Guangde City is where the first shot of the Battle of Nanjing, the capital city, was fired.
Defend one city and defend the world! Defend Guangde. This is the combat mission of the troops under the 23rd Army of the Sichuan Army to defend the capital.
Rao Guohua, commander of the 145th Division of the 23rd Group Army of the Sichuan Army, raised his right arm high and solemnly swore to the folks from all walks of life in his hometown: "I will never return home until the Japanese pirates are driven out!"
So on November 24, the 145th Division of the Sichuan Army led by Rao Guohua was ordered to arrive in Guangde, preparing to defend this place and defend the peripheral positions of the capital.
As soon as he arrived in Guangde, he and his troops immediately reorganized the troops on the spot without taking any rest. He also personally led the officers and soldiers to inspect the front line, strictly deployed defensive troops at the boundary signs, and built reinforced fortifications.
, to ensure the safety of Guangde City and Guangde Airport.
"Have the special agent company and reconnaissance troops been dispatched for reconnaissance?"
"After the Japanese 10th Army lands in Hangzhou Bay, it will definitely attack from our side. According to Shangfeng's intelligence, the troops attacking Guangde are very likely to be the 18th Army of the Japanese 10th Army.
division!"
"This is an elite Japanese division. We will have a fierce battle, and this time there will be puppet troops working together to fight together!"
"Although I am not afraid of those puppet troops at all, we cannot underestimate the enemy in fighting! Be careful of capsizing in the ditch!"
"And this time we have no reinforcements to support the operation. The 144th Division, 146th Division, 147th Division, 148th Division and other four divisions, plus two independent brigades, are now on combat missions, and the casualties are relatively high.
Big ones, so we can no longer count on them coming to support our operations in Guangde!"
"So we have to be mentally prepared to not have any backup!"
"Even the independent brigade under the 147th Division that is conducting joint defense operations with us is deployed in Si'an to assist us in defending against the possible appearance of the Japanese 18th Division!"
"Except for this friendly force, there are really no reinforcements!"
After inspecting the combat deployment of various positions on the front line,
Commander Rao also gave orders and reminders to the officers around him.
"Yes! Master!"
All the senior officers of the 15th Division immediately agreed in unison.
Although they felt that the risk factor was very high without reinforcements to support the battle, no one backed down and did not dare to stay here.
After seeing that the morale of the officers under him was relatively good, Commander Rao nodded with satisfaction and continued to take them to inspect various fortifications in the city.
Japanese 18th Division Headquarters,
"Your Excellency, Commander, you have given us a supply of new troops, so this time we attack Guangde, we must capture it as quickly as possible!"
"To wipe away the shame of our defeat in Cangcheng and Songjiang City!"
"For the glory of our empire and the reputation of our 18th Division, I hope you can fully occupy the battle of Guangde within one day and kill all the Chinese troops stationed there!"
The new chief of staff, Kamio Taro, was lecturing the Japanese officers in the headquarters.
This time, Lieutenant General Ushijima Sadao stood aside, silently listening to the lectures of the new chief of staff.
"Hai!"
"Hai!"
"Hai!"
All the Japanese officers present nodded in agreement without hesitation.
Including the brigade commanders of the 1st Brigade and the 2nd Brigade of the Puppet Manchukuo Jing'an Army also nodded quickly.
However, they were not going to the capital Nanjing to participate in the battle, but were dispatched to the rear occupation area to carry out security and defense operations.
But this time in the Guangde battle, they will be dispatched to support the operation and strengthen the offensive momentum of the 18th Division, but they are not the main force, and they will not continue to be dispatched to attack after the Guangde battle.
The capital is used as cannon fodder.
"Yo Xi!"
"Okay! Since everyone's morale is so good, let's continue setting off now!"
"We have about one day before we can march to the outskirts of Guangde City!"
After seeing the morale of the Japanese officers under his command recover again and remain at a high level,
Lieutenant General Ushijima Sadao, who had been silent, also showed a bright smile. Before the new chief of staff, Kamio Taro, could continue his lecture, he started to encourage all the Japanese officers.
"Hai!"
"Hai!"
"Hai!"
All the Japanese officers present, when they saw that it was their division commander speaking, they nodded again and agreed.
"Report! Your Excellency, Division Commander!"
"We have detected the number of the China Army stationed in Guangde!"
"They are the 145th Division of the Sichuan Army, the Sichuan Army on Liu Xiang's side!"
At this time, Japanese reconnaissance officer Oda Encheng also hurriedly entered the headquarters and gave a military salute report.
"What!"
"Is it the Sichuan Army again? Is their commander that damn China Army officer He Feiyang?"
As soon as he heard the number of the defenders of the city that his troops were about to attack, and that they were Sichuan troops, Lieutenant General Ushijima Sadao's expression suddenly changed and he asked.
"Hai! No, their commander is Rao Guohua, not that He Feiyang!"
Japanese reconnaissance officer Oda Encheng responded quickly.
"Rao Guohua?"
"Never heard of it!"
"Baga! As long as it's not that damn He Feiyang, that's fine, you guys! Strengthen the reconnaissance efforts for me immediately, and be sure to find out the details of this Sichuan Army unit!"
"In addition, immediately ask the aviation army to dispatch flying troops to support our attack on Guangde, and also let the China Army troops who surrendered to us act as forward troops to attack the outpost security positions of the China Sichuan Army in Guangde, and test them for me.
Clear out the heavy firepower configuration of these China-Sichuan troops!"
Upon hearing that this time the commander of the Sichuan Army was not He Feiyang,
Lieutenant General Ushijima Sadao instinctively relaxed his whole body and responded without being so anxious or nervous.
"Hai!"
Japanese reconnaissance officer Oda Encheng agreed loudly again.
Then he took the order and left.
Then the Japanese officers of the entire 18th Division Headquarters continued to listen to the new Chief of Staff Kamio Taro's lecture again, while Lieutenant General Ushijima Sadao fell silent again.
His thoughts now went to the commander of the Guangde garrison.
"We shouldn't encounter that damn He Feiyang's Sichuan Army this time, right?"
"Why are there still Sichuan troops guarding Guangde? Are these damn Sichuan troops everywhere?"
"Have so many of them come to Songhu and Nanjing to fight?"
After a long time,
Lieutenant General Ushijima Sadao murmured to himself in his heart.
At this time, the nearly 5,000 puppet Manchukuo troops were ready to go, and they were the first to bear the brunt and became the forward troops of the Japanese 18th Division.
March towards Guangde's outpost defense line.
But their fighting enthusiasm was not high at all, and they even had no intention of fighting the next battle.
They just want to go to the rear of the Japanese-occupied areas as soon as possible to manage public security, instead of going to the front lines to fight.