Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Mountain city, Huangshan official residence.

The sweltering heat of midsummer was kept out by the heavy curtains.

Standing before a massive strategic operational map, Chief of the General Staff Bai Jiansheng held a command baton, exuding confidence and charisma.

His voice was loud and clear, exuding a sense of grandeur and confidence.

"Chairman, colleagues."

Bai Jiansheng's baton drew a huge semicircle on the map, stretching from the foot of the Taihang Mountains all the way to the coast of the Bohai Sea.

"The 'Fourth Counter-Offensive in North China' launched by the North China side this time is unprecedented in its grand strategic conception and ingenious campaign deployment since the start of the War of Resistance!"

"His goal is no longer as simple as recapturing a few cities or annihilating a few divisions."

Bai Jiansheng's command baton pointed heavily at the central Shandong region: "He intends to utilize the Japanese army's most adept pincer attack of 'breaking through the center and flanking out from both sides' to completely divide and encircle Okamura Yasuji's main force entrenched in North China, and then devour them in one fell swoop!"

"Judging from the current battle situation, the 88th Group Army in the central route has broken through Liaocheng and is heading straight for Jinan, like a sharp sword piercing the enemy's heart."

"The Fifth and Thirty-first Army Groups on the southern route are compressing northward to cut off the Japanese army's escape route to the south and their access to reinforcements from Central China."

Bai Jiansheng paused, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes: "As long as this plan proceeds smoothly, at the latest within three months, we will usher in an unprecedented, epic victory that will accelerate the entire war!"

Chang Ruiyuan sat in the head seat, his face beaming with barely suppressed joy.

"General Bai is absolutely right!"

Chen Cixiu interjected at the opportune moment, his tone full of admiration: "Chairman, this campaign involves more than a million troops, with a battle line stretching for thousands of miles, covering various terrains such as plains, mountains, and cities, and involving the coordination of multiple branches of the armed forces, including infantry, artillery, tanks, and air force."

"With such a massive scale and such complex operations, looking across the country, perhaps only Zhan Shuai could command it with such ease and composure, and maintain an overwhelming advantage over the Japanese army at all times."

"This man is indeed a pillar of our Party and country, and a blessing to our nation!"

Chang Ruiyuan nodded slightly. Although he had some reservations about Chu Yunfei's growing prestige, he was more pleased with the impending great victory.

After all, if the battle is won, the glory belongs to him as the supreme commander.

Since it's already out of control, it's better to just lie down and relax.

At least in the eyes of both sides, the people from North China are reliable and trustworthy.

"Indeed, Yunfei has lived up to my expectations."

at this time.

Xu Cichen, the usually taciturn Minister of the Military Command, suddenly spoke up, his gaze focused on the northern part of the map, which was the Beijing-Tianjin and Hebei-East regions.

"Chairman, in addition to the breakthrough in the central route, I would also like to make a special mention of the situation on the northern front."

Xu Cichen pointed to the blue arrow that meandered eastward: "Qian Bojun, commander of the Sixth Army Group, and Qian Zhaoyou, commander of the newly formed Ninth Army Group and chief of staff of the Army Group."

"The performance of these two 'qian' on the northern front was equally impressive."

"They did not engage in a full-scale assault on the defenses of the Beijing-Tianjin region. Instead, they made a feint and their main force quickly maneuvered eastward, intending to sever the connection between Beijing-Tianjin and Shandong, and even threaten the port of Tianjin!"

"This feint was extremely clever."

"Once they achieve their campaign objectives, the entire Japanese army in North China will be divided into two isolated islands that are not connected to each other."

Xu Cichen took a deep breath, his tone becoming somewhat excited: "By then, let alone annihilating the main force of the Japanese army, even recovering Beijing and Tianjin, or even drinking from the Bohai Sea, will not be a pipe dream!"

"This means that the Japanese army will have no chance of winning in the interior of China!"

"Even the route back to the border will be completely blocked!"

"Good! Good! Good!"

Chang Ruiyuan said "good" three times in a row, banging his cane on the floor: "I never expected that the little regimental commander of the Jin-Sui Army back then would now have trained so many brave and capable generals!"

The atmosphere in the conference room was extremely lively.

However, Chang Ruiyuan suddenly changed the subject, his gaze becoming deep and complex.

"The battle was fought well, that's very good."

"However, there are some things we need to plan ahead for."

Chang Ruiyuan pulled a telegram from a folder on the table. The telegram was Chu Yunfei's proposal on "borrowing a route through Outer Mongolia to launch a flanking attack on Manchuria".

"At this time, Yunfei proposed to borrow passage from the Soviet Union, and even wanted Fu Zuoyi's troops to be stationed in Outer Mongolia."

Chang Ruiyuan looked around at everyone, his tone becoming somewhat amused: "What do you all think about this matter?"

The meeting room fell silent instantly.

This is an extremely sensitive political topic.

Chu Yunfei's ambiguous relationship with the Red Party has always been a thorn in the side of many in the General Headquarters.

Although Chu Yunfei had made outstanding military achievements, his approach of "accepting all comers" and "uniting all anti-Japanese forces" made many die-hards feel uneasy.

"Chairman."

He Jingzhi spoke first, his tone tinged with a cautious probing: "Chu Yunfei's actions seem to be aimed at striking at the Japanese army, but there are political risks involved."

"The WM issue has always been a sensitive point between us and the Soviet Union."

"The Soviets consider that place their private domain; how could they possibly let our large army in so easily?"

"If not handled properly, it could not only be rejected, but could even trigger a diplomatic dispute and affect our current alliance relations."

"and"

He Jingzhi lowered his voice, "Many people are worried that Chu Yunfei is getting too close to them. Is it because he's so determined to cross the Soviets' bottom line this time?"

Chang Ruiyuan waved his hand, interrupting He Jingzhi, but a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"I know Yunfei quite well."

"Although he is sometimes careless about details, he can distinguish between what is important and what is not when it comes to matters of principle."

"His proposal to 'borrow passage' is ostensibly a military adventure, but in reality, it is a clever move to exert political pressure."

"He wanted to use this knife to test the Soviets' bottom line."

Bai Jiansheng's eyes lit up, and he immediately understood Chang Ruiyuan's meaning: "Does the Chairman mean that he wants to break the tacit understanding that may exist between him and the Red Party through this 'tough' stance?"

"Or even an opportunity to suppress?"

"I suspect it's not just about suppression."

Chang Ruiyuan smiled coldly: "If the Soviets refuse, it will be a slap in the face to the Red Party, and it will also give Chu Yunfei a more legitimate reason to reorganize the internal affairs, and even take stronger measures against them in the future."

"If the Soviets agree."

A glint flashed in Chang Ruiyuan's eyes: "Then we can legitimately extend our reach into Outer Mongolia, and even into Manchuria!"

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Party and the country!"

"Regardless of the outcome, this move is a sure-fire way to make a profit!"

"Moreover, given Yunfei's unyielding character," Chang Ruiyuan said confidently, "once he falls out with the Soviets over this matter, his relationship with the Red Party will naturally come to an end."

"At that time, his sharp sword will be completely in our hands!"

Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly realized what was going on and showed expressions of admiration.

"Chairman, your insight is brilliant!"

Chen Cixiu couldn't help but exclaim, "This 'using someone else's strength against them' tactic is truly brilliant."

"It seems we were overthinking things before."

"Then it's settled!"

Chang Ruiyuan waved his hand and made a decision: "Call Yunfei back!"

"Tell him that the General Staff fully supports his proposal!"

"Let him do it!"

"We will send people to talk to the Soviets and to talk to the Americans!"

"We want the world to know that China will not only recover lost territory, but also restore the glory of its homeland. The leaves of the Chinese begonia will eventually return to their rightful place."
-
North China, Handan, Frontline Command Headquarters.

In the corridor, the sound of military boots pounding the ground was rapid and powerful.

Xue Jie, commander of the 88th Group Army, who had just finished the final work of the Liaocheng battle, was covered in dust, and his uniform still smelled of gunpowder.

Behind him followed Kang Huolian, the commander of the advance team, who also looked like he had just finished a long journey.

The two had just reached the door of the commander-in-chief's office and were about to call out a report when they suddenly heard a hearty laugh coming from the direction of the operations room.

"Hahaha!"

"Okay! Great!"

Xue Jie and Kang Huolian exchanged a glance, both seeing the surprise in each other's eyes.

It was Chu Yunfei's voice, carrying a rare, heartfelt joy.

Since the start of the battle, the ruler has mostly been solemn with a furrowed brow; he has never laughed so heartily before.
"It seems there's some incredibly good news."

Xue Jie straightened his collar, gave Kang Huolian a wink, and the two quickened their pace and pushed open the door to enter.

"Report! Episode 88. Xue Jie, reporting as ordered!"

Inside the room, Chu Yunfei stood in front of the sand table, holding a telegram in his hand, his smile unchanged.

Fang Ligong, who was standing to the side, greeted the two men with a beaming smile as they entered, saying warmly, "Oh, our heroes of the Battle of Liaocheng have arrived!"

Chu Yunfei turned around, smiled and nodded at the two of them. He didn't put on any airs, but pointed to the chair next to him: "We're brothers, don't be shy, sit down and talk."

"Thank you, Lord Xie!"

Xue Jie and Kang Huolian took their seats as instructed.

The orderly served tea and then withdrew.
Xue Jie's smile faded, and he took a document out of his briefcase, his expression turning serious.

"Your Excellency, Your Excellency."

Xue Jie opened the file and said seriously, "I have compiled the combat summary for Liaocheng and the surrounding area."

"In this battle, although our army annihilated the main force of the Japanese 8th Division and achieved brilliant results, we also paid a heavy price."

"Especially during the siege phase, even with armored cover, the Japanese army's frenzied counterattack still caused more than 2,300 casualties to our troops, including more than 800 killed in action, most of whom were front-line company and platoon leaders."

Chu Yunfei stopped smiling and listened attentively, nodding slightly from time to time.

"in addition."

Xue Jie paused, then raised his voice, getting straight to the point: "This large-scale, high-intensity offensive has also exposed a weakness in our logistics."

"Our advance is too fast, and our ammunition consumption is more than three times that of our usual training."

"Especially the 105mm howitzer and tank shells, during the final stage of the siege, we almost couldn't keep up with the supply."

"If it weren't for Commander Kang and his men capturing some Japanese supplies for emergency use, the consequences would have been unimaginable."

"I suggest that before the next phase of the offensive, we must increase the number of accompanying support trucks or establish more forward supply stations along the way. Otherwise, once the front line is extended to the east of the Jinpu Railway, our steel torrent may be grounded due to lack of fuel and ammunition."

"well said."

Chu Yunfei nodded approvingly and looked at Li Jingzhong, who was taking notes on the side: "Jingzhong, write down Xue Jie's opinion word for word and pass it to the back."

"Tell him that even if it means requisitioning civilian vehicles or mule carts, he must deliver the ammunition to the front lines!"

"We must not let our troops fail us while we shed blood on the front lines!"

"Yes!"

Li Jingzhong wrote with swift, flowing strokes, recording the information quickly.

After reporting his work, Xue Jie looked at Chu Yunfei's relaxed brows and finally couldn't resist his curiosity, asking, "Sir, we heard your laughter outside the door just now."

"Although we have captured Liaocheng, Okamura Yasuji's main force is still intact, and reinforcements from the Kwantung Army are on their way. I wonder what good news could make Your Excellency so happy?"

Kang Huolian also perked up his ears, looking expectant. Chu Yunfei didn't intend to hide it from the two of them. He glanced at Fang Ligong and smiled, "Brother Ligong, show them."

Fang Ligong smiled and handed the telegram on the table to Xue Jie: "Take a look, this is an urgent telegram just sent by the Chongqing Command."

Xue Jie took it with both hands, and Kang Huolian also leaned over.

The telegram was very short.

But the content is enough to make any Chinese soldier's blood boil.

"Regarding the North China Joint Command's strategic plan to use the Soviet Union as a route to launch a flanking attack on Manchukuo, the General Headquarters, after careful consideration, believes that this move is a magnificent undertaking and a good strategy to recover lost territory and wipe away our national humiliation!"

We give our full support! Chief Advisor Wang Chu, Yunfei, is urged to act without hesitation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all war zones will fully cooperate to bolster our national prestige!

"This"

After reading it, Xue Jie suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with shock and elation: "Your Excellency! The General Headquarters has agreed?!"

"Great!"

Kang Huolian slapped his thigh, his face flushed with excitement: "Damn it, if we can really break into Northeast China from Outer Mongolia, then the Japanese devils' backyard will be on fire! Recovering our homeland is a great thing that will bring glory to our ancestors!"

Xue Jie was also deeply moved: "I never expected that Chairman Chiang would be so bold as to support us in touching the interests of the Soviets at this critical juncture."

"If this succeeds, we can not only recover the Northeast, but we might also be able to solve that border problem at the same time!"

Looking at how excited the two of them were.

Chu Yunfei smiled, walked to the window, and looked at the sky outside with his hands behind his back: "Do you really think the Soviets will agree to let our army cross the border?"

Xue Jie was taken aback, then realized what he meant, and his smile gradually faded: "What does Your Excellency mean..."

"The Soviet Union will not agree."

Chu Yunfei turned around, his tone firm: "How can I allow others to sleep soundly beside my bed?"

“That place had long been regarded as the Soviets’ backyard, and they were more wary of us than of the Japanese.”

“They would absolutely not open that door at this time.”

Kang Huolian scratched his head, looking bewildered. "Since it's definitely hopeless, why are you so happy, Your Excellency?"

Fang Ligong explained from the side, "Commander Kang, this is politics."

Chu Yunfei picked up the conversation, pointing to the telegram: "What makes me happy is not whether we can pass through, but the telegram itself."

“For a long time, the people in the mountain city have been wary of us, and there is also a superficial harmony but underlying discord among the various war zones. Some people have even been secretly trying to trip us up.”

"But this time it's different."

Chu Yunfei's gaze deepened: "By launching this long-term plan of 'recovering lost territory,' I have successfully united the General Staff and all factions into one force!"

"Faced with this crucial goal, no one dares to have any selfish thoughts or ulterior motives; everyone must fully support us!"

"Chang Ruiyuan supports me for his political prestige."

"The cooperation between the various war zones in North China is in order to get a share of the pie."

"Regardless of their original intentions, as long as the outcome is beneficial to the War of Resistance, then it is a good thing!"

"Borrowing a route is just a pretext; in essence, it is a political declaration."

"Even if the Soviets refused, we still stood on the moral high ground."

"Moreover, under this pretext, we can legitimately strengthen our troop deployment on the northern front and allow Fu Zuoyi's Seventh Army Group to conduct large-scale exercises in Suiyuan."

"This was enough to terrify the Kwantung Army, preventing them from making a full-scale southward march to reinforce North China!"

"This is the strategic situation I truly desire!"

Xue Jie and Kang Huolian were stunned and it took them a long time to come to their senses.

"Your Excellency's insight is truly remarkable!"

Xue Jie sincerely admired, "This 'feint' not only consolidated the internal forces and intimidated the enemy, but also sowed discord among the Soviets. It was truly killing three birds with one stone!"

"Okay, stop flattering me."

Chu Yunfei waved his hand, his expression turning serious again: "I'll fight the political battles, but the military battles will have to be handled by you!"

"Go back and immediately reorganize the troops and replenish ammunition."

"Since the General Headquarters is going to make this a big show, we can't let the audience down."

"Yes! Promise to complete the mission!"
-
Moscow, Kremlin.

At this time, Europe was experiencing the most brutal period of the Battle of Kursk.

Stalin's desk was piled high with battle reports from the front. Urgent telegrams from Vatutin and Rokossovsky came in like snowflakes, making his thick eyebrows almost furrow together.

"Comrade Stalin."

Molotov pushed open the door and entered, his steps somewhat hurried, clutching an urgent telegram from the Far East in his hand: "Something has happened in China..."

Was it a defeat for the Chinese army?

Stalin didn't even look up, holding a red and blue pencil and sketching on the map: "I knew Chiang Kai-shek was unreliable. As long as the Japanese put in their effort, they would collapse like a sand sculpture."

"No, quite the opposite."

Molotov's expression was somewhat strange: "They are launching a counterattack, and... that general named Chu Yunfei sent us a 'request'."

"ask?"

Stalin finally raised his head, a hint of doubt flashing in his brownish-yellow eyes: "Do you want weapons? Or another loan?"

"No, he wants to... pass through."

Molotov handed over the telegram: "He wants to use the Mongolian People's Republic as a route to attack the Japanese forces in Manchuria from the flank. The reason is... to relieve the pressure on us in the European theater and to strike at the Axis powers."

"Snapped!"

Stalin didn't even read the entire telegram before slamming it down on the table, the loud noise making the ink bottle jump.

"Bastard!"

The Soviet supreme commander was furious. He paced anxiously in his office, the embers in his pipe flickering with his breath.

"Who does this Chu Yunfei think he is?!"

"Borrowing a way?"

"He's trying to get his hands on our backyard!"

"What do you mean by easing our pressure? This is clearly a provocation against Soviet sovereignty! It's a violation of the status quo!"

Stalin abruptly stopped, pointed at the telegram, and roared, "He's trying to sabotage me!"

"Use the righteous cause of anti-fascism to intimidate me!"

"If we refuse, we are betraying our allies; if we agree, we are letting the wolf into the house!"

"That cunning Chinese warlord!"

Molotov adjusted his glasses and calmly analyzed, "Comrade Stalin."

"By now, Washington and London must already know."

"The Americans have always been wary of our expansion in the Far East, and Roosevelt would probably be quite pleased to see this."

"Roosevelt"

Stalin took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He sat back down in his chair and picked up the long-extinguished pipe.

"The key now is Kursk."

Stalin's voice turned low and cold: "We are engaged in a decisive battle with the Germans. We must not turn against the Chinese in the Far East at this time, nor can we give the Americans an excuse to intervene in our internal affairs."

"But the door on the southeast side must never be opened!"

“Once the Chinese army goes in, it will be difficult to get them out.”

"That place must be firmly in our hands as a strategic buffer zone in the south of the Soviet Union."

Stalin pondered for a moment, a shrewd political calculation flashing in his eyes.

Molotov.

"exist."

"When replying to the Chinese side, the wording should be tactful, but the attitude should be firm."

Stalin pondered for a moment and then said, "First of all, I highly commend the Chinese army's spirit of counter-offensive."

"However, regarding the matter of borrowing the passage..."

"It is said that, given the existence of the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact, the Soviet Union could not allow any belligerent nation's army to launch an attack using its territory or sphere of influence without being directly attacked, so as to avoid drawing the Soviet Union into a two-front war."

“Tell Chu Yunfei that the Soviet Red Army is shedding blood for the freedom of all mankind in Europe. We believe that the Chinese army is capable of dealing with the Japanese invaders on its own soil and does not need to take any shortcuts at the risk of expanding the scale of the war.”

Molotov nodded: "Using the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact as a shield is indeed a good reason."

"It allowed me to reject them without completely severing ties."

"Humph."

"Notify Beria."

Stalin's eyes turned unusually dangerous: "Have his men operate in the Far East to gather more intelligence on Chu Yunfei."

"Furthermore, strengthen border defenses in case Fu Yisheng's troops dare to cross the border."

Stalin didn't finish his sentence, but his attitude spoke volumes.

"Also, notify the Yan'an authorities."

Stalin exhaled a puff of smoke and said meaningfully, "Let them be wary of this 'ally.' It's not good news for us, and it's not good news for them either."

"Comrade Stalin, since Chu Yunfei has made such a provocative demand at this time, should we suspend the 'tacit understandings' we previously reached with the North China side?"

"As you know, there's that so-called 'civilian machinery repair shop' project, and the border trade that's taking place between the two sides."

Molotov observed the leader's expression: "Since he's causing us political trouble, should we cut off his technical support and material exchanges as punishment?"

Upon hearing this, Stalin abruptly stopped and turned around.

He was silent for a few seconds, then brandished his pipe forcefully, his tone becoming unusually cold and pragmatic:
No! Of course not!

"Why pause, Comrade Molotov?"

Stalin pointed to the battle map of the Kursk region on the wall, his voice low and deep:

"The Imperial Guardsmen on the front lines are bleeding!"

"Manstein's armored forces are still on a fierce offensive, and many new types of tanks that have never been seen before have appeared on the battlefield."

"In such a war, we need every resource at our disposal!"

"The cigarettes, canned goods, and other scarce supplies that North China sent, along with those obtained through secret channels, are exactly what the front lines urgently need!"

"Politics is politics, and business is business!"

Stalin sat back down in his chair, a shrewd calculation flashing in his eyes: "We refuse to allow troops to cross the border in order to protect our interests."

"But that doesn't stop us from continuing to do business."

"As for punishment."

Stalin snorted coldly and exhaled a puff of smoke:
"Once we've dealt with Hitler and have some free time, we can settle accounts with this fox from the Far East!"

"Now, even if he is the devil, as long as he can supply the Red Army, we will cooperate with him!"

"We gave him a clear and firm reply: absolutely not!" (End of Chapter)