Tangshan.

The command of the Kwantung Army of the Japanese army.

After more than 10 days of rapid marching, General Umezu Mijiro personally led the troops of 7 divisions and 2 brigades of the Kwantung Army and arrived in Tangshan.

During this period, the Kwantung Army troops were occasionally attacked by the planes of the Eighth Route Army.

However, the main targets of the planes of the Eighth Route Army were the two battlefields in North China and Xuzhou.

The bombing of the Kwantung Army was insufficient, and the losses of the Kwantung Army were not large.

"General."

A Japanese staff officer walked in quickly and reported to Senior General Umezu Mijiro:

"Prime Minister Tojo has just sent a telegram that the North China Front is preparing to move to Manchuria, and the base camp orders us to go to the Tianjin area immediately to meet General Gangcun and the North China Front."

"Got it."

General Umezu Mijiro nodded and said with a wave of his hand.

For this time to lead the main force of the Kwantung Army to North China and reinforce the North China Front, General Umezu Mijiro refused at first.

The reason for the refusal on the surface was that Umezu Mijiro was afraid that after the main force of the Kwantung Army was transferred, the Soviet troops in the Far East would take the opportunity to march into Manchuria.

However, the base camp believed that the Soviet army and the German army were fighting fiercely at this time, and the Soviet army would never dare to fight on two fronts.

Because the Japanese also have a temper, if you Soviet army dare to take the opportunity to attack Manchuria, then I will dare to go north to Siberia and attack you Soviet Union on both sides with the German army.

When the time comes, you, the USSR, will be in a situation of fighting on two fronts.

Now the strategic pattern of Manchuria is that the Soviet army does not want to go to war with the Japanese army, and the Japanese army does not want to go to war with the Soviet army.

In fact, the reason why General Umezu Yoshijiro refused to lead his troops into the customs ...

Anyone who understands understands.

Dozens of generals such as General Okabe Naosaburo, Lieutenant General Miyano Michiichi, and Gu Shoufu were all killed in North China, and he was a serious imperial general, and he would definitely be targeted when he came to North China.

In fact, when it comes to the status of Umezu Mijiro, everything is very clear.

The so-called spirit of bushido, the so-called allegiance to the locust, and the so-called apology for defeat are just tools for brainwashing the low-level locust soldiers.

finally became a general, became a feudal official, and barely got rid of the fate of becoming a pawn and cannon fodder.

Umezu Mijiro didn't want to break the jade so early and be loyal to the locusts.

Umezu Yoshijiro looked at the map, Tangshan was about 130 kilometers away from Tianjin, and it took three days to reach it on a rapid march.

If it's just to respond to the North China Front... It's not a difficult combat mission.

Thinking of this, Umezu Mijiro said in a deep voice: "Order! Order all divisions and brigades to rush to Tianjin at full speed to meet the North China Front! ”

"Hey."

The communications staff officer bowed his head and quickly turned to leave.

Watching the communications staff leave, Umezu Mijiro sighed faintly.

After the North China Front moved into Manchuria this time, it was tantamount to the base camp completely abandoning North China.

The west of Shanhaiguan, including Pingjin, Tangshan, and Lu provinces, all had to be abandoned.

After the Eighth Route Army gains a firm foothold in North China, it will inevitably move to the northeast, and there will inevitably be a battle between the Kwantung Army and the Eighth Route Army.

The Eighth Route Army had heavy tanks, heavy artillery, and aircraft groups.

Just thinking about the fact that one day the Kwantung Army will fight against such a force, Umezu Miji feels terrified.

……

The battlefield of Xuzhou has been reported frequently.

After the 11th Army was defeated, it fled overnight to Central China.

The devil brigade stationed in Xuzhou resisted and fled.

After the 129th Division regained Xuzhou, it did not continue the pursuit.

Unlike the New First Regiment, the Independent Regiment and the New Second Regiment, the 129th Division has been fighting for nearly two months all the way south.

The officers and men of the 129th Division need to rest.

And further south, it is Central China, and there are still many devils in Central China.

At this time, the 129th Division should not continue to pursue southward.

After recovering the strategic location of Xuzhou.

Next, the task of the 129th Division was to expand the base area and develop eastward to connect with Lu Province.

The westward development completely turned Henan Province into the territory of the Eighth Route Army.

In this way, the Eighth Route Army would be able to completely connect North China and the Central Plains.

Since ancient times, there has been a saying that those who win the Central Plains win the world.

……

At this time, the devils in Baoding were preparing to escape in the direction of Tianjin.

Okamura Ninji ordered the mixed 2nd Brigade and all the puppet troops to stay behind, and the remaining 5 divisions and the other two mixed brigades were dispersed and turned in the direction of Tianjin, and then joined up in Tianjin.

Tianjin was originally the site of the 27th Division of the Japanese Army.

However, during the war in North China, Okamura Ninji transferred the 27th Division to Baoding to fight, and then to Huailai County to block the Eighth Route Army's North Road Attack Group.

At this time, the 27th Division had all shattered.

Now in Tianjin, there are only some Japanese garrison troops and puppet army units left.

Kong Jie led the independent regiment to prepare to retake Tianjin.

However, the Japanese 43rd, 46th, and 47th Divisions had already landed at the port of Tianjin and rushed to Tianjin.

However, the independent regiment had already cut off the passage from Baoding to Tianjin.

Baoding.

The Front Command of the North China Front of the Japanese Army.

Okamura Ninji had already given the order to move towards Tianjin.

"Your Excellency, General."

There is a deep voice and said:

"The garrison of Tianjin has received information that the Eighth Route Army's North Road Attack Group has cut off the passage from Baoding to Tianjin."

"I propose to go from Cangzhou to Lu Province, and then from the coast of the Bohai Sea, and then take a transport ship to Manchuria."

Okamura's eyes narrowed.

He never imagined that this battle would be so defeated.

Even the retreat of the North China Front was cut off by the Eighth Route Army.

Fortunately, the base camp gave the North China Front an order to transfer to Manchuria, otherwise the North China Front would really be wiped out by the Eighth Route Army in this battle.

However, Okamura Ninji rejected Seizo Arisue's suggestion.

"There's the end of it." Okamura Ninji said in a deep voice, "If you can think of it, the Eighth Route Army will definitely be able to think of it." ”

"Now that our North China Front Army has five divisions and two brigades that need to be transferred, can we transfer so many transport ships to the base camp in a short period of time?"

"Your Excellency, General, there are 3 divisions of transport ships in Tianjin Port, and if you squeeze it, you should be able to load all the locust troops." ”

The transport ships of these three divisions are the same ships that transport the 42nd, 46th, and 47th divisions.

Under the attack and artillery bombardment of the Eighth Route Army, each of the five divisions and two brigades in Baoding suffered heavy losses.

Squeeze it, it can almost be loaded, and it can be shipped to Manchuria or mainland China at one time.

"Even if the base camp has mobilized a large number of transport ships for us." Okamura Ninji shook his head, "The Bohai Sea is within the bombing range of the Eighth Route Army, as long as the Eighth Route Army dispatches bombers to blow up the transport ships along the coastline, will we have the main force of 100,000 locusts at that time, and we will swim back to the mainland?" ”

After a pause, Okamura continued: "In Tianjin, there are 3 divisions of the Locust Army, and in Tangshan, 7 divisions and 2 brigades of the Eastern Army are approaching us. ”

"Even if the passage between Baoding and Tianjin is cut off, it will be a big deal to give up heavy equipment and move to Tianjin lightly."

"As long as we get to Tianjin and join up with the 3 divisions of the homeland and the 7 divisions of the Kwantung Army, we will be completely safe at that time."

"Hey." Yusue Seizan bowed his head, and he was convinced.

Judging from Okamura's analysis, it is indeed more feasible to move to Tianjin than to the coastline of Lu Province.

With the order of the headquarters, the devils began to prepare for turning (fleeing) in (running).

It was selected as the mixed 2nd Brigade after the decisive battle with the Eighth Route Army in Baoding, and it was also ready to be broken.

However, the Japanese army will not move in until the evening.

At night, the Eighth Route Army generally does not attack,

In the afternoon, the Eighth Route Army began its classic tactics again.

After the artillery bombarded the infantry rushed, the infantry bombarded the artillery bombardment, in addition to the artillery bombardment, there was also the aircraft bombardment.

Different from the tactics of the Japanese army, the tactics used by the Eighth Route Army were mainly artillery bombardment and aircraft bombing, supplemented by infantry and tank rushing.

After three days of bombardment, some puppet army units have collapsed.

Even some Japanese units were on the verge of collapse.

Okamura Ninji and Seizo Arise knew very well that if the fierce battle in Baoding continued, the North China Front would have absolutely no chance of reversing.

After the infantry and tank attacks during the day, as well as the indiscriminate bombardment of heavy artillery and aircraft, the devils and the puppet army suffered unspeakably and suffered heavy losses.

At night.

The devils of the Japanese divisions and 2 brigades quietly withdrew from their positions and retreated towards Tianjin in the northeast.

But soon, the vanguard of the retreating devils exchanged fire with the cavalry and armored units of the Eighth Route Army.

This is the 11th Brigade of Okamura Ninji's personal guard unit, which has two infantry wings and one tank wing, and one brigade each for artillery, baggage, and engineers.

Compared with other divisions and brigades, the mixed 11th Brigade has always been in Baoding City, did not participate in the battle, and was not bombed.

The structure is well preserved, the soldiers are recuperated and strong.

But!

The cavalry and armored units of the new regiment of the Eighth Route Army were also recuperated and had strong combat effectiveness.

The two sides are competing for firepower.

There was a rumbling cannon in the distance, as well as a dense burst of gunfire, and Okamura Ninji raised his binoculars to look.

"General."

"The vanguard of the 2nd Separate Infantry Wing has already exchanged fire with the enemy, and the enemy firepower is very strong."

A staff officer walked over quickly and reported to Okamura Ninji.

Okamura Ninji said in an indifferent tone: "Order the chariot wing and crush the enemy!" Inform the commander of the chariot wing, Akita Giniichisa, that if the enemy is not defeated within 20 minutes, he will disembowelment himself to thank the locust. ”

The cavalry and armored units of the Eighth Route Army cut off the road from Baoding to Tianjin.

On this plain terrain, if the Japanese army is willing to give up hundreds of mountain guns, and a large amount of baggage and war materials.

The Japanese army can take a detour, not take the road and take the path.

But!

Okamura Ninji is still ready to fight, he does not want to give up these mountain guns, because there are also 20 150-mm howitzers and 10 240-mm howitzers.

These are treasures.

If the heavy artillery wing and the artillery wing of the divisions and regiments were lost, the North China Front would lose at least half of its combat effectiveness.

Give it a go, and turn your bike into a motorcycle.

"Hey."

The staff officer quickly bowed his head, turned around and went to deliver orders to the chariot wing.

……

At the same time.

The front headquarters of the new regiment.

Li Yunlong was woken up by Zhao Gang, who was on duty during the war, and he jumped up: "Old Zhao, is there a situation?" ”

Zhao Gang smiled slightly, this kid was snoring loudly when he sleek, but he didn't expect to be quite alert.

Zhao Gang said: "Lao Li, I just received a report from the cavalry troops, and they have already exchanged fire with the devils over there, and the devils are fleeing in the direction of Tianjin." ”

"As expected!" Li Yunlong's eyes narrowed, "Okamura Ningji, this old devil is going to escape, and he is fleeing in the direction of Tianjin." ”

Zhao Gang said: "Our cavalry and an armored force will definitely be able to block the attack of the devils in a short period of time, but I am afraid that the devils will learn from us to disperse and break through." ”

Tianjin is almost due east of Baoding.

Judging from the map, the distance from Baoding to Tianjin is about 120 kilometers, and if the road conditions are good, the troops can arrive in two days on a rapid march.

Once the devils disperse and break through to Tianjin, and join up with the Japanese army there, it will be difficult to destroy the main force of the Japanese North China Front again!

"The devils will definitely disperse and break through."

Li Yunlong applied for a crackdown, his eyes were fierce:

"Pass my order, attack on all fronts according to the plan, catch up with the devils for me, and annihilate them all!"

"Yes."

The staff officer who came to report straightened up, turned around and went to give orders.

With the order of the regimental headquarters was given.

Thousands of cannons roared in unison, and the night sky was covered with orange cannonball tracks, densely packed with cannonballs on the positions of the devils and puppet soldiers.

In response to the escape of the devil, Li Yunlong had already prepared.

……

The vanguard of the Japanese army exchanged fire with the cavalry units of the Eighth Route Army at a position three kilometers behind.

The location of the tank wing of the 11th Brigade of the Japanese Army.

The 54 tanks of the tank wing lined up on the road and waited for orders.

"Co-Captain."

A devil cavalryman ran over briskly and handed wing commander Akita Ginichi an order:

"General Okamura's order."

"General Okamura gave me the order personally?"

Akita Ginichi looked stunned and took the order from the devil cavalry.

Under normal circumstances, shouldn't General Okamura give orders to the commander of the 11th Mixed Brigade, and then the brigade commander gives him orders?

Skip the level to give orders.

General Okamura has started micro-?

With a puzzled expression, Akita Ginichi opened the order: defeat the enemy within 20 minutes and open the road for the large army, otherwise he apologized.

Although the tank wing of the 11th Brigade was pieced together, there were some tank crews and tanks among them, which were the remnants of the original 3rd Tank Division, and even Akita Ginichi was also a tank wing commander of the 3rd Tank Division.

In the Battle of Datong, the commander of the 3rd Chariot Division, Lieutenant General Nishihara Kazuse, shattered the jade, and the 3rd Chariot Division suffered heavy losses, and the number was lost.

In the early days of the Sino-Japanese War, a tank wing appeared on the battlefield and was able to make the Chinese army desperate.

The Chinese army could only destroy a Japanese tank by using the tactics of meat bullet impact and paying the price of more than 100 casualties.

Even the ace units of the Chinese regular national army could hardly deal with the tanks of the Japanese army, let alone the poor Tubalu.

But the current Dirt Eight Road is no longer the Dirt Eight Road of the past.

Although they are all called Tu Ba Road, it was originally a poor Tu Ba Road, but now it is a rich local tyrant Ba Lu.

The current Tubalu has heavy tanks, and the Japanese Type 95 and Type 97 tanks can be killed at will on the battlefield.

As a last resort, Akita Ginichi really didn't want to fight with the armored forces of the Eighth Route Army.

After reading the order given by Okamura Ninji, Akita Ginichi was silent for a moment.

The chariot wing was one of the trump cards in the hands of General Okamura, and the enemy, in addition to cavalry, also had heavy tanks that bypassed Baoding, and it was impossible for General Okamura not to know about this.

In this mission, the tank wing will be the heavy tanks of the Eighth Route Army.

But since it was an order, he could only carry it out to the letter, opening the passage for the large army.

Taking a deep breath, Akita Silver gave a gathering order with a hideous face: "Order, trucks with fuel tanks in front, tank units in the back, tank wings, prepare to attack the enemy!" ”