In April 1945, the last battle in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Battle of Xiangxi, began. The battle was commanded by Wang Yaowu, commander of the Fourth Front.
Located in the northeast of Longtan Division, eagle-shaped mountain is only 1450 meters high, the mountain is gentle, on the surface there is no danger, but it is a strategic point, for which both the Nationalist army and the Japanese army are determined to win.
First shelled, then machine gun fire, followed by the first shock wave, the 153rd Regiment of the 51st Division, led by the regimental commander Wang Menggeng, launched a fierce attack on the Japanese army.
At this time, god was pouring down a light rain. Taking advantage of the complex terrain, the Japanese army organized death squads to build machine gun positions on both sides overnight, forming crossfire to deal with the attack of the Chinese army.
Wang Menggeng organized several charges, suffering heavy casualties, but still did not take the high ground. Eagle Mountain was still under the control of the Japanese army.
Zhou Zhidao, commander of the 51st Division, could not wait, and he left the command post at the Water Mill and braved the rain to come to the front of the 153rd Regiment. Without using a telescope, Zhou Zhidao could clearly see that on the top of the mountain with ancient trees, there were Japanese soldiers cutting down trees and building air defense bunkers. Zhou Zhidao secretly admired the shrewdness of the Japanese command and turned back to discuss countermeasures with Wang Menggeng and others.
After deliberating for a long time and when there was no good idea, the chief of staff reported that Wang Yaowu, commander of the Front, had arrived at zhangjiatang airstrip. By the time Zhou Zhidao hurried back to the division command post, Wang Yaowu was already sitting in the water mill with a smile on his face, waiting for him.
"Brother Jingfang, it's been hard!" Although Wang Yaowu was an official to the commander of the front army, he was very humble to his subordinates, and usually called him a brother and a brother, and did not put up a shelf.
"The commander flew to the front line in this weather, don't you say hello first?" Zhou Zhidao said with disgust.
"Soldiers are fast, soldiers are fast!" Wang Yaowu made two perfunctory remarks and returned to the truth.
Wang Yaowu has always paid special attention to the Longtan area, where the main force of the Japanese army has advanced the farthest and deepest. If Longtan is captured, the Japanese army can fall straight into the An River and force the Zhi River. This is also the ambition of the Japanese Kou.
Next, Wang Yaowu went straight in and inquired about the battle situation of eagle-shaped mountain.
"The enemy's fortifications were hidden and strong, and artillery fire seemed to be of no use." Wang Menggeng, the leader of the 153rd Regiment, reported the difficulties to Wang Yaowu.
"If you strengthen the strength of the troops, such a small mountainous area, the troops will not be able to swing!" Seeing that Wang Yaowu was silent, Zhou Zhidao asked, "What is the commander's high opinion?" ”
Wang Yaowu picked up a straw stick and wrote the word "fire" on the mud floor.
"Fire Attack!" If you have some understanding, but immediately shake your head again. Recently, the spring rain has been continuous, it seems that there is no intention to stop, the mountains and grass are green, and there is rain, how to "fire attack"?
Wang Yaowu smiled and drew his fingers and moved out his "five elements" philosophy. "The ancients summed up a set of principles of 'five phases of life and victory', today, we may as well also have a wood to make a fire - fire kejin"
Wang Yaowu's telegram requesting the Air Force to drop napalm bombs was forwarded to General Chennault of the Flying Tigers.
The P-40 fighter jet, loaded with napalm bombs, flew over Longtan. In order to enable the Air Force to accurately find enemy targets, the Air Force Ground Force established an air liaison station. The anti-air liaison station lurked to the top about 2,000 meters from the enemy position and instructed the P-40 aircraft to dive and drop bombs at the Japanese.
Despite the rain and fog, the Japanese positions on Eagle Mountain still rose up in flames, and the tree tubes used to repair the bunkers were ignited by napalm and burned.
The Japanese quickly shifted their positions, but many of the native soldiers in the bunkers did not have time to escape, and they were burned like coke.
The P-40 corrected the deviations indicated by the anti-air liaison station and also dive-bombed other Japanese positions. On this day, the Air Force dispatched 16 aircraft, divided into 4 batches, 3-5 in each batch, and bombed in turn. This fatigue bombing forced the Japanese army to shrink in the sand and gravel fortifications and dare not look up.
Zhou Zhidao saw that Wang Yaowu's "fire attack" plan had succeeded, so he ordered an attack.
The 2nd Battalion of Wang Menggeng's 153rd Regiment, under the leadership of Battalion Commander Jiang Qiyong, took the lead and rushed to the main position of Eagle Mountain. After the "fire attack", the rest of the battle is effortless.