Resistance against Japan: Starting with the local militia

Chapter 215 Combat Preparation

"Ring, ring, ring."

The phone at the command center rang.

"Hello, this is Tang Xiaohu." Tang Xiaohu stood up and walked over to answer the phone.

"Battalion Commander Tang, this is Zhang Haoshan. I'm here to relay the regimental headquarters' orders."

"Deputy Regiment Commander Zhang, please speak."

"The regimental headquarters orders your unit to immediately lead your troops to take a shortcut and infiltrate the Lijia Gou area to build defensive positions."

"Operational objective?" Tang Xiaohu asked.

"The regimental commander plans to attack the Japanese county town. In order to buy time for the troops in the county town, your unit will block the Japanese troops that come to reinforce."

"Time to ambush?"

"At least one hour; the specific evacuation time will be determined by further orders."

"Yes."

"Battalion Commander Tang, the regimental headquarters knows that your combat casualties are also quite severe, but we hope that you can overcome all obstacles and complete the blocking mission. This mission is related to the future development of our militia."

"Yes, I guarantee I will complete the mission." Tang Xiaohu solemnly agreed.

"Deputy Regiment Commander Zhang, I have something to report to the regimental headquarters."

"Oh, what's the matter?"

"When we were cleaning up the battlefield this time, we found four unused poison gas shells from the enemy."

"What! Wait a minute."

"Commander, Commander, Tang Xiaohu and his men have captured four poison gas grenades!" Tang Xiaohu heard Zhang Haoshan shout from the side through the telephone receiver.

"Hello, Xiaohu, this is Weiguo." Tang Weiguo's voice came through the telephone receiver.

"Commander, what should we do now?"

"Xiao Hu, have someone escort this batch of weapons to the military camp and hand them over to the logistics department so they can store them carefully."

"Yes."

"Xiao Hu, I've already relayed Deputy Regiment Commander Zhang's orders to you. I don't have any extra troops available now, so it's all up to your battalion."

"Don't worry, Commander, our First Battalion guarantees to complete the mission."

"Okay, I'll wait for your good news."

"Yes," Tang Xiaohu replied immediately after hanging up the phone.

"Deputy Battalion Commander Shen, there is an urgent mission. Immediately assemble companies 1 through 5 and head towards Lijia Gou."

"Battalion Commander, what mission is so urgent?"

"The regimental commander is preparing to attack the Japanese county town and has ordered us to block the Japanese reinforcements in the Lijia Gou area. We'll discuss the details on the way. Now assemble the troops immediately and prepare to depart."

"Yes, I'll go right now." Shen Lei said and hurriedly ran back.

"Staff Officer Yao, you will lead the 6th and 7th Companies to stay in Tangjia Town for the time being, to monitor the Japanese situation at all times, and to prevent the Japanese from launching another counterattack."

"Yes."

"Report to the regimental headquarters immediately if any situation arises."

"Yes."

"In addition, you will draw a platoon from the first company to escort the captured poison gas bombs safely to the regimental headquarters and hand them over to the logistics department."

"Yes."

"I'm meeting up with Deputy Battalion Commander Shen now. Tangjia Town is in your hands now!" Tang Xiaohu said, patting Yao Xing on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, Battalion Commander, I will definitely take good care of the family."

"Okay." Tang Xiaohu nodded and hurriedly left the command post to meet up with Shen Lei.

Half an hour later, Tang Xiaohu led five companies of soldiers and took advantage of the darkness to take a shortcut to the Lijia Gou area.

On the other side, Niu Dali also received a combat mission from the regimental headquarters.

"Battalion Commander, it's finally our turn to act!" Qin Yang said impatiently.

"Yes, it's finally our turn to shine. The other battalions all performed exceptionally well, especially the anti-aircraft battalion, which shot down five Japanese warplanes. The regimental commander even issued a commendation to the entire regiment. Our reconnaissance battalion can't fall behind this time either; we'll definitely make this battle a resounding success."

"Don't worry, everyone's holding their breath right now," Qin Yang said with a smile.

"This time, the regimental commander sent word that the Eighth Route Army Independent Regiment will cooperate with us in the operation. They are also lying in ambush nearby and are expected to arrive and join us in an hour."

"In addition, Bi Shoucai also brought the logistics and transportation battalion to meet us. According to their telegram, they will meet us at 2 a.m. It is 10 p.m. now, so there are still 4 hours left."

"Battalion Commander, in that case, our operation will be much more secure."

"That's right!"

"Qin Yang, later you take some men to meet up with the Independent Regiment," Niu Dali said again.

"Yes, I will go to greet Commander Li and his men in a moment."

after an hour.

Qin Yang, accompanied by Li Yunfei, the commander of the Independent Regiment, and Zhao Xiaogang, the political commissar, entered Niu Dali's command post.

"Battalion Commander, I've brought Regiment Commander Li and Political Commissar Zhao over," Qin Yang said as he walked in.

"Commander Li, it's been so long since we last met at Xiaoqingshan!" Niu Dali said enthusiastically.

"Yes, I never expected that you would dare to plot against the county town when we meet again. This has really surprised me, Old Li!"

Li Yunfei was also taken aback when he received Tang Weiguo's message. He thought he was very brave, but he didn't expect that Commander Tang was even braver than him.

He met with Political Commissar Zhao and immediately decided to take the job.

As the saying goes, the timid starve while the bold thrive; besides, they've never suffered a loss by following this militia.

"Haha, Commander Li is being modest."

"Commander Li, the attack is scheduled for 4:00 AM tomorrow. Now let's discuss the specific tactics and the coordination between our two units."

“Okay, no problem,” Li Yunfei readily agreed.

"Now, let Xu Bo from the intelligence department tell everyone about the current situation in the county," Niu Dali said to the young man beside him.

"Battalion Commander Niu, Regiment Commander Li, now I'll give you some intelligence on the county town," Xu Bo said.

"Currently, the Japanese troops stationed in the county town consist of about one battalion of puppet troops and more than 500 Japanese soldiers."

"Each of the four gates of the county town was guarded by a squad of Japanese soldiers and about a platoon of puppet troops. The Japanese defense center was mainly located in the logistics warehouse, where a company of Japanese soldiers and a company of puppet troops were stationed."

"The remaining 100 Japanese soldiers were stationed at the county headquarters."

"Currently, the puppet army platoon leader stationed at the east gate of the county town has been turned to the side by our intelligence department a long time ago. It's too much of a coincidence that they are the ones left to guard the county town. This is undoubtedly a godsend for our operation."

"That's truly heaven helping us!" Li Yunfei said with a smile.

"Now, our intelligence team, under the command of Captain Sun Qiang, has infiltrated the vicinity of the East Gate. Our plan is to work with the puppet army platoon leader we have won over to eliminate the Japanese soldiers stationed at the East Gate, open the gate, and let the main force in."

"That way, we can enter the county town silently without alerting the Japanese," Xu Bo said confidently.

"Battalion Commander Niu, your militia is truly a force to be reckoned with!" Although Zhao Xiaogang was already used to the militia's monstrous fighting prowess, he was still quite shocked by their effortless assault on the county town.

"Don't even mention you, even our own people are shocked. Our intelligence department has unknowingly pulled off a huge operation," Niu Dali remarked. He hadn't expected the attack on the Japanese county town to be so easy.

His original plan was to use the Type 92 infantry guns carried by the reconnaissance battalion to launch a strong attack on the Japanese city tower, and to enter the county town before the Japanese troops in other parts of the town could react.

"Thank you for the compliment, Battalion Commander Niu. It's all thanks to the regimental commander's excellent leadership," Xu Bo said with a smile.