Jinan, Japanese army base camp dispatch squad command post.
Lieutenant General Okabe Naosaburo stayed up all night. He and the operational staff in the war room were busy checking maps and designing encirclement nets. Although the 20 reserve divisions urgently mobilized by the base camp had not yet arrived at the Chinese battlefield, they were sent directly to Jinan as the base camp.
The top commander of the frontline command post, Lieutenant General Okabe, must come up with a detailed combat plan in advance.
Just after three o'clock in the morning, the communications staff officer walked in with a stern look, put his feet back and stood at attention and said: "Your Excellency, General, the Linyi Military Police Brigade just sent an emergency call. The headquarters of the 5th Division was attacked by China's special forces half an hour ago. Sakagaki
Your Excellency, Your Excellency Sakurada and all the staff members in the headquarters have been completely shattered!"
"What?" Lieutenant General Okabe's eyes widened as he stared, "Everyone is in pieces?"
"Hai." The communications staff member suddenly lowered his head and said, "After the China Special Forces attacked the headquarters of the 5th Division, they successfully broke through and their whereabouts are unknown. Major Nakamura reminded the general, and also asked the general to tell all the imperial troops in North China and Central China
Commander, please be more vigilant and beware of special strikes from China’s special forces!”
"Baga, when did the Chinese have special forces?" Lieutenant General Okabe still couldn't believe it.
But soon, a terrible thought came to Lieutenant General Okabe's mind. Did the Chinese special forces attack the 5th Division headquarters with an ulterior motive? If it was just to hunt down the senior generals of the Imperial Army and lower the morale of the Imperial Army.
, then it seems that His Majesty the Temple Cabinet in Peiping is more valuable than His Excellency Sakagaki.
But the Chinese special forces chose Mr. Sakagaki from Linyi. Could it be that this has something to do with the Battle of Lunan?
Thinking of this, Lieutenant General Okabe could no longer sit still and said immediately: "Quick, contact the Sakamoto detachment immediately!"
The communications staff officer took the order and left, but soon came back with a solemn expression and said: "Your Excellency, General, the Sakamoto detachment has lost contact!"
"Huh?" Lieutenant General Okabe's expression suddenly became more serious, and he added, "Contact the 10th Division immediately and ask if there is anything unusual there?"
The 10th Division quickly called back and everything was normal.
Hanzhuang and Taierzhuang are only fifty miles apart. Although a fierce battle broke out when the Sakamoto detachment broke out from Taierzhuang, the Japanese 10th Division of Hanzhuang thought it was the national army attacking at night and did not pay enough attention. The Sakamoto detachment also thought
Seishiro Sakagaki had already coordinated with the 10th Division, so he did not say hello to the Japanese troops in Hanzhuang.
This situation may seem a little strange, but it is actually quite normal. It is related to the tradition of the Japanese army's more than a dozen permanent divisions.
In the seventeen permanent divisions of the Japanese army, most of the junior officers and ordinary soldiers were civilians, and there was absolutely no prohibition. However, most of the generals above the level of division commanders came from prominent families, so they all liked to make their own decisions. In actual combat, they often broke through the Japanese base camp layout.
The strategic bottom line has been set, and most of the divisions are not convinced by each other and are at odds with each other.
For example, Seishiro Sakagaki brazenly invaded Shanxi without permission from the base camp!
For example, Nakajima Sadao, Tani Hisao and Ogisu Rihei led their headquarters divisions to cross the Kufu Line and burn the war to the Nanjing theater without Matsui Iwane's permission. In the 18th, 13th,
Before the 6th Division crossed the Wu-Fu Line, the Japanese base camp actually did not want to continue to expand the Battle of Songhu, let alone occupy Nanjing.
Another example is the Lunan Battle of Isotani Rensuke and Sakagaki Seishiro. The Japanese base camp and North China Front commander Juichi Terauchi's initial order was just to let the 10th Division occupy Jinan and at the same time let the 5th Division open up the Jiaoji Railway.
However, two old devils, Isotani Rensuke and Sakagaki Seishiro, used chicken feathers as arrows and brought the war directly to the Lunan area.
General Juichi Terauchi, the Japanese base camp and commander of the North China Front, discovered that the national army's defense along the Jinpu Railway was so empty, so he quickly revised the battle plan and ordered the 10th Division to quickly move south along the Jinpu Railway to occupy Xuzhou, and at the same time ordered the 5th Division
The regiment moved south along the Weitai Highway to protect the flanks of the 10th Division.
In this way, there was a plan for the Japanese armies from two strategic directions, North China and Central China, to join forces in Xuzhou!
In short, it was precisely because the division commanders of more than a dozen permanent divisions of the Japanese army had the tradition of "disobeying orders" that the Sakamoto detachment did not notify Hanzhuang's 10th Division before retreating because Sakamoto Shun was not sure whether the breakout was
It's not because Mr. Sakagaki has any major plans. If the 10th Division is notified, wouldn't it mean that the 10th Division will share the credit?
After all, factional disputes and conflicts of temperament actually exist everywhere, and they also exist within the Japanese army, but they are not as exaggerated as within the national army.
Not getting the news he wanted from the 10th Division, Lieutenant General Okabe couldn't help but feel anxious.
Although the news of Seishiro Sakagaki's assassination and the capture of the 5th Division headquarters was extremely shocking, it did not pose a substantial threat to the Japanese army in North China. However, if the Sakamoto detachment was destroyed early, the consequences would be undoubtedly
It's quite serious. Maybe the entire Lunan battle plan will come to nothing!
But there are still several hours before dawn, so it is impossible to send aviation troops to conduct reconnaissance.
As a last resort, Okabe had to urgently report the news of the attack on the 5th Division headquarters and the assassination of Seishiro Sakagaki and Takeshi Sakurada to the North China Front Army Headquarters and the Japanese base camp. At the same time, he urgently sent a telegram to the Military Police Brigade and the 5th Division stationed in Linyi.
The 5th Cavalry Regiment to which the regiment belongs tried every means to contact the Sakamoto detachment!
…
Wuhan camp, Chairman Chiang's official residence.
At nine o'clock in the morning, Minister of Military Order He Yingqin hurried to Chairman Chiang Kai-shek's side under the guidance of the Chief of Guard Wang Shihe. He didn't even have time to stand at attention and salute before excitedly saying: "Commitment, Taierzhuang is a great victory!"
"Oh?" Chairman Jiang's slightly narrowed eyes opened instantly.
He Yingqin said: "Li Zongren just sent an urgent message from Xuzhou. Huang Jie and other divisions of the Fifth War Zone completely annihilated the Sakamoto detachment of the Japanese 5th Division in the Wangchang Valley five miles east of Taierzhuang early this morning, killing five thousand enemies.
More than 30 people, more than 30 cannons, more than 100 cars, more than 20 armored vehicles, and more than 5,000 long and short guns were seized!"
"Anihilated the Sakamoto detachment?" Chairman Chiang's eyes suddenly lit up.
He Yingqin nodded heavily and said: "Yes, the Sakamoto detachment was completely wiped out in Taierzhuang!"
Chairman Chiang suddenly stood up and said: "Is it the Sakamoto detachment that defeated Yan Xishan in Shanxi and established the emperor's thirty-plus Manchu divisions? Sakagaki Seishiro's troops? The so-called 'Steel Army' advertised by Japan?"
"Yes, yes, that's the Sakagaki Division!" He Yingqin said, "The other half of the division, the Kunozaki detachment, has been completely wiped out by the Baoshan Brigade on the Jiangpu battlefield, and now the remaining half of the division is also there
Taierzhuang was completely annihilated by Huang Jie and others, and Japan's so-called 'Steel Army' has been completely annihilated by the national army. It's a total annihilation in its entirety!"
"Okay." Chairman Chiang said happily, "That's great, it's very satisfying!"
He Yingqin paused and then said: "Commissioner, the old devil Seishiro Sakagaki has also been killed!"
"Oh?" Chairman Chiang's eyes suddenly became brighter and he said, "Did Sakagaki Seishiro also be killed?"
"Yes." He Yingqin immediately told everything that happened on the Xuzhou battlefield. General Li did not take credit for it. He told Yue Weihan the battle plan and the special forces led by Yue Weihan to go deep into Linyi to attack the 5th Division headquarters.
He also reported the situation of hijacking the radio station to convey false orders to the Military Command Department.
After hearing this, Chairman Jiang said with some emotion: "So, if the Sakamoto detachment was able to be completely annihilated on the Xuzhou battlefield this time, it was Yue Weihan who made the greatest contribution?"
He Yingqin nodded repeatedly and said, "Commissioner, you have a good student!"
After hearing He Yingqin's words, Chairman Chiang was noncommittal, and immediately ordered Wang Shihe: "Shihe, please go and make arrangements immediately to send the envoys of Western countries to Wuhan as well as the AFP, AP, TASS, and Reuters agencies in Wuhan."
Invite all reporters from the Wuhan Press Station, and I will hold a press conference immediately."
Seeing that Chairman Chiang was about to leave, He Yingqin quickly took two steps forward and asked in a low voice: "Commissioner, how do you think this commendation order should be drafted? And should the officers and soldiers of the divisions who participated in the ambush in the Wangchang Valley also be issued?
A certain amount of bonus to encourage the determination and morale of frontline soldiers to resist the Japanese and kill the enemy?"
"It's up to you to take care of this." Chairman Jiang said, "I can rest assured that you will do your job."
After that, Chairman Chiang turned around and left, leaving the confused He Yingqin behind. General He never understood what Chairman Chiang's attitude was from the beginning to the end. Listening to his tone, it didn't seem very good.
I am willing to give a heavy reward to the Baoshan Brigade, but I also want to give a heavy reward to Huang Jie and other divisions that participated in the battle, but how to control the balance between them is a headache.
…
March 10, the twenty-seventh year of the Republic of China (1938), 2 p.m.
The national leader, Chairman Chiang Kai-shek, held a rare press conference in Wuhan. All envoys to China and reporters from major Western news agencies in Wuhan were invited to attend. Sensitive Western media reporters immediately guessed that the National Army must be on the front line in Xuzhou.
The battle was won, but before the news was officially announced, even the Soviet TASS reporter, who was the boldest and most optimistic about the Chinese army, never thought that the Chinese army could actually wipe out the Japanese 5th Division.
Chairman Chiang hates such occasions, but this time he attended the press conference in person.
On the rostrum of the press conference hall of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the radiant Chairman Chiang and the elegant Madam Chiang attracted almost everyone's attention.
Chairman Chiang put his hands on the case, leaned his upper body slightly forward, and said in a unique Ningbo accent: "Dear guests, today I bring you some exciting news. The National Revolutionary Army has just achieved an unprecedented victory on the Xuzhou battlefield.
The Sakagaki Division, known as the 'Steel Army' of the Japanese army, was wiped out in one fell swoop! Seishiro Sakagaki was also killed!"
Mrs. Chiang next to her immediately took over the microphone and translated Chairman Chiang's words to all the Western envoys and media reporters present in fluent and melodious American English. Immediately, there was an exclamation in the entire press conference hall, and many Westerners
The envoys and media reporters were so shocked that their jaws almost dropped to the floor!