bayedsolid Chapter 396 Be prepared
Chapter 396 Be prepared
"Mr. Nakazawa, make sure the troops in the circular defense circle hold their positions until tomorrow morning. If the Chinese army's offensive is too fierce by then, we will concentrate the troops at the division headquarters for a final resistance." The division commander, Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke, gave orders to the chief of staff, Major General Nakazawa Mitsuyo, with bloodshot eyes.
"Sir, division commander, should we send another telegram for help to Commander Okamura Yasuji? According to the scale of the Chinese army's attack, we can only hold out for three days at most." Chief of Staff Major General Mitsuo Nakazawa still proposed to send a telegram to the 11th Army Headquarters for help, asking the headquarters to urge the reinforcements to speed up the attack. If it was a little later, the 16th Division and his own lives would be in danger.
The division commander, Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke, nodded. The only ones who could save his life now were the reinforcements commanded by Lieutenant General Ogisu Rikuhei. There was no hope for the 16th Division on its own.
In the headquarters of the 11th Japanese Army, Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Sadaichi walked to the side of Lieutenant General Okamura Yasuji, the commander of the 16th Division, with a telegram in hand and a serious face, and whispered, "Your Excellency the Commander, Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke, the commander of the 16th Division, sent an urgent telegram. The Chinese army launched a large-scale night attack on the 16th Division's circular positions from all directions last night. It was not until the early morning that the 16th Division's troops blocked the Chinese army's offensive. However, due to insufficient manpower, the Chinese army still broke through five circular positions and has already established itself on these positions. Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke requested the headquarters to urge the reinforcements to speed up the attack progress. They are expected to only hold out for another three days."
When Commander Lieutenant General Yasuji Okamura heard the battle situation report from Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sadaichi Yoshimoto, his heart trembled. The circular defense position of the 16th Division was actually partially breached in the first night attack by the Chinese army. It seems that the Chinese army also wants to completely eliminate the remnants of the 16th Division as soon as possible.
As senior commanders, Lieutenant General Okamura Yasuji and Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Sadaichi knew very well that the 16th Division's circular defense circle could collapse completely at any time. In that case, the remaining troops of the 16th Division would be completely compressed in the small area around their division headquarters for defense. At that time, the 16th Division would be almost completely destroyed.
Since the war between China and Japan, there has not been a case of a Japanese division-level unit being completely annihilated, let alone a regular division of the Imperial Japanese Army. If such a thing happened to their 11th Army, they would really have to be transferred back to their homeland.
"Mr. Yoshimoto, send a telegram to the commander of the 13th Division, Lieutenant General Ogisu Rikuhei, asking him to intensify the attack. The headquarters can only give him two days. If he fails to break through the Chinese army's blocking positions on the north side of the Xiang-Zao Highway within two days, then Mr. Yoshimoto will have to make a trip to assist the commander of the 13th Division, Lieutenant General Ogisu Rikuhei, in commanding the reinforcements to launch an attack on the Chinese army's blocking positions. We must rescue the 16th Division from the encirclement of the Chinese army, even if only one squadron is rescued, as long as Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke is still alive." Commander Lieutenant General Yasuji Okamura also gave orders to the chief of staff, Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Sadaichi.
Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sadaichi Yoshimoto understood that Commander Lieutenant General Yasuji Okamura was really anxious now. As long as the commander of the 16th Division, Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke, could be rescued, Commander Lieutenant General Okamura Yasuji would be able to give an explanation to the expeditionary force and the headquarters.
If even the commander of the 16th Division, Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke, were to die this time, then the commander, Lieutenant General Okamura Yasuji, would have to face the full wrath of the Imperial Headquarters and the Expeditionary Force.
You must know that the 16th Division is a unit that the headquarters is preparing to transfer back to the mainland. You, Commander Okamura Yasuji, can take advantage of this time difference to use the 16th Division for short-term work, but you cannot destroy the 16th Division.
If the war is won, everything will be fine, and the commander, Lieutenant General Okamura Yasuji, will not be held accountable for arbitrarily mobilizing the 16th Division to participate in the battle.
But if the battle is not won and the 16th Division is destroyed, then I'm sorry, the headquarters will definitely question the commander, Lieutenant General Okamura Yasuji, along with the previous issues, and he will definitely have to resign from the position of commander of the 11th Army.
As for the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Sadaichi Yoshimoto, he himself was not too worried. After all, the operations and command of the troops were not something he could decide, so the headquarters and the expeditionary force would not make things difficult for him as the Chief of Staff. At most, he would be reprimanded for the problem of untimely intelligence.
Upon hearing that Commander Lieutenant General Yasuji Okamura might need him to assist the 13th Division Commander Lieutenant General Ogisu Rikuhei in commanding the reinforcements' attack in the direction of the Xiangzao Highway, Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Sadaichi understood that he was just a supervisory role.
What about assisting the 13th Division Commander Lieutenant General Ogisu Rikuei in command? That's all bullshit. Now the combat troops on the Xiang-Zao Highway are basically composed of the 3rd Division's troops as the main force. Even the 13th Division Commander Lieutenant General Ogisu Rikuei may not be able to command them smoothly.
Moreover, if he went there, it would be an offensive job and a thankless one. If they won, the credit would go to Lieutenant General Ogisu Rikuei, the commander of the 13th Division, and the 3rd Division. If they failed, he would have to suffer the consequences along with Lieutenant General Ogisu Rikuei, the commander of the 13th Division. It was really not worth it.
However, he still had to obey the orders of Commander Lieutenant General Okamura Yasuji. At least now Commander Lieutenant General Okamura Yasuji was still the supreme commander of the 11th Army and his immediate superior, so he had to give him due respect. If he put on airs in front of Commander Lieutenant General Okamura Yasuji now, Commander Lieutenant General Okamura Yasuji would probably not let him off easily.
"Yes, sir. Please rest assured, Commander. If necessary, I can fly to the battlefield in the direction of Xiangzao Highway at any time to assist the commander of the 13th Division, Lieutenant General Ogisu Tatsuhei, in completing the combat tasks assigned by the headquarters. It is my honor to be able to share your worries." Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Sadaichi also stood at attention and bowed to the commander, Lieutenant General Okamura Yasuji, to express his determination.
"Well, Mr. Yoshimoto is worthy of being an elite officer of the Imperial Japanese Army. With you in charge, the battlefield on the Xiangzao Highway will definitely make satisfactory progress. However, I still hope that Lieutenant General Ogisu Rippei can complete this task alone." Commander Lieutenant General Yasuji Okamura looked at the chief of staff, Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Sadaichi, who was loyal to him, and was very happy with the attitude of the chief of staff, Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Sadaichi.