Devil's Army

On April 1938, 4, Commander-in-Chief Terauchi Hisaichi finally launched the long-planned campaign to encircle and suppress the Tangshan Anti-Japanese First Army base.

More than 25,000 Japanese troops from the Fifth Division of the Japanese Army, known as the Iron Army, attacked the north, west and east of Xiaoguanzhuang Airport from Zunhua County, Fengnan County and Luan County.

More than 18,000 Japanese troops from the 11th Mixed Brigade set out from Peking and Tianjin to attack Fengrun County, northeast of Xiaoguanzhuang Airport.

There is also an attack on Jixian County through the Panshan position in front of Jixian County and the Huangyaguan Great Wall Pass.

A part of the Japanese 109th Division, with more than men, exchanged positions with the th Mixed Brigade in Baodi, and attacked Jixian from Baodi via the Bailonggang Bridge and Sanchakou. Another part attacked Jixian from Fengtian County.

The Tangshan Anti-Japanese First Army base was surrounded by three Japanese divisions and nearly 60,000 Japanese troops.

In order to win this encirclement and annihilation battle, Commander-in-Chief Terauchi Hisaichi also transferred one-third of the aircraft of the North China Provisional Air Force, a total of more than 1 aircraft, to cooperate in the battle.

Wu Lang's North China War Zone now has the 364nd Brigade, 109rd Brigade, 129th Brigade, th Brigade, th Brigade and Sichuan Army th Brigade, totaling nearly people. The Japanese th Division was held back by the th Division of the Eighth Route Army and has not yet reached the combat area. Therefore, the actual strength of the Japanese army attacking the Tangshan base is the Japanese th Division and the Japanese th Mixed Brigade, totaling more than people.

Although Wulang temporarily has a slight advantage in military strength, he has to divide his troops to garrison the base areas in various counties, while the Japanese can attack him with a clenched fist, so the difference in military strength is still not small.

Wulang and Huilang convened a meeting of cadres at the regimental level and above, emphasizing that the purpose of this major battle was to consume the Japanese army's manpower. If the defense line was tight, they could retreat temporarily to avoid the Japanese army's edge, look for opportunities in the movement, and annihilate the Japanese army.

The meeting ended quickly, and the brigade commanders and regiment commanders immediately rushed to their own defense areas to arrange combat tasks.

Gray Wolf pointed at the Japanese troops coming aggressively on the sand table and said:

"The Japanese army sent us an April Fool's Day gift, intending to eat us all in one fell swoop."

"No matter how many heads the Japanese send us, we will take them all. Even if they want to eat us up in one bite, they don't have enough teeth to do that." Wu Lang responded.

"Fortunately, the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army has held up the 109th Division of the Japanese Army in Ci County, so our troops in this direction can take a break."

"I guess we can only take a few days to recover from this. They will be here soon."

"In a major battle, an hour can determine the outcome of a battle, not to mention it can help us delay the war for three or four days."

"Should I send a telegram to express my gratitude to Deputy Commander Xu and Commander Liu?"

"No need. Crushing the enemy's large-scale encirclement and suppression campaign and helping the Eighth Route Army eliminate and hold back this group of enemy soldiers is the best way to express our gratitude to them."

To make matters worse, the tribe's fleet transporting ammunition and supplies to the Tangshan base was intercepted by a powerful Japanese fleet at sea not far from Jinzhou, and a fierce naval battle ensued between the two sides.

Fortunately, the Japanese army did not attach importance to the navy of the First Army and did not send out an aircraft carrier fleet.

Under the full force attack of the Golden Eagle III, the First Army's naval fleet sank two Japanese ships and damaged several warships. The First Army's Chaoyang, Diaobingshan and Fuxin were also forced to return to Huludao Dockyard for repairs.

The Japanese army was afraid of the small aircraft of the First Army and had to stop near the Jinzhou waters. The First Army's naval fleet was able to escape.

Afterwards, Leng Feng instructed the Navy's Captain Hu to send golden eagles to scout ahead of the transport route in the future to avoid encountering the Japanese fleet. Everything was based on the goal of winning the battle to defend the Tangshan base.

Commander Hu asked Leng Feng: "Should we set off immediately and continue to transport supplies to Tangshan?"

"Except for the damaged warships that returned to the dock for repairs, the other warships immediately set sail to continue transporting supplies to the Tangshan base."

Leng Feng knew that war was all about logistical support, and he must not hold back the Tangshan base.

So the next day, the fleet, loaded with 150mm howitzers, shells, Golden Eagle III, Golden Eagle IV, ten imitation Type tanks and related ammunition and medicines, set out again and headed for Tangxia Village.

Commander-in-Chief Terauchi Hisaichi has always suspected that the devil troops in Tangshan have a logistical supply route.

This time, their fleet unexpectedly met the Devil Forces' fleet at sea and a fierce battle took place, which made him vaguely feel that the Devil Forces' transportation line in Tangshan might come from the sea.

He asked the Navy's Commander Sanben Wuliu to strengthen the maritime blockade, which made it increasingly difficult for Leng Feng to transport supplies to Tangxia Village.

In order to avoid encountering the Japanese fleet and irritating their nerves, the First Army's naval fleet could only sneak across the Japanese Navy's blockade under the guidance of the golden eagle to replenish supplies to Tangxia Village.

The highlight of this battle was the Japanese Fifth Division, and the battle site was the Xiaoguanzhuang Airport, which the Japanese wanted to annihilate as soon as possible. Therefore, the battle first started in Dangyu Town, Linnancang Town and Xinyin Town.