If Division Headquarters t with an unforeseen event, it would not only an that the entire division would lose its command system, but it would also signify that their military had utterly lost any hope of victory.
The Second Infantry Regint wasn't far from Division Headquarters, and after walking for a few minutes, they had almost approached the location of the headquarters.
However, the closer Nakamura Daiki got to Division Headquarters, the more anxious he beca. The area had suffered even more intense bombing, indicating that the hope of Headquarters' survival was even lower.
"Your Excellency, Division Commander? Your Excellency, Brigade Commander?" Nakamura Daiki tried calling out.
But there was no response. This area, which should have been bustling with the division's core forces, was eerily silent, like a no-man's land.
Swallowing hard, Nakamura Daiki raised his voice, unwilling to give up and continued to shout.
"Nakamura, over here." Suddenly, a voice interrupted Nakamura Daiki's shouting.
"Inada, I'm coming right over!" Nakamura Daiki quickly identified who was calling him and hurriedly responded with joy.
Inada Matsuo was a staff officer at the Type A Division Headquarters, and because he was often close to Division Commander Murai Noo, he knew many of the high-ranking officers very well, including Nakamura Daiki, who was currently fraught with anxiety.
After walking a few more steps, Nakamura Daiki realized sothing was amiss. The location where Inada Matsuo was didn't look like Division Headquarters at all, and he could see hardly any of the senior officers.
"Inada, what's happening?" Nakamura Daiki had a bad feeling and quickly asked.
"Nakamura, both His Excellency, the Division Commander, and His Excellency, the Brigade Commander, have fallen in the enemy's bombing," Inada Matsuo said with a grief-stricken face, delivering shocking news.
"How is that possible?" Nakamura Daiki, his face a picture of shock, turned a shade of gray, his eyes filled with despair.
"Alas, Nakamura, we've lost contact with the Type B Division. We've completely failed in the battle for the Okinawa Archipelago," Inada Matsuo said, his face pale with despair, stripped of his previous confidence.
Nakamura Daiki's face also bore the look of desperation. He couldn't believe the division's casualties were greater than those of his own infantry regint, and even the high-ranking division officers had been largely wiped out.
"How many soldiers do we still have?" Nakamura Daiki urgently inquired.
If they could preserve enough combat-capable soldiers, perhaps they would still have a chance to survive. But both Nakamura Daiki and Inada Matsuo knew that, with the Australasians' furious bombardnt, the division's remaining number of combat-capable soldiers was unlikely to be large.
"The Second Infantry Brigade's First Infantry Regint has around 1400 combat-capable soldiers left. The division's own regints combined only have just over 1000 combat-capable soldiers. What about your Second Infantry Regint? How are the casualties?" Inada Matsuo reported a number that plunged Nakamura Daiki further into despair.
"The Second Infantry Regint has about 1600 combat-capable soldiers left," Nakamura Daiki said grimly, his words causing the few around him to abandon hope.
The entire division had only 4000 combat-capable soldiers left. With those numbers, not to ntion a counterattack against Naha, even ensuring their own safety was doubtful.
What was even more fatal was that if the Australasians launched another massive bombing in a short ti, these 4000 might be completely obliterated during the assault.
After steadying his emotions, Nakamura Daiki fird up his gaze and turned to the few remaining officers of Division Headquarters, asking, "Gentlen, do you want to die on the battlefield like this?"
Do you want to die on the battlefield like this?
If this question had been posed before they joined the war, these officers would have had only one unanimous answer, that was to die on the battlefield in any manner.
But the problem is, after being baptized by the realities of the battlefield, they all understood the cruelty of war. If they were to answer the sa question now, their answers would clearly be different.
"Nakamura, do you have any good plans?" All the senior division officers, including Inada Matsuo, turned their gazes toward Nakamura Daiki, with a hint of hope flickering in their eyes.
"If you gentlen wish to live, there are two options available," Nakamura Daiki glanced at everyone before speaking slowly, word by word.
"What are the options?" An officer, clearly impatient, couldn't wait to ask.
"The first option is to break through to the north and et up with the troops of the Type B Division. The Type B Division has a garrison of close to 5000 n. With our military forces combined, we could barely muster an army of nearly 10000 n. It's possible to put up so resistance against the Australasians," Nakamura Daiki said gradually.
After a mont of contemplation, Inada Matsuo was the first to step forward and ask, "And the second plan, Nakamura?"
"The second plan is to surrender to the Australasians and seek the status of international prisoners of war," Nakamura Daiki paused, proposing an idea that made everyone's complexion change.
"Damn it! That's absolutely impossible!" A staff officer from the headquarters imdiately interrupted Nakamura Daiki, his gaze sharp as he looked at Nakamura Daiki, speaking very angrily, "It would be a betrayal of the Empire and His Majesty the Emperor. I would never surrender to those Australasians."
Although the surrounding officers didn't speak, it was evident from their facial expressions that they were montarily unable to accept surrendering to Australasia.
Nakamura Daiki wasn't surprised by their reaction and said indifferently, "Since everyone does not agree to surrender, then our only choice is to do our best to break through to the north. But let be frank, if we have decided to fully commit to breaking out, I hope that you gentlen can lead your troops and fight to the death.
This is not only about whether you can successfully break out to the northern area of the Type B Division, but it also concerns your chance of survival.
I don't want anyone to beco a burden. If we really decide to break out, we must execute it firmly."
"Of course," Inada Matsuo was the first to nod and say, "The regint directly under the division will fully cooperate with the actions of the Second Infantry Regint, and the Gendarrie will supervise all units to ensure our plan is carried out smoothly."
Seeing that a few people nodded, Nakamura Daiki finally felt relieved. A hint of determination flashed in his eyes, and he addressed everyone, "Then gentlen, please follow , and for our last hope of survival, let us fight to the death."
"Yes, sir!"
Under Nakamura Daiki's mobilization, the remaining few thousand soldiers of the division quickly sprang into action.
Since their life and death were at stake, all officers tacitly decided to abandon the severely wounded soldiers.
Of course, before leaving, they left a bullet for the severely wounded soldiers. If they could no longer bear the tornt, they had the option to end things themselves.
This was pretty much an unspoken rule on the battlefield. If soldiers were severely injured and practically beyond saving, it was common to assist a comrade-in-arms in their release.
After all, continuing to live in such conditions was only a form of torture. At that ti, dical technology could hardly save those with grave injuries, so ending their own life was, ironically, a release.
Naturally, most of the lightly wounded soldiers who were still capable of moving joined the breakout group.
After a brief reorganization, an army of about 4000 n was ready to move again.
Due to the Bombing, the military had lost a lot of weapons and equipnt. It took nearly half an hour to gather enough weapons and equipnt for each soldier by combing through the battlefield.
"Gentlen, for our last hope of survival, for our wives and children back in the Dostic lands, please join in one final effort. For survival!" With an encouraging rallying cry, more than 4000 soldiers marched en masse toward the north of the main island.
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