bayedsolid Chapter 430 Active Retreat
Chapter 430 Active Retreat
Commander Lieutenant General Ningji Okamura is well aware of the current material problems, but he has to support the Sixth Division to continue fighting even if it means selling everything he has. Otherwise, it would be very uncomfortable to be stuck in the middle of the battle.
"Mr. Yoshimoto, do your best to ensure the material needs of all the troops on the front line. Tell the logistics department. I don't care what method they use, I just want the Sixth Division to have enough supplies to win this battle." Commander Lieutenant General Ningji Okamura also gave a direct order.
In contrast, in the headquarters of the Ninth War Zone of China, Commander Xue looked at the commander of the New 22nd Army Huang Jinxian and the chief of staff Zhao Dong standing in front of him with a relaxed expression. Commander Xue was very familiar with these two men. In the previous Hongcheng battle, the New 22nd Army was still under his command.
"Commander Huang, the Japanese offensive forces are now attacking our defense line on the Miluo River. The 15th Army is holding the front. Judging from the current battle situation, the 15th Army can continue to fight for a while. However, I plan to order the 15th Army to withdraw in two days and let the Japanese army continue to approach Changsha city. When the Japanese army gets close enough, we will give them a blind attack." Commander Xue carefully explained his strategic ideas to Commander Huang and Chief of Staff Zhao Dong based on the map on the wall.
After listening to Commander Xue's introduction, General Huang and Chief of Staff Zhao Dong had the same thought in their minds: Commander Xue really has a big appetite. He saw that Commander Li of the Fifth War Zone had previously annihilated the 16th Division of the Japanese Army, and he wanted to compete with him and also wanted to perform the feat of annihilating an entire Japanese division.
"Please give the order, Commander Xue. The 40,000 officers and soldiers of the new 22nd Army are ready for battle and can join the battle at any time." Commander Huang didn't waste any words. The boss had told him the operational plan in such detail, so there must be a task to be assigned to his troops, and he had to express his position immediately.
After hearing Commander Huang's powerful statement, Commander Xue sighed in his heart, saying that this was a unit that had won battles all the way. Their morale and courage were different. They dared to actively ask for battle without even asking what kind of mission he would give them. They were indeed confident.
"Very good, Commander Huang. Your new 22nd Army will immediately go to Laodao River outside Changsha City to deploy defenses. Your unit's mission is to stop the attacking forces of the Japanese 6th Division on the Laodao River line and buy time for our flanking forces on both wings. Before completing the encirclement of the Japanese attacking forces, your unit cannot retreat a single step. Do you understand?" Commander Xue also seriously assigned the combat mission to Commander Huang.
Commander Xue had never used the New 22nd Army, his ace unit. He had gone through great pains and effort to get the New 22nd Army from the Fifth War Zone just so that it could take over at the most critical moment. The Laodaohe defense line was extremely critical and was the top priority for successfully encircling and destroying the Japanese attacking forces. Commander Xue was very relieved to pull the New 22nd Army up to defend at this time.
Judging from the current situation of the Japanese 6th Division, the New 22nd Army had to hold Laodao River for at least ten days to half a month. By that time, the flanking troops arranged by themselves would have cut off the retreat of the Japanese 6th Division. This task was relatively easy for the New 22nd Army to accomplish.
When Commander Huang heard that it was a defensive battle, he immediately stood at attention and said, "Please rest assured, Commander Su, the new 22nd Army will definitely complete the combat mission you assigned and ensure that the Japanese army is stopped at the Laodao River line and not allowed to advance even a single step."
Commander Huang felt that if the defense line was to be held, it would not be a problem for the new 210nd Army. Although the new 211th Division and the new th Division suffered heavy losses in the Sui-Zao Battle, after several months of supplementary training, all units have reached full staffing and their combat effectiveness has recovered quite well.
Moreover, in the last Sui-Zao Battle, the casualties of the new 100th Division were not bad, and the troops basically maintained their original combat effectiveness. This defensive battle can just allow the new 100th Division to take on the task of guarding the core positions, and the other two divisions can just help on the two wings. It can also be a good opportunity to train the new recruits in the troops.
On the day when Commander Xue's order was received, the chief officers of the various units of the New 22nd Army were called to the military headquarters by Commander Huang for a pre-war meeting. During the meeting, Commander Huang explained Commander Xue's combat ideas in the theater, and then explained the next combat tasks of the New 22nd Army. He also issued combat orders directly to the various units at the meeting. After the meeting, the various units of the New 22nd Army headed to Laodao River and began to build defensive fortifications.
Two nights later, the 15th Army of the Chinese government, which had been fighting fiercely with the Japanese army on the Miluo River defense line for several days, began to retreat on its own initiative according to the order of Commander Xue of the theater. When the 6th Division of the Japanese Army launched an attack on the morning of the third day, it discovered that the 15th Army of the Chinese government on the opposite defensive position had disappeared again.
When Lieutenant General Inaba Shiro, the commander of the Sixth Division, learned that the 15th Army of the Chinese government, which had fought with him all the way, had run away again, he was completely upset. This was too infuriating. Didn't you fight bravely before? Shouldn't you defend your position to the death? Shouldn't you defend to the last man? Do you still have the integrity that a soldier should have? Are you still the direct troops of the Chinese government?
The furious commander of the Sixth Division, Lieutenant General Shiro Inaba, also ordered his troops to continue to carry out the original combat plan. After the supplies and heavy equipment trapped in the rear arrived, they would attack towards Changsha City. The commander of the Sixth Division, Lieutenant General Shiro Inaba, believed that Changsha City was ahead, and the Fifteenth Army of the Chinese government could not fail to defend Changsha City. Let's see where they will run this time.
In the headquarters of the 11th Japanese Army, Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Sadaichi excitedly came to the commander Lieutenant General Okamura Neiji in front of the sand table with a telegram and said excitedly: "Your Excellency the Commander, the commander of the 6th Division, Lieutenant General Inaba Shiro, sent a telegram. They have just successfully broken through the Chinese army's defense line on the Miluo River. Now the division commander, Lieutenant General Inaba Shiro, has ordered the troops to continue to advance towards Changsha City."
After hearing the report from Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Sadaichi, Commander Lieutenant General Okamura Neiji was not particularly happy or excited. He stared at the sand table for a while before asking, "Mr. Yoshimoto, where is the Fifteenth Army of the Chinese Government defending the Miluo River defense line? Has the Sixth Division reported?"
(Thanks to the gift support from the Director of Shenlong Library, Eat Dumplings Without Vinegar, and thank you all for your support and encouragement!)