20demayo Chapter 172 Kawagishi Bunjiro's Choice: The Annihilation of the 20th Division
Chapter 172 Kawagishi Bunjiro's Choice: The Annihilation of the 20th Division
Because this location is less than ten kilometers from his command post.
If it weren't for Kawagishi Bunzaburo's initial lack of trust in Isogai Rensuke and his prior deployment of two makeshift defensive lines on the east side, the enemy's tank forces could probably have stormed his command post in a single charge.
Kinemura Hisazo shook his head and said:
"I don't know what's going on either. I'll call the 10th Division right now and ask Isogai Rensuke what's happening."
After saying that, he instructed the communications soldier to contact the 10th Division headquarters.
The phone rang for a long time, but no one answered.
"Send a telegram."
"Kawagishi Bunzaburo said with an icy gaze."
Perhaps the telephone line was blown up; at this point, sending the communications soldier to investigate was impractical.
The telegram was sent, but there was still no response.
"Could it be... that the 10th Division's command post has been destroyed by the enemy?"
Kawagishi Bunzaburo considered the last possibility.
Hisashi Kichizo's face was ashen as he said:
"If that's the case, then wouldn't we already be...?"
Just then, a communications soldier suddenly stood up and said:
"Report: The Army Headquarters has sent a telegram saying that the 10th Division has broken out into the Baodugu Mountain area, and that our army should also break out to the north as soon as possible."
As soon as the communications soldier finished speaking, there was a loud, crisp sound of tables and chairs being slammed to the ground.
Kawagishi Bunzaburo picked up a stool and slammed it hard on the table, letting out a wild, beast-like roar.
"Bastard!!! Rensuke Isogai!!! Idiot!!! Coward!!!"
His roar was almost hoarse, and even began to crack.
Kawagishi Bunzaburo had considered that Isogai Rensuke's command skills were lacking, but he never expected that this man would abandon them without a word and run away with the 10th Division.
Chief of Staff Hisazo Kinemura said:
"Division Commander, what do we do next? Those cowards from the 10th Division have escaped. If we stay here, we're doomed."
Although the 38th Division had already launched its offensive in the north, Kawagishi Bunzaburo knew very well that distant water could not quench immediate thirst, and the Third Detachment was advancing rapidly in the east, leaving him little time.
"Break through! Scatter and break through!!!"
Without much hesitation, Bunzaburo Kawagishi decisively issued the order.
He was also quite aware of the consequences of staying.
Scattering and breaking out might offer a glimmer of hope.
By this time, it was already broad daylight. The Japanese 20th Division did not immediately disperse and break out, but instead called for air cover.
The difficulty of breaking through is completely different whether or not there is air support.
If the air force can blast a hole in the enemy's defenses, their chances of survival will be greatly increased.
On the east side, Li Jianghe put down his binoculars and said to Bai Chengshan and Long Wenzhang beside him:
"The Japanese planes are coming. I think the 20th Division should run away too."
In the three people's field of vision, they could see a group of small black dots flying in the sky in the distance. They were Japanese warplanes heading towards the defensive zone north of Teng County.
The target of these Japanese warplanes was the trench defense line of the 20th Army Group.
"The 20th Army Group definitely can't withstand this kind of bombing from the Japanese, Commander, when are we going up?"
Li Jianghe said coldly:
"Right now."
Once the order to attack was issued, the main force of the Third Detachment, deployed in the north and east, launched an attack on the area where the Japanese 20th Division was located almost simultaneously.
At the same time, artillery fire swept over them, unleashing a barrage of bombardment.
On the 20th Division's side, after seeing the arrival of their own air force, Fumizaburo Kawagishi issued the final order to break out.
Each unit abandoned all unnecessary supplies and divided into small detachments or squads, breaking out to the north.
Some Japanese troops were ordered to stay behind to buy time for the other troops to break out.
However, these troops were still able to barely hold off the Nationalist army's infantry.
When they encountered the armored forces of the Third Detachment, they were completely overwhelmed.
The roar of the tank engines became their eternal nightmare.
The armored forces launched a fierce attack first, and local forces such as the Guangxi Army, the Northwest Army, and the Sichuan Army also launched attacks on the Japanese army from the flanks.
In the headquarters of the Japanese North China Area Army, Commander-in-Chief Terauchi Hisaichi looked at the contents of the telegram and couldn't help but sigh.
Chief of Staff Naosaburo Okabe, standing nearby, whispered:
"There's no need to worry too much. The 38th Division is also providing support, and our air force has been fully deployed. The 20th Division should be able to break through."
Terauchi Hisaichi shook his head and said:
"No, we're not that optimistic. The fighting strength of the Third Detachment should not be underestimated."
Even if our troops break through the enemy's defenses in the plains, these enemies can still use armored vehicles to pursue our breakout forces.
Think about it, the 10th Division was almost completely annihilated, with only a small portion managing to break through. The 20th Division will likely suffer a similar fate.
Naosaburo Okabe said:
"Perhaps the only consolation is that the offensive in Kaifeng is going relatively smoothly, and the advance in the southwest of Xuzhou is getting faster and faster. Once the Xuzhou area is encircled, I believe that Li Jianghe's third team alone will not be able to make much of a splash."
"Perhaps the only consolation is that the offensive in Kaifeng is going relatively smoothly, and the advance in the southwest of Xuzhou is getting faster and faster. Once the Xuzhou area is encircled, I believe that Li Jianghe's third team alone will not be able to make much of a splash."
As he spoke, Terauchi Hisaichi's gaze also fell on the map.
The disastrous defeat at Taierzhuang was already inevitable.
However, the area of combat in the entire Fifth War Zone is not limited to this place.
Whether in northern Henan or southern Anhui, the Japanese advance proceeded quite smoothly.
Neither the Northeast Army nor the Central Army could withstand their offensive from the north and south.
Even Terauchi Hisaichi believed that if it weren't for Li Jianghe's Third Detachment, they would have achieved the breakthrough they deserved in Taierzhuang.
"Hopefully, the 20th Division can break through."
Terauchi Hisaichi said somewhat pessimistically.
He knew very well that even if they continued fighting, they could achieve some results.
It could result in the loss of the main force of two divisions, plus a mixed brigade, and some attached units.
This can be described as an unprecedented loss since the Japanese invasion of China.
If the 20th Division fails to break through, Terauchi Hisaichi's career will likely come to an end.
He lamented not only the Japanese soldiers who were about to die, but also his own uncertain future.
On the main battlefield, the 20th Division's breakout continued from day to night.
Countless Japanese soldiers, like ants moving house, broke through to the north across the plains.
However, the troops that could block and pursue these Japanese soldiers were everywhere. The flying bullets, the falling shells, and the rumbling tanks all became effective weapons to kill these Japanese soldiers.