"It seems that your Japanese army is also afraid of sacrifice. Aren't you four and a half divisions in total? Why are you suddenly so afraid of death?" Officer Hu said with a lot of playfulness in his tone, obviously not believing everything they said.
"It is precisely because our Northern Route Army has brought a large number of imperial elites that our commanders are afraid of paying heavy casualties. We did have hundreds of thousands of troops before we set off, but at the front line of Mount Fuji, our troops suffered serious casualties. Ten thousand, if we suffer another 20,000 to 30,000 casualties in Xinyang, and tens of thousands more casualties under the walls of Wuhan, then our troops will not be able to continue the fight. This is not what our commander wants!" A man behind Momojiro Imamura said A Japanese soldier replied.
"Souga, so what are you going to do?" Director Hu said the words step by step.
In other words, there was no need for condoms at all. These three college soldiers who had just graduated from the army cooperated very well.
"According to our superiors, we are looking for a new direction of attack!" The Japanese soldier said it all as neatly as pouring beans out of a bamboo tube.
"Okay, then we understand." Officer Hu nodded, "You should have a good rest first! I personally promise you that we will not kill you, and we will treat you preferentially!"
After hearing this, Momojiro Imamura and the other two Japanese soldiers bowed to Director Hu very excitedly to express their gratitude.
After Director Hu returned, he immediately reported this important information to Xiong Shunyi and others.
Soon, Xiong Shunyi personally went to the brigade commander's headquarters to report the situation. According to the brigade commander's analysis, the Japanese army's attack direction was most likely to be Huaidian. From Huaidian, they fled into the Dabie Mountains, and then launched a fierce attack on the side of Xinyang.
This information was quickly responded to.
The 22nd Group Army headquarters held a meeting overnight to discuss specific response measures.
…
Japanese troops from all walks of life pressed in, and the Chinese army took countermeasures one after another. The battlefield north of Wuhan was as violent as an exploding oil pan.
Song Xilian and others who were watching the battle closely at Wusheng Pass in the south of Xinyang were not idle either. After all, if Xinyang could not withstand it, their troops would bear the brunt.
At this time, only two divisions of the 71st Army, the 61st Division and the 87th Division, were slowly replenishing here. The 36th Division and the 36th Division, which suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of Fujin Mountain, The 88th Division left behind teams that could still fight. The other wounded and logistics troops were led by division commanders Chen Ruihe and Zhong Bin to the Xiangfan area to receive and train new recruits.
"Little Japan is really not idle. They have started to make big moves again. The battle in Wuhan is already very difficult to fight." Song Xilian looked at the military map in front of him and involuntarily let out a long sigh.
"Military seat, judging from the map, the situation in Wuhan is already quite bad. With the loss of Tianjia Town Fortress and Fuchikou Fortress, the Japanese warships will be able to pounce directly on Wuhan soon. Wuhan may not be able to hold it anymore. Yes." Shen Fazao, commander of the 87th Division, took up Song Xilian's words.
"If we can't hold it, we can only carry out the scorched earth war of resistance. Every inch of mountains and rivers, every inch of blood, one hundred thousand young people and one hundred thousand troops. The principal has already prepared. Our main purpose now is to consume the main force of the Japanese army and not let them With such easy access to our land and resources, all we can do is to consume them to death." Song Xilian's tone was filled with emotion.
"In the first ten days of the month, we severely damaged the enemy troops at Fujin Mountain; and in late September, Commander Hu's First Army severely damaged part of the Japanese advance troops at the Luoshan line. If we can consume the enemy troops at the Wushengguan and Xinyang lines, Most of the main force is thinking, are we closer to the victory of the Anti-Japanese War?" said Zhong Song, commander of the 61st Division.
"The ideal is very good. We also hope to focus on consuming the enemy's main force here, but can it be implemented? Is anyone willing to defend it? We just think that we can resist their front. It is good. A big battle like this , I don’t know how many times I’ll have to fight.” As he said that, Song Xilian shook his head helplessly.
Indeed, for Song Xilian and others, this is indeed a very helpless thing. They are actively fighting, but the troops below are almost exhausted, and their position is not high enough.
"Then we have to fight for it! The defenders of Xinyang, with their artillery and mechanized troops, were able to severely damage the Japanese army in a place like Luoshan, annihilating more than 5,000 people in total. If they guard Xinyang wholeheartedly, according to Xinyang's current situation If the Japanese army wants to capture it quickly, it will break their teeth, right?" Shen Fazao said seriously, and at the same time he was full of confidence. Obviously, this was his confidence in the "number one army in the world".
"Let's wait and see! I hope it will have the result we imagined!" Song Xilian nodded, but the uncertainty in his eyes became stronger.
According to Song Xilian's understanding of Hu Zongnan, an old classmate, he may not necessarily obey orders from above, because in addition to being the commander of the "No. 1 Army in the World" and Chiang Kai-shek's most valued student in the first phase of Huangpu, Hu Zongnan was also a native of Zhejiang !
You know, Chiang Kai-shek did not favor the Zhejiang people who were born in Huangpu to an ordinary level. It can be said that because of this, Hu Zongnan would not necessarily listen to anyone else's orders except Chiang Kai-shek.
Of course, Hu Zongnan has such ability, but it does not mean that he must not obey orders. He also watches the opportunity.
Therefore, Song Xilian had certain doubts about whether Hu Zongnan would break out at the final moment of the Battle of Xinyang.
In general, Song Xilian's evaluation of Hu Zongnan probably has only one sentence - those who understand current affairs are heroes.
…
After the main force of the Japanese army arrived and launched an oppressive attack on Xinyang, the southern part of Hu Zong suffered heavy casualties, and even the armored troops suffered losses.
In order to preserve his own strength, at this critical moment, Hu Zongnan made a decision that he thought was very smart, and that was to retreat! Evacuate Xinyang!
"Military seat, we have to evacuate Xinyang at this time. I'm afraid the chairman will blame us, right? If Xinyang is lost, it means that the door to the north of Wuhan has been opened. If the principal wants to be held accountable, I'm afraid we will be in trouble. "The chief of staff of the 17th Army Corps persuaded Hu Zongnan.
Hu Zongnan's eyes widened and he said in a pure Mandarin with a Zhejiang accent: "What do you know? This is not called retreat or escape. It is changing the way of fighting. It is not limited to fighting the enemy for one city or one pool. !”
…
PS: The fifth update is here!
Thanks to Qidian book friend James Leggeshen for the 200-point reward!
Thanks to Qidian book friend Kailong 183 for the 100-point reward!
