However, on the telegram, Yang Zhen also hoped that the troops in the southeast battlefield of Shanxi would be able to closely monitor the line of Dongyang Pass, Bicheng, Huangze Pass, and Junji Pass, which were close to the Wu'an Theater. If possible, it is better to draw a force and spread along the line from Fukou to Dongyang Pass. We should also pay more attention to Shexian and Linxian, which are still under the control of the Japanese army.

Yang Zhen repeatedly reminded the troops fighting in the southeast of Jin Province that although the Japanese army in northern Henan has already poured north, this does not mean that the entire direction of northern Henan is too peaceful. The Japanese army was on the line from Huaiqing to Jiyuan between the south of Zhongtiao Mountain and the Yellow River, and there was also an independent mixed brigade stationed there.

In Jixian and Xinxiang on the north bank of the Yellow River, and Kaifeng on the south bank of the Yellow River, a division was also stationed. And behind these divisions, at the junction of Henan, Anhui, Lusu, and Suzhou, the Japanese army still has two divisions and regiments that can go north at any time. There is no need for all the Japanese troops to be dispatched, even if only half of the troops are transferred north, no matter which direction they are thrown, it will bring tremendous pressure.

Yang Zhen repeatedly reminded the deputy commander-in-chief and his old chief in the telegram that the pressure that might be brought by giving the First War Zone to the Japanese army in eastern and northern Henan should not be imagined too great. First of all, after two consecutive battles in central Henan and eastern Henan, the strength of the first theater was too lost, and it was difficult to have the strength to go east out of eastern Henan at present.

At the same time, judging from the current international and domestic political situation as a whole, even if the current strength of the First World War Zone is complete, I am afraid it is difficult to count on them to take action. At present, the entire battlefield in North China still has to rely on its own strength. As for some aspects, it is already very good if it is not demolished.

Okamura Ninji, a China expert, will definitely not fail to understand this. Therefore, in the southeastern and northern Henan battlefields, including the southern Hebei battlefield, we must guard against the subsequent investment of new vital forces by the Japanese army. In the northern Henan region, which is close to the southeast of Shanxi, Shexian, Huojia, and Xinxiang, we must pay close attention. This includes Linxian County, where the terrain in the west is complicated, and it is difficult to carry out large-scale operations.

In order to ensure that the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region can have sufficient troops, while fighting this battle in the southeast of Shanxi, it still has the spare strength to respond to emergencies. Yang Zhen also called the boss and the Jinchaji and Jinsui Military Regions respectively, hoping that they could transfer the troops currently on the front line in Taiyuan and the northeast of Shanxi into the southeast battlefield of Shanxi as reserves.

At present, the Jinsui Military Region has no actual operational objectives, and most of its troops have now been freed up, except for guarding in the southwest direction with one part of its troops. At least three to five brigades can be transferred to the southeastern battlefield of Shanxi Province to cooperate in the operation. The five brigades and units of the Jin-Cha-Ji region in the northeastern region of Shanxi can also go south to participate in the war.

As a matter of fact, the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region has been completely liberated along the Zhengtai Railway and the Beitongpu Railway, and there is basically no hostility in the vicinity of the base area except for the eastern Hebei direction. All areas under the jurisdiction of the entire Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region have become solid base areas, and they are also the most stable theaters among all major theaters of the whole army so far.

It is actually of little significance for the two old brigades deployed in the northeastern part of Shanxi Province and the two brigades that have completed operations along the Zhengtai Road, as well as the three brigades newly formed by the local armed forces of the Hebei-Jin Military Region and the Chahar Military Region, to remain in the northeastern part of Shanxi. These five brigades could completely go south to fight and hand over the base areas to the local armed garrisons.

After sending telegrams to several regions, Yang Zhen personally drafted a telegram to the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region. In this telegram, Yang Zhen demanded that the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region must use the main force to clamp down on a division of the Japanese army west of the Pinghan Line and attacking on the Wu'an line.

On the eastern front, let Kaiqu Zhou go to the Guantao line, and retreat the defensive line to the line from Jize to Weixian.

This time, Yang Zhen sent a telegram to the leaders of the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region, and his attitude was unusually resolute. The troops of the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region are required to carry out their own orders and take action within eight hours of receiving the orders. The troops deployed in front of Guantao and Quzhou were withdrawn to the direction of Weixian, Guangzong, and Jize in the direction of Jize.

Didn't the Japanese army want to use the 118th Division as a bait to mobilize its troops deployed on the Western Front to the south and disrupt its own deployment, so as to completely isolate Chen Hanzhang's troops on the Eastern Front? Then I took the initiative to let go of the connection between this 118th Division and the Japanese army on the front line of Quzhou, and see what they would do next in the northwest battlefield of Shandong?

Although it is a stupid trick to scare the snake, no matter what trick it is, it is a good trick to be able to produce results. Under the circumstance that the strategic posture of the Japanese army is still not fully exposed, as long as the entire strategic intention of the Japanese army can be figured out, it does not matter if you are stupid.

However, in order to test it well, how the Japanese army wants to use this 118th Division, and at the same time, to appease the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region. Yang Zhen ordered the troops of the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region to let the opening of the Tao to the Quzhou line. Concentrate on the troops east of Pinghan Road and northwest of Shandong, and secretly concentrate around a reinforced brigade of the 118th Division to Xiasibao.

Taking advantage of the outstanding posture of the Japanese army in this unit, look for fighters to solve this reinforced brigade in Xiabaosi first. And with a force, along the line from Guantao to Xiabao Temple, looking for fighters to attack the reinforcements sent by the main force of the 118th Division of the Japanese army in the direction of Guantao. However, in the course of operations, we should not rush to achieve results, and we should pay attention to giving more play to the role of artillery.

Yang Zhen promised the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region how many shells they would shoot in this battle and how many shells they would replenish. However, there is one point: we must not cause too many casualties in the course of battle. It is necessary to pay attention to the strengths of one's own troops, and absolutely not to fight to the death with the Japanese army.

After sending a telegram to the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region and the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region, Yang Zhen pondered for a long time in front of the map. In the end, he gritted his teeth and ordered the two divisions that were originally scheduled to be transferred to Chen Hanzhang's eastern cluster to be finally transferred to Chen Hanzhang. However, Yang Zhen's request to Chen Hanzhang was not to fight the 118th Division first, but to take the 72nd Division first.

However, after giving Chen Hanzhang the order to fight the 72nd Division first, Yang Zhen repeatedly warned Chen Hanzhang on the telegram that when to fight, he had to wait for the order from the headquarters. Don't act rashly until you receive an order from headquarters. However, as long as the headquarters gives the order, the 72nd Division must be wiped out cleanly and thoroughly in the shortest possible time.

After the order to Chen Hanzhang was issued, Yang Zhen ordered the two brigades of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region, which were waiting north of the Cangshi Highway, to immediately enter the southern Hebei battlefield and take over the defensive line of the two divisions transferred to the eastern front. At the same time, he ordered the rest of the troops of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region under his command, as well as the first part of the local troops of the Central Hebei Military Region, to immediately carry out covert operations along the Shahe River.

In response to the adjustment of the deployment, in order to keep it as confidential as possible, Yang Zhen personally urged Chai Shirong to come up with a plan for progress. For this plan, Yang Zhen has only one requirement, that is, the mobilized troops must be concealed when they advance. Until the last moment, the Japanese army must not be allowed to detect their movements.

Although he knew that this would delay time, for Yang Zhen, this was also a helpless choice. The speed of the new reconnaissance planes deployed by the Japanese army in this battle was extremely fast, and the two fighters that the Anti-Japanese Union had put into the North China battlefield were quite difficult to intercept. And its long endurance is also quite rare, and almost the entire Hebei battlefield can't escape their thief's eyes.

Although the attendance rate of this kind of reconnaissance plane is not very high, this kind of reconnaissance plane with long legs and fast speed has caused great trouble to the Anti-United Nations. In order to avoid the thief's eyes of these reconnaissance planes and ensure that the movement of the troops would not be alerted by the Japanese army in advance, Yang Zhen still insisted on letting the troops advance at night.

Perhaps Yang Zhen gave enough benefits, this time there was no dispute in the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region, although it was not clear what Yang Zhen's intention was to let the 118th Division join the Japanese army east of Pinghan Road. However, the troops of the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region still chose to obey the order. The two brigades that were blocked on the Quzhou line adopted the method of alternate cover and gradually withdrew to the Jize line.

At the same time, the two brigades on the first line of Guantao were also withdrawn to the first line of Weixian County to secretly concentrate, and the road between Guantao and Quzhou was opened. and mobilized a brigade of the second line plus four independent regiments to secretly advance to the direction of Matou between Wei County and Qiu County to assemble. Prepare to cooperate with the two brigades withdrawn from the direction of Guantao, and first solve the Japanese army in the direction of Xiasibao.

Yang Zhen let go of the Guantao line, but the 118th Division did not continue to the west and converged with the enemy in the direction of Quzhou. Instead, after taking Guantao County, the whole army suddenly turned around and launched a full-scale attack on Wei County in the northwest with the tactics of two brigades advancing at the same time. Directly outflank the first part of the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region, which was secretly assembling in the northeast of Qiu County and preparing to defeat the enemy of the temple fort first.

The sudden action of the 118th Division caught the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region somewhat off guard. Fortunately, under Yang Zhen's constant reminders, his troops in the northwest of Lu were not in a hurry to attack Xiasibao. In the face of a division of the Japanese army that was rapidly outflanking, the reaction was also quick. Before being surrounded by the Japanese army, they quickly withdrew to the north of Wei County.

But no one expected that the 118th Division would follow behind the troops of the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region, bite the unit and not let go, and successively seize Xianggu City and Weixian County seats. The Japanese army east of Pinghan Road, after taking Quzhou, in addition to continuing to attack in the direction of Jize and Pingxiang with the main force, also entered the territory of Guangzong with a force. And seized the strategic point of the Guangzong and Quzhou highway town Dongbao.

At the same time that the 118th Division had actually opened up contact with the southern Hebei battlefield and completed the turnaround. The 72nd Division, which had been grinding on both sides of the Qingliang River, also suddenly accelerated its action. The two wings, advancing in unison, launched an attack on the whole line against the blocking forces of the anti-coalition on the north bank of the Qingliang River.

At the same time, the offensive power of the Japanese army on the battlefield in northern Lubei was also increasing. In particular, the 22nd Division on the Texas front line saw a sharp increase in its attacking intensity. When they came up, they adopted the posture of pressing on the whole line of the three wings, and launched a series of attacks on the Texas frontal anti-coalition forces.

At the same time as the war situation in northwest Shandong and southern Hebei changed abruptly, the Japanese army attacking west of the Pinghan line. Suddenly, with a force, he turned to the Taihang Mountains. In the direction of Jicheng and Yangyi on the periphery of Huangze Pass, an extremely fierce attack was launched. Even the direction of Shexian, which had been calm before, became tense as all the Japanese puppet troops in Shexian were dispatched to cross the Qingzhang River and attack in the direction of Fukou.

The Japanese army, which had been shrinking in the county seat of Shexian County, suddenly crossed the Qingzhang River and launched an attack in the direction of Fukou. Although the total number of troops invested is only one army of the puppet army and two infantry brigades of the Japanese army. However, the geographical location of Shexian County close to Fukou made the Taihang Military Region break out in a cold sweat.

The enemy of Shexian launched an offensive on the front line of Fukou, and he was in a hurry. Although the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region had agreed to Yang Zhen's request to deploy the military region along the Zhengtai Road and the five brigades north of the Zhengtai Road to the south to participate in the battle. However, the five brigades are still in the process of assembling and preparing, and have not yet had time to move south.

The two brigades of the Jinsui Military Region have just set off on the Taiyuan front, and they are still far from Fukou. In the entire territory of Licheng, west of Fukou, the available strength of the Taihang Military Region was only one independent regiment of the division, and it was the time when the strength was the most empty. Although the Japanese army dispatched in Shexian County did not have many troops, and it was mainly a puppet army, it was at a critical juncture.