Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Shangganling

Chapter 325 A Two-Pronged Approach (More Additions)

"Captain, the target has disappeared. What should we do?"

Takikawa Shinji, the Japanese intelligence chief in Heyuan County, said with a headache.

The plan formulated by the higher authorities was for the Heyuan County Gendarmerie, the Luye Joint Force, and the Fourth Mixed Brigade of the Locust Army to attack the 358th Regiment at Dagushan.

As a result, Regiment 358 is gone now.

"We're probably going to fight the Eighth Route Army," Hirata Ichiro said seriously.

He never expected that the 358th Regiment, which he originally intended to take over, would encounter such an unexpected situation.

The situation in the Dagushan area is now more complicated.

According to the latest intelligence, several Eighth Route Army guerrilla units have appeared in Dagushan.

With the strength of the Heyuan County Gendarmerie Brigade and the Luye Brigade, plus the assistance of the Fourth Mixed Brigade of the Locust Army.

We have an absolute chance of winning against the 358th Regiment.

But if it's fighting the Eighth Route Army, it's a completely different story.

It's not that we can't win, but it's like using a cannon to kill a mosquito—it's completely ineffective.

After all, when facing a mopping-up operation, the Eighth Route Army never set up its positions in a fixed place.

The heavy weapons of the Locust Army were of little use.

"Captain, please forgive my bluntness, but compared to the 358th Regiment, the Eighth Route Army is a hundred times more troublesome," said Takikawa Shinji.

The "cleansing" campaign was aimed at expanding the regime's influence.

This was done in order to obtain more resources to sustain the war.

However, compared with the Eighth Route Army's armed work teams, the puppet regimes painstakingly established by the Locust Army were at a complete disadvantage.

Even if Shinji Takikawa is unwilling to admit it, he cannot change this fact.

After all, to ensure the loyalty of the Chinese, the Locust Army cannot hire those who are too clever.

Otherwise, the locust army would be completely out of control.

If the Locust Army wants to maintain its current advantage, it must send armed forces to assist them.

But that would be putting the cart before the horse.

After all, the purpose of creating the maintenance committee was to get them to help the locust army.

Instead of letting the locust army help the maintenance committee.

“I know that too,” Hirata Ichiro said.

"We'll see what the higher-ups say for the specifics."

Hirata Ichiro has already reported the matter of the 358th Regiment to Taiyuan.

The next step needs to be decided by higher authorities.

However, according to Hirata Ichiro's estimate, their next step will either be to continue to Dagushan or to change their target.

No matter what choice you make, you can't change the fact that you're facing the Eighth Route Army.

"Sir, this is a telegram from Lieutenant Colonel Hirata."

Michifumi Yamaoka handed the telegram to Yoshio Shinotsuka's desk.

"How did the 358th Regiment and the New Second Brigade come together?"

Yoshio Shinotsuka frowned.

If the Jin-Sui Army and the Eighth Route Army were to join forces, it would not be a good thing for the Locust Army.

One had a strong fighting spirit, and the other had ample weapons and supplies.

The combination of these two factors will definitely double the combat power.

"Sir, according to our inside report in the Jin-Sui Army, the 358th Regiment should have had a conflict with the New 2nd Brigade," Yamaoka Michifumi explained.

"Oh? Tell me the details."

"Two days ago, the deputy commander of the Second War Zone Command led a team away from Kenanpo. Rumors within the Jin-Sui Army say it was because the 358th Regiment had mutinied."

"According to Captain Hirata's report, he only managed to persuade the 1st Battalion of the 358th Regiment to defect."

"I suspect something unexpected must have happened that led to the 358th Regiment being completely labeled as a rebel."

"What's the situation with the 358th Regiment now?" Yoshio Shinotsuka asked, leaning back in his chair.

"When Yang Xingru returned, he brought back several thousand people and a group of officers. It seems that the 358th Regiment has split up."

"Furthermore, after Yang Xingru returned, Yan Xishan's roar could be heard coming from inside the Second War Zone Command."

"It is highly likely that they were somewhat dissatisfied with what the Eighth Route Army had done."

Michifumi Yamaoka reported what he knew.

"So, does that mean the Eighth Route Army took advantage of the Jin-Sui Army?" Yoshio Shinotsuka laughed.

Regardless of whether the Eighth Route Army had taken over the equipment of the 358th Regiment, as long as the two were not colluding, Yoshio Shinotsuka was not too worried.

After all, weapons and equipment will inevitably wear out over time.

Without any further updates, Yoshio Shinotsuka wouldn't be too concerned about the equipment of a reinforced regiment.

“I think so too.” Michifumi Yamaoka nodded.

"But what should we do now? Should we stop the cleanup operation?"

Upon hearing Michifumi Yamaoka's question, Yoshio Shinotsuka thought for a moment and said:

"The 'mopping-up' operation will proceed as planned, but the operational plan will be modified."

"How should it be changed? Please give your instructions, sir." Yamaoka Michifumi stood at attention and asked.

"No rush, I still have some things to confirm."

"Someone come here!" Yoshio Shinotsuka called out to the door.

"Hai!" The guard outside the door walked in.

"Go and summon Colonel Takeshita."

"Hai!"
"Does the commander want to test special tactics again?" Michifumi Yamaoka asked.

“Not bad.” Yoshio Shinotsuka nodded.

"Now that the elite troops of the Locust Army are being constantly drawn away, it is no longer realistic to launch a large-scale group sweep."

"However, our army did not gain a significant advantage in the mopping-up operations by small units." "Reforming our tactics is now an urgent matter."

Yoshio Shinotsuka was extremely distressed by the current overall situation.

To encircle and blockade the Eighth Route Army's base areas on a large scale, it was necessary to mobilize the entire First Army.

Although the Central Army in Zhongtiao Mountain had long been wiped out, the mountainous area in that region was occupied by the Eighth Route Army.

Meanwhile, a large number of Guo's troops were still stationed in Tongguan and even Xi'an on the other side of the Yellow River.

This is why the First Army cannot go all out.

Of course, even if Yoshio Shinotsuka wanted to go all out now, the First Army's war supplies wouldn't allow it.

"report!"

"Please come in."

"Sir, you wanted to see me?" Takeshita Shun walked into Shinotsuka Yoshio's office.

"Takeshita-kun, I'd like to ask, is your special forces team currently capable of carrying out missions?" Yoshio Shinotsuka asked.

After establishing the special forces team, Takeshita Shun conducted several experimental battles.

Although they achieved some results, they were not much different from the elite squads of the Locust Army.

At most, the results were more significant because of the weapons used.

But if that's all there is to it, there's no need to specially select elite troops to form this team.

Therefore, in order to better accomplish the established combat mission, Takeshita Shun led the special forces team to Fengtian.

I just returned a month ago.

"Please rest assured, sir, the special forces team has completed all training exercises!" Takeshita Shun said confidently.

"Yoshi!" Yoshio Shinotsuka nodded in satisfaction.

"Come and take a look." Yoshio Shinotsuka led Shun Takeshita to the map.

"I think you should be familiar with the new Second Brigade of Dayun Mountain."

"If you were tasked with decapitating the New Second Brigade, how would you proceed?"

Yoshio Shinotsuka pointed to the location of Hongni Bay and asked.

"New Second Brigade?"

Takeshita Shun hadn't expected that Shinotsuka Yoshio had summoned him only to take action against the New Second Brigade.

"Let's test the waters with the new Second Brigade first. If the operation goes smoothly, then we'll choose other targets."

Yoshio Shinotsuka did not want to go directly to attack the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army.

However, he is currently unable to freely mobilize a large number of troops for coordination.

If the special forces are left to handle the situation alone, it is highly likely that the conflict will escalate to a point of no return.

Yoshio Shinotsuka is very familiar with this.

Therefore, Yoshio Shinotsuka decided that this decapitation operation would be carried out simultaneously with the military sweep.

The special operations team carried out the attack on the command post of the new Second Brigade.

Then, the Luye Brigade, in coordination with the military police units of Heyuan County, Anqiu, and Ping'an, took advantage of the fact that the New Second Brigade was unmanned to carry out a sweep of the Dayun Mountain area.

In this way, even if Takeshita Shun makes a mistake, the sweeping force can provide timely support and rescue them.

After hearing Yoshio Shinotsuka's words, Shun Takeshita did not offer any explanation.

Although he also felt that this was a waste of his talents, he was not as arrogant and disrespectful as Yamamoto Ichiki.

Ultimately, he was just a minor colonel.

Takeshita Shun looked at the enemy and friendly forces situation on the map, thought for a long time, and then said:
"Sir, the new Second Brigade has now pushed its base to the outskirts of Dayun Mountain."

"No matter which county the special operations team departs from, they will face a journey of more than 40 kilometers."

"Leaving aside the possibility that the troops will suffer heavy physical losses on such a long journey, the risk of exposure alone is extremely high."

Special forces have an advantage in surprise attacks, not in direct combat.

Once exposed, the special forces team, which is outnumbered, will be surrounded by the Eighth Route Army using its superior numbers.

If it were just the Eighth Route Army's guerrillas, it wouldn't be so bad, but if they encountered the main force of heavily armed troops, they would definitely be riddled with holes.

Yamamoto Ichiki, who is now resting at the foot of Mount Fuji, probably faced this situation before.

“Takeshita-kun, just tell me your plans,” Yoshio Shinotsuka interrupted.

Yoshio Shinotsuka was well aware of the situation of the Eighth Route Army, so he naturally did not need Shun Takeshita's explanation.

“Airdrop!” Takeshita Shun said decisively.

The special forces team had undergone professional airborne training in Fengtian, otherwise this would not have been so easy.

“Airdrop? But if that’s the case, your special forces team will be too far from the support troops,” said Michifumi Yamaoka.

Airdropping can indeed allow special forces to appear directly in the heart of Dayun Mountain, but it also means that they will be isolated and helpless for a short period of time.

"Sir, Chief of Staff, this is what I think."

"The special forces airdropped into the heart of Dayun Mountain at dawn, while the main force advanced from Anqiu and Heyuan."

"In order to fight against the mopping-up troops, the Eighth Route Army will inevitably have to move its forces. At this time, we can take advantage of the chaos to launch an attack."

"Even if we can't take down the command post of the New Second Brigade, we can still disrupt their internal operations."

"If the mobilization of the new Second Brigade does not go smoothly, the main force can take the opportunity to strike directly at the heart of the enemy's territory."

Takeshita Shun did not believe that the results of the battle had to be claimed by the special forces themselves.

The value of the special operations team can be demonstrated as long as the objective is achieved.

Upon hearing Takeshita Shun's explanation, both Shinotsuka Yoshio and Yamaoka Michifumi began to ponder it carefully.

According to their intelligence, although the New Second Brigade was powerful, its troops were scattered.

If the raid on Hongniwan goes smoothly, the only units that can reach the battlefield in a short time are the 213th Regiment and the Independent Regiment of the New 2nd Brigade.

In this way, the locust army would have an absolute advantage in the short term.

“Yoshi, Takeshita-kun, I agree to your plan.” Yoshio Shinotsuka nodded.

"Next, you and Yamaoka will work together to come up with a battle plan."

"Hai!"
(End of this chapter)