At the same time, the Kwantung Army headquarters in Xinjing (Changchun).
The commander of the Kwantung Army, Umezu Yoshijiro, was drinking with his chief of staff, Kimura Hyotarō. What they drank was dull wine, because the two old Japanese were both frustrated now. The newly formed Far Eastern Army was fighting with the Soviet army in the Far East battlefield and
There was a fierce battle in Siberia, but it had nothing to do with the two of them.
In particular, Umezu Yoshijiro can be said to be the most frustrated person.
Umezu Yoshijiro especially remembers the excitement he felt when he and Anami Yuki were recalled to Tokyo together, because at that time he already knew that the empire was about to form a new front army. The old Japanese originally thought that he would be the new one.
This can be said to be the most powerful candidate for the commander of the most powerful front army in history.
Unexpectedly, in the end, Army Chief of Staff Hanwon Gong Zairen concurrently served as commander of the Far Eastern Army.
What makes Umezu Yoshijiro even more uneasy is that after Kanin Miya Zaihito concurrently served as the commander of the Far Eastern Army, he did not actually take charge of the affairs. Instead, he handed over all the affairs of the Far Eastern Army to the Chief of General Staff, Yamashita Nobumi. In other words, the new commander
The commander of the Far Eastern Army was actually a junior named Fengfumi Yamashita.
This result made Umezu Yoshijiro very unhappy.
Umezu Yoshijiro is in the 23rd issue of Rokuda, but Yamashita Tomofumi is in the 28th issue!
Compared with Umezu Yoshijiro, Yamashita Hobumi is a complete junior! But now, the junior Yamashita Hobumi has run ahead of him. Although Yamashita Hobumi is only the chief of staff at this time, anyone with a discerning eye can see it.
, as soon as the Far East Battle ends, this guy will be promoted to commander.
At that time, Yamashita Fengfumi will become the most powerful front commander in the history of the empire.
Umezu Yoshijiro was very unwilling to see this result. He wished that Yamashita Fengfumi would fall into a big fight.
Therefore, the two old devils, Umezu Yoshijiro and Kimura Hyoutarou, were not very enthusiastic about the ongoing Far Eastern Campaign. They even secretly thought in their hearts that it would be better if they lost the Far Eastern Campaign in the end. That would prove that the base camp's
The choice was wrong and stupid. He, Yoshijiro Umezu, was the perfect choice to be the commander of the Far Eastern Army.
Unfortunately, I am afraid that this dark thought cannot be realized.
Because the situation in the Far East battlefield and the Siberian battlefield is now very clear. The eastern cluster of the Soviet Far East Front has been defeated. The western cluster hastily switched from offensive to defensive. I am afraid it will be difficult to stop the Japanese Far Eastern Army's advance. The great rout has been
It's inevitable.
Regarding such a result, the two old devils had mixed feelings.
Of course I am happy. In any case, the Japanese army won this time. As Japanese, the two old devils are of course extremely happy. However, it is hard to say how happy they are because of this victory.
, they have nothing to do with the Kwantung Army, especially the two of them.
Hyōtaro Kimura drained his glass of wine and said quietly: "Your Excellency, Commander, I really didn't expect that the Far East Army would win the war so quickly. Now I'm afraid that idiot Yamashita Fengfumi's tail will be raised to the sky.
Let’s go.”
It is true that Umezu Yoshijiro was jealous of Yamashita Hobumi, but Kimura Hyoutarou was even more jealous of Yamashita Hobumi and almost went crazy.
"Hmph!" Umezu Yoshijiro slammed the wine cup on the table and said disdainfully, "The higher you jump, the harder it will be when you fall. Kimura-kun, just look at it, one day Yamashita Hōbumi will
You're in a fight!" After a pause, he added, "Besides, it would be too early to say that the Far East Army has won the war now."
Hyōtaro Kimura shook his head and said: "Your Excellency, Commander, please forgive me for speaking bluntly. With the current situation, it may be difficult for the Soviet Far East Front Army to make a comeback. At least, I cannot think of any other way for the Soviet Army to reverse the situation."
…”
As soon as he finished speaking, rapid footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door. The two old devils turned their heads and looked, but it was Qin Yansanlang, the deputy chief of staff of the Kwantung Army, who walked in quickly.
"Your Excellency, Commander, Your Excellency, Chief of Staff!" Qin Yansanlang walked into the office, nodded heavily to the two old devils, and then said solemnly, "I just received an emergency report from the First Division. The main force of the Chahar Independent Regiment has already arrived.
They left Shanhaiguan in a big way last night, and now their forward troops have entered Huludao!"
"Nani?" The two old devils were stunned when they heard this.
The Chahar Independent Regiment left the border last night, and the forwards have already arrived at Huludao?
This sudden news shocked the two old devils. How could this happen?
After a long while, Umezu Yoshijiro said: "No, isn't the goal of the Chahar Independent Regiment the troops stationed in Mongolia? Shouldn't they go to Cha'nan? Why did they suddenly leave Shanhaiguan?"
Qin Yansanlang said: "Now it seems that the flank attack on the Mongolian troops is just a smokescreen released by the Chahar Independent Regiment."
"A smoke screen?" Umezu Yoshijiro laughed and continued, "Then what is their real intention? What does the Chahar Independent Regiment want to do? Attack Manchuria? This guy Xu Rui is too arrogant and overestimates his capabilities.
Oh! Does he really think that our Kwantung Army is the same as the North China Front Army? Does he really think that I am that idiot Anan Weiji?"
Umezu Meijiro laughed angrily, but Kimura Hyōtaro and Qin Yanzaburo could hear some guilt in his laughter. Yes, that's right. I heard that Xu Rui had led the main force of the Chahar Independent Regiment to leave the border in a large scale. Umezu
Meijiro was really a little guilty, because the combat effectiveness of the Chahar Independent Regiment had already been proven in the Battle of North China.
The three main divisions of the North China Front, plus more than 100,000 directly affiliated troops, were completely wiped out by the Chahar Independent Regiment in just a few days. Is this powerful combat power just talk? Therefore, the Chahar Independent Regiment really
If the main force is attacked, the Kwantung Army will really be in big trouble!
Because the Kwantung Army at this time was similar to the North China Front Army, they were both strong on the outside and capable on the inside!
When the Japanese base camp formed the Far East Front, in addition to transferring elite infantry regiments from the Chinese battlefield to form new divisions, they also directly transferred five main divisions from the Kwantung Army. Therefore, the Kwantung Army at this time was no longer what it was before.
The strength of the Kwantung Army was reduced, and when three divisions were taken away when the Seventh Army was formed, the strength of the Kwantung Army was even smaller.
Now under the direct command of the Kwantung Army Headquarters, in addition to a few divisions of the Puppet Manchukuo Army, there are only five main divisions including the First Division. The five divisions have to protect the entire Manchuria, and their strength is already stretched thin. The key is
They also had to defend the Hylar Fortress and protect the flanks of Kanji Ishihara's Seventh Army, which made the Kwantung Army's strength even more tense.
In fact, the three northeastern provinces at this time were even more empty than Xu Rui imagined.
Not to mention anything else, six of the seven permanent divisions originally affiliated with the Kwantung Army have been assigned to the Far East Front. The only one is the First Division, and one infantry regiment has also been assigned.
The current First Division has also been downgraded to a three-unit garrison division.
So after saying harsh words, Umezu Yoshijiro immediately said to Kimura Hyoutaro: "Kimura-kun, immediately order the 23rd Division and the 24th Division to go south from Hailar, and also order the 1st Division to leave Jinzhou immediately.
, we must block the Chahar Independent Regiment to the west of Jinzhou no matter what!"
Umezu Yoshijiro's mind was still clear, and he knew that the armored troops of the Chahar Independent Regiment were very powerful. If the opponent's armored troops crossed the Jinzhou line, then the vast northeastern plain would be in front of them, and the Kwantung Army would no longer be able to defend it.
You can only use your flesh and blood to carry the opponent's tanks.
This is undoubtedly a very bad situation.
Therefore, the Chahar Independent Regiment must be blocked to the west of Jinzhou no matter what.
Qin Yansanlang frowned and said: "Your Excellency, Commander, the forward troops of the Chahar Independent Regiment have entered near Huludao. They are only a hundred miles away from Jinzhou, but it is more than four hundred miles from Fengtian to Jinzhou. Therefore, the third
It is probably impossible for the First Division to rush to Jinzhou to set up defenses before the Chahar Independent Regiment."
"Baga! The Chahar Independent Regiment moves so fast!" Umezu Yoshijiro then realized the seriousness of the problem, gritted his teeth and said, "Then urgently set up a line of defense between Panshan and Heishan. In short, no matter what
How can we not let the armored troops of the Chahar Independent Regiment enter the Manchurian Plain!"
"Hai!" Qin Yansanlang nodded heavily, turned and walked away.
Watching Qin Yanzaburo leave, Kimura Hyōtaro said in a deep voice: "Your Excellency, Commander, although you are very reluctant to admit it, the facts are the facts. The first division alone is probably not enough to stop the Chahar Independent Regiment, and the third division is probably not enough to stop the Chahar Independent Regiment.
The 23rd Division and the 24th Division are heading south from Hailar Fortress. If they don’t have five days, they may not be able to reach Fengtian!”
Umezu Yoshijiro's face immediately darkened, and he said displeasedly: "Kimura-kun, do you mean that there is no need to resist? Just give Fengtian to the Chahar Independent Regiment?"
"Of course not." Hyōtaro Kimura shook his head and said, "What I mean by my humble position is to directly adopt the strategy of destroying everything and completely destroying the heavy industry in Fengtian and surrounding towns! Since we can't move away, then just one factory and one
No equipment is left to the Chahar Independent Regiment, especially the Fengtian Arsenal that the Zhang family left to the imperial army must be completely destroyed!"
Umezu Yoshijiro said horrified: "Kimura-kun, do you know what you are talking about? It's not like you don't know how important Fengtian's heavy industry is to the empire! At present, Manchuria's total industrial production has accounted for more than 50% of the empire.
And the industrial output value of Fengtian and surrounding towns accounts for nearly 50% of Manchuria. Do you know what destroying Fengtian will mean?"
"Hai!" Kimura Hyōtaro paused heavily, and then asked, "Then, Commander, you really think that the First Division can hold Fengtian until the 23rd and 24th Divisions return for reinforcements.
?Also, can the 23rd and 24th Divisions plus the 1st Division really defeat the Chahar Independent Regiment?"