plumnovel Chapter 118 The Fifth War Zone Command Headquarters Shaken
Chapter 118 The Fifth War Zone Command Headquarters Shaken
The Sichuan Army certainly didn't have that ability. Those poor folks wore straw sandals and used rifles that were probably older than him, with worn-out rifling that they were still using.
They were usually chased by the Japanese armored vehicles.
That means it could only be Li Jianghe's troops.
It is highly likely.
Previously, when Li Jianghe led his troops to break out of Nanjing, he had once surrounded and annihilated a Japanese army unit, achieving remarkable results.
They even sent electricity all over the country, and the newspapers were full of related reports for those two days, which made Huang Zhenbiao envious.
After careful consideration, Huang Zhenbiao said:
"Send a telegram to Commander Tang, informing him of the situation in Teng County and asking him whether we should continue to provide support."
The 20th Army Group Command and the Fifth War Zone Command called again.
"Keqin (Tang Enbo's courtesy name), where are your reinforcements?"
This call came personally from Commander Li.
He was worried, thinking that although Tang Enbo had agreed, he might not necessarily send reinforcements.
Tang Enbo cleared his throat and said:
We set off after dark, and we should be arriving soon.
When Commander Li heard that Tang Enbo's reinforcements had only set off after dark, he was immediately furious.
The battle in Teng County was already quite tense, and the troops were delayed until after dark to set off. Who knew if Teng County would still exist after the reinforcements arrived?
Since reinforcements had already been dispatched, Commander Li couldn't say much more and could only say:
"The defense of Tengxian is crucial to the overall operational layout of our Fifth War Zone. It cannot be lost, otherwise the Japanese army can advance unimpeded. Keqin, you must prioritize the overall situation and not act selfishly!"
Tang Enbo said righteously:
"Rest assured, sir. This is a matter of protecting our homeland and defending our country, and it is also a time to be loyal to the Party and the nation. Our 20th Group Army has no choice but to do so."
"That's good, that's good."
Commander Li hung up the phone as he spoke, his face darkening.
He said to Commander Bai:
"That guy Tang Enbo is two-faced. He said he was sending troops, but they didn't set off until after dark. I doubt his reinforcements will even arrive by daybreak."
After saying this, he looked towards Teng County, hoping that Li Jianghe, Wang Mingzhang, and the others could grit their teeth and hold on a little longer, at least until reinforcements arrived.
Inside the 20th Army Group headquarters, after Commander Tang hung up the phone, he leisurely lit a cigarette. Before he could even take a puff, Chief of Staff Wan Jianfan's voice came through.
"Commander, Huang Zhenbiao sent a message saying that something has happened in Teng County."
"What? Tengxian has already been lost? Then let him lead his troops back. After the Japanese take Tengxian, they will soon move south. We can't be cannon fodder. Let those ragtag troops be the cannon fodder."
After Tang Enbo finished speaking, Wan Jianfan said:
"Commander, you've misunderstood. Huang Zhenbiao said in his telegram that the garrison in Tengxian is besieging the Japanese troops outside the city. The Japanese are being beaten so badly that it's almost a one-sided massacre. He telegraphed to inquire whether to continue supporting Tengxian?"
"What? The Japanese troops in Tengxian were completely outmatched?"
Tang Enbo's fingers trembled, and the cigarette he had just lit fell to the ground before he could even take a puff.
"Investigate further and report back!"
He said decisively, "Perhaps the reconnaissance team has discovered some problems."
Tang Enbo couldn't understand how Li Jianghe's Independent Third Detachment, along with more than two thousand Sichuan Army remnants in the city, could possibly suppress Seya Kei's more than ten thousand Japanese troops.
This is not reasonable.
This unscientific!
Wan Jianfan reminded him:
"This intelligence should not be false. We have spies deployed in the northern part of Teng County, and they also sent a telegram saying that an hour ago, they discovered a large number of Japanese troops fleeing north, looking quite panicked."
"This intelligence was rather strange, so I didn't take it seriously. But now, combined with the telegram sent by Commander Huang, it all makes sense."
Tang Enbo glanced at the cigarette butt on the ground, stomped it out, and turned to look at Teng County on the map.
"So, the Japanese troops in the Tengxian direction really suffered a crushing defeat?"
"It should be true. Surely the soldiers Huang Zhenbiao sent couldn't all be blind."
Wan Jianfan affirmed.
Tang Enbo decisively said:
"Then let him lead troops to reinforce Teng County immediately!"
In his view, this credit should not be monopolized by the Sichuan Army and Li Jianghe's troops.
If the battle report only mentions a regiment of Tang Enbo's troops rushing to the aid of Tengxian overnight, people will assume that the 20th Group Army also contributed to the victory.
The telephone rang at the Fifth War Zone Headquarters.
It was Wang Mingzhang from Teng County who called.
"Commander."
Hearing Wang Mingzhang's voice, Commander Li felt somewhat guilty and, instead of continuing to speak to him, said rather apologetically:
"I know the situation in Tengxian is quite difficult right now. One of Tang Enbo's regiments is already on its way. You must grit your teeth and hold on until dawn. Reinforcements will definitely arrive."
Wang Mingzhang paused for a moment before saying:
"Sir, you've misunderstood. This call is to deliver good news."
"Is it to announce good news?"
This left Commander Li somewhat puzzled.
"What's there to be happy about? We can't just retreat with our men, can we?"
Wang Mingzhang then said seriously:
"You're right, but it wasn't that he retreated voluntarily; he was defeated by us."
"You're right, but it wasn't that he retreated voluntarily; he was defeated by us."
After saying that, he became serious and began to report in a strong and resonant voice.
"Tonight, our unit, with Li Jianghe's Third Detachment as the main force and the Sichuan Army as support, defeated the main force of Seya Kei's Detachment east of Teng County, and at the same time encircled and annihilated the Japanese 10th Infantry Regiment, killing the regimental commander Akashiba Yaezo, capturing a large amount of military supplies, and annihilating at least 1,800 Japanese soldiers."
When reporting these things, Wang Mingzhang specifically mentioned that Li Jianghe's Third Detachment was the main force of the attack, and dared not be greedy for credit, putting the Sichuan Army in front.
Because he knew very well that if Li Jianghe's armored force hadn't suddenly appeared and caught the Japanese off guard, they would never have been able to win this battle.
After listening to the report, Commander Li stood there stunned for a long time on the other end of the phone.
"Wait...wait, you said the main force of the Seya Detachment was defeated? The 10th Regiment was encircled and annihilated? And they even killed a Japanese regimental commander?"
As soon as he said this, even Officer Bai next to him sat up and leaned over to listen to the conversation on the phone.
This isn't right. Isn't Teng County in dire need of help?
How did the Naruseya Detachment get defeated?
So the Japanese army is in dire need of help?
"That's right, that's how it is. The exact number of enemy casualties hasn't been tallied yet, and we expect to be able to give an accurate number after dawn, but it has been confirmed that Akashiba Yaezo has been killed."
Wang Mingzhang said with some excitement.
He could also sense that Commander Li on the other end of the phone was equally excited.
Commander Li's fingers were trembling slightly. He said "Good, good, good" three times before finally saying:
"Well done, Sichuan Army! Well done, Li Jianghe! Well done, Third Detachment! I'll have Commander Bai personally take the train to Tengxian to express my appreciation!"