Chapter 336: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 346: The Imperial Guard Division's Cishou Infantry C

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Hefei, Second Army Headquarters.

"The troubles in the Manchuria direction have already been pacified," Prince Tōgū Toshihiko announced to his four division commanders under his command, "Next, our army can devote all its strength to the Wuhan campaign."

Imperial Guard Division Commander Lieutenant General Iida Sadakazu had long been unable to restrain himself. Having held Hefei in a stalemate for two months, while Okamura Yasuji in the south launched a fierce attack on Ma Dang Fortress, and the Nineteenth Division in the north even dared to act against the Soviet Army, his own Imperial Guard Army of the Emperor could only watch from the sidelines, which made him feel deeply humiliated.

"Commander, please give the order!" Iida Sadakazu straightened his spine, "All officers and men of the Imperial Guard Division are ready at any time to sacrifice themselves for Emperor Tenghuang!"

Prince Tōgū Toshihiko nodded: "The attack plan has long been formulated, only previously constrained by the northern situation."

Now that the threat has been removed, the Imperial General Headquarters has also reached a compromise with the Soviet side, and our army no longer has any worries behind us.

Now I order: all four divisions of the Second Army will advance west along the main roads, successively capturing Gushi, Shangcheng, Huangchuan, and other places. After reaching Huangchuan, divide the troops into two routes——"

"The Fifth Division and the Imperial Guard Division will be stationed at Huangchuan, on one hand guarding against Hu Gongnan's department in the Xinyang direction to the west, on the other hand guarding against the Youth Corps in the Zhengzhou area to the north possibly advancing south."

"The Sixteenth Division and the 108th Division will then advance south from Huangchuan, cross the Dabie Mountains, capture Machen, and finally advance to the north bank of the Yangtze River, the area north of Wuhan;"

"They can both march straight to the Wuhan urban area by land, or swing eastward, together with Your Excellency Gangcun's 11th Army on the east, to pincer the main force of the Xian Bing army on the north bank of the Yangtze River!"

After the four division commanders heard this, most nodded. This plan was steady and cautious, taking into account both the offensive and flank security.

Only Iida Sadakazu had a bad complexion, looking very unhappy.

In his expectation, the Imperial Guard Division should have served as the vanguard for the main attack on Wuhan, but now it was left at Huangchuan County to serve as a covering force, which he found hard to accept.

"Your Excellency, I……"

"I know what you want to say, Iida-kun." Prince Tōgū Toshihiko raised his hand to stop him, "To be honest, we strike Wuhan from the north foot of the Dabie Mountains; although this route seems smooth, it is actually very dangerous."

"We not only need to rout the defending troops in front of us, but also must guard against Hu Gongnan from the Xinyang direction and the Youth Corps from the north coming from behind to attack us."

He looked at Iida Sadakazu: "Precisely for this reason, I have placed the strongest Imperial Guard Division at Huangchuan County."

"What you shoulder is the retreat route and flank security of the entire army. This position cannot be undertaken except by elite troops."

After these words were spoken, Iida Sadakazu's expression finally eased slightly.

To be regarded by the prince as the strongest elite and entrusted with a heavy responsibility was indeed a form of recognition.

Moreover, being stationed at Huangchuan meant very likely facing the Youth Corps directly and engaging in a true contest, which was exactly the opportunity he craved!

If the Youth Corps did not come, he could still advance west to attack Xinyang and meet Hu Gongnan.

With the Fifth Division cooperating, with two divisions in hand, whether advancing west to Xinyang or staying in place to guard against the Youth Army, he would have more than enough.

After the operational meeting ended, Prince Tōgū Toshihiko kept only Iida Sadakazu and Itagaki Seishiro behind.

"A batch of new equipment just arrived from the homeland at Hefei," the prince said, "Considering the possibility of encountering enemy mechanized forces, I specially applied for this batch of weapons for you."

Fifth Division Commander Lieutenant General Itagaki Seishiro's eyes lit up: "Your Highness has considered everything thoroughly."

Imperial Guard Division Commander Iida Sadakazu also pressed: "Exactly what new equipment is it?!"

Prince Tōgū Toshihiko did not answer, only gesturing for the two to follow him to the station.

The three rode to the train station, only to see a munitions train stopped on the platform.

Under the prince's gesture, the quartermaster opened a long wooden box, inside which five long wooden poles were neatly arranged, with conical iron caps mounted on the top of the poles.

"This is... a Spike Mine?" Itagaki Seishiro frowned slightly.

This was precisely the "Spike Mine" that had appeared on the Xuzhou Battlefield, a simple and inefficient anti-tank suicide weapon.

When using it, the soldier needed to hold a wooden long pole and thrust the end with the conical iron cap fiercely toward the tank armor, relying on a shaped charge to penetrate armor, at the cost of the user's life.

The quartermaster introduced the performance data in detail, emphasizing that theoretically it could penetrate 100 millimeters of sloped armor.

As for the consumption produced, it was merely the flesh and blood of one little devil and 2.9 kilograms of specially made high explosive.

After hearing this, Itagaki Seishiro shook his head helplessly.

This weapon required the soldier to approach the tank within a few meters; in actual combat, how could that be easy?

At least on the Xuzhou Battlefield, the soldiers of the Thirteenth Division used this kind of weapon against the Youth Army's tanks, causing no damage whatsoever, and many were captured by Xia Guo and published in newspapers.

If it were truly so effective, why would the Japanese army need to equip anti-tank guns and rapid-fire guns?

But Imperial Guard Division Commander Iida Sadakazu was full of excitement, personally picking up one and weighing it: "It has substantial weight, a good weapon! Thank Your Highness for thinking of my Imperial Guard Division!"

He turned and ordered his attendant: "Distribute immediately to every squad, ensure every squad possesses independent anti-armor capability!"

Prince Tōgū Toshihiko nodded with satisfaction, then looked at Itagaki Seishiro: "The Fifth Division must do the same, without fail."

"Yes!" Itagaki Seishiro, although extremely unwilling in his heart, could only salute and accept the order.

Returning to the division, Lieutenant General Iida Sadakazu acted swiftly and decisively, distributing the Spike Mine weapons down to every squad.

Every squad of the Imperial Guard Division received a Spike Mine, concentrated together for training, and formed a specialized "Cishou Infantry Company"!

On the review ground, hundreds of soldiers wearing Rising Sun Headbands held Spike Mines, standing in formation solemnly.

Iida Sadakazu stood on the platform, shouting an exhortation: "Gentlemen! When the Xian Bing tanks appear, bravely charge forward! For His Majesty the Emperor——Banzai!"

Division Commander Iida Sadakazu shouted "Banzai" while raising both hands high.

"Banzai!!!"

"Banzai!!!"

The shouts below shook the heavens, and the white headbands danced wildly in the wind.

These soldiers of the Imperial Guard Division, deeply imbued with bushido, waved the Spike Mines in their hands madly; those devils who could actively volunteer to join the Cishou Infantry Company were even more die-hard lackeys of Emperor Tenghuang, poisoned deeply by so-called bushido.

Each one longed to sacrifice themselves for the glory of Emperor Tenghuang.

On the Yangtze front, Gangcun Ningci's Japanese army was probing Ma Dang Fortress on the south bank of the Yangtze River with poison gas shells.

And at the north foot of the Dabie Mountains, Prince Tōgū Toshihiko's Second Army, four divisions, advanced rapidly west along the highway.

The situation was exactly as the Second Army had expected: resistance along the way was fierce, but could not stop its offensive.

In just half a month, Lu'an, Shangcheng, Gushi, and Yejiaji fell one after another.

Iida Sadakata was elated: "At this speed, Wuhan is within reach! If it weren't for the Russians meddling at Zhanggufeng, the Sun Flag would already be flying atop Wuhan City!"

Itagaki Seishiro, however, was worried: "Iida-kun, our army has entered Henan territory; we must be vigilant that the Youth Corps lists us as a target for suppression."

Iida Sadakata merely gave a cold sneer, not taking it seriously.

Just as the Japanese Army's high command focused its gaze on Wuhan, in a corner of the north, a sabotage battle targeting the Japanese Army in North China quietly erupted.

It was not an offensive organized by the Youth Corps, but part of the Eighth Route Army's 129th Division, 386th Brigade, together with local guerrilla units, launching a large-scale sabotage against the Daoqing Railway in the Jiaozuo-Xinxiang region.

And the location of this railway was separated from Zhengzhou, where the Youth Corps was stationed, by only a river.

【The Daqing Railway Sabotage Battle, including the aforementioned Zhanggufeng Incident, are real events, haha】