Chapter 71 Chapter 8 Beiyue’s anti-"mopping up" in the winter of 1939: "Flowers of famous generals withered on Taihang Mountain"

The development of the anti-Japanese guerrilla war not only disrupted the strategic deployment of the Japanese army, but also effectively cooperated with the Kuomintang's frontal battlefield operations.These anti-Japanese base areas behind the enemy line were like a sharp knife on the chest of the Japanese army, making them feel restless for a moment.Therefore, after the end of the Wuhan Battle in October 1938, the Japanese army adjusted its military strategy and shifted its focus to the anti-Japanese guerrillas operating in the rear. In order to ensure the stability of the occupied area, the Japanese North China Front formulated the "Security Plan" in 1939.They attempted to concentrate their forces to destroy the Eighth Route Army's anti-Japanese base areas first, and then disperse their forces to occupy key areas and establish strongholds. Based on this, they repeatedly "mopped up" the Eighth Route Army in order to realize the occupation of the anti-Japanese base areas from "points" to "surfaces".

In the summer of 1939, the Japanese army’s “mopping up” of the anti-Japanese base areas in the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei border area began to shift from the Jizhong Plain to the Beiyue Mountains. Annihilate the main force of the Eighth Route Army. The Beiyue area straddles the border of the three provinces of Shanxi, Chahar and Hebei, and the Taihang and Hengshan mountain ranges stretch across the territory. It is the birthplace of the Hutuo and Sanggan rivers.Going out of Taihang in the east, you can go straight down to the Youyan Plain, threatening the two major cities of Beiping and Tianjin. Going out of Mount Heng in the north, you can go straight to Mobei and Songliao Plains. The 18th Group Army led by the Communist Party of China has an extremely important strategic position as the passage from northern Shaanxi to East China, Central China and Northeast China.

The Beiyue District Base Area is the earliest anti-Japanese base area established in the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Area, including Northeast Shanxi, West Hebei, Chanan, Dongyanbei and other areas.Its center is Fuping County, Hebei Province, where the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Branch of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region of the Eighth Route Army, and the People's Government of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region are located. In the late autumn of 1939, at the foot of the Taihang Mountains. In the headquarters of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region, under a dim lantern, the commander of the military region, Nie Rongzhen, was bent over intently, studying the map in front of him. At this moment, he was thinking in his heart: The Japanese army's winter "mopping up" has been fully launched. The Japanese army hovering in the area from Zhangjiakou to Laiyuan has been eyeing the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei border area.Laiyuan is a place that the enemy and we must contend for. If our army controls Laiyuan, we will be able to go north and approach Zhangjiakou, the lair of the Japanese invaders.The enemy tried to use the strongholds from Zhangjiakou to Laiyuan to split the base area, prevent the Eighth Route Army from maneuvering towards Chanan and Yanbei, and then consolidate its occupied areas.Since the enemy invaded western Hebei, they have disposed of bunkers and deep ditches in Laiyuan and sent heavy troops to guard them, and they have used this as a base to continuously "sweep" the base areas.Just two months ago, the 2nd Regiment of Division 1 of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region and the Secret Service Battalion successfully fought an ambush by the Japanese invaders in the Shimenyu area north of Laiyuan, cutting off the devil's communication line.For this reason, the enemy is very angry and will come to revenge.Nie Rongzhen had to seriously consider the next stage of operations.

"Report!" With this loud voice, Yang Chengwu from the first division came in. "What's the matter?" Nie Rongzhen asked, but his eyes did not leave the map on the table. "Report to the commander, there is a situation. The enemy Lieutenant General Kihide Abe stationed in Zhangjiakou sent his subordinate Shimomura Kenkichi to lead a detachment of more than 1,000 Japanese troops who have entered Laiyuan City in an attempt to 'sweep' our Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei base area from the northern line. "Yang Chengwu said as he hurriedly handed over the enemy situation report he had just received.

Nie Rongzhen took the telegram calmly and read it carefully.According to the intelligence, the Japanese army is going to carry out "mopping up" against our Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Division in three routes.The west road passes through Beishifo to the direction of Graycastle, and the southwest road exits Laiyuan City and passes through Chijian Ridge to the direction of Mayi.The East Road was led by Mr. Murakami Xianji himself, and consisted of an infantry brigade, an artillery squadron and a machine gun squadron, with a total of more than 500 Japanese troops, rushing towards the Yinfang Town area through Baishikou and Ziziling.After reading it, Nie Rongzhen raised his head and asked Yang Chengwu who was standing beside him: "Is this information reliable?"

"Intelligence is reported by the Laiyuan Intelligence Station to the Headquarters of the Division 1 based on reports from the Laiyuan Maintenance Committee and the Gendarmerie, and after verification and analysis of the information provided by other intelligence personnel. Cui Minggui, the head of the Laiyuan Intelligence Station , known as the 'Desperate Ghost', knows every bit of Laiyuan City, and the information he provides has always been relatively accurate." Yang Chengwu said. Upon hearing this, Nie Rongzhen patted his forehead, because he knew this Cui Minggui. "Commander, what do you think we should do next?" Yang Chengwu asked eagerly.

Seeing Yang Chengwu's impatient look, Nie Rongzhen smiled and said, "Then let's talk about your thoughts first." Yang Chengwu immediately replied: "I think this battle should be fought." Nie Rongzhen thought for a while and said, "Do you have any good ideas?" Yang Chengwu said: "I am going to attack the Japanese army on the east road." "East Road is the enemy's main force led by Mr. Muren Xianji, are you sure?" Nie Rongzhen asked. Yang Chengwu pointed to the map and said: "Look, Commander, I am very familiar with the terrain from Laiyuan to Yinfang. The road from Laiyuan to Yinfang is a stretch of steep mountains. The Great Wall is on the strange peak south of Laiyuan. Between the canyons. Exit Laiyuan City, enter Baishikou of the Great Wall, and then go south to Yansu Cliff and Yinfang. There is only one mountain road in the middle, with bare and steep rocks on both sides. This terrain is very beneficial to us. , is a good place to lay an ambush. I plan to set up an ambush on this road, and find a way to bring in the main force of the enemy's east road, and concentrate our forces to destroy it. In this way, it will be difficult for the other two Japanese troops to reinforce in time due to the blocking of the mountains. It's not difficult to eat one of them. Since the little devil is here, we will fight a good battle and catch the turtle in one jar." Yang Chengwu said while gesturing, and the more he talked, the more excited he became.

After listening to Yang Chengwu's words, Nie Rongzhen went to the map on the table. After careful review, he finally nodded: "Okay, I agree with your opinion! Just go east!" Nie Rongzhen turned to the correspondent and said: " Hurry up and invite comrades Peng Zhen, He Long and Guan Xiangying to come over, and we will immediately hold an emergency meeting to draw up a specific and thorough battle plan." At this time, it was the second anniversary of the establishment of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region. Commander He Long of the 120th Division and Political Commissar Guan Xiangying came to Fuping to participate in the celebration at the invitation of Commander Nie Rongzhen and Secretary of the Northern Branch of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Peng Zhen.After He Long and Guan Xiangying came over, the combat meeting was held immediately.

Yang Chengwu made a brief briefing on the enemy's situation and our army's preliminary strategic plan to Peng Zhen, He Long, Guan Xiangying and other leaders.The chiefs were very excited after hearing this, and they all thought that a good battle was the best gift for the military region's founding ceremony.After a night of intense discussions, Nie Rongzhen, He Long, Peng Zhen, Guan Xiangying and others formulated a detailed combat plan.