In the winter of 1942, the War of Resistance against Japan entered a stalemate. The E'nan area was in a complicated and intricate situation. In the Honghu area, only the 918th Division remained to fight against the Japanese invasion. Originally from the Northwest Army under Yang Hucheng's command, the 918th Division was incorporated into Tang Enbo's forces after the outbreak of the war of resistance. During the Battle of Wuhan, it was excluded and squeezed by the Central Army and was almost completely wiped out. Division Commander Fang Jinzhai raised the banner of resisting foreign Japanese invaders and opposing the domestic central forces, recruited soldiers, and quickly expanded, becoming a strong force among the anti-Japanese forces north of the river.