After receiving the order from North China Front Army Commander Okamura Neiji.
Yoshio Iwamatsu immediately ordered the convening of the First Army and other officers from the other three divisions in Taiyuan to major generals and above for a meeting in the inner city.
Not long after, Hanatani Masaru, Miyazaki Masao, Yamamoto Kazuki, Shimizu Nori and others from the First Army arrived.
As well as the commander of the 5th Division, Lieutenant General Matsui Tairo, the commander of the 24th Division, Lieutenant General Nemoto Hiroshi, and the commander of the 28th Division, Ishiguro Sadzo, rushed to the conference room.
Everyone sat down quickly, with solemn expressions on their faces, and they didn't even talk to each other.
Almost everyone knew that a large-scale attack by the Eighth Route Army was imminent, and they were all busy building fortifications and really had no time to communicate.
"His Excellency the Commander has arrived!"
Kamekawa Shiro shouted, and the elite Japanese guards at the door saluted with a military salute.
Since the last time the Japanese staff and chiefs of staff of the First Army Commander went to Taiyuan to greet Yoshimoto Seiichi.
Because of his outstanding performance in front of Iwamatsu Yoshio, Kamekawa Shiro was promoted two levels to the rank of major by Yoshio Iwamatsu's company, and became a popular figure in front of Yoshio Iwamatsu.
After a while, Yoshio Iwamatsu walked in quickly with a lieutenant general's sword on his waist.
All the Japanese officers stood up one after another and nodded slightly to Yoshio Iwamatsu.
Iwamatsu Yoshio waved his hand and motioned for everyone to take their seats:
"I just received an order from the commander of the North China Front, General Okamura Neiji."
"The Fifth Division, the 24th Division and the 28th Division are temporarily under my command."
Considering this battle, Okamura Neiji decided to take remote command, but the defense of Taiyuan required unified command.
However, Okamura Neji was far away in Peiping and did not understand the defense situation of Taiyuan.
So even though Yoshio Iwamatsu was a waste, Neji Okamura thought twice and temporarily handed over the command of these three divisions to Yoshio Iwamatsu.
If Yoshio Iwamatsu's command fails, Okamura can take back the command at any time.
Iwamatsu Yoshio is a well-known waste, and they don't want to listen to Iwamatsu Yoshio's command, but since it is Okamura Neji's order, they can only obey it.
After a pause, Yoshio Iwamatsu continued: "General Okamura Neiji instructed us to hold on to the Taiyuan and Shotai Railways, be sure to kill a large number of the Eighth Route Army's effective forces, and wait for an opportunity to move to Hebei."
"The 23rd Division, 35th Division and 110th Division will come to respond."
When all the Japanese officers heard this, they all breathed a sigh of relief in their hearts.
Even if General Okamura Neiji ordered to defend the Taiyuan and Shota Railways, they would not hesitate to fight the Eighth Route Army until every soldier was killed.
But then again, if you keep the green hills, you won’t have to worry about running out of firewood.
Who wants to kill himself and all his soldiers on the Taiyuan and Zhengtai Railways?
As long as we can preserve our strength, there will be plenty of opportunities to fight back in the future.
Iwamatsu Yoshio looked at Matsui Tataro, Nemoto Hiroshi and Ishiguro Sadzo, and asked: "Matsui-kun, Nemoto-kun, Ishiguro-kun, how is the construction of the fortifications of your three divisions?"
"Your Majesty Lieutenant General."
Matsui Tataro responded:
"Following your instructions, our division has built a large number of defenses, including bomb-proof holes, air-raid shelters, and simple tunnel fortifications."
The Fifth Division has abandoned all its original civil fortifications and instead built bomb-proof caves, air-raid shelters, and tunnel fortifications based on the mountain.
Hiroshi Nemoto and Sadazou Ishiguro also reported to Yoshio Iwamatsu on the fortification status of their respective divisions.
However, time was tight, and each division could only build simple tunnel fortifications, while digging a lot of bomb-proof holes and air-raid shelters.
"pity…"
Iwamatsu Yoshio secretly thought it was a pity, as he had been studying fortifications recently.
In the past, his defense around Taiyuan City was in the wrong direction.
At that time, the commander of the North China Front, Okamura Neiji, allocated a lot of steel bars, cement and other materials to Iwamatsu Yoshio.
Drawing on the experience of Tada Shun's cage policy, he used all these steel bars and cement to build along the highways, traffic intersections, and around the airport.
Now that I think about it, this defensive strategy is a bit stupid.
If you paid attention to tunnel tactics at that time, combine concrete fortifications with tunnel tactics.
Taking advantage of the favorable terrain, 3.5-meter-thick bunkers and bunkers were built with steel bars and cement at the entrance of the tunnel. They can not only protect against artillery and air defense, but also store ammunition inside. They are truly permanent fortifications.
When the Eighth Route Army attacked, soldiers emerged from the bunkers and bunkers connected to the tunnels.
While the Eighth Route Army's artillery and aircraft bombed the position, the soldiers hid in tunnels from bunkers and bunkers.
With the permanent fortifications of bunkers and bunkers as tunnel entrances, it would be difficult for the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery and aircraft to destroy them.
This will not only make it difficult for the Eighth Route Army's artillery superiority and air superiority to play a decisive role, but also kill a large number of Eighth Route Army troops and save the lives of our own soldiers.
It's like killing three birds with one stone.
But now Yoshio Iwamatsu doesn't have steel bars and cement, and he doesn't have enough time.
At present, the empire has occupied many steel plants and cement plants of the British and American empires in Southeast Asia. There is plenty of steel bars and cement materials, but they cannot be shipped in at all.
The Eighth Route Army only needs to send out planes to blow up the Zhengtai Railway, and it can easily cut off the First Army's logistical supplies.
"Yoshi!"
Yoshio Iwamatsu opened the folder in front of him:
"Regarding the defense of Taiyuan, I will make the following adjustments and arrangements..."
…
after one day.
Changchun.
No. 557, Xinfa Road.
Kwantung Army Headquarters.
General Yoshijiro Umezu, commander of the Kwantung Army, was entertaining General Naosaburo Okabe who had just flown from Tokyo. The new chief of staff, Lieutenant General Yukio Kasahara, was accompanying him.
Naosaburo Okabe has been promoted to general and will soon be appointed commander of the North China Front, which is the same level as General Yoshijiro Umezu.
When Naosaburo Okabe arrived in Changchun, Yoshijiro Umezu naturally wanted to accompany him in person.
"Okabe-kun, this is the new Longjing tea this year, please."
Umezu Meijiro shook his hands, and Okabe Naosaburo, who was sitting opposite, picked up the tea cup.
Naosaburo Okabe took a sip of tea, then put the tea cup back on the table and praised: "The soup is clear and blue in color, and the taste is sweet. It is really a rare and good tea. I have not had such a delicious tea in the empire for a long time."
"If you like it, Okabe-kun, take two kilograms with you when you go to Peking to take up the post of commander of the North China Front Army."
Naosaburo Okabe: "Thank you so much, Umezu-kun!"
Umezu Yoshijiro: "Okabe-kun is very polite, but China is a land of vast resources, and Longjing is just one leaf of it."
Naosaburo Okabe: "Yes, a weak nation like China does not deserve such a God-given land. Only our excellent Yamato nation deserves it."
Umezu Yoshijiro said: "However, it is not easy for the Japanese Empire to fully occupy this God-given land. It has been nearly five years since the Sino-Japanese War broke out. Although the Empire has occupied most of China's territory, China has not
The resistance is still fierce, especially the Eighth Route Army in North China, which has grown by leaps and bounds in the past two years, causing heavy losses to the North China Front. Recently, the Eighth Route Army in North China has shown signs of a major counterattack."
The two chiefs of staff of the Kwantung Army, Miyano Michichi and Yoshimoto Sadashi, were both killed by the Eighth Route Army in North China.
In addition, the 1st Division, 10th Division and other units affiliated to the Kwantung Army suffered heavy losses in North China.
Umezu Yoshijiro also hated the Eighth Route Army to his core and wished to chop off all the heads of the Eighth Route Army and use them as fertilizer.
"I know that."
"In the final analysis, there is something wrong with General Neji Okamura's tactics."
Naosaburo Okabe sounded confident.
Although Naosaburo Okabe serves as a military counselor in China and serves as the president of Army University part-time, he has always been paying attention to the war in North China.
Dare to go to Peiping to take up the post of commander of the North China Front, Naosaburo Okabe naturally did his homework.
"Oh?" Umezu Yoshijiro said in a surprised tone, "It seems that Okabe-kun feels that General Okamura's security plan is inappropriate?"
Umezu Yoshijiro has also seen Okamura Neji's tactics, and I have to say that Okamura Neji has something special.
If he hadn't lost too many battles in the past two years, Okamura would have been a candidate to become the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Army in the future.
Naosaburo Okabe nodded: "Of course, not only General Okamura Neiji's security plan is inappropriate, but also the cage policy of his predecessor, Commander Tada Shun, is also very problematic."
"I would like to hear the details." Umezu Yoshijiro's expression changed.
When a new commander takes office, he will basically negate the strategies and tactics of the previous commander.
It was the same even when he took over the Kwantung Army from General Ueda Kenkichi. He implemented brutal rule as soon as he took office.
Otherwise, how can he appear to be more awesome than the previous commander?
Naosaburo Okabe said: "General Okamura Neiji's tactics of strengthening public security, dividing North China into security areas, quasi-security areas and non-security areas, and implementing policies of rural clearing, nibbling, and mopping up, respectively, are still too slow to bear fruit."
Umezu Yoshijiro asked: "Then what do Okabe-kun plan to do?"
He wanted to hear Naosaburo Okabe's strategies and tactics, and wanted to see if they were better than Neji Okamura's tactics of strengthening public security.
Naosaburo Okabe said: "At Army University, I discussed with Lieutenant General Hisao Fururu that if the North China Front wants to break the situation, there is only one word to kill!"
"Since the North China Front Army cannot defeat the Eighth Route Army in southeastern Shanxi and northwest Shanxi within a short period of time."
"Then first concentrate our forces to deal with the Eighth Route Army in other parts of North China."
"Using methods such as raids, divisions, and a large number of poison gas bombs, the Eighth Route Army base areas in other parts of North China will be turned into no man's land."
"The development of the Eighth Route Army cannot be separated from the common people. Then kill all the common people. If the Eighth Route Army wants to develop and grow, it will be nothing more than a joke."
"After the Eighth Route Army in other places has been dealt with, the North China Front Army will concentrate its forces and combat materials to defeat the Eighth Route Army in southeastern Shanxi and northwestern Shanxi one by one."
Umezu Meijiro couldn't help but take a breath:
"In this case, wouldn't the locust army want to kill tens of millions of Chinese people in North China?"
"For the future of the empire." Naosaburo Okabe said harshly, "What does it mean to kill tens of millions of ordinary people?"
"Killing these inferior Chinese people will free up the land for the Yamato people to move over."
"From then on, the land of China became the territory of the Yamato nation."
Umezu Yoshijiro rolled his eyes and quickly came to the conclusion that Okabe Naosaburo's battle plan was a bit whimsical.
In the past, when the North China Front had the upper hand, there was no problem at all in doing this.
But times have changed, and now the Eighth Route Army in North China has the advantage.
After Naosaburo Okabe took office as the commander of the North China Front, the first thing he had to consider was how the Japanese army in North China could withstand the Eighth Route Army's attack.
Rather than how to attack the Eighth Route Army.
Moreover, Okamura Neiji has already taken over, and it is not yet certain whether he is willing to delegate power.
"Cheers to the future of the Yamato nation!"
However, Umezu Yoshijiro did not want to say more, after all, he did not have a close relationship with Okabe Naosaburo.
Naosaburo Okabe: "Cheers."
The two picked up the wine glasses, clinked them lightly, and then drank the sake in the glasses.
Putting down his wine glass, Umezu Yoshijiro said in a worried tone: "Okabe-kun should know that I, the Chief of Staff of the Kwantung Army, Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Teiichi, just last month was on my way to assume the post of commander of the First Army. His plane was shot down by an Eighth Route Army plane. I'm worried.
…”
Naosaburo Okabe nodded: "Of course I know about this. The Eighth Route Army's plane not only shot down Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Teiichi's plane, but also added an incendiary bomb. The method was extremely cruel."
"but…"
After a pause, Naosaburo Okabe's tone and expression were not at all panicked: "I have carefully studied that Lieutenant General Yoshimoto and Lieutenant General Miyano were killed in North China, most likely because there were enemy spies lurking in the North China Front Army Headquarters.
This spy disclosed the itinerary information of Lieutenant General Yoshimoto and Lieutenant General Miyano to the Eighth Route Army."
"I took a plane to Peiping this time without informing the North China Front Army Headquarters. Even General Okamura Neiji didn't know when I would arrive at Peiping Airport."
"So it's absolutely safe."
Umezu Yoshijiro nodded: "When will Okabe-kun prepare to leave Changchun for Peiping?"
"Tomorrow." Naosaburo Okabe said, "The situation in North China has deteriorated beyond control. If I take office earlier, I can clean up the mess."
Umezu Yoshijiro said: "Then I wish Okabe-kun a happy journey."
"Having said that, I would like to ask Umezu-kun to send more fighter jets to escort my plane." Naosaburo Okabe said.
Although he was sure that the information about his itinerary would not be leaked, Naosaburo Okabe still cherished his own life, and everything related to his life had to be arranged properly.
"That's natural." Umezu Yoshijiro nodded, "I will send a fighter jet team to escort you to Beiping Airport."
"Yoshi! Thank you so much, Umezu-kun!" Naosaburo Okabe said in a grateful tone.
A fighter fleet escorted the aircraft, that is to say, at least 20 Kwantung Army fighter jets escorted it.
Although I cannot guarantee my safety 100%.
But this is war, not playing house. How can it be 100% safe?
…
Shanxi.
Northwest Shanxi.
Zhaojiayu.
"Our large army will set off tomorrow. Why is there no news about the old devil Naosaburo Okabe?"
The night is as dark as ink.
In the headquarters of the New Regiment, Li Yunlong was muttering there with information about Naosaburo Okabe and the business price in his hand.
Zhao Gang, who had good hearing, heard Li Yunlong's muttering and said with a smile: "Maybe that old devil Naosaburo Okabe has arrived in Peiping. Boss Chen failed to get the old devil's intelligence information this time."
Li Yunlong glanced at Zhao Gang angrily, "Why don't you say something nice?"
At this moment, Wang Dehou quickly walked in from the door with a telegram in his hand.
"Regiment leader, political commissar, there is news from Boss Chen!"
When Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang heard this, their eyes could not help but shine.
