"General, what should we do next?" the combat staff asked anxiously.
"The aviation force is temporarily unable to destroy the Eighth Route Army's offensive positions outside the city, and the artillery bombardment has not been effective. It is even more uneconomical to send troops to kill them. We cannot just watch the Eighth Route Army dig their offensive positions to the foot of the city wall.
Major General Kawasaki stared at the battlefield outside the city for a while without answering.
Finally he shook his head and said helplessly: "Go back to the headquarters first."
"The aviation force lost two aircraft at once here. We must give an explanation to the front army headquarters."
After saying that, he rushed towards the headquarters without looking back.
The captain guarding the east gate immediately showed a confused expression.
Major General Kawasaki did not give any orders before leaving. Facing the Eighth Route Army who were still digging trenches outside the city, he did not know what to do.
Before several squadron leaders could ask questions, he ordered: "The troops will be on alert."
"No one can take the initiative without the brigade commander's order."
…………
Headquarters of the Japanese North China Front, Okamura Neiji was once again furious with the Baoding battle report.
The two planes were destroyed by the Yi Zhong Eighth Route Army before they could take action.
If it weren't for the fact that Baoding City was in danger and it was a taboo for military officers to change generals before battle, he would have wanted to replace Major General Kawasaki now.
The chief of staff read the battle report twice before putting it down. He raised his head and said to Okamura Neji: "Your Excellency, Commander..."
"The Eighth Route Army in the Wing is really difficult to deal with."
"Our aviation force, which we are proud of, was defeated by their heavy smoke and light and heavy machine guns."
“It seems incredible, but it’s very useful.”
"If there is no way to stop the Eighth Route Army from releasing smoke on the battlefield, we really have only one option: blind bombing."
"Not only does it consume ammunition, but the bombing effect is also very limited."
"I don't recommend doing this for a humble job."
"After all, aerial bombs are different from ordinary artillery shells."
"The aviation force doesn't have much reserves either."
"If all the limited aerial bombs are used to destroy the Eighth Route Army's offensive positions."
"When they actually launch a siege, the aviation force will have no ammunition to reinforce the battlefield, which will be embarrassing."
Okamura Neji slowly calmed down from his anger.
He shook his head and said helplessly: "Sending troops out of the city and turning from defense to attack will not work."
"Although offense is the best defense."
"But as long as no accident occurs to the main force of the Eighth Route Army in Yizhong."
"It is useless for us to dig trenches outside the city and eliminate all the Eighth Route Army. We will also bring in a large number of defending troops in vain, and the gain outweighs the loss."
"Call Kawasaki-kun back immediately."
"Since there is no way to destroy the Eighth Route Army's offensive position outside the city, then just ignore him."
"Concentrate all troops to defend Baoding."
"I will seize the time to contact reinforcements."
"Try to send it to Baoding City within ten days to relieve them."
…………
Major General Kawasaki, commander of the Baoding garrison, was frowning and pounding the table in his office.
This morning's fight was too frustrating.
We have guns, cannons, and aircraft support.
Even ammunition supplies are piled up in several warehouses, so it won't be a problem to rely on fortifications for three or four months.
As a result, as soon as the Yizhong Eighth Route Army took action, he was disgraced, suffered several painful losses, and lost face.
His original idea was to use the battle report to let Okamura Neji give him some advice and think of two ways to break the situation.
As a result, Okamura Neji didn't do anything either.
Facing the increasingly perfect offensive positions dug closer and closer outside the city, they were equally helpless.
Lieutenant Colonel Cun Shang knew that the brigade commander was not willing to give in.
But Okamura Neiji had already spoken: let them ignore the offensive positions outside the city and just assemble heavy troops to defend Baoding.
It seems pointless for the commander to continue to dwell on this issue.
Have the courage to remind: "General..."
"Although we can't stop the Eighth Route Army from digging trenches and building offensive positions outside the city."
"But we can slow down their trench digging."
"One more day of delay will mean one less day of guarding for us."
"When the reinforcements sent by the front army headquarters arrive on the battlefield, we will switch from defense to offense and severely damage the Eighth Route Army in Yizhong."
Major General Kawasaki wanted to find a way to break the situation, so he could only settle for the next best thing: "You're right."
"Order: artillery, city defense troops..."
"Continuously attack the Eighth Route Army outside the city and slow down their progress in repairing fortifications."
"Contact the Air Force again."
"Immediately carry out indiscriminate bombing of the Eighth Route Army's offensive positions outside the city."
"Bombing every hour."
"Artillery and city defense troops launched attacks between bombings."
"Anyway, we can't let the Eighth Route Army outside the city dig trenches with peace of mind."
…………
At the enemy headquarters in front of the Eighth Route Army in Yizhong, everyone's faces were filled with joy after winning the battle.
The offensive force won the first battle and killed two aircraft. This not only boosted the morale of the soldiers and made the soldiers realize that Japanese aircraft had nothing to fear, but also severely damaged the morale of the Japanese and puppet troops in Baoding.
For a full hour after the last plane in the sky left, the offensive position was not attacked again.
The Japanese and puppet troops at the top of the city seemed to be at their wits' end and had no way to deal with it. They had to watch the offensive position continue to extend towards the city wall.
"Lao Kong, Xiao Huang, according to the current excavation progress, we can dig the trench to 200 meters outside the city in two days at most. It won't take three days at all." Li Yunlong said cheerfully.
"Then we can have one more day to attack the city." Kong Jie replied with a smile.
"In the past few days, the base repair shop has been busy making thunder cannons and supporting explosive packs."
"After the general offensive begins, try to assign fifty gates to all the main attacking troops, set them up two hundred meters outside the city, and fire at the same time."
"Fifty explosive packets the size of millstones flew towards the city head together."
"Even if the hit rate is only 20%, more than ten explosive charges will hit the city head."
"Based on the distribution of the Japanese and puppet troops on the city walls, a round of ten explosive packets can kill at least 150 Japanese and puppet troops."
"All the more than a thousand explosive packets have been used up. As long as two to three hundred explosive packets hit the top of the city, we can kill three to four thousand Japanese puppet troops."
"The mobile units in Kawasaki's hands were wiped out."
As Kong Jie became more and more excited as he talked, another series of explosions suddenly rang out from the offensive position directly in front, instantly bringing him back to reality.
His brows quickly furrowed, and he asked with a puzzled look on his face: "What's going on?"
"The enemy's artillery counterattack just now had no effect."
"Why are you shooting at us again?"
"Maybe they think they have too many artillery shells."
"Perhaps there is some new conspiracy brewing."
Li Yunlong frowned and raised his binoculars to look ahead.
Smoke is a double-edged sword.
Not only did it block the view of the Japs pilots, it also blocked the view of the Eighth Route Army.
Everything in front of me was gray, and I couldn't see anything except the explosions that kept ringing in my ears.
Huang Yu was also worried about Kawasaki's conspiracy, so he turned around and ran to the door: "Captain, let me go to the front to take a look..."
"No matter what the little devil's real purpose is in launching this bombardment, there is no way he can stop us from digging trenches forward."
Kong Jie was also anxious, but he couldn't leave the headquarters, so he could only nod: "Pay attention to safety."
"Report immediately if there is any situation."
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