The Commander of the Mongolian Army, Jutaro Amakasu, frowned even deeper when he heard this.
Since the full-scale Sino-Japanese war broke out in 1937.
The firepower of the Japanese army was to comprehensively suppress the Chinese army. The weapons, equipment and logistical supplies of both sides were not at the same level.
Even the national army on the frontal battlefield was no match for the Japanese army, let alone the Eighth Route Army in the ravine.
The troops stationed in Mongolia also often fought against the Eighth Route Army.
Although the Eighth Route Army frequently succeeded in attacking highways and railways, it never dared to confront the main force of the Mongolian army.
Although the Eighth Route Army that fought against the Mongolian army was large in number, it had poor equipment and lacked ammunition.
The Eighth Route Army in Shanxi, northwest of Shanxi, has five times the firepower of the Locust Army with the same strength.
Can you believe this?
Of course, I definitely believe it, but it’s a little hard to believe.
After a pause, Kuroda Shigenori continued: "A few months ago, the Eighth Route Army ambushed the 1st Division on the road, using more than 1,000 artillery pieces and a tank regiment."
"The 1st Division's more than 20,000 main troops were surrounded by the Eighth Route Army for several hours. Except for the more than 5,000 people who escaped, all the rest were in pieces."
"Moreover, the five-fold firepower was only a few months ago. Now the firepower of the Eighth Route Army in Northwestern Shanxi is probably even stronger."
Jutaro Amakasu nodded and said in a solemn tone: "Yesterday, a telegram was sent from the North China Front Army Headquarters. The telegram said that the main force of the Eighth Route Army attacking Datong was suspected to have the heavy artillery firepower of an artillery division."
"Just one round of shelling destroyed a brigade of more than 1,000 locust soldiers."
"This shows how powerful the Eighth Route Army's firepower is."
Although the commander of the North China Front, Okamura Neiji, ordered the troops stationed in Mongolia to go to Datong as soon as possible to relieve the siege of the 1st Division.
But Amakasu Jutaro is not a fool. Compared with the Japanese First Army, the number of troops stationed in Mongolia is not large.
He didn't have much capital at hand. If he spent all his capital to reinforce the First Army, it would be very difficult for him.
"The heavy artillery firepower of an artillery division?"
Kuroda Shigenori suddenly opened his eyes wide and breathed rapidly.
Two months ago, the artillery firepower of the Eighth Route Army in northwestern Shanxi was not so powerful.
Only two months have passed, and the Eighth Route Army actually has the heavy artillery firepower of an artillery division.
A heavy artillery division, according to the Japanese army's establishment, consists of at least two heavy artillery brigades, and one heavy artillery brigade governs two heavy artillery regiments.
A heavy artillery regiment is equipped with at least 20 150mm cannons and 10 240mm heavy howitzers.
Calculated in this way, a heavy artillery division has at least 120 cannons with a caliber of 150 mm or more.
And this is at least, considering the wealth of the Eighth Route Army and the firepower that can kill a large army of locusts in one shelling, the Eighth Route Army's artillery is probably more than 200 heavy artillery pieces.
Seeing that Kuroda Shigenori was a little stunned, Lieutenant General Nishihara Issaku, commander of the 3rd Tank Division, who had been silent until now, spoke.
"Your Excellency, Commander, I think it is unlikely that the Eighth Route Army will have a heavy artillery division."
"Oh?" Jutaro Amakasu's expression changed, "Why did Nishihara-kun say that?"
Lieutenant General Nishihara Yice said in a deep voice: "If the Eighth Route Army really has a heavy artillery division, let alone the First Army in Shanxi, even the North China Front Army will have to stay away from the edge."
"The entire Imperial Japanese Army has a total of 6 heavy artillery brigades, and according to the establishment, there are only 3 artillery divisions."
"I guess that the Eighth Route Army attacking Datong must have 150mm heavy artillery, but the number will not be too many, at most one heavy artillery regiment."
Major General Kanji Tsuneoka, commander of the Independent 2nd Mixed Brigade, said: "Your Excellency, Lieutenant General, then the 1st Division reported to the North China Front Army Headquarters that the Eighth Route Army has a heavy artillery division. How to explain this?"
"This is easy to explain." Nishihara Yice said expressionlessly, "It is very likely that the 1st Division was afraid of being wiped out by the Eighth Route Army and deliberately exaggerated the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery firepower in order to request tactical guidance from the North China Front Army Headquarters. If the Eighth Route Army really had
Heavy artillery, such a large heavy artillery position, will the aviation force of the North China Front not be able to detect it?"
Amakasu Jutaro nodded: "What Nishihara-kun said seems to make some sense."
After a pause, Jutaro Amakasu asked: "Nishihara-kun, can your 3rd Tank Division destroy the heavy tanks of the Eighth Route Army?"
at the moment.
The artillery force in the hands of Jutaro Amakasu included the 26th Mountain Artillery Regiment and the 3rd Tank Division's field artillery, howitzers and cannons, a total of 36 pieces.
and an artillery battalion of the 2nd Mixed Brigade.
In addition, the 1st Division also has a heavy artillery regiment. In terms of artillery firepower, the main force of the Mongolian Army and the 1st Division combined are still lagging behind the Eighth Route Army.
But the real trump card in Amakasu Jutaro's hand is the 3rd Tank Division.
The 3rd Tank Division has the 5th Tank Brigade and the 6th Tank Brigade.
The 5th Tank Brigade has the 8th Tank Regiment and the 12th Tank Regiment.
The 6th Tank Brigade has the 13th Tank Regiment and the 17th Tank Regiment.
Among them, the 13th Tank Regiment was completely wiped out by the New Regiment once, and the 17th Tank Regiment was also severely damaged by the New Regiment.
When the 3rd Tank Division was formed, the 13th Tank Regiment and the 17th Tank Regiment were also rebuilt.
In addition, the 3rd Tank Division also has a mechanized artillery wing, a mechanized infantry wing, a rapid-fire artillery team, a search team, an air defense team, an engineering team, a maintenance team, and a baggage team.
The total strength is 14,000.
Each tank regiment is equipped with 14 light tanks and 57 medium tanks, which is about more than 300 tanks, and most of them are medium tanks.
It is also equipped with nearly 100 armored vehicles.
It looks very strong in combat, but its actual combat effectiveness is also very strong.
Of course, it is limited to the Chinese battlefield.
The 3rd Tank Division is mainly stationed in the Soviet-Mongolian border area to defend against Soviet troops in the Far East.
However, this time the First Army stationed in Shanxi encountered a fatal threat, so Okamura Neji ordered the 3rd Tank Division to be transferred to reinforce the First Army.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Currently, the entire Japanese army only has three tank divisions.
In November 1941, the Japanese Army Observation Team went to Germany for an inspection. The team included Yamashita Nobumi and many other famous Japanese military figures.
After witnessing the power of the "Blitzkrieg" of the German armored forces, these Japanese officers were shocked.
Immediately after returning home, it was recommended that tanks be used intensively to take advantage of their rapid maneuverability and strong assault power.
In addition, the Eighth Route Army used what the Japanese thought were heavy tanks on the battlefield, and the Japanese army formed the 1st Tank Division, the 2nd Tank Division and the 3rd Tank Division overnight.
Nishihara Issaku spoke solemnly: "My 17th Tank Regiment has fought against the tank unit of the New 1st Regiment of the Eighth Route Army. The main gun of our Type 97 medium tank cannot destroy the armor of the Eighth Route Army's heavy tank."
In the Battle of Xinzhou, the Eighth Route Army's heavy tanks directly inflicted heavy damage on the 17th Tank Regiment in one encounter.
If the 108th Artillery Regiment in the rear had not opened fire in time, the 17th Tank Regiment would have been completely wiped out.
Jutaro Amakasu frowned: "Can't you even penetrate the turret?"
"Yes!" Nishihara Issaku said helplessly, "The armor of the Eighth Route Army tanks is very thick. Our tank main gun cannot even penetrate the turret armor of the Eighth Route Army tanks. According to the analysis of the tank soldiers of the 17th Tank Regiment after the war, the Eighth Route Army
The armor thickness of the main battle tank can reach up to 100 mm, but the armor-piercing projectiles of the main gun of the Eighth Route Tank can destroy the Locust Army's tanks from any position."
Generally speaking, the sides of the turret are the weakest parts of the tank armor.
Tank battles generally move to the flanks and penetrate the tank's turret from the side, and then the metal turbulence caused by the explosion of the shells causes damage to the enemy tank soldiers in the tank.
Amakasu Jutaro's face darkened slightly.
Armor thickness 100mm?
The 47mm main gun of the Type 97 tank can only penetrate 50mm thick steel armor using armor-piercing projectiles.
The Panther tanks equipped by the New Regiment and the Eighth Route Army Headquarters are not only optimized in terms of power system, but also in terms of armor, and have strong defensive capabilities.
Even on both sides of the upper turret, the armor thickness is 60 mm thick.
It can't be penetrated, it can't be penetrated at all.
"As far as I know." Nishihara Yice added, "The Eighth Route Army is also equipped with a large number of weapons called anti-tank rocket launchers, which can easily destroy the tanks of the Locust Army."
"but……"
Nishihara Yice changed the subject:
"Our troops are equipped with four types of anti-tank mines. Although these mines are not widely equipped, they can penetrate 150 mm of armor and can definitely destroy the heavy tanks of the Eighth Route Army."
Jutaro Amakasu's eyes lit up slightly.
The Ordnance Department of the Japanese Army gave 100 thorn mines to the First Army, and then also gave 100 thorn mines to the 3rd Tank Division, followed by an additional 200 thorn mines.
After all, the 3rd Tank Division's main defense was the Soviet army's steel torrent.
The Battle of Nomenkan, the Soviet army's torrent of steel, taught the Japanese army a lesson.
However, Amakasu Jutaro did not pay too much attention to this weapon. After all, the Soviet Union and Japan signed a non-aggression treaty.
Nishihara Issei did take it seriously. After all, it was one of the few anti-tank weapons of the Japanese army.
Therefore, Nishihara Issaku formed an anti-tank brigade with more than 600 troops, and every two soldiers carried a thorn mine.
In addition to stabbing mines, anti-tank brigade soldiers also carry Molotov cocktails.
During the Battle of Nomenkan, the Japanese army used Molotov cocktails to attack Soviet tanks, and achieved certain results.
These soldiers are full of fanaticism and admiration for the Locust. Their minds are filled with the spirit of Bushido and they can serve the Empire of Japan and the Locust anytime and anywhere.
Nishihara Issaku had even thought out the tactics: "According to intelligence, the Eighth Route Army does not have many heavy tanks! My anti-tank brigade hides behind the tanks, approaches the Eighth Route Army's heavy tanks, and then uses thorn mines to destroy the Eighth Route Army's tanks."
Kuroda Shigenori, commander of the 26th Division, raised a question: "Nishihara-kun, the Eighth Route Army's main battle tank destroyed your tank a few hundred meters away. How can your anti-tank brigade get close to the Eighth Route Army's tanks?"
"It's very simple." Nishihara Issaku smiled slightly, "Use smoke grenades to obscure the Eighth Route Army's vision, and the anti-tank brigade uses thorn mines and incendiary bottles to get close to destroying the Eighth Route Army's tanks."
"As long as we can destroy the tanks of the Eighth Route Army, our 3rd Tank Division will launch an armored group attack on the Eighth Route Army's positions."
After a pause, Xiyuan said confidently: "The Eighth Route Army will be defeated, and the Locust Army will win!"
This chapter has been completed!