Chapter 347 6. The first field battle underestimated the enemy, and the trial attack was blocked

On August 20, the First Field Army Command issued a combat order: ordering all armies to launch an attack across the board at dawn on the 21st. At 6 o'clock on August 21, 1949, the Battle of Lanzhou started.The sound of artillery attacking the outer positions shook the silent mountains, and the positions were filled with gunpowder smoke, swords and swords, and the sound of killing shook the sky. To say that Lanzhou's terrain is dangerous, it does have special favorable terrain for defense.It is adjacent to the natural moat of the Yellow River in the north, surrounded by mountains in the east, south and west to form a natural barrier, and it is located in the rolling mountains.As early as during the War of Resistance Against Japan, Zhu Shaoliang of the Kuomintang Army built permanent defense fortifications here.And three months ago, the Qingma bandit army strengthened its defense system, adding three main defensive positions at Majiashan, Yingpanling, and Shenjialing, and connected them with the commanding heights of Doujiashan and Guchengling.

The main positions are built with reinforced concrete blockhouses, and the ring road leading to the city is connected with each main position, so it is very convenient to maneuver.There are one to two cliffs with a height of 6 meters to 10 meters outside.There is a hidden side-firing machine gun bunker at the waist of the cliff. There are three outer trenches dug from the front to the depth outside the cliff, each with a depth of 3 meters to 6 meters. There are dark forts and field fortifications, and there are traffic ditches and secret passages.There are also dense barbed wire and deer villages on the position, and honeycomb-like minefields (each aerial bomb is connected to several mines, as long as one is stepped on, people within a radius of 20 to 30 meters will be killed).

Ma Bufang used his "old base" 3 elite divisions of the 82nd Army (100, 248, and 190th divisions) to guard three positions, and Ma Buluan's 129th Army's two divisions were deployed in Gongxingdun and Lanzhou. In Xiguan and Xiguan, a howitzer battalion transferred from Xinjiang was deployed in Dongjiaochang. Three regiments of Gansu security forces stationed in Donggang and the city, with a total of more than 50,000 people guarding Lanzhou. At the same time, 3 armies with 20,000 troops were used as the left wing (the 91st Army, 120th Army, and 81st Army) to defend the Jingyuan, Jingtai, and Dalacchi areas, and 20,000 Xinjiang reinforcements were used as the right wing to control the Lintao and Taohe areas.Two cavalry brigades (divisions) (8 cavalry divisions, 14 cavalry brigades) and 5 cavalry regiments are located on the line from Hekou to Xining, west of Lanzhou.Ma Bufang's son Ma Jiyuan was in command on the north bank of the Yellow River in Lanzhou, and the forward command post was set up on Longwei Mountain.

The enemy thinks that such a deployment, coupled with the difficult terrain, strong fortifications, and strong troops, can be described as seamless and impenetrable.Therefore, he boldly wrote the four characters "Wanli Jintang" on the gate of the city.Ma Bufang also said arrogantly: "With the terrain of Lanzhou surrounded by mountains and rivers and the 'defense fortifications' during the Anti-Japanese War, I not only want to keep Lanzhou, but also go straight to Xi'an!" Sure enough, after the battle started on the 21st, it was very intense.Because some commanders and fighters of our army underestimated the enemy before the war, they failed to find out the enemy's situation and make full preparations. Even though 9 regiments were used to fight, the commanders and fighters of our army fought very bravely and tenaciously. They fought hand-to-hand with the enemy many times and caused great damage to the enemy. , but did not win a single position of the enemy across the board, and their own casualties were heavy.Based on this situation, Peng Dehuai decisively ordered: stop the offensive across the board, quickly summarize the position, and make preparations according to the combat instructions on the 21st before launching a general offensive.

On August 23, Peng Dehuai came to the command post of the 19th Corps under Yang Dezhi's department. The 19th Corps lost the first battle, and the commander felt very heavy, and made a review to Mr. Peng.Peng Dehuai said: "The main reason for the failure of the army's trial attack is that it underestimated the enemy. The secondary reason was that the enemy's fortifications were strong and the enemy was tenacious. This trial attack was decided by me. The time was short and the troops were not prepared enough. However, through the trial attack, we also achieved To understand the enemy's purpose. You must tell the soldiers, calm down, sum up experience and lessons, study the enemy carefully, make solid preparations, and wait for orders to launch a general attack on the enemy."

The spirit of Peng Dehuai's instructions was conveyed to the entire siege force. After hearing this, the commanders and fighters were deeply encouraged and agreed that they must do everything possible to take Lanzhou City. In the next three days, "make full preparations and strive to conquer Lanzhou in one fell swoop" has become a concerted action of the whole army.Regardless of the front line or the rear, agencies and troops are all nervously engaged in pre-war preparations. The troops conducted in-depth political mobilization, carefully summed up experience and lessons, carefully reconnaissance of the terrain, repeatedly figured out the road, carried out sand table operations, and launched military democracy...