Glorious Mission 1937

In fact, not only was Chen Feng very surprised that the first army stationed in Shanxi was progressing so smoothly, even General Bin Shanyuan, the commander of the North China Front Army, was also taken aback.Although they did not pay attention to Yan Xishan's Jinsui Army from the very beginning, this kind of confidence comes from the result of many fights. Whether it is Bin Shanyuan or ordinary officers, they think that the Jinsui Army is not a tenacious army. Although the combat effectiveness of the army is not so weak, it has nothing to do with the elite.

But the Japanese army also knew that the battle sequence in the World War II zone was not only the Jinsui Army, but also the Central Army of the Nationalist Government, as well as the Sichuan Army and the Shaanxi Army transferred from Sichuan.In particular, the Central Army of the Nationalist Government still had some combat effectiveness. If the commander commanded it properly, it could still pose a fatal threat to the Imperial Japanese Army.What's more, what is going to be attacked this time is the provincial capital city of Shanxi, Yan Xishan's lair, so the North China Front Army Command is also ready to fight a big and tough battle. I didn't expect the First Army to achieve such a brilliant result in just one week. results.

Bin Shanyuan didn't know what was going on, but General Umezu Yoshijiro knew very well. As the commander-in-chief of this battle, he commanded all the battles, big and small, and he knew why the attack was so smooth.

Looking at the two young officers in front of him, Umezu Yoshijiro was deeply moved. Today's combat is different from what it was more than ten years ago. Now not only strong soldiers are needed, but also knowledgeable soldiers like the two young men in front of him. Talent, if it weren't for the assistance of these two young people this time, how could the First Army have taken Taiyuan City so smoothly.

"Sir, Yamamoto. I heard you studied in Germany?" Umezu Yoshijiro asked with a smile.

"Your Excellency, I studied at the Munich Military Academy in Germany for three years in Showa 9, and returned to China in Showa 12. Since the majors of my school were relatively uncommon, they were not reused by the base camp. I have been responsible for training recruits in China." Kazuki Yamamoto The major general replied respectfully.

"Yamamoto, don't say that in the future. You are only 31 years old this year, and you are already the deputy chief of staff of a major general. When I was in your grade, I was still working as a martial arts gym abroad. How can you say that the headquarters does not reuse you!" Umezu Yoshijiro road.

"Hay. I will remember the humble position, and I am very grateful for the instruction of Your Excellency Commander!"

"I don't dare to teach you. You are the only general of the Imperial Army in special operations and one of the executors of the reform of the Imperial Army. I am shocked by the record of your special forces this time. I didn't expect that a mere army of hundreds of people could be able to play a good role." Such an important role! I think it is necessary to apply to His Majesty the Emperor. A larger special force should be formed. Compared with the millions of troops in the empire, a single special force is still too little." General Umezu Yoshijiro said Said.

"Your Excellency. The expansion of the special forces is imperative, and it is still imminent. I have studied the various battle cases in the Eighth Theater of China in detail, and I am sure that the Eighth Theater of China has a special force that is not inferior to the special forces of the front army, and the number It should be more than ours. That force has carried out summit strikes on our army commander many times, causing huge losses to the front army, and must attract the attention of the front army." Kazuki Yamamoto said.

"Yoxi, I will tell the front army and the base camp about this matter, you must be prepared when you go back!"

"Hay!"

"Hehehe, Jiahe, you are not bad either. Your intelligence squadron has provided great help for this operation. It is precisely because of the accurate information you provided that the special forces can find the Chinese troops so accurately. Command, and then destroy them one by one. It is because your intelligence squadron intercepted and deciphered the telegrams sent by the China Theater Command many times, so that our command can successfully find the weakness of the China people, and then defeat them! I will ask the front army for You deserve credit, and after this battle, you will most likely become the youngest female major general in the Imperial Japanese Army."

"Thank you, Commander, for your cultivation, Koga is very grateful!" Koga Chiyoko said loudly.

"This is the reward you deserve. In addition, like Yamamoto, your intelligence squadron should also increase its strength. If there is a special warfare squadron and an intelligence squadron in every division of our Great Japanese Empire, then the Chinese people will be able to We are just a group of chickens and dogs in front of us, and their regime will also become high-rise buildings piled up with sand, as long as our Imperial Japanese Army stabs them lightly with their swords, they will collapse!" General Yoshijiro Umezu said enthusiastically.

"Hay, the humble position will definitely live up to the high expectations of your Excellency the Commander!"

"The next battle will require the cooperation of the two of you. Now that the Imperial Japanese Army is strong and strong, if you have the eyes and daggers of the two of you as a large army, I believe that the Second War Zone of the Chinese will be abolished soon."

"Hay!"

华北的日军进展顺利，但是关东军方面却碰到了铁板。5月15日，苏机轰炸阿尔山、甘珠尔庙和阿木古郎附近的日军集结地，500桶汽油被炸起火。5月16日，第23师团全体出动，小松原带着2万人向诺门罕进发。关东军司令部调第1坦克团和第2飞行集团支援第23师，共有12个步兵营、70辆坦克、180架飞机。

On May 5, Lieutenant General Saga Tetsuji, head of the Japanese 21nd Flying Group, moved his headquarters from Xinjing to Hailar, transferred 2 flying regiments, and concentrated 4 squadrons of combat bombing and reconnaissance aircraft. On May 17, the Soviet army dispatched 5 planes to attack the Japanese army assembly areas and field airports in the area of ​​Kanjur Temple and General Amugulang Temple, and Japanese planes were also dispatched.From the 22nd to the 150th, the two sides fought for three days over the Nomonhan area, and nearly 22 planes were shot down on the grassland.Since then, the number of Soviet aircraft has continued to increase, and new fighter jets have emerged. The Japanese army has gradually lost the initiative and is in a passive position.

On May 5, more than 27 main forces of the No.20 Third Division arrived at the left bank of the Halaha River as planned, and launched an attack on the Soviet army with the cooperation of 2 tanks, 84 aircraft and 180 vehicles.At the same time, under the command of Major General Kobayashi, a force of 400 troops attacked the west bank of the Halaha River, and at noon captured the Shertaulagai Highland on the east bank of the river.

In this regard, the resistance of the Soviet Union was very fierce. Zhukov immediately organized 150 tanks, 154 armored vehicles, 90 cannons, all aircraft and other troops to counterattack in three ways.Since Bayanchagang Heights is surrounded by open land, it is very conducive to the combat of aircraft and tanks, and the Japanese troops are all exposed to the Soviet tanks and armored vehicle guns.In this battle, Japan's anti-tank guns and the tactics of destroying marching tanks in close combat with Molotov cocktails played a powerful role. On the afternoon of the 28th, the battle situation began to turn unfavorable to Japan, and the 23rd Division retreated to the right bank of the Haraha River to join the Yasuoka Detachment.

Subsequently, Japan launched an offensive again. Due to the unsuccessful interception by tanks and heavy artillery, the front line was stalemate.Seeing this situation, the General Staff Headquarters knew that it would be difficult to win in the short term at Nomenkan, and was prepared to make concessions from the Japanese side to end the battle.However, the Kwantung Army insisted that the Soviet Union also suffered heavy losses, and advocated another large-scale offensive.Therefore, on the 31st, the General Staff Headquarters transferred the chief of staff of the Kwantung Army, Hangu, back to Beijing, and showed him the "Outline for Handling the Nuomenkan Incident", which meant that he hoped to end the war with the Soviet Union with Japan's concession.

However, Lieutenant General Shibuya said that the Soviet Union had no intention of launching a full-scale war, and that the problem could be solved only by a thorough attack, and he immediately pushed back the guidance of the General Staff Headquarters.And again to the base camp, hoping to fight the Soviet Union again.After deliberation, the Japanese base camp finally agreed to the request of Lieutenant General Shibuya.

The Kwantung Army felt that the strength of the Soviet Union was much stronger than expected, and its own artillery was insufficient.Therefore, three heavy artillery regiments were transferred from the mainland, and the Antong Detachment, which had suffered heavy losses, was disbanded, and at the same time air defense control was implemented throughout Manchuria.

At the beginning of June, the Army Department of the Japanese base camp issued an order to organize the Sixth Army in Hailar and directly command the operations.Lieutenant General Dizhou Libing served as the commander of the Sixth Army.The war thus turned into a protracted war. The Soviet Union formed the First Army under the command of Zhukov, and continued to increase its strength around five armored divisions (6 tanks and armored vehicles each).At the same time, the Soviet Union continued to mobilize aircraft from the country. Stalin also called the Eighth Theater, hoping that the Eighth Theater could send troops to attack the Xing'an and Hulunbuir areas. The feeling of being attacked.

Of course, Chen Feng readily agreed to Stalin's request. Anyway, the Soviet Union promised to give him an additional 2 tons of aviation gasoline. The Air Force Command was also temporarily relocated to Xilinhot.He also ordered Chen Feng, Major General Ivan, Zha Caiyefu and others to formulate a combat plan to bomb the Kwantung Army.

And the army that had been assembled in Xilinhot also received Chen Feng's order and immediately marched towards Huolingol and Aershan. The special forces cleared the way first, and as long as it was a stronghold of the Japanese puppet army, it would be completely destroyed, and the army would crush it with strength The imposing manner uprooted the power of De Wang and others in the eastern grassland.

The Kwantung Army was shocked by the news of Chen Feng's eastward advance. On the one hand, General Ueda sent a report to Bin Shanyuan, asking Bin Shanyuan to launch a fierce attack on Chen Feng's defense area immediately, forcing the main force to return to aid.At the same time, the 12th and 8th divisions stationed in Tongliao and Chifeng were ordered to attack Xiwuqi and Keshike with the assistance of the 2nd and 3rd cavalry divisions and the 1st and 2nd infantry divisions of the Puppet Mongolian Army. Attacking in the direction of Tengqi, the troops in the eighth theater were forced to fight south.

So far, the fighting has rapidly expanded from the Hulun Buir Grassland to the Xilin Gol Grassland and then to the entire eastern grassland, rapidly escalating. (To be continued..)