Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Chapter 171: Awarded the Blue and White Medal again; Chiang Kai-shek: I hope Chu Yunfei will be Guan Yu! (Subscribe)
Who is not afraid?
Yan Laoxi was afraid that Chiang Kai-shek would give orders without his knowledge.

Li Zongren was also afraid that Chang Kai-shek would give orders without his knowledge.

What’s more, he is just a small person like Chu Yunfei?

"Boss, I can go to Jin to fight, but I hope to raise some requirements."

Zhu Shouguang nodded: "Go ahead, I will report this to Chief Yan, and this matter can be discussed and implemented soon."

"First, whether our army will participate in the battle does not depend on the orders of the superiors, but on my own judgment of the battle situation. However, before taking action, I will report to the commander of the war zone, and even to the chairman."

Zhu Shouguang nodded upon hearing this: "Well, I think this should be no problem."

"General, the Xuzhou area is easy to attack but difficult to defend, and the friendly forces' combat effectiveness is relatively poor."

"Except for the 22nd Sichuan Army and the 2nd Army under Commander Sun, which have a good relationship with our Shanxi Army, the rest of the troops..."

Chu Yunfei sighed: "Let's not talk about gratitude and resentment for now."

"In the upcoming battle of Xuzhou, are there any Central Army troops participating in the battle?"

Zhu Shouguang shook his head.

The forces that made up the Fifth War Zone nominally numbered 288,000 men.

A total of twenty-nine infantry divisions and one brigade of combat troops.

These are the miscellaneous military units mentioned above, and none of them are the elite central army.

Of course, after the battles of Songhu, Nanjing, Pinghan Railway, and Xinkou-Taiyuan.

The Central Army had already suffered heavy losses at this time.

In addition to the First War Zone, there are about 70,000 troops.

The rest of the departments are in a state of repair and restoration.

As for the five war zones today, there are not many troops that are truly combat-capable.

But there are still a few.

Among them, the most powerful one was the 59th Army, commanded by General Zhang Zizhong.

And the Third Corps, led by Pang Bingxun, stationed in Haizhou at that time.

In addition to the 27th Corps led by General Zhang Zizhong, the 3rd Corps, the 51st Corps led by General Pang Bingxun, and Yu Xuezhong's 51st Corps...
The combat effectiveness and equipment of the remaining units were extremely poor.

Standard miscellaneous troops, basically warlord troops, with weak combat effectiveness.

At this time on the battlefield of Xuzhou.

Except for the troops under Sun Lianzhong and Deng Jinkang, who are slightly more trustworthy.

Chu Yunfei couldn't possibly trust the other troops.

Once a war begins, it becomes normal for everyone to take care of their own business.

Once Chu Yunfei was surrounded, even Tang Enbo's troops would most likely fight to the death to rescue him under Chiang Kai-shek's strict orders.

As for the other troops, why?
This was the situation of the National Army at that time, with numerous factions, warlords everywhere, and nepotism.

When friendly forces are in trouble, the basic operation is to remain motionless like a mountain.

This situation continued until the end of the War of Resistance Against Japan and the outbreak of the Liberation War.

Li Zongren himself complained that these troops were only third- or fourth-rate in combat effectiveness compared with the troops fighting in Shanghai at the time.

Zhu Shouguang naturally understood Chu Yunfei's concerns.

It's easy to say that we will go to Jin to fight.

But in fact, many things need to be negotiated, and it is not easy to get away with it outside.

Yan Laoxi got a sufficient price.

He also judged that this was a good opportunity for the Jin army to expand its influence across the country.

Chu Yunfei thinks.

The fundamental purpose of Chiang Kai-shek's transfer of him from Shanxi now is to win him over to serve in the combat sequence of the Central Army.

In order to achieve this goal.

The amount of sacrifice and even the magnitude of the losses were actually not within Chiang Kai-shek's consideration at all.

he wants.

Just myself.

Even Chu Yunfei had doubts.

Chiang Kai-shek most likely felt that with Chu Yunfei around and the weapons and equipment he provided, the Whampoa students.

Soon we will be able to form a second world-famous troop.

By that time, this unit was a formal central army and a formal "disciple of the emperor." For Chiang Kai-shek himself, Chu Yunfei became a tool for him to maintain his rule.

Just like what Tang Enbo said to Chiang Kai-shek before the war.

After the Battle of Songhu and Nanjing, if all the troops under my command are wiped out, what will you use to maintain the situation?
In fact, this was exactly the case until the middle and late stages of the War of Resistance.

The local army's strength even exceeded that of the central army, and military law was in name only... The situation of various departments drawing empty salaries and sucking the blood of soldiers was even more serious than before the war!

As for the commander-in-chief of the Fifth War Zone, Li Zongren, there is no need to mention him.

His mysterious actions in the later period of the Battle of Xuzhou are very puzzling.

There is still controversy over this matter.

Some scholars believe that it was a problem of Li Zongren's own command.

Some scholars also believe.

Among these, Chiang Kai-shek's direct intervention order had a greater impact.

But there is one thing that historians agree on.

That is, the later stage of the Battle of Xuzhou was a mess.

The new recruits that the Nationalist government added to various departments had almost no combat effectiveness, and could even do more harm than good on the battlefield.

More than 500,000 troops (nominally) were assembled in the Xuzhou area, but they were playing a wingspan competition with the Japanese army, as if they were competing to see whose front line could be longer.

After the battle started, they were completely defeated before they could hold out for more than a month.
It is difficult to discuss the right and wrong of this matter based on the historical materials I have consulted before traveling through time.

But one thing is certain.

In the later stage of the Battle of Xuzhou, a large encirclement was formed, although there were many omissions.

Anyone who ran a little slower would be caught up and annihilated by the Japanese army.

And the troops.

There is no record of any organized unit being pursued and annihilated.

It can be said that because there are farmlands everywhere, there are many small paths (farm production roads), which make it convenient to hide.

But this also represents another possibility, that is, these troops had already planned to escape.

The speed of their retreat even exceeded the speed of the Japanese army's pursuit, which is also a kind of skill.

Zhu Shouguang and Chu Yunfei talked for a while.

Mistakenly thinking that Chu Yunfei wanted to preserve the strength of the troops, he simply advised: "The chairman has emphasized at the meeting today that at times like this, it should be us soldiers who should sacrifice. If we don't go, who will?"

"General, that being said, sacrifice is always worthwhile. Yun Fei understands the significance of the Battle of Xuzhou, but..."

Suddenly, chaotic gunfire rang out outside.

Chu Yunfei frowned slightly at this time: "Are you going to attack Deputy Commander-in-Chief Han?"

"Well, without firing a single shot, we lost Jinan and most of Shandong, leaving the gates of Xuzhou wide open. There aren't many places in southern Shandong that are suitable for sustained defense, so the fall of Xuzhou is inevitable.

Someone needs to be held accountable. Han Fuju's rank is not high enough to appease the public anger if he is not killed.

However, the chairman could have just arrested him after the meeting. There is no need to make a big fuss at this time and make people panic. "

What the two of them didn't know was.

In fact, Han Fuju was deceived by Liu Zhi and got into his car after the meeting.

He was taken directly to Wuhan that afternoon.

This time the exchange of fire.

It was just a small-scale battle and conflict caused by Liu Zhi leading his troops to incorporate the Pistol Battalion.

Rejoin the meeting the next day.

As expected, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Han did not appear at the meeting.

Everyone has understood it.

Chiang Kai-shek stood in front of the crowd and continued, "I said yesterday that I would reward the soldiers who have contributed according to their merit."

Then Chiang Kai-shek made a loud announcement in front of everyone present.

After the Battle of Southeast Shanxi.

Chu Yunfei was promoted, and after discussion by the Military Commission, it was decided to award Chu Yunfei a Blue and White Medal, and the troops under his command also received a Flying Tiger Honor Flag.

Apart from a blue-and-white medal, the rest of the honors had already been announced to the entire army, so everyone naturally knew about it.

On the Sichuan Army side, Sun Zhen and Wang Mingzhang were awarded the Yunhui Medal and the Qingbai Medal respectively.

As for ammunition supplies and other rewards, they will not be mentioned at the meeting.

At first glance.

So many people died, what’s the point of giving them such a little honor?
That’s right.

But on what perspective is this starting point based?

The army is the private property of the commander-in-chief, not a national army that defends the country.

They believe that if someone dies, it is a huge loss and will affect the power in their hands.

If all military commanders thought so.

Then why are we still resisting the Japanese and fighting the devils?
Here is the precedent of the 22nd Army of the Sichuan Army and the 3rd Army of Sun Lianzhong!
Chiang Kai-shek's attitude shows one thing.

The war of resistance has a future, it is not just to eliminate you ragtag troops!

Simultaneously.

By doing all this, Chiang Kai-shek actually wanted to make one point clear.

He, Chiang Kai-shek, has changed and is no longer the same as before.

Before, he believed that the ragtag army and the Japanese army would fight to the death, and the end would be the end. Killing the ragtag army would eliminate the internal strife, and killing the Japanese invaders would put an end to the external threat.

But now Chiang Kai-shek clearly realizes one thing.

If all the ragtag armies were like Han Fuju, who only knew how to preserve their strength.

Or maybe it's just working without putting in any effort.

If the Japanese continue to fight at this rate, our country will be destroyed!
But Chiang Kai-shek was the chairman at that time after all (after resigning from many positions, this was the only position he had left).

There was no way he could admit his mistake openly.

But it's just to express my attitude.

All the commanders of the miscellaneous military units actually felt reassured at this moment.

Today, the central army is less powerful than before, and Chiang Kai-shek’s control over various regions is also declining.

In this situation, if Chiang Kai-shek dared to break his promise to the world.

Continue to deceive this group of ragtag troops.

By then, the situation will not be something that their Central Army can handle! Today's meeting ended quickly, and Chiang Kai-shek seemed to be in a much better mood.

At least he didn't criticize everyone.

The meeting was supposed to last for two days because of Chu Yunfei and Han Fuju.

I only got scolded for half a day, which was actually pretty good.

After the meeting, Chu Yunfei took the initiative to find Wang Mingzhang, the commander of the 122nd Division of the Sichuan Army.

The two of them agreed to go back and chat together, and then took a car back to their residence.

Wang Mingzhang is trustworthy and so is Sun Zhen.

But it was difficult for Deng Jinkang and Chu Yunfei to trust him.

Even Yan Laoxi has to be on guard, let alone this
The two chatted for a while about the prospects of the Jinpu Campaign.

Chu Yunfei looked solemn. He said seriously, "Commander Wang, if you and I have the opportunity to fight side by side again on the battlefield in Xuzhou, Yunfei hopes that we can overcome the difficulties together like we did on the battlefield in Shanxi."

Wang Mingzhang immediately stated: "Don't worry, our Sichuan Army 122nd Division will definitely work together with our brother troops to fight against the Japanese invaders."

Chu Yunfei got the answer he wanted.

Wang Mingzhang also knew Chu Yunfei's intention.

After saying goodbye.

Chu Yunfei immediately found Zhu Shouguang to confirm whether a meeting was needed tomorrow.

After getting the exact news.

Chu Yunfei only made one request.

Arrange military trains as far in advance as possible, as military affairs in southeastern Shanxi are busy.

He didn't want to stay in Kaifeng for even a single day longer.

Kaifeng.

Headquarters of the commander-in-chief of the first war zone.

At this time, Chiang Kai-shek had already arranged everything.

Han Fuju will be taken to Wuchang and tried by He Yingqin personally.

After everything is ready, he should be executed.

Chiang Kai-shek, who was in a good mood, turned his head to look at Zhu Peiji beside him and asked, "How did the talk with Chu Yunfei go?"

"Commander Chu hesitated for a moment and said he would obey the orders of you and Commander Yan."

Chiang Kai-shek smiled and said, "Chu Yunfei is a man of great talent."

"I want him to be like Guan Yu. Guan Yu single-handedly killed Yan Liang and beheaded the enemy generals in the midst of thousands of troops. What did he rely on?"

"Loyal, courageous, and brave."

"Loyalty, Chu Yunfei has it. Courage, he also has it on the battlefield."

"I just don't know if he has the courage to lead his troops out of Jin."

Zhu Peiji frowned slightly and asked tentatively, "Commissioner, do you mean that Commander Yan is not sure whether Chu Yunfei will go out to fight?"

Chiang Kai-shek chuckled.

After Qian Dajun dealt with Yan Laoxi.

Now he is determined to get Chu Yunfei.

"Orders are orders. What if Chu Yunfei disobeys the orders of his old superior?"

Boarded the return military train.

Chu Yunfei also felt relaxed at this time.

Finally, I don’t have to face people like Chiang Kai-shek and Li Zongren anymore.

If not necessary.

Chu Yunfei was not very happy to interact with them, it was meaningless.

It is better to miss someone than to meet him/her. Only distance can create beauty.

What's more, Yan Laoxi and Chu Yunfei need to be on guard all the time, not to mention these two people.

None of these old foxes are easy to deal with.

Sun Ming was looking at the map boredly at this time: "Sir, why do we have to fight the Battle of Xuzhou? I always feel that there is no place that can be defended."

"If you just look at Xuzhou, you can't see anything. The Longhai and Jinpu railway lines intersect in Xuzhou. To the west of Xuzhou are Dangshan and Guide (Shangqiu), and to the west of Lanfeng are Kaifeng and Zhengxian."

"Once the Japanese army captures Xuzhou, the main forces in the north and south can be combined and move westward together."

"For the Japanese army, when they attacked Wuhan, their flanks were no longer threatened, so they could attack along the Yangtze River, giving full play to their naval advantages and having smooth supply."

"Everyone knows that the main means of supply for the Japanese army at this stage is nothing more than water transport and railways. Their road transport efficiency is relatively low."

"For the Japanese army, any place that can be reached by railways is actually their current and future offensive targets."

"In other words, the better the infrastructure, the more convenient it will be for us to transport supplies, and the smoother the Japanese attack will be."

Chu Yunfei said this and gave Sun Ming about ten seconds to think.

After a moment, he pointed to the map and continued:

"Of course, once the Japanese North China Expeditionary Force successfully occupied Xuzhou and advanced westward with unstoppable force."

"These troops in the First War Zone will also not be a match for the Japanese army. Then we can lead our troops to conquer Zhengxian County and go south via the Pinghan Railway to attack Wuhan."

"Today, Wuhan is the economic and political center of the Republic of China and a key military town. If it is lost, the consequences will be disastrous."

Sun Ming looked up and asked, "Sir, is there any way to stop the Japanese invaders from entering Kaifeng and Zhengxian?"

Chu Yunfei nodded silently: "Yes, but it's best not to do it."

"Why?"

"The people who did this will be nailed to the pillar of shame in history and will be cursed and despised forever."

Chu Yunfei sighed: "Besides, even if we do it, it may not necessarily achieve the expected good results."

"Sir...you are not talking about flooding the Japanese invaders, are you?"

Seeing Chu Yunfei nodded, Sun Ming was horrified: "How can this be possible? The Yellow River is flooded so much that many people will be displaced. Even if evacuation work is carried out in advance, their land will inevitably be greatly affected by the flooding situation."

"If the harvest fails, I wonder how many people will die!"

Yes.

Sun Ming understood the truth, but Chiang Kai-shek still resolutely did it.

Moreover, when he saw his subordinates were hesitant, he even sent them a telegram, asking them to overcome their softness.

As for evacuation work, there was.

But it's useless!
When Chu Yunfei was reading the war history.

He clearly remembered that the head of the German advisory group, General Falkenhausen, proposed a corresponding plan to dig the Yellow River in 37.

In addition, according to the recollections of Yan Xunfu, commander-in-chief of the First War Zone.

In 35, when the war plan against Japan was being formulated, the plan to breach the Yellow River's dikes was already discussed.

Another option was to burn down Zheng County (Zhengzhou).

Although these two plans seem a bit extreme, they are both conventional ideas for scorched earth warfare.

But it has a planned and relatively complete evacuation plan.

However, it was not until the failure of the Battle of Lanfeng that Chiang Kai-shek hastily implemented the construction of the dike at the suggestion of Chen Guofu.

According to the recollections of Huang Duowu, Chief of the General Staff of the 39th Army who participated in the dam breach.

Although there is a plan to resettle and evacuate local residents, it is actually just empty talk. It is just the village and village head who urges the migration.

How easy is it to migrate in a hurry?
There were only a few migrants, and in a blink of an eye, the merciless flood rolled in. How could they escape in time?

For a while, the sounds of crying for help were endless.

Two days later, Huang Duowu accompanied people sent by the headquarters to inspect the Yellow River flooding situation.

All you can see are endless waves, corpses of all sizes, a child's cradle floating in the river, and intermittent crying sounds.

Countless families were killed in the flood, and no one in the entire village, clan, or even the entire township, young or old, male or female, was spared.

The Japanese army interrupted its plan to attack Zheng County (the headquarters did not have a corresponding westward advance plan, but the Battle of Xuzhou itself was part of the headquarters' plan. The North China Expeditionary Army had always been acting alone, including Doihara's 14th Division's attack on Lanfeng).

But the price is really heavy!
Even anyone who reads this history and understands this history.

No one can accept such a human tragedy.

The Wen Xi Fire was understandable as the situation was complex and special.

The Huayuankou Dam burst was the disastrous consequence of the entire military failure in the early period of the Republic of China.

Chiang Kai-shek was nailed to the pillar of shame, he totally deserved it.

Everyone has to spit on it!
If Liu Zhi had not collapsed at the first blow, he would have defended Baoding to the death and bought time to regroup his troops.

If Chiang Kai-shek had not interfered in the Battle of Shanghai, the Japanese invaders would have been driven into the Huangpu River.

If Han Fuju obeyed Feng Yuxiang's military order and led his troops north.
The Battle of Pinghan Railway had ended, and the failure of the Battle of Shanghai had happened some time ago. Han Fuju would probably be executed in a few days.

But Chu Yunfei is not without opportunities (omitted, see the author's words)
Chu Yunfei saw Sun Ming looking thoughtful, and then continued to explain: "Sun Ming, do you know the distribution of military-related enterprises in the Republic of China before the war?"

Sun Ming nodded: "Sir, you told me before that the vast majority of industrial and mining enterprises are located in coastal cities, especially Shanghai, which accounts for more than 30% of the related enterprises."

"Yes, if we want to carry out a protracted war of resistance, these industrial and mining enterprises must be preserved. Before the war, the number of related enterprises in the rear accounted for less than 10%. Some of these factories moved to Zhejiang and Fujian, and some came to Wuhan along the Yangtze River."

"The Japanese army is now attacking Wuhan. Do you think these equipment and industrial workers in Wuhan will have a chance to produce in peace?"

Sun Ming touched his chin and shook his head: "According to the current momentum of the Japanese offensive, the fall of Wuhan is only a matter of time. These people should migrate to the hinterland, such as Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Guangxi."

Chu Yunfei nodded with satisfaction: "Yes, these equipment piled up in Wuhan need to be transported, the workers need to be transferred, and the aid, weapons, and equipment transported through the Guangdong port are also piled up in Wuhan.

With the current transportation capacity of the Republic of China, they will need at least a year. Even if they urge it urgently and spare no expense, it will take at least eight months to transfer. "

Sun Ming suddenly realized: "Sir, what you mean is that the Battle of Xuzhou is essentially just a matter of delaying time."

"Yes, use human lives to buy time."

Chu Yunfei spoke more directly in front of the people around him: "Sacrifice is meaningful. It can exchange for the possibility of a protracted war of resistance. These are our hopes for victory."

"Why did our 358th Brigade hold Niangzi Pass and fight a bloody battle in Chengjiazhuang? The purpose was to evacuate the relevant industrial industries in Yangquan and Taiyuan. With these, we will have a steady supply of weapons and equipment to continue fighting the Japanese devils."

"If we rely solely on captured weapons, how many lives will be sacrificed to win the war?"

Sun Ming nodded: "Yes... If we cannot produce our own weapons and rely solely on purchases and foreign support, there will inevitably be a corresponding time lag, and our well-trained soldiers are likely to be lost as a result."

"How can the new recruits, armed with weapons, possibly match the combat effectiveness of the veterans?"

Sun Ming touched his chin and said, "Sir, if you put it this way...I seem to understand why the Eighth Route Army fights in this way."

Chu Yunfei nodded and emphasized: "No one is a fool. Everyone, including the Japanese army, is playing to their strengths and avoiding their weaknesses. This is a bloody war...War will have a price, and people will be sacrificed."

"As soldiers, we do all this for the eternal survival of the Chinese nation!"

The main text has not been reviewed, so I’ll post it here.

Chu Yunfei only has two chances left.

One is the middle and late stages of the Battle of Xuzhou.

Second, the Battle of Lanfeng.

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(End of this chapter)