Chapter 73: Donating Weapons And Requesting A Meeting
The Japanese Army dispatched the cruiser “Oi” from Wu Port in the homeland, along with the 15th Destroyer Squadron, a total of 4 destroyers, beginning to transport approximately 500 men from the 1st Special Naval Marine Corps, and a large amount of munitions, heading towards Shanghai.
Meanwhile, the subsequent Japanese Marine Corps was waiting for orders before continuing to dispatch to the Shanghai side, otherwise a large number of Marine Corps arriving in Shanghai would be noticed by foreign countries, and it would also be impossible to explain to the foreigners why so many troops were being dispatched to Shanghai,
At the same time, it would also make the National Revolutionary Army Troops vigilant,
It is also because of these reasons that the first batch of Japanese Marine Corps was not dispatched in large numbers,
Even the warships were planned to be gradually increased to the Shanghai side,
Marine Corps Commander Sakuma Yu of the 1st Special Naval Marine Corps was aboard the cruiser “Oi”,
He sat on the deck, blowing in the sea breeze, observing the seascape.
And he was also chatting with his Matsumoto Futo.
“This time we will achieve success and establish a career in Shanghai!”
“We have a chance to, like the Kwantung Army, become the Empire’s glorious troops, the flower of the Empire!”
“What the Army can do, our Navy can also do, even better than them!”
“Major Your Excellency!”
Matsumoto Futo spoke to Commander Sakuma Yu, who was gazing out at the sea in a daze,
saying.
“Hahaha! Of course, the combat power of our Imperial Navy is not inferior to those arrogant Army Troops!”
“So Matsumoto, you said a lot, this attack operation will be the best opportunity for our Navy Department to conduct comprehensive operations, and also our best chance to become famous overseas!”
“Let the foreigners in Shanghai take a good look at the formidable side of our Imperial Navy’s operations!”
“As for those Chinese Army, just as our Commander said, Shanghai can be taken in only four days!”
“Just like the Kwantung Army, easily taking down such a large area as the entire Northeast!”
“These cowardly Chinese Army are simply no match at all!”
“They only know how to dodge us and flee in panic!”
“There probably aren’t any Chinese Army capable of fighting, you know their naval forces purchase weaponry from our Imperial Navy!”
“So to tell the truth, I really don’t take these Chinese Army seriously at all!”
After listening to his adjutant Matsumoto Futo’s words,
Commander Sakuma Yu, coming back to his senses, couldn’t help but burst into laughter and said.
For him,
The Shanghai Operation was simply a very easy battle,
With little suspense, their Marine Corps could take it, and moreover under the attention of all foreign countries, take it comprehensively.
As for the views from the Chinese Army side, or all the Chinese people’s views in his eyes, they were completely unimportant.
Anyway, the final victory would certainly be theirs.
“Yo xi! Major Your Excellency, you said it perfectly!”
Adjutant Matsumoto Futo quickly agreed.
And Commander Sakuma Yu continued laughing heartily.
At the Kwantung Army, the command post of the troops under Iwane Matsui,
Iwane Matsui and Masao Okamura gathered together again.
“I just received from Commander Shigeru Honjō and Senior Staff Officer Colonel Seishiro Itagaki that the first batch of our Imperial Marine Corps troops has already set off for Shanghai here!”
“What do you think?”
“This time the Navy Department side is scrambling to take the lead in the attack operation, without letting our Army Troops conduct the attack operation!”
“What do you think their chances of victory are?”
“Do we still have a chance to act?”
Iwane Matsui spoke first.
“This is hard to say, although the Marine Corps is not as formidable as our Imperial Army!”
“But their opponents are only those cowardly Chinese Army!”
“Facing the Chinese Army with inferior weaponry, low industrial capacity, and cowardly and timid nature!”
“I think even without our Army Troops conducting the attack operation, those average-combat-power Marine Corps can handle it!”
“However, after seizing the victory in the Shanghai Operation, whether the biggest beneficiary is the Navy Department side or our Army Department side, that is the focus of our attention!”
“It is also the starting point for intense quarrels in the future!”
“So we must find a way to gain some benefits from it!”
“Otherwise, if all the benefits go to the Marine Corps side and the Navy Department, then what was the point of us working so hard to persuade His Majesty to let us fight in Shanghai?”
“It would be completely meaningless!”
“Just making wedding clothes for others for nothing!”
Masao Okamura shook his head and responded.
“Yo xi! You said it perfectly, it seems our ideas are consistent!”
“Since that’s the case, then we must find a way to get some benefits back!”
Iwane Matsui nodded in agreement.
Because he didn’t want his hard planning of the first Shanghai Operation to ultimately benefit others,
And moreover, the Navy Department, which they looked down on the most and had the most conflicts with.
So Iwane Matsui and Masao Okamura’s opinion was extremely rare in being consistent this time.
“Then let’s discuss now how to handle this matter!”
Masao Okamura nodded in agreement.
Thus, the two of them immediately began discussing.
And at this time,
At the 19th Route Army command post,
Deputy Commander Cai once again entered Commander Jiang’s office with a worried expression,
“We received the latest news that the Japanese Marine Corps has dispatched a batch of men from the homeland to Shanghai here!”
“Approximately arriving in three days!”
“Commander, what do you think?”
Deputy Commander Cai reported the intelligence he knew.
“Hm! If the Japanese side comes, let them come!”
“Anyway, we just need to strengthen our combat deployment, especially our defensive works, which must be built even more solidly! I’m worried that once this war is provoked by the Japanese, they might deploy airplanes for bombing operations!”
“For us without anti-aircraft weaponry and without Air Force support, we must make all defensive works as solid as possible to avoid huge casualties and losses!”
“As long as we wait for their bombing to finish, then we can conduct a powerful counterattack operation!”
“It’s just a pity that our heavy firepower weaponry is not plentiful, otherwise we could definitely make those Japanese terrified!”
“In the future, upon seeing our 19th Route Army, they would have to turn around, tuck their tails, and flee in panic!”
After listening to the report,
Commander Jiang once again emphasized the need to reinforce the construction of defensive works,
To guard against possible bombing by Japanese aircraft groups and artillery bombardment by heavy artillery units once war breaks out.
“Speaking of weaponry, today I actually received a personal phone call from Zhou Wenhua of the Zhou Family, saying they want to donate a batch of weaponry and ammunition to us!”
“I don’t know what quality it is!”
As soon as weaponry was mentioned, Deputy Commander Cai immediately reported with a strange expression.
“What?”
“There’s such a thing?”
“Zhou Wenhua of the Zhou Family?”
“Arrange a meeting with him for me!”
Hearing this,
Commander Jiang asked in surprise.
“Alright! I’ll go arrange it right away!”
Deputy Commander Cai nodded and agreed.
He then immediately went to arrange the meeting with Zhou Wenhua.
And Commander Jiang fell into deep thought, not knowing what he was pondering.
