The headquarters of the 37th Division of the Japanese Army stationed in Yangquan.

Listening to the sound of gunfire like fried beans coming from all directions outside Yangquan City.

Adachi Twenty-three and Eguchi Taro, who were about to leave the headquarters for Yangquan Station, suddenly stopped.

"What happened?"

"Could it be that the Eighth Road has already hit Yangquan City?"

Adachi Twenty-Three and Taro Eguchi couldn't help but look at each other.

Ten minutes ago, Anda 23 received an order directly from the North China Front Headquarters regarding the transfer of the 37th Division to Taiyuan.

At this time, the Zhengtai Railway was still in the hands of the Japanese army.

The main force of the 37th Division only needed to get on the train and go west along the Zhengtai Railway.

In a few hours at most, you can reach Taiyuan Station.

The troops of the new regiment suddenly appeared in Yangquan City from the north, and at this time, the focus of the Japanese defense was to the south, and the troops north of Yangquan were very small.

After all, who would have thought that the new regiment of the Eighth Route Army would suddenly appear from behind the butt of the 37th Division.

After a full ten minutes, a combat staff officer hurriedly ran in and reported to Anda Twenty-three.

"Your Excellency, Division Commander, a large group of cavalry of the Eighth Route Army has appeared around Yangquan City, with at least half a cavalry wing."

"At present, the cavalry of the Eighth Route Army has blocked the four city walls of Yangquan."

"And the firepower of this cavalry of the Eighth Route Army is very strong, the guard squadron has just left the West City Gate and encountered the cavalry of the Eighth Route Army, and the guard squadron has been repulsed at present."

The speed of the cavalry was fast, coming and going like the wind.

Less than half an hour after Li Yunlong gave the order, the 1st Cavalry Battalion completed the encirclement of the Yangquan City Wall.

Although the Japanese 37th Division also had some artillery towers and pillbox fortifications outside the city.

But in the same way, these masonry turrets and pillbox fortifications were vulnerable to the cavalry of the new regiment of the Eighth Route Army carrying Bazooka.

It is similar to a modern guerrilla unit with an armed pickup truck and an RPG on its shoulder.

The guard squadron of the 37th Division is the elite of the elite, and the combat experience of the soldiers and the weapons and equipment are no worse than the combat units.

However, it did not withstand the attack of the two companies of the 1st Cavalry Battalion, and was directly defeated and retreated into Yangquan City.

"How many cavalry of the Eighth Route Army are there outside Xicheng?" Taro Eguchi asked in a deep voice.

"Judging by the number of torches." The combat staff officer bowed his head and replied, "There are about 200 cavalry of the Eighth Route Army. ”

"Yaga!" Anda Twenty-three took out his command knife and cut the bamboo chair in front of him in half, "Immediately order the 1st Infantry Brigade to destroy the cavalry of the Eighth Route Army outside Xicheng for me." ”

At present, the strength of the Eighth Route Army is unknown, and Anda 23 does not dare to send too many troops out of the city.

The North China Front Command only gave the order to the 37th Division to transfer to Taiyuan, but did not explain why.

Therefore, Anda Twenty-three didn't know what the origin of this Eighth Route Army cavalry was.

With Anda 23's order issued, it didn't take long for the Japanese troops on the city wall to fiercely fire at the cavalry position of the Eighth Route Army outside the city.

A large group of devils poured out from the West City Gate and attacked forward under artillery fire, trying to crush or annihilate the cavalry of the Eighth Route Army.

But soon, the 1st Synthetic Battalion of the Eighth Route Army arrived, and hundreds of mortars bombarded in the direction of Yangquan's West City Gate.

After leaving behind hundreds of corpses, the 1st Infantry Brigade, the most elite of the 37th Division, retreated into the city in a hurry.

"Report to the division commander, the 1st Infantry Brigade has suffered heavy losses and has withdrawn to the city!"

"The railway station has been captured by the Eighth Route Army!"

"Lion's Brain Mountain has been captured by the Eighth Route Army!"

"The airfield has been occupied by the Eighth Route Army!"

"The main force of the Eighth Route Army has surrounded Yangquan, with at least 10,000 troops!"

Within half an hour, news came one after another, making Anda Twenty-Three can't help but be furious.

The combat effectiveness of the Eighth Route Army also frightened Anda Twenty-three.

The airport, Lion's Brain Mountain and the railway station were all guarded by locust soldiers, but they did not expect to be captured by the Eighth Route Army so quickly.

"Your Excellency the Division Commander!"

When Taro Eguchi spoke, he tried his best to suppress the horror in his heart: "The battle situation is already obvious, there is a main force of the Eighth Route Army, which suddenly appeared from the north and surrounded Yangquan City, and we can't get out!" ”

The artillery fire of this Eighth Route Army was very strong.

Within half an hour, the 37th Division tried to organize a breakthrough of its forces, but was bombarded back by artillery fire from the Eighth Route Army.

The good news is that the Eighth Route Army has not yet attacked the city for the time being.

In addition, more than half an hour ago, Anda 23 had already given an order to the Japanese troops in the three lines of defense south of Yangquan City to withdraw to Yangquan City and then transfer to Taiyuan by train together.

In another half an hour at most, the Japanese troops outside the city will return to Yangquan.

When the time comes, the inside and the outside should be united, and the troops in the city will be able to break out.

Thinking of this, Anda Twenty-three said in a deep voice: "Eguchi-kun, immediately order the 227th Infantry Wing and the 37th Artillery Wing to speed up and return to Yangquan. ”

"Your Excellency, Division Commander." Taro Eguchi asked, "From which gate do we break through?" ”

Adachi Twenty-Three and Taro Eguchi are well aware.

The current situation is already precarious and precarious for the 37th Division.

The Japanese troops on the three lines of defense south of Yangquan City had all withdrawn, and only some puppet troops were left to hold their positions there.

The puppet army is reliable, and pigs can go up trees.

The main force of the Eighth Route Army of the 129th Division going north has 40,000 elites, plus the Eighth Route Army that suddenly appeared behind it, it can definitely annihilate the 37th Division.

Anda Twenty-Three suddenly realized the gravity of the battle.

It must have been the North China Front Command that realized something, so it bypassed the First Army Headquarters and directly ordered the 37th Division to be transferred to Yangquan immediately.

It's a pity that the order of the North China Front Command came a little late.

Anda Twenty-three stared at the map and analyzed it carefully: "Break through from the West City Gate, order the 227th Infantry Wing to arrive at Yangquan, storm the Eighth Route Army outside the West City, and cover the Locust Army troops in the city to break through!" ”

"In addition, I will ask the headquarters of the First Army and the headquarters of the North China Front Army for urgent tactical guidance."

"I request the headquarters to order the 33rd Division to send troops from Shouyang to meet the main force of our 37th Division."

Taro Eguchi suddenly bowed his head: "Hey! ”

However, no sooner had Eguchi Taro's order been given than a few kilometers south of the castle there was a dense sound of artillery.

Adachi Twenty-Three and Eguchi Taro hurried to the southern wall, holding binoculars and looking south.

I saw that the whole sky in the south had been printed red by artillery fire, and the sound of artillery was continuous and rumbling.

The faces of Anda Twenty-Three and Taro Eguchi suddenly became extremely ugly.

At least a few hundred cannons can hit this effect, and the 227th Infantry Wing and the 37th Artillery Wing obviously do not have hundreds of cannons.

The 227th Infantry Wing and the 37th Artillery Wing are clearly in big trouble!

……

At this time, Anda 23rd was still thinking of breaking through from the West City Gate and being picked up by the 33rd Division stationed in Shouyang.

Then the 33rd Division and the 37th Division were transferred to Taiyuan by train together.

Anda Twenty-Three has a beautiful idea, but the reality is cruel.

Because the main force of the 33rd Division has also been difficult to protect itself.

"Report to the division commander, not only Shouyang County is surrounded by the Eighth Route Army, but even the 215th Infantry Wing, the 214th Infantry Wing, and the 33rd Mountain Artillery Wing outside the county are all surrounded by the Eighth Route Army!"

Shouyang County, the headquarters of the 33rd Division, Chief of Staff Nobuo Tanaka reported to the commander of the division, Lieutenant General Sakurai Province.

At this time, Sakurai Shozo hadn't fully reacted, it was like a dream.

His troops were engaged with the main force of the 385th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army, and they were surrounded by the main force of the Eighth Route Army coming up from behind.

The firepower and combat effectiveness of this Eighth Route Army were very strong, and the troops of the 33rd Division were no match for it at all.

Sakurai's face was full of disbelief: "How can this be? ”

Nobuo Tanaka's tone was full of bitterness: "Division commander, there are at least 10,000 elites of the Eighth Route Army surrounding Shouyang County, their movements are too fast, we don't have time to react at all, and at present, Shouyang Station has been captured by the Eighth Route Army." ”

Sakurai Shozo fell into deep thought, this time the 33rd Division is in big trouble!

"Division commander, at this time, we should immediately request urgent tactical guidance from the First Army Command and the North China Front Command, and ask the headquarters to let the 37th Division come to the rescue of our 33rd Division."

"Otherwise......"

Nobuo Tanaka saw that Sakurai was silent, and immediately said.

Sakurai nodded, knowing in his heart what Nobuo Tanaka was saying, if there were no reinforcements, otherwise the 33rd Division would be completely annihilated by the Eighth Route Army.

The current Eighth Route Army definitely has the strength and conditions to completely annihilate the 33rd Division.

Sakurai Province said in a hurried tone: "Immediately report to the headquarters of the First Army and the headquarters of the North China Front Army on the situation we are currently facing, and request urgent tactical guidance!" ”

"Hey!"

Nobuo Tanaka bowed his head suddenly.

……

Lion's Brain Mountain.

The Eighth Route Army temporarily commanded the former enemy.

"Lao Zhao."

"At the beginning of the Battle of the Hundred Regiments, the two of us were ordered to lead a new regiment to block the Fourth Brigade in Lion's Brain Mountain, but I didn't expect that after a year and a half, we would return here."

The security personnel, communications personnel, and combat staff officers were busy there, and Li Yunlong leaned in the direction of Yangquan City, put down the binoculars in his hand, and said in a tone of emotion.

Zhao Gang smiled slightly: "I remember that battle, our new regiment became famous in one battle, not only killed the commander of the Fourth Brigade, Major General Mizutake Tsuda, but also captured Yangquan City, and captured a lot. ”

"To be exact." The corners of Li Yunlong's mouth twitched, "Mitake Tsuda was not killed, but was blown up by our artillery and blown into a pile of minced meat." ”

"Yes." Zhao Gang nodded.

At this moment, the coder handed a translated telegram to Li Yunlong and reported: "Deputy Regiment Commander Xing has led the 4th, 5th, and 6th battalions, as well as the 2nd cavalry battalion, to successfully encircle Shouyang County, and complete the encirclement of the 33rd Division according to the original plan. ”

Zhao Gang shook his fist fiercely, and his tone was excited: "Great! ”

Li Yunlong's expression was extremely satisfied: "Chief of Staff, immediately give an order to Deputy Regiment Commander Xing, ordering all troops to only recognize clothes and not people, and give priority to solving the devils outside Shouyang County as soon as possible!" ”

"Yes!"

Wang Dehou responded loudly.

(End of chapter)