Chapter 722 Okamura Neji: No shame, no shame (first update)
Author: 574981
"Captain..."
Duan Peng suddenly rushed to the entrance of the command department, ran quickly to Huang Yu, saluted, and reported excitedly.
"The other two brigades patrolling the railway have withdrawn."
"At daybreak, we marched along the railway line back to Baoding, very fast, for fear that we would catch up."
"In addition to a dozen strongholds and checkpoints, the railway we have captured now does not even have a single Japanese reinforcements."
"Captain, let's fight."
"We have three regiments. We will operate separately and take down all the turrets and checkpoints in two or three days."
Before Huang Yu could answer, Li Yunlong rushed to answer.
"Must fight."
"This is fat meat served to our mouths."
"If you don't eat it, you'd be so sorry to that old devil from Kawasaki."
"The troops will spend the whole day recuperating and recruit new soldiers from the base area to replenish the troops."
"Come into action after dark."
"Blow up the northernmost railway line first."
"To prevent Neji Okamura from sending ambushes to attack us via the railway like last time."
"And then attack other railways in Baoding."
"Let's do it..." Kong Jie made up his mind at the same time.
"Now or never."
"Okamura Neiji has just sent three infantry brigades to Baoding. He definitely doesn't have many troops to continue to reinforce Baoding."
"As long as we successfully cut off the railway connection between Baoding and Peiping, Baoding's rescue will become easy."
"By capturing Baoding, we will have the capital to raid Tianjin."
"This battle must be fought."
…………
At the headquarters of the Japanese North China Front in Peiping, Okamura Neiji was studying the sand table with a sullen face.
Holding the baton in his hand, wherever he pointed, the chief of staff at the side would introduce him.
"Your Excellency, Commander..." Seeing Okamura Neji pointing at Taiyuan, Shanxi, the chief of staff immediately introduced him.
"The First Army stationed in Shanxi has three main divisions, but their opponents are also very strong."
"In addition to the Shanxi-Sui Army entrenched in southwest Shanxi, there are also the Eighth Route Army operating in the Taiyue area, southeastern Shanxi, northwest Shanxi, and Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei."
"The Jinsui Army is the best to deal with, the Eighth Route Army is a little more difficult."
"No one can do anything about the situation faced by the three parties."
"The last time we raided the Eighth Route Army's Wing Center Base Area, we had replaced a main force unit from the First Army."
"If we continue to mobilize troops from there, we will break the balance in Shanxi."
"The Eighth Route Army operating in Shanxi will definitely take the opportunity to launch attacks, expand its base areas, shrink the scope of our army's activities, and further consume our army's strength."
"Baga..." Okamura Neji cursed angrily, threw the baton on the sand table, and said with an unhappy look on his face.
"The troops stationed in Shandong are stretched thin and cannot be mobilized..."
"The pressure on Shanxi's garrison is too great, and moving troops will tip the balance."
"The troops stationed in Peiping and Baoding suffered heavy losses in previous battles, and it was difficult to even protect themselves."
"We have so many troops on the North China Front, but we don't even have a mobile unit."
"It's too frustrating for me to be a commander."
The chief of staff didn't know how to answer Neji Okamura's words, so he could only stand aside and say nothing.
It wasn't until the commander was tired of scolding and the anger in his stomach was almost vented that he found an opportunity to speak.
"Your Majesty Commander, how about we continue to ask for help from the Kwantung Army?"
"There is almost no resistance in Manchuria. Millions of Kwantung troops are guarding Manchuria to train and prepare for war. They say they are defending the north, but they have not been invaded so far. This is a waste of force."
"Every time we second a tour group, it's like squeezing out toothpaste."
"Not only was it unable to gain an overwhelming advantage, it also created every opportunity for the Eighth Route Army to defeat us. The gain outweighed the loss."
"I think we need reinforcements next, so I'll kill a main division."
"It's best to have two main divisions."
"The Kwantung Army's millions of troops are ready-made. As long as the Army Headquarters agrees, they can deploy troops immediately without even any preparation time."
It’s not like Okamura Neji has never thought of this suggestion.
But reason rejected him.
I had just slapped the Kwantung Army hard with Major General Fujita, and then I went to ask them for help and asked for help. I would definitely be embarrassed.
As the commander of the North China Front, Okamura Neiji could not afford to lose this person.
But it puts the North China Front in a dilemma and has no troops to send.
Without reinforcements, the Baoding garrison cannot secure the southbound railway line, and the combat supplies of many troops in North China will be affected.
Without reinforcements, Baoding's security will also be affected.
It was an important military town in the Yizhong Plain. Guarding the southern gate of Beiping, the Eighth Route Army could not take it over at any cost.
Otherwise, the Yizhong Eighth Route Army could cross Baoding and directly threaten the security of Peiping.
After a full two minutes of silence, Okamura Neji decided to put down his face and ask the Kwantung Army to borrow troops, even if it cost him some money.
As long as the southbound railway line and Baoding can be preserved, anything can be discussed.
Then he gave the order to the chief of staff.
"Call Kawasaki right away."
"The Baoding garrison temporarily abandoned the southbound railway line and concentrated its forces to defend Baoding."
"In ten days at most, the headquarters will deploy heavy troops to support them, and at the same time launch a second major raid on the Eighth Route Army's base area in the wing to neutralize them in one fell swoop."
…………
At the Baoding Garrison Headquarters, Major General Kawasaki was pacing back and forth in the war room waiting for news.
The troops at hand are limited and it is impossible to have the best of both worlds. We must defend Baoding and the southbound railway line at the same time. We must choose one of the two.
But this decision is too important for him to make.
It had been two hours since I sent the telegram requesting instructions to the Front Army Headquarters, but I still had not received any reply, indicating that the commander was also in a dilemma.
After walking around the war room twice, Kawasaki stopped by the sand table again, looking at it and asking questions.
"Chief of Staff, is there any way to conjure up another two thousand troops for me?"
"It must be the Imperial Army, not the Imperial Alliance Army."
A wry smile flashed across Lieutenant Commander Cun Shang's face, and he shook his head and replied: "General..."
"A humble job is not a god."
"I've tried every possible way to do my job."
"Arm all the expatriates and retired soldiers in the city, and add up to 600 people. Any more will be gone."
"Unless we abandon all strongholds outside the city and concentrate our troops inside the city."
"But this is tantamount to telling the Eighth Route Army that we are afraid of them and have decided to abandon our troops to protect our commanders, defend Baoding City and abandon the outside of the city."
"If the Eighth Route Army takes the opportunity to surround Baoding, develop base areas outside the city, and establish guerrillas, then Baoding will completely become an empty city."
Major General Kawasaki did not directly answer the chief of staff's question, but directly asked: "How many troops do they have in total?"
"Eight hundred people at most..." Lieutenant Commander Cun Shang replied.
Major General Kawasaki shook his head: "It's still too little."
"If the Eighth Route Army really intends to take the opportunity to attack Baoding, even if we don't withdraw our troops, the troops stationed outside the city will be a piece of meat for the Eighth Route Army and they will still be unable to defend those strongholds."
"In this case, it is better to withdraw from Baoding."
"Rely on Baoding's solid city defenses and kill a few more Eighth Route Army troops."
"Even if the Eighth Route Army besieges and fails to attack, when we launch a major counterattack in the future, we will have hundreds more elite troops."
"Take them back immediately."
The first update is delivered today, please order it all!
