Regarding the current Chinese Empire, the Japanese Marshal Prince Zai Ren once commented that it is really incomprehensible to have such strength but not expanding territory. Perhaps there is no pursuit.

Such an evaluation can basically represent Japan's overall impression of the Chinese Empire.

The reason why Prince Zairen came to such a conclusion is because China chose to avoid Japan and withdraw from the war several times. Therefore, Japan has never been afraid of China. If it fights, it will be fought. What can it do if it fights? Now China and the Qing Dynasty

What's the difference? Isn't it just a pedantic way of being in a corner and thinking that the Celestial Kingdom is the best?

...

The shock caused by the Jeju Navy in the upper class of military and political circles in Japanese society was extremely strong, because in the past half century, the main source of Japan's strong mentality towards China was its navy.

The Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 not only increased Japan's self-confidence to an unprecedented level, but also made Japan develop an extremely strong discriminatory mentality towards China, which is disdainful to the losers.

Japan looks down on the Chinese race, and this kind of racial discrimination is from top to bottom. Even after the rapid rise of the Chinese Empire, the reason why Japan's concept of discrimination against China has been firmly maintained until now is not only that Japan is extremely conservative

In addition to the strength of the right-wing forces, Japan's naval advantage and the influence left over from the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 are the most important.

During this period, there was actually the second Sino-Japanese War of 1911, but the result of this war was not clearly informed in Japan. Even most Japanese citizens believed that the navy continued to win a great victory in that war, and the army also

No defeat.

The Japanese base camp's usual trick is to expand the casualties if it cannot cover up its own casualties for a long time. Japanese middle and lower-level officers also have this kind of exaggerated personality. They like to promote achievements and expand the casualties of the enemy.

Report several times.

So at this time, if you ask an ordinary Japanese about the Sino-Japanese War of 1911, he would say that the Chinese Army won a tragic victory with more casualties, and Japan is the top three in the world that cannot be challenged.

As a naval power, the advantage of the navy is that the Chinese cannot reverse it.

...

After the end of the Jeju Navy, the Japanese Navy completely ended its glorious history, leaving only two newly-entered Yamato-class battleships, one Nagamon-class battleship, one King Kong-class battleship, and two other King Kong-class battleships took refuge in Incheon Port.

, the aircraft carrier is only one "good luck" Canglong.

Although the Japanese base camp was under the control of Marshal Hiroko Fushimimiya, it released a war report that was more beneficial to Japan, claiming that the Chinese navy and air force suffered more tragic losses. The top leaders of the Japanese military and political circles have basically understood the truth.

Even for Prince Yee Shin-in, the hardliner invading China, the war may have come to an end. All the Japanese army can do later is to win China again with the Japanese army's desperate battle on the Korean Peninsula as much as possible.

The admiration of this is based on the signing of a ceasefire contract that is more conducive to the Great Japanese Empire.

This is the original words of Prince Zai Ren, the chief of staff of the Japanese base camp.

Because of this, the Japanese army began to hope that the upcoming battle of Seoul would be the final battle of the third Sino-Japanese War. As long as it defeats this battle or resists the attack of the Northeast Defense Forces, Japan may be in such a passive situation.

Sign a truce agreement that is quite favorable and decent for the Great Japanese Empire.

The reason why Japan has this fantasy is that although China has been tough on Japan in the past twenty years, it has never really put it into war. In Japan's view, this is a kind of Qing Dynasty style.

, or they claim to be weak and innocent Chinese.

Um.

China is really unreasonable innocence.

...

The real war is finally coming and is about to break out.

In order to defeat the opponent, Wei Lihuang made all preparations that could be thought of in advance, led the deployment of more than 40 meetings and consultations on the combat plan, and formulated more than ten combat plans during this period, although the differences between each one were made.

Not many, but they are basically just continuous adjustments in details. Such continuous adjustments also show how in-depth and careful preparations and discussions of many generals such as Wei Lihuang have made in-depth and careful preparations and discussions about this battle.

In addition to the second and third army of the Northeast, some of the troops of the third army and the newly arrived Japanese East Asian Expeditionary Force, the fourth front army, the troops that China and Japan maintained confrontation between Seoul and Pyongyang have increased to 1.27 million, which is equivalent to

Half of the total strength of the two countries on the Korean Peninsula.

As of early January 1940, the Northeast Army and the Central Military Department dispatched 584,000 troops to the Hankai battlefield, 13,400 tanks and other armored vehicles, 10,500 aircraft, and 2.3 self-propelled artillery and other types of body-barrier artillery.

43,000 trucks and off-road vehicles

In addition to the scale of the total force, the Japanese army is already at a completely disadvantage, but in the field of light weapons, the gap between China and Japan is very low, and the main gap between the two sides is in the scale of mechanization.

Just two days before the planned large-scale attack, on the afternoon of that day, Wei Lihuang summoned all the commanders of each division and brigade to his own command center.

This is almost all the elites of the empire.

After all the generals sat down, Wei Lihuang opened the telegram book with a serious expression and said, "Please get up again, this is the imperial edict of Your Majesty."

When Huang Baitao, Xue Yue and others heard this, they hurriedly stood up together. Although they were already a group of imperial generals and major generals, under the imperial order, they seemed to be the ones who took over the Central Military Academy from the emperor.

The lieutenants of the graduation medal.

Wei Lihuang picked up the telegram book and recited: "The imperial hegemony is here, and you should fight for the nation."

After saying this, he put together the telegram books and signaled that the emperor's telegram order was so simple and direct, and then ordered: "Sit down!"

The electric order is very simple and direct, but the listener is excited.

Soldiers are soldiers after all.

The navy and air force have shown their might and killed countless enemies. The army has only been in Kaicheng for half a year and has made no progress. How can the generals and officials who have always been the best in the army in the world have been in a position to drive the tanks of their respective divisions tonight.

Charge into battle.

Huang Baitao suddenly slapped the table and shouted, "Everyone, we will fight to kill the enemy in one fell swoop."

Xue Yue and others all laughed with the same feeling.

Wei Lihuang's expression was still serious, he was cold and silent, and his subordinates could only continue to restrain their expressions and not smile.

After putting away the telegram book, Wei Lihuang glanced at his subordinates. These people were actually only two or three younger than him. It was the best moment of his energy in his military career. Everyone here is the most important thing.

There are many military geniuses who trust and hard work, even he is amazed.

After a little pondering, Wei Lihuang continued to speak: "Our army has obvious advantages. In order to defeat the enemy this time, the M35th Type Assault Rifle was also equipped with a large number of main divisions, especially the 35th Infantry Division, the predecessor of the 35th Division was

The 305th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Division was adapted and expanded during the Sino-Soviet War. It was also an elite infantry division arranged by the empire in Jilin Province, Northeast China for many years. This time, our army's three armored divisions were the main force of the assault, and the three infantry divisions cooperated with it.

The 4th Division, the 14th Division and the 35th Division advanced from the middle, responsible for crushing the Japanese defenses on the front line. Commander Huang, Commander Guo, Commander Xue and Commander Cao, you two have the most responsibility, you can only succeed, not fail."

Huang Baitao, Guo Yuqian, Xue Yue and Cao Zhen nodded and said yes.

There have been too many discussions on the specific tactical deployment, and you must have memorized it. Wei Lihuang doesn't want to emphasize it too much. This meeting is actually two things. One is to inform the emperor's imperial edict, and the other is

The troops were ordered to officially prepare for the war and launch a full-scale attack at 7 a.m. two days later.

At that time, the main force will use the 4th Armored Division, the 14th Armored Division, the 35th Infantry Division and the 134th Tank Brigade as elite attack opponents, with a total of 1,552 tanks, 1,148 infantry fighting vehicles, 1,037 crawler conveyor vehicles, and 344 reconnaissance tanks.

There are 155 rocket launchers and 248 self-propelled artillery.

In the entire tactic, Wei Lihuang chose a simpler and more direct tactic, which is also the most conducive to the advantage of the mechanized armored army. The elite force directly stepped forward, and the large army chased forward in the back, responsible for penalties in the front, and responsible for sweeping behind, responsible for sweeping behind, responsible for sweeping behind, responsible for sweeping behind

Everything and support, advance forward and backward together, and use the advantage of speed to tear apart the opponent.

As for what happened later, he handed it over to Fu Zuoyi's First Army, and he was only responsible for attacking all the way. According to the Japanese army's defense arrangement and the terrain in southern Korea, he could basically fight all the way to Luozhou and Gwangju, and look across the sea from Jeju.

In the remaining battlefields in eastern North Korea, his second army could only act as a second-line force, and it was difficult for him to sweep away thousands of troops as the main force.

It’s not that they can’t fight, but that they can’t rush up. Once the armored troops stop on the battlefield, there are not enough infantry around them to coordinate protection and combat, and that is just a target of a group of anti-tank guns, but the Japanese army lacks appropriate anti-tank guns.

For organization and arrangement like the Second Army of the Northeast Defense Forces, either do not fight. Once the fight starts, you must rush to the end. The more you go backward, the smoother you will be, and the more you fight, until there is no oil.

Wei Lihuang's meeting of all generals was very simple, but after this meeting, the Second Army was like an engine suddenly pulled, about to...it was about to rush towards the enemy, the entire army.

Ten thousand cannons fired them together and bombed the Japanese army into mud.

Almost at the same time, General Matsui Ishione, the commander-in-chief of the Japanese East Asian Expeditionary Force, also held a "final showdown" in Seoul. Judging from the intelligence and the deployment of the enemy, Matsui Ishione expects the enemy to be in four to five days.

The entire army may launch a comprehensive attack, requiring the entire army to strengthen the construction of fortifications and regard anti-tanks as the most important task, and must do everything possible to organize all manpower to carry out anti-tank operations.

Matsui Ishione has always been regarded as one of the most talented military strategists by the Japanese military. He promoted active service in 1935 and briefly served as prime minister. He then resumed active service and officially served as commander-in-chief of the East Asian Expeditionary Force.

However, he was not trusted by the royal family and was only a puppet of the royal family in many things. For example, in the previous Jeju naval battle, he had always opposed it, and was recently falsely accused of his opposition and boycott, so during the Jeju naval battle.

The Navy failed to get the full support of the Army Aviation Force, which led to the Navy's defeat.

Even though this statement is only circulated in the lower level of the Japanese Navy, Matsui Ishien still bears great pressure. He does his best to block the upcoming full-scale counterattack of the Northeast Defense Force and create a barely acceptable environment for peace talks.

.

As for whether he could block this matter in the end, he was not absolutely sure. He had never been able to verify the level of Chinese tanks and armored forces very clearly. If we look at his research on the armored forces of the Japanese Army,

He didn't think the situation was too serious. What he was most worried about was the artillery and aviation forces of the Northeast Defense Forces.

Although the number of artillery troops on both sides is barely confronting, considering the strange situation of Chinese self-propelled artillery, Matsui Ishione always feels that he will suffer a loss on this issue.

In this field of aviation forces, Matsui Ishione has thoroughly experienced the power of the Chinese Air Force, so it is difficult for him to understand how so many excellent fighter jets in China were built. Did they buy them from Germany, France, and the United States?

Only by knowing oneself and one’s enemy can one be defeated in a hundred battles.

Since Matsui Ishigen does not know himself or his enemy, how can there be a hundred battles without any victory?

The tranquility before the war was terrible and suffocating enough. The Japanese army had been trying to speculate on the accurate attack time of the Northeast Defense Forces, but unless they could convince the entire base camp to retreat, the appropriate offensive intelligence would actually be useless even if it was lucky to find out.

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January 18, 1940.

7:00 a.m.

The 204th Division of the Imperial Northeast Defense Forces Air Force took the lead in launching a tide of counterattack. Although it was a war destined to be the main body of the army, the air force would still play a decisive battle. In modern warfare, the air and the land themselves are no longer separated.

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To be continued...