novelaction Chapter 744 The Most Deadly Step
Chapter 744 The Most Deadly Step
Itagaki Seishirō's finger suddenly moved from Taiyuan, Shanxi on the map, heading west along the Fen River Valley, crossing the Yellow River, and heading straight to Shaanxi! Then it turned southwest and poked hard at the Sichuan Basin!
"Look at this route!"
Itagaki Seishirō's voice trembled slightly with excitement: "Starting from Taiyuan, Shanxi, we'll advance westward along the Fen River Valley, cross the Yellow River and enter Shaanxi! Then, from Hanzhong, Shaanxi, we'll pass through the Qinling Mountains and enter Sichuan!
This route! This route! ! ! "
He suddenly raised his head, his eyes burning with an almost crazy ambition: "This route! It's the route the Mongolian cavalry took to destroy the Southern Song Dynasty!
This was the route Kublai Khan took to deliver a fatal blow to the Southern Song Dynasty from the side and rear! This route was etched into the bones of every Chinese! It was their deepest fear! The mere mention of this route was enough to send chills down the spines of all Chinese generals!
I can’t sleep at night!”
Itagaki Seishirō's heart was beating wildly in his chest!
An extremely tempting prospect swelled wildly in his mind: "I, Itagaki Seishirō, will lead the charge! Leading the Fifth Division, the Empire's most elite steel blade, and uniting with the main force of the North China Front Army, we will be the first to capture Shanxi!
Then, following the route the Mongols took to conquer the Song Dynasty, we would head west! South! All the way to Sichuan!
Completely cut off the connection between China's southwestern rear and the Central Plains!
Cut off the retreat route of the entire Central China Plain!
By then... those Imperial Army idiots still struggling in the mire and gnawing on tough bones in Shanghai... what would they count for?!
The first credit for conquering China will go to me, Itagaki Seishirō!
It's from my Fifth Division! It's from my North China Front Army!
What Matsui Iwane! What Okamura Neiji! They will all pale in comparison to my achievements!
The new flower of the Imperial Army! It must be our Fifth Division!"
He forced himself to suppress the ecstasy in his heart, and his voice became more steady and powerful, trying to convince Terauchi Juichi with a more "rational" analysis: "Your Excellency the Commander! General Takazaki! I have another extremely important reason for choosing to attack Shanxi!
That is Yan Xishan!"
Itagaki Seishirō poked Taiyuan's finger hard: "This man! The local tyrant of Shanxi! He has been running Shanxi for more than 20 years! He is practicing the "Monroe Doctrine of Shanxi"!
Even the railway gauge is different from the outside! It's a separate entity! It's incorrigible!
He was more wary of the Nanjing government than he was of our Great Japanese Empire!
The Nanjing government wanted to send the Central Army into Shanxi, but Yan Xishan would never agree easily! He would rather do it himself!
This gives us a great opportunity!"
There was a cunning glint in Itagaki Seishirō's eyes: "We can take advantage of the conflict between Yan Xishan and the Nanjing government!
Concentrate superior forces and attack Shanxi with thundering force!
Before the Nanjing government reacts or Yan Xishan is forced to compromise, defeat the main force of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army in one fell swoop!
Take Taiyuan! Control all of Shanxi! As long as Shanxi is in our hands! This road to the heart of China, the "Mongol Extinction of the Song Dynasty," will be completely opened!
The Empire will take the most crucial and fatal step in its great cause of conquering China!"
He stood up suddenly, bowed deeply to Terauchi Juichi and Zhou Zhengqing, and said in a voice full of earnestness and enthusiasm: "Commander! This opportunity cannot be missed! This time will not come again! I beg you to give the order immediately!
Mobilize the main forces of the front, especially the Second Army, to cooperate with our Fifth Division and launch the Shanxi Campaign! Defeat Yan Xishan in one fell swoop! Open the door to victory in the southwest for the empire! I am willing to be the vanguard! Even if it means death!
The room was dead silent. Only Itagaki Seishirō's heavy breathing echoed, and the smoke from the incense sticks curled upward, distorting and changing in the soft light of the paper lantern.
Terauchi Hisaichi frowned, his eyes fixed on the snake-like attack route from Shanxi to Sichuan on the map.
His fingers tapped unconsciously on the edge of the coffee table, making a dull "thump thump" sound.
Itagaki's idea was extremely bold and tempting! The route of "Mongols destroying the Song Dynasty" echoed in his ears like the devil's whisper!
If he succeeds... this tremendous achievement... will be enough to make Terauchi Juichi's name written into the annals of imperial history!
However... the risks were equally enormous! Shanxi was strategically located, and Yan Xishan had been managing it for many years, so the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army was quite powerful.
If he got stuck in the quagmire of Shanxi and couldn't capture it for a long time, it would inevitably affect the entire war situation in North China! Moreover, withdrawing the main force of the Second Army, which was gathering, to advance westward into Shanxi would inevitably weaken the offensive on the Pinghan and Jinpu Railways. . . The trade-offs between these two made him hesitant.
At this moment, Sakurako, the maid who had been standing in the shadow behind Zhou Zhengqing like an invisible person, moved slightly.
She was wearing a simple lavender kimono, with her eyebrows lowered and her eyes humble, as if she was just part of the background.
But at this moment, she took a very slight half step forward, almost inconspicuously approaching Zhou Zhengqing's side, and whispered, "Master, Chief of Staff Okabe seems to have some different opinions."
Zhou Zhengqing raised his eyebrows and turned to look at Okabe Naosaburo.
Although Sakurako's voice was not loud, it was loud enough for others to hear clearly in the room.
Itagaki Seishirō looked at Okabe Naosaburo, and a hint of imperceptible vigilance flashed in his eyes.
He knew that the chief of staff was known for his prudent and pragmatic nature, and was often reserved about risky plans, so he immediately added, "Chief of Staff Okabe! Now is the perfect time to attack Shanxi!"
Yan Xishan and the Nanjing government are superficially united, but in reality they are at odds! With the momentum of our great victory at Nankou, our army, with the Fifth Division as the vanguard and the Second Army as the main force, will surely be able to...
Naosaburo Okabe looked helplessly at Sakurako who had retreated behind Zhou Zhengqing again. When he turned around, his expression became solemn.
"General Itagaki!" Okabe Naozaburo bluntly interrupted Itagaki's impassioned speech. His voice was steady but filled with undeniable doubt: "Your concept and strategic vision are indeed unique! The 'Mongol extermination of the Song Dynasty' strategy hits the nail on the head! But!"
He suddenly changed the subject, his finger firmly pointing at the Taihang Mountains on the border of Shanxi and Hebei on the map: "You only see the sharp edge of the attack! You ignore the cost and risk of the attack!"
Okabe Naozaburo's eyes were sharp as he stared at Itagaki Seishirō: "Shanxi! Mountains and rivers inside and outside! Taihang, Lüliang, Zhongtiao!
The mountains are endless! The ravines are crisscrossed! Yan Xishan has been operating for many years and has built a large number of strong fortifications in dangerous places!
Although the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army is not as well-equipped as our army, it has the advantage of geographical location and is familiar with the terrain, so its will to resist should not be underestimated!
Our army's mechanized forces are invincible on the plains, but once they enter the mountains, the power of heavy artillery and tanks is greatly reduced!
Mobility is limited! Supply lines are easily cut! Even the elite Fifth Division, trapped in mountain guerrilla warfare, is like a tiger in a cage!
After a pause, Okabe Naosaburo's voice became more serious: "Secondly, you plan to mobilize the main force of the Second Army to advance westward! Then, what about the front of the Pinghan Road? What about the front of the Jinpu Road?
The First Army is moving south and the offensive is fierce!
If the main force of the Second Army is withdrawn at this time, the Pinghan and Jinpu lines will be left empty! Once the Chinese army notices this, they will concentrate their forces to counterattack!
Our army's southward offensive will be severely frustrated! We might even be cut off! Has Mr. Itagaki considered the risks involved? !
Okabe Naosaburo traced his finger along the Pinghan Railway: "Baoding! Shijiazhuang! These strategic locations have not yet been completely captured! Our battle lines have been stretched! The pressure on logistics supply is enormous!
At this time, we should divide our forces and march westward to Shanxi to open up a second battlefield! How to solve the logistical support problem?
Ammunition, fuel, food, and medicine!
To transport goods from Tianjin and Peking to the Shanxi front, one has to cross hundreds of miles of rugged mountain roads!
The Zhengtai Railway is not yet fully under control! The supply line could be cut off at any time! Without sufficient supplies, even the most elite troops will be trapped and die in the mountains!
He finally turned his gaze to Itagaki Seishirō, his tone filled with deep worry: "Itagaki-kun! I understand your eagerness to win! But war is not a gamble! The troops deployed by the Empire in North China are the elite of the Imperial Army!
"Your plan may seem strategically brilliant, but it's tactically extremely risky! Logistically, it's fraught with difficulties! If it fails, not only will Shanxi be lost, but the entire North China war situation could be thrown into jeopardy! It could even affect the Empire's overall strategy in China!"
After saying this, Okabe Naosaburo turned to Terauchi Juichi and bowed, saying, "Commander, please reconsider!"