Yoshio Shinozuka got up before dawn. After washing up, he suddenly became interested and wanted to take a break from his busy schedule to practice some sword skills.
Kazuki Yamamoto, the strongest swordsman, went to the front line of Mount Nakajo.
Chief of Staff Hideyoshi Kusuyama went to the 37th Division.
Therefore, Shinozuka Yoshio randomly invited a combat officer to accompany him to practice swordsmanship.
This combat staff officer was named Fujimura Nobuyoshi. Seeing that the commander was so interested, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and train with the commander.
Both sides used bamboo knives and protective gear. This situation attracted many personnel from the First Army Headquarters to watch.
When two people meet each other, it means the sparring begins.
Yoshio Shinozuka was the first to attack. After slashing at Nobuyoshi Fujimura, he launched a series of fierce attacks without giving the opponent a chance to breathe.
Fujimura Nobuyoshi quickly blocked with his sword, but after only a few moves, he was unable to resist.
Although there is a saying that boxing is afraid of the young, Fujimura Nobuyoshi found that the commander's sword skills were as good as his proficiency, and his offensive was extremely cunning and sharp.
Therefore, Fujimura Nobuyoshi used all his strength to counterattack in defense.
But he was still defeated. The bamboo knife in his hand was knocked away, and then the bamboo knife in Shinozuka Yoshio's hand was pressed against his throat.
Seeing this scene, the Japanese officers who were watching applauded.
Because of the successive defeats of the First Army and the Eighth Route Army, Yoshio Shinozuka's authority in the First Army had fallen to the bottom.
However, this time the First Army launched the Central Plains Campaign. It first deceived the Central Army and the Eighth Route Army with a trick of suspicion, and then used a blitzkrieg to raid the Central Army, achieving great results in a short period of time.
This made Shinozuka Yoshio's prestige in the First Army rise again.
It has picked up a bit, but not completely.
Unless Yoshio Shinozuka commanded the First Army to defeat the Central Army, and then immediately defeated the Eighth Route Army, his prestige could return to its peak.
However, these Japanese officers did not know that Yoshio Shinozuka had received an order to retire.
"Your Excellency General, your swordsmanship is very advanced, and it is no less impressive than Beichen's one-sword style back then!"
Fujimura Nobuyoshi lowered his head and said with an expression of admiration on his face.
"Fujimura-kun, thank you very much."
Yoshio Shinozuka spoke modestly, but had a look of pride on his face. During this period, his understanding of swordsmanship had indeed improved greatly.
If I had to describe it in one word, it would be enlightenment.
Yoshio Shinozuka added: "Kendo is not only a technique, but also an art. Fujimura-kun, as long as you practice it with concentration, your kendo skills will become the same as mine, or even surpass mine."
"Hi!" Fujimura Nobuyoshi suddenly lowered his head, "Thank you, General, for your teaching. Fujimura will definitely keep it in mind."
Yoshio Shinozuka waved his hand and picked up the towel on the side to wipe his sweat.
At this moment, communications staff officer Toshimatsu Kasai held the telegram in his hand and hurried over, lowered his feet and said: "Report to the general, Lieutenant General Kusuyama of the 37th Division is in urgent need of a telegram!"
Yoshio Shinozuka said: "Read it!"
"Hi!"
Kasai Toshimatsu took the telegram and read: "The main force of the Eighth Route Army in Southeast Shanxi went south this morning and had a firefight with the 37th Division. The Eighth Route Army's offensive was extremely fierce, with no less than 30,000 people in number!"
"Nani?"
"The number of the Eighth Route Army is no less than 30,000?"
Hearing this, Yoshio Shinozuka's voice suddenly rose and his expression changed slightly.
If it were the 30,000-strong Central Army or the Jin-Sui Army, Yoshio Shinozuka would not have the slightest change in his expression or voice.
But the Eighth Route Army of 30,000 people should not only not be underestimated, but should be taken seriously.
Because in the last mopping up operation, the 30,000-strong Eighth Route Army severely damaged two elite divisions of the Japanese army.
If the 38th Route Army led by Li Yunlong is going south, then the 37th Division may be in a bad situation.
I really didn't expect that the Eighth Route Army in southeastern Shanxi could now gather 30,000 main troops to go south to attack the 37th Division.
This is probably the entire main force of the Eighth Route Army in Southeast Shanxi. At this time, if you order the 2nd Guards Division to go south, will it have a miraculous effect?
"Hi!"
Yoshio Shinozuka looked thoughtful.
Kasai Toshisatsu continued: "Not only Xiangyuan, but also the Licheng area has a main force of 38,000 people. The scouts and intelligence personnel deployed by the imperial army in Heshun County have reported back that there is a main force of no less than 30,000 people.
, is heading north along the Heliao Highway, carrying heavy equipment, and the target should be the Zhengtai-Taiwan Railway."
"Nani?"
"There are still 38,000 main troops heading north?"
Upon hearing this, Yoshio Shinozuka raised his voice even higher, threw away his protective gear and bamboo sword, and hurried towards the combat hall.
Arriving at the combat hall, Yoshio Shinozuka asked urgently: "Where did the scouts find the Eighth Route heading north?"
A main force of 38,000 soldiers is already extremely difficult to deal with, but with the addition of another main force of 38,000 soldiers, Shinozuka Yoshio's head is bigger than the two.
The good mood I felt when I woke up in the morning suddenly disappeared without a trace.
"it's here!"
Kasai Toshimatsu pointed out the location of the Eighth Route Army on the map.
The base area of the Taihang Military Region runs north-south like the Taihang Mountains. The brigade commander led the Taihang 1st Column to go north and marched all night before getting out of the base area.
Therefore, the Japanese scouts did not send the news until the morning when they discovered that the main force of the Eighth Route Army was heading north.
In the past, when the Eighth Route Army went to the Zhengtai Railway to engage in side operations, small groups of troops went north, and they all took small or detours.
This time, in addition to the main force of more than 30,000, there were more than 20,000 militiamen, totaling nearly 60,000 people. Without killing the Japanese scouts and intelligence personnel, it was impossible to hide such a large-scale march from the Japanese army.
Yoshio Shinozuka's brows suddenly frowned. Where did the main force of the Eighth Route Army come from with so many people?
Didn't the Eighth Route Army lose any personnel or equipment in the last mopping up operation?
"Your Majesty General, there is another strange situation."
"The two groups of imperial intelligence personnel and scouts assigned by the headquarters to the Baijin Line have currently lost contact with the Communications Department."
Just as Yoshio Shinozuka was thinking, Toshimatsu Kasai said again.
"Lost contact?"
Yoshio Shinozuka suddenly raised his eyebrows: "How often do they contact the Communications Department, and when was the last contact?"
Kasai Toshimatsu said: "Contact every six hours. The last contact was at 12 midnight last night. We should have contacted the Ministry of Communications at 6 o'clock this morning, but the Ministry of Communications has not received their telegram reporting the situation.
.”
Shinozuka Yoshio stared at the Heshun area on the map and moved his eyes to the left, until he reached the Shirojin Line area.
Suddenly his heart beat suddenly.
From the Baijin Line all the way to Qixian, Taigu and Taiyuan, there were no Japanese troops defending this area.
If at this juncture, a main force from the Eighth Route Army moves north along the Baijin Line, it can directly threaten Taiyuan.
"General, are you worried that the Eighth Route Army will besiege Taiyuan?"
"The main forces of the Eighth Route Army in southeastern Shanxi should have already moved out. There should be no extra troops to go north to attack Taiyuan."
After Chief of Staff Kusuyama Hideyoshi was transferred, the combat staff around him had a greater say.
If Kusuyama Hideyoshi was still here, they would have no business talking to each other at all.
Yoshio Shinozuka shook his head and said: "Theoretically this possibility cannot be ruled out."
"Assuming that the Eighth Route Army has a main force of 50,000 to 60,000 people. The Eighth Route Army in Xiangyuan and Licheng areas are the main force, and in the Heshun area heading north, if the Eighth Route Army militiamen wear the main force's military uniforms..."
"Then there are still 20,000 to 38,000 people left, and the main force will probably have already gone north from the Baijin Line."
The staff thought about it and realized that it was indeed possible. After all, this was not the first time that the Eighth Route Army had changed their military uniforms to engage in tactical deception.
Then, Yoshio Shinozuka ordered: "The Kwantung Army's 32nd Flying Group switched to cooperating with the 37th Division and the 2nd Guards Division. Bombers and fighter jets immediately found the Eighth Route Artillery unit in the Heshun area and destroyed it immediately!"
"In addition, send out all reconnaissance planes to conduct reconnaissance along the Baijin Line, and report immediately if traces of the Eighth Route are found!"
"Hi!" Kasai Toshimatsu paused and walked out.
This was just his guess, and he was not sure that the Eighth Route Army would definitely go north to attack Taiyuan.
At this time, the old Japanese were in a dilemma. If the 2nd Guards Division were transferred back to Taiyuan from the Zhengtai Railway, they would definitely be able to hold Taiyuan.
But if the 2nd Guards Division is transferred away, it will be equivalent to giving up the Zhengtai Railway to the Eighth Route Army. After destroying the Zhengtai Railway, the Eighth Route Army will definitely continue to go north and destroy the Beitongpu Railway.
If the two key railway transportation lines of Zhengtai and Beitongpu are destroyed by the Eighth Route Army, the impact on the Central Plains Campaign will be very fatal.
When logistical supplies are interrupted and frontline troops are short of supplies, the results of the battle will be greatly compromised.
Naturally, the old Japanese would not give up the opportunity to retire with honor so easily.
Not sure whether the Eighth Route Army would attack Taiyuan, Yoshio Shinozuka did not dare to easily transfer back the 2nd Guards Division.
The last time the 37th Division was severely damaged was because its troops were too dispersed. The first batch of people who entered the Eighth Route Army base area was only about 5,000 people, and the other 5,000 were from the Imperial Alliance Army.
The 2nd Guards Division suffered heavy losses due to an ambush and mysterious air support.
With strong air support and frontal combat, Yoshio Shinozuka did not believe that the main force of the 30,000 Eighth Route Army could really defeat an elite division of the Japanese army.
As the old devil gave his order.
Fighters, bombers and reconnaissance aircraft of the 32nd Group of the Kwantung Army took off quickly from the Xinxiang Airport in Henan Province.
Divided into three combat formations, one part flew towards Xiangyuan and Licheng, one part flew towards Baijin Line, and the other part flew towards Heshun area.
The Taihang 2nd Column led by the division commander has been engaged in a full-scale firefight with the 37th Division.
Although the first wave of raids on the Eighth Route Army took some advantage.
However, since they were facing an entire division of the Japanese army this time, and the Japanese army was in a defensive posture, they built defensive fortifications in advance against the Eighth Route Army.
Coupled with the fact that Kusuyama Hideyoshi, an old Japanese soldier, was not easy to deal with, and the Japanese air support, even if the Eighth Route Army had the advantage, there was no way to resolve the battle in a short time.
On the brigade commander's side, before dawn, the brigade commander ordered the two artillery regiments to quickly hide the cannons and artillery shells.
The Japanese fighter jets and bombers searched for it for several times but failed to find it. They ran out of fuel and flew south.
As for Li Yunlong, all the troops were hidden in the leafy woods that the Sharp Sword Squadron had scouted in advance. The soldiers who slept during the day had grass rings on their heads and their bodies were covered with branches and weeds.
Very well concealed.
Even if the Japanese reconnaissance plane conducts low-altitude reconnaissance, it will be difficult to detect it.