Peking.
The heavily guarded Iron Lion Alley.
Japanese Army North China Front Headquarters.
"No news yet from the Parachute Group?"
Seeing Communications Staff Officer Kitani Haruo walking in quickly with a telegram in his hand and an ugly face, Okamura Neji asked in a hoarse voice.
At this time, Okamura Neji was no longer as relaxed as he was yesterday.
The eyes behind the round-framed glasses were bloodshot, with a gloomy look and a solemn expression.
Last night, after the paratrooper brigade parachuted out to assemble the troops, they should immediately send a telegram to the North China Front Army Headquarters.
But until 12 o'clock at midnight, Okamura Neiji did not receive a telegram from the paratrooper brigade.
Okamura Neiji speculated that it might be the radio station of the paratrooper brigade, which was broken while parachuting.
It is very possible that the paratrooper brigade is already on its way to Niangziguan.
So in the middle of the night, Okamura Neji issued a combat order to Tanabe Moritake and broke out according to the original plan.
However, Okamura Neji's ideas are rich, but the reality is cruel.
The Japanese troops surrounded at Niangziguan were ambushed by the Eighth Route Army and blocked by fire from aircraft, artillery and hundreds of machine guns. Not only did the Japanese troops fail to break through, but they suffered heavy losses.
But the Japanese paratrooper brigade never showed up.
Even Tanabe Moritake scolded Okamura Neji, feeling that he was cheated by Okamura Neji.
It was not until daybreak that Okamura Neiji ordered the Communications Department to contact the defenders in Jingxing County. The result was that there was no response to the paratrooper brigade last night.
What's happening here?
Did the Paratrooper Group's transport plane get lost last night?
This is very possible. The pilot of the plane could not see the iconic structure clearly at night, and it is also possible that the plane flew in the wrong direction.
But soon, Okamura Neji denied this possibility.
If the transport plane gets lost, and the transport plane is equipped with a radio station, wouldn't the pilots and the paratrooper brigade contact the headquarters?
And even if the transport plane gets lost and the paratrooper brigade fails to parachute successfully, after the transport plane returns, the Kwantung Army Headquarters should send a telegram to the North China Front Army Headquarters, right?
Where did the transport planes and the paratrooper group go?
While Okamura Neji frowned and thought, Kitani Haruo quickly walked up to him, lowered his head with an ugly face and reported:
"Report to the general, the Jingxing County defenders reported that a large number of aircraft wreckage and corpses were found more than 20 kilometers northeast of Jingxing County."
"Major Kuroda, the captain of the gendarmerie stationed in Jingxing County, went to confirm overnight."
"These aircraft and corpses are identified as transport aircraft and paratrooper brigade of the Locust Army."
Due to the location where the air battle broke out, it was still about 30 kilometers away from the parachute point.
Therefore, the Japs in Jingxing County did not discover it in time during the air battle. When someone reported the situation nearby, the military police captain immediately rushed over with the Japanese troops.
After the Japanese confirmed it, the telegram was sent again, and it was already the next morning.
"Nani?"
Okamura Neji suddenly opened his eyes wide, his face full of disbelief.
Even within the entire North China Front Army Headquarters, only he and communications staff officer Haruo Kiya knew that the information on the paratrooper brigade was still leaked.
Youmo Jingsan asked with a gloomy look: "So, the transport aircraft squadron and the paratrooper brigade were shot down by Eighth Route Army planes?"
"Yes!"
Haruo Kitani bows his head and reports:
"The Chinese people nearby heard the sound of aircraft fighting and a large number of explosions around 10 o'clock last night."
Youmo Jingsan opened his eyes wide and said in an unbelievable tone: "Eighth Route Army fighter jets actually have night combat capabilities!"
Before dispatching paratroopers and transport aircraft, the North China Front Army's staff conducted research and gave an ambiguous report:
The Eighth Route Army's fighter jets should not have night combat capabilities, but common sense cannot be used to judge the Eighth Route Army's weapons.
To put it simply, our staff department does not believe that the Eighth Route Army's fighter jets have night combat capabilities, but they may.
In previous night battles, the Eighth Route Army's aircraft only relied on ground troops to launch large numbers of illumination bombs to achieve night combat capabilities.
The Japanese aircraft, even the Navy's most advanced Zero fighter aircraft, did not have night combat capabilities.
Of course, the most important reason why the transport plane and the paratrooper group were killed was.
In addition to the Eighth Route Army's aircraft having night combat capabilities, there is another important reason, which is that the paratroopers' intelligence was leaked.
Even though the Commander advanced the paratroopers' combat plan by two hours, the information was still leaked.
Yusue Seizan looked at Okamura Neji.
Who leaked the information?
Fortunately, he didn't have a combat plan to join the paratrooper brigade, otherwise he might not be able to get away with it.
"Yes! Your Excellency, Deputy Chief of Staff."
Kitani Haruo replied in a solemn tone:
"A dozen paratroopers survived last night's air battle. According to the paratrooper's oral account, he said that the enemy plane suddenly appeared like a ghost and then opened fire suddenly."
"The Eighth Route Army pilots seemed to have eyes. No matter whether the Locust Army's transport plane was pulling up or descending rapidly, the Eighth Route Army's planes could always find the Locust Army's plane and then shoot it down."
Haruo Kitani dared to report, so he naturally had a basic understanding of the entire air battle and losses last night.
Last night's air battle lasted only a few minutes.
Only a dozen Japanese soldiers successfully parachuted out when they saw the situation was bad.
All the other Japs went to see Amaterasu.
All 30 transport planes were shot down, and the 1,100-man paratrooper brigade was almost wiped out, resulting in heavy casualties.
Okamura Neji's face suddenly turned pale.
The annihilation of the transport aircraft and paratrooper brigade is certainly heartbreaking.
However, the locust army surrounded Niangziguan had no hope of breaking out, which made Okamura Neji deeply despair.
After all, the transport plane belonged to the Kwantung Army, so the loss was a loss, and the paratrooper brigade was insignificant. However, the three divisions and two brigades surrounded at Niangzi Pass were the main elite of the North China Front Army.
At this moment, a telegraph soldier walked in quickly with a telegram in his hand, handed it to the communications staff with his head down, and quickly turned around and left.
Haruo Kitani received the telegram, and after reading it, his expression suddenly changed.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "General, the commander of the First Army, Lieutenant General Yoshio Iwamatsu, is sending an urgent message!"
"Read!" Okamura Neji narrowed his eyes, his brows furrowed deeper and his voice was hoarse.
"Hi!"
Kitani Haruo first lowered his head slightly, then took the telegram and read:
"Last night, the First Army, the Fifth Division and other units were ordered to attack. Unexpectedly, they were ambushed by the Eighth Route Army. They rescued more than 1,000 people from the surrounded Locust Army and suffered nearly 4,000 casualties."
"The Taiyuan locust army is no longer able to attack the Eighth Route Army and requests that it be transferred to Hebei Province immediately."
"His Majesty Tian Locust is on board, the Japanese Locust Army is on board, and the commander of the First Army is Yoshio Iwamatsu."
After listening to Haruo Kitani read the telegram, Okamura Neji didn't have much surprise or surprise on his face.
Every time Iwamatsu Yoshio sent an urgent call, it was always bad news. Okamura Neji had long been used to it.
When Yoshio Shinozuka took over as commander of the First Army, he still won some battles.
Yoshio Iwamatsu, this loser, has never won a battle since he took office as the commander of the First Army.
It is better to expect Yoshio Iwamatsu to win the battle than to expect the sow to climb the tree.
What really makes Neji Okamura feel heartbroken is that the offensive of the First Army, the Fifth Division and other units last night failed to succeed.
In order to rescue the surrounded Locust Army, Taiyuan's main force has been deployed, resulting in nearly 8,000 casualties.
The cost of casualties is simply too high.
Yoshio Iwamatsu has made it clear that the main force of the locust army in Taiyuan is no longer capable of launching an attack.
Not only were the 30,000 to 40,000 locust troops at Niangzi Pass unable to break out, but even the surrounded Locust troops outside Taiyuan had no hope of breaking out.
In this way, the 60,000 to 70,000 locust army will be wiped out.
But Okamura Neji was helpless.
This loss is huge.
Moreover, the First Army, the Fifth Division, the 40th Division and the 56th Division will also be in danger.
More importantly, Okamura Neji tried his best to not only fail to turn the tide, but actually made the situation worse.
After this battle, the elite of the entire North China Front Army was directly wiped out.
Okamura Neji has run out of moves.
Think of this.
Okamura Neji's eyes went dark, his legs went weak, and he fell straight backwards.
In his remaining consciousness, Okamura heard the entire war room in chaos, with rapid footsteps and shouts coming from the scene.
"Your Excellency Commander!"
"Your Excellency, General!"
"General!"
"Call the medic quickly!"
…
Cai Dongcun.
New Regiment, the Eighth Route Army's frontline headquarters.
"Captain, good news!"
Li Yunlong had just woken up and before he had time to wash up and eat, Wang Dehou quickly walked into the room and said to him with a smile on his face.
All the people in the village hid in the mountains, and the headquarters of the new regiment was placed in the village.
After killing the Japanese in Tianlong Mountain, Li Yunlong ordered the regiment to move forward.
Li Yunlong had a rest last night, and Chief of Staff Wang Dehou was on duty during wartime.
Even when the fighting was raging at night, Li Yunlong only woke up once, turned over and went back to sleep.
After a night's rest, Li Yunlong suddenly felt full of energy, clear mind and full of motivation.
This time the battle to attack Taiyuan and Zhengtai Railway is expected to last for a month.
Although as a frontline commander, you need to keep your nerves tense at all times, proper rest is still necessary.
The body is the capital of revolution.
"What good news?" Li Yunlong asked with a look on his face.
At this time, another room opened and Zhao Gang walked out quickly.
Wang Dehou said: "Last night, our fighter squadron intercepted the Japanese transport aircraft formation before the Japanese paratroopers could parachute. None of the Japanese transport aircraft were missed, and all were shot down by our transport aircraft."
"Very good!"
Zhao Gang couldn't help but clenched his fists and suddenly smiled.
"Beautiful, you did a damn good job!" Captain Li's eyes suddenly lit up.
The quota for 150 aircraft was finally obtained.
Although the Eighth Route Army is now very wealthy, 150 advanced aircraft are still a great wealth for the Eighth Route Army.
Especially for people like Li Yunlong who have gone through the Long March, it is a huge fortune.
I used to be so poor that I ate belts and bark from trees.
I am really scared of being poor.
This chapter has been completed!