In the war room, Okamura Neji stared at the Shanxi area and the Eighth Route Army's growing territory with gloomy eyes.
Looking at the map, the territory controlled by the First Army is getting smaller and smaller.
After Okamura Neiji took office, he implemented a public security strengthening campaign and divided North China into Japanese war zones, guerrilla zones and enemy-occupied zones.
The Japanese war zone is the area occupied by the Japanese army, the guerrilla zone is the area fought over by the Japanese army and the Chinese army, mainly the Eighth Route Army, and the enemy-occupied area is mainly the stable base area of the Eighth Route Army.
But now, not only the original areas have been turned into guerrilla zones.
Even some Japanese war zones have now completely become the territory of the Eighth Route Army.
At present, five more divisions have been stationed in Shanxi, but nothing has changed.
Because Zhengtai Road was severely damaged by the Eighth Route Army during the battle, it took a month to restore it to traffic.
The food supplies of these five divisions in Shanxi can be supplied by the First Army and road transportation.
But if you want to launch a large-scale operation, you must have a large amount of combat material support.
Now Okamura Neji is a little stuck and a little at a loss.
The order from the base camp is to mobilize five divisions and 60,000 tons of combat materials to the North China Front Army to eliminate the Li Yunlong Department of the Eighth Route Army.
Originally, the troops and combat supplies were sufficient, and only five divisions and 60,000 tons of combat supplies were needed to launch an attack.
Okamura Neiji was preparing to assemble the forces of 8 divisions to attack the new regiment of the Eighth Route Army head-on and engage in a war of attrition.
However, the 33rd Division and the 37th Division were completely wiped out, the 1st Division was severely damaged, and the 14th Brigade, the 18th Brigade and the main force of the Mongolian Army were defeated and severely damaged.
This series of defeats made Okamura Neji very uncomfortable. The Japanese troops attacking the Eighth Route Army in North Shanxi were out of strength.
Judging from the previous battle, the total strength of the Eighth Route Army in Northwestern Shanxi was at least 80,000, and they were all elite.
If the Japanese army wanted to attack the Eighth Route Army in northwest Shanxi, it had to guard against the main force of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army, which consisted of more than 200,000 people in southeastern Shanxi.
In this way, even if Okamura Neiji had just obtained five divisions of troops, he would not be able to organize an effective attack.
"Your Excellency, Commander." Chief of Staff Tanabe Moritakeichi, "I suggest giving up Shanxi, withdrawing the First Army to Hebei, concentrating our forces to sweep the Eighth Route Army's Jizhong, Jinan and other base areas to solve our worries, and then fight the main force of the Eighth Route Army in the North China Plain.
."
Although the North China Front has received reinforcements from five divisions, combat supplies have not yet been received.
Okamura Neji's expression changed: "Tanabe-kun, tell me what you think."
Tanabe Moritake said: "Commander, please see that our North China Front Army, once it fights the Eighth Route Army in the North China Plain, will be supported by the Kwantung Army, the Central China Expedition Army and other front troops."
"While the Eighth Route Army fights alone, the Locust Army can gather superior forces to severely damage or even destroy the Eighth Route Army."
"It can be seen from these few battles that the Chinese people are not monolithic."
"The Eighth Route Army launched continuous offensives in Shanxi, while the Shanxi-Sui Army in Luliang Mountain and the Central Army in Henan and Zhongtiao Mountain were all sitting on the mountain watching the fight between tigers, hoping to reap the benefits."
"Once the Locust Army engages in a decisive battle with the Eighth Route Army in the North China Plain, the Chinese government forces will never provide reinforcements."
Now the main force of the Eighth Route Army in Shanxi has exceeded 300,000, and it is well-equipped, has sufficient ammunition, and has powerful artillery firepower.
certainly.
Except for the main elites such as the Northwestern Shanxi Eighth Route Army and the veteran troops, the individual quality of most Eighth Route Army soldiers is still not as good as that of the Japanese soldiers. This is an objective fact.
However, Deputy Chief of Staff Yumo Seizo has a different view:
"Your Excellency, Chief of Staff, if the enemy is the Chinese government army, I would agree with your strategy."
"But don't forget, our enemy is the Eighth Route Army."
"They are very cunning enemies. If Shanxi is handed over to the Eighth Route Army, they will never be in a hurry to march eastward and assemble the main force for a decisive battle with the Locust Army."
Okamura Neji narrowed his eyes and asked: "Arimatsu-kun, if you were the commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army, what would you do?"
You Mojing said three times: "I will rely on Shanxi's rich human resources and the aid channels behind the Eighth Route Army to vigorously develop the army, military industry and economy, and develop Shanxi into a stable rear area. After the troop strength reaches 800,000, I will then go to
Attack eastward and seek a decisive battle with the locust army."
"When the Eighth Route Army crossed the Yellow River eastward, it had only 40,000 men. Now the main force of the entire Eighth Route Army is at least 400,000."
"And it was developed under the blockade of the Locust Army. If we let the Eighth Route Army freely develop and grow to 800,000 troops, it would only take a year at most."
"By that time, if the Locust Army wants to defeat the main force of the Eighth Route Army, it will probably have to mobilize the entire Imperial Army of more than one million people in China."
"Even if we win, it will be a miserable victory."
"At that time, I am afraid that the Chinese government forces will reap the benefits."
The national army still has some combat effectiveness. Although it is not good at offensive battles, it still fights well in defensive battles.
Otherwise, they would have been beaten to the mountain city by the Japanese army.
Once the Eighth Route Army and the Japanese army are both defeated, it will be time for the National Army to reap the benefits.
Okamura Neiji nodded, what Yusue San said made sense.
The Eighth Route Army is very clever. If there is no chance of winning, the Eighth Route Army will never rush eastward into North China to seek a decisive battle with the locust army.
"Arime-kun, do you think so?" Neji Okamura glanced at Arisum Seizan with a blank expression, "The Locust Army is definitely defeated?"
Tanabe Moritake on the side also looked unhappy.
"It's not necessarily...no, the locust army will win."
Youmo Jingsan said something at first, but after seeing the expressions and eyes of his two immediate superiors, he quickly changed his statement.
What's your look?
It makes me feel like Mo Jingsan is a senior agent of the Eighth Route Army lurking on the North China Front.
After a pause, Youmo Jingsan said again: "I suggest that your Excellency, Commander, can continue to request support from the base camp. The base camp only needs to transfer two to three more divisions to North China. In this way, there will be enough troops to launch an attack on northwest Shanxi.
Sweep..."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Okamura Neji nodded.
…
"A new commander of the First Army is taking office?"
Zhaojiayu Village.
At the headquarters of the new regiment, Li Yunlong and Wang Dehou fell into thinking as they looked at the intelligence information in front of them.
After reading the intelligence information, Wang Dehou said calmly: "Commander, the newly appointed commander of the First Army is named Yoshimoto Seiichi, who is currently the chief of staff of the Kwantung Army. He will fly to Taiyuan in the middle of next month."
"After Yoshimoto Teiichi arrived in Taiyuan and completed the handover of commander with Yoshio Iwamatsu."
"The grandson of Yoshio Iwamatsu flew from Taiyuan to Peiping, and then from Peiping back to Japan."
This new business is either big or small, and it will kill one of the two Lieutenant Generals Yoshimoto Sadichi or Iwamatsu Yoshio.
Of course, it is not impossible to kill both lieutenant generals at the same time.
But it's almost hard to do.
After a pause, Wang Dehou said: "Captain, according to the scouts' report, the Japanese planes flying from Peiping to Taiyuan are basically taking detours. If we want to attack from the ground with anti-aircraft artillery, I'm afraid it will be difficult."
"If the ground doesn't work, then we'll shoot it down from the air."
Li Yunlong slapped the table and said harshly:
"At the beginning of next month, Boss Chen will be able to deliver the aircraft to us, and the pilots will be able to return from graduation."
"Our aviation force has been established, and the little devil wants to take over. It's a good idea."
"From now on, not only the sky over Shanxi will be under the control of our Eighth Route Army, but also the sky over the entire North China must belong to our Eighth Route Army."
The Eighth Route Army has radar, advanced aircraft, excellent pilots, and sufficient logistical supplies.
As well as his strategic planning as a commander, Li Yunlong had the confidence to enable the Eighth Route Army to seize air supremacy from the Japanese in North China.
In the past few months, Li Yunlong has repeatedly studied "Air Dominance", and now he is just waiting for actual combat.
Wait until you kill Yoshio Iwamatsu or Sadichi Yoshimoto.
Li Yunlong's next plan was to conduct air raids on all the Japanese airports in North China to strike first and seize air supremacy in North China from the Japanese.
Moreover, the business of killing Japanese planes has changed now.
As long as the Eighth Route Army kills or captures a Japanese aircraft, it can obtain an aircraft of any type.
If you kill a Japs pilot, you will get two aircraft, choose any model.
This means that by shooting down a Japanese plane in the air and killing the Japanese pilot, the Eighth Route Army can obtain three aircraft.
This business is simply profitable.
After gaining air superiority, the New Regiment can build the industrial park at Wohu Mountain at will without worrying about air strikes.
"Captain."
Wang Dehou nodded: "The question now is, should we kill Yoshimoto Sadichi or Iwamatsu Yoshio this time?"
Since the two Japanese lieutenant generals would probably not meet at the airport, and the new group chose to shoot down each other in the air, they could only hit one of them.
Either shoot down the plane on which Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Sadichi took office, or shoot down the plane on which Yoshio Iwamatsu left.
Li Yunlong looked at the information carefully.
One is the commander of the group army, and the other is the chief of staff of the front army. The price of killing them is about the same, which is more generous than the average division commander, lieutenant general.
They are all 24 Katyusha rocket launchers, 24 B4 heavy howitzers, as well as some military production lines, fuel, vehicles and other supplies.
"Kill Yoshio Iwamatsu first!"
After reading the intelligence information, Li Yunlong snorted coldly:
"When this old devil took office as the commander of the First Army, he tried his best to implement the so-called 'mainland policy' and ordered the devils in the First Army to kill our people, destroy property, extort illegal donations, and arbitrarily detain and abuse the people. I have long ago
I want to kill him!"
"As for this Yoshimoto Seiichi... don't worry, he can't escape either."
It was only a matter of time before the Japanese First Army was wiped out. Yoshimoto Seiichi would not be able to escape even after he became the commander of the First Army.
Seeing that Li Yunlong had already made a decision, Wang Dehou did not say more on this issue.
Wang Dehou added: "By the way, Captain, Boss Chen said that the business of uncovering pangolins last time has been settled. The headquarters said that they cannot afford to raise so many military horses, so all 2,000 military horses should be kept in our new regiment.
"
"In this way, we can expand the number of cavalry battalions by three."