Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

Chapter 394 The curtain opens!

Time flies by like a white horse.

a week later.

Taiyuan.

Japanese First Army Headquarters.

During this period, the Japanese devils of the First Army dispatched a part of their forces to march towards Luliang Mountain and conduct exercises, which scared Yan Laoxi and the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army so much that they looked like they were facing a great enemy.

At the same time, secretly, the main force and combat supplies of the First Army of the Japanese devils had been quietly moving towards the northwest of Shanxi.

"General."

At this time, Yamamoto Ikki walked in quickly, bowed, and handed Shinozuka Yoshio a stack of photos:
"A reconnaissance aircraft discovered tracks left by truck wheels and tanks, as well as numerous mule and horse footprints, on the road from Ping'an County to Xing County in northwestern Shanxi."

Taiyuan's Xincheng Airport has been repaired, but in order to save aviation fuel, the 21st Flying Regiment is still stationed at Datong Airport.

Only two reconnaissance planes and several transport planes were stationed at Taiyuan New City Airport.

After the Japanese reconnaissance plane detected the situation on the road and took photos, they could immediately develop the photos and report them to Yoshio Shinozuka.

A few days ago, there was a light rain in northwest Shanxi. Even if the Eighth Route Army marched at night, it would be impossible to hide from the Japanese reconnaissance planes.

Shinozuka Yoshio took the photos and narrowed his eyes. "These photos are not enough to confirm that the main force of Li Yunlong's army has arrived in Xing County."

Having learned from his mistakes, Yoshio Shinozuka is now overly cautious. He will not order his troops to attack until he is sure that the main force of Li Yunlong's troops has headed to Xing County.

Yamamoto Ikki pulled out a stack of photos and continued, "According to the reconnaissance aircraft report, we also found some traces of cars and mules and horses on the road from Baode County to Xing County. This indicates that the main force of the independent regiment has also headed to Xing County."

Shinozuka Yoshio narrowed his eyes and asked, "Did the reconnaissance plane find the main force of Li Yunlong's troops?"

"not yet!"

Yamamoto Ikki lowered his head and replied:
"However... the three Eighth Route Army regiments in northwest Shanxi are distributed in a triangular pattern. Aside from the New 1st Regiment, the Independent Regiment and the New 2nd Regiment are not equipped with tanks."

"The presence of tank tracks on the road from Ping'an County to Xing County at least indicates that Li Yunlong's tank unit has already arrived in Xing County."

"The main forces of the three regiments in northwestern Shanxi should have already gathered in the Xingxian area. They may have already set up an ambush somewhere, intending to ambush a certain main force of the locust army."

"Yoshi, it seems Li Yunlong got the details of the fake battle plan."

Shinozuka Yoshio nodded with satisfaction, then his expression became serious and he asked:

"Yamamoto-kun, have you found out how Operation Plan A was leaked?"

"Report to the General, we haven't found anything yet."

Yamamoto's expression was perceptive, and he shook his head slightly. "The special forces' radio station has been monitoring the headquarters and the area within dozens of kilometers of Taiyuan. Aside from a few enemy radio stations under surveillance, no new radio signals have appeared."

These radio stations, mainly the communication stations of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army and the Military Control Commission, had long been detected by Yamamoto's radio station, and people were sent to monitor them.

However, in order to find out the spies lurking in the First Army Headquarters, Yamamoto did not order the arrest of these spies.

Although the Eighth Route Army also had an underground organization in Taiyuan City, they had received orders from headquarters long ago that the Japanese had the means to monitor radio signals and would not use hidden radio stations unless absolutely necessary.

Shinozuka Yoshio narrowed his eyes and said, "It seems that the Eighth Route Army spy lurking in the First Army Headquarters has another way to send out intelligence."

"In that case... Yamamoto-kun, Operation Plan A is officially launched!"

"Lieutenant Colonel Mizuno will be in charge of intelligence matters. From now on, you will serve as the acting chief of staff of the First Army."

"Hi." Yamamoto Ikki lowered his head and said, "Please rest assured, Commander. I will definitely live up to your expectations!"

Then Yamamoto Ikki quickly walked to the back of Shinozuka Yoshio, and with a swish! A pulley door was pushed open, revealing another secret behind the commander's office.

There were more than a dozen telephones and radios, and various telephone lines, electrical wires and telegraph antennas were intertwined. More than a dozen staff officers, telephone operators, decoders and radio operators were eagerly waiting. They were all secretly transferred by Yoshio Shinozuka from various divisions and brigades to the First Army Headquarters to form the temporary First Army Communications Department.

From the preparation to the end of the battle, these people had to stay here for everything, including eating, drinking, defecating and urinating. No one was allowed to leave, and meals were provided by special personnel.

The former chief of staff Mutaguchi Ren'ya, communications staff officer Kasai Toshimatsu, telephone operators, telegraph operators and others were all placed under house arrest.

Yamamoto Ikki glanced at everyone, his expression stern: "Operation Plan A, begin!"

"Hi!"

The Japanese soldiers all looked stern and lowered their heads.

Then the Japanese soldiers quickly got busy, some making phone calls and some sending telegrams.

With the ticking sound of the telegraph, messages were transmitted to distant places along the radio waves.

……

More than half an hour later.

Northwest Shanxi.

In a forest about 10 kilometers south of Heyuan County, Major General Sakurada Takeshi, commander of the Imperial Guards Mixed Brigade, was leaning on his sword, closing his eyes and resting, secretly cursing the terrible weather.

There was a rain and snow two days ago, and the Japanese and puppet troops, who lacked tents, were shivering in the woods.

In order to achieve the effect of a surprise attack on the Eighth Route Army in Ping'an County.

A few nights ago, after getting off the train at Heyuan Station, the Guards Mixed Brigade, the 4th Brigade and two puppet army divisions did not enter Heyuan County, but marched and hid here under the cover of night.

Yamamoto Ikki, who formulated the battle plan, knew very well that any invading army would always be at a disadvantage no matter how professional its intelligence system was.

After all, you are the invading army, and you are in enemy territory. Every living being on this land may be an enemy intelligence officer, including the puppet troops who appear to be obedient on the surface.

Once a large Japanese force appears in Heyuan County, Li Yunlong's troops, who had just captured Heyuan County, will soon receive the intelligence.

The chief of staff reported to Takeshi Sakurada that some soldiers had developed fever and colds due to the cold, and the non-combat casualties had reached more than 500.

Especially the soldiers of the Imperial Guards Mixed Brigade, who had had too many good days in Tokyo, and some even developed a habit of arrogance. Most of the soldiers who suffered non-combat casualties were from the Imperial Guards Mixed Brigade. The non-combat casualties of the second-line 4th Brigade were much better than those of the Imperial Guards Mixed Brigade, which almost made Takeshi Sakurada so angry that he wanted to kill a few soldiers.

Sakurada Takeshi knew very well that even an army with the strongest combat capability and willpower would see its combat capability drop sharply after being transferred to Tianhuang to serve as a guard.

In order to ensure the combat effectiveness of the Imperial Guards Division, Sakurada Takezai found an opportunity to ask Emperor Hirohito for a battle, wanting to lead a brigade to the Chinese battlefield to hone the combat effectiveness of the soldiers.

Just as the 108th Division was defeated and Lieutenant General Isotani and Lieutenant General Motojiro Taniguchi were killed by the Eighth Route Army, Hirohito ordered Takeshi Sakurada to go to Shanxi in North China to eliminate Li Yunlong and the Eighth Route Army.

At this time, the communications captain of the Imperial Guards Mixed Brigade came over quickly with a telegram in his hand and bowed, "General, a telegram from Lieutenant General Shinozuka, commander of the First Army."

Sakurada Takeshi slowly opened his eyes, his eyes filled with sternness and cruelty: "Read!"

"Hi." The communications captain held the telegram in both hands and read, "Operation Plan A, begin! First Army Commander Yoshio Shinozuka, His Majesty the Heavenly Locust is on board, the Great Japanese Locust Army is on board!"

"Yoshi." Sakurada Takeshi glanced at his watch and gave a cold order: "Order the troops to prepare and depart around 5:00 PM. To prevent the whereabouts of the main force from being leaked, any Chinese encountered by the reconnaissance team will be killed without mercy."

The communications captain suddenly lowered his head: "Hi."

(End of this chapter)