Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

Chapter 535 Pincer attack!

"What? The Eighth Route Army mechanized troops appeared in Heyuan County and are heading towards Datong?"

Datong, Muto Akira suddenly stood up with an unbelievable tone.

Early this morning, Sugiyama Gen seemed to have noticed something was wrong and flew back to Peking.

Then he threw the whole mess to Yamashita Tomoyuki and Muto Akira.

Yamashita Tomoyuki led the Imperial Guards Division and the 25th Division, as well as the Imperial Guards Field Heavy Artillery Brigade, and was fighting with the Eighth Route Army on the highway in the direction of Shaohukou, buying time for the transfer of combat supplies.

But yesterday, a main force of the Eighth Route Army from Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei launched a surprise attack and blew up an important bridge on the Zhangjiakou-Datong Pingsui Railway.

This meant that Muto Akira was unable to use the train to transport all the war supplies back to Peiping.

Now Muto Akira can only mobilize small trucks and mule carts for transportation, but it takes time.

"Hi." The communications officer who came to report lowered his head. "The Eighth Route Army mobilized at least over a thousand trucks, in addition to a considerable number of heavy artillery, tanks, and other heavy weapons. Every truck was either loaded with Eighth Route Army soldiers or combat supplies."

"Based on the speed of the Eighth Route Army's convoy, their vanguard troops will reach Datong in three hours at most."

Heyuan County is only about fifty kilometers away from Datong.

It would take a whole day to walk this distance on foot.

However, at an average truck speed of 20 kilometers per hour, it will take at most three hours to arrive. This is the terrifying aspect of mechanized troops, their mobility is so strong.

Mechanized troops marching in trucks are not only fast and mobile, but also able to maintain sufficient physical strength, and their combat effectiveness is always at its peak.

Moreover, the trucks used by mechanized troops can carry a large amount of combat supplies to ensure the supply of combat supplies to the troops.

The Japanese army did not have many mechanized units. The 1st Independent Mixed Brigade was one of them when they first entered Shanxi, but due to logistical and command reasons, the 1st Independent Mixed Brigade had been disbanded.

Upon learning that a mechanized unit of the Eighth Route Army was heading towards Datong, Muto Akira frowned.

Is this still the Tubalu?

Rich Eighth Route Army!
How could the Eighth Route Army be so rich?

However, Muto Akira responded quickly:

"Order the 21st Aviation Regiment to dispatch all available fighters and bombers to immediately bomb the Eighth Route Army mechanized forces departing from Heyuan County."

"Order the troops to blow up the highway bridges around Datong, from Heyuan County to Datong."

"Order the 1st Cavalry Brigade and the 7th Tank Regiment to head to this area to block the main force of the Eighth Route Army."

"Also, immediately request tactical guidance from the Admiral."

Muto Akira's face was extremely solemn. He had never expected that at this point in the battle, Li Yunlong still had such a big trump card in his hand.

Moreover, it is a killer weapon that can hit the weak spot of the North China Front Army with one blow.

The situation of the North China Front Army is now very critical.

Because the mechanized troops of the Eighth Route Army coming out of Heyuan County were not only able to march straight into Datong, but also cut off the main force of the North China Front Army in the direction of Shaohukou and Majiapo.

"Hi!"

The communications staff did not dare to delay for a moment and immediately went to convey the order and request tactical guidance from the North China Front Army Headquarters in Peiping.

Not long after, Sugiyama Gen's telegram arrived: lead the troops to tie down the Eighth Route Army's mechanized troops in Datong, buy time for the main force of the North China Front Army to retreat, blow up all the combat supplies that cannot be taken away, and temporarily abandon Datong.

At the same time, Sugiyama Gen issued orders to Yamashita Tomoyuki and Tanabe Moritake, commander of the 41st Division, respectively, stating that the Eighth Route Army's mechanized troops were attacking Datong, and that each of them should leave a troop behind to cover their retreat, immediately turn towards Datong, and then retreat to Zhangjiakou along the Pingsui Road.

"Now, it depends on whether the 1st Cavalry Brigade and the 7th Tank Regiment can contain the attack of the Eighth Route Army Mechanized Forces."

After reading the telegram sent by Sugiyama Gen, Muto Akira's face was gloomy.

Although he had already sent the 1st Cavalry Brigade and the 7th Tank Regiment to block the Eighth Route Army in advance.

But the Eighth Route Army had heavy artillery and tank units.

Although he had sent the 21st Flying Regiment to bomb, but the 21st Flying Regiment had already suffered more than half of its casualties in this battle, the bombing effect would certainly not be very good.

"Deputy Chief of Staff."

Not long after, the communications officer rushed in again, reporting to Muto Akira with a panicked look on his face:
"The reconnaissance aircraft reported that a main force of the Eighth Route Army, numbering tens of thousands, had appeared in the southeast. They were crossing the Sanggan River and marching towards Datong, approximately 35 kilometers away."

"Nani?"

Muto Akira's expression changed instantly and he looked at the battle map.

A nearby operations officer quickly drew a large arrow pointing toward Datong on the map in the Sanggan River region, and inscribed on it a line of small text: "Eighth Route Army Main Force, Tens of Thousands." The arrows of this main force, along with the mechanized Eighth Route Army troops emerging from Heyuan County, clamped down on Datong like the two corners of a pair of pliers.

"Pincer attack!?"

The battlefield situation changed so quickly that the Japanese army had no time to react.

If the main force of the Eighth Route Army could be discovered earlier, we could respond sooner.

But now the enemy has crossed the mountains and headed straight for Datong.

If this suddenly appearing main force of the Eighth Route Army did not attack Datong, but went straight to Pingsui Road northwest of Datong to build a line of defense.

This would directly cut off the retreat route of the main force of the Japanese North China Front Army, and the consequences would be unimaginable.

Thinking of this, Muto Akira broke out in a sweat.

It’s bad, Li Yunlong is here to completely wipe out the main force of the North China Front Army.

Muto Akira immediately said:
"Order the Imperial Guards Cavalry Regiment to immediately head southeast to block this Eighth Route Army."

"Report this situation to General Sugiyama Moto."

"And notify Lieutenant General Yamashita and Lieutenant General Tanabe to move to Zhangjiakou as quickly as possible, otherwise the main force of the North China Front Army will be completely wiped out by the Eighth Route Army."

"Hi!"

The communications staff officer immediately went to convey the order with a serious expression.

……

At the same time, in the direction of Heyuan County, on the road about 30 kilometers away from Datong.

More than a thousand Jiefang brand trucks were marching slowly, and the marching convoy reached 20 kilometers.

The truck in front was almost halfway there, but the truck at the end had just started from Heyuan County.

The communications armored vehicle in front of the command vehicle suddenly stopped, and Li Yunlong's jeep also stopped on the side of the road.

Communications Company Commander Zhang Zhilian jumped off the communications armored vehicle, then walked over quickly and reported to Li Yunlong.

"Report to the leader."

"The radar station has reported that the Japanese army has just taken off more than 30 planes from Datong Airport. 20 of them are heading towards us, and about 10 are heading towards Deputy Commander Xing."

Although the War Deception Battalion was not here, the radar station of the New 1st Regiment in Ping'an County was always monitoring the movements of the Japanese aircraft.

"Damn it!"

Li Yunlong cursed loudly:
"Notify Deputy Commander Xing immediately and have them pay attention to air defense."

"Yes!"

Zhang Zhilian turned around and immediately ran towards the communications armored vehicle.

"Pass my order, stop advancing and prepare for air defense!"

Li Yunlong widened his eyes and shouted loudly.

"This is the regimental headquarters. All troops, stop advancing immediately and prepare for air defense!"

Zhang Dabiao immediately conveyed orders to the marching troops using a high-power walkie-talkie.

This is the advantage of being equipped with walkie-talkies. In a marching convoy of 20 kilometers, if the truck in front stops, the trucks behind will also stop.

But the troops behind may not know what is going on, and they cannot receive air defense orders.

When the Japanese planes come, we can only wait in the car to be bombed.

As the regiment headquarters issued the order, the entire convoy gradually stopped, and the soldiers jumped off the trucks one after another, either crawling on the hilltops or in the fields, setting up light and heavy machine guns, semi-automatic rifles, 20-meter machine guns and anti-aircraft guns, and pointing them at the sky.

The artillery unit quickly pulled up the camouflage net to cover the cannon. At the same time, the tank unit quickly drove the tanks to a hidden position on the side of the road. In addition to the camouflage net, they covered it with a layer of branches and weeds.

The distance of 30 kilometers can be reached in less than ten minutes given the speed of the Japanese planes.

buzzing...

The loud roar of engines and propellers was heard in the northeast sky, and more than 20 Japanese planes arrived as expected!

(End of this chapter)