bayedsolid Chapter 392: Grab You 1 Mostly Airdrop
Chapter 392: Grab You 1 Mostly Airdrop
As the airdropped supplies slowly fell, the battlefield between the officers and soldiers of both sides began to change from a fight on the defensive positions to a fight over the landing site of the airdropped supplies.
The officers and soldiers of the Chinese army had a very clear goal. As long as they could not prevent the Japanese army from successfully transporting the supplies and ammunition dropped in the combat area, they would win. As long as the Japanese army dared to approach these airdropped supplies, they would inevitably be subjected to a fierce firepower.
The officers and soldiers of the 16th Division of the Japanese Army knew that the Chinese army on the opposite side was waiting for an opportunity, but they still had to bite the bullet and force their way closer to the airdropped supplies in the battle area, because these airdropped supplies were necessary guarantees for their lives in the future.
"Your Excellency the division commander, we have collected part of the supplies dropped by the Air Force. However, at least half of the supplies are now in the war zone or have directly drifted to the Chinese army. The troops on the front line suffered heavy casualties while snatching the airdropped supplies from the Chinese army." Chief of Staff Major General Mitsuo Nakazawa walked quickly to the division headquarters with sweat on his head and reported the supply collection situation to the division commander, Lieutenant General Keisuke Fujie.
The division commander, Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke, looked at the sweaty Chief of Staff, Major General Nakazawa Mitsufu, and asked with some concern: "Mr. Nakazawa, how much supplies have we collected now? How many days can it sustain us?"
"Your Excellency the division commander, the collected supplies are still being counted, and there should be more supplies snatched back from the front to be delivered later. Judging from the current rough inventory, these supplies can only support our combat needs for two days at most." Chief of Staff Major General Nakazawa Mitsuo said apologetically to the division commander Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke.
The collection of airdropped supplies was specifically in charge of the Chief of Staff, Major General Mitsuyo Nakazawa. Originally, the 11th Army Command had prepared at least four to five days' worth of supplies and ammunition for the besieged 16th Division, and then the Air Force was responsible for airdropping supplies to the 16th Division.
However, the Chinese army's attack was too fierce. Many outer defense positions and lines were breached by the Chinese army and then entered the original airdrop site. This resulted in the amount of supplies collected now being less than half of the airdropped supplies.
This made the Chief of Staff, Major General Mitsuo Nakazawa, feel that he had not done his job well and had not organized the troops to seize supplies, which would have a very critical impact on the subsequent combat and tactical arrangements of the troops, and this was his dereliction of duty.
"It's okay, Mr. Nakazawa. It's very rare that you can organize the troops to collect so many supplies in such a chaotic situation. This is not your problem. We have too few troops now, and they have to be dispersed so much." The division commander, Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke, comforted the chief of staff, Major General Nakazawa Mitsuo.
The division commander, Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke, knew very well that it was useless to blame anyone at this time. Besides, the chief of staff of his own unit still needed the assistance of the chief of staff, Major General Nakazawa Mitsuo, in the subsequent defensive operations.
"Thank you very much for your understanding, His Excellency the division commander." After hearing the division commander's comfort, Chief of Staff Major General Mitsuo Nakazawa was moved and bowed.
"Mr. Nakazawa, let the troops on the front line try their best to snatch some supplies back. Thirty minutes later, no matter how much airdropped supplies are snatched back, order all troops on the periphery to retreat to the previously planned core defense positions. We will fight the Chinese army to the death in this last defense position and wait for the arrival of reinforcements." The division commander, Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke, also told the chief of staff, Major General Nakazawa Mitsuo, about his decision.
In the opinion of the division commander, Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke, with the supplies they have collected now that can last for two to three days, their troops should be able to hold out until the commander of the 13th Division, Lieutenant General Ogisu Rikuhei, arrives with reinforcements.
Now, in order to snatch the airdropped supplies, they have to sacrifice a large number of their already insufficient defensive forces. This is a very unprofitable thing. Even if all the supplies are snatched back, it will be useless without the defensive forces. In the end, the supplies will all be sold to the Chinese army.
Thirty minutes later, the Japanese troops on the outer defense line that were not surrounded began to retreat, and China's offensive forces pursued the retreating Japanese troops relentlessly until the retreating Japanese troops completely retreated to the last line of defense they had built long ago, and then China's offensive forces stopped the pursuit.
After seeing that the Japanese army retreated to the last defensive position, China's offensive forces did not launch a rash attack. Instead, they used their main forces to eliminate the small-scale Japanese troops that were surrounded behind them. After all, what they could eat was the safest.
In the Fifth War Zone Headquarters, Chief of Staff Xu happily reported to Commander Li with a telegram: "Commander Li, the New 22nd Army and the Second Army successfully broke through the defense line of the Japanese 16th Division in the rear during the morning attack, and snatched a large number of airdropped supplies from the Japanese. Now the Japanese have taken the initiative to retreat to the last core defense position. The Second Army and the New 22nd Army did not rashly launch an attack on the last defense position of the Japanese. Now they are organizing troops to clear out the remaining Japanese troops surrounded behind them."
After hearing Chief of Staff Xu's report, Commander Li also took the telegram and read the contents carefully. After reading the telegram, Commander Li nodded and said with a smile: "Yes, they made a very good decision. The Japanese army's final active retreat was obviously to shrink its forces in preparation for the final decisive battle. We are still not familiar with the Japanese army's defensive positions. If we launch an attack rashly, it will inevitably cause too many casualties to the troops."
"In addition, those small groups of Japanese troops surrounding them from behind also need to be eliminated. We shouldn't launch a full-scale attack on the remnants of the 16th Division in front, and then these small groups of Japanese troops in the back will jump out to cause trouble. That might disrupt the entire combat plan of our 16th Division. It's better to take precautions before they happen." Commander Li walked to the edge of the map and continued to affirm the decision made by the front-line troops.
"Yes, the Japanese airdrop did not completely achieve its goal this time. Although we don't know how much airdropped supplies we have seized from the Japanese, this can at least disrupt the Japanese army's original plan." Chief of Staff Xu also added in line with what Commander Li said.
After placing the telegram on the table, Commander Li also said with a smile: "Yes, originally we needed to buy time to deal with the Japanese 16th Division, but we didn't expect the Japanese army to cooperate with our actions so well. Now it seems that if we compete against time, we really have an advantage over the Japanese 16th Division. This will also allow us to fight steadily, which is a good thing."