The chief of staff shook his head and answered seriously: "The information came from the headquarters of the Japanese North China Front in Peiping. There should be no problem!"
"The telegram also said: In order to support these two divisions, the Peking and Tianjin railway stations have been put under martial law. A large number of weapons, ammunition and supplies are shipped there, and they are ready to supplement the Kwantung Army going south at any time!"
"Ningji Okamura personally went to the Kwantung Army headquarters for these reinforcements and stayed there for three full days before coming back."
"This information can prove that the Northeast Kwantung Army sent reinforcements to North China!"
"Maybe there will be some difference in quantity, but certainly not too much."
"Judging from Peiping's current response, this reinforcement force will arrive in North China in three or four days at most."
"Continue to march south in the army. In two or three days, we will arrive in Baoding to join the war."
"If Kong Jie and others cannot end the battle and capture Baoding within four days, 80% of them will be blocked outside Baoding City, and the number of opponents they face will increase to 50,000."
"The difference in strength between the two sides is nearly ten times. Kong Jie and the others are definitely no match."
A flash of solemnity quickly appeared on the deputy commander's serious face, and he shook his head and replied: "If the real purpose of the Kwantung Army going south is indeed to relieve Baoding, I'm not worried yet!"
"Kong Jie and Li Yunlong are both good fighters and very smart. They will definitely not watch the troops fall into danger."
"I'm worried that Okamura Neji is suspected of plotting against Chen Cang by seconding so many Kwantung Army troops."
"Rescuing Baoding is only their superficial purpose."
The chief of staff's already frowning frown deepened now. He stared at the deputy commander and asked thoughtfully: "Are you worried that Okamura Neiji wants to take the opportunity to eliminate the Eighth Route Army in the wing?"
The deputy commander nodded: "Just to rescue Baoding, more than 10,000 people are enough."
"A person like Okamura Neiji is so smart, he will definitely not kill the chicken with a knife and send so many troops to Baoding to go through the motions, wasting tens of thousands of elites in vain."
The chief of staff immediately showed an expression of approval: "It is a well-known fact that the Japanese Army's North China Front is short of troops. Let alone 50,000 elites, even if there are 10,000 elites, Okamura Neji will use them on the edge and will never waste a single soldier. Death."
"Chief, I now believe that the real goal of the 50,000 Kwantung Army going south is not to rescue Baoding!"
"The Yizhong Eighth Route Army repeatedly inflicted heavy losses on the North China Front. Even a large-scale raid launched by Okamura Neji himself was defeated."
"Neiji Okamura must hate the Yi Zhong Eighth Route Army. It just so happens that the Yi Zhong base is next to Baoding. After rescuing Baoding, he takes the opportunity to enter the Yi Zhong base and eliminate the Yi Zhong Eighth Route Army. He is sure that it will kill two birds with one stone. Will take hold."
"That must be the case!" The more the chief of staff analyzed, the more he felt that his judgment was correct, and even his tone of voice was firmer than before.
But soon the firm expression on his face was replaced by solemnity.
In the last big sweep, Okamura Ningji gathered more than 20,000 elites and almost defeated Kong Jie and others.
This time Okamura Neiji has assembled a total of 50,000 troops, which is still the most elite Kwantung Army of the Japs. In terms of overall strength, the pressure is more than three times greater than the last big sweep.
After the last major sweep, the overall strength of the Yizhong Eighth Route Army has not been fully restored.
The ammunition reserve is also very poor, otherwise I would not take the risk to fight Baoding.
What if the troops fail to capture Baoding and are then raided by the 50,000 Kwantung Army? There will be insufficient ammunition and a shortage of troops... These are all problems that the Eighth Route Army in Yizhong cannot solve.
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To put it bluntly, even if Kong Jie and Li Yunlong captured Baoding and seized the weapons and ammunition stored by the Japanese and puppet troops in Baoding City, the troops would suffer heavy casualties in the battle.
Kill one thousand enemies and suffer eight hundred losses.
The total number of Japanese and puppet troops stationed in Baoding exceeds 10,000, and they are on the defensive side. No matter how powerful the Eighth Route Army is, it will pay a heavy price in the battle.
Their military strength had not recovered from the last large-scale raid. If they lost several thousand people at once, they would not have the troops to face the second round of large-scale raids launched by Neji Okamura.
Facing the encirclement and suppression by the 50,000 Kwantung Army, they are bound to lose.
Looking at the worried look on the deputy commander's face, he asked, "What should we do?"
"It's impossible to give up the attack and temporarily withdraw to the base to prepare for counter-mopping up, right?"
"Intelligence shows that they have killed and injured four to five thousand Japanese puppet troops in the siege battle that just passed."
"The mobile troops in Kawasaki's hands have been destroyed. If we continue to fight, we should be able to kill Baoding city defense very quickly. There are loopholes everywhere."
"As long as we find one or two opportunities, we should be able to break into Baoding and win Baoding in one fell swoop."
"It would be a shame to miss such a great opportunity."
The deputy commander-in-chief hesitated for a long time before answering: "I will not accept your fate. Kong Jie and Li Yunlong are not incompetent people. Send them a telegram immediately."
"Inform us that the 50,000 Kwantung Army is about to move south to Baoding. By the way, we will tell you our judgment and let them decide whether to continue the attack on Baoding."
"But we can't do nothing."
"Fifty thousand Kwantung troops marched south, and Okamura Neiji couldn't keep it airtight no matter how much he kept it secret."
"Let our intelligence agents keep an eye on the railway lines, report any news immediately, and forward it to the Yi Zhong base at the same time."
"Let several main groups active around Yi Zhong gather secretly."
"The Yizhong base area eliminated a large number of Japanese and puppet troops through several counter-mops, resulting in heavy losses for the Japanese and puppet troops operating around Yizhong. The surrounding Eighth Route Army took the opportunity to take advantage."
"The Eighth Route Army in Yinzhong is in trouble now, and they must help."
"Find a way to assemble four to six main regiments and have them ready to reinforce the Yizhong base area at any time."
The chief of staff immediately turned his attention to the map, took out a pencil to write and draw, and soon came to a decision.
"I can assemble five main groups!"
The deputy commander continued to order: "Tell Kong Jie the news as well."
"Ningji Okamura can mobilize the Kwantung Army south to reinforce Baoding, and we can also mobilize other Eighth Route Army troops to reinforce Yizhong."
"But the weapons and ammunition of the reinforcements are definitely not as good as Kong Jie's. If conditions permit, let Kong Jie support them more."
"With a total of ten regiments of troops, even if they are not opponents of the 50,000 Kwantung Army, they will not be unable to fight back."
In the former enemy headquarters of the Eighth Route Army in the east wing of Baoding City, Kong Jie is making final preparations for tonight's decisive battle.
It is now two o'clock in the afternoon, and the general attack will begin in five hours.
Although he, Li Yunlong and Huang Yu had repeatedly discussed the entire offensive plan, there were almost no loopholes.
But the battlefield is changing rapidly, and no one can guarantee that nothing will go wrong until the final result is known.
As the former enemy commander in this battle, Kong Jie was under great pressure.
"Commander, there is an urgent message from the headquarters: Okamura Neiji has seconded 50,000 Kwantung Army troops from the three eastern provinces to go south. It is very likely that they are here to mop up the Yizhong base area. They will arrive in Baoding in about four days. Please make preparations for counter-mopping up in advance. .”
