Chongqing, General Staff Headquarters Press Conference Hall.
Chairman Chiang Kai-shek raised his arms on the rostrum and shouted: "...the National Revolutionary Army has deployed a total of sixteen armies, forty-eight divisions and two brigades, totaling 500,000 troops, and has formed an encirclement situation around the Japanese troops stationed in Shanxi. Thirty
The Ninth Group Army has even made a major breakthrough on the eastern front, regaining and pacifying the county town and annihilating the 80th Japanese Infantry Regiment!"
"In this battle, our army's goal is to completely annihilate the main force of the Japanese troops stationed in Shanxi and regain the entire territory of Shanxi!"
At the end of the speech, Chairman Chiang waved his fist vigorously. Photographers from major media outlets quickly pressed the shutter, freezing the image of Chairman Chiang waving his fist forever. The next day, the headlines of major Chinese and foreign newspapers
On the front page of the page was a photo of Chairman Chiang waving his fist, with the inscription next to it: Chinese Fist - Shanxi’s Counterattack!
Tokyo, Japanese military base camp.
Xianyuan Gong Zairen gently pressed down the radio, then narrowed his eyes and fell into deep thought.
What was just broadcast on the radio was the speech delivered by Chiang Kai-shek, the leader of the National Government, in Chongqing.
From Chiang's speech, Xianyuan Gong Zairen heard the Nationalist Government's determination to resist to the death.
Although Kanin Miya Zaijin is the chief of staff of the Japanese army and navy, he rarely interferes with specific affairs. However, this old devil has been in charge of military affairs in front of the Japanese emperor for many years and has supreme authority in the Japanese army.
, once he wants to intervene in a specific matter, no one can stop him, not even Emperor Hirohito.
Amidst the rapid footsteps, the new Minister of War, Hideki Tojo, strode into the office of old Japanese Zai Ren. He immediately put his feet back and stood at attention and said: "Your Highness!"
Zai Ren nodded slightly in return, and then asked directly: "How serious is the situation in Shanxi?"
Tojo Hideki originally wanted to hide something, but after thinking about it, he said truthfully: "Your Highness, the situation in Shanxi is very bad. The first barrier in the east of Taiyuan to pacify the county town has been captured by the Thirty-ninth Group Army commanded by Yue Weihan.
, the First Army stationed in Shanxi has also been divided and surrounded by the Chinese *** team!"
"The situation is so critical, why not send reinforcements from the Kwantung Army?" Zai Ren was slightly angry.
"The 1st Division has been dispatched to Shanxi." Tojo Hideki said hurriedly, "However, when the order was issued, the officers and soldiers of the 1st Division were on vacation, and the assembly was not completed until this morning."
Zai Ren frowned and said, "So, what are the chances of holding Taiyuan?"
After saying this, old Japanese Zai Ren suddenly showed a serious look on his face and added: "Tōjo-kun, I want to hear the truth!"
Hideki Tojo was awe-inspiring when he heard this, and immediately replied truthfully: "After thorough deduction, the Operations Department believes that the possibility of holding Taiyuan is less than 20%, and it will be difficult for the First Army to hold on until reinforcements arrive."
"Where is the Fourth Army stationed in Hebei?" Zai Ren said, "Looking from the map, Shimen is very close to Taiyuan."
"Shimen is only two hundred kilometers away from Taiyuan, but it must cross the Jingxing Grand Canyon in the middle!" Hideki Tojo said, "The terrain of the Jingxing Grand Canyon is extremely steep, and there are Tumen Pass, Niangzi Pass and other passes. At least within half a month,
It is impossible for the Fourth Army to penetrate the Jingxing Grand Canyon, but it is difficult for the First Army to hold on for half a month."
"Half a month!?" Zai Ren said in disbelief, "The First Army can't even hold on for half a month?"
"Hai." Tojo Hideki suddenly lowered his head and said, "Such a conclusion is indeed shocking, but it is the fact that the China Army has newly invented a chemical weapon of mass destruction, which is extremely powerful and can make the Imperial Army warriors
Completely losing combat effectiveness in a short period of time, the 80th Infantry Regiment was shattered like this."
"Chemical weapons? Baga Yalu!" Zai Ren yelled angrily, "We must immediately file a lawsuit with the League of Nations."
"The lawsuit has already been tried." Tojo Hideki said, "However, the League of Nations has always been controlled by the United States, Britain, France, the Soviet Union and other countries, and these countries are increasingly at odds with the empire, so it is impossible to achieve anything substantial.
Effect."
Zai Ren's face was as dark as water and he asked: "Tojo-kun, what do you think we should do now?"
"The current situation is very difficult." Tojo Hideki said with a bitter smile, "If we give up Shanxi voluntarily, it will damage the prestige of the empire and the imperial army, and will inevitably increase the arrogance of the China Army; if we stick to Shanxi, we can certainly give
The China Army caused great casualties and weakened the resistance for the Imperial Army's counterattack on Shanxi, but the First Army was likely to be completely destroyed."
"That is to say..." Zai Ren said in a deep voice, "Shanxi will eventually be lost?"
"Hai." Tojo Hideki lowered his head again and said, "I believe that the fall of Shanxi is inevitable."
"Then let the First Army prepare for a breakout!" Old Japanese Zai Ren pondered for a moment and then ordered, "Let the Fourth Army storm Jingxingkou. If the Fourth Army can break through Jingxingkou within 24 hours, then the order will be given.
The First Army will hold on tight. If the Fourth Army cannot break through Jingxingkou within 24 hours, the First Army will immediately withdraw from Taiyuan to Datong!"
"Hai." Tojo Hideki lowered his head suddenly, then turned around and walked away.
Shimen, Fourth Army Headquarters.
Major General Toshihide Fujimoto walked quickly into Shun Tada's office. He immediately put his feet back and stood at attention and said: "Your Excellency, Commander, there is an urgent call from the base camp, ordering us to seize Tumen Pass and dig down Jingxingkou within 24 hours!"
"24 hours?" Tada Jun heard this with awe and looked at the time. It was already two o'clock in the afternoon.
"Order!" Tada Shun immediately ordered, "The 13th Division immediately launches an attack on Tumen Pass. All trenches outside Pingjingxing Pass must be filled before dark to clear obstacles for tanks and rapid-fire cannons to advance!"
"Hai." Fujimoto Shunyong lowered his head suddenly, turned around and walked away.
Tada Shun thought for a while, and then called Colonel Masao Ikegami, the head of the Japanese secret service stationed in Shimen, and ordered the secret service to capture at least 500 Chinese civilians as soon as possible and drive them outside Tumen Pass. Tada Shun, this old devil, is really not
It's a common insidious thing, this is using the Chinese people as human shields.
Taiyuan, First Army Headquarters.
Colonel Inoue Yasushi, the head of the Japanese military stationed in Taiyuan, strode into the office of Lieutenant General Xiang Yueqingji. He immediately put his feet back and stood at attention and said: "Your Excellency, Commander, an urgent message has just been sent from the base camp, ordering our First Army to prepare for retreat.
Once the Fourth Army fails to attack Jingxing Pass, it will immediately withdraw north to Datong!"
"What did you say?" Xiangyue Qingji frowned and said, "Evacuate Datong to the north!?"
"Hai." Inoue Yasushi suddenly lowered his head and said, "Your Excellency, Commander, due to the use of chemical weapons of mass destruction by the China Army on the battlefield, the possibility of the Imperial Army holding Taiyuan is slim! Once the Fourth Army fails to make progress,
, and if the First Army cannot withdraw north to Datong in time, the result can only be collective destruction."
Xiangyue Qingsi was silent for a moment and said helplessly: "Notify all ministries to prepare for retreat immediately."
Yasushi Inoue reminded: "Your Excellency, Commander, don't you need to notify the 40th Infantry Brigade stationed in Shouyang?"
Xiangyue Qingji nodded silently. The 40th Infantry Brigade stationed in Shouyang has been trapped by the Chinese Army. The possibility of breaking out is unlikely. Moreover, if the main force of the First Army withdraws north to Datong, some troops must stay.
After the break, it seems that this important task can only fall on the 40th Infantry Brigade.
Pingding County, frontline headquarters of the Thirty-ninth Group Army.
The war room was crowded, and in the telecommunications room next door, the beeping telegrams kept ringing.
Amidst the rapid footsteps, Lieutenant Colonel Liu Xin walked into the war room with a folder. He immediately stood at attention and said to Yue Weihan: "The main seat, the 2nd Regiment, the 4th Regiment, the 5th Regiment and the artillery regiment have all entered the attack position.
, the 3rd Regiment and the 6th Regiment have cut off the road between Shouyang and Taiyuan, and the cavalry regiment is cruising along the road, ready to respond at any time."
Gao Shuxun struck the knot hard and said to Yue Weihan: "Master, everything seems to be going well."
"The main reason is that the strength of the Japanese army in Shanxi is too empty." Liu Yi said with a smile, "Faced with our advancing step by step, the Japanese army did not dare to withdraw. The Japanese army in various places were killed by the Central Army, the Shanxi-Sui Army and the Eighth Route Army.
They are so entangled that they have no time to save them, and the result is that they will be divided and surrounded by us, and then eaten one by one."
"The so-called military attack is a conspiracy!" Yue Weihan said happily, "The little *** clearly know what we want to do, but they just can't figure it out! Who gave them too much appetite and transferred all the troops to central China?
Are you trying to swallow up the whole of China on the battlefield? What’s the result? Are you full? Are you focusing on one and losing the other?”
Liu Yi, Gao Shuxun and others laughed heartily, and Sun Dianying and Bi Guangheng also laughed dryly.
"Order all regiments to pay attention to concealment. Even if the Japanese troops from Taiyuan come for reinforcements, do not rush to stop them. Just let them enter Shouyang City. If one Japanese can eat this table of food, then two Japanese will also eat it!" Yue Weihan
Smiling slightly, he said to Liu Yi, "In short, be sure not to let Japanese aircraft discover your whereabouts to avoid unnecessary casualties!"
"Report!" As soon as he finished speaking, Gao Jingwu, the director of the intelligence department, suddenly walked in quickly, stood at attention and said, "General seat, the Japanese Fourth Army Headquarters has just issued an order to the 13th Division, ordering the 13th Division to do whatever it takes.
The price is to seize Tumen Pass and open Jingxingkou within 24 hours!"
"Hmm! 24 hours!?"
"You little devil, you have such a loud voice!"
Yue Weihan and Liu Yi looked at each other coldly.
"The kid is so crazy." Gao Shuxun curled his lips and said, "Not to mention 24 hours, even if it takes ten days and a half, the kid can't even think about taking down the Tumen Fortress."
Yue Weihan touched his chin and suddenly said: "Brother Jianhou (Gao Shuxun), don't you think there is something abnormal?"
"It's a bit abnormal." Gao Shuxun reacted immediately after Yue Weihan reminded him, "This old devil Tada Shun doesn't know the details of Tumen Fortress, nor has he launched a tentative feint attack. Why would he dare to attack the 13th
The division sets a 24-hour time limit? This is illogical!"
"Is there some conspiracy among them?" Liu Yi said solemnly.
Yue Weihan waved his hand and was silent. He seemed to be aware of it vaguely, but for a while he was still unable to make a clear judgment. Chu Zhongtian quickly took out the cigarette he had seized from the battlefield and took out a cigarette.
He handed it to Yue Weihan, who took it and put it in his mouth. Chi Chengfeng had already struck a match and lit it for him.