Taiyuan First Army Headquarters
The losses of Hiratani Daikong and Takeda Chiju made the atmosphere in the headquarters become more and more depressing day by day.
The cloud of failure hangs over the heads of the Japanese officers in the headquarters.
But now, the atmosphere in the headquarters has relaxed a bit.
This is mainly due to the fact that Commander Okamura Shining mobilized three divisions to support him. He is quickly recovering the lost territory in northwest Shanxi and reviving the military power of the Emperor's army!
Although this was a beating against the defeated generals of the past, at least... the First Army did not suffer another defeat.
"General, if it weren't for the snow, the Jinsui Army we fought would have been defeated." Moriyama Otani said to Shinozuka Yoshio.
Yoshio Shinozuka narrowed his eyes slightly and regained a lot of confidence: "It is only a matter of time to eliminate or expel the Jinsui Army. However, our main enemy is still the 18th Group Army."
"The 18th Group Army is now hunkered down and unable to come out, and we won't be able to deal with them for the time being." Moriyama Otani said.
Yoshio Shinozuka said: "Do you know what I'm most worried about?"
"What is the general most worried about?" Moriyama Otani asked.
"The worry is that the 18th Group Army and the Jinsui Army have joined forces. This time, Commander Gangcun Cining mobilized three divisions to assist us. The 18th Group Army actually retreated into the mountains, and we pursued the Jinsui Army. They are fighting fiercely, but the 18th Army does not come out. They are actually splitting up. This does not seem to be consistent with common sense." Yoshio Shinozuka said, "The 18th Army will not understand the truth of the death of lips and teeth. Once we defeat the Shanxi-Sui Army Expelled or eliminated, it will be their turn next.”
"Intelligence came from the intelligence department. Takeda Senju accidentally intercepted the Hecun Arsenal of the Jinsui Army, and it was robbed later. It seemed that it was done by people from the 18th Group Army. The Jinsui Army went to negotiate, and the 18th Group Army People from the group army don't admit it, do you think it's because of this that they don't cooperate now and are splitting?" Moriyama Otani was confused.
"Unlikely." Yoshio Shinozuka shook his head, "Whether it is Lao Yan or the commander of the 18th Group Army, they are not stupid. How could they not understand that the enemy cannot be divided at the moment, but now they seem to be divided ”
"What the general means is that this may be another trick played by the strategic masters of the 18th Group Army. On the surface, the 18th Group Army and the Jinsui Army are splitting. In fact, they are still cooperating secretly. Maybe there will be a conflict between us and the Jinsui Army." At the critical moment of the battle, the troops of the 18th Army suddenly came out to attack our back?" Moriyama Otani was confused.
"You can guess the conspiracy. For the strategic masters of the 18th Army, I'm afraid they won't even bother to use this trick." Shinozuka Yoshio shook his head.
"General, anyway, we have already sent out spies to keep an eye on the main roads in and out of the mountains. As long as the troops of the 18th Group Army come out, they will not be able to hide from our eyes." Morishan Otani said, "Let's destroy the Shanxi-Sui Army first. , and then turn around to intensify the siege of the mountain, we will trap the 18th Army."
"That's what he said, but I always feel uneasy." Shinozuka Yoshio shook his head.
"General." At this time, Kazuki Yamamoto walked in and saluted Yoshio Shinozuka.
"Yamamoto-kun, have you brought me any good news?" Yoshio Shinozuka looked at Yamamoto Kazuki's expression differently from before, and he felt like an autumn harvest.
"General, can we talk alone?" Kazuki Yamamoto tactfully looked at the other people in the headquarters.
"You all go out." Yoshio Shinozuka immediately asked the staff to go out.
Although the Japanese officers in the headquarters cooperated and went out, they all had some feelings in their hearts... How should I put it, they never thought that Yamamoto Kazuki's special operations were of any use in China.
Now Commander Gangcun Cining has sent three divisions to sweep across northwestern Shanxi. He, Yamamoto Kazuki, is here to interfere.
If your special operations were really useful, why didn't you, Yamamoto Kazuki, come to the rescue during the crisis?
Now that the situation in northwest Shanxi has improved, your special forces have jumped out?
The staff members all went out, and Shinozuka Yoshio's eyes focused on Yamamoto Kazuki: "Speak, Yamamoto-kun."
"General, you have finally fulfilled your mission. My informant sent me top-secret information." Yamamoto Kazuki handed a top-secret document to Shinozuka Yoshio, "The strategic master of the 18th Group Army, this person went to the World War II District Commander The Ministry went to help.”
Upon hearing this, Yoshio Shinozuka quickly grabbed the top-secret document.
In fact, at this moment, in Yoshio Shinozuka's mind, he didn't have much obsession with defeating the Jinsui Army or encircling and suppressing the 18th Group Army.
The opponent he most hoped to kill was the strategic master of the 18th Army.
And now, there is finally news about this person.
Opening the top-secret document, Yoshio Shinozuka read it quickly and his expression became excited: "Yamamoto-kun, is this information true?"
In the intelligence, there is already some preliminary information about the strategic master of the 18th Army. This person is male and twenty years old.
Although photos and other more detailed personal information were not obtained, it was at least a good start.
Furthermore, there was actually guidance in the intelligence regarding the location of Lao Yan's World War II District Chief's Department.
"General, it's true." Kazuki Yamamoto nodded, "As an insider, I deliberately found a way to learn about the situation from the soldiers of the original new regiment. The strategic master of the 18th Group Army is indeed a twenty-year-old man. young people."
"It's incredible that a twenty-year-old can be so powerful." There was some doubt in Yoshio Shinozuka's words.
"General, I don't believe that a twenty-year-old young man can be so powerful, but there is an old saying in China: A hero comes from a boy." Yamamoto Kazuki said, "There is still some truth to this."
"Yamamoto-kun, have your special forces team been trained?" Shinozuka Yoshio did not hesitate and asked Yamamoto Kazuki directly.
He supports Kazuki Yamamoto's special operations, and many people are watching.
If it weren't for his position as commander, many people would probably laugh out loud.
Now, since there is a way to find Lao Yan's World War II district chief's headquarters, Yamamoto Kazuki's special forces must immediately prove its strategic value.
Find Lao Yan's World War II District Chief and kill him. Although Yoshio Shinozuka hates the twenty-year-old strategic master of the 18th Group Army, he is reluctant to kill him.
If we can capture this person alive, we will find a way to make him serve the empire.
With this man's astonishing brains and strategies, it might be possible for him to come up with plans to help occupy the entire China.
"General, I'm just waiting for your order." Yamamoto Kazuki said solemnly.
"Yamamoto-kun, please set off quickly with the special force." Yoshio Shinozuka said to Yamamoto Kazuki, "Find Lao Yan's World War II District Chief's Department, kill the command hub of the Jinsui Army, and kill the 20-year-old from the 18th Group Army. Catch the young man who is 60 years old, remember, I want to live."
"General, won't you kill this person?" Yamamoto Kazuki asked.
"China is too vast and our battle line is too long. We must rely on the help of the Chinese people." Yoshio Shinozuka said, "This man is a top strategic talent. If he is alive, he will be of greater value to our First Army! "
"Hai, general, I will catch this person back for you." Yamamoto Kazuki nodded.
"Remember, if you can avoid hurting him, don't hurt him. I want a complete person." Shinozuka Yoshio said.
"Hai." Yamamoto Kazuki nodded again.
"Go ahead, I'll call the staff for a meeting right away and ask the troops to cooperate with you." Shinozuka Yoshio said.
Although Yamamoto Kazuki's special forces are elite, they must be supported by large forces if they go deep behind enemy lines.
Otherwise, even if Yamamoto Kazuki's special forces killed Lao Yan's headquarters and captured the twenty-year-old young man from the 18th Group Army, the enemy would be alerted and would surely pursue and intercept them frantically.
Without the support of a large force, a small force that has gone deep alone cannot possibly withdraw.
"Hai." Yamamoto Kazuki saluted and withdrew.
After Kazuki Yamamoto withdrew, Yoshio Shinozuka did not immediately call the staff in.
And trying his best to calm down the excitement, Yoshio Shinozuka couldn't get the slightest bit excited about killing Lao Yan's headquarters. Even if he completely annihilated the Jinsui Army, he wasn't very interested. The most important thing was to have the opportunity to find the outstanding person of the 18th Group Army. strategic master.
There is an old saying in China that a thousand troops are easy to get, but a general is hard to find!
The strategic master of the Eighteenth Group Army is not only a general that is hard to find.
Capturing this man alive is better than adding 100,000 troops to the First Army!
Then, Yoshio Shinozuka saw clearly the fog in front of him.
No wonder the Eighteenth Group Army is now hiding in a mountainous area, pretending to be split with the Jinsui Army. It turns out that the strategic experts of the Eighteenth Group Army went to the Jinsui Army to help.
As for how the strategist of the Eighteenth Group Army can help the Shanxi-Sui Army turn the tide, Yoshio Shinozuka has to think about it first.
Yoshio Shinozuka looked at the sand table and thought for a while, but he didn't know anything.
The Jinsui Army in front of them was beaten by three divisions in an extremely embarrassing situation, and they could not organize any decent resistance at all.
Shinozuka Yoshio simply gave up thinking about it and began to think about what he should do.
As long as Yamamoto Kazuki's decapitation operation is successful, the commander-in-chief of the Jinsui Army is killed, and the outstanding young man of the Eighteenth Group Army is found, and the Jinsui Army is leaderless and without command, at that time, regardless of the strategy of the Eighteenth Group Army Whatever advice the master gave them was meaningless.
Yoshio Shinozuka thought about it for a while, had a rough outline, and immediately called all the staff in.
"Everyone, I have just received important information from Mr. Yamamoto. I have learned the location of Lao Yan's World War II District Commander's Department." Yoshio Shinozuka looked around at the Japanese officers and continued, "Then, the important one of the Eighteenth Group Army A strategic master, this person is now in the World War II District Chief's Department."
As soon as Shinozuka Yoshio spoke, the headquarters was instantly in an uproar:
"Yamamoto Kazuki found Lao Yan's headquarters, are you kidding me?"
"Yamamoto Kazuki's special forces team has a false reputation, but Yamamoto Kazuki's ability to gather information is quite impressive."
"That's right, we can find Lao Yan's headquarters. Yamamoto Kazuki has outstanding intelligence capabilities. From now on, we will let him work in the intelligence department. As for special operations, let's not do it. What can only a few dozen people do."
"The strategist of the 18th Group Army has gone to the headquarters of the World War II District Commander. No wonder the Jinsui Army and the 18th Group Army are split. It turns out that this is an illusion and they want to confuse us."
"Yes, let us think that the 18th Group Army and the Shanxi-Sui Army have really split, and then the strategic masters of the 18th Group Army will secretly give us a fatal blow."
"I just don't know what this 18th Group Army strategic master's dirty trick is."
"The Jinsui Army is now in a puddle of mud. Even if the strategic masters of the Eighteenth Group Army pass by, it will be difficult to turn the tide. I think the most important thing is to guard against the Eighteenth Group Army in the mountains."
"It's hard to say. Various previous signs indicate that the strategic masters of the 18th Army have the ability to turn decay into magic. Don't be careless. There are still hundreds of thousands of people in the Jinsui Army."
"Yes, that's right. Even if there are hundreds of thousands of pigs under control, they are not a small threat."
…
"Everyone, please be quiet." Yoshio Shinozuka waved his hand to end the discussion.
"Let me explain a point now. The biggest threat to us now is the strategic masters of the 18th Army, not the Jinsui Army, nor the 18th Army hiding in the mountains. Do you agree?" asked Yoshio Shinozuka. .
It would not be easy for Yoshio Shinozuka to force the execution of Yamamoto Kazuki because the staff did not trust him.
After all, those three divisions were sent by Tsune Okamura and were not directly under the command of Yoshio Shinozuka.
Shinozuka Yoshio had to unify his opinions before he could let the three divisions cooperate with Yamamoto Kazuki's actions.
As soon as Shinozuka Yoshio finished speaking, the Japanese officers nodded: "Yes, General, what you said is correct."
"Since the biggest threat to us now is the strategic master of the 18th Group Army, which one do you think is the best among the next two options?" Shinozuka Yoshio continued: "First, kill this person, and second, capture him alive. Let this person be used by us."
"Needless to say, it is of course best to capture this person alive so that we can use him for our own purposes." The Japanese officers quickly answered in unison.
None of the Japanese officers who can stay at the First Army Headquarters are idiots.
Killing the strategic master of the 18th Army would eliminate the threat, but it would also result in the loss of an excellent talent.
This person's strategy is world-class. If it can be used by the First Army, the future of the First Army will definitely be brilliant!
"Since everyone thinks that capturing this person alive is the best option, do you have any good suggestions?" Shinozuka Yoshio said.
The Japanese officers quickly discussed:
"Now that we know the headquarters of the Jinsui Army, we should go directly to kill him, destroy the headquarters of the Jinsui Army, and capture this person alive!"
"I'm afraid this is unrealistic. Once the Jinsui Army headquarters cannot be saved when the army passes by, they probably won't let the strategic master of the 18th Group Army fall into our hands. They will kill him in advance."
"But if the army doesn't kill him, how can we capture this person alive? We can't negotiate with the Jinsui Army to replace him."
"It's impossible to negotiate with the Jinsui Army!"
"Then why don't we think of a way to instigate the officers in the Shanxi-Sui Army Commander's Department and ask them to help us get people here?"
"I'm afraid it's too late to instigate rebellion now."
"The officers of the Jinsui Army who can get in touch with the strategic experts of the 18th Group Army are probably the top officers of the Jinsui Army. It is not easy to instigate the top officers of the Jinsui Army."
…
"Everyone." Yoshio Shinozuka interrupted everyone's discussion: "I have a plan here."
"What plan?" All the Japanese officers looked at Yoshio Shinozuka.
"Yamamoto Kazuki's special agent team has professional penetration capabilities behind enemy lines. Let them sneak into Lao Yan's headquarters to carry out a beheading operation. When they kill Lao Yan, they will capture alive the strategic master of the 18th Group Army." Shinozuka Yoshio said, " Of course, even if Yamamoto Kazuki's special team is alone behind the enemy's rear, even if it succeeds, it will alert the enemy, causing the enemy's army to strangle madly, making it impossible to withdraw. Therefore, we need the cooperation of the large forces of our three divisions, and That is to say, the large forces of the three divisions cooperated with Yamamoto Kazuki’s special forces.”
As soon as Shinozuka Yoshio finished speaking, the Japanese officers exploded their nest:
"Let Yamamoto Kazuki's special agent team infiltrate behind enemy lines, and the emperor's army from three divisions cooperate with his dozens of people. This is the first time I have seen this kind of tactics. Could it be that this is the concept of so-called special operations?"
"This concept of special operations, I think, is simply the idea of Yamamoto Kazuki."
"He still needs three divisions to cooperate with him to fight. Who does Kazuki Yamamoto think he is!"
"Isn't Yamamoto Kazuki very good at special operations? He is so powerful, but he still needs the cooperation of a large army?"
"That's right, Yamamoto Kazuki is so awesome. If he had the ability, he would behead the commander of the World War II area and capture the prisoners. Otherwise, stop bragging about his special operations in front of us."
"That's right, special operations is so awesome, and it requires three divisions to cooperate. This kind of awesomeness is too ridiculous."
…
"Quiet!"
Yoshio Shinozuka once again silenced the Japanese officers and said solemnly: "Everyone, I know that you are biased against Yamamoto Kazuki's special operations. You think that conquering China requires a large-scale army rather than the courage of a small number of troops. But Think about it, if he really succeeds, kills Lao Yan's chief officers, and brings the prisoners back to us, and we use a large army to support him, is there any problem? At that time, the Jinsui Army was leaderless and was already in disarray. , wouldn’t it be easier for our division to eliminate them?”
"General..." The Japanese officers wanted to say something.
Yoshio Shinozuka interrupted: "When the world's first machine gun came out, wasn't it also criticized by the world? But when the machine gun showed terrifying lethality on the battlefield, all the doubts disappeared. The whole world was left shocked, and then armies all over the world rushed to equip this weapon. I think Yamamoto Kazuki’s special operations is an innovative method of warfare. Why don’t we give it a try. Or, you guys There is a better way to capture the strategist of the 18th Army alive."
The Japanese officers definitely don't have a better way.
The Jinsui Army had been killed so badly that it was impossible for them to negotiate and they did not have enough time to instigate their officers to rebel, not to mention that their senior officers were not so easy to instigate rebellion.
"If Yamamoto Kazuki's special operations are not good, then they will not even have a chance to approach Lao Yan's headquarters. Yamamoto Kazuki failed. For us, the loss is only a few dozen imperial soldiers. This kind of loss, Can’t we afford it?”
Yoshio Shinozuka continued, "On the contrary, Yamamoto Kazuki's special forces can approach Lao Yan's headquarters and launch a surprise attack while the enemy is unprepared. At least they can severely damage Lao Yan's headquarters, even if they cannot completely annihilate Lao Yan's command. All the Chinese officers in the army could not even kill Lao Yan or capture alive the strategic master of the 18th Group Army, but they could severely damage the command hub of the Shanxi-Sui Army. This is also important strategic support for the First Army. Of course. , if Yamamoto Kazuki successfully completes the mission, kills Lao Yan, and captures the strategic master of the 18th Group Army, once this happens, wouldn't everyone be happy with it?"
Shinozuka Yoshio's words were tantamount to convincing all the Japanese officers in the headquarters.
Yes, even if it fails, it will only cost a few dozen people. This price is not worth a cent to the First Army, which has already lost a large number of imperial soldiers.
If it succeeds, the harvest will be really big.
It is equivalent to opening the highest explosion rate on the gambling table.
"Since everyone has no objections, let me talk about how the three divisions will cooperate with the operational deployment of Yamamoto Kazuki's beheading operation." Shinozuka Yoshio struck while the iron was hot.
…
Regarding Yoshio Shinozuka's action plan, the Japanese officers did not make much sense.
Moriyama Otani said: "General, if you want the three divisions to cooperate with Yamamoto Kazuki's army operations, I'm afraid you need to talk to Commander Okamura. After all, Commander Okamura asked our First Army to assist the three divisions. The First Army was not given the command authority to command three divisions.”
Yoshio Shinozuka nodded: "I will call Commander Okamura immediately to discuss this."
After saying that, Yoshio Shinozuka immediately picked up the phone on the table and immediately asked someone to pick up the commander of the North China Expedition Army, Tsunei Okamura.
The phone call came through quickly. As for Shinozuka Yoshio's plan to have three divisions cooperate with Yamamoto Kazuki's special forces, Okamura Jining was quickly persuaded by Shinozuka Yoshio and agreed to Shinozuka Yoshio's plan. .
The call ended. Yoshio Shinozuka put the phone back on the stand and looked around at everyone: "Everyone, Commander Okamura has agreed. Please take action as soon as possible."
"Hai."
