Chapter 85: Combat Deployment On The Eve Of The January 28th Campaign
One week later, the First Expeditionary Fleet finally arrived in Shanghai.
And it smoothly carried out the landing, and directly entered the barracks of the Japanese Marine Corps established in Shanghai,
With the arrival of reinforcements from the Japanese Marine Corps, the 19th Route Army, with a total of more than 33,000 troops, also rapidly carried out pre-war combat deployment. The 60th Division garrisoned the Suzhou-Changzhou line; the 61st Division garrisoned the Nanjing-Zhenjiang line; the 78th Division garrisoned the Shanghai-Wusong-Kunshan-Jiading line.
After the 19th Route Army garrisoned the capital and Shanghai, under the promotion and influence of the Shanghai people’s resolute anti-Japanese actions, the determination to resist Japan was firm.
The 19th Route Army made preparations to resist the Japanese Army’s invasion in the Shanghai area, and issued a secret order on combat deployment, requiring “all ranks of the whole army to take guarding the national territory and fulfilling the duty of soldiers as the purpose, and to prepare for battle strictly. If the Japanese troops really launch an attack on the 19th Route Army garrison troops, then all should annihilate them with full force.”
Even though Chairman Chang’s side was striving for compromise to avoid starting a war with the Japanese troops, and the order had been transmitted to the 19th Route Army headquarters, Commander Jiang and Deputy Commander Cai still had some troops on high alert against the Japanese troops’ possible sneak attack operation at any time for war,
Especially when First Expeditionary Fleet Commander Shiozawa Koichi commanded 2000 Japanese Marine Corps troops to arrive in Shanghai,
The two of them raised their vigilance to the highest level.
January 28, 1932,
Major General Shiozawa was in the Japanese Marine Corps headquarters, gathering all the Japanese officers for an emergency combat meeting.
“The purpose of summoning all of you here for the combat meeting is that we must launch a night raid tonight to attack the position of the 156th Brigade 6th Regiment of the Chinese Army, and annihilate this Chinese Army troops in one go!”
“Win Shanghai for our Imperial Army and fight the first battle well!”
“Let everyone, whether Chinese Army or Foreign Troops, clearly see the strong combat power of our Marine Corps! This will be the best way to quickly boost our troops’ combat morale!”
“So now tell me, do you all have confidence to win this battle?”
Looking at the Japanese officers he had summoned,
Major General Shiozawa was also very excited and thrilled, even full of fighting spirit, inspiring morale.
“Your Excellency Major General! Absolutely right! We must win the first battle. I am willing to lead my troops under my command to launch the first round of attack operation!”
After Major General Shiozawa finished speaking,
As his direct confidant officer Tsukamoto Takada, he was the first to loudly agree,
“Hai!”
“I also want to be the first attack operation troops. The Chinese Army are all trash troops. I am confident that I can complete this combat mission and annihilate all those Chinese Army!”
Another Japanese officer Fukagawa Maijian also stood up at the same time, shouting loudly in response.
Then, one after another, many Japanese officers, extremely excited, stood up to compete to be the first officer to lead troops in attack operation,
“Yo xi! I like you warriors full of fighting spirit. Then tonight we launch the attack!”
“As for who will carry out the attack operation, we will draw lots!”
“No matter who draws the lot for attack operation, I only need to see the result!”
After seeing the Japanese officers under his command scrambling to compete for the quota to be the first to lead troops in attack operation,
Major General Shiozawa was in a very good mood and nodded in satisfaction in response,
“Hai!”
“Hai!”
“Hai!”
All Japanese officers quickly nodded and loudly agreed.
Then they began drawing lots to see whose luck was good enough to be the first officer to lead troops in attack operation.
19th Route Army headquarters,
“Tonight it’s best if we strengthen the defensive deployment of the garrison. I don’t know why my eyelids keep twitching today!”
“You know us people from Yangcheng all like to believe in these superstitions, so I don’t want any unexpected things to happen at our troops’ garrison!”
“Especially today you saw that the Japanese Marine Corps reinforcements have arrived in Shanghai, a full 2000 troops!”
“And according to our intelligence officer, subsequent Japanese reinforcements are still on the journey, and we don’t know how many more Marine Corps reinforcements will come!”
“So this time I think the Japanese definitely want to start a war, so our next battle is absolutely unavoidable! Even if Chairman Chang doesn’t want to start a war, it’s impossible!”
“The Japanese ambition has always been enormous; wolf’s ambition is an understatement!”
Commander-in-Chief Jiang solemnly instructed Deputy Commander Cai.
“Okay! I have the same idea as you. What I worry about most is whether these insidious Japanese Marine Corps will carry out a night raid!”
“This is what the Japanese like to do most!”
Deputy Commander Cai also nodded in agreement.
“Good! Then leave it to you to handle!”
“Especially make the 156th Brigade 6th Regiment highly vigilant, and don’t let the Japanese night raid succeed!”
“Otherwise, it will deal a certain blow to our troops’ combat morale!”
“In addition, prepare a reserve force to guard against the possibility that the Japanese Marine Corps really carries out a sneaky night raid operation, to supplement the frontline combat troops and hold off the incoming Japanese troops!”
“Good, so that our subsequent reinforcements can arrive in time to clean up the mess!”
Commander-in-Chief Jiang also nodded and supplemented.
“Yes! Very right. I will immediately arrange the reserve force, so that once war breaks out, we will not be without reinforcements and can provide support to the 156th Brigade 6th Regiment in a short time!”
“With the reserve force’s immediate support operation, our reinforcements will absolutely have sufficient time to arrive, and that way we can resolve many of the Japanese troops’ insidious combat deployments!”
Deputy Commander Cai also agreed.
So the two of them continued to discuss the combat deployment of the other troops,
Then, Deputy Commander Cai also hurriedly went to personally supervise the deployment of the reserve troops.
At the same time,
Shanghai Garrison Commander Dai Ji also soon received Commander-in-Chief Jiang’s order to immediately issue the order to all garrison troops to carry out high-level patrols and combat deployment to prevent the Japanese Army from occupying Zhabei during the 19th Route Army’s rotation of defense, and ordered each garrison troops to immediately enter positions for strict alert.
Then, all high-level generals of the 19th Route Army were nervously waiting for the Japanese Marine Corps’ possible night raid attack at any time, especially on this night’s evening, which made them even more restless.
