EBE Chapter 456: Gathering to cause trouble?
Chapter 456: Gathering to cause trouble?
The division commander, Lieutenant General Shiro Inaba, held up a telescope and looked for a long time, but did not see any Chinese troops appear in his field of vision. He felt a little relieved. As long as the Chinese troops had not rushed over, he still had some time to prepare.
"Mr. Division Commander, I estimate that the Chinese army chasing us should have broken through the defense line of the 24th Regiment. Should we withdraw the defense forces on the south bank to the north bank?" Chief of Staff Major General Sadatsumi Nozaki also came out and stood beside the division commander Lieutenant General Inaba Shiro and asked in a low voice.
The division commander, Lieutenant General Inaba Shiro, frowned and thought for a while, then shook his head and said, "Nozaki-kun, please send someone to the rear to check the specific situation. We don't know anything yet, so don't rush to make a decision. We can make the final decision after we have scouted the specific situation. The troops on the two wings of the defense line cannot retreat yet. Every extra minute of defense will allow more officers and soldiers to withdraw smoothly. We have already suffered enough losses."
Chief of Staff Major General Sadatsumi Nozaki nodded. He also wanted more officers and soldiers to withdraw smoothly from the south bank. The heavy weapons assigned for the attack this time were basically lost, and the troops also suffered a lot of losses. If the losses of officers and soldiers could be reduced, that would of course be the best.
Chief of Staff Major General Sadatsumi Nozaki quickly sent a small team of officers and soldiers to check the road to the south. Their mission was to see where the Chinese army's pursuit troops had attacked, and then report the real and specific situation back so that the division commander could make the most correct decision.
Less than an hour after the Japanese reconnaissance team set out, a soldier covered in mud ran breathlessly to the division headquarters and reported to the chief of staff, Major General Sadatsumi Nozaki.
"Your Excellency the division commander, the reconnaissance team we sent out reported back that the Chinese army's pursuit force is now only thirty minutes away from us. We no longer have any troops in the south that can stop the Chinese army's attack." Chief of Staff Major General Sadatsumi Nozaki walked quickly into the temporary division headquarters and quickly reported the latest situation to the division commander, Lieutenant General Shiro Inaba.
"Thirty minutes? The Chinese army is advancing so fast?" After listening to the report from the chief of staff, Major General Sadatsumi Nozaki, the division commander, Lieutenant General Shiro Inaba, began to pace back and forth in the division headquarters.
After pacing back and forth for two minutes, the division commander, Lieutenant General Inaba Shiro, ordered the chief of staff, Major General Nozaki Sadatsumi, "Nozaki-kun, order the defense forces on both wings to begin retreating in fifteen minutes. Retreat to the north bank of the Xinqiang River via the pontoon bridge. Arrange personnel to organize the troops queuing at the pontoon bridge on the south bank. After destroying the heavy weapons, all retreat to the north bank. From now on, no heavy weapons are allowed on the pontoon bridge. As many officers and soldiers as possible are allowed to retreat smoothly. All heavy weapons should be pushed into the Xinqiang River. Order the engineering troops to begin preparations and be ready to blow up the pontoon bridge at any time according to the division headquarters' orders."
The division commander, Lieutenant General Shiro Inaba, also extended the time as much as possible. In order to maximize the efficiency of the use of the pontoon bridge, all the heavy weapons that could not pass through the pontoon bridge were abandoned. In other words, from now on, the number of heavy weapons lost in this battle will continue to increase significantly.
"Yes, Your Excellency the Division Commander. I will arrange it now." The Chief of Staff, Major General Sadatsumi Nozaki, knew that time was tight, so he bowed quickly and left the division headquarters quickly to arrange for relevant personnel to carry out the orders of the Division Commander, Lieutenant General Shiro Inaba.
When the order of the division commander, Lieutenant General Shiro Inaba, was conveyed to the heavy weapons troops who were queuing to cross the pontoon bridge, it caused a commotion near the entrance of the pontoon bridge. Many officers and soldiers of the heavy weapons troops clamored to move the heavy equipment they were operating to the north bank of the Xinqiang River. Some officers and soldiers lay on the heavy weapons they were using and cried loudly. There were also some young officers who gathered together and protested loudly.
Chief of Staff Major General Sadami Nozaki knew that the pontoon bridge was a very critical point. To be on the safe side, Chief of Staff Major General Sadami Nozaki risked his life to cross the pontoon bridge and come to the south bank of the Xinqiang River. Here, apart from the division commander Lieutenant General Shiro Inaba who could control the situation, only he, the division chief of staff, could control these technical troops who were usually arrogant.
"Baga, what are you doing? Didn't you receive the order from the division commander? Why are you still shouting here? Hurry up and follow the order from the division commander, push all the heavy weapons into the river, and then organize the soldiers to withdraw to the north bank of the Xinqiang River via the pontoon bridge as soon as possible." Chief of Staff Major General Sadatsumi Nozaki, along with several staff officers and a squad of escort officers and soldiers, had just walked off the pontoon bridge when they saw more than a dozen young officers arguing fiercely around a captain staff officer who was conveying the order.
The dozen or so officers who were arguing fiercely immediately quieted down after hearing the loud scolding behind them, and turned to look at the Chief of Staff, Major General Nozaki Sadatsumi.
"Your Excellency the Chief of Staff!" When the dozen or so young officers saw that the person who was speaking was Major General Nozaki Sadatsumi, the Chief of Staff of the Sixth Division, they all hurried to greet him. Although their troops were not part of the Sixth Division, they were now assigned to fight in the Sixth Division, and on paper they were all under the direct leadership and command of the Sixth Division, so they still had to maintain the proper courtesy and respect for hierarchy.
"Didn't you hear what I said? Disperse quickly, return to your respective units, and quickly carry out the orders of the division commander." Chief of Staff Major General Sadatsumi Nozaki walked up to the officers with a dark face and shouted loudly.
The dozen or so young officers looked at each other, but no one moved. This made the Chief of Staff, Major General Nozaki Sadatsumi, very angry. Just as he was about to continue scolding, a captain in a tank soldier's uniform took a small step forward, then bowed deeply and said respectfully, "Your Excellency Chief of Staff, we don't understand the order of the division commander, Lieutenant General Inaba Shiro. The pontoon bridge is clearly under our control, so why do we have to sink all the heavy equipment we are operating into the river? We can ask the infantry to make way for us and let us pass the pontoon bridge first. You know, our heavy equipment is a very valuable asset of the Empire of Japan. It is very precious."
Chief of Staff Major General Nozaki Sadami looked at the respectful tank captain in front of him. After hearing the words of this foolish young officer, Chief of Staff Major General Nozaki Sadami wanted to draw out his command knife and chop this stupid officer to death with one blow. Tell me, was what you just said human language?