After hearing Vice President Bai say that it was not impossible to win the Battle of Xuzhou, Chairman Chiang finally nodded with satisfaction.
In terms of large-scale strategic layout and strategic considerations, Vice Commander Bai's abilities are indeed lackluster, but at the tactical level, Vice Commander Bai is definitely the best among all senior generals of the national army.
On the Songhu battlefield, if it hadn't been for Vice Commander Bai's timely advice and powerful presentation to Chairman Chiang Kai-shek Chen Ming, the more than 70 elite divisions of the National Army would have been dumped by the Japanese army. On the Xuzhou battlefield, if it hadn't been for Vice Commander Bai's outstanding performance
Even without the best planning and deployment, it would be impossible to completely annihilate the Japanese Sakagaki Division and Isoya Division.
Chairman Chiang nodded happily and said: "Jiansheng, I want to hear the specific strategic plan."
Vice Commander Bai nodded, then drew two large circles on the map with the command stick in his hand, and said: "In view of the Japanese army's possible plan of dividing its troops into two groups to launch a north-south pincer attack on Xuzhou, our army should also make corresponding arrangements."
"In the Xuzhou battlefield, we should rely on the Longhai Railway and take the initiative to attack northward, replacing defense with offense."
"In the Bengbu battlefield, we should use the natural barrier of the Huaihe River as a barrier and build a large number of defense fortifications for lasting defense."
"In a nutshell, our army should use Xuzhou and Bengbu as the core support to carry out a protracted battle against the Japanese reinforcements. When the Japanese army is exhausted, the first, third and Wuhan camps will mobilize elite troops from Xuzhou and Bengbu.
Attack the Japanese army from the outside, so that you can attack from inside and outside and completely defeat the Japanese army's heavy group."
Before Vice President Bai finished speaking, Chairman Chiang started to applaud enthusiastically.
Seeing Chairman Chiang applauding, the senior generals of the national army present also applauded. Among the crowd, only General Li frowned, seeming to have different opinions. However, Chairman Chiang and the senior generals of the party and state present were all in high spirits.
Go up, General Li didn't say anything else, so as not to spoil everyone's interest.
…
Baoshan Brigade Headquarters, War Room.
Yue Weihan is conducting war games nervously. Although there are no computers in this era, all the deduction data must be calculated manually, but this is not difficult for Yue Weihan. In addition to raking up all the white papers in the telecommunications room, Yue Weihan also asked Tang Dashan to
He and Chu Zhongtian found a large number of pebbles and small square rubbles.
I saw Yue Weihan mindlessly writing out calculation formulas on the white paper, and then marked each data and code on the cobblestones and small square rubbles, and then placed these cobblestones and small rubbles on different locations on the map.
Position, Liu Yi and a dozen combat officers from the general staff couldn't help but move closer.
Yue Weihan worked on the map for most of the day, and it was almost dark when he slumped down in his chair.
Major Liu Xin came to Yue Weihan with hot braised noodles and said distressedly: "Come on, please have some noodles. You haven't eaten anything all day."
"I can't eat it." Yue Weihan waved his hand and sighed, "I can't eat it, alas..."
Liu Yi, who had been standing by him all the time, couldn't bear it any longer and asked with concern: "Bridge, what happened?"
Yue Weihan sighed and said: "The committee decided to mobilize ninety-eight divisions to fight the Japanese army in Xuzhou!"
"What a good thing!" Liu Yi said excitedly after hearing this, "Brigade seat, our Baoshan Brigade can do something big again!"
"A good thing?" Yue Weihan said coldly, "I have repeatedly deduced it just now. If we really want to mobilize ninety-eight divisions to fight the Japanese army in Xuzhou, the best result is that the national army loses half of its troops and then breaks through, while the Japanese army loses
The strength of about five divisions, and..."
"And what?" Liu Yi said.
Yue Weihan shook his head and said nothing.
Some words should not be spoken. In Yue Weihan's war game, the best result was that the Chinese army lost half of its troops, while the Japanese army lost about five divisions. Moreover, there is a very cruel premise here, that is
The national army must dig up the Yellow River embankment and use the flooding Yellow River water to prevent the Japanese army from pursuing it!
Liu Yi thought for a while and then said: "Traveler, what's the worst outcome?"
"The worst result?" Yue Weihan said lonelyly, "The worst result is that all the ninety-eight divisions gathered on the Xuzhou battlefield are wiped out, while the Japanese army only loses two divisions, and then China's national defense strength is basically lost.
After being completely exhausted, the Japanese army took advantage of the situation and captured Henan, Anhui, Jiangxi, Lianghu, and even Sichuan, and finally the Nationalist Government announced its surrender!"
"What?" Liu Yi said in disbelief, "Traveler, it's not as serious as you said, is it?"
"This is just the worst outcome." Yue Weihan sighed, "Although it is unlikely, it is still possible."
Liu Yi obviously believed Yue Weihan's judgment and said anxiously: "Master, then why don't you tell the commissioner how powerful you are?"
"I will, but not now." Yue Weihan smiled bitterly and shook his head. Speaking in public at a military meeting, wouldn't that be like slapping Chairman Chiang in the face? The effect may not be good, and I am afraid it will also arouse Chairman Chiang's resentment.
Once this happened, there was no room for things to turn around, and of course Yue Weihan would not do this.
Such words can only be said in private, but Chairman Chiang is in high spirits right now, so he may not be able to listen!
…
Shandong Jinan.
General Juichi Terauchi, the commander of the Japanese North China Front, has visited the frontline command post in person, and Rensuke Isotani, the commander of the 10th Division, has also returned to Jinan in disgrace. Although his position as division commander has not been relieved, everyone knows that this
This will be the last time he attends a military conference in his military career.
As Yue Weihan expected, the Japanese army was indeed learning lessons.
Obviously, the Japanese army is much more pragmatic than the Chinese army and knows better about learning lessons from failures.
The Sakagaki Division and the Isoya Division were severely damaged one after another. This was the most disastrous defeat the Japanese army had suffered since the Meiji Restoration. Even during the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese army had never suffered such a disastrous defeat!
The two elite divisions were wiped out one after another. This also caused great repercussions internationally. The Western media even questioned the combat effectiveness of the Japanese army. The worst consequences did not end there. Because the national army was in Nanjing battlefield and Xuzhou battlefield
It showed its ability to counter the Japanese army, causing Western countries to shift from neutrality to secretly supporting the National Government.
The Western world's secret support for the Nationalist Government was not out of good intentions. Their original intention was just to hope that the Sino-Japanese war could last a few more years so that they could sell arms on both sides and make a fortune. This was especially shown by Germany. At this time, Germany
is rapidly getting closer to Japan, but secretly, Germany is still providing German weapons and equipment to the Nationalist Government.
Of course, the senior generals of the Japanese North China Front Army and the Central China Front Army and the staff of the base camp dispatch team do not need to care about the international impact. What they need to summarize is the experience and lessons of the Lunan defeat and draw useful experience from it in the hope of doing something better in the future.
Make highly targeted tactical improvements.
Isotani Rensuke is making a speech at the meeting. This will also be the last speech in his military career.
"I believe that the Chinese Army has not lost its ability to resist, let alone its determination to resist. It is extremely dangerous to go deep alone with one or two divisions. The disastrous defeat in Lunan has fully proved that the theory of quick victory is wrong.
"It is unrealistic to destroy China within three months or even half a year. We must be prepared for a protracted war."
"Yo Xi." The general in the temple nodded happily and said, "Isoya-kun, your views are very forward-looking. I believe that after returning to China, you will be able to find your own place again." After saying this, the general in the temple said again,
"Now, I want to hear everyone's views on the Battle of Xuzhou. Please speak freely."
With the destruction of the Sakagaki Division and the Isotani Division, the Japanese army's tactical concept of using the two divisions as a base to lure and annihilate the main force of the Chinese army in the Xuzhou battlefield has lost the basis for execution. The Japanese army has no idea whether to continue to implement the plan of the Xuzhou battle.
Two different voices have emerged within the dispatch team at the base camp.
But in general, the voice of revising the combat plan has the absolute upper hand.
Lieutenant General Okabe said: "Your Excellency, General, I would like to ask you to make an exception and allow Major Tetsuda to attend the meeting."
The general in the temple said: "Okabe-kun, why do you specifically propose that a major officer be allowed to attend the meeting?"
Lieutenant General Okabe said: "Because Major Tetsuda's analysis and judgment on the Battle of Xuzhou is very insightful, I hope that your Excellency the general and all the gentlemen here can listen to it."
"Yo Xi." The general in the temple bowed his hands happily.
Lieutenant General Okabe immediately stood up and left. Within a moment, he came in with a major officer. After the major officer entered the conference room, he put his feet back and stood at attention. He suddenly lowered his head towards General Terauchi, who was in charge, and then turned around.
He stepped up and stood on the right side of the door of the conference room in a standard military posture.
The general in the temple nodded happily and said: "Tengtian-kun, I heard from Okabe-kun that you have a unique analysis and judgment on the Battle of Xuzhou. Why don't you tell us about it?"
"Hai." Major Tengda lowered his head suddenly, then raised his head again and said loudly: "Your Excellency, General, although the Sakagaki Division and the Isoya Division suffered heavy losses on the Lunan battlefield, I don't think the China Army will just give up when things get better.
Let alone take the initiative to abandon the defense of Xuzhou, I think the China Army will mobilize more troops to fight the imperial army in Xuzhou!"
The general in the temple said: "Teng Tianjun, what is your basis?"
Major Tengtian said: "Since the beginning of the war, the resistance strategy of the China Army can be roughly summarized in eight words, that is, 'Fight for every inch of land and resist every step of the way.' In Songhu, Shanxi, and Nanjing, the China Army knew full well that
It cannot be defended but defended. Xuzhou tightly controls the Jin-Pu Railway and the Longhai Line. It can be said to be a strategic hub in the Central Plains. There is absolutely no way that the Chinese Army will abandon the defense on its own initiative!"
"Well, it seems to make sense." The general in the temple nodded, and then changed the topic, "But this is just your speculation. Is there any other basis?"
Major Tengtian said calmly: "From the analysis of China leader Chiang Kai-shek's behavior, we can find that this person is very keen on gathering superior forces to engage in large-scale frontal decisive battles with the imperial army. This is the case in the Battle of Xinkou, and this is the case in the Battle of Songhu.
The same is true for the Battle of Nanjing. I believe he will still do this for this Battle of Xuzhou!"
"Yo Xi." The general in the temple was obviously convinced, and he immediately stood up and said to Lieutenant General Okabe, "Okabe-kun, please immediately send a report to the base camp and recommend that you continue to implement the Xuzhou battle plan!"