Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Enemy Bombing

Unexpectedly, the gunfire of the Japanese invaders awakened the dreams of those dignitaries, wealthy businessmen and tycoons!The Japanese invaders bombed frequently.Hengyang was terrified every day, the wind was raging, the war was cloudy, and people were panicking.They fled westward one after another with their funds. After the third Changsha Battle began in 1944, more than 3,000 industrial and commercial households moved westward, and more than 50,000 people fled westward. In May 1944, the air and sea passages leading to Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Indochina in Southeast Asia were blocked by the Japanese imperialists by the naval and air forces of the allies. Cross the Yalu River, pass through my country's Northeast, North China, South China, and Indochina, and go directly to the "mainland communication line" of the Nanyang Islands.Hengyang is an important military town in southern Hunan, and it is the most important pass on this communication line designed by Japanese imperialism, so it is imperative to seize it.If the Kuomintang government lost Hengyang and let the Japanese invaders unimpeded, it would be tantamount to losing half of South China, so it must be defended.In order to achieve this goal, the Japanese invaders have already extended their claws to Hengyang!According to the records of Hengyang City: During the Mid-Autumn Festival in 1938, Japanese planes attacked at night and dropped hundreds of bombs, and the area around Xiaoximen was burned into scorched earth. On April 6, 1939, enemy planes blew up the entire 1-kilometer-long Xiaheng Street. After 1940, Japanese air raids became more frequent. From August 10th to 23rd, 1940, 17 Japanese planes attacked twice and bombed in turn. Hengyang City became a sea of ​​flames, and half of the city was destroyed. It was terrible! In January 1942, the Hunan Provincial Air Defense Command moved to Hengyang and merged with the Hengyang Air Defense Command to strengthen air defense work. On April 8, 1942, 17 Japanese planes attacked the balance three times and dropped bombs in the northeast suburbs.The next day, another 6 attacked the balance. From July 3 to 4, 30 Japanese planes were divided into 10 batches to engage in fierce air combat and bombing with the Chinese and American air forces over the urban area, and 6 Japanese planes were shot down. At the beginning of August, 7 Japanese planes were shot down in the continuous air battle over Hengyang. On February 8, 1943, 16 Japanese planes dropped more than 50 bombs near the Jiangdongan Station, killing and injuring 7 people and burning 2 houses. On May 21, in an air battle in Hengyang City, one Japanese plane was shot down and fell in Huangchaling. On June 10, 24 Japanese aircraft attacked Heng, and one was shot down and crashed in Linghu Lake. The wreckage of the aircraft was then transported to the city for display. On July 23, 150 Japanese bombers and fighter jets attacked the 14th Air Base of the Chinese and American Air Forces in four batches. There was a fierce battle with the Chinese and American Air Forces over Hengyang and Yongzhou, and 16 Japanese planes were shot down. On July 25, 12 Japanese aircraft fought fiercely with the Chinese and American air forces over the urban area. On December 10, 79 Japanese aircraft were weighed in batches. On March 4, 1944, two batches of Japanese planes dropped bombs on the outskirts of Hengyang. From 10:00 p.m. on March 13 to 4:00 p.m. on March 14, Japanese planes kept attacking and dropping bombs on the outskirts of the city many times.During the month, the Japanese army dispatched more than 100 aircraft in large formations to bomb the urban area and the airport in turn. Although more than 30 aircraft were shot down by the 14th Air Battalion of the Chinese and American Air Forces, Hengyang Airport was seriously damaged. On April 6, 18 Japanese planes attacked the city, and the whole city was on fire, causing many casualties.Within a month, the headquarters of the Ninth War Zone moved from Changsha to Hengyang City, with Commander Xue Yue, Deputy Commanders Yang Sen, Wang Lingji, and Wang Zanxu, and Chief of Staff Zhao Zili.Under its jurisdiction are 10 armies, 27 divisions, and about 300,000 people.With the development of the war, the headquarters moved south to Leiyang and Chen counties. At the end of May, the 10th Army of the National Revolutionary Army moved from the Dapu and Shiwan lines of Hengshan to the urban area of ​​Hengyang. In the spring of 1944, when the Japanese army launched the Henan-Central Battle, it assembled 10 divisions of about 200,000 elite troops, preparing to invade Changsha and Hengyang. Changsha fell on June 18.A total of 100,000 people from 5 divisions and a brigade of the Japanese army marched into Hengyang City.Mr. Chiang Kai-shek, Chairman of the Military Commission of the Nationalist Government, was frightened by the aggressiveness of the Japanese army and hesitated to defend Hengyang. It was not until May 31 that he ordered the 10th Army of the National Army, which was stationed in Hengshan to rest, to "stick to Hengyang for ten days or even two weeks."The Tenth Army was the defending force in Changsha's third great victory, and it was also the most effective reinforcement army to rescue the siege during the Changde Battle. It has a good reputation in the hearts of the Hunan people and is named "Taishan Army".Lieutenant General Fang Xianjue (1905-1983), commander of the army, Zishan, was born in Xiaoxian County, Jiangsu Province. Graduated from the third phase of the Whampoa Military Academy in 1926; he joined the military in his early years and was promoted from platoon leader to deputy commander-in-chief of the group army.He was brave and good at fighting, and he was good at caring soldiers. He made many contributions in the Northern Expedition and the War of Resistance Against Japan.During the Anti-Japanese War, he participated in the Battle of Taierzhuang, the Battle of Changsha, and the Battle of Changde.After he was ordered to defend Hengyang, he immediately led 3 divisions of the 10th Army (actually only 7 regiments plus 1 battalion, about 17,600 people) to take on the heavy responsibility of defending Hengyang.

On June 18, 1944, Isamu Yokoyama, commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army stationed in Zhuzhou and Xiangtan, led two divisions and one brigade to advance towards Hengyang in three routes.The striker entered the southwest of Hengyang on June 24. On the 27th, arrived at Ertang, a suburb of Hengyang.The total strength of the three routes is 55,000.Plus follow-up reinforcements, a total of 110,000 people.On the same day, Hengyang civilian ship workers drove 90 private ships to the upper reaches of the Xiangjiang River and sank them; Zhang Xueyi, a railway station worker, led more than 20 Cantonese and Han dock workers to break down the turntable of the locomotive at Hengyang Railway Station, so as to avoid the enemy. In late June, all schools at all levels and types in Hengyang were closed. On June 21, the Japanese army sent Takeuchi's intelligence staff to sneak into Hengyang City to collect intelligence.It played a great role in the Japanese army breaking the city in the future. On June 22, the Japanese army carried out large-scale bombing on the outskirts of Hengyang, causing fires in the urban areas on both sides of the East and West Banks.On the same day, the Hengyang garrison was deployed on the outskirts of the city. The headquarters was set up at the central bank in the city center, and the frontline headquarters was set up at Wuguiling.On the same day, the Hengyang garrison blew up the Xiangjiang Bridge.