Devil's Army

Chapter 1977: The 3rd Brigade of the Independent Division Enters Zhejiang for Operations

Under the pincer attack from both sides by the 3rd and 4th Regiments of the 15th Brigade, the Japanese troops at Shimen Pass were quickly routed.

After breaking through the Japanese defense line at Shimen Pass, the soldiers of the 15th Brigade advanced directly towards Anji County.

At this time, the Anhui Air Force of the First Army also rushed over to provide support and launched a fierce bombing and strafing attack on the Japanese troops in Anji County.

Most of the fortifications on the city wall of Anji County were destroyed by the First Air Force. Many sections of the city wall collapsed due to bombing.

Soldiers from the Third and Fourth Regiments immediately attacked the west and north gates of Anji County city walls after the air force ceased bombing.

The artillery of the 15th Brigade provided long-range fire support to the 3rd and 4th Regiments.

The Japanese army attempted to rebuild the collapsed city wall to block the attack of the 15th Brigade.

However, this was completely futile under the fierce bombardment of the 15th Brigade.

The Japanese troops building the city wall were hit by precise artillery bombardment from the 15th Brigade, and the bricks and stones were blown away.

Soldiers from the Third and Fourth Regiments quickly rushed into the city through the collapsed city walls and engaged in fierce fighting with the Japanese army.

When the 1st and 2nd Regiments of the 15th Brigade broke through the Japanese defenses, the battle in Anji County was coming to an end.

The First and Second Regiments then turned to clear out the Japanese and puppet army strongholds in the towns and villages of Anji County.

After more than a week of fierce fighting, Chun'an County, Kaihua County and Anji County, which were heavily defended by the Japanese 70th Division, were recaptured by the Second Area Army of the First Army's southward advance.

The area in the direction of Kaihua County is also connected to Yushan County in Jiangxi Province.

The loss of three counties bordering Anhui within a week greatly alarmed Commander Shimomura.

He ordered Division Commander Uchida to quickly move troops north, and even if the devilish troops could not be driven out of Zhejiang in a short time, the defense line should be fixed on the existing foundation.

At the same time, he transferred the Japanese 22nd Division stationed in the south to the north to provide support.

After the Second Army of the First Army marched south and recovered Chun'an County, Kaihua County, and Anji County, the Independent Brigade continued its offensive towards Tonglu County and Jiande County.

The 12th Brigade continued its offensive towards Changshan County and Jiangshan County.

After recapturing Anji County, the 15th Brigade reached Hangzhou, an important city in Zhejiang. However, instead of continuing their attack on Hangzhou, which was heavily defended by the Japanese, they continued their offensive towards Changxing, Huzhou, and Deqing, which were on the outskirts of Hangzhou.

At this time, the main force of the Japanese 70th Division and part of the 22nd Division quickly moved north in an attempt to block the fierce attack of three brigades of the Second Area Army advancing south.

However, due to a lack of troops, their reinforcements could only be concentrated in Hangzhou and Shaoxing. Very few reinforcements were sent to other areas.

At this time, the 4th Regiment of the 3rd Brigade of the Independent Division, stationed in Guangfeng County, Jiangxi Province, also launched a fierce attack on the Japanese army in Jiangshan County from the Jiangxi direction.

Shortly after the second round of battles to retake Zhejiang began, Jiangshan County in Zhejiang was captured.

As the fighting in Hubei stabilized, the 1st and 2nd Regiments of the 3rd Brigade of the Independent Division of Guangfeng County, which had come to support Yushan County, did not continue northward. Instead, together with the 3rd and 4th Regiments, they took advantage of the situation to enter Kaihua County and Jiangshan County in Zhejiang Province and launched an attack on the Japanese army in Zhejiang.

这时候，浙江日军只有第22师团，第70师团和第18步兵旅团2万6千余人。

Adding to this are nearly 20,000 puppet troops with questionable combat effectiveness, bringing the total force to over 45,000. Facing the combined mighty force of the Second Front Army of the First Army advancing south from Anhui and Jiangxi, and the three brigades and four brigades of the First Army's Southern Independent Division, totaling over 40,000 men, the prospects are bleak.

Even more critically, they lost air superiority and had to contend with the threat from the air force.