"Commander, Zhuozhou has been conquered, and all the brigades stationed in the garrison are broken." Hashimoto's group ran and shouted, and in a hurry, kicked a chair downstairs of the headquarters.

The personnel of the headquarters looked at the Chief of Staff, who had always been proud and proud, and many of them looked confused.

Is the Imperial Army a scam in one month’s results?

Since July 7, the Japanese army began to increase its troops in North China on July 20. In just 15 days, it has successively conquered more than 20 counties including Peiping, Zhuozhou, Baoding, Cangzhou, Jinghai, etc. Even Baoding, the capital of Hebei Province, was occupied by the Imperial Army under the attack of the 109th Division.

Then, after the victory of the attack on Shijiazhuang, it can indicate that the war in Hebei will come to an end.

However, in just less than three days, bad news appeared one after another. First, Cangzhou was surrounded by a hundred thousand troops, and then the small counties in Hejian and other places lost contact. Yesterday, just yesterday, after the 109th Division's rear route was intercepted, the entire Japanese army in North China was in panic all day long. The gap was not something that amazement could express.

"Be calm, as an imperial general and the chief of staff of the large corps combat, you must learn not to let your heart be revealed in front of your subordinates." Kazuki Kiyoshi had expected such a result, but he still felt that things were too sudden.

Xiangyue Qingsi pretended to be elegant and picked up the teapot that had just been brewed beside him. If it were the people around him, he would definitely be surprised. The commander at this time was different from the usual ones.

As an old soldier, Xiangyue Qingsi had a feeling of drastic behavior when drinking tea and pouring tea, and her expression was full of the neatness of a golden sword and iron horse. But now, Xiangyue Qingsi actually used both hands to pick up the teapot carefully, and poured it around the six small tea cups in front of him, and the tea was barely filled.

What's even more strange is that there is much more overflowing tea than in the teacup.

Only Kiyoshi Katsuki knew that his hands were shaking. Who made him the commander and Hashimoto Qun the chief of staff?

Hashimoto Qun was wrong and panicked. Kiyoji Katsuki could beat him or scold him, but Hashimoto Qun would not object at all. But if Kiyoji Katsuki panicked, then the more than 100,000 Japanese troops in North China would enter a state of no return.

If there really is a situation where the Japanese elite division is defeated, it will be difficult for Kazuki Kiyoshi to survive.

"Please." Katsuki Kiyoshi signaled to Hashimoto Qun, sitting on the ground, making an orchid-shaped hand, grabbing the edge of the small teacup, holding it with the other hand, tilting his head and drinking a cup of tea.

As soon as he drank it, he regretted it because it was too hot and the tea became cold very slowly, so he was burned.

Kiyoshi Katsuki, who was calm in the face of change, did not show his discomfort at all. Instead, he didn't even look at Hashimoto and asked casually: "Is the troops of Zhong* Team attacking Zhuozhou?"

"Our request report shows that it was Wei Lihuang's main 10th Division, the 14th Army commander Li Mo'an, personally led the troops from Zhoukoudian to Zhuozhou. In fact, the troops attacking Zhuozhou were not the 14th Army at all." Hashimoto Qun held the intelligence documents of the Peking organs. Although he said it was the 14th Army and Wei Lihuang's Central Army, the main attacking troops were that unit, and he didn't know at all.

"What? Then what army will it be?" Xiangyue Qingsi asked in confusion.

Hashimoto Qun bent down slightly and said in disbelief: "It is impossible for Zhuozhou to be conquered by the Zhongzhao team in one day, unless..."

"Unless what?" Kiyoshi Kasuki leaned closer.

"In terms of military strength, this small city can only carry out one division, but it is difficult to even arrange a brigade in the street fighting in the city. It is really too small. Although the combat effectiveness of a brigade of military police is very weak and there are not enough heavy weapons, it is still possible to guard several important streets, unless the attacking China National** team is a team with very experienced street fighting and equipped with elite troops." Hashimoto said in confusion after thinking for a while.

"Excellently equipped and well-trained?" Xiangyue Qingsi closed his eyes and recalled the elite Chinese troops in North China for a while. The 40th Army with Information appeared in Shunping, so it should be participating in the attack in Baoding. The 13th Army, 14th Army, and 17th Army are all central troops, all of which are stalemates with the 5th Division, or have not entered the battlefield. Moreover, in Xiangyue Qingsi's eyes, these troops are not even considered elite.

The 105th Division of the Northeast Army doesn't look like it either.

"Hisser Commander, Colonel Matsui, the Chief of the Peking Organization, was in urgent need of telegram." The communications officer stood at the door and bowed to the room.

read--

"The information of Zhuozhou Random Movement appeared in Zhuozhou and attacked our military police brigade was the main force of Zeng Yiyang's 40th Army. However, after conquering Zhuozhou, only a small number of city defense troops were left behind. The main force disappeared in the darkness, and the movements were unknown." The staff officer placed the telegram respectfully next to Hashimoto's side, then lowered his head, bowed and retreated.

"What? The main force of the 40th Army appeared in Zhuozhou. In just one day, they could attack Changxindian and Fengtai outside the suburbs of Beiping. As long as these two places were lost, the 5th Division would become a two-wing battle. If Wei Lihuang's 14th Army was added, then Sakagaki's pressure would be from three aspects, and there would not be enough support. In just three days, the elite 5th Division would lose even the chance to break through." Hashimoto said in shock.

The 5th Division is a mechanized division, and the materials needed by the entire division will be huge.

A light and heavy army regiment of the Fifth Division was equipped with more than 300 cars. Such a large consumption was often unfavorable in the offense, but after losing logistics supplies, it would become a trapped giant beast, with gloomy fangs and no offensive claws.

"Is Zeng Yiyang's target the 5th Division?" Kiyoshi Katsuki thought about it, but shook his head and denied this idea. Both China and Japan knew the importance of the 5th Division, especially the Japanese military headquarters. As a test force for mechanized operations, the 5th Division shouldered a more important mission and accumulated valuable battlefield experience for the mechanical combat of the entire Japanese army.

But besieging the 5th Division is simply an impossible mistake, unless Zeng Yiyang goes crazy. With pure infantry, the 5th Division can withdraw from the battlefield safely at any time, but it is not easy for the Chinese team to besiege mechanized troops.

Undoubtedly, he gave all the initiative of the entire battle to the Japanese army. Zeng Yiyang naturally would not do this.

Just as the Japanese military has always longed for, conquering China is just the beginning.

The ambitious Japanese senior leaders have always stubbornly believed that only the United States and the Soviet Union were their opponents. However, only one month after the war started, even the offense of their most elite mechanized division was progressing slowly under the desperate resistance of the Chinese team.

The frequent summoning Air Force Division, known for its arrogance, can show how anxious Sakagaki was when the battle in Huailai made.

There are only two choices before Xiangyue Qingsi. If you give it a try, the consequence is to completely ignore the possible threats of the 5th Division. The Central Army, which is powered to attack the two armies commanded by Tang Enbo, defeated the elite Central Army troops of 60,000 people in a short period of time, and then switched to support Baoding.

The second choice is undoubtedly much more secure, which is to transfer the 11th Brigade to defend Mentougou, shatter the hope of the Chinese team to encircle Peking, and then hope that Seishiro Itagaki could end Huailai's battle as soon as possible.

By comparison, Xiangyue Qingsi finally chose a safe solution, which was to evacuate the 11th Brigade from the direction of attacking Liangxiang and replenish it into the mountains of Mentougou. For the 11th Brigade lacking heavy weapons, this may be the best choice.

But is Zeng Yiyang’s target really Peiping?

Obviously not. The 40th Army launched an attack on Zhuozhou on the evening of the 19th, and the army pushed forward. Most of the Japanese fortifications outside Zhuozhou were quickly destroyed.

Although Zhuozhou was destroyed in the Central Plains War, many city walls were destroyed. Faced with a ten-fold advantage in military strength, the two main infantry brigades of the 40th Army, which were no worse than the Japanese army in terms of weapons, plus an artillery regiment, all the fortifications outside Zhuozhou were cleared by the 40th Army in just one hour.

Street battles in the city also took place before dark.

The Japanese army has arrived, and many local people have lost their families due to the war of aggression. The Japanese army in Zhuozhou City not only had to defend against the attack direction of the 40th Army, but also had to be worried even if individual soldiers entered the courtyards in the city.

The lonely Japanese were soon dragged to the side by several strong men and beaten to death with sticks.

At dawn on the 20th, Wei Lihuang's main 10th Division entered the outskirts of Zhuozhou. Li Mo'an, the commander of the 14th Army, had questions about whether the 40th Army could take Zhuozhou overnight. However, standing outside Zhuozhou City, the tall city walls seemed gloomy and mysterious before the dim sunrise.

Li Mo'an, who entered Zhuozhou, could not believe that more than a thousand Japanese devils were wiped out by the 40th Army overnight. His 10th Division could only move Japanese corpses from every corner of the city from all corners of the city to outside the city, throw them into a large pit dug in advance, and buried them on the spot.

The soldiers all have their own pride, and the same is true for Li Mo'an. He cannot tolerate his elite troops and can only play a completely insignificant role in the entire battle, which also aroused the passion in his heart.

At the same time, the Japanese army in Dingzhou also burned their corps and rushed towards Gao Pengyun's 313th Brigade like a madman, and the last squadron of the 119th Infantry Regiment, collectively chose to die in the charge.

Gao Pengyun sighed a lot about these Japanese troops who ignored life and death. If the Northeast Army was like the Japanese, even if there was no hope, they chose to end the battle with death. Then let alone tens of thousands of Kanto troops, even hundreds of thousands of Kanto troops would be afraid.

However, Gao Pengyun had no time to think about how to train the troops, and Zeng Yiyang's next order reached his front-line command.

The 105th Division was ordered to deliver the entire battlefield to Sun Lianzhong's 26th Army, and the main force was to move to Shunping, Wangdu, and Qingyuan prepared to launch a general attack on Baoding.

Receiving such an order was undoubtedly a great excitement, indicating that the demise of the 109th Division in Baoding has entered the countdown.

From the beginning of hostility to distrust, and knowing that the current fear of gods, Zeng Yiyang gradually established prestige among the generals of the Northeast Army. At least the troops loyal to Zhang Xueliang undoubtedly believed that Zeng Yiyang could bring them endless victory.

This will wash away the misunderstandings that the people have caused after they retreated from the Northeast.

Zeng Yiyang led the command center of the First War Zone to enter Tang County. This ancient county town with a history of more than 2,000 years, was selected in a small mountain village next to the old Great Wall of Yanzhao.

Also accompanying Fan Hanjie, deputy chief of staff of the War Zone, was also Fan Hanjie nicknamed Lao Fan by Zeng Yiyang in just a few days. Fan Hanjie, who could be Zeng Yiyang's uncle, could only smile bitterly. Who said that he was only in his forties and was bald?

At this time, Fan Hanjie was still marveling at the speed of Zeng Yiyang's troops. It would be fine if he attacked Zhuozhou on the first day, but he recovered Yi County, Laishui and Ding County the next day. After the 51st Army conquered Rongcheng, the various participating troops had advanced to a distance of 20 kilometers outside Baoding City.

It can be said that Zeng Yiyang has the final say for a few more days for the Japanese in Baoding City to jump around.

Zhang Xueliang, who was far away in Luoyang, had long been unable to control his anxiety and constantly urged Zeng Yiyang to launch a general attack on Baoding.

"Sir Zeng, do you think of this?" Fan Hanjie had just received Chiang Kai-shek's order. This guy directly asked Fan Hanjie to take over the command and replace Zeng Yiyang to command the combat mission of annihilation of the 109th Division.

But Fan Hanjie knew that even Zhang Xueliang might not listen to Chiang Kai-shek now, let alone Fan Hanjie. Then, he sent another encrypted telegram, telling Chiang Kai-shek that there was no hope of commanding the battle, but he could urge Zeng Yiyang to attack the 109th Division of Baoding.

In addition, it is to allow Wei Lihuang's 14th Army to take on greater tasks in the entire battle, thereby creating more brilliant results.

From the bottom of my heart, Chiang Kai-shek was unwilling to let Zeng Yiyang participate in the battle of the war zone, or to participate in such a large-scale battle.

As the battle situation gradually developed in a direction that was conducive to the ** team in the First War Zone, Chiang Kai-shek actually felt uncomfortable. In the original combat plan, North China was just a battlefield, just to share the heavy responsibility of the East China War Zone.

But now, the Northeast Army, Central Army, Red Army and miscellaneous army in North China are perfectly cooperated, and they are almost ruining the Japanese army. However, the battlefield in East China has gradually entered a stalemate stage with the increase of the Japanese army.

All signs show that it is his wishful thinking to curb the Japanese offensive momentum in the Songhu battlefield. The Central Army in North China has only four armies and a 100,000 troops. Faced with a battlefield where nearly 600,000 troops are fighting, this force has reached an negligible level.

Especially, after the Japanese army was subject to restraint everywhere, it was a good opportunity to expand the results of the war. How could Chiang Kai-shek be willing to let Zeng Yiyang represent ** and the Northeast Army enjoy the interests of the North China battlefield together?

"Old Fan, just say something. Don't call me Chief Zeng or General Zeng, just call me Yiyang like a friend. Because you know your situation, I also know that we have no superior-level relationships, nor have mutual interests entanglements. Such a transcendent relationship, you don't need to be called by friends, and you have beaten the Japanese in total." Zeng Yiyang smiled and looked at Fan Hanjie.

"Okay, since you want to, I'm not polite." Fan Hanjie was moved. He understood why he appeared in North China as the deputy chief of staff of the War Zone, which was Chiang Kai-shek's rule of employing people.

Of course, Chiang Kai-shek had many choices, not only Fan Hanjie, but the others were all soldiers and generals. Who told him to work in the Ministry of National Defense at this time?

"Your principal has new instructions!" Zeng Yiyang leaned into Fan Hanjie's ear and whispered.

"You guessed everything, but it really made me embarrassed. At this time when the nation was in danger, it is normal for the Chairman to be anxious. A big victory can only stimulate the enthusiasm of the people in the country." Fan Hanjie was embarrassed.

"Lao Fan, you are wrong. Our Chinese nation has never succumbed to foreign races. The enthusiasm of the people needs to be encouraged, but it depends more on the battlefield, but on politics." Zeng Yiyang shook his head and opposed.

"politics?"

"That's right, it's politics? Our people have always attached importance to education, but there are very few people who read and read, and many people do not know what a country is or what a home is. If there is a country, there will be a home, and if there is no country, there will be no home. As long as the people know this, the Japanese invaders will inevitably be submerged in the sea of ​​people in our country." Zeng Yiyang explained.

Zeng Yiyang thought about it. After all, Fan Hanjie always had to report to Chiang Kai-shek about all the happenings in the War I zone, in order to reassure the other party: "You can let your principal know that the battlefield in North China will definitely not disappoint him. However, the battlefield in Songhu is easy to enter a tug-of-war, especially the Japanese army that was originally planning to reinforce Songhu, which may arrive later than expected. Stabilize the existing front, and then rely on the ravines and ravines in the south of the Yangtze River and the numerous geographical advantages of the rivers, drag the Japanese army's advantage and mechanized corps to kill and injure the Japanese army's vitality was the important task at that time, rather than driving the Japanese army into the sea. Blind attack will expose a lot of the deployment of ** troops to the Japanese army. Under the Japanese air superiority and maritime advantage, it will inevitably become an unfavorable situation for the two armies to fight."

"Decisive battle? We were originally going to find the Japanese army to fight to gain a larger living space." Fan Hanjie said in confusion.

"You don't understand, the Japanese army acted like a decisive battle with you, but they wouldn't do it at all. Just imagine, with the gathering of Sichuan, Hongkou, Baoshan, Jiading and Songjiang corps, millions of people were fighting in an area of ​​thousands of square kilometers. But there was a Japanese army landing from Hangzhou Bay, how to solve it?"

Fan Hanjie was silent. He did not believe that the Japanese army could really land from Hangzhou Bay, but the fact that the Japanese Navy could land from any coastline in China really existed.

Zeng Yiyang was very worried about the Songhu battlefield. Once the front line retreated, whether the defense line from Zhenjiang to Huzhou could be defended and how to defend it? It was a big problem. Then there was the capital of Nanjing. After all, Chiang Kai-shek would definitely defend it. Although it was a decisive end, Chiang Kai-shek could not escape from the capital without a shot, so that he, the head of state, would be the end.

The losses on the Songhu battlefield will directly affect the offensive plan of the Japanese decision-making level.

Of course, the Nanjing Massacre was like a poisonous sting, stuck in Zeng Yiyang's throat, but Zeng Yiyang understood that the deaths of 30 million people across the country, and even more compatriots fell under the butcher knife of the Japanese invaders, were only one percent of them.

There is no distinction between military and civilian wars in the country. As a leader of troops, Zeng Yiyang certainly understands the cruelty in it. But if he is not cruel, he will destroy the country. How can he drive away the vicious Japanese invaders without being cruel?

Report--

“Emergency electricity on the front line.”

"On August 22, after the 105th Division cooperated with two cavalry divisions to wipe out the 119th Regiment, the main force had been cleared out the counties in southern Baoding, and the troops had entered the attack position.

——Gao Pengyun”

Zeng Yiyang was waiting for this telegram from Gao Pengyun, and immediately ordered:

At dawn on August 23, an attack was launched on Baoding East City, with four brigades of the 105th Division, with a force of 25,000.

In addition, the 40th Army, the 51st Army two divisions, and the Northeast Army directly under the 7th and 8th Divisions, sent a small group of troops to feint attacks on the other three sides of Baoding, and must attract all the attention of the Japanese army to the main attacking 105th Division.
Chapter completed!