"There is only one division in China, Tada-kun. It takes at least three months to recruit new recruits. Is it too late?" Before Itagaki asked a new question, the young and energetic second-rank officer Anan asked first: "And twenty divisions have just been recruited, and the ten divisions that are being recruited have only recruited some soldiers, and they have only received simple training and cannot go to the battlefield."

"The problem now is that the Xuzhou front line needs troops. If the troops are added, it will be difficult for Xuzhou to win." Tada Jun replied calmly.

"You can be dispatched," Okamura suddenly calmly interjected, attracting everyone's eyes: "Although the current troops are tight, it is not impossible to draw. The zero division (Shandong Mu Chongming, the commander of the division) can be transferred from the Nanjing area of ​​Songhu, the 11th Division, and the North China can be transferred from the 35th Division. In addition, the 37th Division changes the direction of combat and uses the Fifth Mixed Brigade to defend the troops retreating west. In addition, the 101st Division (Shandong Commander of Ito Masaki) in Suiyuan area, so three divisions were concentrated on the northern line."

"It's too dangerous to leave only four divisions in Jiangnan. Once the army can attack Nanjing and Shanghai, it's too risky." Muto Akira shook his head one after another and firmly expressed his opposition. After such mobilization, the troops around Jiangnan were only left with the 22nd Division, the 43rd Division and other four divisions, but they had to defend against the vast area from Wuhu in the west to Shanghai in the east, and from the south of the Yangtze River to Hangzhou in the north, especially Shanghai. It is obvious that there is a shortage of troops in an important city like Nanjing.

"There are not so many elite troops, their elite troops are in Xuzhou and Henan," Okamura smiled bitterly on her thin face. This strategy was originally a risky one, but it would not work: "In fact, it doesn't matter if they are. Just keep the front line of Shanghai and Nanjing. The most important thing is to annihilate the main force of the Xuzhou area. As long as you win here, people's courage will disappear and victory will be at your fingertips."

Okamura's extremely confident analysis and determination influenced the generals present. Tada Jung and Tanaka Shinichi first expressed their support, and then Itagaki also expressed their support. After Itagaki's statement, others stopped talking about it. After the meeting, Itagaki and Zairen jointly issued a power to the commander of the Chinese Expedition Army, Thoruka Tatsuroku and the commander of the North China Front Army, Sugiyama Moto, and telegraphed them the decision of the General Staff and the Joint Conference of the Army, pointing out that the Xuzhou battle has developed to a critical moment, and decisive measures must be taken to abandon some areas and strengthen operations in the Xuzhou direction. The combat plan formulated by the military must win.

Hataki didn't have too much objection. He felt that the entire battle was gradually turning unfavorable. Several armies were entangled by the Chinese team, and the Chinese guerrillas gradually became active in the rear. Several convoys transporting supplies were attacked. Even a squadron escorted by a transport team were also attacked. It became difficult to replenish the front-line army.

Hataki also had a feeling that the commander of the Chinese team was prepared for this attack of the Imperial Army. Whether it was the detour on the southern line or the first war zone, it would be impossible to explain why the 58th Army and the 23rd Army appeared on the Mengcheng line, and the Second Army would appear Lisin, while the front was their weakest link. The same was true for the Northern Line. He had doubts about the general placing the First Army and the 78th Army in Heze and Jining. Now it seems that the general's arrangement was aimed at the troops southward on the North Line, but in addition to the Tokyo General Staff, all he knew were the people from the Expeditionary Army and the North China Front Command. If you want to talk about the spies here, Hataki Shunrok said nothing, because everyone here was brought from Japan.

Hata Shunruo quickly adjusted the deployment of Jiangnan's troops and ordered the 11th Division. The Zero Division gathered in Pukou within three days. The commander of the 11th Division, Yamamoto Sunwu, was unified and commanded along the Jinpu Line. He went north, first defeating Zhou Yan, the 75th Army, which was stalemate with the brigade in Lai'an, and then joined the front front of the Seihe River to destroy the front line of the army.

Shanshanyuan of North China did not hesitate and immediately ordered the sweeping in central Hebei. The 35th Division gathered to Shijiazhuang as quickly as possible, handed over the follow-up work of the Hebei Plain to the Imperial Army, and assembled in Zhangjiakou in the 101st Division in Suiyuan. However, these two divisions were scattered in central Hebei and southern Suiyuan, and it took time to assemble. For this reason, Shanshanyuan assigned the two brigades of the Third** Mixed Brigade in Shijiazhuang and the First Brigade of the Cavalry Group in Pingjin area (the commander of the brigade, Major General Kazuki Kazuki) in Henan to Henan.

The battlefield situation was unpredictable, and Chiang Kai-shek and Bai Chongxi were looking at it with relief. As the situation was developing in the expected direction, he received an emergency telegram from Zhuang Jihua from Xuzhou. The Japanese army was about to launch large-scale reinforcements, which made Chiang Kai-shek and Bai Chongxi nervous. Chiang Kai-shek personally rushed to the headquarters in Xinyang to negotiate with Bai Chongxi.

"The Japanese are doing so fast this time." Bai Chongxi sighed softly. He did not deny the accuracy of the intelligence. The operations some time ago had proved that the intelligence was very accurate and timely. However, the Japanese army could react so quickly, but in his surprise, he looked down on the Japanese army's strategy as much as Zhuang Jihua, believing that they were a group of reckless men who fought by brute force. But this time the Japanese army's keenness forced him to re-examine the Japanese generals: "Chairman, to win, I think the troops must be increased again, especially the southern line of the Jinpu Road, at least two armies must be added, and two armies must be added in the first war zone."

"No, Jiansheng," Chiang Kai-shek stood up before he answered, and Chiang Baili stood up to oppose: "Strategically speaking, the War of Resistance is a long-term battle to avoid decisive battles. Now this situation has become the decisive battle of the two armies. If the troops are increased again, the decisive battle situation will be more difficult to change. Moreover, Henan, the Central Plains, the four battles, and the Thousand Mile Plains have no danger to defend. Our army will reappear as huge casualties as Songhu. What will we use to surround Wuhan in the future?"

"Since the decisive battle has been completed, then the decisive battle is the best. At present, our air force has the advantage. On the plain, our reorganized troops are not weaker than those of the Japanese army, so we can fight with it." Lin Wei interrupted.

"But the reorganized troops are on the front line, and there is only one Eighteenth Army left. But the Eighteenth Army is in southern Anhui, and it will take at least half a month to reach the Xuzhou front line. After half a month, the situation on the battlefield has changed a lot." Jiang Baili said calmly: "In addition, where is the First War Zone? From where to transfer troops to reinforce?"

Jiang Baili's two questions made Lin Wei and Bai Chongxi silent. Chiang Kai-shek frowned and felt a little unhappy. If he could win this decisive battle, the Chinese team would completely take the initiative in the war and switch from defense to attack. However, Jiang Baili's cold water made his heart gradually become cold.

"There are troops around Wuhan, and there are also troops that can be transferred to Wei Lihuang's 14th Army to the First War Zone, and the 27th Army and the Second Corps can be transferred to the First War Zone."

"Wei Lihuang is in Zhongtiao Mountain, and it will take at least one month to go to the First War Zone. And once he withdraws from Zhongtiao Mountain, Zhongtiao Mountain will either fall into Yan Xi Mountain or fall into the hands of the Communist Party." This time, Bai Chongxi expressed his disagreement: "The Second Legion did not reorganize, and the combat effectiveness is very different from the reorganized troops. It is better to leave them in place to defend."

Bai Chongxi was also a little depressed. He worked hard to organize such a battle and ended in vain. From the bottom of his heart, he felt awkward to eat a fly.

Chiang Kai-shek's face was gloomy and he didn't answer. It was obvious that he didn't want to give up this opportunity, and the atmosphere in the room was a little depressed.

"I think if we want to increase our troops and fight a decisive battle, we can ask for the opinions of Commander Li from the First War Zone and Commander Zhuang from the Fifth War Zone. They are front-line commanders." Lin Wei made a compromise suggestion.

Chiang Kai-shek nodded in agreement after hesitation. Li Zongren's reply came soon, saying that if a large number of troops were not concentrated in the First World War Zone, he could give up some areas after a phased victory and try to avoid a decisive battle. However, Zhuang Jihua's telegram was sent after him. This was a very long telegram. In the telegram, Zhuang Jihua thoroughly analyzed the gap in strength between China and Japan and the current evolution of the international situation.

"….The decisive battle is favorable to the enemy at present. In terms of troop transport speed, the Japanese army is far stronger than us, so the enemy's reinforcements arrived on the battlefield long before our army arrived. When our reinforcements arrived, the situation on the battlefield had already changed drastically."

"There are many unfavorable factors in the decisive battle with the enemy at present. First, the Japanese army is coming fiercely, and the morale is high, and we are determined to burn our boats early; second, our army's reorganized troops lack practical experience in new weapons and a tactical system to exert their weapons performance; third, the public mobilization has not been completed, and fourth, the national defense industrial system has not been built and cannot support long-term combat."

"Besides, from a strategic point of view, our army should avoid premature decisive battles. At this stage, we should adopt a battle method of step-by-step advance and retreat to strive to annihilate the enemy's living forces. Students suggest that this battle aims to annihilate the Honami troops deep into northwest Shandong, and strive to annihilate or defeat one or two enemy divisions on the southern front, and then give up Xuzhou and lure the enemy into depth..."

"From the international relations perspective, Japan's attempt to advance south is not obvious, and neither the United States nor Russia feels its threat, so they hope that China and Japan will be better off in a draw to help them win the fire."

Zhuang Jihua's long telegram, from the current national strength comparison, military strength comparison, diplomatic relations, to the differences between domestic parties, and the power of various factions within the party, finally implies that if the decisive battle is at this moment, once the war is defeated, the Japanese army will rush straight to Wuhan, and the army will suffer too much loss, Chiang Kai-shek may not be able to suppress the challenges from the party, and the Communist Party may take the opportunity to occupy more areas.

After reading the telegram, the four of them had different thoughts. Lin Wei was most impressed. Zhuang Jihua thought about Chiang Kai-shek thoroughly. This telegram induced threats, but it seemed that he was thinking about Chiang Kai-shek everywhere. It seemed that Zhuang Jihua refused to fight decisively. Although Li Zongren said it tactfully, he actually refused to fight decisively. Both front-line commanders refused to fight decisively, and Chiang Kai-shek had to consider it.

"Okay," Chiang Kai-shek pondered for a while and finally accepted the opinion. Zhuang Jihua's words could not suppress the challenges from the party made him frightened. He understood that Zhuang Jihua was not only referring to Wang Jingwei, but also Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi: "Kinsheng, I'll leave this here to you. I'll go back to Wuhan." At this point, he paused and added: "Don't let Honma Masaharu go."

"Yes, Chairman." Bai Chongxi replied seriously: "He is already in my net."
Chapter completed!