Although the Muto Brigade suffered heavy losses in Xiaoli Village, the Japanese army's attack on the tunnels did not end. However, Kawaguchi Heiji changed his strategy and no longer allowed the troops to be stationed or stay overnight in the surrounding villages. Instead, the troops set off in the morning.
Go to the surrounding villages to dig attack tunnels, and return to Meizhen to station before dark to guard against sneak attacks by independent regiments at night.
This is safer, but the efficiency is also reduced, because the independent regiment will send out small groups of elite troops to harass every day, sometimes several times a day, and these small troops are extremely powerful, half of the troops sent to dig tunnels.
The time was spent fighting, and after several days, not even a single tunnel was dug.
At this point, Kawaguchi Heiji also completely understood that this was simply looking for a needle in a haystack.
But apart from this method of finding a needle in a haystack, Kawaguchi Heiji really couldn't think of any better way. The only thing he could think of was to stay stationed in Mei Town for a long time. As long as the Kawaguchi detachment stayed in Damei Mountain for one day, the Independent Regiment and Da Mei Mountain
The people of Meishan could not come out of the tunnel for a day.
Kawaguchi Heiji has reason to believe that the Independence Regiment and the people of Dameishan cannot hold on for too long. After all, it is the busy farming season, and the people of Dameishan cannot always hide in the tunnels and not come out to work, right? Otherwise, they will not come out to work this time next year.
What to eat?
Of course, if this stalemate continues, the Japanese army will also be under great pressure.
Because the transportation and supply lines of the Kawaguchi Detachment are not very safe, because the independent regiment can completely jump out of the Japanese encirclement and attack the Kawaguchi Detachment's supply lines from the outside. However, Kawaguchi Heiji believes that even if some supplies are lost, even if some price is paid, in the end
Victory must also belong to the Kawaguchi detachment.
Kawaguchi Heiji was even ready to fight a war of attrition with the independent regiment.
However, some things are not just what you want. Although Kawaguchi Heiji was prepared for a long period of consumption with the independent regiment, the Central China Front Army Commander Sugiyama Yuan was not like this. Within three days, Shanshan Yuan gave
Kawaguchi Heiji sent three telegrams, each with more severe wording.
In the last telegram, Shan Shanyuan asked Kawaguchi Heiji to immediately deal with the Dameishan Independent Group.
From Sugimoto's point of view, he does have reason to ask Kawaguchi Heiji to do this. No matter what, Kawaguchi Heiji has a fully staffed detachment, and it is based on the 101st Infantry Regiment and the 149th Infantry Regiment.
The elite detachment formed is by no means comparable to third-rate troops like the Chongteng detachment.
However, Kawaguchi Heiji's opponent Xu Rui only had one regiment of troops.
Although Xu Rui is very powerful personally. He not only has superb command skills, but also has a keen sense of battlefield. He has indeed caused a lot of trouble to the Japanese army before. However, considering the huge gap in military strength and firepower between the two sides, Shanshan Yuan has
There are reasons to believe that there is absolutely no problem for Kawaguchi Heiji to achieve a quick victory.
More importantly, Shan Shanyuan never wanted any surprises to happen to the plan for the Battle of Xuzhou.
After reading the telegram, Kawaguchi Heiji put the telegram on the table, his face sinking.
Tatsuya Nagashin on the side whispered: "Your Excellency, Commander, judging from the wording of the telegram, the General is already very dissatisfied with our detachment. Although the General did not say it explicitly, but from what he said, if we read it ten days later,
If there is no breakthrough in the battle at Nei Dameishan, he will most likely change his general."
Kawaguchi Heiji's face suddenly became more and more gloomy. Changing generals meant his failure!
The competition in the military has always been extremely cruel. His failure this time may lead to no hope of promotion in the near future. If he fails to keep up with this step, he may never be able to keep up!
Nagajin Tatsuya said: "Your Majesty Commander, it seems we must break the situation as soon as possible."
At this time, Kawaguchi Heiji finally adjusted his mood and sighed: "Eongjin-san, even if we want to break the situation but can't find the main force of the independent group, what can we do?"
Yongjin Tatsuya was speechless when he heard this. Yes, the independent group has always been hiding in the tunnel and cannot come out. Even if they want to fight, they can't find an opponent. It's really nerve-wracking.
After a while, Yongjin Tatsuya said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty Commander, how about we conduct a blanket search of Meizhen and the surrounding dozen or so villages? I don't believe it. The Chinese Army is in the town.
Are there no tunnel openings left in the houses in the surrounding villages? There must be tunnel openings inside!"
Kawaguchi Heiji shook his head and said: "Let's not talk about whether this kind of needle-in-a-haystack search can find the tunnel entrance. Even if it does, what will happen?"
Yongjin Tatsuya said: "Once you find the tunnel entrance, you can carry out effective attacks."
Kawaguchi Heiji said: "Yongjin-san, have you forgotten the lesson of Xiaoli Village? The entire tunnel network of the China Army was obviously carefully designed by experts. All reserved tunnels lead to the bottom. Previously, in Xiaoli Village
At that time, our attacks on the bottom tunnel failed. Whether we poured water or used poison gas, they all failed. Therefore, unless we can directly break through the upper layer of the tunnel and launch attacks from the upper functional area, all our actions will be ineffective.
"
Yongjin Tatsuya sighed and had nothing to say. As the saying goes, this is really a lion biting a hedgehog, and there is no way to bite it! The Kawaguchi detachment is obviously much stronger than the Dameishan Independent Regiment.
Yes, but there is nothing we can do against the independent group, which makes people angry just thinking about it.
After a long while, Yongjin Tatsuya said again: "Is there really no other way to think about it?"
Kawaguchi Heiji said: "Right now, I'm afraid there is no other way but to wait for the opportunity."
Originally, Kawaguchi Heiji wanted to force the Independent Regiment out of the tunnel by draining money from the cauldron, and then catch the main force of the Independent Regiment through fishing. However, in the battle of Xiaolizhuang, instead of being able to catch the Independent Regiment, he instead captured the Mutoh Brigade.
A piece of bait was lost, but now Kawaguchi Heiji doesn't dare to fish anymore.
Just as the two old devils were looking gloomy at each other, the phone on the desk suddenly rang.
Yongjin Tatsuya immediately stepped forward, grabbed the microphone and brought it to his mouth: "Mashi Mashi?"
A moment later, Nagashin Tatsuya covered the microphone and said to Kawaguchi Heiji: "Your Excellency, Commander, the guard post in the west of Zhenxi was attacked by a small Chinese force. Please ask for tactical guidance."
Kawaguchi Heiji immediately said: "Send an infantry squadron immediately for reinforcements."
Kawaguchi Heiji didn't pay too much attention to the attack on the Jinxi police post.
Because in the days after the battle of Xiaolizhuang, such attacks occurred every night, sometimes several times in one night. The first time, Kawaguchi Heiji was a little careless and only sent an infantry squad to reinforce, but the result was disastrous.
By fifteen minutes, when a brigade led by Kawaguchi Heiji arrived, the infantry group stationed at the guard post and the more than 60 officers and soldiers of the infantry group sent for reinforcements had been collectively shattered!
From then on, every time the guard post was attacked, Kawaguchi Heiji would send at least one infantry squadron to reinforce, and sometimes even an infantry brigade.
"Hai." Tatsuya Nagajin paused, and then said into the microphone, "Kobayashi-san, please hold on for a moment, reinforcements will be here soon."
After finishing speaking, Yongjin Tatsuya hurriedly walked out of the war room to assemble the troops. In less than a moment, a squadron of Japs quickly completed the assembly and then rushed along the road to the guard post on the west side of Meizhen.
After dispatching reinforcements, Nagashin Tatsuya returned to the war room. At this time, both Nagashin Tatsuya and Kawaguchi Heiji believed that this was just a routine night attack by the independent regiment. As soon as the reinforcements arrived, the independent regiment would
The small group of troops would withdraw immediately, so the two old ghosts didn't pay much attention to it.
However, five minutes later, the gunfire in Zhenxi not only did not subside, but became more intense.
"Huh? What's going on?" Kawaguchi Heiji frowned, "Listen to the sound of gunfire, could it be that the Chinese Army has also increased its troops?"
Yong Jinda was speechless. Just when the two old Japanese were confused, the phone on the table rang again.
Yongjin Tatsuya picked up the phone again and called Masi Masi. On the other end of the phone, the Japanese squadron leader reported in a very urgent tone: "Sir, the China Army has also increased its troops. We have been surrounded.
, I repeat, we have fallen into siege, requesting tactical guidance, requesting emergency tactical guidance!"
Yong Jinda also frowned and asked in a deep voice: "How many people from the China Army came?"
The Japanese squadron leader on the other end of the phone reported: "There are enemies in the west, north and south, and the firepower is very fierce. At least one battalion of the Chinese Army has come, at least one battalion!"
"Nani, a battalion?!" Tatsuya Nagajin's expression changed, and he immediately put down the microphone and said to Kawaguchi Heiji, "Your Excellency, Commander, the independent regiment has actually increased its troops, at least there is a battalion of troops!"
"A battalion? What does Xu Rui mean? He still wants to eat one of my squadrons under my nose?" Kawaguchi Heiji snorted and said, "Yongjin-san, immediately send a brigade to reinforce, I
Let’s see if Xu Rui can take on one of my brigade.”
"Hai." Yongjin Tatsuya nodded suddenly, turned around and left.
After a while, the 1st Infantry Battalion of the 101st Infantry Regiment quickly assembled and immediately headed to the security post in Zhenxi. With the arrival of Japanese reinforcements, the battle surrounding the security post in Zhenxi instantly became more intense.
, even the artillery from both sides began to participate.
This time, Kawaguchi Heiji and Nagashin Tatsuya were not as calm as before.
For some reason, Kawaguchi Heiji had a vague intuition that the Independent Regiment might not give up and might invest more troops in speculation. As for the reason, maybe Xu Rui felt that the Japanese army had suffered a lot in the battle of Xiaolizhuang.
It's a big loss, so I don't dare to attack easily.
However, is it possible for an independent group to quickly eat up one of its own brigade?
Kawaguchi Heiji simply walked outside to the yard, then went up the ladder to the observation deck on the top of the ancestral hall, and then observed the battlefield ahead through the artillery team on the observation deck.