Base System of Bashu Heroes

Troops had been assembled in Suzhou, northern Anhui. Liu Tianchu's five divisions of the 22nd Army in the Huaibei area were the first to receive the order to go to Xinyang. Anqing and the Jiang Defense Fortress Madang were lost one after another. Chen Cheng, the commander-in-chief of the Ninth War Zone, temporarily changed his decision and ordered Liu Tianchu to Led his troops to cooperate with Yang Sen's troops of the 27th Sichuan Army to counterattack Anqing to reduce the pressure on the 16th Army and 49th Army in the counterattack at Madang.

Ma Liangjun's armored division took the lead in marching towards Anqing as the advance team. Liu Tianchu then led his troops to Huainan via the Jinpu Line and then bypassed Hefei and headed for Anqing. After arriving in Anqing, Liu Tianchu stationed his troops in Qianshan and the outskirts of Anqing. Only then did he know , the armored division was transferred to the Madang Fortress by the Wuhan Garrison Command in his name, to cooperate with the 16th Army and the 49th Army that retreated to Pengze to counterattack Madang.

The troop deployment was not reported to the military commander. Liu Tianchu suddenly became furious. Only after calming down did he realize that the dispatch of troops to Hubei, Henan, and Anhui was not as simple as he thought. If the government intended to divide the 22nd Army into the Fifth Theater and the Ninth Theater If you use it, wouldn't it gradually weaken your command authority over the 22nd Army?

With this thought, Liu Tianchu decisively ordered Jiang Hui'an who was hiding in the mountain, Liu Ling, Lang Yi and other troops in Anqing to be on standby. At the same time, he telegraphed Chen Cheng, the Wuhan Garrison Headquarters, that the 22nd Army would not make any attacks unless the armored division returned to Anqing.

After the Sichuan Army Armored Division entered the Madang battlefield, it captured seven positions outside Madang including Xiangshan and Xiangkou. However, when it entered an embankment in Luowang Village, it was attacked by Japanese anti-aircraft artillery, causing three heroic tanks to be broken. The Sichuan Army Armored Division successfully captured the outer positions of Xiangshan and Xiangkou, fully demonstrating the power of the tank and arousing the Communist Party's further desire for the offensive power of the tank. A detailed assault army and armored division formation plan was placed in front of the Chairman, and also It was reported that Liu Tianchu's armored division would not return to Anqing, the Sichuan Army would not make any sorties, and the 22nd Army must be under his centralized command.

The wily and scheming Chairman immediately understood Liu Tianchu's intention and immediately ordered: "The Sichuan Army Armored Division will return to the formation immediately. The Liu Tianchu Department of the 22nd Army will cooperate with the 21st, 26th, and 27th Group Armies to counterattack Anqing and cut off the Botian Detachment's retreat."

The Chairman made the right move. If he persisted in his own way, the furious Liu Tianchu would definitely lead his troops back to Shandong. The establishment of the armored division was almost all his efforts. Of course, the Chairman was not stupid. Tank maintenance, parts replacement, etc. Without Liu Tianchu's support for a series of problems, the armored division would be unable to move forward.

After receiving the order from the Wuhan Garrison Headquarters to attack Anqing, Yang Sen and Xu Yuanquan in the Anqing frontline headquarters were blushing. The headquarters only issued an attack order, but not the priority of the attacking troops. Qianshan and Anqing front lines gathered three The group army, Liu Tianchu's 22nd Army and the Gui Army's 31st Army looked at the smoky headquarters and Liu Tianchu helplessly smiled bitterly. The shortcomings of chaotic command in the Songhu Battle were once again exposed.

The various troops did not coordinate with each other and fought independently. It can be seen from the loss of Madang that the government was once again in a passive position, following the enemy's actions everywhere, and many measures were similar to "picking flesh to mend wounds." As for the command system, it was subject to personnel The influence of relationships is too great. Many troop deployments are not based on combat needs, but officials are appointed based on factions and seniority. The positions are not suitable for the troops they belong to, resulting in the disadvantage of "building under a house and stacking beds on top of each other".

In particular, the transmission of orders and reports from the military committee to the divisions of the basic combat units has to go through five levels: theater, corps, group army, legion, and corps. This will not only delay the opportunity for combat, but even distort the original intention. If this continues, Liu Tianchu will be deeply moved.

Knowing that history will continue to develop in its original direction and stopping the Japanese army in Wuhan will become my dream, then it makes no sense for the Sichuan army to send troops to Wuhan.

Thinking of this, Liu Tianchu decisively went to Wuhan. He wanted to meet Chen Cheng or the Chairman of the Generalissimo in person to point out the shortcomings of the regime. The Chairman was not in Wuhan when he inspected southern Henan, but Chen Cheng thought that Liu Tianchu was going to accuse the garrison headquarters of arbitrarily mobilizing the Sichuan Army Armored Division.

Avoiding it, Liu Tianchu was disappointed and had to return to Qianshan.

Anqing and Shucheng were lost one after another. Liu Tianchu felt that even if he regained Anqing, it would be useless. Jiang defense was important but the troops were insufficient, so he sent a direct message to Chen Cheng. The message said: "If the enemy sends most of its troops southward from Hefei and westward from the Yangtze River,

If the enemy joins forces to capture Taihu Lake, the front of our army in the south of the Yangtze River will be too large and it will be more difficult to defend. The Madang blockade will also be broken through by the enemy. If we continue westward along the north bank to Jiujiang, Wuhan will be the greatest threat. I want to consolidate the defense line in the south of the Yangtze River.

If you want to ensure the Madang blockade counterattack, you must ensure the southwest of Taihu Lake, and the area between Shucheng, the mountains near Daguan, Lujiang River, Shengjiaqiao, and the mountains on the south side of Baihu Lake to the river bank. The situation is still good. If a considerable force is deployed,

If we use one more force to cooperate with local forces and carry out guerrilla attacks in the southeastern area of ​​Chaohu, we will definitely be able to stop the enemy from advancing westward. The counterattack on Anqing will no longer help..."

For the first time, Chen Cheng accepted Liu Tianchu's suggestion and ordered the 26th Army to retreat while fighting to guard Taihu Lake. The 27th Army's Yang Sen Division and Liu Tianchu's Division counterattacked Madang. Liu Tianchu, who was already well versed in the Japanese Army's advance route, predicted it very accurately.

The Sixth Division and the Ninth Division of the Japanese Army quickly moved south from Hefei, captured Tongcheng and Qianshan, and then sent their troops to Taihu Lake.

Madang is located in Pengze County, Jiangxi Province. It lies across the riverside and forms an angle with Gushan. The beach in the river divides the Yangtze River into two parts. The left water channel is very narrow and has long been blocked by siltation. The right water channel flows under Madang Mountain.

, is the main waterway. The river is the narrowest point in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. It is less than 0.5 kilometers wide, so it forms an important pass. Therefore, a fortress and general fortifications were built here. After the beginning of the all-out Anti-Japanese War, in order to prevent the Japanese troops from advancing westward, the Military Commission established the Yangtze River

The Blockage Committee is responsible for the design and construction of the blockage project, and the local government is responsible for the supply of raw materials and logistics. After two constructions, a channel that can only pass one ship has been left near the south bank (passage is guided by navigation marks), and Madang has basically become a relatively small channel.

A solid blockade. To defend Wuhan and prevent the enemy navy from advancing westward, Ma must bear the brunt.

Liu Tianchu, who led his troops to counterattack Madang, stormed the main Changshan position of Madang Fortress with the cooperation of the Sixteenth Army. The Japanese army relied on Madang's solid first-level national defense and combat readiness fortifications to resist tenaciously, causing the Sichuan army's attacks to be repeatedly frustrated and causing heavy casualties. Liu Tianchu

Red-eyed, he ordered all 60 155 self-propelled howitzers of the armored division to be driven onto the position, firing 10 rounds at a rapid rate, instantly destroying all the fortifications in Changshan.

The Sichuan Army had just captured the Changshan position. Liu Ling's troops happened to meet the main force of the Botian detachment who was returning to Pengze for reinforcements on the bank of the Xiangkou River. The Botian detachment attempted to land at Xiangkou, but was blocked by Liu Ling's troops on the bank. The Botian detachment attempted to forcibly invade with the help of river artillery fire and aircraft bombing.

Landing, they were firmly blocked in front of the Xiangkou position by the powerful firepower of the Changshan main position and Liu Ling's troops.

Attacking Pengze at the same time as the Botian detachment was the 106th Division of the Japanese Army. If Pengze fell, Madang's counterattack would be meaningless. After asking Chen Cheng for instructions, Liu Tianchu left Jiang Hui'an and Liu Ling's troops and quickly withdrew from the battlefield, leading the armored division

Together with Feng Huaizhu and Lang Yi, they rushed to the aid of Peng Ze.

Liu Tianchu's troops captured Madang in the first battle and quickly rushed to the aid of Peng Ze. Chen Cheng was very pleased with this move. He rewarded him with 50,000 yuan and at the same time strictly ordered all his troops: If there is any ineffectiveness in the battle, if they do not shrink from the former, they will engage in military law.

As early as the fall of Madang, the Botian Detachment, in coordination with the ships of the 11th Japanese Fleet, attacked Pengze with all its strength in Madang and Xiangkou. The 111th Brigade of the 106th Division followed up after the Botian Detachment. The next day, 5 gunboats

Driving to Fanghu southwest of Pengze, Pengze was surrounded by the Japanese army. The defenders' 56th Division and 167th Division suffered serious losses. The 16th Division sent by the Third Theater to support them entered the vicinity of Ouyang Lin north of the road intersection.

At that time, they encountered the left wing troops of the 106th Division and a fierce battle broke out.

The reinforcements of the 106th Division arrived, and the fighting became more intense. The 16th Division suffered heavy losses and retreated to the highlands around Guojiaqiao to defend. At this time, the Botian detachment received an order from the 11th Army Okamura Neiji to return to Madang, and Liu Tianchu rushed to aid Peng Ze.

, the defending 56th Division and the 167th Division have retreated, and Pengze fell.

On the way, Liu Tianchu received the notification of Pengze's fall, and could only shake his head helplessly. In the name of the gradual resistance policy, the Japanese army was on the verge of collapse. In order to preserve their strength, the various ministries waited and watched each other, and could not work together with one heart and one mind. They could not coordinate with each other.

Let's not talk about it. As far as military officers are concerned, senior generals often do their own thing and lack the spirit of common sacrifice to share weal and woe. Competing for reputation and status is the legacy of bureaucracy, but it is deeply rooted and unbreakable. If we do not take advantage of the situation, it will inevitably cause problems.

The consequences of disloyalty.

Pengze fell, and the Wuhan Garrison Command had to issue another order. The main content of the order was: "along the Yangtze River in Madang, the river defense troops in all areas of Pengze are under the command of Luo Zhuoying, commander-in-chief of the 19th Group Army, and retreat to Hukou. Madang, Pengze is

The success or failure of Anhui and Jiangxi will have a great impact on the success or failure of future battles. Commander-in-Chief Luo Zhuo Ying led the 16th Army, 49th Army, 22nd Army, 11th Division, 16th Division and other departments to quickly restore the Pengze position and ensure

Otherwise, if you don't shrink from the former, you will engage in military law."