Headquarters of the First Army of the North China Front.
"General."
"This is my plan to destroy the relationship between the Eighth Route Army and the people of China, and to cut off the Eighth Route Army's aid channels."
Major General Kazuki Yamamoto held a folder in his hand and handed it to the commander of the First Army, Yoshio Iwamatsu, with both hands without any fluctuation in his voice.
Yoshio Iwamatsu nodded slightly, then took the folder and read it.
In this sweep, the Japanese army used five divisions and more than 20,000 Locust Alliance troops, including one Category A division, but they failed to eliminate the Eighth Route Army in northwest Shanxi.
This puts Yoshio Iwamatsu under a lot of pressure.
Although the troops of the First Army were not involved in the raid this time, the combat effectiveness displayed by the three regiments of the Eighth Route Army in Northwestern Shanxi was truly astonishing.
Because the current First Army is not as powerful as the five divisions and the more than 20,000 Locust Alliance troops that swept through northwest Shanxi.
Fortunately, after this anti-mopping campaign, the three regiments of the Eighth Route Army in Northwestern Shanxi suffered considerable losses and could not threaten the First Army in a short time.
But Li Yunlong has channels for assistance. In three to six months at most, the three regiments in northwestern Shanxi will definitely regain their strength, and even the main force will grow to 50,000 or 60,000 people.
By then, I'm afraid the First Army's life will be difficult.
Yoshio Iwamatsu is very powerful. Even the 10th Division is no match for the New Regiment, let alone the several second-line divisions under his command.
Although he still had tens of thousands of puppet troops under his command, Yoshio Iwamatsu had never counted on the combat effectiveness of the puppet troops, so they could only be used as cannon fodder.
So Yoshio Iwamatsu decided not to sit back and wait for death, but to take the initiative to kill the threat of the First Army.
As for Masao Hanatani and Masao Miyazaki's plan, he has already rejected it.
Now it depends on Kazuki Yamamoto’s plan.
It took nearly 20 minutes for Yoshio Iwamatsu to read Yamamoto Kazuki's plan. He closed the folder with a look of satisfaction on his face.
Seeing this, Kazuki Yamamoto said in a deep voice: "General, only you and I know this combat plan, so there will never be any leakage of the plan."
"Yoshi!" Yoshio Iwamatsu nodded, "Yamamoto-kun, I still trust you."
This battle plan is mainly about infiltration.
That is to select elite soldiers from the First Army and form a special advance team to penetrate into the base area in northwestern Shanxi.
These advancing troops pretended to be members of the Eighth Route Army and went around burning, killing and looting.
The first stage goal of these advancing teams is the base area of Ding Weixin's Second Regiment and Kongjie Independent Regiment.
In Yamamoto Kazuki's view, the Eighth Route Army base areas of these two regiments must be extremely short of food now, and after a while, there will definitely be starvation everywhere.
At that time, the advance team penetrated into the base areas of these two regiments and pretended to be the Eighth Route Army, burning, killing, and looting everywhere, making the people hate the Eighth Route Army and destroying the prestige of the Eighth Route Army in the hearts of the people.
The base area that was already on the verge of collapse would accelerate its collapse if the Japanese advance team set fire to it again.
Once the relationship between the common people in northwest Shanxi and the Eighth Route Army breaks down, it will be difficult for Li Yunlong's new regiment to stay in northwest Shanxi, and the combat effectiveness of the new regiment will be greatly affected, because almost all the soldiers in this regiment come from the common people.
Because once the people no longer support or are even hostile to the New Regiment, the soldiers of the New Regiment will not continue to fight for the Eighth Route Army.
After a pause, Yoshio Iwamatsu added: "Since this combat plan was formulated by Mr. Yamamoto, Mr. Yamamoto will be fully responsible for the advance team. As for the senior agents who need to cut off the Eighth Route Army's aid channels... I will ask Okamura
Commander, please give me instructions."
Yoshio Iwamatsu also knew that Yamamoto Kazuki’s combat plan still could not escape the framework of special operations.
However, the old Japanese planned to give it a try. Perhaps for problems that cannot be solved by large-scale combat, a sneak attack by a small group of troops might be able to achieve miraculous results.
What if it succeeds?
As for cutting off Li Yunlong's aid channels, Yamamoto Kazuki's plan was to use the empire's senior agents to infiltrate the new group to gather information.
If the senior agent's level is too low and he cannot obtain useful information, he will develop an insider in the new group.
There is no agent of this level under Kazuki Yamamoto, not even Yoshio Iwamatsu, and only one of Neji Okamura's level has one.
"Hi!" Yamamoto Kazuki lowered his head and was about to walk out.
Iwamatsu Yoshio stopped him: "Yamamoto-kun, wait a minute."
Yamamoto Kazuki turned around and paused: "Commander, is there anything else?"
Iwamatsu Yoshio said: "I have just received notice that the North China Front Army Headquarters has decided to reorganize the 3rd Brigade into the Independent 3rd Mixed Brigade, which will have four infantry brigades, one cavalry brigade, one artillery brigade, and another
The brigade engineering team and engineering team have a total strength of about 5,000 people. The position of commander of the 3rd independent mixed brigade is still vacant for the time being. I wonder if Yamamoto-kun is interested?"
There are many officers with the rank of major general in the Japanese army, but not every major general can become a brigade commander.
Especially during wartime, there are many officers who have made meritorious service, and many major generals are lining up to become brigade leaders.
"Thank you, General, for your cultivation!"
Yamamoto Kazuki just hesitated for a moment, then bowed his head and thanked him. No fool would want such an opportunity.
What's more, since Yoshio Shinozuka was shot to death, Kazuki Yamamoto has always wanted to go out and lead troops alone. This time he finally had the opportunity.
Yamamoto Kazuki walked to the door and then turned around and bowed his head to Iwamatsu Yoshio and said: "General, it is a great honor for Yamamoto to be able to serve the empire and serve His Majesty the Emperor under your command. Your kindness in knowing and meeting me, Yamamoto will never forget it in his life..."
Although Kazuki Yamamoto once said this to Yoshio Shinozuka, this time Kazuki Yamamoto was really grateful to Yoshio Iwamatsu.
Not only did they give him the opportunity to perform meritorious service, he was promoted to major general, and he was also given the position of brigade commander.
I hope Commander Yoshio Iwamatsu will not follow in the footsteps of Commander Yoshio Shinozuka...
Turning around and walking out, Yamamoto Kazuki added in his mind.
…
Peking.
North China Front Army Headquarters.
"Report to Commander, the base camp has rejected your application."
In front of the Sifang table, a communications staff officer held a telegram in his hand and reported to Neji Okamura.
Hearing this, Okamura Neji's face turned dark at a speed visible to the naked eye.
After he ordered five divisions to retreat from northwest Shanxi, he kept applying to the base camp, and then transferred five divisions from the Kwantung Army to immediately attack northwest Shanxi.
The current Eighth Route Army in Northwestern Shanxi has just experienced a major battle, and the Locust Army led by the 1st Division will definitely be able to completely solve it.
Okamura Neiji has deeply realized that the Eighth Route in northwest Shanxi has become a thorn in the side of the North China Front Army. If it is not removed as soon as possible, big problems will occur.
However, he applied three times in a row and was rejected by the base camp. The base camp not only rejected him but also severely criticized him.
"idiot!"
Okamura Neiji suddenly exploded and suddenly threw all the documents on the table away.
Taking a deep breath, Okamura Neiji said in a deep voice: "Order to immediately transport the combat supplies stored in Datong back to Peiping."
Since Okamura Neiji applied to the base camp to immediately send troops to attack northwestern Shanxi, the combat supplies stored in Datong remained untouched.
Because once the base camp agrees and the troops are transported by train, they can directly attack northwest Shanxi.
But now that the base camp has rejected the application, it would be a bit dangerous for this batch of supplies to be placed in Datong.
"Hi!" The communications officer suddenly lowered his head.