Age of Conquest Reborn

Chapter 400: At the foot of Wanping City on July 7th

Tang Qiuli was almost knocked down by thunder. He couldn't even figure out such a simple question. How did you get your official position? How could you lead troops to fight when you have tens of thousands of people under your command?

After careful observation, it seemed that he was not so incompetent. He suddenly realized that he had concluded that there would be a big battle in early July and shocked the generals. His wisdom was almost demonic and he could not predict the future? Or was he being mystical and alarmist?

Tang Qiuli could only confirm his statement from various appearances. He could not say that I would know this ending decades later. It was not a god, but a goblin.

He specifically analyzed that there was movement on all three sides of Peiping, but the Wanping and Marco Polo Bridge areas in the southwest were unusually quiet. This was the only major passage from Peiping to the outside world. Would the Japanese ignore this? The Japanese troops were in the other three directions.

All of them were tentative movements, with obvious intentions. One was to test the strength of our defenders, the other was to divert attention and draw our attention to other directions, and the last was its main purpose.

That is to say, the brainless Japanese used this trick to attract the attention of the defenders in other directions, ignoring key areas, and then used a sword to seal the throat. Wanping was their real target. Therefore,

He also categorically rejected the generals' suggestions to send large-scale troop increases in the other three directions.

Given this situation, it was necessary for him to inform the generals at all levels of the 29th Army about his strategic deployment. When Tang Qiuli put forward the plan to abandon Peiping, as expected, it caused an uproar and the 29th Army

The generals of the Ninth Army almost doubted their own ears.

We have been fighting the Japanese in Peiping and Tianjin for several years, isn't it just to keep Peking and Tianjin? But now, the army commander said, Peiping can no longer be defended and will be given to the Japanese. Doesn't this chill the soldiers and poke the spines of the common people?

Tang Qiuli did not explain too much. He just told the generals at all levels of the 29th Army that the city of Beiping could not be destroyed by war because of an order from me, Tang Qiuli. You will understand my good intentions in the future.

What the Japanese got was an empty city. Just like this, the Japanese army could not easily succeed. He warned the generals that in the event of a large-scale battle, no matter how tight the garrison outside Peiping was, and how huge the casualties were, they would not be allowed to withdraw even a step to the north.

In Pingcheng, any violators will be executed on the spot by the commander.

When each department is holding on to its defensive positions, it must always maintain contact with the military headquarters and wait for orders to retreat at any time. The military headquarters will give detailed retreat routes and assembly locations.

The officers at all levels of the 29th Army somewhat understood that the commander meant to fight the Japanese outside the city, and that the ministries were not holding on tightly. Also, how could the 29th Army only have 50,000 troops?

Resist the Japanese army of 400,000.

The army commander must have made overall arrangements, so even though he felt a little uncomfortable about giving up Peiping, it was difficult to accept it emotionally. Compared with the Yellow River Basin war zone, the number of troops in the 29th Army was just a fraction, but because

It is more important to be stationed in Pingjin.

The commander of the Army has strict orders and must carry them out. This is the bounden duty of a soldier. Tang Qiuli was really afraid that if the war broke out, the Japanese army would press the 29th Army's position from all sides. Without the support of the troops, he would withdraw to the city and hold on to the danger. Then he

The plan to protect Beiping City came to nothing, and all the accusations and infamy were in vain.

Entering July, the Japanese army's frequent probing operations tended to stop, and Peiping returned to its previous delicate calm and balance. However, Tang Qiuli understood very well that the Japanese were ready to take action.

On July 2, the ** Division's 11 infantry brigades, five artillery brigades, and five cavalry brigades, totaling more than 216,000 troops, secretly set out from their respective garrison areas and approached each other in a concealed manner according to prior arrangements.

object of combat.

Tang Qiuli's battle deployment was as follows. The Southwest Attack Corps consisted of the ** Division, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Infantry Brigades, the 1st Artillery Brigade, the 1st and 2nd Cavalry Brigades, and more than 63,000 troops.

The target of the battle was the 3rd Division and the 5th Mixed Brigade of the Japanese North China Garrison Army stationed in the direction of Changping in the west of Peiping, totaling more than 50,000 Japanese troops. The commander of this attack corps was Feng Jiwu, deputy commander of the ** Division.

The **4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th infantry brigades, the 2nd and 3rd artillery brigades, the 3rd and 4th cavalry brigades, and more than 85,000 troops, formed the Zhengnan Attack Corps. The combat target was Japan.

The North China Garrison garrisoned the Ninth Division, Twelfth Division, Qiandao Detachment, and Segu Detachment in the Fangshan and Shijingshan areas, totaling more than 75,000 Japanese troops. The commander of this regiment was Tang Qiuli, commander of the ** Division.

The **8th, 9th, and 10th Infantry Brigades, the 4th and 5th Artillery Brigades, and the 5th Cavalry Brigade, with more than 45,000 troops, formed the Southeast Attack Corps. The combat targets were the Japanese North China Garrison Army garrisoned in Daxing and Ma

The Sixth Division in the Komashi area, Hashimoto Regiment and Songjiang Regiment, totaled more than 37,000 Japanese troops. The commander of this regiment was Li Honggang, Chief of Staff of the ** Division.

The **11th Brigade of the **Division serves as a strategic reserve to guard against Japanese reinforcements in the direction of Tianjin. Each detachment of the **Division's special operations detachment, in accordance with operational deployment, lurks in places where the Japanese must pass through, and provides Japanese troops to the division headquarters at any time.

Latest trends.

Before the battle begins, each department must ensure the concealment of the battle plan, the suddenness of the battle attack, and the fierceness of the fire strikes, so that the Japanese troops in various places are not aware of the movements of our troops.

After the division commander issues an attack order, each attacking corps must resolve the battle within eight hours. If an unexpected situation occurs and the battle plan cannot be completed, it must withdraw from the battlefield. No stalemate is allowed.

The Tianjin police force and eight urban combat teams paid close attention to the movements of the Japanese troops in the direction of Tianjin. After receiving the order, they immediately went into battle, destroyed the Tianjin port, and delayed the Japanese reinforcements in the direction of Peiping.

The troops of the 29th Army stationed at Nanyuan Airport in Beiping, upon receiving the order from the military headquarters, immediately completely destroyed the Nanyuan Airport runway and all airport facilities, and then evacuated Nanyuan Airport and evacuated to Baoding direction to standby.

After receiving the order, the defensive troops from various places of the 29th Army quickly left the battlefield and withdrew to the direction of Baoding to assemble and stand by.

Tang Qiuli was ruthless. He wanted to concentrate his superior forces and devour all the Japanese troops southwest of Peiping, totaling more than 160,000 people, accounting for more than one-third of the total number of Japanese troops in North China.

The purpose of this battle was, firstly, to annihilate the effective forces of the Japanese army, and secondly, to open a channel for the troops of the 29th Army to withdraw southward and attract the main force of the Japanese army to follow the troops into the Taihang Mountains. He could not let Shanxi Chief Yan just watch the fun.

Tens of thousands of troops, if they don't move around, their muscles and bones will become sore.

This battle is ruthless enough. If it goes well, the top commander of the Japanese army in North China will vomit blood and lose his breath. Each attacking corps has an absolute advantage in strength and firepower. The key to this battle is

The battle must be fought quickly and the main force of the Japanese army cannot be entangled in the plains by subsequent reinforcements.

Tang Qiuli's 210,000 troops were like tigers dormant in the mountains and forests. They put away their fangs and claws and stared at their opponents. As long as they got the order and pounced, they would tear apart the Japanese troops on the opposite side.

Shattered to pieces.

Tang Qiuli was waiting for the opportunity. He was waiting for the sound of a gunshot. The Japanese army in North China was also waiting. They were waiting for the opportunity to fire the first shot. The Japanese army and the army were waiting for the opportunity. However, this opportunity was not for Tang Qiuli.

For Qiu Li, he could go all out, but for the Japanese army, it was unexpected severe pain and long-term fainting.

From July 3 to July 6, the Japanese troops did not take any action in the surrounding areas of Peiping. However, the Japanese Binshan Brigade stationed in Tianjin left the Tianjin garrison on July 5 and went north to the eastern highlands of the southern suburbs of Peiping.

The total strength of the Japanese army reached more than 50,000.

The pressure on Li Honggang's regiment responsible for this attack direction increased dramatically. The Japanese army had surpassed him in strength. Tang Qiuli adjusted his deployment and strengthened the 11th Infantry Brigade of the *** Infantry Brigade, which served as the strategic reserve, to Li Honggang's regiment, so that the troops under his command were

It increased to more than 60,000 people.

Now, unless an absolutely unexpected situation occurs, nothing else can shake Tang Qiuli's determination to cripple and beat up the Japanese army in North China in one battle, making them unable to move south for a short period of time, and buying time for him to adjust his strategic deployment in North China.

On July 7, 1937 AD, the land of North China was entering the hot summer season. The sun had not yet risen, and the sky was like burning flames. Green gauze tents everywhere stretched endlessly, spreading across the thousands of miles of North China Plain. This was an ordinary day.

A day, an ordinary day among the 365 days in a year.

The farmers who got up early, led the slow-moving cattle, stepped on the dewdrops on the ground, looked at the green crops, and calculated this year's harvest, with a satisfied smile on their wrinkled faces, and their simple hearts were calculating.

What farm tools can I buy this year?

Without the gunshots at Wanping City, this day would have disappeared in the long river of history like running water. There would not have been a trace of ripples. A gunshot, July 7, 1937, has become the eternal symbol of the Chinese nation.

The pain became the beginning of eight years of suffering and struggle, and also became the first and strongest note that sounded the clarion call for national independence.

On the afternoon of July 7, the Eighth Squadron of the Third Battalion of the First Regiment of the Riverside Brigade of the Japanese North China Garrison Army, led by Captain Shimizu Setsuro, drove with live ammunition from Huilong Temple to Dawa, close to the Chinese garrison of Marco Polo Bridge.

The area between the kilns.

At 7:30 p.m., the Japanese army began an exercise. At 20:40, gunshots were heard from the Japanese exercise area, and a soldier (Shimura Kikujiro) "missed". The Japanese immediately requested to enter Wanping City, where the Chinese garrison was stationed, for search.

He was sternly rejected by Ji Xingwen, commander of the 219th Regiment of the 110th Brigade of the 37th Division of the 29th Army of China.

While deploying the battle, the Japanese army immediately transferred the remaining troops of the Third Battalion to the direction of Wanping. Under Wanping City, more than 1,500 Japanese infantrymen and an artillery squadron gathered at the foot of Wanping City.

Missing", he negotiated with the Chinese side. During this period, the ** division lurking near the Japanese army station reported in his detachment that Japanese troops from other directions had a tendency to gather in the direction of Wanping.

Tang Qiuli ordered Ji Xingwen, commander of the 219th Regiment, to enter the fortifications and prepare for battle. He also ordered the 1st Regiment of the 4th Brigade and the 2nd Artillery Brigade Mortar Regiment to secretly move to the foot of Wanping City.

An encirclement was formed against the Japanese Qingshui Brigade.

At 22:15 p.m., the Japanese Qingshui Brigade attacked Wanping City with infantry weapons. Since the encircling troops of the Japanese Army had not yet reached the designated position, Tang Qiuli ordered Ji Xingwen not to fight back for the time being.

The trigger for the first battle between China and Japan began to burst out under Wanping City in North China. This battle was inevitable.

(To be continued)