Chapter 478: Okamura Yasuji: I Can Do It Again

The 88th Army, with over sixty thousand men, although some units still used Zhongzheng Rifles and had not been able to fully switch to Mauser 98Ks and German-made Submachine Guns.

However, their hearts were happy, because this was to kill the devils, this was fighting the devils, this was a National War.

When the 88th Army marched out of Chuan, many people, including representatives of Chuan Province's industry and commerce, school representatives, and student representatives, all came to cheer for the 88th Army.

Seeing so many people arrive, Fan Shaozeng shouted: "My fellow elders and folks."

"I, Fan Shaozeng, am marching out of Chuan; I will certainly kill many devils and make the little devils pay their blood debt."

Many commoners also joined the students in shouting: "Kill the devils, kill the devils, swing the broadswords at the devils' heads!"

No wonder this kid Yu Hua wanted to place the 22nd Group Army here.

At the meeting, a Japanese Army Staff Officer suggested that the Chinese defenders at Ma'anshan had strong combat effectiveness, fearing the opponent was an Elite Type A German-equipped Division of the National Government.

"We cannot lose Minshan now; the units closest to Minshan right now are Wang Lingji's 30th Group Army and Yu Jishi's 74th Army."

After hearing this, Sun Zhen understood!

No wonder, this Japanese Army unit had such low combat effectiveness; it turned out to be a division formed by people who had been separated from the military for seven or eight, or even over ten years.

After Okamura Yasuji's investigation, he discovered that many soldiers of the 106th Division had already forgotten their combat skills; many soldiers were like new recruits once they reached the battlefield.

However, these people had been separated from the military for many years, and many military skills had been completely forgotten. The Japanese Army lacked manpower and, without conducting restorative training for them, threw the 106th Division into the Wuhan Battlefield.

The 106th Division being thrown into the Wuhan Battlefield without restorative training could only mean two things: first, the Japanese Army's lack of manpower was severe, and there was no time to conduct training for the 106th Division; second, the Japanese Army believed that the Chinese defenders were nothing but clay chickens and pottery dogs.

Xue Yue wanted to go to Wanjialing to have a good talk with Yu Hua about how to wipe out the 106th Division.

Although the 27th Division was a Special Division, in essence, this division could also be considered a Permanent Division of the Japanese Army.

The 106th Division's poor combat effectiveness also drew Xue Yue's attention.

"Commander-in-Chief!" Yu Hua stepped forward: "This matter is simple to explain."

It would be better for the 106th Division to attack Jinjiashan and break through the Chinese defensive line from there.

Therefore, the Chinese defenders' line was quickly torn apart by the Japanese Army, and the troops suffered heavy casualties.

"What?!" Xue Yue and Sun Zhen widened their eyes.

"Yu Hua, what is going on here?" Sun Zhen's gaze turned toward Yu Hua.

After the Japanese reinforcements arrived, the two sides coordinated well, which also brought confidence to the 106th Division, the 101st Division, and brigades like Shanyuan Dashan's; the Japanese morale was high, and their combat effectiveness improved significantly.

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect; if you don't practice a skill for many days, it will become rusty, let alone military skills!

With the 106th Division's low combat effectiveness, Okamura Yasuji also became anxious; this concerned his subsequent operational plans.

Before the July 7th Incident, the predecessor of this division was a Stationed in China Brigade, and its combat effectiveness was no worse than a Permanent Division.

When going out with Sun Zhen, he carefully examined the terrain and features around Wanjialing; this area was a very good location for an ambush.

One must know that the 106th Division was a division formed from the recruitment area of the 6th Division!

When Xue Yue and Sun Zhen looked at the map, their expressions were not good regarding the situation after the Japanese landing.

Just as Xue Yue was preparing to probe Sun Zhen's thoughts, a Communications Soldier came to report: "Two Commanders-in-Chief, something has happened!"

Even if the 106th Division did not undergo restorative training, upon arriving on the Chinese battlefield, it could still crush any Chinese unit, beating the Chinese army into a rout; a single regiment could chase a Chinese group army into running.

Although he had previously warned the defenders around Jinguan Bridge and the front line at Xingzi Village to be on guard against a Japanese landing, and these places had strengthened their vigilance, they still could not stop the Japanese after they landed.

Immediately, Yu Hua explained the reason to Sun Zhen: many soldiers of the 106th Division, although they were a Special Division formed by drawing from the recruitment area of the 6th Division.

The 106th Division's offensive was obstructed, and the casualty rate of Regiment Commanders and Battalion Commanders was too high; this matter drew Okamura Yasuji's attention—how had the 106th Division become such trash?

Battalion Commander Fukushima Tachiuma and Battalion Commander Ogio Sazo were first wounded by the Chinese defenders' Heavy Machine Gun, and then when the Japanese soldiers went to rescue them, the Chinese used Mortars at that moment to send these two Battalion Commanders directly to the Western Heaven.

Matsuura Junrokuro agreed to this operational plan, and the Japanese 106th Division began to concentrate its forces to attack Jinjiashan.

There was no other way; Okamura Yasuji had to ask Hata Shunroku for manpower. He sent a telegram to Hata Shunroku requesting the dispatch of a battle-hardened unit to the Wuhan Battlefield as soon as possible.

However, the Japanese 106th Division still did not fight well in the attack on Jinjiashan; the 145th Regiment's Regiment Commander Ichikawa Yozo was riddled with holes by the defenders' Heavy Machine Gun, and Battalion Commander Utsumi Nobuo was blown into pieces by a shell.

With this, the Japanese 106th Division lost another regiment at Jinjiashan, and the morale of the entire division became even more depressed.

At the same time, Hata Shunroku also contacted the Commander of the North China Area Army, Terauchi Hisaichi.

"Adjutant!" Xue Yue shouted: "Prepare the horses, come with me to Wanjialing."

At the same time the Sichuan Army's 88th Army marched out of Chuan, Yu Hua at Wanjialing received the latest news.

The Division Commander of the 27th Division was Honma Masaharu; this old devil was a typical stubborn element.

After Xue Yue arrived at Wanjialing, he chatted very happily with Sun Zhen; besides chatting, these days Xue Yue was also looking for a suitable ambush location.

After Okamura Yasuji learned that the 27th Division was also moving south, he felt that he could do it again.

The last time Yu Hua came to see him, it was to set a trap for the 106th Division; the performance of this division made Xue Yue feel that it really could be done this way—designing to wipe out this division.

The death of Tanaka Seido was a huge blow to the morale of the 106th Division!

The 106th Division's Division Commander, Matsuura Junrokuro, was also very furious now; how had his division's combat effectiveness become so poor?

That was when the Japanese 106th Division was attacking a highland at Ma'anshan, a regiment of Japanese troops suffered heavy losses, and Regiment Commander Tanaka Seido was killed; he was shot dead by the Chinese defenders.

At the same time, Sun Zhen was also surprised by the combat effectiveness of the 106th Division; was this really a Japanese division? Could they be the Taiwan Garrison Army drawn from Taiwan?!

Hata Shunroku was also constantly monitoring the situation of the Wuhan Battle; when Okamura Yasuji requested manpower, he also replied by telegram that the 9th Division would move south immediately, and the 9th Division would land at Jiujiang.

The two immediately returned to the Command Post; upon arriving at the Command Post, Yu Hua immediately told the two that the Japanese had increased their troops.

Hata Shunroku asked Terauchi Hisaichi to dispatch a division south for him to be thrown into the Wuhan Battle to relieve the pressure on Okamura Yasuji; Terauchi Hisaichi waved his hand and dispatched the 27th Division south.

Regarding such combat effectiveness, Sun Zhen immediately thought of the Kunisaki Detachment he had encountered before!

Compared to other armies, the 106th Division's progress was not great; immediately, Matsuura Junrokuro convened a meeting to discuss the next operational plan.

"Commander-in-Chief Xue, Minshan cannot be lost!"

"The 30th Group Army needs some time to assemble; Commander-in-Chief Xue, you first issue an order for Yu Jishi's 74th Army to move up, and I will immediately call Wang Lingji to have him quickly assemble the 30th Group Army to block the two Japanese divisions from attacking Minshan."

This statement by Yu Hua immediately awakened Xue Yue!

He glanced at Minshan, circled it with a pen, and discovered that at this stage, Minshan really could not be lost.

(End of chapter)