Northeast China, Harbin, Japanese Far East Front Headquarters.
"Long live!"
Inside the headquarters of the Far Eastern Front, cheers and shouts resounded throughout the night.
The news that the Japanese Navy Combined Fleet successfully attacked Pearl Harbor has spread to every corner. Everyone is rejoicing and excited. In their view, the U.S. Navy has lost control of the Pacific sea power after the defeat at Pearl Harbor. The entire
From now on, the Pacific Ocean will become Japan's inland sea, and Japan's rising sun flag will be planted in every corner of the Pacific coast.
However, unlike the joy of others, in the office, Yamashita Tomofumi, who was recently promoted to field marshal, was worried.
"Marshal Yamashita, the Imperial Navy has achieved an unprecedented victory this time, and defeating the United States is just around the corner. Why are you unhappy?" Kimura Yoshimai, the new chief of staff of the Far Eastern Front, asked.
Yamashita Fengwen looked worried and said: "I think those idiots in the military have awakened a giant, and the future of the empire is uncertain."
"Marshal Yamashita, you may not be too pessimistic. According to the latest news, the combined fleet, led by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, has wiped out all the battleships and four aircraft carriers of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, leaving only a few ships in the entire Pacific Fleet.
Small ships have existed in name only.
On land, the elite army of the Empire of Japan has invaded Southeast Asia like a storm. I believe that it won’t be long before we can occupy the entire Southeast Asia. The current situation is very good, so what is there to worry about?" Kimura Yoshimai said.
Yamashita Tomofumi said: "On the surface, the empire now has the advantage, but the United States is a behemoth. Its economic aggregate ranks first in the world, with a large amount of manpower and material resources, and endless war resources. If the United States
If you use all your strength, the Empire may not be your opponent, Yamamoto Isoroku has provoked an opponent that shouldn't be provoked!"
"Marshal, do you think too highly of the United States? As far as I know, the military strength of the United States is limited. The army only has a pitiful 100,000 people, organized into four infantry divisions, one tank division, and one reserve division. The number of tanks in the country is
There are only more than 300 vehicles, even behind Poland before the war, but our country has millions of soldiers, far more than the United States. In terms of navy, the main force of the U.S. Pacific Fleet was almost wiped out at Pearl Harbor. They are no longer at sea.
Room to fight back."
"Kimura-kun, the U.S. economy is now the largest in the world. It reached 200 billion U.S. dollars in 1940. The output of many important materials such as steel and grain ranks first in the world. However, the total economic volume of the Japanese Empire is only 28.3 billion U.S. dollars, which is only the U.S.
One-seventh, its strength is completely incomparable to that of the United States.
The United States has more than nine million square kilometers of land, is abundant in all kinds of resources, and has the world's strongest industry. However, Japan is an island country and lacks important strategic resources. Even the steel needed for military industry must be imported from the United States.
Only steel can survive.
The United States has a population of hundreds of millions, but Japan has only over 76 million.
War is about strength. If the United States launches a war, they can mobilize tens of millions of troops in a short period of time, build hundreds of aircraft carriers, and hundreds of thousands of aircraft and tanks. Japan really has no competition with the United States.
Countervailing capital.”
"Marshal Yamashita, I still think you are too pessimistic. As long as we occupy Southeast Asia and digest and absorb Southeast Asia's resources, we will have the capital to compete with the United States economically and militarily."
Yamashita Fengfumi looked at Kimura Yoshimai with some sadness. Kimura Yoshimai's views represent the majority of Japanese people. In their view, Japan is invincible. Even the United States is not Japan's opponent. Those powerful people in high positions
They didn't realize at all what a stupid thing they had done.
Yamashita Fengfumi was filled with worries about the future situation.
"Marshal, the empire has issued an order to us to eliminate all remaining Soviet troops in the Far East, and then allocate some of its troops to the Pacific battlefield, and some to go north to Siberia to support the Germans. What should we do next?" Kimura Yoshimai asked.
.
"Kimura-kun, I have mobilized an army of 300,000 to prepare to attack the remaining Soviet troops in Vladivostok. According to the intelligence, the total number of Soviet troops in Vladivostok is only 50,000. The ratio of our enemy's troops to ours is one to six. This
We are confident enough to win the battle."
Kimura Yoshimai said: "Marshal Yamashita, our army's 38th Division, 39th Division, 46th Division, and 48th Division were severely damaged in the battle to besiege Wujiashan a few months ago. Now after
Supplement, just after regaining strength, do you really decide to let them participate in the battle to attack Vladivostok?"
Yamashita Fengfumi said: "Although these divisions were severely damaged in the previous period, the stragglers have returned one after another, and with the addition of domestic troops, they have regained their strength. Let them wash away their shame on the battlefield."
Kimura Yoshimai added: "If our army attacks Vladivostok, there are two ways, one is by sea, and the other is by land. If it is by sea, it needs the cooperation of the navy. If it is by land, the shortest way is to directly attack the northern end of Hunchun Ridge. However, Su
The army has built a large number of fortifications in this direction. If we attack by force, we will suffer heavy losses."
"Besides Hunchunling, is there any other way?" Yamashita Fengwen asked.
"Yes, one of them is based on Khabarovsk and goes south around the Hunchun Mountains and into Vladivostok. This road is safer, but the disadvantage is that it is far away, hundreds of kilometers away. There is also a road that enters the Soviet Union from Xingkai Lake
, there are no Soviet fortifications in front of this road, and the distance is relatively short, so it should be our best choice."
Yamashita Fengwen nodded and said: "Then choose the road to Xingkai Lake, and at the same time request naval assistance to attack Vladivostok from the sea. Attack from both sides, capture Vladivostok in one fell swoop with thunderous momentum, and wipe out all the Soviet troops in the Far East.
To prepare for our subsequent march north to Siberia and cooperate with the German attack on the Soviet Union, Kimura-kun, you are responsible for drawing up a detailed combat plan. Our army will launch an operation against Vladivostok within ten days."
"Hai!" Kimura nodded, and then asked tentatively: "Marshal Yamashita, which unit do you plan to send as the advance force?"
Yamashita Fengfumi said: "The 28th Division has just been transferred back from China. It has sufficient personnel and equipment. The army has many veterans, good weapons, and strong combat effectiveness. Let the 28th Division be the vanguard and go to the Xingkai Lake area. On the one hand, it will monitor the Soviet Union on the other side."
On the one hand, we are preparing ferries and preparing to attack the Primorsky Krai with Vladivostok as the center from the waterway."
"Hai!" Kimura was excited. The 28th Division is a powerful force. Although it is a division of the B-type triple unit, its combat effectiveness is by no means inferior to that of the A-type division. It is most suitable for them to be the vanguard...
The levels of Japanese divisions can be seen from the numbers of Japanese divisions. 1-19 are Class A divisions, 20-110 are Class B divisions, and 110-300 are Class C divisions. Among them, Class A divisions can
Reaching 28,000 people, the Class B division has 20,000 troops, and the Class C division has only 10,000 troops, which is only one-third of the strength of the Class A division. Both the quality of the individual soldiers and the weapons and equipment are not the same as those of the Class A division.
The two divisions A and B are very different.
The 28th Division of the Japanese Army is a Class B division. Since the Japanese Army implemented the transformation of the Fourth Regiment Division into the Third Regiment Division in 1939, it has successively established multiple divisions, including the 28th Division, which was established in Northeast China.
It has jurisdiction over the 3rd, 30th, and 36th Infantry Regiments and the 28th Mountain Artillery Regiment. The division commander is Toshiro Naomi.
The 28th Division was born out of the First Division, and its main force, the 3rd Regiment, was originally affiliated with the First Division, and its combat effectiveness ranks at the forefront of the second-class divisions.
The division commander, Toshiro Natami, graduated from the 27th class of the Japanese Army Non-commissioned Officer School. He had just led the 28th Division to be transferred from the country to the Northeast. Infected by the fanatical war atmosphere in the country, his morale was very high. After receiving the order from Yamashita Tomofumi, Toshiro Natami
Immediately mobilize troops and go straight to Mishan County in Jixi region, facing the Soviet army across the lake.
Mishan County, the headquarters of the 28th Division, the division commander, Lieutenant General Toshiro Naomi, was sitting on a chair listening to the division chief of staff Haruyuki Inoue's report on the enemy's situation.
"Your Excellency, Division Commander, I have dispatched seven groups of intelligence personnel to the Soviet side of Xingkai Lake within three days. Judging from various signs, the Soviet army seems to have discovered our intentions and is continuously building fortifications on the other side of Xingkai Lake.
, if we don’t act as soon as possible, our army will inevitably suffer heavy losses once the Soviet fortifications are consolidated." Haruyuki Inoue said.
When Natsu saw Toshiro, he said: "When did the Soviets become smart? It seems that we need to take action earlier."
Inoue Haruyuki said: "In the past few days, I have collected more than a hundred ferries. On average, each ferry can hold twenty people. It can transport two brigades on the other side at one time. It takes about ten round trips to transport the entire division.
The other side."
"This time is still too slow. We need to find more ferries to ensure that we capture Xingkai Lake in one battle."
"Hai!" Inoue Haruichi nodded.
A sound of trivial footsteps wearing clogs sounded from outside the door, and then, a beautiful Japanese woman in kimono walked in with a plate of white fish, put the white fish on Toshiro Nami's table and then left.
Toshiro Nami narrowed his eyes slightly and said to Haruyuki Inoue with a smile: "Inoue-san, it is said that the most delicious white fish in Xingkai Lake is this white fish. This kind of white fish is only produced in Xingkai Lake. The plump white fish is used for steaming.
It tastes great, come and try it."
"this……"
Inoue Haruyuki had heard about the delicious white fish of Xingkai Lake, but had never eaten it. Smelling the tangy fish aroma, he couldn't help but swallow.
Naomi Toshiro laughed loudly, asked someone to take two pairs of chopsticks, and then said to Inoue Haruyuki: "Inoue-kun, you are welcome. How can you not eat white fish when you arrive at Xingkai Lake? Come and try it."
Inoue moved a chair and sat down, and took a bite of the white fish. He felt that the taste was so delicious that he couldn't help but nod his head.
When Na met Toshiro, he said: "Xingkai Lake originally belonged to China. It was called Meituo Lake in the Tang Dynasty. Unfortunately, China was too poor and weak. After the Treaty of Beijing, most of Xingkai Lake was occupied by Russia. I heard that the Russian side of the lake was due to lack of resources.
When people catch fish, the fish are bigger and more delicious than those in China. Since the Chinese have no way to take back Xingkai Lake, let us, the Empire of Japan, take it back..."
