A Journey Through the Flames of War in the Republican Era

The annihilation of a reinforced Japanese battalion in the first battle was a complete and brilliant victory, enough to make the 522nd Regiment of the 87th Division famous throughout the world.

The officers and soldiers of the 87th Division were filled with pride and admiration for Song Hongfei.

In particular, the battle resulted in the capture of more than 10 Japanese soldiers, a feat never before achieved by the National Revolutionary Army. The Nationalist government had offered a reward of 200 silver dollars for each captured Japanese soldier, but they had never managed to do so.

Deeply indoctrinated with Bushido and militaristic ideology, Japanese soldiers, when faced with dire straits, would choose suicide rather than become prisoners. Those captured in this battle were mostly lightly or severely wounded, who, due to their unconsciousness and the rapid pace of our attack, did not have time to commit suicide.

Division Commander Wang Youping was overjoyed: "I never imagined that your first victory against the Japanese invaders would be achieved by my 87th Division! Haha, this is enough to make us drink a big cup of wine!"

Song Hongfei said, "This victory was achieved through the concerted efforts and bloody battles of all officers and soldiers."

Wang Youping nodded directly and said, "Yes! I felt that the soldiers fought with all their might and shared a common hatred for the enemy. The officers at all levels and the staff officers of various specialties worked together efficiently and planned meticulously, as if they had been united as a whole, with one spirit. The whole division was as one gun! They could hit wherever they were pointed and were invincible! As the division commander, I am very curious, what kind of magic do you have?"

Song Hongfei was neither arrogant nor self-deprecating. He said, "There's no other reason than that military operations are a confrontation between a well-organized and coordinated system. It requires hundreds or thousands of soldiers to carry out the strategic intent with a high degree of coordination! What the commander has to do is lead the soldiers to achieve this goal."

Song Hongfei always kept in mind what his father had told him: "To become an invincible commander, you must first become a hero in the hearts of your soldiers!"

This is Song Hongfei's philosophy: Victory in war requires a powerful whole composed of countless soldiers, with iron organization, iron discipline, unparalleled courage and wisdom, and absolute trust in each other, working together to rush toward the same goal!

The two then diligently conducted a post-battle review and analysis on a simple sand table and map, repeatedly simulating the events.

Wang Youping sighed: "For a long time, our army commanders have not understood modern warfare. They do not know how to prepare for an attack, how to carry it out, how to form and select the key points, how to coordinate infantry and artillery, how to communicate with each other from top to bottom and left to right, how to destroy obstacles, and how to sweep through enemy positions. They only know how to use human bullets to resist steel bullets, resulting in heavy sacrifices and setbacks in every attack."

He then solemnly added, "The concepts and experiences of this battle can serve as the most successful case study, providing valuable lessons for our army. General Zhang Wenbai just called, asking us to submit a detailed battle report as soon as possible. I have already instructed the staff to compile and supplement the report to form a complete summary report."

Song Hongfei nodded and said, "That's great. Give me a copy of the report when it's finished. This is a rare summary of practical experience, and the Training Corps should study it carefully."

"Regardless, you deserve the most credit for this victory! I want to recommend you for commendation!" Wang Youping said. "In my opinion, you shouldn't go back to the Training Corps; you should just stay with our 87th Division!"

His expression was indeed extremely earnest.

However, Wang Youping then laughed and said, "I imagine Captain Gui Shuaizhen will definitely want to fight me to the death!" His tone was full of regret.

"Thank you for your patronage," Song Hongfei said with a smile. "I am just a gun of the revolution; I will point it wherever I am told to."

This battle had received considerable attention from all levels of command since its planning stages, with the Ninth Army Group even sending personnel and supporting artillery to observe the battle. Following the victory, congratulatory and commendatory telegrams poured in from the Army Group, the Third War Zone, and the Military Commission.

Those in power have their own ideas.

Commander-in-Chief Zhang Wenbai was constantly troubled by the rigid and outdated tactics of the National Revolutionary Army. When attacking, they would charge with entire battalions or regiments, but when defending, they would stand still and hold their ground on the front line. As a result, they could neither conquer the enemy nor defend effectively, and countless officers and soldiers were overwhelmed by the enemy's fire on the Shanghai battlefield.

Commander-in-Chief Zhang thought that with the victory of this battle in flexible and mobile defense, if the participating Nationalist Army units followed this tactic, they could at least reduce a lot of casualties.

The Military Commission, standing at a strategic height guiding the overall situation, considered at the highest level that if Song Hongfei's modern military concepts and tactical thinking were promoted and implemented in all reorganized divisions and even all Central Army units, who in China could compete with them? And why worry about not eliminating the Japanese pirates?

The top leadership is already considering an idea: to set up training courses at the Army University and the Central Military Academy to conduct short-term rotational training for generals and officers from various units who are heading to Shanghai, and to carry out education and training in modern tactics. After the rotational training is completed, they will be sent to the Shanghai battlefield.

Song Hongfei and Wang Youping never expected that their single act would cause such a huge ripple effect, creating so many chain reactions.

After the battle ended, Song Hongfei rushed to the 2nd Regiment of the Zhanghuabang Training Corps.

Wang Youping repeatedly urged him to stay: "I really want you to stay and win a few more battles!"

But he knew that Song Hongfei had important matters to attend to, so he could only bid him farewell with regret, saying, "The war is busy, so I can't see you off any further! Lieutenant Wang knows the location of the 2nd Training Regiment headquarters, and he is also familiar with the road conditions. We will have to pass through the Japanese army's fire blockade line, so please be careful! Let him accompany you there!"

"Until we meet again!" Song Hongfei laughed heartily. "I believe we will fight side by side again one day!"

Watching Song Hongfei and his entourage disappear into the distance, Wang Youping said to Chief of Staff Xia Sheng, "Although young, he is as steady as a mountain and has an extraordinary demeanor. He already has the air of a great general!"

Xia Sheng exclaimed in admiration, "Truly, a man of great reputation is not without merit!"

Zhang Huabang, 2nd Regiment Headquarters of the Training Corps.

Deputy Commander Zhou Zhenqiang said to Song Hongfei, who had just arrived, "You're something else! I didn't expect you to cause such a big commotion in the 87th Division so soon after you got back! If it weren't for the report from Division Commander Wang Youping, I would have been completely kept in the dark."

Song Hongfei laughed and said, "There was a battle, but it wasn't a big one; it was just a matter of chance."

Zhou Zhenqiang added, "I received a telegram from Commander Gui in Berlin earlier, saying that you had set off to return to China. But considering the time, I didn't expect you to be back so quickly."

Song Hongfei said with a bit of helplessness, "It's all thanks to the Japanese devils! The cruise ship captain learned that the Japanese devils were going to blockade our coastline, so in order to avoid trouble, he had to arrive before the blockade. He sped along the way and actually arrived ahead of schedule."

Zhou Zhenqiang suddenly realized: "You must be tired from your long journey!"

"By the way, Commander Gui has also set off for home." Zhou Zhenqiang added, "He sent a telegram before he left, instructing us to intensify training and preparation for war. I wonder if you came here overnight with any instructions from the Commander?"

Song Hongfei couldn't say that the 2nd Regiment's position on the Shanghai-Songhu battlefield was just his personal opinion, so he could only say: "Before returning to China, I discussed the situation with the commander-in-chief. Our brigade has no experience fighting against a powerful enemy with modern land, sea and air combat capabilities, nor has it conducted corresponding training in combat against aircraft, tanks and heavy artillery. The commander-in-chief instructed us to expedite the pre-battle training under modern warfare conditions throughout the brigade."

"The experience of the 87th Division in this battle provides us with the best lessons. I have already asked Division Commander Wang Youping for a summary report of this battle, which they will send over once it is compiled."

"What's the situation with the Second Regiment?"

"After days of fighting, the 2nd Regiment has suffered heavy casualties, but its organizational structure is still relatively intact and its morale is good," Zhou Zhenqiang said.

"In the anti-landing defense operation at Zhanghuabang, the 2nd Regiment followed the flexible mobile defense tactics that the brigade had always trained for, and the Japanese army did not gain any advantage. However, our army lacked heavy artillery firepower and was unable to attack fortified positions, and was unable to drive the enemy into the sea."

"Zhanghuabang is close to Wusongkou and Huangpu River. The firepower of the Japanese large-caliber naval guns is too fierce. The 75 mountain gun battalion of our brigade can only carry out mobile operations with single or double guns and must be on guard against enemy aircraft and long-range artillery counterattacks at any time."

Song Hongfei also sighed, "We've suffered too much because our equipment is inferior."

Song Hongfei and Zhou Zhenqiang discussed the corresponding training and combat plans until late at night.

The following morning, news agencies, newspapers, and radio stations both at home and abroad rushed to report the news of this victory as breaking news.

The front-page headline of the Central Daily News, "Our 87th Division Achieves a Great Victory Over the Japanese Army at Jiangwan; Elite Battalion of the Enemy's 3rd Division Suffers Devastating Blow," stated: "This battle shattered the myth of the Japanese army's invincibility, dealt a heavy blow to the enemy's arrogance, and greatly boosted the morale of the entire front. If all armies were like the 87th Division, it would not be difficult to defeat and annihilate the enemy."

Newspaper boys in Shanghai excitedly shouted, "Extra! Extra! Our army has won a great victory over the Japanese army in Jiangwan!" This caused people on the street to rush to buy the newspapers, and they were quickly sold out.

When the people of Shanghai heard the good news, they cheered and spread the word, finally venting their long-suppressed frustration. Delegations from all walks of life came to the 87th Division's garrison in Jiangwan in an endless stream.

People across the country learned through newspapers and radio that a decisive victory had been won, and the whole nation was in an uproar. Seeing the hope of victory in the War of Resistance against Japan greatly boosted the morale and confidence of the people in resisting aggression, and congratulatory telegrams and letters of condolence from all walks of life poured into the 87th Division.

Wang Youping was overwhelmed with the situation, and the morale of all officers and soldiers in the 87th Division was high.

After suffering heavy losses, the Japanese army developed a new assessment of the National Revolutionary Army's combat capabilities.

Following the concept of flexible defense, the 87th Division continued to improve and strengthen the deployment of its defense system. As a result, the Japanese army dared not make any rash moves against Jiangwan, and the defensive situation of our army in the Jiangwan area was greatly improved.