Chapter 74

In the ensuing battles, the Eighth Route Army utilized flexible maneuvers to strike the Japanese forces heavy blows repeatedly. By the third day, over four hundred Japanese troops split into four columns, advancing aggressively to launch a fierce offensive against the Eighth Route Army in Heishan. Facing the menacing enemy, the Independent 3rd Regiment's 2nd Battalion made a swift decision, taking advantage of the cover of night to relocate to the areas of Cejing, Anhe, and Xiaonangou to assemble and await orders. Simultaneously, they set an ambush at Yulu Village, dealing a heavy blow to the incoming Japanese troops. The fighting lasted until dawn; the 3rd Battalion, which had pushed into the village, became separated from the 1st Battalion by the enemy’s intense firepower and was forced to hold its ground by occupying houses. By dusk, the 1st Battalion rejoined the fight, successfully linked up with the 3rd Battalion, and together they launched a violent assault on the enemy's core positions inside Dawang Village.