Age of Rebirth

Tang Qiuli was thinking about it. In the content of Feng Jiwu's telegram, Ito Yansaburo's intention for such a move was that after the directly subordinate corps moved westward to the western front battlefield, the strength of the independent division on the central battlefield was only Niangziguan Garrison Corps, Ito Yansaburo After realizing it, it is normal to start to fight back. It is nothing strange, it has been expected before.

The Japanese army stayed on the line of Granitz, Mount Isa, and Wakop, stopped in the northern part of the MacDonnell Mountains, and no longer went south. After the defeat, there were more than [-] troops from the directly subordinate corps and the Niangziguan garrison corps. Their strength was greatly damaged, and they were able to launch a counterattack. Ito Yansaburo was already fighting this battle.

Moreover, the McDonnell Mountains were the place where Ito Yanzaburo suffered a disastrous defeat. He was cautious and cautious when he was short of troops, and he did not dare to go one step further. It is very strange to send troops to go deep into the hinterland of the Dasha Desert and set up supply points along the way?

What Zhao Yuhe said to himself suddenly opened up the doubts in Tang Qiu's heart. With a move in his heart, he took over Zhao Yuhe's words and said, "Yuhe, your analysis is correct, but judging Ito Yan Saburo's purpose is wrong!"

Zhao Yuhe also withdrew from his thoughts, looked at Tang Qiuli in surprise, and said, "Master, what do you mean?"

"Ito Yansaburo is looking for another way to survive for the hundreds of thousands of Japanese soldiers on the Western Front!" Tang Qiuli said with certainty.

"Cross the entire Great Sand Desert and retreat to Granitz?" Zhao Yuhe's eyes widened in surprise, and he said in disbelief: "Master, I think it is absolutely impossible. Hundreds of thousands of Japanese soldiers walked hundreds of kilometers wide Great sandy desert. There is no water source and supplies in the middle, it is no different from going to a dead end. Wouldn’t it be impossible for Ito Yansaburo?”

"Ito Yansaburo thought about it, so he sent troops into the hinterland of the Dasha Desert and set up supply points along the way!" Tang Qiuli's thoughts became clearer, and he said: "Ito Yansaburo is a famous Japanese general. Naturally, I can’t fail to see that on the current Western Front battlefield, the Japanese army can’t do anything, breaking through our army’s blockade in Sanggu and Mandola. It’s impossible to succeed!”

"Then, the final outcome of the hundreds of thousands of Japanese soldiers on the Western Front is the annihilation of the entire army. This price, Yan Saburo Ito cannot afford, so he must find another way, and the only feasible way is to take the big sandy desert. It's almost a dead end. But it's not a dead end after all, and there is still a chance, so he has to do it!"

"As for the more than 8 Japanese troops coming from the east coast of Australia, the ultimate goal is not to join the center line battlefield, but to retreat from the Dasha Desert in support of the Japanese troops on the west front battlefield. Ito Yansaburo's actions are indeed How decisive!"

Zhao Yuhe didn't speak.After seriously thinking and digesting what the teacher said just now, it took a while.He said: "Master, your judgment just now is the only one that can explain the purpose of the Japanese army's counterattack on the center line battlefield. In this case, should we take corresponding actions to mobilize some troops and detour to the east of Royhill to block the attack? Seal off the last retreat route for the Japanese army!"

"No! We don't need to change the current situation on the battlefield!" Tang Qiuli shook his head and said, Zhao Yuhe found that the teacher had a cold smile on his face, which seemed to have a hint of cruelty.

Seeing the division commander's smile, Zhao Yuhe's heart suddenly tightened. He vaguely understood the division commander's intention to force all the remaining Japanese troops on the western front into the sandy desert. How many Japanese soldiers will be buried in the desert with harsh conditions?

Sure enough, Tang Qiuli said: "Yuhe, send a telegram to Deputy Commander Tang, forward the original content of Feng Jiwu's telegram, and order the Sulu Mobile Corps to strengthen the attack. At the same time, order the brigades directly under the Corps to Within a limited range, take the initiative to attack the Japanese army and put more pressure on the Japanese troops on the front line of Royhill!"

"Order Liu Cuigang to prepare no less than three bomber regiments and corresponding escort fighter jets to form an air group and assemble at the field airport near Mount Vernon, waiting for the next order from the division commander!"

The independent division's attack from the north and the south suddenly intensified. The troops that had been blocking the front line of Sanggu and Mandola before changed their normal behavior and launched a full-line attack. In this way, with Roy Hill as the leader The living space of the Japanese army on the Western Front in the center was once again severely compressed.

On the fifth day of the fight, the Japanese army lost tens of thousands more. In Royhill City, they could already see the flames of shells exploding from two different directions. The commander of the Western Front and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Australian Front Command Major General Dongbalang felt that something was wrong. The independent division troops attacked from the north and the south. This was a sign that they wanted to completely wipe out the Imperial Army troops under their command!

A very urgent telegram flew in front of General Ito Yanzaburo again. After reading the telegram, General Ito was speechless for a long time, his face was ugly and scary. After a long time, he said to the chief of staff, Major General Akutagawa: "Mr. Order! This is unexpected, it will be so fast!"

Chief of Staff Akutagawa, who already knew the commander's plan, said with a worried face: "Commander, you really decided that the Imperial troops on the Western Front retreated by taking the route of the Great Sand Desert? That is a dead end! Please think twice!"

"Ah!" General Ito sighed heavily, and said with a confused look, "Akutagawa-kun, is there any other way?"

Chief of Staff Akutagawa was speechless and lowered his head in pain. . . . . .He couldn't figure out why the situation on the Western Front would develop to such an extent that hundreds of thousands of imperial soldiers were forced to take a hopeless path. How many imperial soldiers' lives would be swallowed by the vast and endless sandy desert?

General Ito said solemnly: "Although it is a dead end, it is not a dead end. There is still a chance of life. If all the imperial troops on the western front are broken, we cannot afford the loss. I hope that the preparations made before can play a role. !"

On the front line of Mount Vernon, Zhang Hansheng, chief of staff of the Southeast Mobile Regiment of the Independent Division, hurried to Tang Qiusheng, "Deputy division commander, I received a telegram from the commander of the front-line troops that the Japanese troops in Royhill suddenly retreated to the east. That direction is the Great Sand Desert, what are the Japanese going to do?"

Tang Qiusheng did not answer Zhang Hansheng's question, but asked, "Does the master have any orders?"

Zhang Hansheng shook his head. At this moment, a communication staff officer came in, "Report to the division commander and the chief of staff, and received an urgent call from the division commander!"

"Read!"

"Yes!" The staff officer replied skillfully, and then read the content of the telegram, "Brother Qiusheng, the Japanese army has begun to retreat towards the Dasha Desert, and the troops cannot block it. They only need to pursue it from the rear after occupying Royhill. But do not go deep into the desert, remember! In addition, the brigades directly under the army also take the same action!"

After listening to the telegram, Tang Qiuli smiled and said to Zhang Hansheng: "Understood! The commander wants to drive the Japanese army into the desert!"

"Hiss!" Zhang Hansheng gasped. He understood that the division commander wanted to force hundreds of thousands of Japanese soldiers into the big sandy desert, and let the boundless desert deal with the Japanese soldiers. It was really ruthless, but it also reduced the casualties of the troops. the best way.

Under the strong pressure of the two field corps of the Independent Division, Yoshitake, the supreme commander of the Japanese army on the western front, and the deputy chief of staff, after receiving the order from Commander Ito, led the troops with only two 10,000+ soldiers left, and stepped into the vast expanse. The large sandy desert in the middle of the country began a retreat with an unknown future.

Deputy Chief of Staff Yoshitake knew that this was a narrow escape, but other than that, was there any other way to go?

To the relief of Deputy Chief of Staff Yoshitake, Commander-in-Chief Ito had already taken this into consideration before, and now, some imperial soldiers are coming in the direction of their troops' retreat, and along the way, they have set up many supplies and water supplies Point, relying on these, he is confident to bring two 10,000+ imperial soldiers out of this great desert, as long as they survive the first few days and meet the troops who came to meet them, all difficulties will pass.

However, General Ito Yansaburo, including General Ito, thought about the problem more easily. They believed that the enemy that the imperial soldiers had to face was the climate and harsh natural conditions of the Great Sand Desert. Soldiers are easier to deal with.

This is a deadly retreat road. Less than three days after entering the Dasha Desert, a large number of wounded Japanese soldiers died because of their heavy injuries and lack of medical treatment. Three days later, some The exhausted Japanese soldiers fell under the hot sand dunes one after another. In the next few days, Japanese soldiers continued to die in the vast sand sea due to lack of drinking water and enough food.

A week later, the exhausted Japanese soldiers finally saw the first supplies and drinking water supplies. When they saw the familiar military uniforms, they couldn't help being ecstatic. Deputy Chief of Staff Yoshitake who received the report was also in tears. Yingyan, two 10,000+ imperial soldiers entered the Great Sand Desert in a week, leaving tens of thousands of corpses along the way. Now, the number of troops has been reduced to 10,000+.

Now, finally arrived at the supplies and water supply point, from here onwards, although the journey is still difficult, but there is no fear of life, tears ran across the dusty face of Deputy Chief of Staff Yoshitake, and respectfully brought it to the guards A pot of clear water, he really wanted to cry.

However, Deputy Chief of Staff Yoshitake and his 10,000+ soldiers, who were almost dried out by the scorching sun of the desert, were too happy to make up for drinking water and food. The Japanese soldiers who felt in the arms of Amaterasu didn't take long to be happy when they heard bursts of dull thunder coming from the distant sky!

(to be continued) (to be continued...)