Early the next morning, Sasaki, who received the news, was furious again, and immediately ordered the 63rd Wing to launch another onslaught on Xuanhua County.At this time in Zhangjiakou, the Japanese 35th Division finally occupied most of Zhangjiakou after several days of fierce fighting, but the Japanese army also paid heavy casualties.At this time, the former enemy's general headquarters of our Eighth Route Army, after research, believed that the time was ripe for launching a counteroffensive against the Japanese army, and Commander Nie immediately ordered all participating units to launch a counteroffensive against the Japanese 35th Division.After the order was issued, the newly formed 1st Division of the Southern Hebei Military Region rushed to support it, and immediately captured Zuowei Town and Taipingzhuang, successfully cutting off the retreat route of the 35th Division, and also cutting off the logistics supply line of the 35th Division.Subsequently, the Ninth Column of our Eighth Route Army, gathering the main force of tens of thousands of people, launched an offensive against the 35th Division from the periphery, gradually encroaching on the Japanese army and consuming the living strength of the Japanese 35th Division.The fierce battle continued into the afternoon, and the ninth column achieved fruitful results, successively destroying more than 1,000 Japanese troops and forming a counter-encirclement of the Japanese troops on the periphery.Our Eighth Route Army took the initiative to launch a counteroffensive, and the commander of the 35th Division of the Japanese Army, Lieutenant General Kumayoshi Harada, did not realize the seriousness of the problem.He still commanded his main force and launched a fierce attack on Zhangjiakou, hoping to fully occupy Zhangjiakou and achieve immortal achievements.However, under the stubborn resistance of the ninth column of our Eighth Route Army, the Japanese army fought hard for half a day, but never made any substantial progress, but once again consumed thousands of troops in vain.But in the afternoon, after the Eighth Route Army had formed an encirclement of the Japanese army on the periphery, Harada Kumayoshi realized that something was wrong.In the headquarters of the 35th Division of the "Yagaya Road", Kumayoshi Harada slapped the table and scolded loudly: "These damn dirt eight roads, my conscience is greatly broken. ”"Your Excellency, Division Commander, is angry, according to the current situation, the strategic intention of the Eighth Route Army is very obvious, that is, to encircle and annihilate our 35th Division near Zhangjiakou before the 10th Division and other units have arrived."
The chief of staff said with a worried look on his face."
Hmph, just with these dirt roads, it is simply wishful thinking to annihilate my 35th Division," Harada Kumayoshi said with a disdainful face.The chief of staff hurriedly persuaded: "Your Excellency Division Commander, according to the current situation, the total strength of the Tuba Road around us is close to 50,000.And after a series of hard battles, the total strength of the imperial army has been less than 10,000 people, and the main infantry units have suffered heavy losses, if the 50,000 troops of the Eighth Route Army besiege the imperial army, the consequences are unimaginable Two months ago, the Chahar battle, the second independent mixed brigade of the imperial army and the 41st division were completely annihilated one after another, the lessons of the previous car are still there, and I hope that His Excellency the division commander will think twice" After hearing this, even the arrogant Harada Kumayoshi couldn't help frowning, and asked with a worried face: "Then in your opinion, what should we do now."
The chief of staff replied respectfully: "Now that the back road of the imperial army has been cut off, in order to prevent being completely annihilated by the Chinese people, the imperial army can only break through."
And now there are three breakthrough routes in front of the imperial army, the first way to return, but the Eighth Route Army has cut off the back road of our army, the Eighth Route Army has the intention of encircling and annihilating us, and it will not be easy for us to break through, and this road is dangerous, easy to defend and difficult to attack, if the Eighth Route Army is in danger of defending, the imperial army wants to successfully break through, it will undoubtedly be very difficult, at this time the main force of the Eighth Route Army takes the opportunity to launch a counteroffensive against the imperial army, and the imperial army will be defeated. ”When the chief of staff said this, he secretly observed Harada Kumayoshi's reaction, and saw Harada Kumayoshi nodded slightly, so he continued: "This road can't be walked, so there are only two other roads left in front of the imperial army, one is to break through along the Pingsui Railway to Datong, but Huai'an, Tianzhen, Yanggao and other places along the Pingsui Railway are now in the hands of the Eighth Route Army, and it will be difficult to break through this layer of obstacles and return to Datong." ”Harada Kumayoshi nodded and said: "In this way, we only have one last way left, that is, to break through to the south, attack Xuanhua, and attack the seventh column of the Eighth Route Army on both sides with the 10th Division and other units, as long as we wait to defeat this seventh column, we can make peace with the 10th Division and other units." ”"Your Excellency, the commander of the Hai Division, is wise.In this way, our 35th Division can also join forces with the 10th Division to counterattack Zhangjiakou, and it will inevitably be able to turn defeat into victory and capture Zhangjiakou in one fell swoop. ”The chief of staff said respectfully."
Yo Xi" Harada Kumayoshi nodded and said: "It's just that in this way, my 35th Division's plan to capture Zhangjiakou alone will also fail, and I can only share the results of capturing Zhangjiakou with the 10th Division."
And this 10th Division is different from us, they are a standing division, if it really comes to that point, the old guys in the base camp will definitely take all the main credit for the 10th Division, and our 35th Division can only be reduced to a supporting role, and all the efforts we have made before will be in vain. ”The chief of staff said with a respectful face: "What Your Excellency the division commander said is very true.But now that our 35th Division has fallen into a critical moment of life and death, if we do not do this, once the Chinese people launch a large-scale counteroffensive, even if the imperial army is not completely annihilated, it will inevitably suffer heavy losses.The credit for the independent capture of Zhangjiakou, compared with the safety of our 35th Division, I hope you will think twice about which is more important, not to mention that according to the current situation, it is no longer possible for our 35th Division to independently capture Zhangjiakou" "Yaga" Harada Kumayoshi couldn't help but scold angrily, but after thinking about it carefully, he felt that what the chief of staff said made some sense, since it was no longer possible to capture Zhangjiakou independently, then there was no need for them to stay here and take risks.On the other hand, if they succeed in making peace with the 10th Division, when the time comes, they will inevitably have a share of the credit for counterattacking Zhangjiakou and capturing Zhangjiakou.The chief of staff saw that Harada Kumayoshi frowned and thought hard, and never spoke, and couldn't help urging: "Your Excellency the division commander, now that the situation is urgent, I hope that Your Excellency the division commander will make a decision as soon as possible" "Hmm" Harada Kumayoshi nodded slightly, and finally made up his mind, and said with a serious face: "Immediately pass the order, the attacking troops immediately withdraw from Zhangjiakou City, and after the whole army is assembled, immediately concentrate on attacking Shalingzi, cooperate with the 10th Division of the Imperial Army and other units, and annihilate the hateful seventh column of the Eighth Route Army in one fell swoop." ”"Your Excellency, Commander of the Hai Division, is wise."
The chief of staff respectfully answered, turned around and ran to deliver the order.aa2705221: