freenovelworld Chapter 499 Not a fuel-efficient lamp
Chapter 499 Not a fuel-efficient lamp
The top government leaders understood very well that General Bai was showing weakness. General Bai was very smart. This seemingly weak behavior was actually to protect the Gui clique troops who had been suffering from a series of disadvantageous battles.
Commander Bai also figured it out. It would be better for his Gui clique troops not to continue to participate in subsequent battles. Although they would not be able to gain military merit by not participating, they would not create any more ugly results. This might seem like an opportunity to gain military merit, but based on Commander Bai's understanding of the current situation of the Gui clique troops, if he continued to let the Gui clique troops participate in the war, he would most likely be slapped in the face. During the post-war reckoning, the number of punished people and troops of the Gui clique would only increase.
Seeing the expressions of the top government officials, Commander Bai knew that his battle plan was in line with the appetite of the top government officials. After all, on the surface, this time all the battlefields were handed over to the government's direct troops, and the post-war merits were enough for the top government officials to publicize for a long time.
Seeing that the top government officials also nodded in agreement with Commander Bai's battle plan, Commander Chen beside him also quickly reminded: "The top government officials, the new 100th Division is currently engaged in a fierce battle with the Second Regiment of the Japanese Taiwan Mixed Brigade. The Fifth Army has suffered heavy casualties in the previous battles, and the troops are already very tired. Commander Du has already asked the theater of operations, hoping to replace the Fifth Army for rest and recuperation."
Commander Chen's meaning was very clear. There were a total of five government troops that Commander Bai mentioned just now that participated in the recapture of Nanning. However, the Fifth Army's current casualties and fatigue of officers and soldiers obviously made it unsuitable for participating in subsequent operations. The two divisions of the New 100nd Army had previously participated in the counterattack and suffered some casualties. The New th Division is now still pursuing the retreating Second Regiment of the Japanese Taiwan Mixed Brigade.
It can be said that of the five armies that Commander Bai had on paper, only three and a half were actually able to participate in the battle. The Japanese defense force in Nanning consisted of the 9th Brigade and the 1st Regiment of the Taiwan Mixed Brigade. In addition to the Japanese reinforcements that were concentrating in Yangcheng, this amount of troops was really not enough to recapture Nanning.
Commander Chen knew that the top government leaders certainly did not know the detailed current situation of each unit. Commander Bai took advantage of this and wanted to send the government's direct troops to recapture Nanning. Once the government's direct troops were defeated by the Japanese army in Nanning City, Commander Bai would be able to find a suitable excuse for the Guangxi troops at the post-war review meeting.
At that time, Commander Bai will definitely say: "Didn't your government's regular troops win the battle either? Why are you punishing the Guangxi clique's army?" This will be very detrimental to the subsequent political layout of the highest level of the government.
The top government officials immediately understood the meaning of Chief Chen's words. They kept smiling on the surface, but they were sneering in their hearts. This old rival of theirs was really difficult to deal with. He had dug a big hole for himself in order to reduce the government's punishment on the Guangxi clique after the war.
"Well, the Fifth Army did fight very hard before. I think we should do this. The entire Fifth Army should withdraw to the rear to have a good rest, and transfer the 100th Army to participate in the battle to retake Nanning. The new 100nd Army suffered heavy casualties in the previous counterattack. It should be used as a reserve force directly under the theater of war in case of emergency. As for the new th Division, if the Japanese army retreats to the vicinity of Nanning, the new th Division will no longer have to pursue this Japanese army, and the entire division will withdraw to Luwu to prepare for flank defense for the troops attacking Nanning." The highest level of the government also made some modifications to Commander Bai's battle plan.
The Fifth Army must be withdrawn. This is an elite force that the government has spent a lot of energy and resources to create. It cannot be wiped out on the battlefield in southern Guangxi. Similarly, the New 22nd Army is also a government-run force. Although the army’s casualties are not as severe as those of the Fifth Army, it also needs to be well protected.
Commander Bai pretended to be completely unaware of the situation of the two troops. He stood up to express his agreement with the instructions of the highest level of government, then sat down without blushing or beating his heart and continued the meeting.
Zhang Wenwu was completely unaware of the highest military meeting being held in the Fourth War Zone Headquarters. He was now leading the troops of the New 100th Division to desperately catch up with the nd Regiment of the Japanese Taiwan Mixed Brigade.
According to Zhang Wenwu's previous prediction, his new 100th Division should have caught up with the remnants of the nd Regiment of the Taiwan Mixed Brigade of the Japanese Army yesterday. However, Zhang Wenwu underestimated the potential that the Japanese army would unleash in the process of survival.
Lieutenant Colonel Jun'hiro Sakamoto, Chief of Staff of the 2nd Regiment of the Taiwan Mixed Brigade of the Japanese Army, was also well aware of the danger of this retreat, so he ordered the troops that each rest time could not exceed ten minutes, and that no unit could stop to rest without his personal order.
Therefore, on the way of retreat, the Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel Junki Sakamoto only ordered a rest twice, and each time it did not exceed five minutes. It can be said that it was this inhumane order from the Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel Junki Sakamoto that prevented the Second Regiment from being caught up by the troops of the New 100th Division until now.
"Division Commander, are these Japanese soldiers crazy? They didn't rest at all on the road. We chased them but couldn't catch up with them. According to the retreat traces left by the Japanese soldiers, they should have turned south and were preparing to flee towards Nanning." Ouyang Heng said breathlessly to Zhang Wenwu who was chasing with the troops.
Zhang Wenwu took off his military cap and used it as a fan to fan himself, then said helplessly: "Damn, these little Japanese are too scared of death. The speed at which they are running away is really unexpected. If we can't catch up with them, it will be difficult to deal with them when they get to the vicinity of Nanning."
Ouyang Heng had no good solution. Now, even the special forces battalion and the suicide squad at the forefront could not catch up with the retreating Japanese troops, which put the troops of the new 100th Division in a dilemma of having the ability but nowhere to use it.
"Report to the division commander and chief of staff, a telegram has been sent from the theater headquarters." The division's communications staff ran to the two of them and reported loudly.
Ouyang Heng took the telegram and read its contents, then frowned and said, "Division Commander, the theater headquarters ordered us to stop pursuing the Second Regiment of the Japanese Taiwan Mixed Brigade if they escape to the vicinity of Nanning. The entire division will return to Luwu for defense and provide flank defense security for the troops that will attack Nanning later. Our army has also been classified as a reserve force directly under the theater."
When Zhang Wenwu heard the order on the telegram, he also ordered: "Chase them! The bastards made me run so far, I have to pay them back. Tell the troops in front that if the Japanese army escapes to the vicinity of Nanning, don't chase them. The monks can run away, but the temple cannot. Sooner or later, we will deal with these Japanese soldiers."