On the other hand, in contrast to Ushijima Mitsuru, who was in a panic but with a hint of excitement about getting what he wanted, and who was still drinking tea more than 20 kilometers away, the 18th Division Lieutenant General Sadao Ushijima, the commander of the division,
But it's much easier.
The headquarters of the 18th Division is located six kilometers away from the front line. It is built of logs. Although it is a bit crude and rough, a low table is placed in the all-wooden room, some incense is lit, and a pot of tea is boiled.
There is still a bit of leisure and tranquility.
The Japanese army lieutenant general, neatly dressed in the uniform of a lieutenant general, was sitting on a low table sipping tea, completely free of the anxiety of a stalemate on the front line.
"Your Excellency, the Division Commander, the 36th Infantry Brigade called back. They will continue to pursue the Chinese and express their gratitude to Your Excellency, the Division Commander and our division for their help!" An Army Colonel respectfully drank tea while watching.
Ushijima Sadao’s report on the map on the table.
"Oh? His posture is so low! It seems that Ushijima Mitsuru is also in a hurry!" Ushijima Sadao, who had a calm and leisurely expression on his face, slightly raised the corners of his mouth and said with a chuckle. "Come on, Koto-kun, sit down and taste it.
Try the chrysanthemum tea I brewed from Kyushu, which is most suitable for drinking in this late autumn season."
"Your Excellency, Division Commander" The Japanese colonel who sat down across from Xiao Ji obviously did not have the spirit of the division commander, and instead had a bit of anxiety on his face.
After attacking continuously for 6 days, paying huge casualties, but only advancing four kilometers, as the chief of staff of the 18th Division, how could Kofuji Megumi remain calm?
If Ushijima Sadao hadn't been much higher in official rank and military rank than him, he might have asked his soul long ago: "Do you have a brain injury? We have trouble fighting the Chinese ourselves, why go and help those idiots in the Sixth Division do it?"
Wool!"
"Haha, it seems that Koto-kun has some complaints about me sending the Omura Regiment to help the 36th Infantry Brigade!" Ushijima Sadao looked at the Chief of Staff of the Colonel who was hesitant to speak, and a smile appeared on his face again.
"Yes, Your Excellency, Division Commander, our division has been fighting fiercely with the enemies of the Jiashan Defense Line for six days. The infantry losses have exceeded 3,000, which is actually the highest number since the beginning of the war. In the past two days, our division has also used all its strength to attack the Chinese.
On the defensive line, the Omura Regiment is the elite of our division and is indispensable.
I really don’t understand why at this critical moment, the elite of the division are deployed to assist the 36th Infantry Brigade, when the enemies they face are only a few thousand." Kofuji Megumi did not hide his doubts and said directly.
"Xiaofuji-kun, let me ask you, why has our division been in reserve every time since the war started? In the Kwantung Army, our division is a reserve, and in the Tenth Army, our division is also a reserve." Ushijima Sadao did not.
He answered his chief of staff's question directly, but asked rhetorically.
"Maybe it's because our division is a new army!" Hearing Ushijima Sadao ask this question, Xiaofuji Megumi also showed anger on his face, but he could only answer honestly.
Of course, you will not be reconciled to being a reserve force during the war.
And if you know the history of the development of the Japanese Army, you may better understand the unwillingness of these two senior officers of the 18th Division of the Japanese Army.
After the Meiji Restoration, the modern Japanese army began to develop. Four towns were first established. Under Japan's policy of enriching the country and strengthening its army, it was quickly expanded to six.
These six towns were reorganized into divisions in 1888, and together with the Guards Division, there were seven in total. They were the first strategic units of the Japanese Army.
As a result, Japan's national policy of "enriching the country and strengthening the army" was reversed one by one, and became "strengthening the army and enriching the country", and quickly embarked on the path of expansion. Especially after defeating China's decadent feudal dynasty in 1895, Japan gained a huge amount of
Compensation can continue to expand, and six more divisions (7th to 12th divisions) and three more brigades have been added.
However, in 1903, the Russo-Japanese War caused Japan to suffer from insufficient troops, and it was forced to use its only two reserve divisions.
After the war, Japan desperately expanded its military. By 1915, Japan had formed 21 divisions, including the Guards Division, and several independent brigades and regiments, with a total strength of well over 300,000.
Such a huge army put great pressure on Japan, which was not wealthy. In the 11th year of Taisho (1922), Prime Minister Yamanashi reduced the brigade structure of each division from 4 squadrons to 3 squadrons; in 1925, General Ugaki
He also advocated the abolition of four divisions, namely the 13th, 15th, 17th and 18th divisions.
After these two rounds of disarmament, there are still 17 divisions left in the Japanese military establishment. These 17 divisions are called permanent divisions.
Unfortunately, the 18th Division, which does not have a very long history, is one of the ones to be eliminated and is not qualified to be called a permanent division.
However, the four reduced divisions have a large number of remaining troops and reserve soldiers, as well as a large number of trained non-commissioned officer school students and reserve officers. Once Japan needs to expand the scale of the war, each division can quickly form a new division.
In the future, the number of divisions can be doubled and the number of soldiers can be expanded several times in a very short period of time.
Especially the 18th Division, which took on the name of a permanent division after its "resurrection", is actually just a special division, a special division of the 12th Division, and has no relationship with the original 18th Division.
Not big.
The so-called "Empire Double 13" was also established by the former 18th Division. It has nothing to do with the 18th Division led by Ushijima Sadao, and will naturally be looked down upon by the commanders of the dispatched armies.
This was naturally unacceptable to Ushijima Sadao, who was ambitious and wanted to make great achievements.
"Yes! Because our division is a new division, we did not go to Kunshan where there are more Chinese troops. When we came here, Commander Yanagawa Heisuke ordered us to open this road to the Chinese capital. In fact, it was
We just hope that we can threaten the rear flank of the Chinese army to contain the forces. All the main attacks will still be in the direction of Kunshan, even if the troops are really approaching Jinling City." Ushijima Sadao's eyes showed chills for the first time.
"If we want to change this situation, our army can only sweep away all resistance along the way and reach the hinterland of the Chinese with a powerful force. And this is very difficult to do with the strength of our division alone. If we join the 36th Infantry Brigade
, then maybe it will be different.”
"What you mean, the division commander, is that Ushijima Mitsuru has agreed to assist our division as a deputy? He is a notoriously stubborn guy." Kofuji Megumi was slightly surprised.
"He was unable to defeat the enemy for several days in a row and lost several important officers as a result. Without the assistance of our division, the Chinese he was chasing might have been able to join their main force and escape. How dare he want to be the commander of the Sixth Division?
Don't agree?" Ushijima Sadao's face showed a confident and proud look. "Speaking of which, I have to thank the Chinese for forcing a dignified Imperial Army Major General to ask me for help in such a humble manner."
"If we get the help of the 36th Infantry Brigade, our division will definitely be able to create brilliant achievements under the leadership of the division commander." Koto Megumi was so tempted by the pie drawn by his lieutenant general division commander, and he was so excited that he
A little concerned.
"But an infantry brigade of the Omura Infantry Regiment is still responsible for guarding the 6th Heavy Artillery Brigade. Now that they have all been transferred, the 6th Heavy Artillery Brigade will only have their own infantry to protect them. If there is an enemy attack, the infantry of our division will be protected."
The main force is all on the front line again, I’m afraid”
"Xiao Tengjun, you are thinking too much. The Chinese only have three infantry divisions available in this area. How can there be any troops that pose a threat to the artillery positions behind our division? Besides, the heavy artillery brigade itself still has two infantry divisions.
Squadron, even if a few Chinese attack them, are they just a bunch of pigs?
If they are really pigs, then pigs are meant to be killed and there is no need to exist in this world anymore." Ushijima Sadao's eyes flashed coldly again.
"Hi, I understand what you mean by the division commander." Seeing that Ushijima Sadao had already made up his mind, Kofuji Megumi no longer had any worries.
"In this way, the empire's military destiny will last forever!" Ushijima Sadao raised his tea cup.
"Empire, the military fortunes will last forever!" Xiaofuji Megumi also raised his tea cup.
The Japanese generals who were enjoying the fact that the reserve force was about to transform into the main force did not know that in the woods more than 20 kilometers away from them, a young Chinese soldier also pointed to a certain place on the map: "Here is a threat to our defense line.
The location of the largest Japanese Sixth Heavy Artillery Brigade"
