The deputy commander strode to the map and after finding the location of Datong, a thoughtful expression slowly appeared on his shocked face.
"The little devil commander is awesome!" After watching it for a few seconds, the deputy commander said with emotion.
The deputy chief of staff nodded and replied: "It's very powerful. If you can't take advantage of the garrison, you can directly reach out to Datong."
"The Jinsui Army is different from our Eighth Route Army. They are better at frontal combat, positional warfare, and head-on confrontation with the Japanese."
"This is the way the Japanese army likes to fight. They have planes, artillery, and tanks to help them fight. If they fight positional warfare, they will definitely win."
"I'm sure that within three days, the Japanese army will reoccupy Datong."
The deputy commander agreed with his partner's analysis and nodded.
"What did Comrade Li Hao do?"
"A reinforced battalion was set up on the blockade to monitor every move of the Japanese and puppet troops, and to rescue the Shanxi-Sui Army who might have escaped from the direction of Datong."
"Other troops are operating in Lingqiu and recovering their strength?"
"In addition, because the troops suffered heavy losses in this counter-mopping operation, in order to ensure that the combat effectiveness of the troops is not affected by the expansion and to reduce the logistical pressure on the base area, Comrade Li Hao decided to reduce the establishment of the garrison regiment."
"There are still six main battalions, but each main battalion has been reduced to less than 500 people. Adding artillery and other directly-affiliated troops, the main force has been controlled to 4,000 people, which is a full 2,500 people less than before the war."
"The county brigade in the local army has been reduced to less than 300 people, and the semi-off-the-job guerrillas have also been reduced to varying degrees according to the population of each village. Try to control it to only fifty ordinary people and one semi-off-the-job guerrilla."
The deputy commander's eyes flashed with sharpness, and he stared at the map and replied: "Comrade Li Hao has done a good job."
"We did not blindly expand the troops because the Japanese retreated, but carried out small-scale expansion while ensuring the combat effectiveness of the troops to prevent accidents."
"Deputy Chief of Staff, I think we can get started."
"Immediately send a telegram to Comrade Li Hao. After the main Japanese division leaves the base area, it will start a counterattack. The equipment, ammunition, and territory lost by the Japanese main division will be snatched back from the mixed brigade that is rushing over.
"
"In our Chinese words, this is called tit for tat, tit for tat."
At the temporary headquarters of the garrison, the Japanese troop deployment in several counties was being summarized bit by bit on the map in front of Li Hao.
"Captain, we have figured out the situation of the Japanese and puppet troops in Laiyuan City." Hong Linfeng said, showing the intelligence he had just received.
"After investigation: there is an infantry regiment, a heavy artillery brigade, a tank squadron, a cavalry brigade, and nearly 5,000 Japanese soldiers left in Laiyuan City."
"In addition, the Japanese army also dispatched a brigade of Imperial Army troops to station in Laiyuan City, totaling more than 3,000 people."
"There are a total of 8,000 people in total, and the mixed brigade headquarters is also stationed in Laiyuan City. This is a clear indication that Laiyuan City is operated as a military center and does not intend to give up anymore."
The political commissar's face looked very ugly, but he was also helpless.
With more than 8,000 days of puppet troops, the garrison at its peak was unable to swallow up the troops.
Let alone now.
Moreover, these 8,000 Japanese puppet troops were not exposed in the wilderness, but concentrated their forces to defend Laiyuan City.
The last time the garrison attacked Laiyuan City, it took half a year, and it was finally captured by trickery.
Trying to win it now is definitely more difficult than climbing to the sky.
He sighed and replied: "Captain, I think there is no hope of recapturing Laiyuan City for the time being. There are too many Japanese and puppet troops stationed there. I suggest that the troops temporarily abandon Laiyuan City and attack several surrounding counties first to recapture it.
Then heavy troops surrounded Laiyuan, just like last time, turning it into an isolated city and slowly consuming the Japanese and puppet troops inside."
Li Hao stared at the map and said nothing.
He received the counterattack order from headquarters yesterday.
If I guessed correctly, the long-awaited Hundred Regiment Battle has begun.
This was the Eighth Route Army's only major strategic counteroffensive in several years. After the counteroffensive ended, the Eighth Route Army would face a heavy blockade by the Japanese and puppet troops and a severe drought that would last for two years.
By then, the entire base area will become depressed, and the people will have no food to eat, no clothes to wear, and no salt to eat...
The situation of the troops is even worse. Just being hungry can reduce the combat effectiveness by half...
Everyone's energy is focused on how to solve the problem of feeding the soldiers and civilians in the base area. As for the battle against the Japanese, it would be good if they can maintain the existing base area, but they have no strength to actively attack the Japanese.
Therefore, Laiyuan City must either be solved during the Hundred Regiments War, or it must wait two years to solve it.
Faced with drought and a heavy blockade by the Japanese and puppet troops, the garrison also faced many difficulties and had a lot of problems to solve.
At this time, a heavy Japanese and puppet army group is stationed in the hinterland of the base area. They will definitely continue to attack, causing a lot of problems and disasters, making it difficult for the troops to guard against.
Therefore, it is necessary to take advantage of the Hundred Regiment War to resolve all unfavorable factors inside and outside the base area, and then the garrison regiment can concentrate all manpower and material resources to solve the various problems caused by drought and the blockade of the Japanese and puppet troops to the base area.
Li Hao no longer hesitated, shook his head, and replied firmly: "No, the political commissar and Laiyuan City must be solved together."
"With our current strength, we cannot devour the puppet army for more than 8,000 days, but we can find ways to push them back so that they can no longer stay in Laiyuan City."
Lingqiu is the home base of the garrison, the headquarters of the regiment, and also the frontline position facing the garrison.
The Japanese army originally stationed two infantry brigades and a regiment of the Imperial Association Army here, with a total strength of 3,000 people. They could advance and attack, but retreated and defended.
I don’t know what happened, but today an infantry brigade was suddenly transferred and returned to Laiyuan City.
Lieutenant Colonel Yamaguchi is the newly appointed Lingqiu garrison commander at the brigade headquarters. He personally brought the troop deployment order from Laiyuan City.
With fewer troops under his command, it stands to reason that he would not be in a good mood.
But the result was exactly the opposite. After entering Lingqiu City, Shankou was completely unaffected by the troop deployment order. He quickly ordered a brigade to march to Laiyuan. Then he led his subordinates to visit Lingqiu City and personally arranged various arrangements.
The troops are stationed there and are not worried about the safety of Lingqiu at all.
Ensure that Lingqiu City can respond immediately after being attacked.
At the headquarters of the Japanese mixed brigade in Laiyuan City, the brigade leader stood in front of the sand table, frowning, thoughtfully.
He has stayed in this position for three years and has been responsible for local garrison duties.
As a general, watching other people compete against each other on the frontal battlefield and achieving military successes one after another, no one would believe it even if they said they were not jealous.
Stationed in Laiyuan, he saw a good opportunity to make contributions.
Although the garrison was not wiped out, it certainly suffered heavy losses.
If he takes over the defense of Laiyuan and kills it, it will definitely be a great achievement, and he may become famous because of it.
In order to achieve this goal, the brigade commander specially formulated a combat plan to lure the snake out of its hole.
Use Lingqiu as bait to attract the garrison to attack.
He sent troops to march quickly to reinforce Lingqiu, surrounded the garrison outside Lingqiu city, gathered together and annihilated them.
Then, troops were transferred from Lingqiu, making the garrison mistakenly believe that Lingqiu was empty of troops and could be reoccupied.
