At the same time, at the headquarters of the 1st Army in Taiyuan.

"Maeda-kun." Yoshio Shinozuka stepped forward quickly, shook hands with Maeda Tadashinobu, and said with a smile, "It's hard work." ”

"Eh, it's only a few dozen kilometers of road, so don't talk about hard work." Maeda Tadanobu waved his hand and said with a smile, "Shinozuka-kun, you shouldn't be implying that I'm old, right?" ”

"Absolutely not." Yoshio Shinozuka hurriedly waved his hand.

"Maeda-kun's old man is strong, who doesn't know in the imperial military world?"

After saying that, Yoshio Shinozuka laughed, and Maeda Tadanobu was also proud.

After laughing twice, Yoshio Shinozuka continued with a straight face: "However, I still want to solemnly thank you Maeda-kun and all the imperial soldiers of the 2nd Guards Division. ”

"If it weren't for your hard work to defend Zhengtai Road."

"As a result, the Eighth Route Army had no chance to take advantage of it for more than a month,"

"I'm afraid our 1st Army can't raise enough supplies so quickly."

Yoshio Shinozuka was telling the truth, since the 1401st Army was ambushed at Tumen Pass, the 2nd Guards Division once again strengthened its vigilance against Zhengtai Road.

For the next month or so,

The Eighth Route Army never attacked again.

Yoshio Shinozuka has reason to believe that this is by no means because the Eighth Route Army has good intentions and is unwilling to attack, but because the 2nd Guards Division has done its vigilance work to the extreme, so the Eighth Route Army has no chance to take advantage of it.

Maeda Tadanobu was also quite complacent about this, but he still said modestly: "Eh, this is just our 2nd Guards Division's business, why should Shinozuka-kun say more?" ”

Yoshio Shinozuka laughed and said solemnly, "Maeda-kun, please." ”

"Shinozuka-kun, please." Maeda Tadanobu was also relieved, and then followed Yoshio Shinozuka side by side into the headquarters gate.

Turning left after entering the gate, there is the battle hall on the first floor, and Maeda Tadanobu saw the sand table placed in the hall at a glance, and this huge sand table occupies almost half of the space of the battle hall.

"Sakamoto-kun." Yoshio Shinozuka said to Ryuichi Takamoto, "Give General Maeda a briefing on the situation." ”

"Hello!" Sakamoto Takashi slammed his head, picked up a long wooden pole and pointed to the sand table and explained, "General, up to now, the 4th Brigade and the 9th Brigade have been deployed on the front line of Qitai County and Yangping County on the north side of the Taihang Bandit Area, and the infantry wings and directly subordinate units of the 3rd Brigade have also been deployed on the front line east of Tongpu Road. ”

"The 18 sweeping detachments in Jinnan have also been formed,"

"And I am taking a train and a car to Taiyuan."

"After tonight, these 18 sweeping detachments will line up along the east of Tongpu Road, advance from west to east, and carry out the first wave of dragnet sweeps against the Taihang bandits."

"Yo Si." Maeda Tadanobu nodded happily.

"As it deserves to be Shinozuka-kun, the whole plan is impeccable."

"This time, the Eighth Route Army and the people of the Taihang bandit area are definitely in a catastrophe."

Yoshio Shinozuka sighed lightly and said, "If there is still a slight possibility, I am actually not willing to kill the people in the bandit area indiscriminately. ”

Maeda Tadashi said: "Shinozuka-kun, you must not have the kindness of a woman, the people in the Taihang bandit area are all stubborn people, and they are determined to confront the imperial army, which can be described as innocent death." ”

"What Maeda-kun said is extremely true." Yoshio Shinozuka said.

"So this sweep can only kill the Taihang bandit area into white ground."

"Yes, it must be killed for nothing." Maeda Tadanobu said coldly, "I can't leave any of them." ”

"Yo Si." Yoshio Shinozuka nodded happily and said, "Then now, Maeda-kun, please tell me, and my colleagues in the headquarters, about the arrangements of your 2nd Guards Division?" ”

Yoshio Shinozuka made a battle plan A.

But the focus of the A operational plan was 18 sweeping detachments.

Regarding the blockade of the Taihang Military Region by the 2nd Guards Division and the 3rd, 4th, and 9th Brigades, it is more up to the 2nd Guards Division and each brigade to formulate the blockade plan on its own.

So this time Maeda Tadanobu also came to report.

"Hello." Maeda Tadanobu paused, and then took the long wooden pole.

Holding a long wooden pole and pointing at the sand table, Maeda Tadanobu said: "In order to cooperate with this sweep, our 2nd Guards Division has built four blockade lines relying on Zhengtai Road!" ”

"Nani? There are actually four blockades? ”

Hearing this, Yoshio Shinozuka couldn't help but move slightly.

You must know that the 4th Brigade and the 9th Brigade concentrated two brigades of Japanese troops, plus two divisions of the Imperial Allied Army, a full 25,000 people, and only three blockade lines were constructed.

The strength of the 2nd Guards Division was only 20,000 men,

And the width of the Zhengtai Road defense line in charge is longer,

But instead of building four blockades?

The staff officers of the headquarters also whispered.

They all desperately want to know, how did the 2nd Guards Division do it?

Maeda Tadanobu smiled slightly, and then continued: "The first blockade is a cordon blockade. ”

"The main purpose of the so-called cordon blockade is to detect enemy troops and make it impossible for them to penetrate."

"Relying on the blockade ditch between 15 and 30 kilometers north of Zhengtai Road, there were originally 13 second-level strongholds, and 12 second-level strongholds were added not long ago."

"These 25 second-level strongholds are less than five kilometers apart from each other."

"There are also patrols between every two strongholds that are patrolling 24 hours a day."

"The defenders of each stronghold plus the patrols need about 2,500 imperial soldiers."

"With such a tight blockade, the Eighth Route Army doesn't want to infiltrate at all."

"Relying on strongholds and blockade ditches, it is even capable of blocking a frontal assault of the scale below the company of the Eighth Route Army."

Maeda Tadanobu meant that the first cordon blockade was mainly used to monitor the Eighth Route Army, and at the same time, it also had the ability to block strong attacks of the Eighth Route Army below the scale of the company.

There is nothing surprising about this first blockade.

"Shuffle." Yoshio Shinozuka said, "What about the second blockade?" ”

Maeda Tadanobu said: "The second blockade is a mobile blockade. ”

"With five rapid rescue strike brigades as the backbone, supplemented by one squadron of cavalry and one artillery squadron, five rapid rescue strike detachments are formed, each responsible for the 20-kilometer blockade ditch."

"Once the strongholds in the jurisdiction are attacked, or the Eighth Route Army launches a strong attack on the scale of battalions and regiments, it can arrive within half an hour and smash the strong attack of the Eighth Route Army in one fell swoop."

"The mobile blockade line needs about 7,500 imperial soldiers!"

"Among them, 650 cavalry and 30 75mm caliber field guns,

"230 trucks and 25 Type 95 light tanks are also needed."

Maeda Tadanobu means that if the Eighth Route Army is a concentration camp or a regiment-sized force,

Then only the patrols along the blockade line and the defenders of various strongholds will not be able to stop it, and at this time, it will be necessary for 5 rapid rescue strike detachments to arrive for reinforcements within half an hour.

With the strength and firepower of 5 rapid rescue strike detachments,

It can definitely shake any of the main regiments of the Eighth Route Army of the Taihang Military Region head-on.

That is to say, unless the Eighth Route Army concentrates troops above the brigade level to launch a strong attack, the second mobile blockade line is enough to lock Zhengtai Road.

And it's completely locked!

No loopholes will be left behind!

This is something Yoshio Shinozuka didn't expect, it would be such a mobile blockade?

"Yo Xi!" Yoshio Shinozuka nodded happily, "So what is the third blockade?" ”

After listening to the first two blockades, Yoshio Shinozuka has some expectations for the third blockade.

It must be much more interesting than the old-fashioned three-line blockade of the 4th and 9th Brigades, which is one in the front, one in the middle, and one in the back.

In actual combat, it is estimated that it will be more effective.

Maeda Tadanobu said: "The third blockade line is the core blockade line, with about 1 infantry brigade, 1 engineer brigade, 1 baggage brigade, plus 1 field artillery brigade, forming three detachments, which are stationed in Shouyang County, Yangquan County, and Jingcheng County, each responsible for a 40-kilometer administrative area. ”

"Once their respective districts are attacked by the Eighth Route Army at or above the brigade level, they will immediately rush to help."

"The third core blockade line needs about 6,000 imperial soldiers, 2,000 in each detachment."

"The fourth blockade line is the final blockade line, with the reserve regiment, the 2nd Independent Combat Vehicle Brigade and the 8th Independent Field Heavy Artillery Brigade as the backbone to form a final detachment."

"The strength of the final detachment was about 4,000 people."

"Once the Eighth Route Army in the Taihang bandit area pours in,"

"I will personally lead the separate detachment to reinforcements."

Speaking of this, Maeda Tadanobu said with great confidence: "There are these four blockade lines,"

"Whether the Eighth Route Army in the Taihang bandit area is broken into pieces, breaking through separately in companies and platoons, or launching a surprise attack on the scale of a battalion or regiment, or assembling troops above the brigade level to attack,"

"Even if you concentrate all the main forces to attack,"

"Don't want to take half a step across Zhengtai Road! This road is not working! ”

"Yo Xi!" Hearing this, Yoshio Shinozuka was completely relieved.

……

In Beiping, No. 11 Iron Lion Hutong.

Michiichi Miyano pushed open the door and walked into Okamura Ninji's office.

Okamura Ninji, who was closing his eyes and recuperating, immediately opened his eyes: "Miyano-kun? ”

"Your Excellency, General!" Miyano Dao snapped and straightened his feet, "The 1st Army is in a hurry." ”

With a slam bang, Miyano Michiichi handed the folder in his hand to Okamura Ninji.

Okamura Ninji took the folder and opened it, and after reading it quickly, he said: "The four blockade lines made by Maeda-kun are quite innovative, and we might as well learn one or two from them when we sweep in central and southern Hebei." ”

"Your Excellency, General." Miyano Michiichi deeply thought that the way.

"I think that the four blockade lines formulated by Maeda's predecessors,"

"In fact, in the Taihang Mountains, it can't exert real lethality,"

"On the contrary, it is more powerful in plain areas such as central and southern Hebei."

"Oh?" Okamura Ninji bowed his head and said, "So, you are very optimistic about this sweep of the 1st Army?" ”

"Yes, I am positive and optimistic about this sweep by the 1st Army." Miyano Road, "The reason is also very simple, there are four blockade lines of Maeda's predecessors, Zhengtai Road is already impassable, if the Eighth Route Army of the Taihang Bandit Area breaks through to the west, it will collide head-on with the 18 sweeping detachments of the 1st Army, and the outcome is self-evident." ”

"Therefore, the Eighth Route Army in the Taihang Bandit Area only has two roads: going north or east."

"The north is a barren mountainous area, and if you can't support many people, the Eighth Route Army will collapse on its own."

"The eastward advance is the Jizhong Plain, and our 110th Division and 8th Brigade are already waiting for the net."

"Therefore, in my opinion, the Eighth Route Army of the Taihang Bandit Area is already in a catastrophe."

Okamura Ninji glanced at Miyano Road lightly, noncommittal.

……

Northwest of Jin, the 358th regiment headquarters of the Jin Sui Army.

Chu Yunfei was carrying out sand table operations with several staff officers from the regiment headquarters.

Footsteps sounded, and Chief of Staff Fang Ligong hurriedly walked in.

"Tuanza." Fang Ligong saluted and said, "The chief's department is in an emergency. ”

Chu Yunfei was still combing through the sand table model, and asked without raising his head, "What's the matter?" ”

Fang Ligong said: "The commander's department called and said that the Japanese army in Jinnan was suddenly and frequently mobilized, and there may be a big move against the Taihang Military Region of the Eighth Route Army in the near future, so let our 358th Regiment guard its own defense area and not act rashly." ”

"That's weird." Chu Yunfei said puzzledly, "The Japanese army in Jinnan is frequently mobilized, why does the commander's department conclude that the Japanese army wants to make a big move against the Taihang Military Region of the Eighth Route Army?" Is this a long way away? ”

Fang Ligong snorted and said, "The Chief's Department must have an exact source of information. ”

"Then I see." Chu Yunfei's expression was cold, and he said, "It seems that the Commander's Department has reached a tacit understanding with the Japanese army, and as a Chinese soldier, I really feel sad about this." ”

Fang Ligong waved his hand and said, "Tuanzao, you don't have to be like this. ”

After a pause, he said: "In any case, the Japanese army will mainly target the Eighth Route Army, which is a good thing for my Jin Sui Army, as the saying goes, there must be one wound when the two sides fight!" ”

"It's better if both sides lose out."

"In this way, it is most beneficial for my Jin Sui army."

Chu Yunfei snorted twice, and said with a dark face: "Having said that, but seeing our friendly troops being wiped out by the Japanese army and not being able to help, I really don't feel good in my heart. ”

Fang Ligong said: "The Eighth Route Army is only a theoretical friendly army. ”

"Even so, it is also our China's national defense force." Chu Yunfei said abruptly, "I hope Li Yunlong and the others can survive this catastrophe and not suffer too many casualties." ”

"In my opinion, I'm afraid it's impossible."

Fang Ligong said: "This time, Yoshio Shinozuka mobilized a full 70,000 people for the sweep, and if you count the puppet army, it has exceeded 80,000, and the strength is almost twice that of the Eighth Route Army!" ”

"The Eighth Route Army of the Taihang Military Region is not as strong as the Japanese puppet army,"

"The combat effectiveness can't be compared with the Japanese army, I really can't think of it,"

"What else can the Eighth Route Army rely on to survive this catastrophe? By their propaganda? ”

"Not necessarily." Chu Yunfei said, "Although the Japanese puppet army has a lot of troops, it is rarely used in the same direction, so in a certain local battlefield, the Eighth Route Army still has a certain strength advantage. ”

"It's useless." Fang Ligong shook his head and said, "The Eighth Route Army is definitely over." ”

Chu Yunfei sighed and said no more.

……

Chongqing, Huangshan Residence.

Kaishen was reading the briefing put together in the chamberlain's room.

Some of these briefings were about the domestic battlefield, but more about the international aspects, especially the briefings on the beautiful country, the Great Yin Empire, and the Soviet Union, and he had to read everything carefully.

The reason is very simple, there is no trivial matter in the affairs of foreigners.

At least for Kaishen Gong, he is in awe of foreigners in his bones.

At the same time, Kai Shen Gong hoped that the foreigners could fight quickly, and from the current point of view, whether in Europe or Asia, there were already signs of a major war.

So recently, Kaishen Gong has been more keen to read international briefings.

Regrettably, however, there was nothing exciting in today's international briefing, but rather a piece of good news in the domestic briefing.

"Xun'en, what is the purpose of the Japanese?"

Kaishen raised a briefing note in Yang's hand.

Then he said, "Give us such a briefing?" ”

Chen Xunen said: "It is estimated that the 1st Army of the Japanese Army stationed in Shanxi wants to have a major combat operation against the Taihang or Taiyue Military Region of the Eighth Route Army, because of the lack of troops, it has to transfer troops from southern Jinnan, and it is worried that the central army left by the party-state in Zhongtiao Mountain will take advantage of the weakness to attack, so it issued such a notice, which is intended to stabilize our army." ”

"The Japanese army in Shanxi is going to make a big move?" Kaishen Gong's heart moved.

Then he then asked, "Is there any definite news from the military commander?" ”

As soon as Chen Xunen wanted to say that there was no for the time being, footsteps sounded outside the door, and Dai Yunong came in.

"Headmaster." Dai Yunong respectfully saluted Kaishen Gong, and then stopped talking.

Chen Xunen immediately realized that he was no longer suitable to stay in the study, so even if he got up to say goodbye, he also closed the door of the study by the way after going out.

Kaishen said fairly: "Yunong, you can talk about it now." ”

Dai Yunong said: "Principal, the humble post has obtained reliable information, the Japanese 1st Army in Shanxi has gathered a huge force of more than 80,000 people, ready to launch a sweep of the Taihang bandit area of the Eighth Route Army. ”

"The Japanese army hopes that our Central Army in Zhongtiao Mountain will not take advantage of the fire to loot."

"Then in exchange, the Japanese army in Central China will also stop the offensive."

Hearing Dai Yunong say this, Kai Shengong sneered: "In exchange, the Japanese army on the Central China side will stop the offensive?" It was as if the Japanese army in Central China still had the strength to attack. ”

Dai Yunong immediately said: "The Japanese army is used to bluffing. ”

Kai Shengong waved his hand and said: "Although the Japanese army is only bluffing, if the 1st Army stationed in Shanxi can really wipe out the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army in the Taihang Bandit Area, it will not be a good thing for the party-state. ”

"What the headmaster said is very true." Dai Yunong echoed again, "The Eighth Route Army in the Taihang Bandit Area will have to be solved sooner or later, not only the Taihang Bandit Area, but also the Eighth Route Army in other bandit areas will also have to be solved sooner or later. ”

"Hmm." Kai Shengong immediately rang the bell and called the adjutant in, "Immediately call all the group armies of the Southern Route Army of the Second Theater, winter is approaching, and all units must step up training in order to launch a counteroffensive in the spring of next year. ”

"Yes." The attendant lieutenant took note of the message, turned and hurried away.

Kai Shengong asked Dai Yunong again: "Yunong, what do you think will happen this time?" ”

Dai Yunong said without hesitation: "Principal, the Eighth Route Army in the Taihang Bandit District is definitely over." ”

"Hmm." Chang Kaishen bowed his head lightly and said, "Yunong, your opinion is completely the same as mine. ”

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