After making a plan to attack the enemies on the southeast route first, Yang Zhen led his troops to the preset battlefield without any hesitation. In addition to the waist-deep snow during the march, the unique cross-mountain wind in the Beiman Mountains that Yang Zhen encountered for the first time also brought great suffering to the troops. Fortunately, under the leadership of experienced veteran anti-resistance forces, although they suffered a lot during the short journey, the troops finally arrived at the scheduled battlefield safely without any danger.
Yang Zhen personally was not at ease with the terrain of the preset battlefield reported by Dong Ping. After arriving at the preset battlefield, Yang Zhen personally led the only three combat staff officers in the army to move the area between the Arzhan Xigou River and the Arzhan Beigou River. The terrain of the space was surveyed in detail. After looking at the terrain, a big stone hanging in Yang Zhen's heart finally fell to the ground.
Yang Zhen was extremely satisfied with the terrain from the Wife Valley into the mountains to the preset battlefield. Although the terrain in this area is not the best for ordinary commanders to set up an ambush, it is the most appropriate for Yang Zhen's battle plan.
Yang Zhen suffered a lot after leading his troops to move to the preset battlefield. The Eighth Regiment of the Fourth Division, which also set out from Xiaoshanzuizi to clear the mountains, suffered as much or even more than Yang Zhen did.
Major Kitano Takatsu, the commander of the Third Battalion of the Eighth Regiment, who had full command of the Japanese troops on the Southeast and South Routes, was full of complaints about the current situation and the plan formulated by the commander. Of course, this is because they are not aware of this plan. It was not formulated by the Eighth Regiment, but was personally formulated and implemented by Lieutenant General Sasaki Daichi, the commander-in-chief of the campaign.
After another day of marching, seeing that the troops were about to cross the Arzhan Xigou River, cross the Miaolingzi line and completely enter the mountainous area, Major Kitano Takatsu's resentment became more and more serious. This way. Major Kitano and the Third Battalion suffered a lot.
Kitano Takatsu took off the cotton boots on his feet and put his feet, which were almost stiff due to the snow accumulated in the boots, to the campfire to warm them up. The warm light of the fire seemed to dispel the coldness and fatigue along the way, making Major Kitano moan comfortably.
It¡¯s not that I blame Kitano Takatsu for losing his composure. After all, not everyone will feel comfortable walking long distances in waist-deep snow in the severe cold of minus 40 degrees Celsius.
But as his body became warmer and warmer, Kitano became more and more dissatisfied with the invasion plan. For the officers and soldiers of the Eighth Regiment, this campaign was no different from the campaign in Xiajiang.
The battle was fought by the Manchukuo Army and the Independent Guards. In addition to supervising the battle, they, the soldiers of the regular field division of the Imperial Army, were trying to figure out how to make a profit from this clearing campaign.
The mountains of northern Manchuria are really wealthy, and all kinds of mountain treasures and furs are hot commodities in the country. Once you get it out, it will be a huge fortune once it changes hands. If those red pine trees weren't too heavy to carry, I'm afraid these Osaka soldiers wouldn't mind sweeping away all the red pine forests they saw.
But this clearing operation in the Dunhua area made Major Kitano extremely dissatisfied from the beginning. The map issued before the operation only marked the terrain south of Qinggouzi to Xiaoshanzuizi, but it was blank to the north.
After entering the combat area, not even a village could be seen due to Sasaki's blockade policy. Without a village, there would be no people, and without people there would be no oil and water. Even to rest, one has to set up tents that are much less warm than houses. This made everyone in the third brigade, including Kitano, extremely dissatisfied. The only thing that gave these officers and soldiers some relief was that they didn't have to carry these bulky tents on their own.
Looking at Kitano Takatsu, who was groaning comfortably while being cooked on the fire, Captain Yamada, the commander of the regiment's operations staff who was sent by the regiment commander to supervise the operation, flattered him and said: "Your Excellency, Major, in this clearing operation in the mountainous area in northern Dunhua, the joint forces Your Excellency, Captain, entrusts you with the heaviest burden. According to our experience in eradicating those anti-Manchu and anti-Japanese elements in the Xiajiang area, this is almost like putting military merit in your hands. When this battle is over, your promotion will be just around the corner."
Although he despised this greedy and cowardly Major to the extreme, Captain Yamada, a native of Osaka, could only endure and pat the second son of the president of the second largest bank in Osaka. Flattery.
Although as a close confidant of the co-captain, there is no need for me to flatter this idiot captain. But his father is a department manager under the captain's father's company. Even if he didn't think about himself, he still had to think about his father's future, so Captain Yamada could only endure his shabby temper.
Hearing the usually arrogant Captain Yamada flatter him rarely, Kitano Takatsu couldn't help but look a little proud. You must know that Captain Yamada relies on the fact that he is a close confidant of His Excellency the captain, and he has never paid much attention to the captains.
Especially after it was reported that the commander of the regiment was about to be promoted to brigade commander and promoted to the rank of general, he became even more arrogant. There is a pair of Eighth Regiment Exemptions??Except for Yamada, everyone else is a loser.
As for the reason why Yamada was sent to the Third Battalion by the commander, it made Major Kitano Takatsu uncomfortable and even more hostile. Before this battle, the commander of the regiment sent Captain Yamada, who was the main operational staff of the regiment, to the 1st Battalion, which clearly showed his distrust of the 3rd Battalion. When Staff Officer Yamada said these words today, he was typical of surrendering to himself, which made Kitano Takatsu somewhat proud.
Hearing the heavy breathing of the Manchurian soldiers outside the tent who were clearing away the snow in order to clear enough space for the Japanese army to pitch the tent, Kitano Takatsu, who had just been so proud, wrinkled slightly when he thought about going into the mountains tomorrow. He frowned and said to the squadron commanders around him: "Order that all sentry posts tonight be manned by Manchukuo troops. All imperial soldiers must have a good rest and prepare for entering the mountains tomorrow. Order the brigade's artillery squad and heavy machine guns Squadron, check the pack horses. Tell the Manchukuo troops to seize the time tomorrow to clear a passable route."
"Damn Zhang Guangcai Ridge, the weather is so cold, and the snow is so thick. There is not even a human habitation in these 180 miles, and you can't find a flower girl to relieve your boredom. The lower reaches of the river are better, Hua. The girl is big and beautiful. And the old ladies are even more exciting." After saying that, he smiled lustfully.
When Major Kitano mentioned the flower girl, he was even more excited than the clearing operation that was about to officially start in the mountains tomorrow, and he looked like a hungry wolf.
Captain Yamada was filled with a deep sense of contempt for the fact that Major Kitano did not consider how to command the troops to attack on the eve of the battle, but instead thought about the beautiful girl here.
¡°Despise is contempt, but Captain Yamada also knows that if Major Kitano¡¯s clearing performance in the Xiajiang area had not worried the commander of the regiment, he, the regiment¡¯s combat staff, would not have been sent to the third brigade to supervise the battle.
The behavior of Major Kitano in Xiajiang was not so much fighting, but rather robbing. Within the scope of his sight, anything that was slightly valuable, even if it was worth just one yen, could be seen by the second son of the president of Osaka's second largest commercial bank, a majestic major officer of the Imperial Japanese Army. . He was not tired, but he was short of money.
From fur to ginseng, from wood to the jade used in the cigarette holders of the common people in Manchukuo, and even the silver beard comb hanging on the old man's body, this major will grab it for everyone who sees it. If the commander hadn't personally been in charge of the third brigade, this guy would have even wanted to vacate the horses carrying the artillery shells in order to haul the valuable wood.
And this guy¡¯s performance in women¡¯s sex is even more outrageous. His good appetite was due to the fact that those who commanded the Manchukuo Army to cooperate with the Fourth Division in the suppression campaign had stayed in the Sixth Division, known as the Beast Army, and participated in the Sixth Division's attack on Nanjing, as well as the aftermath of the massacre. The few advisors of the Manchukuo Army who were massacred had no choice but to surrender and gave a thumbs up to say they were strong.
This guy treats women coldly and coldly, regardless of age or age. They range from women in their 60s and 70s to underage children. Whether she is a prostitute or a decent woman, as long as she is a woman, she is within the scope of this guy's preferences.
¡°Even if this woman is so old that she can¡¯t even walk away, so ugly that she can make children cry, or so dirty that she can make people stay away from her, he can accept it. Even if his subordinates have played with it, he doesn't shy away from it and still plays it.
"This guy has been clearing the Xiajiang area for several months. I am afraid that no one except himself can know the exact number of how many Manchu women, Korean women, and even Belarusian women in the Xiajiang area have been raped by this guy."
What everyone knows is that during the months of clearing up the Xiajiang area, this guy spent most of his energy on finding women for him to vent his anger on. The other half is devoted to how to make money by doing business. Spending more time in a brothel than in a military camp. And I'm afraid only one or two of them are actually left for combat.
After driving to the mountainous area in northern Dunhua this time, the road was deserted due to Mr. Sasaki's plan to merge villages and merge households. It was rare for this guy not to touch a woman for several days. This guy has been holding it in for several days. The look on his face makes it look like if there was a female rabbit in front of him, this guy would be able to catch and rape her three times.
¡°However, I really hate this guy¡¯s character, but Yamada can only suppress the contempt in his heart when he opens his mouth. As long as this guy's body and bones can bear it, that's his own business. Moreover, for the Japanese army, which had always used rape and robbery as a means to boost morale, what Major Kitano did was considered normal. Since even the military headquarters doesn't care much about this matter, Captain Yamada can't make any comments.
However, Yamada opened his mouth and was very dissatisfied with Kitano for handing over the security mission to the Manchukuo Army: "Your Excellency, I am afraid that it is inappropriate to hand over the night security mission to the Manchukuo Army. We have now crossed the swamp area. Tomorrow We were about to enter the mountains. The bandits in the mountains and forests quickly stopped us from entering the mountains.??They may send out a small force to attack us at night. You put the Manchukuo troops on guard duty, which is unsafe. "
"There is a saying in China that people who are not of our race will have different intentions. We entrust the safety of the imperial officers and soldiers to the Manchukuo army. Let's not say whether there are Chinese spies among these Manchukuo soldiers. Once any of them have What should I do if I take advantage of the opportunity of the imperial officers and soldiers to secretly attack?"
"Also, once those anti-Manchurian and anti-Japanese elements attack at night, it is questionable whether the quality of the Manchukuo army can guarantee that they will not give those gangsters a chance and protect the imperial soldiers well. So Your Excellency, for the sake of the safety of the imperial soldiers, I hope you can change your decision. .¡±
In response to Yamada's objection, Kitano Takatsu waved his hand and said: "Yamada-kun, you are overthinking it. The Imperial Japanese Army has a brigade here. According to China's combat experience, the strength of our brigade is enough to defeat a main force of the China Army. division."
"With so many elites of the Imperial Army here, even the so-called elites of the Central Army of the China Army are not afraid, let alone those bandits with poor equipment? Don't worry, our Imperial Japanese Army is so powerful that those bandits don't dare to come and attack at night. of."
"You must know that we are the elite of the regular field division of the Imperial Japanese Army, not those independent garrison units. Even if there are dissidents in the Manchukuo Army, they do not have the courage to openly rebel."
"The soldiers have been exhausted after marching in waist-deep snow for the past two days. They will enter the mountains tomorrow. If the soldiers do not rest well, they will not have the physical strength to march. Captain Yamada, don't you trust the establishment of Lieutenant General Sasaki? New Manchukuo Army?¡±
Regarding Kitano Takatsu¡¯s persistence, and remembering what the captain had said before his arrival, Yamada did not offer advice, but chose to remain silent.
Before Yamada opened his mouth to come to the Third Battalion, Captain Anxian, the commander of the unit, had repeatedly told him to pay close attention to the actions of Major Kitano and to directly take over the command of the Third Battalion when necessary. Don't be afraid of him making mistakes before going into the mountains, and the bigger the mistake, the better. As long as he makes a mistake, you can find an opportunity to replace him.
Knowing that the commander said this, he even had the idea of ????changing the general before the battle because the commander was extremely disappointed with the major. However, due to the strength behind him, he could not be replaced publicly, so he could only resort to secretly infiltrating Chen Cang. Let him make mistakes and then take over the reins.
Although this major¡¯s father is only a businessman, he is the president of one of the most famous conglomerates in Osaka. Not only is he rich, one of his uncles is also a major general officer in the staff headquarters. I am also very well-connected in the political and business circles.
His mother¡¯s family is even more prominent, and many people hold important positions in politics and the military. In addition to one uncle who is a lieutenant general in the navy, another uncle is a lieutenant general in the army ordnance industry. There is even an uncle who has repeatedly held important positions in the cabinet. Collusion between government and businessmen and nepotism are more prevalent in Japan, and are no less common than in China.
Although this major is not fearful, the forces behind him, let alone the commander of the regiment and the lieutenant general of the division, want to touch him. Unless he has made an intolerable mistake, they have to deal with it. Yamada opened and closed his mouth thinking of these.
Yamada spoke very clearly. This time he went to the third brigade to supervise the battle. It was the commander of the company who gave him a chance. I am just a commoner without the help of a prominent family background. If I want to climb up, I can only seize every opportunity I can.
As for whether offending the CEO will have a certain impact on his father's future, or even destroy his father's future, Yamada didn't even care about it. He believed that as long as he could become a general, everything his father had lost could be compensated for.
Yamada opened and closed his mouth, and the other squadron captains were even more at ease. After all, in this severe cold of more than 40 degrees below zero, no one is willing to check the sentry in the middle of the night, and no one has any reason to go out to put on guard despite the freezing cold. The weather was so cold that people felt like they were about to freeze up after leaving the campfire for a while.
¡°I don¡¯t know if Yamada¡¯s words are like a crow¡¯s mouth or an iron-mouthed calculation. The subsequent development of things was indeed what he expected. Just when the lonely Major Kitano, who couldn't find a woman to sleep with him, just fell asleep after struggling for a long time, a sudden burst of gunfire woke up the guy who had been reading pornographic magazines in the middle of the night.
Awakened by the sound of gunshots, Kitano Takatsu didn't think that the opponents hiding in the mountains and forests at this moment would have the guts to attack him. He thought it was the mutineers appearing in the Manchukuo troops who were on alert. Kitano Takatsu immediately pulled out his pistol, regardless of the fact that he was still wearing single clothes and bare feet. He immediately rushed out of his tent and hid in the shadows, quickly finding a cover for himself. It wasn't until the sound of gunfire fell completely, and after confirming that there was nothing unusual around him, and hearing the voice of his subordinates calling him, that he climbed out carefully.