Chapter 31 Chapter 30 Peel off the skin to reveal the red flesh

While the expeditionary force was trekking through the tropical jungles of Burma, in the eastern part of Hebei Province in northern China, the commander of the 27th Division of the Japanese Army, Kumayoshi Harada, led an inspection team from Tangshan to Qian'an in the north.There are two reasons for Harada Kumayoshi to go out for inspection: one is that he has just been transferred from the 35th Division to the 27th Division, and he needs to get familiar with the troops as soon as possible; The "mopping up" mission of the Eighth Route Army's anti-Japanese bases in eastern Jidong from the Luan River to the Chaobai River in the west, the Beining Railway in the south, and the Great Wall in the north has surrounded the anti-Japanese bases in eastern Jidong on all sides. The battle has been going on for several months. It is necessary to go to the front to appease his soldiers.

In addition to his entourage and staff officer Fukuma, the members of the inspection team also include the commander of the infantry, Major General Suzuki, and his entourage, Adjutant Tane, the head of the Tianjin Secret Service, Major General Amemiya, the commander of the First Regiment, Taura Tasa, and his entourage, Tajima. Lieutenant, Colonel Takaba, the military advisor, and others.The escort force consisted of an infantry squadron, a heavy machine gun detachment, an artillery detachment, and a puppet battalion. From Qian'an to the south, the dirt road from Yejituo to Shaheyi has been damaged to the point where it is impossible to drive.When the car of the inspection team drove into the field full of low mulberry seedlings on the side of the road and tried to move on, suddenly, two signal flares rose 100 meters ahead. Check the situation.At this moment, hundreds of officers and soldiers of the Eighth Route Army had already rushed in front of them, and fierce battles broke out between the vanguard and rearguard of the guards.Tanjiang, Suzuki's adjutant, led a few soldiers to the small field on the side of Sangmiaolin, and grenades rained down on them, and they were caught in the rain of bullets fired at each other.While climbing back, a grenade hit Tan Jiang on the shoulder, but the grenade did not explode.The puppet soldiers began to flee, and Captain Tajima went to stop them, but it had no effect.Officers and soldiers of the Eighth Route Army once rushed in front of Harada Xiongkichi, and Staff Officer Fukuma drew out his sword to protect his officer to the death.Sangmiaodi was surrounded by the sound of shouts of killing, cursing in hand-to-hand combat, and the groans of the injured.In order to try their best to prevent the soldiers of the escort from retreating, the officers ran around shouting and shouting, thus becoming the main target of the Eighth Route Army's attack.Colonel Takaba, the military adviser, Lieutenant Tsukada Kane of the Guard Squadron, Chief Yamamoto Shogoro, Captain Imai Noboru, Corporal Hiroyoshi Tanaka, and Corporal Suzuki Shoichi of the Machine Gun Squadron were all killed.The fighting lasted until the afternoon, when the Eighth Route Army who launched the attack withdrew suddenly and disappeared without a trace in an instant.The inspection team's car finally drove out of the hellish mulberry field, and the sun was already setting when it arrived at Shaheyi. ——"Dark red clouds enveloped the mountains in the western sky. The inspection team was welcomed by the captain of the third regiment, Ono, and camped there. The bodies of the dead were cremated that night. In the early morning of the next day, the inspection team returned to Tangshan with the ashes The staff of Harada Kumayoshi judged that they were attacked by Li Yunchang's troops from the Jidong Army Division of the Eighth Route Army.

In 1942, the Eighth Route Army and the anti-Japanese armed forces on the battlefield behind enemy lines entered the most difficult period.Since March 1941, when the Japanese army began to carry out the "Public Security Strengthening Campaign" behind enemy lines, the anti-Japanese base areas suffered huge blows after large-scale "encirclement with iron walls" and "sweeping fences". A large number of massacres, the area of ​​the base has shrunk sharply, and financial supply has been unprecedentedly difficult.By the beginning of 1942, the total area of ​​the anti-Japanese base areas behind enemy lines had shrunk by more than one-sixth compared with the previous year.In North China, the Eighth Route Army controlled only a quarter of the population, about 22 million people; while the population in the Japanese-occupied area was as high as 60 million, accounting for three-quarters of the total population.Although the Eighth Route Army occupies more than half of the rural area, it occupies less than ten of the 437 counties in North China.Moreover, most of the anti-Japanese base areas were located in remote and poor areas. Relatively speaking, the areas occupied by the Japanese army were rich in products and densely populated.In early 1942, the total strength of the Japanese Army in North China was about 325,000, the Puppet Army was about 117,000, and the Eighth Route Army was about 265,000. Weapons and equipment are extremely backward, and the external comparison of combat effectiveness is still the enemy is strong and we are weak.

From the overall perspective of China's War of Resistance, the armed forces behind enemy lines led by the Communist Party were able to drag hundreds of thousands of Japanese troops into their occupied areas and consume them continuously. This was an important part of the overall layout of China's War of Resistance Against Japan.The existence and operations of the anti-Japanese armed forces in the enemy's rear not only strongly cooperated with the frontal battlefield, but also greatly restrained the strength of the Japanese army. Occupy part of China's land by force, but they have never been able to achieve occupation in the true sense. Every square kilometer of China's land they occupy is like a huge crater, and the angry flames of revenge may violently erupt at any time. The attempt to conquer China is just wishful thinking.

After the outbreak of the Pacific War, the Japanese army decided to preemptively prevent the Chinese army from launching a counterattack due to the transfer of some troops, especially to prevent the Eighth Route Army from taking the opportunity to expand the combat area and strengthen the anti-Japanese forces.In February 1942, the North China Front Army of the Japanese Army held a Chiefs of Staff meeting and conveyed the content of the annual "Supremacy Operation Plan". , and then launched a full-scale attack on the northern part of the Taihang Mountains, the core base of the Eighth Route Army. ——"During this year, we plan to turn most of Hebei Province, Shandong and Shanxi provinces, and the main areas of Mongolia and Xinjiang into security zones."

According to this plan, starting from April, the 27th Division of the Japanese Army will form the 15th Division from the east of Hebei, the 12th Army and the first part of the 110th Division from the south of Hebei, the 110th Division and the Independence Division. The main force of the brigade started a large-scale "sweep" from western Hebei.The above "sweeping" is a series of containment operations before a larger-scale operation. The ultimate goal of the Japanese army is to start the operations against the eastern and central regions of Hebei and the border areas of Shanxi, Hebei and Henan starting in May.

The Japanese army wanted to repeat the precedent of the Zhongtiaoshan battle.During the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain, the Japanese army basically wiped out the main force of the Kuomintang army fighting behind enemy lines.However, even the Japanese army knew that the next battle would be extremely difficult, because the Communist Party's armed forces were a very special part of the Chinese Anti-Japanese Army, and Taihang Mountain was by no means Zhongtiao Mountain. The Northern Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Headquarters of the Eighth Route Army successively issued anti-"mopping up" instructions in February 1942, asking the officers and soldiers of the Eighth Route Army to overcome "three emotions": Do not be paralyzed and underestimate the enemy and be blindly optimistic because of the outbreak of the Pacific War. Emotions; don't feel desperate and reckless because of the brutal burning and killing of the Japanese army and the unfortunate death of relatives; don't feel pessimistic, disappointed and panic because of the seriousness of the enemy's situation and the loss of the base area.In the face of brutal struggles, the leading organs must be as lean as possible, and cadres must be properly distributed to the grassroots and the front lines to guide the struggle against the enemy.The phenomenon of opposition troops dragging the organs to "mopping up", the negative phenomenon of waiting for "mopping up" before dealing with the aftermath, and the phenomenon of drilling fixed ditches and cave dwellings based on narrow experience.It is necessary to thoroughly mobilize the masses, strengthen the walls and clear the fields, organize militia forces, and strengthen the unity of the army and the people.In short, carry forward the spirit of not being afraid of all difficulties, and ensure that the party's organizations can exert their combat effectiveness under any circumstances - "It is necessary to enable all party and government mass organizations to still work in a war environment, and still be able to work more intensely." .

"Working more intensely" actually means fighting tenaciously in the enemy's rear until the Japanese invaders are driven out of China. After being ambushed by the Eighth Route Army in the mulberry field in eastern Hebei, the frightened Harada Xiongkichi immediately ordered an emergency "crusade" in this area.However, the Japanese army searched for a long time and did not find any trace of the Eighth Route Army—"It is estimated that they ran to the north of the Great Wall."Therefore, the troops were ordered to return to the station.On the way back, when more than 70 Japanese troops and puppet troops from the No. 1 and No. 7 Squadrons walked near Ganhecaozhuang, dense bullets were suddenly fired from the sorghum field by the roadside. "At the beginning, the security forces (pseudo-army) guards fired aggressively, but quickly fled to Baiyun Mountain. The first squad leader, Nakazawa, was shot in the face when the squad was deployed and was unable to command. Seventh Xiaochuan The squadron counted on hundreds of security forces to fight, and immediately rushed into Ganhe Caozhuang Village, occupying a favorable terrain, but because the security forces fled, the troops were completely surrounded by about 2,000 enemies. After several hours of fierce fighting, they finally exhausted all Bullet. In this battle, forty-six people including Second Lieutenant Ogawadaira, Warrant Officer Nagai Masao, and Corporal Tatsukatsu of the 7th Squadron, and 12 people including trainee non-commissioned officer Akiyama Takenosuke and Negishi Fumiji of the 2nd Machine Gun Squadron were killed. A detachment of the escort truck got rid of the enemy's attack and returned to Shahe Station with the truck. The Showa Corporal of the Second Machine Gun Squadron and the other two, regardless of their injuries, buried their guns in the soil and struggled to the No. The headquarters of the No. 7 Squadron reported the news of the collapse of the No. 7 Squadron of Ogawa. After a desperate effort, the messenger Arai Shuzhi first class, carrying Captain Nakazawa on his back, struggled to reach Shahe Station until late at night."

Although the base area was repeatedly "swept" by the Japanese army, the Jidong troops of the Eighth Route Army still fought hard under difficult conditions.In order to guard against the surprise attacks of the Eighth Route Army, the 27th Division of the Japanese Army began to build a large number of bunkers and watchtowers, forced the Chinese people in natural villages to relocate, and established "no man's land" and "separation zone" in an attempt to separate the Eighth Route Army from the anti-Japanese people. Come.The statistics of the 27th Division of the Japanese Army are: "245 kilometers of partition trenches and 74 kilometers of other blockade fortifications were built, a total of 319 kilometers; 132 sheds, blockhouses Three, eighteen fortifications, and two checkpoints, a total of 155. This fortification took 52 days, and the number of operators reached 1,957,000. Two hundred new telephone lines were installed Fifty-eight kilometers, 153 kilometers of repairs, a total of 411 kilometers; 83 kilometers of new motorways, 392 kilometers of repairs, a total of 475 kilometers. The Great Wall includes Seventy-six villages, 1,235 households, 6,454 people; 28 temporarily uninhabited villages, 2,342 households, 12,036 people."

However, the Eighth Route Army still shows no signs of being wiped out. The Second Battalion of the Third Wing of the Chinese Garrison of the Japanese Army learned that the Eighth Route Army troops had appeared near Dongniushan, east of Qian'an.The main force of the second brigade set off immediately, and at the same time ordered Lieutenant Asaba to command an infantry squad, and Second Lieutenant Sanzhi to command a machine gun squad to set off first.The main force of the second brigade walked all night. At dawn, when they heard fierce gunshots coming from the front, the main force of the brigade immediately ran forward.However, in a blink of an eye, the "first intense gunshots" were no longer heard.The Second Battalion was worried about the misfortune of the Asaba team who was walking ahead, and started a desperate emergency attack, "and tried to get in touch with the Asaba team", but "it was too late." ——"In the area of ​​the small river flowing down the slope on the north side of the highland, all the officers and soldiers below the team leader were found dead in battle, and the traces of the assault were vivid. The team leader and other officers and soldiers of the second team were filled with grief and indignation, crying hard. Asaba of the Eighth Squadron Thirty-six people including the second lieutenant, and twelve people including the second lieutenant Sanzhi of the Second Machine Gun Squadron died in battle."

Suzuki Keihisa, the head of the infantry regiment, was very helpless towards the Communist armed forces. He believed that all the actions of the Japanese army in the occupied areas could only create a surface-like illusion, and the Eighth Route Army was the real "red flesh" hidden under this surface: The terrain around Tiechang Town is complex, so it is quite difficult to search for the enemy.Moreover, the communist army was full of fighting spirit, and was responsible for covering the retreating rearguard troops of the large troops until they all died in battle, or cleverly used caves (the former site of the modified flint quarry near Lujiayu, which can hide many people) to resist.Due to our army's crusade, the security situation once stabilized at the end of May; but around the end of June, roads were destroyed, power lines were cut, and landmines were laid.The CCP’s underground organization has taken root among administrative agencies, schools, and residents, forming a situation called “peeling off the skin to reveal the flesh.” The Japanese army desperately wanted to dig out the "red flesh" and completely eliminate all dangerous factors under the "skin". At the end of April 1942, under the planning of Neiji Okamura, commander of the North China Front Army, the Japanese army began an unprecedented and brutal "May 1st Sweep" against the anti-Japanese bases in central Jizhong.The Jizhong anti-Japanese base area is located in the middle of the four railways of Pinghan, Jinpu, Beining, and Deshi, and has more than 30 counties such as Anguo, Renqiu, Hejian, and Xiongxian.Here is the Great North China Plain, with a large population and rich products. It is famous for its rich grain, and it is said to be the granary in the north.After the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, under the leadership and instigation of the Communists, in May 1938, the People's Self-Defense Army and the Jizhong Hebei Guerrilla Army jointly formed the Third Column of the Eighteenth Group Army.Lv Zhengcao, commander of the third column, and Wang Ping, political commissar, under the jurisdiction of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth military divisions, corresponding to the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth detachments and the independent first detachment.The third column led the anti-Japanese soldiers and civilians in Jizhong to directly threaten the safety of the Japanese-occupied cities such as Beiping and Tianjin with extremely strong combat effectiveness.By the beginning of 1942, with the continuous growth of the anti-Japanese armed forces, the third column and Jizhong Military Region had five military divisions, one cavalry regiment and one teaching regiment.The Japanese army used cruel means to "crusade" the Jizhong anti-Japanese base area many times, reducing the area and population of the Jizhong anti-Japanese base area by two-thirds, leaving only more than 3,000 villages in the base area, about 2.8 million population.Except for central areas such as Shenxian, Wuqiang, Raoyang, Anping, and Shulu, the Japanese army built strongholds in the main villages and towns of the remaining counties, and built partition trenches with a length of more than 1,000 kilometers on the main communication lines. There are more than 1,000 bunker fortifications along the trench.In order to cut off the connection between the Jizhong base area and the Taihang Mountain base area, the Japanese army built a two-meter-high and one-meter-thick stone wall at the foot of the Taihang Mountain west of Pinghan Road, forming a blockade line hundreds of kilometers long with the blockhouse.After Neiji Okamura took office in North China, he vigorously promoted the "Public Security Strengthening Movement". Under the threat and lure of the Japanese army, some people who were not determined turned to the enemy and defected. The military and civilians are facing an unprecedented difficult situation. Neiji Okamura's Chief of Staff Adachi Twenty-Three and Deputy Chief of Staff Seizo Arisue first deciphered the Eighth Route Army's telegram cipher, and then worked out a huge and detailed plan in mid-April 1942 after careful field reconnaissance. Operational plan——In order to deal with a partial military region of the Eighth Route Army, the Japanese army prepared to dispatch three divisions and a large number of special forces, the scale of which was not smaller than a full-scale offensive launched on the frontal battlefield: 1. Policy The main force of the communist army in central Hebei, commanded by Lu Zhengcao, carried out surprise attacks and encircled operations to destroy their bases. At the same time, various political, economic, and ideological measures were taken to turn the area into a security area. 2. Participating combat troops and cooperating combat troops Troops directly involved in combat: The main force of the 41st Division (Lieutenant General Shimizu Noriki), the main force (six infantry brigades as the backbone), is independently mixed with about two infantry brigades of the Ninth Brigade (Major General Ikegami Kenkichi, brigade commander). The Shirataki Troop of the 10th Division (the 4th Battalion of the Infantry under the direct command of the 110th Infantry Regiment Major General Shirataki Rishiro as the backbone), attached to the Junben Detachment of the 26th Division (Sakamoto, the commander of the 12th Independent Infantry Regiment) The two infantry brigades commanded by Colonel Kitaro are the backbone), the 13th Cavalry Regiment (regiment commander Takeshi Yamazaki), the independent mixed seventh brigade Ogawa troops (commander Ogawa Yudatsu, captain of the 29th Independent Infantry Division) , with a total of eighteen infantry brigades as the backbone. Cooperate with combat troops: The 110th Division (Lieutenant General Iinuma Mori), the 27th Division (Lieutenant General Harada Kumayoshi), the 29th Independent Flying Team, and the Hebei Provincial Secret Service (located in Baoding, Major General Suzuki Shigeru), the head of the agency, and the Shimen Secret Service Agency (the head of the agency is Ishida Toyozo). ... 3. Key Points of Combat Guidance The first phase of the operation (approximately ten days from May 1st) Baitaki's troops were in the north bank of the Hutuo River, Xiaochuan's troops were in Hejian and Suning, and the Ninth Brigade, an independent and mixed group, carried out sweeping operations in the area south of Shide Road. Compress to the triangle area formed by the Hutuo River, Fuyang River and Shide Road to prevent the enemy from escaping from this area.During this period, the 41st Division used railway transportation to congregate from Shanxi to Handan and Shunde areas, and then launched in the areas along Shide Road. The second phase of the operation (approximately five days from May 11th) The 41st Division (attached to the independent and mixed Ninth Brigade) marched north along Shide Road, Bailong's troops marched south from the north bank of the Hutuo River, and Xiaozhou troops advanced from Hejian and Suning to Raoyang , and launched surprise attacks respectively, encircling the enemy in a triangle and annihilating them. In the third phase of the operation (approximately 25 days from around May 16th), in the previous phase (approximately 10 days), the combat area was demarcated and dispatched to carry out raids to destroy the enemy and its base facilities. In the latter stage (about fifteen days), we will continue to wipe out the remaining enemy forces, and at the same time vigorously promote various construction work.The 41st Division transferred to the security situation in the new combat area, and then officially launched the security work. When formulating the 1941 combat plan, the Japanese army had a dispute over whether the combat target should be the Communist Party’s Eighth Route Army or the Chongqing Army’s Kuomintang Army; and when formulating the 1942 combat plan, “there was no dispute within the Front Army.” . ——As far as the overall situation of the war is concerned, China's frontal battlefield is in a dull state of confrontation. No matter from the status quo of the battlefield or intelligence reports, the Kuomintang army has no intention of launching an offensive, nor is it willing to break the confrontation. As long as it maintains a certain With military pressure, there will be no battles to fight on the frontal battlefield.The real threat to the Japanese army was the anti-Japanese armed forces of the Communist Party on the battlefield behind enemy lines.From the perspective of Japan's comprehensive military offensive in the Pacific region, maintaining the stability of the occupied areas in China has political, military, and economic functions.Then, there is no doubt that the target of the Japanese army's large-scale operations can only be the Eighth Route Army.The Eighth Route Army has established many anti-Japanese base areas behind the enemy lines. Which one is the most urgent to attack? ——Yukio Yokoyama, Intelligence Director of the North China Front of the Japanese Army, said: "The Central Hebei region is the granary area in central Hebei. It occupies an important position strategically and economically, and the CCP's influence has been deeply rooted here. Because this region has become the Taihang Mountain area that lacks agricultural products. Therefore, it can be considered that as long as the base is strangled, it will receive a lot of results.” ——The Japanese army selected the Jizhong anti-Japanese base area. Facing the upcoming Japanese offensive, Nie Rongzhen, the commander of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region, summed up the previous experience and lessons of anti-"mopping up" and pointed out: "Because there is a large gap behind the enemy's side, activities outside the blockade ditch may be limited. To achieve a great effect." The Jizhong Military Region decided that when the Japanese army was encircled by a large force, it would greatly reduce the number of party, government, and military personnel, disperse these personnel among the masses, and join the anti-Japanese people and some remaining officers and soldiers with the Japanese army. To entangle, contain and attract the main force of the Japanese army, while the main force of the Jizhong Military Region broke through and moved to the outer lines, mountains and the enemy's rear.At the same time, the Seventeenth Regiment of the Seventh Army Division, which is good at holding positions, was transferred to Lu Zhengcao's direct command, and was responsible for covering the transfer of personnel from the military area, district party committee, and administrative office.This is a transfer operation plan that is forced to avoid excessive losses when the enemy is strong and we are weak. Nevertheless, the loss of the Jizhong Anti-Japanese Base Area far exceeded expectations. On April 28, 1942, Neiji Okamura convened a meeting of senior generals of the North China Front Army and issued the "May 1st Mopping Up" combat order.Previously, in order to achieve the goal of annihilating the anti-Japanese base areas in Central Ji, Okamura Ningci launched a feigned attack on Yang Chengwu's First Army Division of the Eighth Route Army and Song Renqiong's Eighth Route Army Jinan Military Region in the directions of Pinghan Road, Jinpu Road, and Deshi Road. , to conceal the combat intention of the Jizhong Military Region and disperse the combat power of the Eighth Route Army. On May 1, the Japanese army's "mopping up" operation began. From north to south and from east to west, the Japanese army adopted the method of repeatedly "mopping up", establishing strongholds, and gradually advancing in an attempt to encircle the anti-Japanese base areas in central Jizhong.Among them, more than 50,000 Japanese troops are blockade troops, striving to form a so-called "iron ring formation"; Clearing up and suppressing", where gunshots sounded, they quickly encircled them.One day, the Japanese army launched an offensive in all directions around the Jizhong base area. While the Eighth Route Army was fighting the Japanese army, Shenxian, Raoyang and Shulu, the core parts of the Jizhong base area, were extremely calm.This kind of calm was intentionally done by Ningji Okamura. The purpose was to lure the main force of the Jizhong Eighth Route Army into the area he planned to encircle and annihilate through the many surrounding battles.Sure enough, after a short battle, the Japanese troops who launched the offensive quickly rushed to the designated "sweeping" areas: the Sakamoto Wing of the 26th Division and the Shirataki Brigade of the 110th Division advanced to Shahe and Zhuan respectively. Corridors south of the Long River and north of the Hutuo River; the Xiaochuan troops of the 7th Brigade of the Independent Mixed Regiment arrived at Suning and the Raoyang and Xianxian areas on the north bank of the Hutuo River, and built dams on the Fuyang River to raise the water level and blockade Fuyang North Section; the 13th Cavalry Regiment of the Yamazaki Troops stationed in Hengshui marched along Fuyang North in an attempt to control the middle section of Fuyang River.So far, the Japanese Army of the Four Routes has formed a situation of encirclement, trying to compress and annihilate the company-led troops of the Jizhong Military Region in the triangular area south of the Hutuo River, Fuyang River and north of Deshi Road. May 1st is International Labor Day. The Jizhong Military Region held a commemorative meeting in Zhangbao Village, Raoyang County, where it is stationed. The venue was set in a jujube forest.Commander Lu Zhengcao delivered a festive speech at the meeting.In the evening it was a celebration party, and the repertoire performed by the military art troupe was Cao Yu's.On the improvised stage, the gas lights were brightly lit, and the Eighth Route Army soldiers from poor villages watched the various characters in the play with great interest, even though they did not quite understand the love and hatred that took place in the bustling city far away from them.The play ended in the middle of the night, and as soon as the gas lights were extinguished, Lu Zhengcao's transfer order was issued at the same time: all troops broke out immediately separately.Lu Zhengcao and more than 2,000 people from the party and government agencies of the Jizhong Military Region left Zhangbao Village, Raoyang County on the afternoon of the 2nd under the cover of the 17th Regiment of the 7th Army Division. They marched another 130 miles in a hurry and arrived at Zhujiazhuang at the junction of Shenxian County, Wuqiang and Wuyi on the 4th.On the 6th, the team continued to move until they reached the southeastern edge of the Japanese encirclement. The Japanese army was emptied. On May 4th, Okamura Ningji arrived in Shijiazhuang to personally command the battle.As for where the organs and troops of the Jizhong Military Region of the Eighth Route Army went, Harada Xiongkichi, the head of the Japanese 27th Division, judged that they went to the Ziya River, Renqiu and Hejian.Therefore, it is suggested that the 41st Division in Qingshui should be transported to Tianjin by train, and a large net should be opened from north to south to capture the Eighth Route Army in central Hebei.However, the scheming Okamura Ningci determined that Anping, Shenxian, and Raoyang are the core areas of the Jizhong base area, as well as the supply bases of the Jinchaji border area. The Eighth Route Army has worked hard here for many years. The people are willing to share life and death with the Eighth Route Army, so the Eighth Route Army will not give up this area easily, and even if it does, it will not go far.Therefore, it was decided to stick to the original combat plan and only make partial revisions: the 27th Division reinforced the Xiaochuan troops and guarded the crossings of the Hutuo River and Fuyang River; the 13th Cavalry Regiment gathered at Shulu to control the front line of the Fuyang River; The 41st Division marched from Shijiazhuang to Handan and launched.In order to unify the command, Neiji Okamura ordered all participating troops to temporarily return to the command of Shimizu, the commander of the 41st Division.At the same time, in order to tighten the encirclement, Okamura Neiji also asked the 110th Division, the 27th Division and the independent and mixed 15th Brigade to implement a strict blockade of the Pinghan, Jinpu and Beining railway lines. Shimizu, who has a heavy responsibility on his shoulders, carefully formulated tactics against the Eighth Route Army on the North China Plain: 1. The method of casting nets: the division has had extensive experience in the mountainous campaign against the Communists and the fight against the Chongqing Army.However, there is no such experience in fighting the Communist Army on the Great Plains.Therefore, the "casting net" method as the basic formation to contact the enemy was studied and trained. The formation of this method is that each infantry squadron will disperse the squadrons of a column at an interval of 500 meters, and the brigade will line up the squadrons to cover the entire front to search for the enemy there and drive them away. into the network.The problem with this formation is that it is necessary to maintain command communication and concentrate combat power.To this end, the second-line troops or reserve troops should be arranged in advance, and at the same time, special attention should be paid to and trained in the communication links between the various troops and the agility of command. 2. Mobility of troops: Each brigade has about 20 bicycle teams and cavalry squads.When necessary, these squadrons can also be divided into squadrons to command and communicate, search for the enemy's situation and cut off the enemy's rear (the front army requisitioned bicycles from Tianjin and then distributed them to each corps, and the horses were mainly captured by each army). 3. Secret Service Task Force: This type of task force was specially set up in the wing for the purpose of carrying out public work during the Congshanxi period.In the Central Hebei region, the local corps are equipped with political work teams that are closely connected with the gendarmerie and the Chinese side. Although Neiji Okamura's judgment was basically correct, after the various Japanese troops were dispatched, they still failed to capture the head office of the Jizhong Military Region.Under the leadership of Lu Zhengcao, the Jizhong party, government, and military agencies worked like grinding mills in the base area with the Japanese army, constantly shuttling back and forth between the gaps in the encirclement of the Japanese army.On the night of June 1, the Jizhong party, government and military organs sneaked across Shide Road west of Longhua Station in Jingxian County, then marched 70 miles southwest, and circled to Houzhuo Village in the southwest of Zaoqiang County near the border of Ji County.On the second night, move westward and enter Xinzhuang in the southeast of Ji County.On the night of the third day, he returned to move southeast and sneaked into Liuzhuang in Zaoqiang County.On the night of the 4th, the team set off from Liuzhuang, moved southward, and entered Zhangxiutun Village on the southeastern border of Zaoqiang County.On the evening of the 6th, gunshots suddenly rang out from the east of Zhangxiutun Village. After investigation, it was learned that the puppet army was dispatched to grab food.In the middle of the night, Lu Zhengcao led the team to leave Zhangxiutun Village, walked fifty miles northward, and entered Zhaoxiangtun on the northeast border of Ji County.Because the mass base in Zhaoxiangtun was not solid, the team headed northwest along the northern border of Jixian County for seven days and nights, crossed the Pingda Highway, and entered Yaowa Village in the northwest of Jixian County.On the evening of the 8th, the team set off again, crossing the Fuyang River to the west, and arrived at Dongxidibei Village at the junction of Ji County and Shulu.On the night of the 9th, he suddenly "turned south for forty miles" and moved to Nangucheng Village at the junction of Ji County and Xinhe County.On the afternoon of the 10th, the 17th Regiment in charge of covering found the Japanese army. Lu Zhengcao led the team to cross the Fuyang River in an emergency, cross the Pingda Highway again, and enter Wulu Village in the south of Jixian County. ——Lv Zhengcao later recalled: "So far, we have completely circled the east, north, west, and south of Ji County in a big circle of two to three hundred miles." Just as Lu Zhengcao led the Jizhong military region to deal with the enemy, the third battle of Tongcun Ningci began.This is a dragnet-like cruel "cleaning and suppression" of the anti-Japanese base areas in Jizhong. Wherever the Japanese and puppet troops went, they searched for the Eighth Route Army and anti-Japanese cadres, brutally killed the anti-Japanese people, and completely destroyed every village in the base areas. . History of the Japanese North China Front: ...Because of the thorough "precise mopping up", in addition to trying to search for and wipe out the hidden or mobile enemy armed forces scattered in plain clothes, they also destroyed the enemy's military facilities, searched for hidden weapons, strictly screened bandits, reported and arrested Enemy commanders and party cadres achieved considerable results.However, the area along the Shahe River and Mudao River is known as the model area of ​​the CCP’s plain base areas. Traffic trenches and tunnel buildings are very common. Almost all villages have underground facilities. There are even three villages that are seven or eight kilometers apart connected by tunnels. .Moreover, the people in the countryside have a strong sense of anti-Japanese, forming a half-agricultural and half-soldier state, and even young and old women have organized anti-Japanese groups.Therefore, it is extremely difficult for the various troops to carry out the work of rectification.The CCP seems to have expected the Japanese army to carry out this operation.Before the battle began, our side had already deciphered the telegram from Lu Zhengcao's headquarters ordering alert.In addition, at midnight on April 26, about 2,000 members of the Communist Army took advantage of the decrease in our army's preparations for combat in western Hebei, and attacked the county towns of Dianli, Boye, and Anguo across the river southeast of Gaoyang.In addition, after the start of this battle, Nie Rongzhen, who was stationed in western Hebei, immediately ordered his troops to counterattack, and the first division (Yang Chengwu) launched active military activities in the southwest of Yi County.In response to this situation, in addition to strengthening the blockade of central and western Hebei, the 110th Division also assisted in operations in terms of intelligence and supplies. The Eighth Route Army troops who insisted on staying in the base area and the local anti-Japanese people fought desperately against the Japanese army who carried out large-scale and brutal "mopping up".The anti-Japanese villages in the Great Plains of North China used tunnel warfare, mine warfare, and ambush warfare to inflict casualties on the Japanese and puppet troops with modern weapons and equipment.In order to cover the breakout of the party, government and military organs and the safe transfer of the masses, officers and soldiers of the Eighth Route Army often fought against Japanese and puppet troops that were several times their own. The brutal blocking battles often ended in continuous hand-to-hand combat.On May 30, some officers and soldiers of the Eighth Route Army and dozens of anti-Japanese militiamen were surrounded by Japanese and puppet troops in Baizhuang Village, Shenxian County. The flexible defensive battle killed and injured more than 400 people under the Japanese joint commander Jinto, and only more than 20 people were killed or injured.On June 9, the Sakamoto troops of the Japanese army surrounded Songzhuang in Shenze County. The Japanese believed that they had captured the main force of the Eighth Route Army this time. The Division 22 Regiment was composed of two companies that broke out from Wuji County, a company led by regimental commander Zuo Ye, and two militia guerrilla squads, all under the unified command of Zuo regiment leader.At 7 o'clock in the morning, the Japanese army began to attack Songzhuang, and was immediately hit back with fierce firepower, and the Japanese army retreated temporarily.Soon, the reinforcements of the Japanese army arrived, with more than 2,000 troops, and they were still increasing.The Eighth Route Army and militiamen used the walls and houses of the village to form temporary fortifications, and fought calmly. The Japanese army did not break into the south of the village until the afternoon, and the Eighth Route Army and militiamen moved to the north of the village.At this time, the Eighth Route Army and the militiamen had not eaten or drank water for more than ten hours, and there was not much ammunition left, and many wounded were moaning.The head of the left group decided to hold on until dark before transferring.The Japanese army launched a general attack on Songzhuang, and the two sides quickly formed brutal street fighting, with hand-to-hand combat in every courtyard.As it was getting dark, the battle raged: The enemy's main attack direction is in the company.Most of my first and second fortifications collapsed after being bombarded by the enemy's fierce artillery fire, so I moved to the third fortification and continued to hold on.The enemy has learned the lesson of many failures in attacking, and no longer dares to stand up and charge with bayonets and shouts, but changes to creeping forward.But the enemy's three consecutive attacks were defeated by us.After repeated disastrous defeats, the enemy adopted even more vicious methods: before the fourth attack, they first fired poisonous gas bombs. Wherever the poisonous gas permeated, people's eyes were filled with tears, their throats were hot and itchy, and they kept beating sneeze.Taking advantage of the effectiveness of the gas bombs, the enemy crawled to the bottom of the wall again, and some had already climbed to the top of the wall.Seeing this situation, the soldiers resisted the extreme discomfort in their eyes and throats, jumped out of the fortifications, and stabbed at the enemy with a bayonet-mounted gun, only to hear the enemy scream and fall.A Japanese soldier jumped over from the gap in the wall and rushed towards my No. 7 squad leader.The squad leader of the seventh squad stabbed the enemy's chest with a knife.The Japanese soldier screamed and stopped moving... At about seventeen o'clock, a wave of enemies rushed into the East Street entrance, and the enemy was about to occupy the house.At this critical juncture, Company Commander Wu of the first company charged the enemy with the reserve team. They fired machine guns and bombarded the enemy with grenades, and beat the enemy back in one go... The enemy got nothing but another batch of corpses on the street. , At this time, it was already around eighteen o'clock. It was getting dark, and the Eighth Route Army and militiamen began to break out.They quickly and bravely rushed straight to the side of the Japanese encirclement, throwing grenades densely, bayonets shone coldly in the night, and the Japanese encirclement was torn open in the desperate cry.Suddenly, it rained heavily.八路军和民兵在雷鸣电闪的暗夜里转瞬间消失得无影无踪。 天亮之后，日军再次从炮击开始，然后步兵发起攻击。他们认为昨夜突围出去的只是八路军的少数官兵。但是，当日军冲进宋庄后才发现，整个村里空空荡荡的。 宋庄一战持续十六个小时，八路军和民兵以伤亡七十三人的代价突围而出。而日军最后投入的兵力达三千五百人以上，尽管使用了火炮和毒气，伤亡仍高达四百多人。按照正面战场上中日两军作战的经验，他们无法想象与他们作战的八路军加上民兵总数不足三百人。 冀中军区直属骑兵二团团长马仁兴，河南上蔡人，自幼家贫，被迫从军。一九四〇年，国民党军朱怀冰部在晋南制造摩擦向八路军进攻，时为第九十七军直属骑兵二十八团团长的马仁兴，出于对国家和民族命运的深切忧患，毅然率部起义加入了八路军。军长朱怀冰曾以高官劝诱他，不成后又把他的母亲、妻子和两个女儿扣押起来，马仁兴不但没有动摇，还让他在兰州上学的儿子马乘风也参加了八路军。八路军骑兵团在马团长的率领下，在反“扫荡”中担负着掩护部队转移的重任。五月二十日，他的儿子马乘风在与日军作战中不幸阵亡。为了减少伤亡，骑兵团决定分散开来，以便更加灵活机动地与日军周旋：马仁兴团长带领一连、特务连和侦察连；政委汪乃荣带领二连；副团长宋辅廷带领三连；参谋长卜云龙和政治处主任杨经国带领四连。在随后的作战中，政委汪乃荣和党总支书记高尚勇相继牺牲，不久又传来了政治处主任杨经国阵亡的消息。杨经国是抗战初期中共北方局派到根据地做党的地下工作的，阵亡时年仅二十多岁。八年以后，作家孙犁在冀中大平原上听到老百姓还在讲骑兵团和杨经国的故事，根据老百姓的讲述他创作了小说《小胜儿》：“在五月麦黄的日子，冀中平原上，打得天昏地暗，打得树木脱枝落叶，道沟里鲜血滴滴。杨主任在这一仗牺牲了，炮弹炸翻的泥土，埋葬了他的马匹。” 冀中第八军分区虽然在日军的“扫荡”中始终保持着昂扬的斗志和灵活的战术，但兵力强大的日军的合围突击还是让八路军官兵付出了巨大牺牲。在突围过程中，三十团团政委汪威指挥警卫连与日军激战，为掩护大部队全连伤亡殆尽，汪威负伤后为避免被俘自杀。副团长肖治国和总支书记沈笑天也在转战中阵亡。二十三团团长谭斌和他带领的三营的干部在突围中全部阵亡，最终仅团政委姚国民带领少数官兵成功突围。二十三团一营被围，官兵与三千多日军苦战一天，杀敌五百余人，副团长赵振亚和团政治部主任孟庆武阵亡。第八军分区司令员常德善和政委王远音带领的二十三团二营在突围中被优势日军包围，营长邱福和和侦察股长杨克夫等干部相继阵亡。常德善司令员销毁了随身携带的文件，亲自操机枪掩护官兵撤退，最后被日军乱弹击中牺牲；政委王远音身负重伤，为了不被日军俘虏，以手枪自杀殉国。战后，当地群众在埋葬常德善司令员时，发现他身中二十七弹，其中的三弹都打在了太阳穴。常德善是山东人，家庭贫苦，两岁时父母双亡。一九二九年参加中国工农红军，给著名的红军将领关向应当警卫员，后因在战斗中十分勇敢而在警卫团当排长、连长和团长。贺龙曾说，红二军团在湘鄂西转战时，身中三弹的常德善竟然在战火中先把他背出来，然后又把余秋里也扛了出来——“没有常德善，就没有余秋里和我贺龙。” 日方对冀中军区“大扫荡”的战果统计是：双方交战二百八十六次，交战兵力五万八千三百三十八人，八路军伤亡九千零九十八人，被俘五千一百七十七人。 八路军方面的统计是：作战二百七十二次，击毙日伪军联队长以下官兵三千九百八十一名，击伤日伪军七千五百二十一名，我伤亡指战员四千六百七十一名。抗日根据地内的民兵和百姓损失更严重，“区县游击队损失五千三百余人，被杀害、抓走的群众达五十六万人，使冀中平原'无村不戴孝，到处闻哭声'”。 冈村宁次在对冀中根据地发起攻击前，首先对冀南根据地进行了“扫荡”，指定由日军第十二军司令官土桥一次负责作战，其主要参战部队是：独立混成第八旅团旅团长吉田峰太郎指挥的五个步兵大队；独立混成第一旅团旅团长铃木贞次指挥的三个步兵大队；第三十二师团的惠藤第四郎指挥的步兵第二一二联队以及第三十五师团师团长重田德松直接指挥的北川、佐久间两个旅团。由于“扫荡”发动的时间选在日本天皇生日的那天，因此被称为“四二九大扫荡”。八路军冀南军区下辖五个军分区、一个旅、六个新编旅以及山西青年抗敌决死第一、第二纵队等部队，司令员陈再道，政治委员宋任穷。此前，日军对冀南抗日根据地进行过反复围攻，根据地的面积已被压缩得非常狭窄。年初，新编第八旅二十二团遭遇两千日军的合围，副团长徐国夫被俘，两个连的官兵在掩护团主力突围中伤亡殆尽。三月，到邱县接收新兵的第三八五旅七六九团的两个连被日军包围，与装备了重炮和坦克的日军战斗五个小时后，八路军官兵全部阵亡。四月二十九日拂晓，日军对冀南根据地发动攻势，目标直指军区党政军领导机关驻地临清。冀南军区参谋长范朝利、政治部主任刘志坚指挥新编第七旅二十一团以及军区特务团、骑兵团等部队，合力抗击日军独立混成第七、第八两个旅团的进攻。战至下午，党政军机关大部分撤离，小部分机关人员和部队官兵被日军骑兵冲散。与此同时，驻扎在邱县的第四军分区和新编第四旅遭到铃木旅团的包围，新编第四旅主力七七一团在旅长徐深吉的指挥下与日军拼力死战，掩护大部分官兵突出重围，但第四军分区在突围中遭遇日军伏击，司令员杨宏明、政治部主任孙毅民等在指挥作战中相继阵亡。日军随后对冀南根据地进行了残酷的“抉剔清剿”，抓捕和杀害抗日民众，强迫地主组织维持会，冀南根据地遭受了前所未有的破坏：八路军正规军由两万余人锐减到一万余人，地方抗日游击队损失百分之八十以上，根据地内的半数以上党组织遭到破坏，党政军干部损失了近五千人，党员由四万余人减少到两万一千人。 在日军发动进攻的时候，冀南抗日根据地里还驻有高树勋的第三十九集团军部队。该部在日军的猛烈追歼下，死亡四千一百一十二人，被俘二千三百五十人，受伤官兵多达九千人，高树勋率领残部退往安徽。从此，在中国敌后战场上，陇海铁路以北地区再无国民党军队。 由于日军第十二军部分主力部队调往长江以南，日军对八路军冀鲁豫军区和八路军第二纵队的进攻推迟到了九月。当时，冀鲁豫军区仍坚持在根据地里对日伪军发动秋季攻势和反蚕食作战。日军第十二军司令官喜多诚一将参战部队编成三个突击方向：以第三十二师团的步兵五个大队和装甲车一个中队，编成由步兵团团长石田保忠少将指挥的石田支队，集结在巨野和郓城地区；以骑兵第四旅团的两个中队、装甲车一个中队和骑兵炮兵混成的一个中队，编成由骑兵第二十五联队联队长高原孝大佐指挥的高原支队，集结于濮阳地区；以第五十九师团的五个步兵大队和装甲车一个中队，编成由步兵第五十三旅团旅团长大熊真雄少将指挥的大熊支队，集结于聊城、莘县地区。部队集结完毕后，九月二十七日，三个支队的日军在坦克和飞机的支援下，再加上当地的伪军，五万余兵力分成八路，同时向冀鲁豫军区党政军领导机关所在地实施“铁壁合围”。面对日军的大规模进攻，军区主力部队迅速转移到外线，党政军领导机关也跳出了日军的合围圈，但抗日军政大学校部、陆军中学、《挺进报》社等大量非战斗人员和少量部队，被日军围在方圆不足三十里的范县甘草垌堆附近。在日军的不断压缩和飞机轰炸下，附近的老百姓也纷纷向内靠拢，而被包围的人员中军事指挥员仅有教导第三旅政治委员曾思玉和八团参谋长王晓波。在曾思玉和王晓波的指挥下，战斗部队官兵拼死冲击打开缺口，掩护机关人员和民众冲出包围圈。尽管冀鲁豫军区八路军主力和党政军机关大部突围而出，但地方武装和部分机关人员还是遭受巨大损失。日方的统计是：掩埋共产党抗日军民尸体一千二百五十二具，俘虏一千二百五十人。 一九四二年五月间，日军对八路军太行、太岳根据的开始了最大规模的“扫荡”，目标是八路军总部、中共北方局以及第一二九师等八路军军政首脑机关。 作战中，八路军副总参谋长左权不幸阵亡。 这是中国共产党领导的抗日武装力量在抗日战争中阵亡的级别最高的将领。 八路军总部所在的太行、太岳根据地，始终是冈村宁次图谋彻底摧毁的目标。正值日军席卷太平洋战场之际，准备进一步冒险的日军大本营急需巩固战略后方，同时还需要大量的人力、财力和物力补充，而对其后方威胁最大的八路军，自战争爆发以来不但没能剿灭，且已成为中国抗战的中坚力量。从战略上讲，只有把八路军的首脑部位彻底清除，才可能达到稳定后方的目的。因此，自一九四二年二月起，日军对八路军太行、太岳根据地发动了规模空前的“扫荡”，企图把共产党敌后抗日武装的核心枢纽一网打尽。 二月三日，日军第三十六师团，第一一〇师团，独立混成第四、第一旅团等部队，共一万两千多兵力，分别向晋东南的长治、襄垣、武乡、辽县等地出动，奔袭八路军太行军区第二、第三、第四分区驻地和八路军总部驻地。同时，日军第四十一师团和第三十六师团一部，也分别从驻地出发配合作战。由于八路军主力及时转移，日军的合围未能成功，于是便在根据地内进行“辗转清剿”，抓捕抗日民众，抢劫粮食牲畜。在此期间，日军不断地受到八路军和抗日民兵的袭击，日军三次合围八路军总部，五次合围八路军主力，均未得逞。八路军太行、太岳部队转移到了日军侧后，袭击日军据点，炸毁桥梁，切断铁路，使得日军首尾不能相顾，被迫停止军事行动。经过暂时的休整后，日军第三十六师团和独立混成第四旅团再次出动，但立即遭到八路军的迎头痛击，其先头部队百余人被八路军新编第一旅二团歼灭。三月二日，毫无所获的日军在撤退时再次遭到八路军的伏击，伤亡达四百多人。八路军官兵乘胜追击，一直追到了长治、潞城和壶关之间的敌占区，捣毁了日伪据点和汉奸维持会，彻底粉碎了日军的春季“扫荡”。 日军原计划对八路军太行、太岳根据地实行两个月的“扫荡”，但只进行到第三十一天便草草收兵。 日军第一军司令官岩松义雄认为，二月的进攻之所以失败，是用兵过于分散，没有突出重点。经过研究，冈村宁次决定采取全新的战法：以小部队的秘密行动为轴心，大部队进行局部配合，以求对八路军总部所在地实施严密合围；然后在飞机侦察和轰炸的配合下，地面部队逐渐向心压缩，做到对每一寸土地的彻底“清剿”。 岩松义雄的“小部队”，实际上是两支担负特殊任务的突击队：从第三十六师团的两个联队中分别挑选出百名士兵，组成两支精干的突击队，分别由益子重雄中尉和大川桃吉中尉担任队长，自带干粮雨衣行囊，执行任务中不许生火做饭，不得住宿村庄，一律穿便衣或八路军军装，不许穿日军军服，在完成任务前绝对不许暴露身份。这两支突击队被命名为“挺进特别杀人队”，对外称“挺身队”，其任务是：对八路军总部和第一二九师指挥机关实行“捕捉奇袭”。具体分工是：益子重雄负责破坏八路军总部，刺杀朱德、彭德怀和左权等八路军首长；大川桃吉负责袭击第一二九师师部，捕杀刘伯承和邓小平。 五月中旬，岩松义雄从太原抵达长治，在设立指挥部的同时，大量印制了彭德怀、左权、刘伯承、邓小平等人的照片，发给各部队指挥官、“挺进特别杀人队”队员以及随队特工。 自日军对八路军各抗日根据地发动全面“扫荡”以来，八路军总部战事繁忙，昼夜处在高速运转中。从各根据地传来的敌情消息非常复杂，有的明显是日军在造声势，故意用部队的佯动来混淆视听。至于日军是否会再次对太行山根据地发动攻势，八路军总部颇费思量。副总参谋长左权担心的不是日军的进攻，而是根据地内军民的警惕松懈和盲目乐观。特别是太平洋战争爆发后，根据地的指战员普遍出现乐观情绪，对敌后战争的残酷性认识不足，认为日军的兵力已十分有限，不可能在几个地区同时作战，且日军已在“扫荡”太行山根据地时受到了打击，即使真的再次来攻，充其量也是为配合冀中、冀南和冀鲁豫地区作战的一种佯动。 五月十四日，传来日军第三十六师团主力和第六十九师团一部共七千多兵力，向太岳军区南部地区发动攻击的消息。八路军第一二九师和军区机关及时转移到了外线，其第三八六旅十六团和七七二团一部坚持在内线与日军周旋。然而，这是日军在声东击西。 十八日，日军第三十六师团悄然撤回，其中一部于十九日夜秘密开往辽县，另一部开往潞城和襄垣等处；毛利末广的独立混成第三旅团则乘汽车从太原赶至和顺及辽县一带。同时，津田美武的独立混成第四旅团和吉田峰太郎的独立混成第八旅团，分别由正太线和平汉线的平定、昔阳、井陉、元氏、赞皇等据点出动，企图合击测鱼镇和黄北坪。二十一日，独立混成第三旅团和独立混成第一旅团一部沿武安至涉县的公路西进，进犯太行军区第六军分区；西线的第三十六师团一部也由潞城和襄垣等据点出动，向太行军区第三军分区进犯。 二十二日，左权得到警卫团的报告：在桐略西北的山林里发现一支来路不明、身穿便服、携带电台的武装队伍，很快就又去向不明了。通过审问当地的一名伪村长才得知，这是专门负责捕捉八路军总部的“益子挺身队”。日军的特工队竟然到了八路军总部的眼皮底下！左权当即命令警卫团提高警惕，并迅速向彭德怀作了报告。彭德怀眼睛瞪得很大，说那老子就等着他们。左权知道，不到最后一刻，彭德怀是不会转移的。 接着，各方情报又到了：北线的日军会合后迅速南下，合击了将军墓和浆水镇，有占领太行制高点的企图；从长治出动的日军三千余人也急促推进，企图与襄垣方向的日军合击东田，在此驻扎的第三八五旅主力已提前跳出了合围圈。日军大规模进攻的态势已经明了。彭德怀和左权意识到，日军此次进攻的规模和手段虽然有些出乎预料，但日军的补给线很长，太行山区地形复杂，根据地里群众基础好，八路军完全有能力粉碎日军的进攻。彭德怀和左权当即制订了作战计划：第三八五旅主力在漳河两岸阻击日军；刘伯承率第二九师师部转移到邯郸至长治公路以南，指挥新编第一旅和太行军区第四、第五军分区部队作战；彭德怀和左权率领总部、北方局机关和直属队在太北地区回旋。 这是一个严峻的时刻。 八路军主力部队大多已在外线，八路军总部机关庞大，战斗人员很少，就目前态势看，北方局机关、八路军总部机关、野战政治部、供给部、卫生部、军械部、军工部以及新华日报社和北方局党校等单位，已经处在了日军大的合围圈中。彭德怀和左权果断决策，第二天一早就带领机关向东转移。左权对机关转移需要准备和注意的问题一一作了督促和检查，并要求总部警卫部队掩护机关的转移，总部特务团主动出击迎敌，绝不能让日军打到家门口。 万籁寂静中，意识到一场殊死战斗即将到来的左权毫无睡意。桌子上放着他和妻子刘志兰新婚后不久拍的一张照片。百团大战前夕，刘志兰带着襁褓中的女儿左太北去了延安中央研究院学习，夫妻一别已经二十一个月。此时此刻，左权坐下来写了一封信。 第二天，八路军总部开始紧急打点行装。左权接到第一二九师电报：第三八五旅十四团在转移途中，由于不明敌情，在王家峪附近停留了两小时，再度出发后遭到日军伏击，部队损失严重。电报同时催促总部赶快转移。接着，特务团报告说，他们和“益子挺身队”接了火，但日军处于居高临下的位置，因此没能把这股日军完全歼灭，“益子挺身队”正向麻田方向流窜。 这之前，北方局机关、野战政治部、后勤部等，已经分路向麻田以东带转移了，准备当日军接近预定合围圈时，从其缝隙处分散突围而出。彭德怀说，这是八路军于敌后成功脱险的经验，关键在于掌握“利害转换线”——“即掌握敌人在运动中进至最有利于我突围的位置。敌人分进合击，我突围行动过早，转不到敌后；突围迟了，敌空隙小，突不出去。突围成功的保证，则在于八路军情报的及时准确，指挥员的沉着决断，和队伍成员的勇敢坚定。”然而，这一次，日军伪装成八路军，作战命令不准见诸电报或文字，一律通过口头传达，导致八路军在根据地内外广泛的群众耳目“一时失灵”。 八路军总部机关必须马上走了。 晚上，彭德怀和左权率领总部机关人员三百余人，牵着四十多头骡马，撤离了驻地武军寺村。 彻夜行军至第二天清晨，一个不幸的消息传来：一直跟踪八路军总部电台信号的“益子挺身队”，突然袭击了正在转移的八路军总部后勤部、军工部、新华日报社和参谋处第三科等单位，第三科科长海凤阁牺牲。接着，侦察情报显示：日军已经尾随彭德怀和左权一行追了上来。左权立即留下来指挥警卫连进行阻击，掩护彭德怀和总部机关人员迅速撤离。彭德怀一行由于目标太大，被日军飞机发现并受到袭击，所幸伤亡不大。但是，当左权率领警卫连追上队伍时，彭德怀和左权发现他们似乎已经无路可走了。 五月二十四日晚上，彭德怀和左权面临的情势是：各路日军已在窑门口、青塔、偏城、南艾铺地区形成合围，只在合围圈东面的拐儿镇与偏城之间还有大约三五公里左右的间隙。彭德怀和左权决定，按照预定计划继续向冀西突围。但是，偏城以东地势较高，地形复杂，而青塔、黑龙洞以东是难以通过的险峻山路，必须先向北经过南艾铺，再绕道窑门口，才有可能前往冀西。问题是，这条路他们都很陌生，派出去的侦察参谋既没有回来也没有消息。事不宜迟，左权亲自率领参谋人员先行探路。山路狭窄，路线陌生，半路上又遇到其他突围部队，队伍因为庞大行动十分迟缓，一夜只走出二十多里，抵达南艾铺时已经天亮。 南艾铺村是一个仅有几十户人家的小山村，此前反“扫荡”期间八路军总部曾多次驻扎。村边有一条大山沟，直通山西与河北省交界处的十字岭。尽管