Chongqing Huangshan official residence, Yunxiu Tower.

"March 86th Travel has been defeated?" Chang Kaishen looked at Tang Zong directly, feeling unbelievable.

What does this mean? I went to the Central News Agency and delivered a radio speech. In just half a day, the situation in northwest Shanxi was reversed again?

"Yes." Tang Zong nodded, "At least there will be no problem in a short period of time."

"What does Okamura Neji do for?" Chang Kaishen was so angry that he wanted to remove Okamura Neji from his post in place of the Japanese base camp. Can cooked ducks fly away? What's the matter?

Tang Zong said: "The main reason is that the reaction speed of the 386th Brigade was too fast."

"Yes." Chu Yunfei also pointed to the sand table with a long wooden pole and said to Chang Kaishen, "Principal, please see, Okamura Yanji should have seized this opportunity and made the correct arrangements, ordering the two divisions to directly encircle Malan Town and Jiugong Town, and want to cut off the retreat route of the main force of the 386th Brigade in Anhua County, Wan County and Ping'an County, and then wiped out the 386th Brigade. Not only that, Okamura Yanji even sent two divisions to Yuanao Town and Sanqi Town, trying to cut off the retreat route of the 386th Brigade from a distance, but his intentions were seen through Chen Gen."

After a pause, Chu Yunfei continued: "Chen Gen and Wang Ye predicted Okamura's reaction and decisively ordered the main force of the 386th Brigade stationed in Ganzhou, Ping'an County and Anhua County to retreat. Not only did they easily jump out of the Japanese encirclement, but they even relied on Sanqi Town, Yuanao Town and Anshi Town to rebuild an arc-shaped defense line."

"Arc line of defense?" Chang Kaishen's brows frowned in an instant.

"Principal, look." Chu Yunfei pointed to the sand table again and said, "This is Yuanao Town, south of Jiugong Mountain, this is Yuanao Town, north of Wohu Mountain, this is Anshi Town, in the center of the basin between Wohu Mountain and Jiugong Mountain, and it is also the only way for the Japanese army to enter Wanmadu via Chenzhuang. As long as the 386th Brigade guards Anshi Town, it will guard this arc-shaped defense line, and Wanmadu and the nearby arsenal will be safe."

Chang Kaishen said in a deep voice: "In other words, Anshi Town is the key?"

"Yes." Chu Yunfei said, "Whether you can defend Anshi Town is the most critical thing in the second phase of the war in northwest Shanxi."

"So can the 386th Brigade defend Anshi Town?" Chang Kaishen said, "Yun Fei, you said just now that Anshi Town is open to the highway. The Japanese army's mechanized heavy equipment can be driven to Anshi Town through Chenzhuang. Faced with the Japanese army's mechanized heavy equipment, what kind of confrontation should the 386th Brigade take? Just rely on the tunnel underground?"

Tang Zong shook his head and said, "But the problem is that Chen Zhuang was blocked."

"What's going on?" Chang Kaishen said, "Why did Chen Zhuang block it?"

Chu Yunfei said: "It's incredible to say, but according to the information provided by Wang Jiaying, the Japanese army's more than a dozen infantry brigades and nearly 10,000 people from the Eighth Route Army have been completely mixed up near Chenzhuang. Both sides occupied the authentic fortifications within a few kilometers centered on Chenzhuang with squads as units. You have me and I have you in me, and I have become a mess. Neither the Japanese nor the Eighth Route Army have the ability to untie this mess in a short time."

Tang Zong continued: "It is precisely because of this that the road in Chenzhuang has been blocked."

Chu Yunfei said again: "In fact, this is not the worst for the Japanese army. The worst is that since the 386th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army shrank its defense line, the Japanese army can only invest at most three divisions for attack."

"Yes." Tang Zong also said, "Originally, the width of the 386th Brigade's defense front was more than 200 kilometers, but now it is less than 30 kilometers. With such a width, it can only accommodate three divisions at most. Okamura Yanji mobilized nine infantry divisions and one chariot division, but he could only invest in three divisions. He is really powerful and has nowhere to use it!"

"That's how it is." Chang Kaishen said, "So, can all the people trapped at the ferry cross the river?"

"Yes." Chu Yunfei nodded and then said, "Not only the people can cross the river safely, but the 386th Brigade can also cross the river calmly after completing any cover, and then retreat to the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region through Hetao."

Hearing this, Chang Kaishen's face collapsed, and he was happy to see the common people crossing the river.

However, the 386th Brigade could also cross the river calmly, and then retreat to the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region through Hetao, he was not happy to see it, because this not only means that the elite troops of the 386th Brigade were protected, but also means that the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region will have an additional layer of guarantee, which will be very unfavorable for the future attack of Hu Zongnan Group.

Yes, Chang Kaishen is already considering the "bandit suppression work" after the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan.

In view of this, it is impossible to retreat to Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia. The 386th Brigade cannot retreat to Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia. We must find a way to keep them in northwest Shanxi and continue to persist in the War of Resistance.

...

Taiyuan, combat hall of the 1st Japanese Army Command.

Okamura's brows were already twisted into the character "Chuan", and his originally thin body also looked even thinner. Fortunately, it was indoors, but if it was outdoors, it would be really worrying that it would be blown away by the strong wind.

The headquarters's staff member ignored Okamura's mood at this time and the discussion was in full swing.

If you pass by outside the door, you will really mistakenly think that this is a vegetable market in the inner city of Taiyuan, which is very lively.

Obviously, these staff members of the 1st Army Command no longer care about Okamura's feelings.

I remember when Okamura Yasuji first came to Taiyuan, all these staff members were so respectful that they almost knelt down and worshiped him. Compared with the two, it was really inexplicable to sigh.

This is how the army was in the war era, and strength was respected.

If you have the ability and can lead the army to win battles continuously, you will be able to gain respect.

But if you don’t have the ability and can only continue to defeat the battle, even if you are His Highness, it will not work.

Isn’t Asakagumi Kuchihiko a prince? This Japanese devil didn’t actually defeat the battle much. He just lived a joke because of his mediocre ability and was not respected by others at all.

Okamura Yasuji gained a lot of respect for his outstanding performance as commander of the 11th Army.

When the old Japanese were just appointed commander of the North China Front Army, the entire Japanese in North China were cheering and fanatically believed that Okamura Yasuji would definitely lead them to improve the security situation in North China.

But now, after several major defeats in the battlefield in northwestern Shanxi,

Okamura Yasuji's prestige was no longer as good as before, and Sadaichi Yoshimoto even began to openly despise him.

However, what really made Okamura Yanji feel annoyed was not the contempt of young staff members such as Saiti Yoshimoto and the 1st Army Command, because no matter how much Saiti Yoshimoto and these staff members despise them, they would still execute orders without any substantial impact on the war in northwest Shanxi.

What really made Okamura Yanji disturbed was the mobilization operation itself.

The current situation is really troublesome. After the 386th Brigade shrinks its defense line, the front width is less than 30 kilometers, and at most three divisions can be deployed, which is a headache.

Okamura Yanji frowned and subconsciously began to pull his beard.

Not far away, Takuya Mizuhara looked at Okamura with a little pity.

In fact, aside from his identity, Okamura Yasuji is just an ordinary old man, with his beard already gray and in his twilight years, and he is only a few days away from his death.

Okamura Yasuji seemed to feel Takuya's gaze and turned around leisurely.

"Suhun-kun." Okamura Nishi stared at Takuya Suwara's eyes and asked, "Do you have any suggestions for the current situation?"

Takuya Mizuhara said in his heart, "Who made me look pitiful to the old man?" He said immediately: "Your Excellency General, can I ask you a question?"

Okamura Yasuji said: "You ask."

Takuya Suwahara said: "The northwest Shanxi mobilization war is already at the level of battle. So, has your combat goals been adjusted since the northwest Shanxi battle been underway?"

Hearing this, the staff present stopped talking.

Everyone's eyes fell on Okamura Yasuji.

The initial goal of the northwest Shanxi mobilization or the battle between the northwest Shanxi was open, which was to completely destroy the bandit army in the northwest Shanxi, kill all the people in the bandit area, and severely damage the 386th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army, and preferably to completely annihilate them.

But now, it is obviously impossible to kill all the people in the bandit area.

But the goal of adjustment is to admit failure, and admit failure is not an easy task.

As a commander, you have to take responsibility for failure. Does Okamura Yasuji have the courage to do so?

Under the burning gaze of everyone, Okamura Yasuji said: "I must admit that since the battle between the northwest Shanxi and the war has been difficult to achieve before the war, but this has nothing to do with the soldiers on the front line. It is all because of my command mistakes that lead to the current situation. For this reason, I will conduct a deep review with the base camp."

The entire hall suddenly became silent, so everyone looked admirable.

Okamura Yasuji admitted that his failure did not attract the contempt of the officers, but instead won the respect again.

The reason is very simple. A commander who is willing to take responsibility is worthy of respect, because he did not pass on the fault of failure to his subordinates.

Okamura Yasuji continued: "As for combat goals, of course, adjustments need to be made. An obvious fact is that it is impossible to kill all the Chinese people in the bandit area, but there is still a chance to severely damage or even wipe out the main force of the 386th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army. Suwon Jun, do you agree with this?"

Takuya Suwara paused and said, "Hayi, I agree with it."

After a pause, Takuya Mizuhara said again: "It is not difficult to severely damage the 386th Brigade, but it is not easy to wipe out the entire slaughter."

"Is that true?" said Shin-sama Yoshimoto. "Muhun actually thinks it is not difficult to severely damage the 386th brigade? This statement surprised me very much."

Takuya Suwon spread his hands and said, "Commander, in fact, since the battle between the northwest Shanxi and the 386th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army has suffered heavy injuries."

"First of all, the artillery of the 386th Brigade has already lost most of the battle to attack the 1st Division at night."

"At least the artillery seized from the Imperial Army has been lost, with only more than twenty American mountain cannons left."

"Secondly, the battle of the 28th Division in the Shozhukou encirclement and annihilation of the 28th Division was as a result, the 28th Division was completely wiped out, but the casualties of the 386th Brigade were not much less than those of the 28th Division."

"Again, the Eighth Route Army's cavalry has also been completely lost."

"Then, in the first phase of the fortress offensive and defensive battle and the second phase of the urban street battle, the number of casualties of the 386th Brigade will definitely not be small."

"In the end, nearly 10,000 people were trapped in the Chenzhuang battlefield."

"If nothing unexpected happens, the nearly 1,000-18 route trapped in the Chenzhuang battlefield will be doomed."

"If I hadn't made any mistakes, the 386th Brigade now has ten thousand people left at best."

After a pause, Takuya Mizuhara said again: "Commander, if you suffer such a great loss, isn't the 386th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army still injured? Isn't it considered a heavy blow?"

A whisper suddenly sounded in the combat hall.

Before this, no one had carefully estimated the losses of the 386th Brigade.

Now that Suzuhara Takuya said that the 386th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army has indeed suffered heavy losses.

You should know that at the beginning, the regular army of the 386th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army, local armed forces and militia, all had more than 50,000 people, and there was an artillery regiment and a cavalry regiment! But now, the artillery and cavalry have been lost, and only 10,000 people are left in 50,000 people. This cannot be considered a heavy blow, what is a heavy blow?

Hearing this, Okamura Yanji felt much better in an instant.

So, the fierce battle for more than half a month has not been in vain.

But Sayuichi Yoshimoto was dissatisfied: "So how much has the imperial army lost?"

After a pause, Shin-chi Yoshimoto said again: "As of now, the Imperial Army has suffered more than 60,000 casualties in the battle of northwest Shanxi, and the number of casualties alone has exceeded 30,000, including more than 15,000 people in the 28th Division! The lost technical equipment is several times that of the Eighth Route Army. In any case, this cannot be called victory, right?"

Okamura Nishi frowned and said, "Yimoto-kun, no one said the Imperial Army won, okay?"

"Uh..." Yoshimoto Sato was stunned for a moment when he heard this. It seemed that no one had ever said that the Imperial Army had won.

Okamura Yasuji said to Takuya Suwara again: "Muwahara, as you said, since the battle between the northwest Shanxi and the 386th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army has indeed suffered unprecedented heavy damage. So now I will make a small correction to the combat target. I hope that this time I can completely wipe out the 386th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army, especially to capture or kill commanders such as Chen Gen, Li Yunlong and Wang Ye."

"This is not easy." Takuya Suwabata shook his head, "because the Imperial Army does not have the ability to break through the arc defense line of the 386th Brigade in a short period of time, and even less able to block Hetao, the 386th Brigade can leave a small force to cut off the rear after completing the cover mission, and its main force will calmly cross the Yellow River to enter Hetao."

"It's not easy?" Okamura Yanji heard the implicit sound from Takuya Suhara's words, and then asked, "There is actually a way to do what Suhara Jun means, right?"
To be continued...