freenovelworld Chapter 354: Advances from All Directions
Chapter 354: Advances from All Directions
Ouyang Heng led the troops of the new 100th Division to the position on the north side of the highway and successfully met up with the troops led by Zhang Wenwu. This marked the successful completion of the first phase of the new 100th Division's offensive plan.
"Division Commander, all the troops have arrived here. The next thing is to prepare for the defense. I have ordered the troops to reinforce the Japanese army's previous defensive positions. I have also counted the casualties of the troops. In the previous battles, our division suffered a total of 1,135 casualties. This casualty situation can be said to be very ideal. From now on, our division can basically exert all its combat power." Ouyang Heng also reported the situation of the troops to Zhang Wenwu in the open-air division headquarters in the wild.
After hearing about the casualties of the troops, Zhang Wenwu felt relieved. This offensive operation was able to control the casualties to this level, which can be said to be very successful. This made Zhang Wenwu more confident in the upcoming defensive operations.
"Well, let each unit strengthen its fortifications and get some rest. I estimate that the Japanese attack will not be launched until the afternoon, so we still have some time." Zhang Wenwu also emphasized his judgment.
Ouyang Heng also felt that there was nothing wrong with Zhang Wenwu's judgment. It would take the Japanese army a certain amount of time just to gather its forces. It was estimated that the Japanese army was still a little confused now.
Indeed, now the commander of the 13th Division, Lieutenant General Ogisu Rikuhei, is a little confused about whether he should send troops to attack the Chinese army positions on the north side of the highway this afternoon.
According to the true inner thoughts of the division commander, Lieutenant General Ogisu Rikuhei, he would wait for the troops dispatched from the 3rd Division to arrive before launching the attack. With the support of artillery fire, the attack of the main infantry regiment could achieve a certain combat effect.
However, the headquarters also asked him to launch an attack as soon as possible using the existing forces at his disposal, and told him that the Chinese troops on the positions on the north side of the road were most likely the New 22nd Army, which was directly under the Chinese government, and asked him to pay attention to his own safety.
Isn't this a contradictory order? Now he only has a logistics regiment and a 116th Regiment with almost no people left on the position. He doesn't even have a cannon. What can he use to attack?
Even if all the more than 1,000 people of the Quartermaster Corps were sent to attack, what effect would the attack have without artillery support?
Moreover, after all the logistics regiments were dispatched, only the remnants of the 116th Regiment were left to defend the position. If the Chinese army launched a surprise attack on the position here, it would be really dangerous.
"Mr. Ishikawa, get the Quartermaster Corps ready. Have them launch an attack on the Chinese army's defensive positions in the afternoon. We really need to find out the strength of the Chinese army and do reconnaissance for the formal attack later." The division commander, Lieutenant General Ogisu Rikuhei, ordered the chief of staff, Major General Ishikawa Takuma, beside him.
Lieutenant General Ogisu Tatsuhei decided to follow the order of the headquarters and order the Quartermaster Corps to launch an attack. The order of the headquarters had to be supported.
Besides, the headquarters did not have any specific requirements for the attack. He could just use this attack to test the defensive strength of the New 22nd Army of the Chinese Government. After all, he had heard that the New 22nd Army of the Chinese Government was very powerful, but he still had to go and experience it for himself.
Chief of Staff Major General Ishikawa Takuma also knew that he had to follow the command of the headquarters, but he still asked kindly: "Your Excellency the Division Commander, should we let the Logistics Regiment leave some troops to assist the 116th Regiment in defending its position?"
The division commander, Lieutenant General Ogisu Rikuei, shook his head and said, "No, send all of them to attack, Ishikawa-kun. The Chinese army facing us is very likely the New 22nd Army of the Chinese government. We are all familiar with the name of this army. If the attacking troops are too few, it may be difficult for us to test their strength."
"But, Your Excellency the Division Commander, the 116th Regiment guarding the position is very weak now. If that army launches an attack on the position here, the division headquarters will be too unsafe. How about we move the division headquarters back a little?" Chief of Staff Major General Takuma Ishikawa was also very concerned about the safety of the division commander.
"No need, Ishikawa-kun. I've thought about it. The Chinese army will not continue to attack southward. As long as they hold the positions on the north side of the highway, we will not be able to reinforce the 116th Division to the north. They have no reason to continue attacking southward. The positions here are safe. Even if the Chinese army really comes to attack the positions here, relying on the current strength of the th Regiment, plus the squadron directly under the division headquarters, we should be able to resist the attack of the Chinese army. The logistics regiment will also return to support soon. It's only more than three kilometers from here to the positions on the north side of the highway." The division commander, Lieutenant General Ogisu Rikuhei, still insisted on sending all the members of the logistics regiment to launch an attack.
Compared to the brief tranquility on the Xiangzao Highway, fierce fighting had already broken out in the Zaoyang area where the 16th Division was located. The Second Army of the Fifth War Zone and the troops of the New 22nd Army simultaneously launched a fierce attack on the 16th Division.
In particular, the attack of the New 22nd Army forced the defense line of the 33rd Regiment of the 16th Division to retreat continuously. The officers and soldiers of the 1st Battalion of the 33rd Regiment had been surrounded by the troops of the New 22nd Army, which made the regiment commander, Colonel Kengo Noda, extremely anxious.
This was only the first day of the Chinese army's attack, and one of their battalions had been divided and surrounded. At this rate, their regiment would be wiped out by the Chinese army in three days at most.
Therefore, the regiment commander, Colonel Kengo Noda, hurriedly asked the other two battalions to withdraw to the last line of defense and concentrate their forces on defense, while hoping that the first battalion could break through the encirclement of the Chinese army and join forces with the regiment headquarters.
As for rescuing the surrounded officers and soldiers of the First Battalion, the commander of the regiment, Colonel Kengo Noda, never even thought about it. It was not that he did not want to rescue them, but the reality simply did not allow him to do so.
You know, the Second Battalion and the Third Battalion have also suffered heavy casualties, and they do not have enough troops to carry out rescue operations, so whether the First Battalion can survive depends on themselves.
The attack of the Second Army also pushed the 104th Regiment, which was responsible for the rear guard mission of the th Division, back to the last line of defense, and it was almost about to merge with the th Regiment, which was intensively building fortifications.
The commander of the 104th Regiment, Colonel Shizue Sukekawa, kept sending people to ask the th Regiment behind him when they would be able to complete their defense line. His regiment had been beaten to pieces, two of its captains had been killed, and now it was just holding on with its last breath, and the Chinese army could break through its defense line at any time.