Chapter 57: The Final Showdown
In the Japanese command headquarters, the atmosphere was as oppressive as dark clouds pressing over a city. The staff officers even walked on tiptoe. Everyone knew that Colonel Kunizaki Sadao was now like a powder keg beside a bonfire, liable to explode at any moment.
A staff officer hurried in, bowed, and reported, “Your Excellency, Colonel Yamada just reported.
The offensive is stalled. The Chinese resistance is extremely fierce. Fighting them house by house and building by building, the 41st Regiment has suffered especially heavy casualties.”
“House by house and building by building resistance?” Kunizaki Sadao was stunned. In his military career, this was the first time he had heard this term. His eyes rigidly turned, and he asked somewhat puzzledly, “What exactly does house by house and building by building resistance mean?”
“It means exactly what it says on the surface.”
The staff officer paused, seemingly considering how best to report. A few seconds later, he said, “Colonel Yamada said on the phone that when the 41st Regiment was attacking, they found all the Chinese soldiers hiding inside the houses.
The Imperial Army must occupy all the houses to eliminate their resistance. Sometimes, to seize a living room or even a single wall, the Imperial Army has to pay the price of several soldiers.
Colonel Yamada also said that up to now, the 41st Regiment’s casualties have already reached over 1,200 men.”
“Screech!”
A harsh friction sound rang out. It turned out that Kunizaki Sadao had accidentally knocked over the chair beside him.
“Over 1,200 men?” He shouted in shock.
The 41st Regiment was a full-strength infantry regiment with 3,747 troops.
But not all of these were frontline combat personnel. Excluding engineers, logistics troops, artillery, and medical personnel, the frontline combat personnel were only around 2,800.
Now, losing over 1,200 at once meant they had lost about 40% of their combat personnel—and this was only less than a day’s fighting!
At this rate, by tomorrow at the latest, the Kunizaki Detachment would be wiped out.
Looking at Kunizaki Sadao with his face ashen, the staff officer could no longer hold back and said tearfully, “Brigade Commander Your Excellency, should we hurry and request reinforcements from Commander Your Excellency?
If we keep fighting like this, the 9th Brigade will be wiped out.
If it really comes to that, how can we face Division Commander Itagaki Seishiro?
Kunizaki Sadao’s official position was commander of the 9th Brigade of the 5th Division. His role as detachment commander of the Kunizaki Detachment was only temporary. After the Nanjing campaign ended, they would return to their parent unit.
That was why the staff officer had said those words just now.
“Cease fighting?” Kunizaki Sadao hesitated for a moment but then firmly shook his head. “No… The Imperial Army absolutely cannot bow to the lowly Chinese. Absolutely not!”
Looking at Kunizaki Sadao who was becoming increasingly deranged, the staff officer felt a chill in his heart.
The church opposite and that army had become Kunizaki Sadao’s heart demon. Unless the church was captured, he would not let it go.
“The Commander has arrived!”
Just as the staff officer was anxious in his heart, a voice suddenly rang out at the door.
Accompanying the voice, several figures strode in, and then another voice rang out.
Everyone turned to look and saw a lieutenant general striding in, escorted by a major general and several staff officers.
Seeing the arrival, Kunizaki Sadao, who had been full of anger, turned ashen like a duck with its neck gripped—his face went from green to red, then from red to white.
Looking at the man, he exclaimed in shock, “Commander Your Excellency, why have you come?”
The arrival was the new Shanghai Expeditionary Army Commander Prince Asaka Yasuhiko and Chief of Staff Major General Iinuma Mamoru.
He strode up to Kunizaki Sadao and delivered a slap across the face.
With a crisp “snap” sound, a palm print instantly appeared on Kunizaki Sadao’s gaunt cheek.
“Why have I come?”
Prince Asaka Yasuhiko stared fixedly at Kunizaki Sadao with eyes like a venomous snake.
“If I didn’t come, were you planning to wait until you had completely squandered the entire Kunizaki Detachment before reporting to headquarters?”
“I…”
Before Kunizaki Sadao could finish, the other cheek received another slap.
After delivering the slaps, Prince Asaka Yasuhiko roared, “I don’t care what you want to do, but behavior like yours that disregards the interests of the Empire is absolutely intolerable.
From now on, your position will be temporarily assumed by Chief of Staff Iinuma Mamoru! Until the high command sends a new commander, you will stay put obediently!”
Kunizaki Sadao looked incredulously at Prince Asaka Yasuhiko. “Commander Your Excellency… you… you’re relieving me of my duties?”
“Yes!”
Prince Asaka Yasuhiko said in an icy voice, “I have already sent a telegram to high command requesting they send someone else to replace you, and high command has approved my request.”
“I… I…”
Kunizaki Sadao could never have dreamed that the new commander’s first act upon arriving in Nanjing would be to revoke his position. It was truly ridiculous.
Prince Asaka Yasuhiko disgustedly glanced at the pale-faced Kunizaki Sadao, waved his hand, and immediately two military police strode in and dragged him away.
After Kunizaki Sadao was dragged out by the military police, he summoned the staff officer nearby. “Immediately report the frontline situation to me.”
“Hai.”
The staff officer did not dare to delay and reported the frontline situation in full detail.
After hearing it, Prince Asaka Yasuhiko was also greatly shocked. Although he had long heard that the situation at St. Paul’s Church was far from ideal—which was why he had rushed here to replace Kunizaki Sadao—he had never imagined it would be this bad.
“Damn Kunizaki Sadao!”
The thought of an entire detachment being mostly ruined by Kunizaki Sadao gave him an impulse to order him to commit seppuku.
But this thought flashed by.
No matter how Japanese government propaganda portrayed defeat by seppuku as honorable, it was only propaganda aimed at junior officers and commoners.
For officers of major general rank and above, seppuku was rare.
No matter what, Kunizaki Sadao was a major general detachment commander. Even if he had erred, only a military tribunal and high command could deal with him.
If he forcibly intervened, he would inevitably offend the entire group of generals. Even as a member of the imperial family, he did not dare do that.
“Withdraw the 41st Regiment immediately. We can’t keep fighting like this.” Prince Asaka Yasuhiko pondered briefly and quickly made the decision.
He turned to Iinuma Mamoru beside him and said, “Have Yoshizu Ryoji arrive to see me within two hours.”
“Hai!”
Iinuma Mamoru acknowledged, then said in a low voice, “Commander Your Excellency, this place is too close to the frontline. You should return to headquarters first.”
“Mm… alright.” Prince Asaka Yasuhiko hesitated slightly and agreed to Iinuma Mamoru’s suggestion.
Didn’t the Chinese have an old saying: A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall? He was a noble imperial prince, and his life was precious.
