Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Enshi, South China Joint Command (Temporary).

The long table in the conference room was filled with high-ranking KMT military officers wearing the ranks of general and lieutenant general.

Every one of them here was once a legendary figure on the battlefield.

Minister of Military Affairs Chen Cixiu sat in the main seat.

To his left was Xue Yue, the commander of the Ninth War Zone, who was known as the "Tiger of Changsha".

Xue Yue sat upright, his expression arrogant and aloof.

To his right is Sun Lianzhong, the commander of the Sixth War Zone, known for his composure.

In addition, there were Wu Yizhi, Chief of Staff of the Ninth War Zone; Guo Chan, Chief of Staff of the Sixth War Zone; Luo Zhuoying, who was transferred back to the Ninth War Zone as Deputy Commander; and Sichuan Army generals Wang Zuanxu (29th Group Army), Wang Lingji (30th Group Army), and Yang Sen (27th Group Army).

In addition, there was Wang Yaowu, a rising star who had just been promoted to commander-in-chief of the 24th Army Group due to his military achievements, and a fierce general in the War of Resistance against Japan.

Ou Zhen, deputy commander-in-chief of the 27th Group Army (newly incorporated), and Li Yutang, commander of the Li Yutang Corps, were also present.
The stars of war are shining brightly, and the air is thick with murderous intent.

Clearly, this was a crucial meeting that would determine the course of the war in South China and even the entire Yangtze River basin.

"Everyone."

Chen Cixiu stood up and slammed his baton down on Dongting Lake on the map. His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

The hall was completely silent, and all eyes were on Chen Cixiu, who was at the head of the meeting.

Chen Cixiu didn't waste any time. He cleared his throat and said directly, "You are all probably familiar with the fourth phase of the North China counter-offensive."

A week ago, Jining was liberated, and the Japanese army's entire front in central Shandong collapsed. The attacking forces have now gained the initiative.

Currently, the 28th Group Army under Li Xianzhou, the 19th Group Army under Chen Daqing, and the 15th Group Army under He Zhuguo have also received relevant combat orders and have all joined the battle.

The Japanese 12th Army (belonging to the North China Area Army, the one commanded by Ichiichi Tsuchibashi; I haven't written about the 12th Army's perspective before, but a reader commented, so I'm mentioning it here) is currently at a complete disadvantage.

"In North China, the fighting was incredibly successful, with key towns being captured one after another. In fact, with just one army group, the Kwantung Army was blocked north of the Yellow River."

"Now, people all over the country, as well as the Chairman of the National People's Congress in Chongqing, are all watching South China and the Yangtze River region!"

Chen Cixiu looked around at everyone and said in a more serious tone, "If we don't make a move yet, we old-timers from Huangpu and all of you seasoned veterans will lose face!"

There was silence in the conference room.

Xue Yue narrowed his eyes slightly and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

Wang Yaowu straightened his back, his eyes gleaming with a desire for battle.

"However, there is no need for everyone to be overly anxious."

Chen Cixiu changed the subject, a confident smile appearing on his face. He opened the folder in his hand and began to introduce the general situation before the battle:
"According to the latest intelligence compiled by the Military Commission and various war zones, the current situation gives us an absolute advantage."

"In the previous battles in western and northern Hubei, the Japanese 11th Army of the Central China Area Army, the so-called 'steel legion' that once ran rampant, has had its backbone broken by us, and has even had its so-called 11th Army structure abolished."

Chen Cixiu drew several red crosses on the map with his baton: "The main force of the Japanese army, the 13th Division and the 39th Division, suffered devastating blows in the previous battles and were basically annihilated."

The 58th Division and the 17th Independent Mixed Brigade also suffered heavy losses and have yet to recover.

"Right now, Hata Shunroku doesn't have many cards left to play!"

“日军在华中留存的主力，仅剩下第3师团、第116师团、第34师团、第40师团、第37师团，以及一些拼凑起来的零星守备部队。”

Chen Cixiu held up three fingers, his voice impassioned: "And what about us?"

"This time, the General Headquarters plans to mobilize a full twenty-three armies and fifty divisions of elite troops!"

"From a troop strength perspective, we have an absolute overwhelming advantage of 3:1 against the Japanese and puppet troops!"

"More importantly, our troops have had two months of rest and replenishment, and their morale is high, with ample food and ammunition!"

Upon hearing the number "3:1".

Wang Lingji and Yang Sen, the Sichuan Army generals present, exchanged a glance and both saw the excitement in each other's eyes.

In the past, fighting the Japanese was a matter of risking one's life. Now that we are richer, even the Sichuan Army has begun to reorganize its logistics and replace its equipment with domestically produced weapons.

With the continuous influx of aid from the United States, it can be said that after a lifetime of fighting, we can finally fight a satisfying and prosperous war.

"Commander Chen..."

Xue Yue suddenly spoke up: "While troop superiority is important, the Japanese army's combat strength should not be underestimated. The Japanese army is now under the unified command of the China Expeditionary Army Headquarters. If they hold their ground by relying on the fortifications of the three towns of Wuhan and on the Yangtze River for supplies, this battle will be very difficult."

"Brother Boling."

Chen Cixiu nodded, then a mysterious smile appeared on his lips as he pulled out an intelligence report from a top-secret file: "We have learned of a new development that indicates the Japanese army has lost confidence in a decisive battle."

Everyone's eyes immediately focused on the document.

"This is top-secret intelligence obtained by agents of the Military Intelligence Bureau."

Chen Cixiu lowered his voice and said, word by word, "The Japanese Central China Expeditionary Army is secretly dismantling the heavy industrial equipment in the Wuchang and Hanyang arsenals and major textile mills!"

"what?!"

"Are they dismantling equipment?"

“That’s right!” Chen Cixiu said with certainty. “According to intelligence, the Japanese army is frantically requisitioning ships, intending to transport these equipment to Nanjing via the Yangtze River, or even directly back to Japan.”

"Are the Japanese devils trying to run away?"

"They actually abandoned their plan to hold Wuhan long-term!"

Chen Cixiu slammed his hand on the table: "Cowardice before the battle even begins."

"This shows that the Japanese high command has realized that they cannot maintain the existing defensive line in Central China. They want to squeeze the last drop of resources out of the three towns of Wuchang before they are surrounded by us, and then make a quick getaway!"

"These robbers!"

Yang Sen gritted his teeth and cursed, "Give back what you ate of mine, and return what you took from me. You think you can empty the entire town? You're dreaming."

"so!"

Chen Cixiu's expression turned extremely serious, his killing intent palpable: "Our objective in this battle is very clear!"

"It's not about defeating and restoring them, but about pursuing and annihilating them!"

"Sun Lianzhong's unit in the Sixth War Zone. (omitted)"

"Xue Yue's Ninth War Zone (omitted)"

"Wang Yaowu's 24th Group Army serves as the general reserve force, ready to be deployed to the battlefield at any time."

"We don't have much time to prepare. We absolutely cannot let the Japanese army take away Wuhan's industrial equipment, and we certainly cannot let these tens of thousands of Japanese soldiers retreat downstream unscathed!"

Chen Cixiu looked at Xue Yue and Sun Lianzhong with burning eyes: "Brother Boling, Brother Fanglu (Sun Lianzhong's courtesy name), in this battle, we must take back Wuchang and Nanchang, and plant the flag of victory all over the land of Hubei and Hunan!"

Xue Yue stood up abruptly and straightened his military uniform: "Please rest assured, Commander Chen."

Wang Yaowu, Li Yutang, and other Whampoa Military Academy generals shouted in unison: "We swear to die for our country! To recover our lost territories!"

Looking at the room full of generals with high morale, Chen Cixiu felt reassured and immediately announced the end of the meeting. He then headed to the confidential room to send a telegram to the Chairman.

After Chen Cixiu left, the others did not leave.

As Chen Cixiu's figure disappeared through the doorway, the heavy wooden door clicked shut.

The atmosphere in the meeting room remained heavy.

But the awkwardness he felt when facing the "imperial envoy" dissipated considerably in an instant.

"call--"

Yang Sen, commander-in-chief of the 27th Army Group, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, distributed them around, and broke the silence first: "Damn it, after fighting this war for so many years, this is the first time I've ever heard the words 'absolute advantage' come out of our mouths."

He lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and looked at Wang Lingji beside him: "Brother Fucheng (Wang Lingji's courtesy name), in the past, when our Sichuan Army went out of Sichuan, we risked our lives to fill trenches with Hanyang rifles. This time, we have American howitzers and plenty of ammunition. If we don't fight this battle well, we won't have the face to go back to Sichuan to see our fellow villagers."

Wang Lingji stroked the stubble on his chin, chuckled, and a shrewd glint in his eyes: "Brother Zihui, don't just get too excited."

"Our equipment is better, but our mission is also more demanding."

"Didn't you hear what Commander Chen said?"

"The goal is to annihilate them, not to rout them."

"If the Japanese get away, it means we are incompetent."

"run?"

A cold, arrogant voice suddenly rang out.

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that Xue Yue did not sit down, but walked to the huge battle map with his hands behind his back, staring intently at the location of the three towns of Wuhan.

Xue Yue turned around, his hawk-like gaze sweeping over everyone present, his tone carrying an air of arrogance: "Gentlemen, there are some things that Commander Chen cannot say directly, but I, Xue Boling, must make my point clear."

"The North China side fought exceptionally well."

Xue Yue pointed to the ceiling to the north, as if pointing to the "war commander" who was maneuvering across the North China Plain:
"The armored assault in Liaocheng, the blown-up Yellow River Bridge, the flooding of the Seventh Army in Jining—each and every one of these incidents has ripped a hole in the sky!"

"Now newspapers across the country, and even foreigners abroad, are all focused on North China and praising that 'war commander'."

"What about us?"

Xue Yue's tone suddenly rose: "We guard the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, possess the rich land of South China, and have hundreds of thousands of troops."

"If all we do in this battle is 'politely send the Japanese out of the country' and recover a few empty cities, where will we old guys put our faces?"

"A hundred years from now, when history books record the War of Resistance against Japan, will we all just be supporting characters?"

These words struck the hearts of all the generals present like a heavy hammer blow.

"Yes, the victory in the Battle of Western Hubei was also closely related to it..."

"North China, South China—North China has stolen all the limelight from South China!"

Wang Yaowu walked to the map with equal arrogance, drawing a sharp arc on it with his finger: "Commander Xue is right, we can't let the north have all the glory!"

"I don't want to be a spectator for the 24th Group Army, which is a reserve force."

Wang Yaowu looked at Sun Lianzhong and Xue Yue: "My lords, I have an idea."

"The Japanese army is now focused on running away, and they are running away with their equipment, so their marching formations will inevitably be bloated and their morale will be low."

"We must not only press forward head-on, but also dare to penetrate!"

"Could you allow my 74th Army, or Commander Li's troops, to ignore the frontal defenses and directly penetrate through the Dabie Mountains or the Mufu Mountains on the flank?" Wang Yaowu's finger jabbed hard at the railway line and the Yangtze River waterway between Xianning and Wuchang: "Block them in this narrow strip of land north of Xianning and south of Wuchang!"

"Closing the door to beat the dog?"

Sun Lianzhong raised his eyelids, a hint of approval appearing on his composed face. "Brother Zuomin, your idea is quite bold. The Japanese are like frightened birds right now. Once their retreat is cut off, they will definitely go crazy, and the infiltration troops will face enormous pressure."

Li Yutang, the army corps commander who had been silent until now, suddenly stood up and declared: "With our current firepower, even if just one of our armies is surrounded by a Japanese division, as long as we have enough ammunition, I dare to fight them head-on!"

"As long as we can keep the Japanese devils here, I, Li Yutang, and the Taishan Army are willing to be the furnace to replicate the great victory of the Third Battle of Changsha."

What Li Yutang was referring to was Xue Yue's Heavenly Furnace Battle Strategy.

This refers to a strategy of retreating to fight a decisive battle, then extending to the flanks to encircle and annihilate the enemy.

This tactical approach can also be adapted; defensive tactics can naturally be applied to offense.

Seeing that the commanders of the two main forces had expressed their opinions, the emotions of the rest of the group were also stirred up.

Many people actually realize that this is a contest about "honor" and "historical status".

The brilliant victories in North China became a catalyst for these southern generals to set aside past grievances and cooperate fully.

Seeing everyone's eagerness for battle, Xue Yue finally curled a cold, sharp smile at the corner of his mouth.

He walked to the very center of the map and slammed his baton against the city wall of Wuchang with a "snap":
"it is good!"

"Since everyone shares this ambition, let's compete with the north!"

"If they can annihilate the Japanese divisions in western Shandong, we can also wipe out Hata Shunroku's divisions in southern Hubei and northern Hunan!"

"Imitation of Brother Lu" Xue Yue looked at Sun Lianzhong.

"Yes," Sun Lianzhong replied in a deep voice.

"Commander Wang, Corps Commander Li!"

"Have!"

"Your troops should not hold back."

"Once the general offensive begins, we must penetrate like an awl!"

"Don't be afraid of going deep into enemy territory alone. I will have the main force of the Ninth War Zone provide you with strong support from behind."

"Yes!"

"Everyone!"

Xue Yue took a deep breath and declared loudly, "This battle is not only about liberating Wuhan, but also about the honor of our military uniforms."

"Let the Japanese see, and let the world know, that this land of China has not only one war general, but also countless brilliant generals."

"We will fight our way back to take back half of South China, sword and spear!"
-
Jiulongpo Airport, a mountain city.

A C-47 transport plane cut through low-hanging dark clouds and landed smoothly on the slippery runway.

Chen Cixiu was dressed in a neatly pressed summer military uniform. Although fine beads of sweat had appeared on his forehead and temples, he still maintained an upright military posture.

He took the handkerchief handed to him by his adjutant, calmly wiped the sweat from his face, straightened his slightly damp military cap, and then got into the black car that had been waiting for him.

The convoy sped along, kicking up puddles of water, heading straight for the Huangshan official residence.

Yunxiu Tower, the highest-level operational conference room.

Inside, the electric fan was working hard, pushing the coolness emanating from the ice basin as far as possible in all directions.

"report!"

Chen Cixiu strode in, his military cap already put back on, his uniform still straight despite being damp, and his steps steady and powerful.

He first gave Chang Ruiyuan and Bai Jiansheng a standard military salute. Although his face showed signs of fatigue from the journey, his eyes were bright and alert.

"Cixiu, sit down quickly and have some cool tea to cool off in the summer heat."

Chang Ruiyuan raised his hand in greeting, leaned forward slightly, and asked calmly, "How did the trip go?"

Chen Cixiu took the cool tea handed to him by the servant, drank it all in one gulp, let out a long sigh, and a relieved smile appeared on his face: "Chairman, Chief of Staff Bai, please rest assured."

"During this trip to Enshi, our unit deeply felt that the morale of the troops was high."

"Even in this unbearably hot weather, nothing could dampen the soldiers' desire to fight."

"Upon learning of Chu Yunfei's successive victories in the north, Xue Boling and Sun Fanglu could no longer sit still."

"Xue Boling even stated on the spot that he would not let the North have all the glory, and that he would definitely fight a battle of annihilation in South China that would be recorded in history, and win the honor that belonged to the South China Joint Command."

"As for the commanders who came from the Sichuan Army."

"After seeing the list of allocated ammunition, Yang Sen and his men were so excited that their faces lit up and they all volunteered for the mission."

"it is good!"

"Knowing shame leads to courage; this is the spirit of our National Revolutionary Army, and this is what a soldier should be like!"

Chang Ruiyuan felt reassured upon hearing that the generals were in high spirits and harbored the ambition to "compete for credit" with the North China forces.

"Now that morale is high, let's discuss the specific battle plans."

Chen Cixiu put down his teacup, deftly rolled up his sleeves, strode to the map, and took the baton.

The current situation on the map of Central China is very different from what it was a few months ago.

Chen Cixiu's directives first fell on the area in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and north of Wuhan, namely Yichang and Xinyang, which were already occupied by striking blue flags.

"Chairman, Brother Jiansheng, please take a look."

Chen Cixiu’s voice was calm and confident: “Thanks to the brilliant victories in the previous battles in western and northern Hubei, the current strategic situation is more favorable to our army than ever before.”

"Yichang, Xinyang and the vast surrounding areas have been liberated in the previous battles."

"what does that mean?"

Chen Cixiu's baton traced an arc southward from Xinyang, heading straight for the northern gate of Wuhan, then flowed down the river from Yichang, pointing directly to the western side of Wuhan:
This means that the outer perimeter of the 'Wuhan Defense Circle,' painstakingly constructed by the Japanese Central China Expeditionary Army, has in fact been stripped away.

"The vanguard reconnaissance troops of the Sixth Theater Command can already see the Han River."

"Judging from the situation, the Sixth War Zone has a commanding position and has formed a perfect semi-encirclement of the Wuchang and Hankou areas!"

"The Japanese army had no defensible terrain north of the river."

Chang Ruiyuan looked at the map and nodded frequently.

This is a strategic advantage that is absolutely overwhelming.

Chen Cixiu continued his analysis: "Let's look at the enemy situation again."

"At present, Hata Shunroku can only play a few divisions at most."

"The 3rd Division stationed around Wuhan, although known as an elite force, was scattered and its morale was low."

"The 116th and 40th Divisions stationed in Xianning and Yueyang will also have to face Xue Boling's thunderous attack."

Chen Cixiu tapped the Yangtze River waterway heavily with his baton a few times: "The most crucial point is that the Japanese army is frantically dismantling the equipment of the Hanyang Ironworks and cotton mills, and requisitioning a large number of civilian ships."

"This fully demonstrates that the Japanese General Headquarters had realized that with the collapse of North China and the fall of Yichang and Xinyang, Wuhan had become a dead end!"

"They want to run!"

"They wanted to take these industrial equipment down the Yangtze River and retreat to Shanghai, Nanjing, or even other parts of China!"

Upon hearing this, Bai Jiansheng's eyes flashed with a sharp light: "Since they want to run, then we must not let them run comfortably."

"Brother Cixiu, what is your plan?"

Chen Cixiu swung his baton sharply: "My plan is—'Press the north and cut off the south, trapping them like turtles in a jar!'"

"Since the Sixth War Zone has already formed a semi-encirclement of Wuchang, then order Sun Lianzhong not to rush to attack the city, but to continue to squeeze eastward, pressing the main force of the Japanese army firmly into the small area of ​​the three towns of Wuhan, so that they cannot move!"

"The combat troops involved in the attack included not only the main force of the original river defense army (those of the 18th Army), but also the main force of the 33rd Army Group."

PS: The 10th Army Group has already withdrawn for reorganization and replenishment, and the 6th Army Group can actually mobilize relatively few combat troops at this time.

"But the real killer move is here!"

Chen Cixiu's directives were directed towards the Xianning and Echeng areas south of Wuhan and east of the Yangtze River:
"Xue Yue's Ninth War Zone, in addition to launching a frontal assault on Yueyang and Linxiang, must send a powerful force, namely Wang Yaowu's 24th Army Group, to carry out a deep penetration operation!"

"Li Yutang's army also carried out accompanying operations. The two elite forces spared no effort to cut off the railway line from Xianning to Wuchang and control the Japanese artillery positions on the south bank of the Yangtze River!"

“These are four main forces…” Chang Ruiyuan marveled at Chen Cixiu’s grand gesture.

These four armies are among the strongest forces in South China.

If any of these four armies encounter any problems, the counter-offensive plan in South China can be said to have been thwarted.

Chen Cixiu's decision to use all four armies for infiltration operations demonstrates his courage and decisiveness.

"As long as we blockade the Yangtze River and cut off railway transportation."

"The Japanese troops in the area surrounding Wuhan will be trapped like turtles in a jar."

"So even if they have warships escorting them, they'll be sitting ducks under air force attacks."

"This time, our military's guiding principles are much simpler and less complicated than before, and can be summarized in just six words."

"Oh? Brother Cixiu, which six characters?"

"Strike hard, charge hard, chase hard!"

"This is also the 'Three Fierce Tactics' that Yunfei proposed when he served as the commander of the Provisional 358th Brigade. I think it is very suitable as the guiding principle for this operation."

Bai Jiansheng chuckled, and the two exchanged a glance, their meaning unspoken.

Chang Ruiyuan walked to the map and stared at it for a long time.

The image of the devastating Battle of Wuhan, where the Nationalist army was forced to retreat and the country was shattered, flashed through his mind.

Wuhan was just as scorching hot back then, but he was despondent then. Now, however, he is filled with fervor.
"Send telegrams to all units, quickly adjust deployments, and launch an attack immediately after supplies are in place."

"Yes, Chairman." (End of Chapter)