Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

(The image hasn't loaded yet...)

The first day of the first lunar month in the 32nd year of the Republic of China.

As the first bell of the New Year still echoes in the ancient temple, and as countless families are immersed in the joy of staying up late on New Year's Eve and their anticipation for the coming year.

In the villages and towns around Fengkou and Niejiahe, the 445th Regiment of the 149th Division of the National Revolutionary Army was stationed.

This unit was originally the First Division of the Sichuan Army. After the outbreak of the full-scale War of Resistance against Japan, it left Sichuan to fight and was stationed in Tongguan. It was under the command of the 44th Army. At this time, the division commander was Zhao Biguang.

Originally, it comprised the First Brigade, the Second Brigade, and the Third Brigade, which were later reduced and reorganized into the 445th and 447th Brigades.

In 41, the military reforms abolished the brigade headquarters, and the brigade was divided into three regiments: the 445th, 446th, and 447th.

The 445th Regiment is the main force of this unit.

At this moment, the officers and soldiers have just finished a simple reunion dinner.

After a few cups of cheap liquor, many soldiers, slightly tipsy, wrapped themselves in military blankets and fell into a deep sleep in the temporary civilian houses they had requisitioned.

The sentries at the front lines were also at their most alert due to the holiday. They huddled together in twos and threes in sheltered corners, chatting quietly about the New Year customs of their hometowns and hoping for an early victory in the war.

None of them noticed.

Countless pairs of eyes, gleaming with an eerie light, were silently closing in from all directions in the darkness.

"Boom! Boom!"

The dull cannon fire, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, suddenly exploded!
The Nationalist soldiers were instantly awakened from their sleep.

Before they could even understand what was happening, a barrage of shells came hurtling down, turning their village into a sea of ​​fire!
Roofs were blown off, walls collapsed in the explosion, and countless soldiers lost their lives in their sleep to collapsing buildings and flying shrapnel.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

The surviving officers shouted themselves hoarse, trying to organize an effective resistance.

However, it was too late.

The main force of the Japanese 13th Division pounced from all directions like a tiger released from its cage in the dark!
The machine gun fire tore through the darkness, and the explosions of grenade launchers echoed one after another.

The 445th Regiment, caught off guard, was almost immediately stunned, and its organization was disrupted in an instant.

The Sichuan Army was already much weaker than the main force in terms of combat effectiveness, let alone fighting against a top-tier combat unit like the Japanese 13th Division.

After a brief and ineffective resistance, the regimental commander, seeing that the situation was hopeless, had no choice but to order his troops to break out of the encirclement and retreat swiftly.
As dawn broke, the gunfire gradually subsided.

The area around Niejiahe was already scorched earth, and the Japanese army occupied the area almost without bloodshed.

Followed by.

The Japanese army launched a fierce attack on Jianli County without stopping.

In less than half a day, Jianli City fell.

The Japanese troops encountered almost no significant resistance during their advance.

……

Mountain city, Huangshan official residence.

The festive atmosphere of the New Year was completely shattered by this urgent telegram from the Sixth War Zone.

Chang Ruiyuan held the telegram that read "Jianli has fallen," his face ashen, his hands trembling slightly.

shame!

This is an utter disgrace!

Today, he is preparing to deliver a passionate and inspiring New Year's speech to the military and civilians across the country.

But now, this telegram, like a fishbone, was stuck in his throat, leaving him unable to utter a single word.

During the most important traditional festival, they were caught off guard by the enemy and lost a crucial defensive point on the Jianghan Plain.

This was nothing short of a resounding slap in the face, a brutal blow to the face of the supreme commander!

The directors of the entourage stood aside, not daring to even breathe loudly. The atmosphere in the entire office was as oppressive as the sky before a storm.

After a long while, Chang Ruiyuan slowly crumpled the telegram into a ball and threw it into the wastebasket.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger and humiliation in his heart, and his face regained the dignity of a leader.

His voice was cold and calm, devoid of any emotional fluctuation: "Proceed with the speech as usual."

Half an hour later, Chang Ruiyuan's familiar voice was broadcast throughout the Kuomintang-controlled areas via the Central Broadcasting Station.

"...On the occasion of the Spring Festival, on behalf of the National Government, I would like to extend my sincerest greetings and highest respect to all the brave soldiers who fought against the Japanese invasion and to all the compatriots who made silent contributions in the rear!"

Chang Ruiyuan's speech was powerful and enthusiastic. He praised the great spirit of the army and the people working together to overcome national difficulties, celebrated the glorious victory of the Northeast Advance Army in liberating Chahar, and called it "a key step on the journey of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation".

We thank the soldiers on the front lines for their heroic fighting and our allies for their selfless assistance.

Finally, Chang Ruiyuan even sincerely thanked God for His protection.
The entire speech was passionate, inspiring, and uplifting.

However, no one mentioned the recent fall of Jianli, or the crushing defeat that occurred in the early hours of the first day of the Lunar New Year.

……

Nanjing, the headquarters of the China Expeditionary Army.

The operations room was filled with an almost frenzied excitement.

Commander-in-Chief General Hata Shunroku held a battle report in his hand, which had just been forwarded by the 11th Army and was personally written by Lieutenant General Akashi Risa, the commander of the 13th Division. He felt as if everything before him was a dream.

"Unstoppable! Absolutely unstoppable!"

A young staff officer could no longer contain his excitement, waving his fist and cheering softly.

Hata Shunroku did not stop him.

In fact, he wasn't much better off himself; he was also extremely excited, but he was just suppressing it.

How long?
It has been more than a year since we have won a decent battle.

Not to mention the battles in Southeast Asia, they were utterly defeated and routed.

North China is even worse; it's a disgrace to our country.

As for the Central China side, they also suffered a crushing defeat in the Third Battle of Changsha.

For a whole year, a whole year, the entire China Expeditionary Army had not tasted victory.

The telegram was concise and powerful: "On the eve of the Chinese New Year, my division launched a surprise attack, and the enemy in front of us collapsed completely! In one day, we captured more than a dozen fortresses and strongholds, including Niejiahe and Zhoulaozui."

The following day, they swiftly captured Jianli County.

The enemy's 445th Regiment of the 149th Division was completely routed, suffering heavy casualties. The remaining troops scattered and fled, no longer forming a cohesive unit.

"Our troops are in high spirits and are currently carrying out a deep penetration into the enemy's heartland according to the original plan."

"It is expected that the encirclement of the enemy's 128th Division will be completed within three days!"

This is the proper performance of the Imperial Japanese Army when facing a weak Chinese army!
This is the winning rhythm they've become accustomed to over the past few years!
Hata Shunroku slowly put down the telegram in his hand.

He walked up to the huge battle map and looked at the red arrow representing the 13th Division, which was about to be branded into the depths of the Sixth War Zone's defenses like a red-hot iron. The frustration in his heart vanished instantly.

obviously.

These Japanese soldiers even subconsciously overlooked their absolute advantages. Compared to the combat troops of the Sixth War Zone, they had advantages in manpower, firepower, and personnel quality, and even controlled the air.

If you can't win a battle like this, you might as well surrender unconditionally as soon as possible.

If Chu Yunfei knew that his opponents now had this mindset...
I'm afraid we really have to agree to Bai Jiansheng's "Pinghan Railway Decisive Battle Plan".
-
In the operations room of the North China Joint Command, reports on the battle situation in the Jianghan Plain came in like a never-ending tide.

Chief of Staff Lin Wei was standing in front of a huge battle map, precisely planting red arrows representing the movements of the Japanese army onto the sand table.

His expression was extremely grave: "The situation is worse than we anticipated."

He turned around and looked at Chu Yunfei, who also had a serious expression, and reported in a heavy voice: "As of yesterday, February 16, the First and Second Columns of the Sixth War Zone Advance Army have begun to organize a counterattack."

Along the line of Jiangjiaqiao, Caojiafang, and Chenjiatai, fierce fighting broke out against the right-wing attack column of the Japanese invaders west of Honghu Lake.

"but."

Lin Wei's baton drew a sharp arc on the map: "The Japanese offensive is far from over."

"Based on the battle situation reported by the Sixth War Zone and the analysis of our intelligence department, the Japanese offensive was extremely meticulously planned and was a premeditated, multi-pronged pincer attack!"

His baton pointed out several key locations on the map.

"The Japanese right column, with the 1st Battalion of the 234th Regiment of the 40th Division as its vanguard, has penetrated deep into our territory from the direction of Ditou."

"The main force, the 13th Division, launched a general offensive southward from Shashi yesterday evening."

"This unit, based on the 65th Infantry Regiment (minus one battalion) and a mountain artillery battalion, had a strength of only four or five thousand men. However, its attack on the right flank was still divided into three routes. Its tactical intention was very clear: to carry out a deep penetration and division of our army!"

"Its left column, personally commanded by the 13th Division Headquarters, consists of the 104th Infantry Regiment, two battalions of the 65th Infantry Regiment, plus a mountain artillery battalion, and is launching a fierce attack from the Zifu Temple direction toward the Puji Temple direction!"

"Another battalion, designated 'Kamakura,' which is a battalion under the 65th Infantry Regiment, has set off from Jiaomiao and is flanking our Shagang direction along the Zhangjin River!"

Lin Wei paused, took a deep breath, and his voice became even heavier: "All of the above only refers to the battles that took place in the area west of Honghu Lake."

According to our intelligence, at the same time the Japanese launched their general offensive, their troops deployed in the Nanchang, Yueyang, and Zhijiang areas also launched a large-scale feint attack on our Ninth and Fifth War Zones!

"Their purpose is obvious!" A cold glint flashed in Lin Wei's eyes. "They want to hold back the main forces of the Ninth War Zone and the Sixth War Zone, so that the South China Joint Command cannot effectively mobilize troops to reinforce the Jianghan Plain."

The entire operations room was deathly silent.

Worry was written all over everyone's face.

Okamura Yasuji was a tortoise in North China.

Yokoyama Isamu, the newly appointed madman, launched a near-all-out attack in Central China in an even more ferocious and reckless manner.

Their actual combat target was only about 20,000 to 30,000 troops.

"Clearly, this is a full-blown political offensive."

Lin Wei then summarized: "The purpose was to achieve a tactical victory, thereby boosting the Japanese army's morale for combat."

Moreover, judging from the current deployment of the Japanese army, they will soon launch corresponding battles in the Fengkou area and along the south bank of the Yangtze River to ensure control of these thousands of acres of fertile paddy fields.

"As is well known, the Japanese army suffered heavy losses of ships due to the Pacific War, and there was a severe shortage of ships for transporting troops, military supplies, and raw materials."

Even the number of inland waterway transport vessels in the areas they occupy is decreasing.

Therefore, for the Japanese army, this was an inevitable battle to open up the Yangtze River shipping route, and its importance was self-evident.

The U.S. military attaché, Stone, nodded and echoed in somewhat broken Chinese, "Yes, according to our intelligence, Japan's maritime lifeline is extremely vulnerable. We also need our Chinese allies to launch a 'fatal blow' against it, to tie down the Japanese army as much as possible, so that we can launch further island-seizing operations."

Zhang Dayun flicked his cigarette ash and continued, "From an objective standpoint of strength, the Japanese army has concentrated two elite divisions, and this is a long-planned surprise attack. In the end, the Japanese will probably achieve a tactical victory."

"Similarly," he changed the subject, "judging from our current deployment adjustments and battle reports, the Sixth War Zone is clearly prepared for this operation as well."

Otherwise, their counterattack wouldn't have been so swift, nor would they have been able to assemble such a large number of fresh troops in less than half a day and rapidly move into their pre-designated defensive positions.

"With the numerous fortified defenses built by the Sixth War Zone in the Jianghan Plain, and their existing manpower, if they can resolutely maintain a continuous defensive strategy, the Japanese offensive may be slowed down, or they may even suffer greater losses than expected."

At this point, a deep worry appeared on Zhang Dayun's face: "What I'm really worried about is that the command of the Sixth War Zone will, in the course of subsequent battles, try to quickly regain lost territory for the sake of so-called 'face,' and will take the initiative to leave the pre-set positions and launch a counterattack."

In that case, our losses could very well increase many times over.

This will be a direct and fatal weakening of the already limited strength of the Sixth War Zone.

After carefully listening to Zhang Dayun's analysis, Sun Ming, who was also attending the meeting, expressed his opinion: "I agree with Section Chief Zhang's judgment."

The wisest choice for the Sixth War Zone at present is to continue to maintain a defensive posture.

Even if some positions are lost, do not rush to counterattack and retake them. Instead, continue to retreat, utilizing depth and pre-existing fortifications to wear down the enemy layer by layer.

He walked to the map and pointed to the vast plain: "In fact, the Japanese army cannot completely transform the fertile plain of Jianghan into their granary in a short period of time. This requires time and a stable rear. And we cannot give them that time."

“The longer we drag this out, the greater the logistical pressure on the Japanese army will be, and the troops they have lost in this offensive will not be effectively replenished in the short term. In fact,” a glint of light flashed in Sun Ming’s eyes, “we can also use this posture of resisting step by step to create the illusion that our main force is about to be encircled, and lure Yokoyama Isamu, that gambler, to commit more reserves, thus giving him the illusion that we can severely damage or even annihilate the main force of our Sixth War Zone.”

"At that time, the fighter jets may be among them, which is also the only chance for the Sixth Theater to turn defeat into victory."

Chu Yunfei's fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a "tap-tap" sound.

He listened to the analysis of his two capable lieutenants without saying a word, but his eyes revealed an expression of approval.

“So,” he said slowly, summarizing the discussion, “we still need to see how the battle unfolds and what Commander Chen’s resolve will be.”

Lin Wei had remained silent, quietly observing Chu Yunfei's changing expressions. Now, he understood perfectly.

Clearly, Chu Yunfei fully agreed with Zhang Dayun and Sun Ming's ideas.

Otherwise, given his consistent style, he would have immediately begun explaining more detailed tactics and adjustments to the strategy.

They even drafted telegrams directly, offering their own operational suggestions to the command.

But he didn't.

This shows that, in his view, the current response and tactics of the Sixth War Zone are correct in general.

As long as they can withstand the pressure and avoid making fatal mistakes, even if they lose this battle, it won't be a humiliating defeat.

The dense network of waterways in the Jianghan Delta region already limited the effectiveness of the Japanese mechanized forces.

The numerous fortifications built by the Sixth War Zone provided a solid foundation for layered defense.

If the war situation truly deteriorates, then the problems will likely extend beyond deployment and command.

Insufficient combat power is simply insufficient combat power.

This is not something that can be reversed instantly by simply changing the commander and drawing a few attack routes.

The brief operational meeting ended quickly, but the concerns in everyone's hearts did not lessen in the slightest despite the discussion.

Chu Yunfei noticed everyone's heavy mood, so he invited them to have dinner together at the small canteen.

"Let's go. We need to fight, but we also need to eat."

He said casually, "I asked the kitchen to add two dishes tonight, just to perk everyone up."

Zhao Pengcheng whispered a reminder: "Commander, aren't you going back to be with your wife? You didn't go back yesterday either, and she came to the command post this morning. If you hadn't been in a meeting..."

Chu Yunfei was silent for a moment, then sighed, "It's too late today, they're probably all resting. Let's go back tomorrow."

The dinner at the small canteen was relatively more substantial.

There were eight dishes and two soups, including both meat and vegetables, and even a jar of warm rice wine.

However, none of the people present had any appetite.

Lin Wei pondered how to subtly remind Chen Cixiu to avoid excessive casualties in the Sixth War Zone, or other problems.

Zhang Dayun was thinking about how to get rid of the American military attaché who remained at the joint command. This American was ostensibly there for study and inspection, but in reality, he wanted to urge the Nationalist army in North China to launch an offensive as soon as possible.

As for Chu Yunfei, he was thinking about how to explain to Song Wenying that he hadn't gone home again tonight.

In short, everyone has their own worries. (End of Chapter)