The whole of Shandong was recaptured by the independence army overnight, and the bombshell news spread like thunder, and in a short period of time the whole of China knew the shocking news.Whether it was the Japanese army fighting in North China or the devils fighting in the south, they were disturbed by the news that suddenly came like bad news.An entire province was lost, more than 100,000 Japanese troops were annihilated, and they couldn't help but shake such a major event.However, the top brass of the Japanese army made the matter of how Shandong was lost a top secret, and no one was allowed to publicize it.Because the betrayal of Yamazaki Fan and others was a serious shame and a major event that damaged the Japanese army.The Japanese will definitely not let the truth of this matter spread, so as not to affect the morale of their army.At the same time, a purge of the Yamazaki family was launched in Japan.All the Yamazaki people who stayed in Japan were arrested, and the Yamazaki family, which had a glorious past, disappeared completely in Japan overnight, and the clansmen were almost completely killed.However, this did not make the emperor and the Japanese high-ranking people breathe this out, they simply confiscated all the Yamazaki family's property, and finally really dug up the ancestral grave of the Yamazaki family, and then stopped.However, for all this, Yamazaki Fan, who is far away in China, has long expected it.The moment he decided to surrender, he had already given up all the clansmen in Japan, anyway, as long as there were men in the Yamazaki family, they would be able to continue to reproduce, and the Yamazaki family would not perish.He is such a ruthless person, for his own interests, he can give up everything at a critical moment.However, whatever the Japanese did, it was already too late, and Shandong was taken over by the New Fourth Army, which arrived later.The Suzhou-Anhui Military Region continuously sent troops to Shandong, using the weapons left by the Japanese and the surrendered Japanese troops to jointly defend Shandong.A large number of armed engineering teams came to the city from the mountains and forests to accept the reorganization, and at the same time recruited a large number of new soldiers, distributed Japanese weapons to arm them, and stepped up training to form the Shandong local defense force.At the same time, Gao Dong selected some people from the surrendered devils to reorganize a force of more than 30,000 people.It was commanded by Yuichi Yamazaki and others, but a large number of officers of the New Fourth Army were placed in the unit to closely monitor the movements of Yuichi Yamazaki and others.With these preparations, Shandong has become an iron plate in a short time.Even if the devils in Hebei and other places want to fight back, they won't be able to get any benefits in a short time.They will face a united Shandong, and there is nothing to take advantage of.Henan, this is Gaodong's next target.Hu Xinghan led the main force of the Independence Army and his final rendezvous in Xinxiang, Henan, and then opened a road to Shaanxi and dealt them a fatal blow behind the North China Dispatch Army.When the whole of Shandong was in the midst of a military training fever, Gao Dong finally gathered all the troops who came to Shandong this time and prepared to drive to Xinxiang, Henan.Before leaving, he explained the tasks to the officers at all levels stationed in Henan, and then left with his troops.He will march from Heze to Henan, and then make peace with Hu Xinghan's main force.But what Gao Dong didn't know was that at this moment, Hu Xinghan's main force was trapped in the Kaifeng area, only one step away from Xinxiang, but it could no longer advance for half a minute.Outside the city of Kaifeng, artillery fire soared, and the Japanese army gathered three main divisions and two brigades to fight a decisive battle with the independent army here.Henan is the main offensive direction of the independent army that the Japanese army has long detected, because after the independent army leaves the Suzhou-Anhui Military Region, the closest way to Shaanxi or Shaanxi is to pass through Henan, and then go straight to the destination.Therefore, at the moment when the independent army left the Suzhou-Anhui Military Region, the garrison of Henan had already mobilized its most elite troops to concentrate in the Kaifeng area, waiting for a decisive battle with the main force of the independent army.The total strength of the devil's troops concentrated outside Kaifeng this time exceeded 60,000, more than double the strength of Hu Xinghan's troops.The number of their artillery pieces is also terrifying, almost fifteen hundred guns of different calibers, as well as a large number of mortars and tanks.More than 1,000 artillery pieces may have been a common occurrence in European theaters, but for the Japanese it was astronomical.In the whole of World War II, the Japanese put in only tens of thousands of artillery pieces.Nearly a tenth of the artillery pieces were put into one battlefield at once, which was enough to make them proud.But the Independence Army also had a large number of artillery, and this time it also carried thousands of guns.Among them, there are also two or three hundred long-range howitzers, which are not only large in caliber and powerful, but also very accurate in hitting.The shelling between the two sides has lasted for two whole days, and it can be said that there is no distinction between the top and the bottom, and it has reached a tie for a while.Outside Kaifeng, the armies of both sides saw a five-kilometer-long no-man's land.This is the world of artillery fire, the independent army rushed several times and was bombarded back by the devil's artillery fire, and when their artillery returned fire, the devil's artillery position suddenly fell silent, and did not play the routine of counter-bombardment with them.Hu Xinghan anxiously circled around the temporary headquarters, listening to the rumbling cannon outside, his forehead covered with sweat.has been delayed here in Kaifeng for two days, according to the predetermined plan, he should be outside Xinxiang City today, but now all the plans have been disrupted by the sudden appearance of the main force of the devil, where could he have thought that the devil would concentrate most of the garrison in Henan Province, just to intercept him.If he can't break through the devil's defense, let alone make peace with Gao Dong's troops, it may be difficult for him to retreat safely.Suddenly, the "army commander" rushed into the door, and everyone had a thick smoke of gunpowder on their faces.The person who spoke was Yang Fei, the former commander of the First Regiment of the Independent Brigade and now the commander of the First Division of the Independent Army."
Commander, our troops have been beaten back again, and there are heavy casualties," Yang Fei pulled off the hat that had been blown out of a few holes, and said bitterly."
It's been beaten back again" As soon as Hu Xinghan heard this, he immediately roared anxiously: "Yang Fei, what are you doing to eat, don't you usually boast that your first division is the sharp knife of our independent army, what's wrong with it now, is your knife soft when you see the Japanese" Yang Fei raised his head and wanted to speak, but found that he had nothing to say at all.Sighing loudly, he crouched in the corner and held his head in his hands and stopped talking."
Army commander, Division Commander Yang personally rushed over with a regiment.His regiment was killed and wounded nearly half of him.I did my best," Ren Minjian, the commander of the Second Division who was standing aside, said angrily."
What I want is the result, the result" Hu Xinghan shouted: "Do you know what the consequences will be if you can't break through the Japanese defense line, the deputy commander's troops may be surrounded by devils in Xinxiang, and we can't do anything about it."
The headquarters of the Eighth Route Army was in a precarious position, and the situation in northern Shaanxi was terrible.If we don't break through the devil's defenses, it might all be over. ”"Commander, don't say it, I'll go again, this time, if you don't take the devil's position, I'll come to see you with my head up" Yang Fei stood up violently, yelling and about to rush out of the headquarters."
You stop for me" Hu Xinghan yelled, pulling Yang Fei, who was about to rush out."
Ren Minjian, tell me what you think, you are on par with Yang Fei's ability, and you are usually more stable.At this time, I want to hear your thoughts. ”Hu Xinghan turned to Ren Minjian.Ren Minjian's face was grim, and he was silent for a moment and said: "The devil has opened a fan-shaped defensive position in the place where we must pass, whether we want to bypass or rush over, we will have to face twice as many devils as us." ”"But with our weapons, if we engage in close combat, the devils will definitely suffer.But now the devils are holding their positions, and they just don't come out to fight us head-on, so we won't be able to take advantage of it at all. ”Ren Minjian said calmly: "In the case of equal firepower on both sides, only by taking their artillery positions first, and then concentrating our superior artillery fire to bombard them, can we open a gap and defeat the Japanese army" "The idea is good, but the devil's artillery position is still behind their defensive position, we can't even get close to their position, why do you end their artillery position." ”Yang Fei yelled.Ren Minjian smiled slightly: "We have a 155mm howitzer." ”He turned to Hu Xinghan: "I ask to form a death squad."
After dark today, first bombard the positions of the devils with howitzers from a long distance to open a passage for our death squads.Then the death squads took advantage of the gap to rush into the rear of the devils and deliver a devastating blow to their artillery positions. ”"Pulling teeth out of the tiger's mouth" Hu Xinghan looked at Ren Minjian deadly: "But the death squad rushed into the rear of the devils, even if they can successfully end their artillery positions, they will definitely fall into a heavy encirclement."
The death squad should be called the death squad. ”"I know, therefore, I ask that I be the captain of the death squad" Ren Minjian looked at Hu Xinghan with a smile: "For the smooth advance of the troops, in order to be able to quickly reach northern Shaanxi to relieve the danger of the Eighth Route Army."
I am willing to sacrifice and open a way for the troops. ”"Are you crazy, you are a dignified division commander, how can you be the captain of the death team," Yang Fei pulled Ren Minjian and shouted loudly."
Didn't you also lead a regiment to charge at the devil's position" Ren Minjian shook off Yang Fei's hand and said with a smile: "If you can do it, I can do it" "That nature is different, you will definitely die this time" Yang Fei was about to cry."
Needless to say, I've decided.If you want to open a gap as quickly as possible, someone has to sacrifice.I, the one who is willing to make that sacrifice, please don't persuade me. ”Ren Minjian said righteously.Hu Xinghan was silent for a long time, this was a painful decision.Indeed, only two of his subordinates, Yang Fei and Ren Minjian, could carry out this mission, they were calm and flexible.If such an important task was handed over to someone else, Hu Xinghan would not be at ease at all."
Have you thought about it?"
Hu Xinghan looked at Ren Minjian solemnly."
Even if there are thousands of mountains and rivers, I will definitely go" Ren Minjian nodded vigorously."
Okay, it's up to you to pick the death squads.Tonight, I will personally see you off" Hu Xinghan held Ren Minjian's hand tightly, as if he didn't want to let go anymore: