The battle in the direction of Xi'an started two hours later.
To be precise, it was north of Xi'an... The Japanese moved northward in one division and were blocked by the Eighth Route Army guerrillas not long after.
The battle was not serious. Only one company of the Eighth Route Army fought a blocking battle on the high ground and withdrew from their position shortly after the battle started.
It was obvious that this was just harassment of the Japanese.
But it was precisely this kind of battle that gave the commander of the 91st Division, Tomaki Ishihara, a headache.
Because Ishihara Tomaki knew that if the Eighth Route Army fired a few shots and then fled into the mountains at night, it meant that they were prepared...if they were not prepared, the Eighth Route Army would usually fight to the end.
Fighting to the death was not a bad thing. The imperial army only needed an intervening encirclement to eliminate this enemy force on this high ground.
But now, they have fled into the mountains and disappeared. Should the imperial army pursue them or not?
Don't chase them, they will come back at any time to attack the 91st Division's supply line.
Let's chase. How many troops should be sent to chase?
If you send too few troops, you may return without success, or even be annihilated by the enemy.
Send too many, such as two squads to outflank... Two squads are only more than a hundred people, which may not be considered a big thing for a division, but if there is a little here and there, the strength of the 91st Division will be scattered.
Already?
After thinking for a while, Ishihara Tomaki made a compromise decision: "Leave a small team to guard the high ground to prevent the enemy from returning and protect the supply line!"
"Yes!" the staff officer responded and immediately assigned a small team to stay and garrison.
At the same time, Ishihara Tomaki sent a message to Okamura Neiji: "The Eighth Route Army has probably noticed the insertion of our army. The suddenness of the battle should not exist. Please advance at full speed!"
Okamura Neiji was stunned when he saw this information, and then cursed: "Asshole, this must be the information given to the Eighth Route Army by the stubborn army!"
It was useless for Neji Okamura to scold him. When he knew that Tokyo's strategic goal was to eliminate all resistance forces in China and occupy the entire territory of China, he knew that this day would come.
Okamura Neiji has always paid attention to exploiting the contradiction between the stubborn army and the Eighth Route Army. Therefore, when the imperial army fought against the stubborn army, it did not fight the Eighth Route Army. When encircling and suppressing the Eighth Route Army, it did not fight against the stubborn army and even collaborated with the stubborn army.
But this is just a little trick played by Neji Okamura to fight one faction after another. Only a short-sighted organization like the stubborn army who only cares about immediate interests will be fooled again and again.
Now, if the strategic goal is to occupy the entire territory of China and it is a goal that needs to be achieved in a short period of time, then of course we have to tear off the disguise and engage in all-out combat.
Okamura Neiji didn't think much and called back: "Go at full speed, we must reach Yuncheng within a week!"
It is a full 300 kilometers from Xi'an to Yuncheng. To reach Yuncheng within a week, this requires the 91st Division to advance more than 40 kilometers every day.
This was possible without the Eighth Route Army being prepared, and it might even be faster.
But if the Eighth Route Army had been prepared...just the guerrilla warfare in the highlands along the way would have overwhelmed the 91st Division.
Although Ishihara Tomaki knew this, he still responded "Yes!" and then waved his hand and ordered: "Go ahead at full speed!"
When the battle in the direction of Xi'an gradually unfolded, there was a feeling that the storm was coming in the direction of Daqingshan.
The Japs never launched an attack, but all kinds of intelligence still flew to Wang Xuexin's office like snowflakes:
"The Japanese artillery regiment is moving forward for reinforcements. The target is probably the steel plant!"
"The Japanese 178th Infantry Regiment rushed to position three, twenty miles away from the steel plant!"
"I found a Japanese night fighter plane, but did not fire. It is probably conducting reconnaissance activities!"
…
The main force of the Japanese was directed at the steel plant, which Wang Xuexin expected.
Because there is an airport at the steel plant, the Japanese only need to push the defense line forward a few miles and set up the artillery more than ten miles away, and then they can block the airport with artillery. By then, all the air supremacy in this area will belong to the Japanese, and the battle seems to be
The outcome has been decided.
What's more, there are "high fires" near the steel plant that the Japanese are very afraid of.
Since the Japanese thought so, Wang Xuexin thought that they could show their weakness and give the enemy a "surprise".
He looked at the map and thought for a while, then ordered: "Order the independent regiment to be prepared to abandon their positions and retreat to the steel plant under echelon cover after the battle begins!"
This order immediately confused Li Yunlong.
"What? Retreat?" Li Yunlong couldn't help but be confused when he saw the telegram. He asked the correspondent: "Did you decode it wrong? You actually asked me to retreat?"
The correspondent quickly replied: "Captain, we have confirmed several times that we are retreating!"
Li Yunlong was stunned for a while, then took off his hat and sat back in the chair with a sullen voice.
Zhao Gang stepped forward and persuaded: "Old Li, Commander Wang has Commander Wang's ideas. He is in command of the overall situation..."
"I'm talking about Lao Zhao!" Li Yunlong suddenly raised his head and said with an unconvinced look: "In the past, he in Xiaobei Province always retreated here and did not fight, and I could tolerate it. At that time, our equipment was not as good as others, so we retreated and retreated.
It's easier to fight the enemy when he's in the back. But now... look at us..."
As he spoke, Li Yunlong clapped the repeating rifle in his hand and said: "We have this guy, and we also have planes and tanks. What is worse than the Japanese? To defend the steel plant, it's more than holding a river snail with three fingers.
Take? Retreat under such circumstances, and also retreat to the steel plant... What if the Japanese make dumplings for you?"
What Li Yunlong said is not unreasonable.
Although the steel plant is easy to defend and difficult to attack, the surrounding area is open and there are no obstacles, which is also suitable for the Japanese to encircle it.
Zhao Gang laughed: "Look what you said, you just said that we have this and that, but we are still afraid of the Japanese making dumplings? Can the Japanese make dumplings?"
Li Yunlong said "Alas" and replied: "It just won't work anyway, this battle is going to be suffocating!"
At this time, Zhao Gang understood that Li Yunlong was not afraid of being made dumplings by the Japanese at all, that was just his excuse because he just wanted to beat him up.
At this time, the correspondent sent another telegram, still from Wang Xuexin: "After the independent regiment withdraws into the steel plant, be prepared for interspersed operations!"
Li Yunlong's eyes lit up when he saw this order, and he jumped up from his chair: "Interspersed combat? Does this mean... to fight against the Japanese?"
Then he thought about it carefully, and then burst into laughter and praised: "This is a good move, Xiao Dongbei is a fucking character!"
Zhao Gang didn't understand. It was the same order, but with an added interlude. Why was Li Yunlong's attitude so different?
But then I thought about it: It must have been a battle that made him successful like this!
Zhao Gang still didn't understand the key: Wang Xuexin had artificially found a weak spot in the Japanese defense line.