"How dare the Chinese people take the initiative? If they make a big deal out of it, they still won't be able to explain it to Britain and France!"
"Yes, they have adopted a defensive posture from the beginning. If they really have the guts to attack, they should take action before the war begins."
"Once the Chinese took the initiative to attack, the nature of the war would completely change. The timid Beiyang government did not dare to make a big deal out of it. They were afraid of the military sanctions of our Japanese Empire from the beginning."
Other staff officers expressed their opinions one after another. In the eyes of most of them, China, which has gone through many twists and turns, is no longer the formidable Celestial Kingdom of the past. On the contrary, it has become without fighting spirit and confidence. This is not only China's xzheng
The portrayal of fu is also a portrayal of China’s top-down people.
Regardless of these factors, Japan is now a member of the Allied Powers, and the Third Fleet is organizing military operations to rush to the European battlefield. As long as China unilaterally makes things worse and breaks this window, relying solely on the Allied Powers' alliance agreement,
In any case, Britain, France and Russia must make an explanation.
"Everyone, even if the Chinese don't place all their hopes on the Western powers, are our Japanese empire still stupid enough to consider this step?" Fukuda Yataro shouted loudly.
Seeing Masataro Fukuda's serious look, everyone could not help but be a little surprised and did not dare to say anything more.
Otani Kikuzo just frowned and remained silent, without making too many comments for a while. However, in his mind, he still vaguely felt that Fukuda Masataro was just covering up for the unsatisfactory deployment of the previously deployed combat plan.
Although Masataro Fukuda is younger than Kikuzo Otani in terms of age and qualifications, he participated in the Sino-Japanese War of 1898-1895. Although he did not participate in the Russo-Japanese War for a while, he also studied at the German Military Academy and served as a military attaché in the embassy.
.Compared with those veteran generals who have only limited their sights to Asia all year round, he has lived in Europe for many years, and his vision and overall view are naturally more comprehensive.
In his view, since a war has begun, it must be insisted that it is a war. As for "local conflicts", "diplomatic pressure", "international background", etc., they should all be placed in a secondary position. So from the beginning
In the end, he didn't really care about the casualties, he only cared about the progress of the battle and the impact of the entire battle.
But even if he thought so alone, the entire division was eager to eat hot tofu, and there was nothing he could do.
Although Otani Kikuzo didn't say much, Fukuda Yataro could still see some clues from the opponent's face, so he immediately said: "Even if we have to change the way of fighting, we still have an advantage at present. We just hope to be better."
To accomplish the combat goal as quickly as possible. In this case, I have a more bold idea."
Otani Kikuzo asked quietly: "Tell me about it."
Masataro Fukuda said seriously: "We can take the approach of the Eighteenth Division to attack Qingdao, make full use of the naval assistance of the Second Fleet, launch a landing operation, and take Yingkou directly. The Second Fleet's artillery fire at sea is by no means powerful.
The Chinese can handle it. As long as a force lands at Yingkou and cooperates with the intensive firepower of the Second Fleet and the frontal attack from Gaizhou, the Chinese defense line will not be able to withstand the pressure from both sides."
After listening to Masataro Fukuda's words, Otani Kikuzo pondered for a moment. He admitted that this combat method was something he had not thought of at first. After all, the landing operation was the tactic used by the 18th Division to prepare for the attack on Qingdao, not to mention the related supplies.
They are all under the control of the 18th Division. Since there are many troubles in mobilizing the 18th Division to rush to the battlefield, it is better to borrow the materials of the 18th Division to launch a landing operation and unexpectedly arrive at Yingkou City. It is indeed better than a direct confrontation.
many.
Okubo Koji who was on the side said thoughtfully: "Landing operations can indeed win by surprise. I also believe that the Chinese people lack adequate preparations here. With the current situation in Gaizhou, Yingkou will definitely divide its troops to support, so it can be said
Yingkou's defense is already very weak. But one thing has to be considered. Preparing for the landing operation is not a matter of a day or two. The preparation work before and after, leaving aside some redundant procedures, will take five or six days at the fastest.
.this……"
After being silent for a long time, Otani Kikuzo did not think too much and said directly: "We will draw up the plan for the landing operation tonight, and tomorrow we will start to mobilize some troops to return to Lushun to make preliminary preparations for the landing operation. All preparations must be completed within four days.
.I will launch a landing operation against Yingkou in the early morning of the fifth day."
This order is somewhat surprising. Without any prediction or discussion in front of the station, this difficult operation was directly determined. There will definitely be some uneasiness in it. However, considering the current situation in Gaizhou,
The border has already occupied a certain advantage and has completely spared troops. It is a good thing to simply make two preparations.
Immediately afterwards, Otani Kikuzo officially began to arrange personnel appointments for all aspects of the landing operation. Since it was Masataro Fukuda who proposed the strategy, it was natural that Masataro Fukuda himself would be responsible for the entire operation before and after the landing.
Masataro Fukuda accepted the task without hesitation and quickly mobilized personnel to start arranging the transmission of relevant messages.
As a general who is obsessed with the nature of war, he believes that he can grasp the current war situation better than Ōtani Kikuzo. Too many veteran generals like Ōtani Kikuzo are arrogant about their merits. The Sino-Japanese War of 1884 and the Japanese-Russian War successive reports
Victory has inflated the confidence of many veteran generals and emerging generals to the extreme. Only generals like him, who are between the veteran and emerging generals, can maintain their rationality well.
This is also one of the important factors why Masataro Fukuda was able to succeed Kikuzo Otani as the division commander of the Fifth Division two years later.
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Masataro Fukuda, entered the 9th class of the Army University in 1884. He was awarded the rank of second lieutenant in the Army on July 21, 1887, and was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Regiment. He graduated from the 9th class of the Army University on November 30, 1893. During the Sino-Japanese War, he was appointed to the rank of second lieutenant.
Adjutant of the 1st Division. Later, he served as the second bureau member of the General Staff Headquarters. He went to Germany to study. He served as the mobilization squad leader of the General Staff Headquarters, an instructor at the Mainland University, and the adjutant of Marshal Dashan Yan. He was also the attaché of the Austro-Hungarian Embassy. He successively served as the 1st Army in the Russo-Japanese War.
Chief Staff Officer, Deputy Chief of Staff of the 1st Army. Chief of Staff of the 3rd Division, Attaché to the Embassy of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Director of the Foreign War History Section of the General Staff Headquarters, Captain of the 38th Infantry Regiment, Captain of the 53rd Infantry Regiment. September 6, 1911
Promoted to Army Major General. Commander of the 24th Infantry Brigade, Chief of Staff of the Kanto Governorate, Second Director of the General Staff Headquarters, Attached to the General Staff Headquarters (European Business Trip), Commander of the 5th Division, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Commander of the Taiwan Army. November 1920
On December 19, he was awarded the First Class Asahi Ribbon. On December 19, 1921, he was promoted to Army General. Military Counselor and Commander of Martial Law in Kanto. On May 25, 1925, he was incorporated into the reserve force. On April 18, 1930, he was appointed Privy Councilor. In 1932
Died on June 1st. He was awarded the third-level Golden Horse Medal.