"Order all units to prepare their defenses. Deploy the anti-tank weapons and get ready to repel the German offensive!" Lieutenant General Sakurai Shōzō ordered.
"Several hundred German tanks and armored vehicles won't be so easy to stop, will they?" Lieutenant General Honda Masanori frowned.
"Honda, under these circumstances, all we can do is hope we can hold back the German offensive. Otherwise, the consequences will be extremely grave. As for retreating, that is even more impossible. The moment we retreat, the Germans will pursue us relentlessly. In the end, it will inevitably turn into a rout," Lieutenant General Sakurai Shōzō said.
Lieutenant General Honda Masanori nodded. He knew that if the troops broke into a rout, the consequences would be even more unthinkable. When that happened, all their forces would be easily divided, surrounded, and annihilated by the Germans.
"Sakurai, I'm going back to hold the line over there. No matter what, we have to find a way to hold on!" Lieutenant General Honda Masanori said.
"Very well, Honda. Let us hope Amaterasu Omikami blesses us." Lieutenant General Sakurai Shōzō sighed.
Lieutenant General Honda Masanori said nothing more and turned to leave. The situation was urgent. He had to gather his troops as quickly as possible, hoping they could withstand the German military's offensive in the coming battle.
The troops under Lieutenant General Honda Masanori's command included the remnants of the 18th Division and 56th Division formerly under the 33rd Army, as well as the 49th Division, 53rd Division, and Independent Mixed 105th Brigade. However, the 49th Division and 53rd Division had also suffered considerable losses in the battle to attack Kinabatangan. This left him with no confidence at all in being able to stop the German military's offensive.
Likewise, Lieutenant General Sakurai Shōzō was gathering his forces. The 31st