Chapter 440

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Lv Muzhi's great army marched in neat formation, entering Taiyuan City through the South Gate.

Tank after tank and armored vehicle after armored vehicle drove slowly into Central Avenue; the whole of Taiyuan City emptied its alleys and lanes, with people coming out to welcome the Youth Army into the city.

The citizens waved all kinds of colorful flags, standing on both sides of the street, welcoming them with utmost sincerity.

People raised banners and held firecrackers; the sound of firecrackers and cheers rose and fell, deafening.

The Youth Army soldiers were fully armed; some rode motorcycles, trucks, tanks, and armored vehicles, while others rode tall, fine horses; the procession entering the city stretched beyond sight.

"Quick, look! That's our Iron Turtle vehicle! Completely different from the devils' little turtle vehicles, so mighty!"

An old scholar by the roadside pointed at a Type 3 Assault Gun and said excitedly to the grandson beside him.

"And what those soldiers are holding in their hands—one look and you know it's a good gun? With this firepower, how can the devils stand it!"

"A person relies on clothes, a horse relies on its saddle; just look at this great army's equipment, and you'll know the little devils are like grasshoppers after autumn, unable to jump for more than a few days!"

"After two years, our troops have finally fought their way back!"

Among the crowd, several young men watched the Youth Army soldiers' neat uniforms and fine equipment, their eyes full of longing.

One wearing glasses said: "I heard a large army has already gone out through the North Gate; they're going to retake Xinzhou, where several thousand little devils are stationed. Soon, south of Yanmen Pass, there won't be a single place left for the devils to set foot!"

Within Taiyuan City, a heartfelt national pride reached its peak at this moment.

Meanwhile, within the headquarters of the Japanese North China Area Army.

Commander Tada Toshin sat in the dim office; his originally crisp military uniform looked somewhat loose, and his whole person seemed to have aged ten years.

Before him stood two people: the one standing was Lieutenant General Okabe Naosaburo, Commander of the Garrison Mongolia Army, and another was kneeling on the ground.

The one kneeling was Lieutenant General Xiao Zhukazuo of the Shanxi First Army, whose forces had been blown apart by Lv Muzhi.

Commander Tada Toshin said nothing.

But Lieutenant General Okabe Naosaburo was already furious beyond restraint, grabbing Xiao Zhukazuo's collar: "You bastard! Compensate my Tank Division!"

"My Tank Division! My tanks! Over three hundred of them!"

"All! Gone!"

"I sent my strongest Tank Division to support you, and what do you do? You didn't even bring back a single wheel!"

Xiao Zhukazuo knelt on the ground, trembling as he said:

"This truly cannot be blamed on me; whoever took my place would be the same."

"At least I brought your Japanese 26th Division back safely, and my Mixed Ninth Brigade as well, both placed at your disposal!"

【31 "Otherwise, Lv Muzhi's troops would have already crossed Hengshan and marched straight on Datong!"

Otherwise, Lv Muzhi's troops would have crossed Hengshan long ago and marched straight on Datong!

After the defeat at Taiyuan, Xiao Zhukazuo fled with the Japanese 26th Division and the Mixed Ninth Brigade, seeking refuge with Lieutenant General Okabe Naosaburo of the Garrison Mongolia Army.

To prevent the Youth Army from charging forward into the Garrison Mongolia Army's territory,

Okabe Naosaburo first detained this deserter Xiao Zhukazuo, then transferred the Japanese 26th Division and the Mixed Ninth Brigade, plus his own Mixed Second Brigade, to various strategic passes to block and strike.

He dispersed his troops around Ningwu Pass, Yanmen Pass, and Pingxingguan to block the Youth Army's continued advance.

Commander Tada Toshin glanced at Xiao Zhukazuo kneeling on the ground, then said: "Get up!"

Okabe Naosaburo was very surprised: "Commander Excellency... this?!"

"Be content; if it weren't for Xiao Zhukazuo bringing his troops out, where would you have the manpower to defend these important passes?"

That was indeed the truth; if Xiao Zhukazuo had chosen to fight to the death at Taiyuan, he would probably have been completely devoured by Lv Muzhi.

By then, the Garrison Mongolia Army itself would be short of manpower.

"In extraordinary times, our methods of operation must also change; relying on natural defenses to hold our ground is our next strategy."

Seeing this, Xiao Zhukazuo slowly stood up and said in a low voice: "Commander Tada is wise! I considered the future situation, which is why I willingly endured such great humiliation and led my troops out of Taiyuan City!"

"Otherwise! I would willingly sacrifice my life to repay Emperor Tenghuang!"

"Of course... it is precisely because of my assessment of the situation that I retreated in time."

"Now, in the hands of the Garrison Mongolia Army, besides the Cavalry Group and the Mixed Second Brigade, there are additionally the Japanese 26th Division and the Mixed Ninth Brigade, two fresh forces!"

Commander Tada Toshin shook his head; if it were the previous two years, someone like Xiao Zhukazuo behaving this way, he would definitely force him to commit seppuku.

But the current situation is pressing.

The Xuzhou-Bengbu Campaign was like a greedy black hole, swallowing most of the main forces of the Japanese Army inside the Pass.

After Lv Muzhi took Taiyuan, he looked down from a height, overlooking all of North China, and was one step closer to his own North China Area Army Headquarters.

Helplessly lacking reinforcements, someone like Xiao Zhukazuo was someone Tada Toshin had to use!

"Excellency Xiao Zhukazuo, I now appoint you to defend Niangzi Pass, commanding the Japanese 35th Division there and the Mixed 8th and Mixed 15th Brigades, three forces in total, strictly preventing Lv Muzhi's mechanized units from entering Hebei via the Zhengtai Railway."

Xiao Zhukazuo was overjoyed; although this position was not as glorious as his own First Army Commander, at least he hadn't lost his life.

Lieutenant General Okabe Naosaburo had no mind to bother with Xiao Zhukazuo anymore; Niangzi Pass was heavily defended, and Lv Muzhi's troops might retreat to a second choice and come attack the weakened Garrison Mongolia Army.

"Excellency, my forces are too few!"

"Xiao Zhukazuo defends one Niangzi Pass with one infantry division and two mixed brigades."

"And my forces also have one infantry division plus two mixed brigades, and a Cavalry Group (with two cavalry brigades under it)."

"My forces are not much more than Xiao Zhukazuo's, yet I have to defend Ningwu Pass, Yanmen Pass, Pingxingguan, and so many other passes?!"

As shown in the diagram

"If Ningwu Pass and Yanmen Pass are lost, then Datong cannot be preserved; if Datong cannot be preserved, then the Pingsui Railway cannot be preserved; the Youth Army will take the railway straight to Juyong Pass, with troops at the gates of Beiping City!"

"If Pingxingguan is not preserved, it is similarly dangerous; the Youth Army will directly strike Juyong Pass!"

Moreover, east of Pingxingguan in the Taihang Mountains, two trails lead straight into Hebei; if Pingxingguan falls, we must still guard against the Youth Army's lightly equipped units slipping into Hebei!

In short, in short, the Garrison Mongolia Army has too few troops but too many places to defend; once its forces are spread thin, every pass will be extremely easy to break through!

Okabe Naosaburo spoke at length, leaving Commander Tada Toshin with a terrible headache; in the end, it was still a matter of insufficient troops.

But Commander Tada Toshin had already committed the Pingjin Area's defensive forces, prioritizing filling the bottomless pit at Niangzi Pass.

Because passing through Niangzi Pass was the nearest and most convenient route for Lv Muzhi to enter North China, while the passes defended by the Garrison Mongolia Army were detours.

Commander Tada Toshin had prioritized plugging the hole at Niangzi Pass, but now had no strength left to plug the holes of the Garrison Mongolia Army—truly dismantling the east wall to patch the west wall!

Xiao Zhukazuo understood Commander Tada Toshin's difficulty and asked probing: "Could it be that the Imperial General Headquarters and the Kwantung Army truly do not care about North China?"

"As long as reinforcements arrive, relying on geographical advantage we can block Lv Muzhi's great army in Shanxi, and the vast plains of North China can still remain under our control!"

Your Excellency!

Commander Tada Toshin thought for a moment, looked at Xiao Zhukazuo and Okabe Naosaburo, and finally made up his mind:

"Send one last telegram to the Imperial General Headquarters, then give me... then give me... two divisions! As long as two divisions of reinforcements arrive, I will definitely hold the North China Plain!"

"If that fails, the three of us will commit seppuku to return to heaven!"