Chapter 2 Chapter 1 Battle of Pingxingguan: Breaking the Myth of "Japanese Invincibility"

After the July 7th Incident, in order to realize the strategic intention of a quick victory, the Japanese imperialists quickly mobilized troops from Japan, troops stationed in Korea, and the Kwantung Army to the Ping and Tianjin regions, and the flames of war immediately spread to the entire North China.In order to solve the crisis in North China, the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army, which was not yet ready for reorganization, departed from Sanyuan County, Shaanxi Province in two batches on August 22 and 25, crossed the Yellow River eastward through Zhichuan Town, Hancheng County, and advanced along the Tongpu Railway to the Northeast Anti-Japanese Frontier of Shanxi Province. .

After the Japanese occupied Beiping and Tianjin, the strength of the Japanese North China Front Army and the Kwantung Army Chahar Corps in North China surged to more than 370,000. In August 1937, the Japanese army launched an attack in three groups starting from Beiping (now Beijing) and Tianjin.The first route invaded south along Jinpu Road with the strength of 1.5 divisions; the second route invaded southward along Pinghan Road with the strength of 1 division and entered Henan; The eastern section of Sui Road and the northern section of Tongpu Road invaded westward.The third route is the main attack direction of the Japanese army. Its attempt to advance westward is to open the passage in northern Shanxi, annihilate the main force of the Kuomintang's second war zone, capture Taiyuan, and force the Kuomintang army to retreat with a large roundabout action, so as to occupy five north China without fighting. provincial purpose.

In order to realize this attempt, the Japanese troops marching westward were divided into two groups and advanced towards Taiyuan: one was sent by the Kwantung Army Chahar Corps and two independent mixed brigades, and they marched southward along the Tongpu Railway, passing through Yanmen Pass to directly take Taiyuan; Route the 5th Division of the Japanese Army to attack Hunyuan and Lingqiu in an attempt to break through Pingxing Pass and join forces at Yanmen Pass with the enemy advancing south along the Tongpu Railway. Yanmen Pass and Pingxing Pass are the two passes of the Kuomintang army's Great Wall defense line, and they are also the places where the Japanese army must pass through when they attack Taiyuan.Once the Japanese army captures the two passes, they can drive straight in and approach the city of Taiyuan. Taiyuan is at your fingertips.Because the terrain of Yanmen Pass is more dangerous than Pingxing Pass, and it is heavily guarded, it is difficult to capture it from the front, while Pingxing Pass is located at the junction of Shanxi and Hebei, which is a relatively weak link.Therefore, the Japanese army used its main force, the 5th Division, in the direction of Pingxingguan in an attempt to break through the Great Wall defense line from Pingxingguan, take down Daixian, block the back of Yanmenguan, attack Yanmenguan from behind, and then join forces with the Japanese army on the front of Yanmenguan. Go straight to Taiyuan.

The Japanese army that invaded Pingxingguan was the ace in its army-the 5th Division.It was compiled in the 21st year of Meiji and is one of the divisions with the longest history in the Japanese army. It participated in the first Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War, and made great achievements in the external expansion of Japanese imperialism.Its commander Seishiro Itagaki is a well-known China hand. During the "September 18th" incident, he was a staff officer of the Kwantung Army, and his rank at that time was Dazuo. After the "September 18th" Incident, Japan organized the Puppet Manchukuo in the Northeast, and Seishiro Itagaki negotiated with Puyi as a representative of the Kwantung Army.It is precisely because of his meritorious service in organizing the puppet state that he was promoted to the head of the lieutenant general division before the Marco Polo Bridge Incident broke out.

At this time, the Kuomintang army, due to the implementation of the policy of passive resistance to Japan, lacked confidence in combat. Therefore, in the face of the powerful offensive of the Japanese army, it retreated steadily, causing the Japanese army to succeed frequently. At the end of August, the Japanese invaders occupied Nankou and Zhangjiakou, and in mid-September, they captured Datong, Guangling and Yuxian counties, and pointed their finger at Taiyuan. Under the leadership of Itagaki, the 5th Division of the Japanese Army, after capturing Yangyuan, Yuxian, and Guangling, went aggressively to Hunyuan and Lingqiu, approaching the Kuomintang's Great Wall defense line. On September 16, the 21st Brigade of the 5th Division occupied Hunyuan County from Guangling with the main force of its 21st Regiment.On the same day, the main force of the 9th Brigade of the 5th Division went south from Yu County to occupy Laiyuan. On the 20th, the 21st Brigade went south with two brigades and occupied Lingqiu, which is close to Pingxingguan.For the Japanese army, the capture of Pingxingguan is just around the corner.Pingxingguan suddenly fell into a very critical situation.

Pingxingguan, known as "Pingxingguan" in ancient times, is a dangerous pass named because the valley in front of the pass is shaped like a "bottle". place.It is located in the area of ​​Xiqiaogou, Lingqiu County, Shanxi Province, and is an important pass on the ancient Great Wall.To the north of the pass is Mount Hengshan, and to the south is Mount Wutai, a famous Buddhist shrine.There are many mountains and deep valleys here. The most dangerous Qiaogou section is about 7 kilometers long. The surrounding cliffs are several feet high and steep. Gateway of the province.