Zhao Gang said: "Although the devils want to take the initiative to attack, but the battlefield is best outside the pass, and the people in the North China base area are finally settling down, and if they get involved in the war again, they will definitely kill and injure many people."

Like Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang will take the lead in caring about the safety of the people every time he fights.

Not only Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang, but also the ordinary soldiers of the Eighth Route Army also put the safety of the villagers in the base area first.

At present, the land reform in the North China base area has just begun, and the spring planting has only been completed for a short time.

Although the devils attacked North China, the Eighth Route Army could take advantage of this opportunity to better mobilize the masses.

Let the devils who attacked North China fall into the vast sea of the people.

But with the current level of troops, equipment and logistics of the Eighth Route Army, there is no need to mobilize too many masses to defeat the little devils.

"The premise of setting up the battlefield outside the customs is that we can get out of the customs." Chief of Staff Wang Dehou said, staring at the map.

Li Yunlong nodded, his eyes thoughtful.

If the devils want to attack North China, they must fight from the east to the southwest, and the devils in Central China will fight from the south to the north.

and the transport ships of the devils, landing from the ports along the Bohai Sea and attacking the Eighth Route Army in North China on the third front.

In the south, there is the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army to deal with the devils advancing north.

The Eighth Route Army of the Lu Provincial Military Region will deal with the devils along the Bohai Sea coast, and considering that there is still a lot of room for improvement in the combat effectiveness of the troops of the Lu Provincial Military Region.

He could send some troops to the Lu Provincial Military District to assist and provide adequate logistical supplies.

As for the main force of the Kwantung Army attacking from Manchuria, Li Yunlong led the New First Regiment, the Independent Regiment, and the New Second Regiment to fight against it.

Li Yunlong said, "If our troops want to seize the initiative on the battlefield, they must first capture Chengde and Shanhaiguan."

"If you want to occupy Chengde and Shanhaiguan, although it is not particularly difficult, it is not so easy."

On this point, Xing Zhiguo has the most right to speak, he said:

"Since the devils of Chengde lost their barrier positions in the southeast and southwest, they have placed a large number of troops in Chengde City, trying to fight with us in the streets, and the cost of capturing Chengde is relatively large."

"And the area north of Chengde is still in the hands of the devils, and the main force of the devils of the Kwantung Army can be continuously reinforced."

"And here in Shanhaiguan, the devils have built a large number of strong fortifications, and they are constantly increasing their troops."

According to Xing Zhiguo's report, Li Yunlong carefully analyzed the current situation of the enemy and us.

The devil's first army was nailed to Chengde like a nail.

And the devil's forces defending Shanhaiguan are also a group army, the 4th Army of the Kwantung Army, with 3 divisions and 2 mixed brigades.

The devil is going to build the kind of fortress of the Tiger Head Fortress in Shanhaiguan, but it has not yet been completed.

"Since the devils of the First Army of Devils like to be turtles with shrunken heads, then let's bypass Chengde!"

Li Yunlong's eyes narrowed, and his tone was fierce.

"Bypassing Chengde?" Xing Zhiguo looked stunned, but instantly comprehended Li Yunlong's intentions, "Commander, do you mean to occupy the outer positions of Chengde, leaving a force to surround Chengde, and the large army to bypass Chengde?"

"That's right!" Li Yunlong nodded, pointed to the area north of Chengde and said, "Let the paratroopers be airdropped to the north of Chengde, form a two-sided attack on the enemy, and drive all the devils of the First Army to Chengde City."

In the Battle of Huailai, paratroopers played a crucial role.

Therefore, in this expansion, Li Yunlong expanded the paratroop unit from the original 2,500 to 8,000 people, and the number was the new regiment heavy paratroop battalion.

Of course, nominally it is a heavy paratrooper battalion, but in fact it is Li Yunlong's paratrooper division.

In addition to airdropping paratroopers, the strategic transport planes of the new regiment can also airdrop mountain artillery and armored vehicles, and have a strong combat capability behind enemy lines.

That is, the devil is fighting, and there are Chinese people in Chengde City.

Otherwise, Li Yunlong directly used artillery shells and aerial bombs to wash the devils in Chengde City.

However, after occupying the outer positions of Chengde, the heavy equipment of the Eighth Route Army could be driven from the road outside the city walls to Guanwai.

This is also a matter of no choice, who let the Eighth Route Army fight locally?

If we can counterattack Japan in the future, we will not have so many scruples, and we can directly use artillery shells and aerial bombs to wash the ground of the city.

Li Yunlong said again: "But in this case, we must allocate an elite army to surround the devils in Chengde City, in case the devils attack from our rear and stab us in the eyes."

"As for the capture of Shanhaiguan, it will be much simpler!"

When the words fell, Li Yunlong pointed to Shanhaiguan and said:

"No matter whether the devil builds a castle or a fortress at Shanhaiguan, our father's hammer can destroy all fortifications."

"However, I think we can have a bigger appetite and eat the devil 4th Army in Shanhaiguan."

"Captain." Chief of Staff Wang Dehou suddenly became interested, "How are you going to eat the devil's 4th Army?"

Then Wang Dehou stared at the map, and it was not difficult to pry open the Shanhaiguan with the hammer of the loving father.

Shanhaiguan is a pass with a long history and high visibility, and is known as the title of the first pass in the world.

With a height of 14 meters and a thickness of 7 meters, Shanhaiguan City has always been an easy place to defend and difficult to attack.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, Wu Sangui, the guard of Shanhaiguan, opened the gate and put more than 100,000 wolf-like Qing troops into the pass, resulting in the Qing Dynasty ruling for nearly 300 years.

In 1933, even if the Japanese army used modern weapons such as aircraft, artillery, and tanks, it took two days to capture Shanhaiguan with great difficulty after a bloody battle.

After the Japanese captured Shanhaiguan, they strengthened their defenses, and more recently built a fortress here.

In order to prevent the Eighth Route Army from attacking, the commander of the Kwantung Army, General Umezu Mijiro, even sent a corps to defend here.

According to reliable information, the devils and puppet troops defending at Shanhaiguan had a total strength of 60,000 or 70,000 people, and they set up a defensive position in depth before and after Shanhaiguan.

Although the firepower of the Eighth Route Army is strong, but the devil puppet army can't beat it, won't it run?

"What do you mean, Captain?"

Xing Zhiguo asked:

"Separate a part of the paratroopers and drop them into the area behind Shanhaiguan to cut off the passage of the 4th Army's devils?"

At present, the Eighth Route Army has about 8,000 paratroopers, of which 2,500 are old paratroopers and 5,500 are new paratroopers.

At present, the old and new paratroopers are still in training, and they have been training for more than three months.

"You're halfway there."

Hehehe, with a smile, Li Yunlong continued:

"The paratrooper battalion still has to take care of the devil first army in Chengde, if half of each is in Chengde and Shanhaiguan, the troops on both sides are insufficient!"

"In this battle, I plan to use our transport ships to land on the rear coast of Shanhaiguan."

"One is to seize Huludao, and the other is to go around and poke the eyes of the 4th Army of the devils in Shanhaiguan."

As soon as these words came out, everyone's eyes lit up slightly.

Tactical command is about a surprise.

The development of the navy of the Eighth Route Army is a top secret, and the devil would never have imagined that the navy of the Eighth Route Army has already formed a preliminary scale and combat effectiveness.

It was absolutely unthinkable that the Eighth Route Army would rush to land on the beach from the rear of Shanhaiguan and form an encirclement posture against the devils in Shanhaiguan.

Shanhaiguan is not a big city like Chengde, and the devils don't even have the opportunity to fight in the streets.

The devil strengthened the defense in Shanhaiguan, and the operation was as fierce as a tiger, but it was useless.

Because the Eighth Route Army was already equipped with transport ships and warships, and many of the first batch of naval cadets had already learned to sail ships.

Although aircraft carriers still need training, transport ships do not, and even frigates can be equipped.

Zhao Gang said, "Lao Li, your tactics are very good."

"Of course." Li Yunlong curled the corners of his mouth proudly, "Otherwise, you think that we are old."

Lee's "Beach Landing and Airborne Operations" was read in vain?"

Li Yunlong studied all kinds of military theory books sent by Boss Chen and gained a lot.

Until now, Li Yunlong often takes out those military theory books and reads them and studies them repeatedly.

In this operation, Li Yunlong happened to use the two tactics of beach-grabbing landing and airborne operation.

Li Yunlong is looking forward to this beach-grabbing landing, and he will definitely be able to give the devil a big surprise.

No, it's a fright.

Zhao Gang asked, "When are you going to attack?"

"About a month later." Li Yunlong said, "We must recover Shanhaiguan and Chengde before the devils start the No. 1 battle plan, so that we will have the initiative on the battlefield, and we can attack and retreat."

Then, Li Yunlong looked at Chief of Staff Wang Dehou and gave an order:

"Chief of Staff, your staff immediately formulated a combat plan and contingency plan as soon as possible based on this line of thought."

"Yes!" Wang Dehou said solemnly, "Commander!"

After that, Wang Dehou discussed the idea of the battle plan with Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang, and Xing Zhiguo.

Everyone started brainstorming, and every word you said to me quickly enriched and perfected the operational ideas.

……

At the same time.

The devil is also preparing for Operation Plan No. 1.

No. 557, Xinfa Road, Changchun.

Headquarters of the Kwantung Army of the Japanese Army, Conference Operations Hall.

The commander of the Kwantung Army, General Umezu Mijiro, stared at the map on the wall in military uniform, with a sad face.

The situation in the Kwantung Army is not good at the moment!

Although the base camp has recently transferred more than 100,000 troops to the Kwantung Army, and a steady stream of troops and war materials is arriving in Manchuria.

But!

In the east, hundreds of thousands of the Soviet Union's Far Eastern Army were eyeing each other, and in the southwest, hundreds of thousands of North China's Tiger Eighth Route Army were rubbing their hands together.

If the Soviet troops in the Far East took advantage of the Kwantung Army's implementation of the No. 1 operational plan and launched a surprise attack from behind, then the Kwantung Army would face the danger of total annihilation.

If it was last year, the Japanese army would not have to worry about the Soviet army attacking, because the Soviet army itself would not be able to protect itself.

But now the situation on the Eastern Front in Europe has changed a little, and the Soviets have breathed a sigh of relief by winning the Battle of Stalingrad a few months ago.

Although after the Battle of Nomenkan, the Soviet Union and Japan signed a non-aggression pact.

But Umezu Mijiro is well aware that there are only eternal interests between countries.

Once the benefits outweigh the risks for the Soviet army, the other side will definitely not hesitate to unilaterally tear up the treaty, after all, the bear in the north is staring at the fat of the northeast, not for a day or two.

Compared with other fanatical officers, Umezu Mijiro was not optimistic about the Japanese army's plan to launch Operation No. 1 at this time.

This is tantamount to putting most of the chips of the Japanese Army on the gambling table.

It's good to win.

But...

Once the No. 1 operational plan fails this time, the consequences will be unimaginable, not only will a large area of land be lost, but the locust army will suffer heavy casualties and countless war materials, and from then on there will be no large-scale offensive capability, so it can only be passively beaten.

Umezu Mijiro's brows furrowed deeper and deeper, thinking that this year, that is, 1943, may not be easy for Germany and Japan.

By the time Umezu Mijiro turned around, the sadness and frown on his face had disappeared, and he had been replaced by a blank face.

Umezu Mijiro sat on a chair in military uniform, and on either side of him sat the commanders of the various group armies of the Kwantung Army, as well as the commanders of the flight divisions, and staff officers.

Umezu Mijiro glanced at the devil officers and said, "Gentlemen."

"The base camp has given us the Kwantung Army an official order to prepare the No. 1 battle plan."

"Prime Minister Tojo ordered us to immediately draw up operational plans and contingency plans, and to stock up on war materials, and we must complete the preparations within two months."

When the words fell, except for a few sober-minded officers, the expressions and eyes of most of the devil officers were fanatical.

Lieutenant General Uchiyama Eitaro, commander of the Third Army, asked in a tone full of expectation, "Your Excellency, how many troops will our Kwantung Army dispatch in this battle plan No. 1?"

Uchiyama Eitaro was an artillery soldier and served as a brigade commander in the 5th Field Heavy Artillery Brigade.

When he was the commander of the 13th Division, he led his troops to participate in the Second Battle of Changsha and killed a large number of innocent Chinese people.

"At least 600,000."

Umezu Mijiro's tone was serious.

In the Japanese Army, the Kwantung Army had the strongest combat effectiveness and the best equipment.

At its peak, the Kwantung Army had 31 infantry divisions, 11 infantry and tank brigades, 1 death squad brigade and 2 aviation armies, with a total strength of about 1.2 million people.

During the period, the total strength of the Kwantung Army was about 700,000.

With the rise of the Eighth Route Army and the outbreak of the Pacific War, the elite of the Kwantung Army was gradually transferred to the North China Battlefield and the Pacific Theater for attrition.

However, the Kwantung Army was used as the general reserve of the army by the Japanese base camp.

Every time troops were transferred from the Kwantung Army, the Japanese base camp would replenish the Kwantung Army with new combat units, so that the Kwantung Army's troops would always remain above 500,000.

At present, the total strength of the Kwantung Army is still around 700,000.

"Yo Si!"

Uchiyama Eitaro's voice suddenly raised, and the frenzy in his eyes became more and more intense.

"In this case, the base camp still needs to allocate 300,000 troops to our Kwantung Army?"

The commander of the 4th Army, Lieutenant General Toshimichi Uemura, asked.

While fighting against the Eighth Route Army in North China, it was necessary to leave at least 300,000 or 400,000 troops in Manchuria to guard against the Soviet army in the Far East.

"Yes!"

Umezu Mijiro nodded and said.

Uemura Toshimichi looked overjoyed: "In this way, our Kwantung Army will have 1 million elite troops, and the Kwantung Army with 1 million elite troops will be invincible!"

"It's not enough!"

Umezu Mijiro shook his head:

"The Eighth Route Army, like the Soviet Army, is an extremely powerful unit in combat and firepower, and we must not take it lightly."

"Summons the order, temporarily recruit Japanese expatriates into the army in Manchuria, and those who dare to violate the order and resist will be killed!"

Since 1937, Japan has relocated more than 2 million people from its own land in batches and villages to the puppet state of Manchukuo.

Umezu Yoshijiro had already ordered the General Staff to carefully calculate and sign that 250,000 expatriates could enlist in the Kwantung Army.

Although there was a serious shortage of weapons, it was also a significant force, which could be used as a supplement to the main elite of the Kwantung Army if necessary.

In this way, the total strength of the Kwantung Army will be close to 1.3 million people.

Thinking of this, Umezu Mijiro finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The Eighth Route Army has beaten the devils into a phobia of lack of firepower.

But if the firepower is insufficient, then the troops will make up.