Holding the original shares, they fought all the way to the Korean War!

Chapter 104 The Handover Ceremony of the Japanese Commander!

The following day, February 31th.

Nine o'clock in the morning.

Taiyuan City.

The entrance to the headquarters of the Japanese First Army.

Kiyoshi Kazuki was dressed in the uniform of an army lieutenant general, with medals hanging on his chest and a military sword at his waist.

He stood on the steps in front of the headquarters, with a row of high-ranking officers of the First Army standing behind him.

There was the chief of staff of the First Army, the division commanders of each division, and the ministers of each department directly under the headquarters.

There were about twenty people standing there, dressed in neat military uniforms.

No one speaks.

The atmosphere was somewhat subtle, even a little awkward.

Kiyoshi Kazuki's face looked very unpleasant.

His lips were pressed tightly together, his gaze was fixed straight ahead, and the muscles on his face twitched slightly.

He was trying hard to hold it in.

I forced myself not to lose my composure in front of these people.

Today is October 31rd.

According to orders from headquarters, he will step down as commander of the First Army starting yesterday.

The new commander, Yoshijiro Umezu, will arrive this morning to take over his position.

The handover ceremony is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.

Then, he was to leave Taiyuan, leave the First Army, and slink back to the main camp in disgrace.

Thinking about this, Kiyoshi Kazuki felt extremely frustrated.

How long did he serve as the commander of the First Army?

It hasn't even been a year.

He took office in March 1937 and stepped down in May 1938, a period of one year and two months.

What can be accomplished in such a short time?

He originally wanted to make a name for himself in Shanxi, achieve great things on the land of China, and earn the title of a general.

But the result?

He hadn't even had a chance to do anything before that old bastard Terauchi Hisaichi dismissed him.

Kiyoshi Kazuki's eye twitched slightly.

longevity in the temple.

Commander of the North China Area Army, Army General.

This is the person who was at the operational meeting last month.

In front of dozens of high-ranking officers, he was criticized for poor command, passive combat, and missing opportunities.

He argued that his tactics were not the problem, but rather that the support from the army group was inadequate.

As a result, Terauchi Hisaichi slammed his fist on the table.

"Xiangyue, are you questioning my decision?"

He didn't say anything at the time.

But he knew in his heart that from that moment on...

His political career in the North China Front Army was over.

Sure enough, the order from headquarters came quickly.

He was transferred back to headquarters to serve as a military advisor.

It sounds like a good position, but it's actually a demotion in disguise.

Military Advisor?

That was a sinecure.

Without military power or real authority, he's just a figurehead.

To put it bluntly, it means sending him back to his retirement home.

Kiyoshi Kazuki took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

The officers behind him.

Some looked at him with pity, some with blank expressions, and some even with a hint of schadenfreude.

He doesn't need anyone's sympathy, much less their schadenfreude.

He only needs to remember today's humiliation.

He will come back someday.

"Your Excellency Commander."

The familiar voice of the chief of staff came from behind me.

"Commander Umezu's convoy has entered Taiyuan City and will arrive in about twenty minutes."

Kiyoshi Kazuki nodded without turning around.

His gaze remained fixed straight ahead.

Umezu Yoshijiro.

He naturally knew this person.

He was a top student at the Japanese Army Academy and served as the Director of the Military Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of the Army, the Chief of the General Affairs Department of the General Staff Headquarters, and the Director of Education.

He is now a lieutenant general in the army, having been promoted to lieutenant general two years earlier than him.

This time, the General Headquarters appointed him as the commander of the First Army, and their intention was quite clear.

Thinking of this, Kiyoshi Kazuki clenched his teeth even tighter.

But he told himself he couldn't lose his temper, he couldn't get angry, and he couldn't let people laugh at him.

Although he has stepped down today, he is still a lieutenant general in the Imperial Army.

His rank, his qualifications, and his abilities are no less than anyone else's.

I just offended someone I shouldn't have.

"Commander, the car has arrived."

The chief of staff's voice rang out again.

Kiyoshi Kazuki raised his head and looked at the street ahead.

Several black sedans slowly drove up, with Japanese flags hanging on their hoods.

At the head of the convoy was a three-wheeled motorcycle with a light machine gun mounted on its sidecar.

Behind them were three cars, and the last one was a truck with heavily armed soldiers sitting in the back.

The convoy stopped at the main gate of the headquarters.

The adjutant jumped out of the first car and opened the back door.

Yoshijiro Umezu got out of the car.

He was dressed in the uniform of an army lieutenant general, and was taller than Kiyoshi Kazuki, with more rugged features.

After he stopped, he straightened his military cap and glanced at the officers in front of the headquarters gate.

Then, he looked at Kiyoshi Kazuki.

Their eyes met in mid-air.

Kiyoshi Kazuki forced a smile, stepped down the stairs, and walked towards Yoshijiro Umezu.

"Umezu-kun, you must be tired from your journey."

He stretched out his hand.

Yoshijiro Umezu grasped his hand and shook it vigorously.

"Katsuki-kun, thank you for your hard work this past year."

The two released their hands and looked at each other.

Kiyoshi Kazuki's smile was somewhat stiff.

Yoshijiro Umezu's expression, however, was quite natural.

"please."

Kiyoshi Kazuki stepped aside and gestured for him to proceed.

Yoshijiro Umezu nodded and strode up the steps.

Kiyoshi Kazuki followed behind him, and the two walked into the headquarters gate one after the other.

The officers behind them followed.

The group walked through the corridor and entered the office of the First Army Commander.

Everything was ready in the office.

There were two documents on the table.

One was Kiyoshi Kazuki's resignation order, and the other was Yoshijiro Umezu's appointment order.

A Japanese major stood by the window, holding a camera, ready to take a picture.

Kiyoshi Kazuki and Yoshijiro Umezu stood in front of the desk.

The two were positioned side by side, with Kiyoshi Kazuki on the left and Yoshijiro Umezu on the right.

The chief of staff stepped forward, picked up the documents on the table, and cleared his throat.

"Now, let's begin the handover ceremony of the First Army Commander."

"The first item is to read out the headquarters' orders."

He picked up the first document and began to read it aloud.

"According to the order of the Army Headquarters, Lieutenant General Kiyoshi Katsuki will step down as Commander of the First Army, effective May 30, 1938."

He paused, then picked up the second document.

"According to the order of the Army Headquarters, Lieutenant General Yoshijiro Umezu assumed the position of Commander of the First Army, effective May 30, 1938."

"The reading is complete."

Kiyoshi Kazuki's expression remained unchanged.

But his eye twitched slightly.

He will step down on May 30.

In other words, he was no longer the commander of the First Army starting yesterday.

The handover ceremony is simply being held today.

"The second item is the handover of command."

The chief of staff stepped aside.

Kiyoshi Kazuki turned around to face Yoshijiro Umezu.

"Umezu-kun, I'm entrusting the First Army to you."

His voice was calm, but there was something indescribable in his eyes.

Yoshijiro Umezu looked at him and nodded.