Bright Sword: Starting from the Improved Grenade

Chapter 182 The Deterrent Power of the Eighth Route Army

"Two hundred meters ahead, shoot."

"Mortar, fire."

"Infantry and artillery coordination training begins."

The scene of farming and land reclamation in Nanniwan is different from the previous ones.

The company and battalion commanders of the Eighth Route Army constantly trained their soldiers on various tactical subjects.

For a moment, the originally quiet and harmonious Nanniwan was filled with smoke and dust, gunshots, and a solemn atmosphere.

"Brigade...Division Commander, you see, after a few days of training, we have recovered our previous combat effectiveness."

Liu Zhuan, deputy brigade commander of the 359th Brigade, pointed to the soldiers who were training in front and said happily.

"that......."

Brigade Commander Wang was not very happy about the results of the soldiers' hard training. Instead, he looked at Liu Zhuan with an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, Comrade Liu Zhuan, the commander said that we can't give up Nanniwan."

"What do you mean?"

Liu Zhuan was stunned.

"The Central Committee ordered the establishment of a reclamation corps in Nanniwan, with Comrade Liu Zhuan as commander."

Wang Huzi was not a hesitant person. He took out a letter of appointment from his arms and handed it to Liu Zhuan.

"What! The Agricultural Reclamation Corps."

Liu Zhuan didn't know whether he should cry or laugh.

Not only did he not get the opportunity to go to Baotou, he was also kicked out of the field army series, but he became the corps commander again.

"Okay, don't be sad."

Wang Huzi patted Liu Zhuan on the shoulder and said, "I asked around for you. This Farm Reclamation Corps is very important."

"The authorities are just conducting a pilot project here, and may conduct experiments in the Hexi Corridor and Xinjiang in the future."

"You kid, you will have great power in the future!"

"Master, I don't care about power or not."

Liu Zhuan smiled bitterly and said, "Why don't you talk to the higher-ups and ask them to choose someone else? How about I follow you to Baotou?"

"not so good!"

Wang Huzi said sternly, "Don't bargain with the chief. This matter is settled."

"I will leave the 124th and 321st Battalions to you and let you form the Agricultural Reclamation Corps."

"Yes."

Liu Zhuan agreed reluctantly.

"okay."

Seeing Liu Zhuan agreed, Wang Huzi smiled and said, "Come on, let's go meet the soldiers sent by the various military regions!"

Ningxia, Zhongning County.

"Minister Zhao, please look, this place is located on a plain, there is a river passing through, and not far away, ten kilometers away, is Zhongning County."

"There are about twenty villages within a twenty-kilometer radius."

The county magistrate of Zhongning pointed at the wasteland in front of him and kept bragging to Zhao Tianyang.

"As long as you build the airship factory here, it will be very convenient for food, drink, and recruiting workers!"

"I am convinced by you."

Zhao Tianyang held his forehead helplessly: "Forget it, let's just stay here."

"Hey, that's great."

The head of Zhongning County said excitedly: "Minister Zhao, don't worry. Zhongning County will take care of the factory construction work for you. It will not cost you a penny."

“That’s more like it.”

Only then did Zhao Tianyang nodded with satisfaction.

In fact, what the mayor of Zhongning didn’t know was that the reason why Zhao Tianyang wanted to build an airship factory here was.

The main reason is that Quanyanshan is here, and the Quanyanshan Hydropower Station is specifically used to produce helium for airships.

After leaving Ningxia, Zhao Tianyang went straight to Tongxin County.

He wanted to investigate here to see if there was any place suitable for building an aircraft factory.

Of course, building an aircraft factory in Tongxin County is not the best choice.

Simply because this is the arid area in central Ningxia.

Several nearby counties are very poor, so the chief wanted to build a few factories here to boost the local economy.

It just so happened that Zhao Tianyang was planning to build an aircraft factory, and after discussion this task fell on him.

............

Mid-August 1939.

After completing the training, the 359th Brigade was officially renamed the Independent Division and went to Sui West, stationed in the area of ​​Zhaojun Tomb and Cai Dengtai near Baotou.

The former Ma Hong Military Department, reorganized into the 30th Division of the Eighth Route Army, was stationed in Dashuwan and Taoliming areas south of Baotou.

The Eighth Route Army's sudden action frightened the Japanese troops in Baotou.

"Baga, the Communist army is going too far."

In Baotou City, the commander of the Japanese Army’s 1st Cavalry Brigade, Shigeru Katagiri, roared.

"What should we do, division commander?"

Chief of Staff Naoki Saji asked in horror.

Since the last battle, the 26th Division of the Japanese Army moved to Datong, and their cavalry group took over the Baotou defense line.

Now in Baotou, there is only their First Cavalry Brigade.

Judging from the combat effectiveness displayed by the Eighth Route Army in Shanxi, they had no chance of winning at all.

Especially their gliders, which are the nemesis of cavalry!

"Don't panic."

Katagiri Shigeru thought for a moment and said, "First, send a telegram to the commander, saying that the Eighth Route Army wants to launch an attack from Baotou to cooperate with the Soviet Union's attack on the Kwantung Army."

"this......"

Naoki Saji hesitated: "But we haven't figured out the purpose of the Eighth Route Army this time."

"Would it be a bad idea to report it like this?"

"What's wrong?"

Katagiri Shigeru explained: "No matter what their purpose is this time, only by making a big deal out of it can it attract attention from above."

"Otherwise, can our brigade stop the attack of the Eighth Route Army?"

"That's what the brigade commander said."

George Naoki said with a look of admonishment: "I will send the message right away."

Hailar, Cavalry Group Headquarters.

"Reporting that the First Cavalry Brigade has called and the Eighth Route Army has entered the area of ​​Nan Dashuwan and Tao Liming, and is suspected to be cooperating with the Soviet Union's attack on the Kwantung Army."

"what!"

The commander of the cavalry group, Kasai Heijuro, took the telegram and read it in surprise.

After reading it, Kasai Heijuro thought for a moment and handed the telegram back to the signalman: "Send it to the commander as is."

"Hi."

Soon after receiving the telegram, the commander of the Mongolian troops, Naosaburo Okabe, also felt that the situation was quite difficult.

After thinking for a moment, he made the same choice as Kasai Heijuro and sent the telegram intact to the commander of the First Army of North China, Yoshio Shinozuka.

"Sigh~~"

Commander Shinozuka, who received the grounded telegram, felt very uncomfortable. His predecessor, Michijiro Umezu, was dismissed early because the 20th Division was completely wiped out by the Eighth Route Army.

Now the Eighth Route Army is planning to attack Baotou again, which is giving him a headache.

The main reason is that he doesn't know how big the Eighth Route Army's appetite is this time, and how many cards he has to play to satisfy it.

Now he only has two divisions under his command, and he has to stabilize Shanxi, so he has no spare energy to assist Baotou.

However, if the Mongolian troops fought on their own, they would most likely be defeated by the Eighth Route Army.

"Commander, we only have two divisions now, and the Eighth Route Army's target is likely to be the Kwantung Army."

"Why don't we pass this news on to the Kwantung Army?"

Chief of Staff Hideyoshi Kusuyama, seeing that Commander Shinozuka had been silent for a long time, couldn't help but make a suggestion.

"idiot."

Commander Shinozuka cursed angrily: "If this telegram gets out, wouldn't it show that we are afraid of the Eighth Route Army?"

"How can I hold my head up in front of my colleagues if you do this?"

"But Commander, the Eighth Route Army is no longer the same as before. According to our investigation, the Eighth Route Army now has more than 30 troops in Shanxi."

"Besides, due to the recent victory over the 20th Division, their reputation has been greatly enhanced, and the number of soldiers is increasing rapidly."

Kusunokichi Hideyoshi said bitterly: "According to the forecast of the General Staff, the number will reach 400,000 by the beginning of next year."

"If these 400,000 people were all equipped with a rifle, it would be unclear who would have the final say in Shanxi."

"Sigh~~"

Commander Shinozuka took a deep breath. He didn't expect that the Eighth Route Army in Shanxi had developed to this extent.

I wonder if it’s too late for him to run now?

"No matter what, we must not let the news that the First Army is afraid of the Eighth Route Army get out."

Seeing Commander Shinozuka's stubborn look, Kusunokichi thought for a moment and his eyes lit up: "I got it."