kingnovel Chapter 439 Stopped
Chapter 439 Stopped
After the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Sadaichi, had finished arranging things, the Commander, Lieutenant General Okamura Yasuji, slowly said, "Mr. Yoshimoto, don't worry too much. I think the 13th Regiment that attacked earlier was discovered by the Chinese army on the Laodao River defense line when it was retreating. The Chinese army's flanking forces on both wings could not have moved so quickly. Moreover, the Chinese army has been deployed for so long, it is impossible for them to just focus on the vanguard attack force of the 6th Division. Commander Xue of the 9th Theater of the Chinese Government does not have such a small appetite."
Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Sadaichi knew that his worries had been seen by the commander, and he said with a bit of trepidation: "Thank you for your guidance, commander, and for clearing up my confusion."
Zhang Wenwu and the officers and soldiers of the new 100th Division were rushing towards the direction of the Japanese army's retreat. During this period, the signalmen sent back by Li Zhengying kept reporting the latest situation at the front. Zhang Wenwu knew that they were now racing with the retreating Japanese army in speed.
If this group of Japanese troops were allowed to join their main force, there would be no possibility of destroying this part of the Japanese army. The sudden retreat of the Japanese army meant that the troops originally prepared to encircle the two wings were unable to reach the designated positions. It would be impossible to encircle the Japanese army and cut off their retreat as planned.
Now it depends on how big a piece of meat can be bitten off from the Japanese army. Zhang Wenwu felt that he and his troops were repairing the earth at Laodao River and waiting there. In the end, he prepared the dishes and served them on the table, but the Japanese army ran away without even saying hello. Who can bear this? You can leave, but at least leave the meal money. Don't let people work in vain.
Now the officers and soldiers of the New 100th Division were pursuing lightly equipped. Apart from the necessary weapons and ammunition, they did not carry any other supplies. But even so, the troops of the New 100th Division chased the Japanese army for almost two hours and still could not catch up with the retreating Japanese army. However, the distance between the main force of the New 100th Division and the th Regiment of the Japanese Army was slowly narrowing.
Colonel Fumio Tsuboshima, commander of the 13th Regiment, led his troops after a mad dash all the way and finally arrived at the Miluo River. However, the main force of the 6th Division that was here had already withdrawn completely, leaving behind only a messy camp.
The commander of the regiment, Colonel Fumio Tsuboshima, could tell from the situation in the original camp how urgent and chaotic the retreat of the 6th Division was, but now he was not in the mood to appreciate the mess.
Because the Chinese pursuers were always following behind their own troops, their troops ran all the way and the Chinese army's pursuit troops chased and fought them all the way. Although the commander of the regiment, Colonel Fumio Tsuboshima, did not have time to count the losses of the troops, he estimated that his troops had lost at least half a squadron of officers and soldiers.
You know, he only led two battalions of officers and soldiers to attack the Chinese army's defense line on the Laodao River. He lost half of the battalion in the attack. Now half of his squadron was killed by the pursuers of the Chinese army. His own strength is getting smaller and smaller. If he encounters the main force of the Chinese army again, he will not have enough troops to get rid of the entanglement of the Chinese army.
The regiment commander, Colonel Fumio Tsuboshima, led his troops through the former camp and rushed to the pontoon bridge on the Miluo River. Now, Colonel Fumio Tsuboshima was praying for one thing in his heart, that is, the division commander must not blow up the pontoon bridge, if so, he would really have to die here.
After running for another 20 minutes, the commander of the regiment, Colonel Fumio Tsubojima, finally arrived at the bank of the Miluo River. Looking at the intact floating bridge, Colonel Fumio Tsubojima breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the floating bridge was still there, his troops still had hope of escaping the pursuit of the Chinese army.
"Hurry, quickly cross the pontoon bridge, don't stop, and join the main force as soon as possible, hurry, hurry!" The commander of the regiment, Colonel Fumio Tsuboshima, loudly urged the officers and soldiers in the army to keep moving forward.
As soon as the officers and soldiers of the 13th Regiment stepped onto the pontoon bridge on the shore, a burst of gunfire rang out from their right side. Seven or eight officers and soldiers who had just stepped onto the pontoon bridge fell on the spot or fell into the Miluo River.
When the commander of the regiment, Colonel Fumio Tsuboshima, heard the gunshots, he was terrified. The Chinese army was so close to him? And the gunshots came from his right side. Could it be that the Chinese army's flanking troops were coming? That shouldn't be the case. The Chinese army's flanking troops should not mobilize a large number of troops just for his small number of troops.
The gunfire also frightened the 13th Regiment's troops who were preparing to cross the river. The officers and soldiers scattered, lying on the ground and firing back at the direction on the right where the gunfire came from.
The commander of the regiment, Colonel Fumio Tsuboshima, was also half-kneeling on the ground, carefully observing the situation of the Chinese army on the right with a telescope. After two minutes of observation, Colonel Fumio Tsuboshima basically decided that this was a small group of Chinese troops, which could be basically judged from the density of the opponent's noise.
Moreover, the commander of the regiment, Colonel Fumio Tsuboshima, also looked carefully through the telescope and did not find any scenes of large-scale Chinese military movements.
However, although this small group of Chinese troops is not large in size, they are stuck at the most critical position for the advance of their own troops. If they are not eliminated, their own troops will not be able to pass through the pontoon bridge intact and smoothly.
However, the commander of the regiment, Colonel Fumio Tsuboshima, also knew that what he lacked most now was time. The Chinese army was currently pursuing him. If he wasted time here, his troops would be even more unable to move once the Chinese army's pursuers arrived.
The commander of the regiment, Colonel Fumio Tsuboshima, was in a dilemma. He had to either defeat and drive away this small group of Chinese troops on the right first, or rush across the pontoon bridge regardless of casualties and under the shooting of the Chinese troops on the right. This was the worst case scenario. Who knew how many people in his troops would be able to rush across successfully by then.
After hesitating for two minutes, the regiment commander, Colonel Fumio Tsuboshima, decided to deal with the small group of Chinese troops on his right first, and at the same time send some people to stop the Chinese pursuers behind. Otherwise, if he led his troops to rush across the pontoon bridge, the casualties of the troops would be too great, and if they were blocked by the Chinese army later, they would not have enough strength to break through the Chinese army's blockade.
Appearing on the right side of the 100th Regiment of the Japanese Army were the officers and soldiers of the New th Division's Suicide Squad led by Hao Jian. In order to stop this Japanese army's retreat, Li Zhengying also thought that the Japanese army must cross the Miluo River on their retreat. He could use the Miluo River to block the Japanese army and drag them to the riverside. So he asked Hao Jian to lead the suicide squad to rush over from the side. As for whether they could delay the Japanese army before they crossed the river, it all depended on fate.
(Thanks to the gift support from the Duke of Wei who loves beef jerky, the director of Shenlong Library, and the one who eats dumplings without vinegar! Thank you all for your support and encouragement!)