Age of Conquest Reborn

Major General Zhao Yuhe, the chief of staff of the independent division, was also very excited. The two groups of troops started setting off early this morning. It was around five o'clock in the afternoon when the first battle report was sent. It would be a lie to say that he was not worried.

.

Just as Zhao Yuhe was about to read the telegram, Mei Ting winked at Mei Xue and Liu Xinlan. The three of them greeted Zhao Yuhe politely and turned around to exit the room. Zhao Yuhe grinned and said: "Sir, we are not outsiders, Mei."

Director and others, it’s okay if they listen, right?”

Tang Qiuli said seriously: "On this point, the teacher has clear regulations. Their level is not enough and they cannot break the rules. Now it's just the two of us. Read the telegram!"

Zhao Yuhe read: "The division commander pointed out that our troops attacking the Liaodong Peninsula on the northern front will launch an attack on the Japanese Army's Lushunkou front-line position at about 8 o'clock this morning. In the first round, the aviation bomber group will carry out all-round bombing.

Later, I was impressed by the Japanese defense system. Although all the surface fortifications were destroyed, according to intelligence, the underground defense system was not fundamentally destroyed!"

"Therefore, at about 10 o'clock in the morning, the aviation bomber group carried out the second bombing. This bombing used 'Buddha's Light' napalm bombs. After the bombing started, the Japanese defense system was plunged into a sea of ​​fire. By about 3 o'clock in the afternoon,

I dispatched a carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft and found that there were still a few Japanese soldiers moving around the Japanese positions. After that, I sent two fast gunboat brigades again to cover the Japanese positions with artillery fire. So far, all the Japanese troops on the front line of Lushunkou have been wiped out!"

"Our landing troops began to land at about four o'clock. The landing process went very smoothly. No one in the troops was injured. In this landing operation, a total of 31st Division and 32nd Division of the Seventh Army of the Kwantung Army were annihilated.

With more than 47,000 troops, the Kwantung Army

The commander of the Seventh Army, Yokoyama Yoshihiko, was missing until the time of reporting. The landing force was advancing in depth toward the Japanese defenses on the Liaodong Peninsula in accordance with the predetermined battle plan, and our escort fleet began to return! Tang Qiuquan, the commander-in-chief of the sea-crossing campaign headquarters."

"Okay! There were no casualties in the landing force! The annihilation of more than 47,000 Japanese troops must have been the work of Brother Qiuquan! It is indeed extraordinary!" Tang Qiuli applauded, "Yuhe, for the troops attacking the Liaodong Peninsula on the northern front, we have achieved

With such a record, do you see any clues?" He asked Zhao Yuhe excitedly.

Zhao Yuhe thought for a while and replied: "Commander Tang of the Fleet made it very clear. With intensive bombing and triple fire strikes, the Japanese defense system was completely destroyed, and even the few remaining troops were defeated. He also used heavy punches, two

A brigade of fast gunboats, thousands firing

The flechettes are indeed a big deal, but in my opinion, division commander, I am too cautious. In fact, after the second bombing, the Japanese defense system was basically destroyed, so there was no need for a third bombing.

The firepower hit, how should I put it, wasted!"

Tang Qiuli glanced at Zhao Yuhe in surprise, "Yuhe, is this how you see it?" He then asked.

"Yes, sir. This is my true opinion!" Zhao Yuhe answered honestly.

Tang Qiuli opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something in response to Zhao Yuhe's words, but did not say anything. He changed the subject and said: "Yuhe, send a report to Han Tie to congratulate you on the successful landing at Lushunkou. Later, at

When the Japanese army advanced deeply into the Liaodong Peninsula, there were no regular Japanese troops to block it. Fighting was expected.

The scale is not large. But do not be careless and underestimate the enemy. Pay special attention to what the Intelligence Department and the Special Operations Detachment mentioned before. The Japanese armed civilians, Han Tie, you must reiterate my previous order to all the officers and soldiers of your unit!——

All enemies who dare to disobey will be annihilated regardless of their identity!"

Zhao Yuhe handed the order to a staff officer to issue. He thought for a while and said: "Division Commander, the offensive on the northern front is going smoothly, but the troops on the southern front are still fighting fiercely, especially the Japanese troops in the direction of Mokpo. The resistance is particularly fierce.

After the Southeast Mobile Corps gained a foothold on the beach, it continued to advance deep into the Japanese defenses, which was very difficult. Do you think the tactics of the northern front troops should be used on the southern front troops?"

Tang Qiuli shook his head and said: "It cannot be generalized. The terrain conditions of the Liaodong Peninsula and the Korean Peninsula are different. The length and width of the Japanese defense positions on the Lushunkou line are limited, which is convenient for concentrated firepower and repeated attacks. This is why Commander Tang dares to use bombers

One of the reasons for the intensive bombing!"

"The Korean Peninsula on the southern front is different. The Japanese army's defense system is wide and deep. We adopted the northern front's attack method, which had little effect. In addition, Ma Chaoyang fought fiercely with the Japanese army in the direction of Mokpo. They were in a stalemate and were temporarily powerless.

Are we trying to break through the Japanese defense line, or do we have other plans? We still don’t know yet. In the name of the division commander, we sent a telegram inquiring about the progress of the battle, but we are not allowed to interfere with Ma Chaoyang’s command!”

Zhao Yuhe agreed and turned to leave, but was stopped by Tang Qiuli again, "Wait a minute Yuhe, I have a question in my mind, why did the Seventh Army of the Kwantung Army in the Liaodong Peninsula have to mobilize two main divisions?

Nearly 50,000 troops were concentrated in the narrow direction of Lushunkou instead of doing operations on the Liaodong Peninsula.

The battle is deployed in depth and several more lines of defense are set up. Could it be that Yokoyama Yoshihiko, the commander of the Seventh Army of the Kwantung Army, or even Nanjiro, the commander-in-chief of the Kwantung Army, do not know that such a small area with a large number of troops is extremely vulnerable to our army's attack

Fire damage? From the perspective of defensive warfare, it is unconventional!"

Zhao Yuhe thought about it carefully and smiled bitterly, "Commander, I am also very strange. I know that Lushunkou is the focus of my landing force's attack. Although there is a strong and complete defense system, it will inevitably be unable to withstand it, and Guandong

The commander of the army still adopted such a deployment. I am wondering whether Yokoyama Yoshihiko, commander of the Seventh Army of the Kwantung Army, believes that the Lushunkou defense line can be completely defended with the strength of two divisions?"

Tang Qiuli shook his head slowly and changed the topic again, "Yuhe, the successful landing of the Marine Corps on the Liaodong Peninsula will inevitably have a huge impact on the war situation in the Northeast. Order the Intelligence Division and the Special Operations Detachment to conduct various operations in the Northeast.

Team, pay close attention to the movements of the Kwantung Army troops in western Liaoning and western Northeast China. If Nanjiro does not want to be taken back by Han Tie's troops, he should take action!"

After saying this, Tang Qiuli fell into deep thought. Seeing this, Zhao Yuhe quietly withdrew. He wanted to know what General Nanjiro, the commander-in-chief of the Kwantung Army, thought about the defensive battle at Lushunkou.

With Nan Jiro's veteran skills in military use, it would be impossible for him to make such an obvious mistake!

Fengtian, Kwantung Army Headquarters, Commander-in-Chief's Office, General Nanjiro frowned, pacing back and forth restlessly in the room like a trapped animal. Since the morning of the 20th, he received a message from the commander of the Seventh Army, Yoshihiko Yokoyama.

After the general's report, the independent division's troops attacking the Liaodong Peninsula began to carry out large-scale bombing of the front-line positions at Lushunkou. General Nanjiro's entire attention was focused on the direction of the Liaodong Peninsula.

General Nanjiro was concerned about whether the main forces of the two divisions of the Seventh Army could follow their own deployment. After briefly blocking the landing force of the independent division, they quickly retreated and carried out successive blocking operations in depth on the Liaodong Peninsula.

, especially relying on the second line of defense, to block the landing troops of the independent division in the central part of the Liaodong Peninsula for at least two weeks.

It is easy to formulate a campaign plan, but there are many unexpected variables in its execution. He is worried that the two main divisions of the Seventh Army will be entangled by the landing troops of the independent division and will not be able to escape smoothly. As for using the Lushunkou line, a solid

The ground and underground fortifications blocked the independent division troops from the beach, and General Nanjiro did not even think about it.

The reason is very simple. Although the defenses on the front line of Lushunkou are strong, they are too narrow. If a large number of troops are concentrated here, they will be severely damaged by the heavy firepower of the independent division. To put it bluntly, in the central part of the Liaodong Peninsula, the independence

One artillery shell from the division may kill five Kwantung Army soldiers, but in the Lushunkou defensive position, it may kill thirty Kwantung Army soldiers. The difference is so big!

Moreover, the defense system on the front line of Lushunkou was built based on the standards of World War I. Although the Seventh Army continued to improve and strengthen it after that, the old foundation was still the same as that of World War I, but now and then,

The current standard of firepower is several times higher than that of World War I. General Nanjiro was not sure whether the originally indestructible fortifications could withstand the artillery shells of the independent division.

This is also the reason why he strictly ordered Lieutenant General Yokoyama Yoshihiko, the commander of the Seventh Army, not to concentrate all the forces of the Seventh Army on the Lushunkou line to carry out a desperate attack on the independent division's landing troops. The narrow battlefield, limited room for maneuver, and restrictions

It is a necessary condition to break the Lushunkou defense line and become the iron gate at the southernmost tip of the Liaodong Peninsula.

General Nanjiro did not believe that the Liaodong Peninsula could be defended with only two and a half divisions of the Seventh Army plus armed civilians. The role of the Seventh Army was to deploy a third line for himself.

The defense line requires more than two weeks, so the best tactic is to block attacks step by step and delay step by step!

For this reason, after receiving the report from Lieutenant General Yokoyama, General Nanjiro immediately called back and asked him when he would order the troops to retreat. Lieutenant General Yokoyama's call back gave General Nanjiro a faint smell of something ominous.

"Your Excellency, Commander-in-Chief, at this moment, the independent division's bomber group is carrying out large-scale bombing at our Lushunkou frontline position. Its infantry has not begun to land. Therefore, it is not a good idea to evacuate at this moment. It is extremely easy for the independent division to land after landing.

Troops, pursue them one after another, and if our imperial army loses air superiority and evacuates rashly, it will definitely be severely damaged by the air power of the independent division!"

"Therefore, the Ministry of Staff decided to inflict a certain amount of damage on the landing troops of the Independent Division at the front line of Lushunkou, and then start to evacuate on the night of the 20th. In this way, we can avoid being directly pursued by the Independent Division's troops, and also avoid being chased by the Independent Division.

The destruction of our naval forces by air power!"

(To be continued)