noffsinger Chapter 358 1 dead end
Chapter 358 1 dead end
Ouyang Heng also knew that what Zhang Wenwu said was the truth. He said that just out of a beautiful expectation and wish. There was still a big gap between the two sides in terms of weapons and equipment and the tactical qualities of the soldiers. If it was defense, it would be a little easier, but if it was an attack, it would be a very difficult task for the Chinese troops.
"Yes, commander, don't worry. The troops are ready for a long-term battle. We will fight the Japanese to the death here." Ouyang Heng also exhaled a puff of smoke and said firmly.
For the new 100th Division, their only mission now is to block the Japanese Army's way to the north and buy enough time for the annihilation operation in the Zaoyang area. Without orders from the war zone and the military headquarters, the new 100th Division needs to hold on here even if there is only one person left.
Just as Zhang Wenwu expected, the Second Army's advance slowed down after it attacked the defense line urgently built by the 104th Regiment.
After strengthening its forces, the 104th Regiment was able to withstand the offensive of the Second Army and temporarily stabilize the defense line, allowing Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke, the commander of the th Division, to finally feel relieved.
Lieutenant General Keisuke Fujie finally had time to make adjustments and deployments for defensive operations in the other two directions.
Now, the 33rd Regiment on the west wing defense line has been constantly requesting tactical guidance. They are facing the attack of the new 22nd Army of the Chinese government. Now one battalion has been divided and surrounded on the previous defense line, and the other two battalions have also retreated to the last defensive position with heavy losses to hold on.
Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke knew that he had to send reinforcements to the 33rd Regiment on the west wing in order to maintain the defense line under the attack of the New 22nd Army of the Chinese Government, but he really had no troops available at his disposal.
The 9th and 20th Regiments were resisting the fierce attack of the 31st Army of the Chinese government on the front line, and they could not spare any troops to support the 33rd Regiment on the western wing defense line.
"Mr. Nakazawa, have you figured out the current situation of the withdrawn 38th Regiment?" asked the division commander, Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke, to the chief of staff, Major General Nakazawa Mitsuo, who was briefing the staff officers.
"Your Excellency the Division Commander, the commander of the 38th Regiment, Colonel Shizue Sukekawa, has sent someone to report the situation of the troops. Now the 38th Regiment has only more than 1,300 officers and soldiers capable of combat, which is equivalent to a little more than one-third of the pre-war strength, and the officers and soldiers are now very tired. The commander, Colonel Shizue Sukekawa, requests to withdraw the troops to the vicinity of the division headquarters for rest and recuperation." Chief of Staff Major General Mitsuo Nakazawa was also very familiar with the current situation of each unit, and directly reported the current situation of the 38th Regiment.
Chief of Staff Major General Mitsuo Nakazawa knew that the division commander was planning to use the remaining forces of the 38th Regiment to reinforce the 33rd Regiment on the western wing of the defense line, but he still mentioned that the 38th Regiment needed to rest, as this was his duty as chief of staff.
Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke nodded. The 38th Regiment still had one-third of its troops, which was good news. As for what the Chief of Staff Major General Mitsuo Nakazawa said later that the 38th Regiment needed to rest, Lieutenant General Fujie Keisuke automatically ignored it.
How could it be possible to let the officers and soldiers of the 38th Regiment rest now? The fighting on all fronts is extremely difficult. No matter how tired the officers and soldiers of the 38th Regiment are, they have to go to the defense line. Now everyone is a crucial combat force. The future outcome of the 16th Division depends on everyone's desperate fighting.
"Let Captain Shizue Sukekawa take his troops to reinforce the 33rd Regiment on the west wing. The current strength there is probably less than that of the 38th Regiment. You must hold the defense line of the west wing for me. We cannot let the Chinese government's new 22nd Army rush over. If the Chinese army breaks through the defense line of the west wing, our troops will be cut off in the middle of the Chinese army. In that case, our defense will become even more difficult. Tell Captain Shizue Sukekawa that they must not retreat a single step without my personal order." Lieutenant General Keisuke Fujie, commander of the 16th Division, sent the 38th Regiment to reinforce the defense line of the west wing without hesitation and gave a death order to defend.
After hearing the order from the division commander, Chief of Staff Major General Mitsuo Nakazawa felt helpless. Not only did the officers and soldiers of the 38th Regiment not get more rest time, but they were pushed to the more tragic western wing defense line.
You know, the 33rd Regiment defending the west wing has suffered the greatest losses so far. The troop situation reported by Colonel Kengo Noda, the commander of the 33rd Regiment, an hour ago was quite scary.
The 1st Battalion of the 33rd Regiment was surrounded by the attack force of the New 22nd Army of the Chinese Government on the previous defense line. Its life or death is still unknown, but everyone is smart. The officers and soldiers of the 1st Battalion have almost no chance of escaping from the hands of the New 22nd Army of the Chinese Government.
The Second and Third Battalions, which had finally retreated to the last line of defense, also suffered heavy losses under the attack of the New 22nd Army of the Chinese government. Now all the troops of the two battalions combined are not as strong as one battalion before the war.
It can be said that the 33rd Regiment now has less than a battalion of troops capable of fighting under its command, and this was the statistical result from an hour ago.
As for how many people are still on the defense line of the 33rd Regiment, it is hard to say. Therefore, when the officers and soldiers of the 38th Regiment go to reinforce, they will face even more fierce attacks from the New 22nd Army of the Chinese government. This will definitely be a disaster for them.
But now the entire 16th Division is almost in the midst of a fierce battle. We cannot send the division headquarters' guard squadron to reinforce them. What about the safety of the division headquarters? The previous battle record of the New 22nd Army of the Chinese government can be said to be dismal. We really have to be on guard against this unit.
The Chief of Staff, Major General Mitsuo Nakazawa, turned around and asked a signalman to inform the commander of the 38th Regiment, Colonel Shizue Sukekawa, the division commander, of the order that had just been issued. Now they could only hope that the 38th Regiment was strong enough to withstand the attack of the new 22nd Army of the Chinese government.
As everyone expected, the officers and soldiers of the 1st Battalion of the 33rd Regiment of the Japanese Army are now being slowly eaten away by the troops of the New 22nd Army. The officers and soldiers of the 1st Battalion have now been divided into small positions that cannot be connected to each other. What awaits them is only death.
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