Before the Kumamoto Division retreated, it did not report to the Central China Dispatch Force Headquarters, so Kawabe Shozo didn't know it. The old Japanese only found out after the aerial reconnaissance plane reported to him. At that time, he was very angry, and then asked Nakamura Shun to do it.
The Kumamoto Division sent a harsh reprimand telegram, but the result was nothing.
Although Kawabe Shozo is the chief of staff of the Central China Condemnation Army, his military rank is only major general, while Okabe Naosaburo is a lieutenant general, so Kawabe Shozo really can't do anything to him. If the commander of the Central China Condemnation Army, Nishio Hiszo, is taken out,
Although he could overpower Naosaburo Okabe based on his military rank, wouldn't doing so make him seem incompetent as the chief of staff?
"Baga, Baga Garu!" Shozo Kawabe didn't wait for the Kumamoto Division's reply, so he knew that he had been ignored. He was so angry that he was half-dead, cursing and hurried into the combat hall. In the hall,
Toshimasa Nakamura led a dozen combat officers from the general staff to work on the simulated sand table.
The homework subject is a war game after the Kumamoto Division retreated.
The retreat of the Kumamoto Division had a fatal impact on the entire battle situation, because after the Kumamoto Division retreated, the flanks of the Osaka Division were completely exposed. At this time, the initiative on the battlefield fell completely into the hands of the opponent.
, the Dameishan Independent Regiment can either choose to pursue the Kumamoto Division or return to aid Meixian.
The Central China Dispatch Army Command is most worried about the Dameishan Independent Regiment returning to aid Meixian County, because once the Dameishan Independent Regiment returns to aid Meixian County, the Osaka Division will immediately fall into a desperate situation of being attacked from the front and back. By then, the Osaka Division will
There is not even a chance to retreat, and it will definitely become the second Himeji Division!
Therefore, in order to stabilize military morale, the Central China Dispatch Army Headquarters did not notify the Osaka Division.
Seeing Shozo Kawabe coming in, Jun Nakamura and a dozen other combat staff members quickly put their feet back and stood at attention.
"Your Excellency, Chief of Staff," Shun Nakamura reported, "I just received an urgent call from the Osaka Division requesting aviation support!"
"Aviation support, aviation support, it sounds like it's easy to dispatch aviation. Don't they know that dispatching aviation requires consuming aviation fuel?" Kawabe Shozo was originally in a very bad mood. When he heard the news, he felt
He got even worse and said angrily, "But in fact, we have very little aviation fuel left."
The shortage of combat readiness materials has always been a noose stuck around the necks of the convict troops dispatched in Central China, which made the Japanese invaders appear to be constrained when formulating many combat plans. For example, the second raid on the Damei Mountain District would have been impossible if it were not for the various
Such an extreme shortage of war preparation materials, if more than four divisions of troops could be dispatched at one time, why would this be the case?
Nakamura Shun said awkwardly: "Chief of Staff, then, are you going to send aviation troops to support?"
"Order, the 3rd Flying Regiment of the Aviation Corps immediately dispatched three bomber squadrons to the Qingniuling battlefield to provide air support to the Osaka Division." Shozo Kawabe fired a burst of fire and finally calmed down. The Kumamoto Division was now holding on.
He evacuated the battlefield without asking for permission. If the Osaka Division evacuated without authorization again, then this time the large-scale raid on Damei Mountain would be a failure. He could not afford such a failure.
"Hai." Nakamura Shun paused heavily, then found a combat staff officer to call the Aviation Corps Headquarters.
Kawabe Shozo stood next to the simulated sand table, frowned and asked Nakamura Toshido: "Nakamura-san, what was the final result of the deduction?"
Nakamura Jun sighed and whispered: "The results of the deduction are not optimistic. I and my colleagues from the staff conducted a total of ten war games, nine of which failed, and only one was successful! And there is a prerequisite for this.
That means the Aviation Corps must spare no effort to provide air support to the Osaka Division."
"Nani, spare no effort in air support?" Kawabe Shozo's face became more and more gloomy.
Just kidding, with the pitiful fuel reserves of the Central China Condemnation Army, how can it be possible to spare no effort to provide air support to the Osaka Division? Dispatching three squadrons of bomber groups for support every day is already the limit! With such intensity, at most
It can only last for five days, any more and it will be gone.
Nakamura Shun hesitated for a moment and said in a low voice: "Your Excellency, Chief of Staff, I have something to say that I don't know whether I should say or not."
Kawabe Shozo immediately guessed what Shun Nakamura wanted to say, and said: "No, the Osaka Division must not retreat!"
Nakamura Shun said: "But, Chief of Staff, have you ever thought about it. If you order the Osaka Division to retreat at this time, at least it can be safely withdrawn. Then although this raid failed, the loss is still bearable. It is just a loss."
It’s just an Iida detachment. All Taiwanese soldiers are cannon fodder. It doesn’t matter how many people die, as long as the Kumamoto and Osaka divisions don’t suffer too much losses, but..."
After a pause, Shun Nakamura continued: "However, if the Osaka Division does not retreat, once the Dameishan Independent Regiment returns from Shan County to Shimei County, by that time, the Osaka Division may not be able to withdraw even if it wants to! So!
I think I should decisively order the Osaka Division to withdraw to Pukou before it's too late!"
"No!" Kawabe Shozo said flatly, "The Osaka Division must not withdraw!"
Then, in order to convince Nakamura Shun, and also to convince himself, Kawabe Shozo said: "Nakamura-san, look, the Osaka Division is about to break through the defense line of the Qingniuling Remaining Line, and it is about to break into Mei County.
Wouldn't it be a pity to order them to retreat at this time? Wouldn't it be a failure? "
"But..." Shun Nakamura said, "Your Excellency, Chief of Staff, we don't have time!"
"Not necessarily!" Kawabe Shozo said, "Isn't the main force of the Dameishan Independent Regiment chasing the Kumamoto Division? It can be seen that Xu Rui still fantasizes about being able to eat the Kumamoto Division, so they will not return to Shimei County so soon.
The Osaka Division still has time, they have at least two days, yes, at least two days!"
Nakamura Shun fell silent because he knew that no matter how much he said, it would be useless.
Obviously, Kawabe Shozo is not willing to give up, he still wants to fight to the death!
Kawabe Shozo asked again: "Nakamura-san, how much ammunition reserves are left in the Osaka Division?"
Nakamura Shun replied: "The Osaka Division originally had about two days of ammunition reserves left. Later, the Aviation Corps dispatched a transport fleet to airdrop some of the supplies. It can probably last for about three days."
"Three days?" Hebian Zhengsan rolled his eyes, and suddenly an idea flashed in his mind.
Nakamura Shun noticed the change in Kawabe Shozo's expression and asked, "Your Majesty, Chief of Staff, seems to have discovered something?"
Kawabe Shozo didn't say anything, but just picked up a bamboo pole and drew a line on the sand table. Nakamura Shun and a dozen combat staff beside him looked at the line drawn by Kawabe Shozo, but they were a little confused.
Kawabe Shozo pointed to this line and said: "Look Nakamura-san, because Pucheng is blocked, the military supplies stored in Pukou can no longer be transported to the front line in time to supply the Osaka Division. However, from Pukou to Wuhu and then to
The transportation line in Feicheng is unobstructed, and we can definitely transfer this batch of materials to Feicheng and supply it to the Kumamoto Division!"
"The Kumamoto Division?" Nakamura Jun said, "But the Kumamoto Division has withdrawn from Daping Town?"
Kawabe Masami said: "However, they did not withdraw to Feicheng, but were blocked by the Dameishan Independent Regiment in Badou Town. Moreover, according to the aviation report, the main force of the Dameishan Independent Regiment was advancing rapidly from the direction of Daping Town to the direction of Badou Town.
It seems that Xu Rui does not intend to let go of the Kumamoto Division, but intends to encircle and annihilate the Kumamoto Division in Badou Town."
Nakamura Shun said: "That is just Xu Rui's wishful thinking. How easy is it to block the Kumamoto Division in Badou Town and then encircle and annihilate it? The Kumamoto Division's combat effectiveness may not be stronger than the Himeji Division, but
Badou Town is not Qingfeng Mountain Road. It would be wishful thinking for the Dameishan Independent Group to replicate the story of the battle on Qingfeng Mountain Road. Therefore, I thought that Xu Rui would soon give up this unrealistic fantasy and return to his hometown.
Shimei County.”
Kawabe Shozo shook his head and said, "Nakamura-san, it seems you still lack understanding of Xu Rui!"
Nakamura Jun said solemnly: "Chief of Staff, are you saying that Xu Rui will never let go of the Kumamoto Division easily?"
"That's right, Xu Rui will never let go of the Kumamoto Division easily." Shozo Kawabe said, "This can be seen from the complete defensive measures he has arranged in advance in Badou Town! Obviously, Xu Rui has already
We expected this scene today, so we made arrangements for the Kumamoto Division's retreat in advance. Xu Rui has been planning carefully for so long, do you think he will give up easily?"
Nakamura Shun said solemnly: "If it were Xu Rui who was in a humble position, I'm afraid he wouldn't be willing to give up at this time."
"So, Xu Rui will never give up!" Hebian Zhengzo said, "Because Xu Rui likes to take risks the most!"
Nakamura Shun continued: "What does your Excellency, Chief of Staff, mean to order the Kumamoto Division to contain the main force of the Daimeishan Independent Regiment in Badou Town to buy time for the Osaka Division?"
After a pause, Nakamura Shun continued: "However, the Kumamoto Division may not obey orders."
Kawabe Shozo added: "That's why the batch of arms stored in Pukou needs to be transferred to Feicheng and supplied to the Kumamoto Division. As long as the Kumamoto Division can see hope of victory, they will definitely be willing to hold on in Badou Town. After all,
Retreating to Feicheng in such a dejected manner will not look good on the faces of their Kumamoto division."
"Suoga." Jun Nakamura nodded and said, "Transfer the arms from Pukou to Wuhu and then to Feicheng. As long as there are no accidents on the way, it will only take two days and nights at most. By the evening of the day after tomorrow, the arms will almost be delivered.
Near Badou Town, the Kumamoto Division has the confidence to persevere!"
Kawabe Shozo said: "Nakamura-san, do you think it's feasible?"
"Hai." Nakamura Shun nodded and said, "Although this move is a bit risky, it is still a solution."
"Very good." Kawabe Shozo nodded happily and said, "Then you should hurry up and send a telegram to the Kumamoto Division."
"Hai." Nakamura Shun nodded again, turned around and walked away.
