Even if I'm a useless bum at Whampoa Military Academy, I'll be invincible in the War of Re

The shock the cavalry regiment brought to the 11th Infantry Regiment was beyond words. Faced with the regimental commander's probing question, Nakajima Eiji was completely bewildered and stammered:

"Who would have thought that a remnant force that broke out of Nanjing could still retain a powerful cavalry? Didn't the battle report say that the guerrilla column only had a few thousand men left?"

Eiji Nakajima meant that it was all the fault of the Central China Area Army, but the Central China Area Army was under the control of Prince Asaka, so who dared to hold them accountable?

Colonel Nagano could only swallow his anger; cursing wouldn't solve the problem, he had to find a solution!

His head is full of shit right now, and he can only pin his hopes on Eiji Nakajima:

"Nakajima-kun, the Chinese cavalry is a big problem. Their real intention is to besiege the point and attack the reinforcements. The small Wild Boar Ridge is of no value to them."

The crisis at Wild Boar Ridge is not over yet; how should we proceed?

Major Nakajima pondered for a moment and then said:

"Commander, with the Chinese cavalry in the area, sending infantry reinforcements to Wild Boar Ridge would be suicide."

The most effective way to deal with cavalry is to have them escorted by a cavalry regiment, but it would take time to bring over the 5th Cavalry Regiment.

Another option is to abandon Wild Boar Ridge. As long as we hold out until nightfall and then evacuate, it's easy to shake off the men from that area.

Major Nakajima gave Colonel Nagano two options. The second option was to back down and become a coward. This was not in line with the style of the "Steel Army," and if word got out, his career in the military would be over.

We can only choose the first option: a head-on confrontation. Reinforcements will take time to arrive, and whether Wild Boar Ridge can be held is a question.

Colonel Nagano expressed his concerns, saying that he was blinded by his own involvement, while Nakajima, as an outsider, had a clearer perspective:

"The Chinese plot is to besiege a stronghold and attack reinforcements. Wild Boar Ridge is the bait. Their cavalry just gained a great advantage and will not easily swallow the bait."

Colonel Nagano seemed to be deep in thought. He agreed with Major Nakajima's judgment, but this was a difficult decision to make, as it concerned the safety of the Ishii Battalion.

"Alright, Nakajima-kun, in your opinion, can the Ishii Battalion hold out until reinforcements arrive?"

"Commander, the Chinese are not good at attacking fortified positions. Wild Boar Ridge is a strategically important and easily defended area. Moreover, it has ample manpower, food, and ammunition. Even if the Chinese manage to take it, they will suffer at least five times the casualties. The Imperial Army can afford to fight this war of attrition."

Major Nakajima was cunning; he didn't make any promises, lest he become the scapegoat if something went wrong with the Ishii Battalion.

Within the Japanese army, it was generally accepted that the combat strength difference between the two sides was six to one, and many units made plans based on this standard. The Ishii Battalion was on the defensive and had complete fortifications. Even when facing elite Chinese troops, a five-to-one exchange ratio was already quite respectable for a guerrilla detachment.

Colonel Nagano finally made up his mind. In fact, he had no other choice. He was only one step away from becoming a general, so he had to take the gamble!

"Nakajima-kun, immediately request tactical guidance from the division commander. Don't let the general's side interfere with them."

This means they're going to skip Sakamoto Jun's reinforcements to the division headquarters. Brigade commanders aren't very prominent in the Japanese army, and besides, the 11th Regiment was drawn from the Kunisaki Brigade. Whether they pay attention to Sakamoto Jun depends on their mood.

Major Nakajima didn't see anything wrong with it, and with a "Yes, sir!" he accepted the order and left.

Wild Boar Ridge, the field command post of the 2nd Regiment. Although the offensive of the 3rd Battalion was repelled, it still caused considerable casualties to the Japanese and weakened the firepower of the Ishii Battalion.

Chief of Staff Lieutenant Colonel Liang Zhou arrived with a spring-like gait; his voice preceded his arrival.

"Commander, good news! We received a report from headquarters that the cavalry regiment severely damaged the Japanese reinforcements north of Wild Boar Ridge, killing more than 600 enemy soldiers and capturing nearly a battalion's worth of equipment and supplies. The Japanese fled back to Tangtou empty-handed."

After hearing this, the second regimental commander, Luo Wen, was overjoyed and said with a smile:

"The cavalry regiment did a great job this time! After this battle, those who question the role of the cavalry should shut up!"

Liang Zhou continued, saying:

"Cavalry is still irreplaceable in certain battlefield environments, but the consumption is too high, and only the commander can afford to support them."

The North China battlefield is mostly flat, and the commander has further equipped them with mortars, heavy machine guns, and submachine guns, making them even more formidable. With the cavalry's high mobility, they are sure to strike fear into the hearts of the Japanese.

"Chief of Staff Liang, have there been any new instructions from headquarters?"

"Reporting to the regimental commander, Deputy Commander Lu's intention is not to intercept reinforcements, but merely to achieve this. The defense of Linyi City is under great pressure, and we still need to take Wild Boar Ridge as soon as possible."

A cavalry regiment is watching the area towards Tangtou; they can't cause any trouble.

Prior to this, Luo Wen had been rotating his troops in offensive operations, taking three battalions up one by one to fight, accumulating experience in mountain assaults.

Now it was the First Battalion's turn again, and the order was immediately given:

"Notify the artillery company to give the Japanese a few rounds, and leave the rest to the First Battalion. Tell them that I want to take Wild Boar Ridge while minimizing casualties."

They wanted both, but no one objected. The Second Regiment was the old guard of the guerrilla column, their core force. They would be heartbroken if Commander Zhao were injured.

Even if you win a battle that costs lives, Zhao Yunwen won't reward you; instead, you'll be marginalized.

After receiving orders, the First Battalion once again split into three groups and attacked the Japanese mountainside positions, with a significantly stronger offensive than before.

In a short time, Major Ishii felt immense pressure and sent two more squads to reinforce the front line, leaving him with only a decimated company.

Major Ishii then sent another telegram to the regimental headquarters requesting reinforcements, his tone even more urgent, like a death knell.

At the Second Brigade headquarters, Zhao Yunwen was closely monitoring the battle situation around Linyi City. Qiu Fengzi asked curiously:

Will Tangtou send reinforcements?

Zhao Yunwen said, referring to the map:

"The main force of the Sakamoto Detachment was the 21st Infantry Brigade, plus the 5th Field Artillery Regiment. The Japanese attacking Linyi City consisted of an infantry regiment plus an artillery regiment. Only one infantry regiment remained in the Tangtou direction."

This regiment had deployed an infantry battalion at Wild Boar Ridge, but the cavalry regiment wiped out most of the battalion. At most, only two thousand men remained in the Tangtou direction, so there weren't many soldiers left to send.

Unless they request reinforcements from the 5th Division headquarters, the Japanese also have the Kunisaki Brigade. This brigade, after landing at Hangzhou Bay, has committed numerous atrocities, including burning, killing, and looting. Since they've encountered them in southern Shandong, they should find a way to lure them over as well and collect some interest.

Seeing that Zhao Yunwen was about to deal with the Guoqi Brigade, Qiu Fengzi immediately perked up and said enviously:

"The First Brigade really got a feast this time. When will our Second Brigade get a piece of the pie?"

Zhao Yunwen could understand Qiu Fengzi's eagerness for battle. Nobody likes to be a spectator, and he was no exception; otherwise, he wouldn't have traveled thousands of miles to southern Shandong.

In the early stages, the main battlefront consisted of top-tier divisions, the old Japanese soldiers; during the massive military expansion, any one of them could easily become a platoon leader. With the outbreak of the Pacific War, all the top-tier divisions were withdrawn, leaving only the Third Division in the interior; even then, it was difficult to rejoin them.

Although war is fought over industry and comprehensive national strength, it ultimately comes down to "people." Eliminating manpower is the first choice, and it is also Zhao Yunwen's preferred strategy.

Seeing Qiu Fengzi's impatient look, he muttered in a mystical tone:

"Don't worry, as long as we keep an eye on Teng County, you'll have your share of feasts. If one Laigu Detachment isn't enough, we'll lure the entire Laiwu Brigade over. Commander Li has prepared a huge banquet; we'll enjoy the good life too!"

After hearing this, everyone was eager to try. The fourth regimental commander, Sui Youlan, then spoke up:

"Fighting the Japanese alongside the commander is exhilarating! Whether it's Lai Gu's detachment or Lai Wu's brigade, our Second Brigade will take them all on!"

After Commander Sui took the lead, everyone volunteered to fight, their morale was high and their fighting spirit was strong.

The communications staff also came over to join in the fun:

"Commander, the reconnaissance battalion has reported that a cavalry force has been spotted in the direction of Weixian and is heading towards Tangtou to reinforce the city. Battalion Commander Xiao has determined that it is the 5th Cavalry Regiment."

Zhao Yunwen had already spotted the Japanese on the minimap, but he was waiting for the reconnaissance battalion to report it. On the one hand, he wanted to avoid appearing too superstitious, and on the other hand, he needed to train the troops; he couldn't be a babysitter.

This time, Xiao Jianyun did not disappoint him, and immediately put away his smile and said:

"Immediately report the enemy situation to Deputy Commander Lu and have the cavalry regiment receive them. I want to see if the cavalry regiment is truly formidable and the cavalry brigade is utterly useless!"

At first, everyone was stunned, then burst into laughter. They were sure they had the Fifth Cavalry Regiment in the bag, which was something to look forward to!