A Journey Through the Flames of War in the Republican Era

Starting on the night of December 13, the Training Corps stationed at Xiaolingwei in Nanjing was urgently mobilized. On the 15th, subsequent units of the Training Corps received official orders to travel by train from the Coal Port to Zhengzhou.

On the 16th, the "war faction" and the "peace faction" of the Huaxia National Government reached an agreement, officially appointing He Jingzhi as Commander-in-Chief and Yu Ranweng as Special Envoy for Pacification, deciding to adopt a combination of suppression and appeasement.

He Jingzhi then appointed Liu Jingfu and Gu Mosan as commanders-in-chief of the Eastern and Western Route Army Groups, respectively, and Xu Yuexiang as the forward commander of the Eastern Route Army Group. He deployed and directed more than ten divisions of the Central Army to rapidly advance towards Xijing from the east, west, and south, and the two sides were on the verge of war.

Previously, the 28th Division of the 46th Army of the Central Army, led by Division Commander Dong Jiesheng, acted swiftly and seized Tongguan along the Longhai Railway on the 13th, advancing westward.

On the 15th, the 28th Division had advanced to the outskirts of Huaxian County, occupied the railway station in the north of the city, and deployed along the villages in the east and north of the city, forming a siege of the county seat.

The city wall of the county town is about 500 to 600 meters long from east to west, about 600 to 700 meters long from north to south, about 6 to 13 meters high, and 5 meters wide at the top. There are city gates on all four sides and several watchtowers in the city wall, which have strong defensive functions.

The garrison in Huaxian was the Special Service Battalion of the 105th Division of the Southeast Army, along with a cavalry company and seventy or eighty warhorses. After Tongguan fell on December 13, the Huaxian garrison immediately imposed martial law on the county town, increased the number of sentries to strictly check pedestrians, and at the same time dug trenches and constructed defensive fortifications.

On the morning of the 16th, the 84th Regiment of the 28th Division launched an attack on Huaxian City. The 3rd Battalion took the lead in the attack, occupying a high ground more than 100 meters outside the city as a base position to attack the north city wall and the watchtower in the northeast corner. The 2nd Battalion carried out feint attacks in the east and south of the city to contain the defending troops. The 1st Battalion was responsible for the encirclement and guard in the west of the city to prevent enemy reinforcements from the direction of the Chishui River.

The two sides engaged in fierce fighting, with intense firepower and the dense sound of gunfire shaking the entire city.

Around noon, the Central Army Air Force dispatched eight aircraft to participate in the battle. Four of them flew west to bomb the defense lines around Weicheng and Chishui Railway Station, while the other four circled at low altitude to bomb the positions and fortifications of the defending troops in Huaxian City, providing air support for the attack on the city.

Due to misjudgment and communication errors, Central Army aircraft mistakenly bombed and strafed the 28th Division's attacking troops near the city walls, causing considerable casualties and immediately thwarting the attack. The 28th Division Commander, Dong Jiesheng, was furious and angrily called the forward command headquarters to lodge a protest.

As evening approached, the fighting gradually subsided.

A three-day ceasefire followed, with both sides continuing their standoff, the 28th Division surrounding the enemy without launching an attack.

The reason is that multiple forces are maneuvering and negotiating arduously, but the negotiations have not yet reached a conclusion. The Nanjing National Government intends to use military offensives to coerce and pressure the government, and has specifically ordered a three-day ceasefire.

On the 17th, the Training Corps arrived in Huaxian County and began operations in the area around the railway station north of the county seat.

After settling the various companies, Song Hongfei arrived at the brigade headquarters, where the brigade commander, Gui Shuaizhen, was intently examining the map.

Gui Shuaizhen looked up and asked, "Are the troops all settled? How is morale?"

Song Hongfei said, "It's all settled. The soldiers are in high spirits and ready for battle at any moment."

"We won't steal food from the 28th Division!" Gui Shuaizhen couldn't help but laugh upon hearing Song Hongfei's words.

Gui Shuaizhen added, "Huaxian only has a little over one battalion of Southeast Army troops defending it, and it has already been surrounded by the 28th Division. Taking it shouldn't be a problem. There's a three-day ceasefire period now, and both sides have suspended military operations. Negotiations are still ongoing in Xijing, so it seems there's still a long way to go, and the war won't end so quickly."

The Southeast Army and the Southwest Army focused their defenses on the eastern front, deploying troops along both banks of the Wei River east of Weicheng and along the Longhai Railway line, and made the following military arrangements:

The 105th Division, 112th Division, 1st Battalion of the 11th Artillery Regiment, and 1 Engineer Battalion of the Southeast Army formed the central force. They used the north-south line of the high embankment on the west bank of the Chishui River, 20 li east of Weicheng, as their blocking position. They immediately constructed fortifications, strengthened defenses, and controlled the Longhai Railway and the Xitong Highway.

The 57th Army comprised the 109th, 111th, 115th, and 120th Divisions, with the 2nd Battalion of the 11th Artillery Regiment and an Engineer Battalion attached to form the left flank. It occupied the line north of the Wei River through Xiaoyi, Longyang, and Qiangbai, and strictly defended the right flank. The 6th Cavalry Division and the 10th Cavalry Division of the Cavalry Army controlled key locations such as Baishui and Pucheng to cover the left flank.

The Southwest Route Army's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Garrison Brigades formed the right wing, relying on Ma'ershan Mountain to occupy the line east of Chongning, Houzi, and Lantian, with a focus on defending the highway from Lantian to Shangxian.

Gui Shuaizhen pointed to Chishui Street and the Chishui River area, more than 10 kilometers west of Huaxian County on the map, and said: "Our mission is along the Chishui River. The main force of the 105th Division of the Southeast Army is deployed along the Chishui River east of Weicheng. There are also troops from the 109th Division, the 112th Division, and other units south and north of the Wei River."

Subsequently, Guo Chengfeng, the battalion commander of the Special Service Battalion of the Training Corps, introduced the battle situation in Huaxian County and the preliminary reconnaissance intelligence such as the terrain and enemy situation in the Chishui River area, marking them one by one on the map.

Song Hongfei stared at the map, deep in thought and silent.

Gui Shuaizhen looked at him and asked, "What's the problem?"

Song Hongfei didn't mince words, saying, "The Southeast Army has made meticulous preparations these past few days. Judging from the map, the defensive line east of Weicheng has been dug with trenches stretching for dozens of kilometers. Such defenses are indeed effective against an opponent with weak artillery. However—I'm wondering if we can hold them off against the Japanese army, and how they will attack. They are a formidable enemy that we will have to face sooner or later."

Gui Shuaizhen was taken aback. He understood that Song Hongfei's words actually had another meaning. He looked at Song Hongfei and said, "It's good to plan ahead and think long-term. However, this is not something that you and I in our positions can say. We can only be prepared at all times. After months of unremitting hard training, this will be the first battle of our brigade, and we must make a good start! In the next two days, we must seize the time to organize and prepare for the battle."

Song Hongfei replied, "Yes!"

Song Hongfei immediately ordered all companies of the sergeant battalion to prepare for battle, and organized the company and platoon leaders to carefully inspect the terrain of the Huaxian battlefield, the construction of positions on both sides, and the offensive and defensive deployments. He also organized squad and platoon leaders to observe the battlefield in batches.

During the ceasefire, the fighting was quiet, but sporadic sniping could still be heard from time to time.

The entire sergeant battalion was eager for battle and ready to fight.

"We're just observing, so stay put! That's the 28th Division's job," Song Hongfei said to several eager company and platoon leaders. "Keep your eyes wide open and learn carefully! This is our first battle, so pay close attention to both sides' offensive and defensive maneuvers!"

On the afternoon of the 19th, the sky darkened, shrouded in a somber atmosphere, and snow began to fall, turning the world into a vast expanse of white.

Starting in the evening, the 28th Division launched its second general offensive after several days of preparation.

The 28th Division's heavy machine guns and mortars fired fiercely at the northeast, northwest, and southeast corners of Huaxian County. "Boom! Boom! Boom!" Mortar shells rained down on the city walls and towers, filling the air with smoke and flashing with bursts of fire from time to time. Many of the defenders' sandbag fortifications were blown into the air and scattered in all directions.

The mountain artillery battalion of the Training Corps near the North Railway Station launched a fierce bombardment of the Southeast Army's armory, Confucian Temple, and City God Temple within the city, with thick black smoke frequently rising into the sky above the county town.

The Southeast Army Special Service Battalion in the county town fought back fiercely, relying on the strong city defenses, and the fierce gunfire between the two sides resounded through the night sky.

Song Hongfei's sergeant battalion lay prone outside the battle line, watching the battle unfold. The soldiers were tense and excited. They watched their brothers in the artillery battalion busily loading their weapons and firing one shot after another. They were so engrossed in the spectacle that they were eager to join in the fray. Many of the more belligerent soldiers couldn't wait to rush up and fight themselves.

Song Hongfei and several officers carefully observed the battle situation through binoculars. After discussing it, they unanimously agreed: "Huaxian is a small place. Although the city walls are strong, it is an isolated city without any support. A battalion cannot defend the city."

Song Hongfei said, "If it were the Japanese army's heavy siege artillery, it would have been blasted open in just a few shots."

Everyone shared the same feeling.

The cadet company commander, Liao Jianchu, said, "I feel that the equipment of the Southeast Army is better than that of the 28th Division of the Central Army."

Song Hongfei nodded and praised, "You observed very carefully! This battalion of the Southeast Army is equipped with mortars, heavy machine guns, and light machine guns are also equipped to the squad level. The overall firepower is quite good."

Zhang Yi suddenly sighed and said, "The Fengtian Arsenal used to be known as the largest in Asia. What a pity!" Judging from his expression, he seemed to be thinking of the "sand table simulation" he had at West Point.

As night fell, soldiers of the 3rd Battalion of the 84th Regiment, under heavy fire support, organized a suicide squad of dozens of men to brave the hail of bullets and set up ladders to scale the city walls, launching a fierce attack. The Southeast Army returned fire fiercely with machine guns and mortars against the 28th Division's assault troops, and soldiers were frequently hit and fell headlong from the ladders. Guo Zhonglin, deputy commander of the 28th Division, personally supervised the battle at the front line, and the assault troops launched wave after wave of attacks, with the fierce gunfire continuing throughout the night.

"Are you nervous?" Song Hongfei asked the new recruit who was watching the battle from the edge of the trench as he walked along it.

"I'm a little nervous," the new recruit, who had never been on the battlefield, answered honestly.

"Everyone has their first time on the battlefield. The initial nervousness will pass!" Song Hongfei patted the new recruits on the shoulder, then said to the soldiers, "But when you're actually on the battlefield, the tension can be deadly. Now you all need to take a good look at what a real battlefield is like!"

After saying this, Song Hongfei tossed a pack of cigarettes to the soldiers and went to another position.

The company commander gave me a cigarette!

"Hey! Give me one! Give me one!" This immediately sparked a scramble among the soldiers. Those who managed to grab one grinned from ear to ear, while those who didn't were furious.

"Mmm, smells so good, the battalion commander's good cigarette! But—I've never seen the battalion commander smoke before!" Some soldiers grabbed the cigarettes and proudly showed them off, holding them under their noses and smelling them incessantly.

"Shh, keep your voice down!" an old soldier said mysteriously. "This cigarette belongs to the company commander. I just saw the battalion commander coming over from that side. It seems like he made some kind of bet with the company commander. Look, the company commander is feeling the pinch!"

At dawn on the 20th, the fighting reached its most intense point, with the sounds of gunfire and soldiers' shouts filling the air. The 3rd Battalion of the 84th Regiment had already scaled the city from the northeast corner, captured the north gate tower, and, with its superior forces, seized the opportunity to advance into the county town.

The two sides then engaged in street fighting, exchanging heavy machine gun fire fiercely, the dense "rat-a-tat-tat" of gunfire echoing through the streets. The Southeast Army's special operations battalion gradually became overwhelmed, and the 28th Division continued its fierce attack to expand its gains. Before long, the Southeast Army was routed and scattered. Some soldiers changed into civilian clothes and mingled with the civilians to escape. Its battalion commander was captured, and its deputy battalion commander was killed in action. The 28th Division quickly occupied the entire county town by morning.

After capturing Huaxian County, the Central Army advanced westward along the Longhai Railway towards the Chishui Township area. Commander-in-Chief Gui Shuaizhen ordered: The Training Corps to advance westward and occupy the area east of Chishui Street, deploying along the Yuxian River!