The two combat teams of the Sharp Sword Squadron that went for reconnaissance returned to Dagu Town.
After the combat team leader reported the situation to Duan Peng, Duan Peng immediately came to the regiment headquarters to report the situation.
"Report!"
Duan Peng shouted outside the door.
The next second, Li Yunlong's voice sounded in Duan Peng's ears: "Come in!"
Then Duan Peng walked into the regiment headquarters with light steps, opened the door curtain and bent down to enter the regiment headquarters. At a glance, he saw Zhao Gang and Li Yunlong, lying on the table studying the map.
Hearing the sound of footsteps, Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang raised their heads at the same time.
Duan Peng gave a military salute: "Regiment leader, political commissar!"
Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang returned the military salute.
"How is it?" Li Yunlong asked, "The reconnaissance team is back?"
"They're all back!" Duan Peng nodded.
"Come, let's introduce the enemy situation." Zhao Gang said.
Duan Peng walked to the Kang table, pointed at Datong on the Kang table map and said:
"Let me first introduce the enemy situation in Datong. At present, the Japanese have occupied Datong. The designation of this Japanese army is the 26th Division of the Japanese North China Front Army in Mongolia. It has three infantry regiments and two artillery regiments."
"They are the 11th Independent Infantry Regiment, the 12th Independent Infantry Regiment, the 13th Independent Infantry Regiment, the 26th Independent Artillery Regiment, and the 12th Independent Mountain Artillery Regiment."
"In addition, there are engineering regiments, cavalry regiments and baggage regiments, with a total strength of approximately 16,000 people."
"Currently, the 26th Division is still stationed in Datong, and there is no sign of returning to Baotou in the near future..."
The method used by the Sword Squadron to obtain intelligence is very simple and crude.
It is not difficult to pass the guard post pretending to be a Japanese, then capture a Japanese by surprise, and extract information about the Japanese through torture and confession.
Of course, we can't just arrest one Japanese prisoner, but must arrest several to extract confessions to ensure that these Japanese prisoners are not lying.
After listening to Duan Peng's report, Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang both frowned slightly. Is this situation not in line with expectations?
"The main force of the 26th Division has not left Datong?" Zhao Gang looked at Duan Peng and asked.
Duan Peng confirmed again: "I'm not leaving!"
Zhao Gang looked at Li Yunlong: "Old Li, the 26th Division has not left Datong. Do we still fight in Datong?"
Li Yunlong stared at the map, his eyes thoughtful.
With the combat effectiveness of the new regiment, there was no pressure to defeat a second-line Japanese division.
But the current new group has just experienced a big battle, and its combat effectiveness is not as good as its peak state.
Although in terms of military strength, the total number of the New Regiment is about 30,000, about one-third of them are new recruits who are still training in the training camp and have little combat effectiveness.
If you want to capture Datong now, you will have to gather the strength of the entire regiment to attack the 26th Division. Only then will you be able to capture Datong.
Once the main force of the new regiment leaves the base area, the Japanese from Taiyuan and Yangquan will definitely come smelling the smell of blood.
Either the First Army will attack the New Regiment together with the troops stationed in Mongolia, or the First Army will attack the New Regiment's base and steal their homes.
Then, Fu Zuoyi's Sui Army may take the opportunity to attack the headquarters of the Mongolian Army, and the main force of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army in southeastern Shanxi will immediately attack Yangquan and Taiyuan.
The Jinsui Army and the Central Army may also participate in this battle.
By then, other units of the North China Front will definitely reinforce Shanxi, and all of North China will be in a state of confusion.
If a war breaks out in North China and the war is unfavorable to the Japanese North China Front, the Kwantung Army will definitely intervene.
Not to mention the first division that is about to enter the Pass, I am afraid that several other divisions will be mobilized to enter the Pass, and then the situation will be greatly unfavorable to the Eighth Route Army.
Just two minutes.
In Li Yunlong's mind, he had already deduced a super-large battle that would turn the whole of North China into a pot of porridge.
During this period, neither Zhao Gang nor Duan Peng disturbed Li Yunlong.
Gradually, Li Yunlong's eyes became solid, and his tone became firm: "Fight!"
Zhao Gang worriedly said: "On paper, this 26th Division is much stronger than the 36th Division. It has two artillery regiments. If we want to eat up the 26th Division in a short time, I'm afraid it won't be possible."
Too realistic.”
Li Yunlong: "Who said we were going to eat the 26th Division?"
"How can we capture Datong without eating the 26th Division?" Zhao Gang said, "The 26th Division is not leaving Datong. It is obviously waiting for the First Division to enter the pass."
The Pingsui Railway is the lifeline of the Mongolian troops, and Datong is the most important military town on the Pingsui Railway.
Once the Pingsui Railway is not open to traffic for a long time, there will be problems with the supplies of the troops stationed in Mongolia.
That's why the 26th Division is so eager to take back Datong.
In order not to repeat the mistakes of the 3rd Brigade, the North China Front Army Headquarters ordered the 26th Division to temporarily stay in Datong and wait for the 1st Division to enter the customs.
As long as the First Division reaches northwest Shanxi, the new regiment will have no way to attack Datong, and the 26th Division can return to Inner Mongolia by then.
"Who said we want to eat the 26th Division?" Li Yunlong asked, "Even if I don't eat the 26th Division, I can still capture Datong."
"Oh?" Zhao Gang narrowed his eyes, "What good idea did you think of?"
With a chuckle, Li Yunlong said: "If you want to attack Datong, it is very simple. Just ask the main force of the 26th Division to withdraw from Datong."
Zhao Gang stared at the map and thought for a moment, and finally turned his attention to Suixi and the Hetao area.
"Old Li, you mean..." Zhao Gang said: "Let Fu Zuoyi's Sui Army cooperate?"
As Li Yunlong's golden partner, Zhao Gang understood Li Yunlong's thoughts in just a few seconds.
"That's right!" Li Yunlong looked at Zhao Gang, "The 26th Division was originally stationed in the Baotou and Wuyuan areas to fight against Fu Zuoyi's Sui Army. This time it was transferred to Datong, Baotou, and the Wuyuan area with the Japanese troops.
It must be empty."
Zhao Gang smiled slightly and said: "If the Sui Army launches an attack on Baotou and Wuyuan at this time, the 26th Division has only two choices, either to return reinforcements or not to return reinforcements."
"Once the Japanese come back to support us, we will take the opportunity to regain Datong and make a fortune."
"If the Japanese don't come back with reinforcements, let the Sui army recover Baotou, Wuyuan and other cities."
"No matter how we fight this battle, we will definitely make a profit without losing anything."
Although the commander of the Sui Army, Fu Zuoyi, had been fascinated by Li Yunlong for a long time, the two did not get in touch.
However, it is said that Fu Zuoyi has a good relationship with the Eighth Route Army headquarters. The headquarters contacted Fu Zuoyi. Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang estimated that Fu Zuoyi would send troops.
After all, this is a good opportunity to regain Baotou and Wuyuan, and Fu Zuoyi definitely doesn't want to miss the opportunity.
"That's right!" Li Yunlong then looked at Duan Peng again, "Duan Peng, please introduce the defense situation of Niangzi Pass."
"Yes!" Duan Peng pointed to the location of Niangzi Pass on the map and said, "The current garrison at Niangzi Pass consists of a Japanese brigade and a puppet army regiment, with a total strength of about 2,000 people."
"It seems that our guess is good. The Japanese have strengthened their defense at Niangzi Pass."
Zhao Gang smiled slightly, which was what he and Li Yunlong expected.
At present, the Japs of the First Army are shrinking their defenses. Except for a few big cities, they are heavily defending the Shotai Railway.
After all, this is the lifeblood of the First Army's Japs. Once the Zhengtai Railway is cut off, the First Army's Japs are in danger of being divided and surrounded.
On the contrary, wherever they were attacked, the Japanese could mobilize reinforcements along the Zhengtai Railway.
"Zhengtai Railway... we haven't gone there to make a fortune for a long time!" Li Yunlong rubbed his hands and said.
In the past, when he was in southeastern Shanxi, Li Yunlong often led his troops to sneak attacks on the Zhengtai Railway to make a fortune.
I made two fortunes on the Shotai Railway recently. One was the bombardment of Niangziguan Station, killing Lieutenant General Muto Akira, commander of the 2nd Guards Division, and Major General Hirata Masahan, deputy chief of staff of the North China Front.
The other time was to rob the Japanese army. That time the main force, led by the New Regiment, snatched 1,000 tons of combat supplies from the Japanese.
"Where are the Japanese reinforcements?" Zhao Gang asked Duan Peng.
Duan Peng said: "The Japanese reinforcements are mainly in Jingxing County and Yangquan."
"The Japanese 37th Division deployed three mobile brigades on the Zhengtai Railway, respectively in Shouyang, Yangquan and Jingxing counties."
"Each of these three mobile brigades has about 2,000 troops and is equipped with trucks, armored vehicles and other equipment. Each brigades are equipped with an artillery battalion."
"No matter which point is attacked on the section defended by the 37th Division, the Japanese mobile brigade can arrive within an hour."
Duan Peng drew the locations of several mobile brigades of the 37th Division on the map.
"The 37th Division?" Li Yunlong said in a disdainful tone when talking about the 37th Division, "The division that we almost lost its designation after we beat it?"
The commander of the 37th Division, Kenkichi Hirata, was killed by the new regiment. The next commander of the division, Kusuyama Hideyoshi, was dismissed due to unfavorable combat conditions. The current commander of the 37th Division is Adachi Twenty-three.
"That's right!" Zhao Gang said, "After Anda Twenty-three took office as the commander of the 37th Division, he led the 37th Division to guard the Zhengtai Railway in Yangquan. He fought against our 386th Brigade twice and actually withstood the offensive. This shows that
This Anda Twenty-Three is not simple."
Li Yunlong nodded: "It seems that Adachi Twenty-three is indeed more difficult to deal with than Kenkichi Hirata and Hideyoshi Kusuyama."
Because some powerful guerrillas of the Eighth Route Army were equipped with 70mm infantry guns and 75mm mountain guns, they were specially used to attack the Japanese masonry artillery towers on the Zhengtai Railway.
That kind of masonry turret cannot withstand the bombardment of infantry artillery and mountain artillery.
Often with just a few shots, the Japanese bunkers and gun towers would be destroyed, and the Japanese and puppet soldiers inside would naturally die tragically on the spot.
Later, the Japanese built reinforced concrete bunkers and gun towers at some important strongholds along the railway line.
It's just that the Japanese don't have enough steel and cement supplies, and only some important strongholds will build concrete fortifications.
Therefore, although there were more Japanese troops defending Zhengtai Road, there were many loopholes and the rails were often stripped.
Like some strongholds and gun towers, they are mainly for defense against guerrillas.
The Japanese mobile brigade was to prepare for a large-scale attack by the Eighth Route Army.
With the information in hand, Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang lay down on the map and began to formulate a battle plan. Duan Peng gave a military salute and then turned and left.
…
Southeast Shanxi.
Eighth Route Army Headquarters.
"Report!"
"New batch of telegrams!"
The decoder from the headquarters gave a military salute and turned to leave.
The chief of staff took the telegram and read it, and then couldn't help but narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Is there something going on with Li Yunlong?"
The chief asked after seeing this.
The division commanders and operational staff on the side couldn't help but turn their heads and look over.
Everyone paid special attention to the new group's telegram.
"This kid Li Yunlong...is really not a man who can live idle."
The chief of staff sounded helpless:
"He requested instructions on the telegram to attack Niangziguan and Datong."
"Oh?" The leader raised his eyebrows in a surprised tone, "Didn't Datong just be taken away by the 26th Division? What, Li Yunlong wants to eat the 26th Division?"
"That's not true." The chief of staff smiled slightly, "I guess Li Yunlong really wants to eat the 26th Division, but it's obviously not the right time now."
"Then what exactly does Li Yunlong want to do?" the teacher asked.
The chief of staff said: "What Li Yunlong means is that we want our headquarters to contact Fu Zuoyi, the commander-in-chief of the North Route Army, to see if the North Route Army can take advantage of the 26th Division to leave the station to launch an offensive. If the main force of the 26th Division returns to support,
Then the new regiment will attack Datong."
"This is a wonderful move!" the division commander laughed, "If the 26th Division does not return reinforcements, the Northern Route Army will take the opportunity to regain Baotou, Wuyuan and other places."
The leader nodded and made an immediate decision: "Send a telegram to Commander Fu immediately and agree to Li Yunlong's request to attack Datong and Niangziguan."
"Okay!" the chief of staff immediately began to draft a telegram.
…
Three nights later.
Fu Zuoyi took the initiative to request a battle. With the 35th Army and the 7th Cavalry Division as the main forces, he attacked from the Hetao defense area and made a long-distance attack on Baotou, an important strategic stronghold.
Since the 26th Division stationed in Baotou and Wuyuan and other places was transferred away, Baotou was in danger.
Peking.
No. 11, Iron Lion Alley.
North China Front Army Headquarters.
Holding the telegram in his hand, the communications staff officer quickly walked into the headquarters war room. In the war room, Sue Mizumasa and several combat staff officers from the staff were working on the sand table.
This time, the First Division was transferred to the North China Front Army, and it will be affiliated to the North China Front Army from now on.
Instead of being transferred to fight one battle and then leaving like the 10th Division did last time.
Although the First Division has not arrived yet, Okamura Neiji has already begun to arrange the defense issues for the First Division after it arrives in northwestern Shanxi.
Sandbox operations and war games are just basic operations.
"Your Excellency, General!"
"The Commander of the Mongolian Army, Lieutenant General Shigetaro Amakasu, has an urgent message!"
The communications staff officer bowed his head to Neji Okamura and said.
"Read it!" Okamura Neji frowned slightly, an emergency call meant that something bad had happened or was about to happen.
"Hi!"
The communications staff officer picked up the telegram and read:
"More than 30,000 members of the China Sui Army are storming Baotou. Please mobilize the main force of the 26th Division to come back for reinforcements. His Majesty the Locust is on board, and the Japanese Locust Army is on board!"
It was Neiji Okamura's order to mobilize the 26th Division to attack Datong, so the commander of the garrison in Mongolia did not dare to mobilize the main force of the 26th Division to return reinforcements without authorization.
"Nani?" Okamura Neji's face fell instantly.
Since the 26th Division was stationed in Baotou and Wuyuan, Fu Zuoyi's Sui Army has not launched a decent offensive for nearly a year.
Therefore, Okamura Neiji confidently and boldly mobilized the 26th Division to attack Datong. He did not expect that at this time, the Sui Army would stab him in the back.
Should the 26th Division be mobilized to return reinforcements?
