Chapter 55: The Bloody Battle at Kunlun Pass
On the morning of December 25, 1939, the 600th Regiment of the 200th Division of the Fifth Army of the National Revolutionary Army fought alone against the 21st and 42nd Regiments of the Japanese Army at Ertang [Note 1] northeast of Nanning, heading towards Binyang.
The predecessor of the 200th Division was the tank battalion directly under the Military Commission of the National Government. In March 1937, the battalion and the armored car team of the 2nd Regiment of the Transportation Corps were reorganized into an armored corps directly commanded by the Ministry of Military Affairs.
In August 1938, the regiment received Soviet-made weapons and expanded into the 200th Division, with the former regimental commander Du Yuming serving as the division's first commander.
The 200th Division has one tank regiment, one armored regiment, one motorized infantry regiment and one artillery regiment. The tank regiment is equipped with 70 Soviet-made T-26s, 4 BT-5s and 18 Fiat CV-33s. The armored regiment is equipped with more than 50 Soviet-made BAE series armored vehicles. The motorized infantry regiment is also equipped with Soviet trucks.
In addition, the division's artillery regiment was a unique organization in the country at that time. The regiment was equipped with 12 122mm large-caliber howitzers and 12 Soviet-made 76mm field guns. The anti-tank artillery battalion under it was also equipped with 12 45mm anti-tank guns with the largest caliber in the country.
It is precisely based on the above-mentioned organization and equipment that Guiyang once proudly called the 200th Division the first division-level armored force in Asia. However, compared with the four light armored divisions that had just been trained in the Northwest, this so-called first was obviously too exaggerated. But no matter what, the 200th Division was the ace of aces in the Kuomintang Central Army.
Of course, by the end of 1939, this trump card had somewhat lost its luster. Among other things, the tank regiment, armored regiment, and artillery regiment had been transferred to the superior unit, the Fifth Army, and the vehicles assigned to the motorized infantry regiment had been reorganized into an independent motor vehicle regiment and handed over directly to the army. The former armored division had become a pure infantry unit.
However, even if it is weakened into a pure infantry unit, an ace is still an ace, and its combat power is not comparable to that of ordinary troops.
With the cooperation of a regiment of the 170th Division of the friendly army, the 600th Regiment withstood the Japanese aircraft and artillery [Note 2] and stubbornly resisted on the Ertang line for nearly two days. In the end, they were completely wiped out. Even the regiment commander, Colonel Shao Yishang, and the deputy regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Wu Qisheng, were killed in succession.
Until then, the commander of the 170th Division, Li Xingshu, and the commander of the 200th Division, Dai Anlan, were forced to decide to retreat the entire army to Gaofengai after dusk on the 27th to reorganize and hold their ground.
On December 26, the commander of the 21st Japanese Army, Ando Rikichi, announced that all Japanese troops entering Guangxi would form the Yongqin Corps, which would be commanded by the commander of the 5th Division, Imamura Hitoshi.
Feeling that the situation was settled, Ando Rikichi left Qinzhou and returned to Guangzhou the next day.
Imamura Jun, who was authorized, immediately commanded the Japanese army to attack Gaofeng Pass under the cover of aircraft. Although the Chinese army resisted stubbornly, it was eventually overwhelmed due to heavy losses in the early stage and lost Gaofeng Pass on January 1, 1940. The Japanese army then headed straight for the key pass Kunlun Pass.
Kunlun Pass has always been a battleground for military strategists, at least as far back as the Song Dynasty. It became a famous battlefield when Di Qing conquered the south. Unfortunately, the Chinese side was weak, so on January 4, Kunlun Pass was also lost.
Since the mountains along the Kunlun Pass stretch out and are flat both north and south, the terrain is favorable for defense but unfavorable for attack. Therefore, the Japanese army suspended its attack and adjusted its deployment. The Chinese side also took the opportunity to mobilize its troops. As a result, the two sides temporarily confronted each other with the mountains along the Kunlun Pass as the boundary.
When the Japanese army just occupied Nanning, Bai Chongxi demanded to launch a counterattack immediately while the Japanese army was still unstable and weak in strength.
After failing to obtain Chiang's approval, Bai asked Du Yuming to submit a request for a counterattack to Chiang and the Military Commission. Du agreed and sent a telegram on December 1, "Chairman Chiang, Minister of Military Affairs Chen."
Director Wang of the Military Affairs Department of the Ministry of Military Affairs forwarded the report to Minister He Junjian: “Confidential.
The enemy currently occupying Nanning has less than two divisions. Although they managed to succeed by taking advantage of the dispersion of our forces, due to traffic congestion, except for a few mountain artillery, other heavy weapons and mechanized troops could not be used, and supply was particularly difficult. The current situation of our army is actually the opposite.
Therefore , at this time, our army should take advantage of the enemy's isolated deep-rooted forces and lack of support, gather superior forces, cooperate with local people, and quickly counterattack to defeat the enemy and restore important international transportation. I dare to be presumptuous and put forward the following opinions on the deployment before the attack:
(Omitted) I hope you will review and follow the above statements to see if they are appropriate.
Du Yuming, acting commander of the 5th Army of Qianjiang, attended the meeting at noon.
Chiang used people he suspected, and he was suspicious of people he used. This is evident from the fact.
Bai Chongxi, the supreme commander, was repeatedly rejected, so he had to ask his subordinates to report to the higher authorities, but they were unsuccessful.
Chiang hesitated and missed the best opportunity to fight.
Fortunately, the Japanese side underestimated the enemy. After receiving a secret report from a traitor that more than 100,000 national troops had gathered north of Kunlun Pass in Nanning, Imamura Hitoshi thought it was "impossible" and ignored it.
However, the Japanese military high-ranking officials still hoped to continue their "strategic work" in an attempt to split the southern anti-Japanese government by instigating the Guangxi clique to oppose Chiang Kai-shek, and thus force Chiang Kai-shek to compromise with Japan.
As early as October 1939, the Japanese spy agency in Shanghai sent traitors to instigate Li and Bai to overthrow Chiang Kai-shek and asked the Japanese army to provide assistance, but they were naturally rejected by Li and Bai.
On January 6, 1940, Imamura Jun, who was unaware that the Chinese side was planning a counterattack, proudly issued a telegram entitled "A Letter to Generals Li and Bai", expressing his respect for Li and Bai's achievements in governing Guangxi.
The attack on Nanning was only intended to cut off the Chiang Kai-shek regime's transportation lines. It was hoped that the two generals would have insight into the world situation and promote cooperation between Japan and China.
If they still insist on taking Nanning, the Japanese garrison in Nanning will undoubtedly win.
Finally, he informed: "For the more than 4,200 brave warriors under the general who died in the battle of Nanning, our army has buried them together in Nanning Zhongshan Park and solemnly offered sacrifices. Please rest assured."
Under such circumstances, Chiang naturally had to fight back, so on January 7, 1940, Chiang finally issued instructions to counterattack Nanning.
On January 8, Bai Chongxi conveyed this decision to all units, with the goal of "capturing Kunlun Pass and then retaking Nanning." All units also began preparations for a counterattack.
By mid-January, the Chinese army's assembly was basically completed.
Chiang also sent Chen Cheng and Li Jishen to supervise Bai Chongxi's operations, and Zhang Fakui, commander of the Fifth War Zone, also arrived in Qianjiang from Shaoguan to command nearby.
At this time, the Japanese troops defending Kunlun Pass and south of the pass were the 5th Division, the Taiwan Mixed Brigade and part of the Marine Corps, totaling about 30,000 people. In addition, the Japanese troops could also receive reinforcements from the 21st Independent Flying Squadron and the Navy Joint Aviation Force with nearly 100 aircraft.
On the Chinese Army side, the Guanbei troops were under the unified command of the Guilin Headquarters headed by Bai Chongxi.
Its main forces were the 16th Army Group of the Fifth War Zone, the 26th Army Group with Cai Tingkai as the commander-in-chief, the 37th Army Group with Ye Zhao as the commander-in-chief, the 35th Army Group with Deng Longguang as the commander-in-chief, and the 38th Army Group where the Fifth Army was located.
The above-mentioned units, together with auxiliary forces such as the 1st to 4th Independent Infantry Regiments of the Guangxi Training Team, totaled 300,000 people.
Considering that his own troops had an absolute advantage and the Kunlun Pass line was not suitable for large-scale military deployment, on January 13, Bai Chongxi issued the first counterattack order in the name of the Guilin camp. The deployment was as follows: "Northern Route Army, Commander-in-Chief Xu Tingyao, the Fifth Army will focus on attacking Kunlun Pass."
The 92nd Division of the 99th Army went westwards around Lingliwei, attacked Qitang and flanked the enemy at Kunlun Pass.
The Western Route Army, led by Commander-in-Chief Xia Wei, and the First Column led by Zhou Zuhuang attacked Gaofengai.
Qin Zhen's troops of the Second Column assembled in Suwei, south of Nanning, to prevent the enemy from reinforcing Nanning from behind.
The Eastern Route Army, commanded by Cai Tingkai, led the 46th Army under He Xuan to attack the Yongqin Highway at Luwu and Lingshan.
Ye Zhao's 66th Army attacked the enemy troops at Gula and Gantang on the wing of Kunlun Pass.
The other two divisions of the 99th Army served as strategic reserves.
On January 13, Du Yuming, commander of the Fifth Army, convened a military meeting of all corps commanders and above to arrange the siege of Kunlun Pass.
He formulated the tactic of "closing the door to fight the tiger" to encircle and annihilate the enemy, with the 200th Division and the 1st Honor Division attacking Kunlun Pass head-on.
The newly formed 22nd Division was the right-wing flanking force, bypassing Kunlun Pass via a small road, capturing Wutang and Liutang, and attacking the Japanese reinforcements from Nanning.
Peng Bisheng, deputy commander of the 200th Division, led two supplementary regiments as the left-wing flanking detachment, bypassing Gantang and Chang'an to attack Qitang and Batang, and then attacked outside Kunlun Pass, blocking their retreat and preventing reinforcements.
Just as the Chinese side was sharpening their swords, Imamura Hitoshi, who underestimated the enemy, ordered the commander of the 9th Brigade, Major General Ikawa Genshichi, to lead thousands of Japanese troops to attack Longzhou and Zhennan Pass (Youyi Pass). As a result, only one battalion of the 21st Brigade was left on the Kunlun Pass line.
The 42nd Infantry Regiment, to which the battalion belonged, and the 21st Infantry Regiment of the same brigade were distributed in a vast area from Jiutang to Nanning, almost forming the same situation of dispersed forces as the Chinese side at the beginning of the war.
The battle broke out in the early morning of the 15th. The two sides first engaged in an artillery battle. The artillery regiment of the Fifth Army and the artillery battalions of its subordinate divisions opened fire at the same time. In addition to retaliating with artillery fire, the Japanese side continuously sent aircraft to carry out bombing.
After the artillery fire was extended, the 200th Division and the 1st Honor Division began to attack. By night, the 1st Honor Division captured Fairy Mountain, Laomaoling, Wanfu Village, Luotang and Hill 411 near Kunlun Pass.
The 200th Division captured the two heights of 653 and 600, and captured the main position of Kunlun Pass in one fell swoop.
At this time, Imamura Jun finally woke up from his dream and sent Colonel Miki Yoshinosuke, commander of the 21st Regiment of the 21st Brigade, to lead his troops to retake the Kunlun Pass position.
The "Steel Army" is the "Steel Army". It defeated , and was just as agile when it arrived in South China, and immediately recaptured Kunlun Pass.
Except for the main position of Kunlun Pass, other positions were lost and regained in the fierce battle between the Chinese and Japanese armies.
In view of the fact that the right-wing flanking troops of the New 22nd Division captured Wutang and Liutang, hindering the Japanese army's reinforcement of the main position of Kunlun Pass, Imamura ordered the Taiwan Mixed Brigade to send troops to fight for it. Wutang was recaptured by the Japanese army, but Qiu Qingquan personally led the main force to block Liutang and fought fiercely, and the Japanese army was never able to capture it.
Du Yuming seized the opportunity to order the First Honor Division to send Zheng Tingji, the third regiment of the division, to encircle Jiutang from the right wing. Zheng's regiment took advantage of the cover of night to capture the high ground on the west side of Jiutang.
On the 17th, the enemy at Kunlun Pass gradually lost their strength and frequently issued calls for emergency help.
Imamura Jun ordered the commander of the 21st Brigade, Masao Nakamura, to lead the 42nd Regiment to reinforce Kunlun Pass, but this group of Japanese troops was blocked by Qiu Qingquan's troops at Liutang and could not advance after two days of fierce fighting.
It was not until dawn on the 19th that they arrived at Qitang, where they were immediately blocked by the Chinese army. Nakamura himself was injured on the morning of the 20th.
At 1:30 p.m. that day, Colonel Miki issued an emergency warning: "If the brigade does not arrive before dusk, it will be difficult to secure the front line."
[Note 1] Tang: Tangxun was originally a checkpoint for garrison troops during the Ming and Qing dynasties, mostly located on major transportation routes. Later, it was gathered into villages and towns.
[Note 2] Japanese planes and artillery: It is true that the Japanese army had many planes in the Battle of Kunlun Pass, but they did not have many artillery. The Japanese Fifth Division had been lightly equipped to adapt to the terrain. With a total strength of 21,945 people, it was only equipped with 20 75mm mountain cannons and 12 75mm field cannons.
But the Chinese equipment was even worse. An ace unit like the 600th Regiment did not even have a mountain cannon and was naturally no match for the Japanese firepower.
