Chapter 255: The Japanese Army Retreated

The Chahar side did not seem to want to give Okamura Ninji the slightest respite, and the siege troops attacked the west of the city where the Second Division was stationed. This made Okamura Ningji, who had already sent a wing to support the 21st Division, feel even more difficult to support, and had no choice but to speed up the reduction of troops.

"Order the troops, shrink the forces, strengthen the defenses, break up the field artillery wings, and disperse them to the streets to assist the infantry in the defense. The 16th Wing retracted back to the division headquarters and strengthened the defensive forces in front of the headquarters"

Okamura Ninji issued several orders in one breath, only to feel that his whole body was wet with sweat, and he sat weakly in his chair. Since 1917, when he became a military attache stationed in China, he has had an indissoluble bond with this country, and he thinks that he knows the various armies in China very well, but he really does not have the slightest impression of this Su Tong, who appeared within two years.

It was this Su Tong who raised a powerful army in less than three years and cut down one famous general of the empire. First of all, the 13th Division was burned clean by him in Datan, and the commander of the division, Lieutenant General Naoji Sakai, also committed suicide. Then he went directly to Siberia, biting off a piece of ròu from the arrogant and domineering Slavs, and last year he almost bī returned to Hokkaido to fish with the commander of the North China garrison, General Umezu Mijiro, and now he has bī back the three divisions of the empire that had just invaded Beiping.

Is this Su Tong really the nemesis of the empire? No, I think I'm one of the 'Three Feathered Ugue', is it really inferior to him? When I regrouped my army and came back, Okamura Ninji was also a corner of the more and more frustrated and courageous, and after making up my mind, I immediately calmed down and sought a way out.

At the same time that Okamura Ninji was scratching his ears and cheeks and planning the retreat route, the Kwantung Army headquarters was also arguing over whether to send troops to reinforce Chengde.

On the morning of July 22, the 26th year of the Republic of China

Today, the Kwantung Army held a special meeting on this issue, which was chaired by the commander of the Kwantung Army, Senior General Kenkichi Ueda.

Born in 1875, Senior General Kenkichi Ueda, who is sixty-two years old this year, is a very rare celibate among Japan's high-ranking generals.

He has always been celibate, so unlike most Japanese generals who came to China with the belief of expanding the territory for Japan and the emperor, he attached great importance to money. Therefore, from 1923, when he came to the Northeast to take up his post, he began to loot money on a large scale, but he was not very interested in expanding the territory, and only wanted to honestly survive until he retired and then return to China to enjoy his old age.

Therefore, he always had the idea that he could delay the telegrams frequently sent by the North China garrison army asking for help, and if it were not for the strong request of Hideki Tojo and other staff officers, he would not have convened this military meeting. Wouldn't it be better to have this time to enjoy the tea ceremony or some looted antiques?

Looking at the many generals below who were straightening their waists, Ueda Kenkichi coughed lightly, and then straightened his face and said: "Gentlemen, the North China garrison army has sent telegrams several times, asking us to send reinforcements to Rehe to rescue Chengde besieged by the China army, I don't know what you think about this?" ”

"The Kwantung Army now has nearly twenty divisions of troops, and there is no problem at all in sending two divisions to the rescue, and we should send reinforcements immediately."

"Joke, send two divisions? If the losses are too large, who will replenish us, our soldiers and guns are all produced by us in Manchuria, not only to supply the entire Kwantung Army, but also to supply a part of the imperial ** team in North China and Central China, we are not a boy of scattered wealth. ”

"Two divisions are too many, one division is enough."

"Who said that one division is enough, you must know that we are facing the Chahar army of China, not the miscellaneous army of China, and it takes at least three divisions and regiments to reinforce it."

In the conference room, dozens of division commanders and staff officers said everything, but none of them took the initiative to stand up and recommend themselves to go.

Last year, the base camp forcibly assigned the Rehe River that the Kwantung Army had beaten down to the North China Garrison Army, and the generals of the Kwantung Army were holding their breath in their hearts, but now they are reaching out to ask for reinforcements, how can there be such a good thing.

"Silence" Suddenly, a sharp voice broke the noise in the conference room, suppressing all the noisy sounds.

When everyone looked at it, it turned out to be the chief of staff Tojo Hideki, Tojo Hideki looked around majestically at the generals and reprimanded: "You are soldiers of the empire, but you are arguing in the conference room like NV people, don't forget, the North China garrison army is also the army of the empire, how can you say that?" I know that you are dissatisfied with the base camp's assignment of Rehe to the North China garrison a few days ago, but that is the decision of the base camp, and we should all obey it unconditionally. ”

As the chief of staff of the Kwantung Army, Hideki Tojo still has to give this face, and everyone bowed their heads after Hideki Tojo finished speaking.

"Hey, the chief of staff said yes."

"En" Hideki Tojo nodded with satisfaction: "Then you can come to a máo and recommend yourself, who wants to rescue Chengde?" ”

"Eh" dozens of division commanders, you look at me, I look at you, and they don't make a sound. Here in the Northeast, life is good, why do you have to go to Chengde to work hard with others, and more importantly, even if the siege of Chengde is relieved, the North China garrison army may not be able to accept the favor of the Kwantung Army.

For a while, the conference room was cold, and everyone reversed the excitement of the party, and they all learned the silence of the monks in the temple.

"You" Hideki Tojo almost got angry when he saw the scene in the conference room, and he pretended to be stupid for me, okay, then I'll name it.

Hideki Tojo, who was angry, was about to call his name, when suddenly a figure stood up and said loudly: "If Chief of Staff Tojo is willing, our division is willing to take the lead."

Ho, finally one came out, Hideki Tojo looked over happily, yo It turned out to be Lieutenant General Yoshiharu Takeshita of the 139th Division.

"Yo Sai" Hideki Tojo nodded with satisfaction: "Takeshita-kun is worthy of being a pillar of the empire, and his determination to share the worries of His Majesty the Emperor is worthy of recognition." Anyone else is going? ”

"Wait" At this time, General Ueda Kenkichi, who had been silent, spoke up.

"The number of divisions to be reinforced this time is limited to two divisions, and it is not appropriate to have more, as any more will have an impact on the security of Manchuria."

Tojo Hideki was a little dissatisfied in his heart, his original intention was to transfer four divisions to Chengde, but now that the commander has spoken, he is not easy to object, so he has to nod: "Okay, according to what the commander said, we will transfer two divisions to reinforce Chengde, and the rest of the divisions will let the first brigade of independent chariots go, after all, Rehe is a plain area, which is also conducive to the play of chariots." ”

In this way, at the meeting, everyone gave the troops to go to reinforce Chengde. Just as everyone was getting up and preparing to end the meeting, a staff officer suddenly walked in quickly.

"Report to the commander, the North China garrison army called, and Beiping was lost"

This report was like a thunderbolt that hit everyone and hit everyone's hearts.

"Nani? Lost in Beiping? ”

The first reaction of everyone was impossible, there are three divisions of the empire attacking in Beiping, two of which are permanent divisions of the empire, among which Okamura Ningji's second division is known as one of the two most capable divisions of the empire, how can it be lost?

"How is this possible?" Hideki Tojo's face changed suddenly: "Do you know that lying about military intelligence will lead to a military court."

"Hey, don't dare to lie, this is a telegram just sent by Commander Tadajun, please take a look at the commander and the chief of staff."

The communications staff officer did not dare to slack off, and hurriedly handed over the telegram in his hand.

"Hún egg, how did this Tada Jun command, the three divisions were actually driven out of Beiping by just three divisions." After reading the telegram, Hideki Tojo jumped up in anger.

Ueda Kenkichi also frowned after looking at the telegram in his hand, the North China garrison army lost the battle, and the base camp will definitely tilt some of the materials and troops originally transferred to Manchuria to North China, which will inevitably affect the strategic layout of the Kwantung Army, which will definitely have an impact on the Kwantung Army's originally planned plan.

'Damn, can't you just let me, an old man, spend the remaining two years and retire with peace of mind? Ueda Kenkichi cursed in his heart.

Beiping City

Just last night, the 2nd Division was the first to quietly withdraw from the battlefield, and along the way they joined up with the 21st Division and moved towards the south of the city. Due to the concealment of Okamura's movements, they abandoned all unnecessary baggage and seriously wounded, and the speed of action increased greatly, so that when Huang Jie's 12th Division on the opposite side found out, the sky had already begun to brighten, and the 2nd Division had already completed the rendezvous with the 11th Division and had begun to retreat.

"Hún eggs, we were all played by Okamura Ninji"

Just yesterday afternoon, the 2nd Division launched several counter-offensives, and a large number of wounded soldiers pounced on the tanks and all the Chahar soldiers on the street from all corners with bombing bags, and the 12th Division was caught off guard by a few blocks before it could gain a foothold.

Unexpectedly, this turned out to be Okamura Ningji's trick, the commander of the 12th Division, Huang Jie, the commander of the 10th Division, Peng Zeyuan, and the 36th Division, commanding nearly 60,000 troops, began the pursuit.

However, they had to admit that the tenacity and quality of the Japanese army in retreating were indeed a shame for the vast majority of the world's armies.

Whenever the Chahar army approached, the troops behind would automatically split up a Xiǎo force to stay behind to fight the blockade. First the wounded soldiers, and then even the non-combatants joined, until the whole army was annihilated, Chahar's army would never be able to move forward, this kind of gecko broke its tail to survive the madness amazed the several division commanders in charge of the pursuit, and they also understood why Commander Su always said that even our most hated enemy has something to learn from us.

In this way, Kimura Hyotaro finally brought the troops back to Tianjin despite the bombing of the plane above his head and the pursuers behind him.