Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

Chapter 307 Who surrounded whom?
"Report to the brigade commander, 4 kilometers ahead is the Gucheng Station!"

On the highway, a staff officer reported to Naozo Nakano.

Naozo Nao nodded coldly and said, "Order the Field Artillery Battalion to set up artillery positions at appropriate locations. The Guard Battalion to dismount and prepare for the attack. The 2nd and 3rd Infantry Battalions to rest first!"

According to the report from the 117th Wing Headquarters, their location was about two kilometers away from Gucheng Station.

This means that their current location is only about two kilometers away from the location of the 117th Regiment.

If you listen carefully, you can also hear gunshots and artillery fire.

Both the cavalry battalion and the two infantry battalions suffered extremely heavy casualties.

"Da da da…"

"Boom boom boom..."

Suddenly, there were frequent explosions coming from the front.

Naozo Nakano quickly raised his telescope and looked over.

The position of the forward reconnaissance squadron had been enveloped by the explosion, and it looked like they were in great danger.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, the remnants of the forward reconnaissance squadron retreated.

In just a few minutes, more than half of a reconnaissance squadron suffered casualties.

Putting down the telescope, Naozo Naoto said in surprise, "It really is the Eighth Route Army from the Jinzhong base. Their firepower is indeed formidable."

The Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong already had the strength to confront his 25th Brigade head-on.

This not only surprised Naozo Naozo, but also made him look very ugly.

With the strength of the 25th Brigade, it would be extremely difficult to defeat the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong.

Naozo Naozo only wanted to rescue the cavalry battalion and the two surrounded infantry battalions and then escape.

and.

What made Naozo Naoto even more terrified was that the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong was fully capable of destroying the surrounded cavalry battalion and two infantry battalions within three hours.

But the other party kept it and didn't destroy it, obviously trying to hook a big fish.

What’s funny is that Goto Koshiro, that self-righteous idiot, wanted to use himself as bait to catch the big fish of the Eighth Route Army.

He didn't even know that he was being used as bait by others.

But now the 25th Brigade has no choice. Knowing that the Eighth Route Army is fishing, he can only bite the bullet and go ahead.

It is still unclear who will win.

"Your Excellency, the Brigade Commander, the Artillery Battalion and the Guard Battalion are ready!"

About twenty minutes later, a young staff officer reported to Major General Naozo Nakano.

"fire!"

"Guard Battalion, move into attack position!"

Naozo Nakano gave the order coldly.

"Hi."

The young Japanese staff officer lowered his head and turned to convey the order.

Naozo Naozo didn't look at the bombardment, but instead looked down at the map on the table.

At this time, the main force of the Japanese 25th Brigade was in the Xinzhou Basin.

There is a mountainous area between Yuanping and Xinzhou, and Beitongpu Road and the highway pass through the middle of the mountain.

It was in this mountainous area that the Eighth Route Army ambushed a cavalry battalion and two infantry battalions.

Think for a moment.

Nakano Naozo summoned his chief of staff and gave the order: "Order the 2nd Infantry Battalion to follow this interpenetrating curve, go around behind the main force of the Eighth Route Army, link up with the 132nd Infantry Regiment, and attack from the north to the south."

"Hi."

The chief of staff quickly went to convey the order.

As soon as this order was issued, the Japanese soldiers in the 2nd Infantry Battalion began to complain.

They had just run for nearly 30 kilometers and had just taken a break, but now they had to run for nearly 10 kilometers again.

Are you trying to kill yourself?

No matter how dissatisfied you are, orders still have to be carried out.

then.

Nearly a thousand Japanese soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Battalion, led by the Japanese infantry battalion captain, made a detour from the left side of the Xinzhou Basin.

Judging from the current situation, the main force of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong is actually surrounded by the main forces of the two regiments of the 25th Brigade.

If Nakano Zhisan had held his ground and waited for more reinforcements to arrive, he might have been able to wipe out the main force of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong in one fell swoop.

but.

The cavalry battalion and two infantry battalions really can't hold on any longer.

Naozo Naozo could only order his troops to attack.

at this time.

"Boom boom boom..."

The field artillery battalion opened fire.

After the single field gun fired three test shots, the 12 72mm field guns began firing at full speed.

The Japanese soldiers in the guard battalion who entered the attack position all looked excited.

But Naozo Nakano couldn't be happy.

Because he knew very well that the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong had firepower at the level of a heavy mortar regiment.

The firepower of this heavy mortar regiment far exceeds that of the field artillery battalion under his command.

If he had a field artillery regiment, with the range and accuracy of the 75mm field gun, he might be able to engage in an artillery battle with the Eighth Route Army's heavy mortar battalion.

Nakano Naozo put down his binoculars and said, "Eguchi-kun, send a telegram to division headquarters immediately!"

Lieutenant Colonel Jiangkou, the chief of staff, immediately picked up a pen and paper to take notes.

"Our 25th Brigade, the 117th Infantry Regiment, and the main forces of the 132nd Infantry Regiment have already formed an encirclement of the main forces of the Jinzhong Eighth Route Army in the Gucheng Station area."

"Request reinforcements from the ground forces and the main air force to destroy the main force of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong in one fell swoop."

After Lieutenant Colonel Eguchi finished recording, he gave it to Naozo Nakano for signature, and then gave it to the telegraph operator to send it out quickly.

……

About half an hour later.

Taiyuan.

Japanese First Army Headquarters.

"Your Excellency, Commander."

"good news."

Chief of Staff Mutaguchi Ren'ya walked quickly into the headquarters operations room with a telegram in his hand and reported to Shinozuka Yoshio with a smile on his face.

Yoshio Shinozuka was very angry at the moment and his face looked extremely ugly.

Taiyuan Airport was bombed again, causing heavy losses of aircraft and personnel.

Even if the special forces and the Black Island Cavalry Regiment were sent to pursue them.

It also allowed the Eighth Route Army that bombarded Taiyuan Airport to escape.

What a shame.

Because he was afraid of being scolded by General Terauchi Hisaichi, Yoshio Shinozuka did not report the matter to the North China Front Army Headquarters.

Starting from the morning, Zhengtai Road, Tongpu Road and a large number of roads were attacked by the Eighth Route Army at the same time. They destroyed railways, blew up bridges, and rushed to transport rails. When the Japanese attacked, the Eighth Route Army guerrillas ran away. When the Japanese left, the Eighth Route Army guerrillas quickly came back.

It's just like a fly, you can't hit it.

Several phones at the headquarters were flooded with calls today, with people everywhere asking for tactical guidance.

Yoshio Shinozuka is feeling quite uncomfortable right now.

It's so frustrating to be a commander!
"What good news?"

Yoshio Shinozuka asked with a grim face. He only heard bad news and didn't believe there was any good news at all.

Mutaguchi Renya bowed his head first, then said:

"The main force of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong has been surrounded by the locust army."

Shinozuka Yoshio turned abruptly. The Taiyuan First Army commander's tone and eyes were filled with doubt: "What did you say? The main force of the Jinzhong Eighth Route Army was surrounded by the locust army?"

Questions about the content of Mutaguchi Ren'ya's report.

A month ago, the Locust Army organized a mixed brigade and an infantry brigade under the command of a Type A division to attack the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong.

The battle lasted for nearly half a month, but not only did the Eighth Route Army base fail to be captured, but the main force of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong wiped out an independent mixed brigade of the Locust Army and repelled the 39th Brigade of the Japanese Army.

In the next attack, Yoshio Shinozuka even wanted to mobilize the elite troops of three divisions to attack the Jinzhong base, but it was not certain that he would be able to take it down.

Now you tell me that the main force of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong has been surrounded by the locust army.

Mutaguchi Renya, are you kidding me?
Shinozuka Yoshio sighed, waved his hand, and said, "Mutaguchi-kun, stop joking."

"Commander, I'm not kidding. This is a telegram just sent by Lieutenant General Taniguchi, commander of the 108th Division."

Mutaguchi Ren'ya's expression became serious. He handed over the telegram in his hand and reported the contents of the telegram again:

"The main force of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong pretended to be a guerrilla force this morning and attacked the Gucheng Station of the Locust Army. The Cavalry Battalion and the 25st and 1th Infantry Battalions of the 5th Brigade rushed to reinforce them, but were surrounded by the main force of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong."

"Major General Naozo Nakano, commander of the 25th Brigade, has arrived with the main forces of the 117th and 132nd Regiments."

"The main force of the 25th Brigade has formed an encirclement of the main force of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong."

"Major General Nakano requests air support from the aviation unit and reinforcements from the ground forces."

"Your Excellency Commander!"

"This is a great opportunity for my First Army to wipe out the main force of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong!"

Yoshio Shinozuka looked at the telegram and couldn't help but look slightly happy. The main force of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong was really surrounded?
This is really another village where everything is bright and clear.

Yoshio Shinozuka was about to pick up the phone on the table and call the 108th Division to verify the news.

Mutaguchi Renya said, "Commander, I just spoke to Lieutenant General Taniguchi in the telegraph room and verified the news."

Shinozuka Yoshio was a little dissatisfied and said, "Why didn't Taniguchi Motojiro just call directly? Doesn't he know that speed is the essence of war?"

Mutaguchi Lian'ya said, "Lieutenant General Taniguchi is also afraid of being monitored. Now the Eighth Route Army guerrillas are ambushing the locust army's railways and roads everywhere. It's a bit abnormal that the 108th Division can still get through to the headquarters."

Yoshio Shinozuka nodded, thought for a moment, and felt that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to eliminate the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong.

"Order the 25th Brigade to stop the Jinzhong Eighth Route Army's main force from breaking out at all costs!" "Also order the Yoshino Regiment, the Kuroshima Cavalry Regiment, and the 104th Infantry Brigade to rush to Gucheng Station immediately!"

"Encircle and wipe out the main force of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong in one fell swoop!"

"Hi."

Mutaguchi Ren'ya bowed his head, turned around and quickly conveyed the order.

……

"Commander, the Japanese have an infantry battalion that has penetrated from the left."

At the headquarters of the New 1st Regiment, combat staff officer Yang Ziyun reported to Li Yunlong.

The area was filled with reconnaissance troops of the Jinzhong Eighth Route Army.

The Japs' every move was under surveillance by the Eighth Route Army scouts.

Li Yunlong's eyes lit up and he said, "So, the Japanese to our south only have two infantry battalions and one field artillery regiment left?"

Yang Ziyun nodded: "That's right."

Li Yunlong asked, "How long have the Japanese been shelling?"

The Eighth Route Army's positions were filled with dummies and fake weapons, and the Japanese artillery was left alone.

Yang Ziyun looked at his watch and said, "It's been 20 minutes. I guess the Japanese infantry is about to attack."

Li Yunlong nodded and said, "Communications Staff, ask the outflanking troops how long it will take them to reach their designated positions?"

Communications Staff: “Yes!”

This time, Li Yunlong's plan was to annihilate the enemy rather than repel them.

Therefore, the moment the main force of the Japanese army appeared, Li Yunlong decisively ordered the battalions of the New 1st Regiment to make a roundabout encirclement.

Originally, with more than 6,000 people in the New 1st Regiment, they were somewhat stretched in terms of manpower to surround three Japanese infantry battalions and one artillery battalion.

But a Japanese infantry battalion also made a flanking move.

This means that the Japanese troops in the south only have two infantry battalions and one artillery battalion, with a total strength of about 2,500 people.

Six thousand versus twenty five hundred, the advantage is quite big!
"Report to the regiment commander, all battalions have just arrived at their designated locations!"

Soon, the communications staff reported to Li Yunlong.

Li Yunlong quickly walked to the telegraph machine, put on his headphones, and put the microphone to his mouth: "Pass on my order, open the sluice gates and release the water!"

……

"Brigade Commander, a telegram just came from the First Army Headquarters."

Lieutenant Colonel Takeo Eguchi, Chief of Staff of the 25th Brigade, read the telegram and reported to Naozo Nakano:

"The 104th Infantry Brigade, the Yoshino Regiment, and the Kuroshima Cavalry Regiment are on their way."

"Lieutenant General Shinozuka ordered us to stop the main force of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong from breaking out at all costs."

After hearing this, Major General Naozo Naozo not only did not look happy, but frowned: "Where is the air support?"

"this…"

Takeo Eguchi handed over the telegram in his hand: "The telegram sent by the headquarters did not mention air support."

"No air support?"

Naozo Nakano took the telegram and looked at it with a puzzled tone, his expression changed slightly.

In the morning, the division headquarters also called for air support from the 108th Cavalry Battalion, but received no response.

This time, the call for air support received no response.

What are the First Army Headquarters and Yoshio Shinozuka up to?
They even refused to provide air support.

Naozo Nakano was almost defeated and almost cursed out loud, thinking that what Shinozuka did was really inappropriate.

How powerful is the combat effectiveness of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong?
Without air support, Naozo Naoto had little confidence in stopping the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong from breaking out.

"Continue to request aviation reinforcements from the headquarters."

"Order the artillery units to stop shelling and relocate their artillery positions immediately."

"Order the guard battalion to immediately launch an attack on the Eighth Route Army's position."

Naozo Nakano quickly regained his composure and issued a series of orders.

"Hi."

Takeo Eguchi turned around and went to convey orders and draft telegrams.

However, the order had just been issued and the telegram had not yet been sent when a sharp whistling sound suddenly came from the sky.

"Boom boom boom..."

A dense and huge wave of explosions suddenly rose up on the position of the Japanese field artillery battalion that was preparing to move.

The Japanese field artillery battalion's position, which had not yet had time to move, was suddenly shrouded in smoke and fire.

Some shells even hit the Japanese shells, causing a chain reaction and sending up a larger explosion wave.

Takeo Eguchi hurriedly raised his telescope and looked towards the artillery position, and his mentality suddenly exploded.

In the field of view of the telescope, I saw the Japanese artillerymen being blown away and the field guns being destroyed.

"Boom boom boom..."

There were also frequent explosions coming from the front, and Takeo Eguchi quickly raised his telescope and looked straight ahead.

In the formation of the guard battalion in front, a dense and huge explosion wave rose up, sweeping up a sky full of mud, debris and broken limbs.

Jiangkou Takeo said in a low voice, "Your Excellency, the brigade commander, the mountain artillery and heavy mortars of the Jinzhong Eighth Route Army have opened fire..."

Nakano Naozo's face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot, and he nodded: "As expected."

He punched the round table where the map was placed.

"What is Vice Admiral Shinozuka doing?"

"If he had been willing to deploy the aviation unit, the Eighth Route Army's mountain artillery and heavy mortars would never have dared to fire so recklessly at our 25th Brigade."

"Eguchi-kun."

"Order the Guard Battalion and the 3rd Infantry Battalion to switch to a defensive posture!"

Now the field artillery battalion and the guard battalion are under artillery fire and are expected to suffer heavy losses.

Without the cover of artillery fire, we lost our ability to attack and even defense would be difficult.

The firepower of the Eighth Route Army was simply too strong.

"Looking at the situation, the Jinzhong Eighth Route Army is planning to break out from our direction."

"Order the 2nd Infantry Battalion, which has been making a flanking move, to return."

"Hi." Takeo Eguchi quickly went to convey the order.

But at this moment, something strange happened! Intensive gunfire and explosions were heard all around.

"General."

A major rushed in. He was the captain of the 117rd Infantry Battalion of the 3th Regiment.
"A large number of Eighth Route Army troops appeared around us and are attacking the brigade headquarters. We are surrounded."

"Nani?"

Naozo Nakano and Kakuo Eguchi's expressions suddenly changed.

At this time, the two old Japanese soldiers realized that they had been fooled!

It was not the 25th Brigade that surrounded the Eighth Route Army.

Instead, the Eighth Route Army surrounded the 25th Brigade Headquarters!
Are all the scouts dead?
Why did the Eighth Route Army surround them without noticing?
Without too much time to think, Nakano Naozo took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down:
"Order the Guard Battalion and Artillery Battalion to quickly move towards the brigade headquarters and break out in the direction of the 2nd Infantry Battalion!"

"After joining up with the 2nd Infantry Battalion, quickly move towards the 132nd Infantry Regiment!"

The old Japanese knew very well that this was an open area with no anti-artillery holes or fortifications.

The Eighth Route Army's artillery fire covered them with several waves of artillery fire, and if the infantry charged again they would be finished.

If we don't break out, our entire army will be wiped out.

Takeo Eguchi: "Hi."

As the brigade headquarters issued the order, the Japanese soldiers quickly moved closer to the brigade headquarters, and then about 2000 Japanese soldiers covered the brigade headquarters and rushed towards the Eighth Route Army on the left.

In a desperate situation, they charged and killed, leaving behind hundreds of corpses, and finally managed to break out of the encirclement of the Eighth Route Army.

"The combat effectiveness of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong is only this level."

"It seems that I overestimated Li Yunlong."

Naozo Nakano, who survived the disaster, said with disdain.

When he was first surrounded, Naozo Nakano thought that he would be loyal to the Tianhuang today.

But they didn't expect that it was just a random charge, and they broke out from the weak point of the Eighth Route Army's encirclement.

It won't be long before the brigade headquarters will merge with the 2nd Infantry Battalion and then with the 132nd Regiment. There is still a chance of winning this battle.

"Da da da…"

"Boom boom boom..."

There were intensive gunshots and explosions coming from the rear, and the Japanese soldiers' faces changed. The main force of the Eighth Route Army was catching up.

"Speed ​​up and keep moving forward!"

At the urging of the Japanese officers, the Japanese soldiers started running across the Xinzhou Basin.

But soon, the Japanese soldiers running in front stopped one after another, with fear and despair in their eyes.

"Baga, why don't you continue to retreat?"

Takeo Eguchi ran up and cursed.

"General, look..."

A soldier pointed forward.

When Takeo Eguchi saw this, his expression suddenly changed and his mentality exploded.

There were more than a dozen tanks and more than two thousand Eighth Route Army main forces standing in front of us, ready for battle.

The muzzles of the cannons and guns were pointing at the Japanese officers and soldiers of the 25th Brigade.

"tank?"

"This is impossible…"

Major General Naozo Nakano walked forward and saw this scene, his tone full of disbelief and despair.

(End of this chapter)