Chapter 201: Decapitation Of Katsuki Kiyoshi Succeeds
“German tanks? And they seem to be German tanks that I have never seen before? These aren’t the German 1 and 2 tanks, could they be German 3 tanks? But aren’t those the new type tanks that the German Army is researching and developing? They don’t seem to have been developed yet! So where did these German tanks come from? Am I seeing things?”
When Acting Mayor Zhang Zizhong saw the ones that suddenly appeared in front of him, which he had never seen before, but were marked with the German Army’s markings, he too had an incredulous expression on his face. As a high-level figure in the 29th Route Army, he had some insight into the tanks of the German Army and the other foreign powers,
but these German 3 tanks in front of him were ones he truly had never seen, so he was so shocked and incredulous.
Even the Central Army’s German-equipped troops did not have so many medium tanks for operational configuration, and even the Central Army’s German-equipped troops would not have tanks assisting in operations together.
Although the Central Army side had German-equipped tanks and other brand tanks purchased from foreign powers, they were fundamentally independent tank units in operation, and not very proficient tank units at that.
Actually, Acting Mayor Zhang Zizhong’s surprise was not strange at all,
because the first Panzer III Ausf A type developed by the German Army was produced by the Mercedes-Benz Company in May 1937, and by the end of 1937, a total of 15 vehicles were produced. Of the 15 vehicles, only 8 were equipped with weapons, which were assigned to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Panzer Divisions respectively, while the rest of the unarmed tanks were used for further testing.
So at this current period, even the German Army’s active troops did not have German 3 tanks appearing, let alone mass production.
So after suddenly seeing more than 20 German 3 tanks appear,
it was truly completely beyond Acting Mayor Zhang Zizhong’s imagination.
One must know that at this moment domestically, it was still the zero-foundation industrial period, with no self-produced and self-sold tanks at all.
“One! Two, three, four, five… twenty-five Panzer III tanks!”
“Hiss! Mayor! What do we do now? These German-equipped troops are really wealthy and imposing! They actually brought so many tanks all at once, and they look even more operationally formidable than the Japanese Army’s!”
“Yeah! Look at the armor on these tanks! I feel like our rifles, or even submachine guns and light and heavy machine guns, might not be able to destroy them!”
“I think you’re wrong. I feel like even if we had mortars now, we might not be able to destroy them!”
“Have you all seen that tank cannon and those several machine guns? I feel like before we even get close to these tanks, we’ll probably be shot dead by them first, or killed by their cannon fire!”
“Right! As expected of our Central Army’s ace elite troops!”
They continuously appeared in front of Acting Mayor Zhang Zizhong and the police force beside him,
immediately causing the police around him to exclaim repeatedly.
Because they had never seen such large tanks, especially ones equipped with so many machine guns and also tank cannons.
Even though the current German 3 tanks were only equipped with a mounted 37mm artillery piece, with relatively weak firepower.
And 3 x 7.92mm MG34 machine guns, nothing more.
But for the 29th Route Army, which was accustomed to inferior equipment,
Zhou Wenhua’s such unique German 3 tank unit was completely a stunning and eye-catching opening for them.
Just like a young bride getting into the bridal sedan for the first time—it opened their eyes.
“Let’s go! Don’t make a fuss, we’ll immediately go to meet the officer of this German Army unit!”
“I’m very curious right now which German-equipped troops he is from, and exactly which Whampoa general led these German-equipped troops here without us 29th Route Army knowing even a hint of it!”
However, after the surprise, Acting Mayor Zhang Zizhong immediately issued the instruction to go see Zhou Wenhua right away.
“Yes! Mayor!”
All the police officers said in unison.
Thus, they hurriedly escorted Acting Mayor Zhang Zizhong toward the command post where Zhou Wenhua was located.
Of course, the address was inquired from the citizens inside the city.
But at this time, Zhou Wenhua was commanding his German-equipped clone troops to transport more than 10 Type 63 107mm rocket artillery pieces, preparing to give the Japanese Army’s artillery unit and infantry troops a big surprise.
However, at this very moment,
at Yuanping City occupied by the Japanese Army, a decapitation operation that all Japanese officers and soldiers could not have imagined occurred.
After Lieutenant General Katsuki Kiyoshi continuously used the field telephone to communicate with Lieutenant General Kawagishi Fumisaburo to understand the operational situation of the frontline attack on Beiping,
Lieutenant General Katsuki Kiyoshi could no longer contain his irritable mood and was preparing to urge Dohihara Kenji to immediately report to him all the details and information on the German-equipped troops inside Beiping City.
He really wanted to know which National Revolutionary Army German-equipped troops had entered Beiping City after the 29th Route Army evacuated, and how they managed to infiltrate into Beiping City so smoothly while avoiding all Japanese Army intelligence lines.
For him, this was not only a major puzzle that he could not unravel, but also a riddle-like difficulty that he would never have dreamed of, completely beyond expectations.
Just as he was in the communication room and had just picked up the telephone to call Dohihara Kenji,
the group of clone special forces soldiers dispatched by Zhou Wenhua to infiltrate had already burst in, carrying out the shooting decapitation operation.
As bursts of silenced gunshots rang out,
Lieutenant General Katsuki Kiyoshi, who had not yet had time to react, and all the Japanese soldiers in the Japanese communication room, were completely slaughtered, blood staining the entire communication room.
