Quartermasters can also fight the devils

Looking at the telegram sent by the Chinese Expeditionary Army urging them to return for reinforcements, the commander of the 11th Japanese Army, Lieutenant General Anami Korechika, turned his gaze to the city of Changsha, which was within his reach on the sand table. He could not bear to retreat immediately. After thinking for a while, Lieutenant General Anami Korechika decided to give it a try and occupy the city of Changsha.

Commander Xue, commander of the Ninth War Zone of the Chinese government, also ordered the New 22nd Army, which had just arrived in Changsha, to defend the city of Changsha and delay the Japanese attacking forces in the city. This would buy time for Commander Xue, gather all the reinforcements, and encircle the Japanese army from the outside.

At the same time, in order to buy time for the New 22nd Army to build defensive fortifications in Changsha City, Commander Xue of the Ninth War Zone of the Chinese government ordered the 98th Division of the 79th Army reinforced from Xiangxi and the Provisional 7th Division of the Provisional 2nd Army reinforced from Guangdong Province to block the Japanese 4th Division and the Zaoyuan Detachment which had just crossed the Liuyang River and Laodao River in the eastern suburbs of Changsha City.

However, Commander Xue was very clear that these two divisions had just arrived and would not be able to withstand the Japanese attack for too long. But now they had no choice but to consume their energy. Commander Xue felt that as long as the New 22nd Army was given one to two days to build some defensive fortifications in Changsha, the Japanese would need to invest more troops and time to occupy Changsha. He would have enough time to concentrate the reinforcements, counter-encircle the Japanese from the outside, and deal a heavy blow to the Japanese attack.

As expected, the 98th Division and the Provisional 7th Division only held out for more than a day before they suffered heavy casualties in the fierce attack of the Japanese offensive forces. Moreover, most of the temporary defensive positions of the Chinese Army were broken through by the Japanese offensive forces. With the complete collapse of the entire defense line, the remnants of the two divisions were unable to restore their defensive positions and could only withdraw to the two wings.

After defeating the defenses of the 98th Division and the Provisional 7th Division of the Chinese government, the Japanese 4th Division and the Zaoyuan Detachment attacked Changsha city from the east without stopping, and engaged in fierce street fighting with the troops of the New 22nd Army of the Chinese government in the city.

After the Japanese attacking force entered Changsha City, they encountered the New 100th Division of the New 100nd Army which was responsible for the defense of the eastern urban area. After entering the city, the Japanese attacking force was unable to take advantage of its heavy firepower, and the defense force of the New 100th Division concentrated its forces and attacked the Japanese troops entering the city from three sides. The Japanese troops entering the city did not expect that the Ninth War Zone of the Chinese Government had arranged so many troops in Changsha City. They were driven out of Changsha City by the troops of the New th Division before they could gain a firm foothold.

After receiving a telegram that the attacking force was attacked by a large number of elite Chinese troops in Changsha City, Lieutenant General Anami Korechika, commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army, realized that Commander Xue of the Ninth War Zone of the Chinese government had not given up Changsha City. Although his 11th Army's attacking force had broken through the defense line of Changsha City, the Air Force's reconnaissance aircraft had already transmitted reconnaissance intelligence that a large number of Chinese troops were rushing to Changsha from all directions.

Lieutenant General Anami Korechika, commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army, was looking at the telegrams sent by the commanders of the front-line attacking forces. All of them were requesting that the 11th Army Command allow these front-line attacking forces to rest. At this time, the Japanese attacking forces were indeed very tired after many days of continuous fighting.

Lieutenant General Anami Korechika, commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army, knew that what was now a battle of time and willpower to fight. As long as Changsha could be occupied this time, the Battle of Changsha would be a success. Therefore, Lieutenant General Anami Korechika, commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army, ordered the 6th Division of the Japanese Army, which was attacking Zhuzhou, to join the attack on Changsha City.

On the same day, Commander Chen of the Sixth War Zone of the Chinese government, in order to support the operations of the Ninth War Zone, concentrated the superior forces of fifteen divisions and launched a fierce attack on the city of Yichang. Lieutenant General Uchiyama Eitaro, commander of the 13th Division of the Japanese Army in Yichang, while commanding his troops to fight desperately, sent an urgent telegram for help to Lieutenant General Anami Korechika, commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army.

The officers and soldiers of the Japanese 4th Division and the Hayabuchi Detachment were already very tired. In the previous attack, they thought that there were no Chinese troops defending Changsha City. Unexpectedly, as soon as they rushed into the city, they were beaten hard from all directions by the Chinese troops who had been ambushed long ago.

Not only did they suffer many casualties, but they were also driven out of Changsha by the Chinese army. Now the two Japanese attacking forces are unable to attack. Judging from the previous combat situation of the Chinese army in Changsha, the Chinese army defending Changsha must be the elite troops of the Chinese government.

Facing the defense of the elite troops of the Chinese government, it would be useless to fight street battles with the elite troops of the Chinese government in the current state of the officers and soldiers of various units. It would be better to wait for the Sixth Division to come and then launch an attack on Changsha city together. In this way, the tired officers and soldiers in the troops can have a little rest.

Lieutenant General Anami Korechika, commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army, is now under tremendous pressure. On the one hand, it will take a certain amount of time and manpower to occupy Changsha, and on the other hand, the 13th Division in Yichang is complaining bitterly. Now even the China Expeditionary Force has sent a telegram, hoping that he can withdraw his troops from Changsha as soon as possible and then rescue the 13th Division in Yichang.

Just when the commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army, Lieutenant General Anami Korechika, was hesitating, Lieutenant General Uchiyama Eitaro, the commander of the 13th Division of the Japanese Army guarding Yichang, sent a suicide telegram to the 11th Army Headquarters and the China Expeditionary Army Headquarters. In the telegram, he explained the precarious situation of the 13th Division. At the same time, the division commander, Lieutenant General Uchiyama Eitaro, stated that he would commit suicide by disembowelment when the city was broken to thank the Emperor for his grace.

The last telegram from Lieutenant General Uchiyama Eitaro, commander of the 13th Division of the Japanese Army, shocked the Chinese Expeditionary Army Headquarters and Lieutenant General Anami Korechika, commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army. Was the situation of the 13th Division so dangerous? Even the division commander was ready to commit suicide.

Lieutenant General Anami Korechika, commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army, saw that the 13th Division in Yichang was already in such danger. In addition, the various troops attacking Changsha were indeed extremely exhausted, with little ammunition supplies and materials left. Lieutenant General Anami Korechika had no confidence that he could guarantee that his troops in Changsha could capture Changsha and reinforce Yichang before the Chinese army occupied Yichang.