The Japanese 11th Division was facing an encirclement, and the commander of the 15th Army, Shojiro Iida, was shocked.

How is this possible?

Isn't the other side only three infantry divisions?

It is difficult for the troops to even protect themselves, how can it be possible to surround their 11th Division?

The chief of staff of the Japanese army frowned and said: "Your Excellency, commander, according to the report of the commander of the third division of Sakuraishi, it was the elite troops of the expeditionary force that attacked their division, with two corps and one armored division. ”

Expeditionary force!?

Shojiro Iida was stunned for a moment.

Our intelligence agencies don't even know any information!

It's incredible!

"Now the 11th Division, where is it?" Shojiro Iida asked.

The chief of staff of the Japanese army pointed to the large area between Pingmanna and Tonggu and said: "Now the 11th Division is divided and surrounded in the area between Pingmanna and Tonggu. One of their brigades was surrounded on the south side of Heimanna, and the commander of the Sakurai Ishi 3rd Division and his direct subordinate troops were surrounded thirty kilometers from Tonggu. ”

Shojiro Iida looked at the map with a dark face, thinking about how to rescue the 11th Division.

It is unimaginable that there are so many troops of the expeditionary force in Pingmanna.

"Immediately order the Mei agency to investigate the total strength of the other side, as well as their commander."

Iida Shojiro had a bad premonition that a large number of expeditionary troops appeared in Heimana and quickly surrounded the 11th Division, which means that the total strength of the opponent's troops must be at least 200,000 people.

200,000 people, all of them are elite troops!

Their intelligence department didn't even know anything about it.

This is simply a crime, and their intelligence services, should be court-martialed!

Shojiro Iida knows that this war may not end in a short period of time.

Shojiro Iida looked at his three-way army on the map, thinking about how to relieve the 11th Division.

"Where is our 56th Division?"

"Report to the Commander, we have arrived at Lauicao." The chief of staff of the Japanese army pointed on the map: "At present, the 56th Division is advancing smoothly and has not yet encountered the opposing troops. ”

"What about the 55th Division?"

"The 55th Division is advancing towards Alanman, they have met some resistance, but so far it has not been very intense.

The troops of country Y have no intention of fighting and are accelerating their retreat to Ringanqiang. ”

Iida Shojiro looked at the map, the 56th Division, there was no resistance at all, this is incredible.

Could it be that the commander of the other side transferred all the troops to Pingmanna?

If that's the case, isn't he afraid that his back road will be cut off?

My 56th Division can completely advance to Tangji and block their retreat. And together with the 11th Division, they were flanked in front and rear.

Moreover, my 55th Division will have to turn around and move eastward to encircle and flank their troops.

The commander of the other side, didn't you think of it?

Or did he already think about it, but he had enough forces to hold off his other two divisions?

Or, the commander of the other side, don't know that my strategy is, a three-way attack?

For a while, Iida Shojiro was a little uncertain.

The chief of staff of the Japanese army said cautiously: "Commander, do we need to send the 56th Division to reinforce the 11th Division?" ”

Iida Shojiro thought for a moment: "No, order, the 56th Division, be sure to arrive at Tangyoshi within one day, and then attack Heimana from the rear." and the 11th Division, flanking from front to back.

Send a telegram to Sakurai Ishizo and let his 11th Division hold on for a day. As long as the 56th Division reaches Tangji and attacks the opposing side from the rear, their troops will soon collapse. ”

The chief of staff of the Japanese army said: "It's just the 56th Division, isn't the strength a little small?" The opposing forces, there were two corps and an armored division. ”

Iida Shojiro shook his head: "Chief of Staff, sending the 56th Division over is enough, according to my experience, the combat effectiveness of our troops is one to five compared to the other side."

Don't forget, in the Eastern Theater, the strength of one of our wings can be compared with one of the opposing army.

This time, we should have no problem sending the 56th Division over and attacking the 11th Division in front and back to destroy the opposing side's troops. ”

He was very clear about the combat effectiveness of the old Guangtou team in the Eastern Battlefield.

Therefore, although he was shocked that a large number of expeditionary force troops had appeared here, Iida Shojiro was not very alarmed.

After all, his 15th Army had ten divisions and 100,000 people.

Even if the other party really came with 200,000 troops, it would still be insufficient for him.

As for the three infantry divisions of country Y, forget it.

Don't think about it at all.

Watanabe, who received the order, was stunned for a moment.

The 11th Division is surrounded?

How is this possible?

The 11th Division is a first-class division, and its combat effectiveness is the strongest among the 15th Army.

There are three divisions left, the 18th Division is a Class B division, and his 56th Division and the 55th Division are all Class C divisions, and their combat effectiveness is much lower than that of the 11th Division.

How could it be that the strongest division commander was actually surrounded?

Is there something unexpected here?

The chief of staff of the 56th Division said: "The telegram from Your Excellency the Commander says that the 11th Division is surrounded by heavy troops from the opposing side.

The opposing side has two corps and an armored division.

Moreover, there are also a large number of aircraft.

Thirty of our planes were shot down over Pingmanna. ”

What the?

Our planes were actually shot down by the other side thirty times?

It's incredible.

The opposing troops, it is acceptable to have tanks, but they actually have planes?

This situation he had never encountered before.

His 56th Division and 55th Division were drawn from the Eastern Battlefield.

In order to make up for the lack of strength of the troops going south.

Originally, their troops were still in the east, so they didn't need to be transferred over.

However, the Eleventh Army was completely lost in Hunan, and only one detachment remained, which can be said to be completely annihilated.

That's why their troops were temporarily transferred south to form the Fifteenth Army and capture it.

Because they are the guard troops, they basically don't have much ability to fight with each other.

As for the use of planes and tanks, they are all exclusive to the First Division and the Second and C Divisions, and they are only for the sake of watching.

At most, a division has one tank detachment, and it is not a serious tank at all.

Now the other side actually has an airplane, which makes the commander of the 56th Division, Watanabe Pifu, feel a lot of pressure.

The planes of our 15th Army, which numbered only about 100 in total, were shot down 30 at once.

How many planes does the other party have?

Watanabe grabbed his head in embarrassment, and now the one surrounding the 11th Division must be the elite of the other side.

Let's go and copy their back road, then it will definitely be the focus of the opponent's attack.

The road ahead is very dangerous!

Watanabe sighed: "Order the troops to advance towards Tangji immediately, and the speed must be fast." Must arrive within a day. ”

The entire 56th Division was in mourning.

Arrived in Tangji in one day?

Who gave the order to get out of here?

From Laoyikao to Tangji, it is a mountain road, and cars cannot cross it.

The infantry could only advance on foot.

As for the field artillery and baggage troops in the division, the speed will be even slower.

It is simply impossible to get to Tangji in one day.

Shojiro Iida, do you think my troops will fly?

Watanabe was depressed.

His chief of staff said in embarrassment: "Division commander, the road ahead is very difficult, according to our fastest speed, we will not be able to reach the predetermined location in one day, unless we give up our heavy weapons and baggage, and only let the three infantry wings advance quickly." In this way, you may be able to reach Tangji within a day. ”

Watanabe thought about it with a frown, and only let the infantry troops advance quickly, leaving the artillery and baggage troops behind.

That's one way to do it.

It's just that in this case, his troops will be weaker in combat.

How do you attack and defend when the time comes?

Watanabe was a little embarrassed.

The chief of staff of the Japanese army also knew that this was very risky, after all, it was certainly not good to surround the 11th Division.

It must be the elite troops of the other side, otherwise it would be impossible to surround the 11th Division, which has the strongest combat effectiveness.

The other party is in Pingmanna, but there is an armored force!

Bigger than their fifteenth army!

But if they don't rush over in time, the two of them will definitely be demoted at that time.

If you're unlucky, you could be court-martialed.

There are risks, and they have to be done.

Watanabe said to his chief of staff, "This matter must be reported to the commander, so that if the battle is lost, he will not be able to hold us accountable." ”

The chief of staff of the 56th Division of the Japanese Army immediately sent a telegram to Shojiro Iida and explained their plan.

Shojiro Iida looked at the map, and Watanabe was right.

It is true that the area between Laoiko and Tangji is all mountainous, and it is difficult to reach Tangji on time if you bring artillery and baggage troops.

Shojiro Iida agreed to Watanabe's request.

The 56th Division was ordered to march at once, so that the artillery and baggage troops could catch up as soon as possible. Their three infantry wings must arrive at Tangji within a day.

At this time, the siege and annihilation battle had begun.

Li Lei ordered all the howitzers of the troops to fire at the Japanese troops.

At the same time, Wang Han and Chennault's flying team were ordered to carry out non-stop bombing of the Japanese army.

In order to enhance the bombing effect, Leif ordered them to fly the twenty bombers to participate in the bombing mission.

More than 100 planes flew towards the 11th Division of the Japanese Army.

The ground forces who watched were stunned.

That's our plane!

They never thought that their troops could also be covered by aircraft.

Not one, but more than a hundred.