Canteen System Assistance Notes

The long column of troops was quickly broken up into smaller vehicles, each of which braked to a stop within the white frame. Then, the villagers standing by began to pile all sorts of things onto the vehicles. "Water!" "Spare tire!"

Good! The soldiers on the vehicle quickly caught the blue plastic bucket filled with water and rolled the spare tire into the truck bed. The convoy had sufficient fuel and ammunition throughout the march, requiring only water, food, and vehicle parts. In Liangcheng, there was a General Logistics Department "Comprehensive Material Center," providing a solid foundation for the convoy's support.

Everyone quickly handed over the supplies, but soon something started to go wrong. "Fried cakes! With red bean paste filling!"

"The oatmeal is so delicious! The kid picked it up, it's still hot!" "The bananas are soft and so sweet!"

? ? ?

Compared to the efficient and skillful militia, the mobilized villagers were noticeably more chaotic. After moving the supplies, they began pulling all sorts of items from their pockets, baskets, and bundles, shoving them into the cart with a rough yet expert hand: freshly cooked local food, eggs still stained with straw, mint candies so long hidden that their packaging was wrinkled...

"Hey hey hey! You don't need this, fellow..."

"Nonsense! Kill more devils!"

By the time the people in the trucks realized what was happening, the command whistle had already sounded, and the villagers and militiamen quickly retreated outside the white frame, clearing the road. The truck drivers shifted gears and stepped on the gas, their engines puffing smoke. The resupply convoy began to leave the supply area and return to the intersecting roads.

"Attention all vehicles, we still have half the distance to go! We must arrive at the designated assembly point in Goukou New Village before 8 o'clock tonight!" New instructions came from the car radio, and fellow villagers in the distance were waving their arms to bid farewell to their soldiers.

Chapter 483: Defending against the Enemy in Dark Night

(Update)

If July 27, the day the battle was launched, is taken as "T" day, then after the Japanese troops west of Qingcheng were conquered on T day, the Chinese and Japanese troops continued to mobilize on T+1 day.

The Eighth Route Army, by restoring railway operations, completed the second phase of troop deployment on T+1, and on T+2, the morning of the 29th, they completed the offensive against Jining. Meanwhile, the 3rd Training Brigade, tasked with conducting a deep, roundabout maneuver from the Daqingshan base area and Liangcheng, also embarked on its march, battling a difficult battle against non-combat casualties of various equipment.

Due to the inherent weakness of the defending side and a miscalculation of the situation, the Japanese army was forced to withdraw its troops from the controlled areas and regroup before launching a counterattack. By the morning of T+2, the 12th and 13th Regiments of the 2nd Division in Fengzhen and Yunzhongcheng had completed their regrouping. However, by then, Jining had already fallen. Faced with a Communist army that outnumbered a division and could rain down its weapons, the 12th Regiment decisively backed down.

They wisely refrained from charging forward alone to attempt a counterattack, instead sending out a small reconnaissance force to tentatively explore northward. Meanwhile, the main force of the 12th Regiment held its ground, determined to wait until the 13th Regiment and the divisional headquarters arrived at Fengzhen by train before advancing north to attack Jining and launch a counterattack against the Communists.

However, the Japanese army, which had no deep understanding of motorized marching and the battlefield behind enemy lines, completely misjudged the Eighth Route Army's war rhythm: at the same time that Jining was captured by our army,

Damiling Sulong, commander of the 7th Division of the puppet Mongolian Army, launched an uprising.

It not only meant that all the 1100-strong puppet Mongolian army had surrendered to the Communist Party, but also meant that the last organized resistance force standing in the way of the Japanese army in Fengzhen was instantly wiped out!

This time, the Eighth Route Army can really say a flag: "Our army marches unhindered and unimpeded."

Heading north from Fengzhen, the road layout at this point resembled the English letter "P" to the right of the Chahar Plain Banner south of Jining. Following the Pingsui Railway northward for about 20 kilometers across flat land, the road forked, representing two different marching routes.

The straight line to the left of the "P" continued north along the railway, entering the hilly and mountainous terrain, passing through railway stations such as Xin'anzhuang, Yongwangzhuang, and Hongshaba, taking a shortcut to Chahar Zhenghuang Banner. At this point, the Japanese army's first target, Jining, was within sight, just over 20 kilometers away. This route, with its short distance and convenient transportation, was the preferred target for the Japanese railway advance. However, marching through the hilly and mountainous terrain meant that the frontal contact width of the troops would never exceed 800 meters, making it difficult to deploy large forces and to leverage their superior numbers.

If the route turned east from the fork, the troops could bypass the hilly and mountainous areas and continue along the plateau, passing Longshengzhuang and reaching the Zhenghuang Banner on the right wing of Chahar. This route had open terrain, making it easier for large troops to move and less vulnerable to interception. However, it only had a gravel road and required an additional detour of nearly 30 kilometers, making it even longer.

On the afternoon of July 29th, July 29th, the Japanese 12th Regiment in Fengzhen finally encountered the long-awaited 13th Regiment. Yano Otosaburo, commander of the 26th Division, also arrived at Fengzhen with his divisional headquarters. After a brief negotiation, the two armies left more than a battalion to garrison Fengzhen and began their advance, carrying ample artillery.

"The 12th Regiment is in the front, and the 13th Regiment is in the rear! All units are in close communication, with the search regiment leading the way, and attacking northward along the Pingsui Railway!"

In the newly built division headquarters, Yano Otosaburo, under the protection of the flag guard squadrons of the 12th and 13th Regiments, nervously issued the attack order. He did not consider taking the roundabout road at all, but only asked the troops to pay attention to guard against the Eighth Route Army blocking the mountainous area while advancing along the railway.

During the march, the 12th Regiment, units should not get entangled in the small Communist blocking forces; they must resolutely break through and attack! Those small Communist forces occupying the hilltops will be handled by the 13th Regiment. Your mission is to capture the right wing of the Zhenghuang Banner before the 31st, then reorganize the troops and continue north to recapture Jining!"

Two regiments of over 3,000 men finally began their march north. As the main force of the Mongolian Army and a descendant of the Kwantung Army, the 26th Division hadn't yet been abandoned in 1941. Though its fighting spirit had been tempered by the endless security battles, it still possessed formidable combat power when operating on a large scale and with all its forces fully deployed.

After leaving Fengzhen for 18 kilometers, the Japanese army deployed their troops and launched a fierce offensive. But it was wrong, it was wrong!

Why did the Japanese army encounter the enemy just after leaving the city and passing the fork in the mountain pass where the "P"-shaped road split?

On the rolling hills and mountains, blocking positions in companies, platoons, and even those that have not yet been fully completed are densely arranged along the mountains on both sides of the railway; and on the railway, a series of standard X-shaped destruction trenches, four horizontal and five vertical, completely destroyed the Japanese army's advance path.

The Japanese had to disembark early, deploy in attack formation, and launch a powerful assault along the railway toward the mountain valley. They had to launch continuous attacks on each hilltop in small groups and squadrons to eliminate the blocking positions that threatened the transportation lines. At the same time, they also had to cover the engineers who filled the damaged trenches and repaired the railway.

The current situation is easy to understand. The Communist troops, having captured Jining, are reorganizing their forces and marching south in droves. They will inevitably need to transport troops and supplies by rail, passing through the mountainous section of this "P"-shaped road. Presumably, these Communist troops also want to take advantage of the railway's convenience and avoid the troublesome long route, right?

If the Imperial Army could advance and control this mountainous region tonight, the Eighth Route Army, advancing southward from Jining, would have to attack the mountains and first break through the Japanese's advantageous defensive positions before launching an attack on Fengzhen or even Yunzhong. The Japanese would then have a reliable starting point for their attack and a rearguard position from which to retreat calmly, thus gaining the local tactical initiative.

So we must attack, attack at night, and break through at night. The Japanese army originally did not like night battles, and they did not need night battles in the domestic battlefield, but this did not mean that they would not fight at night!

Under the orders of Division Commander Yano Otosaburo, the 26th Division's highly-equipped field and mountain artillery regiments deployed behind the battle lines. Twenty 38mm-caliber field guns, twenty-eight 75mm-caliber mountain guns, and even more battalion artillery were deployed. The veteran sergeants, the last survivors of the long-standing security campaign, tied on a bowl-shaped scroll symbolizing "long-lasting military fortune," drank sake, and personally led their troops in the night battle.

The first letter that came was about fire preparation.

The Japanese army began to bombard the hills along the Pingsui Railway. Although these artillery pieces were not fully staffed, and there were even a few Shanxi-made 75mm mountain guns filling gaps, they had sufficient ammunition. The continuous bombardment of more than five guns even made the sound of artillery continuous, as if it would never stop.

Boom boom boom boom!

The Japanese army's rare firepower projection in North China poured down on the large positions of the Eighth Route Army's 715th Regiment on Daqing Mountain, and flames shot up from several hilltops. As night gradually fell and the air force was unable to deploy, the formula of firepower began to demonstrate its unparalleled dominance.

The Daqingshan 715th Regiment, already operating here and fighting on its home turf, bravely took on the responsibility: they were determined to rely on their few 100mm mortars and Jin-made mountain artillery to firmly hold off the Japanese here. "Commander! Hill 1307 in Zhangjiawan is blocked!"

"The three positions of the Second Company of the Third Battalion are being attacked by two squadrons of Japanese troops. The company has suffered heavy casualties. The company commander has already led his guards to push forward!" "Second Battalion Commander, Second Battalion Commander! Hello? Hello!"

The regimental headquarters was abuzz with voices, and the distant roars and flames were clearly visible even here. Regimental Commander Dun Xingyin took a deep breath. The "Cheolwon-style" blocking attack was an effective means for the weaker side to stop the enemy, but it was bound to be accompanied by devastating losses, with some units even losing entire platoons or companies.

Now, the two field divisions attacking Jining were marching southward overnight. One of them would march straight south to support the 715th Regiment blocking the railway, while the other would gather mobile forces, detour 30 kilometers from the east side of the P-shaped road, and attack the Japanese flank through the Xinglongzhuang line. Therefore, the mission assigned to the 715th Regiment by the forward command was simply to delay and slow down the Japanese army, preventing them from marching comfortably through this section of the road at night.

But he also understood that if the Japanese could be held here tonight, the northern field army would be able to rush down and block the only two remaining regiments of the 26th Division in this area.

Not to crush or defeat them, but to annihilate two regiments and one division of the Japanese army in an organized manner!

Comrades, hold on! Hold off the Japs for eight hours! Even if our 715th Regiment is wiped out, we must hold on to the hilltop firmly! In eight hours, tomorrow morning will be the anniversary of the death of these Japs! "Kill!!!"

As the sun gradually set, the soldiers unleashed a barrage of bullets at the advancing Japanese troops!

Chapter 484: The Trapped Beast and the Hero

The night of July 29th, or the early morning of July 30th.

The Japanese artillery fire rang out again after a brief pause. The shells with tracers were like fireflies startled away in the summer night, but they also seemed to be pulled by the thin thread of gravity, crashing into low or towering ridges and hills.

As the destructive explosion resounded, several parachute-mounted flares rose from the sky from two directions, illuminating the mountaintop. Beneath the magnesium-colored and dim flames, the loess rock revealed a texture not normally possessed: light and transparent, like fragile glass.

But in that extremely bright and fleeting light, the soldiers of the 715th Regiment of Daqingshan were sending even higher waves towards the Japanese army that were like waves - machine guns, rifles, submachine guns, as well as rocket launchers and grenades flying across the sky. The resulting ballistics were still very eye-catching in the dark night.

Now, "inflicting casualties on the enemy and then withdrawing along the planned route depending on the situation" had become almost impossible. The Japanese vanguard formed several attack teams led by elite non-commissioned officers, launching attacks on any hilltop that dared to open fire, exposed traces, or was simply suspicious.

Their offensive was fierce, their coordination was perfect, and their route choices were cunning. Even though the enemy's superior artillery fire was quite clumsy in the dark, once the blocking troops were caught by this group of devils, they would be pursued relentlessly, making it almost impossible to evacuate.

Every hilltop, every village, held the potential for conflict. Every time the Japanese filled a blockage or cleared a minefield, casualties were likely. But like migrating animals on the East African savannah, even though each advance cost them time and lives, the 12th and 13th Regiments of the 26th Division, like stubborn donkeys, pressed relentlessly northward.

One-one-one-one-one

"Damn it! If we stop now, during the day, the Communist army will attack from the north, several times, even dozens of times our size, leaving us with nowhere to defend! We must seize a defensible area and await support from the 51st Division (the original 2nd Independent Mixed Division)!"

Yano Otosaburo scolded the signalman. Just now, the 12th Regiment on the front line reported back the latest situation of the attack: from dusk till now, the troops have made almost no progress.

Although the Eighth Route Army did not form a continuous and tight defense line, their troops distributed on the hills on both sides of the railway could threaten the main force of the troops moving on the railway through direct and indirect fire. The railway tracks that were cut into sections could not be used by trains without maintenance by engineers.

This group of communist troops not only attacks at a rapid speed, but also has an extremely stubborn defense. Now they have advanced to a place less than 20 kilometers away from Fengzhen. If the Japanese army cannot continue to fight to the north to carve out an area and gain a certain depth of battlefield, let alone attack Jining to the north, the 26th Division and the 51st Division will be blocked in the Fengzhen area, like an immobile pile of cow dung.

Even if this can defend Fengzhen itself, what about Yunzhong? What about Zhangyuan? We can't always keep 4 or even 5 regiments of troops here and stare at the Eighth Route Army, right? Yano Otosaburo thought.

Therefore, the Imperial Army had to advance and carve out an area where they could establish a defensive equilibrium with fewer troops. Even if this required fighting for each hilltop, it would burn the troops' lives under unfavorable conditions.

but....

Even though they had made up their minds to bear the losses, over the past few hours, the 12th Regiment had lost more than 4 combat soldiers, and an entire battalion had almost lost its offensive capability - but they had only advanced 1.5 kilometers and ensured the safety of four hilltops.

The 12th Regiment only has three battalions available. Even the red paper soldiers, who are like animals, would not be able to bear the burden of such rapid incapacity.

"How are the troops doing?" he asked the signalman calmly. "The 12th Regiment reports that the Communist army has suffered heavy losses."

"The losses were heavy. What exactly happened?"

"Yes... What is certain is that they defeated three Communist platoons and surrounded one. However, the enemy platoon refused to surrender and detonated the ammunition on the position when our troops approached... "Red Deer Wild Man!"

The academic general slammed the table and stood up. At this moment, he paced back and forth in the enclosure like a black bear in a manic-depressive episode. "It's too late, too late! It's already 2 a.m.! It's dawn here at 5:30! No, we can't stop! Tell them they can use the 'Night Combat Awakening Agent,' but they must maintain the offensive!"

"Sir, the attacking team has already used the awakening agent..."

In Fengzhen's headquarters, the sound of artillery and gunfire could not be heard from afar, but the countdown-like sound kept echoing in Yano Otosaburo's mind. He was silent, then turned his head to look at the map, thinking, and finally, a fierce light flashed in his eyes.

"Then there's no need for surrender! Use poison gas, incendiary bombs... Kill them all! We must capture the next railway station, Hongshaba, before dawn!"

The Japanese army entered the most frantic state in the battle.

According to pre-war estimates, the Japanese 12th Regiment would not advance with such a desperate attitude. Even if the Japanese army continued to attack day and night, the distance they could attack in mountainous areas in a day would usually not exceed 15 kilometers (this was the level of the US military in World War II). In addition, given the blocking attacks along the way, the 12th Regiment should have rationally chosen to shrink its defense line and advance slowly to avoid actively entering the "enemy's advantageous area."

But the Japanese army was now like a ferocious beast, hungry and indiscriminate. Its legs and feet were caught in traps, its body bearing scars from crossbows and lead bullets. The surrounding hunters, hearing the noise, rushed to support... But this trapped force, undeterred by losses, continued to charge forward, regardless of ammunition!

They ingested drugs that stimulated the central nervous system, unleashed incapacitating red cannons, and fired more rounds than permitted by the infantry manual and combat guidelines, even accidentally injuring an attacking force charging toward our positions, ready for hand-to-hand combat. Soldiers from both sides engaged in close combat, the dull thud of close combat echoing. The blood of invaders and counter-invaders dyed the land crimson before fading into the night.

However, the Japanese continued to advance at a turtle's pace.

The 715th Regiment, trapped in the hilly terrain, was not alone. Like a dazzling torch in the darkness, they called upon all nearby forces for support. The armed work teams, usually threatening enemy strongholds with 82mm cannons, the guerrillas with only a third of their rifles, the advance troops of the field army, forsaking their heavy weapons and racing along... As time passed, the defensive forces on the front lines began to receive clearer radio calls.

"Xiangjiang, Xiangjiang, this is Fenhe 98, please reply if you get it, please reply if you get it."

……

"Xiangjiang, Xiangjiang, this is Fenhe 98. I've received your reply. Our support unit is 5 kilometers away from yours... Artillery Group 3 has deployed behind yours. Please report all artillery parameters. Be careful of accidental casualties... Yes, yes, all artillery in the regiment is now under your command."

The frontline soldiers stopped repairing their Maxim machine guns, which had malfunctioned due to the continuous firing and boiling cooling water, and turned to the north. A roar, unlike that of mountain and field artillery, came from behind, passing over their heads. Its continuous sound, mingled with the faint, reverberating roar of howitzer fire that bounced repeatedly across the valley, struck the Japanese lines as they formed up for another attack.

A white light began to appear in the east of the battlefield.

Its daybreak.

Chapter 485: Defeating the Division in Four Days

The 13th Regiment of the 26th Division was originally stationed in Yunzhong City. Their mission was to coordinate with the First Army responsible for Shanxi Province, control the northern sections of the Pingsui and Tongpu Railways within their defense zone, collect grain from villages throughout northern Shanxi, and suppress any Eighth Route Army advances from the left and right Yu directions.

Therefore, their assembly speed was slightly slower than that of the 12th Regiment in Fengzhen, and they became the rear guard in this attack, primarily responsible for providing support, guarding against flanking attacks, and relaying attacks. The 13th Regiment stayed at the fork in the P-shaped road, using Xin'anzhuang and Yongwangzhuang railway stations as strongholds. They controlled the main railway line from Fengzhen to the front line, ensuring the logistical security of the Japanese troops on the front line.

However, because the 12th Regiment engaged the Communists in intense fighting, they were not tasked with many reinforcements. The original plan of "the 12th Regiment would break through, while the 13th Regiment would clean up the mess" was quickly shattered by the rapidly changing battlefield, forcing each unit to adjust its tactics accordingly.

On the morning of the 30th, the soldiers of the 13th Regiment heard artillery fire from the hills to the north. This sound was different from the 38-type field guns and the Type 94 mountain guns, but a different kind of explosion that was quite unfamiliar to them. More importantly, after a night of intense fire, the two artillery regiments of the 26th Division were basically exhausted, and it was impossible for them to fire at such a high rate.

The situation is not good, the Communist army is coming...

The experienced veterans straightened up and kicked the new recruits who were sleeping in shifts with their leather boots, urging them to wake up quickly and prepare to enter the combat position.

These Japanese soldiers ate the cold plum rice balls with the cold water and kneaded

He closed his eyes and raised his rifle, ready for a new battle.

However, someone seemed to have noticed something unusual. They looked toward the gravel road to the northeast and seemed to detect some strange signs—under the still-unlit sky, there seemed to be smoke and dust raised by marching troops, as well as some faint noises.

Then, gunfire rang out from that direction, and three flares rose into the sky: red, red, and green. Ah... this was the warning signal for an outpost under attack, their position on the northeastern highway had been attacked—so the Communists were coming from that direction!

The Communist Army is here!

If you later interview a Japanese veteran undergoing labor reform and ask him what he would do if he saw the Communist Army appear in his sight, the first answer given by a Japanese veteran who is pushing a wheelbarrow, planting rice, or making honeycomb coal is definitely not "get into combat position and prepare for battle."

He would definitely answer: "Find cover, lie down and prepare to be bombarded first."

One or several rounds of artillery fire may not be very fierce, but they are definitely accurate and high-density.

On the front lines, the 3rd Howitzer Regiment, supporting the 11th Division of the Northwest Field Army (from the border region), unleashed its 54 25-pounder howitzers. These British-made artillery shells, originally intended as a "transitional" weapon, rained down shells, disorienting the 12th Regiment of the 26th Division, leaving them stranded and unable to advance. Confined to the mountainous railway line, their deployment was difficult, and they were stretched out to great lengths, resulting in countless casualties from the barrage.

On the flank of the battlefield, the 1st Howitzer Regiment, which had demonstrated its prowess on the south bank of the Yellow River three days earlier, boarded the second transport train along with the logistics troops and set off for the battlefield 400 miles away. The Howitzer Regiment then disembarked at Guancun Station (now Tuguiwula Station) in the Zhenghuang Banner of the Right Wing of Chahar, bypassing the Jining Railway Station, which was now under military control.

Here, along with the 52nd Division of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Field Army, which had also arrived by train, they abandoned some ammunition and equipment, then turned east and began a flanking maneuver overnight along the eastern side of the "P"-shaped road: Who said that only the training brigade can make deep flanking maneuvers and we can only fight frontally?

In one night, the Howitzer Regiment, having covered 50 kilometers—over 30 kilometers longer than a straight line—set up their remaining 49 guns (five of which had overturned along the way) and began unleashing a renewed fury on the Japanese troops along the railway line. The new Eighth Route Army, formerly the 38th Army of the Seventh Route Army, launched a roaring attack on the Japanese. They had been beaten back by the Japanese in the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain and ultimately forced to retreat with the support of the Eighth Route Army. Short on ammunition and ammunition, they lacked the ability to confront the Japanese directly, let alone initiate an offensive.

As for now... things have changed, you little devil!

The 13th Regiment was thrown into chaos!

Because of its deployment along the railway, the 13th Regiment's formation was like a long strip winding along the railway, resembling a crooked long eggplant.

Although the Japanese army did not deploy a long snake formation like the National Army, they still set up sentry posts on the front line of the position to gain a certain depth. However, time was short and they could not build a sufficiently strong multi-layered defense system unless they held on for a long time. The sentries on the front line only had time to fire flares to sound the alarm before they were overwhelmed by the powerful automatic firepower.

The 52nd Division's tactics were simple and unpretentious. Since they couldn't yet match the sophisticated infantry and artillery tactics of their Eighth Route Army comrades, they simply organized their infantry attacks methodically. As the Japanese artillery was suppressed by 122mm and 25-pound howitzers from two directions, the 52nd Division's spearhead, riding the extended artillery fire, fiercely wedged into the 13th Regiment's formation, like a kitchen knife severing the stem of an eggplant, splitting the 13th Regiment in two. Immediately, they split into two groups: one advancing southward along the breakthrough point, the other attacking northward, pushing many Japanese troops northward.

At this time, the 12th Regiment in front of the 13th Regiment was also attacked fiercely by the 11th Division of the Northwest Field Army and had to retreat south.

After a night of attacking and failing to advance an inch, the 26th Division finally paid a heavy price: with a large army pressing in from the north and a flanking enemy force to the east, the railway line to the south had been blocked by artillery fire, and the only way to escape west was through the ravines. Aside from a small number of "tails" that were cut off, nearly 5000 men from the 12th and 13th Regiments were trapped in the hills and valleys of Shanxi and Suiyuan!

“How is it possible, how is it possible, how is it possible!!!”

After hearing the staff officer's trembling voice report on the battle from the front, Division Commander Yano Otosaburo went almost insane, "This is impossible!"

Even the heavy losses suffered by the 1st and 8th Independent Mixed Brigade a few years ago were merely the result of ambushes during their offensive, the result of a cunning Communist plot. But this time, almost every enemy move was laid bare before them, like a game of Mahjong. Yet, no matter what they did, they could not prevent defeat.

This feeling of hopeless powerlessness made Yano Otosaburo feel nauseous. His esophagus cramped, his stomach burned, and the pain was as if his internal organs had been twisted into a dripping towel and then pulled out of his mouth. The main force of the Mongolian army had just disappeared like cherry blossoms in just four days.

No, no! It’s not time to give up yet!

"The 12th and 13th Regiments have a total of 7,000 soldiers! Even if the Communist Army wants to destroy them, it will take some time. We just need to..." He shouted in a threatening manner, but