Comrade, Your Ingredients Are Too Complicated

Chapter 243 Asking Mr. Yansong to die

 Taiyuan, inside the headquarters of the First Army.

 After receiving the farewell telegrams from the 33rd and 41st Divisions, Okamura Neji turned gray overnight.

 At this time, his eyes were dull and he was exhausted. He looked like an unemployed middle-aged man. There was an air of twilight all over his body, and he had long lost the energy he had in the past.

 Looking through the battle report submitted by Yoshio Iwamatsu, the numbers above are even more shocking.

“In just one week, the entire front army encountered obstacles at every turn.”

“The Eighth Route Army’s firepower is very powerful. The grassroots units are equipped with at least twice as many mortars of various calibers as those of the B Division.”

“Lieutenant General Iseki Ren, Lieutenant General Shimizu Noriki, Lieutenant General Sakurai Shosan and Lieutenant General Adachi 23rd, hey! The situation of the First Army is too bad, it’s really bald!”

 Reading them one by one, Neji Okamura's tone was full of horror.

 After a while, the old devil opened the plan diary on the table and sighed deeply.

 At the end of last year, when he first took office as the commander of the North China Front, he looked so majestic and heroic. Faced with the complex situation in Jin Province, Yoshio Iwasatsu, a China expert, was first dispatched and personally planned the Central Plains campaign.

To deal with the Eighth Route Army, as long as the Central Plains Battle can be won, the First Army will be free to repeatedly raid the province with the strength of three divisions and four independent mixed brigades.

Even if the opponent may not be completely eliminated, it can still curb the development of the trouble at heart, and all problems will be solved naturally.

 For the Jinsui Army, the plan of inducement and recruitment was continued.

As long as a puppet regime similar to Wang Wangwang can be established in North China, our country will have a high chance of getting out of the quagmire of the Republic of China. When the time comes, the sky is high and birds can fly, and it is up to you to choose whether to go north or south.

What a pity, what a pity!

 In the past, Neji Okamura often laughed at Jun Tada and Yoshio Shinozuka behind their backs, but judging from the current situation, the clown is actually himself.

 The base camp had just passed him directly and ordered the 21st and 35th Divisions on the Zhongtiao Shandong Line to return to Zhengding and Xinxiang respectively.

The troops originally responsible for public security in Jin Province are now only available for use by the independent mixed third brigade stationed in Ningwu.

Even if the garrison troops along the railway line and in major counties were summoned, at most one regiment of soldiers would be mobilized.

With this garrison alone, even public security operations cannot be guaranteed.

It is even more impossible to recruit Yan Baichuan to surrender. The intelligence department finally invited people over and is preparing to increase their efforts and let him lead his troops to join the First Army.

  As a result, the two parties were at odds because of the incompetent Hanatani Masaru.

I heard that the other party also sent some troops in the Central Plains battle, and took advantage of the weakness of my brother's country to bite off a few pieces of meat.

But these are not important anymore. After this battle, the huge Jin Province may not have a place for the opponent. They are all defeated dogs.

 The strength displayed by the Eighth Route Army makes Okamura Neji still feel frightened.

 During the entire battle, the enemy mobilized a total of more than 100,000 troops. These are all regular troops, and there are no county brigades or district squads to fill the ranks.

The other side is also equipped with hundreds of M1897 75mm cannons, as well as a large number of advanced fighter jets.

 In terms of army infantry weapons alone, the only thing the enemy lacks is armored units and larger caliber heavy artillery. However, based on the other party's development speed, it is estimated that it will be completed in one or two years.

Perhaps the only turning point is the widespread famine in North China.

Only when the Eighth Route Army is exhausted physically and mentally from rescuing the victims can our country have the opportunity to turn the tide and regain the back garden of Jin Province.

"Why!"

Okamura Neiji sighed bitterly. If time could go back again, he would definitely mobilize more troops to attack Zhongtiao Mountain, and he must quickly resolve the battle with a devastating offensive.

Looking at the sky outside the window, he said to the guard outside the door: "Go and call Lieutenant General Iwamatsu Yoshio. I have something to explain to him."

 Ten minutes later, the most unlucky commander of the First Army in history appeared.

Compared to Seiji Kozuki, Meijiro Umezu and Yoshio Shinozuka, Yoshio Iwamatsu is simply a complete unlucky guy. He had empty ambitions, but he never had real power.

Not long after he took up the position of commander of the First Army, his immediate superior planned the Battle of the Central Plains.

But he is not the commander-in-chief. In a sense, if he wins, it has little to do with him, but if he loses, he will definitely take the blame.

 When he arrived at the war meeting room, he put down the wine glass and sake in his hands, moved a chair and sat across from Okamura Neji.

 It is worth mentioning that the old devil did not wear a military uniform today, but chose a men's white suit, as if he was mentally prepared to die.

 After finishing a glass of wine, he took the initiative to speak.

 “Your Excellency, Commander.”

“We cannot give up Shanxi. Once the Eighth Route Army is allowed to occupy the entire province, the situation in North China will be even more severe.”

Okamura Neji nodded, and then spread his hands helplessly.

 “Of course I know that.”

"There is no problem with our strategic direction. The problem lies in the misjudgment of the relationship between the preserved fruit defenders and the Eighth Route Army. You and I still don't understand the meaning of the old saying that the lips are dead and the teeth are cold."

 Both of them knew one thing. If they wanted to regain control of the situation, they would need a large number of reinforcements. But at present, the entire North China region is not peaceful, and the resistance movements in various provinces are becoming more and more intense.

Except for Jin Province, the situation in the two provinces of Hebei and Shandong is not optimistic either. The Eighth Route Army's base areas are like nails that choke the country's throat.

In the North China Front, the only army stationed in Mongolia that could provide support was tightly guarded by the enemy's Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region.

What's more, they only have one division, one cavalry group, and one independent mixed brigade. With such a small force, all of them going south would also be a tribute to the Eighth Route Army.

 The Kwantung Army is a good choice, but mobilizing troops requires orders from the base camp.

And the troubles there are no less than those in North China. There must be no problems with the Showa Steel Factory and the Kwantung Army Field Weapons Factory. They are the lifeblood of our country.

 After the two were silent for a few seconds, they came together to the map of the North China Front's sphere of influence.

 On the map, the blue areas along transportation lines such as railways and highways are the areas of influence and occupation of the Japanese army.

 But other places, such as the vast mountainous countryside, basically represent the territory of the Eighth Route Army. Looking from a distance, it seemed as if the enemy was gradually encroaching on them.

 “The Eighth Route Army is getting stronger and stronger.”

“Not only did they establish their own military factories, they even had room to develop migrant workers.”

“Forget it, these troubles have nothing to do with me anyway. Your Excellency, Commander, you must be very clear about the purpose of my coming today.”

Hearing Yoshio Iwamatsu's words, Okamura Neji couldn't help but look at the clothes on the other person's body. Today is considered a private occasion, so there is nothing wrong with the other party wearing casual clothes instead of military uniform.

 Under normal circumstances, the first choice for casual wear is definitely the haori hakama.

 Bai Wuguan, usually worn by women for childbirth or weddings. Once a man wears it, especially a soldier of his country, when he meets his superiors, he must be ready to commit seppuku.

Seeing that Okamura Neji remained silent, Iwamatsu Yoshio took out the short sword he had prepared from his waist.

“Someone must bear the consequences of the failure of the battle. I have made up my mind to go, please forgive me for my mistake, Commander!”

As soon as these words came out, there was silence in the combat conference room for a full minute.

Okamura Neiji did not take the short sword from the opponent's hand, but came to the back of the desk and took out a military uniform symbolizing an army lieutenant general.

After handing the military uniform to Iwamatsu Yoshio, the old man bowed deeply, and then shouted with all his strength: "Iwamatsu-kun, please stay at your post."

As early as a day ago, Okamura Neji began to find a way out for himself.

 Although the whole of Shanxi was lost and the entire three divisions of the First Army were destroyed. But considering his connections, it is not difficult to survive.

The only troublesome thing is choosing a suitable scapegoat.

 Obviously, Yoshio Iwamatsu is the most suitable choice.

 After all, the First Army has been killed. As a commander, it is natural that he should die together with his troops.

"Hahaha!"

Seeing Okamura Neji gasping for breath, Iwamatsu Yoshio smiled crazily. He originally wanted to die happily, and even prepared poison.

 Seppuku is a very painful thing, and the pain lasts for a long time.

Even these senior Japanese generals would not commit suicide unless absolutely necessary. Most of them stab themselves first and then end their lives by other means.

In order to ensure a quick death, he originally wanted to swallow poison and let Neji Okamura intervene. It can only serve as double insurance, and it can be regarded as giving the other party a step down.

But I never expected that even committing seppuku is now a luxury. It seemed that his commander's intention was to force him to die on the battlefield.

 For Yoshio Iwamatsu, who usually considers himself a samurai, dying in battle is a good choice.

But the premise of all this is that the enemy and we are evenly matched, rather than an independent mixed brigade attacking two divisions of the Eighth Route Army with more than 100,000 people. That's torture, not honor.

 The official level can crush people to death, and someone must bear the consequences of failure in a battle. Otherwise, those navy red deer will definitely take away the few resources like mad dogs.

"okay, I get it."

“I will lead the remaining soldiers of the First Army to defend this city.”

“I will definitely be stigmatized after my death. I just hope that Mr. Okamura can take good care of my family and not let them be harmed twice because of me.”

　　After figuring out the choice of scapegoat, Okamura Neji seemed to have regained his youth again. He first bowed again, and then said very boldly:

 “I will support your wife!”

 “Iwamatsu-kun, just go with peace of mind!”

That evening, a 97-type aircraft took off from Taiyuan Airport in a hurry. In addition, there are six Type 97 fighter jets divided into two formations. They are responsible for escorting Okamura Neji back to Peiping.

   I won’t get past him easily, there will be arrangements for the follow-up

 (End of this chapter)