Chapter 352: Evacuation

In Tongliao, in the newly constructed semi-permanent fortifications, Hu Lian, who had just been appointed commander of the 41st Group Army, held a telescope in his hand, looking at the Japanese position in the distance, his face was quite dignified, and the two stars on his shoulders were shining. Facing the increasing strength of the Japanese Kwantung Army, Hu Lian now feels considerable pressure.

Just a few days ago, the Kwantung Army recruited 300,000 new recruits to form 12 divisions and six independent brigades, plus the original strength, the Kwantung Army at this time had 900,000 troops.

Umezu Mijiro planned to deploy 500,000 troops on the front line of Tongliao and Zhangwu, which formed a huge pressure on the 150,000 horses of Hu Lian's 41st Group Army, and in the face of the continuous flow of Japanese troops, this invisible pressure almost overwhelmed Hu Lian.

Although Chahar has recently formed 16 infantry divisions, it will take two months to form combat effectiveness, but Hu Lian does not think that Umezu Mijiro will give him two months to wait for reinforcements.

"No, we must not continue like this, we will suffer a big loss if we continue like this, our battle line is too long, our forces have been used to the limit, in case of defeat anywhere, the consequences will be devastating." Thinking of this, Hu Lian felt irritable in his heart.

After turning around the same place a few times, Hu Lian immediately walked into the headquarters, sat down at the table, and began to draw up a telegram himself: "Commander Su Jun Jian, since January, the Japanese Kwantung Army has continuously increased its troops to our army's front line of Tongliao and Zhangwu, and new enemy numbers have continued to appear, as of yesterday, the enemy has deployed more than 300,000 troops on the outer line of our army, including more than 500 artillery pieces including heavy artillery, and more than 300 tanks, and our Seventh Theater has now used its strength to the limit. If the Japanese army launched an attack, it would be difficult for our army to resist the attack of the enemy's superior forces, so I humbly implored the commander to abandon the defense of Nanking and withdraw the troops to Rehe to strengthen our troops. It is the duty of a soldier to defend the country, but he must do what he can, and he must not attack everywhere'

"Don't attack everywhere, be attacked on all sides, and it is really unwise to use the strength of our four provinces to enemy the Japanese army," In the Nanjing Garrison Headquarters, the communications staff officer read the telegram he had just received, and secretly looked at Su Tong's reaction next to him out of the corner of his eyes, but unfortunately Su Tong just listened expressionlessly, and he couldn't see any expression on his face.

The staff officer who was reading the telegram broke out in a cold sweat on his back, this Commander Hu is really bold, Chongqing has just approved the report handed over by Commander Su requesting the Central Committee to promote Hu Lian to commander of the 41st Group Army and to be promoted to lieutenant general, this dare to make a big comment on Commander Su's strategy of employing troops, and his courage is not ordinary. Isn't he afraid that Chief Su will be angry and push him to the end and transfer him to Yùmén Pass to gnaw sand?

"To the chief of the Su to the overall situation, to the national affairs of the country, must not be for the gain or loss of a place and ruin Chahar's hard-won foundation, earnest" The staff officer did not dare to read it anymore, he gave the telegram to Su Tong, who was still pondering, although he was a little frightened, but still stubbornly said: "Chief Su, I think that although Chief Hu's words are inappropriate, his original intentions are still good, please don't blame Chief Hu." ”

"Yes!" Su Tong came back to his senses and asked, "What did you say?" ”

"Sir, I think that although Chief Hu's words are inappropriate, his intentions are still good, you must not take it to heart." The young communications staff officer plucked up the courage and said loudly, commanding the troops for several years, making the current Su Tong more and more majestic, and ordinary subordinates dare not be presumptuous in front of him, this staff officer can be regarded as commendable to say these words under the strong aura of Chief Su.

When Su Tong heard this, he burst out laughing, "Do you think I will punish him?" You're too tired of looking at me Su, okay, go down first! ”

"Yes!" The staff officer saluted and exited Su Tong's office, gently taking Mén with him as he left.

To be honest, when he first heard Hu Lian's telegram, he was indeed a little angry in his heart, and Hu Lian criticized his strategy of using troops in the telegram as worthless, and faintly pointed out that his spending of valuable troops in Nanjing was not only a great failure, but also made Chahar, which was already not rich in troops, even more clumsy, causing the Rehe defense line to fall into the dilemma of insufficient troops.

But after Su Tong came back to his senses, he had to admit that Hu Lian was very reasonable, he was indeed too much in the use of troops, Chahar is not rich enough to let him squander it at will, and now the Kwantung Army soldiers are still confronting Matsui Shigen here in Nanjing, but they forget that Chahar is their foundation, it seems that they have lived too smoothly in the past two years, but they have forgotten the truth that the arrogant army will be defeated.

It seems that it is imperative to withdraw troops from Nanjing, after all, Nanjing is too far away from Chahar, but how to withdraw still needs to be carefully considered.

"Report!" At this moment, there was a knock on the office.

"Come in!"

Luo Zhuoying pushed away Mén with a calm face and walked in, and gave Su Tong a telegram Jiāo, and Su Tong saw that it turned out to be a statement from the Japanese government, which not only condemned the 'atrocities' of Su Tong and Chahar, but also approved the Japanese military's request to send 400,000 more troops to China within half a month.

If the 400,000 troops of the Japanese army joined up with the more than 200,000 troops of Matsui Shigen under the city of Nanjing, Su Tong would have no way to do anything even if he had the ability to reach the sky.

"Hmph, xiǎo Japan is going to fight with us!" Su Tong sneered and threw this statement into the waste paper.

"Sir, are we still guarding Nanjing?" Luo Zhuoying's heart was very uneasy, and reason told him that Nanjing would never be able to hold, if the Japanese army of 600,000 was allowed to meet, in the face of the Japanese army's crazy attack, if he still had to hold on, there was only the danger of annihilation.

Su Tong was silent for a while and then suddenly smiled, "Since the Japanese want Nanjing City so much, let's give it to him, isn't it just a city, we will fight back in the future, but how to retreat, we have to sum it up." ”

Luo Zhuoying looked at Su Tong's smile and suddenly felt a little chill on her body, and she had a bad feeling in her heart, as if she was being calculated by someone.

Su Tong pulled out a chair and stretched out his hand to signal Luo Zhuoying to sit down, and after organizing the language in his mind, he said, "Brother You Qing, I'm afraid Nanjing City can't hold it." ”

Su Tong's words made Luo Zhuoying stunned, and then nodded slowly, Su Tong nodded: "The Japanese have already suffered too many losses outside Nanjing, and they will definitely fight to capture Nanjing for their face." And our forces are limited, and it is impossible to fight the Japanese to the end. Therefore, now we can only avoid the enemy's edge and temporarily withdraw to Chahar, I don't know what Brother You Qing's plans are after retreating? ”

After listening to Su Tong's words, how could such a smart person as Luo Zhuoying not know Su Tong's plans, and this guy has not forgotten the idea of pulling people until now! Thinking of this, Luo Zhuoying couldn't help but cry and laugh a little, I had heard that this Chief Su had a hobby of love and talent, and he liked to pull people everywhere, and now it seems that this is really the case!

"Brother You Qing, to be honest, now that Nanjing City has been surrounded, if you want to get out, you can only go by air, but our transportation capacity is limited, so we can only withdraw the troops to Chahar first, of course, after arriving in Chahar, I hope you will consider carefully where to go." After Su Tong finished speaking, he picked up the phone and ordered the staff officers to notify the military commanders of all the troops to come to the front headquarters for a meeting

General Su is retreating from the city of Nanjing!

This news quickly caused a sensation in the entire city of Nanjing, and for a time Nanjing shook, China shook, and the whole world shook.

Su Tong also knew that such a big thing as the withdrawal of troops could not be hidden from others, so Suo Xìng announced in a high-profile manner that the withdrawal of troops from Nanjing would begin from now on, and when the withdrawal was completed, Nanjing would become an undefended city.

Now from the air, the planes in the sky are constantly going back and forth between Nanjing and Chahar all day long, and the Japanese army, which has lost its air power, can only watch as Chahar's air force transports soldiers and supplies from Nanjing City to Chahar.

"Hún account, they are too arrogant, they dare to transport personnel and materials so swaggeringly, they don't take our Great Japanese Empire seriously." Prince Hatohiko of the Asaka Palace slammed his hand on the table, and his eyes widened with rage.

"Matsui-kun, we must attack Nanjing City while they are retreating, otherwise we will lose face in the Japanese Empire!"

Prince Hatohiko of Asakanomiya is right, the results obtained by conquering a city and the enemy's initiative to abandon a city are completely different. The Japanese army has been attacking Nanjing for nearly two months, and more than 60,000 people have been killed and wounded, but they have been abandoned by the enemy on their own initiative.

"Your Excellency, since the enemy has taken the initiative to abandon the city of Nanjing and declared it to be an undefended city, we should accept it as soon as we see it, and stop fighting with that 'madman'. Your Excellency the Prince, please think about it, this Su Tong dares to retreat so swaggeringly and high-profile, it is difficult to guarantee that there is any way back, if our actions are too fierce, who can guarantee that the 16th Division will not be repeated? Besides, even if they didn't have any tricks, with their powerful air power, if our troops left the cover of the position and were on the unsheltered ground, then "Matsui Shigen shuddered at the thought of this.