Chapter 767: After the artillery blast, the infantry charges!
Beiping.
Iron Lion Alley.
North China Front Army Headquarters.
"The division commanders of the 33rd Division and the 37th Division simultaneously sent telegrams requesting urgent tactical guidance?"
Okamura Neiji stood in the middle of the operations hall, looking at Communications Staff Officer Kitani Haruo who came to report, his tone full of disbelief.
He had ordered the 33rd Division and the 37th Division to immediately transfer to Taiyuan, but the two division commanders still sent telegrams requesting tactical guidance.
An extremely strong and terrible feeling suddenly arose in Okamura's heart.
"Hi!"
Miyaji Haruhui reported: "Yangquan City and Shouyang City have been heavily surrounded by the Eighth Route Army. In addition, there are also the main infantry of the Eighth Route Army and the troops of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army, forming an encirclement situation against the 33rd Division and the 37th Division."
"Nani?"
Okamura Neji's pupils shrank suddenly, his face instantly turned pale, his body swayed, and he almost lost his balance.
On the left and right, Moritake Tanabe and Seizo Arisu quickly supported Neji Okamura.
Originally, Neji Okamura was going to sleep, and Sue Seizo was on duty tonight during the war.
However, he planned to wait for the news that the main forces of the 33rd Division and the 37th Division would set off from Shouyang and Yangquan before going back to the house to sleep.
The news arrived, but what we waited for was the news that the main forces of the 33rd Division and the 37th Division were surrounded by the main force of the Eighth Route Army.
The 33rd Division and the 37th Division are in danger!
"General, are you okay?" Tanabe Moritake asked with concern.
Youmo Jingsan was standing next to him with a concerned look on his face, and several combat staff members were about to step forward.
Okamura Neji waved his hand: "I'm fine."
Youmo Jingsan stared at the map: "According to the telegrams from the 33rd Division and the 37th Division, the Eighth Route Army that suddenly appeared has at least 40,000 main troops, and its combat effectiveness and firepower are very strong. Where did the Eighth Route Army come from so many troops?"
Okamura and the staff had previously guessed that the main force of the New Second Regiment and the Independent Regiment of the Eighth Route Army was about 25,000 people.
It is likely to surround one of the 37th Division and the 33rd Division.
However, the staff and Okamura did not know which division the Eighth Route Army's strategic target was, so Okamura ordered the 37th Division and the 33rd Division to immediately transfer to Taiyuan.
However it was still too late.
Moreover, the real strategic targets of the Eighth Route Army are the 33rd and 37th Divisions.
Tanabe Moritake narrowed his eyes and analyzed along with Yumo Seizo's words: "Perhaps the main force of the Eighth Route Army that went north to attack the 1st Division was not the New Regiment at all. Li Yunlong handed over the heavy firepower of the New Regiment to the Independent Regiment and the The command of the New Second Regiment created the illusion that the New First Regiment went north to attack the 1st Division, while he himself led the main force of the New First Regiment to bypass Tongpu Road and go south along Wutai Mountain and Beitaihang."
Yumo Seishan looked like he had solved the case: "That must be the case."
However, Okamura Neji's face was full of self-blame and regret, muttering to himself: "I should have thought of it earlier, I should have thought of it earlier..."
Okamura Neiji carefully recalled the entire battle process. From the beginning, the new regiment of the Eighth Route Army used pangolins to release information about attacking Taiyuan.
The Japanese army fell into the rhythm of the Eighth Route Army step by step. They followed the Eighth Route Army's rhythm and passively defended, being led by the nose.
Only when the Eighth Route Army attacked four important strategic targets almost simultaneously did Okamura Neji react.
The strategic goal of the Eighth Route Army must be one of them.
Okamura Neiji never guessed that the Eighth Route Army actually wanted to annihilate the 33rd and 37th Divisions.
Needless to say, Niangziguan must have also been attacked by the Eighth Route Army.
Okamura suddenly realized that there was a master in the Eighth Route Army!
Such a meticulous and clever battle plan is not something that anyone at the Eighth Route Army headquarters could come up with.
Could it be that the person who wrote "On Protracted War" took action?
If he were defeated by that person, it wouldn't be a shame to lose this battle.
"General, what should we do now?" Seeing Okamura Neji deep in thought, Tanabe Moritake asked in a deep voice.
Now the 33rd Division and the 37th Division are definitely under the most ferocious attack from the Eighth Route Army and are in danger.
If we don't come up with countermeasures, the 33rd Division and the 37th Division will be doomed.
Okamura Neiji came back to his senses: "Since the strategic goal of the Eighth Route Army is to eliminate the 33rd Division and the 37th Division, and the Eighth Route Army heading north to Datong is also covering and assisting, then it will definitely not fight to the end with the 1st Division, so each party There is no need to go to Datong to reinforce the 1st Division."
"Order!"
Okamura Neji stared at the map for a while and then shouted loudly.
Tanabe Moritake and Arisu Seizan hurriedly stood up and stood at attention.
Okamura Ningji said: "The 1st Cavalry Brigade, 21st Division, and 35th Division reinforced the 33rd Division stationed in Yangquan, and the 4th Cavalry Brigade, 110th Division, and the Garrison Stationed in Hebei Province reinforced the 37th Division. Regiment, the main force of the Mongolian Army continues to reinforce the 1st Division."
Although there is still a 41st Division stationed in Taiyuan, Okamura Neji did not dare to send the 41st Division to reinforce the 33rd Division.
Because the Eighth Route Army attacking the Taigu defense line had a total of 60,000 main elites.
Once the 41st Division is transferred out of Taiyuan, this elite force, the main force of the Eighth Route Army, will most likely fake it and really attack Taiyuan.
"Hi!"
Tanabe Moritake closed the folder and lowered his head suddenly.
…
Taiyuan.
First Army Headquarters.
At this time, Yoshio Iwamatsu was panicking.
The main force of the Eighth Route Army actually came out from behind and surrounded the 33rd and 37th Divisions!
Will an Eighth Route Army suddenly appear from the north and surround Taiyuan?
at the same time.
Yoshio Iwamatsu was also a little lucky. Fortunately, he didn't take a plane to Yangquan two days ago.
A few days ago, intelligence came from the North China Front Army Headquarters that the Eighth Route Army was going to mobilize heavy troops to attack Taiyuan.
Iwasatsu Yoshio was really frightened at that time.
I almost wanted to move the First Army Headquarters to Yangquan, and go by plane.
Fortunately, I didn't go, otherwise the First Army Headquarters would have been surrounded by the main force of the Eighth Route Army by this time.
But then he thought about it, and Yoshio Iwamatsu felt his heart in his throat again.
The 33rd Division and the 37th Division were surrounded by the main force of the Eighth Route Army. Once the 33rd Division and the 37th Division were wiped out by the Eighth Route Army, he, the commander of the First Army, would definitely bear the blame.
With luck, he will be removed from his post as commander of the First Army.
If you are unlucky, you might be regarded as the scapegoat and ordered to have a disembowelment to apologize.
It would be best to be removed from the position of commander of the First Army. He had no longer wanted to be the commander of the First Army.
I'm worried all day long, and I can't eat well or sleep well. Who wants to be the commander? Anyway, I, Yoshio Iwamatsu, don't want to be the commander.
At this time, Yoshio Iwamatsu regretted it very much.
If I had known this, it would not have been so troublesome to pretend to be ill and resign as commander of the First Army.
"Your Excellency Commander!"
The communications staff officer hurriedly walked in and reported to Iwasatsu Yoshio:
"An urgent message was sent from the North China Front Army Headquarters. The 21st Division, 35th Division, 110th Division, 1st Cavalry Brigade, 4th Cavalry Brigade, and the garrison troops stationed in Hebei Province are working at full speed to reinforce the 33rd Division and The 37th Division!”
A glimmer of hope suddenly ignited in Iwamatsu Yoshio's eyes.
"Immediately forward this telegram to the 33rd Division and the 37th Division, and order that Shouyang and Yangquan must be defended!"
"Hi!"
The communications staff member lowered his head, then turned and left.
…
A hint of fish belly white appears on the horizon.
Five kilometers south of Yangquan.
On a hidden hilltop, Zheng Yu, commander of the 2nd Battalion of the New Regiment, looked at a village opposite with his binoculars.
A combat staff officer reported nearby: "This village is called Xiaohe Village. It is a well-known large village with hundreds of households. The enemy who fled into this village is an infantry brigade of the 227th Regiment of the Japanese Army."
In the field of view of the telescope, the Japanese army is building a position quickly.
They tried to resist stubbornly in this village and wait for reinforcements to arrive.
"Are there any ordinary people in the village?" Zheng Yu asked calmly.
In the middle of last night, the 2nd Hessian Battalion and the 3rd Hessian Battalion of the new regiment, led by Zheng Yu and Xu Yonghai, the main force of nearly ten thousand people quietly bypassed Yangquan City and headed south.
Not long after, they encountered the Japanese 227th Regiment and the 37th Mountain Artillery Regiment, which had withdrawn from their positions, 5 kilometers away from Yangquan.
The two sides immediately exchanged fire. The Japanese artillery 37th Regiment started an artillery battle with the artillery of the two synthetic battalions of the New 1st Regiment.
After that, a new regiment of 82mm mortars and 60mm mortars joined in, and hundreds of artillery pieces fired at the Japanese 227th Regiment and the 37th Mountain Artillery Regiment.
In addition, the 386th Brigade also attacked from behind, and the Japanese 227th Regiment and the 37th Mountain Artillery Regiment were directly dispersed.
Among them, a group of more than 1,000 Japs entered Xiaohe Village.
At this time, Xiaohe Village was completely surrounded by the Eighth Route Army.
The combat staff officer said with certainty: "There are no ordinary people. During the battle last night, all the ordinary people in Xiaohe Village ran away."
"Since there are no common people." Zheng Yu raised the corners of his mouth and narrowed his eyes, "Then we can let our hands and feet go."
"Pass my order to combine all the artillery fire of the 2nd Battalion and fire half of the base number of artillery shells at Xiaohe Village."
"Destroy these devils before we have breakfast!"
"Yes!" the combat staff responded, immediately grabbed the mobile phone, and shouted loudly, "Concentrate all artillery fire, fire half the base number of shells, destroy the Japanese, and then have breakfast!"
Not long after the words fell.
From all directions, more than 200 artillery pieces of the Second Synthetic Battalion fired in unison, and the shells hit Xiaohe Village with a sharp whistling sound.
The combined second battalion includes the main second battalion, the seventh divisional battalion and the eighth divisional battalion, with a total strength of nearly 8,000 people.
Each infantry battalion is equipped with 12 75mm mountain guns, 24 82mm mortars and dozens of 60mm mortars.
In terms of artillery firepower, it is extremely abnormal.
Boom boom boom…
With the deafening roar of the explosion, Xiaohe Village was suddenly plunged into smoke, mud mist and sea of fire.
The Japanese hiding in Xiaohe Village were blown up and fled in all directions, but they could not escape.
After half an hour of shelling, the Second Battalion fired more than 10,000 artillery shells at Xiaohe Village.
"Infantry press forward!"
Looking at the ruins of the small river village in the field of telescope, Zheng Yu gave the order with a satisfied expression.
(End of chapter)
