Before the combat staff moved, the headquarters phone rang again.
Almost everyone's eyes were focused on the staff officer who answered the phone at this moment.
"Something must have happened again!" Seeing the communications staff officer's face suddenly turn pale, the chief of staff's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately had a very bad premonition.
"Sir, the garrison in Gu County reported that they were also attacked by the Eighth Route Army!"
"The Eighth Route Army has strong firepower and is equipped with mortars and infantry artillery. The front-line garrison has suffered heavy losses and will definitely not be able to hold on for too long. Please ask for reinforcements!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the intelligence staff rushed in again.
"Sir, according to the intelligence just sent to the city, the other four main battalions of the New Regiment have all moved. Like their first battalion, they are dispatching troops to attack the counties we control around Linfen!"
The chief of staff made a sullen decision: "The order just now is cancelled!"
"The garrisons in several counties around Xiangfen cannot be mobilized, and they were also attacked by the Eighth Route Army. If the troops are mobilized, other troops will have an opportunity!"
"Then what should we do?" the deputy chief of staff asked anxiously.
"Wait a moment, I will ask the brigade commander who has not yet arrived for instructions! Although he is fighting on the front line, he can command us remotely!"
On the front line of Zhongtiao Mountain, more than 100 kilometers away from Linfen City, the commander of the regiment, Kawaguchi, was in a very good mood.
A few days ago, the front army had just promoted him to the rank of major general and directly appointed him as the commander of the mixed brigade.
The independent mixed brigade is different from the brigade of the field force and has almost no autonomy. Although the strength is not as good as the field brigade, the independent mixed brigade is a comprehensive combination of infantry, artillery, engineers, cavalry, and even armor.
force.
Serving as the brigade commander of such a unit directly means that one has combat experience in independently commanding large-scale units and has the capabilities of a senior commander.
As long as he can achieve more military exploits in the position of brigade commander, Kawaguchi is sure that it won't take long for him to become a senior imperial officer and a lieutenant general division commander.
"Ikeda-kun, you will go to the headquarters later to see how long it will take for this round of attack to end. In addition, please tell the commander that the main attack should not be assigned to our regiment. We will be transferred to Linfen to fight.
We must have troops in hand to gain a foothold in Linfen. Therefore, we must try to prevent the remaining troops of the regiment from suffering too much loss! The commander is my old commander, and I am about to leave, so he will definitely give me this face!
"Thinking of the tragedy on the battlefield in the past few days, Kawaguchi hesitated and ordered.
Just as the adjutant, Major Ikeda, was about to leave, the captain of the communications team rushed in.
"Sir, there is an urgent telegram from Linfen City. I hope you will reply immediately after reading the telegram!"
The soldier's intuition made him realize that something must have happened in Linfen City. Otherwise, Linfen City would never send him a telegram before he took office.
After reading the telegram, the premonition became reality, and Kawaguchi's face suddenly became embarrassed.
"This new group is indeed a formidable opponent. They will really seize the opportunity to counterattack!" Kawaguchi said to himself with a sullen face.
Then he did not forget to add: "Although we haven't really fought against the New Regiment face-to-face, but judging from the New Regiment's current actions and its ability to force Major General Matsumoto out of the position of brigade commander, I am sure that we will meet a very satisfied person.
From now on, we must carefully study our opponents."
Major Ikeda asked with a serious face: "Sir, how are we going to send a telegram back to Linfen City?"
"Map, immediately expand the map of Linfen and surrounding counties. If possible, we will also create a situation for the new group that is deploying in Linfen!"
After hesitating for nearly five minutes comparing the map and telegram, Kawaguchi's serious face finally showed a smile.
Then he stared at Ikeda and ordered: "Call Linfen drafting back!"
"Abandon the new regiment's attack on all villages and towns in the county, and all the garrison troops will be gathered in the county for defense and training!"
Major Ikeda immediately reminded: "Then when we sweep the new regiment's base in the future, the new regiment's combat area will be larger, and the room for maneuver will also become larger!"
"Also, the Eighth Route Army's ability to expand its troops is very powerful. The report from the Front Army Headquarters has emphasized this more than once."
"Give all the villages and towns in four counties to the New Regiment at once. With their ability to expand the army, they will definitely be able to more than double the army in a short period of time!"
Kawaguchi shook his head and replied: "No, what you see are superficial phenomena!"
"Expanding the army requires more than just troops, it also requires a large number of veterans and equipment!"
"The equipment of the Eighth Route Army comes from seizures. As long as we don't fight against them, they will not be able to seize weapons and equipment from us. Without weapons and equipment, how can they expand their troops!"
"As for the veterans! If they draw veterans from the main force to expand their troops, then their main force will definitely be supplemented by a large number of new recruits. By then, even if they have more troops, their combat effectiveness will be greatly reduced!"
"So, I am not worried at all about the Eighth Route Army's expansion of troops. Because I will not give them time to train troops, nor will I give them the opportunity to seize equipment and ammunition from the imperial army!"
"In this case, even if the new regiment's strength in Linfen increases to 10,000, I won't be afraid."
Major Ikeda's eyes lit up and he complimented: "Sir, you are wise. If you blindly expand the troops, the troops you pull out in the end will definitely be a mob!"
Kawaguchi nodded and continued his analysis: "As for what you just said about the battlefield turning space becoming larger, this is indeed a problem!"
"However, it is not without any benefits for the Imperial Army. The base area has become larger, and the limited forces of the New Regiment will definitely be more dispersed, which will help us defeat them individually and use the new Regiment's best fighting methods to defeat them in turn.
!”
"Also, don't forget, the county towns in these places are still firmly in our hands."
"Once the encirclement and suppression of the New Regiment's base area begins, these counties can not only serve as the logistics supply base for our attack, but also serve as our outposts! The garrison in the county can serve as our secret troops at any time to directly attack the New Regiment.
Behind the scenes, the Eighth Route Army was caught off guard!"
"Also, as long as these counties are still in our hands, our intelligence network can expand to the surrounding areas with the county as the center, and keep track of every move of the Eighth Route Army base area at any time!"
"So, instead of letting the garrisons in the four counties be consumed in defense, it is better to actively abandon the villages and towns outside the city, use the county seat as a stronghold, and wait for reinforcements."
"This can not only preserve the troops, but also disperse the strength of the Eighth Route Army, so that the Eighth Route Army loses the opportunity to seize our equipment through fighting."
"What's more important is that as long as the county towns are still in our hands, these places have not been lost. The imperial army can rely on these county towns to complete many strategic concepts and encircle and wipe out the main force of the new regiment."
"Reply the telegram to Linfen City immediately and send it according to the content just now! Tell the chief of staff of Linfen City that I will rush there as soon as possible. During this period, try to avoid fighting with the new regiment of the Eighth Route Army, as long as the situation in Linfen does not worsen.
Got it!"
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