October 15, 3 p.m., Jiaonan, the headquarters of the Japanese Shandong Dispatch Army.

Terauchi Masayi led the headquarters of the dispatch army to this place for only two hours, and it also occupied the middle school - Jiaonan Middle School. Since the implementation of the education policy in New China, Shandong has been at the forefront of implementation, basically achieving the goal of one middle school in one county, and most counties have built new middle schools with high standards. Jiaonan Middle School was rebuilt on the basis of the Confucian Temple, there are no new-style buildings, and a large number of antique old buildings are hidden among the towering pines and cypresses.

This was originally the location of the Logistics Command of the Dispatch Army. Due to the presence of a large number of people, the school, which was already very spacious, became crowded. The staff officers and logistical personnel who came and went in a hurry all tried their best to relax their pace, and the rapidly turning battle situation shrouded the headquarters of the dispatch army in a suffocating atmosphere.

Because the joy of the imminent reinforcements from the country burst like a soap bubble. The two elites of the Chinese army that suddenly came out of the direction of Zhucheng rushed towards Jiaoxian and Jiaonan respectively, and defeated the 19th Wing against the Jiaoxian force, and defeated the field wing that had been damaged in front of the Qingdao fortress, and Jiaoxian was in danger. On the one hand, the chief of staff of Onishi, who was in charge of directing the clean-up operation, ordered the headquarters to retreat to Jiaonan, and on the other hand, transferred the 6th Wing, which was transferred from the 3rd Division, to Jiaonan to cover the retreat of the headquarters.

In the face of the crisis, Major General Onishi couldn't take much care of it, and forced the staff officers to "kidnap" General Terauchi Masashi out of Jiaoxian, and he stayed in Jiaoxian to command two wings to resist the swarming Chinese army.

The general of the temple considered the problem of face and resolutely refused to evacuate Jiaoxian. On the northern front, two divisions were basically besieged (the 24 brigade was still free). When the 3rd Division of the Southern Front also fell into the pincer net, he fled to Jiaonan near the coast to save his life, which not only added to the navy's incompetence in attacking the army, but also completely ruined its position in the army. The battle has reached this point, rather than fleeing to Jiaonan and then apologizing, it is better to die in Jiaoxian. Therefore, the temple put up the shelves of army generals and imperial counts, and resolutely refused to retreat. However, Onishi could not let the Imperial Army generals die in battle, which would not only lose the face of the Empire, but also make a large number of generals, including himself, unlucky. Even if he is exempted from court-martial, his future in the Army is completely over. Therefore, Onishi disregarded humility. Ordered the commander to be escorted out of the city.

Just when the temple has not yet left Jiaoxian. Another piece of bad news has arrived. An unknown Chinese army appeared in the southwest of Jiaonan County and exchanged fire with the Japanese army's grain team, which made the temple tremble. If Jiaonan is captured, the rear base of the dispatch army will be destroyed. Even the 9th Division was caught in the net. Even if reinforcements arrived, it didn't make sense. The temple is no longer "reserved". Hurriedly led the headquarters to withdraw to Jiaonan. He also issued an order to the 9th Division, ordering the 18th Brigade, which had been withdrawn, to quickly occupy Jiaonan to ensure that Jiaonan was not lost and to firmly control the Jiaoxian-Jiaonan Road.

The sortie of the main force of the 1st Division on Jiaoxian and Jiaonan disrupted the contingency plan of the Japanese Shandong Dispatch Army Command. After receiving a notification from the country about the urgent reinforcement of troops (11th Division). The Dispatch Command developed a plan to turn the tide of the war with trial reinforcements. It was decided to use reinforcements on the southern front on a trial basis, and to use the 9th Division to control Qingdao and prevent the Qingdao defenders from attacking; With reinforcements as the main force, they advanced along the attack route of the original 3rd Division, first rescued the 3rd Division, and then fought all the way north, unraveling the traps carefully designed by the Chinese one by one. The offense and defense will be reversed, and it is not a dream to occupy Jiyang or even Jinan.

Onishi optimistically estimated that the 11th Division would be the decisive force, and that the troops that had already been invested by the Shina Army, like ours, had already been exhausted after twenty days of hard fighting, and that the input of the 11th Division would completely change the shape of the battlefield. Onishi even said that in a large-scale battle, even the investment of a battalion of cutting-edge forces would have an immeasurable impact on the battle situation, let alone an entire division?

But it will take time. The 11th Division is gathering additional troops, weapons and ammunition, and with the time taken by sea, it will take at least a week to reach Jiaozhou Bay. Therefore, the dispatched army strictly ordered the Japanese troops in all units to hold on to the reinforcements in order to gain time.

Of course, Onishi and the temple took into account the increase in the Chinese army, so they sent a strategic telegram to the country, using a qiē means to stop the reinforcements of the Chinese people on the Shandong battlefield! After 20 days of development of the battle, all the attitude of contemptuous of the Chinese army has long since disappeared, and if the Chinese army sends reinforcements to Shandong again, even if there is only one division, the situation will be uncontrollable!

What I never expected was that the Chinese army actually hid a strong army on the front line of Zhucheng, and it has been confirmed that the number of the department is the 1st Division, the starting unit of the Mengshan Army, and one of the three main forces of the Chinese army. If Jiaonan is captured, the 11th Division will be isolated from the battlefield, and when the 11th Division breaks through the blockade, the Japanese army on the outer line is afraid that it will be finished!

When General Terauchi entered Jiaonan, he had already heard a fierce shelling from the southwest, and the 18th Brigade had already engaged in fire with the Chinese Army, so he immediately summoned the commander of the 18th Brigade and learned about the battle situation in person, and the communication problems were always so headaches, and the wired telephone with the 18th Brigade had not yet been connected, and the telegram could not tell what the Temple wanted to know, so he could only summon people.

It was not the brigade commander who came, but a staff officer. This was a rarity among the Japanese army, which had strict military orders. It can be proved that the prestige of the temple has fallen to the point of precariousness. The temple didn't care about it, and immediately listened to the report of the young staff officer.

The situation was very serious, the combat staff officer of the 18th brigade reported the situation, there was no less than one brigade of the Shina Army in the face, the battle was unfolded in a section more than ten kilometers away from Jiaonan, the brigade occupied several villages as support points, the attack of the Shina Army was fierce, and the battle was raging.

Needless to say, the cannon sound was so dense that it could not be distinguished, and the heavy thunder rolled towards the southwest sky.

The 18th Brigade is a brigade, but its 19th Wing has already been transferred, and the rest of the troops have been bleeding in the Qingdao Fortress, and their strength has declined, counting the directly subordinate troops, the number of soldiers who can fight is only 3500, and the opponent's troops and firearms are much stronger!

"Immediately collect all the forces and hand them over to the 18 Brigade! Be sure to stop the people of China! "After the temple gave the order to the chief of staff, he actually bowed to the young man." If you get rid of it, please tell Major General Matsushima and ask him to make sure that he makes use of the bravery of the Imperial Army and repel the Shina people to hold out until the situation improves. ”

After Shaozuo left, the temple issued an order to give up Jiaoxian and withdraw to Jiaonan in the east. This order actually abandoned the 3rd Division, or put aside the 3rd Division for the time being, and first concentrated the limited forces to ensure the safety of this landing site.

Major General Onishi led the main forces of the 6th and 19th Wings back to Jiaonan at 9 o'clock that night, and the 6th Wing was sent out to transfer to the 18th Brigade without resting, before that. The 18th Brigade was already supported by 1,200 miscellaneous troops collected by the command. The arrival of the 6th Wing will significantly improve the defensive posture of the 18th Brigade.

It has been ascertained that it was the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Division of the Chinese Army that attacked Jiaonan. After 20 days of fighting, the upper echelons of the Japanese army had a full understanding of the combat effectiveness of the Chinese Defense Forces. A workhorse like the 2nd brigade. Even if the 18 brigade is fully loaded, it may not be an opponent. What's more, the 18th Brigade is already in ruins?

Fortunately, the 3rd Brigade of the Chinese Army attacking Jiaoxian had not yet followed, and Onishi left a brigade of the 19th Wing behind, judging by Onishi. The brigade will fight back tomorrow to break through the resistance of the broken brigade and join the direction of Jiaonan.

Major General Onishi, who had returned to the headquarters, immediately "returned" to the role of chief of staff, quickly gathered information from all sides, and checked the map one by one with a thick stack of battle reports in his hand. The bright gas lamp illuminated Onishi's bearded face like a ghost.

In the direction of Weixian, the 6th Division, which had been ordered by General Ternai to abandon the attack on Weixian and turn to the south, was already under heavy siege. The division failed to break through the resistance of the 2nd Division of the Chinese Army and did not achieve a rendezvous with the 18th Division. Now around this strongest division are the 16th Division, the 1st Brigade, the 5th Brigade of the 2nd Division, and the 6th Brigade of the Chinese Army! And the 4th Brigade, the main force of the division, has already conquered Wamiao, and according to the latest battle order of the headquarters, it turned around and rushed north to Changyi!

The 6th Division has been encircled in the area east of Weixian, north of Cheliuzhuang, and east of Changyi! If Changyi is captured by the interspersed detachments of the Chinese army, the road for the 6th Division to retreat east will be completely cut off! In addition to jumping north into the sea to escape, I am afraid that there is no way out.

The Qicheng direction was the most critical, and the 18th Division was already under siege. Surrounding them were the main forces of the 16th Brigade and the 6th Brigade of the Chinese Army. The strength of the Chinese army used in this battlefield is not large, but the combat unit of the Japanese army at the division headquarters has only two wings, both of which have suffered heavy blows in the two days of bloody battles, and the 46th wing has lost contact, according to General Kamio's report, the troops will run out of food and ammunition, and without foreign aid, the existing strength of the division alone cannot break through the encirclement of the Chinese people!

Onishi knew that not only was it impossible to break through, but it was also difficult for Lieutenant General Mitsutomi Kamio to set a record for the death of an active lieutenant general in battle.

In the Gaomi direction, the 3rd Division's assault on Jiaoxian failed, and the 3rd Division fell into the encirclement of the 14th and 18th Divisions of the Chinese Army. Lieutenant General Senba Taro continued to send telegrams to report that the division's artillery shells had run out, and that it had been bombed by Shina planes incessantly, and the situation was extremely critical.

In the direction of Jiaoxian, it is estimated that Jiaoxian has now been lost. Whether the 3rd Brigade of the Chinese Army would attack Jiaonan overnight, Onishi did not dare to determine, but he prepared for the worst, and the remnants of the 19th Wing (mainly the artillery and baggage troops of the Wing) had already built fortifications in the northwest direction of Jiaoxian.

The attack on Qingdao has stopped. After the 9th Division was transferred out of the 18th Wing, the divisional artillery also withdrew from the southern suburbs of Qingdao, but the defenders of Qingdao had already launched a powerful counterattack, entangled the 9th Division, and seemed to have the intention of containing the division and preventing it from retreating.

That's it. The Japanese army was passive on all fronts, and except for the 24th Brigade Regiment, which had withdrawn from Fushan to Longkou, none of the troops could move freely. If there is an anomaly in any of the areas (referring to the annihilation of the troops in the encirclement), more of the Chinese army will be given freedom of movement, and the situation will deteriorate further.

Onishi looked at the temple, and after three days, this high-ranking army general seemed to be ten years old! He was about to open his mouth to report, but when the words came to his lips, he swallowed again, and once again he was attached to the map.

Onishi finally cleared his thoughts, "Your Excellency, please allow me to report the situation. Onishi said loudly.

The temple opened its swollen eye bubbles.

"Your Excellency, for the sake of today's plan, the headquarters should immediately withdraw to the sea to coordinate the battle situation." Onishi tried to think as carefully as he could, "The headquarters can't be a burden on the operation. Jiaonan left a capable command post, led by me. ”

"Are you going to give up all the troops?" The tone of the temple was surprisingly calm.

"There's no better way." Onishi lowered his head in pain, "I can only hold on and wait for reinforcements to arrive." ”

"No, there must be no retreat!" A staff officer rushed over and shouted at Major General Onishi, "You national thief! How can such an order be given?! The divisions are still holding on, Major General Onishi, why did you withdraw from Jiaoxian and open the road to the Chinese army? You should apologize to the emperor by disembowelment! ”

"Matsuura Shaosa," the voice in the temple regained a little majesty, "what better can you do?" ”

"Report to Your Excellency the Commander! Our subordinates don't think we've failed! Please ask the commander to order all divisions to hold their existing positions! The 9th Division and the 19th and 6th Wings counterattacked, and first eliminated the Southern Front China Army. Then the 3rd Division was rescued from the west, and the situation was still salvageable. Matsuura gasped violently, "Your Excellency, Commander, please immediately build a base camp and launch an attack on Manchuria and Beijing!" Completely wipe out the Shina army! The last few words, Matsuura Shaoza shouted.

"Alright then, you go to the front. I appoint you as the Captain of the 2nd Brigade of the 19th Wing. Let's be loyal to His Majesty the Emperor. "There was an order in the temple that made all the officers in the war room feel sorry for themselves.

Onishi was surprised that the general actually remembered that the captain of the brigade had been martyred!

"Hay!" Matsuura Shaosari saluted the temple, glared at Major General Onishi fiercely, and walked out of the war room quickly.

"Onishi-kun, I order you to immediately return to the warship with most of your staff officers, establish a backup headquarters and establish contact with the ministries. Leave a minimum of personnel here. The transfer of the wounded should be properly organized. ”

"Your Excellency, Commander!" Onishi exclaimed.

"It's an order! The base camp will soon have instructions, you have to sort out the process of failure in detail and report it truthfully to His Majesty the Emperor. We can no longer despise China! "The temple finally stopped calling Shina.

Onishi knew that the general of the temple was ready to be martyred. This is necessary, the dispatch army is in such a desperate situation, as the supreme commander, except for apologies, there is really no shame to return home.

But his future is completely over. Onishi closed his eyes in pain, why is this happening? After the empire lost these four divisions, the backbone of the army was broken! How long does it take to rejuvenate?

Attack Manchurian Beijing? Only these mid-level officers, who don't know the height of the sky, would come up with such a strategy. Think the Chinese can't think of it? Think the Chinese are defenseless? After the defeat of the Shandong Campaign, the Empire's continental policy will be severely attacked, and there will never be a chance to attack! (To be continued......)