In 1940, during the difficult period of the War of Resistance Against Japan, the Eighth Route Army carried out a well-planned ambush on the Pinghan Railway section near Yicun. This operation was not only a powerful blow to the Japanese army, but also an important contribution to the entire anti-Japanese battlefield. Yicun is located in a strategic location, and the Pinghan Railway is an important material transportation line for the Japanese army, so it has become a key target of the Eighth Route Army. Taking advantage of the complex terrain and natural bunkers, the Eighth Route Army carefully selected the ambush site. They acted covertly at night, laying out a large number of mines and explosive devices, while deploying machine guns and snipers, ensuring the suddenness and effectiveness of the ambush. When the ambush was launched, a mine detonated, and the train went out of control to cause a chain explosion, and the night sky was lit up with the sound of loud explosions and fires. The Eighth Route Army immediately launched a fire suppression, and the fierce gunfire and explosions were intertwined, forming a spectacular battle scene. It successfully destroyed the Japanese army's military supplies and railway transportation lines, greatly weakened the Japanese army's strategic movement capability in North China, and laid a solid foundation for the subsequent anti-Japanese battles.
The success of the Yicun ambush, although it brought the Eighth Route Army a brief moment of victory, also angered the Japanese and triggered their fierce retaliatory actions. The Japanese top brass reacted quickly and mobilized a large number of troops from the surrounding strategic points such as Dingxian, Xinle, and Xingtang, and their target was the 17th Regiment of the Eighth Route Army, in an attempt to wipe out this team that had inflicted heavy losses on them in one fell swoop. The Japanese moved very quickly and orderly, and the main forces advanced rapidly along the Pinghan railway, trying to take advantage of the convenience of the railway to get close to the target as soon as possible. At the same time, another force opted for more secluded country roads, traversing rugged mountainous terrain and bypassing major lines of communication in the hope of achieving a surprise effect. These two units formed a tight three-way combined attack tactical layout with the Japanese troops originally stationed, posing a huge threat to the 17th Regiment.
Due to the sabotage of railway transport lines, the logistics supply lines of the Japanese army were seriously affected. In order to ensure the continuous combat capability of the troops, the Japanese army had to adopt a series of additional logistical support measures. They have set up temporary ammunition supply points at key points to ensure that front-line troops can be replenished in a timely manner. At the same time, due to the blockage of railway transportation, the Japanese army began to use traditional horses and ox carts to transport heavy equipment and supplies, this primitive but effective way to relieve the logistical pressure to a certain extent and ensure the combat needs of the troops. Despite all the difficulties, the mobilization and preparation of the Japanese troops showed the importance and determination they attached to this encirclement and suppression operation.