Devil's Army

由于当时围剿南阳北部二旅的日军有3万多人，68军刘军长急调68军119师和暂编36师过来支援。

The Japanese attack was blocked, and they subsequently dispatched artillery units to launch a fierce bombardment on Fangcheng County.

Commander Liu learned that the Japanese army's attack on Fangcheng County was fierce and it was only a matter of time before Fangcheng County fell.

The 143rd Division was ordered to hold on for two days and then withdraw to Wuwan Dashiqiao and Bowang Town.

At that time, the Wuwan Stone Bridge was located two or three kilometers southwest of Wuwan, Fangcheng County, with riverbeds more than one meter high on both sides of the bridge.

The 119th Division of the 68th Army, which came to support, built fortifications here to prevent the Japanese army from further advancing into the southern part of Nanyang.

Bowang Town is located on the main transportation route from Fangcheng County to Nanyang in the south. The surrounding terrain is complex, with villages and hills.

Commander Liu arranged for the temporary 36th Division to build fortifications here to prevent the Japanese army from continuing to move south to invade Nanyang.

Upon receiving the order from Commander Liu, Commander Huang of the 143rd Division personally moved his headquarters forward and commanded the soldiers to block the Japanese army's siege of the city.

What puzzled Mayor Huang was that the Japanese artillery that was fiercely bombarding Fangcheng County suddenly stopped bombing.

Soon, he heard fierce and continuous explosions from the Japanese artillery positions outside the city.

It turned out that the 1st Regiment of the 2nd Brigade launched a surprise attack on the Japanese artillery positions.

When the reinforcements from both wings of the Japanese artillery positions rushed to reinforce, they were stubbornly blocked by the Second Regiment of the Second Brigade.

After successfully launching a surprise attack on the Japanese artillery positions, the Second Regiment of the First Regiment of the Second Brigade quickly retreated and hid in the mountainous area in northern Nanyang.

After losing their target, the Japanese troops chasing the Second Regiment of the First Regiment of the Second Brigade turned back to attack Fangcheng County.

Without artillery support, the Japanese army's siege became much more difficult.

What was even more terrible was that when the Japanese army was attacking the city, they would always be suddenly attacked by the Second Regiment of the First Brigade.

The Japanese army had to close the front line and concentrate on attacking the north and west gates of the enemy city and county.

However, their transport teams and rear guard units were still attacked from time to time by the First and Second Regiments of the Second Brigade.

Huang then telegraphed General Liu: "There are friendly forces outside Fangcheng County supporting us, so we can hold Fangcheng County firmly." He also requested General Liu to arrange for the 119th Division and the Provisional 36th Division to launch a counterattack against the Japanese attacking the city from both flanks.

Of course it would be best to hold on to the existing position.

Commander Liu immediately agreed to Commander Huang's order and urgently ordered the 119th Division and the Temporary 36th Division to set off immediately and attack the Japanese troops attacking the city from the left and right wings.

At this time, the commander of the Third Brigade also discovered that there were not many Japanese troops outside Hangu Pass, so he launched a counterattack against the two Japanese squadrons outside Hangu Pass.

After more than half an hour of fierce fighting, the first regiment of the Third Brigade wiped out the Japanese troops outside Hangu Pass.

Brigade Commander Li of the Third Brigade left the Fourth Regiment to defend against the Japanese troops in the directions of Luoyang and Jiyuan.

The remaining troops immediately marched to Fangcheng County, Nanyang, to reinforce the Second Brigade.

The next morning, the Japanese army launched another fierce attack on Fangcheng County under the cover of mortars and light and heavy machine guns.

The officers and soldiers of the 143rd Division fought bloody battles and blocked the Japanese attack.

Near noon, fierce gunfire was heard on the left and right wings outside Fangcheng County.

The 119th Division of the 68th Army and the Provisional 36th Division launched fierce attacks on the Japanese army from the left and right wings of Fangcheng County respectively.

The Japanese army hastily divided its forces to block the attacks of the 119th Division and the Provisional 36th Division.

At this time, fierce gunfire was heard from the rear of the Japanese army.

The 1st and 2nd Regiments of the 2nd Brigade also launched a fierce attack on the rear of the Japanese army at the same time.