On August 13, the Japanese Eleventh Army, which had been stationed in Yushan for less than a week, under the command of Okamura Neiji, attacked the Japanese troops guarding the front lines of Zhangwupeng, Lingkou Village and Dukoutang in the west of Jiangshan. Attack. In just one day, the two divisions of the 28th Army that guarded the rerouted line were crippled, and they fled to Xianyan in the south in embarrassment, and then retreated to Fujian through Fenshui Pass. Facing the powerful offensive of the Japanese 3rd, 6th and 101st Divisions, Gu Zhutong ordered to abandon Jiangshan County and move to Pucheng in Fujian in order to preserve his strength. On the 15th, Okamura Ningji led his troops into Quzhou. The next day, the commander of the Central China Front also arrived in Quzhou on a special plane and immediately held a military meeting. At this meeting, the Japanese army decided to encircle ten sides, starting from Shangfang Town to the west of Jiande, Duze Town to the north of Quzhou and Shiliang Town to the northwest, Daqiaotou to the north of Zhaoxian Town in Changshan, and Changshan to the north. Shizikou, as well as dispatched partial divisions from Jiande, strived to capture Shouchang and Sui'an, and attacked from the north to the south of the Qianligang Mountain area. Among them, the main attack direction is the bridgehead line connected by the highway to Fangcun and Maoliangwu, where the battle first started. On the morning of August 18, Xikou north of Daqiaotou. The terrain at Xikou is dangerous. On the left is Qianwang Mountain with an average altitude of more than 200 meters. On the right is Tietong Mountain and Daling Mountain with an average altitude of more than 150 meters. The canyon in the middle is Fangcun Creek and the "Ji" direction of the valley. On the riverside road, because the New Second Army built fortifications here early, they also deliberately blasted several bridges across Fangcun Creek and dug a trench more than 30 meters wide in front of the position to introduce Hongqiao Creek and Fangcun. The flowing water of the stream can be said to be easy to defend but difficult to attack. The sun was hanging in the sky, and the Japanese army appeared on the horizon along the road along Fangcun Creek. Seeing the red flag flying high on the mountain in the distance, the Japanese commander did not hesitate and sent infantry under the cover of the regiment's artillery fire to forcibly cross the waist-deep stream that ran from east to west. Standing in front of the lookout at the command post halfway up Qianwang Mountain, Major Meng Ke, commander of the First Regiment of the Second Division of the New Second Army, used a telescope to observe the Japanese troops gradually coming ashore, while cursing the Japanese troops for firing their shells as if they were free of charge. After a full quarter of an hour of violent bombardment, the Japanese artillery gradually stopped and gradually became inaudible. Major Meng Ke immediately ordered the officers and soldiers hidden in the third trench anti-gun hole to enter the forward position along the traffic ditch. Looking at the Japanese troops strutting down the mountain and preparing to attack, Meng Ke ordered a battalion of officers and soldiers to enter the front-line position. The Japanese troops were not allowed to fire until they reached the preset minefield 100 meters in front of the position. The arrogant Japanese army did not even send out leading soldiers, so they concentrated all their troops and launched an attack on the blocking position of the Duer Division. Seeing that there was only a hundred meters away from the Chinese ** team's position, the defenders still did not fire a shot, and the Japanese army, which had been advancing cautiously, became bolder. "Kill them!" Under the river embankment, the Japanese captain Taro Morita, who was brandishing his saber and giving the order for the entire attack, was startled by the sudden explosion, and then several heartbreaking shouts came from his ears, "There are Mines! " As the mines in front of the position were detonated, dense explosions sounded around the Japanese offensive formation. The Japanese soldiers were knocked to the ground by the incoming steel fragments, and a large area was quickly cleared. Soon after, the sound of light and heavy machine gun shooting and the muffled sound of mortar firing came at the same time. The sudden dense rain of bullets and hail-like grenades once again knocked down a large area of ????the Japanese army deep in the defense line. . The leading Japanese squadron was crippled on the spot. Some of the Japanese soldiers who reacted quickly and lay down on the ground in advance could not escape the mines and were torn to pieces on the spot. Even if they survived by chance, they would still be missing arms and legs. Taro Morita was angered by the sudden blow. The 16th Division, which has experienced the test of battles such as Songhu, Nanjing, Xuzhou, and Wuhan, has always been arrogant. Where has it ever suffered such a big loss? After coming to his senses, Major Morita immediately ordered the entire brigade to launch a fierce attack on the opposing garrison position. At this time, although the Duer Division only had one battalion in the front-line trenches, there were only sixteen Maxim heavy machine guns deployed, plus eight 60 mortars and sixteen grenades. The intensive firepower overwhelmed the Japanese army. The leading squadron was almost completely wiped out, and the remaining Japanese troops were suppressed to the point where they could not lift their heads. Although Major Morita was extremely angry, he had received rigorous training for a long time and heard from the firepower configuration of the front defenders that although the Chinese ** team had more light and heavy machine guns, light mortars, and grenades, it did not have heavy firepower, or even calibers. There are no larger mortars either. Judging from the intensity of gunfire, the opponent's strength should not exceed one battalion. Major Morita was ashamed and angry. If the main force of a main division cannot even break through the position defended by a battalion of a Chinese corps equipped with only light weapons, then he will definitely become the laughing stock of the 16th Division. Major Morita, who was so angry that he almost vomited blood, ordered the infantry squad of the brigade to concentrate two Type 92 infantry cannons to cover the infantry to launch a full-line attack. ¡° Morita didn¡¯t know that his every move had attracted the attention of the snipers assigned to the 1st Regiment and 1st Battalion of the Second Division. As a supplement to the New Second Division, the New Third Division, and the Independent Division, the Du Second Division and the Du Third Division are much inferior in terms of weapons, equipment, and personnel. In order to ensure the combat effectiveness of the troops, the military headquarters specially assigned each division to the New Second Division. The sharp knife companies prepared by the regiment were disassembled and used, and they were sent to the Du Er Division and Du San Division in batches to serve as the backbone. Among them, officers and soldiers with accurate marksmanship are directly assigned to battalion-level units as the final weapon. Although a battalion is only equipped with two sniper teams, that is, two main snipers and two assistants, the treatment of snipers is based on that of company-level cadres, and even the military rank is at least lieutenant. When Major Morita saw that the charging troops were beaten down again, he was so angry that he jumped out from the hiding place under the river embankment with his saber, hacked to death a deserter, and prepared to lead the charge himself. The two eager snipers had been waiting for this opportunity for a long time. They opened fire almost at the same time. The brave Major Morita was hit in the head by a 12.7 mm sniper bullet on the spot, and a big hole was punched in his chest. The two staff officers following Major Morita were killed by two snipers who changed their targets in time before they could react. After all, he is a veteran from the 16th Division. Although he saw his captain being beaten like a watermelon and his head was blown off, he did not panic. After the attack was stopped, the remaining two squadron captains led less than 200 Japanese soldiers, relying on the favorable terrain of the river embankment, to engage in exchanges of fire with the officers and soldiers of the independent division, regiment and battalion on the opposite side. These Japanese veterans were very accurate with their marksmanship and caused certain casualties to the blocking troops. "Baga!" Seeing the loss of troops in the first attack, Colonel Kondo Ki, captain of the 9th Infantry Regiment of the 30th Brigade of the 10th Division of the Japanese Army, became angry and ordered the eight-door Meiji 41-type 75mm of the artillery brigade to which the regiment belonged. Mountain artillery concentrated all firepower to bombard the defending positions in front. It is the first brigade that takes over the offensive task. Compared to the Third Battalion, which suffered most of the casualties in the first attack and even the captain was reimbursed, the First Battalion can be called the Ninth Wing's trump card. Before the artillery fire stopped, the Japs from the First Battalion, under the personal supervision of Colonel Kondo, used the pig attack tactic to launch a fierce attack on the position of the 1st Regiment of the Duer Division. The First Battalion was brave and cunning. During the attack, it took advantage of the artillery fire cover of the regiment to push the two infantry cannons belonging to the brigade and the two infantry cannons from the Third Battalion so close to the defender's position that they were no more than 200 meters away. distance, specifically firing at a regiment's heavy machine gun position. The regiment fought back bravely with intensive machine gun fire. Most of the Japanese gunners were lost, but eight of their own heavy machine guns misfired. Although the regiment tried to fight back with 60 mortars, it was quickly suppressed by the Japanese 75mm mountain artillery and had to repeatedly move the artillery position. The two sides fought hard and saw that all the technical troops were sacrificed. Major Meng Ke, commander of the first regiment, turned red with anger. He called the division headquarters several times to seek support from the division's artillery, but was met with harsh words. reject. Colonel Kondo watched helplessly as the fourth charge of the First Battalion was once again blocked by the defenders, and he stamped his feet in anger. At this time, the division commander, Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke, called and asked when the passage could be opened. Colonel Kondo was speechless, and finally gritted his teeth and put the last infantry group of the regiment into battle. The Japanese offensive became more and more fierce, and the sacrifices of the regiment became more and more serious. At this time, an order came from the division headquarters to abandon the first-line position and retreat to the second trench. Taking advantage of the gap in the Japanese attack, a regiment of officers and soldiers hurriedly carried or supported the injured Paoze, and the stretcher team carried the bodies of the sacrificed soldiers and retreated to the second trench. Subsequently, the traffic trench was blown up by preset explosives. After another intensive artillery fire, the Japanese soldiers who launched the charge suddenly found that the trenches on the opposite side did not fire as many bullets and mortars as before, and they couldn't help but be puzzled. When the Japanese soldiers rushed to the first trench and were about to jump over in one go, they saw that the trench in front of them was three meters wide, and it was impossible for the Japanese soldiers with mostly carrot legs to step across. While hesitating, a hundred meters ahead, a group of more than ten light and heavy machine guns arranged in the second trench suddenly sprayed out fire whips, and the Japanese soldiers fell to the ground row by row. Seeing this, the other Japanese soldiers quickly jumped into the trenches to escape. But jumping into the trenches did not lead to peace, but instead became the beginning of disaster. When the regiment was retreating, a large number of landmines were planted in the trenches. When the Japanese soldiers jumped into the trenches from above, the mines were often triggered as soon as their feet touched the ground, and the Japanese soldiers who stepped on the mines were blown up on the spot. You know, the Japanese are likeDumplings usually jump into the trenches, and the direct consequence is that they explode into a large area. Moreover, the relatively closed effect of the trenches further increases the power of the explosion. The Japanese army suffered heavy casualties for a time. When the mines were exhausted, the Japanese rushed into the trenches one after another. After paying one or two hundred lives, there was finally no explosion again. However, when these later Japanese soldiers were about to crawl out of the trenches and continue their attack, they discovered that the trenches were dug very strangely. The trench is at least two and a half meters deep, and the north side is extremely straight and steep. There is no place to borrow strength. The Japanese soldiers with long body and short legs, most of whom are less than 1.6 meters, cannot climb even if they use their best strength. Go up. The Japanese soldiers below could not climb up, but the Japanese soldiers who kept pouring in did not know what was going on below. In addition, to avoid the rain of bullets from the front, they kept jumping into the trenches. Soon the trenches were filled with overcrowded Japanese soldiers. . At this time, the Japanese soldiers were finally able to free up their manpower and were ready to rush out of the trenches by using ladders and continue to attack the defending positions in front. "Boom -" A dense burst of artillery shells fell. This time it was not just the shells of the 60th mortar, but also the anger spewed by the sixteen August 1st mortars of the artillery regiment of the Duer Division. But the greatest threat is the "unconscionable cannon" placed between the second and third positions. Seeing densely packed explosive packets falling from the sky, the Japanese in the trenches all let out loud screams. The shells and explosive packets exploded one after another, and the Japanese were quickly blown to pieces. "Baga!" Lieutenant Colonel Tsukiye Saburo, the first captain of the troops who was commanding the charge, cursed before he uttered a curse. A 20-kilogram explosive package exploded two meters above his head. The explosion produced a strong shock wave, killing Lieutenant Colonel Tsukiye and seven people around him. More than a dozen Japanese soldiers within eight meters were all blown to pieces. The Japanese soldiers a little further away were shocked to the point where their internal organs were shattered and their mouths and noses were bleeding. They were quickly engulfed by other grenades and explosive packets fired into the trenches. This offensive and defensive battle ended in a disastrous defeat for the Ninth Regiment. The first brigade was almost completely wiped out, and most of the second brigade that participated in the attack at the last moment also died. Major Kenji Noguchi, captain of the Second Battalion, had his leg broken by a falling artillery shell, and was also shocked by the shock wave after the explosion of the explosive package. His internal organs were seriously injured, and his mouth and nose continued to bleed when he was carried off the battlefield. The first battle, the new second army wins!