Author: Shi Qian
Wuhan and its outlying areas were the bases for the Japanese army to invade Xiang, Gui, and Yu, and the 5th Division of the New Fourth Army continued to grow and develop in the Eyu Border Region, which made the Japanese puppet army feel a great threat. Since May 1941, the Japanese puppet army has repeatedly carried out comprehensive "sweeps" with the nature of "clearing the countryside" and "encroaching" on the anti-Japanese base areas in the Eyu Border Region, and has carried out key "sweeps" in the areas of eastern Hubei and central Hubei, which are the most threatening, in an attempt to annihilate the main force and leading organs of the 5th Division first. At the same time, the Kuomintang diehards, believing that there was an opportunity to take advantage of the opportunity, also took advantage of the fire and looting and launched attacks on the Eyu Border Region from time to time.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="3" > The Fifth Division of the First and New Fourth Armies opened up the Hanxiaopi area and expanded the base area</h1>
On May 11, more than 3,000 Japanese puppet troops "swept" the Anlu area and repaired the road from Anlu to the Inspection Department. After the highway was completed, the Japanese puppet troops in Anlu, Yingcheng, Songhe, Tiandian, and other strongholds violently dispatched "sweeps" by separate routes. Li Xiannian ordered the 13th Brigade, with the cooperation of local armed forces in central Hubei, to attack the garden stronghold of Yunmeng County and the Pinghan Railway occupied by the Japanese army. At the same time, a unit of the 38th Regiment of the 13th Brigade was ordered to insert itself into the Hanchuan and Xiaogan areas, destroying the enemy's rear communications, and successfully attacking the Japanese transport ships on the Jianhe River.
On June 29, Li Xiannian ordered the brigade Zhou Zhijian to lead a team to attack the Yandundian stronghold of the Japanese army in Anlu, killing and wounding more than 20 enemy people. In July, a unit of the 37th Regiment of the 13th Brigade was ordered to attack the Japanese stronghold of Shangguandian with the cooperation of local armed forces such as Yingcheng and Yunmeng, and lured the enemy to ambush and kill and wound more than 30 Japanese troops. The main forces of the 5th Division and local armed forces also covered the masses in the Eyu Border Region to dig up and destroy the roads from Yunmeng to Anlu, Chenjiagang to Pinglin City, Anlu to Shangguandian, and Jingshan to Shibanhe, causing the enemy's transportation to be blocked, the strongholds to be isolated, and trapped in difficulties.
However, soon after the anti-"sweeping" began, Li Xiannian keenly felt that simply carrying out passive operations in the form of defensive warfare in the base areas was far from enough to smash the enemy's "sweeping-up," and it was also necessary to find other ways to counter -- the "sweeping-up."
In early June, Li Xiannian brought Zhou Zhijian of the 13th Brigade to him.
Li Xiannian still said as usual: "Recently, the Japanese puppet army has frequently 'swept through' in central hubei and eastern Hubei, built many bunkers along the lines of communication, and concentrated troops to guard us in an attempt to strangle us. The Kuomintang diehards also aided and abetted the abuse and actively cooperated. For the sake of our survival and development, the division party committee decided to send you to lead a unit south to the outskirts of Wuhan, open up the Hanxiaopi area, and expand our base area. ”
Li Xiannian held out two fingers: "There are two main tasks: First, to strengthen and cooperate with the local working groups, to establish the Han filial piety base area, to fully mobilize the masses, to expand the anti-Japanese armed forces, and to intimidate Wuhan; second, to establish and support tax collection work, stabilize and increase the financial resources of the troops, break the economic blockade imposed on us by the Japanese, pseudo-stubborns, and resolve the special difficulties at present." ”
Ren Qianbin took over the conversation and emphatically said: "You are not only a combat team, but also a task force and a propaganda team, and you must open up the situation as soon as possible and vigorously unfold the struggle in the Hanxiao area." ”
Zhou Zhijian straightened his waist and immediately said: "Resolutely complete the task." ”
Living up to the expectations of the division's leaders, Zhou Zhijian opened up the Yangtze River Port, south of Hengdian, west of the Hankou-Huangpi Highway, north of the Jianhe River, and east of the Yangtze River port to the Hanchuan Highway in less than 2 months, connecting the Hanxiaopi anti-Japanese guerrilla base area on the outskirts of Wuhan. This not only posed a direct military threat to the enemy occupying Wuhan, but also enabled the 5th Division to set up cards to collect taxes at Maomiaoji, Huanghua waterlogging, Beijingzui, and Sister-in-law Tree on the outskirts of Wuhan, which played an important role in resolving the serious financial difficulties in the anti-Japanese base areas in the Eyu Border Region.
The opening of the Han Xiaopi base area of the New Fourth Army immediately caused panic among the Japanese puppet troops stationed in Xiaogan County.
Xiaogan City is an important town in Ezhong, close to Wuhan, and is a famous three-way "wharf" of waterways, roads and railways. Yunmeng, the Huangxiao Highway, and the Pinghan Railway, which runs through the north and south, all crossed from here, and their strategic position was very important, as a rear supply station for the Japanese army to attack the western Hubei battlefield. The Japanese puppet troops stationed in Xiaogan often came out to "sweep up" and "clear the countryside," causing the base areas to often be covered in smoke, gunshots to be fired continuously, and the grain harvested was robbed before it could enter the warehouse. After the New Fourth Army advanced into the Han Xiaopu area, the "sweeping" of the Japanese and puppets intensified.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="9" > Second, Zhou Zhijian, after reporting that Li Xiannian and others agreed, decided to adopt the tactic of pulling teeth from the tiger's mouth and attacking Xiaogan City at night</h1>
At dusk on August 8, 1941, when twilight shrouded the earth, Zhou Zhijian of the 13th Brigade of the 5th Division led the 37th Regiment, the 6th Company of the 39th Regiment, the 38th Regiment, and the Five Companies of the Brigade Pistol Team with a total of 600 troops and marched toward Xiaogan City.
Beforehand, the scouts infiltrated Xiaogan disguised as a disguise and found out the detailed terrain and enemy situation in Xiaogan City.
There are no walls around Xiaogan City, but there are four towers in the east, south, west and north. Outside the city is a flat field with countless barbed wire barriers. There is a river south of the city that meanders into the Han River. There is a large barracks on the station 4 kilometers from the city, where more than a thousand Japanese ghosts are stationed. The enemy's forces in the city were relatively weak, and in the large courtyard adjacent to the center of the street, there were about 300 people stationed in the pseudo-prefectural government, the pseudo-security team and a Japanese gendarmerie team.
At 9 o'clock in the evening, when Zhou Zhijian was ordered to attack, the troops immediately rushed to their own battle positions: reinforcements ran along the outskirts of the city to seize three city gates, and released a warning to the station where the Japanese Kou were stationed with heavy troops. The attacking troops marched into the city from the east and south gates, all the way to the Japanese gendarmerie, and all the way to the pseudo-county government and the pseudo-security team.
Suddenly, the streets and alleys were full of killing.
The New Fourth Army suddenly attacked, and the Japanese devils of the gendarmerie team did not expect it at all. Some of them just slept in the big yard after a cool break, and some of them were still wearing briefs and walking around the street. When they heard the gunshots and were confused, they were killed by grenades thrown by the soldiers of the New Fourth Army, and those who did not die rushed into the courtyard, closed the iron gate deadly, and then shot at the New Fourth Army from the holes of the guns on the high wall, behind the iron gate, and on the tower.
The main entrance could not be rushed in, and the instructor of the 5th Company immediately ordered the machine gunners to quickly climb up the roof of the opposite house and cover the soldiers to jump into the courtyard wall to destroy the enemy. The machine gunners immediately hung their machine guns around their necks, stepped on the shoulders of their comrades to the roof, set up machine guns, and swept at the gun holes of the bunkers. Under the cover of machine guns, the warriors quickly climbed over the courtyard wall to fight the Japanese. Soon, the large iron gate was pushed open, and a hundred and ten warriors rushed in to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the Japanese devils.
The Japanese devils were forced to retreat into the bunkers and shoot at the New Fourth Army with several sides of fire.
The sturdy cement bunkers could not be blown apart by grenades, and the soldiers of the New Fourth Army cleverly threw them at the bunkers with gasoline-soaked cotton tied to the grenades. In a series of bombardments, the bunker caught fire, and the Japanese devils screamed in the raging fire.
Fighting is raging inside the compound. Several soldiers guarding the courtyard door suddenly heard a rushing sound of wooden slippers coming from the street. The soldiers alertly hid in the corner of the wall to observe, it turned out to be a stocky Japanese officer. I saw him wearing shorts, dragging clogs, and a military uniform with epaulettes on him, and running in a panic. When he approached, the warriors rushed up with bayonets and shouted, "Don't move!" The devil looked up, and there were already several dangling bayonets facing him.
The rampant Japanese devil narrowed his eyes, raised both arms upwards, came to a horseback riding style, and then roared proudly—it seemed that he wanted to use this mighty wind to scare Chinese off. Shout out and see if the soldiers of the New Fourth Army are silent. He was in a hurry, so he rushed over and grabbed a bayonet, but before he could exert himself, a warrior had already stopped him and held him, a thick hemp rope, "brushed" around his short neck. At this moment, a ghost suddenly flashed from the side and threw a grenade with a wave of his hand.
The warriors flashed in a hurry, and the guy who had been caught took the opportunity to break free of the rope and escape. The warriors were on fire, and they shot two guns with "ding" and "ding", sending the two devils to the western sky. The warriors looked back and saw that what the devil had just thrown was not a grenade, but a stone. One warrior said wittily, "Cunning devils, who are dying and play tricks." ”
At the same time, the pistol crew members also rushed into the homes of the pseudo-county government and the pseudo-security team with a rapid and slow machine. The "Qiu Ba" of the pseudo-security team who were snoring on the ground were trembling with fright when they heard the gunshots, and they rushed back and forth in the dark house to touch the guns. But it was too late, and the pistols of the New Fourth Army had already pointed their short guns at them. Suddenly, a loud shout sounded in each room at the same time: "Shoot and don't kill!" The New Fourth Army gives preferential treatment to prisoners! ”
Unclothed, disheveled, and trembling puppet prisoners were taken out of the rooms. The pistol men carried various guns on their shoulders and ordered the captives to assemble in the large courtyard.
In the compound, there were more than a dozen large trucks parked. The warriors brought a few barrels of gasoline, poured them on the car, lit a fire, and the vehicle immediately burned up, and the soaring fire reflected the red of Xiaogan City, and the smoke obscured the stars in the sky. In a few moments, a dozen cars burned into a pile of scrap iron.
The warriors were about to attack the tower, only to hear the sound of gunfire in the east, west, and north directions, and the reinforcements began to exchange fire with the reinforcements of the enemy. Reinforcements from the Japanese Devil Brigade in the station barracks were dispatched.
It was already 3 o'clock at dawn and the battle could not go on any longer. Zhou Zhijian ordered his troops to quickly withdraw from Xiaogan from the South Gate.
In the light of the fire, the warriors took the captives, carrying the captured weapons, out of the south gate and crossed a large wooden bridge. Zhou Zhijian stood at the head of the bridge, waiting for the last soldier to cross the bridge, and then ordered the bridge to be set on fire. There was a loud bang, the bridge collapsed, and wooden planks and iron railings fell into the center of the river.
At this time, the reinforcements of the Japanese Kou rushed to the river, but they could only look at the river and sigh, crackling and firing a burst of guns.
At dawn, a gust of fresh wind blew, and the soldiers of the New Fourth Army sang triumphant songs and returned to the base area. On September 20, 1941, Xinhua reported on the battle under the title "The 5th Division Conquers the County seat of Xiaogan."
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="18" > when the Third and New Fourth Armies counterattacked against the Japanese, the Kuomintang diehards took advantage of this opportunity to continuously attack the Eyu Border Region</h1>
In particular, in August, after the Kuomintang 1st Hubei Provincial Security Brigade invaded the Annan area and killed Tian Dong, secretary of the CPC (Huang) Anma (Cheng) County CPC Committee, and others, it aroused strong indignation among the commanders and fighters of the 5th Division. Many people believe that the Kuomintang diehards have deceived people too much, and advocate resolutely fighting back to avenge the martyrs who died.
Li Xiannian made a decisive decision: "Eliminate the Bao 1st Brigade!" ”
After reconnaissance of the 1st Bao Brigade's garrisons in Jiangchao 2nd and Liangdaoqiao, Li Xiannian made the following operational arrangements: The 13th Brigade attacked the headquarters of the 1st Brigade and two battalions of the 1st Regiment of the 1st Regiment of the 1st Brigade of the 14th Brigade and the 2rd Column of the 3rd Column, attacked another battalion of the 1st Regiment of the 1st Brigade of the Liangdaoqiao, Yuanjiahe, and Yefenghe Bao Brigades, as well as the 2nd and 3rd Regiments and the Huang'an Pseudo Self-Defense Force; and the 3rd Detachment of the 3rd Column was located at Meijia Pass, west of the Liangdao Bridge, in preparation for blocking the Japanese puppet army that might come from Huang'an City to take advantage of the fire and loot.
When mobilizing cadres at and above the regimental level, Li Xiannian said: "This time, if we do not eat the Bao 1st Brigade in one bite, we must also beat it to 'crippled', so that the diehards will know the strength of our 5th Division!" ”
On the evening of the 31st, Li Xiannian led his troops to brave the drizzle and marched towards the garrison of the 1st Brigade of the Recalcitrant Army. On the way, the rain was getting heavier and heavier. Someone from the vanguard reported to Li Xiannian: "The river has risen, and it is impossible to pass." ”
For these areas, Li Xiannian was all too familiar with them. What big winds and waves have not been seen? What a small river!
"When the water rises, can't you pass?" To destroy the enemy, you must pass! Li Xiannian resolutely ordered the troops, "All are lightly armed, backpacks and luggage are placed on the riverbank, and only guns and ammunition are brought across the river." Swim through the water, use ropes and leggings without water, support each other, and forcibly cross the river. ”
A military order fell like a mountain. The commanders and fighters pounced and jumped into the river, fighting against the wind and rain waves. Some female soldiers in the health department could not get over, so everyone thought of a way to take the marching pot and let the female soldiers sit in it, and the pot was pushed by the water to cross the river. After crossing the river, the 14th Brigade quietly surrounded the two bridges, the Yuanjia River, and the Yefeng River, the 13th Brigade surrounded Jiang Chao'er, and the 3rd detachment of the 3rd Column advanced to Meijia'ao West of the Two Bridges to form a blocking position.
At midnight, Li Xiannian ordered his troops to seal the encirclement and launch a fierce attack. Suddenly, the entire night sky was stained red with war, and the sound of gunfire rose and fell. The officers and men of the 1st Brigade of the Recalcitrant Army never dreamed that the New Fourth Army would cross the river to attack in the night of wind and rain. They hurried to organize a breakthrough, but they were blocked by the fire of the New Fourth Army. At dawn, the 1st Regiment of the 1st Brigade and the Huang'an Pseudo-Self-Defense Force, as well as the 2nd and 3rd Regiments of the 1st Brigade of the Recalcitrant Army, captured more than 1,000 recalcitrant troops, captured more than 900 rifles, and 15 light and heavy machine guns.
The battle was fought cleanly and happily. The offensive of the recalcitrant army in eastern Hubei was crushed, and the anti-Japanese base areas such as Pi'annan, Anma, Gangma, and Luoli, which were divided by the enemy, the pseudo- and the stubborn, were joined together.
About author:Shi Kui, history teacher at colleges and universities, history researcher. He has been cultivating the history of the Party, the Military and the History of War for a long time. History lovers are welcome to exchange criticisms.