Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

Chapter 423 New tactics!
Outside the Jinzhong base area.

Wangjiawan battlefield.

The Japanese Army's North China Front Headquarters.

"Yoshi, this tactic is really good."

Yamashita Tomoyuki, who had just woken up from a nap, read the telegram sent by the First Army Headquarters and nodded with satisfaction.

"It's really good."

Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Muto Akira echoed:

"Send the infantry to feint and shout. The Eighth Route Army will definitely not know whether the Locust Army is really attacking. At this time, the Eighth Route Army's infantry will definitely enter the position. Then order the artillery to open fire. It will definitely kill many Eighth Route Army troops and greatly increase the efficiency of the attack and killing."

"Whoever invented this tactic is a real master."

The telegram sent by the First Army did not mention that this was the tactic of the Eighth Route Army.

On the Jinzhong battlefield, after three days of fierce fighting, Yamashita Tomoyuki and Muto Akira both figured out the Eighth Route Army's tactics.

When the Japanese artillery fired, the Eighth Route Army hid in tunnels and concrete fortifications.

When the Japanese and puppet troops attacked, the Eighth Route Army came out of the tunnels and concrete fortifications and shot at the attacking Japanese and puppet troops.

Moreover, the heavy artillery fire of the Eighth Route Army stationed on the reverse slope and further away caused heavy casualties to the attacking Japanese and puppet infantry.

Even the use of four 4mm howitzers and four 240mm cannons had little effect.

On the one hand, there were too few heavy artillery pieces, and on the other hand, their range was low, so they were suppressed by the Eighth Route Army's 152mm howitzers, resulting in casualties.

Yamashita Tomoyuki tried the tactics previously formulated by the First Army, which involved artillery bombarding while infantry charged, but it didn't work.

The premise of this tactic is that artillery firepower must be dominant and suppress the enemy's artillery in the artillery battle.

Our own artillery firepower has been suppressed, how can we continue to fire and support the infantry attack?
After a pause, Muto Akira pointed out the shortcomings of this tactic: "However... this tactic can only be used at night, and we need to prepare a lot of artillery shells."

Muto Akira not only proposed the idea of ​​expanding the war of aggression against China, but also took action himself and became a pioneer in expanding the war of aggression against China.

This person's opinion was contrary to Ishiwara Kanji's. Regarding the Japanese invasion of China, he wildly clamored for "one strike theory" and "quick victory theory".

Yamashita Tomoyuki asked, "Muto-kun, what suggestions do you have?"

Yamashita Tomoyuki did not dare to underestimate Muto Akira, as he had served as the chief of the Operations Section of the General Staff at the Imperial Headquarters, that is, the Imperial Headquarters' operations staff, specifically providing advice to the Imperial Headquarters and formulating strategic operational plans for the army.

For example, during the Battle of Shanghai, Matsui Iwane led five divisions to provide assistance and formed a standoff with 5 Chinese troops. Mutō Akira modified the plan and the Japanese army landed in Hangzhou Bay, cutting off the Chinese army's retreat.

Muto Akira said, "We only need to make a slight change to this tactic, and we can capture the Wangjiawan position tonight."

"Oh?" Yamashita Fengwen's expression changed. "How do I change it?"

More than half an hour later, Muto Akira and Yamashita Tomoyuki formulated a new attack plan, intending to capture the Wangjiawan position in one fell swoop tonight and break into the Eighth Route Army's Jinzhong base.

"Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff."

At this time, a communications staff officer walked in quickly and reported to Muto Akira and Yamashita Tomoyuki:
"The commander of the North China Front Army, Daira Sugiyama, just called and said the war in Northwest Shanxi is over."

"The Imperial Guards Mixed Brigade and the 4th Brigade were all killed in battle. Major Generals Sakurada Takeshi and Tsuda Mitake have served the Heavenly Locust faithfully."

After the war in northwestern Shanxi ended, Yoshio Shinozuka and Ikki Yamamoto immediately reported the matter to Motomu Sugiyama.

Sugiyama Gen was furious and wanted to kill Shinozuka Yoshio and Yamamoto Ikki with a single blow.

The Japanese naturally had to blockade this defeat, but as the chief of staff and deputy chief of staff of the North China Front Army, they were naturally qualified to know the news first.

"Nani?"

Yamashita Tomoyuki and Muto Akira both turned their heads suddenly and looked at the staff officer who came to report, with expressions of disbelief on their faces.

Among them is the elite Guards Mixed Brigade of the Guards Division!
"The Imperial Guards Mixed Brigade and the 4th Brigade were completely wiped out?"

Yamashita Tomoyuki asked with a gloomy expression.

"Hi."

The communications officer handed over a telegram and replied with confirmation, "This is a telegram sent personally by General Sugiyama. His Excellency the General ordered us to capture the Wangjiawan and Zhangjiazhai defense lines within two days, advance into Mengxian, and kill all the Eighth Route Army and Chinese civilians in Mengxian."

After receiving the telegram, Yamashita Tomoyuki and Muto Akira read it and were both shocked.

Although it is organized into a mixed brigade, its total strength reaches 10,000 people.

Moreover, the combat effectiveness of this Guards Mixed Brigade is no worse than any 44-system special division.

Because the 1st and 2nd Guards Regiments and the Field Artillery Regiment under his command are all outstanding officers and soldiers carefully selected from the commanders of various Type A divisions. They are the elite among the elite and can be said to be the aces among aces.

In just three days, the Imperial Guards Mixed Brigade was completely wiped out?
Even if we can't defeat the Eighth Route Army, can't we even protect ourselves?

and.

Even Major General Sakurada Takeshi was killed. He was the Major General Brigade Commander serving beside Tian Huang.

Yamashita Tomoyuki and Sakurada Takeshi could imagine how furious His Majesty Tianhuang would be if he heard the news!
After reading the telegram, the two old Japanese soldiers and a group of staff in the command center bowed their heads in silence.

About three minutes later, the portly Yamashita Tomoyuki suddenly raised his head, whipped out his lieutenant general's sword, and angrily chopped the wooden table in front of him, his face filled with murderous intent.
"Order Lieutenant General Hou Gong to the headquarters immediately. After we capture the Jinzhong base, I will chop off the heads of all the Eighth Route Army and Chinese civilians and build a memorial to commemorate the heroic spirits of all the locust soldiers of the Imperial Guards Mixed Brigade and the Fourth Brigade!"

"Hi."

A staff officer immediately called the forward command post and asked Hou Gongjun to come over.

Hou Gongjun was the commander of the 26th Division. He led the 26th Division to participate in the battles of Nankou, Taiyuan, Datong and others. He had rich command experience and sophisticated tactics.

While waiting for Harumi Jun, Muto Akira called in Lieutenant Colonel Taniguchi Kenkichi, the intelligence officer, and asked him, "Mr. Taniguchi, it's been three days. Have you found any detailed information about Xing Zhiguo?"

At the beginning, neither Yamashita Tomoyuki nor Muto Akira took the Jinzhong Eighth Route Army seriously.

Li Yunlong had gone to northwest Shanxi, and central Shanxi had probably been abandoned by the Eighth Route Army. They believed that the battle would be over soon.

but.

After three days of fighting, they failed to gain any advantage despite their superior numbers, and instead suffered a considerable loss. Yamashita Tomoyuki and Muto Akira had to pay attention to the commander of the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong, and asked the intelligence department to obtain detailed information about him as soon as possible.

At present, the intelligence department has only investigated one name, and knows nothing else about Xing Zhiguo’s resume.

"Private Marseille, there is no..."

Lieutenant Colonel Taniguchi bowed his head and apologized bitterly:

"Before the holy war began, the Locust Army's intelligence department only collected information on officers at the rank of major general or division level or above in the Empire or the government forces of the imaginary enemy countries."

"But this person has never held a position in the Chinese government's military and has no contact with any Chinese government agencies, so at present..."

Before he could finish his words, Lieutenant Colonel Taniguchi was slapped in the face.

"idiot……"

This answer obviously did not satisfy Muto Akira, so he kicked back again, directly kicking Lieutenant Colonel Taniguchi away.

Soon, Hou Gongjun came to the command center from the forward command post.

Yamashita Tomoyuki ordered Hou Gongjun to follow the new plan and launch a surprise attack on the Wangjiawan defense line tonight.

"Hi."

Hou Gongjun's eyes lit up, thinking that this tactic was very good. Then he suddenly lowered his head and turned towards the front command post with murderous intent.

Simultaneously.

Muto Akira and Yamashita Tomoyuki sent another telegram to the commander of the 21st Division, Washizu Matsudaira, stating that the 21st Division would launch a simultaneous attack on the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong at Zhangjiazhai tonight.

The night was as dark as ink, and you couldn’t see your hand in front of you.

Just after eight o'clock in the evening, the 21st Division and the 26th Division each launched a feint attack on their respective fronts.

The Japanese and puppet troops were 300 meters away from the front line of the New 1st Regiment Jinzhong troops. They were shouting and firing wildly and throwing grenades, making a lot of noise.

A few minutes later, just as the soldiers of the New 1st Regiment entered their positions from the tunnel, the Japanese artillery shells fell on the New 1st Regiment's front-line positions.

(End of this chapter)