Chapter 393: Debate

The officers of the Japanese Army General Staff Headquarters submitted the drafted operational plan to Hashimoto Gun.

Hashimoto Gun took a look and found this operational plan acceptable; he himself was quite satisfied, and Hashimoto Gun soon submitted the campaign plan to the Emperor.

The plan for the Japanese Army to engage in a decisive battle with the Republic of China Army in the Xuzhou region was quickly approved; the main force for this battle would be the Second Army of the Pingjin Area Army.

Nishio Toshizo's Second Army would serve as the main force, and the 16th Division of Nakajima Kesago, originally belonging to the First Army, as well as the 114th Division of Suematsu Shigeharu, were assigned to the Second Army.

In this way, the strength of the Second Army increased significantly!

In order to inspect the situation in the Xuzhou region on the spot, Hashimoto Gun took a group of officers from the Imperial General Headquarters Dispatch Group and flew to Jinan by plane.

This time, Hashimoto Gun went to the front line in the name of the Imperial General Headquarters Dispatch Group.

To discuss the operational plan on-site, Hashimoto Gun also ordered all brigade-level generals of the Pingjin Area Army to attend the meeting; therefore, Terauchi Hisaichi specifically ordered a temporary halt to the offensive in the Teng County region.

The Chief of Staff of the Second Army, Suzuki Ritsudo—this old devil, after hearing Okamoto Kiyofuku's words, clapped his hands in approval; he agreed with Okamoto Kiyofuku's viewpoint.

Because Suzuki Ritsudo had always admired Chinese culture, especially the history of the Three Kingdoms, this old devil brought it up readily; to echo Okamoto Kiyofuku's viewpoint, Suzuki Ritsudo specifically explained examples from "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" of various local warlords fighting over Xuzhou, using this to prove the strategic status of Xuzhou.

Muto Akira shouted, "Look at the map yourself, based on my observations from the Battle of Songhu and the Jinyang Defense Battle."

After listening to the staff officers of the Second Army finish speaking, Muto Akira wore a sneer: "Hmph! You are simply stupid."

"If we do not choose to annihilate the main force of the Republic of China Army at the first opportunity, the Far East Continent is vast and populous; once the Republic of China Government recovers its strength and rebuilds its troops, we will always be the ones to suffer."

At the meeting, as an officer sent from Tokyo on official business, Hashimoto Gun began to introduce his own campaign plan without hesitation.

"Suzuki Ritsudo... you are simply a blockhead, a stupid pig!"

"If our Imperial Army's Second Army and First Army, plus the Central China Area Army, seven or eight divisions in total, encircle Xuzhou, the Chinese troops will surely retreat directly, just like in the Battle of Songhu."

"Taking Xuzhou is very simple; therefore, I believe the Xuzhou Battle should have the annihilation of the Republic of China Army's main force as its goal."

Regarding Suzuki Ritsudo and Okamoto Kiyofuku, Muto Akira directly cursed: "It is precisely because of such stupid ideas from you that the Imperial Army failed to annihilate the main force of the Republic of China Army at the first opportunity during the Battle of Songhu, the Battle of Nanjing, and the Jinyang Battle."

Suzuki Ritsudo's words were like a knife stabbing Muto Akira! Thinking of how he had been driven away by Shimomura Sadamu and subsequently suppressed by Hashimoto Gun, Muto Akira's face turned livid.

"In this way, our plan will fall short of success; according to the characteristics of the Republic of China Army, once they run away, won't this Xuzhou City be abandoned?"

The Imperial Army occupying Xuzhou is more significant than annihilating the main force of the Republic of China Army; therefore, Okamoto Kiyofuku believed the primary task of this battle was to attack Xuzhou and take this strategic location, while as for the troops in the Xuzhou region, they were merely a byproduct attached to the attack on Xuzhou.

"The 6th Division, led by Inaba Shiro, will attack Hefei in Anhui Province, control the surrounding transportation hubs, and block the retreat of the Republic of China Army."

"Baka!" Suzuki Ritsudo's eyes widened, and he glared viciously at Muto Akira: "Muto Akira, you are merely a loser in the power struggles in Tokyo; if your viewpoint is correct, why aren't you the Chief of Operations!?"

"In this way, we will encircle Xuzhou from the south, southeast, and southwest, three directions, and cut off the retreat of the Republic of China Army."

This time, after hearing Hashimoto Gun's explanation, some staff officers of the Pingjin Area Army and the Central China Area Army also had different thoughts.

As for taking Xuzhou, that is just a side product!

Let the various Japanese units maintain their current posture and not provoke the enemy; everything should wait until the Japanese Army meeting is concluded.

First Army Staff Officer Tomochika Mikoto supported Muto Akira's viewpoint and did not agree with the viewpoint of their brother unit, the Second Army; conversely, the Operations Section Chief of the First Army, Shimoyama Takuma—this old devil supported his brother unit.

"According to the campaign deployment, our idea is that the 16th Division and the 114th Division, two divisions, will advance to the area east of Lanfeng in Henan Province and north of the Longhai Line to capture the main force of the Republic of China Army."

"Because the generals of the Republic of China Army are very worried about their troops being surrounded and annihilated and unable to escape, once we advance toward Xuzhou and abandon the capture of the opponent's main force, the Republic of China Army can easily slip out of Xuzhou."

The current Chang Kaishen cares very much about international face; if Xuzhou is abandoned without a fight, the international community will certainly doubt whether Chang Kaishen is persisting in a protracted war of resistance.

"At the same time, in the area south of the Jinpu Line, the Central China Area Army will dispatch the 9th Division and the 13th Division, and be equipped with two detachments, to move north and encircle Xuzhou."

"Giving them a chance to catch their breath, especially the 22nd Group Army from Sichuan Province; this local army has repeatedly eaten up the elite forces of our Imperial Army."

"Then, the 5th Division and the 10th Division will continue to advance according to the predetermined plan, and the 14th Division of Doihara Kenji of the First Army will force a crossing of the Yellow River to maneuver toward the Lanfeng and Guide line, cutting off the retreat of the Republic of China Army."

Operations Staff Officer Okamoto Kiyofuku of the Second Army of the Pingjin Area Army believed that although Xuzhou is only as small as a palm, the strategic position of Xuzhou is very important; as can be known from the history of the Far East Continent, Xuzhou has always been a place contested by military strategists.

For example, Muto Akira, this old devil representing the Central China Area Army at the meeting, had the idea for the Xuzhou Battle that this battle must annihilate the main force of the Republic of China Army remaining after the Battle of Songhu, the Battle of Nanjing, and the Jinyang Defense Battle.

"Gentlemen!"

However, Muto Akira's viewpoint was quickly rejected by the Chief of Staff and the Operations Staff Officer of the Second Army.

Shimoyama Takuma believed that the Xuzhou region gathered a large number of troops; according to the performance of the Republic of China Army in the Nanjing operations, the Republic of China Army practiced scorched-earth resistance and would not easily abandon a single city or territory; once the Imperial Army encircled Xuzhou.

As Muto Akira and the staff officers of the Second Army argued, the First Army staff officer and Operations Section Chief of the Pingjin Area Army sitting on the side also split into two factions.

The Republic of China Army in the Fifth War Zone would certainly defend Xuzhou to the death and fight the Imperial Army to the end; just like the Battle of Nanjing, the Republic of China Army would definitely fight a bloody battle for a while before abandoning Xuzhou.

Only by annihilating the main force of the Republic of China Army could the Chinese will to resist be further destroyed, forcing people similar to Dean Wang to emerge within China and throw themselves under the banner of the Empire.

Inside the conference room, both sides refused to give an inch; each had their own reasons.

As for this campaign, whether the goal is to capture the main force of the Republic of China Army or to take Xuzhou first, that depends on the Chief of Operations, Hashimoto Gun.

(End of chapter)