In Tokyo, the Japanese War Ministry.
After the cabinet meeting ended, Xianyuan Gong Zairen did not return to the palace, but simply stayed, because it was already two o'clock in the morning, and he would not be able to sleep even if he went back, and the old Japanese was worried, first of all Whether time can recapture Fengtian in time, and whether more than a dozen factories in Fengtian City can be destroyed, is related to the fate of the empire!
Because of this, Xianyuan Gong Zairen simply stayed and waited nervously for the news.
Kanin Miyazaihito didn't even go back, and Juichi Terauchi, Kuniaki Koiso and the staff of the Army Ministry didn't even dare to go home from get off work, so they all stayed and worked overtime.
At about four o'clock in the morning, Xianyuan Gong Zairen suddenly felt a little hungry. The old Japanese thought that the officials and staff of the Army Department who had worked overtime all night must have been hungry. He was about to ask the adjutant to get some food. From the corner of his eye, he saw But suddenly he saw a communications staff officer walking out of the communications office with a livid face.
"Your Highness!" The communications staff officer hurriedly walked to the highest-ranking Xianyuan Gong Zairen, and said with a heavy pause, "The Kwantung Army headquarters just sent an urgent message. The First Division was attacked on its way back to Fengtian. The Infantry Division was attacked. The 1st Regiment, the 49th Infantry Regiment and all directly affiliated units were defeated, and only the 1st Field Artillery Regiment withdrew to the Panshan and Black Mountain lines!"
"Nani?" Xianyuan Gong Zairen was stunned when he suddenly heard this earth-shattering bad news.
The rest of the temple's Juichi, Koiso Kuniaki and a group of senior staff officers from the Army Ministry also looked at each other in shock.
They originally thought that the first division's return battle would not be concluded until noon today, and even if the outcome was unsatisfactory, for example, it could not recapture Fengtian, or it could not completely destroy the factories in Fengtian City, but then No matter what, there must be a process of fierce fighting. After all, the First Division is not made of clay and paper.
However, the reality is that in just over two hours, the First Division was defeated!
"How is this possible?" After being stunned for a long time, Xianyuan Gong Zairen finally came to his senses, and then let out a hysterical roar, "Baga, Baga! Impossible, this is impossible, this is impossible! Baga, this is absolutely impossible, it has only been more than two hours, how could the First Division be defeated so quickly?"
Han Yuan Gong Zai Ren was completely unable to accept this cruel fact emotionally.
It was impossible for the First Division to retake Fengtian, which he had expected.
The First Division may suffer heavy losses in the end, and the returning troops may even be surrounded and annihilated by the Chahar Independent Regiment. This is also part of the calculations of the Japanese base camp. The Japanese base camp had already made preparations before issuing the return order. In order to be mentally prepared to sacrifice the First Division, as long as they can destroy the factories in Fengtian City, then this sacrifice will be valuable!
But now, the First Division was defeated as expected without leaving the base camp, but the tactical goal was not achieved at all! Not to mention retaking Fengtian or destroying all the factories in the city, the First Division did not even touch the edge of Fengtian City, but was defeated by Xu Rui's Chahar Independent Regiment halfway.
And what’s even more incredible is that it only took a little over two hours!
Regarding this result, Hanyuan Gong Zairen said that it was completely unacceptable.
Not only Kanin Miya Zaijin couldn't accept it, but Juichi Terauchi and Kuniaki Koiso couldn't believe it either.
At that moment, Shouichi Terauchi said to the communications staff officer with a sullen face: "Hojo-kun, is the First Division really defeated?"
"Hai!" the communications staff officer named Hojo suddenly replied, "The main force of the First Division has indeed been defeated. Now the cavalry troops of the Chahar Independent Regiment are chasing the defeated troops of the First Division. Due to the terrain of the Liaodong Plain, It’s flat and has a wide field of vision, and the more than 10,000 defeated troops of the First Division may have a worrying outcome.”
"Baga!" Shouyi in the temple said in a deep voice, "How could this happen?"
At this time, Koiso Kuniaki had completely regained his composure and said in a deep voice: "His Royal Highness the Prince and His Majesty the Temple Cabinet, it seems that Xu Rui should have expected that the First Division might return to Fengtian, so he ordered Chaha early. The tank troops and the main force of the Er Independent Regiment were ambushed halfway, waiting for the main force of the First Division to arrive halfway before launching a sudden attack. In this case, it is not surprising that the First Division was defeated within two hours. "
Shouyi in the temple was awe-inspiring when he heard this: "Baga, this guy Xu Rui is really insidious!"
"Xu Rui? Xu Rui!" Xianyuan Gong Zairen muttered a few words, a salty smell suddenly appeared in his throat, and his face turned bright red in an instant.
"Your Highness, are you okay?" Terauchi Shouichi was surprised when he saw this, and quickly stepped forward and asked with concern.
"It's okay, I can't die." Xianyuan Gong Zairen waved his hand and said, "Gentlemen, please tell me what to do right now?"
"Your Highness, I'm afraid it won't be easy to handle now." Koiso Kuniaki sighed, and then said, "The organizational capabilities of the Communist Party, Fengtian's heavy industrial system, abundant human resources, plus Xu Rui's superb command of the large corps is almost monster-like. Ability, when these factors are combined, the consequences will be catastrophic!”
"Sodesnai." Touichi Terauchi was convinced and echoed loudly, "With Fengtian's heavy industrial system and Fengtian's human resources, the Chahar Independent Regiment can expand from 20,000 to 20,000 people in a short period of time. Fifty thousand or even 100,000 people, the ordnance stored in Fengtian City alone is enough to arm tens of thousands of people."
After a pause, Juichi Terauchi continued: "A conservative estimate is that by the time Ishihara Kanji's Seventh Army returns to Fengtian, the Chahar Independent Regiment will have expanded to at least 50,000 people! In other words, at least in terms of the number of troops, , the Seventh Army no longer has any advantage facing the Chahar Independent Regiment."
Kanin Gong Zairen nodded subconsciously. This time, only the two armored divisions of the Seventh Army returned to support Ishihara Kanji. The five infantry divisions they belonged to did not come back. Of course, these five divisions also It had been crippled in the previous battle, and its strength was not even as strong as the two fully-equipped divisions.
Fortunately, two divisions from Hyrule Fortress joined.
But even so, the reorganized Seventh Army only had 50,000 soldiers.
Koiso Kuniaki said: "What's worse is that the First Division has been defeated. This means that after Ishihara Kanji's Seventh Army returns to Fengtian, it will need to face Xu Rui's Chahar Independent Regiment alone. .”
After a pause, he continued: "I admit that Mr. Ishihara is very good at fighting, but compared with Xu Rui, I'm afraid he's still a little behind. What's even more worrying is the tank troops, the two tank divisions of the Seventh Army. After the Chita War, they were severely damaged and had not been replenished or even repaired, and the number of existing tanks was even less than one division."
Terauchi Juichi then said: "The performance gap between the two sides' tanks is also worrying. The Soviet-made tanks equipped by the Chahar Independent Regiment are significantly better than the various types of tanks currently equipped by the Imperial Army in terms of performance parameters, at least the Type 1 tanks. Before it is successfully developed and equipped with troops, the tanks of the Imperial Army are absolutely no match for this Soviet-made tank."
In the temple, Shouichi and Koiso Kuniaki were singing together, and Kanin Gong Zaijin's expression became more and more embarrassing.
The meaning of Juichi Terauchi and Kuniaki Koiso was already very clear. After the First Division was defeated, they were not optimistic that Kanji Ishihara's Seventh Army could turn the tide, and believed that if the Seventh Army forcibly returned to Fengtian, The only option is to deliver meat to the mouths of Xu Rui and the Chahar Independent Regiment.
At that moment, Xianyuan Gong Zairen asked very depressedly: "No matter how powerful the tank is, it is still afraid of attack aircraft, isn't it?"
The implication of Xianyuan Gong Zairen's words is that even if the Soviet-made tanks equipped by the Chahar Independent Regiment are powerful, even if the Type 95 tanks and Type 97 tanks equipped by the Seventh Army are no match, there is no such thing as the Navy's aviation Corps? The main forces of the Third Fleet and the Fourth Fleet are about to arrive in Lushun. More than a hundred attack aircraft equipped on the four aircraft carriers will soon be able to provide air support to Ishihara Kanji's Seventh Army.
"Hai!" Koiso Kuniaki nodded heavily and said, "The main force of the Navy's Third Fleet and Fourth Fleet will soon arrive at Port Arthur Fortress. There will be more than one hundred attack aircraft and more than eighty reconnaissance aircraft or fighter jets from the four aircraft carriers. We can also immediately provide air support to the returning Seventh Army, but His Royal Highness, the Chahar Independent Regiment also has aviation units.”
Terauchi Juichi then said: "Moreover, the other side's pilots have richer flying experience and better tactical literacy. In contrast, most of the pilots of the Navy's Third and Fourth Fleets are rookies who have just graduated from aviation schools, let alone combat. Experience, even flying experience, was extremely lacking.”
Koiso Kuniaki added: "This has been proven in previous battles. The carrier-based fighter jets of the Kaga aircraft carrier were completely at a disadvantage in the battle with the opponent's IL-15 and 16-type fighters. This It’s not that our fighter jets are incompetent, it’s because the quality of the pilots is too poor.”
Terauchi Juichi: "In other words, even with the Navy's Third Fleet and Fourth Fleet providing air support, it is difficult for Ishihara Kanji's Seventh Army to take advantage." After a pause, he added, "Of course. Without naval support, the Seventh Army would have no chance of winning against the Chahar Independent Regiment."
Koiso Kuniaki said: "In short, the current situation is already very difficult."
"Baga Yalu!" Xianyuan Gong Zairen finally got angry and roared, "This won't work, and that won't work either. Do you only see difficulties in your eyes? Baga, what I want is a countermeasure, a countermeasure. Rather than difficulties! So, don’t talk to me about difficulties anymore, I want countermeasures, countermeasures! I want countermeasures!”
"Hai!" Juichi Terauchi and Kuniaki Ogami nodded at the same time.
Xianyuan Gong Zairen breathed a long sigh of relief, tried his best to suppress his anger and asked: "So now, what can be done."
Koiso Kuniaki exchanged glances with Terauchi Juichi and said solemnly: "Your Highness, since this is the case, I'm afraid there is only one way."