Chapter 125: Combat Guidance

The moment the cannon sounded, Inoue Muraji was shocked but did not have much panic and anger, but had a hint of joy. The sound of gunfire seems to others to be a clarion call for war, but in Inoue's eyes, it is a prelude to his own military medal, which is so wonderful.

However, Muraharu Inoue's good mood did not last long, as he soon discovered that it was not the ordinary Shina army that attacked Yoshii Town, and such a fierce artillery bombardment was not something that those hateful Tsuchihachi could have.

"Boom" "Boom" "Boom"

Inoue Muraji is a commander with extremely rich combat experience, and as an officer who climbed up from a civilian background, Inoue's tactical command ability is still very strong, and after listening to a burst of artillery fire, the expression on Inoue's face became solemn.

Based on the sound and the power of the explosion, Inoue Muraji dared to conclude that the enemy had at least a complete field artillery brigade, if not more. In the Chinese army, only the army at the division and brigade level can be equipped with artillery of this size, except, of course, the Eighth Route Army. The Eighth Route Army, which has always been good at guerrilla warfare, will not be equipped with bulky large-caliber artillery, and at most it will have a few small-caliber mortars.

Inoue Muraji wondered, it is said that the regular troops in the northwest of Jin Province subordinate to the government of China have all been defeated by them, and only those uncertain whereabouts of the Tubalu are left, how can they have a regular army of such a size.

At the same time, Inoue Muraji was more worried about whether the position of the headquarters could be held, although His Excellency the brigade commander had specifically told him that he must strengthen the fortifications after he entered the town of Yijing, so as not to be attacked by the Shina army when he arrives.

But after they entered Yijing Town, they found that the common people in the town had run out, and only some women, children, old and weak were left who could not do the heavy work of building fortifications at all, so they were lazy and simply built some fortifications.

Mainly because Inoue Muraji did not believe that the Eighth Route Army would dare to attack his troops head-on, let alone that there were formed regular troops in the northwest of Jin, and they were also equipped with large-scale artillery.

Less than ten minutes after the battle began, Adjutant Captain Naito hurriedly ran into the temporary headquarters and said: "Report to the captain, the artillery bombardment of the Shina army is very fierce, and our unit has suffered heavy casualties!" ”

"Order the troops to immediately withdraw from the forward positions and withdraw to the town! The first squadron guards the north of the town, the second squadron guards the east of the town, the third squadron guards the west of the town, the artillery squadron builds a position in the south of the town, and the gendarmerie and the guard squad are in the center! Inoue Muraji said in a deep voice.

"Withdraw from the forward positions?" Captain Naito looked at Inoue Muraji in surprise with a puzzled expression.

"What, are you questioning my decision?" Inoue Muraji shouted angrily.

"I'm sorry Shaozuo, I just can't understand why our army gave up the forward position less than ten minutes after the battle began?" Naito replied with a bowed head.

"Naito-kun, you should know what the position of the Imperial Army is, if the Chinese army does not have large-scale artillery, the Imperial Army can catch those rudimentary fortifications for defense. But now that the China have artillery, and at least a reinforced brigade of field artillery, do you think those rudimentary fortifications will be able to withstand the shelling of the China? ”

Then Inoue Muraji continued: "It's different when you retreat to the town, the town is the town of the Shina people, and the aborigines here are all Shina people, and they will not shoot at their own compatriots. ”

"But there are only a few ordinary people in the town, and the rest have run out!" Captain Naito said in a deep voice.

"But the people of China don't know, we have been stationed here for four days, and the people of China have just come over, and they don't know the truth." Inoue Muraji said in a deep voice.

"Hail, Captain is wise! Let's arrange it! Captain Naito said loudly, not forgetting to slap his ass.

"Go ahead, order those squadron leaders, let them defend the town for me, and the reinforcements will arrive after dawn!"

"Hay!"

After Captain Naito left, Inoue Muraji immediately said: "Yamamoto, immediately send a report to the brigade headquarters, saying that our unit has been attacked by heavy troops in China, the enemy's strength is about one division, and the enemy is also equipped with a large number of large-caliber artillery, our unit has suffered heavy casualties, and the outer positions have been lost, so I ask for combat guidance!" ”

"Hay!"

In Wuzhai County, Lieutenant General Norihide Abe and the commander of the 26th Brigade, Shigetoku Kuroda, were discussing the battle plan, and the two of them were very satisfied with the results of this southward operation. In particular, they easily defeated the 35th Army, which was known for its elite, which gave them the confidence to fight down the mountain and recapture the body of His Excellency Hasuma Pan within half a month.

"Your Excellency, Commander, now that the Chinese army has shrunk to the line of Mitsui and Qilan, I suggest that our troops should continue to attack and completely defeat it, and then the troops will go straight to Fangshan County to force the Second World War Zone to surrender! It must be able to accomplish all the work in one battle! Kuroda said loudly.

"Yo Xi, judging from the current situation, it is easy to defeat the frontal Chinese army, but it may still be difficult to force the Chinese Second War Zone to submit, mainly because the Second War Zone Governor's Department may withdraw to Shaanxi or the southwest of Shanxi at any time." Norihide Abe said.

"Then it's not something we can control, isn't there still the 109th Division, we just need to annihilate these tens of thousands of troops in front of us!" Kuroda said in a deep voice.

"Yo Xi, with Kuroda-kun's assistance, my Imperial Japanese Army will be invincible!" Norihide Abe said loudly.

But just when they were a little flustered, a high-ranking private signal soldier suddenly got up and said: "Report, the 13th Wing Inoue Brigade is in an emergency!" ”

"Read!"

"Your Excellency the Commander and Your Excellency the Brigade Commander: Our unit has been attacked by heavy troops from China and requests operational guidance!"

After listening to the report of the signal corps, Norihide Abe and Shigetoku Kuroda both looked at each other, and it took a long time to come to their senses.

"How is it possible, how can there be an army of Shina armed with large-scale large-caliber artillery in Yijing Town?" Major General Shigetoku Kuroda said angrily.

Abe Norihide turned his head to the signal soldier and said: "Immediately send a report to the Inoue Brigade to verify the situation, is it the Shina government army or the Tsuhachi Road besieging them, what is the number, and how many people are there?" ”

"Hay!"

After giving the order, Abe Norihide looked at the map and then said with a solemn expression: "Kuroda-kun, what do you think?" ”

Kuroda Shigetoku also said in a dark and solemn voice: "If Inoue's telegram is correct, the Imperial Army is likely to be the one who fell for the Shina!" ”

"Nani?"

"Your Excellency, Commander, from what I know about the Chinese army, the 35th Army is the elite of the Jin Sui army, and its combat effectiveness is quite strong. But this time we played against this army, and its performance was far stronger than it was not rumored, which only shows that the main force of this army is not there. As for the main forces getting there, it goes without saying that they are behind us. Kuroda said in a deep voice.

"Kuroda-kun, do you mean that the people of China deliberately set up a trap to let the imperial army go all the way south, and then send the main force to cut off the rear route of our army, and then annihilate us in one fell swoop?" Norihide Abe asked in a deep voice.

"Quite possibly!"

Norihide Abe looked at the map, then pointed to a point on the map and said, "Kuroda-kun has a point, but I'm more worried that this army that suddenly appeared is from here!" ”

Kuroda Shigetoku looked at the point pointed by Abe Norihide, and immediately said in surprise: "Jining? Duqi Brigade, Ma Zheng? ”