Chapter 317: The Gui Clique is in Trouble, the Sichuan Army Helps Out

Because the Pingjin Area Army's offensive was very smooth.

Having achieved excellent battle results in Shandong Province, the Imperial General Headquarters had already abandoned the non-expansion policy.

Hata Shunroku's telegram requesting reinforcements was approved very quickly.

This batch of reinforcements consisted of replacement troops for the 1st Division, organized from soldiers within the 1st Division's jurisdiction.

Hata Shunroku took a look at the map and discovered that to break the stalemate, the only way was to advance into the Subei region!

He immediately gave all the newly arrived replacement troops to the 101st Division.

The Sichuan Army possessed autonomous operational rights on the battlefield, and all authority for operations would be fully held by the Sichuan Army Second Route Army.

From the Regiment Commander down to the squad leaders, the commanders were all replaced.

As the occupied territory expanded, the Japanese Army's forces became relatively dispersed.

The Japanese Army on the South Line was merely auxiliary in the Xuzhou Battle; the true main direction of the offensive was still in the north.

Ito Masayoshi's 101st Division had suffered very heavy casualties during the fighting in Shanghai.

Because Han Fuqu's Third Group Army fled in defeat all the way, many cities were abandoned.

The 101st Division remained in the southeast of Xuzhou, tasked with guard duties, and no longer continued to pursue forward.

After fierce resistance, Handeqin and Chang'endo retreated backward;

Within a Permanent Division there is a Cavalry Regiment, while a Special Division has a Cavalry Battalion.

In order to maintain the occupied territory, the 101st Division had to station a Battalion of troops in every county seat for defense.

In the North Line direction, the Japanese Army 5th Division and Isogai Rensuke's 10th Division.

A furious Hata Shunroku had no choice but to contact Hasegawa Kiyoshi, asking the Navy to transport grain and supplies to the 101st Division.

The two divisions were unstoppable, and in addition, three more divisions were following closely behind.

They were all new divisions organized from replacement personnel from the jurisdictions of the 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 14th, and 16th Divisions.

But!

The two divisions also received Hata Shunroku's order to increase the intensity of the northern offensive and tear open a gap.

The withdrawal of the Third Group Army left the gateway to the Jinpu Line in the north wide open.

Even though the Sichuan Army was divided into several war zones, there was no shortage of personnel for follow-up troops;

Plus, the current Arsenal in Sichuan Province could produce many weapons to arm the Sichuan Army.

He suggested to Pan Wenhua and Deng Xihou that if the Sichuan Army were to be dispersed, they must make demands to the Nanjing Command.

On the South Line offensive, the Central China Area Army failed to tear open a gap, and the war fell into a stalemate.

Now that the 101st Division had sufficient troops, Hata Shunroku ordered Ito Masayoshi to advance into Subei.

This resulted in the original operational plan of the Fifth War Zone being completely aborted before many parts of it could even be implemented.

The 101st Division was closest to Subei, and it was tasked with the mission of guarding Shanghai.

Once the Sichuan Army units divided into several war zones possessed autonomous operational rights, they would exert their maximum combat power.

The 101st Division once fell into a predicament of lacking supplies!

The 101st Division was the same as the 104th, 106th, 108th, 109th, 110th, 114th, and 116th Divisions.

"Li Delin did not say a word and transferred Liao Lei's Seventh Army into the Seventh War Zone."

"The troop strength was also relatively weak, lacking follow-up units."

Successive setbacks made Ito Masayoshi very displeased as well.

In terms of troop strength, four Infantry Regiments—this was the same as a Permanent Division.

The Japanese 101st Division captured many county seats in Subei, but because after taking the county seats.

There was also the Northeast Army's Chang'endo 111th Division!

Because the terrain of the Subei region was somewhat unfavorable for the three defending divisions.

At the same time, the Central China Area Army's 13th Division and 9th Division.

Directly threw a tantrum, saying their own divisions could no longer advance.

The troops were too dispersed and frequently suffered strikes from the superior numbers of the Republic of China Army; for this reason, Ito Masayoshi decided.

The only difference between a Special Division and a Permanent Division was the cavalry and artillery.

Instead, it remained in Shanghai, tasked with guard duties.

Its personnel were all organized from the previous replacement troops of the 1st Division.

Pang Bingxun's 3rd Army Group, Han Fuqu's Third Group Army, and Zhang Zizhong's troops who were marching north to reinforce.

The Langya direction was now reinforced by Pang Bingxun's 3rd Army Group, but the Teng County direction was currently lacking troops.

Because the 101st Division suffered heavy casualties, this division did not participate in the pursuit battle toward Jinling.

The Japanese Army's mechanized units advanced very quickly; under the impact of airplanes, cannons, tanks, and Armored Vehicles.

The 101st Division, trapped in a predicament, directly initiated a request for help via telegram to Hata Shunroku.

During the process of providing support, the Republic of China Army seized the opportunity to once again inflict great damage on the 101st Division.

They destroyed more than two hundred kilometers of highways and Railway main lines, and took the opportunity to pull out the checkpoints on them, capturing several county seats.

At present, Langya and Teng County had become the two most important Checkpoints to the north of Xuzhou.

The pressure on the north side of the Fifth War Zone was now very great.

The Sichuan Army now had many Security Regiments organized in the rear, all of whom had received training.

Because after the fighting at Wenzaobang ended, the 1st Infantry Regiment under the 101st Division was almost completely wiped out.

A Permanent Division's Artillery Regiment possessed twelve 105 mm Howitzers, while a Special Division did not.

With this, the Japanese offensive on the South Line stopped.

Yu Hua actually agreed with the Sichuan Army entering Shandong, but he had one requirement.

Hold the main highway and Railway lines, blocking the Republic of China Army from moving troops toward Xuzhou via the highway and Railway.

If we keep fighting like this, we won't even be able to keep the Regimental Flag!

The other few Regiments were in a similar state, which is why Ito Masayoshi chose to talk back to Matsui Iwane.

The newly formed Divisions were all Special Divisions;

Pan Wenhua let out a long, heavy sigh: "This Teng County!"

Now that Liu Dashuai has passed away, wanting to concentrate the Sichuan Army in one War Zone has likely become a pipe dream.

Meanwhile, the Guangxi Clique 21st Group Army, along with its 7th Army and 48th Army, also coordinated with the 31st Army to seize the opportunity to outflank the Japanese Army from the rear.

The 101st Division, Division Commander Ito Masayoshi!

Only after Matsui Iwane learned of this did he swap in the 13th Division to attack Dachang Town.

Their designations also had the number 100 added before these Divisions, and the Brigades and Regiments they belonged to also had the number 100 added.

"Back when I was in the Seventh War Zone, my 23rd Group Army blocked the Japanese Army's 10th Army in the Taihu Region."

When the Navy units came ashore, they also needed the 101st Division to send troops to meet them.

When Division Commander Ito Masayoshi originally received the order to attack Dachang Town, he talked back to Matsui Iwane directly.

It once caused great pressure on the 101st Division, and the 101st Division's supply line was cut off directly by the Republic of China Army.

As well as one Army of Guangxi Clique Troops, they launched a counterattack on several important county seats once again.

Several Armies coordinated with each other and successfully blocked the offensive of the Japanese Army's Central China Area Army!

Furthermore, several Armies on the South Line of the Fifth War Zone took the opportunity to counterattack the Japanese Army, recovering positions lost north of the Huai River.

"I think we of the Sichuan Army should still go."

However, the two Divisions also encountered stubborn resistance from the 51st Army and 59th Army of the Fifth War Zone.

The army defending in the Subei region was Handeqin's 89th Army, which had two Divisions under its command: the 33rd Division and the 117th Division.

Now Li Delin had no choice but to request that the Sichuan Army 22nd Group Army enter Shandong as soon as possible.

The retreating Handeqin and Chang'endo joined forces with several local Security Regiments;

The Sakamoto Detachment and the Laigu Detachment—these two Detachments—differed slightly from the original timeline, as their troop strength had been reinforced.

After the plan was reported to the Central China Area Army, it received approval from Hata Shunroku.

Now there is a possibility of the position being broken through by the Japanese Army at any time.

"The Fifth War Zone is currently facing the Japanese Army's offensive and lacks manpower; we of the Sichuan Army must help with this."

Thanks to "Sticking to the Needle Fast" for the tip, many thanks for your support, big brother; also thanks to all the big brothers who voted, thank you all, I kowtow to you... Boom, boom, boom!

(End of this chapter)