Most of the Japanese troops originally stationed in eastern Henan were transferred to the Jizhong battlefield. The number of Japanese troops in eastern and southern Henan has dropped by a large margin. With the exception of a few central cities such as Kaifeng, almost all county towns were handed over to the puppet army. The main force of the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region is attacking at this time, which is a very good opportunity.

And while the ground is fiercely fighting, the heavens are also in a bitter battle. Whether it is the Anti-Japanese Union or the Japanese army, the aviation units put into the battlefield are all disregarding the previous battle losses and are dispatching to support ground operations. Compared with the Anti-Japanese Alliance, which is fully equipped with air defense weapons at all levels, the ground forces of the Japanese army have been more affected.

The Japanese army sent a surprise attack of light bomber groups, and under the fierce ground fire and fighter jets of the Anti-United Nations, they hardly caused much damage to the attacking forces of the Anti-United Nations. In order to make up for the shortage of tactical aircraft, the Japanese army temporarily added bombs to some fighter groups to replace tactical attack aircraft.

Not only did they fail to achieve their tactical goals, but their own valuable fighters also suffered considerable losses. After this battle, the Japanese aviation forces in North China brought heavy losses to their opponents. However, the Japanese army, which was also greatly injured by itself, basically completely lost the ability to compete for air supremacy with the Anti-Japanese Alliance, except for occasional sneak attacks.

The PATAB cluster bombs attached to the Il-2 attack planes dispatched by the Anti-Japanese Union, coupled with the combination of aviation rockets and machine guns, inflicted huge losses on the Japanese army, almost exceeding the capacity of the Japanese infantry on the ground. Ground firing points, artillery positions, bases for the assembly and transfer of supplies, and almost all strategic and tactical targets have become targets for these Il-2 attack aircraft.

After the battle with the 1st Tank Brigade, this PTAB cluster bomb showed great power against Japanese armored clusters and infantry clusters. Let Chen Hanzhang immediately ask the attack aircraft group of the Ministry of Aviation not to use this kind of bomb for the time being in the next battle.

Stock up on as many as you can and save them for use after the campaign is in full swing to get the most out of it. At the request of Chen Hanzhang, the air force also drained its already limited inventory before the counterattack began, and used this kind of cluster bomb to bomb the artillery, command, and logistics center of the Japanese army as soon as the counterattack began.

This bomb became a nightmare for the Japanese infantry throughout the campaign. From the beginning to the end of the anti-United Nations counterattack, the Japanese trucks did not dare to go out during the day under the attack of rockets, aerial bombs, and airborne machine guns, and the artillery also suffered considerable losses.

Although the Japanese air force fighter group was desperately trying to cover it, it was more than enough to deal with this kind of attack plane with thick skin and flesh. Not to mention the 7.7 mm and 12 mm machine guns, even the 20 mm guns, it is difficult to cause too much damage to this kind of aircraft. What's more, when these planes are attacking, there are fighters to provide escort.

And the ground firepower, which is not strong, is even more helpless in the face of this aircraft. In addition to the occasional shot of anti-aircraft weapons and ammunition, which hit the weak part of the radiator of such an aircraft, one or two can be shot down by luck. Basically, there is nothing to do with such an aircraft.

This aircraft is actually not very outstanding, and it has suffered great losses on the Soviet-German battlefield. In this battle, the combination of air-to-ground rockets, aerial artillery, and cluster bombs became a black death that the Japanese army could not resist. Whenever the unique engine sound of such an aircraft sounded, the Japanese troops on the ground fell into extreme panic.

Under the full cover of the air force, after the counterattack on the first day, most of the various units of the Anti-Japanese Union had already met the requirements of the campaign. The division of the front of the river and the various units of the Japanese army west of the river was basically completed. Except for the stalemate in Qingfeng Shop, the battle progressed relatively smoothly.

As for Qingfeng Shop's stalemate, this is not only because Xiong Botao, who is the front-line commander, does not pay too much attention to it and underestimates the enemy. Without detailed reconnaissance, the attack was hastily launched. In addition to the fact that he put most of his troops on reinforcements and invested too few troops in the first attack, which led to the complete failure of the first wave of attacks.

The main reason is that the defense system of the Japanese army in Qingfengdian played a key role in it. There were only two infantry brigades of Japanese troops in Qingfengdian, and the defensive strength was not much. Compared with Xiong Botao's roundabout interspersed troops, there is no comparison in terms of equipment or troops.

However, because it is an important stronghold on the Pinghan Railway, its fortifications are built very firmly. And not only is it solid, but it is also quite distinctively built. Whether inside or outside the town, all the communication trenches are semi-underground, and the movement of troops can basically be unseen.

In each field fortification group, the firing port pressure was very low. It is completely different from the fortification group built by the Japanese army for defense on the entire Jizhong Plain, which is basically built according to the field fortification group. Except for a watchtower in the north of the town, the whole perimeter of the town is a group of plum-shaped bunkers constructed by using artificially created terrain.

All the houses in the town were also fortified and converted into fortifications. There are not only underground and semi-underground communication trenches between all the fortification groups. And all the firepower deployments are in a crossover situation. The back-fire points are not only quite complete, but also more numerous than half of the field fortification groups. All the outlying positions, a large number of mines were laid around the perimeter.

Not only were three blockade ditches built around the town, one wide and two narrow, but a large number of mines were not only planted in the ditch and on both sides, but also sharpened wooden sticks buried in the reverse at the bottom of the ditch. Its widest section reached the width of a five-meter blockade, making it difficult for infantry to bridge tanks.

Moreover, the walls of the ditch on both sides of the blockade ditch are basically artificially constructed to 90 degrees, and the two wings form the shape of an inner high outsole. Between the three blockade ditches, minefields were laid and barbed wire fences were erected. All the blockade ditches were under the control of the fire points on the outskirts of the town.

At the same time, all the trees around the entire Qingfeng store have been cut down, and all the houses within a radius of dozens of miles have also been demolished. All the materials that were dismantled were pulled by the Japanese army to the town to build fortifications. Even if you want to build a bridge at all costs, you can't find wood to go.

It is not unreasonable for Uchiyama Eitaro to ask the two Japanese infantry brigades in Qingfeng to hold out here for three days to buy time for the retreat of the Japanese troops in front of Baoding and ensure the retreat of the Japanese troops in the front. It was the large number of fortifications built here, as well as the large quantities of ammunition and food that were hoarded.

The rebuilding of this place has been underway since this summer, and the fortifications that have been strengthened and widened after the start in the direction of Pingjin have indeed given him these courages. And in Chen Hanzhang's western cluster, after entering the Baoding battlefield. First, in accordance with the order of Lieutenant General Yasushi Sakai, all the surrounding trees and houses were demolished, and the fortification group was renovated to a certain extent.

After Uchiyama Eitaro arrived at the stone gate, he ordered the surrounding blockade ditch to be widened and deepened. At the same time, two squadrons of engineers were specially dispatched to carry out construction day and night, and the original fortification group was renovated to a certain extent in accordance with the focus in the direction of anti-tank, and the most important thing was to build a large number of hidden bunkers.

Uchiyama Eitaro didn't become the shopkeeper after giving the order. For Qingfengdian, which at a critical moment, may become the only way out of the Baoding battlefield, he has been staring at it. Not only were a large number of mines transferred, but two infantry battalions from the 3rd Division, plus three machine-gun squadrons and a mortar squadron, were left behind.

At the same time, the defenders here were suddenly replenished with a batch of machine guns. As a result, the density of machine guns in the defenders here, even if you don't count the three machine gun squadrons, far exceeds the standard of the field division after the 77 Incident of the Japanese army. And the standard of that year, in the entire Japanese army, except for a few key divisions and regiments under the Kwantung Army, there is no Japanese division that can reach it.

Although the anti-tank gun force was very weak, Lieutenant General Eitaro Uchiyama still tried everything possible to mobilize a squadron of semi-anti-tank guns to the front line of Seifudian. At the same time, the only three 50-mm anti-tank guns that were withdrawn from Baoding City were all strengthened to Qingfengdian.

Regardless of the resolute opposition of the commander of the 1st Tank Brigade, the 1st Tank Brigade, which was retreating towards Shimen, and the only remaining part of the troops, were also deployed to Qingfengdian. It's just that he knows that these 97 modified tanks, even 97 tanks and 95 light tanks, are not opponents of the anti-union tanks.

I never thought of using these tanks to fight a tank battle with the tank cluster of the Anti-United Nations. Instead, he ordered that the remaining tanks should not take the initiative to attack. Only the town was left under the cover of houses, as well as some semi-underground fortifications on the periphery, and was used as a mobile and anti-tank fire point.

Qingfeng shop here has been painstakingly operated by the commander of the Japanese North China Front Army and the commander of the division. In addition to the 6th Wing of the 3rd Division as a defensive force, it was a surprise repair after taking over the defense. Its fortifications are not even inferior to the strategic town of Shimen to the south.

The entire town was basically fortified into a large fortification complex. Moreover, there are many clear and dark forts, almost far more than any other area in the entire Jizhong Plain. The Third Division, which is the defensive, is also the elite of the only two veteran field divisions in the entire Chinese Dispatch Army.

Its combat effectiveness and combat quality are also the highest in the entire Chinese dispatch army. Although during last year's battle, because it was urgently transferred to reinforce the Kwantung Army, it suffered some losses. However, the vitality and backbone have not suffered much loss. During the Battle of Changde, the division was not the main force on the front line, so its combat effectiveness remained quite intact.

Don't look at the fact that there are only two infantry brigades, but their combat effectiveness is even more than that of the 66th Brigade that is currently fighting hard in Renqiu. The 66th Brigade was not the 66th Brigade to which the 63rd Division originally belonged. The 66th Brigade was the first wave of Japanese troops to be defeated on the Pingbei battlefield.

This 66 th Brigade was temporarily expanded by a field supplement unit of the Chinese Dispatch Army. Because he still hasn't had time to get the number, and he is the commander of this brigade, he was originally going to take over as the commander of the 66th brigade. However, before he could take office, his unit was wiped out as the new brigade commander.

Therefore, this temporarily expanded independent mixed brigade was temporarily given the number of a 66th brigade. The brigade is not only a newly organized brigade, but also has combat effectiveness because not only the soldiers are mobilized recruits in their thirties, but even the officers are generally reserve officers who have been mobilized for the third time.

As for the equipment, it's even worse. In addition to the crooked-handle light machine guns, rifles and heavy machine guns are the old Type 30 rifles and Taisho 3-year heavy machine guns. The mountain artillery brigade was equipped, except for a squadron equipped with 120-mm howitzers of the old Meiji 38 type, and the rest of the artillery had only some mortars.