Chapter 23 3. Tendency of crisis

From November 22nd, the national government's capital defense deployment began to fully enter the implementation stage.On November 20th, the commander-in-chief of the garrison ordered the entire city to enter martial law, and issued a notice: "The case was opened by the National Government, and Tang Shengzhi was transferred to be the commander-in-chief of the Nanjing garrison. In addition to reporting the date of taking office, a special notice is used. All civil and military agencies and ordinary people should do their best, use their knowledge, respond calmly, and respond to the situation together when the national disaster is serious. Those who confuse people's hearts, or take the opportunity to disturb or disturb peace, are not tolerated by the laws of the country. It is the duty of the commander-in-chief to enforce the law and never give any leniency. I hereby announce to the soldiers and civilians that everyone will abide by it." Although Japanese warplanes attacked Nanjing again on November 22, after the alarm was lifted, Chiang Kai-shek, Chairman of the Military Commission of the Nationalist Government and Premier of the Executive Committee, and his wife Song Meiling took a car tour of Nanjing to reassure the people.

The next day, Chiang Kai-shek went to Changzhou again and summoned the generals in front to give lectures.The 154th Division, the main force of the 83rd Army, which drove from Guangzhou to the front line, also arrived in Wuxi on November 23 to cover the retreat of the main force.But on this day, the Japanese 16th Division, 13th Division, and 9th Division also began to advance to Wuxi with their main force.At the same time, it launched a fierce attack on the Chinese army positions east of Wuxi.During this day, the 160th Division of the 66th Army also started a fierce battle with the Japanese on the outskirts of Jiangyin.

Since the 160th Division joined the battle in Songhu, it has moved to Liuhang, Guangfu, and Nanxiang areas. After two months of fierce fighting, the troops have been replenished several times. Since it was ordered to retreat on November 11, it was attacked by the Japanese army near the Xugong Bridge in Anting due to poor cover by friendly forces, and suffered extremely heavy losses.Later, he was ordered to occupy the front line of Gangtianli and Jiuqian Bridge to cover the friendly army's occupation of Wu Fu's fortification line, but then he was ordered to occupy the original line to cover the general retreat of the whole army.On the evening of November 18th, he was ordered to withdraw to Luoshe Town, and his foothold was not yet determined. He was also ordered to open the Xicheng Line and occupy the line of Shitang, Changshou Town, Changjing Town, and Yujiaqiao.

At that time, there were less than 3,000 combat soldiers in the whole division, and since the retreat from the Songhu front line on the evening of the 11th, it has not stopped day and night, and there is no chance to organize and replenish, so its power has been greatly reduced. After the troops arrived at Luoshe Town on November 20, they were ordered to "lead the division back to the Xicheng line immediately, and occupy the established positions on the Shitang, Changshou Town, Changjing Town, and Yujiaqiao lines."Start to go to Qingyang Town through Qianzhou Town and Beiqifang Town.

In the early morning of November 21, after all the 160th Division arrived near Qingyang Town, Deng Zhicai's 478th Brigade was launched on the Shitang Bridge, Changshou Town, Changjing Town, and Yujiaqiao Line, and Lishuzong's 480th Brigade was used as a preparation The team was placed in the area near the east of Qingyang. At noon, after being ordered to hand over the original covering task to the friendly army, they concentrated in the southeast of Qingyang.But by 12 o'clock on the 22nd, the 956th regiment had contact with the vanguard of the Japanese army near Changjing Town before the defenders arrived.After handing over positions with friendly forces, the 956th Regiment retreated to the vicinity of Huangtang, and the main force was organized near Qingyang.

At 3 o'clock in the morning on November 23, the 160th Division was ordered to occupy Shitangqiao and Huangtang Town as the main positions, and occupy Changjing Town and Erfenli as the forward positions.After receiving the order, Ye Zhao, the commander of the 160th Division, issued an order by phone: "Yu Yingqi's 956th Regiment quickly occupied Changjing Town and the forward position on the front line of Erfenli, and tried its best to delay the advance of the Japanese army to cover the equipment of the main position; Deng Zhicai's 478th Brigade Due to Xiao Zhongming attached to the 956th Regiment, the 955th Regiment should quickly occupy the line from Shitang Bridge to Huangtang Town, and actively strengthen the fortifications; the 958th Regiment will be formed into the 959th Regiment, and the 958th Regiment will form the remaining officers to follow the division."

However, just after the order was issued and the troops began to move, the 160th Division headquarters received a report from Yu Yingqi, the head of the 956th Regiment: "The friendly troops defending Changjing Town have withdrawn before they can take over the defense, causing the place to be occupied by the Japanese army. They have occupied Zhutang and Aijiaqiao and are confronting the Japanese army.” After receiving the report from the 956th Regiment, Commander Ye Zhao immediately issued an order for Yu Yingqi’s regiment to stick to the Zhutang and Aijiaqiao lines, and immediately dispatched a strong plainclothes team to gather for reconnaissance Operation of Japanese troops.

However, at around 9:00 in the morning, when the plainclothes team sent by the 956th Regiment entered the vicinity of Changjing Town, they were oppressed by the superior force of the Japanese army and had to retreat to the forward position. More than a thousand Japanese soldiers fought fiercely on the front line of Zhutang, and they fought until dark. "Mo San, have you noticed that the attack direction of the Japanese army on the left and right has already broken through our flank defense!" Looking at the attack direction of the Japanese army clearly marked on the battle map, the former enemy commander-in-chief Chen Cheng said, "Now the 74th Army The regiment of the Japanese army is tantamount to falling into the enemy's rear. Relying on their blocking in the middle, the Japanese army's three-way parallel attack has now become a bell-shaped advance."

"Nanjing, this point is Nanjing!" Gu Zhutong, deputy commander of the third war zone, said helplessly. The result is the same." "Nanjing!" Chen Cheng was silent for a while, "Where would the Japanese target on the southern front?" Chen Cheng pointed to the map, "At present, our army is fighting against each other in Xicheng, Yixing, Wujin and other positions. The two divisions transferred from the Shanghai line have entered and left Wuxing from Yixing and Changxing. Although most of the artillery has been transferred to the Shanghai-Hangzhou line, the Chongde, Shiwan, Nanxun lines, Linping, and Wuxing lines are being guarded by our army on the Shanghai-Hangzhou line. Among them, the 10th Group Army retreated to the vicinity of Hangzhou, and the 170th and 179th Divisions of the 7th Army retreated to the vicinity of Changxing. The 7th Army occupied the front line from Shengshan City to Daqian Town, and the 144th, 145th, 146th, and 147th Divisions of the Sichuan Army , 148 divisions, a total of five divisions gathered in Guangde, Si'an, and Anji areas. Wujin's 21st Army turned to Yixing and Zhangzhu Towns. It can be said that it has a strong force. The Japanese army on the southern front should not be able to make progress so easily. Yes. You must know that on the Guangde, Si'an, Anji, Nanxun and Wuxing lines, so many troops should be able to stop the Japanese army's footsteps, not to mention that the 21st Army on the Yixing and Zhangzhuzhen lines are heavily assembled. It will take a bit of work to crack this bone. And the 10th Group Army in the direction of Hangzhou, under the command of Commander-in-Chief Liu (Liu Jianxu), can attack the Japanese army’s flanks at any time.” Gu Zhutong’s analysis is not unreasonable. The 10th Army of the Japanese Army and the Chinese army deployed heavily in the border area of ​​Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang on the south bank of Taihu Lake.If the Japanese forcibly attack the front line of Guangde, where the heavy troops are assembled, it will not be a hard nut to crack, or they will be caught in a bitter battle just like the battle in Songhu.

"The Guangde line won't last long!" Chen Cheng said firmly, "You see, although the main force of the Japanese 10th Army is now heading straight for the Wuxing line and the Guangde area, it is also approaching Hangzhou all the way. I am afraid that the 10th Army in the direction of Hangzhou will not be able to protect itself, let alone support it. Although it has deployed heavy troops on the southern front, it is still relatively insufficient in strength. After all, the firepower compared with the Japanese army is too different. The Japanese also took advantage of this. The Japanese troops who went up the Yangtze River from our middle road and the north road were obviously supporting the 10th Army on the southern front. You must know that Guangde is the back of Nanjing. If Guangde If it is lost, then Nanjing will not be messed up." Chen Cheng continued to analyze.

"Under the Japanese attack from the northern and central lines, the troops in Nanjing must not be able to move. The Japanese attacked Guangde with the main force of the 10th Army on the left wing. Once Guangde fell, there would be no danger to the southeast of Nanjing. , the Japanese army can drive straight down, directly intimidate the capital, and form a siege to Nanjing." Chen Cheng's words made Gu Zhutong break out in a cold sweat.Gu Zhutong looked at the map, frowning.Although the 74th Army, which defended the northern shore of Taihu Lake, withstood the Japanese attack during the fierce battle for several days in a row, but as time passed, the situation in front of us was obviously not too optimistic. Once the Japanese 9th Division was unable to break through , then it is not ruled out that the Japanese 16th Division and the Shigeto Detachment on the northern front will send some troops to support this side, and Yu Jishi's 74th Army will be in danger. "Soldiers are deceitful", I hope the regiment sent by Yu Jishi can persist, the regiment leader Zhang Lingfu, heh!The protagonist of the "Wife Killing Case of the Head of the Ancient City" that year.Chen Cheng smiled, and hoped that this regiment leader Zhang would realize that the commander's headquarters of the war zone had already regarded his regiment as an abandoned son when he accepted the task.Not to mention retreating completely, under the Japanese attack, whether Nanjing can hold it is a question.The question now is, how can this regiment leader Zhang and his 305th regiment gain more time. Since the Central China Front Army of the Japanese Army has assembled a total of 9 divisions of the Shanghai Expeditionary Army, the 10th Army, two independent detachments, two field heavy artillery brigades, and some directly affiliated troops on the entire Shanghai, Soviet, and Zhejiang fronts, the total strength is large. up to 200,000.From the perspective of combat needs, no one wants to fight a bloody and brutal defensive battle in a densely populated city with many buildings. However, as the defender, the Nationalist Government, as a last resort, shrinks its forces and concentrates on defense. In Nanjing, it is a good choice to use the solid defense fortifications to drag the Japanese army into a tragic stalemate. Obviously, the Japanese just need to avoid this kind of situation, not to mention the logistical supply problem once they fall into protracted street fighting, the casualty rate of combat troops and the loss rate of weapons and equipment alone may be difficult. bear.Whether it is the Japanese Army Staff Headquarters or the various combat units of the Central China Front Army, even the Japanese navy, which has an absolute advantage, will not be able to withstand such a protracted stalemate. Even if the resistance of the Chinese army can be eliminated by then, If Nanjing is completely occupied, I am afraid that the various combat units of the Central China Front Army will already suffer heavy casualties. If you kill one thousand enemies, you will lose eight hundred. And a series of problems such as the consumption of a large amount of materials and the loss of personnel and equipment will directly affect the next step of combat deployment in the face of the Chinese army's counterattack. .Obviously, this kind of situation is not only what the Central China Front Army led by Matsui Iwane does not want to see, I am afraid that the Japanese government will not be able to bear such an ending, not to mention that there may be international intervention at that time.There is only one way to solve all this: annihilate the Chinese army outside Nanjing, prevent the Chinese army from shrinking its defenses, or retreat to the vast southern Anhui mountainous area. It is not that Gu Zhutong has not considered all this, but he also knows that there is nothing he can do. What he is responsible for at this time is how to consolidate the Xicheng line. Whether he can hold this line is a problem, let alone the next battle in Nanjing. up.I hope that guarding Nanjing will not be as Chen Cheng expected, otherwise, it will be a nightmare.Now the Japanese army in the direction of the Beijing-Shanghai line, after abandoning the Chinese troops on the Suzhou and Fukuyama lines, marched westward from Suzhou, continued to advance to Nanjing in three columns, and divided the westward march from Changshu to Wuxi and Jiangyin to attack the front line The other is to attack Wuxing across Nanxun Town from the south of Taihu Lake to the west, trying to detour to the right side of the Xicheng Line.Fortunately, although the entire front line of Wangting has become a mess, at least the Japanese army advancing from the Suzhou line has not been able to break through the defense line. Although the 9th Division of the Japanese Kanazawa has controlled and occupied the front lines of Suzhou and Hushuguan, and there is still news that the Japanese troops who landed from Taihu Lake have appeared in the outskirts of Wuxi, and even found traces of Japanese scouts behind the Wangting Pavilion. However, to the north of the entire Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, the positions behind the 151st Brigade and the 305th Regiment of the 153rd Brigade are still safe, and there has not been a truly large-scale Japanese army.This is also the only thing that the Chinese army on the Xicheng Line can be thankful for, because it means that in the past two days, they have held the line of defense and held their positions, while the Japanese have not been able to advance half a step. The newly organized attack was repulsed again, which annoyed Lieutenant General Yoshizumi Yoshisuke, the head of the Japanese Army's 9th Division. You must know that the majestic Kanazawa 9th Division has always been a leader in the Japanese Army's combat history. It is called "brave and fierce, and tenacious in battle", but now Lieutenant General Yoshizumi Yoshisuke can't feel the so-called "fierce and tenacious" fighting style of his troops. After several major and junior officers of the division were scolded and bloody, Yoshizumi Yoshisuke ordered the 19th Tsuruga Infantry Regiment to launch a new offensive again.Lieutenant General Yoshizumi Ryosuke, who has suffered successive defeats, needs a victory too much. If he can't open the situation again, I'm afraid he will have to cut himself open.Three days, this is already the third day, I can only look at the Taihu Lake which is close at hand, sighing, unable to rush in. The Chinese defending on the other side of the bridge were like a piece of iron, firmly blocking the way forward of the 9th Division, and firmly stuck the Kanazawa Division led by Yoshizumi Ryosuke and Yoshizumi Ryosuke in Wangting. Can't move forward either.How could Lieutenant General Yoshizumi not be angry? At this moment, Lieutenant General Yoshizumi almost felt that the rhythm of the war had gradually slipped out of his control, although in the entire battle situation, the Central China Front Army had the upper hand.Although the Chinese army was already on the verge of collapse under the pursuit of the Japanese army, Yoshizumi Ryosuke's own pursuit was unable to make progress, and the battle had already fallen into a stalemate.Once this news gets out, wouldn't the prestige of the Jinze 9th Division be lost? What the officers and soldiers of Zhou Zhidao's 151st Brigade and Zhang Lingfu's 305th Regiment, who were defending the front of Wangting Pavilion, did not know was that since the Japanese 10th Army did not follow the orders of the Central China Front Army to deploy troops, it was still following the principle of "the main force of the Israeli army alone and decisively directed to The policy of "pursuing Nanjing" began with the 6th Division gathering in the Jiashan area, ordering the Guoqi Detachment, the 18th Division, and the 114th Division to attack Wuxing with all their strength. The situation in the entire battle was already very unfavorable to the Chinese army. up.That is, when the 151st Brigade and the 305th Regiment fell into a bitter battle, the Japanese Shanghai Dispatch Army and the 10th Army launched a general attack on the south and north sides of Tainan respectively.