Chapter 364 Iimori Numa: It’s Just a Disadvantageous Situation

"November 15th, 10,000, but I didn't make it to the comment section. The things I bet on are very stable."

The perspective came to the 110th Division's forward command post, eight kilometers south of Yangmingbao.

"Your Excellency Lieutenant General, we still can't contact Major General Ishii and his adjutant! The command system of the 108th Brigade seems to have suffered a devastating blow!"

"The communication team and the cavalry brigade have sent out three waves of soldiers, but so far no reliable information has been sent back. Please wait."

The continuous bad news brought the atmosphere of the entire conference room to the freezing point.

Everyone bowed their heads and said nothing, pretending to be very busy, for fear of getting into trouble because of unnecessary actions.

The most embarrassing department is the division communication team. After all, it is their job to keep in touch with the lower-level troops.

Now there is no news from the 108th Brigade, and it has even completely lost contact with the forward command post. According to the traditional customs of the Japanese Army, even if Iimorinuma asked the entire squadron to commit suicide by seppuku, it would not be excessive.

As if for the sake of his own life, Captain Nomura Yutaka of the communications team stepped forward in the stunned eyes of everyone and broke the silence.

"Division Commander, there is a call from the rear."

"Commander Amakasu sent the Army Aviation as soon as possible in response to our request for assistance."

"The flight squadron supporting the battlefield is led by Major Kuroe. With the flying speed of the Type 1 Fighting Falcon and Type 2 Fighting Zhongkui, they can reach the front line in less than an hour."

Hearing the rare good news, Iimorinuma was temporarily relieved.

In theory, places like forward command posts with potential safety hazards are generally led by a major general chief of staff and some staff members.

As a lieutenant general division commander, the old devil had no need to put himself in danger.

The reason why he violated the rules and went to the scene in person was simply because he was concerned about the development of the war and the safety of the troops. After all, timely intelligence can make the most correct deployment.

Facts have proved that Iimorinuma came to the right place.

Whether it was the dive bomber formations that were rampant in the sky or the raging fire caused by napalm bombs, they all proved his guess: Ishii Kaho and the 108th Brigade were most likely ambushed by the Eighth Route Army.

Fortunately, the Japanese were not completely without support. The upcoming Army Aviation gave the lieutenant general the courage to continue fighting.

Moreover, the superiors had issued a death order, asking the 110th Division to take Taiyuan together with the two divisions of the Mongolian Army. If they abandoned their friendly forces and fled before the battle, they would definitely be held accountable after the war.

After thinking for a while, Iimorinuma said to the staff officers beside him:

"Pass my order, send the division's search squadron to the front line, first find out the situation of the 108th Brigade, and then find the enemy's artillery positions."

"The Eighth Route Army's barreled artillery has a range of only eight kilometers. Once the target is found, it can be easily countered. Long-range artillery is our trump card."

"Tell Tsuda Takemi to let his 133rd Brigade prepare for battle and mobilize the troops to the northwest of Yuanping. Once the division's artillery fire ends, it will be their opportunity to launch an attack."

Until now, Iimorinuma felt that this battle was just a small disadvantage and could be fought.

In the eyes of the old devils, the firepower of the Eighth Route Army is indeed very strong, but heavy weapons can hardly cover up the uneven quality of the soldiers, otherwise they would not have lost Datong.

As long as the distance between the two sides can be shortened and a hearty hand-to-hand fight can be had, there will definitely be a chance to break through the enemy's line.

No matter how strong the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region was, it was impossible to deal with the attack of three divisions at the same time. This was a truth summed up since 1937.

As for letting the 133rd Brigade move to the northwest, it was because he set the width of the front battlefield to 9,000 meters and the depth to 6,000 meters based on the mission, enemy situation, terrain and troop strength before the war.

Although such an arrangement was a bit too scattered for a Type B division, it was difficult to establish a troop advantage on the offensive path.

But the advantage was that the deployment density was small, which could effectively shorten the firepower gap and prevent the troops from being wiped out by the Eighth Route Army's air-ground coordination tactics.

Now that we have to take the initiative to launch an attack, of course we have to gather the scattered troops first.

Just as Iimori Numa was about to contact the friendly forces on the left and right wings, a staff officer hurried into the command post.

"Report to the division commander, we have successfully restored communication with the 108th Brigade and reconnected the new telephone line."

As soon as these words came out, Nomura Yutaka felt relieved and regained the right to breathe. Without saying a word, the Japanese captain took his division commander to the communication room.

As if he had noticed the strange noise on the other end of the receiver, a voice came out as soon as Iimorinuma picked up the phone.

"Division commander? Your Excellency, division commander!"

"My unit has been attacked by the air raid and artillery bombardment of the Eighth Route Army. Request tactical guidance! Request troop support!"

The unfamiliar voice made Iimorinuma stunned.

There are countless grassroots officers below the rank of colonel in a division, and there are at least nearly a hundred of them. Most of the time, these people don't even have the qualifications to attend meetings. How can a lieutenant general remember them?

After a few seconds, Aihara Taketa realized the problem. He first introduced himself, and then continued to report: "Your Excellency, the division commander, the brigade commander and the regiment commander have died one after another. What should we do next?"

Although the old devil had prepared himself mentally, such shocking news still made him unable to calm down for a long time.

It had been less than half an hour since the start of the war, and the enemy had already lost a senior officer. No one could accept such casualties.

However, this was not the time to feel distressed. The enemy could launch a second wave of attacks at any time. Iimorinuma quickly adjusted his mentality and asked in a deep voice:

"Have you found the artillery positions of the Eighth Route Army? How many barreled guns did they use?"

Facts have proved that the strength of the Japanese Army in 1941 had not yet fallen from its peak.

The bombardment just now did make Aihara Taketa very embarrassed, but he still did not forget to observe the general direction while dodging everywhere.

"I don't know the specific location, but the enemy's artillery shells came from the southwest, and the number should be between eighty and one hundred."

"The reason why it is an interval is that the Eighth Route Army is equipped with a more powerful new howitzer, and I don't know the firing rate of that unknown barreled gun."

"According to my estimate, its caliber is most likely 105 mm, and its range is not inferior to the Type 91 howitzer directly under the division."

This important information immediately aroused the vigilance of the old devils.

In the original plan, he intended to use the range difference between the enemy and our artillery to counter the artillery of the Eighth Route Army. If there was no report from Taketa Aihara, his own artillery regiment might have mistakenly entered the enemy's range.

The few field guns left now are the last assets of the 110th Division. If something goes wrong, the mission will basically be declared a failure.

"Got it, the information you just provided is very important. I now appoint you as the temporary commander of the 139th Regiment."

"Now you lead the regiment forward immediately. Staying where you are is chronic suicide. The 133rd Brigade and a flight squadron of the Army Aviation will support you, and the division's artillery regiment will counterattack as soon as possible."

"Hi!"

"Thank you for your cultivation, Lieutenant General!" (End of this chapter)