"Your Excellency the Division Commander..."

Taro Eguchi, chief of staff of the 37th Division, asked: "Pingding County should be surrounded by the Eighth Route Army, do you want to send reinforcements to Pingding County?" ”

Adachi Twenty-Three glanced at Taro Eguchi coldly.

"Reinforcements?"

"According to the information from the headquarters, the main force of the Eighth Route Army in the northward Xiangyangquan movement this time has a full 40,000 troops and carries 3 artillery wings."

"Do you want to send troops to send heads to the Eighth Route Army?"

In the winter, Li Yunlong led his troops to the Zhengtai Railway to engage in side jobs, and annihilated thousands of people in the two mobile brigades of the 37th Division of the Japanese Army.

Later, the troops of the 129th Division went north again and attacked the Zhengtai Railway, and the 37th Division was wiped out by the Eighth Route Army.

While correcting the Taitai Railway, the Japanese army also increased the troops of the 37th Division, and replenished the strength of about one wing before and after, but they were all recruits who had not been trained for a long time.

Of course, there are also veterans who have been training for two and a half years.

Now the 37th Division is still complete, with a total strength of nearly 13,000 people.

Under the jurisdiction of the 225th, 226th and 227th Wings, stationed in Pingding County, is the 5th Infantry Brigade of the 226th Wing of the Japanese Army.

In addition to the 5th Infantry Brigade, there was also a regiment of puppet troops.

These three infantry wings, which had been wiped out by the Eighth Route Army, were now reorganized troops.

If the former Eighth Route Army gnawed down the county seat of Pingding, it would have to mobilize at least 10,000 or 20,000 people to gnaw down the county seat of Pingding for several days.

However, the current equipment of the Eighth Route Army is even better than that of the Japanese army, and the ammunition is sufficient.

Playing a county seat is like playing.

Because for the Japanese army and the puppet army stationed in the county seat, there were no reinforced concrete permanent fortifications, and the city wall was the strongest fortification.

However, after the Eighth Route Army was equipped with cannons with a caliber of more than 75 mm, the city walls of the county town did not play much role.

In particular, the 150 mm caliber cannon can blast a big hole in the city wall of the county town with one shot.

This time, the 386 Brigade went north with 4 150-mm howitzers, 1 regiment of 105-mm howitzers, 2 regiments of 75-mm mountain artillery.

There are also significant numbers of bazooka, 20-mm machine guns, mortars and infantry guns.

In terms of artillery firepower, it was able to terrify the Japanese army.

Eguchi Taro's expression darkened, Koeda Hachigoro Shaozo of the 5th Infantry Brigade had a very good relationship with him, and this time he would also serve His Majesty the Emperor.

Because the division commander did not order the reinforcement of the 5th Infantry Brigade.

And the Eighth Route Army has 40,000 elite main forces and carries 3 artillery wings, even if Anameasu Okami comes, it can't save the 5th Infantry Brigade.

After a pause, Taro Eguchi asked in a deep voice: "Your Excellency, division commander, what should we do if the Eighth Route Army continues to attack Yangquan in the north after attacking Pingding County?" ”

Lieutenant General Anda 23 fell silent for a moment.

He really hadn't thought about it in detail.

When the Eighth Route Army in the northwest of Shanxi Province launched combat operations several times ago.

The main force of the Eighth Route Army in the southeast of Shanxi also went north to attack Pingding and Yangquan, and the 37th Division fought with the 386th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army several times.

However, the previous 37th Division and the 386th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army were all point-to-point, and there were casualties among each other.

In several battles with the Eighth Route Army, Anda 23 also deeply felt that the Eighth Route Army's combat effectiveness was getting stronger and stronger, and the firepower was getting stronger and stronger, and the Eighth Route Army was becoming more and more difficult to deal with.

Could it be that the purpose of this Eighth Route Army's operation this time is to defeat our 37th Division?

Anda 23's troop deployment was that on the road of more than 10 kilometers from Pingding County to Yangquan, three lines of defense were deployed, and the troops were two regiments, an infantry wing, an artillery wing, and a puppet army.

The total strength is about 6,000 people.

In addition, more than 2,000 Japanese troops and more than 1,000 puppet troops were deployed outside Yangquan City.

There was also an infantry wing, as well as an engineer, baggage wing, and tank team, with a total of more than 6,000 Japanese soldiers who stayed to fight in the streets.

In the field, the 37th Division of the Japanese Army was definitely not the opponent of the Eighth Route Army.

However, the infantry and artillery wings outside could not be immediately withdrawn to Yangquan.

Otherwise, the Eighth Route Army would be able to drive straight into Yangquan City.

Pingding County is the south of Yangquan to defend the Eighth Route Army north to attack Yangquan, Pingding County is captured by the Eighth Route Army, Yangquan City will also be attacked.

Although Anda Twenty-Three built three lines of defense between Pingding County and Yangquan City, there was nothing dangerous along the way.

The artillery of the Eighth Route Army was strong, the troops were sufficient, and all of them were the main elite, and the defense line was easily broken through by the Eighth Route Army.

"Eguchi-kun."

Anda Twenty-three said in a deep voice: "Immediately send a telegram to the headquarters of the First Army, reporting that the Eighth Route Army is storming Pingding County, and after the Eighth Route Army captures Pingding County, if it continues to attack north, how should our department act, and ask the commander for tactical guidance!" ”

"Hey!"

Taro Eguchi bowed his head suddenly, and then quickly drafted a telegram.

……

Taiyuan.

The headquarters of the 1st Army of the Japanese Army.

Although it was already midnight, the headquarters of the First Army was brightly lit.

Busy officers and staff officers of the First Army were everywhere.

Tonight, it was Hanaya's turn to be on duty during the war, but Yoshio Iwamatsu and Kazuki Yamamoto did not feel sleepy, and they all came to the headquarters to work.

"Your Excellency, Commander."

Yamamoto Kazuki's expression was cold and solemn, and he reported to Iwamatsu Yoshio:

"I have ordered martial law for the gendarmerie to arrest anyone suspicious as soon as it is found."

"Also."

"I have ordered the intelligence department to make every effort to collect intelligence from the Eighth Route Army and find the real strategic targets of the Eighth Route Army."

"Good!" Iwamatsu Yoshio nodded reluctantly, "Leave the defense of Taiyuan City to Yamamoto-kun, I am relieved, your intelligence department must increase intelligence collection!" ”

Since Yamamoto Kazuki was promoted to major general, Iwamatsu Yoshio put him in charge of the defense of Taiyuan Castle and the intelligence work of the First Army.

After Kazuki Yamamoto took over these two tasks, the defense work of Taiyuan City was indeed excellent, and all kinds of public security incidents were greatly reduced.

However, Yamamoto's intelligence work did not improve much.

He ordered the spies and agents trained by the special team to infiltrate the base of the Eighth Route Army, and basically there was no return.

The corners of Hanayamasa's mouth showed a touch of disdain, relying on you Yamamoto Kazuki to collect information?

I'm afraid that the Eighth Route Army has hit Taiyuan City, and you Yamamoto Kazuki don't know what's going on.

"Hey!"

Kazuki Yamamoto bowed his head suddenly.

At this moment, the communications staff officer hurriedly walked into the war hall with a telegram in his hand, and bowed his head to Iwamatsu Yoshio and reported:

"Report to the commander, Lieutenant General Ada, the commander of the 37th Division, is in an emergency!"

Iwamatsu Yoshio frowned slightly, it couldn't be the 37th Division, which was also bombarded by the Eighth Route Army on a large scale, right?

"Read!"

"Hey!"

The communications staff officer took the telegram and read: "Pingding County has been attacked by the Eighth Route Army on a large scale, and the situation is precarious, if the Eighth Route Army continues to launch a large-scale offensive to the north after capturing Pingding County, how should our department respond?" Request for tactical guidance, Lieutenant General Ada, commander of the 37th Division, Commander of the 23rd Division, His Majesty the Emperor onboard, Great Japanese Locust Army onboard! ”

After reading the telegram, the communications staff officer glanced at Yoshio Iwamatsu cautiously.

Seeing that he had no indication of anything, he put the telegram on the table, bowed his head and turned away.

Iwamatsu Yoshio was already frowning at this time, and the whole person was a little stunned.

He couldn't see clearly what the Eighth Route Army was going to do.

Kazuki Yamamoto and Hanaya on the side were also a little confused at this time.

After a while, the communications staff officer hurriedly walked in with a telegram and reported to Iwamatsu Yoshio that the commander of the 33rd Division stationed in Shouyang, Sakurai Province, had sent a telegram requesting tactical guidance.

The Eighth Route Army was storming the defensive line of the 33rd Division.

And near Shouyang County, there is no barrier like Yangquan.

The 33rd Wing of the Mountain Artillery of the 33rd Division engaged in an artillery battle with three artillery regiments of the Eighth Route Army.

But soon, the 33rd Wing of the Mountain Artillery was defeated under the onslaught of 3 artillery regiments of the Eighth Route Army.

After the artillery fire of the 33rd Wing of the Japanese Mountain Artillery weakened, the fire composed of several hundred mortars, infantry guns, mountain artillery and howitzers of the Eighth Route Army bombarded the positions of the 33rd Division.

The 33rd Division was immediately overwhelmed, and the division commander Sakurai asked the headquarters for tactical guidance.

"What the hell is the Eighth Route Army going to do?"

Yoshio Iwamatsu squinted his eyes, staring at the situation map on the wall, muttering to himself.

At this time, Iwamatsu Yoshio could not guess the strategic intentions of the Eighth Route Army at all.

Chief of Staff Hua Gu Zheng said in a deep voice: "Your Excellency, Commander, these two Eighth Route Armies don't look like they're going for cover and assist. ”

Kazuki Yamamoto couldn't help but look moved, as if he had thought of something, but he stopped talking.

Iwamatsu Yoshio was keenly aware of the change in Yamamoto Kazuki's face.

"Yamamoto-kun, do you have anything you want to say?"

Yamamoto Kazuki didn't want to interject, but when Iwamatsu Yoshio asked, he said, "Your Excellency, it suddenly occurred to me that this is very similar to Li Yunlong's tactical command style!" ”

Yoshio Iwamatsu and Hanaya looked moved.

"Yamamoto-kun wants to say, these more than 200,000 Eighth Route Army, are they all commanded by Li Yunlong?"

Hanaya sneered:

"Li Yunlong is just a mere regiment leader, why does he command the more than 200,000 main forces of the Eighth Route Army?"

Yamamoto Kazuki ignored Hanaya Masa, pointed to the map and said in a deep voice: "Your Excellency Commander, please see, at present, the Eighth Route Army has launched a ferocious offensive in Datong, Taiyuan, Yangquan and Shouyang, all of which are main attacks, without assists and feints, which is Li Yunlong's typical mad dog tactics. ”

Yoshio Iwamatsu frowned: "What is Li Yunlong's strategic purpose?" Destroy our 1st Army and 1st Division? ”

Yamamoto Kazuki pondered carefully and said: "I think the strategic purpose of Li Yunlong's operation this time is to kill and injure the living force of the Locust Army and prepare for the next gathering of heavy troops to destroy our First Army. ”

Hua Guzheng's face was a little solemn: "Why did Li Yunlong destroy the First Army twice?" ”

"The Eighth Route Army will definitely not be able to destroy our First Army in one battle." Yoshio Iwamatsu answered this question for Yamamoto, "Because my First Army has the Mongolian Army, the 21st Division, the 35th Division, and the 1st Division, as well as the 110th Division to reinforce at any time. ”

After saying that, Iwamatsu Yoshio fell into deep thought.

Li Yunlong has made a move, how should I deal with it?

(End of chapter)