Devil's Army

Half an hour later, the Japanese artillery launched a suppressive bombardment against the artillery of the New 727th Regiment.

Japanese infantry launched another fierce attack on Qiuji Town.

However, their good fortune was short-lived. Shortly after the Japanese launched their attack, the First Army's air force arrived and began a fierce strafing and bombing raid on the Japanese troops exposed in the open field.

The Japanese troops, suffering heavy casualties, had no choice but to retreat into the grove once again.

However, the well-equipped First Army Air Force launched a large-scale bombing raid on the grove.

The animals in the grove were bombed for no reason because of the brothers' intrusion, and they had nowhere to seek justice.

Under the fierce air raids of the First Army Air Force, the Japanese troops hiding in the grove suffered heavy casualties and were unable to launch a large-scale attack on Qiuji Town.

The 364th Brigade of the Sichuan Army finally established a foothold in its first stronghold in Jiangsu.

While the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Japanese 65th Division launched an attack on the 364th Brigade of the Sichuan Army in Huaiyin County, a part of the 3rd and 2nd Battalions of the Japanese 65th Division also launched a fierce attack on Cao County and Feng County, which were occupied by the 11th Brigade of the 1st Army.

Cao County is located in the old course of the Yellow River, with sandy soil, sparse vegetation, and no direct road connection. It relies on rural roads to connect with Shanxian County.

It was difficult for the Japanese army to receive reinforcements and heavy weapons.

After the First Army recaptured Shandong, the Japanese army established a stronghold in Cao County as a potential source of threat in the northern route.

Because Cao County is generally flat with an elevation difference of only about 22 meters (the highest point in the southwest is 66.8 meters and the lowest point in the northeast is 44.8 meters), and there are no naturally rugged terrains, the plains make it difficult to defend against attacks.

This was also an important reason why the 1st Regiment of the 11th Brigade of the First Army easily recaptured Cao County during its attack.

After the 1st Regiment of the 11th Brigade of the First Army recaptured Cao County, it set up blocking positions by relying on local micro-topography and artificial modifications.

Deploying artillery positions deep within Cao County allows for fire coverage of the open, unprotected area to the southwest of Cao County.

The strip of sandy riverbed and riverbank highlands of the old course of the Yellow River (south bank) can be used as forward blocking positions and flanking positions.

Although these positions could not defend against artillery fire, Japanese artillery also had difficulty passing through these sandy dirt roads.

To the regimental commander's slight regret, during the recapture of Cao County, the air force destroyed two pillboxes that the Japanese had built at the crossroads. Otherwise, the two pillboxes could have served as the first line of defense against the Japanese attack.

When the 2nd Battalion of the 65th Division of the Japanese Army, consisting of more than 500 men and more than 800 puppet troops, arrived near Cao County, their trucks got stuck in the sandy dirt road, and the soldiers had to get out and walk.

When the Japanese army arrived in the area of ​​Shaozhuang and Liangditou in the southwest, the dikes here were 3-5 meters high. The 1st Battalion of the 1st Regiment of the 11th Brigade of the 1st Army built a command post here, which allowed them to shoot down on the advancing Japanese troops from a high position.

The Japanese troops, caught off guard by the sudden attack, were unable to withstand it and retreated. However, the Japanese artillery at the crossroads bombarded the First Battalion's position fiercely.

The battalion's makeshift fortifications were reduced to ashes by Japanese artillery fire.

To avoid greater casualties, the battalion commander, with the consent of the regimental commander, led his troops to retreat.

When the First Battalion withdrew to the "Red Three Villages" (Liugang, Caolou, and Yizhuang), they, together with the Second Battalion stationed there, stubbornly resisted the Japanese army's attack through a group of strongholds, including modified walls, trenches, and tunnels.

This location was quite far from the Japanese artillery positions at the crossroads, making it difficult for the Japanese artillery to support the infantry's attack. However, the Japanese were able to fiercely bombard the strongholds, including the stockade walls, trenches, and tunnels, with their easily portable mortars and grenade launchers.