Chapter 994 is heating up!
Beiping.
Iron Lion Alley.
Japanese North China Front Headquarters.
"Your Excellency, General, I just received news from the Locust Army in Shimen City and Zhengding. After the Eighth Route Army planes bombed, hundreds of heavy artillery shelled an hour later..."
"The tanks and infantry of the Eighth Route Army launched an attack on the forward positions of the Locust Army and the Locust Alliance Army."
Communications staff officer Haruo Kiya quickly walked into the operations hall and bowed his head to report to Neji Okamura.
Okamura Neiji's face changed slightly, and he looked at the huge Shimen City battlefield sand table. The direction of Shimen City was the main attack direction of the Eighth Route Army. The trenches were clearly visible, and even the artillery positions were represented by several cylinders.
The quality of the Japanese combat staff is still very high.
But at this time, the faces of the operational staff of the headquarters were extremely solemn.
The Eighth Route Army dispatched planes to bomb, and hundreds of heavy artillery bombarded the area for an hour.
And this may be just the Eighth Route Army's first trial attack. The gap between the Locust Army and the Eighth Route Army is like a chasm.
Currently, the entire North China Front only has a few dozen heavy artillery pieces.
There are not many artillery shells, and they cannot be used easily. Once discovered by the Eighth Route Army's aircraft, they will only end up being wiped out by the Eighth Route Army's aerial bombs.
Calculated based on each heavy artillery firing 5 shells per minute.
Each heavy artillery can fire 300 rounds in an hour.
Hundreds of heavy artillery means tens of thousands or even more than 100,000 rounds of heavy artillery shells.
It was just a test bombardment... The wealth of the Eighth Route Army was beyond the imagination of their combat staff.
"How long can the Locust Army and the Locust Alliance Army in Shimen City resist the Eighth Route Army's attack?"
Okamura Neji asked with a slight frown.
The commander of the 11th Division, Takamori Takashi, has already made a report on the situation in the Jinzhou area to the North China Front Army Headquarters.
The Eighth Route Army's Jizhong troops actually built field fortifications in advance.
This shows that Li Yunlong, the frontline commander of the Eighth Route Army, has guessed that the 11th Division, 40th Division and 56th Division will attack the Jizhong troops.
When Neji Okamura heard the telegram, he couldn't help being surprised. Li Yunlong actually guessed his next move!
I thought in my heart that Li Yunlong was really a formidable opponent.
However, this was not the first time Okamura Neji fought against Li Yunlong, and he quickly regained his composure.
soon.
Okamura Neiji, who regained his composure, also guessed Li Yunlong's strategic intention.
Let the Jizhong troops of the Eighth Route Army hold back the 11th, 40th and 56th Divisions of the Locust Army in the Jinzhou area.
After the main force of the new Eighth Route Army regiment captured Shimen City, they took advantage of mechanization to quickly bring reinforcements and surrounded the 11th Division, 40th Division and 56th Division.
A standard center bloom tactic.
Don’t you, Li Yunlong, just want to eat the 11th, 40th and 56th Divisions of the Locust Army?
Then I, Okamura Neiji, will take advantage of this mentality of yours, Li Yunlong, and eat your Eighth Route Army Jizhong troops first.
Now.
It depends on how long the Locust Army and the Locust Alliance Army in Shimen City and Zhengding can hold back the main force of the Eighth Route Army.
Okamura Neiji's requirements are not high. As long as the Locust Army and the Locust Alliance Army here can fight for the main force of the 11th Division, 40th Division and 56th Division, it is enough.
In one day, the 11th Division, the 40th Division and the 56th Division can defeat or even the entire Eighth Route Army's Jizhong troops.
Break the myth of the Eighth Route Army's invincibility.
If the Eighth Route Army's Jizhong troops could be defeated or even completely annihilated, it would be a great advantage for the subsequent decisive battle between the main force of the Locust Army and the main force of the Eighth Route Army.
after all.
This is the actual main force of the 60,000 to 70,000 Eighth Route Army.
"this…"
"The remaining Locust Army is not very effective in combat, but the 2nd Front Army of the Locust Alliance is an elite unit of the Locust Alliance, and its combat effectiveness is comparable to the elite units of the China National Army."
"There should be no problem if the Locust Army and the Locust Alliance Army join forces to block the Eighth Route Army's attack for a day."
Youmo Jingsan answered with an uncertain tone.
Facing the attack of hundreds of tanks and hundreds of heavy artillery pieces of the Eighth Route Army, he did not dare to say anything.
What kind of army is the Locust Alliance Army?
They are just a bunch of ragtag people, do they deserve to be called an army?
To say that 30,000 Locust Army can block the new regiment's attack in one day, Mo Jingsan will definitely believe it, but 30,000 Locust Alliance Army... 3 hours is considered an overestimation of the Locust Alliance Army.
If there were not nearly 3,000 Locust troops in Shimen City and Zhengding, I am afraid that the Eighth Route Army's first wave of aerial bombs washed the ground and covered the ground with heavy artillery shells, and the Locust Alliance Army would have collapsed.
"We must order the Locust Army and the Locust Alliance Army in Shimen City and Zhengding to hold their positions for one day..."
Before Okamura Neji finished speaking, a telegraph soldier hurried in and reported to Okamura Neji and Arisu Seizan:
"General, just now the Shimen City Locust Army reported via radio to the 11th Division Regiment and Headquarters that the forward position has been lost and the Eighth Route Army's offensive is very fierce. The Locust Army there is requesting tactical guidance!"
"Nani?"
"So fast?"
Okamura Neji was stunned when he heard this.
The Eighth Route Army had just started its offensive and the forward position was lost?
On the side were Su Seizo, Yamamoto Kazuki and a group of Japanese staff officers, whose expressions suddenly changed.
Because the Japanese in Shimen City initially sent a telegram to the 11th Division and copied it to the North China Front Army Headquarters.
But this time, the Eighth Route Army captured the frontline positions of the Japanese and puppet troops with just one probing attack.
The Japanese commander in Shimen City immediately panicked and reported the situation directly over the radio and requested tactical guidance.
Sue Seizo, Yamamoto Kazuki and a group of Japanese combat staff officers were silent.
According to the offensive efficiency of the Eighth Route Army, it would not take a day at all, but at most half a day, Shimen City and Zhengding would be captured by the Eighth Route Army.
Then, the main force of the Eighth Route Army can go all the way east to pursue the 11th Division, 40th Division and 56th Division.
The current war situation is not very good for the Japanese army.
As for why the Japanese and puppet troops did not retreat into Shimen City to fight street battles with the Eighth Route Army, but instead fought positional battles outside the city.
Originally, the main forces of the 11th Division, 40th Division and 56th Division were prepared to fight street battles with the Eighth Route Army.
However, the loss rate in street fighting is very high, and only the most elite troops have the courage to fight in street fighting.
Let the puppet troops fight in the streets. What if the puppet troops surrender directly?
In addition, now that the Japanese and puppet troops have withdrawn into Shimen City, the Eighth Route Army can encircle them instead of fighting, and just send the main force to bypass Shimen City to reinforce the Jizhong Eighth Route Army troops.
Therefore, the Japanese and puppet troops in Shimen City could only fight positional battles with the Eighth Route Army outside the city.
There is no choice.
"Order the Shimen City Locust Army and the Locust Alliance Army to block the Eighth Route Army's attack at all costs!"
"Then order the 6th Flying Division to dispatch the 10th Flying Team and the 34th Flying Team to immediately take off to reinforce Shimen City!"
Taking a deep breath and gritting his teeth, Okamura Neiji dispatched a fighter squadron and a bomber squadron.
Although these two teams may not come back if they go there.
But at this time, Okamura Neiji was like a gambler on the gambling table. He was already red-eyed. In order to win the round of annihilating the Eighth Route Army's Jizhong troops, he did not hesitate to put up more chips.
"Hi."
Communications staff officer Haruo Kiya suddenly lowered his head, then turned and left.
…
"Kill me..."
At the same time, on the Jinzhou battlefield, a Japanese captain wore a victory turban on his head, brandished a major command sword, and roared hysterically.
Under the leadership of this captain, the Japanese began their third attack on the main position of the Eighth Route Army's Jizhong Unit.
At this time, the battle has entered a fierce state.
Both the Jizhong troops and the Japanese suffered heavy casualties.
With the cooperation of 20 fighter jets and 20 attack aircraft from the 2nd Flying Group of the New Regiment, the Jizhong troops repelled two Japanese attacks.
And this is already the Japanese's third attack.
At this time, the fighters and bombers of the 2nd New Regiment Flying Group had returned to Taiyuan Airport.
Taking advantage of the absence of air support from the Eighth Route Army, the Japanese prepared to defeat the Jizhong Eighth Route Army in one go.
In several other directions, the Japanese's 40th Division and 56th Division are also attacking the two wings of the Jizhong troops.
The battle was extremely fierce, and the entire battlefield was filled with rumbling cannons and intensive gunfire. Soldiers on both sides were dying every second.
The direction of the main position.
"Boom, boom, boom..."
As the Japs approached, the artillery positions of the Eighth Route Army in central Hebei began to operate. Shells from 82mm mortars, 60mm mortars and 75mm mountain guns continued to explode in the Japs' formation, killing and injuring many Japs. .
This is the main position of the entire battlefield, and the troops attacking are the 22nd Brigade of the Japanese 11th Division.
Those defending the position were also the main elite troops of the Central Hebei Military Region.
On the way to the attack, five or six Japanese tanks were blown into empty shells by aerial bombs and burned there.
On the way to the attack, there were corpses of Japanese soldiers lying everywhere.
Many Eighth Route Army soldiers were also killed on the positions of the Eighth Route Army in central Hebei Province.
Several tanks led the Japanese infantry attack.
"Da da da da, da da da da da da..."
As the Japanese approached the position, the infantry of the Central Hebei Military Region opened fire, and Maxim and Czech gunfire rang out intensively.
On this main battlefield, a firepower network composed of more than 150 Maxim and Czech tanks kept the Japs of the 11th Division at a distance of 100 meters.
Although the Japanese had tanks, the Jizhong Eighth Route Army also lacked anti-tank weapons.
However, the number of Japanese tanks was too small and they could not play a decisive role in such an intensity offensive and defensive battle.
As two Japanese tanks were attacked by Eighth Route Army soldiers with meat bombs, they were successfully attacked.
The Japanese's third attack was fruitless. After leaving behind a large number of corpses, they retreated.
However, many soldiers in the Jizhong Military Region were killed by the Japanese's precise marksmanship, grenades and mortars.
…
"idiot!"
In a ground fortification, Takashi Takamori held up a telescope, looked at the repulsed Japanese troops, and cursed angrily.
The first two attacks were supported by aircraft from the Eighth Route Army, so it was normal for them to be repulsed.
However, the third attack organized by the 11th Division was defeated so quickly, which made Takashi Takamori feel bad for a moment.
This Jizhong Eighth Route Army is not as easy to deal with as imagined!
According to intelligence, the main force of the Central Hebei Eighth Route Army is just a group of mud-legged troops composed of farmers, and they can be easily defeated.
However, judging from the situation of the confrontation, the tenacity of the Eighth Route Army's fighting will was far beyond Takamori Takashi's expectations.
Of course, the 11th Division is no match for its tenacious will to fight alone.
In terms of their tenacious will to fight, the troops of the Type A Division who have been baptized in bushido and loyal to the empire and Locust are no worse than the Eighth Route Army in fighting will.
The most important thing is that the light and heavy machine gun firepower of the Jizhong Eighth Route Army is too fierce.
Not only are there many light and heavy machine guns, but there are also so many bullets, it’s like there’s no end to them!
Of course, judging from the sound of gunfire, the machine gunners of the Jizhong Eighth Route Army did not seem to have very rich shooting experience.
But it can't stand up to light and heavy machine guns and there are many bullets. It doesn't have enough experience, so it's just a matter of quantity.
Of course, if there are only light and heavy machine guns and a lot of bullets, the Japanese army can still cope with it. Infantry artillery, mortars and grenades, and the gunners of the Type A division can be said to hit wherever they point.
These can all deal with the machine gun firepower of the Eighth Route Army.
However, although the Eighth Route Army lacked heavy artillery firepower, it did not lose to the Japanese army in terms of light artillery firepower, or even exceeded it, and there were an absurd amount of artillery shells.
The three artillery regiments of the Japanese army have dispersed and carried out concealed bombardment, and the effect of the bombardment has been greatly reduced.
He did not dare to use them intensively for fear of being discovered and destroyed by the Eighth Route Army's planes.
"idiot!"
Seeing the disgraced captain of the 7th Infantry Battalion walking into the headquarters with bandages on his hands and personally leading the charge, Takamori Takashi was furious.
"Report to the general."
The captain of the 7th Battalion who retreated had a very ugly expression on his face, and his head was lowered:
"My brigade suffered more than 400 casualties, including 200 dead. Please give me another chance. This time I will cut off all the heads of the Eighth Route Army..."
Before he finished speaking, the captain of the 7th Battalion was slapped suddenly on the face.
The slaps were loud and clear.
One attack almost caused more than half of the casualties to an elite infantry brigade, which Takamori Takashi couldn't accept. Based on this casualty, how long would it take to defeat the Jizhong Eighth Route Army?
"Hi."
The captain of the 7th Battalion suddenly lowered his head and did not dare to speak.
"Where's our air support? Why hasn't our air support arrived yet?"
Takashi Takamori looked gloomy.
The Eighth Route Army's air support has come in two waves, but our own air support has yet to show up. What the hell is that?
The North China Front Army Headquarters has promised to send air support to the 11th Division, 40th Division and 56th Division.
Is Okamura Neji lying to me?
Wanting to defeat the Eighth Route Army in Central Hebei, but not wanting to send air support, Okamura Neiji made it clear that he wanted the horses to run but not to let them eat grass.
While Takamori Takashi was angry, the communications staff officer walked in with a telegram in his hand and lowered his head to report: "General. General Okamura, the commander of the North China Front, just sent a telegram. The 83rd Flying Team and the 47th Flying Team have taken off from the airport. On the way to the Jinju battlefield, we arrived over the Jinju battlefield at about 11:30 in the morning. General Okamura ordered us to guide the aviation force to bomb the Eighth Route Army positions when the plane arrived."
The 83rd is a fighter squadron, and the 47th is a bomber squadron.
Once the war breaks out in the Jinzhou area, the Eighth Route Army will definitely send aircraft for air reinforcements.
In order to avoid the sharp edge of the Eighth Route Army's fighter units, the Japanese Air Force waited until the Eighth Route Army's bombing was completed before sending out their fighter and bomber teams.
"Yoshi!"
Hearing that the headquarters had dispatched two teams, Takashi Takamori suddenly felt confident:
"Next, the 5th Infantry Group will take over the attack from the 7th Group."
"After the aviation bombed the Eighth Route Army's position, the 5th Battalion immediately rushed up and captured the Eighth Route Army's position. Then the entire army launched an attack and defeated the Jizhong Eighth Route Army in one fell swoop."
"Hi!"
All the Japs bowed their heads.
(End of chapter)
