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Chapter 394 Our old Li has a clever plan!

Japanese First Army Command.

Lieutenant General Shinozuka Yoshio was pacing back and forth in the headquarters with a gloomy expression.

With his right hand tightly holding the handle of the treasured sword bestowed by Emperor Hirohito, at this moment, he wanted to practice a wave of sword skills again.

Just ten minutes ago, the 37th Division and the 2nd Guards Division called one after another, saying that they had been attacked by eight groups and the situation was critical.

Not only could it not reinforce Taiyuan, but instead asked for tactical guidance, for reinforcements, and for air reinforcements.

At this time, Shinozuka Yoshio suddenly felt that Kusuyama Hideyoshi and Kunomura Momoyo seemed to be playing him.

The total strength of the main force of the Eighth Route in Southeast Shanxi is only so many, more than 3 in Taiyuan, and in Zhengtai Railway, Xiangyuan, and Licheng, the combined main force of the Eighth Route does not exceed 3.

Could it be that the elite divisions of the Japanese army can't even deal with the Eighth Route Army with more than 1 people?
Although these two divisions were rebuilt, they were all transferred from the Kwantung Army and the mainland. After training, the combat effectiveness of the soldiers is not so bad, right?

Of course, Shinozuka Yoshio also had some doubts. The main force of the Eighth Route Army in Southeast Shanxi really has 9 to 10 people, right?
However, launching such a large battle requires a large amount of weapons and ammunition and sufficient logistical supplies.

Where did Balu get so many weapons and ammunition?
While thinking about it, Toshimatsu Kasai, the communication staff officer, walked in hurriedly amidst the sound of hurried footsteps, and said with a pause, "Report to the general, the aviation unit has successfully destroyed the artillery position outside the Eighth Route City South!"

Shinozuka Yoshio breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this, and asked, "How about the aviation losses?"

There are only more than 20 mountain artillery pieces, and the firepower is still not enough. The Eighth Route Army has pulled more than 200 camouflage nets just outside the south of the city.

Although these more than 20 mountain artillery pieces suppressed the artillery positions of the Eighth Route Army by virtue of the advantage of using the city wall as a reverse slope position.

But it's just suppression. After these more than 20 mountain artillery have eliminated the eight-way artillery positions outside the south of the city, the eight-way artillery in the other three directions may have already entered the city.

That's why Shinozuka Yoshio decisively dispatched a fleet of aircraft to deal with the Eighth Route's artillery positions when the Eighth Route had strong anti-aircraft firepower.

Taiyuan is where the headquarters of the First Army is located. Once Taiyuan falls, the consequences will be disastrous.

In order to keep Taiyuan, Yoshio Shinozuka fought hard.

Kasai Toshimatsu said with a serious expression: "According to the report from the Type 20 liaison plane, at least [-] planes of the Imperial Army were shot down. The exact number will be counted after the aviation unit returns."

"Nani? No less than 20 planes were shot down?"

Yoshio Shinozuka's eyes suddenly became gloomy. In the morning and at noon, the 32nd Squadron of the Kwantung Army was shot down in two attacks, and 10 aircraft were shot down. Including the aircraft shot down in the afternoon, more than 30 aircraft were lost.

The loss of more than 30 aircraft is nothing, and the aviation industry of the empire will soon be able to produce more than 30 aircraft.

However, the loss of more than 30 experienced pilots made the old devil very distressed.

It is not easy to train a pilot, let alone more than 30 experienced pilots. These are all valuable resources of the empire, and if one is lost, one will be lost.

"Hi!"

Kasai Toshimatsu lowered his head. He had just witnessed the air battle with his own eyes on the south wall of the inner city with the artillery mirror.

Since the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937, there have been few such big scenes.

At this moment, the rumbling artillery sounded again, and as soon as the Japanese planes left, the Eighth Route Artillery in the other three directions began to work again.

A moment later, a communications soldier with the rank of lieutenant hurried in again: "General, the city wall is under heavy shelling!"

Yoshio Shinozuka's face, which had been relieved just now, suddenly became gloomy again.

The loss of more than 20 aircraft in the fleet was enough to kill the artillery positions of the Eighth Route Army in one direction, and the artillery positions of the Eighth Route Army in the other three directions could continue to bombard the city wall.

The threat of the eight-way cannon to the city wall of Taiyuan is far from lifted.

"Baga!" Kasai Nakazuo saw that Yoshio Shinozuka's face was not right, and suddenly slapped the lieutenant across the face, and asked, "Which city wall was the one that was heavily bombarded by the Eight Routes?"

"Hi!" Lieutenant Guizi suddenly nodded, and said, "Your Excellency, the east, west, and north walls of the south city wall have all been heavily bombarded by eight groups, please ask for tactical guidance!"

"Order!"

Shinozuka Yoshio suddenly turned his head and ordered sharply: "All the planes used in the Central Plains battle should immediately stop fighting against the Central Army, all reinforce Taiyuan, and destroy the Eighth Route Artillery positions around Taiyuan at all costs!"

Although yesterday plus today, the Japanese army has lost nearly 40 aircraft and nearly 40 valuable pilots.

But there are still more than 160 aircraft, of which more than 20 are reconnaissance aircraft and liaison command aircraft, and there are more than 140 fighters and bombers that can be used in combat.

The most urgent task now is to eliminate the artillery positions of the Eighth Route, and seal and repair the gaps in the city wall that were shot out by the Eighth Route artillery.

Destroy the artillery positions of the Eighth Route, and it is impossible for the small-caliber artillery of the Eighth Route to blow down the city wall, so that the Eighth Route cannot attack the city.

Although doing so is likely to lose more aircraft and pilots, but in the absence of reinforcements from the 37th Division and the 2nd Guards Division, this is the only way to do so.

"Hi!" Kasai Nakazuo suddenly lowered his head and stood upright, then turned around and walked quickly to the communication room, followed by the communication lieutenant covering his face.

……

At the same time, the Taihang 3rd Column Headquarters.

Li Yunlong was holding the walkie-talkie and asked Ding Wei: "Hey, old Ding, how is the situation on your side, how many cannons have you lost?"

After the devil plane flew away, Li Yunlong ordered the artillery groups to continue bombarding the city wall.

At this moment, the sound of rumbling artillery came from the direction of the city wall.

"Damn it, all the cannons were blown up by the little devil's plane, and none of them were left for us."

Ding Wei's cursing voice came from the walkie-talkie.

Commander Li was startled suddenly, and hurriedly asked: "What about the artillerymen, how many were killed and injured by the artillerymen?"

It doesn't matter if the cannon is blown up, it can be reimbursed anyway, but these artillery are treasures, and if there are heavy casualties, the loss will be great.

Ding Wei said: "I ordered the artillery to evacuate the artillery position in advance. Except for a dozen artillery casualties caused by the artillery shells fired from the devil's city, the artillery suffered no losses in this air strike."

"That's good."

Li Datuan let out a sigh of relief.

"I guess this devil plane will come again, next time it will be Lao Kong and Lao Cheng, and your new regiment's artillery position."

Ding Wei spoke solemnly, and suggested: "Commander, we have to make preparations, or we should move all the artillery positions to hide, and move the artillery out at night."

Ding Wei knew very well that with the devil's pissing nature, the air support would never stop there.

He knew that the Japanese army had assembled more than 200 planes, but only about 100 were dispatched before and after. Although more than 30 planes were shot down, there were still more than 160 planes.

Only by destroying the artillery positions of the Eighth Route Army can Taiyuan be defended.

This battle has been fought so far, and both sides are fighting for their lives. Obviously, the devils don't care no matter how many planes and pilots they lose.

"I know that."

Li Yunlong's eyes were calm, and he didn't panic at all: "But there is no need to move the cannon, let the little devil's plane come."

If the cannons were moved, there would be devil reconnaissance planes hovering in the sky, and the devil pilots could see wherever they moved.

Even if all the cannons are hidden, once the devil fleet loses its target, it will definitely attack the infantry on the ground.

The devil's medium bombers are all here. If the devil's fleet is allowed to attack the infantry on the ground, even with anti-aircraft cannons, the infantry will suffer heavy losses.

However, Li Yunlong had a plan in mind, to give up the artillery positions to the devil planes for bombing, and then try to shoot down more devil planes.

Li Yunlong added: "Old Ding, once you receive the report of the arrival of the observer devil's plane, you must notify Lao Kong, Lao Cheng, and the headquarters as soon as possible, and then immediately order the artillery to move to a safe location."

The position of the observer is about 10 kilometers away from Ding Wei's headquarters and artillery positions, but it is close to 20 kilometers away from the headquarters, which has exceeded the maximum communication distance of a high-power walkie-talkie.

Ding Wei replied: "Understood!"

Then, Li Yunlong asked: "Old Ding, how many devil planes were shot down this time?"

Ding Wei pretended to be careless and said: "So-so, only 24, but I lost 18 cannons, what about him?"

"Haha!" Li Yunlong was overjoyed when he heard the words, and said, "Old Ding, what a damn good job you did, now you have another 24 mountain cannons in your account, you boy is going to make an artillery regiment."

Ding Wei shot down 7 Devil planes at noon, and now he has shot down 24 more planes. If one plane rewards one mountain cannon, that is 1 mountain cannons.

In addition to the 5 mountain cannons and 2 howitzers originally equipped by the new second regiment, a total of 36 mountain cannons and 2 howitzers, a proper artillery regiment, plus mortars and the Type [-] infantry artillery provided by the headquarters, Rich as hell.

And he, Li Yunlong, is even richer.

"Old Ding, Gong Xi Fa Cai!" Kong Jie said sourly in the channel.

"Old Ding, you are going to be the commander of the artillery regiment." Cheng Shifa also said.

"Hehe." Ding Wei just laughed and didn't speak, but from the laughter, he could hear that he was in a happy mood.

Li Yunlong said in a seductive tone: "Cheer up, Lao Cheng and Lao Kong. Lao Ding will soon have an artillery regiment. When the devil planes come to bomb later, hold me to death, how many mountain cannons can I harvest?" , It depends on how many planes you two can shoot down."

"Look, if the Devil's plane dares to come, I dare to hit it down." Kong Jie said confidently.

"Commander, I'm going to order your mountain cannon. If the king of heaven comes, I won't be able to stop me." Cheng Shifa said in a loud tone.

With a laugh, Li Yunlong said: "Then I wish my brothers good luck."

After finishing speaking, Li Yunlong hung up the call, and then narrowed his eyes.

Zhao Gang asked: "Old Li, are you really going to let the devil's plane blow up all the cannons? How can we attack the city without cannons?"

"Yes, Political Commissar Zhao is right." Xing Zhiguo said, "Cannons are also needed in street fighting. Even if we capture the outer city wall of Taiyuan, we also need cannons to attack the inner city wall."

Li Yunlong's eyes were calm: "Then what should we do? If the devil's planes are not allowed to bomb the artillery positions, the devil's fleet will have to bomb our infantry. Don't worry, our old Li has his own clever plan. Pass me an order to transfer all the machine guns to the ground." Cover up around the gun position, when the devil plane comes, don't save ammunition, just burn me to death!"

(End of this chapter)