The Heavy Artillery Regiment and the 3rd Infantry Regiment were killed, and not long after the Eighth Route Army sent out coded telegrams to the whole country, Kwantung Army Commander Umezu Yoshijiro called the North China Front Army Headquarters to inquire about the situation.
Okamura Neji had no choice but to tell the truth. After Umezu Mijiro said a few words coldly, he hung up the phone.
The Chief of Staff of the Kwantung Army was killed in a bombing in North China, the 3rd Flying Division was severely damaged in North China, and the 3rd Heavy Artillery Regiment and the 3rd Infantry Regiment were completely annihilated in North China.
General Umezu Yoshijiro was furious. The incompetence of the North China Front and the incompetence of Okamura Neji actually caused the Kwantung Army to suffer such heavy losses.
If the 10th Division, 3rd Division and 3rd Division were severely damaged, then if the North China Front wanted reinforcements in the future, Umezu Yoshijiro would have to think carefully.
Not long after, Tojo Hideji sent a telegram, scolding Neji Okamura with his head in his face.
Although the Japanese Heavy Artillery Regiment and the 3rd Infantry Regiment were killed.
But the battle must continue and must be won, otherwise Okamura Neiji will really have a hard time explaining to the base camp this time.
After mobilizing so many combat troops and combat materials, they haven't even penetrated the base area of Shanxi North Eighth Route. How can he still get around in the future?
Heyuan County, the Japanese frontline headquarters.
"The Heavy Artillery Infantry Regiment and the 3rd Infantry Regiment were completely annihilated on Pingsui Road?"
Looking at the clear telegram in his hand, Ishikawa Jiro, commander of the 10th Division, narrowed his eyes slightly:
"No wonder General Okamura ordered us to suspend the attack. It turned out that he was preparing to transfer the Heavy Artillery Regiment and the 3rd Infantry Regiment from outside the customs, but..."
Then, Ishikawa Jiro looked at the Chief of Staff of the North China Front with interest.
"General Okamura transferred the Heavy Artillery Regiment and the 3rd Infantry Regiment from outside Seki, why didn't he notify Tanabe-kun?"
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After all, Ishikawa Jiro and the 10th Division are not troops of the North China Front, and are not usually under the jurisdiction of Okamura Ningji and Tanabe Moritake, so Ishikawa Jiro is not too big a deal to watch the excitement.
Okamura Neiji applied for the mobilization of the Heavy Artillery Regiment and the 3rd Infantry Regiment from outside the customs. Even the Chief of Staff of the Front Army Moritake Tanabe did not know about this.
It seems that the North China Front Army Headquarters is not monolithic. Okamura Neiji actually doesn't even trust his chief of staff.
Moritake Tanabe has been with Jiro Ishikawa. If Neji Okamura sends a telegram to Moritake Tanabe to inform him of this, then Jiro Ishikawa will definitely know.
Tanabe Moritake narrowed his eyes and blurted out: "Of course I..."
He originally wanted to say that of course I know, but then he thought, if he said that he knew about this, wouldn't it mean that if Okamura Neji knew about it, he would take the blame?
Doesn't it mean that he is the spy at the North China Front Army Headquarters?
So he quickly changed his words and said: "Of course I don't know. Ishikawa-kun, you also know that there is a senior spy in our North China Front Army Headquarters who has not been caught. General Okamura did not inform me in order to keep it secret."
Ishikawa Jiro smiled slightly, he naturally saw Tanabe Moritake's unnaturalness, and Tanabe Moritake must have cared about it in his heart.
So, Ishikawa Jiro said in a strange way: "If it hadn't been for the clear telegram sent by the Eighth Route Headquarters, we wouldn't have known that the 1st Division's Heavy Artillery Regiment and the 3rd Infantry Regiment had come to North China. But for Tanabe-kun, this is
But it’s a great thing.”
Tanabe Moritake asked: "Why is it a good thing for me?"
"Tanabe-kun doesn't know about this." Ishikawa Jiro said with a slight smile, "Of course there is no suspicion."
Tanabe Moritake was speechless and speechless for a moment. Why do you, Ishikawa Jiro, think I am a spy?
However, there is some truth in what Ishikawa Jiro said.
Yes, he didn't know anything about the Heavy Artillery Regiment and the 3rd Infantry Regiment. How could he be a spy from the Eighth Route Army lurking in the North China Front Army Headquarters?
He breathed a sigh of relief. At this time, the communications staff officer of the 10th Division hurried in, lowered his head and reported:
"Report, urgent message from General Okamura, commander of the North China Front!"
"Nian!" Tanabe Shengwu said with an expression on his face.
"Hi!"
The communications staff officer picked up the telegram and read: "Order the 10th Division, the 1st Division, the 3rd Division, the 3rd Division, and the 3rd Division to immediately launch the most ferocious attack on the Eighth Route Army's bandit area in northwest Shanxi.
Your Majesty is on board, the Japanese Locust Army is on board!"
"Understood, immediately order all divisions to attack the Eighth Route Army!"
Tanabe Moritake waved his hand, and the communications staff officer placed the telegram on the table, lowered his head and cheered, then turned around and left.
In order to wait for the heavy artillery troops, the Japanese divisions ceased fighting for nearly a day.
The Japanese troops were not idle that day. All Japanese troops were summarizing the experience and lessons learned from the first day's attack and formulating targeted tactics.
The Eighth Route Army's reverse slope and tunnel tactics were so powerful. Coupled with the thickened bunkers that could not be destroyed or destroyed by bombing, and the flanking firepower, the Japanese suffered heavy casualties.
As the orders from the Japanese frontline headquarters were issued, the Japanese divisions began an even more frenzied attack than at the beginning of the war.
Originally, the 6th and 7th battalions of the new regiment were to jump to the outside to ambush the Japanese transport team.
However, the arrival of the Japanese heavy artillery regiment disrupted the original plan, and the Japanese logistics supply line was not ambushed.
This allowed the Japanese to replenish food and ammunition supplies, and the Japanese soldiers also got some rest.
This time, the Japs of the 10th Division only sent a small force to attack Dagu Town and Lijia Town head-on. The main force attacked from the road, trying to open up the road into the base area, and then circled back to outflank Lijia Town and Dagu Town.
The Japanese first asked the puppet troops to drive their cattle and sheep to the mines buried on the path, and then used howitzers and mountain artillery to bombard the Eighth Route Army's positions.
Then use small teams as units to attack the Eighth Route Army's position on the small road.
Because the path is narrow, there is no way for many troops to deploy. They can only attack squad by squad. If there are too many attacking troops, the formation will be more dense, and they will only be used as live targets by the machine gunners on the eighth route.
If the New Regiment had not built a bunker at a strategic location on the trail, it was very likely that the Japanese would have broken through from the trail.
After all, the opponent of the New Regiment this time was the Japanese 10th Division. The offensive capabilities of these Japanese troops were not comparable to those of the second-line divisions.
Coupled with the fact that the Japanese managed to get rid of the mines and provided various artillery support, it was easy to occupy the position without bunkers.
However, the new regiment built thickened bunkers at the commanding heights of each trail, and built a lot of them.
And the Japanese's 10mm howitzer cannot destroy such a thickened bunker.
After the Japanese finally conquered a bunker at the cost of more than 100 men, they saw two Eighth Route Army bunkers appearing 100 meters ahead, creating a crossfire.
Mountainous areas are not like plains, which can be attacked from all directions, nor are roads and paths extending in all directions like modern times.
At that time, there would be bandits occupying a road to rob, and the common people had no other way to go, and the bandits had guns in their hands, so they had to pay money and food.
Therefore, if the Japanese want to enter the base area of a new regiment, they can only attack along these roads and small roads. There is no other way.
At the same time, the Japanese 3rd and 3rd Divisions once again assembled their troops and launched an attack on the Independence Regiment base.
The 1st Division and the 3rd Division launched an attack on the New Second Regiment.
Smoke of gunfire is rising in northwest Shanxi.
After three days of continuous attacks by the Japanese army at all costs, the two important strongholds of Dagu Town and Lijia Town of the New Regiment were as solid as a rock, and the 10th Division also failed to attack from the alley.
They had to concentrate their forces again to attack Dagu Town and Lijia Town.
The Japanese attacked from the alley, also hoping to outflank and occupy Dagu Town and Lijia Town from the opposite direction, and then transport heavy weapons such as howitzers and mountain cannons in.
However, the firepower from the bunker on the path caused heavy losses to the Japanese.
Dagu Town, New Regiment Headquarters.
Seeing Zhao Gang and Xing Zhiguo walking in from the door together, Li Yunlong raised his head and glanced at them, then continued to draw lines on the map.
Zhao Gang came over to take a look and said with a smile: "Not bad, Lao Li. The red and blue pencils on this map depict the situation of the enemy and ourselves very well. It's almost as good as the chief of staff."
"We, Mr. Li, are born to draw pictures."
With a chuckle, Li Yunlong added: "Ding Wei just sent a telegram. The outer positions of the New Second Regiment have been lost. Now the main force of the New Second Regiment has retreated to the second line of defense."
Xing Zhiguo also came over and looked at the map. Sure enough, the outer positions of the New Second Regiment had been lost, and the arrows of several Japanese troops were pointing at the New Second Regiment's second line of defense.
The same goes for the outer positions of the Independent Regiment, which were captured after the Japanese suffered heavy casualties.
"Our first line of defense is the tough one." Xing Zhiguo said with a slight smile.
Zhao Gang also nodded and said: "The Japanese mobilized the heavy artillery regiment and stopped the attack for the first day, which bought us a lot of time."
At present, the work of people crossing the Yellow River ferry is going smoothly.
The so-called first line of defense is the series of fortifications built along the highway, including machine gun fire points, bunkers, and artillery holes.
Because of the terrain, the Japanese can only attack them one by one. If they want to destroy these positions, the Japanese who lose their air superiority will inevitably pay heavy casualties.
"Captain Li, are you looking for me?"
At this moment, Chen Feng, wearing an Eighth Route Army uniform and a steel helmet, walked in from the door.
He just went to kill Japs again. Chen Feng killed three in a row without revealing anything. He cursed the dog system.
At this time, Li Yunlong used a walkie-talkie to contact Yan Shuangying and asked Boss Chen to come to the regiment headquarters.
"Consultant Chen, are you here?" Captain Li suddenly smiled, "Sit down and let me pour you some water."
After Chen Feng sat down, Huang Erhu poured a bowl of water, and Li Yunlong said: "That's it. The Independent Regiment and the New Second Regiment just sent a telegram. They are in urgent need of ammunition and have applied for airdrop supplies. Look..."
The independent regiment and the new second regiment did not have as much ammunition reserves as the new regiment. In addition, they faced the attacks of two divisions, so their ammunition consumption was very large.
At present, nearly 3 bases of ammunition have been consumed, and only 1 base of ammunition is left, so I immediately applied to Li Yunlong for airdrop supplies.
"Easy to say." Chen Feng smiled slightly, "Let's airdrop 3 basic ammunition to the Independent Regiment and the New Second Regiment first."