Chapter 126: The Situation of the Northeast Battlefield
If the lessons from last year's battle had not been learned this time, no matter how tight the front line was, the Kwantung Army would have maintained a huge force throughout southern Manchuria. Since the start of this battle, the Kwantung Army has deployed in Shenyang City and the surrounding Liaoyang and Anshan. The strength of three entire divisions was mobilized as a security force for Shenyang and the surrounding areas.
At the same time, high-density troops were deployed on the east and west sides of Shenyang, as well as on the front. After the Anti-Japanese Alliance interspersed troops passed Fushun, more than 30 Type 88 anti-aircraft guns were immediately transferred back from the front line and deployed in last year's battle. After that, the fortification areas built on the east and west lines of Shenyang were used as anti-tank guns.
With intensive anti-tank firepower and the power of the meat bomb offensive, they destroyed more than 30 American M-3 light tanks and dozens of half-track vehicles that the Anti-Japanese Alliance broke into the Tangling area on the outskirts of Shenyang. In addition, the Anti-Japanese Alliance The input of insufficient troops and insufficient sustained attack force finally allowed the Kwantung Army to contain the Anti-Alliance offensive. I am afraid that Umezu Yoshijiro will move again.
The consequences of this raid caused the Kwantung Army to change its previous overall offensive and defensive posture on the Northeast battlefield, which was the same as before the Anti-Japanese Alliance. Instead, the entire army contracted its defense, and significantly strengthened its deployment in Faku, Kaiyuan, and Xi'an. The second line of defense in the Feng and Tieling triangles relied on the fortification area between the two armies to hold on, and at the same time, the defensive force in the mountainous areas of Liaodong was greatly increased.
However, in the face of the huge mountainous area of Liaodong, and the Anti-Japanese War, which continued to use tanks to carry infantry, they adopted small-scale shallow and deep roundabouts. Sometimes they used mountainous areas that were not suitable for tank operations as starting bases under air cover. The Kwantung Army penetrated deeply and went straight to the strategic key targets of the Kwantung Army and combined the tactics of the city. The Kwantung Army tried its best, but had no way to deal with it.
We can only continue to change the terrain at a huge cost in the eastern mountainous areas, all areas where anti-tank tanks may pass through. And dig anti-tank trenches wherever anti-tank trenches can be built, and desperately strengthen anti-tank firepower. In the anti-tank guns When it was really not enough, they even adopted a large number of meat bomb tactics to deal with the anti-Union tanks entering the battle.
Although the American M-3 tank has weak armor and is too tall, no matter how many shortcomings it has, there is no doubt that its off-road capabilities and maneuverability are quite excellent. Although it is impossible for a tank to climb mountains, its excellent off-road and maneuverability Its maneuverability allows it to pass through many routes even in the special terrain of the Liaodong mountainous area.
In the battles on the eastern front of the Northeastern battlefield, in addition to using T-34 tanks as the main force for shallow and deep penetrations, the excellent cross-country capabilities and maneuverability of this light tank were often used to navigate countless mountain paths in the Liaodong mountains, as well as The river bed that dries up or freezes in winter serves as a channel, suddenly creating a deep and deep passage from east to west.
Although these M-3 light tanks suffered heavy losses in interspersed battles due to their weak armor and the usual shortcomings of their gasoline engines. On the battlefield outside Shenyang, the Japanese army used the fortification area as a base to launch flat-firing anti-aircraft guns. More than thirty vehicles were destroyed, which was equivalent to the loss of an integrated battalion. However, this tactic also made the Japanese army truly feel the threat from their flanks.
However, this kind of interspersed combat cannot carry out large-scale armored assaults due to terrain restrictions. The troops put into combat can only be mainly light tanks with strong cross-country capabilities. Therefore, it seems to be quite a threat, but under the high-density deployment of the Japanese army, Regions can have limited impact on the entire war situation.
It mainly plays the role of disrupting the enemy's rear, disrupting the enemy's deep deployment, and dispersing the strength of the Kwantung Army. At the same time, it turns passivity into initiative on the Eastern Front, making it impossible for the Kwantung Army to launch an active offensive against the Eastern Front, which also lacks troops.
Disintegrating the Kwantung Army on the eastern front, which is also relatively weak in the Anti-Japanese Alliance, may pose a threat to the flanks of the frontal battlefield.
However, due to the influence of the overall strength of the Anti-Japanese Alliance in the Northeast battlefield and the lack of troops on the eastern front, this kind of penetration lacks sustained stamina. Although this large-depth penetration tactic has played a significant role, compared with
As for the entire battle situation, it cannot have a decisive impact.
Even so, the entire eastern front has become the biggest headache for the Kwantung Army. In private, the eastern front is called the appendix of the Kwantung Army. Giving up the entire Liaodong mountainous area is absolutely impossible for the Kwantung Army to accept.
That would not only mean that the last ground communication channel between the Kwantung Army and the Korean Army would be completely cut off.
Moreover, the entire southern Manchuria industrial base will lose its flanking barrier. When the time comes, the Anti-Japanese League will be condescending and can fight as they please. At the same time, giving up the mountainous areas of Liaodong means giving up the two major industrial cities of Fushun and Anshan, as well as Benxi Lake.
Miyahara and other coal and iron producing areas. Luda, the most important military port for the Japanese army in the Northeast, also faced the threat of the Anti-Alliance.
However, the frontal front is also facing the constant impact of the Anti-Japanese Alliance tank clusters, and the Kwantung Army is frequently tight on the front line. It is necessary to maintain sufficient strength in depth to cope with the Anti-Japanese Alliance's black tiger heart-breaking tactics from time to time. The mountainous area of Liaodong is vast.
Too many troops were invested in the mountainous areas, which resulted in focusing on one thing at the expense of the other.
Especially in the face of the tank cluster offensive adopted by the Anti-Japanese Alliance in the Northeast battlefield to make up for the lack of troops, the already stretched anti-tank firepower became even more tight. The 88mm anti-tank gun has a long range, and it is indeed powerful when used as an anti-tank weapon.
Big. But this kind of temporary anti-aircraft gun that was originally used for air defense in important areas is too cumbersome.
Not only is it difficult to deploy in the mountainous areas of Liaodong, it cannot be used as mobile defensive firepower and can only be used in fixed firepower points. In addition to a few major highways in the mountainous areas of Liaodong, most areas still rely on infantry anti-tank weapons. While other areas
Among the anti-tank weapons, the Type 94 rapid-fire gun posed almost a negligible threat to the tanks of the Anti-Japanese Alliance.
Although the Type 1 anti-tank gun and the Type 97 anti-tank gun can destroy M-3 light tanks at close range, they also have strong maneuverability. However, in addition to being insufficient in number, they cannot deal with the anti-Japanese T-34 tanks and British infantry.
Tanks are still not powerful enough. As for new anti-tank guns, the Kwantung Army has even fewer equipment.
The Anti-Japanese Alliance's infantry-tank coordination tactics allowed the Kwantung Army to try to take advantage of the mountainous terrain in Liaodong, using old-fashioned Type 94 and Type 97 rapid-fire artillery, and adopting an ambush approach, which was not worth the gain. The Anti-Japanese Alliance's assault battles in the Liaodong mountainous areas were generally
The tactic is to use infantry under the cover of tank fire to tear open a breakthrough and clear the mountains on both sides to open a channel for the tank. The tank then carries the follow-up infantry or cooperates with the half-track vehicle to break through to the predetermined target at high speed.
On all interspersed routes, there are infantry carried by half-track vehicles or military jeeps to clear the way in front and clear out any Japanese anti-tank ambush positions that may exist in the mountains on both sides. In addition, there are infantry on the mountains on both sides of the tanks to follow and cooperate.
.Even if preset anti-tank ambush positions are set up, these anti-tank guns usually only have one chance to fire.
Under the tactics adopted by the Anti-Japanese Alliance, although the Kwantung Army tried to adopt ambush tactics many times in the Liaodong battlefield, using the terrain as much as possible to allow its backward anti-tank guns to engage the Anti-Union tanks at the closest distance. To contain the tank tactics of the resistance.
However, except for a few successes, most of the time, the effect was negligible. He also added a large number of infantry, which further dispersed his own forces. The already insufficient number of anti-tanks The strength of the artillery was further weakened.
On most fronts throughout the Liaodong battle, and for most of the time, except for some roads with fixed firepower points, the Kwantung Army could only rely on infantry to use Type 99 anti-tank mines at the risk of death. For multi-route detours There are almost no means to deal with the hordes of anti-Union tanks.
In view of the fact that the previous anti-Japanese war used the main force of the Kwantung Army, the Kwantung Army was attracted to the Siping front line. It suddenly broke out from the eastern mountainous area and swept through Fushun, Anshan, Shenyang and other major industrial cities in South Manchuria. The entire South Manchu industrial base was almost not destroyed. A lesson learned at once. Although defenses were strengthened in the mountainous areas of Liaodong, they were still helpless against the new tactics adopted by the Anti-Japanese Alliance.
After almost repeating the same mistake again, they could only continue to mobilize a large number of troop reinforcements from the front to the mountainous areas of Liaodong. In this way, the depth of the frontal troops was weakened, and it created conditions for the Anti-Japanese Alliance to concentrate tank troops and attack from the front. Although the Kwantung Army has an advantage in total strength, it is fortified everywhere and passive. Not to mention reinforcing the battlefield inside the Kwantung, it is also in a situation where it has too much to take care of itself.
According to the current situation on the Northeast battlefield, that is to say, at least so far, the Anti-Japanese Alliance on the Northeast battlefield has basically achieved the strategic goals originally envisioned. The tactics that Yang Zhen and Guo Bingxun painstakingly researched before the war have basically achieved success in the Northeast battlefield. , effectively making up for the tension and shortage in troop investment.
When they received the task of regaining Jizhong, Yang Zhen and Guo Bingxun made repeated calculations on the use of troops. Such a large-scale two-front battle even required an even distribution of troops. For the Anti-Japanese Alliance, not only This first experience was also a severe test for Yang Zhen, the top military commander of the Anti-Japanese Alliance.
Since accepting the mission, Yang Zhen and Guo Bingxun have been repeatedly weighing the use of troops. Although the central government has given nearly a year of preparation time, the time is still somewhat limited to prepare for such two large battles at the same time. Moreover, The main difficulty basically focuses on troop expansion.
The expansion of the army is not a simple matter, let alone having enough weapons, equipment and recruits to quickly expand the army on a large scale. Weapons, equipment and recruits are only the most basic things needed for the expansion of the army. The expansion of the army requires There are still a lot of really basic things.
A large number of qualified commanders at all levels, a sufficient number of staff officers and political workers, and veterans as the backbone are the real foundation for a substantial expansion of an army. The lack of these truly makes an army full. Basically, no matter how large the number of the expanded troops is, their real combat effectiveness will hardly meet the needs.
Especially during the years of expansion of the Anti-Japanese Federation, most of the first-level commanders of grassroots battalions and companies lack the experience to settle in one position. There are even a considerable number of cadres who have only three years of military service and have become company commanders or even deputy battalion officials. Cadres. But it does not mean that the abilities of these promoted cadres can really meet the requirements of the positions they hold.
Despite the strict, even demanding, training system and standards, and the adoption of the shadow force expansion model, the method of cultivating the leadership and command capabilities of new cadres through one full-time position and several deputy positions basically guarantees the expansion of the force.
The quality of grassroots cadres is needed to meet the needs of partial expansion of the army.
However, the overall number is restricted by the low level of overall education of the army, and the speed of training cadres is still unable to meet the quantitative requirements brought about by successive expansions. Under this situation, under Yang Zhen's insistence, the Anti-Union Alliance
Although it continues to expand year after year, it still maintains a relatively cautious attitude in terms of the overall number of expansions.