Okamura Neji was in no hurry to launch his offensive plan.
On the one hand, this is because attacking Zhongtiao Mountain, which has 200,000 troops, requires more troops, more supplies, and a more rigorous combat plan, which all require time to coordinate and prepare.
On the other hand, Okamura Neiji was convinced that once Chongqing made a strategic misjudgment against the imperial army, it would be difficult to change it.
This was determined by the conflict between Chongqing and the Eighth Route Army.
At that time, no matter how the Eighth Route Army reminds them, or even the warnings of the Jinsui Army, they will be ignored by Chongqing as "releasing false information out of their own interests."
This is very similar to the Maginot Line.
The reason why Western Europe built a purely defensive Maginot Line was not as stupid as most people think...it actually had strategic considerations.
Western Europe only needs to move the Maginot Line to the border. It is basically impossible for the Japanese allies to attack the west, so they can only develop eastward, which means directing the disaster of war to the bear. This allows Western Europe to "sit down"
"Reap the profits of others" and concentrate on development while others are doing well.
However, the subsequent development of the war situation went out of control and they shot themselves in the foot.
How has history been so similar?
Zhongtiao Mountain, a line of defense known as the "Oriental Maginot", actually had similar strategic considerations... Prior to this, the Japanese had launched more than ten large-scale and hundreds of small-scale attacks on Zhongtiao Mountain, but
All failed.
Therefore, the stubborn army believed that the Zhongtiao Mountain defense line was "impenetrable and unbreakable."
Then they defended this line of defense and adopted a "sitting on the mountain and watching the fighting" attitude towards the war in Shanxi. The result was similar to the Maginot Line of Defense. They also made serious strategic misjudgments and shot themselves in the foot.
Due to these considerations, Okamura Neiji believed that the imperial army had sufficient preparation time, so he calmly mobilized troops to prepare for the attack on Mount Nakajo.
Okamura Neji is right about this.
When Neji Okamura mobilized troops, the Eighth Route Army headquarters realized something was wrong.
The Eighth Route Army's intelligence personnel are spread all over China, and its intelligence network is stronger than that of the Japanese or even the stubborn army.
The shortcoming of the Eighth Route Army's intelligence is that intelligence personnel lack radio stations and are suppressed everywhere, so they need more time to transmit, but the intelligence they get is very detailed.
Because of this, it took the Eighth Route Army headquarters a week to realize something was wrong.
On this day, the chief of staff hurriedly walked to the chief with a telegram and reported: "Chief, this is the information we have just received. The 32nd Flying Group of the 7th Flying Regiment of the Kwantung Army, which was originally stationed at Xingshu Airport in Boli County, and
The 83rd Brigade of the 2nd Flight Regiment stationed at Hailin County Airport has been transferred to Taiyuan!"
The commander frowned when he heard this and asked: "How many planes do the Japanese have now?"
The chief of staff turned around and found a document from the table, opened it, looked at it, and replied: "Chief, plus these two flying groups, and the 3rd flying group that was transferred before... there are 4 flying groups in total.
2 squadrons, not including the 2 reconnaissance aircraft groups originally left in Taiyuan, it is estimated that there are about 200 aircraft of various types!"
"The strength of six divisions, plus more than 200 aircraft!" the leader said: "The devils are going to fight a big battle, and the target is probably not just us!"
The chief of staff nodded in agreement.
This is obvious. The Eighth Route Army has almost no heavy equipment, such as artillery, cars, etc., and the aircraft cannot find its target at all.
If it is targeting the Eighth Route Army, the 98 light explosion is enough to complete the reconnaissance and bombing missions.
But now the Japanese have mobilized so many aircraft and even recruited the elite Kwantung Army flying brigade... This is extraordinary.
After thinking about it, the chief of staff said: "It seems that the Jinsui Army is in trouble this time, and it will be difficult to stop the Japanese attack!"
The leader did not answer. He looked at the map silently, and after a while he said: "I think, this time, the Japanese want more than just the Jinsui Army!"
The chief of staff was startled by the leader's words: "If it's not the Jinsui Army, is it the stubborn army?"
The leader nodded and analyzed: "You don't need such aircraft and troops to deal with the Jinsui Army! The Jinsui Army only has a hundred thousand people. The Japanese don't have to use six divisions and a hundred thousand people to attack, and they don't need to attack the Jinsui Army."
Two hundred planes are needed!”
After being told this by the chief, the chief of staff found out that it was true.
In terms of military strength, the Japanese have always believed that a force of one to three can constitute an advantage over the enemy, and that it can be further expanded when fighting against a stubborn army with low morale.
According to this estimate, the Japanese only need 50,000 people at most, but now they have gathered at least 100,000 people.
In terms of aircraft, the Jinsui Army does not have that many artillery pieces and cars. It is also a waste for the Japanese to mobilize so many aircraft.
So……
There is only one possibility. The target of the Japanese is neither the Eighth Route Army nor the Jinsui Army, but the stubborn army stationed in Zhongtiao Mountain.
Thinking of this, the chief of staff quickly reported: "Chongqing recently transferred the 31st Army Corps, and the commander of the first theater was replaced by He Yingqin!"
"These weaklings!" the chief couldn't help but cursed.
He Yingqin was a student of Okamura Neiji, and later exchanged letters with Okamura Neiji. At this time, Chongqing sent He Yingqin to station at Zhongtiao Mountain. His intention was obvious. He was not here to preside over the overall situation but to deal with the Japanese diplomacy.
Historical facts also prove that He Yingqin played almost no role in the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain.
Not only did it not work, it could be said to have had the opposite effect.
When the new official He Yingqin took office, he had no idea about the defense situation and communication situation of Zhongtiao Mountain, especially the communication situation. He intensively issued two orders to "resist to the death" and "withdraw into the mountainous area"...
If this is done and the communication equipment is good and the signal is clear, there will be no problem. All frontline troops will receive the first order first and then the second order.
However, the signal in the mountainous area was poor, and the phone lines were cut by the enemy's spies inside. Therefore, some troops only received one order to stay on the front line, while some troops received two orders to retreat. As a result, the entire army was in chaos.
There is no consensus.
The leader pointed to the map and continued his analysis: "Only to attack Zhongtiao Mountain do we need so many aircraft! To the south of Zhongtiao Mountain is the Yellow River. All the food and ammunition supplied by the stubborn army to Zhongtiao Mountain must pass through the Yellow River before being transported to the Zhongtiao Mountain garrison.
The planes in your hands are used to blow up bridges and ships. When the time comes to block the transportation of Zhongtiao Mountain, Zhongtiao Mountain will be in danger!"
The chief of staff immediately became anxious. He asked with a horrified face: "Chief, should we use intelligence personnel to warn the recalcitrant troops to prepare?"
The chief's face showed a bit of anxiety and helplessness: "Of course I have to warn you, but... it probably won't have any effect!"