"Nani?" Shinozuka Yoshio's eyes widened and he said with disbelief, "A farewell telegram from the Yamazaki detachment?"
"Hi!" Kasai Toshimatsu said suddenly, "Two minutes ago, Second Lieutenant Shiro Kato of the Yamazaki detachment's communications team sent a request for help telegram and changed it to a farewell telegram in the middle of sending it!"
The entire combat hall of the First Army was silent.
All the combat staff were stunned in place like statues, looking at each other in disbelief.
Kusuyama Hideyoshi's eyes widened with disbelief on his face.
How can this be? The situation was obviously very good, why did he suddenly send a farewell telegram?
Isn't this too fast?
Two hours ago, Yamazaki Yehei sent a telegram to the left, saying that Guanjianao was easy to defend but difficult to attack, and that Tubal Road was vulnerable and could hold on for at least two days.
Only a short time later, the Yamazaki detachment sent a farewell telegram...
The situation is obviously good. As long as the Yamazaki detachment can hold on until tomorrow morning, the peripheral mopping up troops will be able to arrive!
By then the main force of the Eighth Route Army will be eliminated.
Almost subconsciously, Shinozuka Yoshio and a group of combat staff looked at Kusuyama Hideyoshi, the initiator of this battle, and everyone's eyes were focused on his face.
Kusuyama Hideyoshi's face turned red, his whole body trembled slightly with shame and anger, and the nails in his clenched fists almost dug into his flesh.
This battle plan was personally agreed by Yoshio Shinozuka and Shun Tada.
The tall man was responsible for the collapse of the sky, but for the loss of more than 1,300 elite Japanese troops, it was impossible for him not to be completely responsible.
What on earth is Yamazaki Yehei doing?
Even if a pig is sent to lead troops to guard Guanjianao, it is impossible to be wiped out by the Eighth Route Army so quickly, right?
In addition to anger, Kusuyama Hideyoshi's brows furrowed tightly, almost twisting into the character "Chuan", and he was filled with confusion.
How did the Eighth Route Army capture the Guanjianao Highlands in two hours?
Even if the Eighth Route Army mobilized a large number of artillery, it would be impossible to capture the Guanjianao Highlands in such a short time, right?
Which link is the problem?
"Kusuyama-kun, are you okay?" Yoshio Shinozuka asked with a frown.
"Your Excellency, Commander." Kusuyama Hideyoshi took a deep breath and suppressed the doubts in his heart, "I'm fine, Kasai-kun, please read the farewell telegram."
Ranwen
Since the Yamazaki Detachment has sent a farewell telegram, it means that the defeat of the Yamazaki Detachment is inevitable. The Yamazaki Detachment is now in the hinterland of the Eighth Route Army, and the reinforcements are still dozens of kilometers away. Defeat means the annihilation of the entire army.
I hope to find out the reason for the defeat from the Yamazaki detachment’s farewell telegram.
"Hi!" Kasai Toshimatsu paused, picked up the farewell telegram and started reading.
"Telegram from Yamazaki Zhongzuo: Guanjianao Highlands was bombarded by at least three artillery regiments of the Eighth Route Army, resulting in heavy losses. The Eighth Route Army is currently launching a fierce attack on our position, requesting tactical guidance..."
The first sentence shocked Yoshio Shinozuka and Hideyoshi Kusuyama.
Three artillery regiments?
Since the Japanese army's communications troops did not understand the organization of the Eighth Route Artillery, they replaced it with artillery regiments. The main reason was that the Chinese army's artillery regiments were too few.
In fact, an artillery regiment of the Japanese army has about the same number of artillery pieces as an artillery regiment of the Chinese army.
According to the standards of a Class A division, an artillery regiment has 48 artillery pieces.
Generally, they are 75mm and 105mm artillery. Special units are equipped with large-caliber heavy artillery. Of course, this is the standard for Class A divisions, which is the highest standard.
The artillery regiments of Class B and Class C divisions have only 36 artillery pieces.
There is only a D-level division, or simply an artillery brigade.
In addition to the artillery regiment, the Japanese army also has independent artillery brigades. This artillery brigade has a high status and is generally equipped with 105 mm and 150 mm heavy artillery.
The mountain field artillery used by the new regiment this time is equivalent to the number of artillery pieces of the two artillery regiments of the Japanese B and C Division.
Although the rest are all mortars, they cannot support the large number and can barely be regarded as an artillery regiment.
"Nani? Three artillery regiments?"
"Baga? Did I hear you correctly?"
"Tubal Road actually took out three artillery regiments?"
The battle hall was blown up. There were three artillery regiments. When did the Eighth Route Army in the southeastern Shanxi bandit area become so rich?
The last time the Eighth Route Army attacked the 225th Regiment, they used less than two artillery regiments.
At that time, the entire First Army Headquarters unanimously believed that this was all the artillery concentrated by the Eighth Route Army in Southeast Shanxi, and the shells had been almost consumed.
However, it now seems that the number of artillery and artillery shells on the Eighth Route of Southeast Shanxi far exceeded their expectations.
Kasai Toshimatsu continued to read: "Captain Yamazaki has been shattered. The firepower of the Eighth Route Army was very fierce. The Eighth Route Army had already attacked the high ground as soon as the artillery fire stopped. The infantry of the Eighth Route Army was extremely cunning and actually ambushed Fengnaoding on the flank of Guanjianao Highland. A large number of sharpshooters prevented the firepower of the imperial army’s forward positions from being used.”
"The remaining imperial army faced the Eighth Route Army in a desperate attack..."
"His Majesty the Emperor is on board, the Imperial Japanese Army is on board, October 9, Showa 15."
After Kasai Toshimatsu finished reading the telegram, the entire combat hall fell into silence again.
Kusuyama Hideyoshi also found the real reason for the demise of the Yamazaki detachment from the farewell telegram.
It was bombarded by artillery fire from three artillery regiments.
However, this is not the most critical thing. The most deadly thing is the Eighth Route Army's use of Fengnaoding to suppress the firepower of Guanjianao Highlands.
If that idiot Yamazaki Yehei had sent troops to occupy the Fengnaoding Highlands earlier and formed a rivalry with the Guanjianao Highlands, then even if the Eighth Route Army used three artillery regiments, it would never be so easy to capture the Guanjianao Highlands.
But it's too late to say anything now.
…
Near Guanjianao, the 386 brigade command post.
Li Yunlong accompanied several leaders to watch a wonderful ground-to-air battle.
Mechanical anti-aircraft guns and large-caliber heavy machine guns battle against Japanese fighter jets and attack aircraft.
Two Eighth Route Army mortar positions were destroyed and two mortar companies were lost.
But the Japanese planes did not get any benefits, and two Type 96 bombers were shot down.
The news was passed to the 386th Brigade Command Post by the communications troops. The boss immediately smiled and said: "Two mortar batteries are exchanged for two Japanese aircraft. It's not a loss."
"It's indeed not a loss." The chief of staff nodded, "After all, Li Yunlong will reimburse us for the artillery we lost."
The brigade commander and Deputy Brigadier Han also smiled and nodded in agreement.
Only Li Yunlong smiled and said nothing.
hehe…
In addition to reimbursement, I also have to account for 6 75mm mountain guns.
By the way, about 1,000 Japs were killed in this battle, and 10 tons of medicine and 60 large-caliber heavy machine guns were recorded.
You big bosses just don't lose money, but we, Lao Li, make money with blood.
The radio station beeped.
A decoder scribbled the message on the paper, then stood up and gave a military salute.
"Chief, the 385th Brigade has an urgent call!"
The brigade commander took it and took a look and said: "The Japanese are moving very fast. The nearest one to us is only 30 kilometers away. The 385th Brigade recommends that we move as soon as possible."
"Can you hurry up?" Deputy Brigadier Han said, "This is clearly a well-deployed combat operation by the Japanese targeting our base in southeastern Shanxi. Therefore, the Japanese have been prepared for a long time and want to use the Yamazaki detachment to catch our fish. We have to eat our main force in one bite."
"There is no bait now." The brigade commander said with a disdainful tone, "I wonder what he is using for fishing?"
The boss said in a deep voice: "Although there is no bait, the enemy's raids will probably not stop here. Give me my order and all units will retreat according to the second set of plans."
Just as the boss expected, the retaliatory raids that the Japanese army has been planning for so long will not stop so easily.
However, the Eighth Route Army headquarters had long guessed that the Japanese army would carry out retaliatory raids on the base area, so it made preparations in advance.
Food has been hidden, people have been moved in advance, and various ministries have prepared retreat routes in advance.
The second set of plans is for the common people to fortify the walls and clear the country, and part of the main force uses sparrow warfare, tunnel warfare, etc. to deal with the enemy.
The other main force dispersed and jumped to the outside to fight and destroy the enemy's lines of communication.
If the Japanese army cannot keep up with its logistical supplies, it will naturally retreat from the base area.
Although the main force of the Eighth Route Army is now greatly strengthened, it is still not time for a decisive battle with the main force of the Japanese army.
Even if they concentrate their forces in the base area to fight against the 30,000 Japanese troops and lose both sides, the Japanese army can quickly mobilize 30,000 troops and equipment from Japan.
And the Eighth Route Army may not be able to recover for several years after its vitality is severely damaged.
What's more, there is not much chance of winning. If they lose, it will be a devastating blow.
With the Japs' bloodthirsty and brutality, the entire southeastern Shanxi may become a no-man's land.
The task of the new group is also to jump to the outside.
At that moment, Li Yunlong led a new regiment towards Liao County.
Although the Japanese's four-pronged army attacked the eight-pronged base area in separate attacks and besieged it on all sides, almost all of them marched together in brigades or regiments.
Rather than a dragnet-style sweep, this gave each unit the opportunity to escape from the enemy's encirclement.
The main force of the Eighth Route Army, which had the home field advantage, was familiar with the terrain and did not need to engage in direct firefights with the Japanese. They simply jumped to the outside line.
…
Early the next morning.
The first to arrive in Guanjianao was the Japanese 9th Brigade.
The 9th Brigade was originally assembled along the Baijin Line. After receiving the order from the First Army Headquarters, it rushed to Guanjianao non-stop.
During this period, they encountered stubborn resistance from the Eighth Route Army, but the 9th Brigade's offensive was also very fierce.
After the blocking troops received orders to retreat yesterday afternoon, the 9th Brigade marched straight in.
However, because they were not familiar with the road during the night march, the vanguard made several wrong choices and had to walk all night on the 30-kilometer mountain road.
Guanjianao and the surrounding hills were densely packed with soldiers from the Japanese 9th Brigade.
The major general brigade commander, surrounded by adjutants, staff officers and guards, came to Guanjianao Highlands.
The entire Guanjianao Highlands was in a mess, covered with bomb craters. Most of the trenches, foxholes and other fortifications originally built by the Yamazaki detachment had been flattened by artillery shells. Koshiki Toranosuke randomly grabbed a handful of soil and found several pieces of it. A piece of shrapnel, you can imagine how fierce and intensive shelling the Guanjianao Highlands was.
All the corpses of the Yamazaki detachment and all the soldiers were stripped down to only a pair of crotch pants.
Koshiki Toranosuke's face was gloomy and he covered his nose: "Burn the bodies of the Jade Warriors, take their ashes away, and send them back to the Yasukuni Shrine."
"Hi!"
At that moment, the Japanese soldiers dug a hole in the Guanjianao highland.
Other Japs collected some branches, mixed them with gasoline and lit them. When the fire became bigger, they then carried the bodies of the Japs over and threw them into pits to be burned.
