On the morning of January 31, 1938, the headquarters of the Japanese Second Army in Jinan.
After careful consideration, Terauchi Shouichi finally rejected his previous idea.
Terauchi Shouichi had previously wanted to use Momotaro and the remnants of the Fifth Division to hold off the Dragon Boat Festival to buy time for himself to fight in Xuzhou.
But after thinking for a long time, he discovered that the Dragon Boat Festival is an extremely uncertain factor.
Moreover, Momotaro and others do not have an absolute advantage in military strength, and it is very likely that they will not be able to suppress the Dragon Boat Festival, or even be annihilated by the Dragon Boat Festival.
So Shouichi in the temple thought of this level, and immediately ordered: "Order the Chaoxian Division to retreat to the south of Mount Tai, and order the Fourth Division to fully take over the Chaoxian Division's defense area. Order the 20th Division to deploy two infantrymen Regiment, strengthen the defense area of the 4th Division, beware of the surprise attack of Li Zhongren's troops in the 5th Theater, and rescue the Supervision Corps of Dragon Boat Festival.
Momotaro's department was ordered to still pursue the Dragon Boat Festival Supervisory Corps and temporarily transfer the Matsuyama Infantry Regiment of the 4th Division to his command.
Order the 110th Division to go south and retake the defense line destroyed by the Eighth Route Army. This time Dragon Boat Festival has become a turtle in the urn, and we must not let him escape again. "
"Hi!"
The little devil's communications officer took the order and immediately sent orders to the various ministries to quickly move to the predetermined position.
And the purpose of Siuchi Shouyi's calling back the Chaoxian division from the front line was already obvious, just to deal with the Dragon Boat Festival.
Of course, this cannot be said to be how strong the Chaoxian Division is, but that these cannon fodder are very hardworking!
Such a good cannon fodder was the only one Juichi Terauchi had seen in so many years. Moreover, Li Cheng had already reported to him that more troops would be recruited from the Chaoxian mainland to serve the Empire of Japan.
So it would be a shame if he didn't make good use of such a good cannon fodder.
So the Chaoxian division was transferred back from the front line. What's more, now that the front line is no longer fighting, are they allowed to waste the empire's food there? It would be better to let them fight the Dragon Boat Festival supervision team.
What's more, that Li Cheng is screaming that he wants to duel with the supervision team!
Because this Chaoxian prince had just been promoted to major general, and he was in high spirits. He felt that he was good again, so he wanted to eat something hard.
Terauchi Touichi thought to himself: In this case, then I will help you and let you fight with the Supervisory Corps to a lose-lose situation, and then we, the Imperial Japanese Army, will reap the benefits.
Therefore, Juichi Terauchi was polite and not only approved it directly, but also expressed his opinion that Li Cheng's spirit of serving the Imperial Japanese Army was worth promoting to the entire army.
Of course, this promotion is mainly aimed at the Chaoxian division. Let these fashionable people serve the Empire of Japan.
Li Cheng was naturally very happy after receiving the withering order. Others were afraid of supervising the corps, but he, Li Cheng, was not afraid. After all, he had just defeated the 56th Army and the 55th Army, and was promoted to major general, so he was in high spirits.
Li Cheng is ready to continue his efforts, seize the supervision team, take the head of the Dragon Boat Festival, and realize his dream of becoming a citizen of the Japanese Empire.
Although he is nominally a citizen of Japan at this time, he is still a little short of a real citizen. At least he is dead now and cannot enter the Yasukuni Shrine.
He wanted to achieve many military exploits, then lie quietly in a palm-sized box, be held by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army, and be taken to the Yasukuni Shrine.
He felt beautiful just thinking about it, and it had become his lifelong pursuit.
So without even thinking about it, Li Cheng sent a telegram to all units of the Chaoxian Division to quickly hand over the defense area with the Fourth Division, and then go north to face the Dragon Boat Festival Supervision Corps.
Of course, so far, Li Cheng still doesn't know the specific location of the supervision team. Everything needs to be investigated by the Imperial Japanese Army before he attacks.
It's a pity that none of the ten reconnaissance teams sent by Momotaro came back the next day.
Kudo Shinichi said in surprise: "With so many people sent out, why didn't even a reconnaissance team come back? Could it be that the supervision team was broken into pieces and scattered throughout Mount Tai? I remember that this seemed to be the tactics of the Eighth Route Army. They They just like to break them into pieces when the Imperial Japanese Army attacks and hide them all in the mountains."
Nikaidou Xiaonan said: "Kudo-kun is right, it is indeed possible. That Dragon Boat Festival was very cunning. He may have expected that the Imperial Japanese Army would not let him go, so he sent all the troops Divided into parts. The empire’s reconnaissance planes didn’t detect anything.”
"Yeah!"
Dahetang Nanchuan nodded frequently, but at this time, Momotaro was the only one to say anything.
Because he felt that what Kudo Shinichi and the others said was wrong, because at this time, the supervision team was not broken into pieces at all.
Although the empire's reconnaissance planes have been conducting reconnaissance, the large army of the imperial army has not entered Mount Tai. So what is the point of dispersing the troops in advance during the Dragon Boat Festival? Do you simply want to avoid detection by imperial planes?
So even thinking about it seems impossible.
At this time, seeing that Momotaro said nothing, Kudo Shinichi asked: "Your Excellency Momotaro, what do you think?"
Momotaro took out the map and said: "Dragon Boat Festival's supervision team has not spread out. His troops are in the vast area west of Mount Tai. Its territory is about 400 to 500 kilometers, and Dragon Boat Festival is waiting for us. Enter this area and be ready to ambush us."
Dahetang Nanchuan said in surprise: "Your Excellency, I don't think that Duanwu still has enough ammunition to fight with us. In the previous battle, the consumption of the Supervisory Corps has already exceeded his limit. And when entering the territory of Mount Tai , he blew up all his baggage and heavy artillery, haven’t you seen the wreckage?”
Momotaro smiled and said: "Abandoning trucks without gasoline and heavy artillery that cannot be transported without trucks does not mean that the supervision corps no longer has the strength to fight against the Imperial Japanese Army.
Of course, maybe you are right, the supervision team may be running out of ammunition. But we are his transport team. As long as we enter Taishan territory, he will find ways to get weapons and ammunition from us. Just like the reconnaissance team I sent out.
Ten reconnaissance teams, eighty rifles, two light machine guns, two Southern Type 14 pistols, two sabers, grenades, and some bullets.
Haha, so if we continue like this, the Dragon Boat Festival supervision team will recover soon. "
Kudo Shinichi frowned and said, "Doesn't that mean we can't even conduct investigation?"
Momotaro smiled slightly and said: "No, we can still investigate, but now is not the time. The Chaoxian Division will come to cooperate with us. And when that time comes, we will block the road heading south for the Supervisory Corps, and then enter from the west Taishan, win every step of the way and drive Dragon Boat Festival into the trap we designed in advance. Then the supervision team will become our turtle in the urn."
"Wonderful!"
Kudo Shinichi suddenly understood. Just at this moment, Dahetang Nanchuan shook his head slightly and said: "Your Excellency, with all due respect, your tactics are a bit too idealistic. If we attack from the west, we will not be forced to break through to the south during the Dragon Boat Festival. , but retreats eastward, then he will enter the depths of the Taishan Mountains, and we will be even more passive!"
(End of chapter)
