Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Just as the fighting on the front lines in Central China was raging.

North China, Dragon City.

Second War Zone Command Headquarters.

"General Yevgeny! Colonel Yakov! Welcome, welcome!"

The door to the reception room was pushed open, and Chu Xichun's hearty laughter rang out first.

He strode forward and shook hands with the two guests dressed in Soviet military uniforms one by one, his movements warm and familiar, showing no signs of awkwardness as if it were their first meeting.

"Commander Chu, how have you been?"

Even Lieutenant General Yevgeny's face, which was as resolute as granite, showed a rare smile.

Colonel Yakov, standing behind him, smiled and nodded as a greeting.

This was not the first time the two sides had met.

Previously, Soviet delegations had visited the Republic of China several times and had made active contacts with the World War II zone.

As most of North China was liberated, border trade between the two sides became increasingly frequent.

Guests and hosts took their seats separately.

The attendant served steaming hot black tea, and without much small talk, Chu Xichun got straight to the point.

"General, Colonel, it has been half a year since we last met."

"I am under orders from the General Headquarters and have been looking forward to your visit again."

"What are your thoughts on our previous proposal for cooperation?"

Lieutenant General Yevgeny picked up his teacup, blew on it gently, and said calmly, "Commander Chu is a man of few words, so I won't beat around the bush either. Our purpose in coming here is to deepen our cooperation."

He put down his teacup and looked directly at Chu Xichun: "We are very interested in your tobacco industry, as well as the various mineral resources on the list."

"We hope to expand the scale of trade immediately."

Chu Xichun smiled and nodded: "This is a win-win situation, and we naturally welcome it. I wonder what your considerations are regarding the conditions we proposed earlier?"

"We are willing to provide you with some substantial assistance in the industrial sector."

coming.

Chu Xichun's spirits lifted; this was the part he was truly concerned about.

According to the army-wide restructuring plan personally drafted by Chu Yunfei, the current foundation is the use of mules and horses, and the next step is motorization.

The core of achieving motorization is not cars or tanks, but a robust and durable medium-sized truck that can adapt to China's complex road conditions.

This requires mature engine technology and an automotive industrial system.

"Since you speak your mind, General, I won't hold back either."

Chu Xichun leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming more fervent, "Our Chief Advisor Chu believes that a modern army cannot function without reliable mobility."

"We hope to cooperate with your country to design and produce a brand-new medium-duty truck that is suitable for China's national conditions. This medium-duty truck will represent the friendship between our two countries."

"Collaborative truck design?"

Yevgeny's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He did not answer immediately, but turned to look at Colonel Yakov beside him.

Yakov, who had been silent all along, finally spoke slowly.

"Commander Chu, if I may be so bold, the core of a brand-new truck lies in its engine and chassis technology. This is a matter of national defense secrets, and at our current level of cooperation, we are probably not yet able to access it."

The negotiations immediately reached a stalemate.

Chu Xichun's smile remained, but her eyes narrowed slightly.

Everyone knows the Soviets were holding out for a higher price.

The Soviets were always wary of the Republic of China and always provided second-hand products. Even advanced weapons would be disassembled and made into replicas.

"Colonel Yakov is right."

Chu Xichun did not refute, but instead went along with the other party's words, saying, "In that case, perhaps we can try another approach."

He winked at his adjutant behind him.

The adjutant immediately and carefully placed another document, along with a long, exquisite model wrapped in velvet, in the center of the table.

“Before we talk about trucks.”

Chu Xichun spoke slowly, her tone carrying a strong sense of confidence, "I think the two of you might want to take a look at this first."

He stepped forward personally and slowly unveiled the velvet cloth.

It was a model of the Type 31 disposable rocket launcher, precisely replicated at a 1:4 scale.

Its structure is simple and clear, even a bit rugged, yet it exudes a deadly, efficient beauty.

Yevgeny's pupils suddenly contracted!
They were naturally aware that American soldiers were equipped with these weapons in the African theater.

But it was the Battle of Nanjing, not the battlefields of Africa, that first brought this man-portable anti-tank weapon to the world stage.

Even the Americans, at the end of 42, did not know the extent of the weapon's power or whether it could pose a threat to tanks.

The Type 31 rocket launcher is very similar to the M1 "Bazooka" rocket launcher.

However, minor improvements were made to the bazooka rocket launcher.

"Compared to the American M1A1 bazooka rocket launcher, our design is simpler and solves the problem of excessive smoke after firing exposing the shooter. While retaining the front handle, we have improved the armor-piercing power of the rocket. According to our tests, it can penetrate 120 mm of armor at a distance of 30 meters."

"The most crucial point is that we have improved the electric ignition system, which allows this weapon to still be used in environments as cold as minus twenty degrees Celsius!"

Yakov, who had remained silent, leaned forward slightly.

This weapon.

They already knew this through intelligence.

Simple, inexpensive, and easy to mass-produce.

It enables an ordinary infantryman to destroy most tanks and field fortifications at close range.

However, it also has a problem: insufficient reliability.

This is the flaw of the "bazooka" rocket launcher.

Ignition systems are prone to malfunction when exposed to high or low temperatures or high humidity for extended periods.

This is one of the reasons why the Americans did not supply the Soviet Union with large quantities of disposable bazookas.

Americans themselves have a predominantly negative view of the bazooka.

The Soviets also disliked the Bazooka, considering it inferior to the PTRS (anti-tank rifle).

Now, the Chinese have not only solved the few shortcomings of the bazooka, but also increased the power of the rockets.
"This weapon enabled our infantry squads on the North China battlefield to independently confront Japanese tanks and fortified positions."

Chu Xichun's voice, tinged with pride and full of allure, said: "Our successful raid in Jinling also owes much to its contribution."

To the best of my knowledge, your army has not yet deployed such individual anti-tank weapons on a large scale. Compared to anti-tank grenades, these weapons have a longer range and greater destructive power.

"Colonel, General, I would like to ask you both to imagine what it would be like if every infantry squad of the Red Army had such a 'rocket launcher'?"

If every infantry squad were equipped with such disposable rocket launchers.

Their offensive and defensive capabilities will be systematically enhanced.

The Soviet Union was far ahead of the Republic of China in the development of military theory.

The current command system of senior commanders in the Republic of China is completely derived from the Soviet and Japanese theories of twenty years ago.

Although it is outdated, it is in line with the national conditions.

Similarly, it does not meet the needs of future development.

Yakov's breathing even became somewhat rapid.

Although the Soviets were not lacking in anti-tank means, especially with a large number of weapons such as direct-fire artillery and self-propelled anti-tank guns.

But what does this have to do with the tragic fate of the Soviet infantry?

They could only use anti-tank rifles, one shot to the left shattering a shoulder, another to the right to receive a medal.

The bazooka is a last resort for infantry against tanks, not a powerful anti-tank weapon.

He may not be of much use, but he should give the soldiers that expectation and hope.

"Commander Chu."

Yevgeny's voice, for the first time, carried a barely perceptible dryness. "You mean..."

"We do not demand unilateral technology transfer; that would be unfair."

Chu Xichun sat back down, having seized absolute initiative in the negotiations: "Our Chief Consultant Chu proposes to establish a joint design project."

"We will contribute the complete technical data and production authorization for the 'Type 31' rocket launcher as our contribution from the Chinese side."

"We hope that you can contribute your mature truck engine, chassis technology, and design experience."

Seeing the shocked looks in the eyes of the two people opposite him, he presented his final solution.

"Together, we will collaborate to design a brand new medium-duty truck."

“You provide the technology and experience, and we will provide the market and some resources.”

"It will be a product that is a complete crystallization of the wisdom of our two countries."

"Its model name could even be 'Friendship'."

Yevgeny didn't speak; he simply turned his head and looked at Yakov with a questioning gaze.

The entire reception room was so quiet that only the soft ticking of the grandfather clock could be heard.

Yakov Dzhugashvili slowly leaned back in his chair, looking at Chu Xichun in front of him.

It was quite obvious that he exuded composure and confidence.

for a long time.

A meaningful smile appeared on his face, and he nodded slightly.

Yevgeny immediately stood up and extended his hand to Chu Xichun.

"Commander Chu, we accept Chief Advisor Chu's 'friendship'."

"Regarding the design of the truck, we still need to consult with the Soviet side, but I can assure you that from now on, we will dispatch relevant technical experts and workers to immediately establish a technical team."

"Then I look forward to our next consultation. Please."
-
Northern Hubei Front Command Post.

After hearing Zhao Pengcheng's report, Chu Yunfei nodded with a hint of satisfaction.

The Type 31 rocket launcher is good in every way, but the propellant is indeed a major problem.

We have always needed to import nitrated diethylene glycol from the United States as a solvent, and we also need to add dinitrotoluene as a ballistic modifier to reduce the oxygen balance.

These chemical companies themselves do not have the corresponding production capacity.

This is also one of the Americans' ulterior motives: if they want to produce in large quantities, they have to import from the United States.

After the Soviets obtained this technology, they would naturally start with the chemical industry and improve the related defense industry when they invested in North China.

Similarly, with the conclusion of this Battle of Northern Hubei, they will naturally be able to gain more "military achievements".

Chu Yunfei was then able to exchange the RPG-2 technology verification blueprints, which were more suitable for mass production, from the system.

Chu Yunfei is now eager to involve foreign capital to form joint ventures and companies.

Unfortunately, neither the Soviet Union nor the United States had the time to invest in this untapped market.

Everyone had also thought about the problems involved.

It's simply that although the Republic of China had a large population, it had few economically developed areas, insufficient productivity, and a lack of consumer spending power.

The initial investment by the United States was aimed at seizing these developed regions; the scattered populations of a few large cities represented a lucrative market for them. However, increasing investment was naturally not a worthwhile proposition for shrewd American capitalists.

Seizing future market share is important, but the investment required is also substantial.

Apart from government involvement, no capitalist dared to venture into this wild and untamed market.

This idea of ​​the Americans is somewhat similar to the policy of joint ventures between government and business during the late Qing Dynasty, the Beiyang period, and the Republic of China.

The United States was dissatisfied that the expeditionary force had not opened a third front as agreed.

under these circumstances.

Chu Yunfei and other idealists had no choice but to back down.

In North China today, anything that can drive local economic development is acceptable.

Minor flaws in governance can be tolerated; it doesn't matter if it's a black cat or a white cat, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat.

The drought, which lasted for about eight years, has now ended.

Spring plowing in North China has been successfully completed.

During the lull in the busy farming season, a large number of projects are launched and initiated in various regions.

The most eye-catching projects at present are the repair work on the Changlong (Changzhi-Longcheng) Highway, the Chang-Han (Changzhi-Handan) Highway, the Han-Chang (Handan-Changshan) Highway, and the Chang-Jin (Changzhi-Jincheng) Highway.

In order to improve the previously planned transportation network in southeastern Shanxi.

Sun Weimou submitted an application for initial project funding totaling approximately 46 million RMB.

Based on this, corresponding railway routes have been planned and construction will begin within the next three years.

The total investment will be around 1.3 billion yuan, which will not only provide a large number of jobs, but also revitalize the current economic cycle to the greatest extent.

Simultaneously.

In order to strengthen its control over the Northwest region, the Second World War Zone authorities...

This led to the commencement of initial fundraising for the construction of the Changchun-Zhongshan-Yinchuan Railway.

"Chang" refers to Changzhi, and the route from Longcheng to Zhongwei (Yinchuan) forms a new passage from Northwest China to North China.

This railway corridor possesses extremely important strategic value.

Once problems arise in the northwest.

This railway line would allow for the deployment of two main divisions of combat troops to the Northwest within three days.

It has great advantages in terms of the rapid mobility of troops.

Just as Chu Yunfei was about to sort out the future development direction of the defense industry system in North China.

A new battle report was sent to the front-line command headquarters.

"Sir, I just received a message from the Sixth War Zone Command that the 74th, 79th and 30th Armies have all arrived according to the original battle plan. The main force of the 10th Army Group is still entangled with the Japanese army at the Sanxianhu line and is unable to go north to provide reinforcements."

"Where are Commander Sun Zhen's troops?"

"We have now reached the Xingshan line northwest of Yichang and are ready to launch an attack toward Yichang at any time."

Chu Yunfei nodded slowly: "The support troops are all in place, and the time for the decisive battle is ripe. Telegraph all units to immediately launch a counterattack against the enemy in front of them according to the established battle plan."

"Yes!" Pang Junming turned and left.

Zhao Pengcheng, standing to the side, asked, "Your Excellency, why not let the support troops launch the attack first, and then let the defending troops counterattack?"

"Because they may not necessarily carry out orders."

The weather forecast function in the 3D combat map clearly shows that it will rain again in the next few days.

The Japanese air reconnaissance will be rendered ineffective, and coordination will inevitably be affected.

They could only obtain intelligence by relying on reports and summaries from the front lines, and then react accordingly.

This back-and-forth process takes at least two hours to adjust.

The same was true for Chu Yunfei.

Because he could not directly command the combat troops of the Sixth War Zone, he needed Sun Lianzhong to relay his message.

Judging from the performance of the Nationalist Army in South China over the past month, once the Japanese army leaves the battlefield and begins to retreat, even if they pursue, they will not pursue them immediately.

Instead, they wait until the superiors issue orders and complete the deployment before launching a pursuit.

By that time, the daylily will be cold.

When pursuing someone, you must pursue them relentlessly and attack them fiercely.

However, coordination is still important in such a large-scale campaign.

To prevent individual units from standing out too much and being encircled and annihilated by the Japanese army.

Chu Yunfei couldn't care less about anything else now; for the sake of victory, he had no choice but to take full command of the battlefield.
Changde, the temporary headquarters of the 74th Army.

Wang Yaowu put down the phone, his brows furrowed in worry.

The call had just been transferred from the Sixth War Zone Command to the Northern Hubei Front Command. It was an order personally issued by Chu Yunfei, requiring his troops to immediately launch an attack on the enemy in front of them.

"General attack?"

He looked at the attack direction that had just been marked on the map (the direction of Public Security Bureau and Amitabha Temple).
This order came too suddenly and was too irregular.

His 74th Army, ordered by the General Headquarters to reinforce the Sixth War Zone, was temporarily placed under the command of Commander-in-Chief Sun Lianzhong.

Although Chu Yunfei was in charge of campaign coordination, he was also the chief consultant of the military training department.

However, he did not have the authority to directly command the offensive attack force directly under his command.

This can be considered commanding beyond one's rank, and it was Chang Ruiyuan, the true commander of the General Staff.

"Commander-in-Chief."

Li Tianxia, ​​the deputy army commander standing nearby, also noticed his predicament and said in a low voice, "Should we carry out this order, or should we first consult with Commander Sun?"

Wang Yaowu did not answer immediately.

Sun Lianzhong and Chu Yunfei are so close they're practically inseparable.

What is the significance of consulting Sun Lianzhong?

The key issue now is whether to consult the General Headquarters or the Chairman himself.

His request for instructions was also an act of bypassing his superiors.

Wang Yaowei paced slowly in the command center, his mind racing.

Executing the order is against the rules.

If we win the battle, that's fine, but if something goes wrong, who will take responsibility?

Is Chu Yunfei still Wang Yaowu?

Not to execute?
That would be a path to certain death.

Who is Chu Yunfei?

He was a ruthless character who dared to impeach even the corps commander to his face, and he was also the chief advisor who was in charge of the military training department and held the power of training the entire army!
I offended him.

Do the 74th Army still want American equipment and want to replenish its weapons and equipment in the future?

Wang Yaowu stopped in his tracks, a shrewd glint in his eyes.

He glanced at Li Tianxia beside him.

The two exchanged a glance and instantly understood what the other was thinking.

"Execute the plan while simultaneously seeking approval!"

Wang Yaowu said decisively, a slick smile appearing on his face, "Chief Advisor Chu is farsighted; his military orders must have profound meaning. As frontline troops, how can we delay our opportunity?"

He walked to the map, picked up his baton, and began issuing orders: "Order! The 51st Division, immediately launch an attack on the flank of the enemy in front of you, the Japanese 13th Division!"

"The 57th and 58th Divisions will take turns providing cover and pressuring the enemy in front."

"at the same time!"

"Immediately send a telegram in the name of our military headquarters to the Sixth War Zone Command, reporting that our unit has launched a general offensive on the orders of Chief Advisor Chu, and earnestly requesting Commander Sun to clarify the subsequent operational strategy!"

This operation was executed flawlessly and without any loopholes.

He carried out Chu Yunfei's orders while doing him a favor.

He then passed the buck back to his superior, Sun Lianzhong, perfectly deflecting the responsibility of command.

If a problem were to arise, the General Headquarters would certainly deal with Acting Commander-in-Chief Sun Lianzhong, not Wang Yaowu.

……

The same scene played out repeatedly at almost the same time in dozens of division and army-level command posts in the Sixth and Fifth War Zones.

Whether they were from the Central Army's elite forces or local miscellaneous units, these seasoned veterans, who had long since honed their "Tai Chi" skills in the cracks of factional struggles, all made the same choice as Wang Yaowu.

Inside the Sixth War Zone Command Headquarters.

As Sun Lianzhong looked at the flood of telegrams requesting instructions, a wry smile appeared on his perpetually weary face.

"These bastards are all incredibly shrewd!"

He laughed and cursed, then with a flourish of his pen, wrote the same two words on every telegram: "Execute!"

……

that's it.

An invisible net tightened instantly under Chu Yunfei's remote control!
Throughout the entire Central China battlefield, those blue arrows that were hesitant, observing, or passively moving around all changed direction almost simultaneously, like awakened tigers, and pounced fiercely on the overstretched red "snake"!
Late that night, the main force of the Guangxi clique combat troops in the Fifth War Zone also received the order to launch a general offensive against Xinyang at 7:00 a.m. the next day.

Japanese 11th Army, forward command post.

Yokoyama Isamu stared at the map, trying to find a fatal flaw in the chaotic troop movements of the Sixth War Zone.

suddenly!

The telephones in the command center rang incessantly, like firecrackers being set off!

"report!"

"The flank of my 13th Division has been subjected to a fierce attack by the 32nd Army of the Chinese Army!"

"Report! The 39th Division reports! The main force of the Chinese 18th Army, the enemy directly in front of them, has suddenly launched a full-scale counterattack!"

"Another unit with an unidentified designation (the vanguard of the 22nd Army) is flanking from the south!"

"Report! The Toda Detachment and the Koshiba Detachment are simultaneously under attack by the main force of the 10th Army of the Chinese Army! Requesting tactical guidance!"

One urgent battle report after another flooded the entire command post like an avalanche!

Yokoyama Isamu frowned deeply.

He looked at the blue arrows that the staff officers had just drawn on the map with a hint of suspicion.
"Strange, why didn't our army give any prior intelligence warning? How could they have encircled us so quickly?"

"Commander, now is not the time to hesitate. If the enemy's offensive goes smoothly, our attacking forces may very well be pinned down on this 800-mile-long front."

The Japanese army's tactics were essentially to concentrate superior forces to win in localized battlefields.

This was the case when we first attacked Anxiang and Nanxian.

The same thing happened later when they attacked Zhijiang and Gong'an areas.

After reaching Qingjiang and Shipai, the Japanese army continued to use the same tactics.

This style of play has its advantages, but it also carries risks, namely, it can be top-heavy.

With a large number of combat troops piled up in front, and superior manpower and firepower, their advance was naturally unstoppable.

Now, with its waist and abdomen suddenly attacked by two main forces with decent combat capabilities, it naturally faces the risk of being completely annihilated.

Yokoyama Isamu, no longer hesitating, declared: "Immediately send a telegram to the Expeditionary Army Headquarters, stating that my 11th Army has essentially completed its planned combat mission, is determined to resume a state of alert, and requests assistance from the air force..." (End of Chapter)