Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

North China Joint Command, Operations Room.

On the huge sand table, war games have been played countless times, but the road to Jinling still seems to be full of thorns.

Chu Yunfei stood with his hands behind his back, slowly pacing around the sand table, his deep gaze sweeping back and forth over the areas representing the suppression of bandits in western Henan and the remnants of the situation in Hebei.

He was pondering the next steps for the relocation and reorganization of the troops.

The only sounds in the operations room were the staff officers talking in hushed tones and the scratching of pencils across maps; the atmosphere was tense yet orderly.

Just then, the door to the operations room was suddenly pushed open.

Zhang Dayun strode in with the speed of a gust of wind, his face beaming with barely suppressed joy. "Lord Yun! Chief Advisor, this is fantastic news!"

His loud voice instantly shattered the silence of the room.

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's eyes immediately turned from the maps and documents to him.

Zhang Dayun didn't keep anyone in suspense. He cleared his throat, took out a telegram from his pocket, and said loudly, "I just received an urgent telegram from the Second War Zone Command!"

The Longcheng Arsenal's new individual assault weapon—the "Type 31" disposable rocket launcher—officially passed its final test yesterday!
The weapon system has passed the acceptance test by the command headquarters in terms of power, safety, and portability.

"what?!"

"Success?!"

In the operations room, an incredulous gasp erupted instantly!

"Not only did it succeed!" Zhang Dayun's face flushed with excitement: "According to the report from General Manager Zhang's office, its performance is almost identical to the American 'Bazooka'! Small-batch production can begin within the month!"

"and."

Zhang Dayun took a deep breath and then dropped another bombshell: "With the help of American technical advisors, we have completed the research and development of our improved version of the egg-shaped offensive grenade!"
Mass production is expected to begin within three months, with an estimated annual output of 400,000 units!

If the first piece of news was a surprise...

The second piece of news was pure elation!
Everyone present was a seasoned professional soldier.

They understood better than anyone what the creation of these two weapons meant.

"Type 31 rocket launcher." Lin Wei strode over to Zhang Dayun, snatched the telegram, and repeatedly examined the performance data on it, muttering to himself, "Doesn't this mean that in the not-too-distant future, every one of our infantry squads will have the ability to independently destroy enemy field fortifications at close range!"

"It's more than just fortifications!"

Commander Xu Hu, who was on the front line, slapped his thigh excitedly: "With this thing, our men will no longer have to rely on cluster grenades and their own flesh and blood to fight against the Japanese tanks and armored vehicles!"
We finally have our own truly meaningful anti-tank weapon for our infantry!

An atmosphere of joy quickly spread through the operations room.

A genuine smile appeared on Chu Yunfei's face.

This was a tactical requirement he personally proposed to the arsenal four years ago after the Battle of Datong, and now it has finally borne fruit.

“Egg-shaped grenades are also a future trend,” Lin Wei said calmly, putting down the telegram. “They are extremely useful in urban warfare. However…”

He then shifted his tone and pointed out the practical problems.

"Wooden-handled grenades also have their advantages."

"At least in terms of ease of production and low manufacturing costs, it has a clear advantage."

"Given our current industrial capacity and troop size, we are probably not yet able to achieve a complete overhaul."

Zhang Dayun nodded and added, "That's right, it was also mentioned in Commander Chu's telegram."

The initial production capacity of these two new weapons is very limited.

Allocation can only be made at the discretion of the authorities; it cannot be fully tilted towards one another.

After all, the number of our combat troops is simply too large.

To meet the needs of the vast majority of our brothers, we still need to rely on mass-producing relatively inexpensive weapons and equipment.

This reality cooled down the previously incredibly heated atmosphere in the room slightly.

Yes, good things are good.

But with more wolves than meat, how should they be divided?
Under normal circumstances, Chu Yunfei's command operations were carried out by combat units with a combat capability rating of Grade A (combat capability rating by the Ministry of Military Affairs) to undertake assault missions.

Even if we only meet the needs of this part of the Class A combat troops, a production capacity of 400,000 is far from enough.

All eyes turned to Chu Yunfei once again.

Chu Yunfei slowly walked to the sand table.

He picked up the small, blue arrow-shaped piece representing the "reconnaissance battalion" and weighed it lightly in his hand.

“Since the new combat weapons are made of high-quality steel,” his voice was calm, yet filled with an undeniable determination, “then they should be used where they are most needed.”

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over everyone present: "Order the Longcheng Arsenal to immediately adjust its production capacity and, as soon as possible, prioritize the distribution of the first batch of 'Type 31' rocket launchers and offensive grenades to the reconnaissance brigade and the 'Jinling Operation' special assault team that is currently being formed."

Chu Yunfei paused, then changed the subject, raising a question that no one present had considered: "But having weapons alone is not enough."

Chu Yunfei looked at Xu Hu and asked, "Xu Hu, I have a question for you."

"If you were to have your men carry a submachine gun, four magazines, four egg-shaped grenades, a rocket launcher, and two spare rounds, how would you carry them?"

Xu Hu was taken aback, and subconsciously replied, "Reporting to the chief advisor! Grenades are on my waist, magazines are in my pockets, and the rocket launchers are carried by the brothers without submachine guns!"

This is the most traditional, and currently the only, way to carry it.

Chu Yunfei shook his head: "Too slow, too chaotic, and too unscientific."

He walked to the blackboard, picked up the chalk, and, relying on his memories from the future, quickly sketched a simple design full of modern aesthetics.

It was a prototype tactical vest based on H-shaped straps, with multiple standardized modular ports on the chest and waist.

“Traditional ammunition pouches are scattered and cumbersome, easily lost during strenuous exercise, and inconvenient to access.”

“Egg-shaped grenades are inconvenient to carry on the body and are prone to making knocking noises, making them difficult to carry out infiltration operations.”

Pointing to the sketch, he explained to everyone, "Have the Jinzhong Needle and Thread Factory immediately set up a special task force! Based on the size and weight of all the individual weapons and equipment that the reconnaissance brigade currently has, such as submachine guns, grenades, and rocket launchers, design a brand new, standardized individual carrying gear for me."

Chu Yunfei's voice became incredibly clear and firm: "It must be able to scientifically and rationally integrate all the ammunition and equipment that soldiers need to carry onto a single vest!"

Our soldiers must be able to keep their equipment as stable as a mountain when running, crawling, or climbing! They must be able to reach for magazines and grenades within easy reach!

Xu Hu's eyes lit up.

He could almost see his brothers fighting bravely in this practical equipment.

If they had suitable carrying equipment, it would be like adding wings to their fighting ability.

"Chief Advisor," he said excitedly, "if this thing can really be made, the combat effectiveness of our reconnaissance battalion can at least double!"

Yan Ruifeng seized the opportunity to step forward: "Chief Consultant, I also have some ideas for improving the carrying equipment. Do you think you could let me take charge of this matter?"

"Very good, Ruifeng, I'll leave this matter to you. The overall improvement strategy for the carrying equipment is not only responsible for this raid, but also for the vast number of grassroots officers and soldiers and field troops in the future."

"Make the joint command's stance clear to the Jinzhong Needle and Thread Factory: money is not a problem, manpower is not a problem, I want to see samples as soon as possible, within forty days at the latest!"

"understand!"

Chu Yunfei took the telegram from the communications officer, then turned to Lin Wei: "Chief of Staff Lin."

Lin Wei stepped forward, awaiting Chu Yunfei's new instructions.

"The year-end inspection led by the Ministry of Military Affairs is about to begin, and I plan to put you in charge of the joint command."

Lin Wei nodded solemnly: "Okay, please."

"This year, Commander Chen changed the previous inspection method, and mainly conducted a comprehensive evaluation based on three aspects: troop strength, discipline, and training. The evaluation model for Class A combat units and Class B combat units is slightly different."

Lin Wei and Chen Cixiu have a close relationship, so there's no problem entrusting this matter to Lin Wei.

If you can pass the inspections of the Ministry of Military Affairs, the Commander-in-Chief's Office, the General Headquarters, and your superiors, and achieve good results.

Even a Class B combat unit may be "upgraded".

If a Class A combat unit performs poorly, it is very likely to be disciplined, such as punishing officers at all levels.

The vast majority of troops in North China are currently in relatively good condition.

Generally, division-level commanders will periodically convene meetings with battalion-level and above commanding officers during non-combat periods.

Further in-depth discussions should be held on aspects such as combat, education, and personnel, and further regulations should be established.

"Yes!" The next day, early morning.

At the entrance of the Changzhi Joint Command Center, two dusty jeeps slowly came to a stop.

The car door opened, and several figures stepped out.

The two leaders had completely different temperaments, yet they strangely blended together.

A burly man, dressed in a faded Eighth Route Army uniform with his collar slightly open, exuding an air of fearlessness and valor, was none other than Li Yunlong, the newly appointed commander of the Eastern Expeditionary Column.

The other person was tall and had a refined and scholarly demeanor.

Between his brows, one could see the firmness and composure that belonged to an intellectual; he was Zhao Gang, the deputy director of the political department.

"Old Zhao, this is Chu Yunfei's command post. Isn't it impressive?"

Li Yunlong, with his hands behind his back, looked with great interest at the armed sentries at the gate and the blue sky with a white sun flag flying high, as if he were inspecting his own territory.

Zhao Gang straightened his military cap and solemnly reminded him, "Old Li, watch your words. We're here on behalf of the organization to attend an important meeting."

Just then, a familiar figure strode out of the command post.

"Commander Li! Political Commissar Zhao! Oh no, now you should call me Commander Li and Director Zhao! Welcome, welcome!"

The person who came was Zhao Pengcheng, who had a warm smile on his face and took the initiative to extend his hand.

"Hey, I'm talking to Chief of Staff Zhao!"

Upon seeing him, Li Yunlong burst into laughter, slapping Zhao Pengcheng's hand hard with his large, fan-like hand: "You little rascal, the higher your rank rises, the bigger your airs get!"

"Commander Li is joking."

Zhao Pengcheng smiled and casually withdrew his hand, which had gone numb from being slapped: "Wasn't this on the orders of Your Excellency to come and receive you?"

Zhao Gang, on the other hand, appeared much more proper. He stepped forward, shook hands with Zhao Pengcheng, and said in a polite and sincere tone, "Lieutenant Zhao, thank you for your hard work. I apologize for bothering you with this visit."

"Director Zhao, you're too kind. Please come in."

Zhao Pengcheng led the two through the heavily guarded sentry area towards the operations room.

Along the way, Li Yunlong looked around and kept talking.

"Hey, Lao Zhao, where's Sun Ming?"

"I remember he was always following Commander Chu around, wasn't he?"

"Did you do something wrong that led to your chief consultant relegating you to a lower position?"

Upon hearing the name "Sun Ming".

Zhao Pengcheng's smile faded slightly, turning into a helpless sigh: "Commander Sun, he doesn't have time to stay in the command post right now."

"He is currently in the Fifth War Zone, in charge of reorganizing and reorganizing the 22nd Army Group of the Sichuan Army."

"This is a task that is more tiring than fighting a major battle. Originally, the commander-in-chief assigned it to me, but due to some special circumstances, Commander Sun took over."

Zhao Pengcheng's tone was full of exhaustion: "But to be honest, it's good that this job wasn't assigned to me. The progress is quite slow."

That unit had too many old officers and veterans who needed to be replaced.

Ideological work is difficult, interpersonal relationships are complex; it's an incredibly massive undertaking.

When the Sichuan Army was mentioned, Zhao Gang, who had been mostly silent, suddenly became very talkative. A genuine admiration flashed in his eyes.

"Sichuan Army."

Zhao Gang remarked with emotion: "Although they have many problems, their faith in serving their country to the death is beyond reproach."

I heard that since the start of the War of Resistance against Japan, they wore straw sandals, carried old-fashioned rifles, and traveled thousands of miles out of Sichuan to fight the Japanese, participating in almost all the major battles.

No matter how fierce the fighting was, there was never any record of an entire unit surrendering.

This spirit deserves our utmost respect.

After listening, Zhao Pengcheng simply nodded noncommittally: "Director Zhao is right."

His assessment was objective and calm: "In the Sichuan Army, there were indeed a number of troops who were good at fighting and loyal to the country. For example, General Wang Mingzhang's old unit, the 124th Division, fought to the death in Tengxian, which was truly admirable."

His tone shifted, becoming somewhat cold: "However, there are also some units whose performance is truly unsatisfactory."

"Take the Sichuan Army's 45th Army, which was also involved in the Battle of Xuzhou, for example. Its 127th Division collapsed at the first touch when attacked by a small Japanese unit."

"After the war, the number of deserters counted exceeded 7,500. How many people were in a whole division?"

Zhao Pengcheng shook his head, his voice laced with sarcasm: "To put it bluntly, they're an army built of sand, which will crumble in the wind. That's why we urgently need to reorganize and reorganize the Sichuan Army."

These words left Zhao Gang speechless.

Although he admired the Sichuan Army's spirit of resisting Japan, he had to admit that even the best groups will always have bad apples.

Li Yunlong listened from the side, chuckled, and interjected, "What's so hard to understand about that?"
If one soldier is a coward, the whole general will be a coward!
If the officials are spineless, what future can the soldiers have?
If you ask me, Commander Li should have dragged out and executed all those cowardly cowards who led the escape!

Zhao Pengcheng smiled and said, "That's not the case. The theater command has no authority to deal with officers above the regimental level. All decisions must be reported to the Military Commission for approval. Even during the period from detention and investigation to the final trial, these people's most basic rights must be guaranteed."

"Of course, the theater military law department has the authority to take emergency measures in special circumstances, and the military law enforcement department also has relevant disciplinary regulations, but they are very well applied."

"Your army's military regulations and discipline have indeed improved several times over compared to before, which is commendable."

"Just like that military song that was popular in North China, they are the vanguard of the people and the armed forces of the nation."

Hearing the genuine admiration in Zhao Gang's tone, Zhao Pengcheng was naturally overjoyed: "Of course..."

The three chatted as they walked to the entrance of the reception room.

Zhao Pengcheng glanced down at his wristwatch: "Please go to the lounge to rest. The meeting is expected to start in another thirty-five minutes."

"it is good!"

Not long after, another set of footsteps approached.

Chu Yunfei's hearty laughter drifted from afar: "Director Zhao, you're being too kind to the younger generation."

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang had barely settled into their seats when they hurriedly stood up again.

soon.

Accompanied by Chu Yunfei, Director Zhao quickly arrived at the reception room.

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang quickly saluted: "Commander Chu, Director Zhao."

Director Zhao and Chu Yunfei returned the greeting.

Then Chu Yunfei spoke directly: "Brother Yunlong, Brother Zhao, you should know this person."

I won't go into too much detail. The meeting will start promptly in thirty minutes. You can rest for a moment and wait a bit.

"Yes!"

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang naturally showed great respect to their leader, the two chief logistics officers, and gestured for him to take a seat.

Director Zhao didn't stand on ceremony and looked at the two of them with a smile: "You know what was discussed in this meeting, right?"

Li Yunlong's tone carried a hint of uncertainty: "It seems to be because the bandit suppression work in western Henan is not going smoothly?"

"good."

Director Zhao nodded seriously: "Suppressing bandits and quelling rebellions is imperative. The fact that Zhao Chengshou, leading a cavalry army, had such difficulty in suppressing bandits is enough to show that the bandit problem in the Central Plains is quite serious."

I also received news that some councilors in the mountain city have even begun impeaching Zhao's troops for their bandit suppression efforts, and some local gentry have expressed a preference for having the Japanese stationed there rather than Zhao's troops.

Upon hearing this, Li Yunlong immediately became anxious, his eyes widening like donkey testicles: "Isn't this just utter nonsense? The local gentry and local bandits have countless shady relationships, yet they still have the nerve to come to Shancheng."

In his spare time, he was a bandit; in his working days, he was a farmer.

Occasionally, he would take on the job of robbery and plunder.

Local gentry stepped forward and called for donations of money and grain to suppress the bandits.

In reality, it's all split 20/80 or 30/70.

How could you possibly wipe out all the bandits?
The fact that even Zhao Chengshou, a veteran of military affairs, has been dealt with speaks volumes.
This suggests that Zhao Chengshou's previous approach may have been correct, but the local grassroots forces were deeply entrenched and even resorted to such underhanded tactics to drive Zhao Chengshou away.

Zhao Gang stroked his chin and continued, "I'm afraid this matter will have to be discussed at a meeting." (End of Chapter)