Chapter 70: Slaughter Camp! (Seeking Recommendations and Bookmarks)

  The Kwantung Army received news of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident and held a meeting on the morning of August 8, believing that "we should take this opportunity to give Hebei-Chahar a blow".

  Reported to the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff: "In view of the situation in North China, preparations have been made for the immediate deployment of the main force of the 1st and 11th Independent Mixed Brigades and part of the air force."

  Simultaneously dispatching envoys to enter into negotiations with the "Chinese Garrison Army" and stating a tough stance.

  The Commander of the Japanese Army in Korea, Kuniaki Koiso, also reported to the General Staff: "In view of the outbreak of the North China Incident, a part of the 20th Division has made preparations for immediate action", advocating "to take advantage of this incident to implement the grand plan of ruling China".

  In Tokyo, Japan's Army Minister Sugiyama Hajime ordered the 40,000 second-year conscripts of divisions west of Kyoto to postpone their demobilization on the night of the 8th. The Navy Central Department also quickly ordered the Third Fleet, which was exercising in Taiwan, to return to its original defensive position in Shanghai, China, and prepare for battle.

  The Japanese General Staff, referring to the reports of the Kwantung Army and the Korean Army on the situation of the troops preparing for war, put forward a plan for the use of troops, preparing to mobilize 2 independent mixed brigades from the Kwantung Army, 8 air regiments, 1 division from the Korean Army, and 3 divisions from within the country to enter North China. According to the situation, it is necessary to send 2 more divisions to Shandong at any time.

  However, Sun Xiang's counterattack disrupted the Japanese military's plan, and the Japanese army had to increase the number of air squadrons dispatched to counter the Chinese Air Force. The Japanese cabinet was extremely dissatisfied with the Far Eastern war situation, and Lieutenant General Kiyoshi Kiyohara, commander of the 1st Air Group and Commander-in-Chief of the "China Garrison Army", was criticized by various parties in Japan for underestimating the strength of the Chinese Air Force, resulting in the loss of forty Japanese aircraft.

  At the same time, the Japanese Navy General Staff and the Ministry of the Navy also made corresponding war preparations after consultation, and reached an agreement with the General Staff on "Land and Sea Military Agreement on Operations in North China".

  "The operational guidelines" in the agreement are: "Strive to limit the combat area to the Pingjin area, and do not use force in Central China and South China. However, when necessary, protect Japanese residents near Qingdao and Shanghai. The army and navy should cooperate in combat. In implementing this agreement, make every effort to avoid interfering with third-country affairs."

  "In combat missions" it is stipulated that the land warfare in Pingjin area will be undertaken by the army; The navy is responsible for transportation and escort, and assists the army in fighting in Tianjin.

  In Central and South China, the Navy is mainly responsible for guarding. According to the development of the situation, "limited to Qingdao and Shanghai nearby, the army and navy will cooperate with necessary forces". In addition, the army and navy also reached an agreement on aviation cooperation in North China, which stipulates that during the war in North China, the main air force is undertaken by the army, assisted by the navy; in Central and South China, the main air force is undertaken by the navy. The Navy also strongly demanded: when the war affects Central and South China, the Army will send 3 divisions (at least 2 divisions) to fight in Central China.

  This agreement means that Japan's most powerful 96-style carrier-based aircraft will officially land on the Chinese battlefield, and naval aircraft will be massively harassed in East China and Central China.

  On July 14, 1937, the Japanese Army General Staff again withdrew 7 flying groups, 4 independent flying squadrons, 2 airport maintenance squadrons and 1 field aircraft repair factory from home to form a "Temporary Aviation Corps", with Lieutenant General Yoshitoshi Tokugawa as the commander of the corps. They were deployed in Shanhaiguan, Jinzhou and Dalian areas. This time, the number of Japanese planes on the Chinese side increased by 200, Sun Xiang's opponents became more and more, and the challenges he faced became more and more severe.

  July 15, the Japanese General Staff formulated a battle plan. In this battle plan, the "China Garrison Army" attempted to surround Beiping with one division, three brigades and affiliated artillery, tank troops, and air forces, and then attack the 29th Army in the west and south of the city. The participating Japanese troops were composed of:

  The commander of the "China Garrison Army" was Lieutenant General Kiyoshi Kawabe, and the chief of staff was Major General Tomiyo Tamura. The divisional commander of the China Garrison Brigade was Lieutenant General Shōzō Sakurai, under which were the 1st and 2nd Infantry Brigades, as well as an artillery brigade, armored unit, and cavalry unit.

  The 20th Division, led by Lieutenant General Kawabata Bunzaburō, was composed of the 39th and 40th Infantry Brigades (each with two infantry regiments), the 28th Cavalry Regiment, the 26th Field Artillery Regiment, and the 20th Engineer Regiment.

  The 11th Independent Mixed Brigade, led by Lieutenant General Suzuki Shigenobu, was under the jurisdiction of the 11th and 12th Independent Infantry Regiments, the 11th Independent Cavalry Regiment, the 11th Independent Field Artillery Regiment, the 12th Independent Mountain Artillery Regiment, and one battalion each of independent engineers and logistics troops.

  The 1st Independent Mixed Brigade, led by Major General Sakae Iwai, was under the jurisdiction of the Independent Infantry Regiment No. 1, a light armored vehicle squadron, a light armored car squadron, an engineer squadron and a field artillery battalion.

  The Air Group, led by Lieutenant General Tokushin Maeda, was under the command of the 1st Flying Brigade, the Composite Flying Brigade (transferred from the Kwantung Army), and the 9th and 10th Field Heavy Anti-Aircraft Artillery Groups. The 1st Flying Brigade had two squadrons each of reconnaissance planes, fighter planes, and light bombers, one squadron of heavy bombers (two companies per squadron) and four independent flying companies; the Composite Flying Brigade had two squadrons each of reconnaissance planes, fighter planes, and heavy bombers. There were a total of 72 reconnaissance planes, 84 fighter planes, 36 light bombers, and 30 heavy bombers, for a total of 222 combat aircraft.

  By July 20, the first batch of Japanese troops entering North China had all arrived at the assembly area according to the "China Garrison Army" combat plan: Independent Mixed Brigade 11 in Gaoliying and Shunyi, Independent Mixed Brigade 1 in Huairou, part of the 20th Division in Tianjin, main force in Tangshan and Shanhaiguan, China Garrison Brigade in Fengtai, Air Force troops respectively in Tianjin, Chengde and Shanhaiguan, just waiting for an excuse to launch an attack.

  On July 21, the Japanese army openly tore up the contract and launched a bombing raid on Nanwan, with 25 fighter planes and 40 bombers taking off. Sun Xiang led the Fulongjian Brigade to intercept them, but the Japanese army's Tokugawa Yoshitake immediately retreated after the bombing, fearing encountering the Chinese air force.

  Sun Xiang saw the devastated Nanwan city below and was furious, immediately leading a large team to rush towards the Japanese army camp stationed in Fengtai. 50 aircraft roared overhead, and the 500 kg bombs carried by F4U fell into the camp. The explosion was the hatred of the Chinese people, and the fire burning was the anger of the Chinese nation.

  After dropping the bombs, F4U planes began to strafe Japanese military camps in formation. Since the Japanese had made the first move, what politics and talks were there to consider? The F4Us flew in groups of three, sweeping the Japanese barracks with gunfire, bullets punching holes everywhere, and wherever they hit a soldier, a cloud of blood would erupt. The bullets had strong penetrating power and great destructive force, leaving large holes wherever they struck, and those who were hit basically lost their combat effectiveness.

  The troops stationed in Fengtai gradually heard the sound of gunfire, Sun Xiang curled his lips, the F4U's armor was quite thick, and shooting at planes with rifles was like scratching an itch. Unless you hit the cockpit and hit the pilot, it was just a matter of luck. Ignoring the ground forces' fire, the F4U squadron was like an old cow, diligently sweeping the Japanese army camp on the ground with machine guns again and again. The largest massacre since the outbreak of the China-Japan war was completed under the command of Fulongjian Squadron, the barracks were in a mess, and many soldiers did not even have time to leave the barracks. In this battle, 1,300 Japanese troops were shot or bombed to death, shocking the whole country!