Rebirth: I am in Jin-Cha-Ji

Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun immediately returned the salute.

In this battle, the First Security Regiment can be said to have made great achievements.

Wei Hongjun was in a heavy mood.

The Japanese mopping-up operation had not yet ended, and the column headquarters had no mobile forces. How could it support the counter-mopping-up operations in other bases?

"Da Da Da—

"Political Commissar, telegram from the Chanan Detachment."

"say what?"

"The Chanan Detachment reports that the 18th Regiment's 768th Battalion, the Cavalry Battalion, and the New st Regiment ambushed the trailing Japanese troops in Heishan Village. After seven hours of fighting, they completely wiped out the rd and th Independent Battalions, a total of men. They also killed Abe Nobuhide, Major General and Commander of the nd Independent Mixed Brigade; the rd and th Independent Battalions, both Colonel Commanders; and a Colonel observer sent by the North China Front Command. As for battlefield spoils, we will report back after counting them."

"it is good."

Wei Hongjun suddenly became alert.

The Chanan Detachment and the New 1st Regiment fought well. Although they defeated fewer than 800 Japanese troops, their results were remarkable. Not only did they kill Major General Abe Nobuhide, the brigade commander, but they also crippled two independent battalions of the 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade.

There are many differences between the Japanese army's independent mixed brigades and field brigades.

This is also true for independent brigades.

An independent battalion has only about 800 soldiers. Generally, when it goes out to fight, an independent battalion will send out about 500 people.

Now nearly 800 people have been killed, and two independent battalions have been directly crippled.

This will greatly reduce the pressure of raiding the base.

This battle was even more important to the Eighth Column's anti-mopping-up operation than the one it had just fought. At this moment, Wang Qiuyun came over, took the telegram, and read it, saying, "Our victory in the anti-mopping-up operation is imminent.

This is the first time we have heard such good news in the more than half a month of anti-raid operations.

"Commander, Political Commissar, the captured items are not satisfactory."

The casualties are too great and I feel sad.

But Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun had no time to grieve over the passing of autumn. The reason why it's said that a merciful person shouldn't command an army is because a general must be accustomed to death. If one can't accept death, if one's emotions are immersed in all kinds of sorrow, then it's impossible to lead troops in battle.

For Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun, there were more brutal battles to come. The anti-mopping-up operations in the various bases were still going on. At this time, Li Shiping, deputy commander of the 8th Column, came over.

"A lot different?"

"Our troops used over 30,000 rounds of ammunition in this battle, but the total amount of ammunition captured was only over 10,000. Furthermore, we used a lot of artillery in this battle, and our stored ammunition was basically used up.

But the captured mortar shells and canister rounds were few and far between, not enough to replace the ammunition we had. We had even less ammunition for our heavy and infantry guns, and we hadn't captured any in a while. If we fought another battle like this, we'd run out of ammunition for our heavy and infantry guns, and they'd literally become scrap metal.

“The Japanese resisted for too long, and even if they had ammunition, they had used it all up.

Wang Qiuyun sighed.

The Japanese army resisted for too long, fighting for more than ten hours. Even if the Japanese army had some good things, they would have been destroyed after such a long time. Unless we attacked the Japanese army's logistics troops, the battle could be resolved in a short time.

Otherwise, after such a battle, the troops would inevitably consume more ammunition than they captured.

"It's best for us not to engage in an ambush like this that consumes too many bullets."

"We can send a telegram to each unit to let them pay attention. If possible, let our troops mainly attack the Japanese logistics units or the puppet troops.

Chapter 257: Picking on the weak

"Good. Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun really made our division proud. This time, their Eighth Column has killed two more Japanese major generals. This is already the third one."

Within one day, the 8th Column launched ambushes in both the north and south directions.

Two Japanese brigade commanders, rank of major general, were killed.

The news sent shockwaves through North China. The names of Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun resounded throughout North China, and would eventually resound throughout China. The Eighth Column was no longer an obscure unit.

Yang Quanwu in Yi County received a telegram from the 8th Column and was in a good mood.

After the Japanese mopping-up operation began, the First Division suffered greatly. The Japanese concentrated the 35th Division, part of the 27th Division, and part of the 110th Division to specifically target the First Division's base in Hebei. Within just two weeks, the First Division lost the county towns of Fangshan, Liangshan, Xian, Gu'an, and Laishui.

Just as the first division was galloping around this place three months ago, so are the wolves now.

Yang Quanwu was in Yi County and had lost the county seat. The First Division Headquarters retreated to the mountainous ravines of Yi County. Yang Quanwu was in a very bad mood during this period, especially after losing Yi County.

Yi County has a very special meaning to the First District.

The First Division initially developed in Shanxi, where, while progressing well, the scale of development was limited. It wasn't until the First Division entered Hebei and Yi County that it suddenly experienced a leap forward in development. In Yi County, the First Division successively reorganized several civilian anti-Japanese armed forces, rapidly doubling their strength. Then, with Yi County as its center, the First Division successively reorganized a large number of local anti-Japanese armed forces in Mancheng, Shuixian, Zhuoxian, and other places.

Currently, half of the troops in the First Division are reorganized from local armed forces in these counties.

Moreover, Yi County had a large and wealthy population and was an important source of revenue for the First District. When the First District had just conquered Yi County, it obtained over 300,000 yuan from it, which solved the financial difficulties of the First District at the time.

Afterwards, the First Division, with Yi County as its base in Hebei, expanded in all directions. Currently, Yi County and Laiyuan were the two most important territories in the First Division. However, this time, the Japanese and puppet troops were too numerous, and even Yi County was lost.

"Commander, many people below us have requested to fight. I hope we can gather our main forces and fight a couple of fierce battles. Otherwise, we are in a very passive position now.

Because the Chief of Staff of the First Division was currently in Yanbei, leading the First Division's troops in the Yanbei area, Yang Quanwu was accompanied by the First Division's Deputy Chief of Staff, Cheng Yi. After the Japanese raid, the First Division's main regiments in Hebei chose to disperse their operations.

Mainly focusing on continuous attacks on the Japanese army's logistics.

But many commanders in the First Division were dissatisfied with the current situation. They viewed the First Division as a force with strong personnel, and their current dislocation was truly disgraceful. The First Division was a reorganized unit of the First Red Division, and before the 115th Division split, they had fought many tough battles alongside it. After the establishment of the Shanxi-Chahar Military Region, the First Division also fought many battles. But now, being tossed around like a rabbit by the Japanese was unbearable.

Yang Quanwu shook his head.

"It will be of no benefit to us to confront the Japanese army head-on.

Look at the 8th Column's telegram, over 3,000 casualties. The 8th Column's mobile forces have been completely crippled. We should avoid this kind of business."

"However, if we don't fight a few annihilation battles, how can we succeed in our counter-sweep operations?

How to force the Japanese army to retreat by simply harassing them?

The Japanese raids had been ongoing for over half a month, and the various bases had suffered heavy losses. These losses were visible to the naked eye. The First Division suffered heavy casualties, and large numbers of civilians were killed. The bases' finances suffered enormous losses.

Only by breaking the mopping-up can we recuperate.

"We can't fight on impulse. Do you know why Japanese raids rarely last more than a month? Most of the Japanese raids on our bases took between half a month and twenty days."

"It's because the Japanese army's logistics can't keep up."

"This is it."

Yang Quanwu nodded and said, "Before each raid, the Japanese army would prepare for a long time, so that our base could get the news of the Japanese raid in advance. It was precisely because the Japanese puppet army's logistical supplies were insufficient that the Japanese army needed to collect weapons, ammunition and logistical supplies every time they raided. The Japanese army's logistical strength could only support the Japanese army's raid for about a month. After a month, the Japanese army lacked supplies and could only choose to retreat. Our counter-raid is to attack the Japanese army's logistics and prevent the Japanese army from getting replenishment. At the same time, we constantly harass the Japanese army and increase the Japanese army's material consumption. Let the Japanese army, which originally raided for a month, reduce the time to about half a month. This is the current Japanese army raid and our base's counter-raid.

Cheng Yi nodded.

Although this doesn't sound very good for the base.

After all, the success of the anti-mopping-up operation was not due to the use of force to repel the Japanese army. It was because the Japanese army's logistics were cut off and the Japanese army was harassed, so that they quickly consumed their supplies and finally had no supplies to continue the mopping-up operation. At this point, the Japanese army's mopping-up operation naturally failed.

It doesn’t sound good, but it is the most real situation now.

Yang Quanwu continued, "Confronting the Japanese head-on? This is what the Japanese are eager for. Especially in Hebei, if we don't pay attention, the Japanese will be able to quickly gather. By then, our large forces will have nowhere to escape. This is not the Yanbei area. There are mountains everywhere, and the troops can retreat and disperse quickly. So when fighting here, we need to remain calm."

Yang Quanwu wasn't the type of general who would rush into battle with a large army. He didn't even have those bags.

Look at how six counties were lost in a row within half a month. This was something only Yang Quanwu could have accomplished. Others, out of respect, also had to fight a few battles with the Japanese before evacuating.

But Yang Quanwu doesn't care about his own face.

We can't win, we can't win. We won't fight the Japanese and puppet troops head-on just for the sake of face.

"Come and take a look. I've been dispersing our troops these past few days to draw out the Japanese. I pulled a regiment out from Laiyuan and, after entering Yixian, dispersed it in battalion units. This is to keep the Japanese troops dispersed and continue to pursue us. Now part of the 110th Division has moved south into the defense zone of the three-district division, and part of the 27th Division is in the Xushui and Rongcheng areas, mopping up our 27th and 28th Regiments. The troops of the 35th Division have been chasing me and have all entered Yixian and Yuanyuan. The Japanese army is too greedy this time."

Yang Quanwu’s greatest strength is his ability to keep his composure.

For the past two weeks, the entire Division One cadre has felt suffocated. The troops have been scattered, unable to fight large-scale battles, and have ended up being beaten by the Japanese. They all hope that the troops can gather together and encircle and annihilate one of the Japanese forces.

But Yang Quanwu did not agree.

The troops were always required to disperse their actions and adopt harassment tactics against the Japanese army rather than a head-on confrontation with them.

Yang Quanwu smiled and said, "As the old saying goes, you should pick the weak ones when you can't afford to lose. I can't defeat the Japanese army, but I can't defeat the puppet army?

"Commander, are you planning to attack the North China Security Army?"

"Yes. Qi Xieyuan, the great traitor, reorganized four armies and six independent regiments. However, the Japanese army did not have much confidence in their combat effectiveness, so they always had them follow behind the Japanese army. Now the First Army of the North China Security Army is in Fangshan, the Second Army is in Liangxiang, and the Third Army is in Zhuo County. The 9th and 10th Independent Regiments are also in Zhuo County. The 11th and 12th Independent Regiments are in Laishui, the 13th and 14th Independent Regiments are in Beiping, and the Fourth Army is in Wanping. I want to fight the Third Army, the 9th Independent Regiment, and the 10th Independent Regiment in Zhuo County."

"Commander, according to intelligence, the total number of the North China Security Army's Third Army, the Ninth Independent Regiment, and the Tenth Independent Regiment exceeds 5,000.

"Five thousand people, so what? I can wipe out this group of puppet troops in three hours. As long as we get rid of the Imperial Army in Zhuo County, the Japanese army will definitely retreat. The Japanese army mobilized so many troops to sweep our Jin-Cha-Ji base area this time, which must be a heavy burden for the North China Front Army. Now that we have been fighting for half a month, the Japanese army's supplies have been almost consumed. Moreover, during this period, my First Division troops also ambushed many Japanese heavy troops, exacerbating the shortage of Japanese supplies. Although I am not very sure, the county is an important place for Japanese supplies to move south from Peking. Zhuo County should have accumulated a lot of Japanese logistical supplies. As long as we take this place, the Japanese army will have no supplies to continue the sweep.

Cheng Yi was shocked.

Unexpectedly, Yang Quanwu kept retreating. It turned out that he was not targeting one or two Japanese troops, but the Imperial Army in Zhuo County. There were more than 5,000 Imperial Army soldiers, and Yang Quanwu was going to swallow them all in one gulp.

Chapter 258: Picking on the weak 2

"Now give orders to each unit. The 35st Regiment and the Special Forces Regiment will continue to lure the enemy and engage in a few battles with the Japanese. Let the 27th Division enter Laiyuan. The 28th and 29th Regiments will make a commotion in the Xushui and Rongcheng areas to increase harassment of the Japanese. I don't need any troops around me, so send the 27th Regiment there to support the 28th and 27th Regiments. We must firmly contain part of the Japanese th Division there."

Yang Quanwu had endured for more than half a month and now he finally got the chance.

So start giving orders.

This task is difficult.

The Japanese army is not stupid. If you run, I will chase you.

The Japanese army had to be certain that the enemy they were pursuing was the main force of the Eighth Route Army, the main force of the First Division, before they would pursue. In order to make the Japanese army confirm that the enemy was the main force of the First Division, they had to fight a few head-on battles with the Japanese army to show their strength. Only after a few battles, and once the Japanese army was sure that it was the main force of the First Division, would they pursue.

Originally, Yang Quanwu tried his best to avoid this kind of battle.

Because of such a head-on confrontation with the Japanese army, their own casualties were several times greater than the Japanese army's. Although the Eighth Route Army expanded rapidly, it was not as if recruits were simply dropped from the sky. Moreover, expanding the army was easy, but improving the combat effectiveness of the troops was not so easy. If the casualties of veterans were too high, the combat effectiveness of the troops would plummet. Moreover, even a unit with a large number of veterans would not be a match for the Japanese army in a head-on battle.

But nothing is perfect. The First Regiment was the primary force of the First Division. From the moment the First Division of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region was established, it was a top-tier, leading force. After nearly two years of development, the First Division had expanded tenfold.

However, the First Regiment has always been the most powerful regiment in the First Division and is also Yang Quanwu's most loyal unit.

Whenever the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region encountered danger and needed help, they would call upon the First Regiment of the First Division because it was the strongest. Now, the task of luring the enemy was given to the First Regiment because they trusted it.

The Special Forces Regiment was a unit directly under the command of a divisional headquarters and had always followed the headquarters' activities. However, the enemy was a Japanese division, and although it was a three-command division, it still had 10,000 men.

One group at a time is not enough.

Of course, it is not so easy to lure the enemy into a Japanese division.

The casualties will be absolutely staggering.

Especially if we fail to get rid of them and are attacked by the Japanese army, the outcome will be difficult to predict.

"Commander, the 29th Regiment should stay at the headquarters. The headquarters has no other troops at its disposal right now. If an emergency were to occur, it would be too dangerous to have only one company at the headquarters' disposal.

"There's no need to be afraid of danger in war."