When Li Changwu said that the three attacks were unsuccessful, he looked at Wang Haitao nervously, Wang Haitao did not say anything, and after listening to his report, he asked: "What are the casualties of your division?" Li Changwu replied: "Report to the commander, the casualties of our division so far are about 900 people. Wang Haitao still didn't say anything, and waved his hand to signal him to sit down.

Li Changwu was relieved to see that Wang Haitao did not criticize himself. As soon as he sat down, Tangshan Leopard stood up and said to Wang Haitao: "Report to the commander, the guard brigade has launched an attack on the market town occupied by the Japanese army outside the south gate since this morning, and by the time I left, it had reached a distance of only 200 meters from the city wall, and now the third guard regiment is still fighting fiercely with the Japanese army. ”

After listening to Tangshan Leopard's report, Wang Haitao still asked: "What are the casualties of the Guard Brigade?" Tangshan Leopard replied with a little pride: "Report to the commander, the casualties of the entire Guard Brigade are only 192, of which 69 are sacrificed, 45 are seriously injured, and the rest are lightly injured but temporarily lose their fighting strength. After Tangshan Leopard answered, Wang Haitao was very satisfied.

Wang Haitao did not have the slightest doubt about the combat ability of the guard brigade and the results obtained, so he smiled at Tangshan Leopard Wang Haitao, nodded and motioned for him to sit down, although Wang Haitao did not say it, but Tangshan Leopard has followed Wang Haitao for many years, and from his expression it can be seen that Wang Haitao is very satisfied with the performance of his guard brigade, so he sat down with excitement.

At this time, Wang Haitao had a basic understanding of the situation of the 211th Division and the Guard Brigade, he picked up the telegram sent by Tang Hongming, glanced at everyone, and then said: "The commander of the 210th Division, Tang Hongming, personally called, the reinforcements from Hengyang City have arrived in Youxian this afternoon, and now the 210th Division is fighting fiercely with more than 50,000 Japanese troops. It was difficult to stop the attack of more than 50,000 Japanese troops with field heavy artillery and chariots with the strength of one division, so I prepared to launch an attack on the Japanese army in Hengyang City overnight, so as to capture Hengyang City as soon as possible. ”

When Wang Haitao said this, several people present did not say anything, but there was a look of expectation in their eyes. Wang Haitao said: "Under the bombardment of our army's heavy artillery, the city wall of Hengyang City is not difficult to break, but after attacking Hengyang City, it will face a brutal street battle, and the street battle in Hengyang City cannot accommodate all the two divisions and one brigade to be put into it, so I prepare for the street battle in Hengyang City, and only put the 90th Division and the guard brigade into battle." ”

When Wang Haitao said this, Tangshan Leopard had a smile on his face, while Tang Longzai and Li Changwu were a little anxious. Wang Haitao saw the anxious look of the two and said: "Don't worry, you two, I won't let your division go, there is another important task to be handed over to your division." Hearing Wang Haitao say this, the two of them made up their minds.

Wang Haitao said to Tang Longzai: "Longzai, I am ready for you to personally take the 211th Division to reinforce Youxian. However, the area of Youxian County is small, and the 210th Division has a unified defense, and if you pull up a whole division like this, not only will you not be able to put so many troops in front of you, so that the troops will not be able to display it, but it may also disrupt Tang Hongming's arrangement. Therefore I intend to arrange the actions of your division in this way. ”

Speaking of this, Wang Haitao pointed to the map and continued: "You see, the road marked on the map crosses the Xiangjiang River from the north of Hengyang City to Hengdong County, and then goes all the way east through Ganxi Town to Shiyangtang Town in the north of Youxian County. Your division can divide its troops from this road to penetrate behind the Japanese army, and then deal a severe blow to the Japanese army from behind. ”

After Wang Haitao finished speaking, he saw Tang Longzai and Li Changwu staring at the map, so he stopped and paid attention to the two. The two stared at the map for a while, and discussed in a whisper for a while, and finally Tang Longzai raised his head and looked at Wang Haitao and said, "We agree to the commander's arrangement, but I have two requests." Wang Haitao looked at Tang Longzai and said, "If you have any requirements, just mention them." ”

Tang Longzai said seriously: "Commander, no one has traveled the road on this map, for the safety of the soldiers, I request: 1. The road must be reconnoitred by a reconnaissance brigade first and explore the road in front; 2. I ask the engineering regiment to send troops to help repair the road. Wang Haitao replied: "These two requests are no problem, I will immediately send a telegram to Tang Xiaoshan, ordering him to send people to reconnoiter the road and assist you in the march along the way." I can also send a battalion to your command in the Engineer Regiment. However, I don't think it's very likely that heavy weaponry will pass on this road, and the troops you will send out to pass through this road must be light. ”

After Tang Longzai and Li Changwu nodded in response, Wang Haitao said: "Also, there is a force left outside the north gate to make a feint attack on the north gate city wall, so that the Japanese army cannot draw troops from the north gate to reinforce the city." In addition, Long Zai, your two divisions have gone to Youxian, and my request to you is not only to block this batch of reinforcements, but also to ask you to inflict heavy losses on this group of Japanese troops, can you do it?"

Tang Longzai puffed up his chest and replied: "Please rest assured, Commander, with our 91st Army here, we are guaranteed to be able to inflict heavy losses on these Japanese troops." Wang Haitao nodded with satisfaction and said: "Okay, without further ado, you go back and prepare, set off overnight, I will give you twenty-four hours, your whole division must rush to Youxian, and the battle in Youxian will be under the unified command of Longzai." ”

Tang Longzai and Li Changwu saluted Wang Haitao and replied, "Yes, Commander!" Just as the two were about to walk out of the door, Wang Haitao shouted: "Long Zai, pay attention to safety! I will celebrate you after the battle!" Tang Longzai turned around and smiled at Wang Haitao and said, "Don't worry, brother-in-law!" After speaking, he left the headquarters with Li Changwu. Seeing that the two were gone, Tangshan Leopard said to Wang Haitao: "Commander, I'm also leaving." I'm not with the commander, so you should pay more attention to your safety!"

The time for the attack on the west gate of Hengyang City was set at 20 o'clock, and at 19:50, all the heavy artillery raised their muzzles and aimed at the city wall of the west gate of Hengyang City. A full twenty tanks lined up on the forward position, and behind them were the officers and men of the 543rd Regiment of the 271st Brigade. The 271st Brigade finally had a chance to make a move, and it was such an important battle, and the officers and men were extremely excited.

As soon as the hour hand coincided at 20 o'clock, 10,000 artillery pieces were fired at the rear of the Chinese position outside the west gate, and this time Tang Yikuan used all the artillery that could be used, not only the heavy artillery regiment of the 90th Division, the 240 heavy artillery regiment of the Japanese style, and even the 130 heavy cannon regiment directly under the headquarters all opened fire. For a moment, the fire of the cannonballs turned half of the sky red.

Countless cannonballs flew towards the city wall of the west gate of Hengyang City, some of which fell inside and outside the city wall, and the other part fell directly on the city wall. The Chinese army had always withdrawn its troops after dark, but this time they launched a large-scale artillery bombardment after dark, which made the Japanese troops in Hengyang unprepared. When the cannon sounded, Lieutenant General Mihonyamao, the commander of the 3rd Division, who was eating dinner, dropped the wine glass in his hand to the ground in shock.

Immediately afterward, the explosion of countless shells rang out in the direction of the west gate, and the strong vibration caused the dust on the roof to fall straight down. Lieutenant General Sanbenshan was about to ask someone what was going on outside, when his own guard captain broke into the room in a bit of a panic. Without waiting for Lieutenant General Sanbenshan to ask, the captain of the guard shouted: "Your Excellency, division commander, the people of China have launched a large-scale artillery bombardment of the Ximen city wall!"

Lieutenant General Sanbenshan's most immediate reaction in his heart was: Is the Chinese army going to launch an attack on Hengyang City overnight? Thinking of this, he immediately ordered the captain of the guard: "Yours, immediately send an order to the 232nd Wing of the 39th Division to prepare to reinforce the Ximen City Wall. The captain of the guard said yes and turned away, and as soon as he left, the commander of the 39th Division, Lieutenant General Sumita Lai Shiro, arrived.

The artillery fire on the wall of the West Gate was still bombarding, as if it was more intense than at the beginning. None of the Japanese troops stationed on the city walls dared to move, and they all hid in the corners and waited for the judgment of fate. With the sound of artillery and the shaking of the city walls, the prayers of the Japanese officers and soldiers to Aunt Amaterasu became even stronger. But on Chinese soil, if you want to find Aunt Amaterasu to bless these invaders, it depends on whether the Chinese gods agree or not.

The ferocious fire lasted for more than an hour, and under the continuous bombardment of heavy artillery, the city wall of the West Gate could not withstand such continuous blows no matter how strong it was, and many city walls collapsed, two of which collapsed thirty or forty meters down. These collapsed gaps became the main targets of the Chinese soldiers. As soon as the artillery fire weakened slightly, the twenty tanks parked in front of the Chinese positions let out a roar.

With the roar of the engine, the tank began to move in the direction of the city walls. In the evening, the officers and men of the 90th Division, together with the Engineer Corps, had filled in the anti-tank trenches dug by the Japanese and had rushed to build a road that would allow the tanks to rush close to the city walls. By this time, the path of the twenty tanks had been opened, and with their sturdy steel bodies, they rushed forward bravely.

At the forefront were eight Cheetah heavy tanks, which moved forward quickly while striking and suppressing the Japanese who dared to counterattack on the city walls with their vehicle-mounted guns and vehicle-mounted heavy machine guns. The Japanese troops on the city wall also gradually recovered from the shelling, and under the command of the officers, these surviving Japanese troops lay on the remaining city walls and began to block the attack of the Chinese army.

Behind the 12 light tanks behind the heavy tanks, thousands of officers and men of the 543rd Regiment of the 271st Brigade were attacking with them. The lights of the twenty tanks illuminated the city wall as if it were daylight, and the Japanese could not hide their figures under the light. The chariot was only 200 meters away from the city wall, and the reinforcements of the Japanese army were also exposed in the gap.

The reinforcements came up with the 232nd Wing of the 39th Division, and their task was to plug these blown gaps, and never allow the Chinese army to attack Hengyang City. Two of the larger gaps were filled with the strength of an infantry brigade, and several smaller gaps were also placed with the strength of an infantry squadron or two infantry squads.

At the request of Lieutenant General Tsukita Raishiro, Lieutenant General Sanhonyamao also agreed to use the artillery units in the castle to assist in the defense of the West Gate wall. The Japanese army also had a 120-caliber field artillery wing and a 75-caliber mountain artillery wing in the city, which were the last two artillery units that Lieutenant General Sanhonyamao could concentrate on using.