Liu Lang's guess was correct. The 77th Regiment and the 78th Regiment were both waiting. Not only were they waiting for the 79th Infantry Regiment of the 40th Brigade, which was originally the general reserve of Bunzaburo Kawagishi, but also the 20th Division directly under them.
The main force of the 26th Artillery Regiment of the Artillery Regiment.
Turn back time to eighteen hours ago.
In the headquarters of the 20th Division in Shijiazhuang, in addition to the division commander Lieutenant General Kawagishi Bunzaburo sitting in front of the sun flag in the war room, the people who are qualified to sit at the combat table are Major General Kimura Hisashi, the chief of staff of the 20th Division.
, Major General Takagi Yoshito, commander of the 39th Infantry Brigade of the 20th Division, Major General Yamashita Tobumi, commander of the 40th Infantry Brigade of the 20th Division, Colonel Nakayasu Hosokawa, commander of the 26th Artillery Regiment of the 20th Division,
Colonel Kaori Minami, commander of the 20th Engineer Regiment of the 20th Division.
The atmosphere of the combat meeting during peacetime was quite relaxed and the generals were fighting bravely. The atmosphere of the combat meeting held overnight was obviously a bit solemn. When Colonel Hosokawa Nakayasu, who hurriedly came from outside the city, took his seat, the division commander Kawagishi
Bunzaburo stared at the door of the war room slowly closing, and then he cast his gaze on the faces of his generals. He stood up slowly, and said in a low voice with a bit of muteness: "Everyone, before the war meeting, I
First of all, I would like to announce the bad news. Lieutenant Colonel Okazaki Masaichi and his 28th Cavalry Regiment were collectively broken into pieces at the front line of the Shina Niangzi Pass Defense Area at 5:00 pm today and returned to the embrace of Amaterasu. Please all stand up."
The Japanese army obviously did a good job keeping secrets. Although the 28th Cavalry Regiment had been collectively destroyed for more than five hours, except for the news from the 77th Infantry Regiment, the commander of the 39th Infantry Brigade Yoshito Takagi had already expected it.
The expressions of the major general and the chief of staff of the division, Major General Kushimura Kushizo, who had already learned the news, did not change much. Everyone else was shocked.
Since the 20th Division marched from Northeast China to North China, it has won consecutive battles. When has it ever suffered such a major defeat? It is almost unimaginable that the entire cavalry regiment was even destroyed.
However, the strict military discipline of the Japanese army has been evident since then. No one questioned this seemingly impossible incident, but stood up solemnly to mourn for their colleagues.
After a full twenty or thirty seconds, Bunzaburo Kawagishi raised his head, pressed down with his white-gloved hand, and waited until everyone was seated before he said in a deep voice: "Everyone, our army is responding to the Empire.
Since the war against China, we have never suffered such a tragic defeat. I also reported this defeat to the Imperial Dispatch Force Headquarters and asked for disciplinary action." Some cold and stern eyes slid across the faces of the generals under his command with different expressions.
, Bunzaburo Kawagishi continued: "Although this defeat caused the loss of all the elite cavalry of our division, it sent a warning to the entire army of our 20th Division. There is a saying in ancient China: A proud soldier will be defeated."
The reason why the 28th Cavalry Regiment was collectively crushed was because they were that arrogant soldier. Our 20th Division was also gradually becoming a arrogant soldier because of the smooth war in northern China. Everyone, although the combat effectiveness of the Chinese army was inferior to that of the imperial army.
They are vulnerable, but their numbers are far greater than ours, and they are far more familiar with the terrain than we are. We must be more vigilant this time when we enter the mountainous areas of eastern Shanxi."
"Hi!" Faced with the reprimand of the division commander, all the Japanese generals and officers raised their foreheads heavily.
A trace of solemnity flashed across Kawagishi Bunzaburo's face, and he continued: "You may not know how the 28th Cavalry Regiment was shattered, so let Kitura-kun make Major Asada, deputy captain of the 28th Cavalry Regiment, loyal to His Majesty the Emperor.
I will read the farewell message sent back to you so that you can know how they were defeated, and at the same time, you can also know who the opponent we are facing."
Although the division commander regarded him as someone reading a telegram, Kushimura Kyuzo's rigid and solemn face did not change at all. He stood up and picked up the first and last telegram sent by Asada Unzan and began to read it.
.......
"Liu Lang Independent Regiment!" The faces of the Japanese generals and commanders were stunned.
That familiar name and his glorious past achievements finally made them understand how the 28th Cavalry Regiment was collectively shattered.
However, after hearing this name, most people's extremely serious faces softened.
Because only such a strong opponent can destroy the empire's elite cavalry. Otherwise, dying at the hands of unknown people would be a shame to the entire 20th Division.
This is also a kind of human nature. As long as you are strong enough, even if you die by your hands, it will not make people feel embarrassed. On the contrary, it will be a shame.
The Independent Regiment, even among the arrogant and arrogant generals of the 20th Division, is considered a strong one.
"That's right, it's Liu Lang and his independent regiment. If it weren't for the cunning Chinese fat man who was hailed as the enemy of the empire by the entire Kwantung Army, how could Lieutenant Colonel Okazaki Shoichi and the 28th Cavalry Regiment...
." Bunzaburo Kawagishi's cheeks were bulging, and he was obviously biting his back molars. He took the command knife and slid across the huge battlefield map. "Now, the layout of the enemy's and our troops' strength is completely clear. The Chinese are in the Snow Flower Mountain and Fulu Ridge areas.
It is garrisoned by more than 10,000 people from the 17th China Division, which lacks heavy firepower; the main battlefield of Niangziguan is garrisoned by a division of the Third China Army, and its heavy firepower is unknown; the 7-kilometer old defense line on the side of Niangziguan is garrisoned by about 3,000 people from the Liu Lang Independent Regiment
Judging from its heavy firepower in attacking the 28th Cavalry Regiment, it has at least several 75-caliber mountain cannons, making it the most elite infantry regiment in the China Army. Moreover, according to the 38th Aircraft Wing, which lost five fighters,
According to reports, there are also two anti-aircraft positions consisting of several anti-aircraft guns and anti-aircraft machine guns in the China Defense Zone. Everyone, if you have any opinions, it’s okay to say so.”
There was silence for a moment in the war room. The commander of the 39th Infantry Brigade, Yoshito Takagi, stood up and said: "Your Excellency, Division Commander, I believe that except for the Liu Lang Independent Regiment, the Chinese are not good enough to fight with me."
For consideration. In the battle of Jingxing County, although our 77th Infantry Regiment encountered obstacles in its attack, the enemy of the 17th Division on the opposite side lacked firepower. They completely relied on the lives of soldiers to buy time. It was just a fight between trapped beasts. Although Snowflake Mountain has natural dangers
, but the defenders of a mere infantry regiment will never be captured in more than 24 hours under the attack of the 80th Infantry Regiment.
The 77th Infantry Regiment and the 78th Infantry Regiment will march to Niangzi Pass tomorrow. The 77th Infantry Regiment will attack Jiuguan and the 78th Infantry Regiment will attack Niangzi Pass. I believe that as long as the division supports our 39th Brigade
If the regiment has enough artillery fire, our 39th Brigade will definitely be able to conquer the enemy in front of Niangzi Pass. As for Liu Lang and his independent regiment, as long as our 78th Infantry Regiment conquers Niangzi Pass, they will attack their old pass positions from both front and rear, and they will be completely wiped out.
This stubborn enemy."
"Hey, Takagi-kun, please sit down. What do you think, Yamashita-kun?" Bunzaburo Kawagishi showed a smile on his face and waved to the impassioned Takagi Yoshito to sit down, and turned his attention to Yamashita Tomobumi, the commander of his other main infantry brigade.
.
Compared with Yoshito Takagi, who was unknown throughout the total war, Yamashita Nobumi, who jumped thousands of miles into the Malay Peninsula during the Southeast Asian campaign and became famous as the "Tiger of Malay", is much more famous.
Although this person is now just the commander of a major general brigade, who would have known that in the past, this person would be transferred to the post of chief of staff of the North China Expeditionary Army the following year, and four years later would be promoted to the commander of the 25th Army, commanding the most powerful Japanese army.
The elite Fifth Division, Guards Division, Eighteenth Division and other hundreds of thousands of troops became the most elite Japanese military group in Southeast Asia.
This is definitely the most talented army general of the Japanese army. The "Drill War" central breakthrough tactic developed on the battlefield in Southeast Asia was able to break through the northern defense line of the Sun Never Sets Empire in Malay in one fell swoop, defeating the seemingly powerful Sun Never Sets Empire.
The empire's forces in Southeast Asia were defeated in one fell swoop, and Singapore was finally completely occupied.
He stood up slowly, walked to the hung map, and said solemnly: "Takagi-kun's tactical analysis is basically correct, but Fengwen disagrees a little bit. The empire's intention to fight on the western front of Shanxi this time is Xinkou
To support the battle with nearly 200,000 Chinese troops. Not only our army knows this, but the Chinese are also very aware of this. If our army breaks through the important area of Niangziguan, it will push directly from Shouyang to Taiyuan, the provincial capital of Shanxi Province, and the entire central and eastern Shanxi
All will be under the control of our empire, and their nearly 200,000 troops will also be surrounded by our army. Therefore, the Chinese defenders will fight to the death with me, and will not be as vulnerable as Mr. Takagi imagined.
Including the defenders of the Chinese 17th Division in Snowflake Mountain, although the enemy does not have heavy firepower, if all the wounded soldiers in Jingxing County can ignite explosives and fight to the death with our army, our 80th Infantry Regiment will at least need to go all out.
It takes 48 hours to conquer the Snowflake Mountain position. After that, there is still the natural danger of Fululing, and within four to five days or even longer, our 40th Infantry Brigade will not be determined to conquer it."
Yamashita Tobumi's statement is somewhat different from Takagi Yoshihito's argument that he must win, and it is obvious that he needs to be more cautious.
Anger flashed in Takagi Yoshito's eyes, but before he could refute, Kawagishi Bunzaburo nodded: "Hey! Yamashita-kun's words are very true. We cannot underestimate the courage of the Chinese people to fight to the death. Not all of them are the same.
Coward, Mr. Yamashita, what else can you say, but it’s okay to say it.”
Kawagishi Bunzaburo's praise for Yamashita Hobumi was far superior to the previous one where Takagi Yoshito just nodded and smiled without making any judgment. It was obvious that Yamashita Hobumi's statement was what he had in mind.
If Takagi Yoshito continues to fail to understand the situation, he will be embarrassed.
No matter how angry you are, you can only hold it back.
............
PS: Thanks to the leader of the book club "Zhuang Buping" for the reward and encouragement, Fengyue was moved inexplicably. After these few days of busy work are completed, I will definitely add more chapters to compensate, and there will be more chapters that reward book friends who owe me.