Chapter 286: A disastrous defeat in the Sixth War Zone
March 9, 1941, Sichuan Province
Wang Yue was in full swing in this time and space, and the Liang Jian time and space also did not stop.
The national army's major counterattack came to an end. According to the battle reports from both sides, they both achieved decisive victories and caused heavy losses to their opponents. It seemed as if their opponents would collapse with just a slight push.
But everyone in the field knows that the Japanese army is definitely exhausted this time. Leaving aside the puppet troops, the casualties of the Japanese army have been close to 80,000 people, half of whom were killed in action, and more than 20,000 people were injured. After recovering, they will not be able to return to the army, which means that the Japanese army needs to recruit at least 60,000 new soldiers. Sixty thousand people, this is not just a supplement. Replacing veterans with new recruits will mean that the entire combat effectiveness will be greatly reduced. Just like after the Wuhan Battle, the Japanese army could no longer engage in large-scale battles.
What's even more serious is the loss of weapons and equipment. The war has been going on for several years, and the reserve supplies in the base camp have long been exhausted. It is impossible to quickly replenish the troops at the front, let alone even if there is something, it can be safely and quickly delivered to the Japanese army. It is not an easy task in the hands of the troops.
As for the losses of the puppet troops, the losses during the entire campaign were as high as 500,000 people. Of course, it is estimated that less than 100,000 people were annihilated here. The others were either captured or killed anyway, especially in East China. In the region, entire divisions and regiments of the puppet army revolted, causing the entire situation in East China to almost collapse.
The current Japanese army can be said to have serious distrust of the puppet troops. It not only tries every means to break up the puppet troops, but also continuously adds sand to the puppet troops. In the past, all artillery must be used under the guidance of Japanese advisers. The current situation Each light machine gun must be equipped with a machine gun team leader who is born in Koryo Province or Bay Island, and the gun is controlled by the team leader 24 hours a day.
In the view of the Yamashiro government, the Japanese army will need at least half a year to gradually regain its offensive capabilities. By that time, the first phase of training for the national army will have been completed. Even if the two sides cannot change their offensive and defensive positions, they will still be evenly matched.
But while the government and people in the rear area were still immersed in the joy of the counterattack, in the early morning of March 5, 1941, the Japanese Eleventh Army, which suffered heavy losses in the counterattack and even its commander was captured, took the lead in launching the counterattack. , the Japanese Thirteenth Division stationed in Yichang decisively advanced westward, breaking through the defense line composed of twelve elite divisions of the National Army's Sixth Theater in front of them.
The newly appointed commander of the Eleventh Army, Lieutenant General Anami Weiji, also mobilized the Sixth Division stationed in Hankou to Yichang to participate in the attack. The Thirteenth Division has more than 26,000 troops and the Sixth Division has more than 27,000 troops. In addition to the surrounding garrison troops and independent brigades, the number of Japanese troops alone exceeded 80,000. This scale was absolutely terrifying after the Wuhan battle.
Together with the attached puppet troops, Lieutenant General Anan Weiji managed to piece together a huge corps of 300,000 people. With the help of the naval troops who knew their shame and were brave, they defeated the national troops in front of them in just one day. The army, yes, was defeated. Twelve national army divisions, nearly 100,000 troops, were completely defeated before they could hold out for even a day. The national army was not even given the opportunity to surrender or retreat in an organized manner.
To the east of Yichang is the Sixth War Zone of the National Army. In the time and space where Wang Yue was, the commander of the Sixth War Zone at this time should be the demoted General Chen. However, because of Wang Yue's intrusion, the commander of the Sixth War Zone was He was replaced by Hu Shoushan, who has been in Shaanxi Province. From this, we can also see the importance that the highest authorities attach to the Sixth War Zone.
It’s impossible not to pay attention to it. There is a mountain city to the west of Yichang. Once the Sixth War Zone cannot stop it, the government will have to move the capital again. But where can they move the capital now? If we really give up the mountain city and go to Lanzhou or Spring City, what will be the difference between that and the country's subjugation?
Hu Shoushan was also very conscientious after taking charge of the Sixth War Zone. He managed the narrow defense line like an iron barrel. Just like the twelve infantry divisions deployed on the front line, they were equipped with more than 300 tanks. , there are nearly 600 barrel artillery pieces with a caliber of 70 mm or more, and even a battalion of B-4 m1931 203 mm heavy howitzers. If it is just a land battle, the Japanese army may not even bring the entire 11th Army over. Not capable of fighting.
But the problem is that the Japanese army is not just an army. The Japanese army's aviation strength is comparable to that of the Yamashiro government. The navy is absolutely crushing. In addition, the timing of Lieutenant General Anami's attack was too unexpected. The Japanese army Neither mentally nor fully prepared for the battle, I thought I was pretty good at first, but once we played against each other, my true colors were revealed.
The first line of defense collapsed. It is said that there is a second line of defense, and there are even a few small forts along the river, which are enough to block the Japanese navy's fleet. However, the Japanese did not give them a chance. Lieutenant General Anami Yuiki was seconded from Yamamoto's troops. The aviation force drove biplane fighter jets loaded with bombs at low altitude and launched a suicidal impact on the riverside forts. It only took six old-fashioned fighter jets to completely destroy the three riverside forts on both sides of the Yangtze River.
The Japanese fleet ignored the national troops on the second line of defense. Instead, it inserted a pole into Fengjie behind. Using the fleet as a cover, it dispatched marines to launch a landing operation.
On March 9, the Japanese Marine Corps occupied Fengjie County in just one day. The defense zone of the Sixth Theater was completely cut off from the middle, and a large amount of supplies stored in Fengjie fell into the hands of the enemy. Hu Shoushan concentrated the troops of the Sixth Theater and launched several counterattacks. They were all driven back by a mere few thousand marines.
Helpless, Hu Shoushan had no choice but to order the troops on the second line of defense to enter the mountainous area lightly. Although most of them withdrew into the mountainous area, the heavy weapons and ammunition reserves were almost intact and fell into the hands of the Japanese army. This left almost no battle preparations. Lieutenant General Anan Weiji has no worries at all.
There is nothing we can do about Anan Weiji. The Sixth War Zone has been planning a counterattack on Yichang since the day it was established. A large number of elite troops and equipment have been concentrated in the Sixth War Zone. If nothing unexpected happens, a large-scale offensive will be launched within a few years. Counterattack, this time the Japanese army almost failed to hold on to the big counterattack, and there is a high probability that they will not be able to hold on next time.
Rather than being pinned to the ground and rubbed by the national army, it is better to strike preemptively and take advantage of the cards in hand. Who let the 13th Division, which had not contributed much in the sixth theater in the previous counterattack, not severely damage Yichang? , so that the Japanese army would have more than ten days of combat supplies. Otherwise, Anan would probably not even have the capital to gamble.
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