While Suri was busy dispatching troops and generals to Shaoguan, Juichi Terauchi, the commander of the Central China Expeditionary Force, was also troubled by the constant reports of defeats from the front.
In this time and space, due to the unexpected emergence of Su Rui, he not only acted as a stir-up stick when the Japanese army attacked Nanjing, but also released a handful of poison gas on the dock before leaving, blocking Su Rui's original intention of killing him.
The lone Japanese Yamada detachment in Rui was also completely wiped out. More than 5,000 Japanese soldiers were left dead on the pier. All kinds of tragic scenes were photographed and sent to Tokyo. The entire base camp collectively became silent. So much so that the base camp urgently called Xiang Gongjiu.
King Yan ordered him not to carry out massacres in Nanjing, otherwise he might suffer retaliation from the Chinese army.
It can be said that in this time and space, it was Suri's appearance that saved hundreds of thousands of people in Nanjing. Without that massacre, Nanjing is not as depressed as it was in another time and space.
In an office at the headquarters of the Central China Expeditionary Force, Shouichi Terauchi stood up from the pile of documents and walked to the window and opened it. A burst of fresh air blew in, making him feel much clearer.
He looked into the distance and saw an endless stream of pedestrians on the street, as if the war a few years ago did not exist at all. He couldn't help but sigh softly with some emotion.
"Tuk tuk tuk..."
"Come in!"
Soon, a middle-aged officer walked in, saluted Terauchi Shouichi and said respectfully: "Report to Your Excellency, Commander, Commander Ishihara Kanji of the 16th Division is here to report, please give instructions to Your Excellency, Commander!"
Terauchi Shouichi looked back, with a gentle smile on his face. He waved to the visitor, "Ishihara-kun, you are finally here. I have been waiting for you for a long time. How about it? You are used to it when you come to Nanjing from Manchuria."
?”
The visitor was of medium build, in his forties, and wore the rank of lieutenant general. He had a danren beard that was popular in Japan during this period on his lips, and his eyes showed a shrewd light.
Terauchi Juichi was very happy to see the visitor, and quickly pulled him to sit on the sofa next to the window sill. The reason why Terauchi Juichi was so happy was because the visitor was Kanji Ishihara, who was known as the number one military strategist in the Japanese Empire.
This was also the reason why Terauchi Juichi specifically requested to be transferred to the base camp. And if Suri was here at this time, the first thing to do would definitely be to take out a pistol and beat this formidable enemy into a hornet's nest.
After the two sat down, an orderly came up and served tea soon.
"Come on... Mr. Ishihara, come and try it. This tea is the finest Yuqian Longjing tea produced in the south of the Yangtze River in China. It is also difficult to taste in the empire."
Ishihara Wanji picked up the tea cup and took a sip. He felt the light aroma of tea was refreshing, and he couldn't help but praise: "Good tea, Commander, you really know how to enjoy it. Nanjing is really a good place, at least
I have never tasted such good tea in Manchuria."
"Hahaha..." Terauchi Shouichi smiled: "What's the matter? Ishihara-kun, didn't you just transfer to our Central China Dispatch Army this time? You will have a great chance of drinking tea in the future."
Ishihara Wanji also smiled. "Your Excellency, Commander, you did not apply to the base camp to transfer me just so that I can come here to drink tea. You must have some difficult tasks for me to complete, right?"
At this point, Terauchi Shouichi's smile also faded. He said with a grimace: "Ishihara-kun is indeed Ishihara-kun. I won't hide it from you. I transferred you here just to help you."
The one whose extraordinary wisdom advises me."
Ishihara smiled proudly, "Your Majesty, Commander, thank you very much. It is my responsibility to share the worries of the empire, so why should I be overly humble, Commander Guang-sama? If you have something to do, it's okay to talk about it."
Ishihara's smiling and arrogant attitude should have been very disgusting, but at this time Juichi Terauchi, who knew Ishihara's character very well, had no grudge against it at all. Instead, he took it for granted. Seeing that the teacup in front of Ishihara had already
When it was empty, he picked up the teapot and filled it with tea for Ishihara himself before saying, "Ishihara-kun, you must have known about the fact that the base camp forcibly ordered me to launch an attack on Guangdong a few days ago, right?"
"I've heard a little bit about it." Ishihara Wanji nodded. The 21st Army was almost completely wiped out. The news of the death of commander Takaro Furuzou in the battle caused a sensation in Japan and the military. Although Ishihara Wanji was in the Northeast, he was so big.
How could he not know the news?
Temple Shouichi poured the tea and put the teapot away. He looked at Ishihara with bright eyes and said with a smile: "Ishihara-kun, do you think that with the strength of our Central China Front Army, we can defeat the Seventh China Army entrenched in Guangdong and re-establish it?"
Take back Guangdong?"
Ishihara Wanji frowned and sighed softly: "I'm sorry, Your Excellency, but your question confused me because I don't know the current situation of the Seventh Army, so I can't make a judgment.
, but based on my understanding of the Central China Front, it is not easy for you to defeat the Seventh Army, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it is difficult."
Terauchi Shouichi asked noncommittally: "Why? With our Central China Front's nearly 500,000 troops, can't we destroy a mere group army in China?"
Ishihara raised his brows and retorted: "But Commander, the main force of the 500,000 troops of the Central China Front you mentioned is only 250,000 at most, but how many can be mobilized to attack Guangdong? I
It can be said with certainty that a hundred thousand troops would be good. If there are more, the other directions will be dangerous. Although it is unlikely that the National Government will launch an attack like us, it is still necessary to maintain the necessary troops. What do you think?
?”
Terauchi Shouichi sighed softly: "Yes, even you, who is far away in Manchuria, know this truth, but why doesn't the base camp understand it?"
Ishihara smiled sneered, "Those people in the base camp have no talent to begin with. It turns out that although this guy Seishiro Sakagaki's brain is not very bright, he has served as a division commander for a few days, and he still has some basic judgment, but
Last month, since the top soldier from Tojo took over his position, the base camp has been ruled by a hard-working idiot. He'd be damned if he could make correct judgments!"
As soon as Ishihara Wanji's words came out, Terauchi Juichi was very angry with him. He pointed at him and cursed with a smile: "You... do you know that your future will be ruined by your bad words? If it weren't for
You have such a bad mouth, now you are at least a commander of an army, not just a division commander."
Ishihara curled his lips, "Am I wrong? Aren't those people in the base camp a bunch of idiots? Look, it turns out that they were fooled by Sugiyama Gen and lost their minds. They said they would destroy China in three months.
It's so ridiculous. If China could be destroyed in three months, it would have been annexed by Soviet Russia long ago. Wouldn't it be our turn to be the Japanese Empire? Now that Tojo Hideki came to power, they were deceived by this superior soldier again.
Isn’t it too funny to plan some kind of southward attack strategy?
I have long said that once the empire goes to war with China, it will definitely be a long and protracted war! Those who expect to punish China and that Chiang’s regime will collapse in a few months can only be daydreaming, so they only expect a decisive battle in the short term.
A huge mistake. Until the Meiji Restoration, China was an advanced country in Asia and was feared. After the Japanese defeated China in the Sino-Japanese War of 1888-1891, they thought China was an old and declining country and looked down upon it." China has a history that has existed since ancient times.
The country is highly civilized, its material life is extremely primitive, and each place has a high degree of self-sufficiency. These are extremely favorable conditions for a protracted war. If a war breaks out, it is possible that China will be forced to engage in a decisive war, but will it become protracted?
The principles of war mainly depend on China's intentions."
After saying so much in one breath, Ishihara Wanji felt a little thirsty. He picked up the tea cup and took a sip of water and then said: "Although I don't know the strength of the Seventh Group Army entrenched in Guangdong, but just from the base camp,
It can be seen from the battle reports that this army is definitely the most well-equipped and most powerful army in China at present. It is different from other armies of the National Government in that its army not only has permanently sophisticated weapons, but also has sufficient
Supplies, and they also have a powerful air force, otherwise they would not beat those proud navy to the point of losing their temper. So I am not optimistic about the idea of the base camp asking you to eliminate the Seventh Army in Duanqi."
The news that the Japanese Navy lost an aircraft carrier, two battleships and a heavy cruiser near Guangzhou also shocked the entire Japanese military community. While the Army was gloating at the misfortune, it also deeply felt the powerful strength of the Seventh Army. This was also the reason why the base camp was busy.
One of the reasons for ordering the Central China Front Army to destroy the Seventh Army.
Terauchi Shouichi snorted twice and said unhappily: "Ishihara-kun, are you here just to throw cold water on me?"
Ishihara Wanji said seriously: "Your Majesty Commander, I did not ask to come here this time, but you took the initiative to transfer me here."
"you……"
Terauchi Shouichi couldn't help but feel angry for a moment. This Ishihara must be too arrogant. No wonder it took him so long to become a division commander. Otherwise, with his ability, he would be more than enough to be the commander of the front army.
Just when Temple Shouichi couldn't get off the stage, the door of the office was pushed open, and a staff officer came in and reported: "Your Excellency, Commander, there is a call from the 92nd Division. The Chinese have sent more troops to Shaoguan."
Temple Shouichi frowned, "What? The Chinese have increased their troops again. By how much? Two regiments or one division?"
The staff officer swallowed his saliva and said hesitantly: "Your Excellency, Commander, there are not two regiments or one division, but one army!"
"Nani?"
"impossible?"
Two exclamations rang out in the office. Ishihara Wanji and Terauchi Juichi stood up almost at the same time, with shocked expressions on their faces...