In May 1985, the 67th Army of the People's Liberation Army was ordered to be stationed in the Laoshan Theater to take over the important task of defensive operations of the 1st Army of the former Nanjing Military Region. However, the day after the handover of the 67th Army was completed, the Vietnamese army suddenly launched a large-scale counterattack codenamed "M-1". In the face of the menacing Vietnamese army, how will the newly arrived 67 th Army deal with it? Will they be able to withstand the Vietnamese army's frenzied attack and stabilize the defense line of Lao Son? How did the 67 th Army make the Vietnamese army no longer dare to act rashly in just one month?
1. When the 67th Army first arrived in Laoshan, it was immediately met with a frantic counterattack by the Vietnamese army
On May 18, 1985, the 67th Army of the People's Liberation Army began to enter the Laoshan Theater one after another. This battle-hardened force, formerly known as the 2nd Column of the North China Military Region during the Liberation War, participated in major battles such as the Nanchang Uprising, the Autumn Harvest Uprising, and the Baise Uprising. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the 67th Army was honored to participate in the military parade of the founding ceremony, and in 1951, it crossed the Yalu River and plunged into the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and 15,973 heroes emerged.
However, this heroic unit has not participated in large-scale operations for 31 years. The veterans who charged into the Korean battlefield are now rare. At the same time, the Vietnamese army stationed on the opposite side of Lao Shan was a battle-hardened force. With the exception of 1976, they have been fighting since 1945, first against French colonizers and American invaders in Vietnam and then in Cambodia in 1977. Those who can survive the rain of bullets are undoubtedly elite divisions.
On May 30, the 67th Army finally completed the handover with the 1st Army, the original garrison. Unexpectedly, the next day, May 31, the Vietnamese army suddenly launched a large-scale counterattack codenamed "M-1". It turned out that the cunning Vietnamese army had long been fully prepared, they repaired the tunnels that had been destroyed by the 1st Army before, and built a 50-kilometer-long tunnel in the forward position of the Sino-Vietnamese General Ridge. The purpose of the Vietnamese army is very clear, that is, to take advantage of the unstable foothold of the 67th Army to launch a surprise attack and regain the lost territory of Lao Son.
At 5 o'clock in the morning, when the officers and men of the 67th Army were still asleep, they were suddenly awakened by a burst of intensive artillery fire. It turned out that the Vietnamese artillery unit launched a fierce attack on the 23-kilometer defense line of Lao Son, and its formation was as large and its firepower as fierce as the Battle of Songmaoling a year ago. Immediately afterwards, the Vietnamese army dispatched the strength of two infantry regiments to attack the heights of Nala and Li Haixin respectively.
In the face of the crazy counterattack of the Vietnamese army, Zhang Zhijian, commander of the 67th Army, responded calmly. He is a battle-hardened military talent, who not only received formal training at the military academy, but also studied at the Staff College of the Volunteer Army. He immediately summoned Chief of Staff Su Rongsheng and other generals to discuss countermeasures. Su Rongsheng is the son of the famous general Su Yu, graduated from the Kazakh military industry, participated in the aid of Vietnam to resist the United States, and knows the Vietnamese army very well.
Under the deployment of the two, except for the necessary observation posts in the forward positions, the rest of the troops retreated into the tunnels to avoid the artillery attacks of the Vietnamese army. As soon as the Vietnamese army was discovered, the second-line artillery and machine guns were immediately mobilized to intercept it. At the same time, artillery units carried out counterattacks on the artillery positions of the Vietnamese army, but with little success.
At 6 o'clock in the morning, the Vietnamese army began to launch a fierce attack on the 211 heights, 156 heights, etc. Due to the tunnel tactics adopted by the Vietnamese army, the two high grounds, adjacent to the Vietnamese position, were quickly captured. The defenders of the 211 heights were outnumbered, except for one who jumped off the cliff to escape and one who was wounded and captured, all the rest died heroically. The 156 Highland warriors retreated into the tunnel and resisted stubbornly.
It was not until 8 o'clock that the dense fog cleared, and under the cover of the artillery fire of the 67th Army, the defenders and reinforcements of the 156th Heights were able to counterattack and drive the Vietnamese troops occupying the position down. At the same time, at Heights 140 and 142, the Vietnamese army was also forced to retreat after suffering heavy losses.
However, the Vietnamese army did not stop there. At about 9 o'clock, they gathered nearly 1,000 troops and, under the cover of artillery fire, launched a new round of attacks on the 156 heights and others. The officers and men of the 67th Army learned wisely this time, and no longer wasted ammunition easily, but waited for the enemy to approach the position, and then used flamethrowers, machine guns, and grenades to annihilate at close range.
In this way, from morning to night, the two sides launched a desperate struggle between the mountains and mountains. The Vietnamese army launched several charges, but was blocked by the steel defense line of the 67th Army. It was not until 9 p.m., after losing more than 600 men, that the Vietnamese army finally died down and retreated to its positions. On the other hand, on the side of the 67th Army, the number of casualties was only more than 40.
Although the No. 1 and No. 2 posts on Heights 211 were occupied by the Vietnamese army, the No. 3 post remained firmly in the hands of the PLA. More importantly, the 67th Army was outnumbered, but it simply blocked the crazy attack of the Vietnamese army and stabilized the Laoshan defense line. This could not help but make the officers and men of the whole army feel very excited, and they all asked Ying to go to battle to regain the lost high ground.
In this way, when the 67th Army first arrived in Laoshan, it withstood a severe test. In the face of an enemy several times their size, they responded calmly, repelled the attacks of the Vietnamese army many times, and defended the country's territory with strength and courage. This battle not only showed the excellent skills of the 67th Army, but also sent a strong signal to the Vietnamese army: Laoshan is a forbidden area that you can't touch!
2. The 67th Army responded calmly and repelled the Vietnamese army's attacks many times
In the face of the crazy counterattack of the Vietnamese army, the officers and men of the 67th Army did not panic in the slightest. Army Commander Zhang Zhijian immediately summoned Chief of Staff Su Rongsheng and other generals to analyze the enemy's situation and discuss countermeasures. After some discussion, everyone unanimously agreed that the purpose of the Vietnamese army's attack was nothing more than to take advantage of the fact that the 67th Army was not firmly established to regain the lost territory of Lao Son. In this regard, our army must not retreat, but must take defense as an offensive and resolutely smash the Vietnamese army's counterattack attempt.
Zhang Zhijian immediately made a decision and ordered all the troops in the forward positions to retreat into the tunnels except for the necessary observation posts to avoid the artillery attacks of the Vietnamese army. As soon as the Vietnamese army was discovered, the second-line artillery and machine guns were immediately mobilized to intercept it. At the same time, artillery units carried out counterattacks on the artillery positions of the Vietnamese army, but with little success. It turned out that the cunning Vietnamese army had repaired the previously destroyed tunnels and built a 50-kilometer-long tunnel at the forward position of the Sino-Vietnamese General Ridge. They hid in these tunnels and harassed our positions.
At 6 a.m., the battle began. The Vietnamese army first launched a fierce attack on Heights 211 and Heights 156. The 211 Heights and the 227 Heights of the Vietnamese Army were separated by water, and the defenders were outnumbered, except for one person who jumped off the cliff to escape, and one person who was wounded and captured, all the others died heroically. The 156 Highland warriors retreated into the tunnel and resisted stubbornly. It was not until 8 o'clock that the dense fog cleared, and under the cover of the artillery fire of the 67th Army, the defenders and reinforcements of the 156th Heights were able to counterattack and drive the Vietnamese troops occupying the position down.
At the same time, at Heights 140 and 142, the Vietnamese army was also forced to retreat after suffering heavy losses. But they didn't stop there. At around 9 o'clock, the Vietnamese army gathered nearly 1,000 troops and, under the cover of artillery fire, launched a new round of attacks on the 156 heights and other areas. The officers and men of the 67th Army learned wisely this time, and no longer wasted ammunition easily, but waited for the enemy to approach the position, and then used flamethrowers, machine guns, and grenades to annihilate at close range.
In this way, from morning to night, the two sides launched a desperate struggle between the mountains and mountains. The Vietnamese army launched several charges, but was blocked by the steel defense line of the 67th Army. It was not until 9 p.m., after losing more than 600 men, that the Vietnamese army finally died down and retreated to its positions. On the other hand, on the side of the 67th Army, the number of casualties was only more than 40.
Although the No. 1 and No. 2 posts on Heights 211 were occupied by the Vietnamese army, the No. 3 post remained firmly in the hands of the PLA. More importantly, the 67th Army was outnumbered, but it simply blocked the crazy attack of the Vietnamese army and stabilized the Laoshan defense line. This could not help but make the officers and men of the whole army feel very excited, and they all asked Ying to go to battle to regain the lost high ground.
On June 1, after summarizing the operational situation, the 67th Army decided to take advantage of the heavy rain that night to carry out a night attack on the 211 heights by the 595th Regiment of the 199th Division. The 595th Regiment was the main attack with the 1st Battalion, the 2nd Battalion as the follow-up, and the 3rd Battalion as the reserve. The 1 battalion was divided into two assault groups, which attacked from the 255 and 908 heights. In addition to carrying the necessary firearms, the fighters also had a new Type 85 submachine gun. This gun has a fast rate of fire, light weight, and high accuracy, which is very suitable for positional offensive and defensive battles.
However, the Vietnamese army had already been prepared. It turned out that not long ago they got a batch of night vision devices from the USSR, with a visual distance of up to 30 meters. This kind of advanced equipment was unheard of by the 67th Army. As a result, when the soldiers of the 595th Regiment approached the 211 heights in the dark, they were discovered by the Vietnamese army, and they were immediately blocked by heavy artillery fire. The fighters suffered heavy casualties and simply could not get close to their targets.
On June 3, the 595th Regiment suffered heavy losses, and the military headquarters had to transfer personnel from other units to rebuild the 598th Regiment to take over the operation. Since then, the 598th Regiment has repeatedly launched attacks on the 211 heights, but they have all returned in vain. The command of the 67th Army learned from the painful experience and decided to suspend the offensive so as not to cause unnecessary casualties.
In this battle, the 67th Army paid the price of 120 soldiers killed and more than 100 wounded, which can be described as heavy losses. This is also the only battle in which the Vietnamese army has taken advantage of the PLA since 1979. However, from the overall situation, the 67th Army still stabilized the Laoshan defense line and thwarted the Vietnamese army's counterattack attempt.
After this battle, the 67th Army was reorganized and conscientiously summed up the lessons. The military department decided to set up an assault detachment composed of scouts, led by Yuan Ming, the commander of the 597th Regiment, to carry out a surprise attack on the 211 heights. After two months of devil training, on September 8, Yuan Ming led his team to sneak into the rear of the Vietnamese army and recaptured the 211 heights in only 16 minutes. The Vietnamese army then organized a counterattack of more than 300 people, all of which were repulsed.
Since then, the Vietnamese army no longer dares to act rashly against the 67th Army. This heroic army defended the country's territory with its strength and composed a mighty and majestic song of triumph.
3. The 67th Army swore to seize the lost territory, and repeatedly attacked the 211 heights and suffered heavy losses
The fall of the 211 Heights made the 67th Army feel humiliated. This position, which is separated from the 227 Heights of the Vietnamese Army, has a very important strategic position. It is not only the only way to the main peak of the old mountain, but also an important barrier of our army's defense line. Once this high ground is lost, the Vietnamese army can be condescending and pose a serious threat to the positions of our troops.
In order to regain the lost territory, the 67th Army decided to immediately organize a counteroffensive. On June 1, the military headquarters ordered the 199th Regiment of the 595th Division to carry out a night attack on the 211 heights. The 595th Regiment is a battle-hardened force that has participated in the self-defense counterattack against Vietnam and has repeatedly performed miraculous feats. This time, they used the 1st Battalion as the main attack, the 2nd Battalion as the follow-up, and the 3rd Battalion as the reserve. The 1 battalion was divided into two assault groups, which attacked from the 255 and 908 heights.
In addition to carrying the necessary firearms, the fighters also had a new Type 85 submachine gun. This gun has a fast rate of fire, light weight, and high accuracy, which is very suitable for positional offensive and defensive battles. The military department hoped to recapture the 211 heights in one fell swoop with advanced weapons and surprises.
However, plans have not kept up with the changes. It turned out that the Vietnamese army had recently brought a batch of night vision devices from the Soviet Union, with a visual distance of up to 30 meters. This kind of advanced equipment was unheard of by the 67th Army. As a result, when the soldiers of the 595th Regiment approached the 211 heights in the dark, they were discovered by the Vietnamese army, and they were immediately blocked by heavy artillery fire. The fighters suffered heavy casualties and simply could not get close to their targets.
On June 3, the 595th Regiment suffered heavy losses, and the military headquarters had to transfer personnel from other units to rebuild the 598th Regiment to take over the operation. Since then, the 598th Regiment has repeatedly launched attacks on the 211 heights, but they have all returned in vain. The command of the 67th Army learned from the painful experience and decided to suspend the offensive so as not to cause unnecessary casualties.
In this battle, the 67th Army paid the price of 120 soldiers killed and more than 100 wounded, which can be described as heavy losses. This is also the only battle in which the Vietnamese army has taken advantage of the PLA since 1979. However, from the overall situation, the 67th Army still stabilized the Laoshan defense line and thwarted the Vietnamese army's counterattack attempt.
After this battle, the 67th Army was reorganized and conscientiously summed up the lessons. The military department decided to set up an assault detachment composed of scouts, led by Yuan Ming, the commander of the 597th Regiment, to carry out a surprise attack on the 211 heights. After two months of devil training, on September 8, Yuan Ming led his team to sneak into the rear of the Vietnamese army and recaptured the 211 heights in only 16 minutes. The Vietnamese army then organized a counterattack of more than 300 people, all of which were repulsed.
Despite the huge sacrifices, the officers and men of the 67th Army were not knocked down by setbacks. They carried forward the fighting style of being brave and tenacious without fear of sacrifice, and vowed to regain the lost heights. After repeated arguments, the military headquarters decided to adopt the tactic of "ants gnawing bones", concentrating superior forces and firepower, and carrying out a continuous attack on the 211 heights until it was recaptured.
In mid-September, the 67th Army formed an assault brigade consisting of hundreds of elite soldiers. They hid during the day, marched at night, and unknowingly touched the foot of the 211 heights. After several days of reconnaissance, the assault team figured out the enemy's troop deployment and firepower configuration. On the evening of September 25, under the cover of artillery and machine-gun fire, the assault team launched a general attack on the 211 heights in multiple directions.
The fierce battle lasted all night, and the two sides went back and forth, attacking and defending. The soldiers carried forward the bloody nature of "dare to fight a tough battle, and win a tough battle", and charged again and again in the rain of bullets. In the early morning of the 26th, the assault team finally attacked the 211 heights and engaged in a white-knuckle fight with the defending Vietnamese troops.
After some hand-to-hand combat, the Vietnamese army finally could not resist and retreated in a hurry. The 211 heights returned to the 67th Army. In this battle, our army suffered dozens of casualties and killed and wounded more than 100 Vietnamese soldiers. Although the price is not small, everyone thinks it is worth it. Because of the old mountain, every inch of land must be contested!
After recapturing the 211 heights, the 67 Army greatly boosted its morale. In October, they regained the other heights they had lost. At this point, the Laoshan defense line has been fully restored, and it has once again become an impregnable wall. And after the successive defeats of the Vietnamese army, they no longer dared to act rashly. To their horror, they find themselves in a difficult opponent.
Fourth, the 67th Army descended from the sky and recaptured the 211 heights in 16 minutes
After more than two months of hard fighting, the 67th Army finally realized that in order to recapture the 211 heights, it would not work by relying on a frontal assault alone. The Vietnamese army not only built a large number of tunnel fortifications, but also brought advanced night vision devices from the Soviet Union, which gave them an advantage in night battles. If this continues, not only will we lose more soldiers, but we may also lose the initiative.
After learning from the pain, the military department decided to find another way and set up an assault detachment composed of scouts, led by Yuan Ming, the commander of the 597th Regiment, to sneak into the rear of the Vietnamese army and surprise them. Yuan Ming is a battle-hardened scout who has carried out many infiltration missions on the Sino-Vietnamese border, and knows the deployment and terrain of the Vietnamese army well.
For this operation, the military department carefully selected 17 scouts with extraordinary skills, all of whom were good at one in a hundred. They all have extensive experience in jungle warfare and are familiar with a variety of covert raid tactics. What is even more commendable is that all of them are members of the Communist Party and have the revolutionary will to regard death as their home.
After receiving the order, Yuan Ming immediately led a team to a certain mountainous area in Yunnan and began devil training. The terrain there is the same as that of the old mountain, which is very suitable for practicing surprise attack tactics. For more than two months, the fighters went out day and night, practiced various concealed marching and climbing techniques, and carefully formulated detailed battle plans.
On September 1, the assault team finally set off. They were lightly armed, each armed with a Type 85 submachine gun, with grenades and explosives bags on their backs. In order to avoid the eyes and ears of people, they marched only at night and hid in caves or jungles during the day to rest. Along the way, they were cautious, for fear of alarming the Vietnamese army sentry.
After 7 days and 7 nights of trekking, the assault team finally reached the vicinity of Heights 211. They hid in the dead corner of the Vietnamese army's 227 heights, carefully observed the enemy's situation, and waited for the opportunity. It turned out that the Vietnamese army did not eat breakfast until 10:30 every day, and at this time the vigilance was the lowest. Yuan Ming decided to launch a surprise attack at this time.
At 10:30 a.m. on September 8, while the Vietnamese soldiers were still boiling pho, a dense burst of gunfire suddenly rang out. It turned out that the commandos were holding whispering submachine guns, and they rushed to the 211 heights while shooting. The Vietnamese army was caught off guard and responded in a hurry, but they were outnumbered and quickly collapsed.
In just 16 minutes, the assault team annihilated more than 20 Vietnamese troops at the cost of 2 minor injuries and recaptured the commanding heights of the 211 heights. By the time the Vietnamese army reacted and mobilized more than 300 people to counterattack, it was too late. Under the cover of heavy artillery fire of the 67th Army, the assault team firmly held its position and repelled several attacks by the Vietnamese army.
This surprise attack can be called a classic. It made full use of the Scout's ability to stealth and raid, and regained lost territory at minimal cost. More importantly, it severely damaged the morale of the Vietnamese army, so that they did not dare to act rashly from now on. Yuan Ming also made a first-class meritorious service because of this, and became an example for the whole army to learn.
After the recapture of the 211 heights, the morale of the 67 Army was greatly boosted. They took advantage of the victory and pursued and quickly regained the other lost territory in the surrounding area. At this point, the Laoshan defense line has been fully restored, and it has once again become an impregnable wall. After successive defeats, the Vietnamese army suffered a great loss of vitality and no longer dared to launch an attack on the 67th Army above the platoon level.
For more than a month after that, the 67th Army continued to stabilize its position and wipe out the remnants of the enemy until it completed the defense task of Laoshan and triumphed gloriously. This heroic unit defended the territory of the motherland with blood and lives, and composed a war epic that can be sung and cried.
Looking back on this battle, the reason why the 67th Army was able to defeat an enemy several times its own was not only due to the heroic fighting of the soldiers and soldiers, but also due to its proper command and tactical flexibility. In the face of the well-equipped Vietnamese army, the 67th Army did not fight hard, but adapted measures to local conditions, took defense as an attack, and avoided its edge. In particular, the surprise attack of the assault team was a stroke of genius and a surprise victory.
This also enlightens us that fighting a war is not about having a large number of people, but about making good use of troops and being good at strategy. Even if they are outnumbered, as long as they can adapt to the time and local conditions, they can always turn danger into relief and turn passivity into initiative. As the saying goes, "a soldier is a trickster", war is never a one-man battle, but a battle of wits and courage.
The victory of the 67th Army was not only a military victory, but also a spiritual victory. They have used practical actions to explain what is the heroic spirit of treating death as home, and what is the revolutionary spirit of not being afraid of hardship and death. This spirit is the precious wealth of our army and the magic weapon of our invincibility.
Today, in an era of peace, we must all the more carry forward the heroic spirit of the 67 th Army, work hard at our respective posts, and contribute our own strength to the prosperity and strength of the motherland. Let's move forward hand in hand and create a better tomorrow together!