Chapter 179: Attacking Zhuozhou

Marshal Liu's gaze fell upon Yu Hua.

"Since we aren't going to clash head-on with the Chuan'an Corps, you must have a countermeasure in mind."

"Or perhaps you have another option!"

"Tell us, how should our Sichuan Army units deploy for the upcoming campaign?"

Deng Xihou, standing to the side, grinned: "Yu Hua, feel free to speak."

"Everyone is waiting for you."

"We all know that you lad definitely have some tricks up your sleeve."

Yu Hua patted his chest toward Marshal Liu and said: "Marshal, you can rest assured."

The train of the Sichuan Army's 122nd Division pulled in, and along the way, it did not encounter a single outpost patrol from the Japanese stations.

Zhuozhou is sixty kilometers away from Niangziguan; it is impossible for all three Sichuan Army divisions to launch a surprise attack on Zhuozhou City.

There are mortars, Type 92 Infantry Guns, Mountain Guns, and Field Guns.

This is a supply transport station for the Japanese, and three trains arrive here every day.

"Tonight, our Sichuan Army will only eat meat, not drink soup."

They usually use their guns to bully the common people, but once they encounter field troops, they can be scared into shitting themselves.

Shen Yunhua's Regiment is specifically lying in ambush on the road used by Japanese reinforcements to strike the enemy's relief force.

Outside the city!

As he spoke, Marshal Liu patted Yu Hua on the shoulder: "Alright!"

As for the 18th Group Army, Yu Hua told them not to worry; this unit will also play a major role tonight.

This Puppet Army is the newly formed 1st Independent Division of the Collaborationist Army, claiming to have 15,000 men.

On this defensive line of over one hundred kilometers, it is pure wishful thinking for the Japanese to want to defend it.

"That is why we were able to arrive at Zhuozhou City so smoothly."

The 124th Division and Bai Zhangsheng's reinforced regiment are defending the Sichuan Army positions.

"You all follow his deployment to fight the Japanese."

Lure the Enemy to Reinforce!

Wang Zhizhong patted Yu Hua on the shoulder, "Good lad!"

The three trains began to head toward Zhuozhou City.

Therefore, to besiege Zhuozhou City, the 12,000-plus men of the Sichuan Army's 122nd Division are already enough.

"If anyone does not obey orders, don't blame me for being impolite."

This further made Kawakishi Bunzaburo afraid to send troops to rescue them.

Let them increase their harassment of the Chuan'an Corps to pin them down.

The time is now eleven o'clock at night.

"Tonight we must make a big haul."

In an instant!

Deng Xihou's eyes were shining.

However, he feared this was the Sichuan Army's "Lure the Enemy to Reinforce" tactic, so Kawakishi Bunzaburo remained still.

The 18th Group Army will fully utilize the advantages of local armed forces tonight.

Kawakishi Bunzaburo had also received the distress telegram from the station.

There are three trains, each with 20 carriages, and each carriage holds 200 men.

"Coming all this way, the Japanese forces in the Pingjin Region are truly weak to the extreme."

We can break through the Japanese defensive line and capture Zhuozhou.

It is just that the telephone lines were cut, so the calls could not get through.

Subsequently, Yu Hua adjusted the combat deployment for tonight.

Terauchi Hisaichi recruited many Puppet Army soldiers, and the combat effectiveness of these troops is truly not very good.

Hearing this, Yu Hua walked forward, picked up the command stick, and pointed toward the direction of Zhuozhou.

Attacking Zhuozhou from the south—as long as we concentrate superior forces on this one point of the hundred-plus kilometer gap, we can attack.

Two and a half divisions were transferred south; currently, only one Military Police brigade is a mobile unit.

Perhaps the Sichuan Army only needs to shout a few times, and this group of Puppet Army soldiers will likely surrender.

The current Weaponry of the Sichuan Army is much better than in the original timeline.

The county towns along the Zhengtai Line had long been taken by the Japanese, and now the Chuan'an Corps dare not move recklessly.

The first trip can only carry 12,000-plus men; the remaining 2,000-plus men will be left to defend the station.

Sun Zhen also urged Yu Hua not to keep them in suspense.

The 125th Division, 122nd Division, and 127th Division—three divisions—are rapidly advancing toward Zhuozhou, preparing to encircle and annihilate the Japanese in this area.

Yu Hua grinned and said: "Tonight, our friendly forces are also coordinating well with us."

"The Pingjin Region defensive line is wide open; if we don't fight well and grab more of the Japanese's things, wouldn't my Sichuan Army be at a loss?"

As long as we wipe out the Japanese battalion, the remaining Puppet Army soldiers will be like fish on a chopping block, to be slaughtered however we please.

"You lad, you've been wanting to attack Zhuozhou for a long time, haven't you?"

The remaining units of the 122nd Division will launch a fierce attack on Zhuozhou City.

"Are you preparing to attack Zhuozhou?"

Plus, the harassment by the Sichuan Army units left behind, and the attacks by Sun Lianzhong, Feng Qinzai, and others on the front of Niangziguan.

There are not many Japanese left to guard the station, and the Sichuan Army's 122nd Division quickly wiped them out.

For a time, the surrounding county towns and the Japanese troops left behind began calling for reinforcements one after another.

Therefore, under Yu Hua's arrangement, the 122nd Division immediately led its troops to seize three railway stations on the Zhengtai Line.

"The rest is up to you."

The remaining 125th Division and 127th Division also began a rapid advance from the highway, using all of the Sichuan Army's vehicles and horses to march in the direction of Zhuozhou.

Sweeping through the surrounding county towns, whenever they discovered a Japanese warehouse, they would seize it.

These two divisions were responsible for clearing out the Japanese troops in the counties surrounding Zhuozhou, which were the counties at the border between the 1st War Zone and the 2nd War Zone.

Moreover, the telephone lines had also been cut by the 18th Group Army, leaving the Japanese troops stationed at the three railway stations along the way without contact with each other.

The Sichuan Army concentrated its superior forces to attack a single point; the Japanese defense line was like an egg hitting a rock.

The Sichuan Army 122nd Division would be able to reach Zhuozhou City by two o'clock in the morning.

Previously, Yu Hua had analyzed that the Pingjin Area Army was empty of troops.

After all preparations were complete, the Sichuan Army units rapidly marched in the direction of Zhuozhou.

However, in reality, after reconnaissance by the Sichuan Army, this group of Puppet Army troops only numbered eight thousand.

The Japanese defense force in Zhuozhou City consisted of only one battalion, with all the remaining troops being Puppet Army.

The three divisions, totaling over forty thousand men, marched majestically toward Zhuozhou.

"I have looked at your troop deployment for tonight; once the Chuan'an Corps is defeated."

He turned his gaze toward the others, "My Sichuan Army 22nd Group Army can launch an attack on Zhuozhou."

Currently, the Japanese in the Pingjin Region lack mobile forces in order to maintain their occupied territories.

"Tonight, I will definitely make sure our Sichuan Army eats their fill."

The 123rd Division continued to harass the Chuan'an Corps, while at the same time, Liu Dashuai contacted Sun Lianzhong, Feng Qinzai, and others.

"Zhuozhou!"

The Japanese soldiers on guard consisted of one company, and the rest were all Puppet Army.

Liu Dashuai cleared his throat and looked at everyone, "The following operational arrangements will still be deployed by Yu Hua."

South of Niangziguan, the defense line established by the Japanese in the 1st War Zone was quickly breached by the Sichuan Army.

He had the militia and the main force of the 18th Group Army launch an attack together on the Japanese at the three stations on the Zhengtai Line.

The speed of trains in this era could reach over forty kilometers per hour.

Taking these county towns did not require much effort at all for the Sichuan Army.

Liu Dashuai grinned: "Hahaha..."

Yu Hua rubbed his head, "If this Chuan'an Corps is crushed."

This heavy troop group, after breaking through the Japanese defense line, quickly followed the previously designated operational scope.

"If you're going to eat, take a big bite."

Two kilometers outside Zhuozhou City, there was a temporary Japanese airfield, which housed more than 20 Japanese aircraft.

The Sichuan Army 122nd Division had over fourteen thousand men; three trains could not possibly hold so many.

While the 125th Division and 127th Division attacked the surrounding county towns, Wang Zhizhong's 122nd Division had already arrived outside Zhuozhou City.

The Chuan'an Corps could only watch helplessly as the Japanese at the railway station were annihilated by the Sichuan Army.

After securing the station, the soldiers of the Sichuan Army 122nd Division began to board the trains one after another.

"The forces here are empty; this is the perfect time to strike Zhuozhou."

The Japanese were busy engaging with the 18th Group Army; how could they have any spare time to worry about the incoming trains?

South of Niangziguan, there were no longer any large Japanese army groups.

The Jin Jizhong Regiment led its troops to attack the Japanese airfield, drawing out the Japanese outside the city to reinforce it.

Yu Hua had already made advance arrangements for these three railway stations.

Yu Hua and Wang Zhizhong had already finalized the operational plan.

They also did not know that these three incoming trains were entirely Republic of China Army.

The Japanese soldiers all assumed these were trains returning normally from the front line and even urged the trains to hurry up and move forward.

(End of this chapter)