Xuzhou, the Fifth War Zone Command.

Li Zongren, who had just returned from the front-line inspection troops, received a telegram from Tang Enbo for help. The core of his heart wanted to mobilize the first regiment directly under the Third War Zone to cooperate with him to capture the Beida Kiln.

Looking at this telegram, Li Zongren frowned deeply. To be honest, he was even caught off guard: this Tang Enbo Legion is currently the strongest and most powerful force in the fifth war zone. When they were transferred from the first war zone, they had nearly 70,000 troops! Look at Sun Lianzhong's second group, even if the logistics troops were included, there were only more than 30,000 people. If it were not included before the 59th Army was divided, there were only more than 50,000 people, and there were not as many troops as Tang Enbo Legion.

This is still counting the strength of the troops, and then other equipment? Let's not talk about the others. Tang Enbo's legion was equipped with a German heavy artillery battalion of 15-success (i.e., howitzers with a caliber of 150 mm caliber), light and heavy machine guns. Although it was not as good as the weapons of the German armed divisions such as the 36th Division, the 87th Division, and the 88th Division before the Anti-Japanese War, it also reached the standard of adjusting the elite divisions.

Don’t forget that in addition to Zhang Zhen’s 110th Division’s not very combat effectiveness, Tang Enbo’s legion has four divisions!

The Second Division of Zhengdong Kingdom, which was in the 52nd Army of Guan Linzheng, the 25th Division of Zhang Yaoming, the 4th Division of Chen Daqing, the 85th Army of Wang Zhonglian, and the 89th Division of Zhang Xuezhong, these four divisions were all expanded from the former 13th Army. Basically, the old foundation was also left by those who were in the Northern Expedition Army, and they could be called elite troops.

The only drawback is that these troops were expanded and formed after the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, so there is still a little lack in training, especially the 89th Division in Zhang Xuezhong. The supplement order is the latter, and the three relatively advanced units, the Second Division, the Fourth Division and the 25th Division, are given priority.

As for Zhang Zhen's 110th Division, it was formed by the merger of the Northern Henan Division Division and the Northeast Cavalry Brigade. Both of these troops are troops with weak combat effectiveness. In addition, the troops have mixed factions, so their combat effectiveness has never been strong.

The division-managed troops sounded like regular troops, but in fact they were five under-trained militia battalions, and they were the ones that were seriously lacking in qualified cadres, not to mention the Northeast Army Cavalry Brigade, which was in a state of vague state after the Xi'an Incident.

It can be said that the combat power of the 110th Division is really weak, so Tang Enbo never regarded them as training for key troops. After all, the key training troops are all four divisions expanded from the original 13th Army!

"This Tang Enbo's army is the essence of our army. Why do they also need to ask for reinforcements? Do you have other ideas?" Li Zongren looked at Xu Zuyi in front of him. After all, the strength of this Tang Enbo's army is clearly known throughout the Fifth War Zone.

"I don't know, and they want the first regiment directly under the Third War Zone of Zhang Tianhai to provide reinforcements." Xu Zuyi said in a deep voice. He is a chief of staff, but at his level, there are many factors to consider.

"The 20th Army has a heavy artillery battalion of howitzers in the 15th generation. Even one of their army can't defeat more than 60,000 people, let alone the first regiment directly under the third war zone." Li Zongren snorted and said, obviously he was a little dissatisfied with Tang Enbo's troops' slow movements.

This dissatisfaction has to start with the slow action of the 20th Corps and the "despite" of Wang Mingzhang's army, who was guarding Teng County, "not helping him."

After all, when the 20th Army troops headed north from Liguoyi Station to Teng County, Li Zongren sent several telegrams to Tang Enbo, ordering him to go up as soon as possible. However, after Wang Zhonglian's vanguard of the 85th Army had already arrived in Lincheng, because of Tang Enbo's previous order to "take action after the Legion Command arrives", Wang Zhonglian could only send a regiment of troops to Teng County north, which led to the death of the 122nd Division of Wang Mingzhang's troops, and the 124th Division of the Sichuan Army was almost the only one empty shell left.

Therefore, Li Zongren had resentment towards Tang Enbo, so when Tang Enbo proposed to draw Zhang Tianhai's first regiment directly under the Third War Zone, he subconsciously thought that Tang Enbo was passive and lazy again.

This is not a conjecture out of thin air. When Li Zongren wanted to transfer Tang Enbo's army south, he once sent a telegram with extremely stern words to admonish the commander of Tang Enbo's army: If he does not obey military orders and causes a mistake in the military opportunity, he should follow the previous rules of Han Fuju.

From this we can see how dissatisfied Li Zongren was with Tang Enbo's slow action at that time.

"Then what Chief Li means is not to transfer the first regiment directly under the Third War Zone?" Xu Zuyi asked.

"Of course not." Li Zongren made a conclusion directly after thinking about it, "This third war zone's first regiment can be transferred to other battlefields, but cannot be transferred to Tang Enbo's troops for use. The troops were slow to operate in the Teng County battle and the Nanxing Taierzhuang battle at this time. Although this third war zone's first regiment suffered heavy damage in the Linyi battle, it was still a battleable army. At least Zhang Tianhai's regiment is still relatively obedient. Although sometimes he does not play according to common sense, it should have improved after the last warning."

Xu Zuyi thought for a while and said, "Sir Li, your approach is right, but should you correct it in terms of the method? Just say that the troops of the First Regiment directly under the Third War Zone have not yet recovered their vitality during the Linyi battle a few days ago, and are not suitable for such fierce frontal combat."

"No need, Tang Enbo has been slow in fighting many times. First, it was the battle in Teng County, which caused all the troops of Wang Mingzhang, the Sichuan Army to die in the city. Now, because of the poor progress of the combat and the slow action, the defenders of Taierzhuang were killed and injured, so these Japanese troops occupied Taierzhuang. Just send it directly." Li Zongren's attitude was very firm. He saw that Tang Enbo, the old man, was only caring about his 20th legion, but did not think about the overall situation on the battlefield!

The lives of the officers and soldiers of the 20th Army are fate. Could it be that the lives of these Sichuan Army and the Northwest Army brothers are not fate? This is why Li Zongren's attitude is so firm.

"Then I'll follow you." Xu Zuyi smiled.

...

Without any surprises, Tang Enbo received another telegram from the commander-in-chief of the Fifth War Zone, which was roughly ordered the 20th Corps to speed up the pace of combat and attack, and to form a complete encirclement against the enemy in Taierzhuang as soon as possible.

After all, from Li Zongren's perspective, the enemy of Taierzhuang is already in a state of trapped beasts fighting, and they must be completely surrounded. Otherwise, when they discover the weakness of the encirclement and break through, it will be too late.

Therefore, Li Zongren must be thinking about how to form a siege against the Japanese army as soon as possible, and then gather and annihilate it!

Anyone who wants to stop him from achieving this goal must obey, otherwise he will be considered as shooting!

"It seems that the Chief Officer is still wary of us... We have to continue fighting this battle..." Holding this telegram from the Chief Officer, Tang Enbo sighed, "Forget it, it's better to ask for others than to ask for others. Order the troops to continue fighting!"

"Yes, sir!" Guan Linzheng responded, and then continued to command the troops to fight.

Zhang Tianhai never knew about this open and secret battle between the 20th Army and the commander-in-chief's headquarters. All he had to do was to urge the first battalion to complete the position as soon as possible, and then seize the time to train the second battalion and the fourth battalion!

The war is about to come to Zhanshan. If you are not prepared, you will definitely suffer!

...

PS: The first update will be delivered, and the second update will be delivered before 11 o'clock later!

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Chapter completed!