Upon hearing the news that the main force of the division had been ambushed, at first, Mitsuo Nakazawa's tone and eyes were full of dissatisfaction and doubt.
The main force of the First Division heading to northwest Shanxi was ambushed?
Requesting tactical guidance?
The so-called request for tactical guidance is also a request for support.
This means that it would be embarrassing to ask for support if you cannot defeat the enemy, so in order to avoid embarrassment, the Japanese army invented the method of asking for tactical guidance to cover up their shame.
The term "tactical guidance" is a special military term with extremely profound meaning for the Japanese army.
Its official interpretation is to be beaten and to ask for support.
But how is this possible?
Haven't reconnaissance planes already conducted reconnaissance to find out that the main force of the Eighth Route Army in northwestern Shanxi is in the base area?
To dare to ambush nearly 30,000 locust troops and make the 30,000 locust troops unable to resist would require at least 40,000 to 50,000 main force of the Eighth Route Army, right?
And this can only be done if all the main forces of the Eighth Route Army in northwestern Shanxi are dispatched.
Could it be that the main forces of the Eighth Route Army in the Eighth Route Army base area in northwestern Shanxi are all fake?
idiot!
What exactly is going on.
Kuroda Shigenori on the side also frowned, completely unable to think of any clues.
"Is this news confirmed?"
Kuroda Shigenori once again looked at the Japanese staff officer who reported the news, and asked in a deep voice.
"Hi!"
"I personally spoke with the chief of staff, Colonel Shinno, and during the conversation, I heard dense explosions of artillery shells. This news is absolutely true."
The Japanese staff officer cheered first, then bowed his head in response.
Upon hearing this, Mitsuo Nakazawa and Shigetori Kuroda's expressions quickly turned black, and their eyes became gloomy.
Kuroda Shigenori asked in a deep voice: "Nakazawa-kun, what should we do now?"
Mitsuo Nakazawa looked at the communications staff officer and asked: "Where was the main force of the First Division ambushed?"
The Japanese staff officer replied: "It is 37 kilometers away from Datong."
Then, Mitsuo Nakazawa said: "Immediately report this situation to the North China Front Army Headquarters and request reinforcements from the First Army and the Mongolian Army."
At this point, Mitsuo Nakazawa didn't say anything to ask for tactical guidance.
Maybe the entire First Division will be wiped out in this battle, and they don't care about losing face.
"Hi!"
The Japanese staff officer lowered his head suddenly, then turned around and left quickly.
Then, Mitsuo Nakazawa looked at Kuroda Shigenori and said in a deep voice: "Kuroda-kun, I will leave the Suzuki Regiment and the Heavy Artillery Regiment under your command. Commander Okamura Neiji will definitely send your 26th Division there later. Reinforce the main force of my 1st Division, your 26th Division is the closest unit to the main force of the 1st Division, Kuroda-kun, please!"
While saying the last sentence, Mitsuo Nakazawa bowed his head to Kuroda Shigetori.
"Leave the Suzuki Regiment and the Heavy Artillery Regiment under my command?" Kuroda Shigenori asked, "Nakazawa-kun, what about you?"
Mitsuo Nakazawa said: "I took a transport plane to observe the battlefield in person."
"This is too dangerous." Kuroda Shigenori was suddenly startled. "According to the intelligence, the main anti-aircraft firepower of the Eighth Route Army in northwest Shanxi is extremely powerful. Mr. Nakazawa is advised not to take this risk. You should personally command the Suzuki Regiment and the Heavy Artillery Regiment."
"As long as the transport plane flies higher and farther away from the battlefield, it will be fine."
However, Sanfu Nakazawa had already decided to leave and said:
"The Eighth Route Army's anti-aircraft firepower has a maximum caliber of only 40 mm. It will be fine as long as it is at an altitude of 3,000 meters."
"Besides, my first division is in this situation, and my warriors are all fighting bloody battles. How can I, the division commander, be immune alone?"
Mitsuo Nakazawa was very afraid of death, but he dared to take a transport plane to observe the battlefield after careful consideration.
In Nakazawa Mitsuo's view, although the Eighth Route Army's anti-aircraft firepower in northwestern Shanxi is very strong, it is still very safe as long as it flies higher and farther away from the battlefield.
"Nakazawa-kun, please pay attention to your safety."
Kuroda Shigetori couldn't persuade him, so he had no choice but to say to Nakazawa Sano.
"Don't worry." Mitsuo Nakazawa said, "I know."
Subsequently, Nakazawa Mizuo handed over the command of the Suzuki Regiment and the Heavy Artillery Regiment to Kuroda Shigenori, and he took a car to Datong Airport.
Kuroda Shigenori was not idle either, and immediately ordered the 26th Division, Suzuki Regiment and 6th Heavy Artillery Regiment to prepare for departure.
Since this time we were going for reinforcements and needed to arrive quickly, we did not carry a 240mm heavy howitzer.
…
Beiping.
Iron Lion Alley.
North China Front Army Headquarters.
Okamura Neji suddenly stood up from his chair and looked at the communications staff officer who came to report:
"Nani?"
"The 1st Division requested assistance from the headquarters?"
The commander of the North China Front, a general of the Imperial Japanese Army, had full doubts in his expression and eyes.
Question the content of the communications staff report.
On the way to northwest Shanxi, the main force of the 1st Division was ambushed by the main force of the Eighth Route Army?
On the side, Tanabe Moritake and Arisu Seizo also showed expressions of disbelief.
Didn't the reconnaissance plane report that the main force of the Eighth Route Army in northwestern Shanxi has been in the base area? Then which force was the Eighth Route Army that ambushed the main force of the 1st Division?
Where did this Eighth Route Army unit come from?
Did it fall from the sky or emerge from the earth?
"Hi!"
The communications staff lowered his head to confirm, and said again: "This is a telegram sent from the headquarters of the First Division in Datong. The main force of the First Division was ambushed by a large number of Eighth Route Army in the southwest of Datong. The situation is critical. Lieutenant General Zhongze requested the First Army and reinforcements from the Mongolian troops.”
Taking the telegram from the communications staff and reading it, Okamura Neji's eyes quickly darkened:
"The Eighth Route Artillery has strong firepower and a strength of at least 50,000 people?"
Soon, Okamura Neji was sure that the telegram was genuine, and Nakazawa Mitsuo would never joke about such a thing.
Tanabe Shengwu gritted his teeth and said: "Our reconnaissance plane observers were deceived. Li Yunlong used a blindfold. Those in the bandit area in northwestern Shanxi are definitely not their main force!"
Youmo Jingsan was also puzzled: "How did the main force of the Eighth Route Army escape the reconnaissance planes and the reconnaissance of the First Division and conduct an ambush on the main force of the First Division?"
This is not an eight-way ambush of a few hundred people on a locust army transport team of more than 100 people.
Instead, 50,000 people ambushed 30,000 locust troops. It is incredible that no news of such a large-scale ambush was leaked in advance, and that it even evaded reconnaissance planes and scouts.
Okamura Neji's eyes and expression were also uncertain.
Isn't the senior agent pangolin already lurking in the Shanxi North Eighth Route Base Area?
Why hasn't any information been released?
Return it to him? The senior agent only has this ability?
Tanabe Moritake looked at Okamura Neji: "General, what should we do now?"
"Tanabe-kun." Neji Okamura asked, "What do you think of the current situation?"
Tanabe Moritake said: "Lieutenant General Nakazawa Mitsuo requested the headquarters to send the First Army and the Mongolian Army as reinforcements, which shows that the main force of the First Division may be in danger of being destroyed, but after all, the Mongolian Army and the main force of the First Army are far away from northwest Shanxi. It’s too far, and by the time the main force of the First Army and the Mongolian Army arrive, I’m afraid that the main force of the First Division’s Locust Army will have been completely destroyed.”
"Therefore, on the one hand, we should immediately order the ambushed Locust Army to move towards Datong, and on the other hand, order the 26th Division, Suzuki Regiment and 6th Heavy Artillery Regiment to go to reinforcements."
This is an ambush battle, not a critical battle, nor a positional battle.
If the battle goes well, I'm afraid it will be over completely in less than a day.
When the troops stationed in Mongolia and the First Army arrive, I'm afraid they will have to collect corpses for the Japs of the 1st Division, and they won't even be able to keep up with the heat.
Youmo Jingsan's idea was to let the main force of the First Division hold back the main force of the Eighth Route Army in Northwestern Shanxi.
The main force of the First Army and the main force of the Mongolian Army formed a huge encirclement on the periphery, eating up the main force of the Eighth Route Army in northwest Shanxi.
Come to a center bloom.
But if you think about it carefully, this plan will not work at all. The First Army and the Mongolian Army will not have time to reinforce, and the main force of the 1st Division will be wiped out.
"Yes." Okamura Neji nodded, "Just do as Tanabe-kun said, and also order the main force of the First Army and the main force of the Mongolian Army to assemble troops and be ready for reinforcements at any time."
If the war expands, the First Army and the main force of the Mongolian Army will still need reinforcements.
The so-called expansion of the war means that after the main force of the Eighth Route Army in northwestern Shanxi ambushed the main force of the 1st Division, it continued to attack the 26th Division stationed in Datong.
Now we can only hope that the 26th Division can rescue the main force of the 1st Division.
As many as can be saved.
"Hi!"
Yumo Seizo and Tanabe Moritake suddenly lowered their heads.
…
Southeast Shanxi.
Liao County.
Eighth Route Army Headquarters.
As soon as the war started in northwestern Shanxi, the radio signals from both the enemy and ourselves became active, and there was a tense atmosphere in the air.
Amidst the ticking sound of the telegram, the Telegraph quickly walked into the headquarters holding a telegram in his hand.
The telegraph soldier gave a military salute to the head of the headquarters: "Report, the new regiment is urgent!"
The chief took the telegram and looked at it, with a flash of light in his eyes and said: "The show has begun!"
"Oh?" The chief of staff was stunned, "Have all the Japs entered the ambush circle?"
In the morning, the headquarters sent a telegram asking whether the 1st Division was dispatched. It didn't take long for the new regiment to reply that the main force of the 1st Division had been dispatched.
More than an hour ago, Li Yunlong sent another telegram stating that the main force of the Japanese 1st Division was entering the ambush circle.
This telegram is the telegram that all Japanese troops have entered the ambush circle and the battle has begun.
"That's right."
The chief handed the telegram to the chief of staff. After reading the telegram, the chief of staff also had a stern expression on his face.
"Pass my order." The head of the headquarters shouted loudly, "The main force of the 129th Division and the Taiyue Military Region immediately advanced toward Taiyuan and Yangquan. The main forces of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region and the Hebei-Chahar-Reliao Forward Army gathered to intercept the troops stationed in Mongolia heading south. "
As for intercepting the 26th Division, Li Yunlong has already arranged troops.
It was the 2nd Independent Brigade that fought with the New Regiment in Miaoergou.
Of course, it is difficult for the 2nd Independent Brigade alone to stop the attacks of the 26th Division, plus the Suzuki Regiment and the 6th Japanese Heavy Artillery Regiment.
So Li Yunlong arranged three battalions to reinforce the 2nd Independent Brigade.
As for the direction of Taiyuan and Yangquan, Li Yunlong was not too worried. Once the Beitongpu Railway was blocked, the Japanese soldiers of the First Army could not reach northwest Shanxi for two days.
"yes!"
The chief of staff responded and turned around to give the order.
…
Shanxi.
Taiyuan.
The Operations Office of the First Army Headquarters.
"Nani?"
"The main force of the 1st Division was ambushed by 50,000 Eighth Route Army troops in northwest Shanxi?"
"Is the situation critical?"
The commander of the First Army, Yoshio Iwamatsu, received a telegram from the North China Front Army Headquarters with a look of disbelief on his face.
Chief of Staff Hanatani Masaru, Deputy Chief of Staff Masao Miyazaki and Kazuki Yamamoto also looked shocked.
Just now, everyone was discussing the attack on the Jinsui Army in the operations hall.
At present, the 1st Cavalry Brigade and the 41st Division are already at war with the Jinsui Army, and the battle is going relatively smoothly. The Japanese 1st Cavalry Brigade is fighting against the 4th Cavalry Division of the Jinsui Army and has the upper hand.
Moreover, the transfer order for Kuribayashi Nakamichi has been issued, and the base camp has decided to transfer Kuribayashi Nakamichi to the 23rd Army as chief of staff.
After this battle is over, Tadamichi Kuribayashi will go to the 23rd Army to take up his post.
Seeing that the 1st Cavalry Brigade and the 41st Division were successfully attacking.
Iwamatsu Yoshio never expected that at this juncture, the 1st Division, known as the strongest division, would actually fall off the chain?
After the shock, Iwamatsu Yoshio and others had doubts written all over their faces.
50,000 Eighth Route Army ambushed 30,000 Locust Army. How did Li Yunlong do it?
The 30,000 locust army didn't notice the ambush. Could it be more than 30,000 pigs?
"Your Majesty Commander, what should we do now? If we want to send troops for reinforcements, we can only send the 37th Division."
Deputy Chief of Staff Masao Miyazaki asked in a deep voice.
"Send the 37th Division for reinforcements?" Hua Guzheng asked, "You don't want Yangquan?"
Masao Miyazaki retorted: "If we don't send the 37th Division for reinforcements, do we have any other troops to send now?"
Now Taiyuan only has the 14th Infantry Brigade, the 18th Infantry Brigade, and the regiment directly under the First Army.
Both the 14th Brigade and the 18th Brigade suffered heavy losses in the battle with the Eighth Route Army, with a total loss of about 10,000 people.
If the 37th Division is not sent for reinforcements, then the 14th Brigade and the 18th Brigade can only be sent for reinforcements.
But if the 14th Brigade and the 18th Brigade are sent to reinforce, Taiyuan will be empty.
Yamamoto Kazuki said in a deep voice: "Your Excellency, Commander, beware of the main force of the Eighth Route Army in southeastern Shanxi attacking Taiyuan and Yangquan."
"What everyone said makes sense." Yoshio Iwamatsu nodded helplessly, "Order the 1st Cavalry Brigade and the 41st Division to move back to Taiyuan."
In the final analysis, there are still not enough troops.
If the troops in hand are enough, the Eighth Route Army has nothing to fear.
Now the main strategic target of the base camp is in Southeast Asia, and a second-line division promised to be allocated to the First Army has also been delayed in arriving.
Yoshio Iwamatsu sighed in his heart. After this battle in northwest Shanxi, he must apply to the North China Front Army Headquarters to transfer back the 33rd Division in Zhongtiao Mountain.
Taiyuan and Yangquan can hardly be defended. Is there any point in defending Zhongtiao Mountain?
At the same time, the troops stationed in Mongolia also received orders from the North China Front, and the main force was assembled to prepare to reinforce the 1st Division.
…
The war in northwest Shanxi is in full swing.
The Eighth Route Army's artillery continued to pour shells at the Japanese army.
After the Japanese cavalry left the shelling area, they prepared to return to the battlefield, tearing a hole for the infantry to break out.
However, at this time, the cavalry of the Eighth Route Army suddenly appeared from the side and rear.
There was no other way, so Miura Hidzuo, captain of the Japanese cavalry regiment, had no choice but to order to fight the Eighth Route Army cavalry first.
However, contrary to the expectations of the Japanese cavalry, the Eighth Route Army cavalry had more than 2,000 cavalry.
The two sides first exchanged shots, then charged on horseback and slashed with sabers. In one round, more than half of the Japanese cavalry were killed or injured.
Seeing that they were no match for the Eighth Route Army cavalry, the Japanese cavalry ran into the distance without looking back, preparing to turn around and come back to open a hole for the infantry.
Li Yunlong ordered the 1st Cavalry Battalion to continue pursuing the Japanese Cavalry Regiment.
Order the rest of the cavalry to return.
The Japanese infantry was already surrounded by the Eighth Route Army.
This time, Li Yunlong was going to use Okamura Neji's tactics to carry out a rolling sweep of the Japanese.
(End of chapter)
