binnovel Chapter 518: Japan Cannot Fall Behind
Chapter 518: Japan Cannot Fall Behind
In order to win this battle, the commander of the 11th Division, Fang Jing, concentrated the only six mountain cannons in the division and launched a fierce bombardment on the Japanese defensive positions on Zhenjing Mountain, covering the infantry units to launch a charge against the Japanese army.
At the same time, the commander of the 11th Division, Fang Jing, also sent a part of his troops to launch a feint attack on the flank of the Japanese positions on Zhenjing Mountain, in order to tie down the enemy and attract the attention of the Japanese army. He hoped to create some favorable offensive conditions for the troops carrying out the frontal assault, strive to break through a section of the Japanese defensive positions on Zhenjing Mountain, and then follow-up troops would follow up and quickly rush through this breakthrough to expand the results of the battle deep into the Japanese territory.
However, the Japanese defensive forces at the Zhenjing Mountain defensive position were much better equipped than the 11th Division. Moreover, the Japanese defensive forces occupied a favorable terrain. The officers and soldiers of the 11th Division launched several attacks in succession, but were all beaten back by the Japanese defensive forces. They were unable to open the hoped-for breakthrough in the Japanese defensive position.
While the Chinese government's Sixth War Zone troops were fighting fiercely with the Japanese troops to recapture Yichang, there was a heated debate between the Japanese government, the Imperial Headquarters and the 11th Army over whether to ensure the occupation of Yichang.
Originally, on the second day after the occupation of Yichang, the commander of the 11th Japanese Army, Lieutenant General Kazuichiro Sonobe, ordered the three attacking divisions in Yichang to retreat and abandon the occupation of Yichang in accordance with the pre-war combat plan. Now, all the troops are retreating according to the order.
However, on the European battlefield, Germany occupied the French capital of Paris on the same day that the Japanese army occupied Yichang, which deeply stimulated the Japanese government and the headquarters.
The great Empire of Japan had been fighting against backward China for three years, but had not yet been able to completely conquer China. The Chinese government's army was still putting up a full-scale resistance and had no intention of surrendering.
However, Germany, as an ally, conquered the capital of France, another old empire, in such a short time, and France is now on the verge of surrender. This really made the Japanese government and the headquarters feel ashamed and lost face.
Moreover, the world situation is undergoing tremendous changes. Under such circumstances, the Japanese government and the headquarters are more eager to resolve the war in China as soon as possible so that they can withdraw from the Chinese battlefield and implement the "Southward Advance Plan" that has been determined long ago. Only in this way can Japan participate in this global competition and gain the greatest benefits.
When the Japanese government, the Imperial Headquarters, and many people in the Chinese Expeditionary Force saw that the 11th Army had occupied the strategic city of Yichang, they excitedly expressed that the 11th Army should ensure long-term occupation of Yichang, which would pose a greater threat to the Chinese government in the mountain city and would be conducive to promoting the political strategy of the Chinese government's surrender. As long as the Chinese government was forced to surrender, the war problem in China could be resolved as soon as possible, which had great strategic value. This idea and suggestion deeply touched Emperor Hirohito of Japan.
However, when the Imperial Headquarters and the Expeditionary Force told Lieutenant General Kazuichiro Sonobe, commander of the 11th Japanese Army, about the idea of occupying Yichang for a long time, he strongly opposed it.
Lieutenant General Kazuichiro Sonobe, commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army, felt that these people were simply talking big without any consideration. Judging from the current size of the 11th Army's forces, it was not enough to control and occupy so much territory. Now both the areas south of the Yangtze River and the areas north of the Yangtze River needed to be guarded. It was difficult to hold on to the existing occupied areas, let alone extend them so far west to Yichang.
Judging from the map, our 11th Army is now surrounded by the Chinese government's Fifth War Zone to the north and the Chinese government's Ninth War Zone to the south. The area controlled by our 11th Army is a long snake formation. Once the troops in some areas are insufficient, the two war zones of the Chinese government will definitely launch fatal attacks, and the entire 11th Army may be cut off.
Moreover, the 11th Army's strategic materials and ammunition reserves are almost exhausted. If they want to hold Yichang for a long time, it will be a considerable expense to maintain the supply routes of the Yichang defenders. Therefore, the commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army, Lieutenant General Kazuichiro Sonobe, and the division commanders on the front line unanimously opposed the long-term occupation of Yichang, believing that they should stop while they are ahead and just take advantage of the situation locally.
Of course, the reply telegram from Lieutenant General Kazuichiro Sonobe, commander of the 11th Army of the Japanese Army, to the headquarters and the expeditionary army was relatively tactful. In the telegram, Lieutenant General Kazuichiro Sonobe pointed out the various problems currently faced by the 11th Army and believed that it was not wise to occupy Yichang for a long time. Of course, at the end of the telegram, Lieutenant General Kazuichiro Sonobe stated that if the headquarters and the expeditionary army could send five to eight divisions of troops to the 11th Army and allocate a large amount of war supplies and weapons and equipment, then his 11th Army would still be able to complete the task of the headquarters and the expeditionary army for the long-term occupation of Yichang.
After seeing the reply from Lieutenant General Kazuichiro Sonobe, commander of the 11th Army, the expeditionary army and the headquarters also felt that it was necessary to send more troops to the 11th Army. Otherwise, it would be difficult for the 11th Army to guard such a large occupied area with its current strength.
However, at the Imperial Conference held by Emperor Hirohito of Japan, in front of senior government officials and the navy, he first asked the Minister of the Army and the leaders of the headquarters: "Gentlemen, as for the long-term occupation of Yichang in China and forcing the Chinese government to surrender, do you have any problem with the army?"
Emperor Hirohito's first question directly shut down what the Army Minister and the bigwigs at the Imperial Headquarters were about to say. In front of the bigwigs of government departments and those bastards in the navy, the army had to save face. Moreover, since His Majesty the Emperor had spoken, the army had to complete it.
Therefore, the Army Minister and the bigwigs of the headquarters said that the Army would always be loyal to His Majesty the Emperor, and that there would be no problem for the Army to occupy Yichang for a long time. As for the request for additional reinforcements, forget it. His Majesty the Emperor has already spoken, and you are still here to negotiate terms with him. This will not only make His Majesty the Emperor unhappy, but will also make those bastards in the government and the navy blame the Army.
However, at the last moment, the Minister of the Army asked shrewdly, "Your Majesty, how long does the government need our army to occupy Yichang before they can use political means to force the Chinese government in the mountain city to surrender to our Great Japanese Empire?"