Hundreds of large-caliber artillery, even if each artillery fires fifty rounds, add up to tens of thousands of artillery shells. Although the dark night shrouded the entire land in darkness. However, in the Tongliao area, the Japanese army
The tens of kilometers of land occupied by the reinforcements was completely illuminated by the fire produced by the explosion of countless artillery shells. The entire sky was dyed red under the reflection of the orange-red fireballs...
Faced with the saturation attack of tens of thousands of large-caliber artillery shells, there were only less than 30,000 Japanese reinforcements left. Once again, they realized that the distance between life and death was so close. Looking up, on the huge battlefield, almost
The explosion of just two shells will inevitably take away the fragile life of a little devil...
Finally, under the expectant eyes of everyone on the battlefield, the sound of artillery that lasted for half an hour finally stopped. At this moment, after the explosion of tens of thousands of artillery shells, the entire Japanese position had been blown into ruins. Looking around
Looking around, on the huge battlefield, Japanese corpses torn apart by shells and damaged guns and ammunition can be seen everywhere. As for the hills guarded by the Japanese army, after half an hour of shelling, they were reduced by half an hour.
Meter height….
The sound of artillery ceased, and next came the battlefield of the infantry... Tens of thousands of commanders and combatants, amidst the loud blast of the charge, stepped on the craters and the broken arms of the little devils, and began to launch an attack on the Japanese positions that had become ruins.
The final offensive...
Two days passed in a blink of an eye. The entire northwest of Jilin, with Changchun as the center, lasted for half a month. With the rapid retreat of the Northeast Field Army, it completely stopped in the blink of an eye.
After half a month of bloody battles, the Kwantung Army troops, who had various advantages, faced extremely heavy losses. Facing the Northeast Field Army's active retreat, all they could do was to stick to their existing positions. They had no strength at all and were against the retreat.
The Northeast Field Army in pursuit...
Of course, the retreat of the Northeast Field Army and the losses of the Kwantung Army troops in various places were also immediately sent to the Kwantung Army headquarters via telegram...
In the headquarters of the Kwantung Army in Changchun City, Commander General Mizu Umejiro's frown finally relaxed due to the full retreat of the Northeast Field Army. Lieutenant General Fusotaro Toshima, the chief of staff, also took advantage of the commander's good mood.
At this time, the reporting headquarters has just received all the telegrams from various combat units on the front line.
"Your Excellency, Commander, all frontline combat units sent telegrams. After two days of bloody battles, the Northeast Field Army has retreated across the board. At present, my Kwantung Army troops stationed in various places have reoccupied Siping, Tongliao, Liaoyuan and Jilin.
situation...At the same time, all combat units, in accordance with the orders of the headquarters, have stopped pursuing the Northeast Field Army and are resting and recuperating..." the chief of staff reported.
"Well, call back to each unit immediately and order all combat units to rest and recuperate on the spot, waiting for the Kwantung Army headquarters to make replenishment... In addition, ask about the specific casualties of each combat unit during the half-month battle..." Regarding the specific casualties of each combat unit during the half-month battle..."
General Mitsu Umejiro nodded very satisfied with the current situation. Then, he ordered to the chief of staff in front of him.
"Hai, your Excellency, Commander..." Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Toshima Fuotaro replied with a smile on his face.
Less than an hour after the chief of staff left, telegrams one after another reached the Kwantung Army headquarters via radio waves. Looking at the telegrams one after another in his hand, the chief of staff, who was originally smiling,
A look of shock immediately appeared on his face. Then, it turned pale...
After quickly reading the telegram in his hand, Lieutenant General Toshima Botaro, regardless of the different eyes of the combat staff around him, quickly rushed out of the telecommunications room and rushed towards the commander's office not far away...
"Your Excellency, Commander, something happened..." He rushed into the office, and under the surprised gaze of General Mitsu Umejiro in front of him, Lieutenant General Toshima Fuotaro exclaimed without any hesitation.
"Nani? Something happened... Chief of Staff, don't be ridiculous. Now, our opponent, the Northeast Field Army, has completely withdrawn from the battlefield and returned to their base. In this case, what big thing can happen?" To the Chief of Staff,
General Mizu Umejiro asked in confusion.
"Your Excellency, Commander, it's not now, it's the battle a few days ago. Through the callbacks from various units, I can confirm that I can confirm the specific combat purpose of the Northeast Field Army's counterattack..." Lieutenant General Toshima Botaro replied with certainty.
.
"The battle a few days ago... Toshima-kun, you said that you have been convinced of the specific strategic purpose of the Northeast Field Army's counterattack a few days ago... Tell me, Northeast Field Army, what was the purpose of the offensive a few days ago?" I heard the Chief of Staff in front of me.
General Mizu Umejiro's brows furrowed once again. Then, with wide eyes, he asked the chief of staff in front of him.
"Ha Yi, your Excellency Commander, I can confirm that the counterattack of the Northeast Field Army a few days ago was not to occupy Siping, Liaoyuan and other places. Its ultimate combat purpose was to kill a large number of our army's effective forces through a powerful counterattack.
At the same time, destroy all the heavy weapons owned by our defenders and attack the overall strength of our Kwantung Army..." Lieutenant General Toshima Botaro answered with certainty.
"Nani... you mean that the two-day counterattack by the Northeast Field Army was to kill a large number of our army's effective forces and destroy the heavy weapons in our hands..."
"Hai..." Faced with the commander's rhetorical question, Lieutenant General Toshima Botaro replied with certainty.
Seeing that the commander in front of him still had a puzzled look on his face, Lieutenant General Toshima Fuotaro continued to speak.
"Your Excellency, Commander, according to reports from various combat units at the front, although the Northeast Field Army did not completely annihilate any field division of our Kwantung Army in two days of fighting. However, after statistics, after two days of fighting, our Kwantung Army was distributed in four places.
The number of soldiers directly killed in dozens of field divisions reached an astonishing 75,000. As for the number of soldiers who were injured and lost their combat effectiveness, the number was as high as 20,000. Among them, eight field heavy artillery regiments were lost, a total of three
More than a hundred large-caliber artillery pieces..."
Seeing the face of the commander in front of him, General Mitsu Umejiro, and hearing the continuous casualty data reported by himself, his face immediately turned pale. Lieutenant General Toshima Fuotaro did not make any stop, but continued
He spoke.
"Your Excellency, Commander, the losses just now are only the losses of various units in the last two days of counterattack. Before the Northeast Field Army launched the counterattack, during the dozens of days of fighting, dozens of field divisions of our Kwantung Army also sacrificed
More than 30,000 people were killed and more than 8,000 people were seriously injured and lost their combat effectiveness. Therefore, after this battle, the dozens of field divisions mobilized from various places by our Kwantung Army headquarters had not yet had time to launch an attack on the Northeast.
During the encirclement and suppression operations in the Field Army's base area, a series of counterattacks by the Northeast Field Army caused heavy losses... Preliminary statistics show that in the half-month battle, dozens of field divisions directly killed more than 110,000 soldiers, and were seriously injured and lost 30% of their combat effectiveness.
More than 10,000 people, a total of 140,000 troops were lost, almost half of them were lost..."
"How could a direct loss of 140,000 people be possible..." After a brief shock, General Mizu Umejiro couldn't help but exclaimed.
"Hai..." Lieutenant General Toshima Botaro replied with certainty.
"Chief of Staff, what you are saying is that in half a month of fighting, although not a single field division of our Kwantung Army was completely wiped out by the Northeast Field Army. However, in a half-month-long battle, dozens of field divisions of our Kwantung Army were wiped out.
, almost every division has paid the price of losing more than half. So far, the structures of each field division are intact. However, the troops have been unable to form combat effectiveness in a short period of time?" General Mizu Umejiro couldn't help but said.
.
"Ha Yi, your Excellency Commander, these are just the losses of infantry. The direct losses of eight field heavy artillery regiments not only cost our Kwantung Army a direct loss of more than 300 large-caliber artillery pieces. More importantly, eight field divisions
The regiment will lose the cover of the artillery unit in a short period of time..." Lieutenant General Toshima Fuotaro replied with a helpless look.
"Bagaya Road, the cunning Chinese people, the cunning Northeast Field Army. I didn't expect that their strategic purpose was so simple, Baga..." After a brief silence, General Mizu Umejiro, whose face was filled with anger, couldn't help shouting
roared…
However, at this moment, facing such a huge loss, his roar was without any surprise and had no effect. A few minutes later, General Mizu Umejiro slowly calmed down and stared at the combat sandbox in front of him.
After waiting for ten minutes, he spoke again.
"Chief of Staff, based on the current situation, facing the powerful offensive of the Northeast Field Army, the existing troops in our hands do not have any advantage at all. Therefore, our current priority is to defeat the enemy in the shortest possible time.
Make up for the total losses of 140,000 people in each division... Chief of Staff, I wonder if you have any opinions?"
"Your Excellency, Commander, the loss of infantry is not difficult for the powerful Kwantung Army to replenish. It just takes a certain amount of time?" Lieutenant General Toshima Botaro replied affirmatively.
"speak…"
"Ha Yi, a few months ago, our Kwantung Army just formed fifteen new divisions, totaling 300,000 people. We can definitely draw an infantry regiment from each new division to supplement the
As for the remaining vacancies in each field division, we can issue a call-up order again to recruit reservists from the Japanese Empire's bridge residents in the three eastern provinces to join the army to supplement the remaining vacancies in each field division..."
"Yo Xi, as long as these dozens of field divisions can restore their organizational structure and form combat effectiveness as soon as possible, we will have enough military strength to fight against the military threat from the Northeast Field Army in the Liaoning region... Chief of Staff, I now order,
The staff immediately came up with a feasible rectification plan and gave it to me for review..." After receiving a positive answer from the chief of staff, General Mizu Umejiro couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief. Then, he gave a very firm order.
"Hai, your Excellency, Commander. However, there is still one problem that we must solve immediately. Otherwise, it will be a fatal threat to the combat effectiveness of our Kwantung Army..." Lieutenant General Toshima Botaro continued to speak.
"What's the problem..." General Mitsu Umejiro waved his hand and asked with a dissatisfied look on his face.
"The replenishment of heavy weapons in each field division... According to the battle report, the proportion of heavy artillery in our opponent's Northeast Field Army is no less than that of our Kwantung Army's most elite field division. If we cannot replenish each field division in time
The loss of heavy weapons. In future battles, we will not have any advantage in terms of heavy firepower..." Lieutenant General Toshima Botaro answered very definitely.
"Isn't it just more than 300 heavy artillery pieces? I believe that the entire Kwantung Army can still handle more than 300 heavy artillery pieces. Order the ordnance department to immediately replenish each field division with a sufficient amount of heavy weapons?" To the Chief of Staff?
General Mizu Umejiro said with a nonchalant expression on the matter he had repeatedly emphasized.
However, Lieutenant General Toshima Botaro did not immediately answer his order. Instead, he shook his head helplessly. Then, he explained to the confused commander in front of him.
"Your Excellency, Commander, please speak frankly. Since the fall of Fengtian, our Kwantung Army has lost the only arsenal that can produce large-caliber artillery, the Fengtian Arsenal. After several months of continuous battles, the ordnance department has stored nearly a hundred guns
Large-caliber artillery, so far, has been exhausted, and all equipment has been used by the troops. At present, in addition to a large number of mortars, the entire arsenal does not even have an infantry gun..."
"Baga... How could this happen... This must be a conspiracy of the Northeast Field Army, a huge conspiracy. Their purpose is to destroy the limited heavy weapons of our Kwantung Army, Baga Road... In addition to the armory, the Chief of Staff, the entire
Where else can the Kwantung Army deploy more than 300 heavy artillery pieces to supplement the losses of various field divisions... I don't believe that the huge Kwantung Army army can't find 300 large-caliber artillery pieces..." General Mizu Umejiro said.
He asked with an angry face.
"Because the entire Kwantung Army is surrounded by enemies on three sides, the garrison troops in various places must leave enough heavy weapons to deal with wars that may occur at any time. Therefore, with the current strength of the Kwantung Army, at most four can be mobilized from various places.
A field heavy artillery regiment, with a total of 150 heavy artillery pieces, was replenished to each field division. As for the remaining 150 large-caliber artillery pieces, I thought that we could ask for help from the country. I believe that it is impossible for the General Staff Headquarters to
I have ignored the safety of the Kwantung Army..." Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Toshima Botaro replied with certainty.
Although General Mizu Umejiro was very shocked by the first half of the Chief of Staff's answer, he had to admit this fact. However, for the second half of the Chief of Staff's suggestion, all General Mizu Umejiro could do was to shake his head helplessly.
Shake your head.
As a senior Japanese military officer, General Mizu Umejiro still has a certain understanding of various domestic secrets and the next strategic direction of the top management. He knows clearly that the weapons and ammunition currently produced by all domestic arsenals are used to equip the newly established domestic data base.
Ten newly formed divisions are used to cope with the "Southward Operation Plan" that the imperial army will launch in a few months.
Needless to say, General Mizu Umejiro knew which one was more important compared to the strategic direction of the entire country and the current predicament of the Kwantung Army.
The entire country, for the smooth progress of the "Southward Operation Plan", has devoted almost the entire country's military industrial strength to meet the equipment of more than a dozen newly formed divisions. If you ask for help from the country at this time, there is no doubt that your own
Telegrams asking for help will be thrown into the corner by domestic high-level officials...
"Chief of Staff, as a senior officer of the empire, I am not worried about your confidentiality issues... To tell you the truth, at present, the entire country is pouring all its military power into providing enough supplies for the re-establishment of more than a dozen new divisions.
Weapons and equipment are used to implement the empire's next grand strategic goal. Therefore, based on the current domestic situation, our request for help telegrams will ultimately be of no use and will not play any role. Therefore, we can only rely on the strength of our Kwantung Army itself.
...." After thinking about everything, General Mitsu Umejiro replied helplessly.
"But, Commander, the one hundred and fifty artillery pieces we lack..." Regarding the Commander's answer, Lieutenant General Toshima Botaro did not give up and still asked with a puzzled look on his face.
"The shortage of 150 artillery pieces can only be suppressed temporarily. Chief of Staff, first allocate the 150 artillery pieces drawn from various places to restore the combat effectiveness of the artillery wing of each field division. As for the shortage
, will be added later…”
"As for what you just said, in terms of heavy weapons, we are not as good as the Northeast Field Army. So, before the heavy weapons of each field division are replenished, the various combat units of the Kwantung Army are prohibited from launching attacks on the Northeast Field Army for any reason, so as to avoid
Cause retaliatory actions by the Northeast Field Army. Otherwise, military law will be engaged..."
"I believe that after this battle, the Northeast Field Army also suffered heavy casualties. As long as we don't actively provoke them, they will not attack us when they are severely weakened..." General Mizu Umejiro ordered very decisively.
.
Immediately, the whole body seemed to have lost its support and sat heavily on the stool. Then, he slowly closed his eyes and began to rest just like the Kwantung Army today...
Looking at the tired-looking commander General Mitsu Umejiro in front of him, Lieutenant General Toshima Fuotaro knew that after half a month of continuous fighting, the commander in front of him was really tired and needed a rest. So, without any stop, he quickly