Looking at the young and resolute face of Yang Jicai in front of him, Du Kaishan hesitated for a moment and then said: "Originally, Lao Chen wanted to transfer you to serve as deputy chief of staff. The war situation is complicated, and there are not enough staff officers there who can take charge of the job alone. I'm here.
In just a short time after taking office, I have already sent several telegrams in succession."
"It's just that I have candidates on hand to carry out this task, come on, come on, come on, come on, there's still no suitable candidate. Lao Wang thought about it for a long time, and finally wanted to let you go. I still know your kid's abilities.
Now that you're gone, I don't have a suitable replacement here for the moment."
"But even though you are the most suitable person to carry out this task at present. But considering the difficulty of this task, I don't want to make a final decision. I can give you a chance to choose. Are you ready to take over this task, or go to Lao Chen to serve as
Deputy Chief of Staff, it’s up to you to decide.”
"In this battle, the First Division of the Taiyue Military Region and the Eighth Division of Shanxi-Sui can only provide partial support. The troops of the Hebei, Luyu and Southern Hebei Military Regions have just entered southeastern Shanxi and are still traveling day and night. The Taihang Military Region needs to be responsible for containing the forces along the Zhengtai-Taiwan Railway.
It is also difficult for the Japanese army to provide certain support."
"The main force of the Taiyue Military Region is still fighting fiercely with the 41st Division, trying to delay the Japanese reinforcements on the Datong battlefield. Even if the Hebei, Luyu and Jinan Military Region troops arrive, I'm afraid they won't be able to give you much support in a short time.
.So this task can be said to be a very difficult task, and you must be prepared to fight alone."
Du Kaishan's words made Yang Jicai somewhat hesitant. In the heart of the Japanese army, with less than one division of troops, without much support and the possibility of encountering enemy reinforcements at any time, they carried out long-distance attacks, interspersed with several
Hundreds of kilometers away, they directly rushed to Taiyuan, the core of Japanese rule in Shanxi.
Although it is not to capture Taiyuan City, but to rescue the prisoners of war detained there and the workers trapped in Taiyuan, this is undoubtedly a task that is not easy to complete. Especially the rescue targets are weak prisoners of war and their families.
Workers with mouths and no military training.
Although I have never been a prisoner of war, since I joined the Anti-Japanese War, I have a certain understanding of the cruelty of the Japanese army towards prisoners of war. Even if these prisoners of war are rescued, it will be difficult for them to recover without long-term training. Let alone long-distance marches.
How to evacuate smoothly is a difficult task.
It was not just combat matters, but also various aspects of the issue that he had to consider. With no rear and limited support, it is understandable how difficult it is to fight such a long-distance sneak attack.
Carrying such a huge baggage and fighting in what can be said to be a tiger's den and a wolf's den, the entire army may be destroyed if one is not careful.
Compared with this task, it is undoubtedly much safer to go to Chen Hanzhang's place. Although Chen Hanzhang is still fighting alone in Suinan and northern Shanxi. However, after Du Kaishan took office, he has already begun to adjust the deployment. This situation can be achieved in the shortest possible time.
Within time, there will be fundamental changes. At least when fighting with a large force, there will be absolutely no problem in terms of safety.
But for Yang Jicai, serving as deputy chief of staff is too mundane, and there is really no challenge. As a young cadre, the element of instability in his bones and the desire to be able to stand alone make him
The balance in his heart was tilting in the direction of Du Kaishan's hope.
He raised his head and looked at the expectant eyes of the commander and chief of staff. Although he was a little hesitant, the militant blood in Yang Jicai's bones and the example set by his elder brother made him finally choose to carry out this mission. But which one to choose?
The troops came to execute it, but Yang Jicai was asked to think carefully.
After pondering for a while, Yang Jicai said to Du Kaishan: "Commander Du, I have accepted this mission. Fighting such peaceful battles is not my style, Yang Jicai. If I want to fight, I will fight such battles that others dare not fight."
.But I have two requirements, and I hope my superiors can satisfy me."
"First, for this infantry regiment, I hope to assign Su Yingqi from the Kangbao Front Line to take command. He is a cadre from the Guannei Army and knows the Guannei Army well. The two of us have cooperated many times and are relatively familiar with each other. And this person
Being bold and careful is more suitable for my commanding style."
"In addition, give me some additional reconnaissance troops, plus even a cavalry battalion. I have never been to Shanxi, and it is very strange there. Although I am not unfamiliar with dealing with the Guan Nei troops, I am not good at words.
It would be best to assign me some political cadres transferred from within the customs."
"Second, for the attached tank unit, I hope the superiors can draw out the British-made Crusader cruise tank. Although this kind of armor is a bit weak, it is much better than the Soviet-made BT fast tank and T-26 tank. And its cross-country and maneuverability are
The most powerful tank in our army."
"Shanxi has rivers and mountains inside and outside, and the terrain is complex. Except for some basins, most of the province's terrain is dominated by mountains. Especially the line from Tunhukou to the Great Wall. Although this area is the most stable base area of the Jinsui Military Region, it is
The entire county is controlled by the Jinsui Military Region, but the areas controlled by the Jinsui Military Region are, to put it bluntly, mountainous."
"Under this kind of terrain, there are very high requirements for the cross-country capabilities of tanks. Since the superiors have decided to deploy tank troops to participate in this combat mission, I hope to be able to deploy the tanks with the best mobility in our army. The armor does not need to be too high.
It’s thick, but its maneuverability must be good.”
"Although we don't have this kind of tank here now, I think Commander Du will definitely be able to mobilize it if you open your mouth. The generals on the 1st are changing at this time, so I have high hopes for you. Commander Du, if you open your mouth, the 1st will definitely be able to bring it.
Agree. Although I am being transferred from Chanan, it seems like I am stretching my hand too far. But it is easier to discuss among these brotherly troops, isn't it? And it is said that one of their battalions is currently serving as a reserve force and has not been put into the battlefield yet."
Du Kaishan nodded and agreed to Yang Jicai's two demands, which were almost non-requirements, without thinking. After drafting a telegram to Chen Hanzhang explaining that Yang Jicai was unable to take office, and a telegram to the headquarters to mobilize troops, Du Kaishan and
Wang Minggui dragged Yang Jicai to the front of the map.
Pointing at the map, he said: "This unit of yours will be incorporated into the westward reinforcements. Together with the main force, it will move westward through Kangbao, Shangyi, and Xinghe. On the Suji and Xin'anzhuang lines, across Pingping
Sui Railway Line, continue to advance southwestward. At the Liangcheng line, break away from the main force."
"The two main divisions enter Youyu from the Shahukou line, and reinforce the Datong line along the Yunyangbao line. But you should not follow the main force and continue to move. You continue to the west and enter the Great Wall at the Tunhukou line of Pianguan County controlled by the Jinsui Military Region.
.Then we pass through Pianguan Pass and head southeastward, heading straight towards Taiyuan.”
"The enemy situation in this battle is unclear, so I don't want to specify a course of action for you. Let us two cooperate and divide the work. I am responsible for the course of action north of the Great Wall. How to act south of the Great Wall is up to you. However,
The local armed forces in the Jinsui Military Region along the way will send you guides. Apart from those two demands, if you have any other demands, as long as I can solve them, I will go all out."
Yang Jicai pondered for a long time before raising his head and said: "Commander, there are actually two keys to executing this mission. First, the guide must not only be familiar with the route, but also the terrain. The terrain required for the passage of synthetic infantry and tanks is different from that of the brother troops in the pass.
The infantry are two different things."
"I looked at the map. Whether you enter the Great Wall from Tunhukou or enter the Great Wall from Shahukou, you pass through mountainous areas. It's okay to have roads to rely on, but if the entire interspersed operation relies entirely on roads, then our
It is difficult to hide strategic intentions for a long time."
"So I need a guide who knows the terrain of northwestern and even western Shanxi very well. At the very least, he needs to know where the terrain is that can allow my tanks and cars to pass. Otherwise, if there are not many troops, once the infantry and tanks are out of touch,
, then when surrounded by enemies, they can easily be annihilated by the Japanese army one by one."
"Taiyuan is the core area of Japanese rule in Shanxi. Once our troops appear around Taiyuan, the troops I lead will most likely be surrounded by the Japanese and puppet troops coming out of the surrounding areas in a short period of time. Since it is just a rescue operation
, then it is destined that this operation will be fought quickly and ended quickly."
"I don't ask how much support the remaining remaining troops in the Jinsui Military Region, which have exhausted their main force, can give me in this operation. However, this cooperative combat unit must be familiar with the terrain. At least there must be a pass in each mountain pass.
Strict control. At the very least, my attack and retreat routes must be clear."
"Commander, the second one is also the most critical. It even far exceeds my previous two requirements. It can be said to be the first choice for whether we can complete this task, that is, the accuracy and timeliness of intelligence. With Chen
The commander's insertion was different from the previous one. This time the enemy is moving, and I am also moving."
"The troops have just been interspersed in the battle, and the response to the reception of intelligence itself is a step slower. Once the accuracy is worse, the consequences will be more serious than the consequences of the sudden change in the enemy's situation encountered by Commander Chen when he divided the troops. Commander,
The problem of intelligence has been revealed in Commander Chen’s second phase of interspersed operations.”
"If Commander Mu's intelligence could be more timely, he would first wait in hiding on the front line of Wuzhoushan. Wait until the brigades of the 15th Division, which are eager to reinforce Jining, show victory, and then launch the Datong attack. I'm afraid Datong has already lost control.
By then, the entire Japanese army in northern Shanxi and Suinan will be divided into several non-connected sections, then at least they will not be so passive in the direction of Datong."
"And now that Commander Chen has captured Fengzhen, even if these Japanese brigades enter the battlefield in Suinan, even if they have a chance of victory, they will not bring much harm to our army. In fact, in the entire Suinan and northern Shanxi
On the battlefield, the Japanese reinforcements were sent along the Tongpu Railway, no matter how many troops came, they were not afraid."
"As long as they don't outflank them from both wings, the pressure will be greater, but it won't be fatal in a short period of time. Commander Du, now the troops deployed by the advancing army have arrived in Tianzhen. As long as they seize the front line of Baishan Mountain, Datong's right wing can be said to have already reached Tianzhen."
sit back and relax."
"However, as the operations director of the Western Front Cluster, before I leave, I hope my superiors will pay attention to the Western Front in northwestern Shanxi. The Japanese army is good at carrying out large-scale roundabout operations. Once it outflanks our troops in northern Shanxi from Shuo County to the north,
Then the entire Suinan and northern Shanxi are under threat from the Japanese army."
"If there is one more thing, it is my actions. Please have Commander Chen and don't set any rules for me. This kind of rush operation without rear and no support, all the changes in the battle situation, as a front-line commander, I am
Most clearly. I can only watch this kind of battle situation."
"No matter how we fight, I can only formulate a battle plan based on the enemy situation I face and watch the battle situation develop and change. What I need is to adapt to changes, rather than rigidly execute orders. Commander Du, as long as you and Commander Chen
If you agree to my request, I promise to rescue many of these prisoners of war."