If we do not consider the relationship between the commander and his subordinates, but only consider the battle and casualty data, Endo Shino's decision is quite correct.
Because this is how to turn defeat into victory with a small risk.
The original situation was that the main force of the Eighth Route Army surrounded a Japanese mechanized force and wanted to annihilate it.
But with an order from Shino Endo, more than half of the main force of the Eighth Route Army was killed or injured in the bombing by enemy bombers... In just a few minutes before and after this bombing, more than 700 people of the Eighth Route Army were killed or injured.
Coupled with the casualties suffered during previous defensive operations, the strength of the 208th Regiment was reduced to just over 600 men.
As for the Japs, because of an action of exchanging less for more, they still had more than 400 troops at this time.
The casualties on both sides were very heavy, but the gap in strength between the Japanese and the Eighth Route Army was rapidly narrowing.
Wang Xuexin also didn't expect the Japanese to make this move.
Because in the long run, doing so will affect the "credibility" of the Japanese commander... His own troops were surrounded by the enemy. Not only did he not think of any way to rescue them, he ordered the bombers to carry out indiscriminate bombing.
There were piles of corpses at the airport that had been blown up into bloody corpses, and it was impossible to even tell which ones belonged to the Japanese and which belonged to the Eighth Route Army.
If the Japanese commander did this, wouldn't he be worried about being questioned by his subordinates and chilling his subordinates?
If he does this today, someone else may be sacrificed tomorrow... So, why do you have to work hard for such a commander? Why do you have to become a stepping stone for him to get promoted and make a fortune? Why do you still have to obey him?
Order?
However, this impact is long-term, at least it will not be manifested at present, and it will not be obvious when manifested.
Because the Japanese army has always adhered to the creed of "absolute obedience", and even regarded death in battle as a kind of "loyalty" and an "honor".
This successful brainwashing has made most of the Japs unable to think. It would not be an exaggeration to describe them as a kind of war machine.
Then the situation took a turn for the worse.
The battle situation that was originally favorable to the Eighth Route Army suddenly became crisis-ridden due to a bombing.
With more than 600 troops, it was already difficult to hold the airport's circular defense line, even though the Eighth Route Army still had directional mines and rocket launchers.
Endo Shino also understood this, and he shouted almost hysterically: "It's time for a decisive battle, order the Harada Squadron to attack!"
"Harada Squadron attacks!"
Two minesweeper trucks that had been hiding in the dark drove out from behind the mound, and at a speed of forty kilometers per hour, they led groups of Japs on horseback and driving tanks to quickly advance towards the Eighth Route Army's defense line.
Tang Liangjun looked at this situation and said something bad to himself. He was about to order the troops to prepare directional mines when Wang Xuexin called.
"Captain!" Wang Xuexin said, "Retreat to the warehouse! Your mission is completed!"
"What?" Tang Liangjun asked doubtfully: "Our mission is completed? The Japanese are still surrounding us! This is called completion. Do we still want to live?"
Tang Liangjun felt that Wang Xuexin's words were ridiculous.
What does task completion mean?
Can the Japanese retreat if the mission is completed?
Doesn’t the 208th Regiment need to fight against the Japanese?
Can we avoid fighting by withdrawing to the warehouse?
Wang Xuexin didn't explain much. He replied calmly: "In short, withdraw to the warehouse!"
With that said, Wang Xuexin hung up the phone.
Tang Liangjun looked at the Japanese who were getting closer and closer, and could only order: "Retreat!"
Tang Liangjun was a little red-eyed and losing his mind at this moment. He wanted to avenge the comrades who were killed by the Japanese bombings, so he was not very willing to withdraw to the warehouse.
However, before he was sent to Wangxing Airport to set up defenses, the commander repeatedly emphasized: "Everything must obey the command of Comrade Wang Xuexin, and no unauthorized actions are allowed!"
This was the commander's order, and of course Tang Liangjun did not dare to disobey it, so he had to retreat into the warehouse with his surviving subordinates.
Shima Endo knew right away that the Eighth Route Army had withdrawn into the underground fortifications.
Because through the telescope, he clearly saw the signal soldiers waving two flags to convey the news of victory to them, and at the same time, cheers from the soldiers came from the position.
Endo Shino nodded with satisfaction, and then ordered to the staff: "Generate power, under the attack of our army, we have broken through the enemy's defense line and captured the surface position of Wangxing Airport. Wangxing Airport is already under the control of our army. We
Guaranteed, we won’t miss a plane!”
While Okamura Neiji was happy about this victory, he hurriedly asked someone to call back: "The important thing is not the plane, Endo-kun, what we want is the pilots of the Eighth Route Army, and there is also x1, do you understand?"
"Understood!" Endo Shino replied confidently: "I guarantee that the general will be satisfied!"
With that said, Endo Shino spread out the drawings handed over by his staff.
No wonder Endo Shino is so confident. They bought the drawings of Wangxing Airport from the stubborn army in advance, and they know the structure and location of the underground warehouse clearly.
The reason why it is said to be "bought" here is because the drawing was indeed bought and not detected.
No matter how powerful Okamura Neiji's intelligence team was, it would be difficult to obtain the engineering drawings of the abandoned and once unknown Wangxing Airport in such a short period of time.
But this is not a problem for Okamura Neji.
He just asked the intelligence personnel to secretly tell the stubborn army that they were willing to purchase the blueprints of Wangxing Airport at a high price...
Although the "buyer" who wanted this drawing did not identify himself or indicate his intention.
But the stubborn army immediately understood:
At this time, Wangxing Airport was the main base of the Eighth Route Army Air Force!
Who else would need this blueprint?
So, to sell or not to sell?
Is it still worth considering?
If you don't sell, what benefits will the stubborn army get?
If you sell it, you can not only get a huge sum of money, but also weaken the Eighth Route Army with the help of the Japanese... Kill two birds with one stone, why not?
It can be seen from this that Okamura Neiji has also figured out the psychology of the stubborn army, so he can accurately form a certain tacit understanding with the stubborn army on the battlefield.
This tacit understanding is not obvious on the surface, but upon closer inspection, it turns out that the stubborn army and the Japanese are secretly cooperating to strangle the Eighth Route Army.
There are two situations: having drawings and not having drawings.
Without drawings, we don’t know the exact location of the underground warehouse. We don’t know where to put the explosives, so we have to keep testing.
But if there are drawings, blasting experts can place explosives at several points for precise blasting.
This is also something Wang Xuexin didn't expect...
There were too many things in this battle that surprised Wang Xuexin. This made Wang Xuexin realize that things on the battlefield are changing rapidly, and many situations are beyond his control. This is not because he is a modern person and knows more than others or because he is not.
Ability to foresee and change strategic direction.
So, with just a "boom" sound, a large hole was blown out of the top of a warehouse by the Japanese's precise blasting.
The next second, the Japs frantically threw grenade explosive packets from the hole into the warehouse.