Chapter 344: The Thirty-Six Stratagems

Now!

The supplies and troops supported by the Imperial General Headquarters have now been ambushed and sunk by the Sichuan Army!

Terauchi Hisaichi's troops are somewhat short on manpower in the north.

Because!

The combat effectiveness of the Sichuan Army units has already exceeded the expectations of the Imperial General Headquarters.

The shortage of supplies and troops has greatly affected Terauchi Hisaichi's operational plan.

At present!

The Central China Area Army on the South Line is unable to continue pushing north.

What a pity!

"You may all speak your minds!"

The main force for attacking Xuzhou will be assumed by the Pingjin Area Army under Terauchi Hisaichi's command.

This can also buy quite a bit of time for the Wuhan Battle.

Upon hearing that the Sichuan Army possesses one hundred thousand men, Terauchi Hisaichi realizes this is a heavy-force group.

Now this batch of supplies and troops has been destroyed by the Sichuan Army.

"Trigger mutual distrust between the two sides; only then can the Imperial Army maximize its benefits when it attacks."

"Han Fuqu of the Third Group Army was also executed by firing squad by the Nanjing Command."

"I believe we should set the Sichuan Army as this example."

"Hai!"

"This subordinate has something to say."

Have Dean Wang exert pressure on the Sichuan Army and, in the name of the Nanjing Command, denounce a series of fraudulent acts by the Sichuan Army.

Especially now that Dean Wang and others are also actively making contact with the high-ranking officials of the Japanese Army.

The Fifth War Zone is teeming with many Local Army units.

"According to my reconnaissance!"

Sonoda Meiling immediately rose from her seat, "Thank you, Commander!"

Terauchi Hisaichi understands Chang Kaishen's goal very clearly: having the Local Army become the main force of the war zone.

Regarding manpower, the troops under Terauchi Hisaichi's command are more numerous than those of Hata Shunroku between the Central China Area Army and the Pingjin Area Army.

For this reason!

This is indeed a good opportunity to sow discord.

"And!"

She has the Empire's secret spies work hard to make contact with Dean Wang!

"I have decided to personally promote you to Lieutenant Colonel."

Hundreds of thousands of Local Army troops are fighting in Xuzhou.

Terauchi Hisaichi angrily snaps the pencil in his hand!

"Your Excellency Commander!"

They are all just minor local victories!

He had previously placed too much importance on the Sichuan Army; the Imperial Army will suffer heavy losses when facing this force.

He hadn't even thought about the aspect of schemes!

Sometimes, military operations must also rely on the Thirty-Six Stratagems and calculate against the enemy as much as possible.

"Baka Yaro!"

"The Sichuan Army units in the Fifth War Zone consist of at least two group armies."

"Because the more formidable the Sichuan Army is, the more incompetent the Central Army appears."

"It will inevitably cause the Nanjing Command to be even more dissatisfied with the Sichuan Army."

On the Songhu Battlefield, the Japanese Army 10th Division also suffered at the hands of the Sichuan Army 23rd Group Army.

This is something Terauchi Hisaichi and Hata Shunroku had discussed and agreed upon!

Whether they fight well or poorly, for the power-centralizing Principal, it makes no difference.

As well as the intelligence passed back by spies lurking in the Fifth War Zone, analyzed comprehensively.

"Hmm!" Terauchi Hisaichi nods slightly: "Do you have any other thoughts?"

It is nothing more than weakening the local forces to strengthen centralized power.

Sonoda Meiling does a quick calculation!

The Sichuan Army reinforcements for the Fifth War Zone should be around one hundred thousand men.

War, after all!

Sometimes one must also rely on techniques; things like the strategy of sowing discord can still be put to use.

The casualty ratio between the two sides is almost one to two!

Now that the Fifth War Zone possesses one hundred thousand Sichuan troops, Terauchi Hisaichi must take it seriously.

"And!"

After several campaigns, the Japanese Army divisions in the north have fought a few battles.

Now that the Sichuan Army units have extra manpower, Terauchi Hisaichi must plan this out carefully.

"Damn the Sichuan Army!"

"Hai!"

"To sow discord between the Local Army and the Central Army, we still need to set an example among the local forces."

"The Imperial Army can clearly announce that the Sichuan Army has falsified its battle results, and the Imperial Warriors were not wounded by the Sichuan Army in such large numbers at all."

"This time... you have performed a great service."

Fighting well, the Local Army was also depleted, and his face beamed with pride.

Ever since Sonoda Meiling left the train station, she began to act based on her previous observations.

It was almost without losses!

Furthermore!

Hundreds of thousands of Local Army troops, even if pushed horizontally by the Japanese Army all the way, should be able to hold out for two or three months!

After all, when the war broke out, Dean Wang was displaced, and the Republic of China Army had gone through many battles without achieving any phased victories.

In the Songhu Region!

Chang Kaishen mobilized his own Central Army to fight, suffering heavy losses.

"Strive to establish the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere as soon as possible!"

Terauchi Hisaichi's eyes, looking like ox eyes, stared at Sonoda Meiling: "You say..."

"Among all the Local Army forces, only the Sichuan Army is a difficult force to deal with."

"Your Excellency Commander!"

Because!

"Hai!"

Subsequently!

The Nanjing Command's plan to kill two birds with one stone!

Terauchi Hisaichi knew it, and he believed the Local Army generals of the Fifth War Zone knew it too.

"The number of people is one hundred thousand!"

"Incite mutual suspicion among them, especially, stir up conflict between the Central Army and the Local Army."

"As long as we implement a strategy of attacking the heart against these Local Army forces, favoring some while disparaging others!"

Sonoda Meiling said a lot more about poisonous schemes targeting the Sichuan Army.

These strategies of Sonoda Meiling made Terauchi Hisaichi feel they were excellent!

"Your Excellency Commander!"

Now in his hands, the Central Army had no combat effectiveness left and was still in the process of reorganization and replenishment.

One could use the excuse of unfavorable combat to centralize the Local Army and achieve the goal of consolidating power.

"You continue!"

And!

Sonoda Meiling lowered her head: "Your Excellency Commander!"

"We must disintegrate the Sichuan Army, and we can also smear the Sichuan Army regarding some of their battle achievements."

Terauchi Hisaichi felt he had been a bit uncomposed just now.

The Sichuan Army units, unlike other Local Army forces, never fought the Japanese Army head-on.

As someone who returned from overseas, Dean Wang understood the gap between the Republic of China and the Japanese Army, and he believed that the hope of winning this battle was very slim.

Now Hata Shunroku said that more than one group army of the Sichuan Army had entered the Fifth War Zone.

Promoted!

Really promoted!!

"The Sichuan Army units, the number and batches of troops taking the train in the First War Zone, are heading to the Fifth War Zone."

If they fought poorly, the strength of the Sichuan Army, Guangxi Army, Yunnan Army, Northwest Army, Northeast Army, and other units would continue to be consumed, and their combat effectiveness would decline.

On top of that!

Previously advancing from north to south, capturing Xuzhou, and annihilating the Sichuan Army 22nd Group Army.

"Major Meiling!"

The consumption of troops was very high; Terauchi Hisaichi had originally intended to wait for the supplies from the General Headquarters to arrive before replenishing the First Army and the Second Army.

Seeing Terauchi Hisaichi beaming with joy, Sonoda Meiling knew the Commander had definitely changed his thinking.

Terauchi Hisaichi had been in the Far East Continent for many years and knew well the various contradictions within the Republic of China Army.

This indeed made Terauchi Hisaichi's head ache!

Within the Command, Dean Wang was a member of the peace faction.

"The Fifth War Zone!"

Upon hearing this!

"I will certainly continue to work hard for the Empire's Holy War and for His Majesty the Emperor."

He would command the Local Army to resist the Japanese Army from both the north and south.

"According to the analysis of the Imperial intelligence agency."

"I have made a rough estimate!"

Regarding this Xuzhou Battle, Terauchi Hisaichi also knew that the Nanjing Command had appointed Li Delin, a Guangxi Clique commander, as the War Zone Commander.

Any kind of blame could be pinned on the head of the Sichuan Army!

First, make the Sichuan Army notorious!

Must say!

"Many Local Army forces are gathered here: the Yunnan Army, Guangxi Army, Sichuan Army, Northwest Army, Northeast Army, and so on."

Troop deployment, ammunition allocation, food and fodder allocation, as well as logistics, etc., all had to be calculated carefully.

Unfortunately!

He was also working hard for the peace talks.