Chapter 14 Chapter Fourteen Every Day Is Brand New (1)

The first half of 1942 was once the most arrogant and ludicrous year in Japanese history.By launching a German-style blitz in the Pacific Ocean, within half a year, almost everything that could be imagined was obtained. After the battle in Southeast Asia came to an end, the Japanese High Command even began to plan the "Operation Plan No. 5." According to this plan, it was planned to mobilize 230,000 new recruits in the country to enlist in the army, and use the power of the whole country to directly invade Chongqing and Chengdu. However, everything in the world is often gained quickly and lost quickly.

Just entering the second half of the year, the battle situation took a turn for the worse.Taking Midway as a turning point, the U.S. military launched a fierce counter-offensive in the South Pacific. Both the Japanese navy and army suffered heavy losses, and the "Operation Plan No. 5" that had entered the exercise stage had to be suspended halfway. By the beginning of 1943, as the Japanese army withdrew from Guadalcanal, a gap was opened in its Pacific defense circle, and the national fortune that Japan thought would be "long-term" also turned and fell. All of this comes from the changes every day and the unremitting efforts of everyone.

Ezhong big monster Now that "Operation Plan No. 5" has been abolished, the Wuhan Eleventh Army can only act alone. Prior to this, the original golden chair of the commander of the 11th Army seemed to be cursed, and no one sitting on it was unlucky. Because of the third Changsha battle, Ananwei was almost questioned. Fortunately, he has a background in the sky, and the emperor and empress took care of him, so even though he was defeated, he still hummed the little tune of "satisfied and calm, frustrated and cold" , Continue to change places to become an official. Your old man is naturally lucky, and everything is safe, and the remaining brothers are not so lucky.Seeing that the two former bosses of the Nagoya Division and the Kumamoto Division were beaten until their noses were bruised and their faces were swollen, the fear and uneasiness that was hard to get rid of for a long time had almost crippled the only strategic army in this pass.

After Anan left, Lieutenant General Tsukada took office. Tsukada Gong had served as the deputy chief of staff and the chief of staff of the Southern Army. He held a high position in the Japanese military circles, but all the previous commanders of the 11th Army added up. No one was more unlucky than him. Within a month, his landline was shot down by the Gui army in the Dabie Mountains, so it was a pity. Everyone originally expected Tsukada to help the 11th Army to cheer up, but they didn't expect this guy to have such a short life. In addition, after the outbreak of the Pacific War, the Kumamoto Division was transferred to Nanyang, which cast a layer on everyone's hearts. shadow.

The fifth commander has arrived, his name is Yokoyama Isamu. Lieutenant General Yokoyama Yu graduated from the 27th Saber Team of the Mainland University. Like Neiji Okamura, he was transferred from the Kwantung Army system. But it was lifeless. The various units of the Eleventh Army were listless, and they were really monks hitting the clock for a day.When it comes to going to war, they all have the same tune: as the old saying goes, a mourning soldier is bound to be defeated, so it is better to be cautious. What's the matter with Yokohama Yong, he braved him, Sun Xingzhe changed seventy-two times, no matter how he changed, he was still a monkey, this guy may not be better than his predecessor, and following him out may be a dead end.

Yokoyama is the commander of the Fourth Army of the Kwantung Army in the Northeast. Not only is he in charge of several divisions, but his imaginary enemy is an old Soviet Union. After being connected to the fire for several days, Yokoyama finally figured it out.You are now holding a gun to the back of their heads. This group of people should be bears or bears, and they will not be courageous no matter what. You must practice courage first, but who can you find to practice? Xue Yue's ninth war zone must not be touched for the time being. Li Zongren's fifth war zone is not easy to mess with because of Tang Enbo. Although Chen Cheng's sixth war zone is a new war zone, it seems to be more fierce than any other war zone. The head of the 13th Division was beaten so badly that he almost committed suicide by wiping his neck.

Looking at the circle around Wuhan, there is no one who can do it. The big ones didn't dare to chew on them, so they had to find the small ones first. The commander of the 11th Army finally found a place-Honghu Lake. The 1st and 28th Divisions stationed at Honghu are a unit with a strong personal brand, and the name of the division commander Wang Jinzai is branded on it. Wang Jinzai was originally a subordinate of Yang Hucheng, but later defected to Jiang and joined Tang Enbo's army. The "secret" of Tang Enbo's mastery of miscellaneous cards is to release his military power with a glass of wine. He also adopted the same method with Wang Jinzai, preparing to promote him to the rank of deputy army commander.Unexpectedly, Wang Jinzai was definitely not an easy-going lamp. Not only was he not fooled, but he also killed the deputy division commander Tang Enbo sent to him, and then pulled the troops to Honghu Lake, and became king himself.

In the absence of anyone's restraint, Wang Jinzai completely transformed into a chaotic demon king, who can be called the local emperor of the Honghu area. Wang Jinzai is not a little abnormal in human nature, but very, very abnormal.Ordinary people in Central Hubei, as long as they don't like anyone, if a "traitor crime" is covered, the soldiers will stab you with a bayonet on the spot. This is called "poking tofu". Even for his relatives, subordinates, and even his old superiors in the past, he didn't trust any of them, and he didn't let them go. If he had the slightest objection, he would be executed as a "crime against Mr. Wang".

The local folks "turned pale when talking about the king" and called him "the big monster in Central Hubei". In Wang Jinzai's eyes, he didn't care about the enemy's army and the army of the Nationalist government. He could merge with them, regardless of the area, which made Chen Cheng so angry that he wanted to meet him with swords.As for the nearby New Fourth Army, he was also unceremonious, attacking as he wanted, in order to seize territory and expand the army. Perhaps there is only one thing worthy of praise in Wang Jinzai, that is, he has national integrity, and he never surrenders to the Japanese army.

It is said that Wang Jinzai will hang the heads of two people in the command post, one is Chiang Kai-shek, and the other is Wang Jinzai himself.He wrote a couplet next to the portrait, the first couplet: If you, Chairman Chiang, fight to the end.The second couplet: I, Wang Jinzai, swear to the death not to be a traitor. The 11th Army of Wuhan once specially sent the 58th Division to attack Honghu, but it failed for two days. A barrier in the Sixth War Zone. Chen Cheng, who has never tolerated sand in his eyes, was able to tolerate Wang Jinzai again and again. It cannot but be said that this is the most important reason.

sledgehammer Yokoyama decided to practice with Wang Jinzai.However, when he deployed combat operations, even the staff around him felt incredible, and Yokoyama took it too seriously this time. According to the plan, the number of troops to be deployed has reached five divisions and one brigade. If only in terms of the number of troops, it even exceeds the two Changsha battles. What do you want so many people to go to the market? Yes, Wang Jinzai has his own arsenal in Honghu, and he can achieve self-sufficiency in weapons and ammunition. This is beyond the reach of some major war zones. In terms of the number of troops, although the 1st and 28th divisions are divisions in name, there are a total of six The brigade is equivalent to the size of the army, far exceeding the ordinary local miscellaneous divisions. But this does not mean that the 1st and 28th divisions are really strong. Whether it is self-made weapons and equipment or the quality of the troops, they cannot compare with the regular army of the Nationalist government, especially the main force of Chiang Kai-shek's direct army. Even if it is a local army, is it worth using five divisions to deal with it? The aides inevitably whispered below: "It is always said that we are timid, and it seems that Your Excellency Commander is not as 'courageous' as his name." Seeing the minds of his subordinates, "Brother Yong" had to come up with some explanations. Let me ask you: "Why didn't the 58th Division win Honghu last time? Logically, there shouldn't be any problem for a division to fight a local army." Someone who knew the inside story replied: "At that time, the main battle between Zhejiang and Jiangxi began, and troops had to be transferred, so the 58th Division was transferred away on the third day." The implication is "a crime other than war". Immediately afterwards, Heng Shanyong asked another question: "If you don't transfer, on the third or fourth day, can a division completely defeat Wang Jinzai and occupy Honghu?" All shut up now. In fact, everyone understands that Wang Jinzai was able to defend Honghu Lake not because his troops were particularly capable of fighting, but because of the special and complex terrain in the area. Honghu water, waves beat waves.There are lakes of all kinds, big and small, and the only thing people can walk on is the rugged lake embankment path. In the past, the Honghu Red Guards were so elusive that no one could catch them, so they relied on this. The main force of the Japanese army is not comparable to the local security regiment, so Wang Jinzai's defense method goes a step further.He dug ditches up to two meters deep on the embankment of the lake, built mounds every ten meters, and built forts every three miles, forming a defensive network full of traps that could echo each other. The 58th Division fell into such a ecstasy. Not only was it impossible to deploy large troops, but it was also very difficult to command and communicate normally. Participating in the Zhejiang-Jiangxi Battle was an excuse for relief. Otherwise, let alone three or four days, It may not be possible to transfer out in five or six days. The complex and changeable terrain often makes the Japanese army exhausted in the attack In Yokoyama's view, although this was a small battle, the Eleventh Army could no longer afford to lose, and if it lost again, the already sluggish morale would be even more depressed. The whole army must be devoted to victory in one battle. For this reason, even if it is a sledgehammer to kill a chicken or a lion to fight a rabbit. Yokoyama Yong really worked hard this time, he used all the techniques and means that only large corps can use in combat. When the 58th Division invaded Honghu Lake, it can be said that they were stunned all the way. There was nothing but water in front of them. Looking at the map, it only marked a few large lakes, which did not match the actual terrain. Help find the right path. Aerial reconnaissance solved this problem easily. After the new map provided by the air force was drawn, Wang Jinzai's defense network had no secrets at all. On February 13, 1943, the Thirteenth Army of Wuhan raided Honghu Lake. The reason for the surprise attack is that Yokoyama also adopted a suspicious strategy of attacking east and west.Before setting off, he deliberately spread false information that he would invade and occupy Changsha and Changde, which put the sixth and ninth major theaters on alert and self-defense, but Wang Jinzai himself was negligent. Isamu Yokoyama's concerns are indeed justified.Although they carried such an accurate aerial map with them, after entering Honghu Lake, there were still troops who were confused about their direction and had to run back and forth after getting lost. It was not until February 21 that the Japanese army was able to encircle the central area of ​​the 1st and 28th Divisions according to the map, and the ensuing battle process shocked Yokoyama. The Eleventh Army prepared a variety of equipment for climbing the fort in advance.In addition to the common bamboo ladder, anchor hook ropes that are usually only seen in martial arts films have also been made, the most eye-catching one is a long rope anchor hook.This kind of anchor hook has to be thrown with a launcher, and it is a special equipment for climbing high-rise fortresses. But actual combat and exercises cannot be equated after all. The characteristic of the water fortress is that there are lakes covered with reeds on both sides, and there is only a narrow and winding path in the middle. With the light and heavy machine guns in the fortress, your infantry column will not be able to approach it easily. You can't even touch it, so the bamboo ladder and ropes that took a long time to make can only be placed aside for a look. Yokoyama has no other way, just wait, wait for the mountain cannon to push up, aim and shoot directly to clear the way. After four days and four nights, the Japanese army exhausted their efforts and finally entered the central area of ​​the 1st and 28th Divisions. After Wang Jinzai figured out the Japanese army's combat intention, he immediately commanded the troops to use the cover of reeds to break out.Most of the people stood out, except Wang Jinzai, and he had to blame himself for this. If the six relatives don't recognize him and are too strict with his subordinates, problems will inevitably arise.One of Wang Jingzai's brigade commanders defected to the enemy secretly and provided the Japanese army with all information about Wang Jinzai. As if he had found a treasure, Heng Shanyong copied Wang Jinzai's photo and various characteristics into a book and distributed it to all units at the grassroots level. The request was: When encircling, any of you can let go, but you must not let the person in the photo go. On February 25, the Japanese search team finally found and captured Wang Jinzai based on a cane with his name engraved on it and a cloak, and Honghu completely fell. thought of something Yokoyama bet all his wealth and won the bet. Not only did he successfully improve his prestige within the Eleventh Army, but he also helped everyone regain their long-lost confidence and courage. The occupation of Honghu Lake was only the first step. In the next month, the Wuhan Eleventh Army followed suit and continued to occupy Shishou and Huarong through "sword tactics". As a tactical expert who has studied the battle against the Soviet Union for a long time, Yokoyama Isamu has really been busy for two months. His "sword tactics" not only practice courage, but also hide deeper plots. Before Isamu Yokoyama, he served successively as the commander of the 11th Army, including Okamura Neiji. They were always in the vicinity of Wuhan, and the longest distance was only to Yichang. What's the point of always turning around in front of your own house? From Honghu, to Shishou, and then to Huarong, these places all have one thing in common, that is, guarding both sides of the Yangtze River. Concentrate forces to open up the main roads of the Yangtze River, and then go west along the Yangtze River to destroy the elite Chinese troops defending Chongqing, so as to break open the gate of the accompanying capital. It should be said that the predecessors were not all fools. When reviewing the combat concepts of previous commanders, Yokoyama found that Neiji Okamura, who also came from the Kwantung Army, resonated with him. However, Okamura's strategy was not appreciated by the headquarters of the "China Dispatch Army". Take a step forward, and he immediately tightens the rope, which makes you roll your eyes, and you have to come back obediently. You're playing monkeys, you guys! In Yokoyama's view, this is called not thinking about making progress. If we fight like this, when will the "China incident" be completely resolved. But the boss is the boss, even if Isamu Yokoyama disdains Hata Junroku, he is still a "monkey" after all, he can't do whatever he wants, and even run around without the rope. How to do it? The staff gave an idea: make a fuss from the boat. After the outbreak of the Pacific War, there was a serious shortage of Japanese ships, and there were a batch of ships in Yichang, but because there was no navigation from Yichang to Wuhan, the ships could not be transported out of berth. Hengshan understood bravely, "Yes, let's say that this war is for the purpose of transporting ships to Yichang, so that no one will dare to say that the Eleventh Army has gone too far." Isamu Yokoyama's reason really hit the nail on the head of Shunro Hata, who was scratching his head at the lack of transport capacity in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. When he heard that he could help him tow the boat, he immediately approved the westward plan without saying a word. Generals with a brain can usually think of going together, even if they are in a hostile camp.Heng Shanyong thought about going west along the river all day long, and his opponent, Chen Cheng, the commander of the Sixth War Zone, had also pondered this question over and over again. Since the Sixth War Zone has become the watchdog of Chongqing, the troops are relatively concentrated. Feng Zhian and Wang Yanxu from the Fifth War Zone have all drawn over, and they have included five armies as many as fourteen armies. But no matter how many people there are, there will be fewer defensive players, and after all, there are only a few elites who can really fight, and how to play it involves the key to offense and defense. Chen Cheng convened his staff and various ministries to discuss. At first, the mainstream opinion was to focus on the two wings, either to set up defenses in Xiangfan in northern Hubei, or camp in Changde in western Hunan. Of course, there are also troops along the river, but not too many. The reason is that the mountain roads along the Yangtze River are very rugged, and most of them are small trails. It is very difficult for a single person to travel, let alone a large army. Went into the river. It is enough to send a few people to keep watch. Chen Cheng disagreed. Even if the two wings lose the city and land like Yichang, after all, they will not shake the foundation, and there is still plenty of time to make up for it, but if the Jiang defense is empty, the Japanese army will drive straight in, and Chongqing will be in danger, and the consequences will be disastrous. When it comes to the safety of relationship and companionship, who dares to underestimate it? As a result, the three elite armies, including the Eighteenth Army, deployed to the front line of the Jiang defense as promised, and built a systematic defensive position centered on the Shipai Fortress, a considerable part of which was reinforced concrete fortifications. The most important piece of the chess piece fell like this. In the future battle, Chen Cheng can at least make sure his strategy is correct. generals On May 5, Heng Shanyong launched the Battle of Western Hubei, but Chen Cheng was not in office at this time. Well, the fire chief, of course he has to go wherever he needs to go.After the failure of the first expedition to Burma, China's Chiang Kai-shek's high command planned to reorganize the expeditionary force in Yunnan. Chen Cheng went to do the job, and Sun Lianzhong replaced him. Sun Lianzhong is good at fighting bitter and vicious battles in small and medium-sized areas. His only flaw is that he has never independently commanded a large corps at the theater level before. Ever since Hengshan bravely dispatched troops to Honghu, what kind of combat plan he wants to achieve and where the focus of aggression is has always puzzled this general from the Northwest Army. Isamu Yokoyama's tricks are indeed paradoxical, and it is difficult for ordinary people to guess.Before the Battle of Western Hubei, he seemed to follow the tactics of the Eleventh Army's "short-cut assault" in the past. He would retreat to the base camp just by stalking along the river, but after the Battle of Western Hubei began, he suddenly made a large-scale invasion of Changde posture. It was foreseeable that the Japanese army would advance from both wings, including Changde. Sun Lianzhong decided to go to Changde to take command, but just after he arrived in Changde, Yokoyama suddenly turned westward and took the road of advancing westward along the Yangtze River. Although the Eleventh Army is a strategic army dedicated to offense, it does not dare not to guard the defense area, so it is impossible to mobilize most of its troops at one time. Yokoyama adopted a new tactic of "progressively" for this purpose, That is to say, at a certain stage, add a division to the forefront. After moving to the west, the 13th Division stationed in Yichang was added, making the scale of the Japanese assault seem to be getting bigger and bigger, and the spear of occupation is getting sharper and sharper, which will only increase the pressure on the opponent psychologically. None of the four commanders thought of it, Yokoyama thought of it, how could the commander of the Kwantung Army Front Army be for nothing. At this point, Sun Lianzhong's command was completely in chaos, and he lost control of the troops for a time. The general didn't know where it was, but the Japanese army had overwhelmed the border. Enshi, where the commander-in-chief of the Sixth War Zone was located, became panic-stricken. Chiang Kai-shek's high command was very anxious, and Chiang Kai-shek even decided to go to Enshi to take command in person. Although Chen Cheng was in Yunnan at that time, he still had the name of the commander-in-chief of the Sixth War Zone on his head. He called Chiang Kai-shek: "You are a leader, and it is not suitable for you to command in person. If something goes wrong, it will be a problem." For important matters related to prestige, I am the only one to go." No matter how you listen to these words, it seems that there is a little bit of uncomfortable taste, but it depends on who said it, and it is different when it comes from the mouth of the "old loyal minister". On May 15, with the approval of Chiang Kai-shek's high command, Chen Cheng took over the command of the sixth theater. Because of the rain in Enshi, the plane could not land, so Chen Cheng had to delay for a day after arriving in Chongqing.On the second day, the rain turned cloudy, and the sky over Enshi was cloudy and misty, so it was still not a good day to travel. The military situation is urgent, and we can't wait any longer. On May 17, Chen Cheng arrived in Enshi by plane.After hearing the news, Enshi was relieved. When Chen Cheng (standing with his back) arrived in Enshi, the officers and soldiers raised their arms and shouted: bloody battle to the end! The difference between generals is not only in courage, but also in vision, experience, and thinking. Sitting in Enshi, Chen Cheng immediately figured out Yokoyama's true calculation: the marching route is to go up the river, and the goal is to capture the stone cards and threaten Chongqing. It seems that what Sun Lianzhong left behind seems to be a mess, from top to bottom, it is a look of having lost, but the master is different. Chen Cheng thinks that this does not affect the overall situation. The three elite troops are still in the stone card, and the established defensive strategy has not been greatly affected. If the strategy is correct, there is a one-third possibility of winning this battle. The next third is tactical: luring the enemy into depth. After Chen Cheng returned to Enshi, he quickly ordered all the troops to retreat westward. On the well-proportioned flat land, I can't fix you. Only when I go to the rugged Jiajiang mountain, can I show you a good look.Isamu Yokoyama, you really are "courageous". If you dare to walk the road that others dare not walk, you will have to bear the consequences for it. On the surface, Isamu Yokoyama's road to the west is indeed much easier. On May 19, he sent a telegram to the "China Dispatch Army" and the Japanese High Command, telling them that the 11th Army killed and injured no more than 400 people, and the Chinese army was defeated and fled. You ask me right now, right now I am going to Yichang to tow the boat.