In the spring of 1944, in order to open up the Chinese mainland communication line, the Japanese army constantly drew troops from central China to the south to participate in the war. This practice of demolishing the eastern wall to supplement the western wall made the Japanese army on the soviet and central battlefields begin to gradually stretch their muscles, the veterans became less and less, the defensive area was further contracted, and a large number of puppet troops were pushed to the front line to fill the number. At the same time, the Japanese army's actions of "postponing the clearance of the countryside" and "highly clearing the countryside" became more frequent.
In the face of the all-out sweep by the Japanese army, most people in the New Fourth Army advocated active defense and cooperated with mass organizations and local armed forces to carry out local struggles. However, Su Yu, who was the commander of the First Division of the New Fourth Army at that time, did not approve of this method of fighting passively, and he clearly pointed out:
"The Japanese army is already at the end of the crossbow, and we should strive for favorable opportunities in the stage of strategic stalemate to promote a partial strategic counteroffensive."
The Japanese army was gradually defeated in the Pacific Theater, and several major attacks launched on the frontal battlefield of China were also huge losses. Su Yu, who had been paying close attention to the international and domestic situation, was keenly aware that the Japanese army had reached its limit in the use of troops, and the frenzied attack on the Soviet and Central base areas at this time was nothing more than a dying struggle.
For the Japanese army, which has been defeated, it should not sit still, but should take the initiative to attack and fire the first shot of the local strategic counteroffensive, which is a "bold plan" that Su Yu has planned in his heart for several months. To this end, he also deliberately took advantage of the opportunity to go to Huanghuatang to attend the rectification meeting, led some staff officers and surveyors to investigate the terrain and enemy situation along the way, brewed up the operational layout, and after returning to central Jiangsu, formally put forward the idea of a large-scale decisive battle with the Japanese army.
Su Yu's strategic case surprised the leading cadres of the Central Soviet Region and the First Division. At this time, the total strength of the New Fourth Army and the local armed forces in the central Soviet Union reached 20 regiments with a total of more than 30,000 people, which can be described as strong and strong, but if they really pull out to fight a big battle, no one has a bottom in their hearts.
Will launching offensive operations spur the Japanese army and lead to large-scale retaliation?
Is it safe to let the troops that have been reduced to zero guerrilla warfare gather together to fight a tough battle?
Without the order of the military department, is it too risky to single out the Japanese army in the Soviet Union and China with the strength of one division and one unit?
For these three "whether" questions, Su Yu also made a corresponding analysis:
(1) From the overall situation, the Japanese army is at the end of the road, after the first division launched an offensive operation, it is difficult to concentrate on large-scale retaliation and sweeping, even if there are some small actions, if I am prepared, the impact will not be too big.
(2) After winter training, our main forces have made new improvements in tactics and technology. As long as the organization and command are proper, victory in the campaign is very certain.
(3) In terms of the strength of the enemy and ourselves in the central Soviet Union, although our army is at a military and technical disadvantage, it is not an absolute disadvantage. Especially on the basis of the masses, our army has a great advantage.
Su Yu's foresight and keen judgment of the war situation convinced everyone. The leaders of the Central Soviet Region decided that Su Yu would be responsible for the organization and command of the campaign, with Deputy Division Commander Ye Fei as the front-line commander, and the battle target was the chariot.
Located in Huai'an, Jiangsu Province, the bridge is the hub connecting central Jiangsu and northern Jiangsu, belonging to the heart of the Japanese army, with strong fortifications and heavy garrisons. Su Yuli attacked the bridge, and it was precisely because he thought that the more dangerous the place, it was often the easiest place to get his hands on, which was the dialectic of war. Taking advantage of the favorable terrain to adopt the tactic of digging out the heart, concealing the enemy, suddenly attacking, attacking and reinforcing at the same time, if you can win, you can seriously damage the Japanese army in the Soviet Union and China in one fell swoop.
Su Yu mobilized 5 regiments of the main force of the 1st Division, plus local troops, and temporarily organized into three columns: 1 Regiment, Special Service Battalion, and Taizhou Independent Regiment, and a battalion of the Taizhou Independent Regiment as the first column, serving as the second column, mainly attacking Cheqiao; the 52nd Regiment, jiangdu independent regiment, and Gaoyou independent regiment each served as a blockade in the direction of Huai'an, Caodian, and Baoying; the first battalion of the teaching regiment and the artillery detachment formed a general reserve.
Su Yu's use of troops was extremely bold and unexpected. He cleverly set up suspicious troops and let the organs directly under the division headquarters divide into two echelons, one way to the north and the other to the south to highlight the encirclement and suppression circle of the Japanese army, disturbing and paralyzing the enemy's vision. At the same time, 30,000 militia and masses were mobilized to build roads and dams overnight, and thousands of ships were organized to transport the main force and ladders and other materials to the bridge. Local troops, on the other hand, destroyed bridges and roads between the various strongholds and laid a large number of mines on all possible routes of the Japanese army.
On the one hand, the fierce tiger dug his heart, and on the other hand, he invited Jun into the urn, and the core idea of Su Yu's counter-offensive plan was only four words: "stable, accurate, fierce, and poisonous."
In the early morning of March 5, the battle officially began. Tao Yong, commander of the 3rd Brigade, personally commanded the second column to penetrate the two wings of Cheqiao Town from the north and south directions, avoiding more than a dozen fortified outlying strongholds, crossing the outer trenches, setting up ladders, and breaking into the city in only 20 minutes, laying down more than 10 pillboxes, occupying all the streets in the town, and dividing and encircling the Japanese and puppet troops.
The Japanese troops defending the city could not have imagined that a division of the New Fourth Army would dare to take the initiative to launch a battle to attack the fort, and it would also rush to attack the central stronghold of the Cheqiao Bridge, which was too bold. The unsuspecting defenders collapsed in one blow and fell completely into passivity. Before dawn, the area around the bridge was suddenly blown by strong winds, yellow sand filled the sky, and the people all said, "The New Fourth Army has the blessing of the gods, and the sky blows ghost wind to help the New Fourth Army win the battle." ”
On the 6th, the Second Column, with the cooperation of the artillery brigade, dispersed the assault with several combat groups, eliminated the Japanese fire points one by one, and destroyed more than 50 pillboxes. Except for a small number of Japanese troops who escaped by gap, the rest were annihilated by the New Fourth Army.
At the same time, the battle to block the reinforcements was also fierce. The frenzied offensive of the New Fourth Army shocked the Japanese troops in Huai'an, Siyang, and Lianshui, and immediately dispatched a large number of reinforcements to support the bridge.
More than 100 Japanese puppet troops from Caodian and Ta'ertou were the first to move, and when they reached the Dashi River, they triggered the mines planted by the New Fourth Army, and were violently blocked by the 52nd Regiment and forced to retreat. The 72nd Brigade of the 65th Division of the Japanese Army in Huaiyin, Huai'an, and other places, a total of more than 700 people, rushed to the bridge by car in 4 batches, but they were blocked by the powerful firepower of the first column of the New Fourth Army, and they fled into the mine array preset by our army in a hurry, and they were blown up and howled, suffering heavy casualties.
The remaining divisions of the New Fourth Army also actively responded to the offensive of the First Division, attacking one after another and launching strong attacks on various Japanese strongholds. The whole of Central Jiangsu and the whole of Jiangsu have been beaten into a pot of porridge. In the Battle of Cheqiao, only one division annihilated 465 Japanese troops under Misawa Daisa, 483 puppet troops, and 24 captured under Lieutenant Yamamoto.
No war is enough, a war is amazing. Yamamoto, who had become a prisoner of the New Fourth Army, sighed in awe:
"I am afraid that this is the first time that your Jiangsu New Fourth Army has fought such a big victory and captured such a Japanese army." You plant mines in the graveyard, you set up trenches around the graveyard, and as soon as we arrive, you lift the camouflage and suddenly appear, and this is really a brilliant plan, a tactical victory. Your Soyu Ellai! Elaj (japanese for "remarkable")! ”
The great victory of the axle shocked the whole country, and Yan'an declared to the outside world:
"The New Fourth Army of Northern Jiangsu fought a great annihilation war with strong troops."
However, Rao Shushi sent a telegram of criticism to the First Division on behalf of the New Fourth Army, believing that this battle:
"Taking the initiative to overexpose one's own strength and stimulate the enemy is likely to cause retaliation from the enemy and cause adverse effects on the overall situation."
In this regard, Su Yu also explained the necessity of the Battle of Cheqiao and the reason for the inability of the Japanese army to launch a revenge offensive. And the facts after that also proved Su Yu's foresight, although the Japanese army planned to let the 56th Division carry out a retaliatory sweep, but only symbolically went out and went around, just ran to the car bridge, just saw the New Fourth Army waiting in the telescope, did not dare to go forward, and rushed back.
The Battle of Cheqiao not only defeated the Japanese army tactically, but also psychologically subdued the Japanese army, which was a complete victory in the true sense.