The ideas of Itagaki Seishiro and Tanaka Kuichi are undoubtedly very correct.
Because the experience of the first Songhu Battle proved that street fighting in urban Shanghai is very detrimental to the attacking side.
In the first Battle of Songhu, the Japanese army had less than one brigade, and this was not a regular army, but an infantry brigade temporarily put together by armed merchant groups, Japanese ronin, and naval forces.
, but even such an infantry brigade did not fall behind in the face of the fierce attack of a group army of the National Army.
You must know that it was the Ninth Group Army of the National Army that attacked Shanghai at that time. The three divisions under the Ninth Group Army are known as the three major imperial divisions in China, the 36th Division, the 87th Division and the 8th Division.
Eighteenth Division! But these three most elite divisions of the National Army were helpless against a makeshift Japanese infantry brigade.
Itagaki Seishiro was confident that the combat effectiveness of his Twelfth Army would definitely be far greater than that of the National Army's Ninth Army, but similarly, the combat effectiveness of Xu Rui's Songhu Independent Regiment would also be far greater than the First Battle of Songhu.
The Marines in the army, especially Xu Rui, were far more capable than the Japanese commander at the time, Okawauchi Denchichi.
Therefore, if a full-scale street battle really takes place, the Twelve Army may not be sure of victory.
For this reason, when Tanaka Jiuichi proposed that we should continue to attack Wusong Fort with all our strength, and clearly pointed out that doing so could force the artillery of the Songhu Independent Regiment to reveal themselves, Itagaki Seishiro changed his mind. After all, if there is a chance to open the
He was still happy with Wusong Fort, the key to Songhu.
With or without the navy participating in the war, the course of the Third Battle of Songhu will be completely different.
It's a pity that the development of some things is not decided by Itagaki Seishiro or Tanaka Kuichi.
On the night Xu Rui held a press conference at the Chinachem Hotel in Shanghai, Japanese Emperor Hirohito returned to the Tokyo Imperial Palace from the Tenkyushan Hot Spring Palace in Ryukyu. After more than half a month of recuperation, Hirohito's complexion was much better than before, and he even looked the same.
The thin cheeks have also become rounder, and the whole person is in a good mood.
However, Hirohito's good mood did not last long.
During the time he stayed at Tianjiu Mountain Hot Spring Palace, Hirohito forced himself not to care about the war situation in Shanghai, but he was always paying attention to the Far East Battle. He not only asked Hideki Tojo to send the battle report about the Far East Battle to Tianjiu Mountain in time, but also
I would take the time to listen to the radio broadcasts of the Soviet Union's TASS news agency. Of course, I would need a translator.
Hirohito's good mood is also related to the development of the Far East Campaign.
Although the Soviet Red Army mobilized more than one million heavy troops and launched a fierce attack from the east and west directions along the railway towards Chita, where the Kwantung Army was stationed in clusters in the north, the Kwantung Army's directly-affiliated aviation corps firmly controlled the air superiority of the Far East battlefield.
, so Chita City remains unchanged so far.
Ishihara Kanji even said in a telegram sent to the base camp that under the repeated fierce attacks of the Soviet Red Army, Chita City's defense system not only did not collapse, but became stronger! Hirohito was very skeptical about this statement, but,
There should be no doubt that Chita City's defense is rock solid.
As long as the defense of Chita City is rock solid, the Japanese army will always control the initiative in the Far East. Therefore, Hirohito's mood is still relaxed during this period. Compared with the Far East battlefield, the Shanghai battlefield is just a scabies disease. As long as the Far East battlefield
We can achieve a decisive victory, so what if we lose the Third Battle of Songhu?
As soon as he returned to the Imperial Palace, Hirohito asked the guards to turn on the radio and set the frequency to TASS.
Naturally, a translator who understands Russian is needed to translate, and Hirohito does not understand Russian.
What a coincidence, the TASS reporter in China happened to be at the press conference at the Chinachem Hotel.
Since the Songhu Independent Regiment won the Second Battle of Songhu, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union has been paying close attention to the progress of the Third Battle of Songhu. Therefore, upon hearing that Xu Rui was going to hold a press conference at the Chinachem Hotel, the Soviet Embassy in
The Minister from Shanghai and the TASS war correspondent in China immediately arrived upon hearing the news.
Moreover, TASS also provided a live broadcast like Reuters.
The reason why Reuters paid attention to the Songhu Independence Group and the Third Battle of Songhu was entirely out of the dignity of the so-called superpower, which would never let go of any opportunity that could undermine the national self-confidence of the Japanese. This is the same as
Today's Western public opinion will never miss any opportunity to discredit and distort China's achievements, based on the same thinking.
As an old Western hegemonic country, of course it will not like the emergence of a new hegemony.
However, TASS's concern about the Songhu Independent Regiment was more complex. To put it bluntly, the Soviets just wanted to make a fuss about the Third Songhu Battle and transfer as much of the Japanese military pressure to the Songhu battlefield as possible.
In the future, the pressure on the Soviet Red Army in the Far East battlefield will be reduced accordingly.
Therefore, as soon as he heard that Xu Rui was going to hold a press conference and threatened to announce major news, the Soviet Minister in Shanghai immediately realized that this was an excellent opportunity and immediately contacted TASS to conduct such a live broadcast.
It was to draw more of the Japanese Army's attention to the Songhu battlefield.
As a result, the Soviets really achieved their intentions.
"Press conference of the Songhu Independence Group?" Hirohito frowned and said to the Russian translator, "You continue."
The Russian translator had no choice but to bite the bullet and translate: "Tass News Agency has just broadcast an important message transferred from the press conference, saying that the Songhu Independent Regiment has just been wiped out in today's battle..." At this point, the Russian
The translation stopped again, and I didn't dare to continue translating.
"Speak!" Hirohito's face turned gloomy, and he continued, "Go on and translate."
"Your Majesty, but..." the Russian translator said hesitantly, "The Empress Dowager has a decree, saying that all news about the Songhu battlefield must not be made known to you..."
"Baga!" Hirohito said angrily, "I am the Emperor of the Empire of Japan, tell me now!"
"Hai!" the Russian translator quickly paused and continued with a grimace, "Tass news agency said that the Songhu Independent Regiment completely wiped out the 1st Regiment of the Royal Guards Infantry today, and..."
Hearing that the 1st Guards Infantry Regiment had been completely wiped out, Hirohito's face was already very embarrassed. The hesitant look of the Russian translator made Hirohito even more angry. He immediately snapped at the case and said angrily: "And what? Say!"
"Hai!" the Russian translator paused again and said, "Moreover, the regiment flag of the 1st Guards Infantry Regiment was also seized by the Songhu Independent Regiment. It was also taken to the press conference site to present to all the countries who were invited to attend.
The envoys and members of the media showed it, and it was said that it was indeed the flag of the 1st Infantry Guards Regiment."
"Nani?" Hirohito's face instantly lost all color.
It’s okay that the First Guards Infantry Regiment was wiped out. Anyway, this was not the first infantry regiment to be wiped out by the Songhu Independent Regiment. Even the divisions were wiped out, let alone the infantry regiment.
The team was annihilated and annihilated. After a few more annihilations, they got used to it. The problem was, not only were they completely annihilated this time, but even the military flag was captured.
And this time it was the 1st Guards Infantry Regiment that was completely wiped out and the military flag was captured!
Hirohito suddenly felt a pain in his heart, my First Infantry Regiment!
Hirohito's face suddenly became as pale as paper, even a little pale with blue.
The Russian translator became frightened and advised: "Your Majesty, why don't you just stop listening?"
"Listen, why don't you listen!" Hirohito gritted his teeth and said, "Continue to translate for me. I want to see what other surprising words Xu Rui can say."
The Russian translator had no choice but to continue translating.
When the Russian translator came to the last words Xu Rui said: I would also like to ask the reporters friends present to give Hirohito a message, saying that our Songhu Independent Group... I might as well put the words on the pile today.
Here! Within half a month, the Japanese Guards Division and the Seventh Division will be completely wiped out! No one will be spared!
Hearing this, Hirohito could no longer control the anger in his chest.
"Baga Yalu! You've bullied people too much, Xu Rui has bullied people too much!" Hirohito sat up immediately and overturned the imperial case placed on the mat to the ground. All the ornaments placed on the imperial case crackled.
Rolling to the ground, there was a jade penholder and a blue and white porcelain ornament, which shattered on the spot with a click.
The Russian translator was so frightened that he fell to his knees and said in panic: "Your Majesty, please calm down. Your Majesty, please calm down."
"Calm down? How do you want me to calm down? How do you want me to calm down?" Hirohito continued to roar like a trapped animal, "Xu Rui is shouting to me from a distance in front of all the powers in the world. He is
By slapping the face of our Japanese royal family, he is trying to disgrace our Japanese royal family!"
The Russian translator fell to his knees and did not dare to say a word.
Hirohito walked back and forth for a few steps like a trapped animal, turned around and shouted at the guards: "Let Prince Kaningu, Army Chief Count Terauchi, and Army Under-Secretary Hideki Tojo come into the palace immediately to see me!"
Xu Rui held a press conference to make public the fact that the 1st Guards Infantry Regiment was completely annihilated and the regiment flag was captured. He also made it known to the world in front of all Western diplomatic envoys and media personnel.
Hirohito declared that he would completely annihilate the Guards Division and the 7th Division within half a month, which forced Hirohito to have no way out.
If Hirohito cannot respond in time, it will really be a disgrace!
Therefore, Hirohito must respond positively, and the Japanese royal family must respond!
Less than half an hour later, Kanin Miya Zaijin and Tojo Hideki came to the Imperial Palace together. However, Juichi Juichi of the temple did not come. This old devil happened to go to Kyushu for inspection. As soon as they entered the study, the two old devils saw
Hirohito's face was ashen, and the jade and porcelain fragments were scattered everywhere on the ground, but the two of them were immediately stunned.