HCB Chapter 174 Adventure Plan
Chapter 174 Adventure Plan
After the troops arrived at the disembarkation point, Zhang Wenwu asked the leading officer to take the troops to rest on the side of the railway track, while he and his guards rushed to the headquarters of the 102nd Division to receive the mission.
When Zhang Wenwu rushed to the division headquarters, he clearly felt that there were fewer people in the division headquarters. Many familiar staff officers were gone, and the entire division headquarters seemed empty.
"Report, the commander of the Supplementary Brigade, Zhang Wenwu, has arrived on orders. Please give instructions, sir." As soon as Zhang Wenwu entered the combat hall, he saw Division Commander Huang and Chief of Staff Zhao Dong lying on the map studying the battle of Taierzhuang, so he quickly stood at attention and reported.
After hearing Zhang Wenwu's report, Division Commander Huang and Chief of Staff Zhao Dong also looked over. Division Commander Huang and Chief of Staff Zhao Dong smiled and breathed a sigh of relief at the same time. As soon as Zhang Wenwu's troops arrived, they would have a very good reserve force in their hands. As long as they could find a way to hold on for another three days, the final victory in the Battle of Taierzhuang would definitely be their side.
"Wenwu, how many troops have arrived? Can all of them arrive on time before 10 o'clock in the evening?" Chief of Staff Zhao Dong did not exchange too many pleasantries, but directly asked the key question.
"Reporting to the division commander and chief of staff, two battalions of officers and soldiers have arrived in our unit. The remaining officers and soldiers will all arrive at the designated location on time before 10 o'clock in the evening to rest and be on standby. I have come here first to receive orders." Zhang Wenwu quickly stood at attention and reported on the troops' progress.
After hearing Zhang Wenwu's report, Division Commander Huang said happily: "Okay, Wenwu, you don't have any mission now. It's getting dark now. The Japanese army is on guard against our night attacks. Your troops should take the time to rest now. When all the troops arrive, you need to use the night time to take over the positions in the village."
When Zhang Wenwu heard what Commander Huang said, he knew that the battle line in the village should be stable now, so he asked without much anxiety: "Commander, Chief of Staff, what is the specific situation in the village now? Can you tell me so that I can have the troops make corresponding preparations."
After hearing Zhang Wenwu's question, Chief of Staff Zhao Dong nodded with satisfaction and said, "Wenwu, come here. Let me introduce you to the actual situation in the manor."
After Zhang Wenwu walked to the map, Chief of Staff Zhao Dong pointed at the map and said, "The Japanese suddenly used poison gas bombs in the attack launched at noon, which caused great casualties to the 211th Brigade guarding the village at the time, and also caused some panic among the officers and soldiers. The Japanese took advantage of the situation to launch an attack and seized a large piece of the territory defended by the 211th Brigade. Later, under the counterattack of the division's reinforcements, although some lost positions were successfully recaptured, the entire Taierzhuang is currently under our control. Less than a quarter of the territory we like is under our control, and the situation is also very serious. In addition, Commander Huang and I just deduced that the attack of the th Corps is estimated to be launched in three days, so we still need to guard Taierzhuang for at least three days."
Following the introduction by Chief of Staff Zhao Dong, Zhang Wenwu also understood the severity of the current war situation. In such a small village, less than a quarter of the territory is still under the control of the 102nd Division. This is not acceptable. His brigade has only left such a small area for himself, and the troops cannot be fully deployed. But if he throws in regiments at a time, he will not be able to concentrate his strength. He must expand the controlled area.
Zhang Wenwu returned to the nearby railway from the division headquarters. The train had already gone back to Xuzhou to pick up the next batch of officers and soldiers. Now the officers and soldiers of another battalion were sitting and resting more than 30 meters away from the railway. Zhang Wenwu looked at these officers and soldiers, and felt emotional in his heart, these are veterans, they know they are going to the battlefield, but they are not nervous, this is a very good thing for the entire army.
Thirty minutes later, the train carrying the second batch of officers and soldiers slowly stopped in front of Zhang Wenwu. As soon as the train stopped, the officers of all ranks on the train jumped off the train, shouting for everyone to get off quickly, and asked the soldiers to move all the ammunition off the train.
At 9:40 in the evening, the last batch of officers and soldiers of the supplementary brigade, led by Ouyang Heng, successfully arrived at the assembly point. Zhang Wenwu had been waiting for Ouyang Heng's arrival by the railway.
"Brigade Commander, all officers and soldiers of the Supplementary Brigade have arrived at the assembly point designated by the division headquarters on time. Please give instructions." Ouyang Heng reported to Zhang Wenwu with a serious military salute.
After Zhang Wenwu returned a military salute, he took Ouyang Heng and walked towards the division headquarters, while also introducing the current situation in the village to Ouyang Heng.
"Brother Ouyang, the troops have arrived now, but the area inside the village is a bit small. The troops can't be deployed at all. It's too passive to go up regiment by regiment. Do you have any good suggestions?" Zhang Wenwu threw this question to Ouyang Heng, hoping that Ouyang Heng's experience could help him think of a solution.
After listening to Zhang Wenwu's introduction, Ouyang Heng slowed down his pace to the division headquarters. After thinking for a while, he said to Zhang Wenwu: "Brigade Commander, I have two plans. The first is a more conservative way. That is to use the existing territory to slowly resist the attack launched by the Japanese army, and then use night attacks to repeatedly fight with the Japanese army to delay time. This is also the method used by the guard troops before. As for the problem that the troops cannot be deployed on the existing territory, my suggestion is to deploy the troops as company-level combat troops, with four to five companies of troops on the defense line each time, and the same number of company-level troops on the second line for replacement, fighting to the death to consume them."
After hearing Ouyang Heng's first conventional method, Zhang Wenwu nodded and asked, "What about the second method?"
Ouyang Heng stopped walking, he looked at Zhang Wenwu and said: "Brigade Commander, the second method is quite risky. That is, after the whole brigade enters the village, it will launch a comprehensive counterattack from multiple directions, trying to divide and encircle the Japanese army. At the same time, send out the death squad to go deep into the rear of the Japanese front line, blow up the Japanese ammunition depot, and disrupt the Japanese army. If we are lucky, this method can completely disrupt the Japanese attack and even drive them out of the village. Of course, this method is also very risky. It is very likely that the whole brigade will not be able to hold on to the village, or even be wiped out."
After listening to Ouyang Heng's second method, Zhang Wenwu also hesitated. The first method was quite conventional. There was basically no big difference between fighting well and fighting poorly. It was just exchanging human lives for time. When all the people had fought hard, it would be completely over.
As for the second method, it is purely risky. If the troops suffer heavy losses by mistake, Taierzhuang cannot be defended, at least not until the 20th Corps launches an attack.
But Zhang Wenwu knew that the 20th Corps would encounter the Sakamoto Detachment in two days. By then, they would be unable to take care of themselves, and the attack on the 10th Division in Taierzhuang would have to be delayed for a few days. At that time, he could only rely on the officers and soldiers recruited by Cao Huaguo from the hospital to fill the village. But if Cao Huaguo's recruitment speed was not as fast as the losses in the village, he would not be able to defend Taierzhuang.
Zhang Wenwu took out a cigarette and started smoking. After thinking for a while, Zhang Wenwu threw the cigarette butt away and said to Ouyang Heng: "Brother Ouyang, I think we should try the second method. It is better to rely on ourselves than on others. It is not a good idea to rely on the 20th Legion. Let's do it ourselves."
Seeing that Zhang Wenwu adopted the second method, Ouyang Heng began to admire Zhang Wenwu in his heart. If this method succeeded, it would be an incomparable achievement. Similarly, if it failed, it would be a huge hole.
After deciding on the subsequent combat strategy, Zhang Wenwu took Ouyang Heng into the division headquarters' operations hall. While reporting to the division headquarters bosses, he also introduced Ouyang Heng to the two bosses.
"Wenwu, the chief of staff and I have decided that your troops will enter Taierzhuang at 12 o'clock today to replace the previous garrison troops. You must hold the position in Taierzhuang. In addition, after taking over the position at night, organize a suicide squad to attack the Japanese army at night and try to seize more territory. Do you understand?" Commander Huang introduced the combat mission to Zhang Wenwu. He felt that as long as Zhang Wenwu could hold on in the village for another two to three days, the troops withdrawn from the village would be almost rested, and then they would be replaced, and they would be able to hold on for another three to four days.
"Division Commander, Chief of Staff, I have a new combat plan to report to you." After Division Commander Huang explained the combat mission, Zhang Wenwu expressed his own ideas.
Commander Huang and Chief of Staff Zhao Dong were stunned. Zhang Wenwu had a new battle plan? So with curiosity, Chief of Staff Zhao Dong asked Zhang Wenwu to talk about his new plan.
Zhang Wenwu immediately made up his mind and began to introduce the adventure plan he and Ouyang Heng had discussed on the road, looking at the map of Taierzhuang. After Zhang Wenwu finished talking about his new plan, Commander Huang and Chief of Staff Zhao Dong fell silent.
It has to be said that the new plan proposed by Zhang Wenwu is simply too risky, but the two bosses also very much agree with one point Zhang Wenwu said, that is, you can't just rely on others to help you with your own affairs.
"Wenwu, your plan is too risky. Our division's mission is to hold Taierzhuang. As long as we hold on for another three to four days, the 20th Corps will be able to attack the Japanese army from the flank and rear. By then, the Japanese army will be completely surrounded by the 20th Corps. You are launching such a desperate counterattack now. If you fail, it will be fatal to the defense of Taierzhuang behind you." Chief of Staff Zhao Dong still felt that Zhang Wenwu's plan was a bit risky.
At this time, Zhang Wenwu walked to the war zone map hanging on the wall and pointed in the direction of Linyi and said: "Division Commander, Chief of Staff, you see, if the Fifth Division of the Japanese Army in the direction of Linyi sends a troop to reinforce the Tenth Division in Taierzhuang now, they need to march westward, which is exactly the flank and rear of the 20th Corps that has completed the turn from the Zaozhuang front line to the south. If this Japanese army appears on the flank and rear of the 20th Corps, then the 20th Corps will be sandwiched between the two Japanese armies. At that time, the 20th Corps will need to first solve the reinforcements of the Fifth Division on the flank and rear, and the time for them to attack the troops of the Tenth Division in Taierzhuang will be greatly delayed, and we may not be able to defend Taierzhuang by then. I think we should take advantage of the fact that our department has sufficient personnel and the officers and soldiers are more energetic to launch an active counterattack against the Japanese army. This way, the chances of winning are the greatest. Besides, the Japanese army has fought hard for so many days, and their casualties must be very large. Time cannot be lost."
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