The father of the sword is Kong Jie

In North China, the Eighth Route Army's Operation August Storm is still in full swing.

At first, Okamura also suspected that the Eighth Route Army was deliberately bluffing. The main force might have been transferred to other areas. Therefore, he launched a special offensive to test it.

"The Shimomura Division, with the cooperation of the First Army and the Twelfth Army, once launched an offensive towards the east of Hebei Province, but what the result was, Umezu-kun, I think you also know.

——The Xiacun Division was ambushed by the main force of the Eighth Route Army, including the First Army and the Twelfth Army. They were all defeated by the fierce offensive of the main elite of the Eighth Route Army.

It was clear that considerable forces were used on all sides in that battle.

How could their main elite not be in North China? "

After a moment of silence, Umezu Yoshijiro suddenly said: "Is it possible that those who defeated the Shimomura Division were only the remaining troops of the Eighth Route Army, or even some local army troops, and you mistakenly thought that the main elite of the Eighth Route Army?"

Okamura said: "So the local troops of the Eighth Route Army can even easily defeat your elite division of the Kwantung Army?"

You must know that the Shimomura Division is a serious elite division of the Kwantung Army.

"..."

Umezu Yoshijiro was speechless.

The situation continues to evolve.

While Umezu Yoshijiro and Okamura were frightened by the strength displayed by the Eighth Route Army's central-line advancing attack group, the Eighth Route Army's southern-line advancing force's attack continued.

The scale of the troops that was immediately deployed stunned even the little devils who were investigating on the front line.

How many troops are there?

"Sir, there are too many. The Eighth Route Army's offensive troops are everywhere, and they have a considerable number of mechanized combat vehicles. They are all over the mountains and fields, and they can't be counted at all.

In just one of our defense lines, there were at least ten regiments from the attacking Eighth Route Army.

Our army has at least a dozen defense lines like ours, and almost at the same time, they were all attacked by the Eighth Route Army! "

After hearing the news, Umezu Meijiro slumped down at the command post.

Okamura, who also received the news, murmured to himself: "In 40 years, in 40 years, the Eighth Route Army suddenly launched an unprecedented scale of attack operations against the cage blockade built by our army in North China, which was known to the outside world as the Hundred Regiments War.

At that time, the Eighth Route Army had not fully risen, its equipment was relatively backward, and ammunition was scarce. But even at that time, they still assembled more than 100 regiments and nearly 40 troops, completely turning the entire North China into chaos.

It has been almost four years now. In these years, the Eighth Route Army has risen rapidly, its base areas have grown rapidly and stabilized, and its equipment has developed astonishingly. Who knows to what extent their military strength has grown? "

In fact, the Japanese army has been trying to figure out the specific data on the strength of the Eighth Route Army over the years. The relevant intelligence departments have been working hard, and the frontline reconnaissance troops are constantly gathering data.

Inferable data has been on the rise.

Let’s not mention the New Fourth Army in the south for now.

After the Hundred Regiment War ended in 41, at the military meeting at the headquarters of the China Expeditionary Forces, the previous commander-in-chief of the China Expeditionary Forces, Junroku Hata, once stated: “The Eighth Route Army in the occupied areas is growing day by day and has now become a serious problem for the empire.

Preliminary estimates suggest that the total strength of the Eighth Route Army in North China may be nearly 50.

The focus of our army's follow-up operations will gradually shift from the frontal battlefield to the sweep of the Eighth Route Army in the occupied areas.

We must completely suppress the development of the Eighth Route Army, and we must not sit back and watch its growth. "

This data may not be accurate, but it is very close. After all, during the Hundred Regiment Battle, the Eighth Route Army assembled nearly 40 troops in one go.

Of course, in addition to the main combat troops in the base area, these 40 troops also include many local army troops and militia troops that were quickly mobilized.

Many ordinary people even volunteered to help.

Really all the people are soldiers.

Later, in 41 and 42, in order to suppress the Eighth Route Army, the Japanese army launched one brutal sweep after another behind enemy lines in North China.

The construction of the Eighth Route Army base area and the development of the army also ushered in the most difficult period.

A series of factors such as the military blockade of the Japanese outside, the growing number of troops inside, the shortage of logistics materials, and the inability to keep up with agricultural productivity have resulted in the base area being unable to make ends meet. The troops can only continue to shrink and streamline their forces to reduce financial and logistical pressures.

Therefore, in the past two years, the total strength of the Eighth Route Army has not only not increased, but has even declined.

Only the teams led by generals such as Kong Jie, Li Yunlong, and Ding Wei broke the deadlock. Even under the pressure of the Japanese blockade, they were still further strengthening their bases and troops.

By the end of 42, the Eighth Route Army, led by one team, took the lead in breaking through the Japanese blockade and quickly led the economic development and expansion of the base area.

The Eighth Route Army as a whole is like a big snowball, rolling completely, changing with each passing day.

After the rapid harvest of various specially cultivated high-yielding crops, including potatoes, rice, and wheat, the base area had a solid food foundation. The soldiers no longer had to go hungry, and the fundamental shackles that restricted the development of the army were broken.

Enthusiastic young people from major base areas, guerrilla zones, Japanese-occupied areas, and even Kuomintang-controlled areas responded one after another and actively joined the army.

The main force of the Eighth Route Army, local army units, including militia units, ushered in almost explosive growth.

Therefore, by the middle of 43, the Japanese Army Intelligence and Statistics Department reluctantly pointed out:

The Eighth Route Army may already have one million troops.

Including the August Storm operation launched by the Eighth Route Army in North China, troops from all over the country launched attacks one after another, and the Japanese army was disrupted.

This further proves that the size of the main force of the Eighth Route Army has grown to a considerable extent.

However, Okamura still underestimated the development speed of the Eighth Route Army.

“So far, the main force of the Eighth Route Army has launched an attack on the central and southern fronts in western Manchuria, and the number of troops exposed has far exceeded 300,000.

General, how on earth did they do it?

North China launched such a large-scale offensive, and the entire central and southern China were completely reduced to a pot of porridge.

The Eighth Route Army must not only launch an offensive, but also defend a large base area.

Now these hundreds of thousands of troops are suddenly advancing towards the western defense line. Are they crazy? Do they want to completely abandon the large base areas in North China and transfer all the main forces to the battle to advance north? "

Okamura was also in a state of confusion at this time.

The Japanese chief of staff pointedly pointed out: "If the Eighth Route Army wants to defeat the Kwantung Army, they will definitely assemble the most elite combat troops.

The battle in the western defense zone has completely begun, and the main offensive force of the Eighth Route Army has also emerged.

In this way, the defensive strength of the Eighth Route Army's major base areas in North China must be in an unprecedented state of emptiness.

General, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! "

Okamura was silent for a long time, and then sighed bitterly: "The equipment level of the Eighth Route Army has now been completely developed. To be fair, even if the main force of the Eighth Route Army is not in the base area, their local army units and even militia units, if they use these sophisticated equipment, Then rely on the strong terrain of the base area to launch a blocking attack.

It is also very difficult for our army to completely wipe out the large-scale base areas of the Eighth Route Army.

A large amount of manpower and material resources will be invested, not to mention the huge consumption, and the goal will not be achieved in a short time.

If the final victory cannot be achieved and the military industry and agricultural materials developed in the Eighth Route Army base areas are completely included in the pocket, this war will only be worth the loss. "

I think that when Okamura was deployed from Guadalcanal as the commander of the Sixth Front Army, he was so sharp and unstoppable. The launch of Operation Plan No. 1 shocked the whole world.

The successive defeats of Chiang Kai-shek's army in the battles of Henan, Hunan and Guangxi directly broke the international opinion that the Japanese army was declining and Guizhou was at the end of its rope.

Okamura was so high-spirited at that time.

But now, he looks like a gambler who has almost lost all his gambling money.

The original courage and confidence have long since been lost, and even determination has been lost.

Even if it is known that the main elite of the Eighth Route Army is not in the base area behind enemy lines in North China.

So what?

Does Okamura still have such courage, or does the China Dispatch Army have such a foundation? Against the offensive of the Central Army in the southern frontal battlefield and the offensive of Tang Keqin Group Army in the northern battlefield of Henan, the entire Eighth Route Army in the northern battlefield launched Operation August Storm. After that, the situation was a mess.

——Put all your bets on attacking the Eighth Route Army’s base areas behind enemy lines that are empty of troops?

"That will only accelerate the empire's defeat!"

Okamura said helplessly, that was almost foreseeable.

"Come to this point, General, what else can we do?"

The Japanese chief of staff asked a little dejectedly, and he also recognized the reality.

To be honest, he had no confidence at all in wiping out the Eighth Route Army base area.

"What else can I do? Just take it one step at a time. It can take one day!"

Okamura waved his hand feebly: "The main force of the Eighth Route Army is not in North China, and the August Storm operation launched by the Eighth Route Army was really just a bluff.

Shrink back all unnecessary troops, stick to the main counties and transportation lines, and allocate excess troops to find ways to reinforce Manchuria.

The No. 1 combat plan can be suspended, and the national army on the frontal battlefield can be stabilized.

Assisted Shimomura, Ishida, Fukuyama, Okada and other Kwantung Army divisions in returning reinforcements.

There is no room for loss in Manchuria, this is our final bottom line! "

"Hi!"

Puppet Western Manchuria Combat Area.

The confrontation between the Eighth Route Army's center-line offensive troops and southern-line offensive troops and the Japanese army became increasingly fierce and soon reached a fever pitch.

As the war situation continues to expand, the central and southern areas are completely connected.

Almost all the attention of the entire Puppet Manchuria, the entire Sino-Japanese battlefield, and even the entire international parties was attracted to this battle.

Under such excellent cover.

The Northern Attack Group Command, composed of generals such as Kong Jie, Li Yunlong, and Ding Wei, followed the main force of mobile operations and followed the established northward crossing curve, trying to avoid the Japanese defense line and detour to the northern part of the Greater Khingan Mountains.

Occasionally, when encountering an unavoidable Japanese defense line, a small group of mechanized combat elites would be used to launch an assault, further paralyzing the Japanese army's judgment and making the Japanese believe that it was only a small group of elites from the Eighth Route Army who were advancing northward.

At the same time, the entire force was fully camouflaged, and the motorized search and warning force with the least movement went first, avoiding the Japanese defense line, and rushed forward on the vast uninhabited grassland.

A non-stop march.

Although the strength of the entire northern attack group is much smaller than that of the central and southern attack groups, the overall mechanized combat advantages have been fully utilized.

Various mechanized combat vehicles with four wheels.

There are also armored vehicles and tanks traveling on tracks, bicycles with two cages, and even single-wheeled bicycles, including war horses used by various troops, and various horse-drawn carts.

Basically there is no team that walks on two feet.

The marching speed was quite astonishing. To use an exaggerated expression, they really traveled a thousand miles by day and eight hundred miles by night.

At about ten o'clock the next morning, the team successfully arrived at the northern border of the Greater Khingan Mountains and the North Hinggan Province in Manchuria, then crossed Amu Gurang and advanced towards the Hailar Fortress Group.

At this time, the entire Kwantung Army's operational focus was basically placed on the defense zones on the central and southern lines.

When the mechanized armored force's attack suddenly kicked off.

Everything attacked along the way was destroyed.

In the northern part of the Daxingan Mountains, after passing the mountains, you can basically have an unobstructed view. The flat and open plain terrain is really suitable for the cluster deployment of mechanized combat troops.

When hundreds of armored vehicles and tanks swept in overwhelmingly.

The little devils stationed at the defense line swore that this was definitely a shocking scene they had never seen in their lives, and it was also the last scene they would see.

A completely one-sided crushing!

Push all the way!

In the words of Chu Yunfei who followed up: "This is not like a battle at all, more like a one-sided massacre!"

Kong Jie said: "Those who kill will always be killed. Since the little devils invaded our country, how many of our innocent compatriots have died tragically, and how many hot-blooded men have died under their butcher knives.

Until now, we are afraid that we have not even recovered any interest.

The aggressor does not deserve any cruelty.

If we can't kill him happily, what are we doing here?

The despicable people should use their blood to teach them the principles of life! "

The cold yet heroic words are completely inconsistent with the image of Kong Jie, who is usually low-key and down-to-earth.

Chu Yunfei nodded heavily.

As time passed to noon, under the steel torrent offensive of the Northern Attack Group led by Kong Jie, the mechanized armored troops pushed all the way to the outside of the fortification group in the core military and political area of ​​Hailar.

The heavy artillery roared.

The armored troops advanced in a roundabout way.

With a heavy blow from the air.

The complete offensive battle broke out like a thunder across the entire continent, shaking the entire Sino-Japanese battlefield.

When the commander of the Kwantung Army, Umezu Yoshijiro, received the news, Hailar Fortress Qiong was already close to collapse and fell. Looking at the situation of the Eighth Route Army's three-line dispatch of troops on the military map, Umezu Yoshijiro realized the Eighth Route Army's determination and ambition to advance north this time.

They have a grand plan, which is to tear the entire Manchuria into two parts.

“The Hailar Fortress Group in the north, the Qiqihar area in the center, and Jehol in the south.

The three points are completely connected to form the western dividing line of Manchuria. In this way, half of the occupied area of ​​our Kwantung Army will be completely lost! "