Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

"Brother Ligong, is there any new development from the north?"

"We haven't received any new information yet. Two days have passed. Have these Japanese devils really given up on advancing south?"

"Whether they give up or have other motives, the three-stage plan can start ahead of schedule, and the battles in southern Shandong and northern Jiangsu must continue."

Early the next morning.

Chu Yunfei had just woken up and arrived at the command post not long ago.

Fang Ligong immediately stepped forward and handed over the telegram, saying in a deep voice, "According to the urgent telegram just sent by Brother Bojun, as well as the report from the Air Force reconnaissance plane..."

After arriving on the north bank of the Yellow River, the two divisions of the Kwantung Army did not forcibly collect civilian boats to cross the river as we had expected, nor did they continue to press south to seek other means of crossing.

"Oh?"

Chu Yunfei raised an eyebrow, took the telegram, and glanced at it: "This really surprises me."

"Based on the reply from air support, they turned back."

Fang Ligong pointed to the area south of Cangzhou on the map: "The Japanese 29th Division suddenly moved westward, while the 57th Division deployed to its flank and rear."

"Judging from this posture, they intend to abandon the plan to cross the river to support Jinan, and instead cooperate with the remaining Fifth Division of the North China Area Army to carry out a counter-encirclement of Qian Bojun's troops!"

Chu Yunfei quickly made his judgment: "They want to eliminate our spies on the northern front first, and then plan to move south."

"That old devil Okamura Yasuji, even in this predicament, he can still remain calm."

He originally thought that under the immense pressure of Jinan's imminent peril and the imminent annihilation of the main force of the 12th Army, Okamura Yasuji might lose his composure and cause the Kwantung Army to do everything in its power to force a crossing of the Yellow River to provide support.

In that case, with the advantage of air force and artillery, Chu Yunfei was confident that he could deal with these tens of thousands of elite Kwantung Army troops on the Yellow River beach.

But now, Okamura Neiji has clearly seen through this.

"He knew Jinan was a dead end, and he also knew the Yellow River was a trap."

Chu Yunfei slammed the telegram on the table, his eyes sharp: "So he wants to use the 'besieging Wei to rescue Zhao' strategy, hoping to force us to divide our forces by attacking the Sixth Army Group, or at least open up a passage for retreating north."

"This is indeed a good move. If it had been half a month ago, I might have had a real headache."

"But now."

The entire North China region.

Blue markers representing various units of the National Revolutionary Army have spread like a tide across the land of western and southern Shandong.

Along the central line, the main force of the 88th Group Army held Jinan's throat like an iron clamp.
On the southern front, the 15th Group Army (He Zhuguo) and the 19th Group Army (Chen Daqing) are advancing rapidly into the interior along the Jinpu Railway and the Grand Canal.

Further south, Wang Zhonglian's troops in northern Anhui were attacking Woyang and Mengcheng, while the main force of the Guangxi clique in southern Anhui was also advancing towards central Jiangsu.

The Japanese defenses, on a macro level, had already shown signs of collapse, with each unit fighting its own battles.

From Chu Yunfei's perspective, the Japanese army had broken supply lines everywhere and sent out distress signals everywhere.

Okamura Neiji's "flanking attack" appeared so pale and powerless in the face of absolute overwhelming strength.

Chu Yunfei decided to take a risk and deal with this old Japanese devil who still chooses the safe path.

"Brother Ligong, draft a telegram!"

Chu Yunfei turned around abruptly, his voice booming with an undeniable determination: "No need to wait any longer! The time has come!"

"Send a telegram to the entire army, immediately launch the 'Third Phase Operational Plan' ahead of schedule!"

"You will personally command the offensive operations in Jinan."

"The operations in the capital region will be handled by Qian and Liu, with the main task being to contain and delay the enemy's offensive."

“In the area east of Chahar, the Northeast Advance Column and Commander Fu’s troops also launched corresponding attacks simultaneously.”

Chu Yunfei walked to the southern end of the map and slammed his baton heavily on the Zaozhuang-Linyi line: "Tell the brothers below to have a long-term vision!"

"Our goal is not merely to liberate and annihilate the Japanese garrison, but to completely shatter the Japanese defensive system through mobile warfare and offensive operations!"

"I believe that the battles around Zaozhuang and Yixian were the turning point in the war in southern Shandong!"

"Currently, we have basically opened up the passages to the east and south."

"Even if Okamura Yasuji had three heads and six arms, he could only watch helplessly as his North China defense line crumbled!"

Fang Ligong immediately stood at attention and saluted: "Yes, sir! I'll arrange it right away! Also, regarding the telegram reporting to the General Headquarters..."

Write it truthfully!

Chu Yunfei waved his hand and said, "Tell the Chairman that the Japanese army is trapped like a turtle in a jar. No matter how much Okamura Yasuji struggles, he cannot change their fate of annihilation!"

"Our army is launching a full-scale attack, and final victory can be achieved in a month or so!"

……

Peking, North China Front Army Headquarters.

"Your Excellency Commander"

Major General Shinichi Kitajima held several urgent telegrams from the front lines, his voice trembling slightly: "Commander Tsuchibashi reports that the Chinese artillery fire is too intense; the outer defenses have basically fallen, and the Chinese army has already captured Gaotang and Pingyin."

Without the slightest hesitation, Okamura Yasuji said, "Send a telegram to the Expeditionary Army Headquarters."

Under Shinichi Kitajima's watchful gaze, Okamura Neiji finally spoke after a long silence: "I request approval to abandon Pengcheng, Quancheng, and the surrounding areas, and to withdraw our forces towards Qingdao to engage the enemy in a final decisive battle in the eastern Shandong region."

"Nani?!"

Shinichi Kitajima looked up in astonishment: "Commander, the Pengcheng area is of great strategic importance, a crucial node on the Jinpu Railway. If we abandon it, the entire defense system of North China will be lost."

"Defense system?"

"Where is there any defense system left now!"

"Cough cough cough~!"

Okamura Neiji suddenly burst into a violent cough, an unnatural flush rising on his pale face: "Haven't you noticed yet, Kitajima-kun!"

With trembling hands, he pointed to the location of "Quancheng" on the map: "Why didn't the main force of China in North China rush to take Quancheng in one go?"

"He surrounded the city without attacking, and even deliberately exposed weaknesses, all in order to turn Jinan into a magnet!"

"He's using Tsuchibashi-kun's 12th Army as bait, trying to lure our last mobile forces in North China and the Kwantung Army's reinforcements into that meat grinder!"

A mixture of fear and regret flickered in Okamura Neiji's eyes: "If we continue to send people to Izumi City, we'll be playing right into his hands!"

"He will use his damn superior artillery and air force to annihilate us on the spot on the banks of the Yellow River!"

"The Kwantung Army must not cross the river!"

"That's our last asset in defending Beijing and Tianjin, and in protecting the gateway to Manchuria!"

"If even these two divisions are lost, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Okamura Neiji, panting heavily, his eyes hardened and became resolute: "Abandoning Pengcheng, abandoning the entire northern Jiangsu, and transferring all 40,000 troops north to the Shandong Peninsula, relying on naval support, may be our last chance. We have no other choice but to fight them to the death."

"Hai."

Shinichi Kitajima lowered his head, turned and walked towards the telegraph room, his back also appearing particularly hunched.
-
"Your Excellency Commander-in-Chief"

Chief of the General Staff, Kawabe Masazo, watched Hata Shunroku's retreating figure and cautiously probed, "Is General Okamura's request too radical? If we abandon western Shandong and northern Jiangsu, we will completely lose our strategic depth in North China."

"radical?"

Hata Shunroku slowly turned around and gently placed the telegram from North China on the table: "No, Kawabe-kun."

"The defense line in central Shandong is now practically defunct."

"This is a case of cutting off an arm to save a life."

Hata Shunroku walked to the map and traced his finger across the fragmented red area in Shandong: "The Nationalist army in North China is rampaging across the plains like a bulldozer. Even if we continue to hold out, we will only be prolonging our lives."

“Okamura is right. If we continue to waste time in central Shandong, the more than 100,000 elite troops of the North China Area Army will only face certain death.”

"We must approve the North China Area Army's plan."

Hata Shunroku suddenly looked up, a ruthless glint in his eyes: "I agree to Commander Okamura's request. Abandon the entire Jinpu Railway line and retreat towards Qingdao and Yantai! Rely on the coastline and naval firepower to fight the final battle!"

"But, Commander-in-Chief..."

He Bianzheng looked troubled. "If North China shrinks like this, what about Central China?"

Central China?

Hata Shunroku sighed: "If the skin is gone, where will the hair attach?"

"Once North China collapses, the large army in northern China will flood south and join forces with Xue Yue and Sun Lianzhong's troops along the Yangtze River."

"At that time, even if we defend Wuhan and Nanchang, we will be nothing more than isolated islands surrounded by others!"

Hata Shunroku took a deep breath and made a decision that sent chills down the spines of the entire headquarters: "Draft a telegram! Send it to Tokyo Headquarters! Urgent!"

"Given the irreversible situation in North China and the ferocity of the Chinese army's overall offensive, our department judges that holding the middle reaches of the Yangtze River has no practical strategic significance and will only increase the unnecessary casualties of the Chinese army."

"In order to preserve the last remaining fighting force of the People's Liberation Army on the mainland, and to preserve the seeds for a future decisive battle on the homeland."

"The China Expeditionary Army Headquarters has decided—"

Hata Shunroku grabbed the command baton and drew a huge retreat line on the map, stretching from Wuhan all the way to the Yangtze River Delta: "From this moment on, abandon the three towns of Wuchang, abandon strategic locations such as Nanchang and Jiujiang along the entire line."

"All field divisions in Central China shall immediately disengage from the Chinese army, provide alternating cover, and rapidly advance eastward!"

"Our ultimate goal is to hold the triangle area of ​​Nanjing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Ningbo to the death!"

"Utilize the advantages of the water network in the Jiangnan region to construct the final 'absolute defense perimeter'!"

Kawabe Masazo was stunned, almost dropping his pen: "Commander-in-Chief, this...this is practically a major strategic retreat!"

"Would the staff at headquarters agree to that?"

"They have to agree!"

Hata Shunroku gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot: "Unless they want to watch their country's soldiers perish on the banks of the Yangtze River."

"Send the telegram immediately!"

"At the same time, order all frontline troops to act quickly. Take away any heavy weapons that can be taken, and anything else that cannot be taken..."

Hata Shunroku closed his eyes and squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "Blow it all up, don't leave a single screw for the Chinese!"

"Hai!"

Almost at the same time.

Outside Jinan City, the North China Heavy Artillery Group's positions.

"Prepare—release!"

With a sudden waving of the red flag by the artillery commander.

Outside the west gate of Jinan, deafening roars erupted from various positions almost simultaneously.
"Boom! Boom! Boom—!!!"

This was an asymmetrical display of firepower, and also an outpouring of anger that had been suppressed for years.

The artillery units under the 88th Group Army, plus the urgently reinforced heavy artillery training regiment and the heavy artillery group directly under the North China Joint Command.

A total of more than 400 artillery pieces with a caliber of 75 mm and above poured all their firepower onto the Japanese positions.

美制M2A1式105毫米榴弹炮、107毫米重迫击炮、75毫米国械、日械山炮、美制M175毫米小钢炮、

And even the Soviet-made 76.2mm field gun, which can now be considered a rare find.

At this moment, everyone has only one goal—the positions outside Quancheng City and the city walls of Quancheng.

The shrieking sound of shells tearing through the air was as dense as a summer downpour; the air was ripped apart, and shockwaves rolled.

this moment.

The western city wall of Jinan seems to be in purgatory.

Every second, tons of steel and explosives are poured onto those ancient bricks and stones.

The violent explosions were continuous, making it impossible to distinguish their number. All that could be seen was the section of the city wall that had witnessed hundreds of years of vicissitudes, trembling, crumbling, and collapsing in agony amidst the flames and smoke.

"I can't see the city walls anymore!"

"It's all smoke, it must be dust!"

At the forward observation post, the observer was shouting loudly.

But this is not the end.

"Om - hum -"

A dull, low-frequency vibration came from the sky, as if dark clouds were pressing down.

That was a formation of B-25 Mitchell bombers from the 1st Air Group.

Escorted by P-51 Mustang fighters, they swaggered into the skies above Jinan.

There were no Japanese warplanes intercepting them.

The sporadic anti-aircraft fire on the ground appeared powerless in the face of the massive aircraft formation.

"bomb!"

The bomb bay opened, and heavy aerial bombs roared down.

"Boom!!!"

There was an earth-shattering bang.

The gate tower of Luoyuan Gate, the west gate of Jinan, was instantly turned into a huge fireball by several 500-pound bombs.

Gravel, wooden beams, and bricks, along with the Japanese machine gun positions guarding the city tower, were thrown hundreds of meters into the air by the huge blast wave, and then fell like raindrops.

The formidable city defense system crumbled instantly before this devastating modern firepower, like a castle on the beach.

In just over an hour of artillery preparation, at least seven sections of the city wall collapsed, creating a huge breach approximately 700 meters wide.

"Charge!" "Blow the bugle!!!"

In the trenches, Nie Rui, the regimental commander of a regiment of the 88th Group Army who could no longer contain himself, suddenly drew his sidearm, pointed it at the breach, and roared with bloodshot eyes, "Brothers! The city wall has collapsed!"

"Charge with me! Let's capture Tuqiao alive!"

"Kill them all!!!"

Thousands of Nationalist soldiers wearing grey-green uniforms and M1 helmets.

Like a flood bursting its banks, guided by more than a dozen M4A3 Sherman tanks, they launched an overwhelming assault on the breach.

Inside the city of Jinan.

Pulimen Street.

The once bustling streets are now a pile of rubble. After losing the protection of the city walls, the remnants of the Japanese 12th Army quickly retreated into the city and launched a frenzied street battle, relying on the ruins and pre-prepared barricades.

"Da da da da da-"

A Japanese Type 92 heavy machine gun was hiding on the second floor of a foreign firm that had been partially destroyed by a bomb, spitting fire wildly and pinning down a Nationalist infantry squad that had just rushed into the street.

"Tanks! Tanks, get them up!"

The infantry squad leader, his face covered in blood, yelled into the walkie-talkie.

"Crunch - crunch -"

A Sherman tank riddled with bullet holes crushed a lamppost on the side of the road, its massive body blocking the Japanese army's line of fire in the middle of the street.

"boom!"

The 75mm tank gun blasted a huge hole in the second floor of the trading company, and the Japanese machine gun fire came to an abrupt halt.

But this is just the beginning.

Knowing they had no way out, the Japanese troops fought with exceptional tenacity and ruthlessness.

They hid in sewers, concealed themselves in the mezzanine of civilian houses, and even strapped explosives to wounded soldiers, waiting to detonate them when Nationalist tanks passed by.

Every step forward the officers and soldiers took came at a bloody price.

The streets were littered with corpses.

The blood formed a stream and flowed into the sewer.

The air was thick with the smells of gunpowder, blood, and burnt meat, making it nauseating.
Inside the forward command post.

Chu Yunfei kept his eyes fixed on the very center of the battlefield.

Sun Xinpu's troops were tasked with the main attack, and in just three hours they suffered more than 1,300 casualties, but they also successfully seized two streets in Quancheng that were close to the west gate.

The Japanese army is organizing a counterattack, and the two sides are fighting back and forth.

It could even be said that there wasn't a single intact building on the fierce battlefield.

Beneath those rubble were Japanese firing positions and wounded Japanese soldiers everywhere.

This battle was exceptionally difficult.

There is no possibility of further optimization in terms of deployment.

Fortunately, Chu Yunfei had plenty of physical strength and energy, and could use the artillery guidance skill at least six or seven times a day.

Chu Yunfei immediately signaled Li Jingzhong, who was standing next to him, to connect Liang Guoping's call and made the corresponding arrangements.

soon.

The twelve 150mm heavy artillery pieces once again carried out corresponding saturation firing according to the coordinates preset by Chu Yunfei.

Chu Yunfei spared no effort in using his physical strength and energy, and once again used the artillery guidance skill.

Hundreds of 105mm shells were guided directly above the Tuqiao command post.
Inside the city of Jinan.

The underground bunker of the headquarters of the Japanese 12th Army.

The dim lights flickered amidst the constantly falling dust, and the air was filled with a suffocating smell of earth and gunpowder.

"Cough-cough-!"

Lieutenant General Tsuchihashi Ichijō, commander of the 12th Army, crawled out from under a pile of collapsed filing cabinets. His military cap was missing, and his face was covered in dust and blood, looking extremely disheveled.

"Your Excellency Commander!"

"Are you okay?"

Several surviving staff officers rushed over in a flurry and helped him up.

Tsuchibashi pushed everyone's hands away, shook his dizzy head, and asked with a mixture of fear and relief in his eyes, "Where is Chief of Staff Yoshimoto?"

Tuqiao looked around once more and asked in a hoarse voice.

Chief of Staff Yoshimoto

An operations staff officer pointed to a passageway completely blocked by concrete blocks, his voice choked with emotion: "That heavy shell just now hit the upper structure directly, and the chief of staff was right there."

Tuqiao's heart sank suddenly, and his body swayed involuntarily.

Yoshimoto Teiichi was his right-hand man.

"idiot!"

"How could the Chinese artillery be so accurate?!"

Tuqiao roared angrily, "Has the coordinates of our headquarters been exposed?!"

"Commander, now is not the time to pursue this!"

The communications section chief ran over, sweating profusely, and reported with despair, "The shelling just now severed all our wired communication lines!"

"All our communication with the divisions and regiments inside and outside the city has been cut off!"

"Then let's use the radio!"

Tuqiao roared, "Where's the backup radio? Hurry!"

"Repairs are underway! But..."

The communications section chief's face was ashen: "That round of shelling was too intense. It not only destroyed the antenna, but also damaged the communications squadron responsible for repairs and the surrounding guard squadrons."

Tuqiao's expression changed drastically: "What's going on?!"

The communications section chief's voice was barely audible: "They've all been destroyed!"

Tuqiao was stunned.

He stumbled to a slit that had not yet collapsed and shakily raised his binoculars.

In the field of vision, the ground around the command post was covered with huge bomb craters and severed limbs.

The once heavily guarded position of the guard company has now been reduced to scorched earth, with not a single living soul to be seen.

Those young Japanese soldiers were torn to shreds by relentless artillery fire before they even had a chance to reconnect the severed telephone lines.

"It's over."

Tuqiao muttered to himself, and the binoculars in his hand fell to the ground with a clatter.

They lost communication, lost their command center, and lost their guard units.

The 12th Army Headquarters is now like a blind and deaf person trapped on an isolated island, only able to watch helplessly as death approaches step by step.

Chu Yunfei

Tuqiao muttered the name through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with endless hatred and fear.

He finally understood directly why so many famous generals from other countries had fallen at the hands of this man.

How the hell are we supposed to fight this battle?
Tuqiao was once supported by his staff and staggered back to the backup command post.

Although he was still alive, the commander of the 12th Army knew better than anyone that the chain of command had been broken.

Radio silence was imposed, telephone lines were severed, and the entire communications squadron perished.

That massive war machine that was once as easy to control as an extension of one's own arm.

It had already been blasted into countless fragmented parts by artillery fire.

The divisions and regiments are now like headless flies; how can they fight like this?
however.

However, although they lost unified command, the tactical instincts ingrained by the long-term rigorous training of the Japanese elite troops played a huge role at this moment.

They did not give up resistance even after their command post was destroyed.
West of the city, the commercial district.

This is the area where the fighting is most intense.

A Japanese major crawled out of the ruins, glanced around, listened to a few reports from his subordinates, and then adjusted the tactics again: "Use the Otsuka Bank building in front as the core and gather all the scattered troops around it!"

"Machine gun team, go up to the second floor and block the street!"

"Grenade launchers, keep a close watch on the Chinese tanks and pose as much of a threat as possible."

"Since there are no orders, then hold out to the death!"

"Fight to the last man!"

Similar scenes are playing out in every neighborhood and every ruin in Jinan.

The Japanese army, having lost its commander, did not immediately collapse.

Instead, it resembles a severed earthworm, with each segment becoming an independent living entity.

When the regimental commander was killed in action, the battalion commander took his place; when the battalion commander died, the company commander took his place; even sergeant majors began to spontaneously organize defenses.

The 3rd Company of a regiment of the 88th Group Army of the National Revolutionary Army is advancing along the main road full of rubble.

"stop!"

A deep but stern shout abruptly brought the group to a halt.

The speaker was Liao Changsheng, a platoon leader from the third platoon.

"Platoon leader, what's wrong?"

"There are no Japanese soldiers ahead! Let's charge over and take that street corner!"

A young recruit carrying a Thompson submachine gun was getting impatient and leaned forward to charge.

"You are looking for death!"

Liao Changsheng grabbed the recruit's "weapon belt" and yanked him back behind the crumbling wall with such force that the recruit almost choked.

"What do you know, you greenhorn!"

Liao Changsheng pointed to the foreign firm building across the intersection, which looked like it had collapsed halfway, and then pointed to two inconspicuous manhole covers on the side of the road and said loudly, "Look at the second-floor window of that foreign firm. There are wet blankets hanging behind it. They are used to block dust and cover up gunfire. There should be a machine gun position there."

"This place is definitely a trap prepared in advance by the Japanese. Once we go in, we'll be hit by crossfire. We can't take that risk."

It's clear to everyone.

The platoon leader was an elite veteran who was among the first to participate in the Battle of Southeast Shanxi and annihilate the Japanese Fourth Brigade. He often mentioned this.

However, regardless of the circumstances, the extensive fighting against the Japanese army naturally resulted in a wealth of experience.
Even a junior company commander from a military academy would listen to what a veteran had to say.

"What to do?"

Liao Changsheng spat, a fierce glint in his eyes. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and then shouted, "Don't show your faces, Class One, block off the second-floor window of that foreign firm."

"Second and third squads, keep a close eye on those manhole covers on the ground. The Japanese might be hiding inside and throwing grenades. At the same time, help the first squad block the road."

"Where's the rocket launcher? Who brought one?"

The second platoon of fire support immediately responded loudly, "We have some here."

"Just blast him to smithereens."

"See if we can blow it open. If we can't, then request the battalion's 45mm mortars!"

"Yes!"

The company commander arrived at the front line and, after briefly understanding the situation, immediately shouted, "Brothers, fire!"

"Da da da--"

With the company commander's order, a dense hail of bullets rained down on the second floor of the foreign firm, sending quilts and cotton wadding flying everywhere.

Almost at the same time, the Japanese machine guns opened fire!

Three tongues of fire suddenly spewed out from the seemingly abandoned building.

The veterans could tell from the sound and rate of fire that it was a Japanese Type 96 machine gun.

If they had charged recklessly just now, their entire platoon would most likely be wiped out by now.

Now, under the suppression fire of the Nationalist army, which was well prepared in advance.

The Japanese firepower was instantly suppressed.

"Tom!"

A rocket, trailing a plume of flame, precisely entered the first-floor entrance of the trading company.

After a loud bang.

The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw that although the wooden gate had been destroyed, the inside was full of sandbags piled up with sand and gravel.

Clearly, the Japanese army had made ample preparations, and rocket launchers were ineffective against the enemy's fortifications.
"Send three men to the battalion headquarters to request direct-fire support or try to get a tank over."

"Yes!" (End of this chapter)