Age of Conquest Reborn

The new commander-in-chief of Japan's Kwantung Army, General Umezu Yoshijiro, revealed so many secrets in one breath, not only to win over the former commander-in-chief, General Minamijiro's number one confidant, Lieutenant General Matsuda Kenjiro, chief of staff of the Kwantung Army, if

For this reason alone, the layout is too small.

The purpose of General Umezu Yoshijiro was to convey confidence in victory to all the generals of the Kwantung Army through Chief of Staff Matsuda, an old man of the Kwantung Army, and to tell the generals that I was well prepared to take over the position of the boss of the Kwantung Army.

If you come here, follow me and you have to adapt to my style of play.

Indeed, when General Umezu Yoshijiro was still in Japan, the newly formed Third Army, under his order, set off and gathered in Vladivostok, a place with many surroundings. If we look at the geographical location of Vladivostok,

Judging from the location, it can radiate to the Western Liaoning Corridor, Liaodong Peninsula and Western Manchuria, but the most convenient route is the nearest route to reinforce the Far East dispatched troops.

However, General Umezu Yoshijiro had no intention of reinforcing the Far East Expeditionary Force. In his opinion, the Far East Expeditionary Force with more than 500,000 troops commanded by Prince Zaihito, Chief of the General Staff of Japan, was the most powerful force except the Southwest Pacific Expeditionary Force commanded by General Ito Yanzaburo.

Besides the Kwantung Army, it is the empire's largest military group overseas. Of course, the Kwantung Army now has more troops than the Far East Expeditionary Force, but the pressure it faces is also greater than any other heavy military group.

Moreover, General Umezu Yoshijiro criticized Prince Zaihito’s insistence on incorporating the Far East into the territory of the Japanese Empire. This is not to say that it is not feasible. What is the purpose of the imperial army’s campaigns in various places?

Is it about expanding territory? It’s a question of when?

As far as the current situation is concerned, the Korean Peninsula, Manchuria, and the Far East are three seemingly different battlefields, but they are actually connected into one, and the top priority is Manchuria. Prince Zain’s approach is tantamount to putting the cart before the horse.

More than 10,000 Imperial Army troops were dragged into the Far East. When Manchuria faced huge pressure from the independent divisions, they were unable to divide their troops for reinforcements. This was a strategic mistake.

Regarding this point, it coincides with the former commander-in-chief, General Nanjiro. Manchuria is not secure, and the Korean Peninsula and the Far East have become two separate war zones that are not connected to each other. That China devil Tang Qiuli can command the troops.

, calmly divided and defeated it. However, despite such foresight, General Umezu Yoshijiro could not command the Far East Expedition Force, nor could he command the North Korean garrison army.

But if this is possible, it can be done to create a way for the Kwantung Army, and it is also within the scope of authority. Although in the mainland, before going to Manchuria to take office, Prince Zai Ren through private channels

, made a request to themselves, and the newly formed Third Army went to the Far East battlefield to assist the Far East Expedition Army to break the current battlefield deadlock. Then, the entire Far East Expedition Army division retreated to Manchuria. This move can be said to kill two birds with one stone.

If the Far East Expeditionary Force, with more than 500,000 troops, all retreats into Manchuria, there is no need to fear external pressure from a few corps of the China Independent Division. The prospect is attractive, but it takes time. And what the Kwantung Army lacks is time.

The empire's sworn enemy, the China Devil Tang Qiuli, was always around in the Liaoxi Corridor and Western Manchuria. Furthermore, the lost Liaodong Peninsula was a serious concern for the Kwantung Army.

Based on the above reasons, General Umezu Yoshijiro politely but clearly rejected the special envoy of Prince Zain. He recuperated his strength, strengthened his troops and horses, and prepared the Third Army with new weapons. It was his only weapon to reverse the situation in Manchuria.

How can you put aside your own safety and go all the way to the Far East to make wedding dresses for others?

All the above scenes flashed through General Umezu's mind like a movie. His refusal of Prince Zain's request had offended the powerful Chief of General Staff. If there were no shocking actions in Manchuria, I'm afraid.

, the future life will not be easy, he knows very well that he has no foundation in the base camp, let alone many connections, and he is basically alone.

To be able to take over the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Kwantung Army, to be honest, is the result of compromise between various factions. As a person who has nothing to do with each faction, he has more of a role. He may be a transitional figure. I don’t know how many people there are among the local high-level officials.

, staring at Manchuria with red eyes, waiting for him to fall down so that he could take his place.

Therefore, facing the absolutely respectful look in the eyes of Chief of Staff Matsuda, General Umezu was not proud at all, but asked: "Matsuda-kun, who is commanding the troops assembled south of Fengtian?"

Chief of Staff Matsuda, who was completely impressed by Commander-in-Chief Umezu's strategy, replied respectfully: "Your Excellency, Commander-in-Chief, is Major General Inoue Imashima, Deputy Chief of Staff, but he has only been in office for a very short time and has not yet had time to start.

The reorganization of the troops, therefore, the current combat effectiveness of the Kwantung Army troops south of Fengtian is worrying!"

"No problem!" General Umezu said calmly: "Matsuda-kun, the three and a half brigades commanded by Major General Inoue can be used as the second-line troops to counterattack the Liaodong Peninsula. In this way, they can be quickly integrated into two detachments and assigned to the 107th.

With the command of the 109th Division, the original Fengtian Southern Defense Line Headquarters has been abolished. As for Major General Inoue, he will return to Fengtian immediately to assist you in your work!"

"Yes! Commander-in-Chief, I will issue your order immediately!" Chief of Staff Matsuda said respectfully, "Commander-in-Chief, when will we choose to launch a counterattack on the Liaodong Peninsula?" He raised this most critical question.

.

General Umezu Yoshijiro pondered for a moment and said: "At dawn the day after tomorrow, the 107th and 109th Divisions will arrive in the area south of Fengtian this afternoon. A day and a night of preparation time is enough. I will personally rush to the front line to command this area.

For the counterattack, Matsuda-kun, the military meeting I proposed to hold tomorrow morning can be cancelled, but a small-scale, secret military meeting needs to be held."

"Who are participating? Lieutenant General Ono, commander of the 107th Division, Lieutenant General Kumamoto, commander of the 109th Division, Deputy Chief of Staff Inoue, and all the officers of the staff. The smaller the scope, the better.

Matsuda-kun, the degree of keeping a secret is inversely proportional to the number of people who know it. The location of the military meeting is set to be in Liaoyang. You should rush to Liaoyang this afternoon to prepare!"

Chief of Staff Matsuda saluted and left in high spirits. It seemed that after a short conversation with Commander-in-Chief Umezu, he gained great motivation. Looking at the back of Chief of Staff Matsuda, he disappeared before his eyes. General Umezu's eyes were filled with excitement.

There was a cold light, and his mind had turned to the two divisions that were about to arrive.

Under the sunshine at the end of June in the Northeast, on the rugged mountain road in Dongman, the convoy could not be seen from the front or rear. It rolled up dust all over the sky, like an earth dragon, winding its way towards Liaoyang. Two divisions of the Japanese Third Army

The group of tens of thousands of people got off the train secretly in Mudanjiang and then drove overland to the Fengtian area.

Before the Japanese army took action, in accordance with the orders of General Umezu, almost cruel security measures had been carried out along the route. Even those villages that were located on the main traffic roads and easily exposed the marching targets of the troops were completely wiped off the map of Northeast China.

"A dead man will never reveal any secrets!" General Umezu told his subordinates.

At the same time, several empty trains covered with camouflage nets were still speeding towards Harbin in the original direction. The stations they passed along the way were heavily guarded as never before. Even the local security commander of the Kwantung Army

Officials have no right to approach the train. The troop train only stops to add water and coal, and keeps going north.

With such a high degree of vigilance, the speculations and discussions of the residents along the train route aroused the alert of interested people, including agents from the Intelligence Division of the Independent Division in various parts of the Northeast. As a result, a piece of intelligence was sent to the headquarters of the Intelligence Division one after another.

Headquarters in Peiping.

In Kailu County, eastern Mongolia, in the courtyard of the North China Field Corps headquarters, Major General Zhao Yuhe, chief of staff of the independent division, walked into the extremely secretive office of division commander Tang Qiuli. "Division commander, we have received information from the intelligence office that we have

The agents discovered that there were several disguised trains. Strict security measures were taken in the places they passed, and they were running in the direction of Harbin. The intelligence office judged that these should be special troop transport trains from the two divisions mobilized by the Japanese Third Army.

!”

Zhao Yuhe reported concisely and concisely, "Harbin?" Tang Qiuli raised his head from a pile of telegrams, frowned slightly, and said: "Yuhe, judging from the direction in which the two Japanese divisions are mobilizing, it seems that they are heading north to join.

The possibility of a battlefield in the Far East is extremely high, what do you think?"

Zhao Yuhe had obviously made a judgment and replied: "Commander, I always believe that the Japanese army joining the Far East battlefield with tens of thousands of troops from two divisions will not help. However, since the destination of the Japanese troop train is Harbin

, which makes this possibility even greater. From Harbin north to the Far East, there are railway lines that can move quickly!"

"Furthermore, from Jiamusi to the northeastern border, the Japanese troops of these two divisions can directly penetrate into the battlefield in the southern part of the Buleya Mountains. Could it be that Nanjiro wants to use the strength of the two divisions to disrupt Deputy Commander Liu's deployment?

And the Far East Expeditionary Force, which was covering Zain, was withdrawn into the Northeast?"

Tang Qiuli shook his head and said: "The strength of the two divisions is not enough to change the current situation on the Far East battlefield. For now, the intentions of the Japanese troops mobilized by these two divisions are still unclear. Order the Intelligence Department to monitor them strictly.

I want to see what kind of medicine Nanjiro is selling in his gourd? In addition, are there any actions by the other two divisions of the Japanese Third Army?"

Tang Qiuli also didn't believe that Nanjiro would lose his mind and try to break the deadlock on the battlefield in the Far East with only two divisions and only fifty thousand soldiers. No one except a madman would do this. However, next, the Northeast region

The development of the situation has greatly deviated from his current judgment.

(To be continued)