Spy Wars: I am the Captain of the Military Police

1937年8月12日，中央军精锐部队87师与88师在汽笛长鸣中相继抵达上海。

Inside the headquarters, Zhang Zhizhong slapped the combat order on the combat map.

According to the deployment, the 87th Division led by Wang Jingjiu quickly entered the Wusong Fortress, a military stronghold that guards the gateway to the Yangtze River.

The 88th Division commanded by Sun Yuanliang rushed to the Dachang front line and built an outer defense line for the city.

Zhang Zhizhong stared at the dense red and blue arrows on the battle map, his eyes flashing with long-lost fighting spirit. He had been waiting for this battle for too long.

Five years ago, after the September 18th Incident, the Japanese invaders devoured the three northeastern provinces like hungry wolves, but their greedy appetite was still not satisfied.

They carefully planned the "North China Incident" and frequently created trouble in Shanghai, the financial center of the Far East, in an attempt to divert the international community's attention from the invasion of Northeast China, and at the same time turn Shanghai into a strategic springboard for further invasion of China.

The Japanese Marines stationed in Shanghai frequently held military exercises in Hongkou and Yangshupu areas, and armed patrols made provocations wantonly.

Instigated by Japanese organizations, the thugs burned Chinese factories, smashed shops, and even falsely accused the Chinese army of causing trouble in order to create a pretext for full-scale military action.

Faced with Japan's relentless pressure at that time, the Nanjing Nationalist Government adhered to the policy of "pacifying the country before resisting foreign aggression" and used its main military forces for internal affairs, adopting a compromising and concessionary attitude towards Japan.

At that time, Shanghai, the Pearl of the Orient and the heart of China's economy, had only a small number of police and security forces stationed there, and its defense was alarmingly weak.

Only the 19th Route Army was transferred to Shanghai because of its opposition to the civil war and became the backbone of resisting the Japanese invasion.

On January 1932, 1, Japanese spies carefully planned a frame-up incident in which five Japanese monks were attacked by thugs disguised as the Chinese Workers' Volunteer Army in the Shanghai International Settlement.

This seemingly accidental conflict was actually a war fuse carefully designed by the Japanese military.

Driven by its militarist expansion policy, the Japanese government immediately took advantage of the situation and made a series of unreasonable demands to the Nanjing government, including an apology, punishment of the criminals, and withdrawal of troops.

When these demands were sternly rejected, the long-planned Japanese Marines suddenly launched a fierce attack on the Zhabei area late at night on January 1, and the "January 28 Battle of Shanghai" that shocked China and the world broke out.

Faced with the pressure from powerful enemies, Jiang Guangnai, commander-in-chief of the 19th Route Army stationed in Shanghai, and Cai Tingkai, commander of the army, remained fearless and led their troops to build a simple defense line in Zhabei and Wusong.

With extremely simple equipment, many soldiers only had rifles and grenades, but they stubbornly blocked the well-equipped elite Japanese troops.

The Japanese army made three large-scale reinforcements, bringing the total strength to an astonishing 10, but was still unable to break through the defense line of the 19th Army.

The iron will built by the soldiers with their flesh and blood made the arrogant Japanese army pay a heavy price.

When the war was at a stalemate, the Nanjing National Government finally responded and sent Zhang Zhizhong to lead the Fifth Army to rush to Shanghai for emergency assistance.

The Fifth Army fought side by side with the 19th Route Army and engaged in fierce tug-of-war in Miaohang, Jiangwan and other places.

The Chinese army adopted flexible and maneuverable tactics, causing heavy casualties to the Japanese army and even forcing the Japanese army to replace front-line commanders four times.

However, the Japanese army quickly adjusted its tactics and adopted a roundabout encirclement strategy, landing from the direction of Liuhe in an attempt to cut off the rear supply lines of the Chinese army.

Due to the empty flanks of the defense line, the Chinese army was caught in a dilemma of being attacked from both sides and was forced to retreat to the Jiading and Taicang line on March 3.

On March 3, under international mediation, the Japanese army announced a ceasefire.

On May 5, China and Japan signed the "Shanghai Armistice Agreement."

This humiliating agreement stipulated that Chinese troops were not allowed to be stationed in Shanghai and surrounding areas, and only a small number of security forces could be retained to maintain public order.

The Japanese army was granted the privilege of staying in Shanghai for a long time.

This result meant that the Battle of Shanghai failed to achieve its strategic goal of eliminating Japanese forces in Shanghai, and became an eternal pain in Zhang Zhizhong's heart.

Now, when Zhang Zhizhong once again led the elite of the Central Army back to Shanghai, there was a determination in his eyes.

This was not only a military defense, but also a war of revenge to wash away the previous shame. He knew that this time, Shanghai must be defended at all costs and the tragedy of history must not be repeated!

On August 1937, 8, the situation in Shanghai was tense.

Since the Battle of Shanghai in 1932, the Japanese army has continuously strengthened its military presence in the Hongkou Concession and surrounding areas, stationing more than 2000 elite troops.

In Hongkou and Yangshupu areas, a large number of reinforced concrete bunkers, machine gun positions and underground shelters were built to form a tight defense system.

The Japanese army also deployed heavy troops along the Huangpu River, with artillery positions pointing directly at the urban area of Shanghai. Its sphere of influence had long since broken through the boundaries of the concession.

Faced with the Japanese army's relentless advance, Zhang Zhizhong, unwilling to give in, set up a front-line command post in Suzhou as early as 1936. He planned combat plans day and night, repeatedly simulated offensive routes, and strived to wipe out the Japanese army entrenched in Shanghai in one fell swoop.

On the morning of the 12th, he urgently dispatched a reconnaissance team to sneak into Shanghai to conduct a detailed survey of the distribution of Japanese strongholds and draw an accurate map.

At dusk that day, the 87th and 88th Divisions all entered the attack position. Zhang Zhizhong immediately called the Nanjing Command, requesting to launch a surprise attack the next day, August 8, to wipe out the enemy in Hongkou in one fell swoop while the Japanese army had not yet completed its combat preparations.

However, an order came from Nanjing to "suspend the action."

Although the Military Intelligence Bureau had already obtained intelligence from Zhou Zhengqing that the Japanese army was about to launch an occupation of Shanghai, the Nationalist government still hoped that the British and American powers would force a ceasefire, and fantasized that it could contain the Japanese army through diplomatic means, which led to the delay of the war.

On the afternoon of August 8, the Japanese army in the Hongkou Concession suddenly attacked the Shanghai Security Team. Artillery fire covered Zhabei and Jiangwan areas, and the Security Team fought back.

The provocation of the Japanese army completely tore off the disguise, and war was inevitable.

It was not until this time that the Nanjing government finally made up its mind and formally issued a general attack order on August 8, requiring Zhang Zhizhong to lead his troops to launch a full-scale attack on the Japanese Marines in the Hongkou Concession, vowing to eliminate the Japanese troops in Shanghai!

At this time, Zhang Zhizhong was standing in front of the headquarters map with a sharp gaze.

This battle not only concerns the survival of Shanghai, but also national dignity.

The regret of 1932 would never happen again! He immediately issued the combat order:

The 87th Division was commanded by Wang Jingjiu, and its main attack was in the direction of Wusong and Jiangwan, cutting off the Japanese army's retreat.

The 88th Division, commanded by Sun Yuanliang, headed straight for Zhabei and Hongkou, aiming directly at the core strongholds of the Japanese army.

The artillery units concentrated their firepower to suppress the Japanese bunkers and open up an attack channel for the infantry.

The reserve forces are on standby at all times, ready to expand the results of the battle.