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spn Tianjin, Japanese Army Dispatch Force Headquarters

In China in September, autumn is in full bloom.

The commander of the Tianjin Expeditionary Force, Shirakawa Yoshinori, was wearing a traditional kimono, sitting upright on the tatami, with two things placed on the small table in front of him.

A white document marked top secret was a secret military message he had just received from China.

A flat saber is the great shogun's sword bestowed by His Majesty Emperor Hirohito of Showa. It symbolizes the imperial power of the empire and places high hopes on the emperor.[

Looking at these two things, Shirakawa Yoshinori's thoughts flew further and further away, as if he had traveled through time and space, traveling against the current of time, and arrived a long, long time ago.

"...You are a coward, you dirty bastard."

"Stay away from us, you coward."

"You are an idiot..."

The memories of his childhood, that period of weakness, seemed to reappear before his eyes. As the third son of Shirakawa Keio, the Matsuyama clan lord, he was looked down upon for various reasons. His difficult childhood and being cast aside by his classmates were just trivial things.

Later, he seemed to see himself studying hard, and finally entered the Imperial Army Instruction Corps and became a team auxiliary. He clearly remembered that it was a sign of the takeoff of his career, and he was attached to the 21st Infantry Regiment. In 1890, he started from

He graduated from the infantry course of the first batch of the Army Military Academy and was known as one of the "Three Heroes of the First Class of the Army" together with the new recruits of the Empire, Ugaki Kazunari and Suzuki Shoroku.

Then, he seemed to have returned to the Sino-Japanese War and participated in the war against the Chinese. The Chinese with long braids were vulnerable. After the victory, he was sent to the Army University for his outstanding performance, and then returned to the empire.

Army, and then was ordered to be promoted to Army Major General...

Scenes of the past events all appeared in Shirakawa Yoshinori's mind. His life of more than sixty years was so wonderful and touching. From an ordinary citizen of the Empire to the position of a general of the Imperial Army step by step, he

In this life, I think I am perfect.

However, this war with the Chinese is destined to bring this perfection to an imperfect end.

"The sky in China is getting colder and colder..."

Shirakawa Yoshinori tightened his kimono tightly and reached out to pick up the military secret message that he had read many times. He could almost memorize the contents, but he still opened it and read it in detail.

"Every time I touch you, it's like hearing the song Kimi no Dai in the palace, old friend, what should I do..."

Slowly closing the secret message, picking up the phone, Shirakawa Yoshinori called Ishihara Kanji, the deputy chief of staff of the Tianjin Dispatch Army Headquarters. This soldier who has been promoted to the Imperial Army Colonel can always give himself something different.

help.

Many times, Shirakawa Yoshinori had the illusion that perhaps this man named Ishihara Kanji would really be the future number one military strategist of the empire as his old friends said.

"Your Excellency Commander"

Ishihara smiled and bowed, then sat down at the instruction of Shirakawa Yoshinori.

"Old man, I'm old. The autumn in China is already a bit unbearable. Come on, have some sake." Shirakawa Yoshinori had something to say and poured a glass of wine for Ishihara Wanji.

"Thank you, Commander." Ishihara smiled, took the wine, and drank a glass with Shirakawa Yoshinori. He thought he could see clearly what the Commander was thinking.

The war in China has progressed to this point. If I were replaced as the commander of the dispatched army, the only result might be to break the emperor's palace. Fortunately, I did not hold any actual position. As a deputy general staff officer, not only did I not know how to

Because this war that is about to fail will be implicated, the future will be bright.[

Hidden deep in his heart, Ishihara Wanji sees it this way. Perhaps the more miserable the empire is defeated this time, the better those military officials will be able to listen to the advice of an "outstanding military talent in the empire who has limited loyalty to the emperor."

.

"The old man is getting old and confused. Please tell me what you think about this China war. Many old friends praise you as the future military leader of the empire. The old man also wants to experience it. If you have anything to say, you can just say it. You are the same.

Those who came out of the Kwantung Army are considered my old subordinates." Shirakawa Yoshinori smiled heartily, as if his mood had returned to normal and was no longer shrouded in the haze of failure.

"Hai" Ishihara Wanji nodded in greeting, sat upright, and briefly expressed his views, "The current situation on the Tianjin-Beijing battlefield is already very pessimistic. The Chinese people were inspired by the victory in the Baoding Battle, and their determination to fight has become even stronger.

Chiang Kai-shek in Nanjing once again organized five divisions to move northward, while Zhang Shusheng in the southwest completed the logistics deployment.

According to our intelligence, the Chinese Southwest Army has a total of about 1,000 artillery pieces with a caliber of 75mm and above. The most worrying thing among them is the 105mm field artillery that accounts for more than half of the number. Your Excellency, Commander, this 105mm field artillery

The cannon is extremely powerful. According to the analysis of early combat situations, its power is comparable to the 122mm heavy artillery equipped by the empire.

In addition to the large number of superior artillery that will form an artillery cluster and pose a fatal threat to our Imperial Army, there is also enough intelligence to show that in the last two months, at least one or two tank regiments of the Southwest Army have gone north. They are equipped with a

This is a tank that we are very unfamiliar with. Although its combat performance is not clear, according to intelligence, it seems to be related to German tanks and its combat performance is very strong.

In addition to the superior artillery and tank regiments heading north, the Chinese southwest "government" also completed the forward deployment of the air force. According to the intelligence sent back by the imperial spies, the Chinese built a total of four runways at Daxing Airport and concentrated at least 200 aircraft of various types.

fighter planes and the corresponding fuel and medicine reserves that were enough for them to complete the Tianjin-Beijing Campaign. Chiang Kai-shek also dispatched 120 aircraft, mainly fighter aircraft, to the Peking Airport. In contrast, the more than 320 aircraft of various types faced by the Chinese

Type aircraft, the Empire's air force was limited to the aviation force of task force formations.

Just at dawn yesterday, during a sneak attack on Daxing Airport we launched, the fleet of ships and aircraft was accidentally discovered by the Chinese. The fleet was intercepted by the Chinese superior fighters, including aircraft destroyed by the Chinese's new anti-aircraft guns.

Except for two planes that made an emergency landing in the Empire-occupied area, the entire fleet was wiped out. According to the information provided by the pilots who escaped, the Empire's ships and aircraft had lagged behind the main Chinese fighters across the board. Whether it was a dogfight or a dogfight.

They are no match for chasing and escaping."

Shirakawa Yoshino nodded. He also knew these things, but this was not what he wanted. "Ishihara-kun, tell me your views on this war. I want to hear your views on the next war."

Ishihara smiled and drank a large glass of sake, looking a little excited. Although the failure of the empire may have made it easier for him to ascend to power, it also made him feel a huge shame and burden.

"I believe that the Chinese general offensive will be launched within a week. The four divisions that the empire has shrunk back to near Tianjin are completely insufficient to fight against the Chinese coalition forces. Moreover, due to the superior air force in southwest China, our sea supplies are also

It will soon be completely cut off. Tianjin will become an isolated city."

"Ishihara-kun, the military department's order is to hold on to Tianjin and wait for reinforcements." Shirakawa Yoshinori pretended to be unhappy and drank a large glass of wine bitterly.

"Your Excellency, Commander, although it is difficult to change the military headquarters' combat orders, the result of holding four divisions in Tianjin will inevitably be the annihilation of the entire army."

"The empire is already mobilizing more reinforcements. Maybe they will be able to land in Tianjin in two to three months."

"Daxing Airport is only more than 100 kilometers away from Tianjin. Under the superior air force of the Chinese, even aircraft carriers can be sunk. Sooner or later, this maritime supply line will be completely cut off by the Chinese air force. Their aircraft and combat radius will easily

Covering the entire Tianjin offshore area.”

"We can dock at night."

"Even so, the empire cannot support this war. To defend an isolated city on Chinese soil, the empire needs to transport reinforcements and supplies from the mainland. In the words of the Chinese people, it is said that the gain outweighs the loss."

"We can force the Chinese to submit through negotiations."

"It's useless, Your Excellency Commander, with all due respect, we may not be able to persist until the negotiations make progress. Chiang Kai-shek may agree to negotiate, but the southwest 'government', what they want to do is to annihilate us."

"Hey Ishihara-kun, your views on the war are indeed very original. I have not been disappointed."

Shirakawa Yoshinori let out a long sigh. It was impossible for Ishihara to know the military headquarters' orders, but Ishihara's analysis was similar to what he thought.

After losing the 5th Division in Baoding, until the day when the Imperial Army was forced to give up the attack on Peking more than a month ago, retreated to the outside of Tianjin, and built strong fortifications, Shirakawa Yoshinori, the commander, had already foreseen this.

today.[

Tianjin was heavily surrounded by more than 20 Chinese divisions, with a total strength approaching the 300,000 mark. Apart from waiting for reinforcements or waiting for negotiations, Tianjin had no choice but to find a way out.

"Your Excellency, Commander, my friends back home told me that the empire has sent a negotiating mission to Nanjing."

"That's right." Shirakawa Yoshinori nodded. This person still has a certain network of people. "Unfortunately, the latest development is that the secret minister was exposed by the southwest newspaper just after he arrived in Nanjing. Chiang Kai-shek was afraid of sabotaging the Anti-Japanese War and unilaterally

He was charged with conducting treasonous negotiations and refused to negotiate."

"Baga, the Chinese people are really too much. In their words, this is called not showing mercy to others when you have power."

Shirakawa Yoshinori responded with a smile and said without comment: "Ishihara-kun, I would like to hear your other opinions on the war, such as other ways out for the Imperial Tianjin dispatched troops."

Ishihara Wanji stared at Shirakawa Yoshinori for a long time, and then said cruelly, "Your Excellency, Commander, I think the army should abandon Tianjin immediately, rush north to Shanhaiguan, and attack Zhang Xueliang from front to back. As long as we act quickly, we can break through Zhang Xueliang's defense line. We are far away

After the Chinese have Daxing Airport, they can also bypass the Ningjin Defense Line and enter the northeast from the northwest of Jinzhou while the Kwantung Army is restraining Zhang Xueliang's troops. In this way, the Imperial Army can retain its main force."

"Ishihara-kun, Tianjin, which the empire has made great sacrifices, cannot be given up easily." Shirakawa Yoshinori sighed. In fact, as the commander of the dispatched army, when the war in Tianjin and Beijing was not going well, he had thought about what if

If the military and the emperor were not determined to occupy the entire China area north of North China, but just landed from behind the Ningjin defense line and completely captured the Northeast outside the pass, the war might have been much smoother.

As a member of the empire, he understood the empire's desire for a large territory in China. However, as an imperial army general who led the battle on the front line, he was calmer.

Ishihara Wanji: "Your Excellency, Commander, there are no outsiders here. Please forgive me for being honest. The appetite of the military is too big. According to my previous plan for China, it should be to gradually invade China, stabilize the Northeast first, and rely on the rich Northeast China.

, solve the domestic economic crisis, develop and strengthen

The army and navy of the great empire. You must know that the empire has fought with the Chinese and Russians for decades for the entire Northeast. I think that compared with the stable occupation of the entire Northeast, the vast China area north of Tianjin and Beijing is not

Not the Empire's first priority."

Shirakawa Yoshinori shook his head: "Ishihara-kun, the war launched by you and Itagaki-kun in the Northeast not only inspired the empire, but also made the empire's decision-makers dazzled by the victory. Even I once thought that Tianjin

The Beijing line will be another more important lifeline for the empire after the lifeline of Manchuria and Mongolia."

"The Fall of an Empire" Ishihara smiled and said nothing but drinking.

"Don't be discouraged, Mr. Ishihara. Perhaps when the war in Tianjin worsens again, you will take on another important task."

"Hai, don't worry, Commander, Ishihara is at your disposal at any time."

On September 15, 1932, the Chinese allied forces attacked the Japanese army in Tianjin.

In the Joint Operations Command, Southwest Army Command Room, Chen Jun received the combat order from the Chief of Staff, which was the general offensive order personally signed by the Supreme Commander Zhang Shusheng. After the two of them confirmed the error, the combat staff handed over a red

"Sex" phone number.

"Commander, I am Chen Jun. The southwestern departments of the Tianjin-Beijing battlefield have made final preparations. All the ** departments have also made final preparations and can start a general attack at any time. Please give me the order."

In fact, originally according to the regulations of the Southwest, such a large-scale battle could be carried out after Zhang Shusheng personally issued the order. However, in order to respect him, Chen Jun and Jiang Baili unanimously decided to call Zhang Shusheng again and let him personally order the general attack.
To be continued...