The commander of the 10th Division, Ishikawa Jiro, issued a death order.
The 8th Brigade must capture the outer positions of the New Regiment in Dagu Town within today.
The 237th Regiment of the 41st Division, under the cover of artillery fire and a machine gun battalion, swarmed the puppet troops as soon as they came up and launched a fierce offensive towards the new regiment's position.
The battle lasted for seven hours, but the position was still firmly in the hands of the new regiment.
The entire 237th Wing, half of the 1st Battalion and the 2nd Battalion, were wiped out.
Since the battle started, the first and second battalions of the New Regiment in the Dagu Town position have suffered a total of nearly 800 casualties, with nearly 300 killed and more than 500 wounded.
The total casualties of the Japanese and puppet troops were more than four times that of the New Regiment.
Moreover, most of the Japanese and puppet soldiers were killed and a small number were injured. As the attackers were within the shooting range of the new regiment, it was difficult for the Japanese and puppet soldiers to carry out the seriously injured soldiers.
However, whether the soldiers of the new regiment are slightly or seriously injured, they can transport the wounded along the tunnel to the rear field hospital for treatment at any time.
After treatment and recovery, some soldiers can return to the battlefield with their guns.
The fighting on the Lijia Town side was also fierce. The two regiments of the Japanese 33rd Brigade attacked fiercely, but still failed to capture the Lijia Town position.
Each company of the new regiment takes turns to go into battle, so there is no situation where the organization is destroyed, and the casualties of each company are similar.
the next day.
The two brigades of the 10th Division still attacked vigorously, but to no avail and failed to capture the new regiment's position.
…
Heyuan County, the Japanese frontline headquarters.
A Japanese combat staff officer at the division headquarters held a folder in his hand and read to Tanabe Moritake and Ishikawa Jiro:
"So far, the 39th Infantry Regiment has suffered more than 1,200 casualties, the 40th Infantry Regiment has suffered more than 1,600 casualties, and the 8th Brigade has suffered more than 2,800 casualties in total!"
"The 10th Infantry Regiment suffered more than 1,300 casualties, the 63rd Infantry Regiment suffered more than 1,200 casualties, and the 33rd Brigade suffered more than 2,500 casualties in total!"
"The 237th Regiment of the 41st Division suffered more than 1,900 casualties!"
"More than half of the Imperial Alliance Army's casualties were killed or injured!"
After finishing speaking, the combat staff officer closed the folder and bowed his head to Tanabe Moritake and Ishikawa Jiro.
"idiot!"
Ishikawa Jiro suddenly burst out, grabbed the teacup on the table, and suddenly threw it on the ground with a crisp sound, and the teacup shattered on the ground.
"A few small positions, the 10th Division, one of the most elite units of the Locust Army, actually failed to capture it after fighting for so many days?"
"Not only was it not captured, the attacking troops suffered more than one-third casualties. It's simply a shame!"
The total strength of the 10th Division is nearly 30,000, plus the supplementary 237th Regiment and the puppet troops assisting in the attack, the total strength is nearly 40,000.
The one-third mentioned here are the troops responsible for the offensive. After all, the 10th Division also has a cavalry regiment, an engineer regiment, a field artillery regiment, and a baggage regiment. These troops are also quite large.
What made Ishikawa Jiro angry was that even if the position was taken, not only was the position not taken, the attacking troops also suffered heavy casualties.
Tanabe Moritake waved his hand to the combat staff and motioned for him to retreat first.
The combat staff lowered his head, put the folder on the table, then turned and walked out.
Ishikawa Jiro picked up the folder, looked at it, and suddenly threw it on the ground.
"Ishikawa-kun." Tanabe Moritake advised in a deep voice, "Be patient and don't be impatient."
Ishikawa Jiro said in a somewhat cold tone: "These soldiers are not from your North China Front. Of course Tanabe-kun will not be heartbroken."
"Of course I am heartbroken." Tanabe Moritake snorted, "They are all the most loyal and brave warriors of our Empire of Japan. They shed their last drop of blood for the empire."
"But as a general, you should be thinking about how to win the battle, instead of being incompetent and furious when you encounter a little setback!"
"There is an old saying in China, which is that one general's efforts lead to the destruction of thousands of bones. I must have heard of it, Mr. Tanabe."
"As long as we can defeat the new group and kill Li Yunlong, it will be worth paying no matter what the price is. Ishikawa-kun will also have the opportunity to be promoted to general in the future."
Ishikawa Erlang also snorted: "You think I don't want to defeat the new group and kill Li Yunlong?"
"Tanabe-kun, you have also seen that the 10th Division did not even capture the outer positions of the new regiment after 13 days of fighting."
"How to defeat the new group? How to kill Li Yunlong?"
"If we continue fighting like this, even if we capture the outer positions of the Eighth Route Army, there will still be defensive fortifications along the highway behind us."
"I think even if we kill all the two elite brigades of the 10th Division, we can't defeat the new regiment, and we can't kill Li Yunlong."
"You have also seen the battle reports submitted by each brigade. The Eighth Route Army does not have many troops to defend the position, and the casualties are not large."
"Now I seriously suspect that the new regiment is consuming the effective strength of our 10th Division. When our 10th Division is weakened to a certain extent, Li Yunlong will launch a full-scale counterattack against the 10th Division."
He does not mean that.
Hearing this, Tanabe Moritake turned around and stared at the map on the wall, lost in thought.
There is no doubt that the New Regiment of the Eighth Route Army has suffered few casualties so far in the battle. However, according to intelligence, the New Regiment has more than 20,000 troops.
There is only one truth. Li Yunlong wanted to counterattack the 10th Division.
When the strength of the 10th Division drops to a certain level and the soldiers are tired and morale is low, it will be time for the new regiment to launch a major counterattack.
Li Yunlong didn't want to break through, he wanted to counterattack the 10th Division, or even defeat the 10th Division!
Thinking of this, Tanabe Moritake turned to look at Ishikawa Jiro and said in a deep voice: "Ishikawa-kun, your 10th Division has suspended the attack. I will report to Commander Okamura immediately. The new regiment is likely to attack the 10th Division in the near future. The regiment launched a counterattack."
After finishing speaking, Tanabe Moritake took out paper and pen and began to write the telegram.
Ishikawa Jiro was stunned. What's the situation? He just complained a few words and wanted to let the soldiers of the 10th Division rest for a day or two before attacking. Did Tanabe Moritake take it seriously?
After Tanabe Moritake finished drafting the telegram, he ordered the decoder to translate it into a code, and then asked the telegraph operator to send it to the North China Front Army Headquarters.
Okamura Neiji soon received the telegram from Tanabe Moritake, and he had actually guessed this.
However, the old devil is not willing to give in. He also wants to have three flowers. At present, breakthrough progress has been made on the North Road and the South Road.
The second line of defense of the Independent Regiment and the New Second Regiment has been breached, and four divisions are attacking the third line of defense of the New Second Regiment and the Independent Regiment, which is the last line of defense.
Once this line of defense is broken through, the Japanese army can march straight in. To the west, they can go straight to the Yellow River ferry. To the east, they can form a siege with the 10th Division and the New Regiment from three directions.
Although the new regiment has strong combat effectiveness, once the Japanese from five divisions are surrounded, they cannot defeat it.
But the reality is that the four Japanese divisions have blossomed after suffering heavy casualties on the New First Regiment and the Independent Regiment.
Breaking through the third line of defense is just around the corner.
However, what Okamura Neji didn't expect was.
The 10th Division suffered a setback at the base of the New Regiment. Not only did it fail to break through the first line of defense, it also suffered heavy casualties.
This is quite different from the predictions of Okamura Ningji and the North China Front Command before the war.
Okamura Neiji knew very well that it was no longer suitable for the 10th Division to attack again. Now he could only place his hope on the other four divisions. He hoped that these four divisions would defeat the Eighth Route Independent Regiment and the New Second Regiment as soon as possible and come over to fight with them. The 10th Division all surrounded the new regiment.
but.
Li Yunlong and the new group will definitely not sit still and wait for death, and will definitely lead the people to break out.
Whether it is a frontal breakthrough or a dispersed breakthrough, what the 10th Division should do most now is defense, not offense.
After drafting the idea, Okamura Neiji immediately drafted a telegram, handed it to the communications staff, and then sent it to the former enemy headquarters.
…
"The Japs from the 10th Division didn't attack today?"
In the new regiment headquarters, Li Yunlong sounded a little surprised.
The telegraph machine in the telegraph room next door was ticking. Several combat staff were working on the map. Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang, Xing Zhiguo and Wang Dehou were gathering together to discuss.
Boss Chen stood aside and listened.
Wang Dehou touched his chin and analyzed slowly: "Could it be that the Japanese are aware of our combat intentions?"
"I think it's nine out of ten." Li Yunlong glanced at Wang Dehou and nodded, "That old devil Okamura Neji must have seen that the strategic goal of our new regiment is to defeat the 10th Division. group."
"It's not hard to guess." Xing Zhiguo nodded, "Our New Regiment will eventually break through, and the Japanese reconnaissance planes must have discovered that the people in our New Regiment's base are rushing to harvest autumn grain."
Zhao Gang stared at the map and said: "I suggest launching a full-scale counterattack against the 10th Division tonight. The more fully prepared the Japanese fortifications are, the more disadvantageous it will be to us."
"How are the people doing during the autumn grain harvest?"
Li Yunlong did not answer immediately, but looked at Xing Zhiguo.
Xing Zhiguo said: "At present, almost all autumn grains have been harvested and dried."
"Okay!" Li Yunlong narrowed his eyes and spoke decisively, "Take away all the autumn grain that you can, and bury what you can't take away in the ground. Don't leave even a grain of grain to the Japanese."
Then, Li Yunlong looked at Wang Dehou: "Chief of Staff Wang, immediately notify the direct companies of each battalion to launch a full-scale counterattack against the 10th Division position at 12 o'clock tonight."
"Yes!" Wang Dehou straightened his body and responded loudly.
After giving the order, Li Yunlong chuckled and said: "With 210,000 rounds of artillery shells, labor and management have never fought such a rich battle in eight lifetimes. What kind of fucking Class A division and permanent division, let the artillery prepare it for me. This time labor and management are going to Beat him so hard that he was raised in dog years.”
Li Yunlong looked fierce and had sharp eyes.
In order to prevent the encirclement from being broken, the 10th Division will definitely try its best to block the new group's attack.
Next, there will definitely be a fierce battle between the New Regiment and the 10th Division.
It would be troublesome to take away all these shells. It would be better to hit them all on the heads of the Japanese and the puppet soldiers, so that the Japanese and the puppet soldiers can see what artillery coverage means.
The Japanese and puppet troops did not have reverse slopes and tunnel fortifications to avoid artillery fire.
Chen Feng smiled and said nothing. This time, he might be able to show the Japs in the Class A Division what Li Yunlong's ammunition capacity was.
