Chapter 68 4. Chiang Kai-shek issued an attack order

Zhangjiakou, located in the eastern section of the Pingsui Railway, is an important city connecting Chasui, Datong, and eastern Shanxi. It is adjacent to the Great Wall in the north and Yanghe River and Sanggan River in the south. It has an important strategic position.During the Anti-Japanese War, it used to be the capital of Chahar Province, the seat of the Puppet Mongolian Government, and the headquarters of the Japanese Army in Mongolia. On August 23, 1945, our army liberated Zhangjiakou from the Japanese invaders, and this ancient city with a long history returned to the embrace of the people from under the iron heels of the invaders.Since then, Zhangjiakou has been the capital of the Jinchaji Border Region and the largest city under the leadership of our party and army.Over the past year, we have built Zhangjiakou into a well-known city and the political, economic, cultural, and military center of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Liberated Area. It is yearned for by many progressive young people, especially young students in major cities in North China.

After the Kuomintang army successively occupied Jining, Datong, and Chengde, they directed their attack directly at Zhangjiakou. On September 10, Chiang Kai-shek issued an order to attack Zhangjiakou, ordering the north to attack Zhangjiakou from the east and the west. Advance east and west along the Sui Road, and attack Zhangjiakou. Use a part of the Northeast Corps to besiege the bandits near Zhangjiakou and annihilate them, and cut off their retreat." ("The Enemy's Attack on the Liberated Area Deployment") For a while, the battle clouds over Zhangjiakou were dense, and the situation was extremely tense.

A few days later, the head of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region received the exact deployment of the enemy's attack on Zhangjiakou, which was brought from Peiping by Yang Shangde, the combat section chief of the Jinchaji Military Region who worked with Ye Jianying in the Beiping Military Adjustment Headquarters.That day, Yang Shangde flew back to Zhangjiakou from Beiping on an American plane.Surprised by his sudden arrival, Nie Rongzhen asked, "Why are you back?" , Wrapped inside is a note, which is written in petty lowercase letters.Yang Shangde reported: This is the enemy's combat order to attack Zhangjiakou provided by the underground staff who entered the 11th theater of the Kuomintang.The handwriting was too small for Nie Rongzhen to read clearly, so he immediately sent someone to sort it out. After reading it, he asked Yang Shangde to give a detailed report. Luo Ruiqing, Xiao Ke, Liu Lantao, Zhao Erlu, and Geng Biao were present.

The enemy's deployment to attack Zhangjiakou is as follows: in the east, the 16th Army and 53rd Army of the Li Wen Corps will attack Huailai along the Pingsui Railway; as a reserve.To the west, the 3 divisions of Fu Zuoyi's 33rd Army, the newly organized 4th Cavalry Division, and the temporarily organized 38th Division gathered in Datong and Jining.The enemy forces on both sides of the east and west coordinated to seize Zhangjiakou.