Devil's Army

Chapter 1349 Preparations for Retaking Guangzhou 1

Since there were not many battles in Yunnan and Guangxi, Leng Feng left three fighter squadrons and two bomber squadrons in Kunming. All other fighters and bombers were transferred to the southern coast.

At around nine o'clock that morning, nine fighter squadrons and four bomber squadrons, under the order of Commander Leng Feng, moved from Kunming Aviation School, Yixiuchang Airport, and Yanglin Airport to Sanzao Island Airport and Shantou Airport.

At this time, the First Army deployed more than 240 fighters and bombers at five airports along the southern coast, which could easily challenge a Japanese flight division.

All this was carried out secretly and the Japanese army was completely unaware of it.

After the First Army aircraft in Kunming moved to Sanzao Island Airport and Shantou Airport, the First Army soldiers immediately imposed martial law around Sanzao Island Airport and Shantou Airport to prevent intelligence leaks.

Captain Du arranged the transfer of aircraft from Kunming to Xuwen County and reported to Commander Zhang.

Commander Zhang had not heard any news about the Japanese troops in Guangzhou for several days, so he and Captain Du took a truck to the First Army Command in Nanhai County to find Deputy Commander Du.

When Deputy Commander Du heard that Commander Zhang was coming, he hurried out of the command post to greet him.

He and Commander Zhang had not seen each other for two months, ever since their Southern Front Army left Hainan Island to fight against the Japanese.

This time we get together in Nanhai County, we should have a good time to reminisce about the past.

He brewed some single-leaf tea that he had bought when he passed through the Chaoshan area and offered it to Commander Zhang.

Zhang Shaojie quickly got back to the point and asked him about the current situation of the Japanese troops in Guangzhou.

Deputy Commander Du said seriously while making tea:

"Since our Second Independent Division of the Gui-Yunnan Front Army recaptured Shunde County, Panyu County and Sanshui County, the Japanese 104th Division has sent reinforcements to the front line."

"You mean it's too early for us to launch a campaign to retake Guangzhou?"

"Although the total strength of our two fronts now reaches more than 6, the first division stationed on Hainan Island has lost more than 7000 soldiers. During this period, we have recovered dozens of counties and cities, large and small, which has dispersed a lot of our forces. The number of troops that can be mobilized to attack Guangzhou will not exceed 2."

"There are more than 4 Japanese troops in Guangzhou, more than 6 puppet troops, and a total of 11 troops. I think it is too early to fully recapture Guangzhou. We can first recapture some of the suburbs of Guangzhou that are adjacent to us."

"That's feasible. I'll call a meeting with several of their group leaders tomorrow morning to discuss it."

At this time, a sentry came hurriedly and reported to Deputy Commander Du that a Japanese reconnaissance plane had been spotted and was approaching to scout the situation of our Nanhai County garrison.

"How dare a fly be so arrogant? I'll make a call and ask the fighter jets at Sanzao Island Airport to shoot it down." Captain Du stood up and suggested to Commander Zhang.

"Need not!"

Zhang Shaojie waved his hand to let Captain Du sit down, and then said:

"The Japanese army doesn't know that the main force of our Kunming Air Force has already moved to Sanzao Island Airport and Shantou Airport. There is no need to expose the strength of our air force for a bomber reconnaissance plane."

"Then what should we do?" asked Deputy Commander Du.

"The artillery positions and command posts and other important places should be well concealed, and all troops should be deployed to patrol the streets. The barracks should be well camouflaged to make the Japanese army mistakenly believe that there are still soldiers in our barracks."

"Commander Zhang, do you mean to bluff?"

"Yes, we now have 2 troops to create a force of 4, making the Japanese army sleepless and uneasy."

Japanese reconnaissance planes soon discovered troops patrolling the streets of Nanhai County, Panyu County, Shunde County and Sanshui County, and troops constantly coming in and out of various military camps.

Soon, Commander-in-Chief Terauchi Hisaichi received intelligence from reconnaissance planes: the devil troops had a strength of about 30,000 to 40,000 troops deployed in Nanhai County, Panyu County, Shunde County and Shanshui County.

Commander-in-Chief Terauchi Hisaichi placed the information helplessly on the table.

He saw the scene that happened in Tieling County in Northeast China in 32, and it was now being played out in his southern war zone.

He really couldn't understand how the 100-odd devil troops on Hainan Island had grown to 7 or 8 soldiers in just over half a year.

He actually didn't know that Leng Feng had pulled the two main divisions of the Gui-Yunnan Front Army to the southern battlefield.

Moreover, with the help of Secretary Yu, many Communist guerrillas were directly reorganized into the Southern Front Army of the First Anti-Japanese Army.

Commander-in-Chief Terauchi Hisaichi sent a telegram to the Army Ministry inquiring about the progress of the Third Battle of Changsha.

He urgently needed to transfer the Japanese Army's 3rd Flying Corps to support him and eliminate the nearby devilish troops as soon as possible, otherwise it would sooner or later become a disaster.

The Army Department replied that the results of the Third Changsha Campaign were unsatisfactory and Commander Anami Korechika had already begun to withdraw his troops.