Quartermasters can also fight the devils

Inside the headquarters of the new 22nd Army, Commander Huang and Chief of Staff Zhao Dong were looking at the inquiry telegram sent by the theater command. They knew that this was because the theater was worried that the 12th Army in the Daya Bay direction would not be able to hold out for too long, and that the 18th Division of the Japanese Army would be pressing in from the east of Yangcheng. If that happened, the new 22nd Army would be in big trouble.

"Brother Zhao, send a telegram to Zhang Wenwu and ask him how long it will take to eliminate the Japanese flanking forces on the west bank of the Pearl River. Tell him that it will take the shortest possible time. The 12th Army Group cannot hold out for much longer." Commander Huang also asked Chief of Staff Zhao Dong to ask Zhang Wenwu to shorten the planned combat time as much as possible.

Inside the headquarters of the new 100th Division, Zhang Wenwu and Ouyang Heng fell into deep thought after seeing the inquiry telegram sent by the military. They reviewed the battle plan they had previously formulated while looking at the map.

"Division Commander, if we calculate according to the battle plan we formulated before, it will take us about five days to completely eliminate the Japanese army's flanking forces. I don't think the 12th Army can hold out during this period. But if we compress the time, the Japanese army's early consumption will hardly reach the level we hope for. This will turn the subsequent encirclement battle into a war of attrition and fail to achieve the effect of a quick victory." Ouyang Heng frowned and told him the situation he had calculated.

Zhang Wenwu was also looking at the map with a frown. They knew why the theater had this requirement, but how could they control the time? He estimated that the theater would not approve any combat plan that lasted more than three days, because it would be difficult for the 12th Army to complete the task of blocking the Japanese 18th Division from coming to reinforce.

"So, Brother Ouyang, we will bury explosives outside and inside each position, try to cause as much damage to the Japanese army as possible, and move the designated battlefield forward a little. There is no need to put the Japanese army outside Sanshui City and then surround and destroy them. We will shorten the distance in between by half, set up a few more positions before that, and disperse some of the organization's sharpshooters to continuously shoot and kill the Japanese army in the surrounding areas. On the afternoon of the second day after fighting with the Japanese army, we will cut off the Japanese army's logistical supplies. The suicide squad and the special service battalion will be responsible for destroying the Japanese artillery units. In addition, a regiment of troops will be borrowed from the new 210th Division to help us speed up. Judging from the current strength of the Japanese army, they do not have the extra troops to threaten the passage between Nanhai and Sanshui. In this way, we should be able to end the battle within three days. If we cannot end the battle within three days, then we will retreat and never fight to the end." Zhang Wenwu also expressed his opinion after thinking for a while.

Ouyang Heng carefully reviewed Zhang Wenwu's idea on the map, and nodded, saying, "In addition, I think we should ask the new 211th Division to move the Japanese frontal attacking troops to Nanhai City. This way, they will be farther away from the Japanese flanking troops. At that time, the new 211th Division can entangle the frontal Japanese troops and prevent them from withdrawing troops to rescue the flanking troops."

Zhang Wenwu nodded, then said to Ouyang Heng: "Brother Ouyang, this opportunity is rare, we must give it a try, even if we can't completely destroy this Japanese army, we must make them suffer. Send a telegram to the commander, the time is set to three days."

The telegram was quickly forwarded by Commander Huang to the Fourth War Zone Headquarters. Commander He looked at the contents of the telegram and weighed the details in his mind. Three days should have been a very fast time, but the only concern now was whether the troops of the 12th Army could delay the attack of the 18th Division of the Japanese Army for three days.

Now the 12th Army can still fight on the defensive, entirely because the 18th Division of the Japanese Army did not make a full-scale attack. The Japanese Army wanted to wait until the encirclement was completed before launching a full-scale attack. This gave outsiders the illusion that the attack of the 18th Division of the Japanese Army was not very good, but Commander He and his men knew very well in their hearts that this was all an illusion.

"Commander He, the new 100nd Army has compressed the time to the shortest possible time. After all, there are still so many Japanese troops. Even if it takes three days, it will be very difficult to eliminate this flanking Japanese army. But can the th Army delay the th Division of the Japanese Army for three days? You know, if the Japanese troops on the west bank of the Pearl River are surrounded by the new th Division, the troops of the th Division will go crazy to rescue this Japanese flanking combat force." Senior Counsellor Wang also said the most crucial thing.

Commander He was also slowly pacing back and forth in the office. He was thinking about countermeasures in his mind. If Commander He was asked to give up this good opportunity, he would be very unwilling in his heart. Troops, he did not have enough troops to implement such a good opportunity to eliminate the Japanese army. Damn Deputy Chief of General Staff Bai, you could at least give me two more divisions of troops.

"Given the current situation of the 12th Army, how long do you estimate they can hold off the 18th Division of the Japanese Army when the Japanese troops that have been flanking the west bank of the Pearl River are surrounded?" Commander He also stopped and asked Senior Counselor Wang that this decision must be made carefully.

After hearing Chief He's question, Senior Counselor Wang also took out the current troop situation data of the 12th Army and read it carefully again. After he finished reading the data in his hand, he said with a bitter face: "Chief He, I estimate that based on the current combat power of the 12th Army, if the Japanese 18th Division attacks with all their strength, they can only hold out for two days at most. It will be very good. The morale of the 12th Army is generally low from top to bottom. Even Commander Yu wants to retreat quickly. It will be difficult to complete this combat mission."

Commander He walked to the map and looked at it carefully. The distance between Yangcheng and Nanhai and Sanshui was too short. The troops could not fight and retreat at the same time, and there was not much space to implement this tactic.

"Then is there any way to slow down the rescue of the Japanese 18th Division?" Commander He still asked Senior Counselor Wang without giving up.

Senior Counselor Wang also pondered over the map for a long time, then pointed to the area between Nanhai and Sanshui and said, "There is another risky way, which is to transfer the new 211th Division of the New nd Army, which is responsible for the passage between Nanhai and Sanshui. When the th Army Group collapses, they will go up and stop the Japanese th Division's troops near Yangcheng, while the th Army Group will do its best to stop the th Division's flanking troops."

When Commander He heard Wang Gaocan's plan, he was moved, but then he started to weigh the matter. It would be quite risky to withdraw a division from the New 22nd Army to block the 18th Division of the Japanese Army. Moreover, for the New 22nd Army, it was equivalent to completing this task alone. They had to delay the Japanese army attacking head-on on the west bank of the Pearl River, block the rescue attack of the 18th Division of the Japanese Army from behind, and eliminate the Japanese army that was making a detour on the west bank of the Pearl River. This was extremely difficult.

As for the 12th Army, they were thankful that they were able to stop the flanking troops of the 18th Division of the Japanese Army that attacked Huaxian County. Commander He was afraid that the 12th Army would abandon Huaxian County without authorization and then flee north. If that happened, the new 22nd Army would be in even greater trouble.

"Commander He, we only have such a small number of troops at the moment, and there is really no other way. If we want to complete this combat plan, we can only rely on the New 22nd Army. However, one thing in our favor is that Sanshui City has always been under the control of the New 22nd Army. The Japanese army's attempt to cut off the New 22nd Army's westward retreat is impossible. This is the most fundamental reason why the New 22nd Army dared to propose this battle." Senior Counsellor Wang also saw the reluctance in Commander He's heart. He himself could not give up such a good opportunity to eliminate the Japanese army.

After thinking for a while, Commander He solemnly ordered Wang Gao and the staff officers in his office: "Notify Commander Yu of the 12th Army Group that the transportation of materials in Yangcheng can be completed by tomorrow afternoon at the latest. The 12th Army Group must hold on to Zengcheng for at least two more days. After completing the defense time, the 12th Army Group can gradually abandon its positions and slowly retreat to Huaxian County, but it must block the advance of the Japanese troops along the way. After retreating to Huaxian County, the 12th Army Group must do its utmost to defend Huaxian County and stop the Japanese attacking troops that bypass Huaxian County. Without the war zone order, it is not allowed to retreat without authorization."

After giving the 210th Army's mission order, Commander He continued, "Send a telegram to the New nd Army. The theater agrees with their combat plan, but because the th Army has suffered too much loss of combat power, it may not be able to stop the reinforcements of the Japanese th Division. The theater has decided to transfer the New th Division of the New nd Army to defend the north of the South China Sea and stop the reinforcements of the Japanese th Division. To cooperate with the New nd Army in this operation, the theater headquarters will move to the South China Sea tomorrow, and the theater military police guard regiment will be incorporated into the New nd Army for combat. All personnel of the theater headquarters will act together with the New nd Army."

Everyone in the office was shocked when they heard Commander He's order. They knew that Commander He moved the theater headquarters to Nanhai City to show everyone his determination to fight. He was also telling Commander Yu of the 12th Army that he, He, was in the most dangerous place, and if you dare to stab him in the back, he would never let you go.

After hearing Commander He's order, Senior Counsellor Wang was excited for a while. He had not experienced the days of war for a long time. This battle with the Japanese army was the most glorious moment in his years of serving the country. Being able to fight against the Japanese army on the front line has always been his biggest dream.