In fact, it is not accurate to say that the Japs only have 90,000 troops in Fengtian, because there are about 30,000 "Puppet Manchukuo Army" stationed near Fengtian.
(Note: At this time, the total strength of the "Puppet Manchukuo Army" was approximately 150,000.)
Naosaburo Okabe complained quite a lot about this troop transfer. He sent a telegram to Umezu Yoshijiro, saying: "Your Excellency, General, the Eighth Route Army's offensive in North China and Fengtian is in full swing. If a large number of troops are transferred away at this time, I am afraid there will be a disaster in Fengtian."
Danger!"
Umezu Yoshijiro dismissed this: "Fengtian still has 120,000 troops. In addition, our army can mobilize reinforcements from both sides. Even if the Eighth Route Army has three heads and six arms, it will not dare to take Fengtian's idea!"
In Umezu Yoshijiro's view, worries that the Eighth Route Army will attack Fengtian are completely unfounded. Whether the Eighth Route Army can gather 100,000 troops is a question. Even if it can gather together, can it threaten the more than 100,000 troops stationed in Fengtian?
Besides, no matter how strong the Eighth Route Army is, it can't be stronger than Mao Xiong's million-strong Far Eastern Front Army. How could he leave the million-strong army here and worry about the Eighth Route Army behind him?
Umezu Yoshijiro left three divisions in Fengtian, which was considered a great favor to the Eighth Route Army.
But Naosaburo Okabe didn't think so.
In the eyes of Naosaburo Okabe, the garrison in Fengtian is not 90,000 imperial troops plus 30,000 puppet Manchukuo troops, but 90,000 minus 30,000... Those 30,000 puppet Manchukuo troops may defect at any time and become the Eighth Route Army.
He was a member of the army and would cooperate with the Eighth Route Army from within.
If possible, Naosaburo Okabe would rather not have these 30,000 puppet Manchukuo troops.
However, as the war has developed to this point, it is no longer an option.
Because the imperial army has always used the puppet Manchukuo army to maintain security and security, once they are all mobilized from the city... Fengtian will probably fall into chaos immediately.
There was really no other way, so Naosaburo Okabe had no choice but to do the next best thing. He asked to draw elites from the puppet Manchukuo to form an army to help defend Fengtian.
Okabe Naosaburo's idea was a good one, because judging from Umezu Yoshijiro's tone, it was impossible to mobilize additional imperial troops to garrison Fengtian, so the only option was to mobilize the puppet Manchukuo army.
Sure enough, Umezu Yoshijiro had never taken the puppet Manchukuo army seriously and nodded in agreement without thinking.
Therefore, Naosaburo Okabe formed an elite force of 16,000 puppet Manchukuo troops, known as the "Iron and Stone Troops" and rushed to Fengtian.
Fengtian's troop mobilization was all under Wang Xuexin's intelligence reconnaissance. This was also thanks to Wang Xuexin's previous infiltration in the Northeast. At this time, this spread intelligence network had already taken effect and continuously provided intelligence to the Eighth Route Army.
On the other hand, with the upgrade of the computers of the Eighth Route Army, more and more Japanese telegrams were deciphered, so the information at hand was not only large but also comprehensive.
For example, regarding the "Iron and Stone Force", Wang Xuexin basically understood its structure and composition when it was still being formed.
The intelligence was sent by Zhang Zongping, because both intelligence work and deciphering work are directed by the headquarters.
"The Iron-Stone Force is mainly divided into two parts!" Zhang Zongping reported: "They are the Iron-Heart Force and the Iron-Blooded Force, each with a brigade size of 8,000 people. They even include tank troops and armored troops!"
"There are actually tanks and armor?" Wang Xuexin was quite surprised when he heard this.
Usually the puppet army does not have very good equipment. The reason is that the puppet army is easy to rebel and the Japanese are not confident about them, so it is good to equip them with some old-fashioned infantry to deal with the guerrillas. If they go to the battlefield, they will be used as cannon fodder. Of course, there is no need.
Good equipment.
But this iron and stone army actually has tanks and armored vehicles... This shows that this puppet army is indeed somewhat different.
"Yes!" Zhang Zongping replied: "I don't know the exact number of tanks and armored vehicles, but the tank crews are ready. It is said that this unit was the main force in encircling and suppressing our anti-alliance forces!"
Wang Xuexin said "Oh", no wonder he won the trust of the Japanese. This was because he had done many bad things and had developed certain combat qualities while encircling and suppressing the Anti-Alliance troops.
In fact, if Wang Xuexin had consulted information about the "Iron and Stone Forces" in modern times, he would have known that this was a force known as "the most dedicated puppet army under the banner of the Sun." This force was historically organized to deal with the Eighth Route Army at the end of 1944.
They fought until the Japanese surrendered and then surrendered to the stubborn army.
One of the reasons why the Iron and Steel Force is so dedicated is that all the supplies and equipment of this force are based on those of the Japanese regular army, and are even better than those of the Japanese regular army.
This is a way for the Japanese to win people's hearts. They are telling other puppet troops: as long as you are good enough and loyal enough, you can receive the same treatment from the imperial army as the iron and stone troops.
Wang Xuexin immediately became interested in this unit. He asked: "Where is this unit deployed?"
"It's not clear yet!" Zhang Zongping replied: "We only know that they are temporarily training in Fengtian. The information we got is that they have an infantry brigade, a cavalry brigade, a chariot battalion, a supply battalion, a communications battalion, and more.
There is a stick Japanese independent camp!”
Wang Xuexin nodded and said, "I believe this unit will be sent to Chifeng soon!"
Zhang Zongping asked doubtfully: "Why is the leader so sure?"
No wonder Zhang Zongping felt strange. If he could guess what the enemy was going to do through reasoning in terms of strategy and tactics, it would be reasonable, but if he could infer which troops the enemy would send to the front line... this could not be said to be an inference, but a prediction.
Got it!
Wang Xuexin did not answer but asked instead: "The Japs built this army with the intention of making them a role model for the puppet army, and while fighting, they would also win the hearts of other puppet troops, don't you think so?"
"Yes!" Zhang Zongping nodded.
Wang Xuexin asked again: "We have no attack plan yet. Our troops are still stationed on the front line of Chifeng, right?"
"Yes!" Zhang Zongping nodded again.
Then Zhang Zongping figured it out: "What the regiment leader means is that only by sending this 'Iron Stone Troop' to the front line to fight can it become a role model for the puppet army? So... the Japanese will definitely give priority to sending this troop up.
Did they make meritorious deeds?"
Wang Xuexin nodded.
The more Zhang Zongping thought about it, the more it made sense, and then even he believed that this "iron and stone force" would come up soon.
Then Zhang Zongping asked strangely: "Commander, why are you interested in this puppet army!"
Wang Xuexin smiled and replied: "I am not interested in this puppet army, but... if the Japanese want to use this army as an example, then we must also use this army as an example!"
Zhang Zongping was stunned at first, but he soon understood.
Although they are both role models, the treatment of these two role models is not the same...