Although when deploying tonight's defenses, people realized that they were afraid that they would not be able to resist for too long. The weakness of the equipment, coupled with the repeated blows, caused the combat effectiveness of the 12th Division to drop a lot.

Morale is sometimes the key to winning or losing a battle. Compared with the Eighth Route Army's successive victories in this battle, these troops, who originally came with the purpose of clearing the Eighth Route Army, tasted defeat after failure.

Even the 12th Division is composed of elite soldiers who have undergone rigorous training. But after repeated failures, as well as repeated losses and defeats, in the end, they couldn't even wait for reinforcements, and it was normal for morale to be low.

For the soldiers who entered the last line of defense at this moment, many of them were not infantry in the first place. Although this kind of defensive trench resistance warfare, as long as they can use rifles, there is basically no problem.

Compared with the infantry, most of these soldiers from other branches of the division and regiment do seem a little afraid. Especially at this time, in the face of tanks and armored vehicles in front of the position, the soldiers on the position are even more worried.

During the day, in the core barracks, I watched the wounded soldiers who were constantly wailing for death, and the makeshift hospital with screams. Many little devils who have survived until now have a kind of sorrow about the death of rabbits and foxes.

Seeing the third line of defense in front of them, they are hiding in the last line of defense, and they know very well what is happening there. Seeing their own troops being surrounded and suppressed, they couldn't do anything to help.

This kind of thing made the defenders on the battlefield feel even more discouraged!

On the other hand, the person standing in the camp at this moment saw Xiuzo, looked at the division chief of staff next to him, Nakamura Muichi, and sighed: "Nakamura-kun, I'm afraid we won't survive tonight." I have a suggestion that I hope you will consider. ”

'Speak! ’

Hearing the word 'suggestion', Nakamura Muichi's heart swooped out. For some reason, I suddenly remembered the words of the previous division commander Kiyotaro Yamamura before he died, and what Seitaro Yamamura said at that time was also a 'suggestion'.

"Nakamura-kun, I am the commander of the division commander in danger, and I will personally go into battle in the next battle. If I am loyal to His Majesty the Emperor, I would like you to give the order to lay down your arms and stop resisting, is that okay? ’

Isn't the so-called laying down of arms and stopping resistance the meaning of 'surrender'?

Just when Nakamura Muichi was stunned by these words, Hitomi Shuzo continued: "I know that it is a very shameful thing for you to order the troops to surrender to the Eighth Route Army. But the division commander is right, we want someone to live.

As long as there are people alive, perhaps we will not be forgotten by the empire in the future. Most importantly, our wounded cannot die in vain. Today's airborne medicine will also be handed over to the Eighth Route Army at that time, and they will be asked to help with follow-up treatment.

When the war is fought to this extent, we are also right to start the empire, and right to start the past glory of our division. As for the order to surrender, it can be given in my name at that time. At least I'm in the Empire and don't have any immediate family.

If you live, the ashes of the division commander can be sent back to China and handed over to his wife. The ashes of other soldiers of our division may also have the hope of being resettled and returned to China. Those wounded soldiers, maybe someone can return home alive.

Most importantly, I think that as long as you live, you will have the opportunity to return to China in the future. It is even possible to rebuild our divisions. You did not surrender on your own initiative, you surrendered at my command.

If we have the opportunity, maybe we can exchange prisoners with the Eighth Route Army in the future. That way, you won't be held accountable by the Empire. Enough people have died in our division, and I still hope that there are some people who still remember our division. ”

Regarding the words of Hitomi Shuizo, Nakamura Muichi smiled bitterly: "Renmi-kun, if you think you should lay down your arms at this moment, then why don't you give an order immediately?" How long do you think we can hold off the Eighth Route Army?

Most importantly, once the Eighth Route Army breaks through our last line of fortifications, do you think we still have the conditions to negotiate? Now is the time to decide, maybe we can get some preferential treatment, at least the wounded will be housed.

If you die, make that decision. I'm afraid it's hard for me to guarantee that the Eighth Route Army will promise to take care of our wounded. If you want to save the last vitality of the division, you should plan as early as possible, rather than talk about it after failure.

While we still have a line of defense, we can try to talk to the Eighth Route Army. Most importantly, we need to consult with the officers and men of the division and regiment for such a decision. If anyone is unwilling, let them be loyal to His Majesty the Emperor! ”

In Nakamura Muichi's opinion, if there is a chance to live, he really does not want to die. But he knew that once he made the decision to lay down his arms and surrender to the Eighth Route Army, he might face a situation where life was worse than death.

If the Japanese army's strategy of invading China fails in the future, he, a general who survives in a hurry, may have the opportunity to become a foresight. If the Japanese army's strategy of invading China succeeds in the future, he will be nailed to the pillar of shame of the Japanese army.

Thinking of this, Nakamura Muichi didn't complain about seeing Shuzo give him the chance to live. But he hoped that someone could share the pain with him. I really can't do it, and I put the blame on the dead Yamamura Seitaro.

I believe that even if the empire knows that they have chosen to surrender, but against a lieutenant general who has died, the empire is afraid that it is not good to say anything. The most likely scenario would be to cancel the honor that Kiyotaro Yamamura would receive after his death.

However, before his death, a division commander made the decision to lay down his arms and stop resisting in order to save the lives of his subordinates. I believe that for many soldiers, such a division commander is also worthy of respect. This reputation may be half good and half bad!

Listening to Nakamura Muichi's words, Hitomi Shuizo thought for a while and said, "Gather the co-captain to discuss!" ”

'You're really decided?' ’

Nakamura Muichi, who still wants to try to persuade again, actually wants to see if Shuzo has really made up his mind. After all, it really takes a lot of courage for a Japanese major general to make such a decision!

'Do we have more options?' ’

With such a faint remark, several wing captains were quickly summoned. After listening to the calm narration of the people's Xiusan, the captain of the wing immediately said excitedly: "General, how can we surrender to the Chinese army?" What a great disgrace! ”

Listening to the words of the co-captain, the people saw Xiusan and said very directly: "Indeed! Surrendering to the Eighth Route Army is indeed a great shame for us. But have you ever thought that if we are all wiped out, who will remember us?

The most important thing is that once our entire army is annihilated, the entire division will be removed from the Japanese military structure. If we live, we may be able to rebuild it one day, and we may have the opportunity to return alive in a prisoner exchange.

At the moment, we can only participate in the battle of the only infantry brigade, and most of these soldiers are soldiers of the baggage and engineering units. How long can we resist the current situation?

If we are completely annihilated, the end we can get is to be turned into a bare pig by the Eighth Route Army and piled into an inconspicuous pit. Years from now, no one remembers what we're doing today.

We've done our best. Even if we don't think about ourselves, we have to think about the living. Do you remember the words of the division commander earlier? He had that idea too, didn't he? ”

The captain of the wing, who was refuted by such remarks, turned red but didn't know how to answer. And Nakamura Muichi said in a timely manner: "Everyone, I think the most uncomfortable thing in my heart at this moment should be to see the general." But he also wants to save our lives.

It's not that we don't want to fight, it's that we don't have the slightest hope of winning. To borrow a Chinese saying, "The green mountains are there, and we are not afraid of no firewood", as long as we are alive, perhaps there will be hope of washing away the shame in the future.

If we are all wiped out here, no one will remember what we have done in the future. And those wounded soldiers, who had a chance to survive. If we all die, they will surely die. ”

As the two surviving major generals, the agreement reached by Nakamura Muichi and Hitomi Shuzo did make several wing commanders waver. When Shuzo called several adjutants to announce the decision, there were also very few protests among these adjutants.

Faced with this situation, Hitomi Xiusan also said calmly: "If you don't want to bear this humiliation, you can launch an attack on the Eighth Route Army and express your loyalty to the empire and the emperor by fighting until the last moment of your life."

As for those of us who are destined to live with shame, we will collect your ashes for you and find a way to bury you back home. Announce this decision to the troops and let the soldiers make their own decisions! ”

For these people who want to die, they don't want to stop Xiuzo. At least in his opinion, making such a decision, the future of their life may be more difficult than death.

But he at least believes that the officers and soldiers who survived his decision will be grateful for the decision he made in the future. As the temporary commander of the division, Hitomi Shuizo felt that he was more, and he should still think about these soldiers.

There is another layer of intention, which people didn't say when they saw Xiusan. That is, he wanted to go to the area controlled by the Eighth Route Army to see what was so different about this army and why it could defeat his own division that he was proud of.

In addition, he also wanted to see what kind of person He Zhengdao of the independent column was. If he had the opportunity, he would pass on what he had seen and heard back to China, so that the empire could analyze and judge the Eighth Route Army and He Zhengdao.

It's just that whether these ideas can be realized also depends on whether the Eighth Route Army is willing to accept their surrender. As a result, the battle of the third defensive position was not over, and the white flag raised by the last line of defense also shocked the Eighth Route Army.

What it means to fly a white flag, many people know. For this white flag raised, the officers and soldiers of the armored regiment responsible for deterring the little devils also looked unbelievable. It seems that he didn't expect that the little devil would also beg them with a white flag!

When the news reached the rear headquarters, He Zhengdao and Wang Tianlin were also shocked. The battle has been fought to this extent, and the little devil will surrender. This is really beyond everyone's expectations! (To be continued.) )