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Mention the Xiangtangpu ambush, which is one of the classic ambush battles of the Eighth Route Army. In late March 1938, this ambush was jointly planned and successfully executed by three generals, *** and ***.
In March 1938, the War of Resistance was in the early stage of strategic defense. At this time, the Battle of Xuzhou was in full swing on the frontal battlefield, and the battle behind enemy lines was equally fierce. Under the command of the commander of the division and the deputy division commander, the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army moved to the Shangdang area in southern Jinnan and operated in close quarters along the Handchang Avenue, with the aim of ambushing the Japanese army and then cutting off its supply lines.
Handan Avenue connects the North China Plain and the Jinnan Mountains, and is an important traffic artery connecting the Pinghan Railway and the Lintun Highway. At that time, the Japanese army relied on this route to attack East China, Central China, Southern Jin, and Western Jinxi. As a result, Hanchang Avenue became a key passage for the Japanese army on the east and west fronts. If our army can successfully cut off this lifeline and use this advantage to expand, then the Japanese army sweeping and attacking Taierzhuang in southern Jinnan will face the dangerous situation of being attacked by the enemy in front and behind and exposing the terrain.
After careful reconnaissance, General Xu determined that Xiangtangpu was an ideal place for an ambush. Xiangtangpu is located on the Handan Long Highway, between Shexian in Hebei and Licheng in Shanxi, close to the main road of Dongyang Pass. The village is surrounded by mountains and presents a narrow canyon landscape. The canyon is a simple road paved with smooth pebbles and soft sand. On the south side of the road is a mountain wall with a steep terrainTo the north, on the other hand, is a mountainous area with complex terrain and many trails leading to the road, providing excellent conditions for hiding and ambushing the troops.
On the night of March 30, despite the sudden drop in temperature, the three main regiments still made full use of the night and quietly arrived at the predetermined position to ambush. In the spring cold, each warrior endured the bone cold and was engrossed in concealing himself. But just when the sky was faintly bright the next day, a dense burst of gunfire suddenly broke out in the direction of Su Jiajiao. Soon, Xu Shuai received urgent information from the 772nd Regiment: about 200 enemy troops had entered Majiayu, and enemy cavalry appeared on the highlands in the southeast, which seemed to be intending to go around the rear of our army. Wang Jinshan believes that this may mean that the enemy has seen through the ambush plan of our army and is trying to launch an attack from the flank and cut off the retreat of our army. To ensure the safety of the troops, he recommended evacuating the ambush site.
**After much deliberation, the plan was ordered to continue.
At about 8 o'clock in the morning of the 31st, the roar of cars in the distance sounded in the ears of the fighters, and the tense atmosphere reached a climax in an instant.
The Japanese 14th Division, which included two car squads of Yamada's baggage troops, as well as 180 vehicles and their escort units, was advancing along the road from Licheng through Dongyang Pass in the direction of the location of our troops. By 9 o'clock, the enemy convoy had completely entered the ambush area, and then there were two "pops, pops", and green flares pierced the sky. At the beginning of the ambush, the fighters of the communications company and the special service company quickly threw a large number of grenades, and the first enemy car was reduced to rubble in the sound of explosions, successfully blocking the enemy's path.
In the face of this sudden attack, the Japanese reacted quickly and attempted to counterattack. But the firepower of our army was like a tide, and it was constantly pressed against them. The entire ambush team then launched a fierce attack, grenades raining down on the Japanese troops, and machine gun and rifle fire joined in. In this narrow valley, sparks flew and smoke filled the air. The vanguard of the Japanese army suffered heavy losses, and the tail line was also intercepted. Under this sudden blow, they panicked and drove the car at full speed, trying to break out of the ambush circle. But the road ahead was blocked, there was no way to retreat in the rear, and the Japanese army was completely thrown into chaos.
After two hours of bloody fighting, our troops, with excellent tactics, destroyed more than 180 Japanese vehicles. Of the Japanese troops, only about 30 drivers and escorts were able to escape, and the rest were completely annihilated by our troops. At the height of the battle in Xiangtangpu, the Japanese troops in Shexian County sent hundreds of people to reinforce them. But they were intercepted by the 769th Regiment of our army on the way forward at Chunshu Ridge. Another group of Japanese reinforcements from Licheng and Dongyang Pass was intercepted by the main force of our army's 772nd Regiment in Xiaokou Village, causing them to make no progress. In this battle, in addition to losing a large amount of military supplies, the Japanese also lost more than 400 officers and soldiers, including officers with the rank of major adjutant. Considering the large amount of loot scattered on the battlefield, the 129th Division urgently called up nearby people to assist in clearing the battlefield and quickly transporting the loot.
At 16 o'clock in the afternoon of the same day, 12 Japanese planes rushed to Xiangtangpu to bomb, but at this time, the 129th Division had already led the local people and escorted a large amount of loot to be successfully transferred, and had already left the bombed area.
This ambush battle in Xiangtangpu proved the high tactical wisdom and deep understanding of the battlefield of the Eighth Route Army in the early days of the Anti-Japanese War. It also shows the generals' keen insight into the situation and the decisiveness of their decision-making. More importantly, the fighters were resilient and undaunted, paying a heavy price for the victory. Despite the fact that the Japanese had advanced equipment and strong troops, they paid a huge price in this battle at Xiangtangpu.
This victory, beyond the purely tactical level, injected a strong impetus into the War of Resistance against Japan, and also strengthened the determination of the Chinese people to continue the War of Resistance. It shows the bravery and wisdom of the Eighth Route Army, and also provides an immortal chapter for the entire course of the Anti-Japanese War. The ambush battle of Xiangtangpu has become a legend in the annals of the Eighth Route Army, which has been praised through the ages.