Rise From Eight Hundred

This unexpected encounter almost exposed the Sihang Regiment to the Japanese Army in North China, but Shen Laoliu's experience and the strong combat effectiveness of the 3rd Platoon of the Reconnaissance Company made up for it.

Within two days, there was no trace of the Japanese army within a radius of 10 kilometers.

The four main battalions of the Sihang Regiment passed through the 20-kilometer-long hilly area and entered the Zhongtiao Mountain defense line that night.

The rest of the troops that arrived on the second day also quietly waited for the arrival of the next night in the mountains.

The local people did hear the faint roar, but they didn't know that such a large army would pass through the edge of the village in the silent night.

At 5 a.m. on December 6, the two chief officers Tang Dao and Ye Chenghuan met with General Zhao who came to greet them at the mountain pass.

Given the current relationship between Tang Dao and Commander Zhao, Commander Zhao was naturally worried about the future of Tang Dao leading the Four-Line Regiment to the expedition to Central China. During breakfast, he warned Tang Dao to be cautious, just like a father's concern for his son who was about to go on a long journey, which made Tang Dao feel warm in his heart.

After a very simple breakfast, Tang Dao was about to return to the regiment headquarters to lead his troops to continue westward. There was already news of the battle situation in the Fifth War Zone. The Japanese army was approaching Yiling again, and Yiling had begun a large-scale retreat.

Commander Zhao insisted on seeing him off. Along the way, the old and the young exchanged their views on the current war situation in Central China and North China.

"If the Military and Political Department wants to transfer away from the 4th Army, what will you do, Brother Zhao?" Tang Dao suddenly stopped and looked at the mountains with a faint look.

Although the war situation in North China is stable now, the shadow of the defeat in Zhongtiao Mountain in the past time and space has never been removed from Tang Dao's heart.

Tang Dao knew the main reason for the defeat in the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain. Some people said that it was the corruption and irresponsibility of the senior generals in Zhongtiao Mountain, some people said that some troops oppressed the people during the garrison as much as the Japanese invaders, and some people said that the Japanese army had fierce firepower and the defenders simply couldn't beat them.

But in Tang Dao's view, these are at most secondary reasons, just tactical issues.

The humiliating defeat in the middle of 41 years in the past was purely a strategic mistake.

On the surface, the Second War Zone governs all the troops in Zhongtiao Mountain, Taihang Mountain and north of the Yellow River, but in fact, the command of Zhongtiao Mountain is not in the war zone headquarters, but in the commander surnamed Wei.

If the commander surnamed Wei was in Zhongtiao Mountain, with his ability, he might not be able to deal with Okamura Koji, but he would be more than enough to deal with Japanese generals of the level of Shinozuka Eio.

Moreover, Zhongtiao Mountain is high and dangerous, and the defense line can reach a depth of 20 kilometers. There are 200,000 troops and various defensive fortifications that have been built for more than 2 years. Even if there is no counterattack, it is extremely difficult for 100,000 Japanese troops to break through.

But the problem lies with the commander surnamed Wei. Before the war, he was not in his command post, but in the mountain city.

How can a defense line without its supreme commander and fighting alone stop the advance of the Japanese army?

Just like a levee, if one part collapses, the surging flood will submerge the fertile land behind the defense line, and no one can escape.

The battle of Zhongtiao Mountain was also like this. On the afternoon of May 7, 1941, 100,000 Japanese troops launched an attack on Zhongtiao Mountain in four directions. The Japanese troops in the north went straight to Yuanqu from Hengling Pass; the troops in the west attacked Wangjiahe Taizhai Village from Xiaxian, Wenxi and Zhangmao Avenue to the east; the troops in the east attacked Jiyuan and Mengxian; the Japanese troops in the northeast attacked Dongfeng from Qinshui and Yangcheng.

Faced with the fierce offensive of the Japanese army, most of the Chinese army with 200,000 troops could not resist the Japanese army and abandoned the land one after another.

The few troops fought a desperate battle with the Japanese army, inflicting considerable casualties on the Japanese army and also suffered heavy casualties themselves.

Such as Tang Huaiyuan's 3rd Army, Cun Xingqi's 12th Division, Wu Shimin's 98th Army, etc., but because they were outnumbered, the three generals were killed on the spot and were eventually occupied by the Japanese army.

After May 12, all the defensive positions of the defenders were breached. The Japanese army divided the Chinese army's defense line into two parts, north and south, occupied Yuanqu, Jiyuan, Mengxian, Pinglu and other places, blocked the ferry crossings of the Yellow River, and completed the internal and external encirclement of the defenders of Zhongtiao Mountain.

On May 13, after the defenders were divided and surrounded by the Japanese army, the Japanese army began to carry out a brutal sweep of various areas of Zhongtiao Mountain. In order to ensure that the main force was not annihilated by the Japanese army, the defenders of Zhongtiao Mountain left a small part of their forces to continue to resist, and the main force began to break out and retreat.

Under the leadership of the general, the 5th Army led the 3rd Army, the 14th Army and the remnants of the 94th Division to break through the Japanese blockade, cross the Fen River and the Yellow River, and move to Luoyang and Xin'an.

After the fall of Yuanqu County, the 14th Army broke out to the north with Gao Guizi's troops of the 17th Army. On May 18, the various units of the 14th Army entered Hancheng, Shaanxi, and successfully broke out.

The two main armies withdrew from Zhongtiao Mountain, and other units also broke through and retreated.

On May 27, the Japanese army completely occupied the southern Shanxi area north of the Yellow River, and the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain ended with a disastrous defeat for the Chinese side.

In that battle, the Chinese side suffered 20,000 casualties and more than 30,000 prisoners, while the Japanese army had only a few thousand people. The casualty ratio of the offensive and defensive battles was so exaggerated that it was astonishing.

This is why the person angrily called this battle the most humiliating battle for China in the War of Resistance against Japan.

But that person may just be shifting the blame for himself.

In the eyes of Tang Dao, the future little butterfly, the reason for the failure of this battle was that person's responsibility was the first to bear.

In the spring after the New Year of 1941, the great changes that broke out in southern Anhui directly exposed the fear of the 80th Army. He didn't even pretend.

The Japanese army, which keenly grasped this opportunity, began to adjust its strategy, mainly inducing surrender to the various units under the 80th Army, supplemented by military strikes, which affected the will of many troops to resist the war. The 80th Army was sent to training or imprisoned for serious crimes.

The commander surnamed Wei stationed in Zhongtiao Mountain was also transferred back to house arrest because he had taken care of the 80th Army. The 4th Army, known as the iron pillar of Zhongtiao Mountain, was transferred to the south of the Yangtze River for division and use.

The most powerful commanders and troops in Zhongtiao Mountain were successively placed under house arrest and transferred away, and their own strength was severely weakened. This tragic defeat was already doomed.

This is also the reason why Tang Dao, who tried to turn the game around countless times on the sand table but felt powerless, was most disgusted with the 80th Army.

80,000 people! Just because of his factional disputes, they became victims!

"With 100,000 Japanese troops on the side, and our 4th Army as the main defense line, how could Commander Wei..." Commander Zhao obviously didn't expect Tang Dao to ask an almost absurd question.

But with General Zhao's understanding of Tang Dao, he knew that he would never shoot without a purpose, and his brows immediately frowned, thinking for a while before answering: "If it is an order from the Military and Political Department, even Commander Sun of our 4th Army cannot resist it, and most likely he can only obey the military order."

"Then, if I tell you, Uncle Zhao, that if the 4th Army leaves, the Japanese army will attack Zhongtiao Mountain one day, and the Zhongtiao Mountain defense line will be defeated, what will you choose, Uncle Zhao?" Tang Dao seemed to have known Commander Zhao's answer and asked another question.

Commander Zhao's footsteps suddenly stopped, and he stood there, his heart surging.

This is the first time that Tang Dao has called Commander Zhao by the name of an elder when he is in military uniform again, which shows Tang Dao's sincere intention.

But what can he do?

He had just told Tang Dao very tactfully that once the military order of the Military and Political Department was issued, other armies could find other reasons to negotiate or delay with the Military and Political Department, but the 4th Army was the only one that did not have this qualification.

That was because, four years ago, it was because of the night attack launched by the main general of his Northwest Army and the Northwest Army that the man was imprisoned and forced to cooperate with the 80th Army to form an anti-Japanese united front. To some extent, their Northwest Army was also a thorn in the eyes of that man, who wished that their Northwest Army would be destroyed.

Disobeying orders in front of the battlefield gave that man a reason to raise the butcher knife.

These generals had to choose to bow their heads not only for themselves, but also for the fate of tens of thousands of Northwest men.

But as a general, he knew more clearly the importance of the Zhongtiao Mountain defense line to the current Chinese war situation. Once Zhongtiao was lost, the Japanese army would deploy hundreds of thousands of troops on the thousands of miles of Yellow River defense line, and his hometown of the Northwest Army would be completely exposed to the shining bayonets of the Japanese army.

There are their hometown elders of the Northwest people there. Compared with them, the lives of tens of thousands of people may not be so important.

"It is difficult to disobey the military order of the Military and Political Department! Even if Commander Sun and I fight hard, I am afraid that those people will only suppress us more fiercely. Besides, even if there is no Fourth Army in the Zhongtiao Mountain defense line, there are still 200,000 people. It should be no problem to resist the Japanese attack." Commander Zhao's eyes were full of confusion and struggle, and he spoke faintly after a long time.

Tang Dao could only sigh slightly.

He could not blame the general in front of him for his current choice. Anyone else would have confidence in Zhongtiao Mountain, which has been carefully built for more than two years and is known as the "Oriental Maginot" defense line.

But they may have forgotten that the real Maginot was also captured, not to mention the pirated one.

In the final analysis, the key to winning or losing a defense line or a battlefield is not how strong the fortifications are or how sharp the weapons are, but the people, and the fighting will comparable to steel.

This point will be clearly demonstrated in the future Snowfield War and Southwest War!

"How about delaying for one to two months?" Tang Dao could only settle for the next best thing.

The Japanese army will attack Zhongtiao Mountain in the second month after the 4th Army is transferred away. Even if the 4th Army has left the position, if they have not gone far and can quickly return to support, even if the battle is still lost, the addition of 40,000 troops can at least support more living forces to cross the river, and avoid the tragic situation in the past time and space.

"I can only promise you to do my best!" This time, Commander Zhao nodded without hesitation.

"I am not a soldier of Chang, and I have received the military order. What's wrong with procrastinating? If he wants to kill me now, then I will hang the Blue Sky Medal on my neck and let him chop it off."

The fierceness of the Northwest man was undoubtedly revealed at this moment, but Tang Dao's heavy heart did not go away at all. This was one of the greatest efforts he could make at the moment.

In fact, before leaving, he and Liu, the division commander of the 80th Army, and Lei Xiong all talked and expressed their concerns about the Zhongtiao Mountain defense line.

Especially in terms of the Wangwu Mountain defense line, he remembered very clearly that the first hole in the entire Zhongtiao Mountain defense line was Wangwu Mountain.

The Chinese defenders stationed in Wangwu Mountain collapsed first, and the Chinese defense line, which was a "long snake formation", was completely split in two by the Japanese army.

The 80th Army Group guaranteed that if the Japanese army gathered its forces to launch a fierce attack on the Zhongtiao Mountain defense line, they would not sit idly by and would definitely gather forces to attack its logistics supply lines to support the front line.

Lei Xiong even promised that the security brigade would be ready to fight at any time. If the battle of Zhongtiao Mountain was about to start, he would definitely lead the main force back to Taihang Mountain to fight the enemy.

Do your best and leave it to fate. Although Tang Dao, who was about to leave North China, felt powerless, this was the limit of what he could do.

Fortunately, even though the battle of Zhongtiao Mountain failed and the Japanese heavy troops were already on the bank of the Yellow River, the Japanese navy finally went crazy and ran to stab the American cowboy in the back.

The Pacific War started, and the Japanese headquarters had to draw the elite troops of the Japanese North China Front to garrison on various islands to compete with the angry American cowboy, the enemy.

The Japanese army failed to cross the river that nurtured the Chinese nation! If it weren't for this bottom line, Tang Dao would have to stay in North China even if he was no longer the head of the regiment.

Perhaps this topic was a bit heavy, and the old and the young deliberately avoided the war on the way back and talked about some light topics.

"Take it. I can't let you call me Uncle Zhao for nothing. Besides, I'm giving it to my little nephew, not to you." Commander Zhao held a longevity lock and ordered Tang Dao to accept it.

"Don't worry, I'm using household items, not military pay. At most, you won't have to worry about being questioned by your aunt when you go home!"

Obviously, the longevity lock was not made just after hearing that Tang Dao was coming. It should have been made several months ago. It is made of gold and inlaid with a piece of white jade that is as smooth as fat in the middle. It is definitely worth thousands of dollars, not to mention its priceless value.

Even if it is his lieutenant general's pay as Commander Zhao said, he would have to go without food and drink for half a year, which shows the deep friendship of this old soldier for Tang Dao.

"Okay, then I'll accept it for Shanhe. One day, I will ask him to kowtow to you a few times. Just this lock, plus the words you personally engraved, is enough for him to marry a wife in the future." Tang Dao is also a straightforward person. Seeing that this person said so, he accepted it readily.

"Haha! If we calculate the accounts twenty years later, I have never seen anyone else except you, Commander Tang. If I can really live to that day, please tell Shanhe that his uncle will definitely give him a big red envelope, and by the way, I will bring Commander Cheng with him. I guarantee that he will also spend some money to marry a wife, so that he doesn't have to rely on selling locks for money like his stingy father said." Commander Zhao laughed.

The previous haze was swept away because Tang Shanhe, who was almost a hundred days old, was swept away!

This may be the happiest topic for Chinese soldiers at this time. There are successors. Their generation is almost dead, and Tang Shanhe's generation should have grown up.

China will not perish, and resistance will not stop. That is the belief of their generation of soldiers, and the newborn is their hope.

This may be unfair to the ignorant Tang Shanhe, but this world has been unfair since the moment you were born.

If Tang Shanhe's uncles did not resist, he might not even have the chance to grow up.

After bidding farewell to Commander Zhao, Tang Dao led his troops to cross the Yellow River in a week, and then took another 10 days to cross Shaanxi Province and reach Hanzhong.

The speed of marching 30 kilometers a day surprised Commander Li of the Fifth War Zone, who was extremely concerned about the movements of the Four-Line Regiment. He even called Tang Dao to slow down a little to avoid unnecessary losses caused by fatigue.

However, the marching speed of the Four-Line Regiment did not decrease. After stepping on the Sichuan-Shaanxi Highway, the marching speed increased again, and it took only 12 days to reach the outskirts of the mountain city.

So far, the Four-Line Regiment took 28 days, less than a month, to march 1,000 kilometers with heavy equipment, creating a miracle of no small size.

You know, this is not running on the main road. In the middle, not only do you have to cross the war zone, but also cross several of China's most famous mountains and the river, and even require a certain degree of confidentiality.

In order to confuse the Japanese army, after the Four-Line Regiment arrived in Shaanxi Province, the Military and Political Department sent a secret telegram ordering an infantry brigade of the Tenth War Zone to be transferred back to the mountain city for defense.

The secret message was deciphered by the Japanese army on the third day after it was sent. The redeployment of an infantry brigade did not arouse the vigilance of the Japanese army. On the contrary, it was in line with the current situation of the war.

Yiling was basically conquered, and the east gate of the Chinese mountain city had been lost. The correct solution was to increase the troops on the Yangtze River defense line outside the mountain city.

Therefore, the four-line regiment, which put away the military flag and disguised the armband number as that infantry brigade, not only created a miracle of marching, but also miraculously reached the mountain city, and was not discovered by the Japanese army in North China that their main force, which was their biggest concern, had moved to the mountain city two thousand miles away.

This long-distance march was also praised as one of the most successful long-distance force projections in the history of the Anti-Japanese War in future tactical discussions.

It was also because of this extremely successful long-distance force projection that created an extremely brilliant victory in the defense war after the defeat of the Battle of Yiling.

A village located thirty miles upstream of Yiling was named because of a huge stone similar to a token in the mountain.

Here in Shipai, the Yangtze River suddenly turned right for a full 110 degrees, serving as the dividing line between the turbulent upper reaches and the stable middle reaches.

Because of its special terrain, Shipai, a natural barrier guarding the Yangtze River, has become a battleground for military strategists throughout the ages.

Throughout the dynasties, anyone who wanted to attack the mountain city along the river must break Shipai!

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PS: My daughter will have a holiday tomorrow, and there are still 37 days before the college entrance examination. The psychological pressure is great. Fengyue will accompany her out to relax tomorrow. I will take a day off. I wish all book friends a happy May Day! ()