Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

night.

Tieshishi Hutong, the headquarters of the North China Front Army.

A group of officers and staff stood in front of a huge map and sand table.

Kasahara Yukio reported to Tada Shun on the Japanese army's achievements and losses that day.

"On the Xinxian battlefield, today the First Regiment of the Eighth Route Army in Northwest Shanxi used heavy howitzers to fire directly at the locust army's concrete fortifications."

"The 9th Brigade has now lost all its positions and concrete fortifications outside the city."

"Furthermore, the north city wall has been destroyed, and the Eighth Route Army can enter the city at any time."

"Currently, the 9th Brigade and Yoshino Regiment have suffered more than half of their casualties. In three days of fighting, they have eliminated approximately 12000 Eighth Route Army soldiers and destroyed 50 tanks."

This is a telegram sent from the First Army Headquarters to the North China Area Army Headquarters.

Under normal circumstances, the 9th Brigade could not directly bypass the 1st Army to contact the North China Area Army.

Koshinobu has seriously inflated the data regarding the annihilation of the Eighth Route Army.

but,

He hadn't expected that Yoshio Shinotsuka, the sixth brother, would double his inflated data and then report it to the North China Area Army Headquarters.

Tada Shun clearly didn't believe the Eighth Route Army's casualty figures, but he had no evidence.

With such formidable firepower, how could the Eighth Route Army launch a successful three-day offensive while suffering over 10,000 casualties? Are you kidding me?
If the New First Regiment really suffered such heavy casualties, Li Yunlong should commit seppuku to atone for his sins.

Tada Shun estimated that the Eighth Route Army's casualties should be around 3000.

"What about the mountain artillery battalion of the 9th Brigade stationed inside the northern city wall?" Hirata Masahiro asked in a deep voice, "Why didn't it destroy the Eighth Route Army's heavy howitzers?"

"The first wave of artillery fire from the Eighth Route Army's heavy howitzers destroyed the north city wall," Yukio Kasahara said helplessly. "Most of the mountain guns were destroyed. It happened so suddenly that the artillery company didn't even have time to move."

"Useless." Tada Shun sneered. "What's the situation at Niangziguan Fortress?"

Kasahara Yukio replied, "During the day today, the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army continued to bombard and bombard Niangziguan. The infantry did not launch an attack. Currently, the 108th Brigade stationed at the Niangziguan fortress has suffered more than 2000 casualties."

"What?!" Tada Shun frowned and cursed angrily, "Baka!"

He's starting to lose his composure.

The North China Front Army spent hundreds of thousands of tons of strategic materials to build a large number of concrete fortifications and strongholds, originally thinking that it could inflict heavy casualties on the Eighth Route Army.

However, the more lofty the ideal, the more skeletal the reality.

The Eighth Route Army directly used incendiary bombs, causing significant losses to the Japanese troops inside the concrete fortifications.

Although the entrances and exits were sealed with bricks and stones, and the observation and firing ports were blocked with steel plates, the Eighth Route Army's incendiary bombs were barely able to ineffective against the concrete fortifications.

But what's the use?

The Eighth Route Army brought in heavy howitzers with a caliber of over 200 mm to fire directly at the concrete fortifications.

Tada Shun asked in a deep voice, "Have you gotten any photos of the Eighth Route Army's 200mm heavy howitzer?"

"Not yet, but according to reports from the front lines," Kasahara Yukio continued, "the Eighth Route Army's heavy howitzer has a caliber of over 200 millimeters and its power is no less than that of the Japanese Army's Type 4 or 5 240mm heavy howitzer."

"I know that."

Tada Shun's face was gloomy. How could a heavy cannon that could destroy 2 meters of concrete be weak?

"What countermeasures do you gentlemen have?"

Tada Shun glanced at the advisors and staff.

If the problem of the Eighth Route Army's heavy howitzers is not resolved, the battle of Taiyuan will be a complete defeat. More than 2000 concrete bunkers and pillboxes in Taiyuan will be destroyed one by one by the Eighth Route Army's heavy howitzers, and the First Army will be helpless. Kasahara Yukio said, "The main reason is the lack of air superiority. If the Eighth Route Army had air superiority, their heavy howitzers wouldn't dare to be so arrogant."

Heavy howitzers are slow to move. For example, the Type 4 and 5 240mm heavy howitzers can only be disassembled and transported, and disassembly alone takes a lot of time.

Once the positions of the Eighth Route Army's heavy howitzers were identified, the bombers could hit their targets with almost every shot.

Unfortunately, the 3rd Flying Division dispatched two fighter planes and six bombers during the day to bomb the Eighth Route Army's heavy howitzers, but they were ambushed by the Eighth Route Army air force as soon as they entered Shanxi airspace.

Tada Shun looked at Yamamoto Ichiki and asked, "Yamamoto-kun, when will your special forces be able to take action and destroy the radar station on the Eighth Route Army's front line?"

“General,” Yamamoto Ichiki said, bowing his head, “If all goes well, the special forces will be able to make their move tonight.”

"Alright." Tada Shun nodded. Now it's up to Yamamoto's special forces to see if they can succeed.

"Yamamoto-kun, I have a question."

Hirata Masahira suddenly spoke, and Yamamoto looked at him.

Hirata Masahiro then asked, "Since the special forces can destroy the Eighth Route Army's radar, why not just behead the Eighth Route Army's front-line command post and its commander, Li Yunlong?"

All eyes turned to Yamamoto Ichiki.

In order to promote special operations, Yamamoto Ichiki usually boasted that his special forces were capable of anything, as if beheading the bald-headed Chiang Kai-shek in Yamashiro and destroying the Soviet Far East Command were as easy as taking candy from a baby.

"Your Excellency, do you know why Li Yunlong's special forces dare not decapitate the First Army Command?"

"why?"

"Because my special forces have been protecting the First Army headquarters and Lieutenant General Shinotsuka."

Yamamoto Ichiki looked at Hirata Masahiro with an expression that said, "Look at me like I'm an idiot."

Hirata Masahira was somewhat displeased and snorted coldly: "Then let's see how your so-called special forces perform."

“However…” Yamamoto Ichiki continued, “Once the Locust Army gains air superiority, the special forces can use monitoring radios to pinpoint the location of the Eighth Route Army’s front-line command post, and then the Type 97 bombers of the 3rd Flying Division can carry out a decapitation strike on the Eighth Route Army’s front-line command post.”

“That’s a good idea,” Tada Shun said with delight. “Last time, Yamamoto almost succeeded in his decapitation strike against the Soviet Far East Command. If Zhukov hadn’t been on the front lines observing the battle, the outcome of the Nomonhan Incident might have been rewritten by Yamamoto.”

……

at the same time.

Inside a hidden cave 3 kilometers from the hilltop where the Eighth Route Army's front-line radar station was located.

A Japanese special agent disguised as a Chinese civilian returned to the cave and immediately reported to Hisao Imaoka: "Reporting to the deputy captain, the location of the Eighth Route Army radar station has been confirmed. It's right here, at Baiyanling."

The special agent who was reporting pointed on the map.

Hisao Imaoka is a veteran special forces member. He went to Munich School in Germany with Yamamoto to study special operations during the 9/18 Incident and is also older than other special forces members.

He led more than 50 special forces members, and from receiving the order to setting off to going into hiding, the entire process was carried out silently.

The other 20 special agents were left by Hisao Imaoka to protect Yoshio Shinotsuka.

"It's exactly what I expected."

Hisao Imaoka gave a cold smile.

"Your Excellency, Deputy Captain," the special agent reported, his tone puzzled, "how did you know the Eighth Route Army radar station would be located here?"

Imaoka Hisao said, "Radar is generally best placed on high ground to achieve the best detection effect. The only place with high terrain and a road leading to the top of the mountain is Baiyanling. What is the enemy's garrison strength?"

"The force is about a company," the special agent replied. "There are both visible and hidden sentries, making it very difficult to approach."

Hisao Imaoka glanced at his wristwatch, his tone cold and ruthless: "Strike at 2:30 AM sharp tonight, and make sure it's a sure hit!" (End of Chapter)