Devil's Army

Since the First Anti-Japanese Army in Changzhi had only one regiment of troops, it was unable to resist the attack of the Japanese army in Henan.

Gray Wolf then ordered the 364th Brigade of the Sichuan Army stationed in the Tangshan base to exchange defense with the 11th Brigade of the First Army. The troops marched south overnight and rushed to Changzhi.

At that time, there were still Shanxi-Suiyuan Army troops in the Luliang Mountain area, Taiyue Mountain area, and Wutai Mountain area. However, in order to preserve their strength, they did not send troops to reinforce the First Anti-Japanese Army.

The commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army dispatched the 3rd Military Sub-district of the 129th Division to rush to Jincheng to assist the 3rd Brigade and the Jidong Independent Brigade in blocking the Japanese army.

The 16th Regiment of the 386th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army was transferred to Changzhi to assist the 2nd Brigade and the 364th Brigade of the Sichuan Army in blocking the Japanese army.

The 715th and 716th Regiments of the Eighth Route Army were transferred to Yuncheng to assist the 1st and 2nd Brigades in blocking the Japanese army.

Some local armed forces: The Xiyang Independent Battalion of the 1st Military Sub-district of the Taihang Military Region was also required to be ready to enter Changzhi at any time.

Just as the Eighth Route Army and the First Anti-Japanese Army in Shanxi Province were actively preparing for war, a group of Japanese and puppet troops in Henan Province broke through the Eighth Route Army's blockade from the direction of Sanmenxia and entered the territory of Yuncheng. The Battle of Shanxi began.

When the Japanese army arrived at Xizheng Village, Pinglu County near Zhongtiao Mountain, they were blocked by a brigade.

The Japanese troops divided into three groups and attacked from Mo'nan, Gezhao and Liuwan. The soldiers of the first army and the second brigade used defensive fortifications on the cliffs near Xizheng Village to block the Japanese troops.

The soldiers hid in tunnels similar to those used in underground warfare, dug shooting holes every two or three meters to alternate firing, and successfully blocked the Japanese army's progress from Sanmenxia to Yuncheng.

Another group of Japanese troops entered Wangyuan Village, Pinglu County.

Wangyuan Village has a typical Loess Plateau landscape with high mountains and deep valleys. It is the heart of Zhongtiao Mountain and has a key strategic location.

The vanguard troops of the 3rd Regiment of the 1st Brigade of the 1st Army lured the main force of the Japanese army to the area of ​​Wangyuan Village in Sanmen Town, Pinglu County.

The 3rd Regiment of the 1st Brigade and the 3rd Regiment of the 2nd Brigade set up an ambush between the two hills of Wangyuan and Yandi. There was a deep ravine between the two hills, and at the bottom of the ravine was the Xier River, which was about 30 meters wide.

The Japanese army was lured here and suffered a fierce attack from the 1st Brigade, the Jidong Independent Brigade, resulting in heavy casualties.

The Japanese army entered Yuncheng from Yongji County.

Yongji County is bordered by the Yellow River to the west, Emeiyuan to the northeast, and Zhongtiao Mountain to the southeast. It is a key point of the southern section of the Tongpu Railway and a gateway for transportation between Shanxi and Shaanxi.

The 4th Regiment of the 1st Brigade, the 715th Regiment of the Eighth Route Army, and the 716th Regiment of the Eighth Route Army took Yongji County as the center, and from Yaowangtai at the northern foot of Zhongtiao Mountain, through East and West Yaowen-Mengmeng Bridge-West Wenxue to Fenglezhuang in the north of Yongji City to the east bank of the Yellow River, they quickly built solid defensive fortifications and dug trenches to divert Yellow River water to form an obstacle.

When the Japanese army arrived at the passes of Zhongtiao Mountain, they engaged in fierce battles with the First Army and the Eighth Route Army.

The First Army Air Force also launched a fierce bombing on the three Japanese forces attacking Yuncheng, delaying the Japanese offensive in southern Shanxi.

During the intervals between bombings by the Devil Force's air force, the Japanese ordered their artillery to bombard the defenses of the First Anti-Japanese Army and the Eighth Route Army. However, the bombing was hasty and short-lived, and failed to achieve the desired effect.

The three Japanese armies were never able to break through the defense lines of the First Anti-Japanese Army and the Eighth Route Army.

The fierce battle lasted for two days, and the three Japanese troops were unable to enter Yuncheng.

On the third day, the First Army Air Force concentrated its forces to bomb the Japanese troops in Yongji County.

An artillery brigade that had been deployed also launched a fierce bombardment on the Japanese troops in the direction of Yongji County.

The Japanese army suffered heavy casualties from the First Army Air Force and the First Brigade Artillery.