Quartermasters can also fight the devils

"Division Commander, do you mean to eliminate this flanking Japanese force?" Ouyang Heng guessed what Zhang Wenwu was thinking at once. He also thought it was a good idea. They had originally thought that they would just have to defend their positions when the Japanese attacked, but now the Japanese army had only sent such a small number of troops to make a flanking move. It would be untrue to say that he had no ideas.

Zhang Wenwu looked at the Sanshui defense map marked by the divisional staff, nodded and said, "Yes, Brother Ouyang, this Japanese army's flanking force gives people the feeling that it is a bit weird. If they are going to make a flanking operation, then the infantry is a little insufficient. After all, the Japanese army has fought with our New 22nd Army many times on the west bank of the Pearl River, and they should have a certain understanding of our combat power. This is a multi-regiment infantry for flanking operations, which can only mean that even after the previous adjustments, the Japanese army's troops on the west bank of the Pearl River are still slightly insufficient. We can't let this opportunity go."

Zhang Wenwu pointed at Shunde and Nanhai and continued, "Another possibility is that the Japanese suffered heavy losses in Shunde due to the New 210th Division's previous blocking, and they had to withdraw some troops from the flanking troops to make up for the intensity of the frontal attack. We'll know the answer by sending a telegram to the army commander and the chief of staff."

Ouyang Heng looked at the map and said, "If the size of the Japanese army attacking head-on is not enough, can we eat up these two Japanese troops in batches?"

Zhang Wenwu did not expect Ouyang Heng's appetite to be so big. He had been thinking whether it was possible to kill these two Japanese troops of average strength separately. The Japanese must now think that the New 22nd Army would stay in their positions and wait for them to attack, which he could take advantage of. The flanking force was the farthest from the other Japanese troops, so he should concentrate his firepower to eliminate this force first.

"Brother Ouyang, let's first eliminate the Japanese troops that are making a flanking move. As for the Japanese troops attacking head-on, after we have eliminated the flanking Japanese troops, we can concentrate our forces to eliminate them or destroy a part of them." Zhang Wenwu expressed his ideas. He thought it would be better to come up with a plan first, so that we can have subsequent discussions based on the plan.

Zhang Wenwu and Ouyang Heng immediately began to study the situation. After studying the map for a long time, they found that the best way was to use explosives to first consume part of the Japanese army's flanking forces and cut off the Japanese army's supply lines. Then, they would send out troops to encircle the Japanese army.

"Division Commander, isn't this a bit risky?" Ouyang Heng said a little uncertainly after listening to the battle plan proposed by Zhang Wenwu. He felt that this battle plan was a bit risky. If it was not implemented well, the Japanese army would quickly arrive outside Sanshui City.

"Brother Ouyang, the battlefield width of the blocking positions we set up before is not enough. This was prepared to facilitate our efforts to stop the Japanese attack. But if we want to eliminate the Japanese now, we must make good use of these defensive positions to continuously consume the Japanese troops. We will gradually place the Japanese troops near Sanshui City, so that the Japanese troops can be farther and farther away from them and the rear. Only in this way will our suicide squad officers and soldiers have room to move behind the Japanese army. Otherwise, it will be difficult for us to cut off the Japanese army's logistics supply lines." Zhang Wenwu also expressed his concerns.

Ouyang Heng also understood that Zhang Wenwu's idea was correct. The previous combat plan was based on the strategy of gradual resistance. Now that the purpose of the operation has changed, the previous combat plan must make a large-scale rest. According to Zhang Wenwu's idea, the Japanese army must be lured out of Sanshui City and the space behind the Japanese army must be expanded. Only in this way can the flanking troops be sent behind the Japanese army to fight.

However, there is a biggest hidden danger in this plan. That is, if the Japanese army is not consumed too much by the dirty tricks in the front positions, once they arrive outside Sanshui City, they will pose a great threat to the retreat route of Sanshui City.

"Commander, do you think the Japanese army will be fooled again and again?" Ouyang Heng also expressed his other concern uncertainly. If the same trick is used repeatedly on the Japanese army, will the effect be as desired? He expressed doubts. Anyone with a normal brain should not be fooled all the time.

Zhang Wenwu smiled and looked at Ouyang Heng who was puzzled and said: "Brother Ouyang, the new 210th Division used our tricks on the Japanese three times. They were able to fool the Japanese so many times by stealing it. Then can't we, the inventors, find a way to fool the Japanese three times? Once is not too much. Let the Japanese lose about a squadron of troops. After three times, the Japanese will lose a battalion. We have an undefended position outside Sanshui City. Using the advantages of the position, we can at least eliminate about a battalion of Japanese troops. If calculated in this way, the size of the Japanese flanking force will be at most half of what it is now when it arrives outside Sanshui City. As for the Japanese field artillery unit, leave it to the officers and soldiers of the death squad and the special service battalion to deal with. I think the possibility of success is very high."

Seeing that Zhang Wenwu had made up his mind, Ouyang Heng didn't say anything more. What he needed to do now was to quickly elaborate on Zhang Wenwu's idea.

Colonel Hidenosuke Yamada, commander of the 42nd Regiment of the Japanese Army, led the frontal attack troops and slowly searched towards the direction of Nanhai City. He was not seeking any quick breakthrough to show his bravery. The tragic situation of the 41st Regiment had already deeply stimulated him.

The officers and soldiers of the new 211th Division did not expect that the Japanese army's advance was so slow. They even wanted to send someone to tell the Japanese army that we did not set any traps on your way forward. Could you move forward faster? Otherwise, by the time you get here, all the supplies in Yangcheng will have been transferred.

Unfortunately, even if the new 211th Division sent someone to inform the Japanese army of this matter, it would not allow the commander of the regiment, Colonel Hidenosuke Yamada, to remain cautious, and he felt that he would not believe anything the Chinese army said.

Under the eager anticipation of the officers and soldiers of the New 211th Division, the Japanese attacking force finally reached the first line of defense of the New 211th Division at two o'clock in the afternoon.

"Your Excellency the Regiment Commander, the First Battalion in front has discovered the first line of defense of the New 22nd Army of the Chinese government. The commander of the First Battalion, Major Kobayashi Zen, requests to launch an attack." Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel Yasumi Kinsaburo quickly came to the side of the Regiment Commander, Colonel Yamada Hidenosuke, and reported.

When the commander of the regiment, Colonel Hidenosuke Yamada, heard that the first line of defense of the Chinese army had been discovered, he felt relieved. He knew that there would be no traps set by the Chinese army along the way.

"Let the first battalion launch a tentative attack first, and the other troops speed up their march and protect the artillery unit. After the artillery unit arrives at the location, we will organize a formal attack to see the defensive combat effectiveness of the Chinese government's new 22nd Army here." The commander of the regiment, Colonel Hidenosuke Yamada, also ordered the troops to advance quickly. He wanted to see the defensive combat situation of the Chinese army with his own eyes.

After receiving the order from the regiment commander, Major Kobayashi Zen, commander of the 1st Battalion of the 42nd Regiment, immediately ordered the officers and soldiers of the 1st Company to attack the Chinese army positions in front. He still wanted to perform well in this battle. The 41st Regiment could not defeat the Chinese army, but he felt that this was also the best opportunity for the 42nd Regiment to prove itself.

When the Japanese attack began, the officers and soldiers on the new 211th Division's position were very excited. They had been preparing for so long and finally saw the Japanese army. However, the officer in charge on the position dispatched a squadron of troops to attack when he saw the Japanese army, and ordered half of the officers and soldiers on the position to open fire.

The commander of the 1st Battalion, Major Kobayashi Jian, was watching the advance of the soldiers of the 1st Squadron who were attacking in front of him. As time went on, his heart gradually sank. It seemed that the combat effectiveness of this army did not suffer great losses as the 41st Regiment said.

His First Squadron attacked for less than ten minutes before being beaten back by the Chinese army, and he saw through the telescope that his First Battalion had suffered heavy losses.

"Captain Kobayashi Zen, how is the situation of your attack?" After the commander of the 42nd Regiment, Colonel Hidenosuke Yamada, led his troops to the front, he hurriedly asked the commander of the 1st Battalion, Major Kobayashi Zen. He was very concerned about his troops' first attack.

"Your Excellency the Commander, Your Excellency the Chief of Staff, I have previously sent a squadron of officers and soldiers to launch a tentative attack on the positions of the New 22nd Army of the Chinese Government according to the order of the regiment headquarters. After about ten minutes of attack, the officers and soldiers of the First Squadron were repelled by the troops of the New 22nd Army of the Chinese Government. I counted the losses of the withdrawing First Squadron, and the result is not good. The First Squadron suffered 48 deaths and 35 injuries, including three officers, including the squadron leader of the First Squadron." The commander of the First Battalion, Major Kobayashi Jian, reported on the previous attack. This result can be said to be very shocking.

Colonel Hidenosuke Yamada, commander of the 42nd Regiment, and Lieutenant Colonel Kinsaburo Yasumi, chief of staff, were silent after hearing the result. They now had a preliminary and accurate understanding of the combat effectiveness of the Chinese government's new 22nd Army.

"Sir, through the previous exploratory attack by the First Squadron, I discovered that the troops of the New 22nd Army of the Chinese government opposite have not suffered heavy losses as the 41st Regiment said in the battle report. Their defense is very tight, and their morale does not seem to be low at all." Seeing that the two big men were silent, the captain of the First Battalion, Major Kobayashi Jian, also quickly expressed his opinion. He felt that the main reason for the failure of this attack was the incorrect intelligence provided by the 41st Regiment.