Chapter 496: A Massive Showdown

Immediately, Okamura Yasuji came before the map hanging on the wall, and his hand pointed at a spot on the map.

"According to Matsuura Junrokuro's account, this is the weak point of the Republic of China Army."

"Telegraph Matsuura Junrokuro, have him split his forces into two routes to outflank the defenders' rear, and prepare for a fierce battle with the enemy; I will dispatch reinforcements to assist."

"Wipe out the enemy's main force here, achieve a breakthrough from the center, and let the Republic of China Army's encirclement collapse naturally."

Miyazaki Shuichi immediately buttered up Okamura Yasuji: "Commander, brilliant insight!"

Immediately, Okamura Yasuji drafted an operational plan; he dispatched a Field Gun Regiment directly under the Army Headquarters to act alongside the replacement troops of the 106th Division.

As he spoke, Yu Hua's hand pointed at the map: "Gentlemen, here, at the Biandanshan and Zhanggu Mountain positions, once the Japanese Army completes their encirclement, it will easily cause us massive damage."

At this moment, inside the headquarters of the 22nd Group Army!

Because there were M2 Heavy Machine Guns and Anti-tank Guns within the Sichuan Army units, many tanks and armored vehicles had been destroyed.

After the Japanese 11th Army adjusted its operational deployment here, Matsuura Junrokuro honestly executed the plan according to Okamura Yasuji's scheme.

This resulted in a situation where the Japanese Army tore open a gap on the West Line, yet simultaneously dispatched troops to outflank the rear of the Guo Xunqi Division.

He stood up abruptly, and due to the excessive force of the movement, he even knocked over the table!

Previously, Yu Hua had been unable to figure out what the little devils' strategic intent was and dared not strike hard, but now that he understood, there was no need to hold back anymore; he would reveal all his trump cards.

"Especially the detachment of the 27th Division; once they assault from this direction, it will create an unfavorable situation for our defensive line."

At the thought of a protracted war, Yu Hua suddenly realized:

The Japanese Army that was outflanking the rear was beaten back to their second defensive line, and furthermore, the tanks and armored vehicles could now no longer stop the Sichuan Army at all.

The battlefield situation changed in an instant; after the Sichuan Army adjusted its strategic deployment, the casualties on the Japanese side also began to increase sharply.

"At the same time, have Liu Zhangqing's Independent Brigade launch an immediate attack to reinforce Ji Zhangjian's 6th Reserve Division, plug the gap, and do not let the Japanese Army escape again."

Sun Zhen and Xue Yue took a look, and it was truly just as Yu Hua had said!

"Brother Yu, are you saying the Japanese Army is preparing to engage in a decisive battle with our army, or are they here to rescue the 106th Division so it can break through successfully?"

"That is... that is..." Xue Yue chimed in from the side: "Hurry up and tell us, what exactly have you figured out!"

They were not in a hurry to launch an attack, seemingly preparing for a long-term protracted war.

The Japanese Army on the East Line retreated to defend, while the devils on the West Line played an outflanking scheme; this truly left Xue Yue and Sun Zhen a bit unable to fathom what medicine was in the devils' gourd!

Following the series of orders issued by Yu Hua, all the troops in the Wanjialing area immediately went into action!

With the frontline troops' attack failing, Yu Jishi, Ou Zhen, and Sun Kequan received reports from their subordinates that the Japanese Army on the East Line had also begun using armored vehicles and tanks to lead the charge, striking at the junction of the 187th Division and the 90th Division.

Countless artillery shells began to fall on the heads of the 74th Army and the Guangdong 4th Army, which gave both Yu Jishi and Ou Zhen quite a scare.

"Rao Guohua and Bai Zhangsheng must also hurry, hold onto the Japanese rear-guard units, don't fear casualties, and scatter the Japanese camp as quickly as possible."

They had not expected that the devils on the East Line had actually hidden so much firepower; the machine gun firepower and artillery firepower were clearly a large step stronger than before.

The Wanjialing Campaign in the original timeline could no longer provide a reference for Yu Hua; now, it could only be left to Yu Hua to ponder.

There were still six hours until dawn; the Japanese 106th Division's posture was definitely one of preparing for a long-term holdout, which meant the Japanese Army wanted to lock onto our army and annihilate our forces on the West Line.

Because after daybreak, it would be the world of the Japanese Army's aviation corps; the aviation corps could scout the ground combat situation and provide guidance for the Japanese Army.

The Republic of China Army, not knowing what was going on, began a full-scale counterattack, and it was a counterattack regardless of casualties, especially the Sichuan Army's Guo Xunqi Division and Wang Mingzhang Division, whose combat effectiveness soared.

Upon hearing this, Yu Hua also fell into deep thought; the campaign to encircle and annihilate the 106th Division was already different from the one in his original timeline.

Now, throughout the entire Wanjialing area, the Sichuan Army, Central Army, Guangdong Army, and Northeast Army had all been thrown into the battle, and the reserves had already been fully committed.

The Suzuki Detachment, as the second unit to reinforce the 106th Division, like the previous Sazae Detachment, was preparing to wipe out the main force of the Republic of China Army on the West Line.

This is the weak point of the East Line; tear open a gap from here!

"Quickly order Guo Xunqi, Feng Zhanhai, and Wang Mingzhang to immediately counterattack the Japanese Army in the rear, seize their positions, and do not let the Japanese Army build fortifications."

106th Division Headquarters!

That old devil Matsuura had originally felt that the war situation was very favorable for the 106th Division, but then, several regiments all sent telegrams.

While Yu Hua was scratching his head and thinking about the Japanese strategic intent, a staff officer reported that the Japanese Army had dispatched a detachment as reinforcements.

Ignoring everyone's surprise, Yu Hua immediately went to the map on the wall, stared at it for a moment, and then clapped his hands sharply.

Yu Hua looked at the crowd, "The Japanese 106th Division and 27th Division intend to wipe out our main force on the West Line."

At the same time, the newly arrived 17th Division also had an infantry regiment drawn out by Okamura Yasuji, which, mixed with other branches of service, formed a Suzuki Detachment to attack the Republic of China Army from the direction of Jiujiang toward De'an.

Yu Hua pondered the map for a long time; he looked at the series of deployments by the Japanese 106th Division, and the Japanese troops outflanking the rear of the West Line defenders were hurrying to build fortifications.

"Commander Xue, I believe the Japanese Army is preparing to have a massive showdown with our army at Wanjialing!"

"We must wipe out the 106th Division before the Japanese reinforcements arrive."

Although the 106th Division had most of its artillery wiped out by the Sichuan Army using explosives, the little devils still had over a dozen mountain field guns that survived.

This phenomenon was very unfavorable for the Imperial Army; he immediately issued instructions to the Japanese Army on the East Line, telling them to stop feigning weakness, immediately launch a counterattack, and then outflank the junction of the 187th Division and Ou Zhen's 90th Division.

The Japanese commander on the East Line, after receiving the division commander's order, immediately issued instructions to the Artillery Regiment to open fire at once and stop hiding their firepower!

The Anti-tank Guns and M2 Heavy Machine Guns were also specifically allocated by Yu Hua to the Guo Xunqi Division and the Wang Mingzhang Division; these two divisions were now the sharp blades of the entire strategic group army.

Sun Zhen stepped forward: "Brother Yu, what have you figured out?"

Immediately, Yu Hua explained his series of deductions; Sun Zhen and Xue Yue felt that Yu Hua's words had some merit, as once the war situation dragged on until dawn, it would be unfavorable for the defenders.

"I understand..."

With a "clatter," in the silent headquarters, it sounded very loud, and everyone's gaze quickly gathered on Yu Hua.

Matsuura Junrokuro frowned slightly.

Furthermore, with the Japanese regimental and battalion-level artillery, the little devils' artillery firepower on the East Line was not small either.

Xue Yue said, now a bit suspicious that the Japanese Army's posture did not look like they were coming to rescue the 106th Division.

"Understood..."

The little devils' armored vehicles and tanks charged and crashed about, with machine guns covering them from behind, while grenade launchers and mortars fired special smoke and high-explosive shells.

This caused no small amount of damage to the Central Army and Guangdong Army on the East Line because they did not have enough Anti-tank Guns and M2 Heavy Machine Guns, and coupled with the powerful artillery fire from the Japanese artillery positions, it covered the tanks and armored vehicles.

The defense of the East Line has now fallen into a predicament, and the situation is not at all optimistic.

(End of this chapter)