Chapter 1205 Strategic Encirclement

Ito Yanzaburo didn't want to quarrel, let alone have any conflict with this powerful chief of staff, let alone look like a godfather like the previous chief of staff, even within the large system of the army, Takemura Yamaichi was not a faction with himself, not to mention, he also suspected that this guy was a supervisor sent by His Majesty the Emperor.

Ito endured the unhappiness in his heart, and said as gently as possible: "Takemura-kun, I have fought with the devil Tang Qiuli a few times, I still know about this person, scheming, love to use risks, and do not play cards according to common sense, this sudden withdrawal from Mogu, which has strong fortifications, its motive is questionable." ”

"Our best strategy at present is to stick to the defense line of the Libao Grand Canyon, and then mobilize elite troops to meet the independent division troops coming from the east, that is the great trouble of the imperial army, you know, around Mandalay, there is no terrain conditions that Libao can use, and more importantly, with the current state of our dispatched army, we can only determine one main attack direction."

In fact, Ito has clearly felt that a great danger is being sent to Southeast Asia, and Tang Qiuli's deployment is very clear, from the north and east of Burma, to form a strategic encirclement of the imperial army's troops, and the troops of the two corps of the independent division coming from the east are probably going to capture Mandalay and cut off their retreat to the Malay Peninsula.

The plan he formulated to attack the independent division troops in the east first was to avoid this danger from happening to him, but when he said this, can this guy Takemura believe it? Can you understand it?

Takemura Yamaichi put away his arrogant expression, but in his words, it carried a warning meaning, "Your Excellency the commander-in-chief, you shouldn't forget the order of the base camp, right?" Today is October 3, and there are still 10 days to go, and whether or not we can complete the plan for the battle of Burma approved by His Majesty the Emperor, we should not look ahead and worry about the future, and suffer from gains and losses; otherwise, we will miss the fighter plane, and the base camp will not let go of the investigation and accountability, and whether or not we can complete the plan for the battle of Burma with a solid defense system without a fight, and advance the front in the direction of Myitkyina, it should be an opportunity worth trying from any angle. ”

Ito couldn't hold it anymore, you guy, you are moving troops behind my back, I haven't reasoned with you yet, and you are aggressive here, can Tang Qiuli be so kind? Give Mogu to our imperial army for nothing? Pig brains, huh? So, he said coldly: "Takemura-kun, I am the supreme commander of the empire's Southeast Asian dispatch army, and all military operations cannot be carried out without my permission, of course, I will bear all the consequences myself, and I will not pass the buck to others, please rest assured that Takemura-kun is at ease." ”

The so-called words are not speculative for more than half a sentence, the conversation has been carried out to this point, in fact, it has already collapsed, Takemura is greedy for the big fat meat of the valley, and wants to send troops to occupy it, Ito is afraid of falling into Tang Qiuli's trap, and will never let a soldier out of the defense line of the Libao Grand Canyon, the opinions of the two are diametrically opposed, and the conversation can no longer be carried out.

didn't tear his face on the spot, it was finally the result of restraint on both sides, each with his own scruples, Ito was so depressed that he almost vomited blood and wanted to kill, in the history of the empire's Southeast Asian dispatch army, there has never been a chief of staff who dares to call the commander-in-chief in person, Takemura is the first person, and this Takemura is just a good and flattering guy, taking the lives of hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the dispatch army to cater to the inexplicable order of the base camp, it's really *** damned!

In Takemura Yamaichi's view, Ito Yanzaburo, who can be called a veteran general of the Japanese Army, is already old, belongs to the characters of the last century, and his tactics and tactics are stiff, and prudence is a euphemism, in fact, he is a coward, such a person is not worthy of commanding such a huge imperial front army, let alone being able to fulfill the grand desire of His Majesty the Emperor to conquer Asia.

Ito Yanzaburo and Takemura Sanichi didn't speak again, the atmosphere in the headquarters was depressed and solidified, and the staff officers in the room didn't dare to breathe.

"Report to Your Excellency Commander-in-Chief, that the troops who have left Mogok have reported that the enemy forces on the Mogok line have been completely withdrawn and have re-established their defensive positions on the line from Mon Mi to the Boudwin mining area," a staff officer came in with a telegram in his hand, and reported aloud.

Ito took the telegram and quickly read it, his face was so gloomy that he almost dripped water, but he had a sense of relief, glanced at Takemura, whose eyes flickered, and said: "Takemura-kun, this is a conspiracy of the devil Tang Qiuli, Mogu is the battlefield he gave us, let us carry out this battle according to his will." ”

Takemura didn't speak, but Ito clearly saw a trace of disapproval in his eyes, and Ito ordered: "Convey my order, the defenders on the front line of the Libao Grand Canyon, without my order, no one is allowed to enter and occupy Mogok, Takemura-kun, I truthfully state my opinion to the base camp, and ask to postpone the end of the Burma campaign." ”

Ito turned around and left, he didn't see it, Takemurayama's eyes were full of sarcasm, he came from the base camp, and, before leaving, he also went to the office of the chief of the general staff, and accepted the battle plan of the emperor's majesty in person, how could it be that you Ito Yanzaburo said that it could be changed? I don't know how thick the sky is, he can predict the result, it is a big nail.

On the evening of 3 October, Tang Qiuli, who was in Mengmi, received a report from the reconnaissance unit, "For three days and a whole day, there was no large-scale action of the Japanese army, only a small group of Japanese troops left the Libao defense line, entered Mogok, and went out to reconnoiter the front line of Mengmi, and then quickly retreated." ”

Tang Qiuli looked at the telegram and said to Tang Qiusheng with a smile: "Brother Qiusheng, this Ito, it seems that he has learned to be obedient, and he has become smart because he doesn't eat such a big piece of fat in Mogu!" ”

Tang Qiusheng nodded and said: "It can be inferred from this that the current strength of the Japanese army under Ito's command is not enough to launch a decisive attack, and Ito is still recovering his vitality. ”

Tang Qiuli nodded and said: "Brother Qiusheng, your analysis is absolutely correct, there is still a little possibility, Ito relied on the Libao Grand Canyon defense line, with a small number of troops to resist our attack, and free up his hands to mobilize the existing forces to deal with our two corps troops from the east, with Ito's old way and experience, it is not difficult to see that Feng Jiwu and Ma Chaoyang are their most deadly threats, and if they lose Mandalay, Ito will really be cut off from retreating." ”

Tang Qiusheng nodded, and then said: "If Ito really does this, Feng Jiwu's corps and Ma Chaoyang's corps will face an attack by the Japanese army with more troops than their own, even if they can drag the main force of the Japanese army on the line of the Salween River, their own losses will inevitably be very large, and they will form an endless battle to the death with the Japanese army in central Burma, which is contrary to your battle plan, and this problem must be solved." ”

Tang Qiuli muttered, "Ito, I hope you will retreat in the face of difficulties, it's not that I can't kill you, but it's useful to keep you," Tang Qiusheng didn't hear clearly, and asked, "Commander, what are you talking about?" ”

Tang Qiuli smiled without answering, and said to the chief of staff, Chang Feng: "Order, Le Yiqin's Southern Flying Group will carry out non-stop bombardment of the Japanese Libao Grand Canyon defense line, creating the illusion that we are about to launch a full-scale attack," Tang Qiusheng asked, "The Japanese army has not taken the bait, will the troops immediately return to the front-line position in Mogu?" ”

Tang Qiuli shook his head and replied: "No need, just put that piece of meat under Ito's nose, he can refuse the temptation, other senior Japanese generals may not, our bombers, drop bombs on the top of the Japanese army on the Libao Line, see if Ito dares to concentrate his forces on the Eastern Front, dare not go to the Eastern Front, Mogu he has to swallow it."

Tang Qiusheng smiled and said, "You, you can be regarded as having figured out the temper of the Japanese commander," Tang Qiuli smiled secretly, "It's not the temper of the Japanese commander, but the mind of that bullshit emperor, the Allied forces have a mutual defense agreement, how can it not make Emperor Hirohito panic in his heart, he wants to solve the Burma problem first, and then turn around to deal with the Americans, that's right." ”

Tang Qiuli picked up the phone, "Pick up the artillery commander Zheng Yong," "Is it Zheng Yong?" I order, all artillery units on the front line are under your command, and the artillery group must be able to cover the Mogu line in all directions," After putting down the phone, he said to Tang Qiusheng: "Brother Qiusheng, do you send an engineer unit to add some material to the Japanese on our position in Mogu, only artillery shells, I'm afraid it's not thorough?" ”

Tang Qiusheng sighed and shook his head, and said, "You, you are ruthless," After speaking, he went out to arrange the engineering troops, Tang Qiuli said to the chief of staff Chang Feng, "Chang Feng, immediately send a report to Feng Jiwu, Feng Jiwu's corps and Ma Chaoyang's corps, immediately accelerate the speed, put on a posture of capturing Mandalay, and gradually compress the small number of Japanese troops on the line of the Salween River to block the two corps back to the Mandalay area." ”

If we look at the situation of the entire Burma battlefield, the troops of the Independent Division, from the north and east, are like the upper and lower jaws of a vice, strategically forming a huge encirclement against the Japanese troops under Ito's Division, which is holding the line from Libao to Mandalay.

Such a situation, even if people without military common sense see it, they also know that the Japanese army under Ito is being attacked from two directions, and there is a danger of being encircled on the line from Libao to Mandalay.

Everything that should be done has been done, it depends on Ito's next move, he suddenly remembered that Chu Tian, who was commanding the troops and infiltrating the small group of Japanese troops in the rear, had cleared out the small group of Japanese troops, and two days had passed, and he didn't know what the results were, and those nasty flies, biting from time to time, were really uncomfortable.

"Yang Ketian! Yang Ketian! Tang Qiuli shouted loudly, Yang Ketian hurriedly came in, and behind him, there was a slender figure.