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Chapter 462 At first, everyone thought it was an ordinary attack!

Taiyuan.

First Army Command.

Because of the actions of the Central Army and the Eighth Route Army, the atmosphere in the headquarters of the First Army suddenly became tense.

Now the situation in Shanxi is quite different from before.

In the past, the Japanese army was the only one, fighting against the Eighth Route Army, the Jinsui Army, and the Central Army. Even if these three joined forces, they would not be the opponent of the Japanese army.

But in the past few years, the strength of the Eighth Route Army has grown by leaps and bounds, and it has been able to seriously threaten the Japanese First Army.

Although in terms of overall strength, the strength of the Japanese First Army is stronger than that of the Eighth Route Army in Shanxi.

However, the Japanese army's forces were too scattered. If it did not increase its strength and mobilize supplies, the Japanese First Army would have no way to take the Eighth Route Army, and it would not even be able to organize a decent raid.

Since the failure of the spring raids, the Japanese army absolutely did not dare to raid the base areas in southeastern Shanxi without the strength of more than 5 divisions.

Based on the strength of the Japanese First Army alone, if more than 5 divisions were mobilized to sweep the base areas in southeastern Shanxi, other places, such as Taiyuan, would likely be attacked by the Eighth Route Army in northwest Shanxi.

With the end of the Battle of Zhongtiaoshan, it now belongs to the stage of confrontation between the Eighth Route Army and the Japanese First Army.

Although the Japanese First Army was unable to attack the Eighth Route Army, the Eighth Route Army was not strong enough to defeat the entire First Army.

However, the situation is quite different when the Eighth Route Army and the Central Army are added.

In the last Battle of Zhongtiaoshan, the main reason for the disastrous defeat of the Central Army was insufficient preparation, lack of unified and effective command, and being caught off guard by the Japanese army.

This time the Central Army seemed to be fully prepared, and the commander was Wei Lihuang, commander of the First Theater, who had always had a good relationship with the Eighth Route Army.

Yoshio Iwamatsu was worried that if Wei Lihuang joined forces with the Eighth Route Army, the First Army might be defeated.

"Report Commander, the latest information, the Central Army on the south bank of the Yellow River is secretly preparing ships to cross the river!"

Lieutenant Assistant Takahashi Takehiko, holding the telegram in his hand, hurried into the war room and bowed his head to report to Yoshio Iwamatsu.

Yoshio Iwamatsu took the telegram, and his eyes froze slightly after seeing the content of the telegram:
"Wei Lihuang really wants to attack Zhongtiao Mountain."

After reading the telegram, Yoshio Iwamatsu felt a little heavy. There is only one division in Zhongtiao Mountain. Can it stop the attack of the Central Army?
If the Eighth Route Army goes south to cooperate with the attack on Zhongtiao Mountain, the 33rd Division will definitely not be able to stop the two sides of the Eighth Route Army and the Central Army.

The strength of the Eighth Route Army is not what it used to be.

Chief of Staff Hua Guzheng said arrogantly: "Wei Lihuang is looking for death. In the battle of the Central Plains in May, the Central Army of China has not been educated enough by the imperial army. They actually want to take back Mount Zhongtiao. We will send a telegram to ask the 5rd Division to teach Wei Lihuang a severe lesson."

However, Masao Miyazaki, deputy chief of staff, said: "Commander, I think the Chinese Central Army is just a group of mobs, and there is nothing to be afraid of. What we really need to beware of is the Eighth Route Army."

"So what about the Eighth Route Army?" Hua Guzheng sneered, "Didn't Miyazaki-kun have his courage broken by the Eighth Route Army in Baozi Mountain?"

Masao Miyazaki hated Masao Hanagu to the core, and the matter of Baozishan couldn't be passed, right?

"Hanagu-kun, you commanded the 3rd Brigade in that battle." Masao Miyazaki snorted coldly, "It's impossible to change the ending."

"That's not necessarily the case." Hua Guzheng said, "At least I won't let the artillery fire at the soldiers of the empire."

Masao Miyazaki was about to retort, but Yoshio Iwamatsu reprimanded suddenly: "Baga, don't say a few words, is it time to quarrel?"

"Hi!"

Seeing that the commander was really angry, Masao Miyazaki and Masao Hanaya nodded together, their hearts shivered, and they obediently shut up.

Then, Yoshio Iwamatsu looked at Kazuki Yamamoto and asked, "Yamamoto-kun, what do you think?"

Originally, Kazuki Yamamoto was going to implement Yoshio Iwamatsu's fishing plan and grab the bazooka rocket launcher in the hands of the Eighth Route Army.

However, due to the actions of the Central Army and the Eighth Route Army, the fishing plan was temporarily postponed.

Kazuki Yamamoto's face was paralyzed, and he said in a deep voice: "General, I agree with Major General Miyazaki. We must always beware of the Eighth Route Army, especially the Li Yunlong Department of the Eighth Route Army in Northwest Shanxi."

Yamamoto fought against the Soviet Army, the Eighth Route Army and the Central Army.

The most difficult to deal with is the Soviet army. There is no doubt about this. After the Battle of Nomenkan, the Soviet Union and Japan signed a non-aggression treaty.

The second most difficult thing to deal with is the Eighth Route Army, especially Li Yunlong, who has repeatedly dealt major blows to the Japanese army.

Yoshio Yanmatsu waved his hand and said, "I don't care about Li Yunlong's department for the time being. The 36th Division is watching. Recently, a lot of thickened bunkers and gun towers have been built around the base of Li Yunlong's department. The palm of the hand of the army, what needs to be guarded most now is the main force of the Eighth Route in Southeast Shanxi!"

As he spoke, Yoshio Iwamatsu glanced across the faces of the crowd and asked, "What do you guys think, if the main force of the Eighth Route in Southeast Shanxi wants to cooperate with the Central Army of China, should the Eighth Route go south to attack the 33rd Division with the Central Army, or go north?" Which is more likely to attack Taiyuan or threaten Zhengtai Road?"

"If the Chinese army really wants to take back Zhongtiao Mountain." Hua Guzheng said, "I think it is more likely that the main force of the Eighth Route of Southeast Shanxi will go south and attack the 33rd Division."

"My opinion is the opposite of Mr. Hanagu." Masao Miyazaki said, "The main force of the Eighth Route is likely to go north to attack Taiyuan and Zhengtai Railway."

"Oh?" Hua Guzheng did not mock Masao Miyazaki this time, but asked lightly, "Why does Miyazaki-kun think so?"

"The rationale for this is simple."

Masao Miyazaki pointed to the map and said: "The base of the Eighth Route Army in Southeast Shanxi is 300 kilometers away from Zhongtiao Shanguang in a straight line. If the Eighth Route in Southeast Shanxi goes to South Shanxi, the distance will be at least 350 kilometers. It is a long way for the Eighth Route. So How much combat power does the Eighth Route Army still have after a few days of rapid marches over such a long distance, and the supply line is too long, this is one of them.”

"Secondly, if the Eighth Route Army chooses to go south, if the Central China Army's attack fails and the imperial army arrives with reinforcements from Taiyuan, the expeditionary Eighth Route Army will be at risk of being surrounded by the imperial army."

"Without logistical supplies, the Eighth Route Army was surrounded by at least three divisions of the Imperial Army, so they could only disperse and break through, and ended up suffering heavy losses."

"Thirdly, the southeast Shanxi base is only more than 100 kilometers away from Taiyuan and Zhengtai Road. As long as the Eighth Route makes a gesture of going north to attack Taiyuan and Zhengtai Railway, it will be able to contain the troops of the imperial army, preventing the imperial army from sending troops to reinforce Jinnan. "

"If I were the deputy commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army, I would definitely send the main force to attack Taiyuan and the Zhengtai Railway."

"At the same time, I will also order the Eighth Route Army in Northwest Shanxi to launch an offensive to contain the 36th Division."

Yoshio Iwamatsu nodded, feeling that Masao Miyazaki's words were indeed reasonable.

Moreover, Hanaya Masao, who has always looked down upon Masao Miyazaki, did not refute. He carefully thought about the loopholes in Masao Miyazaki's words, but after thinking for a while, he did not think of any rebuttals.

Kazuki Yamamoto also nodded, expressing his agreement with Masao Miyazaki's words.

"Miyazaki-kun's analysis makes sense."

Yoshio Iwamatsu looked at Masao Miyazaki and asked, "The Chinese Central Army and the Eighth Route Army join hands, so how should we break the situation?"

As for the Jinsui Army, Yoshio Iwamatsu didn't even think about it.

Based on Yan Xishan's scheming, even if he sent troops to cooperate with the Eighth Route Army to fight against the Central Army, it was just a show, and he would not really fight the Japanese army.

Moreover, his letter had already been delivered to Yan Xishan. Yan Xishan did not agree to surrender, but he did not refuse either, and his attitude was unclear.

"I suggest." Masao Miyazaki said, "Before the Eighth Route Army destroys the Nantongpu Railway, we should quietly transfer 2 to 3 regiments to take the train to the south of Shanxi, and give the Chinese Central Army a head-on blow."

"As for the Eighth Route Army going north in southeast Shanxi, the Imperial Army has the 37th Division, the 14th Brigade, the 18th Brigade, and the 1st Cavalry Brigade, which can ensure the safety of the Taiyuan and Zhengtai Railways!"

"And during this time, the imperial army built a lot of permanent fortifications around Taiyuan."

"With the attack methods of the Eighth Route Army, it would be difficult to take down these permanent fortifications, let alone attack Taiyuan."

"If your Excellency, Commander, is still not at ease, you can transfer the main forces of the 14th and 18th Brigades back to Taiyuan. The two brigades plus the 1st Cavalry Brigade can fully defend Taiyuan."

Yoshio Iwamatsu was indeed a little scared. After all, Yoshio Shinozuka, the previous commander, was only broken for less than two months.

However, after listening to Masao Miyazaki's analysis, I immediately felt a lot more at ease. If the situation was found to be wrong, I would just fly to Peiping immediately.

It's not that he can't continue to command the First Army to fight in Beiping, he won't do the stupid thing of living and dying with Taiyuan like Yoshio Shinozuka.

"Order the main forces of the 14th and 18th Brigades to transfer to Taiyuan."

"Order the 41th, 237th, and 238th Wings, the main forces of the 239st Division stationed in Taiyuan, to take the train to southern Shanxi immediately."

"Order the 37th Division stationed in Yangquan to prepare for combat and prepare for attacks by the Eighth Route Army at any time."

Yoshio Iwamatsu gave the order in a deep voice.

With 2 infantry brigades, 1 cavalry brigade, and a puppet army of a division, plus the surrounding permanent fortifications, Yoshio Iwamatsu is really not afraid of the main force of the Eighth Route Army coming to attack Taiyuan.

"Hi!"

The chief of staff, Hanaya, was quickly writing down Yoshio Iwamatsu's orders in his notebook, polishing up the telegram, and was about to turn around and walk to the communication room.

At this time, the communications staff officer Takeo Nakamura came in with a telegram in his hand, and said to Yoshio Iwamatsu: "Report to the general, the 36th Division has an urgent call!"

Yoshio Iwamatsu waved his hand and said, "Read!"

"Hi!" Takeo Nakamura paused for a moment, and read in a deep voice with a telegram: "Most of the bunkers and artillery towers in the defense area of ​​the 36th Division have lost contact with the county. On the line, Lieutenant General Iseki Ren applied to send out a reconnaissance plane to investigate the situation, long live His Majesty the Emperor, and long live the Imperial Japanese Army."

The thickened bunkers and gun towers of the devils are basically 10 kilometers away from the county seat.

Even the position where the new regiment started to attack was more than 25 kilometers away from the county seat, and with the mountains blocking it, it was impossible to hear the sound of artillery in the county seat.

That's why Jing Guanren applied for dispatching a reconnaissance plane.

After listening to the content of the telegram, Yoshio Iwamatsu smiled slightly, and looked at Masao Miyazaki: "Mr. Miyazaki, as you expected, the Eighth Route Army has begun to move."

"This Li Yunlong really can't hold his breath."

Masao Miyazaki said coldly: "The main forces of the Eight Routes in the southeast of Shanxi and the Central Army of China have not launched their operations, so he took the lead, but that's good too. The thickened blockhouses and artillery towers recently built by the imperial army will definitely make Li Yunlong Get a bruised nose and a swollen face."

In Baozi Mountain, the main force of the 3rd Brigade led by Masao Miyazaki was defeated by a battalion of Li Yunlong.

As a result, the hat of the head of the 3rd brigade was rolled off, and Masao Miyazaki naturally hated Li Yunlong to the bone.

Yoshio Iwamatsu turned his head and ordered Takeo Nakamura: "Mr. Nakamura, immediately apply to the North China Front Army Command to dispatch a reconnaissance plane, dispatch one reconnaissance plane to reconnaissance the blockade of the 36th Division, and dispatch two reconnaissance planes to reconnaissance southeast Shanxi. Is there any change in the main force!"

"Also." Hanagu was handing the folder in Nakamura Takeo, "Nakamura-kun, convey these three orders immediately."

"Hi!"

Nakamura Takeo took the folder, stood at attention with both feet, then nodded, turned and walked out.

(End of this chapter)