Beiping.
Iron Lion Alley.
North China Front Army Headquarters.
War Room.
Okamura Neiji summoned the chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, and other staff officers, as well as Mitsuo Watanabe, to summarize the reasons for the failure of the bombing.
Almost every time he was defeated, Okamura Neiji would summon his officers to summarize the reasons.
But even if they sum up the lessons of failure in depth each time, they still cannot win the battle against the Eighth Route Army in northwest Shanxi.
Repeated battles and repeated defeats, repeated defeats and repeated battles.
At the meeting, Tanabe Shengwu proposed that since the Eighth Route Army in northwest Shanxi and the Eighth Route Army in southeastern Shanxi cannot be solved, the Eighth Route Army in other military regions should be solved first.
This proposal won the approval of Okamura Neiji. If he suffered a few defeats, his position as the commander of the North China Front might not be guaranteed.
The only way is to win a few victorious battles first, maintain the position of the North China Front, wait until the Southeast Asian War is over, and then request a large amount of combat materials from the base camp, and then launch a mopping up operation in northwest or southeastern Shanxi.
By then, Okamura Neiji is ready to use 10 divisions to attack northwest or southeast Shanxi.
That would be a big gamble.
If he wins, he, Okamura Neiji, will be promoted and make a fortune; if he loses, he, Okamura Neiji, will step down.
The defeat summary meeting was over, and the Japanese officers were preparing to disperse.
At this moment, a Japanese telegraph soldier hurried in with a telegram in his hand and handed the telegram in his hand to the communications staff officer.
After the communications staff officer read the telegram, his pupils couldn't help but shrink slightly, and he immediately looked at Okamura Neji.
The communications staff member was hesitating whether to report it to Okamura Neiji, but Okamura Neiji had already seen the change in the communications staff member's expression.
"Kitani-kun." Okamura Neji frowned and asked, "What happened?"
When Okamura Neiji asked, Tanabe Moritake, Arisu Seizo, and a group of combat staff who were about to leave immediately stopped and looked at communications staff Haruo Kitani.
"Report to the Commander!"
Haruo Kitani hesitated for a moment, then bowed his head and reported to Neji Okamura: "Just now, Li Yunlong sent a clear telegram..."
"Did Li Yunlong invent the coded telegraph again?"
Hearing this, Neji Okamura's face darkened slightly. Almost every time Li Yunlong won a battle, he would send a clear telegram to ridicule him.
Li Yunlong also said that he, Okamura Neiji, was the transportation brigade captain of the Eighth Route Army.
Absolutely ridiculous.
How could I, a great general of the Imperial Japanese Army, be the captain of the transportation brigade of the Eighth Route Army?
Also, Li Yunlong pretended to use the eliminated password and sent a telegram to the Eighth Route Army headquarters, saying that he, Okamura Neiji, was an underground party member of the Eighth Route Army, which almost caused him to lose his hat.
Li Yunlong, just wait for me!
When I, Okamura Neiji, win the battle, I will also invent a coded telegram to mock you as a good friend of the Locust Army.
However, these little tricks of Li Yunlong can no longer cause any harm to me, Neji Okamura.
The same mental attack had been used so many times that Okamura Neji had become immune to it.
In just a moment, Okamura Neji's expression returned to normal, and he even said with a smile: "Let me guess, Li Yunlong's clear code telegram must have announced to the world that their new group has shot down the Locust Army. More than 40 planes, just laugh at me."
Tanabe Moritake and Arisu Seizo also nodded, guessing that Li Yunlong should have sent such a clear telegram.
"It's just that he shot down more than 40 aircraft of the Locust Army." Youmo Jingsan said sarcastically, "Li Yunlong can't wait to show off to the world. This is the pattern of Li Yunlong."
Tanabe Moritake also added: "The villain succeeds."
However, contrary to the expectations of the three old devils, Communications Staff Officer Haruo Kitani shook his head and said: "The clear code telegram sent by Li Yunlong was not about the shooting down of more than 40 Locust Army aircraft this time."
"Oh? You're not talking about shooting down the Locust Army plane. Then what did Li Yunlong say?"
Hearing what the communications staff officer said, Okamura Neji became interested, and at the same time he subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
After all, this battle was personally commanded by him, Okamura Neiji. The two flying regiments returned in defeat and suffered heavy losses. It would not be a matter of glory to him if a clear telegram was sent out by the Eighth Route Army.
Okamura Neji said: "Read it!"
"Hi!"
Communications Staff Officer Kitani Haruo first bowed his head in response, then picked up the telegram and read:
"To inform compatriots all over the country and the Japanese invaders, so far, our new regiment has killed 16 Japanese generals, namely Lieutenant General Shinozuka Yoshio, Lieutenant General Michiichi Miyano, Lieutenant General Muto Akira, and Lieutenant General Hirata Kenkichi , Lieutenant General Iseki Ren, Lieutenant General Hisao Fururu, Major General Mitake Tsuda, Major General Hattori Naoomi, Major General Koshii Toranosuke, Major General Hirata Shoga, Major General Miura Saburo, Major General Imoto Aio, Major General Omura Toshikaze, Major General Ito Shinpei, Major General An Teng Yinan and Major General Yin Sanxiong met again. Every wrong has its owner and its debtor has its owner. The Japanese... If the Japanese want revenge, they come to northwest Shanxi to find me, Li Yunlong. I heard that the commander of the North China Front, His Excellency Okamura Neiji, comes from a martial arts family. Proficient in swordsmanship, please wash your neck obediently. The new regiment of the Eighth Route Army will chop off your head sooner or later. Li Yunlong, the commander of the new regiment of the Eighth Route Army..."
There were four pages in the telegram, and it took Haruo Kitani a long time to read it.
After reading the telegram, Kitani Haruo lowered his head and placed the telegram on the conference table, and then took five or six steps back. He was afraid that Okamura Neji would chop him down.
"Baga, Yalu!"
As Haruo Kitani expected, Okamura Neji couldn't help but became furious after hearing this clear telegram.
Okamura suddenly grabbed the blue and white porcelain tea cup in front of him and threw it to the ground. After a crisp "pop" sound, the blue and white porcelain tea cup shattered, and the tea leaves and tea spilled on the floor.
The loss of more than 40 aircraft was nothing to the Japanese army.
However, the loss of 16 generals, including 6 lieutenant generals, was an immeasurable loss to the Japanese army, and the impact on the morale of the Japanese army was also immeasurable.
And the most important thing is that these 16 generals were all killed by the New Regiment in the area under the jurisdiction of the North China Front Army.
No one usually brings it up, but Li Yunlong brought it up this time, and even announced it to the whole world.
This is simply a shame for the North China Front and a shame for him, Okamura Neiji.
What made Neji Okamura even more angry was that Li Yunlong openly provoked him and said he wanted to chop off his head.
It is unbearable!
"Your Excellency, General!" Tanabe Shengwu was furious: "Li Yunlong is too arrogant!"
Youmo Jingsan said: "I suggest dispatching ten divisions to sweep the Eighth Route Army's base area in northwestern Shanxi and completely eliminate Li Yunlong."
Taking a deep breath and suppressing the anger in his heart, Okamura Neji remained silent.
The combat staff on the side did not dare to say a word.
As soon as Li Yunlong's telegram was sent out, the North China Front Army's plan to raid other Eighth Route Army base areas might have to be shelved.
This telegram is equivalent to Li Yunlong riding on Okamura Neji's head to humiliate him. It depends on whether Okamura Neji will accept it or not.
Neji Okamura naturally wanted to endure the humiliation and sweep away other Eighth Route Army base areas first.
But the base camp and Tianlu will definitely see this clear telegram. Even if Okamura Neji does not attack northwest Shanxi, the base camp will order him to attack northwest Shanxi and avenge the 16 generals.
"Li Yunlong, die, die..."
The angry Okamura Neiji directly spoke Japanese with a Chinese accent.
…
at the same time.
Taiyuan.
Japanese First Army Headquarters.
"There are already 16 generals of the Locust Army who died in the Eighth Route New Regiment?"
After listening to the communications staff member read the clear coded telegram sent by Li Yunlong, Commander Yoshio Iwamatsu suddenly stood up from behind his desk, and his pupils suddenly shrank.
Yoshio Iwamatsu knew that there were many generals of the Locust Army who died in the Eighth Route New Regiment, but he did not expect that there were so many.
Within the Japanese Army, there has long been a saying that the North China Front has abolished its generals.
Being a general officer in the North China Front Army was a high-risk profession, and he might be killed by the New Regiment of the Eighth Route Army one day.
Even generals from other front armies are now unwilling to come to North China to observe and learn.
"Hi!"
The communications staff member bowed his head and replied that these were genuine Japanese army generals who had been killed by the new regiment.
Yoshio Iwamatsu was originally afraid of death, but after hearing the contents of this telegram, he felt even more uncomfortable, with a ray of light on his back.
Maybe one day, Li Yunlong would lead the main force of the Eighth Route Army to attack Taiyuan, and then take the head of Yoshio Iwasatsu.
Iwamatsu Yoshio has no doubt that the current Li Yunlong definitely has this strength.
Although Li Yunlong provoked Neji Okamura in the telegram, if Li Yunlong finds a chance, he will never be merciful to Iwasatsuyoshi's ambition.
Yoshio Iwamatsu will definitely lose his head before Neji Okamura.
The only way now is to either voluntarily resign as commander of the First Army, or to enhance the strength of the First Army and Taiyuan's defense strength.
If he resigns as the commander of the First Army, I am afraid that no lieutenant general will be willing to take over. He will be scolded as a deserter, and the family will not be able to hold its head high in Japan.
Thinking of this, Yoshio Iwamatsu looked at the communications staff officer:
"Immediately draft a telegram. Recently, a large number of Eighth Route Army guerrillas have attacked the Zhengtai Railway. In order to ensure the smooth flow of the Zhongtai Railway, please request the North China Front Army Command to transfer the 33rd Division from Zhongtiao Mountain back to the Zhongtiao Mountain to strengthen the defense of the Zhongtai Railway. "
Of course, Yoshio Iwamatsu's real intention was to strengthen Taiyuan's defense.
However, Taiyuan's defense is already considered strong at present. Yoshio Iwamatsu is embarrassed to say it directly, but as long as the 33rd Division is transferred back to the Shotai Railway, it will be very close to Taiyuan.
Iwamatsu Yoshio wants to sleep more peacefully.
As Yoshio Iwamatsu spoke, the communications staff officer opened the folder and recorded it. Then Yoshio Iwamatsu signed, and the communications staff officer closed the folder and turned to leave.
Watching the communications staff officer's back disappear from the door, Iwamatsu Yoshio narrowed his eyes.
It's not a good place to stay for a long time. Should we deliberately lose the battle and let General Okamura Neiji change to another commander?
…
Southeast Shanxi.
Liao County.
Headquarters.
"The new regiment has killed so many Japanese generals!?"
After reading the clear telegram sent by the new regiment, the leader and chief of staff looked surprised.
Every once in a while, the new regiment would report that a Japanese general had been killed, but the headquarters staff had not counted how many Japanese generals had been killed.
Li Yunlong himself made such statistics and sent a clear telegram, which immediately shocked the head of the headquarters.
"Kill 6 lieutenant generals and 10 major generals!" the chief of staff praised, "Li Yunlong is an awesome guy!"
The chief pointed to the essence: "It was mainly Boss Chen who was behind Li Yunlong who provided weapons and intelligence, so that Li Yunlong had the opportunity to kill so many Japanese generals."
"That's true." The chief of staff nodded, "However, weapons and intelligence are important, but such great results are inseparable from Li Yunlong's command and the bloody battles of the new regiment's commanders and fighters."
After a pause, the chief of staff continued: "Li Yunlong is a bit interesting. He even said at the end of the telegram that he wanted to chop off Okamura Neiji's head. Okamura Neiji had just personally commanded a defeat. If I were Okamura Neiji, That old devil, when he saw this clear telegram, his lungs were probably going to explode with anger from Li Yunlong."
The chief smiled slightly: "If someone said that they wanted to chop off Okamura Neji's head, everyone would probably think it was a joke. But when Li Yunlong said this, it would be different. Li Yunlong would really do it."
"Yes!" the chief of staff said with emotion: "Li Yunlong has killed 16 Japanese generals, and he might really be able to chop off Okamura Neji's head in the future."
at this time.
A telegraph soldier walked in with a telegram in his hand and gave a military salute: "Report to the chief, a new batch of secret telegrams!"
(End of chapter)
