Chapter 245: Drafting Ten Thousand Men
Kumamoto Division Headquarters
“Division Commander, this is the urgent telegram just sent by the Commander!”
The signalman handed the newly arrived telegram to Kumamoto Division Commander.
Kumamoto Division Commander took a deep breath, adjusting his emotions.
He had heavy cannon bombard, seemingly killing Yamamoto Sakura, and Brigade Commander Miyai had already reported it.
Now, Your Excellency Commander’s rage had surely been transmitted over.
He took the telegram from the signalman’s hands with both hands, and Kumamoto Division Commander looked down at it.
In the urgent telegram, Commander Shinozuka had no words of rebuke, just ordering him to immediately carry out a large-scale sweep against the Eighth Route Army Base Area.
Kumamoto Division Commander called for people: “Go call Brigade Commander Miyai, Brigade Commander Muto, and Brigade Commander Kawashima over to me, say there’s important military situation to discuss!”
“Hai!”
Major General Miyai, Major General Muto, and Major General Kawashima soon came to Kumamoto Division Commander: “Kumamoto Division Commander, is there a new order from Commander Shinozuka?”
Yamamoto Sakura was seemingly shattered like jade, the news reported to Commander Shinozuka, he must be extremely furious, there must be a new order.
“You all take a look.” Kumamoto Division Commander handed over the telegram.
Major General Miyai, Ninth Brigade Commander, took the telegram and held it in front of his eyes to read, the other two brigade commanders also leaned in their gazes.
After reading the telegram, Major General Kawashima questioned: “There’s still a group of Eighth Route outside this encirclement that we haven’t found and eliminated, how can we go all out for a large-scale sweep? If they sneak attack us from behind at that time, or suddenly rush to the Taiyuan Rear while we’re tied down, wouldn’t that be trouble too?”
Muto Juichi also said: “Commander Shinozuka’s order is simply issued in a moment of anger, this order is inappropriate, we probably can’t execute it directly.”
Major General Miyai said: “How about this, send another telegram to Commander Shinozuka, explain the pros and cons, we still first find and eliminate this group of Eighth Route outside, then carry out a large-scale sweep of the Eighth Route Army’s main base area.”
Kumamoto Division Commander shook his head: “Since the Commander issued this order, the staff officers at headquarters must have advised him, but failed to persuade Commander Shinozuka, that’s why it was sent. So, we still have to execute the order. When we execute the order, leave some reserve troops in the rear to guard against Eighth Route sneak attacks from behind.”
Immediately after, Kumamoto Division Commander said: “As for the Taiyuan Rear, I think Commander Shinozuka should still have defenses in place. There’s also one possibility, that when we launch a large-scale attack on the Eighth Route Army’s main base area, this group of Eighth Route outside definitely won’t sit idly by, they still might come to support their headquarters, so the Taiyuan Rear should still be secure.”
Muto Juichi, Major General Kawashima, and Major General Miyai, upon hearing this, each expressed their opinions again, and finally decided to follow Kumamoto Division Commander’s orders.
Have the Twenty-first Brigade bring one Puppet Army division to act as reserve troops to guard the rear, Kumamoto Division, Ninth Brigade, and Twenty-ninth Brigade bringing the remaining Puppet Army, totaling fifty thousand men, immediately implemented a large-scale sweep toward the Eighth Route Army’s main base area.
……
“The Japanese Invaders must mistakenly think Yamamoto Sakura was bombed to death, they’re furious now. Li Yunlong, the Japanese Invaders’ three brigades and Kumamoto Division have gathered together, they’re carrying out a large-scale sweep toward our base area, do we now go to the Taiyuan side, or go sneak attack their rear to support our base area’s main forces?” With the Japanese Sweeping Army carrying out a large-scale sweep against the Eighth Route Army’s main base area, Li Yunlong and several regiment commanders immediately gathered together, Gao Xigang asked first.
“What’s the rush!” Li Yunlong was very calm, “It’s not like before now, our main forces there have weapons and ammunition replenishment we seized, the Border Region Arsenal is also producing weapons and ammunition, the pressure on the main forces side is great, but the Japanese Invaders won’t take them down for a while.”
Gao Liujin also chimed in: “Now the Japanese Sweeping Army is heading toward the main forces side, I think we can directly go to the Taiyuan side, no need to keep a low profile, no need to play dumb anymore. As long as we strike straight at the Japanese Invaders’ Taiyuan Rear Area, this Japanese Sweeping Army will definitely panic. So, our opportunity to get rich has come.”
Ding Wei said: “Directly heading to Taiyuan is still not feasible, I think we should pull in the Jin Sui Army.”
Once we strike straight at Taiyuan, the Japanese Invaders’ mopping-up troops are very likely to turn back.
Relying only on us is hard to hold, with Jin Sui Army helping to share the burden, the pressure reduces a lot.
“To pull in the Jin Sui Army, we still need to stage a bitter meat ploy.” Li Yunlong said, “I’ve long planned it, we’ll go along the Japanese Invaders’ Zhengtai Line Railway wrecking all the way, when Shinozuka Yoshio sees us destroying the railway all along the way, he’ll definitely panic. Shinozuka Yoshio might continue drawing rear troops to block us, at that time we pretend a crushing defeat, when Jin Sui Army gets the news, worried about Yan Kai, they’ll naturally send out troops too.”
“Li Yunlong, just wrecking along the Zhengtai Line, that’s too unsatisfying.” Gao Liujin said, “I say, we should still find an important Japanese Invaders’ city to attack, that would be satisfying.”
“Even if you capture an important city, you can’t hold it, why hit that thing!” Li Yunlong glared and said, “The little Japanese Invaders’ railway is their important transport line, wrecking it all the way can maximally delay their progress of plundering our resources. What’s more, the railroad tracks and sleepers on the railway are all good stuff.”
Ding Wei also nodded: “Old Li’s plan looks good to me, our Border Region Arsenal is up and running, needs more ore resources, maximally delaying the Japanese Invaders’ plundering of ore is equivalent to reserving ore for our Border Region Arsenal.”
Gao Xigang nodded along: “Our ammunition is sufficient now, but strong-attacking large cities also consumes a lot of ammunition. If we need continuous high-intensity combat later but ammunition supply is insufficient, that would be trouble. While wrecking along the Zhengtai Line Railway all the way consumes much less ammunition.”
Gao Liujin spread his hands: “Alright, what you all say makes sense, then let’s go along the Japanese Invaders’ Zhengtai Line.”
“I’ll assign the combat missions.” Li Yunlong pointed at the Zhengtai Line on the map and said: “My opinion is each of our several regiments takes a section of railway to wreck, this way we can maximally destroy more railway. Railroad tracks and sleepers that can’t be taken away, hide them somewhere. If really nowhere to hide, put the railroad tracks on the sleepers and burn them with a fire. Once the Japanese Invaders’ reinforcements come, we can fight while withdrawing, finally gather together, pretend to be encircled by the Japanese Invaders and unable to break out. Wait until Jin Sui Army sends troops, then we strongly break out and kill toward the Taiyuan side.”
“Alright, no problem.”
……
Li Yunlong’s side quickly assigned tasks, several regiment commanders took their respective troops and immediately headed toward the target sections on the Zhengtai Line, starting to work rapidly.
Since several regiment commanders had siege artillery and rocket launchers in hand, the bunkers and gun towers along the railway were quickly removed.
The garrison troops along the line were few, and were also quickly wiped out.
Then several regiments’ troops, bringing district squads, county brigades, etc., quickly dismantled the railway, busy as hot fire.
The news quickly reported to First Army Commander Shinozuka Yoshio’s side.
“Baka, these damn Eighth Route!” Shinozuka Yoshio fiercely slapped the table, “They don’t go sneak attack Kumamoto Division’s rear, don’t help their main forces, instead take the chance to destroy our Zhengtai Line Railway, simply extremely hateful!”
“Commander, it’s precisely because the three brigades were transferred away that the Eighth Route are so rampant.” A staff officer said solemnly to Shinozuka Yoshio, “I suggest you calm down, have Kumamoto Division Commander transfer two brigades back…”
“No!” Shinozuka Yoshio directly waved his hand to interrupt: “Have Kumamoto side draw troops back, the Eighth Route will hide again, searching for them also wastes time, since Kumamoto Division Commander’s large-scale sweep has begun, don’t stop it, let them go all out. As for these Eighth Route wrecking our Zhengtai Line Railway, transfer troops from our rear side to go over.”
Shinozuka Yoshio had seen it, this group of Eighth Route outside doesn’t go sneak attack Kumamoto Division, doesn’t help their main forces reduce pressure.
Actually, this is the Eighth Route’s Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao.
Wrecking Zhengtai Line Railway is to see if Kumamoto Division will withdraw to rescue.
Once Kumamoto Division draws troops, the Eighth Route main forces’ pressure also reduces, this group of outside Eighth Route’s goal is achieved.
I’ll just not let you have your way.
I just don’t believe, with Kumamoto Division pressing step by step toward the Eighth Route lair, this group of outside Eighth Route really won’t panic.
The staff officer was somewhat stunned: “Commander, our troops are all used to key defend strategic points, still need to draw more?”
“Aren’t there still biological weapons!” Shinozuka Yoshio said, “With biological weapons, not afraid the Eighth Route can take down our strategic points. Go, draw ten thousand men over, should be about enough.”
First Army’s total troops now are over seventy thousand.
Three brigades transferred to cooperate with Kumamoto Division in encirclement and suppression of Eighth Route Army Base Area, Shinozuka Yoshio still has nearly sixty thousand troops on hand.
Although divided to defend many places, still can draw a certain number of troops.
“Hai.” The staff officer nodded, was about to go.
“Wait.” Shinozuka Yoshio called him back, said: “Have the reinforcement troops bring a bit more biological weapons, this group’s Eighth Route firepower is not weak, use biological weapons to counter them, lest they break out.”
Dare to massively wreck my Zhengtai Line Railway, increasingly provoking First Army’s bottom line, then let you taste the power of biological weapons in advance.
“Hai.” The staff officer received orders and went.
Bang!
Shinozuka Yoshio fiercely smashed a fist on the table, eyes emitting fierce light: “If Unit 731’s detection results confirm the deceased is Yamamoto Sakura, Eighth Route, I won’t even give you the chance to regret!”
