Chapter 375 You have to look like an imperial officer!
There was a dignified and tense atmosphere in the headquarters of the 5th Division of Yu County. A dozen Japanese officers were busy because of the attack on the reinforcements. The beeping sound of receiving telegrams continued to fill the surrounding area.
"Your Excellency, Division Commander, the Army Aviation Corps at Nanyuan Airport has dispatched four 95 fighter planes and will arrive at Pingxingguan in about 40 minutes. The 11th Wing has left Laiyuan County and is marching to Yimaling to Lingguan.
Qiu Kaijin, the Lingqiu County garrison squadron dispatched troops to Yimaling and Caijiayu respectively." Takeda Sakurada had the latest battlefield intelligence in hand, and hurried to the war room and reported to Seishiro Itagaki.
"Very good. Is there any news from the Army Intelligence Department? Have you found out the number and commander of this unit?" Itagaki Seishiro nodded, feeling slightly relaxed. He stood in front of the military map and asked Sakurada Takeshi.
"Your Excellency, Division Commander, there is no news from the Army Intelligence Department yet." Takeshi Sakurada lowered his head.
"What a bunch of rubbish. An entire division-level combat unit appeared out of thin air and set up an ambush to attack the main force and baggage train of the 21st Brigade under our noses. I can't imagine such an extremely stupid and low-level mistake happening on the battlefield," Itagaki said.
Seishiro was furious and roared, his words filled with contempt for the Intelligence Department.
waste!
Complete trash.
It’s not surprising that Seishiro Itagaki gave such an evaluation. If the attack force only had 1,800 troops, it would be fair, but how many enemies did the main force and baggage troops of the 21st Brigade encounter?
A total of more than 10,000!
According to the establishment of the National Revolutionary Army, this is a standard division-level combat unit.
Who would have thought that he would be ambushed by a division?
In this incident, the intelligence department was responsible for at least 70% of the blame, the Army Aviation Corps responsible for battlefield reconnaissance was responsible for 25%, and the last half belonged to the reinforcements.
Sakurada Takeshi broke into a cold sweat when he heard this and could only remain silent. The division commander dared to criticize the Army Intelligence Department like this. If it were anyone else, he would definitely be punished.
"I have conducted on-site inspections of Qiaogou. It is the only way between Lingqiu and Pingxingguan. There are tall mountains on both sides. The narrowest point at the bottom of the ravine is about five meters wide. It can only accommodate one car. It is very suitable.
In fighting an ambush, this Chinese commander was really smart...and bold."
Itagaki Seishiro vented his anger for a moment, and with sharp eyes like a vulture, he stared at Qiao Gou on the military map. His words were full of sighs and recognition, and then he said slowly: "However, a mere division dares to ambush my reinforcements.
Troops, you do not take the Imperial warriors of my fifth division seriously, I want to see why you dare to do this."
Why?
This was what Itagaki didn't understand the most. Although the attack really shocked him, he had to disrupt the original combat deployment of the Fifth Division and mobilize surrounding troops to quickly support the reinforcements of the 21st Brigade that was attacked.
But when Itagaki reacted, he only felt a sense of humiliation.
Yes, humiliating.
A mere division dared to ambush four thousand imperial troops.
What is the concept of four thousand imperial troops?
In the Battle of Nankou, a division of Tang Enbo's Central Army could be penetrated head-on. If it were a miscellaneous army of local warlords like Fu Zuoyi and Yan Xishan, it could almost penetrate an army with tens of thousands of troops.
Why would a motley crew that appeared out of nowhere dare to do this?
Don't they know the concept of four thousand Imperial troops?
Could it be that the so-called favorable terrain is relied upon behind it?
Itagaki Seishiro was filled with anger. He was angry not because his troops were attacked, but because someone dared to attack the Fifth Division at such a critical moment!
He passed by Qiaogou during his field survey in Shanxi in his early years and knew that this was a favorable terrain suitable for an ambush. However, the strength gap between the two armies could not be smoothed out by just one favorable terrain.
Nowadays, Itagaki Seishiro just wants to wait for the "good news" of reinforcements from the 21st Brigade and severely injure these rats who like to sneak attacks.
He believed in the tactical literacy and combat effectiveness of the warriors of the Japanese Empire, and even more believed in the soldiers of the Fifth Division.
Stay where you are, wait until reinforcements arrive, and annihilate the opponent!
"Your Excellency, Division Commander, there is an urgent message from the Army Intelligence Department." At this moment, the Japanese communications staff hurried over and stood at attention to report.
"Read it." After hearing the news, Itagaki Seishiro nodded with satisfaction. The news from the Army Intelligence Department finally came.
"Preliminary investigation shows that the unit is designated as the 115th Division of the National Revolutionary Army. It is affiliated to the 18th Group Army's battle order and is organized as the China C Division. It has a strength of 12,000. The commander and other information are not yet clear." The Japanese communications staff with the rank of Major quickly responded.
Read out the contents of the cable sent by the Army Intelligence Department.
"How could the 115th Division be Zhang Xueliang's Northeastern Army unit? After the Xi'an Incident, Zhang Xueliang was under house arrest in Nanjing, and the Northeastern Army was transferred to Songhu to participate in the battle. How could there be a Northeastern Army unit here?" Seishiro Itagaki frowned slightly and gestured.
The Japanese combat staff officer left. As one of the planners of the Manchurian Incident, he was familiar with the formation of the Northeastern Army. He immediately recognized the 115th Division, but his doubts became even worse.
Shanxi, why is there still a Northeastern Army unit staying here?
In addition, what is the situation of the 18th Army?
Sakurada Takeshi shook his head. The division commander Itagaki didn't know much about this unit, and he certainly didn't know much about it. The Fifth Division has been in a state of combat since it landed at Dagukou and has little knowledge of outside information.
"Your Excellency, Division Commander, I don't think you need to worry about this issue, because whether it is the Northeast Army or the Shanxi-Sui Army, the final result will be the same."
Chief of Staff Sakurada Takeshi said slowly, his voice full of coldness: "This unit of the 115th Division will completely disappear tomorrow."
No matter who dares to sneak attack the Fifth Division, he must pay the heaviest price.
"Then let us wait for the arrival of the good news." Hearing this, Itagaki Seishiro smiled on his face and nodded in anticipation, fully recognizing what Takeshi Sakurada said.
Northeastern Army?
So what?
It's not like he didn't bully the Northeastern Army, which was known as the strongest miscellaneous army, six years ago. Today, six years later, he is even less afraid of these guerrillas.
At this time, the Japanese combat staff officer who had just left suddenly received a telegram from the reinforcements of the 21st Brigade. After quickly translating it according to the code book, his face turned pale and he stumbled towards the war room.
"Your Excellency, the commander of the division, urgent call for reinforcements!"
"Why are you so rude, Major Ishijin? You have to look like an imperial officer!" Seishiro Itagaki criticized the communications staff officer with a look of displeasure on his face.
He would not tolerate any rude behavior by the elite officers of the Fifth Division.
"Hi!"
"read."
Communications staff officer Ishijin Hidehara looked anxious and quickly read out the contents of the telegram: "Major Kurokawa Ishige, the commander of the reinforcements, was killed in action due to injuries caused by stepping on a landmine, and rescue efforts failed. Lieutenant Colonel Shinjo Jun of the automatic vehicle team was killed in action. The casualty rate of the Cangshan brigade exceeded
30%, all light and heavy machine guns and infantry artillery were lost, a large number of cars and baggage vehicles were damaged, and the cumulative casualties were roughly over 1,000. The enemy's firepower was very fierce, with more than 30 artillery pieces. Our unit was completely surrounded and could not break out on its own.
Requesting the division to provide air tactical guidance..."
"What did you say?!" Itagaki Seishiro lost his voice for a moment, and felt that his mind was exploding like a bolt from the blue, his blood pressure soared, and he was dizzy.
What did he hear?
The cumulative casualties of the reinforcements have exceeded 1,000!
The enemy has thirty artillery pieces!
The reinforcements were completely surrounded and unable to break out on their own!
Itagaki Seishiro couldn't believe what he heard.
"Division Commander, this is a telegram." Ishijin Hidehara did not dare to delay after reading, and quickly handed the telegram in his hand to Itagaki Seishiro.
"Takeshi Sakurada, call Nanyuan Airport urgently, immediately take off today's combat bomber squadron to support Qiaogou battlefield!" Itagaki Seishiro took the telegram and read it carefully, his eyes were reddish with a look that seemed to be murderous, and he suddenly turned his head to look at Takeshi Sakurada,
Roared loudly.
His words were full of anxiety. At this moment, the demeanor and demeanor of the lieutenant general division commander disappeared instantly.