Chapter 176 Shinozuka Yoshio: I'm Going to Be Strong

After realizing the fact that the gap between the enemy and us was gradually narrowing, the Mongolian Army and the North China Front Army put away their contempt and made sufficient preparations before the start of the mopping-up operation.

Making a feint to the east and attacking in the west is a tactic that will never go out of date. Tada Shun and Yamawaki Masataka sent a large number of reconnaissance troops into northwest Shanxi, showing an attitude of picking on the weak.

In the eyes of the devils, the strength of the 120th Division is weaker than that of the other two troops.

This cannot be blamed on the commander Hu Zi. The main reason is that the land in northwest Shanxi is barren and the people are poor. The lack of manpower and food sources greatly restricts the development of the troops. Moreover, when crossing the Yellow River to participate in the war, the 120th Division left one-third of its troops to guard the rear.

Although this strategy is simple, it did work.

After such a tossing of Xiao Ri, the attention of the Eighth Route Army Headquarters was immediately attracted.

Taking advantage of this period of time, Shinozuka Yoshio asked the 36th Division and the 4th Independent Mixed Brigade to split into dozens of small troops and sneak into the southeastern Shanxi base under the cover of night.

After October 6, the Japanese began to gather in battalions and attacked the targets in the original plan.

The enemy's means were very cruel. For a time, they were like locusts passing through the border, leaving no grass wherever they went. Such tactics were like a replica of the Hundred Regiments Campaign, and for a time the Japanese really took some advantage.

Fortunately, after the end of the Yuliao Campaign, the deputy commander-in-chief noticed the enemy's dynamics. The headquarters not only deployed a lot of troops on the periphery, but also transferred the villages outside the base.

When the Japanese of the First Army invaded in an all-round way, the territory of the 129th Division was constantly compressed, almost to the point of lack of maneuvering space.

In this case, the main forces had almost no depth to retreat when the enemy advanced. The previous method of luring the enemy deep into the territory and then gathering superior forces to eat up the salient was also ineffective.

However, the headquarters responded promptly. In order to cover the retreat of the people in the base, the deputy commander-in-chief proposed the flanging tactic. That is, the enemy came here, and I went back to the enemy.

The 129th Division had an advantage in terms of manpower. Facing the Japanese raid, a small part of the troops retreated with their fellow villagers, and most of the troops attacked the county town occupied by Xiao Rizi.

Although the troops that took the initiative to attack had to face the semi-permanent fortifications rebuilt by the First Army. But in order to ensure the safety of the people, the soldiers did not hesitate.

Such flexible tactics forced the enemy to return for reinforcements. If the troops returning for reinforcements were few, they would be ambushed and destroyed.

If the main force of the Japanese returned for reinforcements, the small troops sweeping the base area would be accepted by the main force of the base area.

The enemy's advance and I'm advancing tactics made the Japanese of the First Army exhausted, and the entire southeastern Shanxi became a mess for a while.

————

Taiyuan, the First Army Headquarters, Shinozuka Yoshio nodded frequently while watching the telegrams sent back from the front line.

According to the current situation, his troops are a bit led by the nose by the Eighth Route Army. But at least the opponent's main force was forced out. From a long-term strategic perspective, their First Army is not at a loss.

After all, destruction is always easier than construction. If the people's villages are gone, how can you develop the Eighth Route Army?

Moreover, the 36th Division and the 4th Independent Mixed Brigade, following the tactics directed by their superiors, have achieved good results.

If the enemy had not been so numerous and supported in a timely manner, they could have even taken down one or two thousand people.

Only half a day had passed, and the samurai under his command had achieved such amazing results that Shinozuka Yoshio once again felt like he was leading the 10th Division in 1938.

Thinking of this, the old devil turned his head to look at the chief of staff beside him, and he said with emotion:

"Kunshan Jun, you now know the difference between you and the two commanders. When fighting on the territory of another country, you must show your most ruthless side."

"Almost all of the dozen battalions sent out this time have forced the main force of the Eighth Route Army out."

"With the increase of one side and the decrease of the other, the enemy will be severely damaged, and the so-called base will be cleaned up by us."

Shinozuka Yoshio seemed to have imagined that villages were trembling under the iron hoofs of the warriors of the brother country, which made him feel proud, as if the grievances he had suffered some time ago were worth it.

The old devil came to the sand table and pulled out several small flags by hand according to the news sent back by the mopping-up troops. Those represented villages that were connected with the Eighth Route Army.

"Which battalion has not sent back news yet, and how is the progress of each unit?"

Hearing his commander asking a question, the combat staff immediately trotted over to answer.

"There are currently three units that cannot be contacted, namely the Okazaki Battalion of the 36th Division, the Yamazaki Battalion of the 36th Division, and the Yokogawa Battalion of the 4th Independent Mixed Brigade."

Shinozuka Yoshio frowned, but soon returned to a smile, obviously not taking this matter to heart.

As the troops continued to advance, the mountains and electromagnetic fields seriously interfered with the radio signals. There was no signal base station in such a remote place, so it was understandable that they could not contact for the time being.

"Take the initiative to contact the other party, don't stop! This mission is very important to the First Army, and there must be no accidents!"

"If the message is not received after an hour, let Asakawa Masaharu go. Search according to the previous trajectory of the other party! I must see the person alive and the body dead!"

"Hey!"

Half a day of fighting made Shinozuka Yoshio confident. Although he had to admit that the enemy had become stronger, this old devil didn't believe that any Eighth Route Army could kill his battalion silently.

According to his arrangement, each unit would reinforce each other. Even if a thousand pigs got into the enemy's ambush circle, they could definitely hold on until the friendly forces arrived.

After all, these are the elites of the First Army.

Unless some idiots get lost and deviate from their own arrangements.

Thinking of this, Shinozuka Yoshio quickly shook his head and threw this outrageous idea out of his mind. They are all professional soldiers, how could they make such a low-level mistake.

————

October 7th, 3 pm, southeastern Shanxi.

On a mountain trail in a certain mountain range, a Japanese brigade just emerged from an unknown valley.

A young man dressed as a staff officer took the initiative to leave the team. He ran to a high place on the side, opened the map in his hand, and then used the measuring tools he carried with him to compare the road he had just walked.

After a while, the major sweated profusely. He trembled and pulled off his glasses because he was about to be beaten.

"Sir! We went the wrong way! The route of the troops deviated 70 degrees to the east! At least 30 kilometers away from the original target!"

If you are the commander of a unit, the soldiers you lead are elite, and there are sufficient supplies and ammunition.

At present, you are ordered to carry out combat missions. As long as you reach the designated location according to the instructions of your superiors, you can crush the ant-like enemies. Victory is almost waiting for you not far ahead. If you make contributions, you will definitely get promoted and make a fortune.

But at this moment, your most trusted combat staff ran over. He carefully told you that we had deviated from the route and were probably lost.

No one could stay calm in this situation, and Yamazaki made the most normal reaction.

He glared at his combat staff angrily, and his right hand continued to accumulate power in the air and made a half circle, and slapped him hard with a big fist!

This combat staff was obviously also an old man, and he had his own skills in being beaten. He slightly turned his head to release the force before the slap reached his face.

After falling to the ground, the little devil didn't get up directly, but just trembled on the ground. For this mistake, it would not be excessive for his own lieutenant colonel to chop him.

"Baga! 70 degrees? Don't you dare to go any further! Another 20 degrees and we'll be at Shimen! How do you read the map!"

"Before the end of this mission, if you can't make meritorious contributions, I will definitely send you to the military court!"

"Everyone stop!"

In fact, getting lost is very common in the southeastern part of Shanxi, after all, there are gullies, ridges and hills here, and the hills are endless.

There is no trace of the road under your feet. There are roads that people have walked, and there are small roads that wild animals have waded through. If you go a little off the track, you don't know where you are.

And there are no reference points here at all. You may walk for dozens of miles, and the scenery is still exactly the same. In addition to the ups and downs of the hillside, there are bare valleys.

The devils don't have the navigation equipment of the later generations, and the geographical knowledge of the combat staff is not strong.

However, holding the map, looking at the contour lines, and going in the wrong direction is indeed very against the sky.

But Yamazaki doesn't care about your reasons. Soldiers are very dangerous tools. The risks of field operations are unpredictable. If you are not careful, you will be defeated and killed.

This sweep is like fishing with a big net. We all know that there are fish in the pond, but where are the fish? Deep water or shallow water? We don’t know.

So we need to rely on strict marching to form a tight network. The troops have marked targets and routes for their march. The troops must coordinate and cooperate with each other, and there must be no deviation.

Deviation is a loophole, a mistake, and an opportunity for the enemy. In the history of war, are there few examples of being wiped out because of taking the wrong path?

The troops have been walking for most of the day, and you tell me that they are lost. How can I not be angry?

Who knows if you will lead the team into a ditch? What if they are ambushed by the Eighth Route Army?

They are just a brigade! The heavy weapons and ammunition they can carry are quite limited. Once the troops go off the direction during the march, it is very likely that they will be alone and deep.

If they are discovered and surrounded by the enemy, the brigade will not be able to get effective reinforcements from other friendly forces, which means that danger is approaching step by step.

"Send a telegram to the headquarters immediately and report our current position."

"I'll only give you ten minutes. If you can't find the way back, then commit seppuku right here."

Yamazaki's face was full of flesh and his tone was fierce.

When the agreed time came, the combat staff officer was sweating profusely. He really couldn't find the right way and was ready to die.

But at this moment, a team responsible for reconnaissance in front of the team came back. The leading team leader saved the staff officer's life. He saluted Yamazaki and reported excitedly:

"Report to the lieutenant! We found a building complex nearly three kilometers ahead! It is suspected to be the Eighth Route Army arsenal mentioned by General Shinozuka!"

As soon as these words came out, they immediately attracted the attention of everyone around, and even the combat staff officer who was waiting to die raised his head.

Yamazaki was even more like changing his face, as if the person who was about to execute his subordinates just now was not himself, and a creepy smile piled up on his ugly face.

Their brigade traveled day and night to the southeast of Shanxi, but they couldn't find the main force of the Eighth Route Army in all directions, and they didn't even find a militia with a gun.

There was no harvest in one day, and there were no people in the several villages that they passed by.

It seemed that the people of the Republic of China had received some news in advance, which made him very distressed. Whenever he heard that other teams had made some gains in the communication channel, Yamazaki was jealous.

However! Now is the time for them to show the majesty of the Great Japanese Locust Army.

Under normal circumstances, if the troops were found to have deviated from the route, they would definitely continue to retreat. But now Yamazaki couldn't find the way back, and he found the ultimate goal, so he had to force his way forward.

"It seems that Amaterasu is still blessing us. I didn't expect to find the enemy's logistics department by accident."

"Let's go! Let's go ahead and take a look!"

Yamazaki held the handle of his command knife and ran towards the commanding heights not far away.

On a seemingly hidden hillside, he found through a telescope that there was a group of abrupt buildings in the distance, which was out of tune with the surrounding environment.

There were a large number of staff, doctors and wounded soldiers.

A large number of mule carts were pulling supplies back and forth, and Yamazaki even saw some Japanese trucks and three-wheeled vehicles.

"Hahaha! It seems that today is my lucky day! I found the hospital, arsenal, and ammunition depot of the Eighth Route Army!"

"I want all the credit this time! Nitta-kun! It seems that you not only did not fail in your duty this time, but also made great contributions!"

"Everyone! Prepare to attack!"

Although the Japanese lieutenant colonel was extremely excited, his high tactical cultivation made him not forget to send a message to Taiyuan.

"Use this position now to send a telegram to the division commander and the headquarters! The Yamazaki Battalion of the 36th Division has an unexpected harvest and found the arsenal and hospital of the Eighth Route Army!"

"My unit is about to launch an attack! I hope all units will actively cooperate! The enemy will definitely prevent me from destroying its arsenal."

"Hi."

The staff officer quickly sent a telegram.

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Taiyuan, the headquarters of the First Army.

After receiving the telegram, Hideyoshi Kusuyama quickly ran towards the combat meeting room. The old Japanese looked excited, as if he had picked up something great!

"We've contacted the Yamazaki Battalion! They took the wrong road, but they found the arsenal and hospital of the Eighth Route Army!"

Yoshio Shinozuka stood up suddenly, his eyes blazing.

He had always thought that someone was secretly helping the Eighth Route Army, because he had asked his friends in Europe for help.

However, recent intelligence shows that the enemy has a way to manufacture weapons, and the output is not low. It's just that our intelligence network and spies have never found the specific location, and now he finally knows it.

"Have you discovered the enemy's arsenal?"

He quickly walked to the map behind him and ordered loudly:

"Let the 36th Division and the 4th Independent Mixed Brigade provide full reinforcements! We must take down this arsenal at all costs!"

"Let Masaaki Asakawa set off immediately! It's time for him to perform! Bomb it hard!"

"Prepare to send the battle report to General Tada Shun! I'm going to be strong!"

There will be no casualties, don't worry