The War of Resistance Against Japan: Special Operations Battalion Traverses Shanghai and Slaughters

After Sun Haitao and Chen Defa led their team to Panlong Town, they immediately set up defenses.

They reported this to Long Fei, and Sun Haitao personally led a platoon to greet Long Fei and the special operations battalion soldiers.

Sun Haitao ordered the two Tiger tanks to be temporarily parked in the woods by the roadside and await further orders.

Originally, the Japanese troops west of Beixinjing immediately reported to the regimental commander, Tokumasa Nono, after the 261st Brigade broke through the encirclement and prepared to launch a pursuit.

However, they received orders from Nobutaka Nobumasa to first support the troops in the south, and then launch a joint pursuit after repelling the enemy's attack.

Without the harassment of pursuers, Sun Haitao, Chen Defa, and the 261st Brigade marched at a rapid pace.

We arrived at Panlong Town in just over an hour.

Panlong Town was deserted by then. Since the outbreak of the Battle of Shanghai, Japanese planes would occasionally come to bomb it.

Many of the town's residents were killed in the bombing, so they had no choice but to abandon their homes and retreat to the rear.

They hoped that the National Revolutionary Army could defeat the Japanese invaders and then they could return to their homeland.

Unexpectedly, the situation has taken a sharp turn for the worse, and the Nationalist army has begun a large-scale retreat.

This forced everyone to become displaced and flee, leaving Panlong Town as a desolate and broken ghost town.

After picking up Long Fei, Sun Haitao immediately returned to Panlong Town.

Upon arriving in town, Sun Haitao brought Long Fei to Chen Yiding and introduced them to each other.

"Battalion Commander, this is Brigade Commander Chen of the 261st Brigade."

"Brigade Commander Chen, this is our battalion commander, Long Fei."

"Greetings, Brigade Commander Chen."

"Good morning, Battalion Commander Long."

The two shook hands warmly with smiles.

"Battalion Commander Long, Brigade Commander Chen and Regiment Commander Ge have told me all about your glorious achievements along the way."

"To be honest, I admire you immensely. You sank four Japanese aircraft carriers, severely damaged the Japanese 17th Regiment, and annihilated the Japanese 13th and 45th Regiments."

"They even sank three Japanese destroyers with tanks, and now they've penetrated deep into enemy territory and successfully rescued my 261st Brigade. It's just one battalion of a few hundred men. It's simply a miracle."

Long Fei remained calm and composed, replying, "Commander Chen, you flatter me. Our battalion is here to fight the Japanese, and this is just the beginning."

"Hiss..."

Chen Yiding gasped. Long Fei's imposing aura and unwavering confidence were enough to make him submit.

Moreover, this impressive record is unmatched by any other unit in the National Revolutionary Army, including German-equipped divisions, the Central Training Corps, and the Tax Police Corps.

After thinking for a moment, Chen Yiding said sincerely, "Battalion Commander Long, based on your battle record, your command ability, plus your weapons and equipment and the combat capabilities of hundreds of brothers, you are truly remarkable."

“You’re too underutilized as a battalion commander. Brigade Commander Chen and I have discussed it and will jointly recommend you to the higher-ups when we get back. With the merits you’ve made this time, you’re more than qualified to be a regimental commander or brigade commander.”

Long Fei chuckled inwardly. He looked down on the idea of ​​being a regimental commander or brigade commander in the Nationalist Army, let alone a division commander or army commander.

In Long Fei's mind, given time, his special operations battalion would definitely develop rapidly, and it wouldn't be a problem to grow to 20,000 or 30,000 or even 50,000 or 60,000 in less than a year.

"Thank you both for your kindness, Commanders Chen, but isn't it a bit inappropriate to discuss this now?"

After thanking him, Long Fei politely ended the conversation.

Upon hearing this, Chen Yiding realized that he was a bit anxious, and the current situation was indeed not suitable for discussing this topic.

"Commander Long is right. Let's talk about this later."

Long Fei nodded and went straight to the point, announcing, "Brigadier Generals Chen, I have already sent troops to lure the Japanese here. I plan to make dumplings for the Japanese in Panlong Town."

Long Fei's plan was clearly another ambitious operation. Chen Defa was alright, having personally experienced two previous annihilation battles, so he wasn't too surprised.

However, Chen Yiding was clearly filled with doubts and couldn't help but ask.

"Battalion Commander Long, how many Japanese soldiers are there?"

Long Fei wasn't sure, but based on the few skirmishes during the retreat, he estimated that the pursuing Japanese force was no less than a regiment.

So he answered truthfully: "I don't know the exact number, but based on my judgment, it should be no less than a regiment."

"A whole regiment!"

Chen Yiding's expression immediately turned tense.

He participated in the Battle of Shanghai very early on and clashed with the Japanese countless times, so he had a very good understanding of the Japanese fighting capabilities.

Based on Chen Yiding's understanding and combat experience, it would take at least an entire army to be able to encircle and annihilate a Japanese regiment.

“Battalion Commander Long, you only have a few hundred men. My 261st Brigade now has less than a thousand men, and only six or seven hundred are capable of fighting.”

"Commander Chen's 37th Brigade only has less than two thousand men."

"In terms of troop strength, we are slightly outnumbered by the Japanese. I'm afraid the plan to encircle and annihilate the Japanese is too risky."

Before Long Fei could answer, Chen Defa couldn't wait to speak up for him.

"Brigade Commander Chen, Battalion Commander Long's weapons and equipment can overwhelm the Japanese, so the disadvantage in numbers can be completely reversed."

Even so, Chen Yiding was still unsure, or rather, the Japanese army's formidable fighting power had been deeply imprinted in his mind.

This meant that even in a one-to-one confrontation, he still lacked the confidence to win.

The situation was urgent; the Japanese would arrive in Panlong Town soon, so Long Fei didn't have time to discuss things slowly with the two of them.

Long Fei took out some cigarettes, handed them to the two of them, and then said.

"I just don't understand, since the National Revolutionary Army's weapons, equipment, and individual combat skills are inferior to those of the Japanese."

"Then why does your command still use its own weaknesses against the enemy's strengths, fighting positional warfare against the Japanese and making soldiers use their flesh and blood to withstand the Japanese artillery fire?"

"Why can't we engage in urban street fighting with the Japanese? That way, their artillery and tanks won't be able to play a significant role."

"This would weaken the Japanese advantage and prevent so many soldiers from dying in vain under the Japanese artillery fire."

Long Fei spoke with absolute certainty, leaving Chen Yiding and Chen Defa shaking their heads and sighing, speechless.

Chen Defa had known Long Fei for longer than Chen Yiding, and he immediately sensed the hidden meaning in Long Fei's words.

"Brother, based on what you just said, if you want to turn the Japanese into dumplings in Panlong Town, you probably won't confront them head-on, right?"

Long Fei smiled confidently and said, "Of course. Although I am not afraid of fighting the Japanese head-on, it would inevitably cause unnecessary casualties."

“My soldiers are all precious treasures, and I will never let them take this risk unless absolutely necessary.”

Chen Yiding then asked curiously, "Battalion Commander Long, how do you plan to fight?"

Panlong Town has a unique topography: the town is high in the north and low in the south, with a waterway several kilometers long running east and west, sandwiching the town in the middle.

After arriving in Panlong Town, Sun Haitao not only built defensive positions, but also carefully observed the terrain of the entire town as instructed by Long Fei.

After Sun Haitao met Long Fei, he not only reported the details of the battle but also shared his observations of the terrain around Panlong Town.

Watching Sun Haitao squat down with a small stone in hand, drawing as he explained the terrain of Panlong Town, I was struck by how he described it.

Long Fei then devised a plan to perfectly wrap up the Japanese devils like dumplings.

When Long Fei explained the plan, Chen Defa and Chen Yiding both gave him a thumbs up in admiration.

"Hehe, Battalion Commander Long, your plan is brilliant! The Japanese devils would never dream that they'd be surrounded and wiped out by you in Panlong Town."