After hearing Yamamoto Kazuki's words, Okamura Neji's expression moved slightly and he looked at Yamamoto Kazuki.
Sue Seizo and other officers and staff couldn't help but look at Yamamoto Kazuki.
At the moment, Kazuki Yamamoto can be called the third-in-command of the North China Front, and his status can be said to have soared.
Moreover, Kazuki Yamamoto is indeed quite capable. Since taking up the post of Deputy Chief of Staff of the North China Front, he has provided a lot of constructive suggestions.
After taking over the intelligence department of the North China Front, Yamamoto Kazuki also obtained some information about the Eighth Route Army.
Although the intelligence is not much, and the intelligence is not core secret, it is much stronger than the previous intelligence staff officers.
The main reason is that Yamamoto Kazuki was previously in charge of the intelligence work of the First Army.
Although the First Army's intelligence battle has been completely defeated by the Eighth Route Army, Yamamoto Kazuki fought against the Eighth Route Army in Shanxi, so he has relatively rich experience.
"General."
"IMHO."
Yamamoto Kazuki looked cold and said in a deep voice:
"It is difficult for our North China Front Army to withstand the Eighth Route Army's offensive alone. I guess that the New 1st Regiment, the New 2nd Regiment and the Independent Regiment of the Eighth Route Army will be the main force in this battle."
All the Japanese officers, including Okamura Neji, nodded solemnly.
The main force of the Eighth Route Army headed by these three regiments has extremely strong combat effectiveness, especially the new regiment. The combat effectiveness of one regiment is equivalent to at least three Class A divisions of the Japanese army.
This is the data from the Battle of Zhengtai a few months ago. After these few months of development, the strength of the Eighth Route Army will probably become even more terrifying.
"Indeed." Okamura Neji nodded gloomily.
As the commander of the North China Front, Okamura Neiji did not want to admit that he could not defeat the Eighth Route Army, but this was the fact.
The Eighth Route Army has more than 1,000 artillery pieces with a caliber above 105 mm, and more than 500 tanks.
And what about the North China Front Army?
There are less than 100 heavy artillery pieces with a caliber above 105 mm, including the disabled 6th Heavy Artillery Regiment of the 1st Division, and the 7th Heavy Artillery Regiment hidden by Okamura Neiji.
In terms of light artillery firepower, there is a big gap between it and the Eighth Route Army.
Not to mention tanks, although the North China Front has nearly 100 tanks, these tanks are all Type 95 light and Type 97 medium tanks.
It was completely incomparable to the heavy tanks of the Eighth Route Army and was beaten to death.
In terms of air superiority, although the 6th Flying Division of the North China Front Army has been established, Okamura Neiji is not sure whether it can defeat the Eighth Route Army's air force.
However, judging from the defeat of the aviation units in Central China.
There is a high probability that the 6th Flying Division cannot defeat the Eighth Route Army Air Force.
In terms of infantry firepower, the Locust Army still uses bolt-action rifles, while the Eighth Route Army has used semi-automatic and fully-automatic firepower.
In terms of military strength, the Eighth Route Army also has an advantage. In addition, the Eighth Route Army also has the support of the common people.
In terms of air firepower, ground firepower and troops, as well as logistics, the North China Front was all at a major disadvantage.
To say that the North China Front Army could defeat the Eighth Route Army is to completely deceive oneself and others.
Although at the bottom of each division and brigade, the Japanese officers and soldiers all fanatically believed that the Locust Army would win this battle and the Eighth Route Army would be defeated.
But in the operations hall of the North China Front Army Headquarters, there were all senior Japanese military officers and staff officers.
When the paper data of both sides are laid out, no Japanese officer can be so stupid as to believe that the Locust Army will win.
"So, Yamamoto-kun, what are your countermeasures?"
After a pause, Okamura Neji looked at Yamamoto Kazuki.
Yamamoto Kazuki said in a deep voice: "Since our North China Front Army cannot stop the Eighth Route Army's attack, we can only ask for foreign aid."
"What if, when the Eighth Route Army attacked North China, it broke through the locust army defense lines in Shimen City, Baoding, and Zhangjiakou, and advanced towards the Pingjin area."
"The main force of the Locust Army in Central and South China and the main force of the Kwantung Army in Manchuria suddenly appeared behind the Eighth Route Army."
"We will have a chance to defeat the Eighth Route Army and even completely annihilate the main force of the Eighth Route Army attacking the North China Front."
The main battlefield of this battle was in North China. The terrain in North China was mostly plains, so the Japanese army had no way to use tunnels and counter-slope tactics.
Of course, even if the Japanese army adopted the tactics of tunnels and reverse slopes, the Eighth Route Army had its own countermeasures.
"Yamamoto-kun has a good idea. I have discussed this tactic with His Excellency the General and Lieutenant General Tanabe before."
You Mo Jing San is worried:
"But I'm afraid the base camp will not agree to the Locust Army in Central China and the Kwantung Army in Manchuria coming to fight in North China."
They had already discussed Yamamoto Kazuki's method before Tanabe Moritake died.
The result was that it was impossible for the base camp to send the Kwantung Army and the Japanese troops from Central China to fight in North China.
Not to mention mobilizing the Japanese troops in South China.
Moreover, this method was proposed by Moritake Tanabe.
"Your Excellency Chief of Staff, the situation is different now."
Yamamoto Kazuki said in a deep voice.
"What's the difference?"
Youmo Jingsan asked in a deep voice.
Although all the Japanese officers looked gloomy and solemn, there was no smell of gunpowder in their words.
This battle is related to the life and death of the North China Front Army, and all the Japanese officers are working hard to achieve the same goal.
Yamamoto Kazuki said: "At that time, the Eighth Route Army did not have heavy long-range bombers and could not threaten the empire's mainland."
"Now the Eighth Route Army has heavy long-range bombers. Once North China is lost, the Eighth Route Army will definitely attack Manchuria and South China."
"When the Eighth Route Army drives the locust army out of China, the Eighth Route Army's heavy long-range bombers will probably visit the empire and drop bombs every day."
"We can inform the Prime Minister and His Majesty Tian Locust of the interests involved, as well as the current situation between the enemy and ourselves."
"They will definitely send troops to flank the attacking Eighth Route Army."
Okamura Neji nodded, what Yamamoto Kazuki said did make some sense.
The base camp has mobilized so many troops and combat materials for the North China Front Army.
If the North China Front is defeated, the base camp will definitely be unable to withstand it.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! If you continue to apply for reinforcements, the base camp will most likely continue to send reinforcements, and there may even be a stud.
This is the gambler mentality of the Japanese army.
Okamura Neiji thought that with the current strength of the Eighth Route Army, it would not be able to defeat the entire China Expedition Army.
At this moment, an officer from the intelligence department walked in quickly with a telegram in his hand, handed the telegram to Yamamoto Kazuki, paused, and left quickly.
Yamamoto Kazuki picked up the telegram and read it. After reading the telegram, Yamamoto Kazuki couldn't help but stare.
"Your Excellency, General, Your Excellency, Chief of Staff."
"I have just received information that some units of the Eighth Route Army are already making pre-war mobilization and material preparations. The Eighth Route Army will attack soon!"
Putting down the telegram in his hand, Kazuki Yamamoto looked at Neji Okamura and Seizo Arisu with a solemn expression.
Okamura Neiji, Arisu Seizo and the Japanese officers all looked stern.
The air was suddenly filled with a sense of urgency before the coming war.
In the past, the Japanese army could also receive intelligence on the Eighth Route Army's pre-war mobilization and material preparation.
However, no matter how detailed the information was, it would be difficult for the Japanese army to obtain it.
In the past, when the Japanese army obtained this information, the general staff would also analyze the target of the Eighth Route Army's attack, because the Eighth Route Army was good at feigning attacks.
For example, last time Li Yunlong used the tactic of claiming the north and attacking the south, sending the Independent Regiment and the New Second Regiment to pretend to attack Datong, while the main force quietly went south to attack the 33rd Division and the 37th Division.
Of course, this is also a common tactic used by the Japanese army.
The Japanese knew that the mobilization of troops and combat supplies could not be hidden from the eyes of the Eighth Route Army.
Therefore, before the mopping up, the Japanese army usually moved its troops back and forth in order to confuse the Eighth Route Army and prevent the Eighth Route Army headquarters from guessing the target that the Japanese army was going to attack.
But this time, the Japanese army didn't have to guess at all. They all knew that the Eighth Route Army was going to launch a massive counterattack in North China.
"Youmo Lord, please immediately draft a telegram and send it to the base camp!"
"Please ask the base camp to order the Kwantung Army and the Locust Army troops in Central and South China to reinforce our North China Front Army!"
"Destroy the Eighth Route Army attacking North China with a complete encirclement!"
Okamura Neiji pushed up the round glasses on the bridge of his nose and ordered in a cold tone.
"Hi."
After Mo Jingsan answered, he got some paper and pen and started drafting the telegram.
"Yamamoto-kun, how is your guerrilla unit going?"
Okamura Neji looked at Yamamoto Kazuki.
"At present, 50 guerrilla groups have been trained, and each guerrilla group is equipped with weapons from the Eighth Route Army guerrillas and translators."
"Even if these guerrillas trained by my special agents cannot completely destroy the Eighth Route Army's logistical supplies, they can still cause great trouble to the Eighth Route Army's logistical supply lines."
Kazuki Yamamoto sounded confident.
The Japs from the 26th Division and the 1st Division also formed some guerrillas last time, but they were relatively amateurish and were wiped out by the Eighth Route Army guerrillas not long after.
But this time, Yamamoto Kazuki fully learned the lessons from the last guerrilla failure and studied the characteristics of the Eighth Route Army guerrillas.
Let these Japanese guerrillas pretend to be the main force or guerrillas of the Eighth Route Army.
It's a fool's errand for the Eighth Route Army and the Chinese people.
As long as you are careful, not only the main force of the Eighth Route Army and the guerrillas will not be able to recognize it, but the Chinese people will also not be able to recognize it.
However, you have to pretend to be fake. Yamamoto Kazuki strictly forbids these guerrillas from massacring Chinese people. If they pretend to be fake, the people will support the Japanese guerrillas in order to solve the problem of supplies behind enemy lines.
"Yoshi."
Okamura Neji nodded.
"Your Excellency, General."
"Regarding the imitation of the German Iron Fist rocket launcher, is there any news from the base camp?"
Yamamoto Kazuki asked.
The Japanese army did not have many anti-tank guns, and the 47mm anti-tank guns could not penetrate the Eighth Route Army's tank armor from the front.
However, there has been no progress in the base camp's research on rocket launcher anti-tank weapons.
Only then did Kazuki Yamamoto come up with the idea to imitate the German anti-tank weapons and mount a Type 4 anti-tank mine on a simple rocket launcher to launch it.
Okamura Neiji then said: "By the way, a telegram was just sent from the base camp this morning. From the ordnance department, the test of the Type 4 anti-tank rocket launcher has been successful."
"How's the performance?"
Yamamoto Kazuki asked with a relaxed expression.
"It's very good. The range can reach 30 meters and the armor penetration thickness can reach 150 mm."
Okamura Neji said.
"Yoshi!"
Yamamoto Kazuki nodded, thinking that now he finally had a weapon to deal with the Eighth Route Army tanks.
Although the performance of this anti-tank weapon is far inferior to that of the Eighth Route Army's bazooka rocket launcher, it is incomparable in terms of range and power.
Although this range is very short, it is much better than sending a soldier to run up to the tank and throw a Type IV anti-tank mine onto the tank.
"General, please call back to the base camp!"
"The North China frontline urgently needs such anti-tank weapons, the more the better."
Yamamoto Kazuki said in a deep voice.
Regarding the efficiency of the rotten officers in the ordnance department, Yamamoto Kazuki was unable to complain, but others were soft-spoken. He could only suggest to Okamura Neiji that Okamura Neiji urge the base camp to produce new weapons as soon as possible.
However, Kazuki Yamamoto is now the deputy chief of staff of the North China Front, and has a much greater say than when he was in the First Army.
Using his right to speak, Yamamoto Kazuki reorganized the Yamamoto Special Agent Team. The number of members has reached 80. Goro Oga is responsible for training. All of them are soldiers carefully selected from the A-type divisions.
"Yeah." Okamura Neji nodded.
If the Eighth Route Army's tank problem cannot be solved, the Eighth Route Army's heavy tanks will be a devastating blow to the Japanese army.
Regarding this matter, Okamura Neji also attaches great importance to it.
Youmo Seizan quickly drafted two telegrams, one requesting reinforcements, and the other requesting the Ordnance Department to produce Type 4 anti-tank rocket launchers as soon as possible and send them to North China.
After reading the telegram, Okamura Neiji quickly signed his name and handed it to the communications staff to arrange for the telegram to be sent out.
…
The Eighth Route Army and the North China Front Army were all arranging their troops intensively in preparation for this battle.
More than half a month later.
Taiyuan.
The headquarters of the new regiment.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! The officers and staff of the regiment were in a hurry, and there seemed to be a smell of gunpowder in the air as a war was approaching.
"Captain, the head of the headquarters just called to inquire."
Chief of Staff Wang Dehou put down the phone in his hand, walked to Li Yunlong, and asked:
"Have the pre-war preparations been completed?"
"Don't ask me about this." Li Yunlong raised his eyes from the map and said angrily, "You are the chief of general staff of the campaign."
"I have already reported it to the head of the headquarters."
"All our pre-war preparations can be completed in five days at most."
Wang Dehou smiled slightly and said.
Organizing such a large offensive campaign, involving hundreds of thousands of troops, requires a lot of pre-war preparations.
The preparation of weapons and ammunition, food and medicine, the preparation of logistics transportation vehicles, the mobilization of participating troops and the masses all require a large amount of manpower and material resources.
It was the first time for Wang Dehou, a grown-up girl, to organize the pre-war preparations for such a large-scale battle.
The work is tiring, but Wang Dehou is also very motivated.
Li Yunlong nodded with a satisfied expression.
"Commander, when will the troops start attacking?"
Wang Dehou asked.
Li Yunlong didn't answer. He looked at the sky. It was already mid-October 1942, the autumn rain was falling, and there was already a chill in the air.
Winter in the north comes faster than winter in the south.
"Are the winter coats for the attacking troops ready?"
Li Yunlong asked.
This battle is a big one and it may not be over in a short time, so preparations need to be made in advance.
"not yet."
"Although the cotton harvest in various places is good this year, it may be too late for quilt factories to rush to make cotton clothes now."
"After all, we need at least hundreds of thousands of cotton-padded clothes."
Wang Dehou said in an awkward tone.
"It seems that the only choice is to find Boss Chen." Li Yunlong nodded without panicking at all.
Boss Chen has a lot of cotton coats. The quality is much better than the cotton coats produced by the Eighth Route Army Quilt Factory, and the price is very cheap.
When two Kwantung Army squadrons were killed, Boss Chen gave them 40,000 sets of cotton-padded clothes.
Very good value for money!
"Report to the head of the regiment, chief of staff!"
"Boss Chen's secret message!"
At this moment, the communications staff officer of the new regiment walked in quickly with a telegram in his hand and gave a military salute report.
