Bright Sword: Construction starts from southeastern Shanxi

Sure enough, an order came down, ordering his division to move south to Handan and transfer to the Eighth Route Army in the southeastern Shanxi region together with the Fifth Division.

After receiving the order, Kenji Doihara knew that he would definitely fight Zeng Jiwen's troops again in southern Hebei.

When he received the report from the defenders of Ci County, Kenji Doihara knew that Zeng Jiwen had taken action.

At the same time, it's not just my side.

Yesterday morning, news came from Taiyuan that the Locust Army was attacked by the Eighth Route Army on the Zhengtai Line. The performance of the 108th Division was a disgrace to the Locust Army.

As the new chief of staff of the 1st Army, before Yoshio Shinozuka took office, Kenji Doihara served as the division commander and chief of staff to handle all military affairs of the 1st Army.

Kenji Doihara was also well aware of the current situation of the 108th Division.

After understanding it, I immediately felt something was wrong.

It was quickly determined that if no measures were taken, the 108th Division would likely repeat the mistakes of the previous 108th Division and be completely annihilated, adding another military achievement to Zeng Jiwen's record.

So, after discussing with Commander Naosaburo Okabe.

He decided to lead a brigade himself, together with a brigade from the Fifth Division, to launch a small-scale mopping-up operation against the Eighth Route Army in western Hebei, to eliminate Zeng Jiwen's troops in western Hebei, and to allow Zeng Jiwen's troops in southeastern Shanxi to focus their attention on western Hebei.

In this way, not only can the Pinghan Line be consolidated, but the crisis of Zeng Jiwen targeting the Zhengtai Line can also be resolved.

Unexpectedly, just as he was about to integrate the troops, he received news from Ci County that it had been occupied by the Eighth Route Army.

This immediately made Kenji Doihara think too much.

Could it be that Zeng Jiwen is planning to attack southern Hebei, and the Zhengtai Line is just a cover?

Thinking of this, Kenji Doihara couldn't help but start to take it seriously.

He couldn't help thinking that way.

After all, in the mopping-up operation in southeastern Shanxi a few months ago, several of his regiments had suffered casualties to varying degrees.

The troops have only been replenished recently and are still in the process of getting used to each other.

If Zeng Jiwen took action against the Ji'nan Army at this time, the Pinghan Railway would be in danger.

After all, this was the most critical moment of the Battle of Wuhan.

When Kenji Doihara tried to contact the defenders of Ci County again, he found that he could no longer contact them no matter what. He immediately realized that Ci County might have been occupied by Zeng Jiwen's 389th Division.

At the same time, based on previous dealings with Zeng Jiwen’s troops in Anyang and Xingtai areas, the troops occupying Ci County this time were definitely not few in number.

If only one battalion was sent, they might be surrounded and eaten up by Zeng Jiwen's troops.

During the previous battles with the Eighth Route Army troops in southern Hebei, Kenji Doihara discovered that the equipment level of this Eighth Route Army unit was almost catching up with the Locust Army.

If they changed into the uniforms of the Locust Army, someone might mistake them for a well-trained Locust Army.

Moreover, once the locust army leaves the city, they will be trapped in this damn underground warfare, and they may be shot at anywhere.

Thinking of this, Kenji Doihara immediately ordered the 2nd Regiment of the 27th Infantry Brigade, led by Regiment Commander Sadazō Ishiguro, to set out at dawn to retake Ci County.

At the same time, the 15th Infantry Regiment of the 28th Brigade stationed in Anyang sent a battalion of troops to cooperate with the 2nd Regiment.

At this time, Kenji Doihara did not dare to be careless.

8 am on the 4th.

The 2nd Regiment of the 14th Division began to advance southward from Handan.

At the same time, the 1st Battalion of the 15th Regiment in Anyang was also heading north under the leadership of Battalion Commander Kobayashi Jushiro.

The two sides headed towards Ci County, one south and one north.

On the morning of the 4nd.

When the Japanese army left Handan and Anyang, they were quickly discovered by local troops.

After reconnaissance, the local authorities immediately reported the details of the escape from the city to the forward command post in Dayu area.