Devil's Army

Chapter 1801: The 1st Army Assembles in Northern Anhui

After the First Army Navy took over the Qingdao Dockyard Factory, it was renamed the Anti-Japanese First Army Qingdao Dockyard Repair Factory and hired skilled workers and engineers in the city at high salaries.

In this naval battle at the mouth of the Yuxi River on the Yangtze River, ten Japanese gunboats and small warships were captured, and the demand for technical workers and engineers in the dock became more urgent.

Ji Xiong'an then sent a telegram back to Huludao, requesting support from a group of skilled workers and engineers.

There are many small tributaries in the Yangtze River Basin, and small gunboats and small-tonnage warships are more practical than large warships.

After receiving Captain Ji's telegram, Jackal arranged for a group of technical workers and an engineer to fly to Qingdao the next day.

When the Japanese fleet was attacked at the mouth of the Yuxi River, it immediately sent a telegram back to Wuhu for help.

The Japanese commander in Wuhu immediately mobilized warships operating in the waters around Wuhan and Jiujiang to rush to support.

At that time, the main forces of the Japanese Navy were fighting the US Army in the Pacific. The Japanese warships left in China were small in tonnage and few in number.

The Japanese commander finally organized a fleet of 16 warships led by a destroyer and rushed to the mouth of the Yuxi River.

When the Japanese fleet arrived at the mouth of the Yuxi River, the battle was already over.

The captain could see nothing but the surging waters pouring into the Yangtze.

Although the distress telegram said they were attacked by an unknown warship, the captain must have thought they were attacked by the Devil Force Navy.

The Devil Force Naval Base closest to the mouth of the Yuxi River is Qingdao Port.

The captain did not dare to lead the fleet to Qingdao Port for revenge.

First of all, the tonnage of their fleet is not much larger than the Qingdao Port Devil Force Navy Fleet.

Secondly, Qingdao has the Devil Force's air force. Under the pincer attack of the Devil Force's navy and air force, he has no chance of winning.

This matter was reported to the Japanese Navy Headquarters.

The Japanese navy was furious about their defeats in Lushun and Dalian, and now a devilish navy has appeared in Shandong.

They could not sit idly by and watch the Chinese navy grow stronger, so he mobilized the fleet that had fought against the US military to return to support and prepare to destroy the devilish navy of Qingdao.

Commander Isoroku Yamamoto was preparing for a decisive battle with the US Navy and was unable to take care of the devilish Chinese navy.

The Japanese commander in Wuhan then mobilized the navy in Southeast Asia to provide support.

The Japanese fleet that arrived at Yuxikou was too large and had no way of reaching Bengbu City via the Yuxi River.

Therefore, the plan to arrange naval support and attack Bengbu City from the Huai River was shelved.

Although the Japanese army's plan to move north to occupy Bengbu City failed, the plan to move one army south was still being accelerated.

The 15th Brigade of the 1st Army arrived in Bengbu City on the day of the Battle of Yuxi River.

The 5th Brigade left its direct battalion and other direct troops in Shandong to assist the Eighth Route Army in protecting Shandong, and four regiments also moved south to Huaibei City.

For a time, four brigades, namely the Independent Brigade of the First Anti-Japanese Army, the 12th Brigade, the 15th Brigade and the 5th Brigade, were concentrated north of the Huai River in Anhui.

The First Army Air Force also transferred two squadrons of air force from Shandong to Dangshan Airport.

Although the aviation forces of these two squadrons were not as strong as the Japanese aviation forces stationed at Guangde, Hefei, Anqing and Wuhu airports in Anhui, the aviation forces of Shandong and Henan were ready to enter Anhui for support at any time.

Under such circumstances, Division Commander Kumagai still ordered their air force to prepare to bomb several cities in northern Anhui occupied by the devil troops.