Chapter 95 Chapter Ten Where in Life Doesn't Meet

Although the "Operation Jiedi" was essentially a defensive plan, from the base camp of the Japanese army to the southern army, they still held the idea of ​​killing the US military in one bite, thus turning the Philippines into a "final battle" battlefield.Terauchi even believed that the Philippine land-based aircraft alone could sink most of the US ships before the US troops landed. Of course, there are also people who have different opinions on this. For example, Lieutenant General Shigetoku Kuroda, the commander of the 14th Army, advocated the implementation of defense in depth. This is even more obvious than that.”

How could the temple listen to the slightest bit of harsh words, he immediately cut Kuroda's position, and the superficial reason given was that Kuroda "spends more time on golfing, reading and private affairs than on performing public duties." ". From this time onwards, General Homofumi Yamashita was ordered to succeed Kuroda in command of the ground forces on the Philippine islands. Two years ago, Yamashita became famous in the Battle of Malay-Singapore, but this "Malay Tiger" was only transferred to Northeast China and served as the commander of the First Front Army of Manchuria.Not being rewarded for meritorious service is naturally a big blow to Yamashita.Officially, it was Yamashita's outspokenness that caused the trouble. He actually publicly declared at a rally that places such as Malaya and Sumatra, which were occupied by the Japanese army, were already Japanese territories.

It's one thing to know something, it's another to say it.At that time, the Japanese government was promoting everywhere, saying that after driving Britain and the United States out of East Asia, they would support and assist the independence of Southeast Asian countries so as to enter the so-called "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere". Yamashita's speech was tantamount to admitting that Japan was Start a war of aggression. However, the truth of things is often far more complicated than the appearance.According to Yamashita's military exploits, either he would not be promoted, or if he wanted to be promoted, he would have to hold the position of Minister Lu or at least an equivalent position. At that time, Tojo was the Prime Minister and Minister Lu in one body. This gentleman's stamina was about the same as that of the temple. How can you let Xian easily?

In addition, Yamashita himself still has a reason to be caught in his hands, that is, he has "bad deeds" of participating in the "Imperial Way School" when he was young.During Tojo's administration, the "Control faction", the base camp of the Japanese army, was in power. Tojo himself was the backbone of the "Control faction", and the "Control faction" and the "Imperial Way faction" used to be two opposing factions of warlords. Once Yamashita returned to Tokyo to take up an important position , will be considered to represent the comeback of the "Imperial Way School".

Before the Malay-Singapore campaign, Yamashita, who led the elite soldiers, seemed to be wearing a famous brand. After winning this battle, he himself became a famous brand in an instant. Once expectations were not met, the psychological gap can be imagined.But as the saying goes, people have to bow their heads under the eaves. No matter how angry the mountain is, it will not help. He can only laugh at himself, saying that the reason why he was transferred to Northeast China was because he was a "big rock that suppressed the Soviet Union." The Malay-Singapore campaign can be regarded as the pinnacle of the Japanese army's achievements in Southeast Asia, and then began to decline. The troops under the mountain were continuously drawn to the south to fill in the pits, and then never returned.

Yamashita, who was hurt in his heart, seemed unwilling to go to the south, especially after he was promoted to general as he wished.An officer once asked him: "Your Excellency, what about the south? Isn't it a little suspicious?" Yamashita replied: "What's suspicious? Our eyes don't need to be directed to the south!" After finishing speaking, he pointed to the north with his chin : "Let's go this way!" Yamashita would be happy, and I'm afraid he should be transferred to Tokyo to serve as Minister Lu or something. Again, it would be nice for Lai to be in the Northeast, but the instruction telegram sent to him was to return him to the front line in the south.

Yamashita knows better than anyone what the situation in the south is like now.Seeing that you are on the verge of extinction, you only think of me at this time. If you want to use me, what did you do? Before he was ordered to leave, Yamashita told his combat staff that he feared that the Philippine campaign "would be another Minatogawa battle."The Battle of Minatogawa is a famous battle in Japanese history. Masaaki Kusuki, who was regarded as a hero by the Japanese, committed suicide in this battle.Yamashita said these words, indicating that he has realized that the Philippine campaign will be a battle with no hope of winning.

I think how arrogant and brutal Yamashita was when he captured Singapore.In order to retaliate against the overseas Chinese for their anti-Japanese actions, he and Tsuji Masanobu jointly ordered tens of thousands of overseas Chinese to be packed in sacks, sailed to the far sea on large ships, and then pushed into the sea and drowned.At this time, he had a premonition that the end was coming, and this mighty executioner actually took the path of the sentimental and graceful school. At the farewell party held for him by the Kwantung Army in Changchun, he couldn't help crying bitterly. Before reporting to the Philippines, he had to pass through Tokyo, but the base camp only allowed Yamashita to stay in Tokyo for two days.

This series of arrangements was made by the new chief of staff, General Umezu Yoshijiro.In terms of faction division, Tojo is the "Old Control School", and Umezu is the "New Control School". Anyway, they are not on the same line as the "Imperial Way School". Going around still can't get around the "original sin" of factions.Yamashita's little tantrum finally exploded, and he shouted with red eyes: "It's nonsense! It's the first time I set foot on the land of Tokyo during this war, and this time I'm determined not to come back again. Two days, isn't it too late to negotiate and say goodbye?"

After some negotiations, the departure date was postponed for four days, and Yamashita's expression eased a little.When he left home on the last day, he left a note for his family: "If the time comes, fly back to the old nest, swallow!" On the evening of October 6, 1944, Yamashita arrived at Clark Airport in the northern suburbs of Manila by plane.He reported to the temple the next day, and after only ten minutes of talking with the temple, he walked out of the Southern Army headquarters: "If you talk too much, you won't be able to fight." Shanshita hurriedly wanted to enter the state, but in fact someone had already set up a chess game for him, and all he had to do was follow orders.

The person who Yue Zu acted on his behalf was the temple that had transferred him.Not only Kuroda was dismissed from the temple, but even the staff members of Kuroda's team were also removed. After the withdrawal, the Southern Army Headquarters directly replaced the 14th Army to determine the combat strategy of the Philippines. Although the Philippines has as many as 7,100 islands, there are only 11 islands with an area of ​​more than 1,000 square miles, the largest of which are Mindanao and Luzon. Together, the two islands account for more than two-thirds of the total land area of ​​the Philippines.In contrast, Wright Island is just a younger brother, its area is only equivalent to 1/13 of Mindanao. But this is just a geographical concept. Back to the military, the status of Wright Island is different. It is the heart of the Philippine Islands, and the bay is wide, which is convenient for the US military to land. The staff officers of the Southern Army General Headquarters compared and compared, but still couldn't determine where the "decisive battle" should be, whether it was Mindanao, Luzon, or Wright Island.One of the staff finally proposed, simply, stop playing charades in the house and disperse the troops to various islands in the southern Philippines. Either the U.S. troops will not come, or they will fight separately when they come. The temple reported this opinion, and the staff headquarters took a look. How could there be a "decisive battle" if they were dispersed?We must concentrate our forces! Although it is impossible to accurately predict the plans of the US military, the situation at home is always known.Luzon Island has the best roads and is the easiest to defend, so Temple decided to concentrate most of its army forces on Luzon Island. Attacks by sea and air, in other words, the work outside Luzon Island will be mainly handed over to the Navy.