I am a wolf warrior

Because the scope of activities of the [-]th Brigade is in Shanxi, once Japan is completely defeated and the Japanese army is driven out of China, can the current Jin army beat the [-]th Brigade?Can it beat the Eighth Route Army?

But no matter how difficult it is to sleep or eat, Chief Yan has nothing to do.

Because the current Jin army needs food but no food, guns and no guns, and doesn't even have a decent territory. Just like this, how can they fight with the [-]th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army?

In the past two years, there was a wave of friction.

But what happened?The whole army was almost wiped out by the Eighth Route Army.

So Yan Xishan couldn't do anything except complain about Neji Okamura's incompetence.

"Incompetent, idiots, a bunch of idiots!" Yan Xishan scolded, "Isn't it quite capable when you fight against the Russian Jin army? How come you are so stupid when you meet the [-]th Brigade?"

"A dozen divisions fought against a brigade of the Eighth Route Army,"

"In the end, they got beaten up like this, and let the [-]th brigade stand out from the encirclement,"

"If I were Neiji Okamura, I would just buy a piece of tofu and kill him. It's a shame, it's a shame."

After cursing and cursing for a long time, Yan Xishan finally sighed and said, "Oh, I'm afraid something bad will happen if this goes on. I'm afraid Shanxi in Russia will become sparsely populated."

Director of Intelligence Yang Zhenji persuaded: "Don't worry too much, Chief. Although the 5th Brigade succeeded in breaking through this time, the [-] people dropped sharply to less than [-], and the arsenal was also destroyed by the Japanese army. It will become weaker and weaker, and it will be eaten by the Japanese army within a year."

"What are you thinking, do you believe this?"

Yan Xishan shook his head and said: "The strength of the Eighth Route Army has never been positional warfare, but sparrow warfare, guerrilla warfare, and mobile warfare. That's why I said this opportunity is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Japanese army, because the [-]th Brigade has to cover the transfer of civilians. , they can only be forced to fight the positional warfare that they least like and are least good at.”

"But even so, the Japanese army still failed to eat the [-]th Brigade in the end."

"Although more than half of the [-]th Brigade has suffered casualties, the survivors are the elite."

"More importantly, the [-]th Brigade no longer has to take on the cover task. It can be said that the dragon returns to the sea and the tiger enters the forest. The Japanese army still wants to eat the [-]th Brigade? Just dream!"

Although Yan Xishan didn't like the Eighth Route Army very much, he didn't want to open his eyes and talk nonsense.

Okamura Ningji mobilized ten infantry divisions, one tank division and one aviation division, but failed to eat up the [-]th brigade in positional warfare. Then the problem came. How many divisions must be mobilized to defeat the [-]th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army in mobile warfare?twenty?Thirty?

……

Neiji Okamura also had trouble sleeping and eating because of this.

The reprimand telegram from the base camp had already been sent, but Neiji Okamura didn't mind it, but it was just a reprimand, not to dismiss him from his post.

As long as he is still the commander of the North China Front Army, everything still has a chance.

It was the [-]th Brigade or Hirohito’s edict that made Neiji Okamura feel restless, because the base camp clearly stated in the reprimand telegram that His Majesty the Emperor was very disappointed with his performance in the Battle of Northwest Shanxi, and at the same time he A strict order has been issued to destroy the [-]th Brigade as soon as possible at all costs!

But how easy is it to wipe out the [-]th Brigade?

The [-]th Brigade was trapped in a corner of northwest Shanxi, but it failed to annihilate it.

Now that the [-]th Brigade has returned to the sea, and the tiger has entered the forest, it will be even more difficult to destroy them.

After all, positional warfare is not the Eighth Route Army's strength, but sparrow warfare, guerrilla warfare, and mobile warfare are the strengths of the Eighth Route Army. ?Ten divisions are definitely not enough, should we transfer twenty divisions?

Not to mention that it is impossible to mobilize so many divisions now,

Even if twenty divisions can really be mobilized, what about the combat supplies?

The [-] divisions allocated by Hideki Tojo to the North China Front Army are running out of combat supplies. If we continue to pursue and suppress, can the base camp still allocate sufficient combat supplies?

Neiji Okamura felt that the possibility was not great.

Because the beautiful army has launched a counterattack in the South Pacific.

Especially in Guadalcanal, the southern army is fighting fiercely with the beautiful army.

Under such circumstances, it is impossible for the base camp to allocate too many supplies to the North China Front Army.

Neiji Okamura estimated that the base camp could add five additional divisions to fight for the most combat materials, but this amount of combat materials was not enough to ensure that the North China Front Army wiped out the [-]th Brigade in one fell swoop.

Mizuhara Taku also obviously saw this, and persuaded him: "Your Excellency, of course His Majesty's imperial edict must be obeyed, but I am afraid that the actual difficulties must be considered. The various divisions participating in the battle are not only the imperial army. To the extreme, the consumption of combat materials and equipment is also huge, and it is no longer able to pursue and destroy the [-]th Brigade."

After a pause, Takuya Mizuhara said again: "So, let's choose a place to rest."

"Choose a place to rest?" Okamura Ningji said with a moved expression, "Mizuhara-kun, what do you mean?"

"Yes." Mizuhara Takuya said with a pause, "Just resting outside the Taiyue bandit area can also prevent the [-]th Brigade from running away. Once the rest is completed, they can attack again at any time."

Chapter 589 Difficult Times

Autumn went to winter, and the time came to the end of 1942.

At this time, the Piao Army had already launched a strategic counter-offensive on the Pacific battlefield, and the scale and intensity of the counter-offensive far exceeded the imagination of the top Japanese army.

Hirohito and Hideki Tojo originally thought that the center of gravity of the beautiful country was always on the European continent, so they would never invest too much resources in the Asian battlefield. At most, they would invest a small amount of resources to contain Japan. Take the initiative in the Pacific battlefield and win a powerful opportunity.

However, the evolution of the battle situation was completely beyond the expectations of the two.

From the beginning, the beautiful country has invested a lot of resources and a huge force in the Pacific battlefield. In order to fight for such a little-known island as Guadalcanal, the pretty country’s army has invested nearly 10 people, and the navy has concentrated all of its Pacific Fleet. The warships fought infinitely with the combined fleet of the Japanese Navy. More than 30 naval battles broke out in just three months.

Especially after the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Midway Island, the combat effectiveness of the combined fleet of the Japanese Navy deteriorated and became difficult to maintain. It was no longer enough to ensure the safety of the transportation channels in the South Pacific. able to fight on their own.

The situation in the Pacific battlefield gradually reversed.

After the news spread, the Japanese ruling and opposition parties were devastated.

The 1st Army Headquarters in Taiyuan also had a dignified atmosphere.

At this time, the personnel and strength of the 1st Army stationed in Shanxi have been adjusted.

Yoshimoto Sadaichi misjudged the situation and openly provoked the authority of Neiji Okamura. He was eventually transferred back to the Army Headquarters by Hideki Tojo and transferred to the reserve service. Seiichiro Kita was the commander of the 1st Army who succeeded Yoshimoto Sadaichi. This old devil got along fairly well with Neiji Okamura.

Mizuhara Takuya is now also the chief of staff of the 1st Army.

The structure of the troops under the 1st Army has also been greatly adjusted.

第36、第37师团已经被调往太平洋战场，取而代之的则是第71、72、73、74、75等五个师团，此外还有第1师团、第3旅团，以及第4旅团，至于第27师团还有第110师团则已经返回天津以及正定防区。

Therefore, the 1st Army now has 6 divisions and 2 brigades under its jurisdiction, with a total strength of more than 12 troops. It can be said that it is a group army second only to the 11th Army in the sequence of Chinese dispatched troops.

The reason why the size of the 1st Army has been made so large is because of the [-]th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army.

This can be seen from the deployment of troops of the 1st Army. Except for the 1st Division stationed in Lu'an, the 3rd Brigade stationed in Yuncheng and the 4th Brigade stationed in Taiyuan, the other five divisions are all stationed in Around Taiyue District.

Among them, the 71st Division was stationed in Linfen, the 72nd Division was stationed in Huo County, the 73rd Division was stationed in Jiexiu, the 74th Division was stationed in Qin County, and the 75th Division was stationed in Qinyuan County.

The five divisions surrounded the Taiyue District from five directions.

When necessary, Lu'an's 1st Division can also participate in operations.

It's just that the 1st Army is not ready to attack so far.

Because of the grim situation in the Pacific battlefield, it has already had a great impact on the Chinese battlefield.

The biggest impact is that the combat supplies are seriously tilted towards the southern army, which makes the Japanese army in the Chinese battlefield stretched.

Then, it is possible to transfer troops from the Chinese battlefield to reinforce the Pacific battlefield again, which will undoubtedly weaken the strength of the various armies under the Chinese dispatched army.

Kita Seiichiro had already heard the wind, and said to Neiji Okamura: "Your Excellency, have you heard? It is said that the 1st Division will also be transferred to the South Pacific."

"That's nonsense." Neiji Okamura said, "There is no such thing."

Hideki Tojo had already informed Neiji Okamura in advance about the transfer of troops. In view of the tightness of the Pacific battlefield, the Japanese army base camp was indeed planning to send a group of veteran divisions from the Chinese battlefield to reinforce them. They also had an old division in the North China Front Army. Transferred to the Pacific battlefield, but the 1st Division was not on the list.

The 1st Division is the core combat power to deter the [-]th Brigade, how can it be transferred?

"It's fine if there is none." Seiichiro Kita breathed a sigh of relief, "If the 1st Division is really transferred away, the situation in Shanxi will not be optimistic, right?"

Tokutaro Nakajima, the brigade commander of the 4th brigade next to him, asked: "Your Excellency, Commander, is the situation in the Pacific battlefield really so severe? Do you need to transfer troops from the Chinese battlefield again?"

Okamura Neiji said: "The situation of our army in the Pacific battlefield is actually not bad. Let's talk about the battlefield of Guadalcanal. However, it only captured less than a quarter of the area, and most of the entire island is still under the control of the imperial army."

"This is mainly due to the groundhog tactics of the general." Seiichiro Kita complimented, "If the general did not dedicate the groundhog tactics to the base camp, and Hyakutake-kun strictly implemented the groundhog tactics in Guadalcanal Island, the first It may not be easy for the 17th Army to defend Guadalcanal, let alone achieve such great results.”

"Hey, I don't dare to take credit for that." Neiji Okamura laughed.

"Speaking of this groundhog tactic, I have to thank the [-]th Brigade and the Chinese."

"Hai." Kita Seiichiro nodded suddenly, and then said, "When it comes to the use of military tactics and innovation, there is really no race in this world that can compare with the Chinese. As early as more than 2000 years ago, the Chinese had Developing strategy and tactics into an art."

"Yes." Neiji Okamura said.

"We Japanese have learned it for thousands of years, but we have only learned a little bit."

"It's enough to learn the basics." Seiichiro Kita smiled, "At least it is more than enough to deal with the barbarians in the beautiful country, otherwise the results of the war on Guadalcanal would not be so great."

"The result of the Battle of Guadalcanal Island was great?" Nakajima Tokutaro asked itchingly.

Generals of different ranks in the Japanese army can see battle reports with different levels of secrecy. Major generals like Tokutaro Nakajima cannot see the highest level of battle reports.

But Neiji Okamura and Seiichiro Kita are eligible to see.

"It's nothing to tell you." Kita Seiichiro said, "Relying on the groundhog tactics, the 17th Army has killed and wounded nearly 2 people in the beautiful country army in Guadalcanal Island, because the number of casualties is too large. Discuss whether to abandon the contest for Guadalcanal and move to several other islands in the Solomon Islands."

"That's the speculation of the intelligence department." Neiji Okamura said contemptuously, "The battle for Guadalcanal Island has been fought so far, and both Japan and Japan have invested huge manpower and material resources. This battle has become the wind vane of the entire Pacific battlefield. Therefore, no matter for Japan or for the beautiful country, there is no way out, only a bloody battle to the end."

"That's better." Kita Seiichiro said grimly, "Let Guadalcanal become a meat grinder for the Piaojun."

Neiji Okamura sighed softly and said: "I'm not worried about the 17th Army, I'm just worried about the Navy. The Navy's joint fleet has lost more than 20 warships, including the aircraft carrier Ryujo. So far, the Imperial Navy has lost half of it. aircraft carrier, which has seriously weakened the strength of the Navy's combined fleet."

"However, the Pacific Fleet of the US Navy has not weakened, but has grown stronger."

After this pause, Okamura Ningji said again: "In the long run, not only the South Pacific, but the entire Pacific Ocean will lose its command of the sea. At that time, what use is our army to be brave and good at fighting? Isn't it? Trapped by the navy of the beautiful country on isolated islands to starve to death?"

Kita Seiichiro said: "It shouldn't be so miserable, right?"

"I hope it's just my unfounded worries." Neiji Okamura waved his hand, and then said again, "Forget it, let's not talk about the Southern Army and the Pacific battlefield, and then discuss the situation of our 1st Army."

While talking, Mizuhara Taku also quickly walked into the battle hall.

"Mizuhara-kun." Kita Seiichiro said, "What can I gain from this visit to Jiexiu?"

Neiji Okamura also asked: "Mr. Suwon, is it possible to replicate the scene in Northwest Shanxi and force the [-]th Brigade and the local troops in the Taiyue bandit area to fight the imperial army in order to protect the people?"

"Your Excellency, this is simply impossible." Mizuhara Takuya said, "Because the situation in Taiyue's bandit area is fundamentally different from the previous bandit area in Northwest Shanxi, the boundary of the bandit area in Northwest Shanxi is very clear, and all the six counties in Northwest Shanxi It is a bandit area, and there is no contested area or consolidated area, so the imperial army can implement the three-light policy."

"However, there is no clear boundary in the Taiyue bandit area."

"Obviously, the Eighth Route Army has learned the lessons of the bandit areas in Northwest Shanxi."

"They have deliberately blurred the distinction between the core bandit area and the contested area."

"Except for a very small number of areas that belong to the core bandit area, all other areas belong to the contention area."

"And even the Chinese people in the core bandit area are inextricably linked with the contested area."

Speaking of this meal, Mizuhara Takuya said again: "As for the Chinese people in the contested area, the imperial army obviously can't kill them like they did with the bandit area."

"That definitely won't work." Okamura Neiji shook his head and said, "If the Sanguang policy is also implemented for the Chinese people in the contested area, the final result can only be that the Chinese people in the entire North China are pushed into the camp of the Eighth Route Army. The army is equivalent to fighting a war with hundreds of millions of Chinese in North China, and such a war can never be won."

Takuya Mizuhara said: "Therefore, it is absolutely impossible for the imperial army to replicate the scene in Northwest Shanxi and force the [-]th Brigade to engage in a positional battle that they least like and are not good at."

"Baga Yalu." Kita Seiichiro said, "The Eighth Route Army is really cunning."

"Hayi." Mizuhara Takuya said after a pause, "The Eighth Route Army is not only cunning, but also very good at summarizing and learning. As long as they suffer a loss in a battle, they will immediately conduct an in-depth analysis of the battle and use it in the next battle. Improvement, so as to avoid making the same mistakes, this is the most daunting aspect of the Eighth Route Army.”

After a pause, Takuya Mizuhara continued, "But it's not like there's no good news."

"Oh, there's still good news?" Okamura Ningji's expression moved when he heard the words, and asked, "What good news?"

Mizuhara Takuya said: "Your Excellency, the cage policy you launched last year has achieved initial results. Since the bandit areas of the Eighth Route Army have basically been divided and surrounded, not only the supplies from outside cannot enter, but also the Material exchanges have also stagnated. Food from central and southern Hebei cannot enter Shanxi, cotton from Shandong cannot reach central and southern Hebei, and salt and vinegar from Shanxi cannot reach Hebei. collapsed."

Speaking of this meal, Takuya Mizuhara said again: "Especially this year's disaster in Henan, millions of victims flooded into Shanxi, which made the bandit areas of the Eighth Route Army in Shanxi even worse. This time I went to Taihang Bandit The area and the Taiyue bandit area were inspected, and many victims were found, and some victims had already entered the Taihang bandit area of ​​the Eighth Route Army. Relief victims."

Okamura Ningji said: "In other words, as long as we continue to adopt the cage policy, the [-]th Brigade may collapse on its own?"

"The possibility is still very high." Mizuhara Takuya nodded, and immediately said, "The campaign must be futile, and implementing the cage policy may be the only effective way, but I'm afraid..."

Takumi Mizuhara didn't say anything, but everyone knew what he wanted to say.

Emperor Hirohito had never been patient. If the siege of the Taiyue District by the North China Front Army was protracted and there was no progress, Hirohito might find it difficult to hold his breath.

If it fails, Okamura Ningji will be dismissed from his post.

After all, Hirohito gave Okamura Ningji a death order.

Okamura Ningji said: "Mizuhara-kun, you only need to be responsible for implementing the cage policy, and don't worry about the rest."

The implication is that the pressure from Emperor Hirohito and the base camp is borne by Neiji Okamura alone.

After a pause, Ningji Okamura said again: "Mizuhara-kun, there is one more thing you must keep in mind, the blockade ditch surrounding the entire Taiyue bandit area will continue to be strengthened, and the road along the blockade ditch and the large and small strongholds along the road will also need to It continues to increase, but the imperial army and imperial association army stationed in various strongholds can only carry half a day's worth of ammunition."

"What? Ammunition for half a day?" Kita Seiichiro was taken aback when he heard that.

Ammunition for half a day means that it is only enough for half a day of combat consumption, and then what?In case the reinforcements fail to arrive in time, doesn't it mean that the Imperial Army and the Imperial Association Army in this stronghold can only fight the Eighth Route Army with bayonets?