Due to the Japanese advance, the team was divided into small groups.
Moreover, these teams did not carry communication equipment, so they not only had no contact with each other, but also had no contact with the headquarters.
As a result, as soon as these advancing teams entered the base area, they were discovered by secret sentries from the Independent Regiment and the New Second Regiment.
Then they were all surrounded and suppressed by the main force nearby.
Basically, in just one day, the Independent Regiment and the New Second Regiment killed all the Japanese who infiltrated into the base area and obtained 1,000 tons of weapons and ammunition.
Three days later.
The Japanese special agents outside the base area could not wait for the advance team for a long time. They realized that something had happened, so they returned to Taiyuan one after another.
Taiyuan.
First Army Headquarters, Yamamoto Kazuki Office.
"Nani?"
"Not even one of the advance teams came back?"
In the office, after listening to Kuwahara Ichiro's report, Yamamoto Kazuki suddenly stood up. His usually paralyzed and cold expression turned a little panicked at this time.
"Hi!"
Ichiro Kuwahara lowered his head.
Yamamoto Kazuki's eyes were gloomy, and his face was uncertain for a while.
Needless to say, the information must have been leaked again.
The 10 advancing teams, whether they were selected for training or sent out on missions, were all conducted under top-secret circumstances. How could the information be leaked?
and.
Every advance team that enters the Eighth Route Army base area has only recently determined its route and time. Even the commander of the First Army, Yoshio Iwamatsu, doesn't know.
Who leaked the information?
"idiot!"
Yamamoto, who couldn't think of a clue, could only curse bitterly.
Subsequently, Kazuki Yamamoto went to the commander's office and reported the matter to Yoshio Iwamatsu.
Chief of Staff Hanatani Masaru and Deputy Chief of Staff Masao Miyazaki happened to be there as well, and Yamamoto Kazuki was ridiculed by them.
Although Iwamatsu Yoshio's expression did not fluctuate much, the look he looked at Yamamoto Kazuki showed a bit of disappointment and a hint of caution.
This intelligence leak is very strange, and Yamamoto Kazuki may not be able to escape his involvement.
However, Yoshio Iwamatsu didn't say much and asked Yamamoto Kazuki to thoroughly investigate the special team.
The mission of the advancing team completely failed, and all 200 elite officers and soldiers were shattered. It was all his responsibility, Yamamoto Kazuki, and Yamamoto Kazuki had no choice but to accept the order.
…
Peking.
Iron Lion Alley.
North China Front Army Headquarters.
Senior officers of the North China Front Army Headquarters, including Okamura Neiji, gathered in the Front Army War Room.
In the past, the war room contained maps of the five provinces of North China, but now, the war room contains maps of Southeast Asia.
Today, the Japanese Navy launched a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor in the United States, and the Army is about to launch an offensive in Southeast Asia.
Although Okamura Neiji is not in favor of this more radical strategy, this strategy is likely to draw the United States and other Western powers into the war.
But this is the decision of the headquarters and the cabinet, and there is nothing Neji Okamura can do to stop it.
Okamura Neiji was unsure. If the war in the Pacific and Southeast Asia went smoothly, it would be a great thing for the Japanese Empire.
Not only can it enhance the international status of the Japanese Empire, but it can also obtain massive combat supplies in Southeast Asia.
But on the contrary, if the war goes unfavorably, it is very likely that troops from the Kwantung Army, North China Front Army, etc. will be mobilized to support the Pacific and Southeast Asian battlefields.
This made the North China Front Army, which was already insufficient in strength, even worse.
Once the North China Front loses a few divisions, the Eighth Route Army will most likely launch a full-scale counterattack. Will the North China Front headquarters be able to withstand it?
"What do you think of the war in Southeast Asia?"
Okamura Neji looked at Tanabe Moritake, Arisu Seizo, and a group of combat staff and asked.
In addition to Tanabe Moritake and Arisu Seizo, the North China Front's combat staff has been replaced several times by Okamura Neiji.
Okamura Neiji even replaced the security personnel around him to guard against the senior Eighth Route Army agents lurking at the North China Front Army Headquarters.
"I believe that the locust army will win this battle in Southeast Asia."
No one spoke, Tanabe Moritake stood up and looked at the map and said.
"Oh?" Okamura Neji's expression changed and he asked, "Why does Tanabe-kun think so?"
Even Mo Seizan and a group of Japanese advisers looked at Tanabe Moritake in surprise.
This time when the Japanese army attacked Southeast Asia, the enemy was not the weak Chinese army, but the Western army led by the US and British troops.
Everyone was unsure whether they could win or not.
Tanabe Moritake said:
"Although the enemies of the Locust Army this time are the US Army and the British Army, and the US Army and the British Army are not weak in combat effectiveness, the US Army and the British Army in Southeast Asia are all miscellaneous forces."
"In this Southeast Asian offensive, the Locust Army dispatched 11 elite divisions, 2 flight groups, and 9 tank regiments, which were attached to the Navy's 2nd Fleet, Southern Expedition Fleet, and 11th Air Fleet, totaling 250,000 people, plus
There are about 400,000 logistics support troops."
"Before the war, the Locust Army made a lot of preparations and sent a large number of spies and agents to sneak into Southeast Asia to collect intelligence."
"In addition, the locust army also conducted targeted tropical landing operations in southern China."
"It simulated actual land, sea and air force drills for occupying Malaya, Singapore and other places. The aviation force flew long distances, night flights and airdrops. The various arms of the Locust Army cooperated very closely."
"The Locust Army uses elites to deal with the unprepared, and is prepared to fight unprepared battles. The Locust Army will win this battle."
"It's just that the time of victory cannot be guaranteed."
"Compared with fighting in Southeast Asia, I am more worried about whether the Navy can successfully attack Pearl Harbor."
Okamura Neji nodded. Tanabe Moritake's words were almost as he expected.
In the early days of Japan's war of aggression against China, in order to win the war, it imported large quantities of important strategic materials such as oil and steel from the United States, Britain and other countries.
However, later the United States, the United Kingdom, etc. began to change their tactics, and their exports of strategic materials to Japan gradually decreased, and later directly cut off the supply.
What does this amount to?
Cut off "food" for Japan.
At that time, the Daqing Oilfield in Northeast China had not yet been discovered. Due to the "lack of strategic materials", Japan would have a high probability of falling into the quagmire of war in China and a high probability of failure.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! At this time, Japan faces an important and difficult choice: Should it withdraw its troops and go home? Or find a way to continue the war?
Japan chose the latter, and if it wants to support the continuation of the war, it must solve the strategic material situation.
At this time, the third part of Japan's grand strategy came out automatically: to invade the Dutch East India Company southward, where there was oil and rubber.
But if we want to go south, there is a big obstacle in front of us, and that is the United States and Britain. They have troops stationed in the Philippines and a naval base in Hawaii.
So, the dangerous idea came out: to attack Pearl Harbor and paralyze the U.S. Navy for six months, Southeast Asia would basically be included.
By then, the deal will be done, the rice will be cooked, and the United States will most likely negotiate.
After all, the United States' prudent and self-protective style makes it difficult to start a war with Asia's biggest brother, Japan.
At this moment, the communications staff officer hurried in with a telegram in his hand and a happy face.
"Report to Commander!" the communications staff officer said to Neji Okamura: "Urgent call from base camp!"
Okamura Neiji took the telegram from the communications staff and read it. After reading the telegram, he couldn't help but look happy.
"Your Excellency, General." Seeing this, Moritake Tanabe asked quickly, "Did the navy's surprise attack succeed?"
"That's right!"
To be continued...