Comrade, Your Ingredients Are Too Complicated

Chapter 298 The Armored Train Supply Center and the Battle of Tanzhou

 August 28, 1941, the headquarters of the Eleventh Army of the Central China Expeditionary Army.

“Neji Okamura is nothing more than that.”

"I really don't understand what he is thinking. He clearly only has 100,000 troops but he still has to divide them into three groups. Does he think he is executing the Barbarossa Plan?"

“The rigid and backward tactics deserved to be Xue Boling’s stepping stone.”

After putting down the detailed battle report of the first Tanzhou battle in his hand, Ananwei expressed his views to his chief of staff with great disdain.

As a major general with no real power, Nakatsuka Nagakage did not have the guts to evaluate a commander of the front army, and he could only selectively ignore the games played by the big guys.

Considering that the next battle is related to his own future and safety, he pretended to be casual and reminded:

“Xue Boling still has some strength, and the combat effectiveness of the ninth theater of the Republic of China cannot be underestimated. They can even unite the military and civilians at certain times.”

“What’s more, we must pay attention to the movements of the Eighth Route Army Air Force. The Kwantung Army, the North China Front Army and the Eleventh Air Force issued early warnings to all troops with blood.”

"Once those villains launch a surprise attack from the air, the troops will definitely suffer heavy casualties. Now is the time to employ people, and we must try to avoid meaningless casualties."

If the above words were said to Yoshio Shinozuka, the swordsman master would definitely respond with a big blow immediately.

However, Anan Weiji is not a willful person. Unlike some commanders who are full of muscles, he knows what it means to be honest and hard-working.

 After hearing the reminder from his chief of staff, the old devil nodded solemnly.

The previous air battle in the mountain city directly overturned the assumptions of the senior leaders of the dispatched army.

The Japanese were surprised to find that the Eighth Route Army could be so generous and disregard past grudges, and even traveled across mountains and rivers to the southwest to help defend the airspace with preserved fruits.

 In order to verify the above conclusion, the Japanese army used a large number of spies who had been lurking for many years.

According to past experience, such a large-scale attack will definitely intercept the intelligence as soon as possible.

Who would have thought that not only did the agents find nothing, but the cunning gentleman Boss Dai discovered many contact points along the way.

However, such confidentiality measures made the Japanese suspect that some kind of secret connection had been established between the preserved fruits and the Eighth Route Army. As a result, at this stage, the Central China Front Army was restrained in everything it did.

 The First Air Division is really like a supermodel on the Asian battlefield and must be guarded against.

 In fact, it is not the fault of the agents that no intelligence was collected. After all, only a few people inside Guoju knew the truth about the air battle. Compared with some important military intelligence, Baldhead cares more about how to let his subordinates keep the scandal for him.

“Don’t worry, I’m not one of those reckless men from the North China Front.”

“As early as two months ago, I applied to Commander-in-Chief Shunroku Hata for anti-aircraft guns of various calibers. When the battle officially begins, two flying squadrons from the Kanto Army will come to assist.”

“This time we learned from our allies’ tactics in Poland and France, and concentrated our forces and multiple tank brigades to launch a surprise attack in the early stages of the battle, trying to break through the enemy’s defense lines in a short time!”

 Since the second half of 1940, the lives of the Japanese have been getting worse and worse.

Hundred Regiment Battle, Shanggao Battle, Zhongtiao Mountain Battle, the Second Taiyuan Battle, plus the mountain city air battle, a series of extremely ferocious combination punches gave them no chance to breathe.

 Happiness never comes in pairs, and misfortunes never come alone.

While the Republic of China suffered setbacks on the battlefield, the Chou Kingdom was also pressing forward step by step.

Master Luo continues to adjust the trade policies of both parties to put pressure on them, and the supply channels for oil and rubber may be cut off at any time.

If they don't open up a new battlefield so that they can plunder enough strategic resources, they will suffocate to death in the Republic of China sooner or later.

 The choice currently left for Benzi is to go north or go south.

Although Germany's Operation Barbarossa was unstoppable, Army Group North reached Leningrad in less than two months, Army Group Center also completely captured Smolensk, and Army Group South was about to complete the encirclement and annihilation of Kiev.

But Dalinzi still did not mobilize too many troops from the Far East, and left 500,000 troops to confront the Kwantung Army.

 When I thought of the shadow cast by the "Big Mac" T26, the writers gave up the idea of ​​going north.

The mustache didn’t bring any real benefits, so there was no need to fight with the idiots for the poor land in Eastern Siberia.

 Compared to the Mao Xiong who has an army of tens of millions, the Ugly Kingdom seems to be easier to bully.

Since there is no possibility of going north, the only option is to go south.

 After making the final decision, the Japanese were prepared to take advantage of the less pressure in the north to formally implement their plan to enter Southeast Asia.

Since the Japanese army's military strength is insufficient, and now it has invested too many troops in the battlefield of the Republic of China, how to smoothly mobilize troops from the battlefield has naturally become the most critical priority.

 Dividing the troops directly will definitely not work. Let’s not mention whether the Eighth Route Army will take the opportunity to beat up the drowned dog, but there is a high probability that the bald head will seize the opportunity to organize a counterattack.

 After the main war faction's arguments, the base camp decided to make another push before going south, trying to find a breakthrough in the Republic of China to stabilize the situation.

As the saying goes, pick the softest persimmon.

 The Eighth Route Army, which had a large air force and artillery, was not easy to mess with, so preserved fruit became the target of the Japanese again.

In this context, Anami Ekichi was ordered by the base camp to replace Lieutenant General Sonobe Kazuichiro, who was defeated in the Battle of Kamigaoka, and became the new commander of the Eleventh Army.

The task assigned to him was not complicated, which was to crush the ninth theater of the Republic of China and capture Tanzhou.

As long as the Japs' plan can be completed smoothly, the bald people in Shancheng will never even think about living a stable life.

“This time we have concentrated five divisions and five independent mixed brigades, coupled with 26 artillery brigades and more than 200 fighter planes of various types, we will definitely be able to destroy the will of the soldiers and civilians of the Republic of China to resist the war.”

"The affairs of North China have nothing to do with us. Let Neji Okamura lead his own people to defend it."

"Leave the battlefield in central China to me! I would like to see what Xue Boling can do to stop the 150,000-strong army."

  ·······

Yuelu Mountain in Tanzhou, Ninth War Zone Headquarters.

“I really don’t know what the devils were thinking, but they actually sent a civilian official to take charge of the overall situation.”

"Neither Sonobe nor Ichiro nor Okamura Neji are our opponents. Even a small lieutenant general dares to invade Tanzhou! Twelve armies have been assembled in the war zone this time. We must show Anan Weiji What is the Heavenly Furnace Tactics?”

“As long as the Japanese from five divisions can be killed, the troops may even hope to unite with the Fifth and Sixth Theaters to regain Jiangcheng!”

Seeing his chief of staff Wu Yizhi getting more and more excited, Xue Boling quickly reached out and tugged the other man's arm. The two are fellow villagers and comrades-in-arms. They have worked together since the Northern Expedition. It is natural that there is no problem in having fun when there is no one around.

　Judging from the resume, Anan Weiji is indeed a civilian. He once served as the Director of Military Affairs and the Director of Personnel, and at the most exaggerated time, he also served as the Undersecretary of the Army.

The only experience I have with leading troops in combat was when I served as a division commander for eight months in Shanxi three years ago. There are no records of large-scale battles at all.

 “Okay, just say a few words.”

“Shunroku Hata is an old fox. I don’t believe he will send a rookie to the front line to command the army. The other party must have skills that we have not discovered yet.”

“Let the troops at all levels pay attention to intelligence work and not allow the enemy to easily launch a surprise attack on us. If necessary, we can trade space for time and use old methods to divide and surround the enemy.”

 The fall of many provinces caused the loss of many grain-producing areas for preserved fruits.

At this time, Hunan's status was particularly important. Hunan and Guangzhou were well known to the world, which is not just talk.

 In order to resist the menacing Japanese army, the Ninth War Zone spent almost half of its wealth, and even the unused anti-aircraft guns in the mountain city were borrowed.

As if thinking of something, Wu Yizhi first looked around, and then whispered to his commander:

“Brother Boling, do you think we can find a way to contact the Eighth Route Army through connections?”

"As long as the other side is willing to send some air support, the next battle will definitely become extremely easy. After all, you have accompanied them for more than 20,000 miles. If you don't try, you won't know the result."

“If the other party can help Shancheng fight air combat regardless of past grudges, it will definitely not care about the trivial matters before. With the Chairman standing in front, your previous experiences are nothing.”

As soon as these words came out, Xue Boling was so angry that he laughed out loud.

My own chief of staff has strong military qualities, but his emotional intelligence and political acumen are very poor.

Although he did not witness the air battle in the mountain city with his own eyes, any fool could tell that his chairman had been sulking for several days.

If anyone dares to contact the Eighth Route Army secretly now, it is estimated that even a commander at the level of General Zhu will be suspended from duty.

 After thinking for a moment, he slapped the other party on the shoulder, and then said somewhat depressedly:

“What’s your bad idea? They are willing to go to the mountain city for the sake of the people. How can I have the dignity to ask others to help me?”

“Besides, as long as the opponent’s plane appears in the sky over Tanzhou, believe it or not, Boss Dai will appear at our headquarters after the battle is over.”

“If you have time to talk nonsense with me, you might as well go see the people’s preparations.”

In the last battle, the Ninth War Zone mobilized a large number of people in order to prevent the Japanese from attacking.

The soldiers and fellow villagers dug up large and small roads, filled the fields in the countryside with water during the retreat, and even planted landmines in the water if possible.

The local people resolutely implemented Xue Boling's policy of strengthening the walls and clearing the country, leaving not a grain of rice for the enemy.

This move caught Okamura Neji off guard. After all, they only brought a few days of rations with them when they marched, and when they were about to finish eating, they went to nearby villages to grab it.

 Faced with the strange moves of the Ninth War Zone, the Japanese were very uncomfortable.

It was precisely because the transport vehicle carrying heavy equipment got stuck in the mud and the logistics supplies were delayed in being delivered to the front line that Okamura Neiji chose to withdraw his troops.

Facing the inquiry from his commander, Wu Yizhi looked quite proud.

"Don't worry, I have assigned special personnel to carry out and check everything. With your authority, the common people are very cooperative with the work of grassroots soldiers."

"As long as the devils can't come up with any new tricks, we can thwart the devils' conspiracy again."

Compared to the optimistic chief of staff, Xue Boling seemed worried at this time.

The biggest problem with preserved fruits at present is that it is difficult to coordinate between the war zones, and it often happens that troops at all levels fight independently.

What's more, there are still people who are reluctant to spend money. The so-called support does not pose an effective threat to the Japanese at all. This phenomenon has been seen frequently in many large-scale battles.

 The Sixth War Zone is better, after all, the commander is one of our own. Once the war requires it, the other side will definitely send troops to cooperate with us in time.

The fifth war zone may not respond in time. After all, Deli suffered a lot of losses in the battles of Suizao and Zaoyi. It would be good to ensure that his defense zone is not captured by the enemy.

Xue Boling sighed at the huge mess. As he walked towards the military area of ​​Dayunshan position, he ordered to the chief of staff beside him:

“Call me the commander of the 74th Army and ask him to sell less biscuits and come to the headquarters for a meeting as soon as possible. I have an important task for him.”

  ·······

While Anan Weiji and Xue Boling were making preparations for the war, the Eighth Route Army headquarters in Shanxi was not idle either.

 Originally, the deputy commander-in-chief had set the time to attack Suiyuan in October this year, but the undercurrent in central China forced him to advance his plan.

After the air battle in Shancheng, Bald Head repeatedly asked the Eighth Office to inform the border areas, strictly prohibiting the Eighth Route Army from taking the initiative to attack without receiving requests for help.

Everyone knows what the other party is thinking. They are just afraid that their territory will be robbed.

But the fight against Japan and the Japanese was not for someone’s selfish desires, but to save the suffering common people on the land of China.

If the Eighth Route Army launched an attack on the Mongolian troops stationed in the Suiyuan area during the Second Battle of Tanzhou, it would more or less be able to contain a group of enemies.

 The headquarters has really taken great pains not to undermine the united front.

Although the 1st Air Division may not have time to change equipment, and the 1st Marine Regiment may not have enough time to run in with the new equipment, they can only practice more to improve their combat effectiveness as much as possible.

“Zhang Wanhe, air defense troops and guard troops are stationed in all major supply centers. Your logistics department can transport weapons and supplies starting today.”

"I have only one request. The total inventory can be used by the three main forces for at least a month!"

 “Yes! Guaranteed to complete the task!”

 In this battle, the headquarters left sufficient preparation time for the logistics department.

At Huanghe's suggestion, comrades built multiple supply centers along the railway line. Once the war started, trains could transport a steady stream of supplies to the front lines.

Considering that there might be enemies that penetrated into Shanxi and squatted along the Tongpu Railway to launch onboard assaults on transport trains, Huang also specially modified several armored trains.

Although the transportation capacity has been reduced, the safety and reliability have been improved by several levels. Zhang Wanhe no longer has to worry about the baby train having an accident midway.

The biggest shortage in Shanxi is coal. If the transportation capacity is small, make more trips.

 (End of this chapter)