Yang Zhen nodded to Beiping on the map, hesitated for a moment, and then said firmly: "Now our army has formed a three-sided siege on Beiping, and the battle is mainly carried out on the periphery of Beiping. At present, although the Japanese army is a little hesitant, it is still constantly mobilizing reinforcements to the Beiping battlefield. ”

"We should take advantage of the current favorable opportunity to form three main battlefields in the east, west and south of the whole of North China. Among them, this western battlefield is an extremely important prerequisite for taking Beiping City as the core, taking advantage of the location of the headquarters of the North China Front, and being located in the transportation center of North China. Solve the largest part of the Japanese army in North China as much as possible. ”

"It is better to cut off the enemy's fingers than to hurt the enemy's ten fingers, if we can preemptively destroy the Japanese heavy army clusters around Beiping before a large number of Japanese reinforcements arrive in North China, it will be quite beneficial to our army's next battle. My idea is that now we can eat one, which is the Beiping battlefield. There is another Jizhong battlefield in his hand, and his eyes are staring at a Tianjin battlefield. ”

"Elevate the Beiping battlefield to the same strategic position as the Jizhong battlefield, first capture the transportation hub of Beiping, and open up the railway connection between Beiping and Zhangjiakou. While weakening the overall strength of the Japanese army, it has also gradually reduced our logistical pressure to a certain extent. ”

"Quickly move south with two roundabout interspersed clusters, solve the Japanese army in central Hebei, and at the same time, build a large encirclement in the whole of Hebei from the Pingjin area in the north to the Hutuo River in the south. As for the enemy on the line from Tianjin to Tanggu, because it is close to the sea, there is relatively large room for maneuver, and we can keep an eye on them first. ”

"The key issue now is a quick word, and the focus is on the battlefields of Beiping and Jizhong. Otherwise, once the war drags on, we will form a top-heavy posture on the entire battlefield. It is necessary to solve the Jizhong battlefield in the shortest possible time, and then deal with the Japanese reinforcements. ”

"I had previously taken a series of feints to gradually attract the forces of the Japanese army deployed in the central Hebei region to the northern front. In the attack and operation in Jizhong, the tactic of killing chickens with knives was adopted, in order to solve the enemy in Jizhong before the Japanese army gathered heavily. ”

"However, judging from the entire battlefield situation, both the enemy situation and the overall situation of the Jizhong side have initially reached our intentions. So in the direction of Jizhong, I don't plan to make any adjustments. As long as the Jinsui and Shanxi-Hebei-Luyu troops and the Jin-Chahar-Hebei Military Region can firmly contain the First Army on the Shanxi battlefield. ”

"The movement of our southward combat troops is fast enough, and there is basically no suspense in the central Hebei region at present. However, we must adjust the battle plan in the direction of Beiping, and my current idea is to speed up the Beiping front, completely encircle and annihilate the Japanese heavy army clusters around Beiping, and destroy this largest and most threatening enemy force behind our interspersed troops. ”

Regarding Yang Zhen's thoughts, the boss was slightly stunned before he said: "You mean to launch a general attack in advance around Beiping?" Taking advantage of the very tight situation between our troops and the various units of the Japanese army, we will first solve the heavy Japanese army clusters around Beiping? As for Tianjin's estuary to the sea, put it aside for the time being? ”

The boss's voice fell, and Yang Zhen did not answer him immediately. Instead, he picked up the red and blue pencil in his hand and drew a few strokes between Pingjin and Tianjin on the map, as well as between Tianjin and the eastern Hebei region, between Tianjin and Tanggu, and then said: "Boss, Tianjin is close to Tanggu Port." If we want to completely close Tianjin, then we must first hit Tanggu. ”

"But Tanggu is surrounded by ravines, swamps, and salt pans, and the local land is seriously salinized. Even in winter, the sea ice along the coast of Tanggu is not frozen, nor are the ravines and marshes. Not only is it not conducive to the deployment of heavy weapons, but it is also not conducive to the movement of large corps. ”

"Tanggu was the most important supply port for the Japanese army in the whole of North China, and it was also the largest seaport. Not only was there a heavy army stationed in Tanggu, but the Japanese army also mobilized a large number of ships to station in Tanggu Port. After the battle began, the Japanese navy mobilized a number of ships from the mainland, Shanghai, Huludao and Lushun in the northeast to Tanggu Port. ”

"We alone know of two armored cruisers, the Yakumo and the Iwate, armed with two hundred and three millimeters and one hundred and fifty-two millimeter guns, and eleven destroyers, coastal defense ships, and gunboats. The two old cruisers, although a little older, had no problems providing fire support to the ground. ”

"The firepower of an old cruiser, the equivalent of an artillery division. Moreover, they are all large-caliber artillery, which poses a great threat to our attack on Tanggu. And we ourselves lack weapons for ship attack, especially aviation torpedoes. There are not many units in our aviation that have completed training in ship attacks. ”

"Coupled with the unfavorable terrain around us, it is very likely that our army will face a situation of being suppressed by Japanese firepower and unable to return fire when attacking Tanggu Port directly. However, if we do not take Tanggu, if we attack Tianjin first, we will not only face the danger of being flanked by the Kwantung Army and the Japanese army in Tianjin, but also face the risk of the Japanese army landing from Tanggu and detouring behind our army. ”

"The Battle of Jinshanwei in the Battle of Songhu was a vigilance for our army's Tianjin operation. When the frontal attack on the coastal strip was blocked and reached a stalemate, it became the practice of the Japanese army to land from the flank and outflank it in a roundabout way. Our army does not have a navy, lacks anti-ship special weapons, and there is practically nothing to do with their naval fleet. ”

"Although the Japanese Navy has suffered heavy losses, its strategic focus has always been on the Pacific. It can't take too many large and medium-sized capital ships, and only maintains a light navy off the coast of China. However, the geographical location of Tanggu and the absolute superiority of the Japanese navy on the coast of China are still at present. Let these old ships of their can also exert enough power. ”

"Therefore, if we attack Tianjin now, we have not yet completely captured it in eastern Hebei, and the connection between the Japanese troops inside and outside the Guanxi has not been completely severed. In particular, when the Japanese navy has not lost its embers, it is not a good choice to attack Tanggu first or directly penetrate Tianjin. ”

"My idea is to give up attacking Tianjin, concentrate forces to seize the line of Wuqing, Anci, and Yongqing, and cut off the connection between Pingjin and Tianjin. With Beiping as the core area of the entire operation, a meat grinder was built from Wuqing in the east to the mountainous area of Pingxi in the west. Beiping City was used as the core of the entire battlefield, and the Japanese army's vital forces were continuously attracted to this battlefield. ”

"Through the internal line squeezing, the outer line interspersed, the roundabout movement to outflank the operation, and the use of the relatively complex terrain around Beiping as much as possible, it is difficult for the Japanese army to form a complete defensive line. Consume the living forces of the Japanese army around Beiping and defeat the heavy army groups of the Japanese army around Beiping. And for the battle for the Jizhong Plain, disperse and reduce the pressure. ”

"However, if the central government thinks that it is necessary to take Tanggu in order to completely cut off the passage of the Japanese army to reinforce North China by sea, then my suggestion is to abandon Tanggu and attack Tianjin. The liberation of Tianjin cut and cut off the Pingyu Railway, which also cut off the passage of the Japanese army through Tanggu Port to reinforce the North China battlefield. However, if we attack Tianjin, we will form a lonely and prominent situation on the entire Eastern Front. ”

Yang Zhen's overall thinking made the boss frown and ponder for a long time before he said: "Comrade Yang Zhen, in fact, the chairman and the central government, including myself, thought that on the Pingjin battlefield, the Beiping battlefield should still be besieged, and the focus of the attack should be on the line from Tianjin to Tanggu.

"Liberate the line from Tianjin to Tanggu, completely cut off the connection between the Kwantung Army and the North China Front, and block the entrance to the sea in North China, forcing the Japanese North China Front to retreat its troops around Beiping. Once Tianjin is lost, whether he wants to retreat or not, Okamura can only retreat. ”

"Despite this situation, the troops have to bear a certain amount of pressure. But Tianjin could be used as bait to attract the attention of the Japanese army. After all, compared with Beiping and Jizhong, Tianjin was more important to the Japanese army. Without a seaport, the Japanese could not receive any support from home. At the same time, our army can pose a certain threat to the Bac Ninh railway. ”

"The chairman does not agree with the big fight around Beiping, but there are still considerations. Not to mention that Beiping is the political and educational center of the entire North China, the density of ancient buildings alone is a headache for the central government. Beiping is the ancient capital of the Six Dynasties, and there are a large number of ancient buildings in and around the city. The Summer Palace, Xishan, the Temple of Heaven, and the Beihai Sea are all the essence of Chinese history. ”

"These are all buildings that embody the essence of ancient Chinese architecture, and once they are destroyed in the war in our hands, it will be a crime against us for future generations. The things you did in Taiyuan were meant to be a last resort under the circumstances. However, the destruction of several city gates in Taiyuan has also put the central government under great political pressure. ”

"If Beiping, which condenses the history of China's civilization for thousands of years, is in ruins, I am afraid that the central government will really not be able to bear this pressure. You are destroying the enemy on the periphery, and I can show my support. But when it comes to siege, I want you to think carefully. Don't turn Beiping, the ancient capital of thousands of years, into the new capital of North China. ”

The boss's words made Yang Zhen nod slightly: "I have given an order to the front-line troops, telling them to avoid ancient buildings as much as possible." At the same time, as much as possible set up the battlefield outside the city, in the periphery to destroy the enemy, to avoid the siege to the greatest extent. ”

"But boss, what I'm most worried about now is not the Beiping battlefield, but the first army on the Shanxi battlefield. If our army takes the Jizhong Plain and captures the Pinghan and Jinpu railways, the rear road of the First Army in Shanxi will basically be cut off by our army, and Okamura Ningji will not fail to consider this consequence. ”

"The strategic situation of the Japanese First Army stationed in Shanxi is different from that of the Twelfth Army, and Shanxi, where the First Army is located, is on the flank of the entire battlefield of our army. The deployment of the 12th Army is under the situation of fighting with our army. In comparison, although the strength of the Twelfth Army was superior to that of the First Army. ”

"However, as far as the entire battlefield is concerned, the situation of the Twelfth Army is far less threatening to our army's entire operational plan than that of the First Army on the flank of the entire North China battlefield. If, during the operation of our army in the Jizhong Plain, the First Army avoided the Zhengtai Railway and joined the Hebei battlefield by means of southeast or northeast Jin, the threat to the rear of our army would be too great. ”

"I have always been worried about whether the troops of Jinsui and the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region can contain this first army. No matter how many reinforcements the Japanese army mobilizes, as long as this first army is in Shanxi for a day, it will be a serious threat to us, and it will distract and involve a large part of our army's energy. ”

"Judging from the current situation of the entire battle, in the absence of sufficient follow-up troops, the Japanese base camp has never been able to give enough reinforcements, Okamura Ninji will not fail to consider the transfer of the First Army, which has actually become a lone army, to fight in Shanxi. Although perhaps the Japanese army base camp did not allow him to abandon Shanxi, who could guarantee that Okamura Ninji would not fall ill and rush to the hospital? ”

"This guy has the ferocity of a wolf and the cunning of a jackal. Among his characters is not only cautious, but also decisive and exceptional. For the Shanxi battlefield, which has now become the chicken rib of the North China Front, I think this guy will not hesitate to give up when needed. ”