What Qiao Anbang dared not imagine is that once Xuzhou is lost, wouldn’t his base be attacked by the two strategic fronts of the Japanese North China and Central China? Once such a situation becomes a reality, with the current strength of the Hu Ben Army, it is absolutely irresistible.

After frowning and pondering for a long time, Qiao Anbang said in a deep voice: "Jiahan, go and find my elder brother. I have something important to discuss with him." [..com]

"Yes!" Liang Jiahan responded quickly, then turned around and left quickly.

Not long after, Qiao Anguo came to the headquarters from the arsenal. Although the Taihe arsenal was still under construction, Qiao Anguo still had to come back frequently to inspect the Longshan arsenal.

As soon as he entered the headquarters, Qiao Anguo asked, "Anbang, what's wrong? What's the matter?"

"Brother, according to reliable information, the two major fronts of the Japanese army in central China and North China have once again assembled heavy troops and prepared to attack Xuzhou again. As of now, the 15th Japanese army in North China have launched an attack on the fifth station. The situation is extremely urgent." Qiao Anbang explained. "What?! 150,000 Japanese troops?" Qiao Anguo was shocked and asked again: "What about the Japanese army in central China? How many troops do they have?"

"I don't know this yet, but I guess it's only a lot more than the Japanese army in North China." Qiao Anbang pondered.

"The Japanese army has so many troops, isn't the Fifth War Zone very dangerous now?" Qiao An Guodao.

"Yes!" Qiao Anbang nodded heavily and said, "That's why I asked you to discuss with me, brother, and see what we should do."

"If the Japanese army in China also came out in full swing, then the pressure we face would be great. In this case, we would be unable to draw troops to reinforce Xuzhou." Qiao Anguo analyzed.

"This is for sure. Chief Bai Chongxi has transferred the 11th Army and the 21st Army to Xuzhou in the north. We need to replace them in the Huaihe River defense line. So it is impossible for us to mobilize troops to assist Xuzhou." Qiao Anbang said calmly.

"What should we do?" Qiao Anguo didn't pay attention for a moment. After all, he is still unclear about the situation of the Japanese Central China Front Army. No one can draw a conclusion.

"No matter how many Japanese troops in China are, it is always good to be prepared or not... So I plan to personally lead the armored brigade, the Third Division and the First Division to rush to the north bank of the Huaihe River, preparing to block the Japanese army on the north bank. Brother, the base area will be left for you." Qiao Anbang said to Qiao Anguo Road: "Especially, I would like to instruct Brother Chu's fourth division to strictly defend Yingzhou to prevent the Japanese army from raiding our base... The second division can be transferred up when necessary."

"Well, don't worry." Qiao Anguo nodded heavily and replied.

Wuhan, Military Commission Operations Office.

Chairman Jiang put down the telegram with a serious face, turned his head to Li Zongren, Chen Cheng and others and said: "The Japanese army in North China gathered 150,000 troops and launched an attack on our Fifth War Zone garrison troops. Bai Chongxi said in the telegram that the Japanese army's offensive is fierce and the situation is extremely urgent... What are you good ways?"

"Commissioner, we can immediately transfer Qiao Anbang's Hu Ben Army. The combat power of the Hu Ben Army has always been strong. With their joining Xuzhou, we will definitely ensure that there is no worries." Chen Cheng took the lead in speaking.

"I can't get it up anymore, and the Japanese army in China also gathered 100,000 or 200,000 troops and crossing the Yangtze River north. Whether the Hu Ben army can block the attack of the Japanese army in China is a question." Chairman Jiang said with some frustration.

Just as Li Zongren was about to speak, Chairman Jiang's guard Wang Shihe walked in quickly... and stood attentively to Chairman Jiang and said, "Committee, call from the 21st Group Army!"

Chairman Jiang turned his head and Wang Shihe quickly handed the telegram in his hand to him... Chairman Jiang took the telegram and read it hurriedly, his face suddenly changed drastically, and he threw the telegram on the ground in anger, and said angrily: "My mother, this food bucket, shoot it immediately, shoot it!"

Li Zongren and Chen Cheng looked at each other, and finally Li Zongren asked, "Commissioner, what's going on? Who are you going to shoot?"

Wang Shihe lowered his head and picked up the telegram and handed it to Li Zongren and Chen Cheng, and said to the two: "The 45th Division of the 11th Army stationed in Dingyuan County... was defeated by a Japanese squadron and lost Dingyuan County without a single shot. Now Li Pinxian's 11th Army has all given up Huainan and withdrawn back to the north bank of the Huaihe River!"

"What? A division was defeated by a squadron of the Japanese army without a single shot?" Li Zongren and Chen Cheng both changed their faces, and the battle was like this... It's no wonder Chairman Jiang was so angry that he deserved to shoot this division commander.

"My mother, why are you waiting for the order to be sent immediately and killed the 45th Division commander. As the commander of the first division, he did not want to kill the enemy and serve the country, but he actually escaped at the last minute. The group of the first division was defeated by more than 100 Japanese troops. This was simply a shame to the country and the army!" Chairman Jiang shouted to Wang Shihe in anger.

Wang Shihe said timidly and then quickly turned around and left.

After Wang Shihe left, Chen Cheng quickly comforted him: "Committee, you don't have to be too angry, your health is more important."

Chairman Jiang waved his hand and said, "I'm fine, what should you do when you say the battle in Xuzhou?"

Chen Cheng was speechless, lowered his head to ponder, obviously thinking, while Li Zongren pondered for a moment: "Secretary, I think we must first figure out which Japanese army on the northern and southern battlefields is stronger and which one is weaker. Only in this way can we formulate a combat plan for Xing."

"That's stronger? The Japanese army in North China has 150,000 elite troops, and the Japanese army in Central China is only more or less! Who is stronger? " Chairman Jiang said with a blue face.

At this moment, Wang Shihe returned, holding a telegram in his hand. When he came to the front, he stood attentively and saluted Chairman Jiang and others, "Committee, Bai Chongxi called from Xuzhou."

"Hmm? What did Bai Jiansheng say?" Chairman Jiang asked hurriedly after hearing this.

"Bai Chongxi said that the Japanese army in North China had a fierce offensive, and all units of our defenders suffered heavy casualties. At present, he has transferred the 11th Army and the 21st Army to Xuzhou in the north. In addition, he also said that the Commissioner immediately ordered the First War Zone to send troops to reinforce the Fifth War Zone. In addition, he also wanted to order the Third War Zone to order the Second War Zone to immediately launch an attack on the Japanese army in front to restrain the Japanese offensive." Wang Shihe said to the telegram.

Chairman Jiang was already as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He had a poor tactical command level and turned his attention to Li Zongren and Chen Cheng.

Li Zongren said slowly: "Commissioner, Jiansheng's actions are the only way. The troops in the Fifth War Zone suffered heavy losses in the previous stage of the battle. The current combat power has not yet recovered as before, so it is difficult to win again. Therefore, it is the only way to transfer the 11th Army and the 21st Army to Xuzhou in the north."

"But these two armies are transferred to Xuzhou in the north, who will defend Huainan? If you can't defend Huainan, what's the use of defending Lunan? The Japanese army in China and China will be able to reach the city of Xuzhou soon." Chen Cheng said with some concern.

"Ci Xiu, have you forgotten that there is Qiao Anbang's Hu Ben Army in Huainan?" Chairman Jiang reminded in a deep voice.

"Oh, I really didn't remember this humble position." Chen Cheng said awkwardly: "But can the elite troops be blocked from all the elite troops from China and the Japanese army?" He suggested just now that the Hu Ben Army was transferred north, but in a blink of an eye, he ignored the Hu Ben Army again, so he was naturally embarrassed.

"This depends on Qiao Anbang. Even if the Hu Ben Army is not the opponent of the Japanese army in China, the Japanese army in China will not want to break through the fat line of the Hu Ben Army in a short period of time, so now, we should focus on the battle in Xuzhou." Li Zongren took over the topic and said.

"What else can I do? Just follow what Bai Jiansheng said and immediately order Cheng Qian to send troops to Xuzhou quickly! No matter what, Xuzhou must not be lost this time, otherwise the entire East China will no longer be owned by the party and the country, and the Central Plains will directly face the Japanese army's front!" Chairman Jiang said angrily.

Peking, the Japanese North China Front Command.

The current commander of the North China Front Army General Soichi Teraunuchi was frowning in front of the simulated sand table and pondered the several combat staff next to him were busy. At this moment, amid the sound of rapid footsteps, Chief of Staff Naosabu Okabe hurried over.

When they arrived, Naosaku Okabe immediately closed his feet and saluted at Soichi Desunouchi and said, "General, the 5th Division and the 0th Division both called and said that they were stubbornly blocked by the Chinese Army and progressed slowly. In addition, they were also hit by the fierce air strikes by the Chinese Air Force, and the attacking troops suffered heavy casualties."

"Chinese Air Force?" Shinui Shuichi asked in surprise when he heard this: "Hasn't the planes in the Fifth War Zone of China been shot down by the Imperial Army long ago? Where did they get the air force?"

"I don't know this humble position." Naosaburo Okabe replied with his head down.

"Is it the Chinese Tiger Army's Air Force?" Shouichi Tezunai suddenly said.

"It is very likely that if you think about it carefully, only the Chinese Huben Army in East China has the air force." Okabe Naosaburo said.

"Baga, our North China Front Army will never allow the despicable Chinese Air Force to act violently. We order Kawakoto and immediately send fighter planes to the battlefield to assist in the battle. If the Chinese Air Force encounters it, it will be a blow!" Teraunuchi said in anger.

"Hayi!" Okabe Naosaburo responded suddenly with his head down again, then turned around and left quickly.

The chees and the tiger army’s Longshan camp.

After receiving Qiao Anbang's order, the entire Armored Brigade began to assemble, and No. 4 tanks and armored vehicles drove out of the garage, and immediately, under Qiao Anbang's personal leadership, left the barracks and headed south.

At the same time, the First Division stationed in Xiangcheng and Bo County also began to move south, and the Third Division stationed in Méngcheng and Su County also began to advance towards Huainan.
Chapter completed!