A Journey Through the Flames of War in the Republican Era

Chishui Township is an ancient town in Guanzhong, located at the junction of Weicheng and Huaxian counties, about 50 kilometers west of Huaqing Pool in Lintong. It was an important "water and land port" on the eastern route of Guanzhong.

About three or four li south of Chishui Street are Maizhangyuan and Changshouyuan, which connect to the Qinling Mountains. About five li to the north is the bend of the Wei River, where there are several docks and vehicles and boats shuttle back and forth on the Wei River.

The Xi'an-Tongguan-Henan Highway, which connects Xi'an, Tongguan and Henan Province, runs through Chishui Street. The Longhai Railway runs parallel to the Xi'an-Tongguan Highway about one kilometer to the north. Chishui Railway Station is located less than 1 kilometer northwest of Chishui Street. About 400 meters east of the station is a railway bridge spanning the Chishui River.

The Chishui River flows north to south and serves as the boundary between Weicheng and Huaxian counties. The riverbed is 30-40 meters wide at its narrowest point and can reach 100 meters at its widest. There are rammed earth dikes on both banks, about 10 feet high. However, in winter the river has long since dried up, and sections of the river are frozen solid.

There is a famous Qing Dynasty stone bridge on the Chishui River—the Bridge on a Bridge—which connects the streets belonging to the two counties on the east and west sides into one Chishui Street. Less than 4 miles to the east is the Yuxian River. Both rivers originate from the Qinling Mountains in the south and flow down into the Wei River, sandwiching East Chishui Street in the middle.

The Central Army deployed along the east bank of the Chishui River, with its main forces consisting of the 28th Division of the 46th Army, two regiments of the Training Corps, and directly subordinate units such as sergeant battalions, special service battalions, and artillery battalions, as well as the 6th Artillery Regiment of the Central Army for coordinated operations.

Several days ago, the Special Service Battalion of the Training Corps had already conducted infiltration reconnaissance of the Southeast Army's defense line west of the Chishui River, and had a clear understanding of the Southeast Army's positions and troop deployments.

Song Hongfei's sergeant battalion and part of the brigade's artillery battalion were stationed in Xincun, about 2 kilometers northeast of Chishui Street, and deployed along the river embankment on the east bank of Yuxian Bridge west of the village. One mountain artillery company and one plains artillery company of the artillery battalion were positioned north of the village, with their guns aimed directly at several watchtowers in Sanzhang Village, about 2 kilometers to the west. These watchtowers were originally built by landlords to defend against bandits, but were now being used by the Southeast Army.

Sanzhang Village is located northwest of the Wei River, on the east bank of the confluence of the Chishui River and the Wei River. On the west bank is Yantou Village, the northernmost support point of the Southeast Army's Chishui River defense line. It can be described as the outpost of Yantou Village.

The 105th Division of the Southeast Army was originally stationed in the area of ​​Lintong, Weicheng, and Huaxian, and now it has been reinforced with additional troops. The 105th Division was an independent reinforced division expanded from the Southeast Army Guard Brigade, and it has 3 brigades and 9 regiments under its command, which is close to the level of an army.

Starting from daytime on the 12th, the 105th Division, taking advantage of the hilly and sloping terrain west of the Chishui River, constructed a strong defensive fortification along the north-south axis, about 1.5 kilometers west of the Chishui River, extending from Yantou Village on the south bank of the Wei River to Zhanglingzi Village on the plateau in the south, with Zhangjialing east of Zhanglingzi Village as the core position. They dug a main trench that meandered for five or six li, 1.2 zhang wide and 1 zhang deep. Barbed wire and various fortifications and obstacles were erected on the east side of the trench, and landmines were laid outside the position.

On the 12th, the 105th Division blew up the Yuxian River and Chishui River railway bridges on the east and west sides of the Longhai Railway line in Chishui Township, and dismantled the railway tracks from Chishui River to Huaxian County to block the Longhai Railway line. The 105th Division guarded the Chishui River defense line, cutting off the Longhai Railway and the Xitong Highway, and stood ready to block the westward advance of the Central Army.

Beginning on the 20th, the 105th Division of the Southeast Army clashed with the Central Army in the Chishui area, with constant gunfire. Subsequently, the 105th Division retreated to its established positions west of the Chishui River. The two sides used the Chishui River as the boundary, with the high ground on both banks of the river becoming the forward positions in the standoff.

The Southeast Army's artillery positions, set up on the high ground around Zhanglingzi Village and in Changmin Village, continuously bombarded the Central Army's positions east of the Chishui River in Yanma Village and north of Chishui Street. The Central Army's Sixth Artillery Regiment, from its various artillery positions on the banks of the Yuxian River in Potou Village, also continued to bombard the Southeast Army's positions in the Zhanglingzi, Caiguo, and Zhongwang Village areas, resulting in a fierce artillery battle between the two sides.

On the afternoon of the 20th, Gui Shuaizhen came to the sergeant battalion's position to inspect the battalion's position deployment and combat readiness.

Song Hongfei said, "Our battalion's outpost has extended to the west bank of the Yuxian River. One kilometer to the northwest, in Sanzhang Village, there is a company of Southeast Army troops, who are facing off against our battalion, relying on the watchtowers built by several landlords to defend against bandits."

The Wei River meanders from west to east, making a bend north of Yantou Village and west of Sanzhang Village before turning north again. The Chishui River joins the Wei River at the western end of Sanzhang Village. Yantou Village is about 1 kilometer southwest of Sanzhang Village, and about 200-300 meters east and northeast of the western bank of the bend in the Chishui River.

Gui Shuaizhen lay prone on the west bank of the Yuxian River, observing through binoculars. He then carefully compared the observations with the map and said, "Sanzhang Village is the outpost of Yantou Village, the northernmost point of the Southeast Army's Chishui River defense line, and also the only stronghold embedded in the east bank of the Chishui River. Your battalion's mission is to take out this outpost and seize Yantou Village when the opportunity arises!"

"The 2nd and 1st Regiments will be located south of your battalion and will provide simultaneous support. The objective of this battle is to consolidate our support positions and push them forward to the east bank of the Chishui River, west of the line from Yanma, Chishui Street, Potou, and Beihui East! The mountain artillery company and the plains artillery company will be attached to your battalion to destroy the pillboxes in Sanzhang Village! Your battalion should prepare for battle and submit a detailed battle plan to me."

Song Hongfei replied, "Yes!"

In terms of troop deployment, Song Hongfei designated the 3rd and 1st Companies as the main and auxiliary attacking forces, respectively, and reinforced each with a machine gun platoon from the machine gun company. The main attack directions were northeast and due east. Liao Jianchu's cadet company launched a feint attack from the southeast to contain the enemy and guard against reinforcements from Yantou Village southwest of Sanzhang Village, while also using a portion of its forces as reserves for the entire battalion.

He personally commanded the battalion's mortar company and infantry artillery platoon. The mountain artillery company and field gun company attached to the brigade set up positions on the west bank of the Yuxian River behind the battalion. The mountain artillery company fired at the pre-marked targets, while the field guns followed the attacking troops forward, aiming to fire directly at the enemy's pillboxes.

"Attention everyone! One point, two sides, small groups attacking from multiple directions, the 'three fierce' tactics!" Song Hongfei shouted to the company commanders. "Our battalion has trained hard for so long, and we've been preparing for this battle for a thousand days. The key is in this first battle!"

Several company commanders shouted, "Yes, sir!"

After hearing Song Hongfei's deployment, Liao Jianchu was a little unhappy and muttered, "Why are they the main attackers, and I'm just on guard and holding them off? Battalion Commander, this isn't fair!"

Song Hongfei feigned anger and said, "This attack requires high levels of infantry-artillery coordination. The main attack direction is the 3rd Company to the northeast, with the 1st Company to the east providing support. Your company has many trainees who lack combat experience and training in infantry-artillery coordination!"

Liao Jianchu seemed to have seized on something and shouted again, "Old Zhang from the 3rd Company has experience in artillery, I won't argue with him. But why can Old Wang from the 1st Company also serve as an auxiliary attacker? Their coordination skills are about the same!"

Company Commander Wang Jingxiong got a little anxious upon hearing this: "Hey, Lao Liao, what are you saying? My company has a lot of veterans, and our combat effectiveness is strong! Don't glare at me, do you think you're smarter than the battalion commander?!"

"The trainee's mission is to learn how to fight!" Song Hongfei seemed genuinely angry. "Where do you get all these 'whys'? If you have any more 'whys,' I'll make you watch others fight from the back!"

Liao Jianchu was about to say, "How can soldiers learn to fight if they don't go to the battlefield?", but when he saw Song Hongfei's expression, he had to swallow his words. The proud man was indeed very impressed with Song Hongfei.

Zhang Yi and Wang Jingxiong, the company commander, were snickering when they saw Liao Jianchu get his comeuppance. Song Hongfei glared at them and said, "What are you laughing at! If you two can't win, you'll be feeding pigs at the brigade's farm!"

The two quickly suppressed their laughter, daring not to laugh anymore.

Zhang Yi, bursting with heroic spirit, declared: "Battalion Commander, if I fail to take this place, you can twist my head off and use it as a chamber pot!"

Song Hongfei cursed, "Nonsense! Keep your big chamber pot for yourself, I don't need one that big!"

"Yes!" Zhang Yi could only reply awkwardly.

This made the other company commanders, including the commanders of the mountain artillery company and the anti-tank artillery company of the brigade's artillery battalion, burst into laughter.

"Alright! Go back and prepare for battle!" Song Hongfei said.

"Yes!" Everyone said in unison.

Starting at dusk, Song Hongfei ordered several forward outposts of the 3rd and 1st Companies to continuously shout through loudspeakers: "Brothers of the 105th Division! Your pillboxes have been targeted by our artillery. To avoid unnecessary casualties, you must withdraw immediately and retreat back to the west bank! Once the firing begins, the artillery fire will be merciless! Retreat back to the west bank immediately!"

"Battalion Commander, what's the point of shouting like that?" Zhang Yi and Wang Jingxiong asked, puzzled.

"What are we doing? Psychological warfare, disrupting the enemy's mind!" Song Hongfei said mysteriously. "Winning hearts and minds is the best strategy, subduing the enemy without fighting!"

Song Hongfei added, "Secondly, our goal is to take this outpost from them. After all, they are all fellow Nationalist soldiers. Let's remind them to be careful; bloodshed is not the intention of this battle."

Zhang Yi and Wang Jingxiong nodded as if they understood something.

Song Hongfei added, "Just wait and see. It will work when the other party gets agitated."

At first, no matter how much the scouts shouted from the front of the sergeant camp, until their throats were dry, the Southeast Army garrison completely ignored them.

The Southeast Army's garrison company commander spent half a day inspecting the front lines but found nothing unusual. The Central Army was only shouting but hadn't fired any artillery, so he couldn't understand the enemy's intentions and assumed it was just a harassment tactic by the Central Army. Therefore, the garrison company commander reported the situation up the chain of command to the battalion and regiment.

Facing the sergeant battalion was the 3rd Regiment of the 1st Brigade of the 105th Division. After receiving the report, Regiment Commander Lin Damu pondered the map for a long time but could not figure it out. He thought that the Central Army only wanted to eliminate the stronghold of his regiment embedded on the east bank of the Chishui River to reduce the pressure on the flank. He guessed that the Central Army had no other idea about attacking the stronghold on the west bank.

The regiment and battalion then issued instructions at each level: strengthen vigilance, pay close attention to observation, and be wary of enemy harassment tactics!

Therefore, the Southeast Army garrison in Sanzhang Village continued with their usual duties.

Unexpectedly, the other side shouted even more enthusiastically: "Retreat back to the west bank immediately! You're being targeted! Be careful, you're being targeted! Once the cannons fire, you'll be reduced to ashes!"

The Central Army had been shouting and yelling for a long time, and the soldiers of the Southeast Army were getting annoyed. Some soldiers cursed, "Why are you making such a racket? If you want to fight, then fight!"

The Southeast Army's garrison commanders and platoon leaders thought it over and realized that letting them keep shouting like that was only boosting the enemy's morale. They had to retaliate!

"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!" Several gunshots rang out as the Southeast Army soldiers opened fire, and the loudspeakers at the outpost of the sergeant's camp quickly retreated.

Immediately afterwards, shouts rang out from the front lines of the Southeast Army: "Central Army brothers! Stop dawdling! Fly over here, if you've got the guts, then fly over here!"

Several soldiers on the outpost of the sergeant battalion chuckled and immediately replied, "Brothers of the Southeast Army, we can't refuse your hospitality! We'll be over there soon! You'd better watch out!"

Upon receiving the report, Song Hongfei was somewhat excited and said, "Good, it's working! Keep shouting! Have a turn shouting during every shift change! Whoever can shout out the enemy's concealed machine gun positions will be rewarded! But be careful what you shout. We're all Nationalist soldiers, so don't insult their personalities or disrupt unity!"

So that night, loudspeakers kept blaring from the outposts of the sergeant battalion, annoying the Southeast Army soldiers. They kept blaring all night, making the soldiers restless and unable to eat or sleep well.

Ignoring it would seem like a sign of weakness, and it would also be incredibly noisy and disruptive. If you retaliate, the other side has already prepared multiple megaphones; the moment you engage, they become even more excited and energetic, taking turns shouting back at you—it's simply impossible to win.

As if unwilling to be outdone, the soldiers on patrol in the sergeant's battalion showcased their talents in various accents and dialects from all over the country, performing folk songs, slang, mountain songs, and even theatrical plays. It was a lively competition, with one soldier taking the stage after another, displaying their skills in storytelling, imitation, witty banter, laughter, anger, and even insults.

Those on the rear couldn't help but laugh. What surprised the officers the most was that guarding the outpost used to be a tough and dangerous job that no one wanted to do, but this time many people were eager to do it!

Song Hongfei never expected that the sergeant's camp was truly full of hidden talents, with so many artistic backbone members and ventriloquist enthusiasts.