Chapter 261 What the Japanese Army Was Waiting for Is This Opportunity
It's just that on the way there, the two veterans didn't ask what the situation was like when Yang Zhen airborne. For these two veteran commanders, no matter how curious they were, there was still such a small city. Let's talk for a while. They saw it. In no less than ten minutes, the two veterans asked about the other of the two telegrams. What did Yang Zhen think of it.
After hearing the old commander's inquiry, Yang Zhen thought for a moment and then said: "No matter him, no matter what actions the Japanese army takes now, we will still act according to our predetermined plan. This established goal must not be interfered with in any way. At this time, the Japanese army is mobilizing troops south of Xinjing to enter Xinjing. Whether it is to prepare for a counterattack or to defend Xinjing, it cannot interfere with our actions."
"The reinforcements that the Japanese army transferred to Xinjing this time are just one division. If they want to rely on the strength of one division to counterattack our troops that have crossed the river south and return to the north of the Songhua River, then they are thinking too much. It's simple. Although our army's strength north of Xinjing is not too large, as long as the Taolaizhao Bridge is in our hands, there will be no problem in holding the current position."
"Our current offensive north of Xinjing is in fact false and real, confusing and distracting the Japanese troops. Even if we withdraw to Jiangbei, there won't be any big problems. Moreover, we have already responded to the changes in the enemy situation around Xinjing. There is nothing to worry about, let alone one division, or two more divisions. What I am most worried about now is not the changes in the Japanese army in Xinjing, but the two directions of Tongliao and Siping."
"If Chen Hanzhang cannot complete the planned battle plan and seize Tongliao before the main force of the Japanese army marches westward, then it will have a fatal impact on the second phase of the operation, because as long as Tongliao is still in the hands of the Japanese army, it will be deployed south of Xinjing The heavy Japanese army group has the possibility of reinforcing the 23rd Division at any time. Although our army has completely destroyed the Japanese army's railway line from Siping to Tongliao, we cannot prevent the Japanese army from reinforcing the army through the road."
"Now the Japanese army uses the mountains and rivers along the Huolingol River as natural blocking positions. The resistance is extremely strong. Chen Hanzhang is fighting very hard. Several forced crossing operations have failed so far. Once Chen Hanzhang fails to seize Tongliao, our army will The division of the 23rd Division from other Japanese divisions could not be completed."
"Actually, whether Tongliao can be captured according to the planned plan is not the most worrying thing. Wang Guangyu still has a mobile cavalry brigade in his hands, which has been deployed in the mountains east of Linxi. Even if the Japanese army comes to reinforce some of the troops , and it will be difficult to join up with the 23rd Division in a short period of time."
"What I am most worried about is that Chen Hanzhang's troops will be stuck by the Japanese troops on the front line of Tongliao. Whether Tongliao can be defeated or not is secondary. Chen Hanzhang's troops being stuck is the most detrimental thing to our army. What is their next step? In combat, you have to play a very important role."
"In fact, the capture of Tongliao did not play a big role in the battle. It was mainly to coordinate Wang Guangyu's troops in Linxi's operations. Instead of becoming a corner of the force, after breaking through the Songhua River, if Chen Hanzhang was transferred to In the direction of Xinjing, the effect will be much greater."
"The purpose of letting them penetrate the front line of Tongliao is to cut off the connection between the 23rd Division and the outside line when Wang Guangyu and the 23rd Division are fighting fiercely. So whether Tongliao can really be taken, I don't really care too much. As long as they place the flag behind Horqin's left wing, it is equivalent to blocking the throat of the Japanese army's reinforcements on the Linxi front line."
"With the addition of the cavalry brigade deployed in the mountains east of Linxi, the Japanese army will not be able to easily reinforce Linxi. And regardless of whether Chen Hanzhang's troops can capture Tongliao, as long as they are there, the Japanese army will not be able to reinforce Linxi without any effort. There is no taboo, but without taking Tongliao, the 23rd Division cannot completely cut off its external contacts."
"For Wang Guangyu's department, the 23rd Division's connection with the outside world cannot be completely cut off. In addition, the 23rd Division's current tactics of relying on solid fortifications to retreat are very difficult to fight in the Western Manchurian War. There may be accidents. Tongliao is still a little too close to Xi'an and Siping where the Japanese troops are heavily stationed."
"Especially since Wang Guangyu's headquarters is currently in a stalemate with the 23rd Division. Any new enemy situation on the battlefield will affect the trend of the battle. Even if there is no accident, it will be delayed. In this way, it will be difficult for us to achieve the first goal. The strategic objectives of the first stage are very unfavorable. If Wang Guangyu is also involved, then our war in Western Manchuria may completely fail."
After thinking for a while, Yang Zhen turned to the two old commanders and said: "Two old chiefs, the progress on Rehe needs to be accelerated. As long as we capture the Rezhong and Rexi areas west of Chengde to Chifeng, the Japanese army will not Dare to fully reinforce the Linxi front line, and at the same time rely on the Yanshan Mountains and Qilaotu Mountains, as well as the southward extension of the Greater Khingan Range, to build a complete line of defense to contain the Japanese troops on the Chaoyang front line and prevent reinforcements in the direction of Tongliao."
"I hope that after completing the Rehe combat mission, the advancing army can mobilize one or two brigades to go north to take over the defense of Wang Guangyu's troops in Keshiketeng Banner and East and West Ujimqin Banner, ensuring that Linxi reaches Rehe The communication line of the river is smooth. In addition, it is best for the advancing cavalry to move to that direction, and we are going to replace their horses."
"As for other directions, Wang Xiaoming's troops have seized Baishi Mountain east of Jilin and cut off the railway line from Jilin to the China-North Korea border. Liu Changshun's troops have formed an encirclement of Dunhua. I am ready to use Liu Changshun's troops to advance eastward to take over from Wang Xiaoming's command. For the combat mission on the front line of Baishi Mountain, Wang Xiaoming's command turned around and attacked the front line of Xinjing, which restrained some Japanese troops, especially the division that entered Xinjing and was unable to move westward."
"Currently, Du Kaishan's headquarters is conducting the final encirclement and annihilation of the Japanese 71st Division, but it will still take a few days to complete the siege. The remnants of the Japanese army have retreated into the mountains and forests and are resisting very tenaciously. I have been thinking about whether The reserve force was mobilized to take over Du Kaishan's command to fight against the 71st Division, so that Du Kaishan's command could be freed up to penetrate directly from Horqin's left center banner to Kailu's front line."
After Yang Zhen's words fell, the commander frowned slightly and thought for a while before saying: "According to the telegram, there are currently only two or three thousand defeated soldiers left in the 71st Division. You mobilize the reserve team to replace them. It should be said that the operation is feasible, but there is one thing you have considered: behind Chen Hanzhang's troops who are attacking Tongliao with all their strength."
"Behind them, the Qian'an and Changling lines are very close to Xinjing, and there is a railway line with Xinjing. It is very convenient for the Japanese army to increase troops, and Chen Hanzhang's troops are going south with all their strength, staying in Qian'an and Changling. The number of troops on the front line is too small. If the Japanese army is transferred to the Xinjing division, or if the Japanese army deploys the divisions south of Xinjing, the next target of the attack will not be the troops north of Xinjing, but an all-out counterattack westward. An, Changling, Xiangtuquan, and Taonan lines are forcibly interspersed."
"Then Chen Hanzhang's troops, who are currently fighting fiercely on the Zhanyu front line, will have their back roads and supply lines cut off. At the same time, the Japanese army will quickly reinforce from Zhangwu and Kangping to Kailu, forming a formation with the Japanese troops on the Tuquan and Taonan front lines. With a pincer offensive, even if Chen Hanzhang's troops take Tongliao, they will be trapped in a Japanese encirclement."
"But if Chen Hanzhang's troops are encircled and unable to defend themselves, the Japanese army will send a force from Jianping to reinforce Linxi. Wang Guangyu's troops, which will then lose a major response direction, will be in a situation where it is difficult to support the Japanese army. Then we can take our time and start counterattacking, not just Lin Xi, but also in all other directions. By then, the initiative of the entire campaign will have been transferred to the Japanese army, which is extremely disadvantageous to me."
"In addition, fighting alone for a long time has severely limited the ability to continue combat. All supplies and the transportation of wounded people rely on air transport. This is okay in the short term, but relying on air transport for a long time will be difficult to sustain based on the current strength of the Anti-Japanese Alliance. , once supplies are insufficient, even if the Linxi front line is within easy reach, they will have no choice but to retreat if they are unable to carry out follow-up operations."
"Furthermore, the emphasis on long-distance raids is quick combat. The most taboo thing is to get into a stalemate. Now both units have fallen into a stalemate with the Japanese troops in front of them. With the battle like this, our raid has actually failed. If Chen Hanzhang's troops Being surrounded by the Japanese army means that our army's entire Western Manchuria operation is in danger of complete failure."
"The most important question now is how to ensure the safety of Chen Hanzhang's troops. I think it is a correct choice and an appropriate choice to free up Du Kaishan's troops at the moment. The only thing left in the 71st Division is this The two or three thousand remaining soldiers who have been surrounded and defeated cannot make a big storm."
"Even if they cannot be surrounded and annihilated in a short time, there is still no problem in trapping them there with one force. These remaining Japanese troops have been completely separated from other troops, and the combat area is sparsely populated. In the mountainous and forested areas, food and ammunition supplies can be said to be completely lacking.”
"When the 71st Division was transferred to the combat area, it was in a hurry. According to the Japanese army's consistent ability and style of combat supply, the ammunition and food they carried should be quite limited, and the battle had been fought for so many days. , I’m afraid the supplies they carried have been used up long ago.”
"Even if you don't need to fight and surround them, they will starve to death over time. There is no need for them to hold back too many troops. But judging from the current combat area where Du Kaishan's headquarters is located, I think it is still It would be more appropriate to transfer him to Changling and Shuangshan."
"There are two advantages in being transferred to this area. One is to ensure the retreat of Chen Hanzhang's troops, that is, the supply line, so that Chen Hanzhang's troops can have no worries, and it can also make the entire Western Manchu battlefield form a whole. I think if Tongliao can It's better to take it down and keep it in our hands."
"In addition, the offensive against Xinjing from the western front will make the Japanese army have some scruples during the operation. Even if they find a favorable fighter opportunity, they must be more cautious. However, Comrade Yang Zhen, from the battle report you forwarded before, in the comprehensive Judging from the current overall battle situation, I always have a very strange feeling."
"The main force deployed by the Japanese army south of Xinjing has so far sat back and watched the hard battle in other directions without sending reinforcements. The idea is not that simple. They did not make any rash moves at the initial stage of the campaign, but that was because they had not yet sent out reinforcements. We haven’t figured out our military’s true strategic intentions.”
"Now that our army's strategic intentions have been fully exposed, especially when the 23rd Division in the direction of Linxi has launched an attack, and our army has no secrets to protect, they still haven't moved, and they have only made some deployment of their troops. Certain adjustments were made, and they even preferred to watch the 71st Division being surrounded and annihilated, and the 23rd Division fighting hard, without making any counterattack. I am afraid that what they are waiting for is this opportunity in front of them."