RPAGF Chapter 258 Hata Shun 6's Worries, Japanese Army Reinforcements
Chapter 258 Hata Shun 6's Worries, Japanese Army Reinforcements
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He spoke in the direction of Nanjing, as if reporting to the 300,000 dead souls, as if speaking a belated message to those who would never see the dawn again.
A gust of wind blew across the fields, carrying the smell of blood and gunpowder.
The wind howled, like someone was crying, or like countless people were whispering something.
The wind carried his words southward, all the way to Nanjing, to the banks of the Yangtze River, to Zhonghua Gate, to Shuixi Gate, to Confucius Temple, and to both banks of the Qinhuai River.
The wind blows over those places where rivers of blood once flowed.
Everyone stood solemnly, without uttering a word.
Only the north wind howls, and only the vastness of heaven and earth remains.
The distant horizon gradually brightened, and golden sunlight shone on the ravaged land.
The corpses, the bomb craters, and the land repeatedly ravaged by war all displayed a tragic beauty in the morning light.
The atmosphere was equally somber inside Toshizo Nishio's command post.
He had already received news that some of the troops that broke out from the direction of Huoqiu County had been gathered up by the supporting forces.
But those who were brought back were covered in dust and dirt, their armor and weapons discarded, and they looked nothing like the Imperial Army.
Naosaburo Okabe's expression was not good, as if he had swallowed a fly.
He walked up to Nishio Toshizo and said in a low voice:
"Although we have received a number of troops, the total number is not large. And we still cannot contact the 6th Division command."
He paused, as if considering whether to say the next sentence.
"Division Commander Tani Hisao... is still missing, his fate unknown."
Nishio Toshizo stood by the window with his hands behind his back, watching the sky gradually brighten outside, and remained silent for a long time.
His silhouette appeared lonely and aged, like an old tree struck by lightning.
After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice so low it seemed to come from underground:
"understood."
It consists of only two words, yet it feels as heavy as a thousand pounds.
He knew that from this moment on, the war on the northern front had been a complete failure.
The Sixth Division that swaggered around Nanjing, and Tani Hisao who made countless Chinese people grit their teeth, are all things of the past.
His name, Nishio Toshizo, will be inextricably linked with this crushing defeat, written into history, and judged by future generations.
Naosaburo Okabe stood in front of the map, his brows furrowed into an unresolved knot.
He was silent for a moment, then finally asked, "What should we do next?"
Right now, he has no idea how to end this losing streak.
Should we withdraw all our troops? Then all the gains we made at great cost in the previous offensive would likely be lost.
Nishio Toshizo did not answer immediately.
He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze lingering on the map for a long time.
The light outside the window gradually dimmed, and the atmosphere in the command center was like a stagnant pool.
Finally, he raised his hand, pointed to a location on the map, and said in a low, slow voice:
"Have the troops on the west bank of the Shi River withdraw. The Imperial Guard Division and the 13th Division, consolidate your defenses."
When he said those words, his shoulders slumped slightly, as if he had unloaded a heavy burden, or as if he had acknowledged some inescapable reality.
This deployment essentially signifies abandoning all offensive tactics and shifting entirely to a defensive posture.
Otherwise, if the Third Column continues its fierce attack, it could pose a serious threat to Hefei and even the entire Jinpu Railway.
Hata Shunroku, at his headquarters in Nanjing, had already received news of Tani Hisao's death.
He sat behind a large desk, a silver, engraved lighter twirling rapidly between his fingers.
The rapid flicking of the lighter betrayed his inner turmoil.
Chief of Staff Kawabe Torashiro stood opposite him, short and stocky with muscular build, like a short, stout iron pillar.
He was reporting on the situation on the northern front; his voice was steady, but the content was anything but cheerful.
"Overall, the troops on the northern front have completely lost their ability to counterattack and are now on the defensive across the entire front."
The words had barely left his mouth when a crisp "snap" sounded.
The silver, engraved lighter was slammed onto the table, making the teacups on the table shake.
Hata Shunroku raised his head, his gaze as cold as a river in winter:
"It's utterly ridiculous. An army of over 100,000 men was utterly defeated by the Fifth War Zone, which was now only a remnant force, and the Sixth and Tenth Divisions were almost completely annihilated."
His voice wasn't loud, but every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, filled with barely suppressed anger.
Kawabe Torashiro didn't respond to that, but instead steered the conversation toward something more practical.
"In any case, we must accelerate our progress along the Yangtze River right now."
He paused, as if considering his words.
"If the Third Column is also drawn into the main battlefield, it will not be good news for us."
Even though the terrain along the Yangtze River is crisscrossed with ravines and not suitable for Li Jianghe's tank troops to fight, once this force enters the front line, it can still put considerable pressure on them.
The pressure didn't come from the terrain, but from the unit itself—it was like a thorn stuck in the flesh, not fatal, but unsettling.
Previously, Hata Shunroku did not believe that Li Jianghe's third column could influence the entire battle situation.
But the situation is different now.
This enemy armored force achieved such a huge victory on the northern front, annihilating two of his elite first-class divisions and even losing the division commander's head.
This can no longer be summarized by the phrase "local setback".
"We need to send more troops. Our current forces are not enough."
Hata Shunroku's voice was chilling.
"We need more air force, more anti-tank artillery, and more armored vehicles."
"Otherwise, even if Li Jianghe's Third Column cannot stop us from taking Wuhan this time, it will create new troubles for us in other battles in the future as its size increases."
Kawabe Torashiro nodded in agreement.
"That's true. If this attack on Wuhan fails to force the Nationalist government to surrender, then it will likely be another 'tactical victory but strategic failure' for us."
This statement was made lightly, but it carries great weight.
Hata Shunroku's gaze fell on Wuhan on the map, the target marked by a red circle.
"Yes, we will. We're sure to gain something this time."
His voice was deep and confident, as if he were convincing himself, and as if he were convincing everyone present.
"We've basically taken complete control of the enemy's core industrial areas and transportation hubs. I don't know how the Nationalist government can continue to hold out."