Chapter 66: Yamamoto Ichiro

While Li Yunlong and his soldiers were resting in Yaojiayu, inside the Wuyin County city, at the brigade headquarters, Major Akai was standing rigidly at attention, making a report to the person sitting opposite him in his own chair.

"General Colonel, those are the basic details. Please let us know if there are any other requirements!"

Yamamoto Ichiro gave Major Akai a steady, unblinking look. He was well aware that Akai was merely acting out of compliance with General Shinozuka’s orders; otherwise, given the regular army's disdain for his special forces unit, Akai would never have deigned to follow his directives.

However, Yamamoto had no intention of making things difficult for Major Akai. Upon his arrival, he had already personally inspected the battlefields at both the Yongan Stronghold and the Liwangmiao POW Camp.

He had already formed a precise judgment: this was an elite, small-scale unit that utilized its firepower advantage and rapid infiltration—striking quickly and withdrawing just as fast—to successfully execute a surprise attack on high-value targets.

This combat style bore a striking resemblance to the doctrine of his own special forces unit, which instantly ignited Yamamoto's profound interest in the commander of this mysterious force.

Yamamoto stood up. "Please have Major Akai thoroughly investigate the details of this unit and submit the findings directly to the First Army Headquarters."

Major Akai responded with rigid, bureaucratic obedience. "Hai, Colonel!"

Yamamoto prepared to leave. Just as he reached the doorway, he suddenly laid a hand on the hilt of his command sabre and glanced back over his shoulder at Major Akai. "By the way, you would do well to report to your regimental commander and urge him to exercise extreme vigilance against this unit."

"Should you cross paths with them, do not casually divide your forces or act rashly. Otherwise, you will easily expose your vulnerabilities to this unit's commander, who will launch a devastating surprise attack on your vital organs."

Major Akai, however, remained unimpressed. "I shall report the Colonel's suggestions in due course!"

Yamamoto said no more. Arrogant as he was, offering even a single word of warning was already an exceptional concession. These conservative regular army officers still clung stubbornly to outmoded military concepts, arrogantly believing their troops remained invincible under heaven.

Most generals failed to realize that on this soil, their ground forces had already slipped into a state of decline—no... it was not that they failed to realize it, but rather that they refused to acknowledge it.

Including Major Akai, many generals considered his special forces unit to be nothing more than showmen seeking cheap applause. To this, Yamamoto could only mutter inwardly that they were all fools!

Yamamoto left Wuyin County city and boarded the train back to Taiyuan. His primary purpose for coming here had been Major Ginjo and the reserve squad training in the area.

Sitting on the train, recalling the battle scars he had witnessed at the POW camp, Yamamoto felt a surge of irritation toward Major Ginjo, whom he had previously regarded as a capable subordinate. "Ginjo, you absolute fool!"

The man should have utilized the squad's independent combat capabilities to wage urban and mobile warfare against the enemy, rather than stubbornly clinging to a fixed position and fighting a defensive battle.

Upon his return, Yamamoto resolved to step up the special forces' training in precisely this area.

Furthermore, "The Eighth Route Army? You are next on the list!"

Yamamoto harbored massive ambitions. Eager to prove the utility of his special forces, he had identified two targets in Shanxi province most worthy of his attention: one was the Second War Zone Headquarters, and the other was the Eighth Route Army Headquarters.

The recent losses convinced him to lock his sights firmly upon the Eighth Route Army Headquarters.

Upon returning to the First Army Headquarters, Yamamoto found Yoshio Shinozuka in a spacious hall, standing respectfully to the side as he awaited the general.

Shinozuka, who was bent over a desk practicing calligraphy, penned the final stroke, laid down his writing brush, and placed his hands behind his back, gazing with satisfaction at the large characters before him.

After a long moment, Shinozuka finally raised his head to look at Yamamoto. "You have kept Colonel Yamamoto waiting."

Yamamoto held deep respect for General Shinozuka, who had consistently supported him. "Not at all, General, your subordinate only just arrived."

Shinozuka strolled to the side of the hall and seated himself comfortably in a heavy hardwood armchair. "How did the Colonel's excursion go?"

Yamamoto carefully and meticulously reported the intelligence he had gathered and analyzed to Shinozuka.

"General, I maintain my previous judgment. On this increasingly balanced battlefield, the strength of a mere ant can tip a stable scale, and this small unit of the Eighth Route Army is living proof of that!"

"The cage tactics currently implemented by our army are being systematically dismantled by the Eighth Route Army. Our forces must reform our tactics without delay!"

Shinozuka nodded in agreement, concurring with Yamamoto's assessment. "Indeed. Colonel Yamamoto's special operations doctrine is exceptionally well-suited to countering the Eighth Route Army's guerrilla warfare!"

Seeing that Shinozuka was highly receptive to his ideas, Yamamoto seized the opportunity to pitch his own plan. "General, I have decided to launch a surprise raid against the Eighth Route Army's Frontline Command Headquarters. I earnestly request intelligence support from the headquarters!"

Shinozuka, however, did not immediately grant the operational request. After a brief pause for thought, he said, "Yamamoto-kun, I personally support your decision. So long as the Eighth Route Army is not eliminated, our rear areas will never know peace!"

Yamamoto understood instantly that his objective would have to be temporarily shelved, and with commendable tact, he did not press the matter further.

Shinozuka then explained the reason. "Just recently, the North China Area Army Headquarters issued a new directive ordering my First Army to launch an offensive against the Nationalist army forces stationed near Jincheng and completely annihilate them."

"We are to clear the supply routes and link the areas under our army's occupation in Shanxi province with those in northern Henan province!"

"The headquarters has designated this operational plan as the 'Southern Shanxi Spring Offensive'!"

"For now, Colonel Yamamoto, you must shift your focus entirely to this operational mission. We all recognize your exceptional talents as a staff officer."

Yamamoto snapped to attention, clicked his heels, and bowed deeply. "Hai, wakarimashita!"

Mindful of his trusted subordinate's emotional state, Shinozuka offered a guarantee. "Rest assured, Yamamoto-kun. Once the operation concludes, I will instruct the intelligence department to throw its full weight behind you."

"At that time, I will invite Major General Miyano, Chief of Staff of the North China Area Army Headquarters, to observe a demonstration of your special operations. Yamamoto-kun, you may display your capabilities to your heart's content!"

Yamamoto's tone was resolute. "Please rest assured, General, your subordinate will undoubtedly shatter Major General Miyano's outdated conventional infantry mindset!"

Filled with absolute confidence, Yamamoto resolved to use the Eighth Route Army Headquarters as the proving ground to sway Major General Miyano and elevate his theories of special operations to widespread prominence.

While Li Yunlong was still occupied with resting and regrouping, the entire First Army of the Japanese forces, acting on Shinozuka's directives, began mobilizing on a massive scale, continuously converging toward the southern Shanxi region.

Multiple divisions abandoned their permanent garrisons and marched along predetermined routes toward their assembly zones.

Vast quantities of military supplies were funneled into southern Shanxi via the Zhengtai and Baijin railways.

To guarantee the security of these supply lines, Japanese garrison troops and the majority of puppet puppet-army units were ordered to patrol the railway and highway corridors with heightened frequency, clearing out all hostile elements.

For a time, the atmosphere across Shanxi grew tense and perilous, heavy with the gathering clouds of war.

Such large-scale maneuvers by the Japanese naturally could not escape the notice of the Eighth Route Army Headquarters and the Second War Zone Headquarters, both of which quickly deduced the enemy's true intentions.

General Wei Lihuang, the frontline commander-in-chief of the Second War Zone Headquarters, immediately established contact with the commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army Headquarters.

Disregarding Chiang Kai-shek's repeated, strict injunctions, Wei Lihuang took the initiative to request that the Eighth Route Army harass the Japanese rear supply lines. The two sides pledged to cooperate sincerely to shatter the Japanese ambition to link southern Shanxi with northern Henan.