Devil's Army

The Japanese army temporarily blocked the attack of the first company and the county brigade by using various obstacles at the village entrance.

There was a soldier in the second row on the right side of the first company who had a relatively accurate shooting skill. Every time he fired a gun, a Japanese soldier was killed. This brought great psychological pressure to the Japanese army.

Finally, under the desperate resistance of the Shenze County Brigade and the fierce attack of a company of soldiers, the Japanese army began to flee to the left side of the village head defended by the County Brigade.

The Japanese army's counterattack in the direction of Shijiazhuang came to an end.

The Japanese Army's 4th Independent Mixed Brigade, which came back from the Taihang Mountains to provide support, was also blocked by the Eighth Route Army troops.

In order to delay the Japanese 4th Mixed Independent Brigade coming back from Xingtai, the Southern Hebei Military Region deployed the Neiqiu-Gaoyi Section Destroying Team, the Xingtai-Neiqiu Section Destroying Team, the Xingtai-Shahe Section Destroying Team, etc. to carry out a major attack on the Xingtai section of the Pinghan Railway and the strongholds along the line, effectively hitting the rear support supply line of the Japanese army in Xingtai.

The New Fourth Brigade and 385th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army, the First and Sixth Military Divisions of Taihang, and the New Eighth Brigade, with the cooperation of local armed forces, also formed a railway-breaking group to attack enemy strongholds and artillery towers along the Shahe to Zanhuang railway, especially in the Xingtai to Lincheng section.

The Eighth Route Army troops quickly destroyed the enemy's blockade, surrounded Xingtai City, and attacked the railway station. At the same time, Xingtai and Shahe counties mobilized more than 2 people to cooperate with the main force to remove the railway tracks, remove the sleepers, destroy the roadbed, and blow up the bridges, interrupting the railway and blocking road transportation.

The next day, two Japanese squadrons launched an offensive from Neiqiu towards the 385th Brigade stationed in Gangxi. They were ambushed by the Eighth Route Army in Mazhai and Sigou areas, and returned in disgrace after suffering heavy casualties.

The commander of the Japanese Army's 4th Independent Mixed Brigade, Take Haruyoshi, had to dispatch a large number of troops to protect his rear supply lines, which greatly weakened the combat effectiveness of his troops.

The vanguard of Brigade Commander Wu Qingji marched to Xingtai Maling Pass, which is located in the Taihang Mountains west of Xingtai City. It has been an important pass since the Qin and Han Dynasties, with the momentum of "one man guarding the pass, ten thousand men cannot open it."

The terrain here is dangerous, with high mountains and canyons on both sides and an ancient post road passing through the middle. The Japanese Army's 4th Independent Mixed Brigade found it difficult to deploy large-scale troops and could only pass through one squadron at a time.

When the Japanese army was halfway to Maling Pass, Commander Zheng of the 385th Regiment of the 769th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army, who had been lying in ambush there, launched an attack on the Japanese army.

Soldiers of the 769th Regiment of the Eighth Route Army attacked the Japanese army from the high ground in the valleys on both sides.

The Japanese army, unable to fully deploy their forces, hid in a narrow valley and fought desperately, but due to heavy casualties, they had to withdraw from the valley.

Afterwards, Brigade Commander Takeharuyoshi ordered the artillery to fiercely bombard the heights on both sides of the canyon.

The Japanese bombers that arrived later also participated in the bombing of both sides of the canyon.

The soldiers of the 769th Regiment of the Eighth Route Army suffered heavy casualties under the fierce bombing of Japanese artillery and aircraft, but they still held on to the high ground on both sides of the canyon.

The Japanese infantry then continued to pass through the canyon and launched an attack on the high ground on both sides of the canyon. However, they were still met with stubborn resistance from the soldiers of the 769th Regiment of the Eighth Route Army and had to withdraw from the Malingguan Gorge again.

By this time it was already dark. The Japanese troops camped outside the canyon and sent additional patrol troops to prevent the Eighth Route Army from launching a night attack.

In order to reduce the Japanese artillery bombardment of the heights on both sides of the canyon tomorrow, Commander Zheng of the 769th Regiment of the Eighth Route Army arranged a company to prepare for a night attack on the Japanese artillery positions.

When Captain Gong and his soldiers approached the Japanese artillery position in the early morning, they found that the Japanese defense was very tight.

Captain Gong waited outside for more than an hour but did not find any opportunity to take action, so he had to return in disappointment.

The next morning, Brigade Commander Take Haruyoshi ordered the artillery to launch a fierce bombardment on the heights on both sides of the canyon.

The Japanese air force took advantage of the Eighth Route Army's lack of planes and unscrupulously bombed and strafed the heights on both sides of the canyon.

Two companies of the 769th Regiment of the Eighth Route Army suffered heavy casualties under the fierce bombing by Japanese planes and artillery and withdrew for rest.

Commander Zheng dispatched two more companies to stop the Japanese attack.

At this time, Li, the commander of the newly formed 9th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army, sent a reply to Zheng, the commander of the regiment:

Our brigade and part of the Sixth Brigade of the First Anti-Japanese Army have completed the construction of the defense line in the Shenzhou area. Your regiment can wait for an opportunity to retreat.

Commander Zheng then ordered his troops to resist the Japanese army until noon.

Brigade Commander Take Haruyoshi launched three consecutive attacks in the morning, all of which were repelled by the 769th Regiment of the Eighth Route Army.

At 12 o'clock, Commander Zheng asked the soldiers on the canyon high ground to press their hats with stones in front of the fortifications on the high ground to create the illusion that the troops were still inside the fortifications. The soldiers immediately retreated.

At around 1:00 p.m., Japanese bombers and artillery launched more intense bombings on the heights on both sides of the canyon.