Chapter 1414 Seppuku and Resignation

On the afternoon of April 26, the battle between the 23rd Army of the German Army and the 14th Front Army and the 7th Front Army of the Japanese Army came to an end. After the remnants of the 14th Front Army and the 7th Front Army of the Island Army retreated to the south of Crocker Hill, the German 23rd Armored Division stopped pursuing.

Although, there are roads through Crocker Hill. But the valley is narrow. Once the island army deploys a large number of anti-tank guns in the valley, it will be able to turn the valley into a cemetery for German armored forces. Therefore, in order to preserve the strength of the troops, Lieutenant General William Adam ordered to stop the pursuit. He is already very satisfied with the current results.

After another victory, Lieutenant General William Adam had no regrets and could organize troops to withdraw from Borneo. After continuous fighting, the 23rd Army has achieved great results. At the same time, the soldiers were also very tired, and it was time to rest. Lieutenant General William Adam believed that after the islanders occupied Borneo and Dutch Indonesia, they would not stop their invasion. Next, there will definitely be attacks on the Indochina Peninsula and Australia. At that time, they will continue to fight the Japanese army.

Perhaps it was because the 14th Front Army and the 7th Front Army fell into the trap and suffered heavy losses. When the German 23rd Army began to retreat in an orderly manner, the Japanese Army stopped pursuing. They were very worried whether this would be another German trap, deliberately luring them into the bait. If that's the case, one has to be careful. Otherwise, if the troops suffer heavy losses again, the consequences will be very serious.

The headquarters of the 14th Front of the Japanese Army. Admiral Masahiro Honma sat on his seat with a pale face. The paleness this time was undoubtedly a great blow to him. He was ordered to restrain the 7th Front Army and the 18th Front Army. However, because of him, the 18th Front Army was completely wiped out, and the 14th Front Army and the 7th Front Army also suffered heavy losses.

Although Lieutenant General Masahiro Honma wanted to say that he didn't want to do this either, the reason for this result was entirely because the combat effectiveness of the German 23rd Army was too strong.

However, it seems that it is useless to say these now. It is already a fact that the troops have suffered heavy losses. Then the sophistry is pale and powerless in the face of such facts.

"Your Excellency, Commander, the battle report has been drawn up." Lieutenant General Masami Maeda, chief of staff of the 14th Front Army, reported.

"En!" Lieutenant General Masahiro Honma nodded, and then signed his name on the battle report.

Lieutenant General Maeda Masami hesitated to speak, but in the end he turned and left the office without saying anything.

Lieutenant General Masharu Honma drew his samurai sword. For this defeat, someone must be responsible for it. Lieutenant General Masahiro Honma, who was ordered to command the three front armies, undoubtedly became the best scapegoat. Perhaps, he was unwilling in his heart, but there was nothing he could do. When he received this appointment, everything seemed to be doomed.

If he can lead the three front armies to defeat the German 23rd Army, then what awaits him is a promotion. Now that he is defeated, he will naturally have to pay the price for it.

"The Empire will win! His Majesty the Emperor!" Lieutenant General Masahiro Honma shouted loudly.

Then, he inserted the samurai sword in his hand directly into his stomach.

A sharp pain hit, Lieutenant General Masahiro Honma fell to the ground and gradually lost consciousness.

Manila, Island Army Southern Command. General Hisao Nishio, commander of the Southern Army, received a telegram from the 14th Front Army and the 7th Front Army. The 14th Front Army and the 7th Front Army suffered heavy losses again. Such a result made General Hisao Nishio very angry.

"Masaharu Honma and Shizuo Tanaka, are they idiots? They don't know, is this all a conspiracy by the Germans? Well now, the main forces of the two front armies have been wiped out by the Germans , how can this battle continue!" General Nishio Hiszo was furious.

Although, if the remaining troops of the 14th Front Army and the 7th Front Army add up, there are still more than 100,000 people. But what can such a small force do? Can it withstand the fierce attack of the Germans? That is undoubtedly a fool's dream. Even the 14th Front Army, the 7th Front Army and the 18th Front Army had nearly 700,000 troops in their heyday, but they were all defeated by the German 23rd Army. Let alone this.

"Your Excellency, Commander, will the follow-up troops be sent to Borneo?" asked Lieutenant General Tsukada, Chief of Staff of the Southern Army. Obviously, because of the disastrous defeat of the 14th Front Army and the 7th Front Army, the battle situation in Borneo has once again become very unfavorable to the island army.

"Of course we will be dispatched! We can't give up Borneo because of the disastrous defeat of the 14th Front Army and the 7th Front Army, right? In that case, wouldn't all previous efforts be wasted? Order the 2nd Army, 18th Army, 37th Army and 38th Army Army, speed up the progress, and land on Borneo as soon as possible. However, after they arrive in Borneo, don’t rush to attack the Germans, first occupy the eastern part of Borneo, and wait for the follow-up reinforcements to arrive before launching an attack!” General Nishio Hisao asked.

"Follow-up reinforcements? Your Excellency, Commander, apart from the fact that the Philippine Front Army has not been dispatched to Borneo, do we have any reinforcements?" Lieutenant General Tsukada asked in surprise.

You know, except for the troops stationed in the Philippines, the Southern Army has received orders and sent them to Borneo to fight.

"I will send a telegram to the country, asking them to send more reinforcements to us! The Germans are too powerful. With the troops before the Southern Army, it is impossible to defeat them!" General Hisao Nishio said.

Lieutenant General Tsukada Gong nodded involuntarily. Indeed, as Admiral Hisao Nishio said, the Germans were too powerful, and they were so powerful that they completely exceeded their expectations.

Just the 23rd Army of the German Army caused them to be devastated and suffered heavy losses. If the other three armies of the German army were added, the Southern Army might have been defeated long ago. Not to mention defeating the German army and occupying Southeast Asia and Australia. That is completely a luxury. If you want to win, the island country army may have to send more troops to fight. Otherwise, it would be impossible for them to win.

After arranging all this, General Hisao Nishio knew that this time the 14th Front Army and the 7th Front Army suffered disastrous defeats, and more people would definitely use this as an excuse to attack him.

General Hisao Nishio locked himself in his office and thought about it all night.

The next day, he personally drafted a telegram and sent it to the Army Ministry and Army General Staff of the island country, requesting his resignation as the commander of the Southern Army.