Devil's Army

The next morning, the artillery of the Third Regiment sounded the bugle call to attack Xianning County.

A gap more than five meters wide was breached on the left side of the east gate of Xianning County due to bombing.

The soldiers of the Third Regiment immediately launched a fierce assault on the breach in the city wall.

The Japanese major in Xianning County ordered the soldiers on the city wall to fight to the death while simultaneously calling for reinforcements.

Soon, Japanese troops from Xianning County continuously reinforced the East Gate, repelling the attack of the Third Regiment.

Just as the Third Regiment was locked in a fierce battle with the Japanese army in Xianning County, the First and Second Regiments broke through the Japanese defense lines at Dingsiqiao and Guabangshan, launching a fierce attack on Xianning County.

The Japanese major was forced to divide his troops to defend the south and southeast gates of Xianyang County.

In order to defend Xianning, a crucial stronghold, Commander Yokoyama Isamu ordered the remaining naval forces in the three towns of Wuhan to reinforce Xianning County.

Because the Mufu Mountains blocked the bombardment of Yangtze River warships in Xianning County, the First Army Navy did not participate in the battle of Xianning County.

When the Japanese navy bombarded the Southern Independent Division soldiers who were attacking the city, Commander Zhang realized that the Japanese navy, which had been holding back, had been mobilized again.

Deploying the navy to encircle and suppress them was obviously too late, so Division Commander Zhang immediately contacted the air force and ordered them to send air force bombers to bomb the Japanese navy.

The air force at Bailuo Airport of the First Army reacted quickly, arriving over the Yangtze River in less than half an hour and launching a fierce bombing and strafing attack on Japanese naval vessels.

Although the Japanese navy discovered the air force of the "Devil Force," the Yangtze River basin was open and there was nowhere to hide, so they had no choice but to fight the "Devil Force" air force.

The air force of the First Army continuously swooped down on Japanese warships, dropping bombs and strafing them.

The guns on Japanese gunboats and patrol boats were only designed to provide artillery support for the army and were not very effective at preventing air defense.

Under the constant bombing and strafing by the First Army Air Force, the Japanese gunboats and artillery were destroyed one after another.

The air force of the First Army bombed Japanese warships for nearly an hour, and the Japanese gunboats on the Yangtze River were either sunk or rendered unable to resist.

The navy then arrived and captured the remaining Japanese warships on the Yangtze River.

The First Army Air Force then turned to bombing the Japanese defense lines and fortifications in Xianning County.

At this time, the First Army, which was advancing south, also broke through the Japanese army's Heshengqiao defense line and attacked the north gate of Xianning County.

After nearly a week of fierce fighting, the Southern Independent Division and the First Army's southward advance First Front Army finally successfully recaptured Xianning County.

Meanwhile, the First Army marched south and the First Front Army also recovered important cities along the Yangtze River in Hubei: Yichang County and Jingzhou County.

The Japanese army was confined to the three towns of Wuhan and a few surrounding counties. Their troop strength was also less than half of what it was before the start of the Hubei Campaign.

Commander Heng Sanyong's room for maneuver was limited to the three towns of Wuhan, Huangshi, Xiaogan, Ezhou, and Xiantao.

After recapturing Xianning County, the Southern Independent Division of the First Army continued its offensive towards Xiaogan County and Huangshi County.

After recapturing Yichang County and Jingzhou County, the First Front Army continued its offensive towards Ezhou County, Xiantao County, and other places.

With the support of the First Army's air force and navy, after several days of fierce fighting, Xiaogan County, Huangshi County, Ezhou County and Xiantao County were successively recovered by the Southern Independent Division and the First Army's southward advance First Front Army.

Commander Yokoyama Isamu's strategic maneuvering space was compressed into a small area including the three towns of Wuhan and surrounding towns and outposts.

In order to eliminate the last Japanese troops in Hubei Province, the First Army Air Force worked day and night to transport strategic materials to the Southern Independent Division and the First Army's southward advance.