It is more than 400 kilometers from Datong in Shanxi Province to Baotou, and it takes more than 10 hours for the Japanese motorized troops to advance at a speed of 40 kilometers per hour. In fact, it was difficult for the Japanese army's logistical support capability at that time to reach this level. Moreover, the Japanese army in Datong still needed to assemble and prepare before departure, which won an extremely rare preparation time for the Suiyuan National Army. General Fu Zuoyi thought that at least more than a day, and it turned out that he was right.

Baotou, West Brain Bao Fortress, the former enemy headquarters of the Eighth Theater of Operations. A huge military map hangs in the spacious concealed fortifications, and Fan Zixia, chief of staff of the 34th Division, is briefing the generals of the various divisions participating in the war on the situation of friend and foe.

"At present, the Japanese strongholds around Baotou have been completely destroyed by our army, but Guyang and Kundulun in the north and Salaqi in the east are still held by the remnants of the enemy's 1st Cavalry Brigade. Dashetai in the west, Baiyun Obo and Bailingmiao in the north, Shiguai Town in the northeast, and Tuoketuo in the southeast still have a total of five divisions of the puppet Mongolian army. ”

Chief of Staff Fan concluded: "Whether it is offensive or defensive, we must determine the next step and start preparing immediately. Otherwise, as soon as the Japanese reinforcements arrive, the seemingly good situation will take a sharp turn! ”

Chief Fu Zuoyi snorted and asked, "What about the opinion of your Joint Staff Headquarters?" ”

In order to facilitate command, at the suggestion of division commander Zhao Yunxiang, Fu Zuoyi set up a temporary joint staff headquarters. This organization was jointly established by the various departments participating in the war, with a view to realizing the role of intelligence sharing and coordinated command, and Fan Zixia, chief of staff of the 34th Division, served as the chief of general staff.

Chief of Staff Fan hurriedly said: "After the collegial discussion of our staff headquarters, a total of three sets of plans have been drawn up for Chief Fu to choose from. ”

Fu Zuoyi said with a smile: "Three sets of plans? You are learning Zhuge Kongming. Do you have any upper, middle and lower strategies? ”

Chief of Staff Fan blushed slightly and explained: "There is no superiority between several sets of plans, but there is a difference in the degree of difficulty in implementation. ”

Case A (overview, the same below): With the Second Cavalry Army as the lead, the main force of the 35th Army rushed straight to Guisui (now Hohhot) along the railway line. The 81st Army and the Daqingshan Detachment of the Eighth Route Army were responsible for clearing the Japanese puppet army strongholds north of the railway, and the 34th Division was responsible for clearing the Japanese puppet army strongholds south of the railway. Ma Zhanshan Advance Army and Ma Hongbin's 81st Army were then transferred as backups, and the Japanese army fought for the north of the country.

Case B: Concentrate forces to advance eastward and capture the enemy's 1st Cavalry Brigade garrison Salazi (now Tumut Right Banner). The new 32nd Division swept the Japanese puppet armies such as Guyang and Dashetai to the north, cleared the rear, and then dismantled the railway from Salazi to Baotou. Fortified Clear. Return to Baotou and hold on.

Case C: The main force stayed in Baotou to rest, evacuating the people while transferring the seized materials back to Wuyuan. After the Japanese reinforcements arrived, the various units resisted one after another. Slowly retreat. If the Japanese continued the pursuit, they would wait until they returned to Gohara and then use the advantage of the inner line to fight the enemy in a decisive battle.

In the middle of these three sets of schemes. Case A is the most difficult to realize. However, once successful, the benefits are also the greatest. The various units of the Suiyuan National Army will control the entire Suiyuan, so as to get rid of the unfavorable situation of being trapped in Suixi at present. With a population of more than 2 million in Suiyuan, supplemented by military tun. At least a hundred thousand troops can be formed. In this way, a strategic force can be formed, which can threaten Shanxi and Chahar, or even march to the northeast from Rehe, and retreat is enough to protect itself.

Case B is relatively conservative, but as long as the Japanese offensive is blocked this winter, there will be a reliable barrier in the Wuyuan area of Suixi. The relatively abundant human resources and materials in the Baotou area can also greatly increase the strength of the 35th Army. What's more, with Baotou, the material passage to Outer Mongolia is safer. Unlike now, you can only walk the remaining veins of Wolf Mountain, which is extremely difficult to walk in winter, not to mention, there is also the danger of being attacked by the Japanese puppet army.

Case C is to put it bluntly, it is to take a handful and leave. It is the easiest to operate, but the benefits are relatively meager, and it is also a harm to the enthusiasm of the people in Baotou area. If you retreat without a fight this time, you may not get such support from the villagers if you counterattack Baotou in the future.

Although the ideas are different, these plans are very well formulated, detailed, organized, and clear. The statistics on the strength and combat strength of the enemy and our enemies are supported by strict data, and at first glance they are made by people who have received strict military education and have rich experience in actual combat.

After reading it, Chief Fu Zuoyi did not make a choice immediately, but became interested in the plan itself. He read it several times in a row, and said with a little surprise: "This is the first time I have seen such a beautiful battle plan since I joined the army." Chief of Staff Fan, can all of you officers from the Northeast Martial Arts Hall reach this level? ”

Chief of Staff Fan said with a smile: "Chief Fu has won the award, and he only studied at the Northeast Army Camp Military Academy in Tianjin, and he was not able to enter the Northeast Lecture Hall to study. However, these things were not learned during the Northeast Army, and the Northeast Lecture Martial Arts Hall probably did not have them. ”

Fu Zuoyi said suspiciously: "Where did you learn that?" The other generals present also looked over, their eyes full of curiosity.

The 35th Army is in a relatively closed environment, and it is still very eager for advanced military ideas. Historically, Fu Zuoyi often entrusted people to bring him military works from foreign armies. It is not difficult to imagine that if Fu Zuoyi had more contact with modern warfare, his military talent would inevitably rise to a higher level.

Chief of Staff Fan did not hide it, and explained: "Oh, these things are all learned from the senior general class of the Jizhong Military Academy after accepting the reorganization of the 41st Group Army. It's a pity that the time is too short, and I only learned a few scratches. ”

The senior general school class of the Jizhong Military Academy was specially set up by Zheng Huzi because of the lack of military literacy of the senior generals of the army, and there are full-time classes and night classes. Fan Zixia and others went to night classes, leading troops during the day and charging and studying at night. Generals like them, who have rich combat experience, can understand military affairs at a glance, and can learn them as soon as they learn them, and they have grown up very quickly.

Fu Zuoyi exclaimed: "No wonder your army has become famous in just one year, and when this battle is over, you have to ask Chief Zheng for some instructors!" After feeling a little emotional, he asked the officers: "Everyone has seen the three sets of plans A, B, and C, but I don't know what they think?" ”

The officers immediately talked about it. The Shaozhuang faction mostly supported Case A or Case B, believing that we should take advantage of the fact that our army should seize the initiative on the battlefield to strengthen the offensive and obtain greater war dividends. The older generals thought that they should not take risks again and again, and that they should accept it when they saw it, and it was not too late to kill it after their strength was further strengthened.

Both sides have their own reasoning, and no one can convince the other. Chief Fu Zuoyi also hesitated between risk and opportunity. At this moment, Sun Lanfeng, the commander of the new 31st Division, said loudly: "Since you can't make up your mind, why don't you destroy the remnants of the enemy in Baotou City first?" ”

Fu Zuoyi nodded slightly and asked, "What do you think?" ”

Dong Qiwu, commander of the 101st Division, thought for a moment. The objection said: "According to the intelligence provided by the Eighth Route Army. The Japanese army was reinforced from Datong by two motorized infantry brigades. Obviously, we do not understand the strength of our army, and the estimate is too low. If the remnants of the enemy in Baotou City are eliminated, then the enemy army may have a new understanding of the strength of our army, and I am afraid that such a small number of troops will not be sent to the death. ”

Seeing that their opinions are not consistent. Chief Fu Zuoyi was also a little distressed. The main thing is that this battle of Baotou went too smoothly. So much so that they were all a little caught off guard.

Chief of Staff Fan Zixia took the opportunity to persuade: "Chief Fu, the current situation is obvious, whether to fight or not." There are pros and cons. The only way to do this is to determine the next strategy as soon as possible. Whether to continue to expand, or to maintain the current situation, or to retreat strategically, Chief Fu has to come up with a decision! ”

The generals quickly agreed with this concept, that is, the general direction must be set first, otherwise there will be no clear strategic thinking. This will have a very negative impact on the rest of the war. The ancients said: Only after the outline is clear and the strategic thinking is unified can specific tactical actions be arranged.

Chief Fu also understands this truth, but the stakes are very important, and he is not allowed to think twice. After a moment of silence, Chief Fu Huo Ran stood up and said in a deep voice: "I have decided, I will take Case B!" Clear the periphery first and stick to Baotou. If the enemy army attacks on a large scale, the strength of the enemy army will be consumed with a fortified city, providing a barrier in the direction of the five plains. If the enemy retreats temporarily, then we can return to Sui. ”

Yuan Qingrong, commander of the new 32nd Division, agreed: "The general seat is reasonable! Baotou is a Xiongcheng outside the Saiwai City, which can be attacked and defended, and we should grasp this advantage and severely defeat the enemy's spirit! ”

Dong Qiwu, commander of the 101st Division, also expressed his support, saying: "Case A is too radical, and although the plan drawn up by Chief of Staff Fan is very good, our officers and men lack training and may not be able to do it." Case C is too conservative, and it is a fluke that we can take Baotou so smoothly according to the strength of our army, and we will abandon it at will, but I am afraid that it will be difficult to recover in the future. ”

Although Sun Lanfeng, the commander of the new 31st Division, was more optimistic about Case A, Case B was not unacceptable, so he also nodded in approval. Other representatives of the 81st Army, the Second Cavalry Army, the Northeast Advance Army, the First Guerrilla Army, the New First Brigade, and the Daqingshan Guerrilla Force also supported the situation. After all, Case B is a balance between radical and conservative, which can be accepted by both young and conservative factions.

The general direction was set, and Chief Fu Zuoyi immediately assigned various combat tasks to various units. The 101st Division was responsible for taking over the defense of Baotou City, and in the event of an attack by the Japanese, it would use the existing fortifications to hold on.

The 34th Division left the 342nd Regiment to continue to besiege the remnants of the enemy in Baotou City, pressing and destroying them one by one, forcing Kojima Yoshizo to desperately ask for help, so that the Mongolian army did not have time to gather too many troops to attack. After a short rest of the main force, it continued to advance eastward with the 51st Artillery Regiment, preparing to take the remnants of the enemy's 1st Cavalry Brigade stationed in Salazi and win a buffer zone for Baotou.

The first part of the Daqingshan guerrillas was responsible for advancing to Salazi and supporting the 34th Division, while the other was responsible for mobilizing the masses and demolishing the railway from Salazi to Baotou with the personnel of the Political Guidance Office of the Governor's Department. The rails were to be transported to Baotou and then transferred to the arsenal in Wuyuan.

The new 31st Division marched to Shiguai Town, responsible for clearing the puppet strongholds along the way, and covering the left flank of the 34th Division to prevent the Japanese puppet army from the north from attacking south.

The new 32nd Division was divided into troops and went north, responsible for cleaning up the Japanese puppet army in Dashetai, Guyang and other places.

The rest of the units, such as the 1st 81st Army, the 2nd Cavalry Army, the Guerrilla Army, and the newly formed 5th Brigade, took a temporary rest, because after all, the troops had been fighting for so long that they were already very tired from being sleepy and tired, and they had to take turns to rest and recover their strength as soon as possible.

At the same time, he ordered Ma Hongbin's 81st Army, Ma Zhanshan's Northeast Advance Army, and the main force of the 2nd Cavalry Army to come to reinforcements as soon as possible. The 35th Army's Baggage Brigade and the 41st Group Army's Baggage Brigade were ordered to escort the follow-up supplies so that the troops could hold out in Baotou for a long time.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, the units of the 34th Division (owed to the 342nd Regiment and some artillery) who had taken a short break rushed to the railway station south of Baotou City to assemble. Since after the start of the battle. The 34th Division quickly took the south gate, so the railway station did not suffer much damage. A total of more than 50 wagons and four locomotives were parked here, which were estimated to have transported winter supplies to the Baotou garrison, and were completely captured by the 34th Division.

"Master, are you really going to take the train to Salazie?" Deputy Chief of Staff Wang Changjiang asked with some unease. Wang Changjiang used to be the "commander of the advance army" of the Hebei People's Army, but because he was dissatisfied with Zhang Yinwu's friction, he led his troops to break away from the Hebei People's Army. He studied at the Qinghe Army Preparatory School and the Baoding Military Academy, and had very rich combat experience, so after serving as the deputy commander of the 342nd Regiment for a period of time, he was appointed deputy chief of staff of the 34th Division.

Division Commander Zhao Yunxiang nodded and said, "If you take the road, there are still more than 70 kilometers from Baotou to Salaqi. It's farther than Guyang. Such a long journey is too physically demanding. Even if he can get to Salazie before dark, I'm afraid there won't be much combat power left. It's different by train, it's two or three hours, and you might be able to catch the enemy off guard. ”

Deputy Chief of Staff Wang thought for a moment. Say, "Hmm." The teacher has a point. Looks like I'm going to have to take a train. However, we need to make some preparations, first, to prevent the enemy from sabotaging the railway in the middle, and second, to beware of Japanese air raids! In addition, the troops cannot all be crammed into the train. Some could ride horses, and one unit could ride in captured trucks. ”

Senior Zhao patted him on the shoulder and smiled: "Okay, you have the final say on how to do it!" ”

Under the unified command of Deputy Chief of Staff Wang, the troops finally arrived in Salazie before dark. Although there were several surprise attacks on the way, the troops were well prepared. Deterred by 12 Surothong 20-mm anti-aircraft guns (reinforced after receiving supplies) and a large number of heavy machine guns, several Japanese reconnaissance planes did not dare to die, but only dropped a few bombs indiscriminately, causing minor losses.

Immediately after arriving in Salazie, the troops launched an attack on the defenders. This enemy force consisted mainly of the headquarters and direct units of the 1st Cavalry Brigade, as well as a cavalry armored convoy and a cavalry artillery wing. However, they were incomplete, and some of the equipment and personnel were scattered in Baotou and the 13th Cavalry Wing and the 14th Cavalry Wing, which had been destroyed.

In terms of equipment alone, this remnant enemy was still quite powerful, but not long after they fled back from the direction of Baotou, the officers and men were terrified, and after a little resistance, they continued to flee eastward. Since this Japanese army has basically achieved mechanization, it is excellent to escape for life. The 34th Division gave up after a short pursuit and saw that it could not catch up, and then stuck to Salazie and let the various divisions take turns to rest and recuperate.

The cavalry of the Daqingshan guerrillas of the Eighth Route Army also arrived, and after a short rest, they began to dismantle the railway. Each section is lifted onto a train (flatbed wagon). Under the organization of the underground party, the people in the vicinity rushed to help, and tens of thousands of people worked together to demolish nearly 10 kilometers overnight.

The next day, more civilians rushed to help during the day, and the 41st Group Army's Baggage Brigade and other troops also arrived later, and more than 20 kilometers were demolished in one day. All the dismantled rails were pulled by train to Baotou, and then towed by carts to the arsenal located west of Wuyuan. The Japanese reconnaissance planes and spies soon discovered this move and were all angry, but they had no choice but to urge the troops of the 26th Division to come to reinforcements as soon as possible.

And at this time, where did the Japanese reinforcements go? They had just arrived in Guisui, and they were still more than 100 kilometers away from Salaqi, and the railway between Guisui and Salazi had also been destroyed by the cavalry battalion of the 34th Division and the Daqingshan guerrillas of the Eighth Route Army. All the bridges were blown up, the railroad tracks were thrown into the river, all the sleepers were burned, and all that was left for the devils was the bare roadbed.

"Yaga!" The commander of the Mongolian army, Naosaburo Okabe, howled like crazy inside the headquarters and threw everything that could be seen on the table to the ground. He was really driven crazy by the 34th Division's style of play. Baotou can be recaptured if it is lost, but it is not easy to get dozens of kilometers of railroad tracks. The northern section of the Pinghan Line was stripped off by Zheng Huzi, and it has not been opened to traffic until now!

Enraged, Lieutenant General Okabe decided that the situation could not be allowed to deteriorate, so he gathered all the vehicles of the garrison in Mongolia, transported two more infantry brigades, and then rushed to Baotou with the two brigades sent by the 26th Division from Datong. At the same time, the main forces of the 26th Division were ordered to follow suit.

In this way, the Japanese puppet army was desperately rushing to the road, and the Chinese military and civilians were desperately demolishing the road. By the evening of December 23, the railroad had almost been dismantled, and the Japanese vanguard had finally reached the town of Meidaizhao, east of Salazie. Immediately after joining the remnants of the 1st Cavalry Brigade, the enemy launched a fierce assault on the town of Salazi with tank units in the lead. However, the 34th Division had already prepared and used anti-aircraft artillery to destroy a number of Japanese tanks one after another. The artillery units also effectively stifled the Japanese army. After all, the Japanese army came in a hurry, only brought a few mountain guns, and was not an opponent at all, and was bombed by the artillery battalion of the 34th Division and the 51st Artillery Regiment screaming again and again, and it was not until the arrival of the follow-up artillery units in the middle of the night that they barely gained a foothold.

The two sides fought fiercely until the early morning of the 24th. Seeing that the enemy was getting more and more fighting, and worried that the troops would be trapped here, Division Commander Zhao Yunxiang ordered the troops to retreat overnight, leaving only a small number of elite troops to contain the Japanese army.

As soon as the morning dawned, the Japanese concentrated artillery fire on Salazi, almost leveling the town. After discovering that the Japanese army had been caught in the air, they were desperately pursuing in armored vehicles and trucks. Division Commander Zhao Yunxiang saw that the enemy's motorized troops were advancing at a fast pace and that it was difficult to get rid of them, so he retreated to Shiguai Town, 40 kilometers east of Baotou, to rest. This area is all mountainous and is not afraid of mechanized and motorized troops.

The cavalry units of the 2nd Cavalry Army and the 81st Army, as well as the cavalry of the Daqingshan guerrillas, constantly harassed the Japanese army and slowed down the Japanese army. The cavalry was even more mobile on four wheels in areas with poor road traffic, and the Japanese could not counterattack, so they had to advance westward while fighting, and did not reach the eastern suburbs of Baotou until the afternoon of December 24.

"Shelling!" At three o'clock in the afternoon of the 24th, under the command of the commander of the 26th Wing of the Japanese Army's Independence Mountain Artillery, Hiroshi Kusakawa, the Japanese army's attack on Baotou officially began. For a time, the eyes of the whole of China were focused. (To be continued......)