Chapter 422 Tell Shen Quan: The Mountain Cannon Company is Not a Decoration
The chief of staff was convinced. Looking at the brigade commander's serious face, he suggested: "Should you send a telegram to Kong Jie and others so that they can be ready to evacuate northwest Shanxi at any time?"
"If people survive and the land is lost, everyone and the land will survive... If people lose the land and survive, everyone and the land will be lost!"
"As long as we keep the main elite of the three regiments, we can rebuild our base wherever we go!"
The brigade commander shook his head and objected: "We can't withdraw!"
"The troops can just pat their butts and leave. What will happen to the more than one million people in the base area in northwestern Shanxi?"
"Kong Jie and the others were listed as a serious threat to the Japanese army in Shanxi. Iwasatsu Yoshio gathered three divisions to deal with them, and they were bound to win. If they advance into northwestern Shanxi without even touching the buttocks of the three regiments, what do you think of Iwasatsu Yoshio?
Will you be willing to do so?"
"When I hold back my anger, I always find someone to vent it to, and the more than one million people in northwestern Shanxi are in misery."
"Yoshio Iwamatsu is a Japanese officer who likes to massacre people. If he hates the people of northwest Shanxi because of Kong Jie and others, and raises the butcher knife at them, our independent regiment, the new first regiment, and the new second regiment will all become Shanxi
Sinners of the Northwest!”
"Don't forget, we are a team of ordinary people. Without the support of ordinary people, we cannot develop."
"No matter what you do, you must put the safety of the people first..."
"Even if Kong Jie and the others want to evacuate northwest Shanxi, they must take away all the people in the base area and must not leave them to the little devils!"
"The big sweep is about to begin... It's definitely too late to move the people now!" the chief of staff analyzed with a serious expression.
"We can't abandon the base area and the people retreat on their own..."
"We can only fight to the end with Yoshio Iwamatsu!"
"I think we should immediately remind them to be mentally prepared to be defeated and go into the mountains to fight guerrillas!"
The brigade commander still didn't answer. After two minutes of silence, his face suddenly became very determined. He punched the table hard and then made a decision: "Yoshio Iwamatsu wants to win the northwest of Shanxi in one battle.
Let’s see if he has such good teeth!”
"Kong Jie, Li Yunlong, Ding Wei...and our Xiao Huang are not ordinary commanders!"
"Even if I really can't defeat Yoshio Iwamatsu, I can still knock out two of his teeth!"
"Since the brigade headquarters cannot directly reinforce them, it can only provide them with some intelligence support!"
"From now on, all the intelligence we receive related to northwestern Shanxi will be forwarded to Kong Jie and others as soon as possible, so that they will be aware of it and not be caught off guard by Yoshio Iwamatsu."
Longgong Village is the only way for Duanjiabao to connect to Yuanping County. It is also an important pass for the Japanese and puppet troops to block the base of the Independence Regiment!
To the northwest of the village is the independent regiment base area, and to the southeast is the Japanese-occupied area.
In order to prevent the independent regiment from smuggling food and ammunition supplies from the Japanese-occupied areas, the Japanese stationed a reinforced squadron and two companies of puppet troops here, with a total strength of more than 400 people, and strictly interrogated every civilian who passed by.
Less than 20 kilometers away from Longgong Village in Yuanping County, it is the forward base of the Japanese army's middle route mopping up troops.
In the past month, several convoys have been transporting ammunition supplies to the city every day.
In the last few days, in addition to ammunition supplies, a large number of Japanese and puppet troops continued to pour into the county. The small county town also unknowingly turned into a Japanese and puppet military garrison.
The division commander, Lieutenant General Sato, went to the city two days ago. While waiting for the follow-up troops and distributing ammunition supplies, he studied the combat plan issued by the military headquarters and found the most suitable offensive route.
At eight o'clock in the evening, Lieutenant General Sato was not in a hurry to sleep.
According to the scheduled combat plan, all the follow-up troops under his command will be in place within two days. After a day of rest, the troops will be dispatched on time on the morning of the fourth day.
However, there are still three points in the army's offensive route that have not been finalized. He must seize all the time to make a decision, otherwise it will definitely affect the subsequent sweep.
After dinner, I returned to the war room, planning to go to bed at a certain time tonight.
"Jingle Bell!"
As soon as his attention was focused on the map, the harsh ringing of the phone reached his ears.
Lieutenant General Sato glared at the operator before focusing his attention on the map again.
This is the division headquarters. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of phone calls received and made every day. Although the sudden ringing of the phone interrupted my thoughts, I didn't pay much attention to it.
Lieutenant General Sato didn't realize something was wrong until the operator hurried towards him.
Before he could speak, he heard a nervous report from the other party: "Your Excellency, Division Commander, the Longgong Village stronghold was suddenly attacked by an independent regiment. The opponent dispatched mortars, infantry artillery, mountain artillery, and heavy machine guns..."
"The offensive firepower is very fierce. 30% of the bunkers and gun towers have been destroyed. Please send reinforcements immediately!"
Lieutenant General Sato was stunned, obviously frightened by the news.
In his plan, Sato's division is pressing heavily on the territory. What the independent regiment should do now is to defend its position or find a place to hide, rather than actively attacking itself!
The disparity in strength between the two sides is too great, and they cannot afford to lose.
The division chief of staff immediately asked: "In addition to heavy weapons, how many people did they dispatch?"
"More than three thousand people." The operator replied firmly.
"The Longgong Village stronghold reports that the Eighth Route Army is surrounded by figures, at least three thousand people..."
"Let us send troops to reinforce immediately...otherwise we will not be able to hold the stronghold!"
"The Independent Group is indeed very difficult to deal with!" Lieutenant General Sato suddenly interrupted.
"They want to pre-emptively disrupt our offensive rhythm, take the opportunity to seize the initiative on the battlefield, and at the same time improve the anti-mopping morale of the troops!"
"But they underestimated our strength!"
"With their limited military strength, they still dare to provoke us. They are simply seeking death!"
"The First Regiment, the First Battalion of the Artillery Regiment, and the cavalry brigade directly under the division will assemble and set off immediately to reinforce the Longgong Village stronghold and thwart the independent regiment's preemptive conspiracy!"
"It's best to hit them hard, use a good start to hit them hard and destroy their morale, lose your wife and lose your troops!"
At the attack position of the Independent Regiment northwest of Longgong Village, regiment leader Kong Jie and deputy chief of staff Huang Yu all held up telescopes to observe the battle situation in front of them.
Huang Yu suddenly put down the telescope and looked at his watch, and then reminded Kong Jie: "Captain, the offensive of the first battalion needs to be strengthened, as the battle will be over in half an hour!"
"The attack has already started an hour ago. The reinforcements sent by Yoshio Iwamatsu must have already set off. They can reach here in more than two hours with a rapid march!"
"We must not only capture Ryugu Village before the Japanese reinforcements arrive, but also transform and deploy pocket formations to attack the Japanese reinforcements head-on and give Yoshio Iwamatsu a scare!"
Kong Jie opened his mouth and began to give orders: "Inform Shen Quan that the battle must end within half an hour!"
"The mountain artillery battery I assigned him is not a decoration. His mission is to destroy the enemy, not to seize loot. If you can use the cannon to blow it up, blow it up for me!"