Zhou Wei said in a long and focused Chinese voice: "Master Si Nai, the geographical location of Shangqiu is too important, so our army has no choice but to launch an attack on Shangqiu. Please understand this!"
Isamu Terauchi on the other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds: "Mr. Zhou, I have no intention of launching an attack. I think that even in the current situation, there is still room for cooperation between you and me!"
"To be honest, Mr. Terauchi, I think so too!" Zhou Weihan was stunned when he heard this. He originally thought that he would waste more words, but he didn't expect that Mr. Terauchi went straight to the point and stated his purpose.
As Zhou Weihan said, before the main force of the Japanese army arrives, these counties along the Longhai Railway must be attacked, but the extent of the attack can be discussed, for example, some Japanese and puppet troops can be left behind.
Shangqiu, as the forward base for the Japanese army to attack the Hebei, Shandong and Henan base areas, is the key target of this attack. Terauchi Isamu's younger brother Kuroshima Morita is the chief of staff of the independent 4th Infantry Brigade stationed here and is currently trapped in Shangqiu City.
Shangqiu can be captured but cannot be held, otherwise the troops holding Shangqiu will easily become a lone army. The reason why it became the key target of this attack is mostly due to Kuroshima Morita.
Ever since the news of the Kwantung Army's dispatch was confirmed, there has been no news from Terauchi Isamu, who seems to want to cut off from the Eighth Route Army. How could Zhou Weihan allow Teraui Isamu to slip up at such a critical moment?
However, Temple Yong did not mean to care about his brother's safety either inside or outside his words. Zhou Weihan continued: "So what kind of cooperation method is this time?"
"Mr. Zhou, I have received definite news. The Kwantung Army's move south to reinforce the Southern Army is just fake news. The real target is your Eighth Route Army. The Kwantung Army dispatched four infantry divisions, 12, 14, 57, and 71, and a tank.
The brigade, plus the remaining Guards Division, has a strength of about 100,000..."
Isamu Terauchi indeed came with sincerity. He seemed to be reading a manuscript on the other end of the phone, completely leaking the personnel structure of the Japanese army.
"Although I haven't figured out the specific deployment and distribution of troops, the commander of the Second Front this time is Yamashita Fengfumi. Zhou Jun, if I guess correctly, my original boss Yamashita Fengwu died at the hands of your people?
"
"Yamashita Fengwu has been investigating the cause of his brother's death over the years. You came from Tainan, so whether Yamashita Fengwu died in the hands of your people or not, this hat will definitely be placed on your head, and he will definitely
Personally command the operations on the Longhai Line!"
The two sides discussed for a while and finally decided on two plans around Shangqiu. One was that the brigade leader Sadahiro Araki died in the battle, Kuroshima Morita gathered the remaining troops to break through to Kaifeng, and the Eighth Route Army regained Shangqiu.
Secondly, the brigade commander Araki Sadahiro died in battle, and Kuroshima Morita led his troops to hold on in Shangqiu until the main force of the Japanese army arrived. After the main battle between the two sides broke out, they secretly tampered with the Japanese army's supplies.
The first plan is possible as long as the Eighth Route Army is willing to implement it, but the second plan is a bit fanciful and sounds like nonsense.
"I don't understand why Terauchi Isamu still revealed key information to our army at the critical moment of the decisive battle between the two sides, and was even willing to do something secretly. He is a Japanese after all!"
"At present, the enemy's and our troops have begun fighting. It is a taboo for military strategists to rashly change the combat orders issued!"
Zhao Bingzhang didn't know much about Teruchi Yong, and even had some doubts about his words, but when he saw Zhou Weihan and Teuchi Yong chatting happily, he could only express his attitude in other ways.
"It's very simple, because the interests of both parties have been deeply tied up, Terauchi Isamu has no choice. If the final result of this battle is that our army wins, then even if it is for his sake, I can let Kuroshima Morita go, but Terauchi
Will Yong be willing to lose all his strength that has been operating on the Longhai line for a long time?"
"If the Japanese army wins, then when the main force of the 35th Division is annihilated by our army, other Japanese divisions will surely be stationed in the Longhai Line in the future. Terauchi Isamu's previous efforts will also be in vain, and we still need to slowly reopen the business!
"
Zhou Weihan looked at Zhao Bingzhang: "In this case, how should you choose?"
"We can only choose the lesser of two evils!" Zhao Bingzhang knew that he could not change Zhou Weihan's mind, so he could only follow his wishes: "Then which plan should we choose?"
"The second type is that most of the Japanese 12th and 14th Divisions are old Japanese who have participated in the war for many years. These Japanese soldiers are different from the new recruits who later joined the army. They have a lot of blood debt on their hands. The common people in Shangqiu City may be affected!
"
The most easily overlooked thing in a war is the casualties of the common people, and the people who are most susceptible to the impact are also the common people. Zhou Weihan did not think carefully about this before, and only made up his mind after listening to the information revealed by Goderauchi Isamu.
Zhou Weihan glanced at the time and said to Zhao Bingzhang: "Go to the 16th Brigade in person and ask them to advance to the gate of Shangqiu City before dark. Shangqiu must be captured before noon tomorrow, and then all the people in the city will be evacuated to northern Anhui!"
Zhou Weihan did not have direct contact with Kuroshima Morita in Shangqiu City, but the underground intelligence station in the city had many contacts with Kuroshima Morita. Zhou Weihan directly asked Kuroshima Morita to send a spare code book.
After successfully making contact, Kurojima Morita said that he could start an attack tonight, but he must ensure the safety of himself and his men.
Yucheng was not far from the frontline positions. It only took Zhao Bingzhang more than half an hour by truck to arrive at the 16th Brigade Headquarters.
Li Yunlong was the commander-in-chief of the former enemy in the Shangqiu battle. The main force of the 16th Brigade was responsible for launching the offensive from the north and west. Xin Tiebing led the remainder of the 16th Brigade and the first regiment directly under the military region to attack from the east. A regiment of Jingdagang's 13th Brigade was deployed on the south.
.
Since the county seat guarding Shangqiu had been occupied by the Eighth Route Army before, it lost its strategic depth early on and became an isolated city. Therefore, after the formal combat order was issued, the participating troops cleared the peripheral strongholds and fortifications very quickly.
The 15th Brigade of East Henan and the two key regiments of the Southwest Shandong Military Division attacked Minquan from the north and south. The two main regiments of the Northern Henan Military Division approached Lanfeng from Yankaocheng.
Wu Qin's 14th Brigade, with a regiment from the Northern Henan Army Division acting as bait, successfully annihilated a Japanese and puppet army that rushed from Kaifeng to aid Yangwu. The 4th Brigade was not involved in the war for the time being, but was responsible for keeping an eye on Xuzhou in Dangshan.
of Japanese and puppet troops.
Overall, the troops participating in the initial battle around the Longhai Line of the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region include four brigades and six local regiments of the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Column and six artillery battalions, with a strength of 55,000.
All these forces were invested in the initial offensive against the Japanese and puppet troops of the 35th Division, in order to kill them with one blow in the shortest possible time. Judging from the current situation, the initial battle on the Longhai Line will soon come to an end.