Chapter 10 The Eighth Route Army made a big noise on Zhengtai Road

On August 20th, Wangjiayu, Wuxiang County, Shanxi Province, where the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army is located, was covered with thick clouds, the air pressure was very low, and the heat was abnormal, which indicated that a storm was coming. At 20 o'clock, each corps launched an attack according to the time uniformly stipulated by the headquarters.Following Peng Dehuai's order, attacking red flares flew into the sky one after another. In an instant, the Eighth Route Army attacked across the board on the 5,000-mile-long battlefield behind enemy lines, and began a general attack on the main communication lines in North China.This is a moment that will go down in history forever.

Marshal Nie Rongzhen, who personally participated in the command of the battle, later recalled: I clearly remember the scene at that moment, it was really spectacular!One after another, the attacking red signal bombs rose into the sky, piercing the night sky, and the assault troops from all walks of life descended like tigers, rushing towards the enemy's stations and strongholds, and thunderous explosions, one after another, resounded throughout the entire Zhengtai Road .Several young staff officers in the command post told me excitedly that they had never seen such a lively battle scene since they joined the army.

Due to the successful secrecy and feints in advance, the Japanese army on Zhengtai Road was not aware of such a large campaign at all.As soon as the battle started, all the strongholds along the line were attacked at the same time. The Japanese army was caught off guard and was beaten everywhere.The Japanese commanders of the brigade headquarters in Shijiazhuang, Taiyuan, and Yangquan were at a loss for a while, not knowing where to send troops and where to send reinforcements.When the Japanese army came to their senses, they began to organize tenacious resistance, and the attacks of the breaking troops became more violent, and the fighting was very fierce.

Like the commanders and fighters fighting fiercely on the front line, Peng Dehuai also stayed up all night this night.He was quite excited.This operation was the first major offensive in the Anti-Japanese War behind enemy lines. It mobilized all the forces of the Eighth Route Army in the entire North China region. It will deal a heavy blow to the Japanese invaders and give a resounding blow to those who think that the Eighth Route Army "swimming without fighting" The slap in the face had a major impact on the national anti-Japanese situation.Thinking of this, Peng Dehuai's heart surged.He sat with Zuo Quan, meditating in silence, letting his thoughts rush like the sea.

The difficult night finally passed, and a steady stream of good news came to the tense and quiet Eighth Route Army headquarters along with the dawn. The battle report of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region where Nie Rongzhen is located: Yang Chengwu's department suddenly launched a fierce attack on the enemy in the Niangziguan section of Zhengtai Road and the strongholds north of Jingxing. A total of more than 200 enemy defenders were completely wiped out, and the railway, bridges, bunkers, and wires from Hualuling to Didu were all destroyed.The first one captured Jiazhuang Town and Dongwanghui in the north of Jingxing, wiped out more than 100 defenders, completely occupied Jingxing Coal Mine, liberated more than 2,300 workers, and blown up all mines and machines. The seizure is under investigation.Guo Tianmin's troops were attacking Niangziguan fiercely, and the gunfire from both sides was fierce.

Battle report of Liu Bocheng's 129th Division: Chen Geng's brigade, the left-wing assault team of the 129th Division, which was attacked in the west section of Zhengtai Road, attacked Lujiazhuang in the southwest of Shouyang, captured 3 Japanese soldiers, and defended the enemy with 4 bunkers. It was wiped out and completely occupied Lujiazhuang Station.The railway bridge within 10 miles west of Lujiazhuang was completely destroyed. Both He Long's 120th Division and the Southern Hebei Military Region sent battle reports.The headquarters of the Eighth Route Army was full of joy.The prologue of the battle was successful, and it progressed exactly as planned.As the direct commander of the battle, Peng Dehuai breathed a sigh of relief.

From the 21st to the 22nd, the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army was extremely busy.Liu Bocheng, Nie Rongzhen, etc. constantly reported the situation of the attacking corps on Zhengtai Road. Bai Jinlu and others all achieved brilliant results and achieved the expected combat objectives. Peng Dehuai, who is usually unsmiling, showed a rare smile.He asked Wang Zhengzhu, Chief of the Operations Section: "How many regiments do we have in total?" "There are 30 regiments on the Zhengtai Line, 15 regiments on the section from Lugouqiao to Handan on the Pinghan Line, 12 regiments on the section from Datong to Hongdong on the Tongpu Line, 4 regiments on the section from Tianjin to Dezhou on the Jinpu Line, 4 regiments on the Deshi Line, 6 regiments on the Beining Line, 2 regiments on the Beining Line, 2 regiments on the Pingsui Line, 6 regiments on the Fenyang-Jundu Highway, 4 regiments on the Cangxian-Shijiazhuang Route, 6 regiments on the Beiping-Datong Highway, and Handan-Jinan There are 3 regiments on the highway, 4 regiments on the highway from Daixian to Yuxian, 3 regiments on the highway from Liaoxian to Pingding, and 4 regiments on the Ningwu, Kelan, and Jingle highways, a total of 105 regiments.”

As soon as Wang Zhengzhu finished speaking, Zuo Quan said, "Okay! This is a battle of a hundred regiments, and the combat department must carefully check the exact number." After hearing this, Peng Dehuai took up the conversation and said, "It doesn't matter how many regiments there are, just let these This battle should be called the Hundred Regiments War!" From then on, the Zhengtai Battle was renamed the Hundred Regiments War. At this time, the battle on the front line was still raging. Nie Rongzhen's Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region was in charge of raiding the eastern section of Zhengtai Road.This section has the enemy's strong fortified natural danger Niangziguan and Jingxing Coal Mine, an important fuel base.

Niangziguan is the ninth grand pass of the Great Wall, an important gateway to the east of Shanxi, and the throat from Hebei to Jin.According to legend, Tang Gaozu's daughter, Princess Pingyang, once led the Niangzi Army to help her father fight here, so it was named Niangziguan.As early as three years ago, the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army cooperated with the Kuomintang Army in the Niangziguan Defense Battle.Before the fall of Niangziguan, there were defense fortifications. After the Japanese occupation, they built four fortresses based on the steep cliffs, which further enhanced the defense capability of the pass. It can be said that it is easy to defend but difficult to attack.

At 20 o'clock on the 20th, the Fifth Regiment of the Right Column of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region, which was the main offensive task, first sneaked into Niangziguan Village, solved the puppet army in the village, and then relied on the village to attack the Japanese fortress.Under the blockade of the Japanese army's intensive firepower, the attacking troops rushed one after another. When the ladder was interrupted, they took a human ladder, connected the leggings together, and climbed up the cliff.However, the Japanese army occupying a favorable terrain, relying on its superior equipment, launched a counterattack against the attacking Eighth Route Army soldiers, and the Eighth Route Army's frontal attack was temporarily frustrated.Just at this time, the detoured troops from the side of Niangziguan just approached the Japanese fortress group, and launched non-stop attacks on the Japanese army from the side and rear.The Japanese army was disrupted by the sudden attack, and the frontal assault troops took advantage of the victory to climb the steep cliff.After three hours of repeated assaults, all the Japanese fortresses were finally breached. At dawn, the banner of victory was planted at Niangziguan, which had been occupied by the Japanese army for three years.This is the first important strategic stronghold to be conquered by Zhengtai Line.After capturing Niangziguan, the warriors of the fifth regiment took advantage of the victory to destroy the railway bridge east of Niangziguan and harvested a large number of enemy wires.At the same time, the 19th Regiment of the Right Column launched a fierce attack on Japanese strongholds such as Yiliang, Jucheng, Turbulent Flow, and Shangpanshi, annihilating a large number of enemies.

On the 21st, the Japanese army was shocked when they learned that the Eighth Route Army had captured Niangziguan.Nie Rongzhen had expected it a long time ago, and ordered the troops to withdraw from Niangziguan after destroying the enemy's fortress.When the Japanese army arrived, there was no sign of the Eighth Route Army, so they had to stare blankly at the ruins of Niangziguan. In the Jingxing Coal Mine, the central column under the command of Yang Chengwu, who was only 26 years old, also achieved a major victory.With the help and cooperation of the workers in the mining area, the attacking force cut off the power supply in the mining area, and under the cover of night, launched a fierce attack on the defending enemy.After a night of fierce fighting, at dawn on the 21st, all the enemies were wiped out, and the Dongwangshe new mine was occupied, and the factory buildings and mines were completely destroyed. 14 sets of mining machines, 10 boilers, 3 blowers, 2 storage tanks, 2 chimneys, 1 winch room, 1 electromechanical room, 1 railway station, 5 iron bridges, and all surface buildings in the mining area were blown up. Just as the troops of the Jinchaji Military Region, under the command of Nie Rongzhen, even attacked the strongholds of Niangziguan, Jingxing, Jiayuan and other stations to destroy the eastern section of Zhengtai Road and the road network of the Japanese army, they were responsible for destroying the No. 129 in the western section of Zhengtai Road. Division, launched a more intense battle with the Japanese. In the west section of Zhengtai Road, there is the headquarters of the Fourth Independent Mixed Brigade of the Japanese Army, the Yangquan coal mine base, and the support of the Ninth Independent Mixed Brigade in Yuci.In response to this enemy's situation, Liu Bocheng, who is familiar with the art of war, made careful calculations and believed that the enemy commander, the commander of the Fourth Brigade, Katayama, was arrogant and violent, and his weapons were small and easy to gain.For this reason, the 129th Division put the main strike force in advance on the front line of Shinao Mountain to prevent the enemy from attacking from the side and back, and to cover the strike action of the strike force.Shinao Mountain is located at the gate of Yangquan, eight miles away from the city, and controls the throat of the entire Zhengtai Road. Although the terrain is not very steep, it is an important location.From Shijiazhuang to the west to Yangquan, the terrain is relatively gentle, with occasional high mountains.As soon as Yangquan is crossed, there are continuous mountains. Zhengtai Railway enters the mountainous area from here, and Shinao Mountain is the throat for it to enter the mountainous area. On the evening of the 20th, after the battle started, the 129th Division invested more than 40 regiments across the board, 10 times the enemy's strength, resulting in an absolute advantage for the Eighth Route Army.Facing the powerful offensive of the Eighth Route Army, the enemy could only parry, but had no power to fight back. The battle went very smoothly, and the initiative was always in the hands of the Eighth Route Army.After a night of fierce fighting, the 129th Division successively conquered Lujiazhuang, Heshangzu, Mashou, Sangzhang and other stations and strongholds, wiped out the enemy's vital forces, and cleared the way for breaking the road and further expanding the results of the battle.As of August 25, the west section of Zhengtai Road was under the control of the 129th Division except for a few data points such as Shouyang.Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping took advantage of this opportunity and ordered the troops to break the road as soon as possible, and proposed "not to leave a single railroad track, not a single sleeper, not a single station, not a single bunker, not a single bridge, not a single electric pole" , mobilize and organize the people, win over railway employees, and vigorously destroy railways, stations and their ancillary facilities by means of demolition, blasting, burning, and flooding.A "steel blockade line" regarded as the lifeblood of the Japanese army was paralyzed in this way. The news of the large-scale raid on Zhengtai Road spread to the headquarters of the Fourth Mixed Brigade of the Japanese Army in Yangquan, and the head of the Taro Brigade in Katayama Province was stunned.He hastily gathered all 600 Japanese troops in Yangquan and armed 500 overseas Chinese, forcing them to fight.As Liu Bocheng expected, the Japanese army used all its strength and mobilized 1,500 people to launch a rampant attack on Shinao Mountain from the 21st, in an attempt to seize this key point for the success or failure of the campaign and obstruct the Eighth Route Army's campaign plan. It is Chen Xilian's 769th regiment who is responsible for guarding Shinao Mountain.The predecessor of this regiment was the 10th Division of the Red Fourth Front Army. It has always had a ruthless, hard, fast, fierce, and lively style of combat.According to Li Da, who was the chief of staff of the 129th Division at the time, the 769th Regiment carried forward the style of fighting bravely, resisting danger and fighting tenaciously. On the 21st alone, the enemy suffered more than 100 casualties and more than 40 corpses. On the morning of the 22nd, more than 200 enemy troops attacked the northeastern highland of Shinao Mountain again. They fought fiercely all day, but still made no progress.Seeing that the casualties continued to increase, but the Shinaoshan position could not be attacked for a long time, Katayama became furious. The next day, he bombarded our position with superior ground artillery fire and released poisonous gas wantonly.In the afternoon, more than 20 enemy planes bombed and strafed at low altitude in turn, but the Shinao Mountain position remained motionless.In this way, the battle for Shinao Mountain lasted for six full days and nights, effectively guaranteeing the actions of the left-wing troops and shattering the prestige of the "Hehe Imperial Army".The left-wing troops fought in the Gaoping, Daoping, Hongao, and Juanyugou areas for several days. After annihilating more than 400 people from the Yongye Brigade of the 36th Division of the enemy who invaded from Taigu, they were safely transferred. According to the overall deployment of the Eighth Route Army Headquarters, the task of He Long's 120th Division is to cooperate with the attack on the Zhengtai Line and attack the Datong-Yangqu section of the Tongpu Line, the Fen (Yang) Li (Shi) Highway and Xin (County) Jing (Music) Highway, the focus is on the north and south of Yangqu, to prevent the enemy from reinforcing the Zhengtai line. The division commander He Long and the political commissar Guan Xiangying decided to invest 20 regiments in the attack.The first major victory achieved by the 120th Division after launching the raid was the recovery of the Kangjiahui. The Xinjing Highway extends far into the hinterland of the Anti-Japanese Base in Northwest Shanxi, posing a great threat to the Anti-Japanese Base in Northwest Shanxi.Kangjiahui was the largest stronghold of the Japanese army on the Xinjing Highway. Next to the stronghold was a large grain station, guarded by more than 50 Japanese and puppet soldiers from the first part of the 39th Battalion of the Ninth Independent Mixed Brigade of the Japanese Army.There are more than 10 Japanese soldiers stationed in Lili Village on the west side of Kangjiahui, and more than 30 Japanese troops stationed in Shishenshu on the east side.If we can take advantage of this traffic attack to deal with the Japanese army in the stronghold of the Kangjiahui, it will turn the Japanese army into a shrinking turtle and make them dare not act rashly. On the night of the 21st, the battle against the Kang Family Society began.The devil's grenades and machine guns shot out from the bunker like a shower of hail.The grenade thrown by the soldiers also exploded next to the small bunker.Suddenly heard a "boom", the devil's machine gun seemed to be dumb, and stopped making any sound.A soldier from the Sixth Company in the west dropped a grenade from the roof of the house, and it blossomed next to the enemy's grenadier, and the grenade also stopped its tweet.At this time, the loud bugle sounded, piercing the vast night sky, and the soldiers jumped out of the temporarily dug fortification pits like tigers one by one, and rushed forward.The Japanese army of Kangjiahui was completely wiped out. The unprecedented large-scale sabotage battle was first launched on the Zhengtai Line, and then quickly expanded to the entire North China region and major lines of communication except Shandong.These include: the entire territory of Jicha, most of Jinsui and the southern area of ​​Rehe; the entire Zhengtai and Pinggu railway lines, the Pinghan Railway north of Anyang, the Jinpu Railway north of Dezhou, the Tongpu Railway north of Linfen, Guilin The Pingsui Railway in the east of Sui, the Shanhaiguan-Peiping section of the Beining Railway, the Pingyao-Huguan section of the Baijin Railway, and the Deshi Railway and Cangshi Highway under construction. On the anti-Japanese battlefield behind enemy lines 5,000 miles away, 105 regiments and more than 200,000 people fought together, forming a magnificent landscape in the history of China's Anti-Japanese War.