The infantry brigade attacked by the 13th Division of the Japanese Army was inferior to the 16th Division in all respects. Just like now, although there is also the cover of artillery fire, the Japanese troops that have attacked are relatively scattered, and they are not formed into obvious attack groups, and the cover and coordination between them are not in place, and the concealment is even worse.

Xiao Shuyun, the commander of the first battalion who had already entered the position, looked at these attacking Japanese troops from the telescope, and the expression of disdain on his face was obvious. After the artillery of the Japanese wing also opened fire, the field artillery battalion of the 571st Regiment began a counterattack. Although the eighteen 75-caliber field guns and eighteen 120-caliber heavy mortars could not compete with the Japanese artillery wing, they were still enough to deal with the 92 infantry guns and mortars in the wing.

As soon as the field artillery battalion in the regiment carried out artillery counterattacks, the first battalion and the second battalion did not need to hide or stow them, and the 82 mortars and 60 mortars of the two battalions were used, and it was a fat beating to the attacking infantry wing. The commander of the infantry brigade, who commanded the attack, was immediately tragic. When the infantry in front attacked, at most, there was a heavy machine gun blockade, but when it came to himself, even the artillery was used, how could he attack?

This infantry brigade was only subjected to one round of artillery bombardment, and the captain hurriedly ordered to retreat, and this attack did not get close to the position of 200 meters at all, and then retreated, which also made the third lieutenant general of Sakurai Province depressed for a while. However, seeing that the defenders had so many artillery, and even the only dozen or so artillery pieces in his own division were blown up, the third lieutenant general of Sakurai Province could only sigh and go to see Lieutenant General Morioka Hayabusa.

Because of the counterattack of the 571st Regiment, the Japanese army was honest again, and there was no movement for the next whole day. Lieutenant General Morioka also sent several telegrams to Commander Yamashita Fumi, repeatedly emphasizing that the defenders had many artillery pieces and too much firepower, and it was impossible to capture Lashio Castle with their own strength, and asked to send a large number of planes to assist. Lieutenant General Morioka Hayabusa's telegram also gave Commander Yamashita a headache, and in Yamashita's mind, he had already given up the idea of inflicting heavy damage on or annihilating the 90th Army in China.

Compared with Yamashita Fengwen, Wang Haitao's life was much better, the Japanese army's attack was easily blocked, and before he could exert his strength, he had already made the Japanese army dare not move lightly, and it seemed that he had been guarding for fifteen days, and he really didn't have much pressure on himself. Since this is the case, it is difficult for Wang Haitao to lead his troops to withdraw to Longzhou to rest after the guards on the Sino-Burmese border are in place.

As for the Chinese army in Lashio, as long as he does not take the initiative to attack the imperial army, Yamashita Fengwen will no longer provoke that Wang Haitao, and he is afraid that if he provokes that Wang Haitao in a hurry, he will counterattack, and his 16th Division will not be able to parry.

The two sides confronted each other under the city of Lashio, fighting each other every day, and testing on a small scale, but they were not prepared for a big battle. Morioka Falcon is really powerless to provoke Wang Haitao, and Wang Haitao also has the idea of preserving his strength, since it is of little significance to fight in Burma, Wang Haitao does not want to increase the casualties of the troops.

Fifteen days passed, and in the days that followed, neither the 16th nor the 33rd Division of the Japanese army launched another attack on Lashio. On this day, Wang Haitao finally waited for a telegram from Chongqing, which told Wang Haitao that the 11th Group Army had been deployed on the Sino-Burmese border, and that the 90th Army could withdraw to China.

After receiving the telegram, Wang Haitao immediately called several division commanders and brigade commanders in the city to the headquarters. Seeing that everyone had arrived, Wang Haitao said: "Ladies and gentlemen, I have received a telegram from Chongqing that the 90th Army can retreat to the country. Hearing Wang Haitao's words, although the people below were prepared, they couldn't help but get excited. Especially those officers from Longzhou had a smile on their faces.

Looking at the group of officers under his command, Wang Haitao asked with a smile: "It's been almost half a year since I went abroad to fight, and everyone is homesick, right? Don't tell me that you don't want home, even I miss home, and I miss my precious son even more." Seeing that everyone showed a knowing smile, Wang Haitao changed his words and continued: "However, we can't be careless, after all, there are more than 20,000 small Japan outside the city eyeing us. I hope that every one of our officers, every soldier, will be able to return home safely and go home. ”

Wang Haitao saw that everyone became serious, and then said: "Now I will announce the order of retreat. The 90th Division and the Engineer Regiment were the vanguard of the whole army, and Deputy Commander Tang Renxin was responsible for commanding the vanguard troops to open the way for the whole army. The 210th Division withdrew immediately after the 90th Division arrived in Xingwei. The 277th Brigade of the 93rd Division and the Heavy Artillery Brigade of the Protection Division were evacuated together with the military headquarters of the 90th Army. The armored brigade was concealed and on standby, and the second and third regiments of the guard brigade followed the armored brigade. After the 278th Brigade of the 93rd Division was cut off by the whole army, I took the 1st Guard Regiment to move with the 278th Brigade. Have questions?"

Just when Wang Haitao looked at everyone, Su Zuxin stood up and said, "Junzuo, you should go with the military department, and I will be responsible for the aftermath." Wang Haitao understood that Su Zuxin was worried about himself, smiled and said: "Old Su, you can rest assured that you can go with the military department first, the little Japan outside the city has been there for so many days, and they don't dare to attack our army, I estimate that even if he knows that our whole army has retreated, he will not dare to chase after him again." Besides, even if he dares to catch up, I have a backhand, and I can't please him!"

Su Zuxin saw that Wang Haitao insisted on this, and that he was indeed not as strong as Wang Haitao in commanding the battle, so he no longer insisted. Wang Haitao asked again, and when he saw that no one had said anything, he ordered: "I order, the retreat of the whole army will officially start at 18 o'clock today, everyone should go separately to make preparations, and the commander of the armored brigade, Wu Jianzhou, the commander of the 278th Brigade, the commander of the 278th Brigade, the commander of the reconnaissance brigade, and the commander of the Tangshan Leopard Brigade of the guard brigade will stay for a while." Meeting. ”

After everyone left, the four brigade commanders stayed, Wang Haitao first said to Huang Gang: "Brigade Commander Huang, your brigade is the most important task after the whole army is broken, if the Japanese army pursues your brigade, don't fight with the Japanese army, as long as the Japanese army pursues ten kilometers north of the city, I and the armored brigade can teach the pursuing Japanese army a lesson." Huang Gang Lizheng replied: "I understand, military seat, once the Japanese army pursues our brigade, I will command the troops to lead the Japanese army to ten kilometers north of the city." Wang Haitao saw that Huang Gang understood what he meant, nodded, and asked Huang Gang to make preparations.

As soon as Huang Gang left, Wang Haitao turned his attention to Wu Jianzhou. "Brigade Commander Wu, after you return to the armored brigade, prepare for an attack, as soon as the Japanese pursuers enter the attack range of your armored brigade, you will attack quickly, and be sure to inflict heavy damage on the pursuing Japanese troops and prevent them from continuing the pursuit. I will send the 2nd and 3rd Guards Brigades to accompany your armored brigades. If the Japanese did not pursue, your armored brigade would have retreated with the 278th brigade. ”

Wu Jian Zhou Lizheng replied: "Yes, military seat." The armored brigade is guaranteed to complete the mission!" After saying that, he also left the command room. At this time, only Wang Haitao, Tang Xiaoshan, Tangshan Leopard and some staff members were left in the command room. Wang Haitao looked at Tang Xiaoshan and said: "Xiaoshan, your reconnaissance brigade has always done the most difficult things, and this time will be no exception. Are you having any difficulties?"

There are nearly 300 kilometers of road from Lashio to the Sino-Burmese border, and with several thousand men of the reconnaissance brigade having to monitor this section of the road throughout the whole process, and in addition to the fact that the country still has to invest some forces, it can be said that the task of the reconnaissance brigade is very arduous. The reason why Wang Haitao made such an arrangement was that he was worried that something would happen when he finally evacuated, and he couldn't be too careful with the Japanese army.

Tang Xiaoshan smiled and replied: "Junzao, what arduous tasks have our reconnaissance brigades not carried out? If we don't carry out arduous tasks, are we still the trump card in the hands of Junzao? Don't worry, Junzao, the reconnaissance brigade will guarantee the completion of the task!" Looking at Tang Xiaoshan's departing back, Wang Haitao showed an expression of appreciation. He said to Tangshan Leopard: "Xiaoshan has grown up. Think about the first time I saw you in Evil Tiger Mountain, and then look at you now, you are really a different person!"

Tangshan Leopard also smiled and replied: "Junzao, it's still good for you to teach, after the battle in the past few years, those people who followed you back then were all brought out by Junzao." Wang Haitao also smiled and said, "Yes, now that you can all be on your own, I am also a lot more relaxed." You go and let the 2nd and 3rd regiments set off immediately and join up with the armored brigade, and if the armored brigade attacks, do a good job of infantry and tank coordination, and protect the armored brigade. You take a regiment with me and the 278th Brigade. ”

At six o'clock in the evening, the 90th Division in the city left Lashio City, joined the engineer regiment outside the city, and drove along the Yunnan-Burma Highway to the territory of Yunnan, China, and thus the retreat of the 90th Army began. It took two hours for the 90th Division to completely withdraw from Lashio. Then, the 277th Brigade of the 93rd Division, which protected the headquarters of the 90th Army, also left Lashio City.

At 10 o'clock in the evening, the 278th Brigade abandoned its position outside the city and assembled in the city, and Wang Haitao and the 1st Guard Regiment were waiting for the arrival of the 278th Brigade in the city. After converging all the officers and men of Huanggang and the 278th Brigade, Wang Haitao left Lashio City at 12 o'clock in the middle of the night. The 90th Division began to move at 18 o'clock, and the information that the 90th Army was moving a large number of troops was sent to Lieutenant General Morioka Hayabusa.

When this information arrived, Lieutenant General Morioka was taken aback, and Lieutenant General Morioka immediately summoned the third lieutenant general of Sakurai Province while ordering the whole army to be on alert. The two analyzed together for a long time, and thought that it was unlikely that the Chinese army would attack them, and most of them were about to start the retreat of the whole army. The withdrawal of the 90th Army of China, whether to pursue or not to pursue became a problem, the two discussed, but still could not decide, and finally Lieutenant General Morioka Hayabusa simply sent a telegram to Commander Yamashita Fufumi, and it was better for Commander Yamashita Fufumi to decide.