Devil's Army

Chapter 1790: Henan Province Recovered

The second regiment commander breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the Japanese army had retreated. They had finally fulfilled their mission.

The commanders of the second and third brigades did not relax and continued to clear out the Japanese and puppet army strongholds outside Zhengzhou, laying the foundation for the recovery of Zhengzhou.

The Japanese army in Zhengzhou suffered several blows and its strength was greatly reduced. It no longer took the initiative to attack, but instead defended the city of Zhengzhou.

A brigade on the north bank of the Yellow River, the Jidong Independent Brigade left a small number of troops to garrison the recaptured cities.

The large force passed through the Tiexie Ferry in Luoyang and the Heqing Ferry across the Yellow River, preparing to clear out the Japanese troops on the south bank of Henan.

At this time, two regiments of the independent brigade in Heze and Jining, Shandong were preparing to attack the Japanese troops in Shangqiu and Kaifeng, Henan.

The other two regiments of Shandong's independent brigade, the 12th Brigade and the 15th Brigade and the 5th Brigade that arrived later, were preparing to retake Anhui Province.

During the rest period, the Second and Third Brigades continued to recapture some small strongholds outside Zhengzhou, Kaifeng and Shangqiu.

The 37th Regiment of the 3703 Unit in Xinyang was also surrounded and suppressed by the Second Brigade.

After fierce fighting, the Xihe District of Xinyang was recaptured. All Japanese troops confronting the Nanjing government forces in Xinyang were annihilated. Xinyang was recaptured.

The puppet 24th Army, which had defected to the Japanese army in the early stage, also suffered a heavy blow.

Five days later, the Second Brigade, the Third Brigade, the First Brigade of the First Anti-Japanese Army, the Jidong Independent Brigade and the First and Second Regiments of the Shandong Independent Brigade launched the final battle against the Japanese troops on the south bank of the Yellow River.

The First Army's air force stationed in Shanxi also increased its attacks on Japanese troops in Zhengzhou, Kaifeng and Shangqiu.

After a day and night of fierce fighting, the main force of the 1st Brigade, the 1st Regiment of the Shandong Independent Brigade, recaptured Shangqiu.

After two days of fierce fighting and two days of fierce street fighting, the Second Brigade and the First and Second Regiments of the Jidong Independent Brigade recaptured Zhengzhou, while the Third Brigade and the Third and Fourth Regiments of the Jidong Independent Brigade and the Second Regiment of the Shandong Independent Brigade recaptured Kaifeng.

At this point, all the Japanese troops entrenched in northern, eastern and western Henan were wiped out, and the entire Henan province was recovered.

At this time, the main forces of the 3rd and 4th Regiments, the 5th Brigade, part of the 12th Brigade, and the 15th Brigade of the Independent Brigade stationed in Shandong had begun to recover Anhui Province.

The 1st and 2nd Regiments of the Independent Brigade assisted the 1st Brigade. The Jidong Independent Brigade recaptured Shangqiu and quickly returned to base after Kaifeng to participate in the battle to recapture Anhui Province.

Suxian, adjacent to Heze, Shandong, is an important transportation hub on the southern line of Xuzhou (a key node on the Jinpu Railway). It is a must-fight place for the Japanese army to open up the Jinpu Line and realize the "North-South Meeting" strategy.

In 1938, the Japanese army broke through the Chinese army's defense line by relying on its equipment advantages (aircraft, heavy artillery, mechanized troops) and the tactics of concentrating troops. It occupied Suxian on May 19 and has since controlled this strategic location for a long time.

Since the First Anti-Japanese Army recaptured Shandong, the Japanese army increased its troops to build bunkers and trenches along the Suxian section of the Jinpu Railway and the Susi Highway in order to prevent the devil troops from attacking Anhui from Heze, Shandong.

Heavy troops were stationed in Dangshan County, adjacent to Heze, and in nearby Xiao County.

Fearing bombing by the Devil Force's air force, the Japanese army transported all the fighter planes and supplies at Dangshan Airport to Guangde Airport.

Unaware that the enemy troops would occupy Dangshan County, Anhui Province for a long time, the Japanese army did not damage the infrastructure of the Dangshan Airport. This also provided convenience for the First Army Air Force to use Dangshan Airport as a springboard to bomb the Japanese army in Anhui Province and other airports in Anhui Province.

In order to quickly replenish the front-line troops with ammunition and supplies, the Japanese army also built a supply warehouse in Suxian. Unexpectedly, the devil troops used unexpected tactics to surprise attack this supply warehouse.