Guangzhou under the occupation of the Japanese army showed a kind of morbid depression. There were few pedestrians on the streets. Even if there were pedestrians, they would just pass by in a hurry. If they encountered the Japanese soldiers on patrol, they would not even dare to raise their heads.
Two large trucks drove over from the street, with a full load of heavily armed Japanese soldiers standing on them. In the middle of the two trucks was a black car. They were heading to the highest command center of the Japanese army in Guangzhou.
, 21st Army Headquarters.
In the back of the car, Sugiyama Motomasa, who was wearing a khaki woolen military uniform and wearing the rank of general on his shoulders, sat in the car with a sullen face and closed his eyes. Next to him sat Tanaka Hisashi, the chief of staff of the 21st Army.
A major general.
Looking at Gen Sugiyama with a cloudy face, Tanaka Kuichi felt a little uneasy. He did not dare to slack off at all for this important Japanese minister who had once served as Minister of War, even if he had been demoted by the Emperor to North China as the commander of the front army.
.
The atmosphere in the car was eerily quiet. After another half an hour, the car stopped in front of a large Western-style house. Lieutenant General Ando Rikichi, who had been waiting in front of the steps for a long time, hurried away.
He came over and opened the car door diligently.
Seeing Gen Sugiyama get out of the car, Ando Rikichi said: "Commander Sugiyama Gen, welcome to the 21st Army!"
Sugiyama Gen nodded slightly: "Well... Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Anten, let's go in first." After saying that, Sugiyama Gen walked inside.
"Hai!" Ando Rikichi responded quickly and followed closely to lead the way.
The two of them quickly came to Ando Rikichi's office. After they sat down, Ando Rikichi said with a smile on his face: "Commander Sugiyama's coming to the 21st Army really makes the 21st Army flourish. You must
Please stay here for a longer period of time so that we can always listen to your teachings."
But Sugiyama Gen said with a half-smile: "Ando-kun, don't say any polite words. I'm afraid not everyone will welcome me as an uninvited guest, right?"
"Commander, what are you talking about? It is an honor for all the officers and men of the 21st Army to have you come to Guangzhou. How can we not be happy?" As Ando Rikichi spoke, he couldn't help feeling a little scared.
Sugiyama Moto was so unpopular with the emperor that he was demoted to China to serve as a front commander. This news was not a secret among the top brass of the Japanese army, but no one would see him clearly because of this. After all, Sugiyama Moto was in the Japanese military circles.
It takes a lot of ability to stand in the political arena for more than 20 years without falling.
Moreover, Ando Rikichi believed that when Sugiyama Gen. Sugiyama went to North China to take office this time, he made a special trip to Guangdong. This was not because he came to see him because of his deep friendship with him. He must have come with some orders.
Sugiyama Moto's next words confirmed Ando Rikichi's suspicion.
"Mr. An Teng, before I come, His Majesty the Emperor specifically asked me to ask you, when will your promise to His Majesty to annihilate the 300 Chinese divisions be fulfilled?"
An Tengjili thought secretly in his heart and said: "What is supposed to come must come."
He stood up, bowed his head and said with a sad smile: "Your Excellency, Commander, I have failed His Majesty the Emperor's expectations, and I am willing to take full responsibility for this. Now please announce His Majesty's imperial edict!"
"Well...who said I brought His Majesty's imperial edict?" Sugiyama Gen waved his hand dissatisfied and motioned for Ando Rikichi to sit down.
Sugiyama Gen stared over like an eagle: "Ando-kun, as the commander of the 21st Army, you command the empire's six most elite field divisions plus a Guards mixed brigade, including an army of tens of thousands.
, to be so helpless against a mere three hundred divisions, this really disappoints His Majesty. But Your Majesty is kind, he gave you the opportunity, but you didn't cherish it, what else do you have to explain?"
Ando Rikichi shook his head: "I have nothing to explain. His Majesty should have dismissed me from my post for this reason."
"Shut up, you idiot!"
Seeing that Ando Rikichi was still so arrogant, Sugiyama Gen was annoyed and pointed at him and said: "Is that 300 Division so difficult to fight? So much so that you actually ordered the 5th and 38th Divisions that had already set off to shrink again.
Go back? Why is this? Can you tell me the reason?"
"Three Hundred Divisions?" Ando Rikichi sneered twice: "Your Excellency, Commander, we should call him the Three Hundred Divisions now!"
"Nani?" Sugiyama Yuan couldn't help but exclaimed: "Three hundred troops?"
The news that the Three Hundred Division was upgraded to a military-level unit did not happen when Sugiyama Yuan took a warship to China, so Sugiyama Yuan still does not know the news until now.
"Your Excellency! This is the information just confirmed by Ttech's intelligence officers!"
After Rikichi Ando finished speaking, he walked to the side drawer and took out a report and handed it to Sugiyama Moto.
Sugiyama Yuan scanned the information at a glance and frowned deeply. This 300 Division was originally difficult to deal with, but now it has been upgraded to a 300 Army, and its military strength has also increased accordingly. It is even more difficult to deal with.
.
"The 5th and 38th Divisions, led by Takeo Ito and Jun Imamura, had already arrived in Yangchun and were about to advance towards Maoming, but suddenly there was news that the China 300 Division was upgraded to a military-level unit and expanded by 40,000 troops.
The news. For the sake of caution, I ordered Imamura Jun and Ito Takeo to stop."
Sugiyama Yuan cursed angrily: "Baga Yalu, the 300 division conscripted 40,000 troops to scare you, have your courage been eaten by dogs?"
"But the 21st Army can no longer afford large-scale losses!" Ando Rikichi said loudly: "Our 21st Army only has a total offensive strength of more than 100,000 troops, but it has to shoulder the offensive and defensive tasks of Fujian and Guangdong.
, the military strength is already very tight, and now two divisions are deployed to attack Maoming, the military strength is already very tight, if there is another big loss, who can bear this responsibility?"
Sugiyama Gen snorted, but he had to admit that Ando Rikichi's words were reasonable. The Japanese army in the pass now only has more than 20 divisions, which is a drop in the bucket for the huge China. If it weren't for the Chinese army,
The weapons and equipment were too inferior and the soldiers lacked training. The Japanese had long been unable to hold on.
After a while, Sugiyama Moto said in a low voice: "Then what are you going to do?"
Ando Rikichi sighed and said: "If you want to capture Maoming, you will need at least three to four divisions. Otherwise, I can only maintain the current situation."
Sugiyama Yuan shook his head. This kind of thing was originally a matter of public opinion and mother-in-law's reasoning. The generals on the front line were clamoring for more troops every day, but the base camp also had his concerns.
At the end of 1938, a rare drought began to occur in Japan, and the grain harvest was generally poor. Therefore, in order to adapt to the needs of the war, the Japanese government implemented a policy of limited grain purchase. In addition, it purchased hundreds of thousands of tons of flour from the international market to supplement the supply.
Materials are in short supply.
By early 1939, in Japan, in order to expand production, many civilian factories were converted to military use. Important resources were centralized and the purchase of nearly a hundred types of commodities was restricted. Electricity was insufficient, financial instability, and inflation increased.
, this has begun to arouse Japanese people's dissatisfaction with the war.
In terms of diplomatic relations, Japan was not going well at the beginning of 1939. First, it had conflicts with the Soviet Union, and then had quarrels with Britain and the United States. In January, it was even reported that the United States was going to abolish the "Japan-U.S.
"Treaty of Commerce" news.
In order to resolve international and domestic conflicts, the Japanese base camp put forward a plan to reduce the army, save military expenditures, accumulate strength, and prepare for a big war. To this end, the Ministry of War decided to put the policy of "using China to control China" in the first place in solving the China Incident. At the same time,
It is planned to reduce the total number of troops in the Huaxia Pass from 850,000 to 700,000 at the end of 1939, and then reduce it every year until it is reduced to 400,000 by 1941.
However, this cutting plan could not be realized. Senior military officers in China all advocated sending more troops to China, and the argument for a quick decisive war once again reared its head. Commander of the Kwantung Army Ueda Kenkichi, Commander-in-Chief of the China Expeditionary Force Nishio Hisao, Minister of Army Seishiro Sakagaki, Ten
The commander of the First Army, Okamura Neiji, was a representative figure who advocated continuing to launch large-scale offensives within the Huaxia Pass.
However, the theory of quick war has been opposed by Prime Minister Konoe, Koki Hirota and other government officials. They believe that the war with China has restricted most of Japan's military strength and financial budget, so increasing the number of troops again can only be an act of drinking poison to quench thirst.
It cannot solve the China Incident at all.
The two sides often went back and forth and quarreled in cabinet meetings. Sugiyama Moto naturally knew about these things, so he seemed helpless to Ando Toshiyoshi's request to send more troops to the 21st Army.
Sugiyama Yuan shook his head in despair, forget it, anyway, he is just a messenger, and his territory is not here. Since the word has been spread, he should just go to North China and take up his post. Eliminate the three hundred divisions... No.
, it should be that the arduous task of the Three Hundred Army should be left to Ando Rikichi.
Thinking of this, Sugiyama Moto stood up and said to Toshiyoshi Ando: "Ando-kun, I'm just here to deliver a message. As for whether to implement it or not, and how to implement it, you have the final say. I can't interfere, and neither can you."
Don’t worry.”
Ando Rikichi also stood up quickly, "Your Excellency Commander, I appreciate your kindness. As for the Three Hundred Army, I will definitely find a way to deal with him, but this matter cannot be rushed and must be carried out slowly. I hope you will
He base camp can understand my difficulties."
Sugiyama Gen waved his hand. He had just been driven to China by Hirohito, so he would not get involved in this matter. The credit for destroying the three hundred troops belongs to your 21st Army. If the battle is defeated, then this person will be responsible.
Whose responsibility is it? Is it you, Toshiyoshi Ando, or Moto Sugiyama? I'm just passing by to make soy sauce. Don't try to blame me for everything.
After making the decision, Sugiyama Moto quickly got on the plane arranged by Ando Rikichi and flew directly to his destination, Peiping, to take office! (To be continued. Please search Piaotian Literature, the novel will be better and updated faster!)