The brigade commander looked at the map, grinned, and said: "Shouyang? Xiyang? Yuxian? If Wang Chengzhu's target was just such a small county, there would be no need to go to war in such a big way, and there would be no need to guard against Japanese spies."

"Because the Japanese garrison in these counties only has one or two squadrons, which is not even as large as those in the large strongholds, and there is not much money to be made."

The deputy brigade commander stared at the map for a while: "If it's not these three counties, could it be that Wang Chengzhu's goal is..."

Speaking of this, the deputy brigade commander suddenly pressed his finger on the location of Jinzhong County and said word by word: "Jin! Zhong! County! City?"

The brigade commander just smiled indifferently.

The deputy brigade commander asked again: "Then do we need to provide them with some help?"

"No need!" The brigade commander waved his hand.

Deputy Brigadier: "Brigadier, you seem to trust Wang Chengzhu?"

The brigade commander did not answer but asked: "Has Wang Chengzhu ever let us down?"

"..." The deputy brigade commander was stunned by the question, because Wang Chengzhu had never let them down since he was born in the battle of Cangyun Ridge. Not only that, he also brought them huge surprises every time.

Again.

So much so that the military exploits achieved by other regiments can be regarded as creating the history of the Eighth Route Army, but here in the Second Independent Regiment, it seemed like they fought a very ordinary battle.

Brigadier: "At present, the Japanese troops in Shanxi are limited. Wang Chengzhu and others have a chance to capture Jinzhong County.

However, I don't know what they would use to break through the enemy's city defenses without armored trains.

Or rather, Wang Chengzhu’s purpose was actually to encircle the point for reinforcements, lure the Japanese from Taiyuan City to send troops for reinforcements, and then set up an ambush halfway.”

Upon hearing this, Deputy Chief of Staff Wang seemed to have thought of something and suddenly said: "Brigadier Commander, according to reports from Nan Yanzhu, they seemed to have seen a train passing from east to west.

That train was not only equipped with a large number of light and heavy machine guns, but also several artillery pieces. It looks like it should be the armored train captured by the Second Independent Regiment."

"They originally thought that this armored train was coming to help them attack the Japanese stronghold, but they didn't expect that when the train passed the Nanyanzhu stronghold, let alone stop, it didn't even slow down. It passed by in a flash.

Already."

"Not only the 768th regiment that attacked the Nanyanzhu stronghold, but also the other regiments all saw the armored train, and they passed by without stopping."

The deputy brigade commander frowned: "Armored train? Wasn't the Zhengtai Railway attacked by Japanese aviation during the day yesterday, and was blown up in at least ten or twenty places? How could the armored train drive from Pingding to Nanyanzhu?

Impossible, absolutely impossible!”

However, the brigade commander still had a dull smile on his face: "What's impossible about this? Can't we just repair those bombed railway tracks? You know, an old devil like Yoshio Shinozuka is also a thief.

, he knew that the Zhengtai Railway would have to be taken back sooner or later, so when he attacked the Zhengtai Railway, he always chose some open positions to attack, and did not bomb tunnels or bridges."

Deputy Brigadier: "Even so, our Eighth Route Army has no railway soldiers, how can it be possible to repair these damaged railway tracks in just midnight?"

Brigadier: "Our Eighth Route Army does not have railway troops, but the 4th Mixed Brigade of the Imperial Alliance Army has a railway troops, which is about one battalion in size.

They are responsible for the daily maintenance of the Yangquan to Niangziguan section of the Zhengtai Railway."

Deputy Brigadier: "You mean, it was the railway soldiers of the 4th Mixed Brigade of the Imperial Alliance Army who repaired the bombed tracks?"

The brigade commander nodded slightly. He had guessed this when he heard the news that the armored train passed by the Nanyanzhu stronghold.

And with the assistance of armored trains, it was not impossible for Wang Chengzhu and the others to capture Jinzhong County.

…

The screen is pulled back to Jinzhong County.

Hattori Naoomi, then commander of the 9th Japanese Infantry Brigade, had already passed the city climbing horse road and reached the east gate.

He raised the telescope in his hand and looked into the distance. With the help of the moonlight, he could vaguely see the situation outside the city.

Sure enough, countless Eighth Route Army troops were repairing fortifications in the wilderness outside the East City Gate and preparing tools for siege operations.

The Eighth Route Army was still very cautious. Even as the attacker, it still made complete preparations and meticulously built fortifications to prevent the Japanese army in the city from counterattacking.

Hattori Naoomi made a rough estimate, at least no less than 2,000 people.

Next to him, Tetsuya Yamashita reported in a deep voice: "Your Excellency General, the two or three city gates, as well as the railway entrance and exit are about the same."

"So there really are more than 10,000 people!" Hattori Naoomi's face became even more gloomy: "Looking at the actions of the Eighth Route Army, it seems that they are not trying to restrain my 9th Brigade from going out for reinforcements, but really intend to attack.

Jinzhong County!"

The accompanying commander of the 15th Infantry Regiment, Shimokawa Hideya, said worriedly: "Yes, it seems that the Eighth Route Army is really planning to attack Jinzhong County!"

"On the position outside the East City Gate, there are five heavy machine guns in plain sight, and there are even more light machine guns, and there seems to be a mortar position."

"Such a powerful fire dragon, I'm afraid it's not just for show."

Hattori Naoomi nodded and said: "There is no doubt that the main force of the Eighth Route Army is outside the city. It seems that they have dispatched at least one division of troops!"

"I don't know which unit of the Eighth Route Army this is and who their commander is."

"After all, he was born in a mud-legged family, he never went to a regular military school, and he doesn't even know how to siege a city."

At the end of the sentence, Naoomi Hattori's gloomy face couldn't help but show a bit of contempt.

Shimokawa Xiu said thoughtfully: "Your Majesty, Brigade Commander, are you referring to the fact that the Eighth Route Army did not surround three buildings?"

"Yes." Hattori Naoomi nodded: "As Sun Tzu said in the art of war, don't chase the enemy when you are poor, and the enemy will be surrounded! Encircling the enemy on all sides like the Eighth Route Army without leaving a gap is really the stupidest choice.

Therefore, in this way, we have given up the idea of ​​abandoning the city and breaking out of the siege, and can only defend the city to the death.

By then, even if the Eighth Route Army can capture Jinzhong County, it will definitely pay an extremely painful price!"

After a pause, Hattori Naoomi changed his voice and continued: "However, this Eighth Route Army officer is really stupid. Not only did he make the mistake of encircling the division, but he also made another mistake!"

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Shimokawa Hide: "What other mistakes did the Eighth Route Army make?"

Naomi Hattori: "Although the total strength of the Eighth Route Army is much greater than that of the Imperial Army and the Imperial Association Army in Jinzhong County, they have chosen to divide their forces into separate routes.

As a result, the strength of the Eighth Route Army is far less than that of the Imperial Army, and is even less than half of that of the Imperial Army and the Imperial Association Army."

Shimokawa Hide was shocked: "Your Excellency, Brigade Commander, do you mean that we will take the initiative later?"
Chapter completed!