In the headquarters of the First Army of the Japanese North China Front, Yoshio Shinozuka stood in front of his desk with his head lowered, his lower body straight and his upper body leaning forward slightly to show respect.
The commander-in-chief of the North China Front, Okamura Neiji, was sitting in the front, flipping through information and combat records.
Yoshio Shinozuka originally thought that Tada Jun was dismissed and transferred, and that he, the commander of the First Army, would also be replaced.
This is not only because he belongs to the Tada Shun faction, Okamura should appoint his confidant as the army commander when he takes office, but also because the two tragic defeats that were surrounded and annihilated occurred in his jurisdiction, both of which were troops of the First Army... If Tada Shun did this
If they were replaced, then the First Army commanded by Yoshio Shinozuka would certainly be shouldering the responsibility.
However, what surprised Yoshio Shinozuka was that Okamura did not do this.
At least for now, Yoshio Shinozuka is still the commander of the First Army.
This made Yoshio Shinozuka unable to help but think wildly:
Will there be... a more severe punishment?
Like to wash away this shame?
Thinking of this, cold sweat flowed uncontrollably from Yoshio Shinozuka's forehead.
In sharp contrast to Yoshio Shinozuka, who was sitting upright, Neji Okamura looked relaxed and leisurely. He seemed to have forgotten that Yoshio Shinozuka was standing in front of him, and commented to himself while flipping through the information:
"So that's it!"
“It’s really amazing!”
"These tactics are truly unexpected!"
…
After reading it, he took out a pack of cigarettes, took out one and put it in his mouth. Yoshio Shinozuka quickly took out a lighter and lit it for Neji Okamura.
"Oh!" Okamura Neji seemed to be startled by Shinozuka Yoshio's actions, and replied: "Thank you, Shinozuka-kun!"
After lighting it, Okamura Neiji handed another one to Shinozuka Yoshio and asked: "Would you like one too?"
"Thank you very much!" Shinozuka Yoshio hurriedly bowed and took it respectfully with both hands, but kept holding it in his hand and did not dare to light it. He was not sure whether he was qualified to smoke in front of Okamura.
Until Okamura touched his pocket and said awkwardly: "I'm very sorry! I forgot to bring a lighter, please Shinozuka-kun, please light it yourself!"
"Yes!" Yoshio Shinozuka responded, then put the cigarette in his mouth and lit the lighter.
But because I was too nervous, my lips and hands were trembling, and I couldn't get angry several times. It took a lot of effort to complete this seemingly simple action.
Okamura Neiji didn't take it seriously. He stretched out and yawned. While holding a cigarette, he looked out the window at the groups of soldiers doing standard tactical movements under slogans. He praised: "You are really diligent.
, the soldiers of the First Army are excellent!"
"Yes!" Yoshio Shinozuka responded.
He was a little confused as to what Okamura Neji meant by his words.
Okamura Neiji took a long breath of smoke and asked: "Does Mr. Shinozuka know why such an excellent soldier was defeated by the under-equipped Eighth Route Army?"
"Yes!" Shinozuka Yoshio secretly thought that what was supposed to come was coming. He hesitated for a moment and then replied: "It's because of my poor command. Please punish me, Lieutenant General!"
Due to the needs of the war, the Japanese army expanded its troops too quickly, and military rank promotions could not keep up with the needs. During this period, there was a strange phenomenon: the division commander was a lieutenant general, the corps commander was a lieutenant general, and the commander of the front army was also a lieutenant general.
For example, Shinozuka Yoshio and Okamura Neji are both lieutenant generals. Who has more power depends not on military rank but on military position. (Okamura Neji was promoted to general in 1941)
Okamura Neiji waved his hand, shook his head and said: "I looked at the combat records and Shinozuka-kun's command was excellent. That's not the problem!"
"Yes!" Shinozuka Yoshio responded and his heart was half relieved.
If Okamura admits his command, does that mean there is no such thing as "washing away the shame"?
But the next second Yoshio Shinozuka became nervous again. It was not a command problem, but there might still be other problems.
Yoshio Shinozuka swallowed hard and asked: "I'm sorry for my ignorance, I don't know what the problem is. Please give me some advice, Lieutenant General!"
Okamura Neji sighed and said: "The problem lies with that guy Tada Shun! Shinozuka-kun, you can rest assured..."
As he spoke, he patted Yoshio Shinozuka on the shoulder to express comfort.
"Yes!" Yoshio Shinozuka bowed deeply as if he was being pardoned, "Thank you very much, Lieutenant General!"
"This is one of the reasons why I didn't replace you!" Okamura Neji walked to the window again, looked at the soldiers outside the window thoughtfully, and said, "This is not your fault, nor the fault of the imperial soldiers.
You are all completing your tasks very seriously and brilliantly, impeccably.”
There is another reason that Okamura Neji did not mention, that is, Shinozuka Yoshio is very familiar with the terrain in this area.
After a pause, Okamura Neiji changed the topic and asked Shinozuka Yoshio: "I heard that Shinozuka-kun was born in Tokyo and has no experience in farm work, right?"
"Yes!" Yoshio Shinozuka replied: "My father is also a soldier, and I studied at CSKA Junior School since I was a child!"
This school must pass the ideological and moral assessment in elementary school, and only those with excellent grades can enter the school. It is a military institution that trains the backbone of the army from an early age. It usually requires a certain background, especially the Tokyo Infant School.
"So that's it!" Okamura nodded: "Then Shinozuka-kun must not know how to hoe weeds!"
"Yes!" Yoshio Shinozuka nodded and said, "I would like to hear the details!"
"The Eighth Route Army is just a piece of weeds!" Okamura Neiji said: "They look very short and insignificant, but if you neglect them... they will grow into a large piece."
As he spoke, Okamura Neiji raised his head towards the information on his desk: "Shinozuka-kun, you made the Eighth Route Army grow into a big piece without paying attention!"
"Yes!" Yoshio Shinozuka replied, he seemed to understand what Neji Okamura meant.
Okamura Neiji then said: "It's not impossible to deal with them if they grow into a large piece. Weeds are weeds after all. The problem is... you only know to use scissors and cut them shorter each time, and soon they will grow again.
Even more lush than before!”
Having said this, Okamura Neji turned his attention to Shinozuka Yoshio and asked: "Now, do you know where you went wrong?"
"Yes!" Shinozuka Yoshida nodded with conviction: "When we try to compete with the Eighth Route Army for living space and fight them on the frontal defense line, we are using scissors to deal with weeds!"
Okamura Neji nodded with satisfaction and asked: "So, do you know what to do in the future?"
"Cut the grass and root it out!" Yoshio Shinozuka replied.
After a pause, Shinozuka Yoshida added: "With all due respect, we have used special agents to raid the Eighth Route Army headquarters several times..."
Okamura Neiji shook his head and laughed: "Do you think this is to eradicate the root? No, no, Shinozuka-kun, you don't know what the roots of the Eighth Route Army are! They... are an army that comes from the people! That is theirs.