"If we let them break through, the millions of kilograms of grain will be given to the New Regiment, and the more than two thousand people in the transport team will die in vain?" the chief of staff asked with a look of disbelief.
Fujino ordered with certainty: "Execute the order!"
After the deputy chief of staff went to give the order, he explained: "If we don't let them break out, what can we do?"
"Another infantry brigade at Songshan Pass will also be lost!"
"Look at the sand table, the new group is too cunning. The Songshan Pass they chose is nearly 20 kilometers away from the two nearby checkpoints!"
"It will take at least five hours for our reinforcements to arrive. How long do you think a brigade of the Imperial Army at Songshan Pass can hold out if they lose all their artillery? Five hours, three hours, or two hours
Can't hold on? Don't forget, the new regiment is attacking them from both front and rear, and is also equipped with a large number of artillery. Our fortifications, telegraphs, and gun towers are completely vulnerable to mountain artillery!"
The chief of staff finally reacted: "Division commander, you are right, Songshan Pass will definitely not be defended!"
"Since we know that Songshan Pass cannot be defended, there is no need to let the imperial army continue to die there!"
"However, we finally surrounded them and were about to close the net. Now we have to release them ourselves. Watching them break out is really frustrating!"
Lieutenant General Fujino felt more aggrieved than anyone else. He had led the entire battle, and he had also lost more than 2,000 imperial troops and millions of kilograms of grain. After such a large-scale layout, not even a hair of the Eighth Route Army was left.
Get it.
After taking a deep breath to calm down, he replied: "It's frustrating to be depressed, but as commanders we must stay calm!"
"Only by letting them break out will our losses be minimized! x Otherwise, the imperial troops from the Songshan Pass brigade will have to join in. To use an old Chinese saying, we will lose both our wives and our troops..."
The chief of staff also calmed down and asked Fujino: "Division commander, will the operation continue tomorrow?"
Fujino shook his head and replied: "The Eighth Route Army has fled, so what's the use of continuing... However, the defense here must be strengthened!"
"The food and ammunition we lost yesterday must be re-transported to us by the front army. In order to prevent this food from being robbed again, one of the three infantry brigades that arrived here yesterday will stay behind, and the other two brigades will each return to their respective stations!"
"At the same time, the Imperial Association Army we formed must form combat effectiveness as soon as possible. Compared with the New Regiment, the Imperial Army's strength is still too small. Only by using the Imperial Association Army to make up for it can the Imperial Army deploy more troops to fight with the New Regiment.
Let’s fight!”
"Last and most important, although we let the Eighth Route Army in the encirclement break out, it does not mean that this battle is over. We will grit our teeth and swallow such a big loss!"
"When the Songshankou garrison retreated, they buried all the dozens of landmines reinforced for them yesterday on the road, using the mines to slow down the Eighth Route Army's breakout speed!"
"At the same time, leave a small number of reconnaissance troops and keep an eye on them for me!"
"There are less than four hours left before dark. Coupled with the slow speed of land mines and millions of kilograms of grain, the Eighth Route Army, which can only travel by road, will definitely not be able to penetrate very far into their base area!"
"After daybreak, the aviation force immediately dispatched, under the guidance of these reconnaissance troops, to carry out coverage bombing of the breakout Eighth Route Army."
"Especially those grains and ammunition, we can't get them, and even the Eighth Route Army can't get them!"
"In North China now, food is more valuable than gold. Whoever has food in hand can win over the people and form more troops!"
"Also, the intelligence network of the intelligence department in the base area of the new regiment must be re-established by me, to find important targets that can be bombed in the base area of the new regiment, and then dispatch bombers to carry out non-stop bombing on them. We cannot allow them to develop with peace of mind!
"
At the Songshankou position, after the first round of attacks was repelled by the Japanese army, the Rongjun army immediately ordered the troops to launch a second round of attacks.
Seeing a company rushing towards the high ground under the cover of heavy machine guns, the Rongjun immediately raised their binoculars and stared at the high ground.
He wanted to find out the remaining Japanese firepower points on the high ground, and then order artillery to destroy these firepower points.
"Battal Commander... something is wrong. Our attacking troops have all gone up. Why are there no movements from the Japs on the high ground?" the deputy battalion commander next to him frowned and reminded.
Rong Jun didn't know what the Japs were up to. He hesitated and judged: "It's probably that the heavy firepower in the Japs' hands was blown up by us. They plan to use close combat and bayonets to repel our attack!"
"Inform the attacking troops and ask them to be more vigilant. If anything goes wrong, retreat immediately!"
"Artillery, provide artillery support to the attacking troops at any time."
"Third Company, be ready for battle and be ready to rush forward to reinforce and assist the Second Company at any time!"
When issuing the order, Rong Jun's eyes never left the high ground.
Soon, the attacking troops rushed to a position less than fifty meters away from the top of the mountain, and then began to accelerate the assault, with grenades in their hands.
After rushing forward another twenty meters, a hail of grenades flew towards the top of the mountain.
In the violent explosion, more than a hundred people armed with rifles rushed towards the high ground like hungry wolves.
"Battal Commander, the Japs have retreated... Not only the Japs on the highlands, but all the Japs in the stronghold have also retreated..."
"Retreat..." Rong Jun was confused by the news.
In his opinion, what the Japs should do now is to hold on to their position, block themselves in the encirclement and wait for dawn. Taking the initiative to retreat should not appear to the Japs at all, and he has never thought about it.
However, it only took him a few seconds to react.
"I understand. If only our fourth battalion attacks, the Japs will definitely defend. Now that there is an additional six battalion attacking from behind, Songshan Pass will definitely not be able to be defended. Since it cannot be defended, there is no need to add hundreds of little Japs and
We fight hard!"
"The little devil commander is more difficult to deal with than we thought!"
After sighing with emotion, Rong Jun's face returned to seriousness, and then ordered: "Now that Songshan Pass has been captured, immediately bring all the cars across Songshan Pass to meet up with the Sixth Battalion, and hand over all the cars and all the wounded to the Sixth Battalion!"
"Also, the security company, the third company, conduct a dragnet search around the area."
"It is not ruled out that after the main force of the Japs retreats, a few secret sentries will be left behind to keep an eye on us, allowing them to see through the battle that the regiment leader has worked so hard to lay out!"
"boom……"
Ten minutes later, a violent explosion suddenly sounded on the highway and reached the ears of the Rong army!
Immediately afterwards, two more identical explosions came one after another.
At first, I thought it was some kind of unexpected Rongjun, but a very bad premonition came to my mind.
The communications soldier rushed over panting, with a trace of panic on his face and reported: "Batalion Commander, it's a landmine. The Japanese planted mines on the road!"
"Landmines, haven't you guys always been sarcastic about laying landmines, saying that laying landmines is not a method that soldiers should use? Why are they using it themselves now? They are not afraid of hitting themselves in the face!" Rong Jun scolded with a frown.
Despite the scolding, Rong Jun's mind did not rest idle.
If the convoy wants to pass through Songshan Pass, the problem of landmines must be solved.
In addition, the Japanese laid mines on the road for no reason. Whether there is any other conspiracy, you need to consider this yourself. Otherwise, you will not know when you will get into the enemy's pocket!
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