Chapter 428: Exercise Some Memory

Seeing the Commander call his name, Hirahara Daio nodded and bowed, saying, "Your Excellency Commander, according to the reconnaissance by the Imperial Air Force units."

"In this area, no traces of Chinese forces have been discovered yet."

Speaking of this, Hirahara Daio still proposed, "Your Excellency Commander, Major Meiling Sonoda has excellent capabilities, and Major Meiling also contributed greatly to Dean Wang's defection."

"Since Major Meiling proposed that we strengthen the airport's defense, we should still inform Division Commander Shiro Inaba to protect the airport, so as to avoid a sneak attack by the Sichuan Army Independent Brigade."

This Sichuan Army force is extremely aggressive; once they find a breakthrough, the Sichuan Army will fiercely tear a piece of fat off the Japanese Army.

Meiling Sonoda relied on her own abilities step by step to reach the rank of Major, and in addition, she provided a lot of intelligence during the battle in the Pingjin Region.

To Shiro Inaba, the Sichuan Army was nothing more than that; there was nothing formidable about them.

When this order from Hata Shunroku was delivered to the 6th Division headquarters, Shiro Inaba frowned slightly.

Just as Chu Ming was about to say something, his Adjutant arrived, "Regimental Commander, according to the latest news from the frontline Outpost."

Once the Nanjing Command in Hankou believes the Imperial Army's Smoke Bomb, then, once the Central China Area Army's forces complete their assembly, the destructive attack on Wuhan will be effortless.

"Yoshi!" Hata Shunroku clapped his hands, "This is truly good news."

"Excellent!" Light radiated from Meiling Sonoda's beautiful eyes.

Another urgent telegram; Hirahara Daio widened his eyes. This Meiling Sonoda is so capable, having obtained new intelligence in Wuhan again.

"Interesting!" Yang Sen laughed heartily: "This kid Yu Hua is really something, actually managing to secure the 26th Group Army's reinforced regiment and having this regiment of men come under our Sichuan Army's command."

Seeing the Regimental Commander make up his mind, several Battalion Commanders also nodded one after another: "Regimental Commander, we understand."

Hirahara Daio, who was on the side, spoke up to remind him: "Your Excellency Commander, according to Major Meiling's suggestion, the Imperial Army has now moved its troops south, and fighting has already broken out around Anqing City."

A reinforced regiment is also over five thousand men; this Regimental Commander is actually quite decent, not afraid of the Sichuan Army swallowing this unit.

After listening to Hirahara Daio's statement, Hata Shunroku suddenly felt as if he were in the clouds, with a feeling of being ethereal.

Chu Ming looked at the other Battalion Commanders, "Is your opinion also to withdraw the troops?"

In this chaotic era, many unit commanders are also afraid that their own troops will be wiped out or swallowed by other armies.

Leading his troops forward all the way, it was like entering an unpopulated area, and besides, the surrounding Republic of China Army troops were either fleeing or scattering; the area around the airport was heavily guarded, and no situation of Republic of China Army reinforcements was discovered.

After two or three days of bloody fighting, the Chu Ming Regiment has already suffered over fifty percent casualties, and only one-third of the urban area is currently in the hands of the Sichuan Army.

"It's just... it's just... Regimental Commander, this is clearly an opportunity Heaven has given our regiment; let's leave quickly while we can, for once this village is passed, this shop will no longer be here."

Wuhan! In a small restaurant, several short men wearing black suits were leaning against the window, staring at the scene outside the restaurant.

The 4th Battalion Commander spoke up: "Regimental Commander, our battalion, as the entire regiment's reserve force, has also been fought to the point of exhaustion; let's send a telegram to the Commander and withdraw!"

"Old Yang, a telegram came from Adjutant Yu; he has led his troops to the outskirts of Anqing City. Given that the Japanese Army is encircling Anqing City and is strong in troops and horses, it would be Filling the Oil Tactics for Liu Zhangqing's Independent Brigade to go as well, so he intends to attack the airport to lift the siege of Anqing City."

Seeing the change in the minds of these Battalion Commanders, Chu Ming continued: "The fighting must continue!"

"On the west and east sides outside the city, the Japanese Army has each drawn about one battalion's worth of strength and left Anqing City."

"Yes!" the Communication Staff Officer in the Group Army replied.

When the Sichuan Army launched a sneak attack on Shanghai, the 6th Division fought a battle with the Sichuan Army's covering force when it returned to reinforce, and that actually battered the Sichuan Army miserably.

He hurried to find the Commander, and upon arriving before Hata Shunroku, "Commander, I have received another urgent telegram from Major Meiling; she has brought us good news this time."

"Regimental Commander, leave some seeds for the unit; our regiment cannot be wiped out here."

Seeing the various Battalion Commanders deep in thought, Chu Ming said sonorously: "Our regiment will hold Anqing City to the death; this is the order given by the Group Army. Without a withdrawal order, no one is allowed to talk about actively withdrawing troops again. Anyone who talks about it again is shaking the morale of the army, and don't blame me for not observing the brotherhood of the Paoge; I will personally send them on their way."

"Xue Laohu and Zhang Fakui are currently the commanding generals in the Wuhan area. The troops in their hands are not yet at full strength, only about forty thousand men, plus the Security Regiment and Police Force in the Wuhan area; the total strength in the entire Wuhan area is currently less than sixty thousand."

"Hai!" Hirahara Daio nodded heavily.

"Lack of ammunition is easy to solve; the stones and wooden sticks in the city are all weapons and can also fight the Japanese Army. As for provisions, slaughter all the mules and horses of the regiment first and hold on for a period of time before talking."

Anqing City!

At the Chu Ming Regiment's Regiment Headquarters, the various Battalion Commanders were also reporting the casualties of their units.

"Now that the Japanese Army is besieging the city, ammunition and provisions from the outside cannot get in, and the wounded soldiers in the city cannot receive good treatment."

The little devils are carrying out Urban Warfare against the Sichuan Army, and they are also having a hard time fighting, with some heavy casualties; the Japanese Army has suffered almost a full regiment's worth of casualties. Under the circumstances, it is not impossible for the little devils to use such tactics.

Chu Ming's gaze was burning, "The Japanese Army suddenly withdrew its troops tonight; you all don't think about it, perhaps this is a trap. They have set up a pocket and are actively letting us withdraw, to drill into it, so as to annihilate us in one fell swoop."

Now that he has to draw two battalions to reinforce the airport, this really makes Shiro Inaba unhappy. Isn't this the Commander questioning him?

Chu Ming's gaze congealed and suddenly turned cold as he looked at everyone: "Gentlemen, the order our regiment received is to defend Anqing. The geographical location of Anqing City is extremely important. Without the Group Army's order, we cannot retreat."

"Yes!" Kuroda Mitsuo nodded, "Major Meiling, have you discovered major intelligence?"

Matsushima Hiroyasu was originally with the 114th Division, and they were battered miserably by the Sichuan Army during the Battle of Taihu; it was the first time they had encountered such a difficult force.

Liu Yangmin looked at Chu Ming with some shock: "Regimental Commander, how did you know?"

Regarding the Commander's order, he actually didn't quite agree with it; the Sichuan Army in Anqing City had already been surrounded by him.

Once the airport is consolidated and perfected, Hata Shunroku wants to draw aircraft from the Jiangzhe area to land at the airport on the outskirts of Anqing.

"Regimental Commander, while our regiment's strength is still okay, let's break out from the east; leave some seeds for our regiment!"

"Adjutant Yu once said that one must use one's brain when fighting. If we continue to defend, it is indeed unfavorable for the subsequent operations."

With the Puppet Army units assisting in the defense, the strength at this airport has now doubled. In this way, Shiro Inaba believes that even if the Republic of China Army dispatches a division to attack the airport.

"Regimental Commander!" The 1st Battalion Commander stood up, "Let's send a telegram to the Commander and abandon Anqing City! Our battalion has been fighting on the front line since the first day, and now only about a hundred people can still breathe."

"Great!" Yang Sen clapped his hands, "This Adjutant Yu has finally sent word. Send a telegram to the Chu Ming Regiment to indicate that reinforcements have arrived and to adopt the Siege of Wei to Rescue Zhao tactics."

"The Japanese Army is currently transferring troops; we can just take advantage of the enemy's empty strength to withdraw from Anqing City, so our regiment's casualties will be much smaller."

The 6th Division was originally completely annihilated by the Sichuan Army; this batch of new recruits plus the commanders had basically not been in contact with the Sichuan Army. Even during the Xuzhou Battle, the 6th Division mainly fought against the Northeast Army and the Guangxi Army.

"The Japanese Army is drawing off troops tonight; this is an opportunity for us. Regimental Commander, we cannot keep fighting; we are out of provisions and ammunition."

He, Shiro Inaba, is not a person with connections; he is also a capable person.

"Let's fight! Fight the little devils to the end. Even if our battalion is wiped out and only one person is left, I will fight the devils to the end."

"What good news!" Hata Shunroku's tone revealed joy.

This staff officer of his is an officer who has experienced many battles. Since the other party also minds dispatching troops, Shiro Inaba sighed: "Since that is the case, I will dispatch one battalion to reinforce the airport! And have the Hada Detachment also send out one battalion."

In the entire Wuhan region, the current troop strength is less than 60,000; as for the army under his own command, he only needs to dispatch two or three more divisions to capture Wuhan.

A staff officer beside Inaba Shiro, Matsushima Hiroyasu, seeing that the division commander was displeased, whispered: "Your Excellency, Division Commander, we should still dispatch troops to reinforce the airport!"

"Hirahara Daio, you must coordinate well with the propaganda department this time to release a smoke bomb to the Nanjing Command."

With two battalions rushing to reinforce, plus the more than one battalion originally at the airport, the total strength of the Japanese Army guarding the airport has already reached one regiment.

Hirahara Daio indicated that he would certainly handle this matter well.

"What do we have to fight the Japanese Army with? Leave some seeds for our regiment! Regimental Commander."

If the smoke bomb released to the outside world plays its role, then for the Japanese Army, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Although he, Inaba Shiro, used some connections to become the division commander of the 6th Division, for Inaba Shiro, he wanted to prove himself all along.

"Regimental Commander, there aren't many people left, only about two or three hundred."

Soon, Kuroda Mitsuo started the radio, and with Meiling dictating, the telegram was forwarded to the Central China Area Army.

After taking the telegram and looking at it, Hirahara Daio was very happy, "Yoshi!"

The airport on the outskirts of Anqing City has a superior geographical location; as long as they possess this airport, the range of the Japanese Army's aircraft will be even broader, their long-range strike capability will be strong, and it will be favorable for the subsequent operations.

"Kuroda-kun!" Meiling's gaze turned to Kuroda Mitsuo, "Start the radio immediately."

"Your Excellency, Colonel, an urgent telegram from Major Meiling."

"By the way, there is one more thing!" Xian Guangjun drank a cup of cold boiled water and said: "An reinforced regiment of Xu Yuanquan's 26th Group Army is also attacking the airport, and is now under the command of the Adjutant."

"Regimental Commander, the reinforcements set out long ago; logically speaking, they should have arrived by now, but there is still no sign of them. Now that Anqing City is surrounded on three sides, it is already a dead city. Regimental Commander, let's break out."

"Regimental Commander, I do not advocate retreating; let's keep fighting. Before, when we Sichuan Army fought in the civil war, the common people scolded us for only knowing how to bully our own kind; the civil war is a disgrace. Now that we are fighting the little devils, I will definitely fight well and bring out the Military Soul of our Sichuan Army."

"Yoshi!" Hata Shunroku nodded, "You send a telegram to Division Commander Inaba Shiro, telling him to dispatch two battalions to defend the airport on the outskirts of Anqing."

Yang Sen's 27th Group Army is being suppressed by the Imperial Army, and now the entire defensive line has shrunk; Xu Yuanquan's 26th Group Army has completely collapsed.

"Moreover, Commander Yang has already contacted the Independent Brigade of the Chuan-Kang Pacification Office, and reinforcements are already on the way. As long as we hold Anqing City, once the reinforcements arrive, we will be completely safe."

The 2nd Battalion Commander also chimed in at this time: "That's right, Regimental Commander, our provisions and ammunition are almost exhausted."

"Fart!" Chu Ming looked at Liu Yangmin, "Your battalion still has at least five hundred people."

Chu Ming frowned slightly; the little devils are pulling out troops at this time, what do they want to do?

Several battalion commanders heard about the Japanese Army moving troops, and they spoke up one after another: "Regimental Commander, good opportunity!"

"Stop trying to fool me, damn it."

At the 27th Group Army headquarters, Chief of Staff Xian Guangjun came before Yang Sen.

"Many wounded brothers died because they were not treated in time. We have done quite well to hold on for so long. After the recent battles, I discovered that the Japanese Army's firepower on the east side is relatively weak."

Pingjin Area Army Commander Terauchi Hisaichi praised Meiling highly, believing that this female agent was quite good; once she performed well, her power would be no less than that of a regiment.

"We have defended Anqing City for several days, and now it is time to withdraw the troops. The 26th Group Army outside the city has already retreated, and our army has been holding Anqing; there are no reinforcements from the outside. This battle really cannot continue."

"Major Meiling!" Beside the window, a man with a scar on his face walked quickly to the front of the woman in the cheongsam.

"Liu Yangmin, how many people are left in your battalion?"

The troop strength currently assembled by the Central China Area Army will be over 400,000; it will also take time for these troops to assemble.

The supplies and provisions for the troops all need time to be adjusted; now the Japanese Army needs time, and the Republic of China Army also needs time.

"Your Excellency, Commander, according to Major Meiling's reconnaissance, the Chinese troop strength in the Wuhan region is currently extremely empty."

After this hint from Chu Ming, the various battalion commanders on the scene also felt that this was possible; after all, in the Siege of Anqing, the Chu Ming Regiment also annihilated quite a few Japanese troops.

Hirahara Daio had just returned to his office when a subordinate knocked on the door and entered.

Inaba Shiro is convinced that his army can crush the Republic of China Army and even counterattack them.

Subsequently, a woman wearing a cheongsam walked into the restaurant.

"The Nanjing Command must also be speculating about our intentions. The Imperial Army can completely carry out false propaganda to the outside world to confuse the Nanjing Command, making them think that the Imperial Army will not attack Wuhan."

"Taking advantage of this opportunity, after we finish sending the telegram, let's evacuate quickly."

"How do I know?" Chu Ming's gaze tightened, "In the battle, I heard it with my own ears. Mauser 98k Rifle, Czech Light Machine Gun, Type 26 Submachine Gun—I can tell these gunshots accurately as soon as I hear them."

"The Sichuan Army is different from other Republic of China armies. I had contact with the Sichuan Army in Taihu before; being careful is never wrong."

"We Sichuan Army soldiers left Sichuan with no cowards. We traveled thousands of miles to resist the war just to fight the little devils; this is fighting for the nation."

At present, the troop strength in the Wuhan region is empty. According to Hata Shunroku's understanding of the Republic of China Army, they need at least two or three months to reorganize and replenish their troops.

"For the past two days, it has been the Japanese Army attacking us; we have never taken the initiative to counterattack."

"I think tonight is a good opportunity for our regiment to counterattack the Japanese Army. The little devils are very arrogant now, so let's teach them a lesson."

(End of this chapter)