ebookland Chapter 1074 A different attitude
Chapter 1074 A different attitude
In fact, the Japanese army was originally quite capable in combat, and its officers were very conscious of their image on the battlefield.
Even in such a dangerous moment, one should not run away in such a disheveled manner. At the very least, one should appear to be in command on the battlefield and then be pulled away by one's guards or advisors. That would be the most correct approach.
The problem is that as the war has progressed, everyone knows the strength of the 72nd Army. They have killed far too many high-ranking officers, countless in number. If we run even a little slower, we might get wiped out by these guys, and then we'll have nowhere to cry.
Moreover, the bombardment density of the 72nd Army was unprecedented. Under the explosion of shells, there was no difference between officers and soldiers; if you got too close, you would die. At that moment, all beings were equal.
So when they learned about the situation near the battlefield, these senior officers didn't hesitate and quickly came to a decision on whether to save face or risk their lives.
When they retreated to the observation post four kilometers behind, planes from the 72nd Army came from a distance. Hearing the sharp dive of the Stuka bombers, these men breathed a sigh of relief for no reason, and even felt a little fortunate.
Thank goodness we ran back. If we had stayed put, and if we had been carrying an aerial bomb weighing over 250 kilograms, we would all probably have been killed. That would have been a good story in the newspapers: one bomb killed several Japanese generals.
Yes, we are not running away. We are purely doing this for the sake of Japan's reputation. If a bomb kills several Japanese generals, it would be a disgrace to the entire country.
These guys straightened their clothes and resumed their respectable demeanor. They didn't believe they had just been running away; they claimed it was purely to uphold the dignity of Japan and its military.
"The air defense firepower along the Yellow River is too weak. We need to send a telegram to headquarters immediately. We need a lot of air defense firepower. If the air force cannot be supported immediately, air defense firepower is the only thing we need to strengthen. Whether it is anti-aircraft guns or anti-aircraft machine guns, they must be transported to us quickly, and we also need sufficient ammunition."
General Toyotomi had completely forgotten how he had run back just over ten minutes earlier, and now he was writing orders for his men.
"In addition to these air defenses, I think our ground firepower also needs to be strengthened. The Yellow River defense line should have already shifted to a defensive posture. Crossing the river to fight them is basically impossible without new troops. We need to lay landmines on the north bank of the Yellow River and take other defensive measures."
Division Commander Itagaki also came to this conclusion through his observations, which made everyone take notice of him. Our Second Army, from its formation to the present, has only one objective: to cross the Yellow River and open up the Jinpu Railway.
Now that we're blocked on the banks of the Yellow River, are we going to resort to hand gestures? If that's the case, then we're probably too timid. If this gets back to Japan, I wonder how many people will laugh at us.
"Itagaki-kun, aren't you being too conservative in your analysis of this matter? Although we were just bombed by them, and their firepower was very strong, it doesn't necessarily mean that we have no chance at all. It's too early to say that; if this gets out of headquarters, it could easily shake morale."
Commander Toyotomi said earnestly, "If the southward advance plan is not implemented, the Second Army could be dismantled at any time. What use would he be as its commander then?"
"Commander, I have my own reasons for saying this, and of course, this is just my opinion. The final decision will depend on your discussion with your colleagues. Judging from the situation just now, if we want to cross the river, our air force needs to be increased by at least three times, our artillery by at least three times, and our existing reserves by at least five times, just to be able to fight them to a draw. Moreover, we would need a river fleet, which seems like an insurmountable challenge for us. So how can we even think about heading south?"
Commander Itagaki was a pragmatist; back in the Imperial Japanese Army Academy, he nearly brought his superiors to tears during some debates. But he also possessed real ability; just by taking a quick look around, he was able to immediately derive so many figures—at least none of the others present had that capability.
Some people were initially unconvinced, but after hearing what Chief of Staff Itagaki said, they immediately realized that the numbers might be slightly different, but the difference was definitely not significant. If these things can't be met now, then it would be a bit of a joke to talk about the Nanjing Plan.
"Commander, the most important thing right now is not the Nanjing Plan, but preventing them from crossing the Yellow River to the north. The situation is already very clear. The 72nd Army's local forces along the Shandong coast have been rapidly assembling, while our troops are blocked on the banks of the Yellow River. If they cross the river from another direction and squeeze us from the east and west, we will have no other option but to retreat back to North China. And at that time, the retreat could very well be a rout."
Division Commander Itagaki walked to the map and drew an arrow on each side of the provincial capital. Although the 72nd Army couldn't cross the river here because the 2nd Army was stationed to the north of the capital, it seemed that neither side could gain a decisive advantage. They could only try to gain some advantage through small-scale battles.
But the Chinese people all know that people thrive when they move and trees die when they move. If that guy Ma Leizi is not in the provincial capital, but finds a way to move to the east or west side of the provincial capital and send troops across the Yellow River, then the Second Army will be doomed.
Just moments ago they were discussing how to strengthen the Yellow River defenses, but after hearing Division Commander Itagaki's words, each of them felt as if their hearts had been whipped twice. Such a dangerous situation, and we hadn't even seen it! Hopefully, the 72nd Army hadn't anticipated it either, otherwise we would already be on the road to retreat.
"Reporting to the Commander, forty-one of our aircraft have joined the battle. The fighting lasted approximately twenty-five minutes. We shot down four enemy aircraft, and our losses are..."
Just as they were looking at the map, an operations staff officer came in. This was also an order from the commander: to come and report the data immediately after the air battle ended. However, he was a little hesitant to speak about this data, knowing that everyone would be shocked when he said it…