novelAbuy Chapter 209: Nishio Juzo, enraged; Japanese warships deployed; prelude to the September River counte
Chapter 209: Nishio Juzo, enraged; Japanese warships deployed; prelude to the September River counte
The staff officer managed to utter those four words with difficulty.
"Blood for blood? Hmph! Fine! Very well!"
Iida Sadako clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white, and growled through clenched teeth.
"Then I'll show you what true blood debts must be repaid with blood!!!"
Hundreds of kilometers away, in the Japanese military command post.
Nishio Toshizo was furious because of the defeat in Longtan Town last night.
He slammed the telegram from the front to the ground, trembling with rage.
Just then, Naosaburo Okabe strode in, his face as solemn as iron.
He walked over to Toshizo Nishio and reported to his superior in a low voice:
"Commander, urgent telegram from Fujinshan. Yaoli Town has been attacked by enemy armored forces and suffered heavy losses."
"All the wounded in the field hospital were executed by the enemy."
"What?!"
Nishio Toshizo, who was already in a bad mood, suddenly jumped up from his chair.
His blood rushed to his head, his vision went black, his body swayed, and he almost fell straight to the ground.
Naosaburo Okabe quickly stepped forward, reached out to support him, and asked urgently:
"Commander, are you alright?"
Nishio Juzo clutched his throbbing temples and slumped halfway in his chair.
He spoke almost as a groan, his voice filled with unbelievable rage:
"What's going on? Weren't they saying the enemy's armored forces had already moved to the east bank of the Shi River?"
"Why? Why are they in Yaoli Town? Who provided the information? He should commit seppuku!!!"
Naosaburo Okabe looked helpless and explained in a low voice:
"We suspect that the enemy troops that crossed the river earlier were just a decoy force sent out by the main force."
"The purpose was to draw our attention, while the main force, under the cover of night, quickly moved south and launched a surprise attack on Yaoli Town."
"Longtan Town and Yaoli Town are both the most important logistical supply nodes for our army."
"A large amount of military supplies were destroyed by the enemy in these two attacks."
Nishio Toshizo struggled to his feet, supporting himself on the table, his fingers trembling as he pointed at the map.
He roared hoarsely:
"Where exactly is Li Jianghe's third column now?! Where exactly is it?!"
Naosaburo Okabe lowered his head and replied in a low voice:
"According to forward reconnaissance, after completing the offensive at Yaoli Town, the enemy has moved south and entered the Dabie Mountains."
"The mountainous terrain is complex, making it difficult for our troops to pursue the enemy in this direction."
Upon hearing this, Nishio Toshizo's vision went black again, and he almost collapsed once more.
He gripped the edge of the table tightly, roaring almost hysterically:
"Immediately scramble air units! Fly over to this area for a full-scale search!"
"Once enemy armored forces are detected, mobilize all available fighter jets and bombers!"
"Destroy this entire enemy armored unit!!"
His roar echoed in the command post, his face contorted in a ferocious grimace; he had clearly been completely disoriented by the successive defeats.
The summer heat, carried by the mountain breeze, seeped into the bamboo curtains of the Third Column Command Post.
In the glow of the kerosene lamp, Yang Ruifu strode to the table and handed over an urgent, coded telegram.
This is intelligence that Long Wenzhang just sent. His engineering battalion has already maneuvered to the Zhanghu Town area and hidden in the dense forest along the river.
After hearing this, Li Jianghe stood up and strode to the battle map on the wall. He traced the mark of Zhanghu Town with his fingertip, his eyes full of surprise.
"Wow, you run really fast."
He looked at the winding marching route on the map and couldn't help but sigh softly.
If it weren't for the tireless and relentless marching, it would have been difficult to reach such a remote location so quickly.
Yang Ruifu stepped forward, pointed to the flank mountain range markings on the map, and explained:
"The Japanese army committed all its main forces to the Jiujiang-Huangmei line, leaving its rear areas extremely vulnerable."
"After the engineering battalion crossed the flank mountains, they went through the rural areas on the north bank of the Yangtze River, and they didn't even encounter a single Japanese soldier along the way."
Li Jianghe smiled noncommittally and tapped the frontal battle line marker on the map lightly with his fingertips.
"With the front line heavily guarded and the rear lightly positioned, it was the brothers on the front lines who drew all the Japanese soldiers' attention, allowing the engineering battalion to successfully circle around to the rear of the Japanese."
At this point, he abruptly stopped his finger on the Yangtze River channel on the side of Zhanghu Town, his tone full of certainty.
"The waterway here is narrow, and it is a vital passage that Japanese warships must pass through whenever they launch an attack along the river."
"We will lay mines in this area to completely block the Yangtze River waterway."
Meanwhile, in Nanjing, at the headquarters of the Central China Expeditionary Army.
Soothing Japanese folk songs played from the gramophone as Hata Shunroku leaned back in his leather chair, his knuckles lightly tapping the mahogany tabletop.
Just then, the sound of steady footsteps in leather boots came from outside the door, and he slowly opened his half-closed eyes.
A tall, upright man stood at the door, wearing a crisp navy blue naval rear admiral uniform with a standard-issue military knife at his waist.
The visitor was none other than Yoshida Meiichi, commander of the 11th Fleet of the Japanese Navy, who had participated in the Battle of Shanghai.
Now he has been ordered to lead the Eleventh Squadron to support the operations in the Wuhan area.
Hata Shunroku immediately put on a smile, stood up and went to greet him, extending his hand to the other person.
Now he has been ordered to lead the Eleventh Squadron to support the operations in the Wuhan area.
Hata Shunroku immediately put on a smile, stood up and went to greet him, extending his hand to the other person.
"Yoshida-kun, it's been a long time."
Normally, the Japanese Army and Navy are irreconcilable enemies, but Hata Shunroku and Yoshida Meiichi are different.
Yoshida Meiichi was the student whom Hata Shunroku valued and admired the most at the Army Officer School.
Yoshida Meiichi immediately stood at attention, bowed deeply, and spoke with heartfelt respect.
"Teacher, it's been a long time. I hope you are still in good health."
Hata Shunroku didn't beat around the bush and led him to a large battle map, asking him directly and to the point.
"I'd like to know, exactly how many ships does the eleventh squadron you brought this time have?"
"You should be aware that your naval gunfire is crucial to this counterattack against the Chinese army."
"It is needed to provide sufficient fire support to the army and break through the enemy's defenses."
Upon hearing this, Yoshida Meiichi puffed out his chest slightly, his tone filled with undisguised pride and self-satisfaction.
"Sixteen inland river gunboats, along with a large number of minesweepers and small destroyers, accompanied the operation."
"It was also equipped with a special marine unit, which can land and fight at any time to strike the enemy's flank and rear."
"Oh? Even the Marines have been mobilized?" Hata Shunroku raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise on his face.
"That's right, this was a temporary reinforcement from the Navy Headquarters, which shows how much importance they attach to this counterattack operation," Yoshida Akiichi replied in a deep voice.
At this time, the Central China Expeditionary Army was making intensive plans for a large-scale counter-offensive in the Jiujiang area.
Their ultimate goal was to push the battle line all the way to the outskirts of Wuhan and completely crush the defending forces.
The heavy firepower support from the warships on the river was the most crucial element of this counterattack plan.
Currently, the Japanese fleet fighting along the Jiujiang line consists of a portion of the main force of the Third and Fourth Fleets.
If Yoshida Meiichi's 11th Squadron were added, the Japanese naval forces would experience a qualitative leap.
Not to mention, they also have an additional Marine Corps unit that can flank and attack at any time.
Hata Shunroku chuckled, stroking his beard, his eyes filled with an arrogant and confident determination to succeed.
"It seems that the chances of winning this counterattack in Jiujiang are almost certain."
Yoshida Meiichi immediately stopped and saluted, his tone full of arrogance and self-confidence.
"Don't worry, teacher. This time, the main guns of my fleet will definitely bomb the enemy on the other side into a field of corpses."
"The advance of the army was unimpeded, reaching the outskirts of Wuhan."