Quartermasters can also fight the devils

Hu Hai's decisive judgment this time allowed him and his brothers in the reconnaissance squad to return smoothly to the headquarters of the 79th Army of the Chinese government. As soon as he returned to the headquarters of the 79th Army, Hu Hai reported the matter to the commander of the 79th Army, Lieutenant General Wang Jiaben, and handed over the order document about Changde that he had copied to Commander Wang.

After listening to Hu Hai's report with an incredible look on his face, Commander Wang of the 79th Army quickly called the combat staff officer who knew a little Japanese in the military headquarters to see what the document said.

After reading the document, the combat staff of the 79th Army told Commander Wang with certainty that this was the combat order and combat objective document of the Japanese 11th Army for this battle.

Now, when Commander Wang of the 79th Army heard that it was the target command document of the Japanese 11th Army's current operation, he immediately excitedly ordered the combat staff to quickly deliver this copied document to the Tenth Army Headquarters and hand it over to Commander Wang of the Tenth Army.

In the headquarters of the Sixth War Zone of the Chinese government, Chief of Staff Guo Chan was looking at a telegram sent by Commander Wang of the Tenth Army. After reading the process described in the telegram, Chief of Staff Guo of the Sixth War Zone felt a little regretful that he could not get all those valuable documents, but now he at least knew that the target of the Japanese Eleventh Army's attack in this battle was Changde, which was exactly the same as the prediction of Chief Sun, the acting commander of the Sixth War Zone, and himself before the war.

When Chief of Staff Guo reported this extremely valuable intelligence to Commander Sun, the acting commander of the Sixth War Zone, Commander Sun immediately began to study the adjustment and deployment of various troops in the Sixth War Zone with Chief of Staff Guo based on this intelligence.

After careful research, the acting commander of the Sixth War Zone of the Chinese government, Commander Sun, and Chief of Staff Guo ordered that the troops originally stationed in the northern Shipai-Yichang line do not need to move much for the time being, but just move south appropriately. They ordered the Jiang Defense Army to immediately transfer the 13th Division of the 86th Army to assemble near Jinyangkou to prepare to support the subsequent operations of the Tenth Army Group. They also ordered the 18th Army to advance to the area between Muqiaoxi, Gaochangyan and Baiguoping to assemble, forming a pressure situation on the outer line of the Japanese 11th Army's offensive forces and waiting for the right opportunity to attack again.

The reason why Commander Sun, the acting commander of the Sixth War Zone of the Chinese government, made such an arrangement was because he took into account the fact that the commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army, Lieutenant General Isamu Yokoyama, was very cunning and scheming. Commander Sun, the acting commander of the Sixth War Zone of the Chinese government, was worried that if this information was a bait deliberately given to the Chinese army by Lieutenant General Isamu Yokoyama, the commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army, then wouldn't the troops of the Sixth War Zone of the Chinese government have fallen into the trap of Lieutenant General Isamu Yokoyama, the commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army.

Therefore, General Sun, the acting commander of the Sixth War Zone of the Chinese government, who had always been mature and prudent, still left some room when arranging the troop operations. He still kept most of the Jiang Defense Army in the Yuyangguan Yichang area and did not dare to move too far south to prevent the offensive forces of the Japanese 11th Army from making a feint and taking advantage of the opportunity to attack Shipai.

After all, Yichang is still under the control of the Japanese 11th Army. The Japanese troops in Yichang are only 30 kilometers away from Shipai Fortress, and Shipai's strategic location is much more important than Changde.

At the same time, Commander Sun, the acting commander of the Sixth War Zone of the Chinese government, also specially ordered the troops to complete the defense line near Changde as soon as possible. Commander Sun ordered the 29th Army Group to designate the 44th Army to send a division of troops to defend the Lishui defense line in Jin and Li, and the 73rd Army to send a division of troops to defend the Lishui defense line in Shimen. The main force of the 73rd Army was to assemble and wait in the area between Xinguan and Yongsheng Bridge northwest of Shimen.

Lishui River is the most important line of defense outside Changde. Commander Sun, acting commander of the Sixth War Zone of the Chinese government, believes that with the strength of two armies for defense, it is expected to hold out for at least a week.

In addition, Commander Sun, the acting commander of the Sixth War Zone of the Chinese government, began to make clear arrangements for the defense of Changde City. Commander Sun ordered the 74th Army to dispatch all the troops of the 57th Division to immediately enter Changde City and prepare for a solid defense. The troops of the other two divisions of the 74th Army were assembled in the area between Taoyuan, Qijiahe, Lutianping and Yangmaotan in the southwest of Taifu Mountain, keeping mobile at all times and responsible for guarding the second-line defense position north of Changde.

It can be said that this adjustment by Commander Sun, acting commander of the Sixth War Zone of the Chinese government, and Chief of Staff Guo was quite timely. It has basically completed the defensive deployment of the Chinese army in Changde. The troops of the 29th Army and the 74th Army of the Chinese government near Changde have also begun to fully enter the defensive positions, preparing to fight based on the constructed defensive positions.

The Sixth War Zone Command of the Chinese government was happy because it unexpectedly obtained the offensive target of the Japanese 11th Army in this battle. However, the commander of the Japanese 11th Army, Lieutenant General Isamu Yokoyama, was now very dissatisfied with the advancement speed of the Japanese 3rd Division and the Japanese 13th Division responsible for the central attack.

According to the pre-war conception and sand table simulation of Lieutenant General Isamu Yokoyama, commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army, his 3rd Division and 13th Division concentrated in the center were quite strong. However, what was unexpected was that after a whole week of fierce fighting with the Chinese army, the advancement of the two divisions responsible for the attack in the center was so slow.

In response to this, Lieutenant General Isamu Yokoyama, commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army, sent telegrams directly to Lieutenant General Yamamoto San'ao, commander of the 3rd Division of the Japanese Army, and Lieutenant General Akashika Osamu, commander of the 13th Division of the Japanese Army. In the telegram, Lieutenant General Isamu Yokoyama also reprimanded the two division commanders and bluntly stated that if the 3rd Division and the 13th Division were not capable of performing the task of central operations, they could apply to be transferred to the rear as reserve forces for the battle.

This provocation by Lieutenant General Isamu Yokoyama, commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army, completely infuriated Lieutenant General San'o Yamamoto, commander of the 3rd Division of the Japanese Army, and Lieutenant General Akashika Osamu, commander of the 13th Division of the Japanese Army. What did they mean by being able to apply for transfer to the reserve force for the battle? If they did so, how would they have the face to lead a Type A division? How would the officers and soldiers in their own divisions look at them? Isn't this a naked humiliation to themselves?

However, no matter how angry they were, the defensive position of the 10th Army of the Chinese government on the opposite side was still so solid in front of their troops.

Therefore, after communication, Lieutenant General Yamamoto San'uo, commander of the Japanese 3rd Division, and Lieutenant General Akashika Osamu, commander of the Japanese 13th Division, unanimously decided to reinforce the central route with the Sasaki Detachment drawn from the Japanese 34th Division as a reserve.

As a result, the total strength of the Japanese 11th Army responsible for the central attack exceeded 40,000, far exceeding the 30,000 troops of the 10th Army of the Chinese government on the opposite side.