RPAGF Chapter 273 The Principal is Overjoyed, Li Jianghe is Truly Li Jianghe!
Chapter 273 The Principal is Overjoyed, Li Jianghe is Truly Li Jianghe!
As soon as Commander He finished speaking, the principal turned around abruptly, his hand gripping the walking stick tightening instinctively.
"really?"
His voice held an air of disbelief, and his eyebrows were raised high.
"Absolutely true." Commander He handed over the telegram. "This telegram can't be faked."
The principal took the telegram and looked down to read it carefully.
He knew perfectly well that if other Nationalist generals exaggerated or lied about their war achievements in telegrams, he wouldn't be surprised.
But Li Jianghe was different—his telegrams were always clear and unambiguous; he never lied about his victories or reported both good and bad news.
This was something the principal had to admit was true.
He took the telegram and walked to the map, scanning the locations of Mahuiling Town and Minshan Township several times.
The anger he felt had completely dissipated, replaced by a long-lost sense of exhilaration. He chuckled, his laughter filled with a sense of relief.
"Good job, Jiang He! Good job, Third Column!"
He tapped the location of Ma Huiling Town on the map with his fingertip. "A divine army descended from the sky, and this knife was plunged into the back of the Japanese army, leaving them unable to advance or retreat."
If the main force of the Japanese army from the Jiujiang direction were to move south to provide support, they would run into the mechanized troops of the Third Column in Minshan Township and Lijiang River.
This area is mostly flat terrain, which perfectly suits the advantages of Li Jianghe's Third Column.
He became more and more excited as he spoke, and his previous doubts and dissatisfaction with Li Jianghe vanished like smoke blown away by the wind.
He could even imagine in his mind how interesting Okamura Neiji's expression would be after receiving news of the capture of Mahui Ridge Town.
That usually calm and collected face must look like it's been slapped in the face, right?
"So, can our main force in the Wanjialing area launch a counter-offensive against the enemy?"
Commander He asked in a low voice, his tone carrying a cautious probing tone.
"Counterattack! Launch a counterattack immediately!"
The principal waved his walking stick and said decisively.
No sooner had he finished speaking than another series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door.
"Report!" the guard's voice rang out again. "The Ninth War Zone Command has sent a telegram requesting a counter-offensive against the Japanese forces in front of us."
The retreat routes of the Japanese 7th and 106th Divisions have now been completely cut off by Li Jianghe's 3rd Column and Xiao Shanling's 11th Army; this enemy force is now completely surrounded!
Upon hearing these words, the principal could no longer hide his smile.
A smile played on his lips, and the wrinkles around his eyes smoothed out. He tapped the ground twice lightly with his walking stick, as if to keep time with his words.
"Excellent! Excellent!" His voice boomed. "That was a brilliant battle! Li Jianghe's Third Column, along with the 11th Army, cut off the Japanese retreat, allowing the First Army Corps to launch a frontal counterattack. A three-pronged attack—let's see where those two divisions can run!"
In stark contrast to the cheerful atmosphere at the Wuhan headquarters, the air in the forward command post in Jiujiang seemed to have frozen.
Two telegrams lay before Okamura Neiji, like two venomous snakes flicking their tongues.
One account says that the escape route has been cut off, and the other account also says that the escape route has been cut off.
The difference is that the first telegram cut off the retreat route from the 11th Army of the National Revolutionary Army.
When Okamura Yasuji heard the unit's designation, his first thought was one of contempt—he knew the unit's situation all too well; it was a motley crew not much different from local security forces, probably unable to withstand an attack from even a Japanese infantry regiment.
The second telegram, however, was not so good.
Li Jianghe's third column captured Mahuiling Town in just over an hour, and the vanguard has already begun a fierce attack on Minshan Township.
This speed is so fast it sends chills down your spine.
The command post was filled with smoke, and the staff officers were discussing something in hushed tones, no one daring to speak loudly.
Kawabe Torashiro shifted his gaze from the telegram to the huge battle map on the wall.
His sturdy body leaned slightly forward, his muscles tense with anger, causing his general's uniform to crease.
"They practiced radio silence, used the cover of mountains and forests, and were active at night and hid during the day."
Kawabe Torashiro's voice was low and slow, as if he were reading a verdict, "When the main forces of our two divisions are concentrated at the Wanjialing line, we will suddenly attack from the flank and rear of our army."
This Li Jianghe is like a venomous snake lurking in the night; just when we let our guard down, he suddenly bites us hard.
After he finished speaking, he exhaled heavily, his breathing labored.
Okamura Neiji stood with his hands behind his back in front of the map, his gaze fixed on the location of Ma Huiling Town.
His expression remained relatively calm, but the slightly pursed corners of his mouth betrayed the turmoil within him.
"Wow, that's fast!"
He spoke slowly, his voice carrying an unusual gravity, "No wonder Nishio Toshizo suffered a great loss in western Anhui, almost powerless against Li Jianghe's troops. His mechanized forces advanced too quickly, too fast for anyone to react."
In fact, Okamura Yasuji never dared to underestimate Li Jianghe's troops.
He had studied every battle fought by the Third Column and knew how formidable this unit was.
He simply felt that the terrain of northern Jiangxi, with its crisscrossing waterways and intersecting mountains, would greatly limit the mobility of mechanized troops.
What he didn't expect was that on this battlefield, there was a certain area—flat, open, and suitable for armored troops to maneuver—that Li Jianghe immediately set his sights on.
Currently, most of this area is under the control of the Third Column, and their forces are even pointing directly at Chaisang.
If they push any further north, the gates of Jiujiang will be kicked open.
However, Okamura Neiji did not panic.
He paced back and forth for a couple of steps with his hands behind his back, then suddenly a slight smile appeared on his lips, revealing the expression of a hunter watching his prey walk into a trap.
"However, he made two big mistakes."
He turned around and his gaze fell on the face of Torashiro by the river.
Kawabe Torashiro calmed himself down slightly and asked in a deep voice:
"Which two mistakes?"
Okamura Neiji walked to the map, extended his index finger, and drew a large circle around Jiujiang.
"First, he underestimated our troop strength in the Jiujiang area."
His voice was unhurried, as if he were lecturing a student, "Our mobile forces still include two full divisions, plus two mixed brigades, and two additional heavy artillery regiments. This does not even include the troops that can be drawn from the Ruichang front."
He paused, then emphasized:
"Within a week at most, I can deploy at least 100,000 troops to this area. That doesn't even include our air power."
No matter how capable Li Jianghe's Third Column was, it was still an isolated force deep in enemy territory, without rear support or air cover. How long could it hold out?
Kawabe Torashiro nodded silently, a slight relaxation settling in his heart. He stared at the map, his mind racing, when suddenly his eyes lit up.
"I already know about the second mistake."
As Hebian Hushiro spoke, he pointed heavily at the Wutai Ridge area with his finger.
"Here, the troops Li Jianghe used to cut off the retreat routes of the 106th and 7th Divisions were actually this rabble of the 11th Army. They can't withstand our counterattack. At that time, Li Jianghe's troops will most likely be surrounded in the vicinity of Ma Huiling Town."