At the same time that the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army was about to launch the Zhengtai Road General Raid, the headquarters of the Japanese North China Front Army took a step by step redeployment of the current battle situation, providing very favorable conditions for the smooth progress of the Eighth Route Army's upcoming launch and later known as the 'Battle of the Hundred Regiments'.

The Japanese army's nine divisions, 12 independent mixed brigades, and one cavalry brigade deployed in North China totaled about 250,000 troops, plus 150,000 troops of the Imperial Allied Army, totaling more than 400,000 troops.

However, the four divisions of the First Army of the Japanese Army were long pinned down in the area of Jinnan by the First Theater Wei (Lihuang) Department of the friendly troops, and from time to time they engaged in tug-of-war, and the Japanese troops who were dragged down could not pull out their legs.

The Japanese army entrenched in Fenyang was independently mixed into the 16th Brigade, and deployed its main forces around the Yan (Xishan) division of the second theater of friendly forces, and in the continuous fighting, they contained each other and could not move.

According to the Japanese cavalry brigades and regiments stationed in Jinsui and Baotou, as well as the main force of the puppet Mongolian Emperor Allied Army, they used the most important forces to guard against the attack of the Fu (Zuoyi) Department of the Eighth Theater of the friendly army at any time.

The troops deployed by the Japanese army in the Shandong-Henan-Soviet theater were also pinned down by friendly forces and troops of the Eighth Route Army, and could not be reinforced.

Okamura Ninji, commander of the Japanese army in North China, pointed out at the operational meeting: At present, the troops of the Imperial Army in North China are fighting against the Chinese troops on the frontal battlefield, and the rear forces are weak, and once the Eighth Route Army carries out a large-scale attack on our communication line, I am afraid that the troops on the front line and the Chinese troops will not be able to return to help in time.

General Kazuki Kiyoji, commander of the First Army of the Front Army, said with disdain: "Your Excellency Commander, the Eighth Route Army is blocked and divided into blocks by our Imperial Japanese Army, crisscrossing the railway and highway communication lines like spider webs. ”

Lieutenant General Tanabe Moritake, chief of staff of the Japanese army in North China, stood up without smiling, walked to the railway and highway traffic map hanging on the wall, and said arrogantly: "Just now Xiang Yuejun mentioned that the implementation of the 'cage plan' and the 'three-light policy' on the anti-Japanese base areas of the Eighth Route Army can curb the Eighth Route Army's sabotage attacks along the railway, and on the other hand, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army Headquarters has submitted a letter to the Pang (Bingxun) Department of the Fourth Army Corps that has been shaken by the resistance of the Chinese Army. The Eighth Route Army had to fight back with a tooth for a tooth.

According to reliable intelligence, the main force of the Eighth Route Army is being assembled, and it will not be long before the Chinese troops will fight each other on their own territory, which will play a very important supporting role in the frontal battlefield of Great Japan and the extermination of the anti-Japanese forces. ”

General Okamura Ninji frowned, watching Lieutenant General Tanabe Moritake walk back to his seat with a smug face, and he couldn't help asking, "Tanabe-kun, you said that you have learned the information that the Eighth Route Army is gathering, do I suspect that there are other intentions?" ”

"No, no, no, Your Excellency, please rest assured, the direction of the main assembly of the Eighth Route Army is very close to the troops engaged in friction in China, and I guess that the main combat tasks of the Eighth Route Army in the near future are to prevent and take the initiative to attack the positions of the Chinese troops in order to counter the offensive of the Chinese troops."

General Okamura Ninji, who was cautious in handling matters and did not fight uncertain battles, gave a suspicious order: Order everyone to approach the commander of the Eighth Route Army, closely monitor the movements of the Eighth Route Army, and not take it lightly.

The North China Command of the Japanese Army used the railway as the pillar, the highway as the chain, and the stronghold artillery tower as the lock to carry out a large-scale sweep of the Eighth Route Army's anti-Japanese base areas behind enemy lines, and the expected results have been achieved.

Ordered to transfer part of the troops from the Zhengtai Line to consolidate the newly occupied area, and along the entire Zhengtai Railway, which is more than 240 kilometers long, only five independent infantry brigades with incomplete formations are stationed, with a strength of less than 3,600 troops.

With the arrival of the rainy season in midsummer, the high-pole crops grow to the high, forming a large piece of green gauze tent, the Eighth Route Army concealed into the green gauze tent, from time to time to break the devil's communication line and the strongholds along the line, the Japanese aircraft and large troops are often dispatched, but the Eighth Route Army troops covered by the green gauze tent can sneak attack the enemy out of nowhere, causing the enemy to have empty planes and artillery, but they are out of reach.

With the vigorous cooperation of the heads of various corps and military regions, a joint battle between the army and the people and the army will be launched in a large-scale attack on the Japanese army's railways, highways, and strongholds.

From the time the Eighth Route Army Headquarters was conceiving to implementing the 'Battle of 100 Regiments,' the troops along the route had already begun to prepare for the preliminary deployment of the major campaign since the commander-in-chief, deputy commander-in-chief, and former chief of staff of the General Staff jointly signed the "Preparatory Order for the Attack on the Zhengtai Road Campaign" on 22 July.

The leaders of all corps and military regions ordered their subordinate forward units to form combat squads, reconnaissance teams, and armed task forces to conduct in-depth reconnaissance along the railway lines, and demanded that detailed plans be made for all the targets to be attacked, especially the bridges, culverts, and railway water supply systems along the lines, so that they could be destroyed with a definite aim once the campaign began.

The Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region received the "Preparatory Order for the Attack on Zhengtai Road" from the headquarters,

In accordance with the requirements of the General Headquarters, 10 reorganized cavalry and infantry regiments, an artillery battalion, an engineer company, and five guerrilla detachments were transferred to form three wartime closely coordinated columns, and a column was dispatched to contain the Japanese reinforcements along the surrounding railways, leaving a general reserve around the military region.

The right column was ordered to break through the Niangzi Pass and the artillery towers of the enemy strongholds along the line, and after the progress was going well, troops were sent to destroy the bridges, culverts and stations of the Japanese-occupied railway. In order to cooperate with the sabotage operation of the main division (129), the main force of the right column expanded to the Yangquan area after completing the task.

Commander Yang of the 1st Division led the central column, and the main task was to break the railway section from Niangziguan to Jingcheng Coal Mine, destroying railway bridges, culverts, stations and coal mines, as well as Japanese strongholds and artillery towers along the line.

Commander Nie gave clearer instructions to the left column, the independent detachment, the artillery battalion, the general reserve, and the engineer company.

On the day when the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army issued the "Preparatory Order for the Attack on Zhengtai Road", Commander Liu of the Shanxi-Hebei-Henan Military Region immediately issued an order to the troops: order all units of the Taiyue Military Region to secretly carry out all preparations for the attack on Zhengtai Road; The 16th, 772nd, 25th, and 38th regiments were ordered to assemble secretly, be on standby at any time, and participate in the battle as soon as the sabotage battle began.

Commander Chen of the Taiyue Military Region led four reorganized regiments to march day and night for five days and five nights, breaking through the blockade line of the Japanese army in Baijin and Jin, and successfully arrived at the south of Shouyang County to secretly assemble.

Commander Chen of the Taiyue Military Region, who was moving with the troops and passed through Shiguai Town, received an order to accept a new combat mission. Commander Chen walked into a small mountain village, and when he stepped into a small courtyard house made of stones, he saw the cadres coming in and out, and his face was solemn.

He nodded and greeted the cadres he knew, and when he saw Commander Liu of Jin, Hebei and Yu walking out of the hut, he immediately immediately reported: "Report to Commander Liu, Chen ...... of the Taiyue Military Region." ”

"Hahaha, come in." Commander Liu pulled Commander Chen into the house.

Commander Chen walked into the main room and saw that although the personnel in the room were noisy, they were all working in an orderly manner, which was the front-line command post of the main division (129). The main house is hung with the Zhengtai Railway Map, which is not only the operational command room of the headquarters, but also the 'bedroom' of the two heads of the military region.

In order to meet the needs of the sabotage war, Commander Liu of Jin, Lu, and Yu organized the troops under his jurisdiction into three columns, left, center, and right.

According to the "Operation Order for Breaking Zhengtai Road" of the Eighth Route Army Headquarters, Commander Liu specifically deployed the operation areas of each unit:

The 358th Brigade was ordered to break through the Tongpu Line and the Xinjin Highway, cooperate with the 715th Regiment, block the enemy puppet army in Luanxian and the reinforcements, and finally destroy the nearby enemy strongholds and defeat the small army protecting the road of the devils.

ordered the 2nd Brigade to attack the Tongpu section between Ning and Shuo; The 1st Division temporarily attacked the Shenwu Highway to ensure the safety of the flanks of the 2nd Brigade and urgently needed military supplies; The fourth and second columns and a brigade and division independent regiment were killed to the death, and attacked the Taifen Highway and the Fenli Highway; The 359th Brigade crossed the Yellow River to the east and attacked the devil's stronghold and artillery tower on the east bank of the river.

The Shanxi-Hebei-Henan Military Region has readjusted its operational arrangements and made preparations for the war with food, weapons, and ammunition to the greatest extent possible.

(End of chapter)