He Bingyan and Liao Hansheng fought fiercely at Yanmen Pass

In October 1937, the land in northwest Shanxi was full of autumn, the leaves had begun to wither and yellow, and the mountains were also yellowish brown due to the coverage of withered grass. The weather is getting colder day by day, and a sense of depression is beginning to spread.
The situation on the Shanxi battlefield was very disheartening due to the Nationalist Party's defeat in battle. Li Fuying retreated without fighting, causing the Japanese army to advance straight in. The rapid advance of the Japanese army also led to the complete retreat of the Nationalist army on the Shanxi battlefield. The faster the Nationalist army retreats, the faster the Japanese army advances. The war situation is extremely critical, and Taiyuan is expected to be in a precarious state.
Yan Xishan was extremely anxious and restless. He consulted with Zhou Enlai several times to persuade the Communist Party to support him in organizing the Battle of Xinkou. Zhou Enlai readily agreed and promptly telegraphed the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army, as well as He Long and Guan Xiangying of the 120th Division.
After receiving orders, He Long held an emergency military meeting in a small village west of Shenchi. The commanders unanimously agreed that the entire division should take the initiative to fight on the two Japanese transportation lines from Datong via Yanmen Pass to Xinkou, Lingqiu via Pingxingguan, and Fanzhi to Xinkou, cutting off the enemy's roads and sources of transportation in the rear, so that the Japanese army on the front line of Xinkou could run out of food and ammunition, and cooperate with friendly forces on the front battlefield.
To determine the situation, He Long and Xiao Ke issued three orders:
Order Zhang Zongxun and Li Jingquan to lead the 715th Regiment of the 358th Brigade southward from Kun County and attack the enemy flank located 20 kilometers northwest of Xinkou;
Order Wang Zhen's 359th Brigade to quickly rush to the west of Kun County and cooperate with Zhang Zongxun and Li Jingquan's actions;
Order He Bingyan and Liao Hansheng of the 716th Regiment to lead two battalions to attack the Japanese army at Yanmen Pass.
For the last command, He Long, Guan Xiangying, and Xiao Ke put even more thought into it. For several consecutive days, they gathered around the map to analyze the enemy situation and planned together to win a great victory at Yanmen Pass since the Eastern Crossing.
One day, He Long said to the communicator, "Go and call He Bingyan and Liao Hansheng to the headquarters
At this moment, He Bingyan was flipping through the application letters of various companies at the headquarters. Upon receiving a notice from the division headquarters, Captain He Bingyan and Political Commissar Liao Hansheng immediately rode their horses to the headquarters' headquarters.
When He Bingyan and Liao Hansheng walked into the room of the headquarters, they saw that Commander He Long and Political Commissar Guan Xiangying were surrounding the map, pointing at it and saying something. He Bingyan and Liao Hansheng said 'report', and He Long and Guan Xiangying raised their heads. Seeing that it was them, they quickly greeted them to sit down. Political Commissar Guan Xiangying asked with concern, "How is the mood of the troops when we arrive in this area?" He Bingyan said, "When we see the enemy's atrocities, our comrades are very angry and always hope to have the opportunity to deal with the devils severely
Upon hearing this, He Long burst out laughing and repeatedly said, "Very good, very good. There are plenty of opportunities to deal with the enemy!" He pointed to the map and said to He Bingyan and Liao Hansheng, "We are ready to transfer you here." He Bingyan looked carefully and saw a long red arrow pointing directly towards the famous historical pass - Yanmen Pass.
Commander He Long continued, "The Battle of Xinkou is underway, and the enemy is constantly delivering ammunition to the front line from Datong through Yanmen Pass every day. This is an important transportation line for the enemy, and they are very arrogant. They think that the area is already the rear, and their vigilance is quite negligent. We can take advantage of this weakness of the enemy to mobilize the masses in that area, seek opportunities, and give the enemy a fierce blow!" Finally, Commander He Long repeatedly reminded He Bingyan and Liao Hansheng, "This is our first major battle since our eastward crossing, and we must win and fight well. We must be clear that we are now fighting against the Japanese aggressors, not the reactionary army of the Kuomintang. In terms of tactical thinking, we must turn quickly and follow Mao Zedong's principles. The operational principles of mountain guerrilla warfare stipulated by the chairman. After arriving at the destination, we must rely on the masses, closely connect with the masses, and conscientiously carry out reconnaissance work
Yes, ensure the completion of the task! "He Bingyan answered firmly.
He Bingyan and Liao Hansheng were very excited and immediately rode back to the headquarters after the meeting.
After some preparation, He Bingyan and Liao Hansheng led the 716th regiment to advance towards Yanmen Pass.
Along the way, scenes of destruction by the Japanese army can be seen everywhere. Many villages and towns were reduced to rubble, and countless compatriots were brutally killed. In Ningwu, almost every family's vegetable cellar has turned into a tomb; All the wells were filled with the bodies of men, children, and women who had been stabbed to death with bayonets and brutally murdered after being raped... Seeing this scene, the soldiers were so angry that their eyes were on fire and their teeth were biting loudly. The team ran towards Yanmen Pass day and night, wearing stars and moon all the way.
After three days of rapid marching, the troops arrived at Laowo Village, more than ten miles southwest of Yanmen Pass.
Laowo Village is surrounded by mountains on all sides and is very secluded. What surprised He Bingyan was that there were only a few empty people in the village. After inquiring, I found out that most of the people in the village had fled to avoid the Japanese army. He Bingyan ordered the immediate organization of a work team to search for the masses and carry out propaganda, while sending soldiers to assist the masses in the autumn harvest.
He Bingyan personally led a team to harvest naked oats in a field. At this moment, a middle-aged man in his 60s trembled and walked towards them. He Bingyan walked over, supported the old man, and asked with concern, "Fellow villager, what's wrong with you?" The old man's parents let out a sigh of relief and rubbed their moist eyes, saying, "How did you know? The Kuomintang soldiers only know how to steal things from the people. When they see the devils, they run faster than anyone else like mice and cats. The devils come here and burn and kill, otherwise, the people will have no way out
The 716th Regiment always thinks of the masses and gets along with them like a family. The reputation of the Eighth Route Army spread like the wind, and within a few days, the masses who had fled to various places gradually returned.
At the same time, He Bingyan also sent scouts to conduct reconnaissance along the highway. Many civilians also voluntarily led the scouts and helped the troops collect intelligence. In just a few days, the terrain around Yanmen Pass was thoroughly understood, and the enemy's passing patterns and vehicles were mastered.
On October 16th, several civilians sent intelligence that the Japanese army stationed in Datong had gathered more than 300 vehicles, loaded with weapons and ammunition, with signs of passing through Yanmen Pass and Nanxinkou. In recent days, enemy convoys have passed through every four to five days, indicating that the intelligence is reliable. He Bingyan ordered an immediate meeting of cadres at or above the company level.
At the meeting, Political Commissar Liao Hansheng asked everyone, "How about it? Do you want to fight or not
Wang Xiangfa, the third battalion commander, stood up and said, "I express my opinion, and I will never forget the heinous crime committed by the enemy in Ningwu! In the courtyard where the 11th company headquarters was stationed, eight people and seven people of a family were killed, and a child under the age of three was also beaten to death with a bayonet. Only an old woman who was beaten half dead was left. She cried her tears dry and pulled us to revenge. This is the revenge of her family, and also the revenge of the whole Chinese people!" The third battalion commander paused for a moment, and then said angrily, "Let the enemy return blood for blood! Revenge! This is my determination, and it is also the determination of all our comrades in the battalion!" Hu Juesan, the instructor of the 11th Company, also stood up excitedly and said, "On behalf of all our comrades in the company, I ask our superiors to entrust us with the most arduous task. We will definitely turn Yanmen Pass into a ghost gate for the Japanese invading army
The atmosphere at the venue was serious and lively, with cadres vying to become assault teams.
Finally, Political Commissar Liao Hansheng said, "Yes, we must avenge our fallen compatriots! We must use the enemy's bloody massacre of Ningwu as a material for mobilizing the troops to fight, and stir up a wave of revenge throughout the entire regiment
The next morning at dawn, He Bingyan and Liao Hansheng personally led their officials to inspect the terrain. They climbed to the top of Heishitougou Mountain and looked down. They saw a winding road winding down from Yanmen Pass, circling in a large circle from west to east at Heishitougou. To the west of the highway is a steep cliff, to the north is a steep slope, and not far south along the highway is a stone arch bridge. This is really an ideal terrain for setting up a ambush, "He Bingyan thought to himself.
After returning to the Youth League headquarters, He Bingyan and Liao Hansheng made a decision: the first and third battalions would ambush on steep slopes in the north and south respectively, with the third battalion serving as the main attacker. The first battalion dispatched a company to guard the direction of Yangmingbao, while the third battalion and eleventh company ambushed in the west of the bridge, cutting off the enemy's escape route. He Bingyan said to the commanders of the battalion and company, "Our overall plan is for the whole regiment to take sudden action together and strive to eliminate all the enemies in Heishitou Gou
On the morning of the 18th, the rooster crows its head repeatedly, and the troops follow the rugged path and insert into the Heishitou Gully.
The night before dawn was particularly quiet, with only occasional gunshots coming from the south. After entering the battlefield, the soldiers prepared everything and waited for the Japanese devils to enter their 'pockets'.
This is the first time for He Bingyan to wait patiently for the enemy like this. Now we are fighting against the Japanese invading army, not the reactionary army of the Kuomintang, "Commander He Long's words rang in his ear again, and he couldn't help but feel a little nervous. He stood up and walked towards the battlefield again.
He Bingyan noticed that several documents and cooks had also taken up the position, and he asked in surprise, "What, are you also up
It's everyone's responsibility to fight against the Japanese, Captain. This is our first time fighting against the Japanese army, and it's not good not to participate! "Some people say," Big Brother has caused great trouble for the Japanese at Pingxingguan. This time, let the enemy taste our strength
He Bingyan wanted to test them and deliberately said, "Don't think too easily, you should know that these are 300 cars
Upon hearing this, the soldiers rushed to say, "Don't even think 300 cars will slip over! If you don't believe me, start fighting and see
Seeing that the troops were in high spirits and well prepared, He Bingyan returned to the command post with peace of mind.
The sun has risen high, and the towering Yanmen Pass is visible. He Bingyan stood on the mountaintop and lifted his telescope, only to see no movement on the road.
Some soldiers are getting impatient and occasionally look up.
He Bingyan ordered, "Notify all camps, wait patiently, and never expose yourself
At around 10 o'clock in the morning, a cloud of dust suddenly rose from the north road, and the roar of a motor could be faintly heard. Some soldiers couldn't suppress their excitement and whispered, "Here, here!" The soldiers lifted the grenade cover and stared motionless at the road to the north.
A long convoy of cars was about to enter the ambush circle, and at this moment, He Bingyan received a report from the Third Battalion: "More than 100 more cars have arrived from Yangmingbao to the south
I used to hear that in order to be on guard against each other, the enemy often traveled north and south in this area. I didn't expect to encounter them today! The increase in the number of enemies and cars undoubtedly makes the battle more difficult, but the more so, the more confident and careless the enemies become. As long as we hide well and move quickly, these enemies can still be eliminated. Thinking of this, He Bingyan said to Liao Hansheng, "Since it's been delivered to your door, let's eat it together
Yes! Quickly notify the first and third camps, obey the unified order, and eliminate together
Two cars swaggered towards us. The first car of the southbound convoy was carrying over a dozen Japanese soldiers, while the following cars were loaded with wounded soldiers and dead bodies, and the rest were empty. The convoy heading north is carrying cover troops. An enemy officer carried a command knife at his waist and occasionally looked around with a telescope.
Two convoys approached, and the enemies in the cars greeted each other with a "wow wow wow" tone, one after another arrogantly.
The enemy officer in the car coming from the north saw the dead body pulled by the car coming from the south at a glance, and quickly ordered his soldiers to take off their hats to mourn, and even sang a dirge at the top of their lungs.
He Bingyan suppressed his anger and stared closely at the moving car.
Both teams of cars entered the narrow Black Stone Head Gully and began to alternate side by side.
Strike! "He Bingyan issued the order.
Wang Xiangfa waved his shotgun forward and charged towards the enemy with all the soldiers in the camp.
Rifles and light and heavy machine guns roared together, and two cars collided with each other. The ammunition truck caught fire and exploded with a loud sound.
The enemy was caught off guard and panicked, jumping off the car one by one. They died before they could jump off.
The enemy reorganized and began to counterattack with guns in hand. Before the enemy could disperse, the warriors of the Eleventh Company rushed onto the highway and engaged in a hand to hand battle with the enemy. Warriors bravely fought against the enemy, and some soldiers even used the "Ghost Head Knife" they had used during the Long March to fight against the enemy.
Hu Juesan led three rows to charge over and suddenly saw a soldier surrounded by three enemies. Hu Juesan swung his big sword and killed two of them in a row, while the other was stabbed to death by the soldier.
Hu Juesan continued to charge forward, but suddenly he found a ghost lying under the car, trying to catch him alive. Unexpectedly, the ghost shot him in the chest. Hu Juesan gathered all his strength and shouted, "Comrades! Firmly fight, avenge the fellow villagers of Ningwu..." After that, Guangrong sacrificed himself.
The soldiers shouted the slogan 'Revenge for the instructor!' and fiercely swept away the remaining enemies.
The gunshots gradually fell, the strong smell of gunpowder on the road was overwhelming, and the bodies of the enemy were lying haphazardly.
In the Heishitou Gully, there was a joyous atmosphere as the soldiers cleaned the battlefield, feeling particularly excited.
The nearby villagers also came over happily to help the soldiers transport the spoils of war.
He Bingyan was patrolling when he saw a soldier pounding a car with a shovel, saying, "I told you to run again! I told you to run again!"
Liao Hanshengyue said, "Don't smash it, it should explode
There were sounds everywhere, fireworks filled the air, and the enemy's car was set on fire at Yanmen Pass.
By the time the enemy arrived to reinforce Yangmingbao, the 716th Regiment had already withdrawn from the battlefield.
The ambush at Yanmen Pass effectively supported the Nationalist army in the Battle of Xinkou, and He Bingyan and Liao Hansheng received commendations from the Nationalist government for this.
The majestic Yanmen Pass will forever remember the heroic and military style of Generals He Bingyan and Liao Hansheng!   
Source of this article: July 2008 issue of Wen Shi Monthly; Author of this article: Niu Chonghui