Devil's Army

Chapter 2013 Blocking the Japanese Army in Hongze 2

Company Commander Matsushima led all the follow-up troops in an attempt to open a passage to the besieged vanguard. However, they were met with fierce resistance from another battalion of the Devil Force.

The 2nd Battalion of the 728th Regiment also dispatched two companies to encircle and annihilate the vanguard of the besieged Japanese army. The other two companies stubbornly resisted the Japanese attack by using fortifications.

The battle continued until evening, when the gunfire within the encirclement gradually subsided.

Two companies from the Second Battalion turned back to participate in blocking the advancing Japanese follow-up troops.

As the vanguard of the Japanese army within the encirclement was annihilated, the First Battalion and the Second Battalion took turns launching counterattacks against the follow-up Japanese troops.

Unable to withstand the attack, the Japanese troops in Hongze withdrew from Shunheji.

Another Japanese force from Hongze advanced from Jiangba Town towards Huaiyin County.

Jiangba Town is located on the eastern bank of Hongze Lake, bordering the southern foothills of the Jianghuai Hills, making it an "island town." It is bordered by Hongze Lake to the west and the Huai River waterway to the south, with a network of waterways crisscrossing its area.

This terrain naturally hindered the Japanese mechanized forces and large-scale troop movements, making it difficult for them to advance rapidly.

Moreover, the dike is high and offers a wide view. The Hongze Lake dike stretches from the north and ends at Jiangba.

The embankment was situated on higher ground, and the 3rd and 4th Battalions of the 728th Regiment constructed fortifications on it and launched a fierce barrage against the Japanese troops in Hongze.

Despite casualties, the Japanese troops in Hongze continued their fierce attack on the dike.

Taking advantage of the complex terrain, the Third and Fourth Battalions launched attacks on the Japanese army in various locations around Jiangba Town, including rivers, reed marshes, and embankments, making it difficult for the Japanese army to defend against them.

Japanese majors operated in squads, with three squads forming a search team that coordinated with each other to search for traces of the "devil troops" in different areas.

Several Japanese gunboats in Jiangsu also launched a fierce bombardment of the discovered "devil troops" along the river network.

When the soldiers of the Third and Fourth Battalions raided a Japanese unit, they would be surrounded and attacked by other Japanese units, making it difficult to achieve any results.

At this time, the Third Squadron of the First Naval Battalion of the First Army arrived at the waters of Jiangba Town and unexpectedly encountered several Japanese gunboats, and the two sides engaged in a fierce naval battle.

The battle lasted less than an hour before the Japanese navy was overwhelmed, with several gunboats sunk.

The Third Squadron of the First Army Navy immediately provided artillery support to the Third and Fourth Battalions of the Sichuan Army, fiercely bombarding the Japanese troops besieging the Sichuan Army.

The First Army Air Force also launched a fierce bombing campaign against Japanese soldiers and heavy firepower positions.

Under the combined offensive of the Japanese army, navy, and air force, the Japanese troops in Hongze County temporarily withdrew from Jiangba Town.

However, Jiangba Town is located on a major transportation route and is one of the key nodes for controlling the area surrounding Hongze Lake.

Holding Jiangba Town would effectively cut off the devil's water transportation lines in the area, blocking their southward advance and the transport of supplies.

Therefore, the Japanese army would not easily give up Jiangba Town.

After a night of rest, the Japanese army launched a fierce attack on Jiangba Town.

The soldiers of the Third and Fourth Battalions continued to use the river, reed beds, and dikes to block the Japanese army layer by layer, eliminating their manpower.

In the air and on the water, the First Army Air Force and the Navy continued to provide strong fire support to the Third and Fourth Battalions.

With the deadline set by the lieutenant colonel for the recapture of Huaiyin County fast approaching, they were still blocked on the outskirts of Jiangba Town. The major was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, but he was at a loss for what to do.

At the same time, the Japanese army in Xuyi County also split into two routes and launched attacks on the positions of the 727th Regiment of the 364th Brigade of the Sichuan Army in Maba Town and the Weiqiao River-Qiuji Hills.