Tanabe Moritake's face was as dark as the bottom of a pot, and he asked in a deep voice: "What did you say, the 10th Cavalry Regiment was defeated? Osaka Takagi died in the battle?"
The operational staff who were busy couldn't help but turn their heads and cast incredibly shocked looks.
The 10th Cavalry Regiment was defeated? It had only been more than an hour since the division headquarters issued the combat order to the 10th Cavalry Division. How could it be defeated so quickly?
Just rely on the cavalry battalion of the Eighth Route Army with more than 00 cavalrymen?
Everyone present was well aware of the combat effectiveness of the 10th Cavalry Regiment. Each of the cavalrymen was carefully selected. Whether it was mounted shooting, saber fighting or dismounted infantry combat, they were all well-trained and experienced in combat.
In such a short period of time, the 10th Cavalry Regiment was defeated. What happened?
Taking a deep breath, Ishikawa Jiro's face instantly fell, and he asked coldly: "What on earth is going on?"
The communications staff officer said: "According to the report of Lieutenant Colonel Masao Tanaka, the deputy commander of the 10th Cavalry Regiment, all the cavalry of the New Eighth Route Army Regiment were equipped with submachine guns. The Eighth Route Army cavalry pretended to have a saber fight with the cavalry regiment, and suddenly took out their submachine guns during the charge.
The cavalry regiment strafed, causing heavy casualties to the cavalry regiment. Takagi's horse was hit in the head, and Takagi fell off his horse..."
Next, the communications staff officer did not continue.
More than 1,300 cavalrymen fell off their horses when they charged, and Takeo Takagi liked to lead the charge, so he must have been trampled to pieces by the horses' hooves from behind.
It's not that the Locust Army is incompetent, it's that the Eighth Route Army is too cunning.
Who would have thought that when riding on horseback, the Eighth Route Army Cavalry would suddenly take out their submachine guns?
Moreover, every cavalryman has a submachine gun, which is outrageous.
Ishikawa Jiro did not blame Takagi Takeo. Even if Ishikawa Jiro went to command the 10th Cavalry Regiment, he would probably be fooled by the Eighth Route Army, not to mention that Takagi Takeo had already died in the battle.
Tanabe Moritake remained calm and asked in a deep voice: "How many cavalrymen are there in the 10th Cavalry Regiment?"
"There are still more than 300 cavalry left!" the communications staff member lowered his head and said, "Most of the heavy equipment such as the mortars of the cavalry artillery squadron and the heavy machine guns of the machine gun squadron are missing."
Ishikawa Jiro's face became more and more gloomy. There were only more than 300 cavalry left in a cavalry regiment, and even the heavy weapons were captured by the Eighth Route Army. How could the cavalry carry out a roundabout mission with such a small number of cavalry?
The 10th Cavalry Regiment cannot defeat the Eighth Route Army Cavalry Battalion at full strength, not to mention that there are only more than 300 cavalry left.
"Tanabe-kun, what should we do now?"
Ishikawa Jiro looked at Tanabe Moritake and asked with an extremely ugly expression.
Tanabe Moritake did not answer immediately, drafted a telegram, and then looked at the communications staff officer: "Immediately report this situation to Commander Okamura."
"Hi!"
The communications staff officer placed the telegram on the table, took it, turned around and walked out.
"Ishikawa-kun, your 10th Division is ready for a decisive battle with the New Regiment!"
When the communications staff officer walked out of the door, Tanabe Moritake's eyes narrowed behind his round glasses, and he looked at Ishikawa Jiro and said.
"Decisive battle?" Ishikawa Jiro was stunned.
The current defensive strategy of the 10th Division is to center on thickened bunkers or gun towers and place more than 10,000 Japanese and puppet soldiers in these thickened bunkers and gun towers to build positions.
There are about 110 thickened bunkers and gun towers, and each bunker and gun tower is defended by about 100 soldiers.
Even if the position is lost, no more soldiers will be sent to retake it. The strategic purpose of the 10th Division is to use these positions to hold off the new regiment for three days.
However, the new regiment's heavy artillery, heavy tanks and fire-breathing tanks, coupled with extremely powerful infantry, made the offensive extremely sharp.
Tanabe Moritake nodded: "In less than a day, your 10th Division has lost more than 30 positions. If we continue to fight like this, your 10th Division will be defeated before the other four divisions arrive.
It’s already been lit.”
Ishikawa Jiro asked in a deep voice: "Tanabe-kun, haven't you always opposed a decisive battle with the Shinichi Group?"
"That's right!" Tanabe Moritake nodded, "I have always been opposed to a decisive battle with the New Regiment because we still have the 10th Cavalry Regiment. Now that the 10th Cavalry Regiment has been defeated, we can only use a decisive battle to delay it.
Stay in Xinyituan."
Ishikawa Jiro asked with a worried tone: "What if the New Regiment does not fight a decisive battle with our 10th Division?"
"Now the main force of our 10th Division is scattered in more than 70 positions along three main highways."
"Once the troops are gathered, it means giving up the other two roads, and the Eighth Route New Regiment can escape through the other two roads!"
Tanabe Moributo: "Ishikawa-kun, you misunderstood. The decisive battle I am talking about is not to gather all the troops of your 10th Division together, but to divide it into three parts and find a position on the three roads that is easy to defend and difficult to attack.
, as long as your 10th Division can hold its position, then the Locust Army will still win this battle."
"The problem now is." Ishikawa Jiro said again in a deep voice: "The main force of our 10th Division is divided into three parts. But if the new regiment feigns attacks on the other two groups and concentrates the main force to attack one group, the locust army on this group will not be able to stop it.
A new group is attacking!"
Ishikawa Jiro was very powerful. According to the artillery firepower displayed by the new regiment in this battle, there was one heavy artillery regiment, two mountain artillery regiments, and hundreds of mortars.
In addition to a tank regiment, the infantry firepower is also very powerful.
If the New Regiment concentrated its firepower and troops to attack one side, Ishikawa Jiro was not sure how long the troops along this route could hold back the New Regiment's offensive.
This is the disadvantage of the defensive side. As the offensive side, you can concentrate your forces to attack one point.
As for the defensive side, they can only spread the formation and defend passively.
Of course, when the 10th Division was the offensive party before, even if it concentrated its forces to attack any point on the new regiment's defense line, it would be difficult to penetrate the new regiment's base area.
The reason is very simple. The New Regiment has been operating in the northwestern Shanxi base area for several months, and then used bunkers, tunnels and anti-slope tactics. The firepower of the 10th Division was crushed in all aspects, and it was difficult to fight with the New Regiment in the field.
Not to mention attacking the new regiment's fortification positions with complete defenses.
The 10th Division was hastily transferred to defense. The only defensive fortifications were scattered thickened bunkers and gun towers, temporary civil fortifications, and shallow tunnels.
Under the fierce artillery fire, tanks and infantry onslaught, the Japanese were no match for the new regiment.
"If the Eighth Route Army concentrates its forces to attack one route, the main forces of the other two routes will quickly reinforce it."
Tanabe Moributo: "Although doing this may cause the Chinese people to escape from the other two roads, we will be successful as long as we hold back the main force of the Eighth Route New Regiment. Ishikawa-kun, please join me and ask Commander Okamura for a fight.
