Chapter 10: Anqing (58)

A Xiangshui, the difference between the abyss, the west of Xiangshui still maintains a peaceful scene, and the east of Xiangshui is a hell on earth with artillery fire.

A few days ago, the 13th Division was intercepted from the east of Xiangshui, and the smell of gunpowder on his body had not yet dissipated, and he once again embarked on the journey to the east, Zhang Zizhong asked the guards to change into clothes suitable for combat. The guards were embarrassed and told Zhang Zizhong that in the last battle, some cloth clothes were broken and had not been repaired, so this time he could only wear the material clothes of the general. Zhang Zizhong said with a smile: "It doesn't matter what clothes he wears, as long as he can wear it, he can't let me fight with my bare buttocks." ”

Zhang Zizhong lived a simple life, and only wore homespun military uniforms in battle, which was no different from a junior officer. He is tall, wearing a dazzling yellow tweed military uniform, very beautiful and chic, a completely beautiful man, and a military uniform mold. It's just that there are few opportunities to wear it in peacetime, and it will only be worn when attending a theater meeting, and every time I wear a general's uniform, I will be praised by my subordinates, thinking that in Chinese military circles, no one can wear a general's uniform more beautiful than Zhang Zizhong.

Division Commander Ma Guanyi sent Zhang Zizhong to the Xiangshui side, and was still making the final persuasion: "Commander, let me cross the river, you are in the command headquarters, quickly transfer Deputy Commander Feng and them back, as long as one more division goes over to reinforce it, it will definitely be able to block Yokoyama Takehiko's 223rd Wing." Zhang Zizhong stopped by the ferry and said: "I know what you think, and I know that you think well, but there is one point, you and I are different, after you pass, the reinforcements in the rear may not be too active, after I pass, the war zone will pay attention to it, and it will definitely be reinforced as soon as possible." This time, let me use the false name of this admiral. Hearing Zhang Zizhong say this, Ma Guanyi couldn't refute it, but said: "I'm here, I will arm all the people in the command who can fight, as long as the commander gives an order, I will immediately cross the river to reinforce." ”

"Okay!" Zhang Zizhong patted Ma Guanyi on the shoulder, turned around and got on the boat, and soon disappeared on the east bank of Xiangshui.

The 39th Division is a new division formed on June 30, 1939 in Japan, with the 221st, 222nd, and 223rd Infantry Wings and the 39th Field Artillery Wing, in addition to a reconnaissance team, an engineer team, a transport team, and a communications team, with a total number of about 15,000 people. As a division of a third company, there is no brigade or regimental level establishment, and the wing has also been downsized, with only three infantry brigades under its jurisdiction, and the number of wings has also been reduced to 3,800 people. In the previous operation, in order to strengthen the strength of the central route, the Ikeda detachment headed by Naozo Ikeda, commander of the 11th Infantry Brigade, was assigned to the central route in order to strengthen the strength of the central route. Only then did the center maintain more than 20,000 infantry. Because this road is basically opened by artillery, tanks attack, infantry losses are not large, and all units can basically remain intact. Takehiko Yokoyama's 223rd Wing, which was in the rear during the previous offensive and largely did not participate in the operation.

After receiving the order, Takehiko Yokoyama's 223rd Wing advanced quickly, and they left the Mountain Artillery Brigade, which was advancing slowly, to reinforce the 3rd Division at full speed.

Zhang Zizhong's speed is not slow, he knows that he must be ahead of the 223 Wing, otherwise it will be completely meaningless.

On the 14th, there was an encounter between the two sides.

In a typical encounter, both sides know that they can meet each other's centaurs anytime and anywhere, but there is no plan for when they will meet each other. The fastest reaction was Zhang Zizhong's special service battalion, they were the best-equipped troops of the 33rd Group Army, the Czech ZK391 semi-automatic rifle of One Color, ten rounds of *, which can be used up with ten rounds of ammunition without pulling the bolt.

Under the intensive fire of the special battalion, the 223rd Wing of the Japanese Army was beaten unguarded, and dozens of Japanese troops fell headlong and could not get up again. However, the Japanese army soon recovered from the chaos, and Takehiko Yokoyama had one infantry squadron confront the special service battalion, and the other two squadrons outflanked the positions of the special service battalion from the left and right.

The 443rd and 444th regiments immediately confronted these enemies.

Takehiko Yokoyama was shocked and immediately sent out all the remaining two infantry brigades to outflank both flanks.

The two sides fought for a day, and did not withdraw their troops until it was getting late.

Zhang Zizhong saw that the topography of this place was not favorable to him, so he took advantage of the night to take the team to the village of Gouyanli north of the pumpkin shop, and decided to use the terrain to entangle the 223rd Wing here. At the same time, a telegram was sent to the five theaters of operations, requesting rapid reinforcements.

After receiving Zhang Zizhong's rescue telegram, he went as close as the Fifth Theater Headquarters in Laohekou, as far as the General Staff of Chairman Chiang in Chongqing, as close as the headquarters of the 11th Group Army of the Japanese Army in Yingcheng, and as far as the base camp on the Japanese island, including Mo Di and others in Lishan County, all of whom knew that a Chinese general appeared in the pumpkin shop, and the only difference was that the Chinese side knew that this general was Zhang Zizhong, while the Japanese side did not know who the three people were.

Li Zongren was shocked and immediately ordered all Chinese troops close to the pumpkin shop to reinforce them with all their might.

The Japanese also responded, and Kazuichiro Sonobe ordered the Ikeda detachment, which had assisted the 39th Division, to rush to the pumpkin shop immediately and take down the Chinese general.

Mo Di, Tang Ruru and the others stood in the confidential room without blinking, and all the confidential personnel pricked up their ears to catch any bit of radio waves. With such a position, they can no longer do anything but watch the development of the situation.

The reinforcements were the first to set off from the 44O Regiment led by Ma Guanyi and the heavily armed group army engineer units and baggage troops, followed by the 179th Division of He Jifeng of Feng Zhi'an's 77th Army, which was quickly reinforced from Xiangyang. Next is the Huang Weigang Division, which is confronting the Third Division, Huang Weigang's Department has been mixed with the Japanese army and cannot be separated, so Zhang Juyuan can only lead the 26th Regiment to support quickly. Huang Weigang was in a hurry, and decided not to wait for the arrival of Wang Yuwen's 91st Division, and launched a general attack on the Japanese army with all his might.

Naozo Ikeda, commander of the 11th Infantry Brigade, was an experienced commander who contacted Yokoyama and entrusted the attack on this small force to the 223rd Wing, who was responsible for keeping the reinforced Chinese troops out. Yokoyama Takehiko knew that the other party's army was inferior in numbers and weapons to his own, and after a major battle, the other side had not been replenished, but his own transport team had already sent supplies, as long as Ikeda Naozo could block the perimeter, he was confident that he could take this small force.

At dawn on May 15, the 223rd Wing of the Japanese Army appeared in the ditch like a shadow.

Although the prepared battle site is completely different from the random encounter location, although the terrain in the ditch is not a steep terrain, the slightly higher terrain is still of great benefit to the defender, and the attacker is basically in the open field, passively beaten. Although Zhang Zizhong's troops were slightly weaker, they had the advantage of geographical advantage, and although the Japanese army had replenished it, it did not occupy advantageous land and had no artillery support, so the two sides were on a par in this place. I fought for a day and didn't stop until it was completely dark.

Looking at the position in the dark, Zhang Zizhong smiled at the adjutant Jia Yubin and the chief of the guard, Shi Quansheng: "We are good, we have dragged the enemy for another day, and we are one step closer to our goal." It's just that this battlefield has been melted and can no longer be used, so we will retreat to the ten-mile long mountain and hold it there for another day. ”

Staff Officer Zhang Jing looked at Zhang Zizhong with admiration, this is really magnanimous, such a dangerous environment, and can fight so orderly, he knows that the current battle between Huang Weigang and the Third Division is also at the last moment, as long as this side blocks for two more days, that side will be able to end, but these two days, I am afraid that it will be longer than two years.

On May 16, the ten-mile long mountain was full of smoke. In order to open the reinforcement channel as soon as possible, the Japanese army used aircraft. The low-altitude bombing planes set fire to the branches of the trees on the mountain, burning the ten-mile-long mountain into a sea of fire.

"You look up to me!" Zhang Zizhong said with a smile. He was tall, wearing a dazzling yellow tweed military uniform, and his target was obvious, and the Japanese soldiers were shooting at him from three directions with crossfire.

At this time, gunfire rang out again in the southeast direction, and it was Ma Guanyi who led the 440th Regiment of the 74th Division and the baggage troops of the engineer unit of the group army headquarters that were all armed to arrive at the East Mountain Pass of Pumpkin Shop and were fighting to the death to attack Shili Changshan. However, Naozo Ikeda was worthy of being the fierce general of the 6th Division, and he did not rush to defend and wait for the attack, and with an infantry brigade, he blocked the Ma Guan 1 to the periphery.

He Jifeng's 179th Division was still running in Hexi, and Zhang Juyuan's Yanma had whip marks on his buttocks.

Near noon, a stray bullet hit Zhang Zizhong's left arm, Zhang Zizhong looked at the blood oozing out of the yellow general's coat, and the corners of his mouth grinned. As the mountain artillery brigade of the Ikeda detachment was adjusted in place and joined the offensive ranks of the 223rd Wing, the attack escalated again, and the Japanese army, which had been without artillery, launched an artillery bombardment, and a burst of 75 mountain artillery shells exploded, and several pieces of shrapnel crossed Zhang Zizhong's right shoulder and leg. Zhang Zizhong's hands were hanging down and he was unsteady when he walked. At one o'clock in the afternoon, another bullet flew and hit Zhang Zizhong's waist, this time he was a little hateful, Zhang Zizhong could no longer stand up, he could only lie on the ground and command.

The encirclement of the Japanese army was getting smaller and smaller, shells were pouring down like a torrent, and the roar of rifle machine guns was tight.

At this time, although Zhang Zizhong was surrounded on three sides, the direction of the northeast Changshan has not yet been closed. Zhang Zizhong was carried to Almond Mountain by dozens of guards, and everyone originally wanted to take the opportunity of the movement of the command post to persuade the commander-in-chief to climb over Changshan Mountain to break through, but after Zhang Zizhong arrived at Almond Mountain, he no longer agreed to retreat, and set up the command post here to continue to command the battle. He told the brethren that death was not terrible, and that if they were afraid of death, they could go first. As a result, only the Soviet advisers chose to leave through the gap in Changshan, and the others stayed without hesitation.

The Japanese army once again mobilized mountain artillery groups to bombard the Almond Hill position frantically, and the shells rained down on Zhang Zizhong's front and back. Adjutant Jia Yubin and chief of guard Shi Quansheng were killed. Zhang Zizhong was injured three more times, and his trouser legs and socks were soaked with blood.

At about 2 p.m., the Japanese infantry began to attack under the cover of artillery fire. The soldiers of the special service battalion who followed Zhang Zizhong rushed forward, and in the face of a large number of Japanese troops who were approaching step by step and roaring strangely, they showed amazing bravery and tenacity, and they put life and death aside and used their flesh and blood to block the absolutely superior enemy at the foot of the mountain for nearly two hours.

The fighting continued in the rain, and there were few soldiers left in the special service battalion, and the company commander Wang Jinbiao was also killed in the fierce battle. Zhang Zizhong couldn't hold it anymore, dragged a rifle, climbed to the front of the position, pulled the trigger and fired fiercely at the Japanese army. At this moment, several Japanese machine guns in the distance discovered this bright yellow target at the same time, and they all strafed it together, Zhang Zizhong was shot in several places, his right chest was pierced, and blood gushed like a spring. The Japanese rushed up in a swarm. In the crisis, Zhang Zizhong said to Zhang Jing, Ma Xiaotang and others beside him: "I can't do it, you go quickly!" Everyone insisted on disobeying, Zhang Zizhong pulled out the short sword on his waist and cut himself, the guards were shocked and hurriedly hugged him. When he was dying, Zhang Zizhong lay on the ground, his face was pale, and he said calmly: "I died well like this, and my conscience is very peaceful for the country, the nation, and the governor." You guys go! ”

Lying calmly on the ground, waiting for death to come.

The Japanese army rushed up, and First Class Private Fujioka was the first to rush to the front, and Zhang Zizhong saw the Japanese army's obscene face, and stood up. The figure that stood up from the pool of blood, the majestic gaze, and the unyielding momentum made Fujioka immediately stop and stunned there. The commander of the third squadron of the Japanese army, Tang Ye, who followed closely, immediately opened fire, and the bullet hit Zhang Zizhong in the head, but he still did not fall! Fujioka, who came to his senses, picked up his bayonet and stabbed it with all his strength, and his tall body finally fell to the ground with a bang.

History is an eternal moment here – 4 p.m. on May 16, 1940!

Zhang Zizhong led more than 2,800 people to cross the river, and less than 280 people broke through and returned to the country, most of whom sacrificed their lives for the country. Ma Guanyi was very sad, left the army, served as a major general of the Ministry of National Defense of the Kuomintang government in Chongqing, and returned to his hometown a year later.

When the Japanese army inspected Zhang Zizhong's relics, they found a gold pen engraved with the words "Zhang Zizhong" from the general's pocket, and they were greatly shocked and immediately reported to the 39th Division, Wu Teng, chief of staff of the 39th Division, had a friendship with Zhang Zizhong in Beiping, confirmed that it was him, sighed, used a coffin to bury, and erected the spirit card of "Zhang Zizhong, the great general of China."

The general was martyred. The whole country was shocked!

Zhang Zizhong's wife, Ms. Li Minhui, heard the loss, went on a hunger strike in grief, and died in seven days.

At night, Zhang Juyuan's reinforcements arrived at the pumpkin shop, knowing that Zhang Zizhong had been sacrificed, and shouted: I'm late! With a mortal heart, he fought to the death into the enemy formation, and broke into the enemy camp with a single sword, but the Japanese army was strong, and Zhang Juyuan returned in vain. Late at night, Huang Weigang, who arrived by running, personally led the death squad to raid the pumpkin shop, and the madman-like Huang Weigang was shirtless, wearing pants, and rushed forward with his brothers barefoot against the devil's shells, and finally snatched back Zhang Zizhong's body a few times in and out.

The general's body was transported to Chongqing, and when passing through Yichang, 100,000 soldiers and civilians sent the coffin to the riverbank, during which the Japanese plane flew over Yichang three times, but none of the people who paid tribute to him avoided and did not flee. On the morning of May 28, when the coffin was transported to the Chaotianmen Wharf in Chongqing, Chiang Kai-shek, Feng Yuxiang and other government, military and political dignitaries wore black veils on their arms, stood solemnly on the wharf to welcome the spirit, boarded the ship to mourn, and Chiang Kai-shek mourned the coffin, and everyone present was moved.

The National Government issued a state funeral order and issued a certificate of honor and condolences to the "Rong Zi No. 1". The tablet of Zhang Zizhong was enshrined in the martyrs' shrine and ranked first. On the afternoon of the 28th, Chiang Kai-shek, military and political dignitaries, and people from all walks of life held a grand and solemn memorial ceremony for Zhang Zizhong at Chuqimen. The atmosphere* is full of mourning. Chiang Kai-shek personally officiated at the ceremony, and at the same time, in the name of the chairman of the Military Commission, sent a telegram to the whole army, commending Zhang Zizhong's lifelong achievements. Chiang Kai-shek's inscription "Xun Lie Changzhao", Li Zongren's inscription "Heroic Style", and Feng Yuxiang's inscription "Xun Chen is immortal". The CCP was also deeply shocked and deplored by the sacrifice of General Zhang Zizhong, and all walks of life in Yan'an held a grand memorial meeting, and Zhu De, and Zhou Enlai respectively inscribed the elegy of "serving the country with loyalty", "becoming benevolent", and "sacrificing one's life for the country" for General Zhang Zizhong.

The Nationalist Government posthumously awarded Zhang Zizhong as an army general, and the general and his wife were buried together at the foot of the Meihua Mountain in Chongqing.