After the New Year, according to Chinese calculations, time officially entered 1939.
At this time, Emperor Hirohito was extremely dissatisfied with Ando Rikichi's failure to conquer the small Maoming for such a long time. On several occasions, Hirohito had wanted to propose the replacement of the commander of the 21st Army at the imperial meeting.
However, Prince Zai Ren persuaded him to stop in private.
Prince Zain's reason is very simple, that is, the 21st Army is still inseparable from Ando Toshiyoshi. If Ando Toshiyoshi is replaced, even if another commander is sent, he may not be able to do better than him.
It should be noted that the 21st Army not only wants to occupy the two provinces of Guangdong and Fujian, but they also have a biggest enemy. Su Rui's 300 Army is lying there like a tiger, staring at them eagerly. As long as the 21st Army is slightly exposed,
If there is a flaw, they will pounce immediately.
Hirohito was angry: "Humph, last year you said that you would launch the Nanchang Campaign immediately after the 21st Army defeated the 300 China Division. But now the 300 Division has become the 300 Army. What about you? But now
There is still nothing we can do. What happened to the 21st Army? I think it is necessary to review it!"
The manned prince took a look and realized that his nephew seemed really angry. He had to say: "Your Majesty, let's order Okamura Neiji to launch the Nanchang Campaign first. The 21st Army can properly
Just give some support and send one or two more divisions to watch over the 300 troops in Maoming. What do you think?"
When Hirohito heard this, he felt extremely disgusted. Isn't this the suggestion you made last year? I still have the nerve to turn him out and make a fool of myself. Am I really a fool?
However, Hirohito was too embarrassed to be angry with his imperial uncle. Besides, he also wanted to see how the combat effectiveness of the Eleventh Army, which had not fought a major battle for several months, had become. He thought for a moment before nodding: "Okay.
Well, let Neji Okamura prepare to launch the Battle of Wuchang, and tell Okamura that I am here waiting for his good news."
"Hai!"
And just when Hirohito ordered Okamura to launch the Wuchang Campaign, the telegram was flying to Wuhan on the other side of the sea. What was Okamura doing at this moment?
I have to say that Okamura is talented, and he is doing something quite famous at the moment.
fifteen days ago
Okamura said to his combat adviser Miyamoto Ichiro: "Miyamoto-kun, please immediately make a plan to see how many comfort women our army needs at a minimum. Military discipline must be reiterated. Chinese women cannot be raped at will. Wuhan is not Nanjing, and the local people cannot be allowed to do so."
The Chinese people have become too hostile to the imperial army."
Miyamoto is indeed a capable man. Three days later, he created a detailed plan and presented it to Okamura for review.
Okamura took a look and saw that Miyamoto's plan was quite decent. It read: The Eleventh Army has more than 2,000 officers and assistants. Among them, there are fifty-six generals, and each of them needs to be paired with a comfort woman on a long-term basis.
Fifty-six officers are needed, 800 officers above the rank of major, and one comfort woman for every two. Four hundred are needed. There are more than 1,200 lieutenants, one comfort woman for every five, and 250 are needed.
There are more than 310,000 soldiers, one comfort woman for every 100 soldiers, which means 3,100 soldiers are needed, and a total of 3,800 comfort women are needed.
Okamura frowned after reading the report and said: "Your report is too simple. An army needs nearly 4,000 comfort women. The number is too large and we cannot recruit so many domestically. But in the report, please request recruitment in North Korea. You can draft it again.
A detailed plan."
Miyamoto was busy for another ten days, and finally handed the new report to Okamura today.
Okamura took a look and saw that this report was much more detailed than the last time. The number of comfort women required by officers above the rank of major sergeant had increased, with the total number reaching more than a thousand. The total demand had declined. Miyamoto's report stated
To: "Soldiers, non-commissioned officers and lieutenant-level officers need to go to the comfort station set up near the station. Officers at the rank of captain will serve two times a week for two hours each time. Second lieutenants and captains will serve two times a week for one hour each time.
Comfort women worked eight hours a day. Each comfort woman worked twenty-four days a month (the remaining six days were the menstrual period) and could receive one hundred and forty-four times. Each comfort woman could receive a lieutenant eight times a month. One comfort woman could receive a lieutenant.
Eighteen people, both non-commissioned officers and soldiers, work once a week for twenty minutes each time. The comfort women still work eight hours a day and can receive 24 people a day and 168 people a week..."
"Yoshi!"
Now Okamura Neji was basically satisfied, nodded, and finally picked up a pen and signed his name at the end of the report.
When Okamura handed the report to Miyamoto, a smile appeared on his face. Just as he was about to speak, a communications staff officer walked in and loudly reported: "Report to your Excellency, Commander, there is a call from the base camp!"
Okamura said in a deep voice: "Bring it here!"
"Hai!"
After receiving the telegram handed over by the communications staff officer, Okamura looked at it, and his face immediately lit up with joy.
"Yo Xi, great, the base camp has finally approved the battle plan for the Nanchang campaign!"
After receiving the order from the base camp, Okamura immediately began to assemble the troops. Since the Eleventh Army had been under attack from the Li Zongren Department in the Fifth War Zone and the Xue Yue Department in the Ninth War Zone of China, Okamura agreed with the commander of the operation, Staff Miyazaki.
plan.
The Eleventh Army deployed 90% of its total strength and launched an attack on the fifth and ninth theaters at the same time. The troops attacking the fifth theater consisted of three divisions and one brigade, totaling 100,000 people. The main purpose was to destroy
The defense of the Fifth Theater will be coordinated with the Battle of Nanchang. If possible, this right-wing regiment can wipe out part of the main force of the Fifth Theater. The main attack direction is still the area north of Nanchang. Four to five divisions with about 150,000 troops will be used to find the enemy.
Xue Yue's fifty divisions fought decisively.
With Okamura Neiji's order, the entire Wuhan area immediately began to move. Replenishing troops, distributing weapons and ammunition, preparing for mobilization, etc. were done in full swing.
Naturally, such a big move could not be hidden from the military agents lurking in this area. After they reported the information, it immediately attracted the attention of Chairman Chiang, He Yingqin, Chen Cheng, Bai Chongxi and other senior staff.
Chairman Chiang Kai-shek and his staff were by no means idlers. They quickly judged from various movements such as Okamura Neiji's gathering of troops that Nanchang was the target of Okamura Neiji.
After research, they all agreed that the current state of the Japanese army was unable to launch an attack immediately, and that it would probably have to wait until early April at the earliest.
Therefore, Chen Cheng proposed a pre-emptive plan. Chairman Chiang also wanted to see the results of the troop training after the Wuhan battle, so he agreed to the plan immediately. That night, Chairman Chiang telegraphed the operational plan to the Ninth War Zone, requesting the troops to
The preparatory attack will be completed on the 10th and the general attack will be launched on the 15th. The fifth theater must actively cooperate.
But unfortunately, as soon as this telegram reached the hands of Li Zongren and Xue Yue, Okamura Neiji also received one. Looking at the deciphered telegram, Okamura's eyes were exposed when he broke out in a cold sweat.
Fierce light...
"What? Japan is going to attack Nanchang!"
Shortly after Okamura Neiji received the deciphered telegram, Su Rui, who was far away in Maoming, also received a telegram from the commander-in-chief of the Fifth War Zone, Li Zongren.
Looking at the telegram in his hand, Su Rui remembered that in another time and space, the Japanese army seemed to have launched the Battle of Nanchang during this period. Because the code was deciphered by the Japanese army, the battle was very fierce. Later, in order to recapture Nanchang*
*An army commander was also killed in battle.
Thinking of this, Su Rui immediately said to Liang Zhi: "Ziran, you immediately send a telegram to Chief Li, saying that the government's code has been deciphered. Please be more careful, and remind Chairman Chiang that Nanchang cannot be defended."
, let him prepare."
"Military, how do you know that the central code has been deciphered by the Japanese? And Commander Li has to believe it!" Liang Zhi said in shock.
"Uh...this..."
Su Rui was also in a dilemma. Yes, how could he make Chiang Kai-shek believe that his password had been deciphered by the Japanese? The password at the central government level was so important, how could he change it randomly just because of his own words? Moreover, there was no proof for this.
According to this, let alone Chiang Kai-shek, even the chief of staff around me didn’t believe it!
Looking at Liang Zhi's puzzled eyes, Su Rui could only bite the bullet and said: "This is obvious. Several actions of the central government were known to the Japanese in advance. This could not have been done by spies.
It can only be that there is something wrong with the password, but the central government is still very superstitious about their password. It has been so long and they don’t know how to change it. It’s a damn thing if nothing happens.”
Liang Zhi's face froze, "Okay, even if this reason is barely established, Chairman Chiang still has to believe it?"
"yes!"
Su Rui sighed and stopped talking.
Seeing that Su Rui was silent, Liang Zhi asked again: "Sir, what about what Chief Li said in this telegram that he will continue to purchase anti-aircraft guns and anti-aircraft guns from us? Do you think..."
"Give it to him, give it all to him!" Su Rui waved his hand and said: "They are here to fight the Japanese. How can we refuse this kind of thing? Besides, our ability to gain a foothold in Maoming depends entirely on Chief Li's greetings.
, we owe someone such a big favor, and it’s time to pay it back.
Just tell Chief Li that the price of this batch of weapons can be reduced by another 10%! You can send the goods to Guangxi first and then pay."
Seeing Su Rui speaking so generously, Liang Zhi couldn't help but remind him in a low voice, "Sir, if the price is 10% lower, it will be a loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in income!"
Su Rui waved his hand, "At what time is it more important to fight the Japanese or to make money? Hundreds of thousands of dollars don't mean anything. We can make more money in the future!"
Seeing Su Rui's resolute attitude, Liang Zhi nodded and said: "Okay, I'll contact Chief Li right away. I'm sure Chief Li will be very happy. But are we just going to watch the Japanese attack Nanchang?"
After hearing this, Su Rui sneered: "Of course not. Since the Japanese like to attack Wuchang so much, how can we live up to Okamura's hard work if we don't put a fire behind them!" (To be continued)