In Taiyuan, the headquarters of the Japanese First Army.
Commander Yoshio Shinozuka is reporting to Miyano Michichi on the cage policy implemented in Shanxi.
It was for this purpose that Miyano Michichi came to inspect and inspect the implementation of the First Army's policies on behalf of Commander Tada Shun of the North China Front.
First Army Chief of Staff Kusuyama Hideyoshi and Yamamoto Kazuki were accompanying him.
After Yoshio Shinozuka finished speaking, Chief of Staff Kusuyama Hideyoshi took a thin pole and pointed at the map of Shanxi.
"General Miyano, our First Army has currently built a large number of railways, roads, strongholds and bunkers in the area under its jurisdiction in accordance with Commander Tada's order."
"And strictly follow the commander's deployment, and build a stronghold every 10 miles on the highway and every 5 miles on the railway."
"In the plains and lake areas, the Chinese people were driven to dig new ditches and divide the Eighth Route Base Area into several small pieces."
"At present, the deployment of strongholds along Tongpu Road and Zhengtai Road has been basically completed, and the Baijin Railway is about to be completed."
"After the Baijin Railway is completed, we also plan to build the Linhan Railway to divide the two bandit areas of Taihang and Taiyue on the Eighth Route into four areas to facilitate division and encirclement."
Miyano Michichi nodded while tasting Biluochun: "I took the train from Tongpu Road, and it was true that I was not attacked by the Eighth Route guerrillas. This shows that the defensive deployment of General Shinozuka and Kusuzan-kun has achieved great results. I will tell Tada
The commander reported."
Yoshio Shinozuka said calmly: "This is all due to Commander Tada's clever cage policy. I am just executing the order."
Miyano Michichi looked towards the Yuliao Highway, which penetrated deep into the hinterland of Taihang Base Area.
"General Shinozuka, the imperial army has lost control of the Yuliao Highway. What are you going to do?"
The road from Yangquan to Yushe via Pingding, Heshun, and Liao counties was the road that the Japanese army penetrated the deepest into the Taihang base area.
The Japanese army attempted to extend the road to the southwest and connect it with the Baijin Railway via Wuxiang in order to divide the Dahang District and flexibly mobilize the forces of the Shotai and Baijin lines.
Therefore, Yoshio Shinozuka will never give up control of this highway.
At the same time, Shinozuka Yoshio knew very well that the Eighth Route Army would never let it go, so he sent out a large number of troops overnight to destroy the strongholds and gun towers on the Yuliao Highway.
"I plan to build reinforced concrete strongholds, gun towers and bunkers on this highway."
"This will allow us to regain control of the Yu-Liao Highway and firmly control it."
As Yoshio Shinozuka spoke, he clenched his fists.
"When the Linhan Railway is completed, the highway from Yushe to Wuxiang and then to the Baijin Railway will also be successfully opened."
"At that time, our troops will be able to enter and exit the Eighth Route Base Area at will along roads and railways."
"Our troops, armored vehicles, artillery and military supplies can be continuously transported to southeastern Shanxi via railways and roads."
"Use this to attack Taihang and Taiyue bandit areas and attack them from both inside and outside the base. It won't take long..."
Shinozuka Yoshio was talking enthusiastically, but Yamamoto Kazuki couldn't listen anymore.
"With all due respect, General, this is just wishful thinking on your part."
"I think the so-called cage policy cannot trap the Eighth Route Army and their base areas at all."
Yamamoto Kazuki's tone was cold and he interrupted Shinozuka Yoshio's words without mercy.
Although this was very offensive, Yamamoto had to say it for the benefit of the entire Japanese Empire.
Yoshio Shinozuka's speech came to an abrupt end, and he was a little stunned.
"Baga, Yamamoto-kun, do you know what you are talking about?" Chief of Staff Kusuyama Hideyoshi scolded.
Kusuyama Hideyoshi had long disliked Yamamoto Kazuki. This guy didn't take anyone seriously except Shinozuka Yoshio.
Relying on Shinozuka Yoshio's favor, Yamamoto Kazuki contradicted him many times in meetings, making it impossible for him to get off the stage.
This time he actually contradicted Commander Shinozuka in front of Major General Miyamoto, and Kusuyama Hideyoshi couldn't bear it.
Miyamoto Michichi looked a little sullen. He, the chief of staff of the North China Front, also gave some input and suggestions on the cage policy proposed by Tada Shun. Yamamoto Kazuki said this, he was completely talking about spending a lot of financial resources, material resources and deploying a large number of troops to implement it.
The cage is garbage, pointing at the noses of Miyano Michichi and Tada Shun and saying that you are garbage.
"I'm sorry, General!" Kazuki Yamamoto paused.
Yamamoto Kazuki and his special agent team participated in the Battle of Nomonkan. After that, no other general wanted him. Only Shinozuka Yoshio took Yamamoto and his special agent team in and was very interested in his special operations. As the saying goes
A thousand-mile horse always comes with a horse but not a great talent. Yamamoto still respected Yoshio Shinozuka very much.
Seeing Yamamoto Kazuki's apology, Shinozuka Yoshio did not pursue it. He was afraid that this guy would offend Major General Miyamoto again, so he waved his hand and said: "It's okay, Yamamoto-kun, please step aside first."
"Hi!" Kazuki Yamamoto paused and prepared to walk out.
"Wait a minute." Miyano Michichi stretched out his hand to stop him and said, "Yamamoto-kun, please share your opinion on our North China Front's recent battle in North China."
As soon as the cage policy was implemented, the North China Front Army Headquarters unanimously believed that under such a tight blockade, the Eighth Route Base Area, which was short of supplies, would show weakness. However, the fact is exactly the opposite. Judging from feedback from various places, enemies are attacking everywhere.
And the resistance is becoming more and more fierce.
Miyano Michichi wanted to know, what exactly was the problem?
Yamamoto Kazuki turned around and said:
"With all due respect, General!"
"The biggest problem, or the biggest flaw, of the cage policy is that the defense is insufficient and the offense is insufficient."
"In the past, the attacking troops of the Imperial Army and the Imperial Associated Army entered the so-called base areas for mopping up, and the Eighth Route Army that could still pursue them fled everywhere. They were forced to abandon their base areas, break up into pieces and escape, waiting for the Imperial Army to leave the Eighth Route Army before returning to the base area.
"
"With the current cage policy, the Imperial Army and the Imperial Alliance Army have dispersed most of their forces into thousands of strongholds and artillery towers, greatly dispersing their superior forces."
"In this way, while the Eighth Route Army can gain a breathing space in the base area, it can also frequently attack weak defense points."
"Although the scale of each battle is small and can be ignored, it can add up to a large amount of water and form a sea."
Miyano Michichi said: "Yamamoto-kun, you said that the troops are dispersed. This is a fact that cannot be denied. However, as long as the prison cage is stable, troops can be mobilized from various places and concentrated to carry out a dragnet-style division and sweep. The Eighth Route Army will have no way to escape.
, then the public security in North China will be completely eliminated."
"The key to the problem is." Yamamoto Kazuki said in a deep voice, "The deputy commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army is known for his tough character. He will never sit back and wait for death, watching the cage being formed and the Yuliao Highway being destroyed.
The attack is just the beginning, and there should be even greater operations on the Eighth Route Army."
"So what do you think, Yamamoto-kun, how should we break the situation?" Miyano Michichi asked with an expression on his face.
"It is not difficult to break the situation. Our North China Front Army only needs to innovate its tactics, form a large number of elite small units, equipped with sophisticated weapons, and then go deep into the hinterland of the bandit area, and the aviation force will cooperate to carry out beheading operations against the command structures above the Eighth Route regiment level..." Yamamoto Kazuchi
Mu said.
"Yamamoto-kun." Kusuyama Hideyoshi said sarcastically, "You are promoting so-called special operations again."
"Looking at modern wars, which battle determines the outcome is not fought by large corps?"
"The special operations of small commandos are nothing more than trivial skills."
Yamamoto Kazuki glanced at Kusuyama Hideyoshi. He didn't even bother to refute such an officer with a rigid mind and corrupt ideas.
Miyano Michichi also nodded and said: "With the current strength of the Eighth Route Army, it can at most launch a small-scale battle like the Yuliao Highway. It is impossible to completely destroy the prison cage."
Just when Yoshio Shinozuka also wanted to express his opinion.
"Your Excellency, General!" Communications Staff Officer Toshimatsu Kasai walked in, holding a telegram in his hand.
"The Fourth Brigade reported that strongholds and gun towers around Liao County were attacked by eight groups. Within one day, 4 strongholds and 19 gun towers were destroyed."
"Major Takeo Honda, who was stationed in Liao County, led his troops to reinforce, but was defeated by the Eighth Route Army. Takeo Honda requested reinforcements!"
"Nani?" Yoshio Shinozuka said in a somewhat unbelievable tone, "How many imperial troops were lost?"
After a pause, Yoshio Shinozuka said: "Give me the telegram."
Seeing this, Yoshio Shinozuka was stunned on the spot.
The telegram said: This morning, the strongholds and artillery towers around Liao County were attacked by the Eighth Route Army. Within one day, 4 strongholds and 19 artillery towers were destroyed. The other party dispatched a regiment of troops with extremely powerful firepower. It was suspected that the Eighth Route Army was the most powerful.
The elite new regiment of the 386th Brigade, Honda Takeo personally led more than 400 imperial soldiers and more than 400 imperial auxiliary troops to reinforce, but in the end only more than 100 imperial soldiers and dozens of imperial soldiers returned to the county.
Takeo Honda guessed that the Eighth Route Army would launch a large-scale armed attack on the city next, and specifically requested tactical guidance from the Fourth Brigade and Taiyuan Headquarters.
In the telegram, Takeo Honda did not dare to mention that 4 infantry guns and 4 mortars were captured by the Eighth Route Army. If the brigade commander and Yoshio Shinozuka knew about it, Takeo Honda would be dismissed from his post, or ordered to commit seppuku.
Apologize.
"New group, Li Yunlong?" Yoshio Shinozuka said in a gloomy tone.
"Who is Li Yunlong?" Miyano Michichi looked slightly moved and asked, "There seems to be no such person among the senior commanders of the Eighth Route Army."
Yoshio Shinozuka said: "This person is the commander of the New 1st Regiment of the 386th Brigade. Honda Tazo believes that the initiator of this attack on the strongholds and gun towers around Liao County is the New 1st Regiment."
"He's just a captain." Miyano Michichi waved his hand and said, "There's nothing to be afraid of."
"Miyano-kun, don't underestimate Li Yunlong." Yoshio Shinozuka said, "Colonel Sakata died in the hands of Li Yunlong. This man also used the strength of the reinforced battalion to kill two fully-equipped Kwantung Army squadrons. Okazaki
Li Yunlong was also responsible for all the jade smashing of the brigade, as well as the jade smashing of the Black Island Cavalry Regiment. Li Yunlong's new regiment also participated in it. Li Yunlong led his troops to capture the county seat of Qixian County."
"Yamamoto-kun was also defeated by Li Yunlong." Kusuyama Hideyoshi added.
Kazuki Yamamoto: “???”
"Huh?" Miyano Michichi narrowed his eyes and said, "There is actually such a brave and skilled person in the Eighth Route Army? Shinozuka-kun, do you have detailed information about this person?"
"Not yet." Yoshio Shinozuka said awkwardly, "Li Yunlong has a lower position, and my intelligence department has not yet collected detailed information about this person."
"Okay then." Miyano Michichi said, "When I get back to the headquarters, I will order the intelligence department of the North China Front to do their best to collect intelligence about Li Yunlong."
Shinozuka Yoshio said: "Thank you very much Miyano-kun."
As for what Yamamoto Kazuki said, that the Eighth Route Army was likely to take greater action, neither Shinozuka Yoshio nor Miyano Michichi took it to heart.
In the final analysis, the New Regiment was only the most elite unit of the Eighth Route Army that achieved such results, and the other Eighth Route Army units were not worth mentioning.