Age of Rebirth

Chapter 660: Focusing on Taiyuan

Taking Tianjin and North China, the battle situation in North China is absolutely beneficial to the independent division. It can attack a little bit at will, and worry about the future. Tang Qiuli, who has a deep strategic vision, did not keep his eyes on the isolated city of Beiping or Zhangjiakou, but on the isolated city of Beiping or Zhangjiakou. Joined the 10,000+ Japanese troops who were beaten dizzily in Xianxian and Suning by the six brigades of the Sulu Mobile Corps.

It is unbelievable to say that the six brigades of the Sulu Mobile Corps have only more than 13 troops, while the Japanese army on the opposite side has [-] people and is in a state of defense. This is also the commander of the Sulu Mobile Corps. Qiusheng, a dangerous move by the soldiers, he bet on taking Tianjin quickly before the Japanese army reacted. Tang Qiusheng won the bet. Brother Qiusheng looked at him with admiration.

The Kwantung Army did not go south in time. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Of course, Tang Qiuli would not miss it. On the day the Tianjin campaign ended, Tang Qiuli issued an order to the troops to immediately carry out the Xianxian and Suning campaigns, and the freed troops quickly went south. , outflanked the Japanese army, and 10,000+ troops rushed towards the south of Hebei like a torrent.

The Battle of Tianjin, for the participating troops of the Independent Division, it is not even a damage to the skin. The high-spirited soldiers, with the aftermath of the Battle of Tianjin, are eager to fight. I heard that there will be another big battle. There are still 10,000+ little devils , Each unit launched a fast marching competition. The brigade that rushed to the battlefield first was the main attacking unit. Yu Guanghan recruited more than 4 recruits who were born as coal miners in eastern Hebei. The strength of the army has increased by several brigades. [

There is no way, Huangya Cave is firmly bitten by Okamura Ningji, and the distance between the fixed sides is far away. Tang Qiuli violated the principle for the first time and used untrained recruits. Let's practice in actual combat. He resorted to The ruthless move of going south to Xianxian County and Suning was a heavy blow to Okamura Neji. He didn't believe that Okamura Neji could watch his 10,000+ troops being wiped out, and he was moved and died. Holding on to the Huangyadong base, Tang Qiuli underestimated Ningji Okamura this time, and the development of things later was completely out of line and far beyond Tang Qiuli's expectations.

The fall of Tianjin in less than 24 hours was completely out of Neiji Okamura's judgment. According to his plan, as long as Tianjin held firm for three days, the Kwantung Army's southward troops would appear in Shanhaiguan. Tang Qiuli had only two choices, One is to immediately withdraw from Tianjin, and the other is to fight a decisive battle with the Kwantung Army's southward troops around Tianjin, using Tianjin to attract Tang Qiuli's main force, which is also part of Okamura Ningji's plan.

No matter which option is chosen, it will be extremely detrimental to Tang Qiuli's troops gathered around Pingjin. This is one of the reasons why he is not in a hurry to return to Pingjin. Tang Qiuli's troops had already retreated triumphantly with their spoils.

But now, all the judgments have gone wrong. The root of everything is in Tianjin. The troops of the Kwantung Army going south are gathering. Ono Ichiro’s farewell telegram is already weighing more than a thousand catties in the hands of Neiji Okamura, “Commander Your Excellency, the city of Tianjin is about to fall, and the cries of soldiers from China can be heard clearly. The humble officials have tried their best, but failed to secure Tianjin Yu, and they have failed the Commander’s trust. When generating electricity for you, fierce battles are taking place outside the headquarters building.”

"Reviewing the gains and losses of the battle of Tianjin, our army's defensive strength is weak, and the improper command of the humble post is the main reason. However, your Excellency, Commander, sent a heavy force to sweep the Taihang Mountains, and ignored the foundation of our empire in Pingjin in North China. A major mistake, Tianjin fell, Beiping will be an isolated city, Zhangjiakou, which hangs alone in the north of Hebei, will also be lost, and the rear of the North China strategy will be lost! Your missteps have endangered the fundamental interests of our great *** empire.”

"The little savage speaks lightly, and speaks from the bottom of his heart. I hope your Excellency, Commander, think twice. It is more important to exchange the desolate Taihang Mountains for my rich land in Pingjin. Needless to say, the fall of Tianjin can be redeemed. The responsibility of losing the city and land is hard to escape. , Ono has no choice but to commit suicide to apologize, Long live the Great Empire! Long live His Majesty the Emperor! Ono's masterpiece!"

Neiji Okamura has read this telegram many times, and every time he reads it, his heart feels like being hit by a heavy hammer. Who is responsible for the corruption of the war in North China?Kwantung Army?Didn't go south to rescue in time, Ono?Sticking to Tianjin is not good, is it yourself?He insisted on going his own way, persisting in the strategy of mopping up the Taihang Mountains, and insisting on attacking Huangyadong, and it seemed that no one was responsible.

From the beginning of April, when the soldiers entered the Taihang Mountains, Tang Qiuli's two-handed chess disrupted the steps of Okamura Ningji. Encirclement, Er Cheng's false attack, the soldiers sent Jingxing Pass, captured Shijiazhuang, Baoding and went straight to Tianjin, Okamura Ningji only got a Huangya Cave, but he still couldn't attack for a long time, lost troops and generals, and was in a dilemma.

On the other hand, the independent division troops galloped around Pingjin, and the autumn wind swept across the Japanese forces in North China like fallen leaves. In the first battle at Jingxingguan, then in Shijiazhuang, and in the third battle in Tianjin, they wiped out 6 or [-] Japanese troops. Cun Ning once suffered a big loss, and lost all the rear of North China. He had no reason to dwell on Huangya Cave any longer. The normal course of action was to immediately return to Pingjin and join forces from Xianxian and Suning to retake Tianjin and relieve Beiping. to restore the situation in North China.

Not only Tang Qiuli, but all the generals of the independent division thought so. Therefore, Tang Qiuli ordered the Japanese troops encircling Xianxian County and Suning to deal with 10,000+ Japanese troops on the spot within five days at the latest, and then, The whole army immediately turned to the eastern Hebei area, preparing to face the southward troops of the Kwantung Army.

Five days is the fastest time for the troops of the Kwantung Army to reach the outskirts of Tianjin. As for the troops of Ningji Okamura in the Taihang Mountains, they will not be able to climb back to Pingjin in less than ten days. First of all, the Sun Zhenbang Corps and the Eighth Route Army troops will not Let the Japanese army get away easily. Tang Qiuli now has 18 infantry brigades and nearly [-] troops. He is fully capable of annihilating the Japanese troops in Xianxian County and Suning.

After solving this Japanese army, Okamura Ningji did not have a large group of heavy troops to use in North China, and the troops also expanded their forces according to this plan. Tang Qiuli, like Okamura Ningji, used his troops to the limit Therefore, the time when the Kwantung Army's southward corps entered the customs was the key to Tang Qiuli's victory. If this time difference is made well, it may not be impossible for the troops to gain a foothold in the Pingjin area. Tang Qiuli even Optimistic estimates for the best case.

Tianjin was lost, [-] soldiers were lost, and the North China War was completely passive. Okamura Ningji suffered the first defeat in his military career. For Neiji Okamura, the emperor, the blow was not without heavy blows.

The attack on Huangya Cave is still the same, the result of each attack has already made him numb, the scorched earth around Huangya Cave seems to be mocking his ability, and unfavorable rumors about him have been secretly circulated in the headquarters. All of this made Ningji Okamura feel exhausted physically and mentally, and he couldn't even think about it for the time being.

Returning to Pingjin like this, with Neiji Okamura's character, absolutely can't just return empty-handed like this. Another worrying problem is the 10,000+ troops who are fighting hard with the independent division troops in Xianxian County and Suning. According to intelligence, Tang Qiuli has commanded 10,000+ troops to attack Tianjin, and they are heading south urgently. The purpose is obvious. They want to eat up their last assets in the Pingjin area. Okamura Ningji can't afford to lose this, and he can't lose it. Lost this With 10,000+ troops, Okamura Ningji probably only had to go to Manchuria to take refuge.

Neiji Okamura locked himself in the tent and did not allow anyone to disturb him. All night long, senior staff members gathered outside the tent. They were worried that His Excellency the Commander would not think about it for a while and would commit suicide by caesarean section. When the Commander-in-Chief came out, the staff He and his staff found that he had a few strands of white hair on his sideburns, and there seemed to be more wrinkles on his face. No one knew what Neji Okamura was thinking and doing that night.

I just saw that Okamura Neiji's eyes were shining with a fierce cold light like a lone wolf. This is a person with a typical gambler personality. He has been thinking hard all night, seeking a solution to the current crisis. , enlarged in front of his eyes, Huangyadong, the insignificant black dot on the map, once again stung his heart, all the passivity started from here.

Taiyuan, falling into his eyes, shook his whole body, as if a gloomy sky revealed a ray of sunshine. This is the only point to solve the current crisis. Tang Qiuli's main force is all in the Pingjin area, Taihang Mountain and even the whole of Shanxi. , only the Jin Army troops, for Yan Xishan's Jin Army, Neiji Okamura did not pay attention at all.

Gambling, this is a typical gamble. Ignore Pingjin, sweep away the troops in the Taihang Mountains, and go north to attack Taiyuan. With the combat effectiveness of Yan Xishan's Jin army, it cannot stop the attack of hundreds of thousands of Japanese troops. After Taiyuan, march eastward along Yangquan, Niangziguan, and Jingxingguan all the way, regain Shijiazhuang and Tianjin, join the Kwantung Army's southward troops, and encircle Tang Qiuli's main force in the Pingjin area. Tang Qiuli has only two ways to go, one is in the Pingjin area In a decisive battle with the main force of our imperial army, the second is to retreat to the Taihang Mountains. In this way, we not only occupied Shanxi, but also recovered Tianjin. [

This is the main point of Okamura Ningji's Shanxi campaign plan formed after a night of hard thinking. He gambled that Tang Qiuli's troops would not be able to return to Shanxi in time. The Kwantung Army went south and entered the customs quickly. In one fell swoop, Okamura Ningji decided to gamble, and the chances of winning were great. In his plan, annihilating or defeating the Jin army was just a side effect.

Seeing that almost all his subordinates were looking at him worriedly outside the tent, Ningji Okamura bowed slightly: "Masters, I have caused everyone to worry!" The Japanese generals breathed a sigh of relief with a modest tone and limited apologies. , at least for the time being, His Excellency, Commander, is in a good state of mind, and he has no intention of committing suicide by caesarean section.

(To be continued)