Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Chapter 481 Northern Myanmar? Northern Myanmar! (Subscribe)

Mandalay Airport, central Myanmar.

The smoke from the port of Yangon seems not to have completely dissipated, and the haze it brings still hangs over the front line in Myanmar.

But this Allied airport in central Burma presents a tense and vibrant scene.

Huge C-47 transport planes took off and landed continuously, raising clouds of dust, bringing with them valuable supplies and military equipment.

The door of one of the C-47s opens.

Wu Ziqiang and several of his capable entourage appeared on the gangway.

He immediately saw the familiar figure not far from the tarmac.

Even though he was wearing a general's uniform of the National Army, which was very different from the style of the American military advisers around him.

Chu Yunfei's upright posture and calm demeanor remained the same as before.

Wu Ziqiang's heart felt warmed, and the fatigue from the journey seemed to be swept away.

He walked quickly down the gangway and strode towards Chu Yunfei.

"Mr. Yun!" Wu Ziqiang came in front of Chu Yunfei, and after a standard military salute, an excited and sincere smile appeared on his face. It was the subordinate's heartfelt respect and closeness to his old boss.

Chu Yunfei also showed a rare, relaxed and happy smile on his face.

He stepped forward and shook Wu Ziqiang's hand, then patted his shoulder heavily: "Ziqiang! I didn't ask you to come directly before, don't blame me, right?"

"How could that be? I guessed it when you asked me to train the troops in Yunnan. It is very likely that you want to use those thousands of people as a reserve force."

Chu Yunfei smiled slightly, revealing an expression that said "as expected".

His tone was full of the concern and familiarity of an old superior towards his capable subordinate. "I felt relieved when I received the telegram that you boarded the plane. Thank you for your hard work on the journey."

"Report to the old commander!" Wu Ziqiang straightened his back, but his tone was much more relaxed. "It's nothing to be able to serve under Yun Gong again and obey your orders! As long as I can follow you to fight the Japanese, I will never say no!"

Chu Yunfei laughed and nodded with satisfaction: "It's still the same energy!"

The two sides did not exchange too much pleasantries and went straight to the point.

He had full trust and understanding of Wu Ziqiang, so he didn't need much preparation: "Ziqiang, I put a lot of effort into forming the new 12th Army this time.

Originally, the higher-ups wanted to appoint Zhang Lingfu as the army commander, but I vetoed it.

I think he is not as good as you, and he specifically asked you to take on this responsibility."

Zhang Lingfu, the fourth class of Huangpu Military Academy.

He and Lin, as well as Hu Lian, are classmates of the same period.

In 35, he was arrested and imprisoned for shooting his cheating wife to death (Liu Zi's wife and May-ling both added fuel to the fire).

During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he served as the regiment commander in the Songhu Battle and defended the Wusongkou Pass to the death, even though he was hit by shrapnel.

In the Battle of Wanjialing, he launched a night attack on the headquarters of the 106th Division of the Japanese Army and was awarded the "Yunhui Medal". He also participated in the Shanggao Campaign and was promoted to the commander of the th Division.

In terms of his experience in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he can indeed be called a fierce anti-Japanese general.

But this kind of role is much worse than Wu Ziqiang's.

Except for the year he went to Lu University for further studies, Wu Ziqiang can be said to have played almost the entire game.

In Chu Yunfei's opinion, he is now a very qualified general. Even many so-called Whampoa generals are not as good as Wu Ziqiang.

"The Chairman and the Command have approved it. The troops will mainly be drawn from the country, and the Expeditionary Force will also provide you with some veterans. Commander, that's you!"

"I want you to train this new 12th Army as quickly as possible!"

Although Wu Ziqiang had roughly known about this appointment before he came, the weight of it was completely different when Chu Yunfei said it himself.

He stood at attention again, his eyes burning with high morale: "Yes! Lord Yun!"

"You think highly of me, Wu Ziqiang, and give me such a heavy responsibility. Even if I risk my life, I promise to make the New 12th Army a reputable ace for you! I will never bring shame to you!"

Chu Yunfei nodded with satisfaction: "The troops are on the way, and the first batch of backbones will be able to join you soon. You don't have to worry about the equipment."

The corners of his mouth rose slightly. "The Americans have spent a lot of money this time to provide a large number of brand-new American weapons and equipment. Your new 12th Army will be given priority for replacement! What I want is an assault force that is brand new from soldiers to weapons!"

He looked at Wu Ziqiang, his eyes became sharp and full of expectation: "Ziqiang, the lesson of Yangon is right in front of us. Our logistics pressure is huge, but the Americans' strategic focus is also leaning towards us.

At this time, we must have a "trump card" that can seize the opportunity and turn the tide of the battle! Your new 12th Army is the sharp knife in my plan! I don't ask much of you, "

Chu Yunfei's tone was full of command, "Just two words, that is, 'able to fight'! And it has to be 'fast'!"

"We need to form combat capability as soon as possible in order to gain the corresponding voice. We can only get 50% of these supplies now. If the 12th Army is formed as soon as possible, we can get 70%. This is crucial for the expedition strategy."

Wu Ziqiang answered without hesitation: "Understood! I guarantee to complete the task!"

"But Lord Yun, please tell me the specific location and time for the training."

"Sun Ming will liaise with you on the specific arrangements." Chu Yunfei patted Wu Ziqiang's shoulder again, his eyes full of trust. "Ziqiang, I know your ability. Combine your training in China with the actual situation on the battlefield in Myanmar, and go for it! Tell me directly if you need any support! I just want results!"

Wu Ziqiang felt a warm current surge in his chest: "Yes! Thank you for your trust, old boss!"

Looking at Wu Ziqiang's eyes full of enthusiasm and loyalty, Chu Yunfei felt more confident.

In this difficult time, having such an old subordinate who knows him well, is very obedient and has qualified abilities to come forward is undoubtedly the greatest support for him.

The formation of the new 12th Army will be related to his subsequent overall strategy.

"However, Sir, according to your instructions, we have already actively contacted the deaf commander. Some refugees will be resettled in northern Myanmar in the form of work-for-relief, and corresponding development and planting work will be carried out."

"Since the deaf commander has agreed, it is time to report this matter to the headquarters."

"Yes!"
-
Northern Myanmar, close to the China-Myanmar border (Yunnan-Burma Highway).

On a dirt road not far from a newly built collective farm.

The truck groaned under the heavy load on the muddy and bumpy dirt road, and finally stopped in a newly reclaimed area dotted with low shacks.

The tailgate of the car was slammed open with a loud bang. The people, who had already been numbed and exhausted by the endless journey, climbed out of the car, supporting each other, and stumbling like deflated bags.

Wang Dawei was also among them.

In one hand he tightly grasped the only patched bundle left in the house, and with the other hand he carefully protected his thin, sallow-faced wife.

The two children followed closely behind him. Their legs and feet were numb from curling up for so long. Their little faces were filled with confusion and timidity towards the unfamiliar environment.

Their family was one of the many refugees who had fled here from the distant water town of Jiangsu. Their hometown had long been reduced to scorched earth under the iron hoofs of the Japanese.

As soon as I set foot on the land in northern Myanmar, a strong and complex smell mixed with the unique humidity and heat of the rainforest, the fishy smell of raw earth, and the sweat and excrement of a large number of people hit me in the face.

The thin wife couldn't help frowning and felt chest tightness and shortness of breath.

"Oh my goodness! We're finally here!" An elderly man who had just gotten off the bus held his waist and groaned in pain, "Is this broken road going to shake my internal organs out? My old bones are almost falling apart!"

Wang Dawei smiled bitterly and shook his head, helping to steady his wife whose legs were weak: "That's right, Brother Li. We came from Jiangsu, traveling by land and water, hiding from the Japanese invaders and bandits. It took us nearly three months to reach the rear of the Anti-Japanese War. We are blessed by our ancestors for making it here in one piece."

"Who said it wasn't?" Old Li sighed, looking around with disappointment and worry on his face, "But what kind of place is this? It's worse than those wild places we stopped at on the road!"

"Look at the weather, it's as stuffy as a steamer! And these mosquitoes, buzzing so loudly, are bigger than the flies back home!"

Wang Dawei's wife also whispered to her husband: "Master, look around here, there are endless mountains and forests, it's scary to look at."

"The ground is still covered in red mud. I'm afraid the road won't be passable once it rains." Her voice was tearful, with the soft words that are unique to the Jiangnan region.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid," Wang Dawei patted his wife's back to comfort her, and then said to Lao Li, "Brother Li, since we are here, we should make the best of it. Didn't the notice say that this is the territory occupied by the expeditionary force? It's very safe!"

"The Japanese can't reach here! Otherwise, they wouldn't call it the rear area of ​​the Anti-Japanese War!"

"I hope so," said Old Li doubtfully. "Everyone knows that General Chu is a good fighter, but this is Burma after all, not China. Who knows how long we can live in peace?"

As they were talking, the person in charge of registration started to shout loudly. A man wearing a faded military uniform and a "Civil Administration" armband on his arm, holding a notebook, shouted: "Don't waste time! Line up to register according to where you came from! Those from Jiangsu, line up this way! Those from Henan, line up over there!"

The crowd began to move, and Wang Dawei pulled his wife and children and followed his fellow villagers to join the Jiangsu team.

The team moved slowly, and people whispered to each other, exchanging each other's experiences and speculations about the future.

"Have you heard? We have to go to work tomorrow!" A man in front whispered, "Either we have to open up wasteland and plant crops, or we have to repair that Burma Road! I heard it's to transport things to the front line. It's very important, but it's also very tiring!"

"Alas, we have to work even if we die of exhaustion!" Someone next to him said, "It's written on the notice, 'Work in lieu of relief'. Only if we work can we get food. If we don't work, will we starve to death in this desolate mountain?"

"I'm just worried that this job is too hard, and we refugees won't be able to handle it."

"There are also diseases in this area. I heard that student from Yunnan said that the miasma in this forest is very strong. If you get sick, you may not be able to recover."

All kinds of worries spread among the crowd, and Wang Dawei felt anxious as he listened.

He looked at his wife who was also worried, and his two children who had no idea about the future, and secretly clenched his fists.

Soon, it was their turn to register. "Name?" the administrator asked without even looking up.

"Wang Dawei."

"Place of origin?"

"Huai'an, Jiangsu."

"How many family members are there?"

"One wife and two children, a son and a daughter."

"Can you read? What did you do before?"

"I can recognize a few words. I used to farm at home and I can do some carpentry work."

The manager quickly wrote down the information in a notebook and then handed him a small wooden sign.

"Here, Shack No. 17 in Area B! Take your family there to look for it!"

"The farm tools will be distributed tomorrow morning!"

"Remember, at Mao time, you must gather in the yard for roll call and go to work. If you are late, you won't get any food. But don't worry, we will send someone to pick you up."

Wang Dawei took the wooden sign, thanked him profusely, and took his family to find the shack that was so low and simple that it could hardly be called a "home" according to the instructions.

The wife looked at the walls made of thatch and mud, and the simple straw mat on the ground, and finally couldn't hold back her tears and said, "Master, are we going to live here from now on?"

The youngest son also tugged at his clothes: "Dad, didn't you say there was white rice to eat?"

Wang Dawei squatted down, hugged his wife and children, looked at their haggard faces, felt sad, but tried to force a smile: "Don't cry, don't cry."

"Although this place is simple, it is at least a place to shelter from the wind and rain."

"We have hands and feet. As long as we work hard, we can earn food. We will have rice when we open up the land and plant rice!"

"Didn't General Chu say that we would establish a new anti-Japanese base here? Everything will be fine!"

Although he said words of comfort, he was still worried as he looked at the vast primeval forest outside the shack and the gradually darkening sky.

The fate of their family, as well as the future of tens of thousands of refugees, seemed to depend on Chu Yunfei, a man who was far away on the battlefield and whom they had never met.

In the blink of an eye, a few days passed.

Hard work has become the norm in life for Wang Dawei's family and all the new refugees.

Get up on time every day and have a full meal.

They will be assigned to reclaim wasteland.

The men basically had to do the heavy physical work. In addition to farming, logging, and dredging rivers, they also had to go to the nearby simple highway to compact the roadbed.

The women who stay on the farm, in addition to taking care of the children, also have to take on some relatively light farm work and logistical chores.

Like building more huts, digging canals, cleaning the camp, etc.

Although the work is extremely hard, at least I can have a full meal every day.

His complexion has improved a lot and he is no longer as thin as before.

"Have you heard? New food has arrived!"

"Is this true? Where does the food come from?"

"It's true! Several large trucks! They just drove over from the north. The trucks are covered with tarpaulins. The soldiers escorting the trucks said they were transported from Shanxi!"

"Shanxi?! So far away?! Was it sent by Commander Yan from the Second War Zone?"

The news was like a stone thrown into calm water, causing ripples.

Everyone knows that Chu Yunfei is from Shanxi.

Even though we are thousands of miles away, we can still get support from Shanxi.

For these refugees who have left their homes and are struggling to survive.

The words "Shanxi", "Yan Laoxi" and "Chu Yunfei" combined together bring not only material expectations, but also a great spiritual comfort.

After work that evening, when Wang Dawei dragged his tired body back to the shack area, he found that the atmosphere today was obviously different.

The dullness and fatigue that permeated the past seemed to be replaced by an irrepressible excitement. People gathered in twos and threes, looking towards the shed where food was distributed. The air was filled with a different smell from the past, with the aroma of simple grains.

Sure enough, next to the line to receive dinner, the man in charge of civil management also looked particularly serious today.

He cleared his throat and announced loudly to the people waiting in line:

"Listen up! We're giving you guys a snack today! This is the first batch of relief food specially allocated from Shanxi to support our soldiers and civilians in northern Myanmar by our Second War Zone Commander Yan Xishan, who responded to Commander Chu's call and overcame numerous difficulties and dangers!"

He pointed to several sacks nearby that had just been opened, revealing the golden or reddish-brown grains inside.

"The quantity is not large, only a few hundred dan, and it is the millet and sorghum rice that we northerners often eat! Commander Yan and General Chu said that the soldiers on the front line are bleeding, and our compatriots in the rear cannot starve! Let's let everyone have a taste today and change their taste.

Also feel the care from the motherland and from fellow Shanxi people!

Remember, this food is hard to come by. Every grain was saved from the cracks in our teeth and transported from under the enemy's blockade!"

"Thank you, Commander Yan, thank you, Commander Chu!"

"Long live Commander Yan, long live Commander Chu!"

There was a low cheer and discussion among the crowd, and many refugees from the north had red eyes due to excitement.

In the big iron pot, golden, thick and rich millet porridge is being cooked, giving off an alluring aroma;

In the other pot is sorghum rice or porridge which is slightly darker in color and has slightly larger grains.

The person in charge of serving the food was also extra careful today, trying to make sure each bowl was filled evenly.

Wang Dawei carefully squeezed back to his family, carrying a few coarse porcelain bowls. The two children stared curiously at the yellow rice porridge in the bowls, which they had never seen before.

"Dad, what is this? It's yellow and smells good." The daughter asked, looking up at her little face.

"This is millet porridge, great stuff!" Wang Dawei's voice was also a little excited, "This was sent to us by Commander Yan from the Second War Zone from the far north of China! It wasn't easy!"

He scooped up a spoonful, blew on it, and handed it to his son's mouth.

The little guy tried a bite and his eyes lit up immediately: "It's sweet! Better than that white rice porridge!"

Wang Dawei also scooped a large spoonful and put it into his mouth.

Millet porridge is warm and mellow, with the unique sweetness of the grain. As it slides into your stomach, a warm current instantly dispels the fatigue and coldness of half a day.

His wife drank the porridge silently, and her eyes seemed a little moist. Perhaps she was thinking about the days before she fled, or perhaps she was moved by the support that came across thousands of mountains and rivers.

The refugees around were also whispering.

"Oh, this millet porridge! It's authentic!" The old man next to him, Li, who is also from the north, is drinking it with a look of enjoyment. "I haven't had such delicious millet porridge in many years! It warms my heart and stomach! It tastes the same as what I drank at home!"

"Shanxi millet porridge is good for health. It's so delicious."

Another man squatting on the ground, chewing on a sorghum flour cake (probably made from sorghum rice flour) said: "Although this sorghum flour is a bit rough and irritating to the throat, it can satisfy hunger! Really!
Being able to eat this means that the higher-ups really haven’t forgotten us! It’s not easy, it’s really not easy!”

"I heard that everyone will have two taels of meat tomorrow."

"I've eaten fish before, caught from the river. I may not be able to eat such good food in the future. This damn place Myanmar is about to enter the rainy season."

For a moment, the open space was filled with the aroma of food and a long-lost, relatively relaxed atmosphere.

Although it is just a meal, and although this amount of food is just a drop in the bucket considering the huge demand, the symbolic significance it brings is enormous.

It is like an invisible thread that closely connects these refugees who are struggling to survive in a foreign country with their distant homeland and the generals and soldiers who are fighting for them.

Wang Dawei watched the children licking the bottom of the bowl with contentment, and then looked at the rare, relaxed smile on his wife's face, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

He knew that living in a foreign country was difficult.

But at least at this moment, this bowl of millet porridge from Shanxi gave them the most tangible warmth and a glimmer of visible and tangible hope.
Accompanied by bursts of noisy sounds.

Not far away, there were bursts of exclamations: "It's Commander Chu, Commander Chu is here!"

Wang Dawei poked his head around and even jumped up to see what was going on.

"Who? Boss, what's going on?"

"Wife, it seems that Commander Chu is here. Commander Chu has come to our farm!"

Wang Dawei danced with joy, he naturally knew what this meant!
"Captain Chu, Boss, go and have a look. Is it really Commander Chu who is here?"

(End of this chapter)