The 36th Division suffered about 1,000 casualties this time, which was nothing compared to the tens of thousands casualties suffered by the First Army during Shinozuka Yoshio's period.
However, some problems will always remain problems if they are not solved.
In response to the Eighth Route Army's guerrilla tactics, Commander Shun Tada came up with cage tactics to counterattack, but ultimately failed.
Now the Eighth Route Army invented and used tunnel tactics, which caused a lot of trouble to the First Army.
If counter-attack tactics are not found, more soldiers will be crushed by such tunnel tactics in the future, and the security war in Shanxi and even North China will be greatly affected.
Kazuki Yamamoto said:
"No matter how brilliant the tactics are, they have their advantages and disadvantages."
"It's not difficult to break the tunnel tactics. You just need to find a way to shorten the attack distance of the imperial infantry."
All the Japanese officers were still thinking about Yamamoto Kazuki's words.
However, Kuribayashi Tadamichi guessed what Yamamoto Kazuki meant and said tentatively: "Yamamoto-kun means to dig forward using earthworks?"
"Yes!" Yamamoto Kazuki said directly without pretending to be profound: "Major General Miyazaki's tactic of bombarding with artillery while charging with infantry is a good idea if the enemy's firepower is not strong."
If the enemy's firepower is not strong, artillery fire can suppress the enemy's firepower, and then the infantry will most likely be able to rush into the position and engage in hand-to-hand combat.
Yamamoto Kazuki then said: "Look at the sand table, from the attack position of the 3rd Infantry Battalion of the 222nd Regiment to the forward position of the Eighth Route Army, it is more than 400 meters. In other words, the impact of the Imperial Army soldiers after the artillery fire
The distance was more than 400 meters long, and the Imperial Army soldiers in this open area became a living target for the Eighth Route Army soldiers."
"Just dig the trench to 30 meters from the Eighth Route's forward position to shorten the attack distance."
"The artillery of the imperial army violently bombarded the positions of the Eighth Route Army."
"If the Eighth Route Army does not enter the tunnel, it will suffer heavy losses."
"If the Eighth Route Army enters the tunnel, as soon as the artillery fire ends, the Imperial Army soldiers will press forward. The Eighth Route Army will not have time to come out of the tunnel, and the position will be occupied by the Imperial Army."
"Then, the imperial army can suppress the Eighth Route Army and fight in the tunnel."
Iwamatsu Yoshio's eyes lit up slightly and he thought about this solution carefully.
The Japanese army generally has engineers, such as divisions, which have specialized engineer regiments.
In addition to clearing mines, engineers also have tasks such as clearing roads through mountains and building bridges over water. Naturally, soil work is also a specialty of the engineering troops.
The commander of the 41st Division, Qing Shui Juju, pointed at the sand table and questioned: "However, the Eighth Route Army will not watch the imperial army's engineers doing soil work under their noses. The mountain artillery position located a few kilometers behind the Eighth Route Army position will definitely have an impact on the soil."
The engineers at work launched an artillery bombardment, and the Eighth Route Army was equipped with 105 mm caliber howitzers. The trenches dug by the engineers may not be able to withstand 105 mm caliber artillery shells."
It's like a sandbox deduction.
A group of Japanese officers looked towards the sand table.
They seemed to see that in front of the position on the slope of the Eighth Route Army, the Japanese engineers were hard at work digging.
But a sharp whistling sound suddenly sounded in the sky, and the shells fell in pieces, some falling into the dug trenches.
After several rounds of artillery attacks at the level of two mountain artillery regiments, the trenches dug for earthworks were blown to pieces, and the engineers working on the earthworks suffered heavy casualties.
Reinforced concrete fortifications are difficult to defend against 105mm howitzer attacks, let alone pure trench fortifications.
Yamamoto Kazuki replied: "This requires the cooperation of the aviation force, using fighter jets and bombers to suppress or even destroy the Eighth Route Army's artillery positions. If only a small number of mortars are left in the anti-slope position, the threat to the engineers will be limited."
Qingshui said politely: "As we all know, the new regiment's anti-aircraft firepower is very strong, and the dispatch of aviation forces will probably cause heavy losses."
In the Battle of Taiyuan, the entire 3rd Flying Group suffered heavy losses, and even several Kwantung Army flying battles that came to support suffered heavy losses.
The aviation unit of the North China Front has not yet recovered its strength.
The Japanese Air Force was a little scared after being beaten.
"If you want to occupy the enemy's position, how can you not lose some money?"
Kazuki Yamamoto:
"Although the Imperial Army lost more than 110 aircraft in the Battle of Taiyuan, the artillery and anti-aircraft firepower of the New Regiment also suffered heavy losses."
"Deploying aviation forces will most likely find or even destroy the artillery positions on the Eighth Route."
"Even if it cannot be destroyed, it can still scare the Eighth Route Army positions from firing artillery to expose the positions, allowing engineers to operate smoothly."
After finishing speaking, Yamamoto narrowed his eyes and flashed his eyes sharply.
Hanatani Masaru asked: "Yamamoto-kun, why don't you send out fighter jets and bombers to blow up the tunnel directly?"
"Have you ever considered, Chief of Staff," Kazuki Yamamoto said, "How many tons of aerial bombs would be needed to blow up such a tunnel?"
"I'm afraid it's dozens of tons." Hua Gu was thinking.
"This is just a conservative estimate." Yamamoto Kazuki said, "The empire has poor resources, and aerial bombs are even more strategic resources. If we capture a hilltop and drop dozens or hundreds of tons of aerial bombs, how many hills are there in Shanxi?"
Hanatani Masaru no longer refutes, because Yamamoto Kazuki is telling the truth. The Japanese army really cannot afford to fight this kind of expendable local tyrant style of play.
Yoshio Iwamatsu nodded, his expression slightly relaxed:
"Yamamoto-kun is indeed a man who went to Germany for further study. This is a good counter-tactic."
This tactic has its limitations. The soil work also requires the cooperation of aviation. Without aviation to suppress and destroy enemy artillery positions, it will be difficult to implement this tactic.
Then, Yoshio Iwamatsu looked at Tadamichi Kuribayashi and asked: "Kuribayashi-kun, I heard that you are very interested in this tunnel tactic. Have you thought of a way to crack it?"
"Report to the general!"
Kuribayashi Nakamichi said frankly: "As for cracking tunnel tactics, I haven't thought of a good way yet."
Yoshio Iwamatsu was a little disappointed. Tadashi Kuribayashi had been studying this tunnel tactic these days, and he thought he had discovered something.
As a result, nothing was found.
This is actually not to blame Kuribayashi Tadamichi. Until the 21st century, no country in the world had any good way to break the tunnel war.
Some military experts even say that tunnel warfare is an unsolvable issue.
Seeing Iwamatsu Yoshio's disappointed expression, Kuribayashi Tadamichi said: "I am indeed studying tunnel tactics, but the direction of my research may be different from what the general imagined."
"Oh?" Yoshio Iwamatsu said in a surprised tone, "What is the direction of Kuribayashi-kun's research?"
Kuribayashi Tadamichi said: "What I am studying is how to use tunnel tactics. Since I can't find a better cracking method, why not use it."
If you can't beat him, then join him. This is Kuribayashi Tadamichi's idea.
Next, Tadamichi Kuribayashi boldly speculated that after the Sino-Japanese War for another two to three years at most, the Japanese army would probably turn to the defensive in the North China battlefield.
The Eighth Route Army is likely to switch from defensive to offensive, and the Japanese army can use this tunnel tactic.
As the forward base for the Eighth Route Army to attack the North China Plain, Shanxi will definitely be the first to be attacked by the Eighth Route Army, and then there will be another Battle of Taiyuan.
Ribayashi Tadashi proposed to build a large number of tunnels in the mountainous areas such as Crouching Mountain and Tianlong Mountain around Taiyuan to withstand the Eighth Route Army's offensive.
However, this idea of Kuribayashi Tadamichi was unanimously refuted by almost all the officers present except Kazuki Yamamoto.
Yamamoto Kazuki remained silent. He had a pessimistic attitude towards the entire Sino-Japanese war.
And Iwamatsu Yoshio only gave a few words of encouragement, and did not take Ribayashi Tadamichi's words too seriously, thinking that Ribayashi Tadamichi was just unfounded worries.
Even though the Eighth Route Army achieved some results in North China, except for the Shanxi battlefield, the overall situation was still under the control of the Japanese army.
In the Shanxi battlefield, only northwest Shanxi and southeast Shanxi could pose some threat to the First Army.
Iwamatsu Yoshio said murderously: "The Eighth Route Army's attack on Taiyuan has attracted further attention from the base camp. When the base camp increases its troops and mobilizes supplies, it will inevitably launch an unprecedented large-scale raid on the Eighth Route Army. The imperial army will do whatever it takes."
Eliminate the Eighth Route Army."
But considering that many large-scale raids in the past few years failed to eliminate the Eighth Route Army, and instead suffered heavy losses in soldiers and materials, this raid may not be able to do it.
He changed the topic and said:
"But...Kuribayashi-kun's words make sense. We must prepare for a rainy day."
"I will apply for the mobilization of reinforced concrete to build permanent defenses around Taiyuan and build tunnels to enhance Taiyuan's defense."
Within a few months, the Japanese army was able to build thousands of artillery towers and strongholds around various roads and railways in North China.
Moreover, traffic on the Tongpu Railway and the Zhengtai Railway can be restored within a few months after the Hundred Regiments War.
The construction ability of the Japanese cannot be underestimated.
Yoshio Iwamatsu was also afraid of following in the footsteps of Yoshio Shinozuka.
It only took the Eighth Route Army three days to conquer Taiyuan. The battle ended so quickly that even if the total strength of the First Army reached 100,000, and even if the Second Army and the Mongolian Army Corps dispatched troops, there was no time to rescue them.
Before this, probably no one could have imagined that the Eighth Route Army would take three days to capture Taiyuan.
If Yoshio Shinozuka built more fortifications in Taiyuan and could hold Taiyuan for half a month or even a month, the results might be different.
Yoshio Iwamatsu knew very well that one should never treat the Eighth Route Army with common sense.
While trying to kill all the Eight Route Army and completely eliminate them, you must not take it lightly and prevent the Eight Route Route Army from jumping up and biting you.
If the bite was not a vital part, it would be okay. But if the Eighth Route Army were to bite out another black tiger like this time in the Taiyuan battle, it would be very bad.
…
Three days later.
Zhaojiayu Village, New Regiment Headquarters.
Li Yunlong was studying the map.
Since the battle in Dagu Town, the 36th Division has not attacked again, but has resorted to the cage blockade method again.
The common people were driven to build trenches, bunkers and gun towers outside the base areas.
Ordinary gun towers and strongholds are naturally unable to block the new group.
Therefore, the Japanese built reinforced concrete bunkers and gun towers this time.
If these bunkers and gun towers could be made similar to those of the Maginot Line, they could even block howitzer attacks.
However, with the Japs' resources, it is impossible to build them all into such large bunkers. If they can withstand the attack of 75mm mountain artillery, it is considered very good.
Staring at the map, Li Yunlong sneered: "When the expansion of labor and management's troops is completed, it is not certain who will block who."
Guard Huang Erhu hurriedly walked in and reported: "Report to the commander, the pilots and battalion-level officers escorted by Langya Squadron have arrived!"
Li Yunlong looked slightly happy: "Haha, I hope for the stars and the moon, they are finally here!"