Age of Rebirth

Admiral Ito did not hesitate to invest heavily in the counterattack aimed at ensuring the absolute safety of the northern area of ​​Mount Molloy Port. When the counterattack was about to succeed, when the solitary independent division was about to be unable to withstand it, reinforcements came. Not only did the counterattack come to naught, it also lost tens of thousands of troops and was forced to withdraw to the original area.

In this regard, General Ito could only look up to the sky and sigh, in vain. So far, the China Independent Division troops heading south from the Cape York Peninsula have become nails nailed to the north of Mount Molloy, making people sleepless.

Yuan Jinghao was also depressed. He didn't understand why the division commander suddenly stopped the North China Field Corps' attack on all fronts at a critical moment. He was confident that he could reach Mount Molloy in one go and seize the important port of the little devil. Therefore, he As soon as I saw the telegram that the teacher pointed out, I felt angry.

"The North China Field Corps, after receiving this order, immediately stopped all offensive operations, built fortifications on the spot, and formed oppression in the battle situation against the Japanese army on the line from Mount Molloy to Almaden! Without the order of the division, it cannot Launch any form of attack!" This is the whole content of the telegram that the division refers to.

Do not understand, do not understand or even depressed, Yuan Jinghao did not dare to send a telegram to the division commander, and argued a few words, so he had to order the North China Field Corps, which was full of murderous spirits, with 10,000+ people, put away their murderous intentions, and dig in the southern part of the Cape York Peninsula. The fortifications were set up, and even the three brigades that had advanced to the west of Almaden and were gaining offensive momentum retreated back.

Wyndham in Western Australia, where the independent division is located, "Hahaha!" Tang Qiuli laughed, and said to Chief of Staff Zhao Yuhe: "An order from the division, for a few days. Yuan Jinghao must be even more depressed!"

Zhao Yuhe didn't understand either.Why did the division commander give such an order to the North China Field Corps.Then he said: "Master, I don't understand either. The follow-up troops of the North China Field Corps have arrived at the southern battlefield of Cape York Peninsula. In terms of the number of troops and equipment, they are basically on the same level as the Japanese troops on the front line from Mount Molloy to Almaden. , the difference is not too big, fully equipped with the ability to counterattack across the board!"

"Also, judging from the situation on the battlefield at that time, the troops of the North China Field Corps are very likely to take down Mount Molloy. If it is a critical moment to stop, I will be sullen!"

"You, your eyes are still limited to Mount Molloy!" Tang Qiuli said gently: "From the perspective of the entire Australian battlefield situation, the North China Field Corps' position on the Cape York Peninsula is a lone army, and the Songhu garrison The positions of the corps are different, Jiang Yanming is backed by the Sulu mobile corps and the corps directly under him. He can fight freely, but Yuan Jinghao can't!"

"The current Japanese army has abandoned many important areas in northern Australia and has sharply reduced its forces. Ito Genzaburo's plan is to use Cooktown, Mount Molloy and Townsville as the fulcrum, with heavy troops on the periphery of the three places .Build a defense line to ensure the withdrawal of troops. The port of embarkation is safe!"

"So, once Yuan Jinghao wins Mount Molloy, it won't be a hornet's nest. Ito Yanzaburo will definitely fight back desperately. The North China Field Corps will suffer many casualties. How can such a battle be fought! Besides, right now we Don't be in a hurry, it's Gensaburo Ito who is in a hurry!"

Zhao Yuhe thought about it, and Tang Qiuli said again: "Yuhe, order the troops on the central and eastern fronts to continue to maintain the momentum of the attack. We must make it clear that Genzaburo Ito will try his best to hold on to the bottom line of the area. Then, stop attacking and keep the pressure! "

Zhao Yuhe handed over the division commander's order to the combat staff officer. While digesting the division commander's words, he pondered and said, "Master commander, can I think that your current campaign deployment is to compress the Japanese army's battlefield space as much as possible. Drive the Australian and Japanese troops together, adopt the tactic of surrounding and not fighting, and finally launch a fatal blow?"

"The idea is right!" Tang Qiuli said admiringly, "The so-called trapped beasts are still fighting. Now, our army has the initiative on the Australian battlefield, so why bother to fight head-on with the Japanese army? Think again, more than 100 million Japanese troops are crowded in the north. From Mount Molloy to Townsville in the south, a small arc-shaped area, just eating, consumes an astonishing amount every day!"

"What's more, the Japanese army on the Australian battlefield has already cut off the supply by sea. The problem of food alone can make Ito Gensaburo collapse. Surrounding him without fighting is slowly consuming the Japanese army's supplies and energy. The sound of the Chu song has the effect of blowing away a hundred thousand soldiers, but how can the half-starved Japanese army be easy to fight?"

Zhao Yuhe laughed out loud, he fully understood the commander's intention, and thought of a deeper level, and said: "Master, your intention to surround and not fight is not only that, I am afraid that you have taken a fancy to the Japanese navy's only remaining Fifth Fleet and Sixth Fleet?"

Tang Qiuli smiled without saying a word. . . . . .

In the next period of time, the independent division troops on the Australian battlefield adopted a steady and steady strategy from the west and the south, gradually compressing the battlefield space of the Japanese army in Australia, forcing the Japanese army to retreat step by step, although the fighting situation was more intense than before. It has dropped a lot, but it is such a battlefield situation that makes General Ito Genzaburo, the commander of the Japanese army in Australia, feel suffocated.

By the end of November, the Japanese army had no way to retreat. With Mount Molloy in the north and Townsville in the south as the core, the establishment of the Army, Almaden, Croydon, Huondon, Charters Several key points including the fort were the backbone, backed by the arc-shaped defense system of the Pacific Ocean, desperately preventing the independent division troops from advancing. For a while, the battlefield was on this line and fell into a stalemate.

The independent division, after being stubbornly blocked by the Japanese army, did not take a larger-scale offensive, but began to build fortifications around the arc-shaped defense line of the Japanese army, and it was possible to fight a long-term positional battle with the Japanese army in Australia the meaning of.

The more than 100 million Japanese troops who completed the retreat mission, from commanders to soldiers at all levels, can finally breathe a sigh of relief. For more than a month, life is not easy. They are chased and beaten by soldiers of the China Independent Division every day. They can withdraw , are all people favored by Amaterasu.

Nearly 200 million soldiers of the Independent Division also seemed to be tired from fighting. After digging a lot of fortifications around the arc of the Japanese defense line, they did not launch any form of attack for several days. The battlefield in northeastern Australia was strangely quiet.

Tang Qiuli was fascinated by the military map of Australia, and Chief of Staff Zhao Yuhe said from the side: "Master, this arc-shaped defense line built by Ito Yanzaburo is backed by the Pacific Ocean, from the south to the north, with a few key points as the backbone, what do you think?" , It’s like a big cake!”

"It's very vivid, this big cake is stuffed with more than 100 million Japanese soldiers! So, it's more appropriate to say it's a bun with thin skin and big stuffing!" Tang Qiuli said with a smile, "Yuhe, order Le Yiqin and Liu Cuigang, come to Shi Zhi at nine o'clock sharp tomorrow morning!"

The encirclement circle of more than 100 million Japanese troops on the Australian battlefield has already been formed. How to fight, the initiative is in his own hands. Moreover, even if he leaves holes and loopholes in the encirclement circle, Ito Yanzaburo dare not take the initiative to attack. Tang Qiuli In his heart, he was completely relaxed. This night, he slept soundly. In his sleep, it seemed that there were continuous sounds of guns and guns ringing in his ears. In fact, the current battlefield was completely quiet.

After waking up, the sun was shining outside. Tang Qiuli was in a good state of mind after a good night's sleep. He got up in his clothes, walked out of the tent, and sneezed happily in the sun. lazy feeling.

At nine o'clock in the morning, Le Yiqin and Liu Cuigang came together. As soon as they entered the tent, Le Yiqin asked impatiently: "Master, call me and Cuigang over, are you going to initiate a final attack on old devil Ito?" The general attack? You give the order!"

"You think so?" Tang Qiuli asked Le Yiqin with a smile.

"Of course!" Le Yiqin said proudly: "Now, the encirclement circle of the little devils on the Australian battlefield has been formed. Look at the formation of that old devil Ito, a big meat stuffed bun , if you don’t eat it early, it won’t be fresh!”

Tang Qiuli, Liu Cuigang, and Zhao Yuhe, who came in later, all burst into laughter, "Cuigang, what do you think?" Tang Qiuli stopped laughing and asked Liu Cuigang.

Liu Cuigang thought for a while and replied: "I obey the commander's order, but I think that if it is to launch a final general attack on the Japanese army, the division commander does not need to transfer me and Yiqin here. It is an important task to order together. ?”

"Le Yiqin, look at Cuigang, he just knows how to use his brain, unlike you, he just knows how to fight!" Tang Qiuli teased.

Le Yiqin didn't care at all, and said with a smile: "When Cui and I are together, I don't bother to use my brain!" Everyone burst into laughter again.

"Okay!" Tang Qiuli said: "It is indeed important to let the two of you come today!"

Le Yiqin and Liu Cuigang stood at attention at the same time, and shouted: "Master, please give the order!"

"Okay!" Tang Qiuli pointed to the map and said: "From tomorrow onwards, your two troops will attack without interruption to bomb the Japanese army in the encirclement circle day and night. The target of the bombing is the Japanese army's warehouses, artillery Positions, etc., of course, this is bombing in a broad sense, and specific targets can be anything!"

Le Yiqin and Liu Cuigang looked at each other, and this time it was Liu Cuigang who spoke, "Master, can it be considered that the main task of the aviation force is to launch a general offensive for the troops, remove obstacles in advance, and focus on destroying the heavy equipment of the Japanese army?"

"It can be understood in this way!" Tang Qiuli nodded and said: "Don't let the Japanese soldiers in the encirclement circle, just stop!"

Le Yiqin and Liu Cuigang, veterans of the battlefield, immediately understood what the teacher meant, and replied in unison: "Yes! Teacher! I understand!"

The Independent Division built an encirclement circle around its own defense system, but did not fight. General Ito's mood returned. He had just heard the news of the Independent Division's landing in northern Australia. He vaguely felt that, The practice of shrinking troops to the east coast of Australia is somewhat self-defeating.

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