Tangshan.
Japanese Kwantung Army Headquarters.
After more than 10 days of rapid march, General Umezu Yoshijiro 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 Eighth Route Army aircraft.
However, the main targets of the Eighth Route Army's aircraft were the two battlefields in North China and Xuzhou.
The bombing of the Kwantung Army was insufficient and the Kwantung Army's losses were not large.
"General."
A Japanese military staff officer walked in quickly and reported to General Yoshijiro Umezu:
"Prime Minister Tojo just sent a telegram that the North China Front Army is preparing to move to Manchuria. The base camp ordered us to go to the Tianjin area immediately to meet General Gomura and the North China Front Army."
"knew."
General Umezu Yoshijiro nodded, waved his hand and said.
General Umezu Yoshijiro initially refused to lead the main force of the Kwantung Army to North China to reinforce the North China Front.
The reason for his apparent refusal was that Umezu Yoshijiro was afraid that after the main force of the Kwantung Army was transferred, the Soviet army in the Far East would take the opportunity to invade 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 the Soviet army dares to take the opportunity to attack Manchuria, then I will dare to go north to Siberia and attack the Soviet Union from both sides with the German army.
At that time, the Soviet Union will be in a two-front war situation.
The current strategic situation in 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...
Everyone who understands understands.
General Okabe Naosaburo, Lieutenant General Miyano Michichi, Hisao Fururu and dozens of other generals were defeated in North China. He was a serious imperial general and would definitely be targeted when he came to North China.
In fact, when you reach the position of Umezu Yoshijiro, you can see everything clearly.
The so-called bushido spirit, the so-called loyalty to the Locusts, and the so-called caesarean section to apologize after defeat are just tools to brainwash the lower-level Locust soldiers.
He finally became a general and a feudal official, and barely escaped the fate of becoming a chess piece and cannon fodder.
Umezu Yoshijiro didn't want his jade to be broken so early and to be loyal to the Locust.
Umezu Yoshijiro looked at the map and found that the distance between Tangshan and Tianjin was about 130 kilometers, and it would take three days to reach it by urgent march.
If it's just to support the North China Front Army...it's not a difficult combat mission.
Thinking of this, Umezu Yoshijiro said in a deep voice: "Send the order! Order all divisions and brigades to rush to Tianjin at full speed to meet the North China Front Army!"
"Hi."
The communications staff officer lowered his head and quickly turned around and left.
Watching the communications staff member leave, Umezu Yoshijiro sighed quietly.
After the North China Front moved into Manchuria this time, it was equivalent to the base camp completely abandoning North China.
Everything west of Shanhaiguan, including Pingjin, Tangshan and Shandong Province, had to be abandoned.
After the Eighth Route Army has established a foothold in North China, it will inevitably send its troops to the northeast. At that time, there will definitely be a battle between the Kwantung Army and the Eighth Route Army.
The Eighth Route Army has heavy tanks, heavy artillery and fleets of aircraft.
Just thinking about it, the Kwantung Army will one day fight with such troops, Umezu Yoshiharu feels terrified.
…
Victory reports from the battlefield in Xuzhou spread frequently.
After the 11th Army was defeated, it fled to central China overnight.
The Japanese brigade stationed in Xuzhou failed to resist and escaped.
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 army has been marching all the way south and has been fighting for nearly two months.
The soldiers of the 129th Division need to rest and recuperate.
And further south, there is Central China, and there are still many Japanese in Central China.
At this time, the 129th Division should not continue to pursue southward.
After regaining the strategic location of Xuzhou.
Next, the task of the 129th Division is to expand its base area and develop eastward to connect with Shandong Province.
The westward development completely turned Henan Province into the territory of the Eighth Route Army.
In this way, the Eighth Route Army can 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 Japanese in Baoding were preparing to escape towards Tianjin.
Okamura Neiji ordered the 2nd mixed brigade and all the puppet troops to stay behind, and the remaining five divisions and the other two mixed brigades dispersed towards Tianjin and then reunited in Tianjin.
Tianjin was originally the headquarters of the Japanese 27th Division.
However, when the North China War broke out, Okamura Ningji transferred the 27th Division to Baoding to fight, and then transferred it to Huailai County to block the Eighth Route Army's North Road Attack Group.
At this time, the 27th Division was completely destroyed.
Today, only some Japanese garrison troops and puppet troops remain in Tianjin.
Kong Jie led the independent regiment and was preparing to regain Tianjin.
However, the Japanese 43rd Division, 46th Division and 47th Division had already landed at Tianjin Port and rushed to Tianjin.
However, the Independent Regiment has cut off the passage from Baoding to Tianjin.
Baoding.
Frontline headquarters of the Japanese North China Front.
Okamura Neiji has already issued the order to transfer to Tianjin.
"Your Excellency, General."
Youmo Jingsan said in a deep voice:
"Information came from the garrison in Tianjin that the North Road Attack Group of the Eighth Route Army has cut off the passage from Baoding to Tianjin."
"I suggest traveling from Cangzhou to Lu Province, and then from the coast of the Bohai Sea to take a transport ship and transfer to Manchuria."
Okamura Neji narrowed his eyes.
He never expected that this battle would be such a disastrous defeat.
Even the retreat route of the North China Front Army was cut off by the Eighth Route Army.
Fortunately, the headquarters gave the order to the North China Front Army to move into Manchuria, otherwise the North China Front Army would have been completely wiped out by the Eighth Route Army in this battle.
However, Okamura Neji rejected Arisue Seizo's suggestion.
"Arimatsu-kun." Okamura Neji said in a deep voice, "If you can think of it, the Eighth Route Army can also think of it."
"Now our North China Front has five divisions and two brigades that need to be transferred. Can the base camp mobilize so many transport ships for us in a short period of time?"
You Mojing Sanbian said: "Your Excellency, General, there are transport ships of three divisions in Tianjin Port. If they are squeezed together, they should be able to load all the Locust Army troops."
The transport ships of these three divisions were the same ships that transported the 42nd, 46th and 47th Divisions.
Each of the five divisions and two brigades in Baoding suffered heavy losses due to the Eighth Route Army's attacks and shelling.
After squeezing it, it can be almost loaded and shipped to Manchuria or the mainland in one go.
"Even if the base camp mobilizes a large number of transport ships for us." Okamura Neiji shook his head, "The Bohai Sea is within the bombing range of the Eighth Route Army. As long as the Eighth Route Army sends out bombers to blow up the transport ships on the coastline, we will need 100,000
Is the main force of the locust army going to swim back to the homeland?"
After a pause, Okamura Neiji continued: "In Tianjin, there are three divisions of the Locust Army, and in Tangshan, seven divisions and two brigades of the Eastern Army are approaching us to support us."
"Even if the passage between Baoding and Tianjin is cut off, it will be most likely that we will abandon the heavy equipment and move to Tianjin with light equipment."
"As long as we arrive in Tianjin and join up with the three local divisions and the seven divisions of the Kwantung Army, we will be completely safe."
"Hi." Youmo Jingsan lowered his head, he was convinced.
Judging from Okamura Neiji's analysis, it is indeed more feasible to move to Tianjin than to the coastline of Shandong Province.
As the command from the headquarters was issued, the Japanese began to prepare to turn (escape) and advance (run).
To be continued...