Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

Chapter 229: Counter the opponent’s moves!

"Your Excellency, Division Commander, I feel like something is not right."

Chief of Staff Colonel Uchida Ginnosuke said with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

Yamashita Tomoyuki became the Chief of Staff of the North China Front Army, while Uchida Ginnosuke remained the Chief of Staff of the 20th Division.

Ushijima Tsunemi asked, "What's wrong?"

Uchida Ginnosuke said, "Based on the battles between the Locust Army and the Eighth Route Army, the Eighth Route Army excels at guerrilla warfare and rarely engages in positional warfare, let alone defending a city. Li Yunlong is extremely cunning, and I'm worried there's something fishy going on."

Major General Kenkichi Hirata, commander of the 39th Brigade, did not take it seriously.

"Mr. Uchida, Li Yunlong's troops are clearly different from the rest of the Eighth Route Army."

"This unit is well-armed and well-equipped with ammunition. They even possess anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons. With the same manpower, their firepower is no less than that of the elite troops of the Locust Army's Type A Division."

"Since the full-scale outbreak of the jihad last year, Li Yunlong and his troops have fought the locust army nearly 10 times, and have won every time."

"With so many victories, no army would be immune to arrogance."

"There's a Chinese idiom that goes, 'Pride comes before a fall.'"

"Now Li Yunlong and his troops are a bunch of arrogant soldiers."

"Li Yunlong and his troops must be planning to use Meng County as a base to inflict heavy damage on the locust army."

Ushijima Tsunemi nodded. "It's indeed unusual for Li Yunlong to abandon the Eighth Route Army's guerrilla tactics and adopt positional warfare and a war of attrition."

"However, what Mr. Hirata said makes sense. It's not ruled out that Li Yunlong and his troops might become arrogant and want to engage in a positional battle and a war of attrition with the locust army."

Uchida Ginnosuke and Hirata Kenkichi were both stunned for a moment.

The division commander seemed to have said something, but it also seemed like he hadn't said anything...

After a pause, Ushijima Tsunemi continued, "If Li Yunlong really engages the Locust Army in a war of attrition in Meng County, that would naturally be a good thing. The Locust Army's aviation and artillery regiments would allow Li Yunlong and his troops to see the Locust Army's true strength."

street fighting?

nonexistent.

The Japanese army would use incendiary bombs to reduce the entire county's buildings to ashes.

Without houses, there is naturally no need for street fighting.

Even if the Eighth Route Army built some trenches and foxholes outside the city, it would be of no avail.

Even the county town walls could not withstand the powerful attack of field artillery, let alone heavy aerial bombs.

in case.

If the Eighth Route Army did not fight a war of attrition in Mengxian County, then the Eighth Route Army could abandon the city at any time. How could it be possible to build so many trenches in Mengxian County?

Where are the main forces placed?

Either there is a trick, or the Eighth Route Army can abandon the city and fight guerrilla warfare at any time.

But Ushijima Tsunemi is very confident.

In the face of absolute strength, all conspiracies and tricks are in vain.

Ushijima Tsunemi pointed to the map and said, "This time, the route from Shouyang and Yangquan to Mengxian is crisscrossed with trenches and ditches, making it ideal for the Eighth Route Army's so-called ambush tactics."

Although Ushijima Tsunemi had only been the commander of the 20th Division for a short time, he had read all the battle reports of the Eighth Route Army.

"Your Excellency, Division Commander."

Hirata Kenkichi was stunned for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "You mean, the Eighth Route Army is likely to ambush the Locust Army halfway?"

"Your Excellency, the Division Commander, is wise."

Uchida Ginnosuke was full of admiration. "The Eighth Route Army is probably planning this. According to intelligence, there are three main regiments of the Eighth Route Army in the Jinzhong Military Region, and the other two are missing. It's very likely that only one of them is in Mengxian County, and the other two are probably already ambushed along the way."

"The Eighth Route Army always prefers to use numbers to defeat the few. It's just two regiments of the Eighth Route Army." Hirata Kenkichi was a little skeptical. "Does Li Yunlong really dare to use two regiments to ambush the main force of the Locust Army?" "Hirata-kun, there is nothing in this world that Li Yunlong dare not do."

Uchida Ginnosuke said with a gloomy look:

"Last year, when our 20th Division attacked Yangquan, surrounded by tens of thousands of locust soldiers, no one would have thought that Li Yunlong would dare to use a battalion of troops to attack the position of a field artillery battalion of our 20th Division. This man is simply audacious."

Kenkichi Hirata fell silent. He had indeed read the battle report, and it had made him grit his teeth watching it.

Li Yunlong actually led a battalion to launch a surprise attack on the Locust Army's field artillery battalion, wiped out hundreds of Locust Army soldiers, and then ran away.

It's a shame, a huge shame.

Ushijima Tsunemi nodded: "Li Yunlong is an extremely cunning opponent. He cannot be dealt with using conventional thinking and conventional tactics."

Hirata Kenkichi asked, "Your Excellency, Division Commander, how should we respond to the ambush of the Eighth Route Army?"

The 20th Division was not very satisfied with the battle plan formulated by Tanaka Takayoshi, but the other party was the Chief of Staff of the First Army after all, and both the First Army Command and the North China Front Army Command agreed. Moreover, the 20th Division could not come up with a better battle plan, so it could only execute according to the battle plan.

After all, the main purpose of the first phase of the combined attack was a surprise attack.

If you are afraid of an ambush by the Eighth Route Army, send scouts to check the possible ambush locations one by one, and then the main force will follow after confirming that it is safe.

By the time the Japanese army entered the sphere of influence of the Eighth Route Army's Jinzhong Military Region, the Eighth Route Army had already escaped.

“There’s no good solution at the moment.”

After thinking for a while, Ushijima Tsunemi shook his head:
"First, send our assumptions by telegram to the First Army Headquarters. Ask the First Army Commander to order all units to prepare for the attack according to the battle plan."

Uchida Ginnosuke said: "The Eighth Route Army's guerrilla tactics are irregular and flexible. We can only respond to their moves."

……

Taiyuan.

First Army Headquarters.

The communications officer finished reading the telegram sent by Ushijima Tsunemi.

Kazuki Seiji frowned. The concerns of the 20th Division Commander Ushijima Tsunemi were indeed not unreasonable. The Eighth Route Army was very likely to ambush them along the way.

"Your Excellency, Commander."

"The solution to this problem is simple."

Major General Tanaka Takayoshi said with a slight smile.

Kazuki Seiji's expression changed, and he turned to look at Tanaka Takayoshi and asked, "Tanaka-kun, what do you have in mind?"

Tanaka Takayoshi said confidently.

"We can order a portion of the 20th Division to exchange uniforms and weapons with the Locust Army. Let the Locust Army pretend to be the Locust Army and scout the way ahead, thus attracting an ambush from the Eighth Route Army."

"If the Eighth Route Army really dares to ambush, then the locust troops in the rear disguised as the Locust Association will deal a heavy blow to the Eighth Route Army."

"If the Eighth Route Army hadn't ambushed us along the way, we could have exchanged our uniforms and weapons for them after we reached Mengxian County."

Upon hearing this, Xiangyue Qingsi's eyes suddenly lit up: "This tactic is very good. In this way, we can not only ensure that the elite of the locust army will not be ambushed, but also inflict heavy casualties on the Eighth Route Army. Tanaka-kun, you are truly a military genius."

Other combat staff officers looked at Tanaka Takayoshi with admiration.

Tanaka Takayoshi showed a hint of pride on his face, but he spoke modestly, "Your Excellency, Commander, your compliments are too kind."

"Yoshi."

Kazuki Seiji looked at the communications officer:

"Send a message to the 20th Division immediately. If this mopping-up offensive drags on, the Eighth Route Army and the Chinese people will all flee!"

The communications staff officer suddenly lowered his head: "Ha Yi!"

(End of this chapter)