Seeing that everyone didn't speak, the chief of staff could only stand up and analyze: "The Eighth Route Army in Linfen is different from other Eighth Route Army units, it is well equipped and has strong combat effectiveness......

"What's more, they're scheming. This is evidenced by the battle situation that Linfen has repeatedly reported to us! ”

Murata Shaozo frowned and asked, "Chief of Staff, what do you want to say?" ”

The chief of staff hesitated for a moment and replied: "Sir, the Eighth Route Army is too cunning, and it is the best at breaking through the imperial army. In my opinion, the urgent need for our delay now is to concentrate all the troops outside the city in the county seat, rely on the county town to hold on, and not give the Eighth Route Army a chance to break us! ”

"What about outside the city? What about the interests of the Imperial Army outside the city? Murata Shaozo subconsciously wanted to agree. However, as the commander of the Japanese garrison in Xiangfen, if the Eighth Route Army ordered the troops to shrink as soon as the attack began, it would be too incompetent and cowardly!

The chief of staff analyzed: "Sir, the most important benefit of the entire Xiangfen to the imperial army is food!" Don't forget, just yesterday, all the grain collected by the towns from the people of China has been sent to the county seat, a total of more than 9 million catties, and it will be sent to Linfen City! ”

"Now that the grain has been harvested, in a short period of time, the imperial army will not get any other benefits from Xiangfen at all. Since this is the case, let's temporarily abandon the villages and towns outside the city, stick to the county seat, and protect the nine million catties of grain in the city! ”

"This has the added benefit of minimizing the losses of the Imperial Army."

"When the Linfen garrison regains its strength and reinforcements arrive, we still have the strength to cooperate with the main force to eliminate the Eighth Route Army that has entered Xiangfen. Instead of consuming troops on battles in front of you that you know you can't win! ”

Spring Shaozo did not answer, but frowned and fell into deep thought.

Just then, the operator in the next room rushed in.

"Sir, we have lost contact with Deng Zhuang! Radio contact and phone contact are all cut off! ”

The chief of staff was anxious and continued to persuade: "They must have met with an accident, sir. To be able to take the stronghold of Dengzhuang in such a short period of time and eliminate two companies of our reinforced squadron with puppet army, it is certain that the Eighth Route Army that entered Xiangfen must be the main force of the new regiment! ”

"If they are allowed to enter Xiangfen, our other squadron scattered outside the city will definitely repeat the mistake of the past and be wiped out by the new regiment. When the time comes, if the Eighth Route Army has the courage to attack the county seat, our troops to defend the county will not be enough! ”

"Sir, you have to make a decision right away, it's too late if you delay it any longer!"

Murata Shaozuo first showed a very painful expression on his face, and then gritted his teeth and scolded: "Eight Grid Tooth Road, the cunning Eighth Route Army, sooner or later, one day, I want you to pay for your blood debts!" ”

"Chief of Staff, immediately go and give an order: all our garrisons outside the city should quickly retreat to the county seat!"

"If the materials can be brought back, they will be brought back, and if they can't be brought back, they will be blown up, and they must not fall into the hands of the Eighth Route Army!"

"Also, connect me to Linfen immediately, I want to talk to the chief of staff on the phone!"

After Major General Matsumoto took away the military police at the headquarters of the Japanese brigade in Linfen City, the chief of staff became the supreme commander of Linfen City because the newly appointed brigade commander had not yet arrived.

For the past few days, the chief of staff has been walking on thin ice, and he is deeply afraid that something will happen to Linfen before the new brigade commander takes office.

"Jingle bell......" Suddenly, a rapid telephone ringing woke up the chief of staff who was frowning and thinking.

Less than a minute after receiving the phone call from the communications staff officer, the chief of staff's face changed, and beads of sweat the size of beans appeared directly on his forehead.

As soon as he put down the phone, he scolded: "Eight Geya Road, a cunning new group, no wonder Linfen is so quiet, it turns out that their goal has changed!" ”

Then he ordered the combat staff officer on the side: "Immediately mark the garrison situation of Xiangfen and the surrounding counties on the sand table!" ”

"Xiangfen was attacked by the Eighth Route Army, and the garrison had already reduced its troops to the county seat. However, we can't watch the new regiment control the villages and towns in Xiangfen except for the county seat, otherwise, their base area will be at least doubled, or even more! ”

"There is also the intelligence department, there is no news from such a large-scale troop movement of the Eighth Route Army!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the intelligence staff officer rushed in.

"Sir, urgent information, from the new regiment base area!"

"The new regiment and one battalion were stationed, and in the afternoon, most of the battalion of more than 500 troops were suddenly divided into the direction of Xiangfen to kill them!"

"Because the blockade of the Eighth Route Army's base area was too strict, the intelligence was sent to Linfen two hours later than usual!"

The chief of staff frowned and made a judgment: "These more than 500 people must be the Eighth Route Army attacking Xiangfen." The Xiangfen garrison was so incompetent, and more than 500 Eighth Route Army beat them like that! ”

The intelligence staff officer hesitated for a moment and replied: "Sir, these five hundred and eighth Route Army are not ordinary Eighth Route Army, they have mortars, heavy machine guns, and two infantry guns!" ”

"As far as I know, the Xiangfen garrison is just a garrison brigade, not even equipped with infantry artillery, and it has to be stationed in many places, which is easy to be broken by the Eighth Route Army!"

The chief of staff did not answer with a calm face, staring at his subordinates marking the enemy's situation on the combat sand table!

Soon, the operational staff officer stopped, and then reported with a heavy face: "Sir, because several county towns, including Xiangfen, only have guerrilla activities of the Eighth Route Army, we have not arranged the main force!" ”

"There is only one mixed garrison brigade in each county, and one regiment of the Imperial Association Army, with a total strength of less than two thousand people!"

Another operational staff officer followed suit and added: "We don't have any troops left!" The two brigades have just returned to full strength, because there are too many recruits, and they are still training! ”

"A brigade guards the city, a brigade controls Linfen North and the railway line, the railway station, and a brigade maneuvers!"

"If the mobile unit is transferred over, once something happens to Linfen, we can only watch!"

The chief of staff replied in the affirmative: "The troops in Linfen City cannot move, not only can they not move, but the garrison in Linfen must be further strengthened. The new regiment is too cunning, and no one knows whether attacking Xiangfen is their strategy to attack the east and west, or a real attack, wanting to control Xiangfen! ”

"Then what to do, call Xiangfen back, let them hold on, we have no troops to reinforce them, let them hold on until the brigade recovers its combat effectiveness!" The operational staff officer was very aggrieved and shouted unwillingly.

The chief of staff hesitated for a moment and reminded: "Can you transfer troops from several surrounding counties!" ”

"A county town draws a squadron, and it adds up to a plus brigade. Coupled with a regiment of the Imperial Association Army and Xiangfen's own garrison, more than 3,000 people should be able to deal with a battalion of the Eighth Route Army! ”

"Absolutely!" The combat staff officer affirmed!

"Although these garrisons are not equipped with infantry artillery, they are equipped with mortars, and in addition to direct fire, on the battlefield, mortars are no worse than infantry guns!"

"I'll give the order right away!"

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