In fact, Yasui Toji was not very resolute in carrying out the orders of General Umezu Mijiro. In order to avoid losses as much as possible. Toji Yasui transferred only one brigade from each of the 4th and 30th Wings, two infantry squadrons from each of the 16th and 29th Wings, and attached to one cavalry squadron and two artillery squadrons, and reinforced a heavy mortar squadron to form a roundabout detachment commanded by Major General Taro Katayama.

Originally, in this roundabout detachment, Toji Yasui only transferred two infantry brigades to strengthen the cavalry artillery part. The next four squadrons were only increased after strong protests from Hattori Takushiro. Originally, the number of two infantry brigades was already quite a lot in Yasui Toji's opinion, but it was far from the strength of at least one wing or more required by Takushiro Hattori. This made Takushiro Hattori extremely dissatisfied.

What made Hattori Zhuoshiro even more dissatisfied was that when he was about to leave, Yasui Toji replaced the chief of staff of the 15th Brigade, kicked Hattori Zhuoshiro out, and temporarily appointed him as the chief of staff of the roundabout detachment.

Yasui Toji's hand, in the eyes of Takushiro Hattori, is obviously suspected of being framed. Two infantry brigades, six infantry squadrons of roundabout troops, you Yasui Fujiji when you are the second division of each of you is a monster that cannot be killed with one to a hundred. With such a small amount of troops, you let Lao Tzu be the chief of staff, isn't it a frame-up?

It's just that the appointment of Yasui Fujiji Hattori Takushiro is extremely dissatisfied, but he can't say no. As soon as he opened his mouth, he said: "This battle plan was drawn up by Hattori Nakasa himself." Only if you go, the execution will be more powerful. in order to ensure that the troops are implemented in full accordance with the plan. ”

A mouth was gagged back, knowing that this matter was already a certainty, Hattori Zhuoshiro, who couldn't do it, thought of a way to increase the strength of the roundabout detachment. Fortunately, he is poor after all, and Toji Yasui is not too embarrassed for him. Under the strong dissatisfaction of Hattori Takushiro, Yasui Fujiji still transferred two infantry squadrons and one heavy machine gun squadron from each of the 16th and 29th wings.

It's not that he can't draw more troops, but if he really follows the strength of at least one wing of the army that guy requires, then the main force of the division is a little thin. Although the 2nd Division threw all four wings into the army, only two infantry battalions came to each wing. And only three of the four squadrons of each infantry brigade came.

As the main force and general reserve of the entire Kwantung Army's Eastern Front, the Second Division is a fully manned Class A division, with a total strength of more than 20,000 people. However, this time, the 24th Division, which was ordered to take over the embers of the main force and serve as the main force in the second stage of the clearance, did not dispatch all of them. Yasui Toji and Umezu Mijiro, who repeatedly asked him to go all out, played a big tai chi.

In addition to the three wings of artillery, baggage, and cavalry, all members were dispatched, but only 60 percent of the field strength came. Of the 12 field infantry brigades of the 2nd Division, in addition to the eight infantry brigades that participated in the battle, four infantry brigades were left behind in Mudanjiang.

In addition, the already shrunken participating troops did not all cross the river. The cunning and overly cautious Toji Yasui also left six infantry squadrons, an artillery brigade, and a cavalry squadron to form a detachment of not small size, which served as a receiving force in Jiangbei.

Otherwise, with the 20,000 elite soldiers of the Second Division, Liu Changshun would be overwhelmed, even if Liu Changshun defended, and even if he added all the non-combatants, the Second Brigade, which had only more than 10,000 troops, would be at a disadvantage in terms of strength and soldiers, and the firepower would be at an absolute disadvantage. Even with the right tactics, it's a miracle that you can hold out for so many days without being defeated.

Although he was a little reluctant to give up, Takushiro Hattori also knew that he couldn't help this veteran lieutenant general. This businessman from a family of merchants, who has worked in the General Staff Headquarters for many years, is much more difficult to fool than the commander of the 23rd Division, who was beaten in Nomenhan with a blue nose and swollen face, and Lieutenant General Komatsubara, who was born in a family of naval engineers and shipbuilding engineers, and has been engaged in intelligence work against the Soviet Union for many years.

Before the detour detachment set off, Yasui Toji had a private conversation with Major General Saburo Katayama Province for most of the night. Looking at Major General Saburo of Katayama Province, Lieutenant General Toji Yasui pondered for a long time before saying, "Katayama-kun, your roundabout route this time is all mountainous. Previous battles have shown that our opponents are best at mountain warfare. ”

"They're cunning, and I've always suspected that they're bluffing. Previously, the 24th and 25th divisions advanced in unison. The 24th Division, as the middle lane, was its main force, and they pointed the main spearhead at the 24th Division. Because they knew that the defeat of the 24th Division broke the Kwantung Army's clearance operation. ”

"This time they are likely to replicate the idea they had planned in the first phase to fight our second division. If they don't move, they will be like an eagle hitting a rabbit, and the tiger will never hesitate to go down the mountain. That's why I left six infantry squadrons in Jiangnan as a mobile counterforce. ”

"You must be cautious in this detour, and don't listen to the demagogy of that Hattori Takushiro. Lieutenant General Komatsubara listened to this guy's boasting, and his brain was hot, causing the 23rd Division to suffer heavy losses and almost annihilation. I was also tired that the Seventh Division had more than half of its troops. We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of Lieutenant General Komatsubara. ”

"The strength of two brigades is not much, even with the addition of four squadrons, it is not much. I don't know if the decision to leave four brigades in Mudanjiang was wrong. I am indeed cautious in this operation, I do not want to make a mistake and underestimate the enemy's rash advance, not to mention that I will die, and the 24th Division, which is still tired, is almost completely exhausted. ”

"You have to use this Hattori Takushiro, but you have to be more guarded. It is true that this person is talented, but he is also too bold and arrogant, and there is nothing he dare not do in this world. Give him a bamboo pole, and he will dare to poke a hole in the sky. General Kenkichi Ueda has been able to get to the point where he is today, and he and his staff officers account for at least half of the factor. ”

Regarding the words of Lieutenant General Yasui Toji, Major General Saburo Katayama Province understood. Yasui Toji means a word, cautious, cautious. It's just that Major General Saburo Katayama couldn't understand why Yasui Toji would transfer Hattori Takushiro to the roundabout detachment as chief of staff. But since Yasui Fujiji didn't say it, he was not easy to ask as a subordinate.

After Major General Saburo Katayama Province led the roundabout detachment to set off, I don't know why a thick shadow appeared in Yasui Fujiji's heart. Eight infantry brigades, which are equivalent to three infantry brigades, are still five on hand. After throwing out the losses of nearly two infantry battalions in the previous days, the remaining forces on hand of Toji Yasui were actually not more than Major General Saburo Katayama.

After the roundabout detachment led by Major General Saburo of Katayama Province set off, Fujiji Yasui did not hesitate to transfer the six squadrons he had left on the south bank of the Songhua River. Deployed behind him on the front line of Taiping and Fuguitun. And the remaining troops at hand were brought together.

The news that Toji Yasui had finally divided the troops of the Hosei Regiment was immediately learned by Guo Bingxun. After receiving this information, Guo Bingxun immediately ordered Liu Changshun to immediately alternately cover the retreat to the first line of the general stone and set up a position. And the telegram ordered Wang Guangyu to immediately go east under the stars. Straight into the Alingda River line of Xihetun, Fugui, and seize the Jiahe Railway important place Yongfa.

Finally receiving the order to retreat, Liu Changshun did not dare to delay, and immediately organized troops to cover the evacuation of the three villages that had been in ruins overnight. Break away from contact with the Japanese army, and retreat as quickly as possible to the front line of General Stone. However, before retreating, Liu Changshun unceremoniously buried all the remaining mines on hand on the Jiahe Highway.

These days, he has been pressed and beaten by the Japanese army, and Liu Changshun can be said to be extremely angry. His own troops are insufficient, and there is no way to take the second division. But it is still possible to use mines to vent gas and block the pursuit of the 2nd Division.

After receiving a report that his opponent had retreated, Toji Yasui did not immediately take a large-scale pursuit, and the action was still unhurried. Unhurried demining, unhurried marching. It sent out a squadron of attendants and a squadron of cavalry.

Yasui Fujiji's over-caution allowed Liu Changshun to retreat safely to the first line of the general Shi designated by Guo Bingxun. After arriving at the front line of the general's stone, his butt sat on the mountain, and Liu Changshun let out a long breath gently.

In the past few days, the Second Brigade has fought too hard, and more than half of the casualties have been lost. It was no longer possible to maintain a wide frontal defensive line. Although it was not an empty shelf like Wang Guangyu before, when the previous three regiments withdrew to the front line of General Shi, they could only be pieced together into a regiment. Retreating to the front line of General Shi, Liu Changshun, who knew that the counterattack on the whole front was about to begin, could finally breathe a sigh of relief. I know that my hard life has finally come to an end.

And playing on the plain terrain, in fact, Liu Changshun always felt that there was no bottom in his heart. Leaving the mountains is like having nothing to rely on. Now that he has retreated to the mountains, he feels the bottom of his mind.

Seeing Liu Changshun take a long breath, Wang Xiaoming, Ma Chunsheng, and Chai Shirong on the side also laughed after glancing at each other. The tremendous pressure in the past few days has made the commanders of the Second Brigade extremely nervous all the time. Now that the counterattack on all fronts is imminent, several people are also relieved.

And after Chai Shirong also arrived at the front line, he was taken aback. Accustomed to guerrilla warfare, to drilling around in the mountains and forests, and to fighting hard and never to the death, it was the first time he had seen this kind of group charge combat method based on the Japanese squadron with planes in the sky and a large number of artillery on the ground.

This kind of aerial aircraft bombarded in turns, and artillery on the ground concentrated their firepower. The combat method of dropping an average of three or four hundred rounds of ammunition per day on the front-line position made Chai Shirong feel that he needed to learn too much while being surprised. This kind of regular positional warfare allows me to fight, and I don't even know how to fight.

After these days of blocking battles, not only Chai Shirong was not adaptable, but even the commander-in-chief of the First Route Army and several regimental cadres who personally led the team to come to watch and study the battle were surprised while smacking their tongues. If they were to fight on their own, it would not take much of this kind of fighting, and they would be defeated in one day. And several regiment cadres communicated privately, and they looked up to themselves all day, and it was a fluke to be able to stand up for half a day.

It's not that they lack the heart to die, it's just that they haven't had this experience. And the troops of the Anti-Union First Army have never fought such a battle. Just on the bare plains, they fought head-to-head with Japanese troops armed to the teeth, and they had never fought like this.

After several days of fierce fighting, Liu Changshun's Second Brigade paid enough casualties in their eyes to lose its combat capability, and it had not yet collapsed. They were amazed that the casualties were so large and that they had combat effectiveness. The commander-in-chief of the First Route Army said to his subordinates with emotion in private: "It seems that there is a certain reason why they can lay such a large foundation in such a short time. ”

Liu Changshun naturally didn't know what the commander-in-chief of the First Route Army was thinking. However, he was quite dissatisfied with the delay in replenishing the troops. Three regiments were crippled and can now only be put together into one regiment. How can this battle be fought without replenishing troops? I don't want to be on the sidelines when I fight back.

Regarding Liu Changshun's depression, Wang Xiaoming smiled bitterly: "Don't worry, the chief of staff will not ignore the matter of replenishing our troops." The head of the headquarters has the consideration of the head of the headquarters, and we just have to wait. The head of the headquarters will not leave us aside when he is about to counterattack on all fronts. ”

Regarding Wang Xiaoming's persuasion, Liu Changshun said anxiously: "But time waits for no one." After the replenishment arrived in the troops, there were not two days without getting acquainted with the troops. And it will take longer to fully integrate into it. I estimate that Wang Guangyu has set off now, and the counterattack on all fronts will only be a matter of one or two days. If we don't have enough troops, we really won't be able to catch up. ”

"I don't know what the chief of staff thinks, from the very beginning of the Jiangbei blockade, we have had a hard time with this second division. The casualties were so great that not a single soldier was replenished. Except for the miscellaneous barracks two days ago, there was not even a shadow of a single reinforcement. ”

"We are the main force, so he is not afraid that he will be defeated, and there is no way to explain to the commander? We don't look gentle and elegant on weekdays, but in fact, we are tougher than anyone else. No matter what he decides, the political commissar will not be able to change his decision. I really don't know how two people with such a strong attitude came together. You say that the chief of staff did this, could it be that he did it behind the commander's back? ”

Just when Liu Changshun was arranging Guo Bingxun here because of the delay in replenishing the troops, a cold voice suddenly came out from behind him: "I gave the order, do you have something to find me." In the future, if I hear you muttering behind the Chief of Staff, yes and no. You just get me out to the cooking class. ”