A Journey Through the Flames of War in the Republican Era

As the armored command vehicle of the 3rd Company approached, a communications soldier jumped off the vehicle and ran over to report to Song Hongfei: "Battalion Commander, the Chief of Staff is calling."

Song Hongfei nodded and turned to walk towards the command vehicle.

Several Southeast Army Corps commanders were quite surprised, thinking to themselves, "Their infantry units actually have radio communication command vehicles. No wonder their tactical coordination and command communication are so mobile and flexible."

Song Hongfei grabbed the radio intercom.

Commander Gui Shuaizhen's voice was filled with joy: "How is the situation of the troops? Can they continue fighting?"

Song Hongfei said, "The casualties are not significant, so fighting is not a problem, but it also depends on how we fight."

Gui Shuaizhen asked, "If we continue our westward offensive, can we win?"

Song Hongfei thought to himself that if the fighting continued, the two sides would really end up with a bloodbath. He was afraid that the situation was about to improve, so why bother with another large-scale conflict?

He hesitated for a moment, then said into the microphone, "We haven't prepared for the continued attack, and the troops are quite exhausted from continuous combat."

Gui Shuaizhen hesitated for a moment, then said, "It's not an attack, it's a defense! Commander Xu has ordered my battalion to closely monitor the enemy in Weizhou City, block enemy reinforcements, and coordinate with the 28th Division to take Zhangjialing. The armored battalion's tanks are to be moved to the Xitong Highway to provide offensive firepower. Your battalion's next task is to deploy defenses west of Tianjia Village, monitor and contain them, and not allow a single reinforcement to pass through!"

Song Hongfei said, "Yes! Understood! A small detachment east of Zhao Wang Village is still there. The enemy has not made any unusual moves. I will send more troops later to strengthen the defense and increase the containment."

Gui Shuaizhen then asked, "What was the outcome of this battle?"

Song Hongfei said, "There are too many prisoners, and they are difficult to manage. Among them are three regimental commanders. My unit is currently gathering and concentrating the prisoners."

"That was a brilliant battle! The 1st Regiment is also saying there are too many prisoners! Hmm, that is indeed a problem." Gui Shuaizhen laughed heartily into the microphone. "Now all the outer support points of Zhangjialing have been cleared, and a regiment of the 28th Division has already outflanked from the south. Taking it shouldn't be a problem. Let the 28th Division take over the main attack. Your battalion has been fighting continuously. Arrange for the soldiers to rest and recuperate, and serve as the general reserve. We'll see how things develop in Xijing before making any decisions!"

"Yes! Understood!"

Song Hongfei ended the call and turned to walk over.

After discussing it for a while, Ge Yanchun stepped forward and said to Song Hongfei, "Lieutenant Colonel, my troops haven't had breakfast yet. They've been hungry since the battle started until noon. Please allow my unit to cook a meal."

“Absolutely! I overlooked that.” Song Hongfei said without hesitation, then turned and called over the executive officer, “Tell the battalion headquarters and the mess halls of each company to increase the amount of staple and non-staple food, and to open up the supply to brother units. If there is not enough, apply to the brigade headquarters immediately.”

He earnestly said to the regimental commanders, "You should also send soldiers from the mess hall to help out, just like a meal between brother units. After this battle, we will still be brother units."

"There is one more thing. The battlefield conditions are rudimentary, and the wounded, whether seriously or lightly, cannot be delayed. They can return to the hospitals in Weizhou and Xijing for prompt treatment. The rest of the personnel should maintain order and remain at the resettlement site until the matter in Xijing is resolved. Our unit guarantees to treat them with courtesy. What do you think of this arrangement, regimental commanders?"

The group leaders nodded gratefully and said, "Thank you very much."

Lin Damu had been carefully observing his surroundings. At this moment, he asked a question that had been puzzling him for a long time: "Lieutenant Colonel, are you the battlefield commander for this battle?"

Song Hongfei nodded and said, "Song Hongfei, battalion commander of the sergeant battalion of the Central Military Academy Training Corps."

As he spoke, he extended his right palm to Lin Damu, his face full of sincerity.

Several Southeast Army commanders had long had this question, and upon learning the answer, they suddenly felt a subtle sense of realization and relief.

They had been observing for a long time and saw that the highest-ranking officer in the enemy unit was a lieutenant colonel, who they thought was at most a deputy regimental commander. However, they noticed that the enemy did not have a regiment, and the communications soldier had just called out "battalion commander." They were puzzled. Could it be that the enemy's battalion had penetrated deep into their territory, caused chaos, and decimated their several regiments? That would be truly shameful!

Although the enemy deployed a lot of tanks in this battle, judging from the skillful and sophisticated tactical maneuvers of their infantry, it was clear that the soldiers' training level was not to be underestimated, and their combat effectiveness was indeed astonishing. In comparison, their own troops paled in comparison, and the regimental commanders couldn't help but feel a little ashamed.

Having experienced the battles of Sanzhang Village and Yantou Village, Lin Damu, the commander of the 3rd Regiment, personally witnessed the formidable combat power of the enemy's infantry. He had been observing carefully all the way, which led to his question. Now, he could finally resolve his doubts: the enemy's assault force was indeed just an infantry battalion!

Several of the Southeast Army commanders had heard of Song Hongfei's great name and read his articles on tactical research. When they met him, they felt a surge of emotion, thinking, "His great reputation is indeed well-deserved." They also suddenly had a subtle feeling, "No wonder we lost the battle" and "Losing to him is not shameful."

At that moment, there was no longer any hatred for the enemy, only shame and grief for the defeat and the casualties suffered by the troops. Casualties are inevitable in war; war is merely a continuation of politics. Those who initiate wars are not soldiers, and there is no hatred between soldiers.

"So it's the renowned Dr. Song Hongfei." Several delegation leaders shook hands with Song Hongfei.

Lin Damu sighed, "I accept defeat wholeheartedly in this battle."

Several regimental commanders shared the same feeling.

Zhang Xuewen stared intently at the rifles in the hands of the sergeant soldiers and asked, "Is this the semi-automatic rifle designed by Battalion Commander Song?"

Song Hongfei nodded and beckoned to a soldier: "Private, show your rifle to the officer of the brother unit."

He then turned to Zhang Yi and said, "Go find a general-purpose machine gun."

The private took the Type 24 semi-automatic rifle off his shoulder and was about to remove the magazine.

Song Hongfei raised his hand to stop him, saying, "No need! We're all brothers in the same unit!"

"A general's demeanor!" Several regimental commanders sighed inwardly, all feeling impressed by Song Hongfei's openness and trustworthiness.

Several regimental commanders eagerly took the rifles, and a group of Southeast Army officers couldn't help but gather around.

Several regimental commanders examined the rifle with great interest and, after experiencing it firsthand, couldn't contain their delight: "If we hadn't seen it with our own eyes, we wouldn't have believed that our country could make such a good rifle! It's lighter than the Czech-made ZH-29 rifle, and the grip on this pistol is much more comfortable."

Song Hongfei said, "The design also drew inspiration from the magazine design of the ZH-29 rifle. It comes standard with a 10-round magazine, which is also compatible with the 20-round magazine of the ZB-26 Czech light machine gun, which is very beneficial for ammunition logistics."

The Southeast Army purchased a batch of ZH-29 semi-automatic rifles from Czechoslovakia, equipping elite units such as the officers' guard and special service company. However, the rifle was expensive and had poor reliability and maintainability.

A machine gun team from the 3rd Company quickly brought over a general-purpose machine gun. The machine gunner explained and demonstrated it to the officers and soldiers of the Southeast Army in detail, and everyone's attention was immediately drawn to this novel machine gun.

Lin Damu couldn't wait to try holding the gun, and as soon as he touched it, his face showed surprise, and he couldn't help but blurt out: "So light!"

The machine gunner said, "The unloaded weight is about the same as the Czech light machine gun. When assaulting, use a bipod and a 100-round belt; when using a tripod, use a 250-round belt, which is the same as the Maxim machine gun."

"No wonder we couldn't lock onto the enemy's heavy machine gun positions to launch a counterattack." The Southeast Army soldiers finally saw the heavy machine gun that had puzzled them and caused them so much trouble in this battle—the one that "could accompany infantry charges."

These advanced rifles and machine guns were domestically made, and the designer was right in front of me! This same officer had just commanded a brilliant battle, routing several of my regiments. A flood of emotions overwhelmed me; I was utterly amazed.

Lin Damu exclaimed, "Advanced weapons, superb tactics, excellent quality and training level—truly a powerful and elite force! I feel ashamed of the defeat, but I am also very fortunate that such powerful weapons and troops belong to China, not the Japanese invaders!"

The officers and soldiers of the Southeast Army stared with envy at the Type 24 semi-automatic rifle and general-purpose machine gun, unwilling to look away even for a moment. They couldn't help but feel a strong sense of anticipation and imagination: "If only one day I could use such good weapons to fight my way back to my hometown!"

Song Hongfei seemed to see through their thoughts, his gaze fixed on the direction of Xijing: "We are poor and weak, beset by internal and external troubles, and bullied by foreign enemies! Once this matter is settled, brothers, let us unite and we will surely recover our land and wipe away our national humiliation!"

The officers and soldiers of the Southeast Army were all shocked. Some of them couldn't help but shed tears. They had been stranded in the interior for several years. Who knew the humiliation they had suffered?

Zhang Xuewen looked at him and said, "A battle with a formidable enemy is inevitable. What is your view on the prospects of this battle? Do you firmly believe that we will ultimately defeat this powerful foe?"

"I firmly believe it!" Song Hongfei said resolutely. "The mighty Chinese nation, with a history of five thousand years, has never yielded to foreign aggression. Thousands of years of history prove that the Chinese are a brave and warlike nation, and we will surely defeat our enemies! Our nation will surely rise to become one of the strongest in the world!"

Song Hongfei stared intently at the crowd, his face solemn, and said, "It's not just about fighting back to our homeland, it's not just about recovering our territory! It's about riding into Tokyo on horseback, brandishing our swords, and raising the Han flag atop Mount Fuji! That is my lifelong wish!"

His words were powerful and resounding, and an awe-inspiring aura enveloped the entire audience.

Everyone was shaken, their emotions surging.

Many years later, those who followed him on his grand and epic expedition, surviving countless battles, recalled those resounding words from that day and were still filled with the same fervor as before.