Chapter 1075: If the firepower is insufficient, then use the troops to make up for it!
Zhao Gang said: "Although the Japanese want to take the initiative to attack, the best battlefield is outside the customs. At present, the people in the North China base area have finally settled down. If they are involved in the war again, many people will definitely be killed or injured."
Like Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang will take the lead in caring about the safety of the people every time he fights.
Not only Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang, but also ordinary soldiers of the Eighth Route Army put the safety of the folks in the base area first.
Nowadays, the land reform in the North China base area has just begun, and the spring planting has just ended.
Although the Japanese invaded North China, the Eighth Route Army could use this opportunity to better mobilize the masses.
Let the Japanese who attack North China fall into the vast ocean of the people.
But with the current strength, equipment and logistics level of the Eighth Route Army, it can defeat the Japs without mobilizing too many people.
"The prerequisite for setting the battlefield outside the customs is that we can get out of the customs." Chief of Staff Wang Dehou said while staring at the map.
Li Yunlong nodded, looking thoughtful.
If the Japanese want to attack North China, they must attack from the east to the southwest, and the Japanese in Central China must attack from the south to the north.
As well as Japanese transport ships, they landed at ports along the Bohai Sea and attacked the Eighth Route Army in North China on three fronts.
In the south, there is the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army to deal with the Japanese advancing north.
Along the Bohai Sea, the Eighth Route Army of the Lu Provincial Military Region will deal with the Japs. Considering that the combat effectiveness of the troops in the Lu Provincial Military Region still has a lot of room for improvement.
He can send some troops to the Shandong Military Region to assist and provide sufficient logistical supplies.
As for the main force of the Kwantung Army attacking from Manchuria, Li Yunlong led the New First Regiment, the Independent Regiment and the New Second Regiment to fight against it.
Li Yunlong then said: "If our troops want to take the initiative on the battlefield, they must first capture Chengde and Shanhaiguan."
"Although it is not particularly difficult to capture Chengde and Shanhaiguan, it is not that easy either."
On this point, Xing Zhiguo has the most say. He said:
"Since the Japs in Chengde lost their barrier positions in the southeast and southwest, they have placed all their troops in Chengde City in an attempt to engage in street fighting with us. The cost of capturing Chengde is relatively high."
"And the area north of Chengde is still in the hands of the Japanese. The Kwantung Army's main Japanese force can provide continuous reinforcements."
"And here in Shanhaiguan, the Japanese have built a large number of strong fortifications and are constantly increasing their troops."
Based on Xing Zhiguo's report, Li Yunlong carefully analyzed the current situation between the enemy and ourselves.
The Japanese's First Army was like a nail nailed into Chengde.
The Japanese troops defending Shanhaiguan were also a group army, the 4th Army of the Kwantung Army, with 3 divisions and 2 mixed brigades under its jurisdiction.
The Japanese are planning to build a fortress similar to the Tiger Head Fortress in Shanhaiguan, but it has not yet been completed.
"Since the Japs in the Japs' First Army like to be cowards, let's bypass Chengde!"
Li Yunlong narrowed his eyes and spoke harshly.
"Bypass Chengde?"
"That's right!" Li Yunlong nodded, pointing to the area north of Chengde and said, "Let the paratroopers airdrop to the north of Chengde, form a two-sided attack on the enemy, and drive all the Japs from the First Army to Chengde.
Go to the city."
In the Battle of Huailai, paratroopers played a vital role.
Therefore, during this expansion, Li Yunlong expanded the paratrooper unit from the original 2,500 to 8,000, and the number was the New Regiment Heavy Paratrooper Battalion.
Of course, in name it is a heavy paratrooper battalion, but in fact it is Li Yunlong's paratrooper division.
In addition to being able to airdrop paratroopers, the strategic transport aircraft of the New Regiment can also airdrop mountain artillery and armored vehicles, possessing powerful combat capabilities behind enemy lines.
That is to say, the Japanese are relying on the fact that there are Chinese people in Chengde City.
Otherwise, Li Yunlong would directly use artillery shells and aerial bombs to cleanse the Japanese in Chengde City.
However, after occupying the outer positions of Chengde, the Eighth Route Army's heavy equipment could be driven to the outside of the pass through the highway outside the city wall.
There is nothing that can be done about this. Who allows the Eighth Route Army to fight on its own soil?
If we can counterattack Japan in the future, we won't have so many worries, and we can directly use the tactics of artillery shells and aerial bombs to cleanse the city.
Li Yunlong added: "But in this case, we must allocate an elite force to surround the Japs in Chengde City to prevent the Japs from attacking us from behind and stabbing us in the butt."
"As for capturing Shanhaiguan, that's much simpler!"
After finishing his words, Li Yunlong pointed at Shanhaiguan and said:
"No matter whether the enemy builds a castle or a fortress in Shanhaiguan, our father's hammer can destroy all fortifications."
"However, I think we can have a bigger appetite and eat the Japanese 4th Army in Shanhaiguan."
"Commander." Chief of Staff Wang Dehou suddenly became interested, "How do you plan to kill the Japanese's 4th Army?"
Then Wang Dehou stared at the map and realized that it was not difficult to pry open the Shanhaiguan Pass with his father's hammer.
Shanhaiguan is a pass with a long history and high reputation, and is known as the first pass in the world.
Shanhaiguan City is 14 meters high and 7 meters thick. It has always been an easy-to-defend but difficult-to-attack place.
At the end of the Ming Dynasty, Shanhaiguan guard Wu Sangui opened the gate and let more than 100,000 wolf-like Qing troops into the pass, which led to the Qing rule for nearly 300 years.
In 1933, even though the Japanese army used modern weapons such as aircraft, artillery, and tanks, it took them two full days to capture Shanhaiguan with great difficulty after a bloody battle.
After the Japanese army captured Shanhaiguan, they strengthened their defenses and recently built a fortress here.
In order to prevent the Eighth Route Army from attacking, General Yoshijiro Umezu, the commander of the Kwantung Army, even sent an army to defend here.
According to reliable intelligence, the total strength of the Japanese and puppet troops defending Shanhaiguan must be 60,000 to 70,000, and a deep defensive position was established in front and behind Shanhaiguan.
Although the Eighth Route Army has powerful firepower, the Japanese and puppet troops cannot defeat them, so why can't they run away?
"Captain, what do you mean?"
Xing Zhiguo asked:
"Detach a part of the paratroopers and airdrop them to the area behind Shanhaiguan to cut off the passage of the 4th Army's Japs?"
At present, the Eighth Route Army has about 8,000 paratroopers, of which 2,500 are veteran paratroopers and 5,500 are new paratroopers.
At present, the veteran paratroopers and new paratroopers are still in training. They have been training for more than three months. Although they have not yet conducted actual combat training, they have initially formed combat effectiveness.
"You kid half guessed it."
With a chuckle, Li Yunlong continued:
"The paratrooper battalion also has to take care of the Japanese First Army in Chengde. If they are divided equally between Chengde and Shanhaiguan, then both sides will have insufficient troops!"
"In this battle, I plan to use our transport ships to land along the coast from behind Shanhaiguan."
"One unit seizes Huludao, and the other unit goes around and stabs the 4th Japanese Army in Shanhaiguan."
As soon as these words came out, everyone's eyes lit up slightly.
Tactical command is all about surprise.
The development of the Eighth Route Army's navy was a top secret. The Japanese would never have imagined that the Eighth Route Army's navy had already formed a preliminary scale and combat effectiveness.
It was absolutely unimaginable that the Eighth Route Army would land on the beach from the rear of Shanhaiguan and form a siege on the Japanese in Shanhaiguan.
Shanhaiguan is not a big city like Chengde, and the Japs don't even have a chance to fight in the streets.
The Japanese strengthened their defenses at Shanhaiguan and operated as fiercely as tigers, but to no avail.
Because the Eighth Route Army has already equipped transport ships and warships, and many of the first batch of naval cadets have learned to sail ships.
Although aircraft carriers still need training, transport ships do not and can even be equipped with frigates.
Zhao Gang said: "Lao Li, your tactics are very good."
"Of course." Li Yunlong curled up his lips proudly, "otherwise, do you think we, Old Li, have read "Beach Landing and Airborne Operations" in vain?"
Li Yunlong studied various military theory books sent by Boss Chen and gained a lot.
Until now, Li Yunlong often takes out those military theory books, looks through them, and studies them repeatedly.
In this battle, Li Yunlong happened to use both beach landing and airborne operations together.
Li Yunlong was looking forward to this beach landing, which would definitely give the Japanese a big surprise.
No, it's fright.
Zhao Gang then asked: "When do you plan to attack?"
"In about a month," Li Yunlong said, "we must recapture Shanhaiguan and Chengde before the Japanese start Operation Plan No. 1. In this way, we will have the initiative on the battlefield, and we can advance, attack, retreat, and defend."
Then, Li Yunlong looked at Chief of Staff Wang Dehou and issued an order:
"Chief of Staff, your staff department will immediately formulate combat plans and emergency plans based on this idea as soon as possible."
"Yes!" Wang Dehou said solemnly, "Captain!"
Then, Wang Dehou discussed the ideas of the battle plan with Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang and Xing Zhiguo.
Everyone started brainstorming, and with your words and my words, the combat ideas were quickly enriched and improved.
…
at the same time.
The Japanese are also preparing for the No. 1 combat plan.
No. 557, Xinfa Road, Changchun.
Japanese Kwantung Army Headquarters, Conference Operation Hall.
General Yoshijiro Umezu, the commander of the Kwantung Army, was dressed in military uniform and stared at the map on the wall with a sad expression on his face.
The current situation of the Kwantung Army is not good!
Although the base camp has recently allocated more than 100,000 troops to the Kwantung Army, and a steady stream of troops and combat supplies are arriving in Manchuria.
but!
To the east, there are hundreds of thousands of the Soviet Union's Far East Army watching eagerly, and to the southwest, there are hundreds of thousands of North China's Eighth Route Army eager to fight.
If the Soviet army in the Far East takes advantage of the Kwantung Army to implement the No. 1 combat plan and launches a large-scale surprise attack from behind, the Kwantung Army will face the danger of being wiped out.
If it were last year, the Japanese army would not have to worry about the Soviet army launching an attack because the Soviet army itself could not protect itself.
But now the situation on the eastern battlefield in Europe has undergone some changes. A few months ago, the Soviet army won the battle to defend Stalingrad, which gave them a big sigh of relief.
Although after the Battle of Nomonkan, the Soviet Union and Japan signed a non-aggression pact.
But Umezu Yoshijiro knows very well that there are only eternal interests between countries.
Once the benefits outweigh the risks for the Soviet army, the other side will definitely tear up the treaty unilaterally without hesitation. After all, the bear in the north will stare at the fat piece of Northeast China for more than a day or two.
Compared with other fanatical officers, Umezu Yoshijiro was not optimistic about the Japanese army launching Operation Plan No. 1 at this time.
This is equivalent to putting most of the Japanese Army's chips on the gambling table.
It would be a good thing if you can win.
but…
Once the No. 1 Operation Plan fails, the consequences will be disastrous. Not only will a large area of land be lost, but the Locust Army will also suffer heavy casualties and consume countless combat supplies. From then on, it will no longer have the ability to attack on a large scale and will only be passively beaten.
Umezu Yoshijiro frowned deeper and deeper, thinking that this year, 1943, would probably not be a good time for both Germany and Japan.
When Umezu Meijiro turned around, the scowl and frown on his face had disappeared, replaced by an expressionless expression.
Umezu Yoshijiro was sitting on a chair in his military uniform. Sitting on both sides of him were the commanders of the various armies of the Kwantung Army, as well as the commanders of each flying division, as well as staff officers and others.
Umezu Yoshijiro glanced at all the Japanese officers and said: "Everyone."
"The base camp has given us the Kwantung Army a formal order to prepare the No. 1 combat plan."
"Prime Minister Tojo ordered us to immediately formulate combat plans and contingency plans, stockpile combat supplies, and must complete preparations within two months."
After the words fell, except for a few sober-minded officers, most of the Japanese officers' expressions and eyes became fanatical.
Lieutenant General Eitaro Uchiyama, commander of the Third Army, asked with a tone full of expectation: "Your Excellency, General, how many troops will our Kwantung Army dispatch in this No. 1 combat plan?"
Eitaro Uchiyama was an artilleryman and served as the brigade commander of the 5th Field Heavy Artillery Brigade.
When he served as the commander of the 13th Division, he led his troops to participate in the Second Battle of Changsha, killing a large number of innocent Chinese people.
"At least 600,000."
Umezu Yoshijiro's tone was serious.
Among the Japanese army, the Kwantung Army has the strongest combat effectiveness and the best equipment.
At its peak, the Kwantung Army consisted of 31 infantry divisions, 11 infantry and tank brigades, 1 death squad brigade and 2 aviation corps, with a total strength of approximately 1.2 million people.
During the Guande Exercise period, the total strength of the Kwantung Army was approximately 700,000.
With the rise of the Eighth Route Army and the outbreak of the Pacific War, the elite Kwantung Army was gradually transferred to the North China battlefield and the Pacific battlefield for consumption.
However, the Kwantung Army was used by the Japanese base camp as the army's general reserve force.
Every time troops were transferred from the Kwantung Army, the Japanese base camp would replenish the Kwantung Army with new combat troops, keeping the Kwantung Army's troops at more than 500,000.
The current total strength of the Kwantung Army is still around 700,000.
"Yoshi!"
Eitaro Uchiyama's voice suddenly rose, and the enthusiasm in his eyes became more intense.
"In this case, the base camp still needs to allocate 300,000 troops to our Kwantung Army?"
Lieutenant General Toshichi Uemura, commander of the 4th Army, asked.
While fighting against the North China Eighth Route Army, at least three to four hundred thousand troops must be left in Manchuria to guard against the Soviet army in the Far East.
"Yes!"
Umezu Meijiro nodded and said.
Toshimichi Uemura looked delighted: "In this way, our Kwantung Army will have 1 million elite troops. The Kwantung Army with 1 million elite troops will be invincible!"
"Not enough!"
Umezu Meijiro shook his head:
"The Eighth Route Army, like the Soviet Army, is a force with extremely powerful combat effectiveness and firepower. We must not take it lightly."
"An order is sent to temporarily recruit Japanese expatriates in Manchuria to join the army. Anyone who dares to disobey the order or resist will be killed without mercy!"
Since 1937, Japan has moved more than two million people, entire villages, in batches from its own land to the puppet Manchukuo.
Umezu Yoshijiro has ordered the staff to make careful calculations, and it is possible that 250,000 overseas Chinese will enlist in the Kwantung Army.
Although there is a serious shortage of weapons, it is still a considerable force and can be used as an elite supplement to the main force of the Kwantung Army when necessary.
As a result, the total strength of the Kwantung Army will be close to 1.3 million men.
Thinking of this, Umezu Yoshijiro finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The Eighth Route Army has been beaten by the Japanese into a fear of lack of firepower.
But if the firepower is insufficient, we must use troops to make up for it.
