Devil's Army

When the Japanese army in the central route reached the outskirts of Changbai Mountain, the main force of the Japanese army had already advanced from the banks of the Yalu River to the outskirts of Changbai Mountain City and launched a fierce attack on the south gate of Changbai Mountain City.

The Japanese troops in the central route then launched a fierce attack on the north gate of Changbaishan City.

The third Japanese army route advanced directly towards Changbai City from the southern foot of Changbai Mountain via the Twenty-Three Gorges ferry crossing.

After the third Japanese army split up with the other two Japanese armies on the southern slope of Changbai Mountain, they set off from the east end and marched southwest along the foot of the mountain, directly to the Twenty-Three Ditch Ferry (an important ferry crossing on the upper reaches of the Yalu River, close to Changbai City).

The 2nd Regiment of the 1st Border Defense Brigade stationed two battalions here to block the Japanese army from crossing the river.

The vanguard of the Japanese army advanced to the Twenty-Three Ditch ferry crossing on the southern slope of Changbai Mountain, spread out along the Yalu River, and launched a fierce attack on the Second Regiment's position.

The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 2nd Regiment lay prone in their constructed fortifications, fiercely resisting the Japanese army.

After the Japanese advance was thwarted, the artillery concentrated on the riverbank and bombarded the Second Regiment's beachhead positions.

Japanese infantry, under the cover of artillery fire, attempted to cross the frozen Yalu River.

Upon hearing the footsteps of the Japanese troops charging forward, the soldiers of the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 2nd Regiment quickly crawled out of their collapsed fortifications and fiercely resisted the Japanese.

Intense gunfire and the sound of exploding shells echoed along the banks of the Yalu River.

The two battalions of the Second Regiment stationed at the ferry crossing fought a fierce battle, relying on the beach fortifications and river embankment bunkers. Light and heavy machine guns wove an impenetrable net of fire, and hand grenades rained down on the landing Japanese troops.

The Japanese troops were repeatedly attacked, and the mudflats were littered with corpses.

Although the soldiers of the Second Regiment fought valiantly, refusing to yield an inch of ground, and used their flesh and blood to hold the crucial crossing point and slow the enemy's advance, the Yalu River lacked suitable hillsides for constructing anti-artillery fortifications. The First and Second Battalions of the Second Regiment suffered over half their casualties under the intense Japanese artillery bombardment.

As more Japanese troops landed, the artillery barrage intensified and extended its fire to the rear.

With fortifications along the Yalu River being destroyed one after another, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 2nd Regiment were in danger of being surrounded and annihilated.

In order to preserve their strength and avoid being surrounded and annihilated, the commander of the Second Regiment decisively ordered a retreat, with alternating cover, and moved towards Changbai City.

Soldiers of the 3rd Battalion of the 2nd Regiment deployed their troops in layers of defense along the mountains, forests, and narrow roads in Twenty-Three Gully Village, in front of Changbai City, to continue blocking the invading Japanese army and vow to hold back the enemy's advance towards Changbai City.

The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 2nd Regiment withdrew to Changbai City for rest and reorganization.

The Japanese army quickly occupied the Second Regiment's fortifications on the banks of the Yalu River and reached Twenty-Three Ditch Village, attempting to advance towards the northeast of Changbai City.

-The mountain forest gate in front of Twenty-Three Gully Village connects Changbai Mountain and the forefront of Changbai City; the valley is narrow, only wide enough for people and horses to pass side by side.

When the Japanese troops advanced to this point, they were unable to spread out and were met with fierce resistance from the Third Battalion.

The Japanese artillery, still on the south bank of the Yalu River, quickly launched a fierce bombardment on the Third Battalion's position at the entrance of the Twenty-Three Gorges Valley.

The narrow entrance to the 23-gate gully was swift, with mud flying everywhere and explosions occurring frequently.

The 1st Company of the 3rd Battalion, stationed at the entrance to the valley, suffered heavy casualties in the fierce artillery fire of the Japanese army.

Before even engaging the Japanese infantry in actual combat, the third battalion commander's company had already suffered more than half its casualties. He could not afford such losses.

He had no choice but to order his troops to retreat into the valley and continue to resist the Japanese attack.

The Japanese troops then occupied the entrance to the 23rd gully and continued to advance into the valley. However, they encountered fierce resistance from the 3rd Battalion.

Located deep in a bend in the valley, this area was difficult for Japanese artillery on the south bank of the Yalu River to fire upon.

The narrow valley also hindered the deployment of Japanese troops, and the Japanese army's fierce offensive was temporarily halted.