Canteen System Assistance Notes

But what do you want to hear?

Is it reckless flattery? Or frank advice? Okamura thinks it is neither.

The battle situation had developed to this point, and he felt that he had entered a state where he didn't want to hear anything at all - although relying on his reason, Okamura could still skillfully use his identity as a political animal to consider arrangements for himself after the failure of the battle, but his brain seemed to be resisting thinking about everything about the command of the battle, and resisting considering what would happen to him if he failed completely.

"Your Excellency! You have indeed been very kind to me, but this is the year 1943, and we are no longer in the days of retainers and daimyo. Furthermore, it is precisely because of your great kindness that I speak candidly. Honest words may be unpleasant to the ears, but they are beneficial to action. I dare to guarantee that everything I say is for the sake of the future of the Empire and the Imperial Army!"

Iimura Jo in front of him finally straightened up at his request, but he continued to chatter.

He analyzed the current battle situation between the Imperial Army and the Communist Army, and listed the current combat power comparison between the Imperial Army and the Communist Army, as if trying to convince himself to follow the advice and make a decision:

"...At this moment, the Communist Army has defeated our Jinpu Road Southern Line Corps! The Seventh Army under my command only has two divisions of troops. Even if the Zhao Corps (Kwantung Army's 14th Division) stationed in Yanqing and Huailai were transferred, it would only have the strength of three divisions. This small force, even with the addition of the Independent Mechanized Detachment, is no match for the combined might of the Liu Mingzhao Field Army, Apanasenko's Mechanized Army, and the Communist Base Area Field Army.

"Once Qingyuan falls, the entire Ji-Re-Liao Imperial Army will have nowhere to defend. All the Imperial Army troops in Zhangyuan, Beiping, and Tianjin will have no choice but to retreat to the border areas. At that time, the troops will be pursued by the Communist Army along the way, suffering heavy losses..."

(Note: According to the official Japanese military statement, Yang Jisheng had already died, and the Eighth Route Army Mobile Corps was commanded by the Soviet Apanasenko at this time)

Iimura Jo's voice still lingered in the office, but in Okamura Neiji's ears, this series of voices was as distant and insignificant as the Buddhist chanting in the sky: Iimura, oh Iimura, don't I, the supreme commander of the North China Army, know what you said? A total retreat is the best option, but it is not the best choice we can make - you are indeed a talented guy, but you are obviously too naive in politics.

At this point, after all your analysis, do you still want to win, or turn defeat into victory?

No, perhaps… Listening to this young man's analysis, Okamura Yasuji suddenly realized that even though Iimura's words were all about how the Imperial Army was currently no match for the Communist Army and why they should be in a general retreat, could this guy still be thinking of winning?

"...So, the best decision at this moment, Your Excellency, is to immediately concentrate your forces. After leaving some corps behind to defend the rear, gather all remaining forces and march northeastward into (Pseudo) Manchuria. Then, join forces with the Kwantung Army, hold the route through Jinxi, Chifeng, and Tongliao into the Great Wall, and await support from the headquarters, or perhaps a change in the world war situation..."

"That's enough! Iimura-kun."

Okamura Neiji interrupted Iimura Joi's narration. After a moment's reflection, he turned away from the bookshelf, his anger still lingering: "North China's significance to the Empire is far greater than this! We are loyal to His Majesty the Emperor. How can we declare a 'general retreat' without fighting with all our might? This is an act that endangers the Empire and will bring disaster to future generations!"

"Your Excellency! You once said that I could tell you the truth, even if it meant that our army would be defeated—but now, are you going to break your promise?"

Seeing this, Iimura Jang didn't understand Okamura's hidden meaning at all. He decided to stop while he was ahead and asked back.

"Can the interior of China still obtain coal, food, and manpower to support the Empire's cause? I've compiled data from recent years. Since Showa 15, the special war expenses invested in the North China War have exceeded the profits and income obtained from North China. The North China Army even needs to consume foreign exchange from the Empire to purchase wheat for food from the Kingdom of Hao.

"It's economically unprofitable, militarily impossible, and politically unnecessary... We simply cannot understand why we are still so obsessed with North China, even refusing a temporary shift or tactical retreat."

Is this guy just a jerk in some ways?

Iimura Jo's words silenced Okamura Yasuji's prepared remarks. He sighed deeply. "Iimura, didn't you suggest before that the Americans would deploy heavy bombers in Shandong Province, which is controlled by the Communists, and then bombard the Imperial Empire from across the sea? Just a month ago, the Independent Kingdom shared intelligence with us, stating that the Americans' new heavy bombers can cruise at 12,000 meters and carry 5 tons of explosives... If the heavy bombers are deployed in Shandong Province, what will we do if the North China Army, or even the Army, doesn't fight hard and instead moves into Manchuria?

The office fell into another brief silence. Iimura Jo finally stopped his seemingly endless persuasion, as if he was truly stumped by the question. He slowly raised his chair and sat down, as if thinking about something.

Seeing this, Okamura Neiji sheathed his command sword. The blood had already been wiped clean, and with his movements, the coldly gleaming blade gradually slipped into its beautifully bound wooden scabbard. Okamura Masashi smoothed the sharkskin on the handle, then, looking at Iimura Joi, who was lost in thought, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Iimura-kun, so the priority right now isn't whether to retreat or not, but to fulfill our 'duties' as army generals..."

"Sir, from what I've seen, the authenticity of the independent intelligence is uncertain. The B-17 and B-24 heavy bombers used by the Americans in Europe don't have such terrifying data. And even if they had such high-altitude cruise bombers, couldn't the Imperial Kingdom deploy interceptors in Jiaozhou Bay, the Peninsula, and the mainland to intercept them?"

Iimura Jo suddenly chimed in, interrupting Okamura Yasuji's inner thoughts. "Besides, heavy bomber aircraft consume a lot of energy. Dropping one ton of ammunition requires five tons of supplies. The Communist Army has factories and equipment, but even the Imperial Empire can hardly sustain large-scale heavy bomber operations, let alone them!"

"So, if we want to operate a heavy bomb, we must rely on the US. The western Pacific is currently controlled by the Empire. Even if the US transports supplies through the Middle East and Central and South China, the transportation costs themselves will exceed the cost of the supplies. Therefore, as long as the Empire's... navy can maintain an absolute defense circle, then within at least a year..."

Iimura's words came to an abrupt halt. He had already clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, as if he were in a fierce inner struggle. But before Okamura could offer any words of comfort or guidance, Iimura suddenly raised his voice by half a degree and shouted:

"Your Excellency, Your Excellency! Therefore, the Renbing Corps (12th Army) must take action now! They were too slow to assemble before. They said they were going to Feicheng to assemble troops, but it took so many days. It was simply a waste of opportunity. Damn it! But... the situation is special now, and it is not wise to hold anyone responsible.

"It's pointless to continue advancing westward and attacking Handan from the side. I suggest you order the Ren Corps to return to Quancheng along the railway, and then head eastward along the railway. After breaking through the Jiaodong Communist Army, enter the Jiao'ao defense circle and join forces with the Kwantung Army Headquarters to strengthen our forces. After that, with the support of the Kwantung Army and the headquarters, we can sweep across Shandong Province from point to point..."

Bang!

Just as Iimura Jo was making his slightly fanatical deduction, the office door was pushed open.

Chief of Staff Ando Nijusan rushed in. He completely ignored Iimura Jo, whose veins were bulging and eyes were red, and instead handed a telegram directly to Okamura Yasuji.

"Sir! Urgent military information!"

He spoke quickly and urgently, afraid of wasting time.

"Urgent report from the Ren Corps! Just 45 minutes ago, they sent a telegram to us, claiming that the friendly forces in Handan have been annihilated, and the Yi Corps (59th Division, formerly the 10th Independent Mixed Division) in Liaocheng is being surrounded by the Communist Army, so the conditions for the troops to march west are no longer met.

"They claim that the current military situation is urgent and cannot be delayed, so the Ren Corps has already advanced southward along the Jinpu Road from Feicheng at 10:15 this morning, along with the Feng Corps (66th Division, formerly the 17th Independent Mixed Division), the Qiu Corps (55th Division, formerly the 6th Independent Mixed Division), the Yuan Corps (22nd Division) and the Corps Headquarters. They plan to break through the Jining, Zaozhuang and Taijiazhuang lines, and then join the Chinese army in Xuzhou to complete the transition.

"Sir! The Ren Corps is leaving alone!"

Chapter 812: Kita Seiichi-kun, Please Set Off

"According to intelligence reports, Kita Seiichi only joined the 12th Army on February 12th of this year. He has been engaged in espionage for a long time and has been in charge of Japanese intelligence in Tianjin and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. He only began commanding troops in 1940, and has served as the commander of the 14th Division and the Sixth Army."

At the Shanye headquarters, Chief of Staff Li Tianyou paused and added, "The 14th Division is the same Utsunomiya Division currently stationed in Huailai and Yanqing, west of Peking. It was the same division that previously came to Peking from the Kwantung Army to support the city and ate all the dumplings in Peking in one day."

puff……

The other two people in the headquarters couldn't help but laugh. Political Commissar Luo Shenzhen, codenamed 102, smiled and shook his head, while Lin Husan, codenamed 101, tried to control his emotions and swallowed the garlic peas that almost choked him.

He picked up the teacup, took a sip of the homemade health tea inside, and put on a serious face: "Okay, continue, and don't say anything weird."

In another time and space, the East China Field Army's iron triangle had already been successfully formed in this time and space. However, while Lin Husan, who hadn't been shot, still had the steady and reliable Luo Shenzhen as his partner, Liu Xingchang, whose combat power was equal to that of the "three chiefs of staff," was assigned to Yang Jisheng due to the nature of his unit. The codename 103 was given to Li Tianyou, nicknamed "Assault General" during the Red Army era. This "old cousin" of Guangxi Province, not only possessed staff skills comparable to those of Frunze, but also possessed exceptional command abilities, making him a perfect partner for the healthy version of Lin Husan in this time and space.

"Ok."

Li Tianyou flipped through the intelligence manual and continued, "Kita Seiichi is adept at plotting and shouting slogans. 'Deliver a decisive blow to China' was his first slogan. However, he was quite mediocre in military command, and his reputation within the Kwantung Army was also average."

"The Japanese army generally doesn't replace generals on the spur of the moment, but probably because he only has an intelligence background, this guy wasn't well-liked, so he was sent from the Kwantung Army to Shandong Province. I don't know how Tsuchihashi managed to be transferred back to Tokyo this time - perhaps this is some unspoken rule in the Japanese military.

"Based on a comprehensive analysis of the intelligence, we believe that within the 12th Army, most staff officers and division commanders are dissatisfied with the newly appointed commander, believing him to be merely an intelligence agent and incapable of leading the troops out of their predicament. And as General Kita Seiichi, having been 'appointed in a time of crisis,' the first thing he must do, or must do, is establish his authority to facilitate his subsequent command of the troops. This makes his decision logically sound."

"A general with little experience, good at planning but not good at making decisions; a team trapped in a strategic encirclement, requiring decisive decisions; and a group of subordinates who are unwilling to accept their orders but still hope that the general can perform miracles. Kita Seiichi is going to have to endure this."

Luo Shenzhen made the final comment: "When the general's mind is unstable, the army will suffer!"

But having said that, Lieutenant General Kita Seiichi of the 12th Army does not currently consider himself an "indecisive" person.

He very "decisive" exercised the right to decide based on the current situation, and gave up the eastward option formulated by the front army, which required a 320-kilometer trek through the base area in Shandong Province where the Eighth Route Army was deeply rooted, and chose the southward option to go to central China - that is, the plan drawn up by his own staff.

Taking this route, the 12th Army only needs to advance 200 kilometers in the area "which the Communist Army has just captured, has not yet established a firm foothold, and has weak defense." Starting from Tai'an, it will break through Yanzhou, Tengxian, and Zaozhuang, and then join forces with the reinforcements of the Central China Army to attack Taijiazhuangji from the north and south, and it will be able to escape and move forward smoothly.

After all, on the surface, there is basically no difference between making a decision after careful consideration, weighing the pros and cons, and being realistic, and pretending to think carefully, racking your brains, and making a decision just for the sake of making a decision.

But after all, this was a huge military group involving 4 divisions and 1 army headquarters, as well as the Railway Foreign Affairs Police Squad, Minyi Commune, Xinhuayuan, Gongqing Charity School, anti-communist investigation work and other army special agencies and dispatched agencies, totaling more than 9 people.

On March 21, looking at the 12th Army Uniform Corps (59th Division, formerly 10th Independent Mixed Corps), Feng Corps (66th Division, formerly 17th Independent Mixed Corps), Qiu Corps (55th Division, formerly 6th Independent Mixed Corps) and Yuan Corps (22nd Division) which had withdrawn from Dezhou, Zhangqiu and Liaocheng and completed assembly in Feicheng, Kita Makoto suddenly felt that his plan was well-planned, his skills were perfected, and everything was ready.

In order to ensure the "confidentiality" of the plan, he even left a radio team stationed in place while the troops were mobilized to simulate that the headquarters of each division were still in place.

He paid no attention to the fact that the local Eighth Route Army units subsequently defeated the remaining "Volunteer Army," quickly taking over Dezhou and Zhangqiu and rapidly advancing on the now-unguarded Quancheng. He also ignored the fact that the Yi Corps, fighting and retreating from Liaocheng, which was surrounded by our troops, had been stretched to a great length and had lost at least two battalions in the process. In this "violent retreat" that dragged families with them and left no room for retreat, he simply felt that the mobile forces at his disposal were more abundant than ever before, more than enough to carry out any tactical scenario and execute any campaign mission.

"All units, follow the planned plan and move south!"

Lieutenant General Kita, who couldn't play guitar or cosplay, immediately ordered, "The Qiu and Yuan Corps will serve as the vanguards for the left and right routes, alternating between providing cover and advancing in a rolling formation. The Feng Corps will be in the center, protecting the Jin Corps (the 12th Army headquarters and its affiliated organizations) as it advances southward. The Yi Corps will be the rear guard, gathering any remaining troops that haven't yet assembled, and will depart 12 hours after the main force departs!"

"The Autumn Corps and the Original Corps should demonstrate the spirit of fighting and conquering the enemy wherever they meet. They should launch an offensive along the Jinpu Road, be the first to defeat the Communist troops attacking Tai'an, and open a path for the Corps' transfer!"

Suddenly, the Japanese troops in and around Feicheng, Tai'an, a small county town originally established during the Western Han Dynasty, began to break camp and march eastward. Following the Japanese search regiment and vanguard infantry, which had already left their temporary base, came the artillery detachment, followed by the entire infantry brigade and the baggage train responsible for transporting food, fodder, and ammunition.

There were even a few of the last remaining Type 1 fighter planes flying in the sky - these planes were the lucky ones that had escaped several bombings and took off from the hidden hangars at Zhangzhuang Airport in Quancheng. Now that the military headquarters was retreating south, they had also filled up with fuel and came to provide symbolic air cover for the troops - of course, this was mainly for convenience. The main purpose of their take-off was to escape from Nanjing, not to fight a desperate battle with the Communist Air Force in Shandong Province.

This massive corps of over 90,000 men finally set off. Carrying approximately 14 days' worth of ammunition and supplies, they began their final journey toward hope or perhaps death, with a posture of completeness and strength rarely seen in the Japanese army at this time and space.

Of course, another large-scale event was taking place in the front line, of which the Japanese troops were unaware of the specific situation.

South of Zoucheng, north of Teng County, east of Weishan Lake, and on the south bank of the Baima River, there is a hill called Xiajiu Mountain, which stretches from east to west across the Jinpu Road. Here, more than 10,000 soldiers and even more people are working with the assistance of a large number of mechanical equipment.

Under the protection of fighter jets, anti-aircraft machine guns and warning radars, they shouted long labor songs and unloaded materials such as threaded steel bars, cement, thickened color steel tiles, foldable prefabricated earth-fill bunkers, etc. that were transported from the Yudai "Material Center" by three-wheeled motorcycles, light trucks, power-assisted carts and even rickshaws. They then rammed them into the ground, poured them into formwork, and filled them into the designated positions to build a complex fortification that stretched for more than ten kilometers.

With the help of explosives, hoists and various tools, the engineers blasted the rocky mountains, dug tunnels and soldier hiding holes, and stacked them to construct some shooting bunkers.

Everyone was busy—after all, the original purpose of building this defensive line was to prevent the Japanese troops in central China from advancing northward to reinforce them. Now, everyone had to change direction and prevent the Japanese troops in the north from fleeing. Fortunately, the previously transported and stored supplies and building materials were sufficient, and they could be temporarily repurposed.

"Senior Engineer! Senior Engineer!"

Someone was running through the trench, which hadn't yet been covered, and approached a bespectacled man with a hose, leading a group of people watering the concrete. He held his knees, gasped for a moment, and then, catching his breath, spoke quickly to the man.

"Senior Engineer! The division commander has a question for you. According to the intelligence, the Japanese are moving south very quickly. They might reach our area in four or five days! Is the strength of the cement up to standard?"

"4 days, 5 days... then count it as 4 days... it's been 4 days since the first batch of pouring."

The bespectacled man handed the pipe to the helper next to him, rubbing his fingers together for a moment, then confidently adjusted his glasses: "In seven or eight days, this cement with the 'early-strengthening agent' will reach over 70% of its nominal strength. Moreover, we have steel bars and steel tile formwork for reinforcement. If that doesn't work, we can just cover it with soil..."

"In short, reaching the level of resistance to 155mm howitzer fire is no problem at all!"

Chapter 813: Kita Seiichi-kun, please sit down

Whether in this or another time and space, the Japanese army's "dragging families and advancing in a convoy" was not uncommon. Whether in the Battle of Xuzhou or the Battle of Taijiazhuangji, the Japanese army often did this when retreating. Moreover, Lieutenant General Kita Seiichi served as the commander of the North China Special Forces during the Battle of Xuzhou, and he participated in combat command at the headquarters, making him very familiar with this situation.

"You guys should cheer up and show the qualities of an imperial soldier!" Kita Makoto boosted morale on the radio while walking.

According to his experience, once the original guard and security tasks were abandoned and the entire army collectively carried out an assault with mobile forces, no National Army unit would be able to stop it. The current 12th Army had a slightly smaller configuration of 4 divisions, with a total strength of more than 9. Before running out of ammunition, it would be able to penetrate one or several National Army war zones and escape.

"...In 13, I led the Battle of Xuzhou under Marshal Terauchi. We cut across half of China. Wherever our army advanced, the Nationalist troops in the mountainous cities fled, and the Communist troops dared not confront us. The sight of us storming cities and strongholds, crushing them with such ease, remains unforgettable to this day..."

Uh... Having said that, Kita Makoto couldn't help but pause several times, and could only raise his voice, as if he was very convinced of this matter and it was absolutely true.

But in fact, he himself did not believe what he was saying now.

The Communist Army's combat power far surpassed that of the Nationalist Army, and such a comparison was completely inappropriate. The Japanese Army wouldn't have gained any advantage against the main force of the Communist Army. But the situation was so desperate that even the most absurd excuses had to be accepted, even the most outrageous things had to be said—as long as it could boost morale—and, maybe… maybe…

Maybe the army can really create a miracle?

Kita Seiichi kept repeating it to himself. After a few times, he even began to believe it a little:

No! It is certain that it will create miracles!

The 12th Army's initial operations went quite smoothly.

After taking all combat forces and heavy weapons and equipment and abandoning all garrison missions, the Japanese troops moving south along the railway gained unprecedented combat mobility and breakthrough capabilities.

Although the Yi Corps (59th Division, formerly the 1st and 0th Independent Mixed Divisions) at the rear had not yet completely escaped from the encirclement of Liaocheng and was still being pursued by the Communist Army of Shandong Province, under the powerful offensive of the two relatively complete divisions, the Qiu Corps (55th Division, formerly the 6th Independent Mixed Division) and the Yuan Corps (22nd Division), which were advancing on both sides, the Communist Army's previous attack on Tai'an "collapsed" in an instant and had to abandon the many trenches dug for the siege and flee southwards.

The Japanese army won a rare victory.

This "good start" gave the demoralized 12th Army a shot in the arm, and also gave the already discouraged division commanders and staff officers a bit of confidence. After taking photos of the remaining Eighth Route Army fortifications and digging out a pile of worn-out captured items, the 55th and 22nd Divisions rallied their fighting spirit and continued their advance southward.

Because the troops were numerous, the battle line was wide, and there were multiple routes to advance. Even if all the search regiments of the four divisions were deployed, they would not be able to cover the entire front of the column. Therefore, the 55th and 22nd Divisions deployed some of their infantry battalions as "vanguards," advancing southward in a marching alert posture. These troops essentially concentrated all the experienced non-commissioned officers of the two divisions and were over-issued with grenade launchers, light machine guns, and other weapons. They lived up to expectations and quickly captured the Communist Army's "Tubalu" troops who were responsible for the rearguard.

Adhering to the principle of "fighting the enemy wherever they see him," Japanese scouts and search teams pursued the Communist troops who were resisting and harassing these villages and towns, achieving considerable success. Over the course of several days, while no major enemy annihilation efforts were made, they engaged in numerous engagements, successfully repelling numerous Communist raids and effectively ensuring the army's reconnaissance and vigilance.

Although the troops would be easily counterattacked and surrounded by the main force of the Communist Army once they pursued too deep, and the troops would lose a lot of reconnaissance forces, the Japanese army had sufficient reserve forces this time. The commander of the 55th Division, Hanji Okumura, and the commander of the 22nd Division, Saburo Tanda, discussed it and decided to continue to draw troops to serve as "vanguards" and limit the depth of the vanguard's pursuit to prevent them from falling into the "counterattack" of the Communist Army again.

In this way, the 12th Army fought and advanced, and within three days, it broke through Dawenkou, Anjiazhuang and other places, and built several pontoon bridges across the dangerous Dawen River, crossing it. Then, led by the left and right vanguards, the Japanese army rushed towards Ningyang County, which had just been recaptured by the Eighth Route Army.

This is an important fulcrum on the road to the south, and the Japanese army must take it with an overwhelming force!

A large number of field artillery and howitzers, assembled from two divisions and the army's direct artillery, deployed outside the city, unleashing a barrage of artillery beyond the standard Japanese military drills on the ancient walls and residential areas of the small city. The massive artillery fire reduced the buildings, trenches, and walls outside the city to rubble, opening a path for the Japanese attack.

However, when the Japanese vanguards, who were determined to die, launched the attack, they did not encounter much resistance and entered the city. They found a hidden city with no residents, no supplies, and even the wells were filled up.

Even when the troops continued to cross Ningyang and move south, the main force of the Communist Army did not appear.

"Each team must not relax during rest time. Maintain double guard. If you discover any enemy traces, report immediately!"

Sitting in the makeshift command post within the deserted city, the 2nd Division Commander, Okumura Han, the more experienced Marine, suppressed a surge of unease and quickly issued orders. Although the siege had encountered minimal resistance, resulting in few casualties, and subsequent operations being "incredibly smooth," the fact that they were breaking through enemy territory without encountering the enemy's main force made him instinctively sense something was amiss.

But even with his suspicions, he couldn't do anything about it. Okumura Hanji could only contact Division Commander Saburo Tanda, who was commanding the artillery group, asking this former Army Academy alumnus and Army University senior to pay attention to the enemy situation. Meanwhile, he rotated out his exhausted scouts and sent the search regiment forward with fresh horses to continue their scouting.

Next, the troops would continue southward, following the narrow passage between the Xifu and Si rivers, taking Xinyi, Caohe, and Yanzhou. After reaching the area east of Weishan Lake, they would turn southeast, cross the Si River, pass through Taiping Town, and then cross the Baima River. Finally, they would attack Tengzhou, Zaozhuang, and Taijiazhuang, achieving their goal of a smooth transition.

But why haven't large Communist forces appeared yet? Why are there only a few guerrilla forces conducting harassment attacks?

The strong worry about his own fate and the strong uneasiness based on intuition forced Okumura Hanji, a small army major general, to elevate his perspective to the level of a front commander to try to figure out what Lin Husan, the communist commander who had previously easily destroyed the corps (32nd Division), was thinking and planning.

He even dug out the battlefield diaries of the Seya and Sakamoto detachments during the Battle of Xuzhou in 38, hoping to find the "rules of Chinese military deployment" from them.

Of course, with Okumura Hanji's level and this unrealistic approach, he certainly couldn't come up with anything.

"Perhaps the Communist army suffered heavy losses in previous battles and is now resting and recuperating. They plan to wait for our army to tire out in the Zaozhuang and Taijiazhuang areas and launch a decisive battle against our army?"

Okumura touched his chin and instructed his staff to contact the 12th Army Headquarters in the rear.

"Report the current situation to the Renbingtuan (12th Army Headquarters), then verify the situation and tell me the current position of the main and rear detachments, as well as... the position of the automated vehicle unit."

"Hi, sir. I just contacted the Ren Corps Headquarters an hour ago. Our unit should be arriving in Ningyang County soon to rendezvous with headquarters. The rear guard has already crossed the Dawen River and is moving in smoothly." The staff officer, with a proactive attitude, immediately replied loudly, "As for the Automotive Regiment, I'll contact them right away!"

The 36th Auto-Vehicle Regiment was the only motorized transport unit of the 12th Army, responsible for transporting a considerable portion of the troops' supplies and ammunition. The 55th Division, as the vanguard, was fortunately assigned truck support from one of the squadrons.

As long as they knew their location, they would know when they would get supplies next time - this was also one of the things that Hanji Okumura was most concerned about.

"Yoshi, you're doing great, go ahead!"

He nodded, encouraged his staff officer a few words, then walked out of the command room and began organizing people to pack up and prepare for evacuation.

Our team, that is, the headquarters of the 12th Army is about to arrive at Ningyang County, so our headquarters should continue to move forward.

I hope everything goes well... he thought.