"Hi!"
The communications staff officer lowered his head: "Each mopping up unit reported that they were all subjected to fierce shelling, and the Eighth Route Infantry's offensive was also extremely fierce."
"Currently, 5 sweep forces have lost contact."
The division chief of staff, Ishida Kinzo, threw the slide rule on the map and said: "Your Excellency, division commander, something is wrong."
Hirata Kenkichi glanced at Ishida Kinzo coldly: "Do you even need to say this?"
Ishida Kinzo said bravely: "Your Excellency, Division Commander, judging from the current situation, the Eighth Route Army seems to want to concentrate its troops and firepower to break through from our direction, and then move the entire bandit area's troops and civilians from Xiangyuan and Licheng to
Fleeing south."
Hirata Kenkichi narrowed his eyes slightly: "You mean, the Chinese people in the Eighth Route Army and their bandit areas are planning to flee to southern Shanxi?"
One difference between the Eighth Route Army and the National Army is that the Eighth Route Army had to take the common people with them when they broke out from encirclement.
When the national army was surrounded by Japanese soldiers and broke through, they would either surrender or leave the people behind and run away.
The national army cannot adopt the tactic of breaking out and breaking into pieces because the cohesion of the national army is low, and many soldiers are recruited from strong men after being captured.
Except for a very small number of elite troops of the national army, once the other troops are reduced to pieces, the team will be dispersed and lose their combat effectiveness, let alone breakout.
Ishida Kinzo's expression became solemn and his tone was urgent: "Your Excellency, Division Commander, this time the Eighth Route Army's response method is different from all the previous ones. It seems that the Eighth Route Army has changed its anti-mopping tactics. We must immediately order the troops on the outside to rush to rescue, and at the same time, this
Report the situation to the headquarters."
Hirata Kenkichi leaned on the Lieutenant General's command sword and thought for a long time.
More than 20 mopping up troops were attacked at the same time, and they all reported heavy losses. However, Kenkichi Hirata still didn't know how heavy the losses were.
However, what is certain is that the Eighth Route Army's offensive was very fierce and fierce, using at least 100 cannons over 75 mm.
If the first wave of mopping up troops were not 5,000 Japanese troops and 5,000 Imperial Army troops, but more than 10,000 Japanese troops, they would definitely be able to block the Eighth Route Army's offensive.
But now there are only 5,000 Japanese troops, and the Eighth Route Army has the advantage in strength and firepower. The mopping up troops will definitely not be able to withstand it.
Should we ask the mopping up troops to retreat immediately, or wait for reinforcements?
Retreating would be equivalent to opening up a gap, and the Eighth Route Army would definitely take the opportunity to let a large number of people go south.
"Report, urgent call from Tetsuro Inokura of the 226th Regiment!"
At this moment, the communications staff officer walked in hurriedly with a telegram in his hand, paused, and then reported the report.
"read!"
"Hi!" The communications officer lowered his head, then picked up the telegram and read: "The captain of the 5th Battalion of the 226th Regiment, Hamachi Kiyo Taishao Zuo, was raiding the area of Shangzhuang Village and Guanyan Village when he encountered the main force of the Eighth Route Army. Hamachi Shaozuo was attacked.
The artillery shelling broke the jade into pieces, His Majesty the Emperor carried it on board, and the Imperial Japanese Army carried it on board!"
"Baga!" Hirata Kenkichi heard this and cursed angrily.
Hirata Kenkichi turned around, walked to the map, pointed at the map and said: "Order all the mopping up troops to gather in groups, search for the hills on the spot, build fortifications, and wait for reinforcements."
"Order the 227th Regiment and the 6th Battalion of the 226th Regiment to rush to rescue immediately!"
The area north of Xiangyuan and Licheng is all mountainous.
The mopping up troops almost always sweep along the main roads and small roads, searching for the hills on the spot, which can completely cut off the southward passage of the Eighth Route Army and civilians.
"Hi!" The communications staff officer turned and left.
Later, Hirata Kenkichi said to Chief of Staff Ishida Kinzo: "Ishida-kun, please prepare a telegram immediately to report the situation of our department and your and my speculations to Commander Shinozuka."
"Hai!" Ishida Kinzo Daizuo suddenly stood up and lowered his head, then put his feet back and stood at attention.
…
"Nani?"
"The mopping up troops of the 37th Division were attacked fiercely by the Eighth Route Army and suffered heavy losses?"
Taiyuan, Japanese First Army Headquarters, the communications staff officer finished reading the telegram sent by the 37th Division.
Yoshio Shinozuka and Hideyoshi Kusuyama were stunned for a moment, and their expressions also changed to one of astonishment.
The Eighth Route Army was not breaking out, but attacking the 37th Division?
Shinozuka Yoshio and Kusuyama Hideyoshi quickly walked to the map and looked at Xiangyuan and the area north of Licheng.
"Kusuyama-kun, where is the current position of the 37th Division's mopping up troops?" Shinozuka Yoshio asked in a deep voice.
"Follow the advancing speed of the 37th Division's mopping up troops."
Kusuyama Hideyoshi took a pencil and scale and drew a straight line on the map.
This straight line is almost parallel to the line connecting the two points of Xiangyuan County and Licheng County on the map.
Kusuyama Hideyoshi pointed to the map and said: "Commander, please see, although the mopping up troops are one or two kilometers away from each other, they are basically moving forward together, so the mopping up troops of the 37th Division should be near this line at this time."
Yoshio Shinozuka took a look and found that it was only 20 kilometers away from the county seat. The reinforcements of the 37th Division could arrive in a hurry march in three hours at most.
At that moment, Yoshio Shinozuka breathed a sigh of relief. The situation in the 37th Division had not deteriorated too much.
However, Yoshio Shinozuka, who had a keen sense of smell, still smelled something unusual.
Something is wrong, so wrong.
The Eighth Route Army, which always likes to break into pieces and break out of encirclements, actually takes the initiative to attack the imperial army frontally?
Who gave the Eighth Route Army the courage?
You know, not only the 37th Division participated in the sweep this time, but also the 2nd Guards Division and six other elite infantry regiments.
With four Japanese divisions and three puppet divisions, what could the Eighth Route Army do?
Even if the Eighth Route Army withstood this time and both sides suffered heavy losses, the Japanese army could continue to mobilize troops and replenish combat supplies.
And if you are poor and destitute, what can you do to support the next raid?
Kusuyama Hideyoshi was silent for a while, and then said: "Your Excellency, Commander, this may... be an opportunity for the Imperial Army to gather together and annihilate the main force of the Eighth Route Army!"
"Oh?" Yoshio Shinozuka narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, "How can you see it?"
Kusuyama Hideyoshi shook his hands at the map: "Commander, please see that the 14th Brigade and the 18th Brigade are currently in the northwest and northeast of the 37th Division. We only need to order the 14th Brigade and the 18th Brigade to give up the sweep.
, attack and encircle the area where the 37th Division is responsible for mopping up, and we can annihilate the main force of the Eighth Route Army."
Yoshio Shinozuka asked: "What do you mean, let the troops of the 14th Brigade and the 18th Brigade on the outside also rush to support the 37th Division and give up their positions. If the Eighth Route Army and the Chinese people escape from the east and west directions,
what to do?"
Kusuyama Hideyoshi said calmly: "It depends on how your Excellency, Commander, chooses. Do you want to annihilate the Eighth Route Army attacking the 37th Division, or do you want to kill the Eighth Route Army and the common people who are scattered and fleeing."
"If the eight forces attacking the 37th Division are left alone, the 37th Division is likely to be defeated."
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"A large number of troops from the Eighth Route Army and Chinese civilians will flee southward through this gap."
Yoshio Shinozuka said disapprovingly: "The reinforcements of the 37th Division have been dispatched on the outside. They can arrive in three hours at most. Kusuzan-kun, do you think the Eighth Route Army can defeat the 37th Division?"
Kusuyama Hideyoshi's tone was certain: "The 37th Division will definitely be defeated. The telegram sent by Lieutenant General Hirata said that the Eighth Route Army used at least 100 75 mountain guns and even a lot of 105 howitzers, while the 37th Division only had 32
Mountain cannon."
"In previous battles with the Eighth Route Army, the Eighth Route Army never fought head-on with the imperial army."
"This time, the Eighth Route Army was uncharacteristically attacking the 37th Division. This shows that the Eighth Route Army felt that they were very confident in defeating the 37th Division."
"I believe that it is only a matter of time before the 37th Division is defeated."
After listening to Kusuyama Hideyoshi's analysis, Shinozuka Yoshio's expression changed: "Kusuyama-kun, immediately order the 14th Brigade and the 18th Brigade to assist the 37th Division."
"Hi!" Kusuyama Hideyoshi suddenly paused and prepared to turn around and walk out.
"Wait!" Yoshio Shinozuka stopped Kusuyama Hideyoshi and said: "Order the 18th Brigade to separate a regiment and the Imperial Army's troops to attack in the direction of the sky and destroy the Eighth Route Arsenal."
"Hi!" Kusuyama Hideyoshi paused again, turned around and walked towards the communications room.
The command is relatively simple and can be dictated directly to the transmitter.
It is enough for 5 Japanese regiments and 1 puppet military division to rush to support the 37th Division.
In Kusuyama Hideyoshi's view, although the 37th Division could not defeat the Eighth Route Army, it should not be a big problem if it persisted for two days.
The 14th Brigade and the 18th Brigade are only over 40 kilometers away from the 37th Division. In two days, they could crawl across it.
Yoshio Shinozuka also had a sneer on his lips: The Imperial Army has a great chance of winning.
…
"Old Li, the results and casualties of each attacking force have been calculated."
Xiying Town.
At the headquarters of the Taihang Column, Zhao Gang took a notebook and reported to Li Yunlong:
"In the first wave of attacks, we invested a total of 36 battalions of troops, fired a total of more than 2,400 artillery shells, and wiped out more than 5,000 enemies. We suffered more than 600 casualties."
This is the advantage of each company and above being equipped with walkie-talkies. Not only can they report the battle situation in a timely manner, but they can also report the number of enemies killed and their own casualties in a timely manner.
The puppet troops were used as cannon fodder, so of the more than 5,000 enemy soldiers who were annihilated, at least 3,000 were puppet troops, and the captured puppet troops were also included.
Closing the notebook, Zhao Gang smiled slightly: "This battle went more smoothly than expected. In just the first wave of attacks, half of the enemy's mopping up troops were killed."
Even if 3,000 puppet troops were removed, 2,000 Japanese soldiers were annihilated, and our own side only suffered 600 casualties. The casualty ratio between the Eighth Route Army and Japanese soldiers was almost 1 to 3.3.
Moreover, except for a few groups of troops that had conditions for ambush, basically the attacking troops defeated the Japanese frontally.
"With more than 100 mountain guns and more than 30 howitzers, we have a huge advantage in strength and firepower, and we have sufficient ammunition."
Li Yunlong waved his hand and said: "If you still can't defeat the Japanese, you might as well go home and take care of your children."
Huang Erhu answered the call, and then turned to report to Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang: "Report, Ding Wei's attack group reported that the remnants of the Japanese and puppet troops on the left retreated to Mahu Mountain to resist stubbornly, with more than 1,000 troops. Commander Ding Wei asked for instructions whether to launch a general offensive?
"
"Launch a general offensive immediately!" Li Yunlong said without hesitation: "At this time, we must completely defeat the Japanese and puppet troops in one go, without leaving the enemy any chance to breathe!"
"Yes!" Huang Erhu turned around and gave Ding Wei an order.
Not long after, Kong Jie and Cheng Shifa also received the same report. The Japanese and puppet troops gathered together to occupy the top of the mountain and resisted stubbornly.
Li Yunlong's order was equally domineering and resolute: attack and kill all the bastards of the Japanese and puppet troops!
This chapter has been completed!