Devil's Army

Chapter 2004: The Siege of Yueyang

At the same time, the brigade commander ordered the 4th Regiment to disengage from the battlefield and break through the Japanese front line at full speed.

At Jiufenggeng, Baogaishan, and Dayuanshan, the Japanese troops, seeing that the Fourth Regiment of the "Devil Force" was about to force their way through their defensive line, hurriedly strengthened their resistance, but were attacked by the First, Second, and Third Battalions of the Third Regiment.

Under the cover of the Third Regiment, the Fourth Regiment of the First Brigade successfully broke through the Japanese defense line and advanced directly towards Yueyang.

The 4th Regiment of the 1st Brigade encountered Japanese reinforcements coming out of the city on their way to Yueyang.

The fourth regimental commander immediately arranged for the vanguard to lure the enemy deep into the city, while the main force would flank them from both sides, attempting to annihilate this Japanese force outside Yueyang City.

Japanese scouts spotted a large force of the "Devil's Army" rapidly advancing from both flanks and immediately reported to the major, who then ordered the troops to retreat.

If this force retreats back to Yueyang City, it will increase the difficulty of their siege.

The fourth regimental commander ordered his troops to abandon heavy weapons and advance lightly on foot, determined to encircle this Japanese force outside Yueyang City. But how could two feet outrun a four-wheeled vehicle?

This Japanese force slipped away towards Yueyang City right under the noses of the Fourth Regiment soldiers.

Just when the soldiers of the Fourth Regiment were feeling disappointed, the situation took a turn for the better.

The New Fourth Army's Jiangnan Advance Detachment, which had been searching for opportunities to engage the Japanese troops outside Yueyang City, spotted this situation and immediately intercepted the Japanese force ahead.

Although the Japanese army increased its firepower in an attempt to quickly break through the interception of the New Fourth Army's Jiangnan Advance Detachment, it was met with fierce resistance from the New Fourth Army.

Soon, the Fourth Regiment surrounded the Japanese reinforcements that had been intercepted by the New Fourth Army's advance detachment from the front and flanks.

While arranging for the rearguard to block the pursuit of the Fourth Regiment of the Devil Force, the major ordered the artillery to bombard the blocking positions of the New Fourth Army's Advance Detachment.

The New Fourth Army's advance detachment suffered heavy casualties under the fierce bombardment of Japanese artillery, but they still fought to the death.

Soon, the 3rd Battalion of the 4th Regiment, flanking from the right flank, attacked the Japanese artillery positions. The pressure on the New Fourth Army's Jiangnan Advance Detachment was immediately reduced.

The commander of the puppet army battalion, who was accompanying the Japanese army out of the city to reinforce, saw that the battle situation was unfavorable to him, and his fear of fighting was severe, so he tried to run away.

A Japanese major noticed the puppet troops' attempt to escape and shot and killed the battalion commander and several soldiers, temporarily preventing their surrender.

However, the Fourth Regiment of the Devil Force and the Jiangnan Advance Detachment of the New Fourth Army quickly launched a general offensive against them from all four sides.

After more than half an hour of fierce fighting, all the Japanese reinforcements sent out of Yueyang to reinforce the city were annihilated.

The Japanese troops on the Jiufenggeng, Baogaishan, and Dayuanshan positions were now isolated, and defeat was an indisputable fact.

They eliminated the 4th Regiment of the 1st Brigade of the Japanese reinforcements and, together with the Jiangnan Advance Detachment of the New Fourth Army, surrounded Yueyang City.

The First Army Air Force continued to bomb Japanese fortifications and strongholds in Yueyang, paving the way for the army's attack on the city.

In the evening, the 3rd Regiment of the Japanese army, which had wiped out Jiufenggeng, Baogaishan, and Dayuanshan, also arrived at the north gate of Yueyang City.

A brigade commander ordered the Fourth Regiment, which had been resting for several hours, and the New Fourth Army's Jiangnan Advance Detachment to rush to the west gate of Yueyang City, preparing to launch an attack on the north and west gates of Yueyang at dawn the next day.

Commander Takashi Pinpiao of the 17th Independent Mixed Brigade of the Japanese Army (which belonged to the 11th Army of the Japanese Army and was later directly under the 6th Area Army) stationed in Yueyang hurriedly reported the battle situation to Commander Yokoyama Isamu.

At that time, the Japanese army headquarters in Hunan was stationed in Yueyang, and Commander Yokoyama Isamu personally led a unit to Rong County to provide reinforcements.

Before even reaching Rong County, they heard that Yueyang was in dire need of help, so they hurriedly headed back.