Quartermasters can also fight the devils

Chapter 702 Rescue on the Western Front

The battle of Changde City was of great significance. Although the 57th Division of the Chinese government was almost wiped out in Changde City, the officers and soldiers of the 57th Division not only eliminated a large number of the attacking forces of the Japanese 11th Army, but also bought 16 days of precious time for the peripheral Chinese troops. This also played a huge role in the Chinese government's Sixth War Zone troops finally defeating the main force of the Japanese 11th Army in the Changde Battle.

From November 18th, at the same time as the fighting broke out at Tujia Lake outside Changde City, the offensive forces of the Japanese 10th Army on the flank also attacked at the same time. The 13th Division of the Japanese 11th Army on the left and the Japanese 3rd Division went south to attack Taoyuan and occupied Taoyuan on the 21st, completing the encirclement of the left wing of Changde City by the offensive forces of the Japanese 11th Army. The 68th Division of the Japanese Army on the southern line also occupied Hanshou on the 22nd, completing the encirclement of the southern road of Changde City.

When the attacking forces of the Japanese 11th Army completely encircled Changde City, the 57th Division in Changde had already been fighting a bloody battle with the attacking forces of the Japanese 11th Army in the suburbs of Changde City for four days.

By November 24, the attacking force of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army had penetrated into the area ten kilometers outside the suburbs of Changde City. In view of the fact that the battle in Changde City had entered a white-hot stage and the encirclement of the Sixth War Zone troops of the Chinese Government was gradually formed on the periphery, the Military Commission of the Chinese Government issued an order to the Sixth War Zone of the Chinese Government to counterattack Changde.

While the 57th Division of the Chinese government was fighting desperately with the attacking forces of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army in Changde City, the Chinese troops responsible for attacking and relieving Changde City on the periphery were also doing their best.

Responsible for the attack and relief from the west of Changde City were the 51st and 58th Divisions of the 74th Army of the Huaxia Government, as well as the 19th and 63rd Divisions of the 100th Army, with a total strength of 25,000 people.

The Japanese 216th Army was responsible for the defense of the west side of Changde City. The Sasaki Detachment was composed mainly of the Japanese th Division and the th Regiment of the th Division, with a total strength of people.

You know, the firepower of the Japanese army is stronger than that of the Chinese army. Moreover, the 13th Division of the Japanese Army is a Type A division, and its combat effectiveness is also ranked among the top six in the Japanese army.

Although the Chinese government's Sixth War Zone had slightly more troops west of Changde City than the Japanese 11th Army, it was actually the Japanese 11th Army that had a considerable advantage in the battle on the western front.

The only advantage of the Chinese government's Sixth War Zone troops on the Western Front is that the 74th Army and the 100th Army are the most powerful troops in the Chinese government's army, and are more familiar with the terrain on the Western Front than the Japanese 11th Army.

Since the Sixth War Zone of the Chinese Government began to carry out the counterattack mission on November 24, the 74th Army and the 100th Army adjusted their troops and launched a fierce attack on the Japanese 11th Army west of Changde City.

The 13th Division of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army to the west of Changde City had fought a bloody battle with the 51st and 58th Divisions of the 74th Army of the Chinese government for eight days before, and suffered a lot of combat effectiveness. However, a lean camel is bigger than a horse, and the 13th Division of the Japanese Army was still very tenacious in the defensive operations on the west line of Changde City.

The 100th and 74th Armies of the Chinese government attacked the defensive positions of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army on the western front with all their might. After more than two days of fierce attack, the Chinese army had penetrated into Huangshi Town in the north and the Qijia River line in the south. However, the Chinese army was still 30 kilometers away from the city of Changde.

Lieutenant General Akashi Osamu, commander of the 13th Division of the Japanese Army, understood that the 74th Army and the 100th Army of the Chinese government launched the attack at all costs in order to reinforce Changde City. Therefore, Lieutenant General Akashi Osamu, commander of the 13th Division of the Japanese Army, also withdrew the forces of the 13th Division of the Japanese Army to the line of Huangshi Town and Qijiahe, trying his best to block the advance of the Chinese army.

As a result of the reduction of troops by Lieutenant General Akashika Riki, commander of the 13th Division of the Japanese Army, the 100th Army and the 74th Army of the Chinese government attacked for two consecutive days without making any progress. On the 26th, the attacking force of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army that attacked Changde City had already reached the line of the Changde city wall, and the 57th Division guarding Changde City was already in great danger.

Therefore, the acting commander of the Sixth War Zone of the Chinese government, Commander Sun, and Chief of Staff Guo of the War Zone ordered Commander Wang of the 74th Army to abandon the attack on the Taoyuan County on the flank, and concentrate the main force of the troops to immediately capture Huangshi Town and Qijiahe, and tear open the defense of the Japanese 13th Division on the west line of Changde City.

Then, in the shortest possible time, they occupied Zou City, the last fulcrum to the west of Changde City, and attacked Hebo Mountain in the suburbs of Changde City, rescuing the 57th Division that was defending Changde City from the west.

Commander Wang of the 74th Army also knew that the situation of the 57th Division defending Changde City was extremely critical, and he was extremely anxious.

You know, the 57th Division that was holding out in Changde City was a unit of his 74th Army. As the commander of the 74th Army, the 57th Division was the apple of Army Commander Wang's eye. So, Army Commander Wang ordered the 74th Army and the 100th Army to attack Huangshi Town and Qijiahe defended by the 13th Division of the Japanese Army at all costs.

However, the Japanese 13th Division had a strength of 20,000 troops, and the commander of the 13th Division, Lieutenant General Akashika Ryo, had gathered his troops together to hold several key points. It would be difficult for the troops of the 74th Army and the 100th Army to repel the defensive forces of the Japanese 13th Division in a short period of time.

The two sides fought fiercely until the early morning of November 28, when part of the officers and soldiers of the 58th Division of the 74th Army of the Chinese government finally broke into Huangshi Town and repelled a regiment of the 13th Division of the Japanese Army. However, before the officers and soldiers of the 58th Division could gain a foothold, they were counterattacked by another regiment of the 13th Division of the Japanese Army, and the regiment that had been repelled before also launched a counterattack from the front.

The 58th Division was attacked from both sides and had no choice but to withdraw from Huangshi Town. Subsequently, the 58th Division organized several attacks, but the strength of the Japanese 13th Division in Huangshi Town had reached more than 5,000 troops. It was difficult for the 58th Division to defeat so many Japanese troops occupying Huangshi Town in a short period of time.

Commander Zhang of the 58th Division had no choice but to use risky tactics in the face of the heavily defended Huangshi Town. Commander Zhang of the 58th Division ordered Deputy Regiment Commander Yang Jianqiu to lead a main battalion to sneak into Huangshi Town through a gap in the Japanese army's flank defense line.