Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Chapter 645 Chu dispatches a mechanized heavy artillery brigade, both sides escalate the conflict, and the Battle of Northern Jiangxi begins ahead of schedule!

War situation.

It did not develop as both sides had anticipated.

Just as the Japanese military intended to treat it as a routine annihilation battle.

The Fifth War Zone only wanted to rescue Wang Jinzai's troops and defeat the Japanese offensive, thus bringing the two sides back into a stalemate.

But now, thanks to Yokoyama Isamu's misjudgment.

The Guangxi clique's double-dealing, coupled with the disastrous performance of Wang Jinzai, made the situation even worse.

As a result, none of the combat units participating in this battle advanced in the intended direction.

At this very moment, under Chu Yunfei's intentional or unintentional planning...

The Guangxi clique, this fierce tiger, has already entered the game.

The Japanese army's next main targets were both Guo Chan's troops in the river defense force and the main force of the Guangxi clique in the Fifth War Zone.

This is all good news for Chu Yunfei.

In reality, he was pushed to the center of the card table by this group of people and forced to become the only dealer present.

Although it seems that there was not much intervention.

But the final course of the battle unfolded exactly as Chu Yunfei had predicted.

Both sides continued to escalate their efforts, and the major battle in northern Hubei was brought forward.

However, with the various units completely disobeying orders, even Chu Yunfei himself was unsure whether the battle could be won.

He had never before commanded a combat unit that was completely disobedient to orders.

I also deeply felt the helplessness of Chang Ruiyuan's micro-management team being ignored by everyone.

And this has led to the current situation.

Chu Yunfei was left with only one choice: to win the battle.

Since there's no way to retreat, the only option is to escalate the situation.

Just as Chu Yunfei was pondering which unit from North China to mobilize to go south and provide reinforcements.

Zhao Pengcheng, holding a newly translated telegram, strode in with a grave expression, breaking the oppressive silence in the command post.

"Sir!" His voice carried a hint of urgency: "I just received an urgent telegram from the Fifth War Zone. Wang Jinzai's troops have been surrounded by the Japanese army in the Xiaogan area."

Chu Yunfei had already seen this trend on the three-dimensional combat map yesterday.

He also instructed Zhao Pengcheng to send a telegram to Wang Jinzai, ordering them to turn north and attack the Yingshan area.

obviously.

Wang Jinzai refused to believe him and disobeyed orders, which led to his current predicament of being surrounded.

Zhao Pengcheng handed over the telegram and quickly reported, "Wang Jingzai disobeyed orders and insisted on advancing eastward. When he reached the vicinity of Xiaogan, he ran headlong into the main force of the Japanese Third Division!"

"Currently, we are surrounded by the Japanese army, and all our escape routes are cut off!"

Chu Yunfei took the telegram and quickly scanned it.

"at the same time."

Zhao Pengcheng's voice grew increasingly heavy. He walked to the map and pointed to the area where the main force of the Guangxi Clique was located. "The combat strength of the Japanese Third Division stationed in Xinyang is extremely thin, but the offensive of the 39th Army has been slow to make any breakthrough progress."

Reports from the front lines indicate that all units in the Fifth War Zone, including Zhang Gan's main force, have encountered setbacks in their offensives. They report a lack of heavy weapons for siege warfare, and that the Japanese resistance is resolute, making it difficult to break through the enemy's lines so far.

The attack was thwarted?

Ultimately, it boils down to "going through the motions without putting in the effort."

The newly formed combat units, such as the Provisional 51st Division, have all performed quite well.

Moreover, the Seventh Steel Army was a main force of the Guangxi clique.

Chu Yunfei raised his head, a cold sneer flashing in his eyes.

He could guess that Li Pinxian and other Guangxi generals had already made up their minds at this moment.

They could use the Japanese as a weapon to eliminate Wang Jinzai, thus preventing him from actually entering the Dabie Mountains and causing them trouble.

Taking down Wang Jinzai right under his nose as the chief advisor won't be so easy.

Zhao Pengcheng said in a low voice, "Sir, they're trying to betray Wang Jinzai. No matter what, Wang Jinzai's troops are still fighting the Japanese, and his tens of thousands of brothers are all Chinese. If they're wiped out by the Japanese, won't all our previous efforts be wasted?"

Chu Yunfei's emotions remained largely unchanged: "Pengcheng, how can you say all our previous efforts have been in vain?"

"Wang Jinzai's troops are like prey trapped in a spider web. Every struggle they make only tightens the web, and the spider can more quickly sense the prey's location."

"Isn't Yokoyama Isamu mobilizing troops in an attempt to eliminate them?"

Zhao Pengcheng still felt a pang of reluctance: "However, this unit will surely be annihilated by the Japanese army."

Wang Jinzai's troops were indeed ruthless in their fight against the Japanese.

Zhao Pengcheng's reluctance is understandable.

But Ci is not in command of troops.

This is also why Zhao Pengcheng was never guarded by Chu Yunfei and was always kept by his side.

Chu Yunfei nodded: "That's right. Wang Jinzai's troops are now just bait, bait to attract the main force of the Japanese army. This is his own choice, and I have given him two chances."

We currently have no combat troops available to mobilize.

Even if I did, I wouldn't give someone like him a third chance.

Zhao Pengcheng nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite: "Your Excellency, are you worried about how to handle the follow-up problems?"

Chu Yunfei then asked, "Think about it, if he really leaps into the Dabie Mountains region, what awaits him?"

Zhao Pengcheng tentatively countered with a question: "The Guangxi Clique's encirclement and suppression, the New Fourth Army's pressure?"

Chu Yunfei nodded: "That's right. Now that he's surrounded by the Japanese army, it can be considered as giving him a chance to die for his country."

This is the best ending for him.

Moreover, given the Japanese army's troop movements, the Fifth War Zone, with its current frontline combat capabilities, could easily seize this opportunity to recapture areas such as Xinyang and Yingshan.

"But in this battle, the General Headquarters handed over command to Li, the acting commander of the Fifth War Zone; we were only responsible for coordinating the operation."

Chu Yunfei didn't care about this.

Clearly, this was just a small tactic by Chang Ruiyuan to appease the Guangxi clique.

"The General Staff won't have much patience, and Commander Bai can't protect the Guangxi Clique forever."

"This battle has been going on for more than 20 days. If it continues like this, the daylily will be too cold."

After carefully weighing the pros and cons, Chu Yunfei then gave the order: "Pengcheng."

"Have!"

Zhao Pengcheng subconsciously took out a pen from his pocket and opened the notepad he always carried.

"Send a telegram to Shi Wengui."

Upon hearing this name, Zhao Pengcheng's hand holding the pen suddenly paused.

He looked up, his eyes filled with shock.

Shi Wengui graduated from Baoding Military Academy and was trained in artillery. He fought in almost all the major battles on the front lines, from Shanghai to Wuhan and Suizao.

The artillery brigade he once commanded was one of the few heavy artillery units in the National Revolutionary Army, and a witness to the bloodshed that claimed every inch of the land.

After the troops were wiped out and disbanded.

This renowned artillery general was then transferred to the Artillery Command of the Military Training Department.

There should have been no further opportunity for frontline combat.

When Chu Yunfei was building a mechanized artillery unit in North China, he personally "dug" him out of the old books and recommended him to take command of that national sharp weapon equipped with American 150mm heavy howitzers.

The 8th Artillery Brigade.

The predecessor of the 8th Artillery Brigade was the 31st Mechanized Heavy Artillery Regiment, which was reorganized from the 31st Mountain Artillery Regiment.

The current 8th Artillery Brigade consists of two regiments, equipped with a total of 24 150mm American-made howitzers.

Their firepower was incredibly strong, and each regiment alone had over 1,200 personnel for supplies and logistics.

It can be said that the number of support personnel is much greater than that of combat personnel.

It is one of the few large-caliber mechanized heavy artillery units under the North China Joint Command.

It is the sharpest spear in the entire North China region, and even in the whole of China.

It was Chu Yunfei's trump card.

Now, he's going to use this trump card.

"Order the 8th Artillery Brigade to proceed day and night, as previously notified, and assemble at the fastest speed towards Laohekou." Chu Yunfei's voice was devoid of any emotion, as if he were simply issuing a routine mobilization order.

"Your Excellency."

Zhao Pengcheng's voice was somewhat hoarse: "Won't deploying the 8th Artillery Brigade affect the balance of power in North China?"

"First, we don't have many options now. This battle is all about the morale of both sides. Whoever wins will be in high spirits, and whoever loses will be in a terrible state."

"Secondly, judging from the current offensive intensity and combat strength of the Japanese army, their supplies are also stretched thin, and they are certainly unable to fight in two regions at the same time."

"Since Yokoyama Isamu wants to have a final battle with us here, then I will grant his wish." With that, the telegram was sent.

The 8th Artillery Brigade stationed in southern Hebei began mobilization.

American ten-wheeled trucks began to roar deafeningly. One after another, ten-wheeled heavy trucks towed the huge cannon barrels covered with thick canvas, like awakened steel behemoths, crushing the muddy land and merging into the southward torrent.

The scale of this battle is about to spiral completely out of control as both sides continue to increase their resources.

……

Mountain city, Huangshan official residence.

In a small meeting room.

The finest Wuyi rock tea gradually cooled in the cup, the rising steam dissipating completely, just like the last bit of patience in General Stilwell's heart.

"Commander-in-Chief, I must reiterate!"

Stilwell stood up from the sofa and paced back and forth on the gleaming teak floor. The sound of his leather shoes resonated in everyone's hearts like the pounding of war drums: "Chief Advisor Chu Yunfei is the best Chinese commander I have ever seen!"

His troops were the most powerful weapon in the counterattack against the Japanese army!
He should be in Indochina, or even in the Pacific, leading us to victory.

Instead of fighting a pointless, ragtag war with the Japanese in the quagmire of northern Hubei for an insignificant, ragtag army!

Stilwell's voice was filled with undisguised anger and incomprehension.

Chang Ruiyuan sat upright in the main seat, his face ashen.

He slowly put down his teacup, making a soft sound: "General, you are wrong."

Chang Ruiyuan’s voice was calm; victory had instilled in him an unquestionable authority: “The Japanese army’s large-scale offensive this time is not aimed at Wang Jinzai alone.”

Zhang Wenbai, who was standing nearby, immediately understood. General Wenbai stood up, walked to the huge battle map hanging on the wall, picked up a command baton and said: "Yokoyama Isamu's ambition is to use the pretext of 'hunting down Wang Laohu' to severely damage the main forces of my Fifth and Sixth War Zones, completely open up the Yangtze River waterway, connect the entire Central China region, and at the same time reactivate tens of thousands of tons of ships in the abnormal area."

This concerns the safety of our rear areas during the War of Resistance, and the lives of tens of millions of soldiers and civilians; it is not the messy account General Stilwell described.

Stilwell stopped and turned around, his deep blue eyes filled with doubt: "Even so, there's no need for Chu Yunfei to go to the front lines in person!"

"Any theater commander is capable of handling a battle of this scale!"

"That's why Yunfei needs to go to the front line."

There were no outsiders in the meeting room.

Chang Ruiyuan's voice was resolute and went straight to his heart: "Because only he can win."

Their eyes met in the air.

One is full of the directness and anxiety of a soldier, the other is full of the stubbornness and profundity of a politician.

No one can convince anyone.

Chang Ruiyuan couldn't accept the setback after his New Year's speech, and Stilwell couldn't accept that Chu Yunfei was dragged down by these "mundane matters."

“Alright.” Stilwell let out a long sigh, his face showing signs of exhaustion. “In that case, I must go to the front lines myself.”

"I want to see for myself what's really going on the front lines!"

After saying that, he didn't say anything more, picked up his military cap, turned around and strode out of the reception room.

……

As Stilwell's jeep struggled through the mud in the swamps of northern Hubei.

He was greeted not by a neatly lined-up officer corps, nor by Chu Yunfei himself.

It was not a cataclysmic symphony of destruction!

“BOOM—BOOM—!”

Almost the instant he stepped off the bus, a series of enormous flames, like those from a volcanic eruption, suddenly rose from the horizon!
Then came a piercing scream that tore at your eardrums, growing louder as it approached, like countless roaring dragons descending from the sky!

The earth was trembling violently!
Stilwell instinctively lay down on the ground, and his guards around him also scrambled to find cover.

He looked up and saw through the binoculars a scene he would never forget.

In the distance, Wenzhuang, the Japanese stronghold that had baffled the 51st Provisional Division, was now engulfed in flames.

75mm mountain gun shells, along with 150mm heavy howitzer shells, rained down like raindrops, blasting the rammed earth walls to smithereens and tearing the Japanese soldiers hiding behind the fortifications to shreds!

"General!"

A liaison officer from the Fifth War Zone scrambled to his side, pointing excitedly into the distance and shouting, "It's the artillery coordinated by Chief Advisor Chu! The artillery units just arrived recently, and the general offensive has already begun!"

Stilwell's heart sank.

Just then, his adjutant caught up from behind in a jeep.

Bradley's face was also full of confusion and shock: "General! We just received a report from the Sixth War Zone that the 128th Division under Wang Jinzai of the Sixth War Zone was surrounded by the Japanese 13th Division and 58th Division while breaking through to the Dabie Mountains, and was completely wiped out yesterday!"

"What?!"

Stilwell abruptly stood up, his deep blue eyes filled with disbelief: "Annihilated?! (Completely wiped out?!) Completely wiped out, are you sure?"

"Wang Jinzai's troops have indeed been completely wiped out. As for Wang Jinzai's whereabouts, it is still unclear."

Stilwell released his grip, his mind completely thrown into chaos.

His purpose in coming here was to find out why Chu Yunfei himself had come to command such a baseless battle.

But now, Wang Jinzai is gone, and the target of the rescue no longer exists.

Stilwell abruptly turned his head, looking at the distant land still being relentlessly ravaged by artillery fire. What was the purpose of this earth-shattering all-out offensive?!

Could it be that.

Chu Yunfei never really intended to rescue this warlord general.

"Where is Chu Yunfei's command post? I need to see him immediately."

"General Stilwell, he's just ahead, please."

The earth trembled rhythmically, like the heartbeat of a giant.

The air felt like torn silk, each whistling shell leaving an invisible tear, followed by the pungent smell of gunpowder, so strong that it made one's tear ducts secrete uncontrollably.

Chu Yunfei stood in a makeshift observation post made of ammunition boxes and camouflage netting, holding up binoculars.

Through the lens, the distant Wenzhuang stronghold was being engulfed by a sea of ​​fire.

Each shell from the American 150mm howitzer was like a merciless hammer blow, smashing slabs of rammed earth walls into dust, sending plumes of smoke dozens of meters high that turned the Japanese soldiers hiding behind the fortifications and their weapons into dust.

After using the artillery guidance skill, almost every shell accurately destroyed the Japanese firing points as he had predicted.

The damage effect is very good.

A roar, thick with anger and mud, came from behind: "My dear Chu, where are you?"

Chu Yunfei slowly lowered the binoculars and turned around.

General Stilwell was walking toward him with a furious expression. The American general's uniform was covered in mud, indicating that he had traveled a long way and was in a very bad mood.

There's always the possibility of being ambushed by the guards.
Chu Yunfei didn't speak, but calmly gestured "please" to his furious ally, indicating that he should watch this destructive feast together.

"Wang Jinzai is finished!"

Stilwell walked up to him and asked with a hint of anger, "My adjutant told me that his troops have been completely wiped out!"

So what are you doing all this for?
"Use the most precious heavy artillery shells to bombard an ordinary Japanese stronghold?"

Chu Yunfei's voice remained calm and composed, without a trace of emotion: "Mr. Stilwell, war is sometimes like a card game."

"Although Wang Jinzai ruined his own hand, he successfully attracted all of Yokoyama Isamu's main players to the table."

"If the Fifth War Zone takes this opportunity to launch a pincer attack from the northwest, due north, and northeast, it will have a chance to eliminate a part of the main force of the Japanese Third Division entrenched in the Xinyang area. This is a good opportunity for us."

Stilwell clearly disagreed: "Trading a ragtag army that disobeys orders from the central command for an opportunity to severely damage the 3rd Division is indeed a worthwhile trade, but I don't think you should be in command of such an operation. It's a waste of your precious time and the Allied forces' precious time."

Chu Yunfei frowned, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He didn't want to get involved in the Guangxi clique's mess, but the problem was that without his involvement, they simply couldn't win the battle.

He knew exactly what kind of scoundrel his colleagues were.

The two battles, which the Japanese referred to as the Jiangbei Annihilation Battle and the Jiangnan Annihilation Battle, both ended in Japanese victory.
Just now.

A communications officer crouched down and ran over, handing Chu Yunfei a pair of earpieces.

Chu Yunfei put on his headset and listened carefully to the report from the artillery observer at the front. At the same time, he gave precise instructions into the microphone: "Order the mountain artillery battalion to extend its fire 250 meters forward to provide suppressive fire for the attacking troops."

Listening from the side, Zhao Pengcheng couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Sir, isn't the artillery fire extending too far?"

"Two hundred and fifty meters, brothers, charge up! The Japanese devils are all crawling up from the ruins."

Chu Yunfei shook his head, his gaze still fixed on the distance: "If it's the elite troops from North China, this distance can be reduced to one hundred meters, or even eighty meters."

His voice carried a hint of helplessness: "But the Provisional 51st Division, to put it bluntly, is a third-rate unit."

Their infantry-artillery coordination capability was almost zero.

"At such close range, artillery shells can indiscriminately strike friend or foe, and friendly fire could instantly shatter troop morale."

"So what I need is not suppression."

A hint of confidence flashed in Chu Yunfei's eyes: "It's a complete crushing!"

"I will use overwhelming firepower to clear away all obstacles in their path, making this battle easier for them."

Zhao Pengcheng suddenly realized: "In that case, if Lin Maohua isn't stupid, he should know whose orders he should obey."

(End of this chapter)