After a long battle, it is not only fatigue, but also the casualty rate. The potential of the soldiers in the base area has been tapped, and the reserve soldiers have been unable to solve it for a long time. Now there is hardly a single full-strength of the divisions on the front. The division with the highest casualty rate of all divisions has dropped to less than half of its pre-war strength. The rest of the divisions were also quite severely reduced.

Now, excluding the casualties in the battle, the overall strength of the troops has dropped to less than 60% of what it used to be. Not to mention that the battle-damaged tanks of the two armored brigades could not be replenished, even if there were no battle-damaged tanks, after long-term and high-intensity use, the machinery and structure were also worn out, and the assault capability had been severely reduced.

In addition to the wear and tear of equipment, the greatest impact on the armored brigade was fuel and ammunition, mainly the replenishment of forty-five-mm shells used in tank guns. Ordinary anti-personnel and explosive shells can be produced on their own, and it is not difficult to replenish them. What is most lacking now is the 45-mm armor-piercing bullet that the Anti-Union is not yet able to produce on its own.

At present, the Anti-Union can only produce its own armor-piercing bullets, because of the lack of effective steel and the technical level is not up to standard, and it is not possible to produce steel-core armor-piercing bullets of acceptable quality. Moreover, even if the manufacture of relatively simple armor-piercing shells is made, the current yield is quite low, and the troops are currently mainly using Soviet-made imported armor-piercing bullets.

Now the source of imports has been cut off, and the quantity of self-production cannot meet the demand. The most urgently needed armor-piercing shells for tanks, replenishing them with considerable difficulty. When Wang Guangyu's unit in Linxi fought fiercely with two tank wings of the two Japanese divisions in front, he could only concentrate a limited number of armor-piercing shells on some tanks.

Similarly, the troops that are currently suffering heavy casualties and urgently need to be replenished have been unable to replenish them because of their lack of follow-up and lack of additional troops. Since the start of the entire battle, except for the battlefields of Linxi and Xinjing, there has hardly been a single soldier in the rest of the directions. If this situation is maintained for a long time, it will be quite unfavorable to the future development of the Anti-Japanese Federation.

The losses of veterans are too great, and this will affect the future development and growth of the troops. Without veterans who are used as the backbone, it will be difficult to form or restore combat effectiveness even if the troops are replenished. Judging by the current fatigue and casualty figures of the troops, it can be said that it is quite unwise to continue the offensive. I want to drain the blood of the Japanese, not my own blood first.

By all accounts, what the troops urgently need now is to recuperate, not to continue to expand their gains. You can't become a fat man by eating in one bite, so it's better to be steady. Only by digesting what you have already eaten in your stomach can you free up more appetite and prepare for the next meal.

At present, Chen Hanzhang's troops seized the front line of Tongliao and Kailu, and completely closed the door of the Ximan battlefield. As long as Chen Hanzhang's troops were firmly stuck in the Tongliao area, the Japanese army could not pose a threat to the West Manchurian region. After Ma Chunsheng's department returned to the throne, he formed an iron triangle with Wang Guangyu of Linxi and Chen Hanzhang of Tongliao.

Judging from the current situation of the enemy and our armies on the entire battlefield, as well as the current state of the troops, the time has come to stop attacking and switch to defense on all fronts. A force that is extremely tired, and although the attack power is still there, it has fallen to a dangerous point, and it will be extremely dangerous to continue the offensive.

The most important thing is that Yang Zhen didn't want to let the Japanese let out too much blood at this time, which would affect their original plan to fight south. Even to alleviate the pressure that the United States and Britain may encounter in the future, he does not want to do it at all. If the Japanese did not put enough pressure on the Americans on the battlefield, then where would they carry out their plans?

Looking at the telegram sent by Chen Hanzhang in his hand requesting to continue the attack, Guo Bingxun hesitated for a moment, but still said, "No. 1, do you want to explain it to them?" After all, Wang Guangyu and Chen Hanzhang are the main military commanders on the front line, and if this bend is not turned around, I am afraid that there will be some bad influences. ”

For Guo Bingxun to explain it, Yang Zhen shook his head and said, "Don't explain, just send him the latest changes in the enemy situation." In Chen Hanzhang's eyes, if I still can't see the importance of the front line of Tongliao and Kailu, and the reason why the headquarters let him turn to defense on the spot, then I am wrong. ”

Speaking of this, Yang Zhen pondered for a moment and said: "Tell Ma Chunsheng, if the 18th Division starts to retreat, let him immediately get rid of the entanglement of the Japanese army in front of him, and immediately withdraw across the West Liao River to join Chen Hanzhang's department." Du Kaishan's headquarters was ordered to immediately launch a trailing pursuit and a flank roundabout pursuit if the 18th Division began to retreat. ”

"Its flanks are roundabout in pursuit, and it is necessary to pay attention to the way it fights. Don't go beyond the pursuit, as long as you don't let this 18th Division retreat to the direction of Xinjing, and turn your ass to attack Chen Hanzhang's back. Moreover, in the process of pursuit, it is necessary to ensure the pursuit distance and do not act rashly, so as not to fall into the ambush of the Japanese army. ”

Yang Zhen's words fell, and Guo Bingxun, who immediately understood his intentions, looked at Yang Zhen without surprise and said, "No. 1, are you ready to make up your mind to end this battle?" You must know that if Ma Chunsheng retreats across the Xiliao River to join Chen Hanzhang, then it will almost be equivalent to making way for the 18th Division to retreat. ”

Although Guo Bingxun was not surprised, but there were still some uncertain questions, Yang Zhen smiled bitterly and nodded: "Now, it's not that the Kwantung Army can't fight, it's that we're really a little unsustainable now." Lao Guo, if the situation allows, if we don't stop the operation, I'm afraid our logistics system will collapse. ”

"And we have already used our forces to the extreme, if the Japanese army moves new divisions from Kannai or Korea to participate in the battle, we will no longer have the strength to confront them. Lao Guo, judging from the current situation on the battlefield, the purpose of the first phase of our army's operation has been achieved. If it continues, it's a bit greedy and can't chew it out. ”

"We can't spend all our forces in the first phase of the operation, we have to hoard forces to prepare for the second phase of the operation. Compared to the first phase of the battle, which can only be said to open the door to the Kannai passage, the second phase of the battle is our real focus. Now that the portal is open, it's time for us to take a shelf. ”

"Not only Chen Hanzhang's subordinates will be transferred to local defense, but also ensure that the strategic point of Tongliao is firmly controlled in our hands. If the two divisions of the Japanese army under Wang Guangyu's command on the Linxi battlefield retreated, they would also have to switch to defensive operations on the spot. Yang Jicai's sneak attack knocked out Gu Shoufu's Sixth Army Headquarters, and threatened the rear of the two Japanese divisions in front of the Linxi battlefield. ”

"Coupled with the news that the Seventh Division has been defeated, it must be impossible to hide it now. Lost the command structure, after losing the protection of the flanks. Tongliao and Kailu were seized by our army, and these two divisions are now hanging alone on the battlefield of Linxi. ”

"I'm afraid that these two Japanese divisions and regiments will completely stop the offensive that was not active in the first place, and the possibility of their active withdrawal will be quite large. Now that Wang Guangyu has transferred the main force of his armored brigade to the southeast of the Alukorqin Banner, I am afraid that his patience is running out. ”

"Although Chen Hanzhang is nearly a month late, he has finally won the first line of Tongliao and Kailu, and his flank is no longer any threat, and this guy is going to make a move now. However, the current cripple of these two Japanese divisions is not very advantageous for us in terms of overall strategy. ”

"Eating two divisions in one go, under the condition that Chen Hanzhang is not moving, Wang Guangyu does not have such a big appetite. Even if it is disabled, it has a certain role in tactics, but it does not have much advantage for us in terms of strategy. Speaking of which, the word "benefit" in Yang Zhen's mouth was bitten very hard.

"But the left flag of Wengniute must be taken down. Otherwise, our defense line can only retreat to Linxi, Bahrain Right Banner, Alu Korqin Banner, as well as the Kailu and Tongliao lines. The two strategic support points of this defensive line, Linxi and Tongliao, were unfavorable, and the depth of our army in Ximan was insufficient. ”

"There will be no depth of defense, and the support point of the western defense line will be placed in Linxi, first, the terrain and my order Wang Guangyu's department, if the Japanese army retreats in front of them, it must be more calm when pursuing. After following up on the recovery of the Wengniute Left Banner, his subordinate immediately turned to defense and rest on the spot. ”

"Sue Wang Guangyu that his defensive line after turning into defense began along the mountainous area at the junction of Chifeng North and Wengniute Banner and extended to the Eight Immortal Caves of Naiman Banner. Chen Hanzhang started from the Eight Immortal Caves and passed through the Horqin Left Wing Rear Banner until the west bank of the Xiliao River. If the battle situation develops as we expected, Ma Chunsheng's division will form an overall defense line along the line from Shuangliao and the western part of Changling to Nong'an, and Wang Xiaoming's department. ”

Now that he has made up his mind, Yang Zhen did not hide it, and said all his determination. When he said that there was not much benefit in strategy, Guo Bingxun's brows couldn't help but froze. Who is Guo Bingxun, there is not much benefit in strategy, where will you not understand?

Guo Bingxun knows very well that Yang Zhen's strategic situation is definitely not the Northeast Battlefield, let alone the Chinese Battlefield. His strategy refers to Southeast Asia, where the Japanese army is still increasing its strength further south. I'm afraid that his current strategic vision is not inside, but outside.

Yang Zhen's meaning is nothing more than that the losses caused to the Japanese army now are too great, which will affect the investment of troops when the Japanese army goes south to fight in Southeast Asia in the future. If the Japanese army does not invest enough troops in the future Southeast Asian theater, where will the Americans and the British be more generous in the next few years?

Manchurian and Mongolian have always been regarded by the Japanese as the lifeline of Japan, a huge source of resources and a military production base for Japan to sustain the war. Regardless of the fact that the Japanese are in dire need of oil and rubber and other resources that are not available in the occupied areas of China, but once the Tohoku is in danger, the first thing they want to ensure is the Tohoku.

If the Japanese army were to move its forces to the south, a considerable part of them would be transferred to the northeast. Or transfer part of the troops of the Chinese Dispatch Army in the Guannai to fight in the northeast, which is not good news for the confrontation alliance. Without the support of a strong national defense industry and a complete modern industry, the current overall strength of the Anti-Japanese Federation is far from being comparable with Japan.

Once the Japanese army made up its mind to choose to solve the northeast issue with all its might first, it would still be unbearable for the Anti-Japanese Federation. Since the purpose of the campaign is now being launched, most of it has been achieved. And since the second phase of the operation, it has been decided to postpone it. Then it is still a right choice to stop the offensive for the time being.

In particular, the current logistical pressure of the Anti-Japanese Union is too great, and it is already on the verge of collapse to suspend the offensive, and it is also a helpless choice to switch to defensive operations. Guo Bingxun, who once studied in France, clearly knows that the higher the mechanization process, the greater the army's dependence on logistics.

And now that the supply line has stretched to the extreme that the Anti-United Nations can bear, and as the battle progresses more and more difficult to support, it is also time to stop and rest. So at this point, Guo Bingxun and Yang Zhen are no different in their thinking.