ambush battlefield of choice, used to bury the Kwantung Army, looking at the direction of Suizhong, between the clouds and mist, you can vaguely hear the "rumbling" cannon, the heart is tight, Feng Jiwu and the Kwantung Army exchanged fire.

(To be continued)

Chapter 745: Niuxin Mountain Battlefield