Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Japan, Tokyo, Kasumigaseki, Navy Ministry.

The Western-style brick building looked particularly oppressive under the gloomy sky.

Normally, when people from the Ministry of the Army walk here, even junior officers hold their heads high and carry an air of arrogance, as if they were "masters of the army and servants of the navy."

But today, the atmosphere is completely different.

A black luxury sedan slowly pulled up in front of the Naval Ministry gate.

The car door opened, and Marshal Sugiyama, Chief of the General Staff of the Japanese Army, stepped out of the car.

The military uniform remained impeccable, but the face that usually exuded arrogance now resembled a dried orange peel, revealing a deep sense of desolation and embarrassment.

He took a deep breath, as if he were heading to the execution ground, and stepped onto the stairs.

The door to the Navy Minister's office slammed shut.

Behind his desk, Navy Minister Admiral Shigetaro Shimada was leisurely wiping his monocle, not immediately getting up to greet him.

"Sugiyama-kun."

Shigetaro Shimada's voice was neither warm nor cold, but carried a hint of mockery: "A rare guest indeed."

"Doesn't the army usually clamor for a 'decisive battle on the mainland'?"

"What brings you to my place, which is filled with the smell of the sea today?"

Sugiyama Gen's grip on the military knife tightened, his knuckles turning white.

A year ago, he would have thrown the gloves at the other person's face.

But now, North China has collapsed, and tens of thousands of defeated soldiers are trapped in that dead end in northern Jiangsu.

Given the already limited number of troops in the army, these tens of thousands of remnants and defeated soldiers were an invaluable source of fresh strength.

If we expand and reorganize on this basis, we can form ten assault brigades with sufficient combat power!

"Shimada-kun".

Sugiyama Gen's voice was hoarse. He took off his military cap and, slowly and unusually, bowed deeply to his naval nemesis.

"please!"

This bow not only bent Sugiyama Gen's back, but also the invincible backbone of the Japanese Army since the Meiji Restoration.

Shigetaro Shimada stopped wiping his glasses.

Seeing the "army chief's" humble posture at this moment, a fleeting sense of pleasure crossed his mind.

However, what followed was a sense of dread, a feeling that if one part of the other is gone, the other part will be equally vulnerable.

Although the army is a bunch of bastards, if the army is really wiped out on the mainland battlefield, can the navy survive on its own?

"Is it about the retreat from Haizhou?"

Shigetaro Shimada sighed and finally gestured for Gen Sugiyama to sit down.

"Yes."

Sugiyama Gen did not sit down; he remained standing ramrod straight, his tone urgent and earnest: "You've seen Okamura-kun's telegram too."

"The situation in North China is beyond saving. Pengcheng is putting up a desperate resistance, which is also to buy time for the retreat from Haizhou."

"If we don't withdraw those tens of thousands of people from northern Jiangsu, our country won't have enough troops to organize a decisive battle on its own soil in the future."

"We need ships, a lot of transport ships, and escort destroyers!"

"The Army's own transport fleet suffered heavy losses in the previous airstrikes, and now only the Navy can rescue them!"

Shigetaro Shimada frowned, tapping his fingers on the table: "Sugiyama-kun, do you know how tense the situation is in the Pacific right now?"

"American submarines are watching our route like a pack of wolves, and the combined fleet's fuel reserves have fallen below the red line."

"Every drop of oil is preparation for the final battle!"

"Without these tens of thousands of people, how could Manchuria be defended?"

"How can North Korea be defended? How can the mainland be defended?!"

Sugiyama Gen suddenly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot: "If the army completely collapses on the mainland, Chinese bombers will take off from Shandong and bomb Sasebo and Kure Port directly!"

"Back then, even if the navy's warships had fuel, they would be sunk in the harbor by bombs!"

"This is for our brother nation!" Sugiyama Gen bowed again: "Please, Navy, lend a helping hand! This is the 'Dunkirk' of our great Japan!"

"As long as we withdraw these tens of thousands of elite troops, we will still have a chance to regroup!"

A deathly silence fell over the office.

After a long silence, Shigetaro Shimada sighed and pressed the doorbell on the table: "Request the Naval General Staff."

"Immediately formulate a retreat operation plan for the 'Kan'."

"From Kure Port, Sasebo, and the waters off North Korea, all available transport ships, and even large fishing vessels, will be drawn up and escorted by a part of the Third Fleet, and will immediately proceed to Haeju Port."

"We absolutely must bring those army idiots back to me!"

"Hai!"

After hanging up the phone, Shigetaro Shimada stared at Gen Sugiyama: "The army must ensure the security of the area surrounding Haizhou Port. If the port is lost, it won't matter if I send the entire Combined Fleet there."

Sugiyama Gen nodded heavily: "Rest assured, Okamura-kun has given a firm order to defend Haizhou at all costs!"

Nanjing, the headquarters of the China Expeditionary Army.

The reply from headquarters has arrived—the Navy has agreed to send troops.

This should have been good news, but there was no joy on Okamura Neiji's face.

Because he knew that this so-called "Dunkirk" was paved with the bones of countless soldiers.

"Your Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief."

He Bianzheng quietly reported: "A telegram has been sent from Haizhou. Although Han Deqin's troops are still observing, the vanguard of the Fifth Army Group of China has already advanced towards Haizhou."

"In addition, the bombing frequency of the 14th Air Force (Flying Tigers) has been increasing in recent days, and the port facilities have been severely damaged."

"How's it going in Pengcheng?"

"Lieutenant General Yoneo Ota has sent a farewell telegram." The chief of staff's voice was low: "The 65th Division and the troops under its command are ready for battle."

"They said they would hold out until the last man and would never allow the main force of the Chinese army to advance eastward."

"very good."

Okamura Neiji remained expressionless, as if discussing a trivial matter: "Ota-kun is a loyal retainer of the Empire."

“Tell him back that his sacrifice will be remembered by the Brotherhood and by the Heavenly Locusts.”

"It was precisely because of their fierce defense of Pengcheng that the retreat from Haizhou became possible."

He walked to the window and looked at the gloomy sky over Nanjing: "Send all the puppet troops, the Northern Jiangsu Pacification Army, and those security regiments with little fighting power to the outskirts of Haizhou!"

"Even if it means creating riots, we must make them generate some value."

"Hai."

Haizhou, port and wharf.

The salty sea breeze carried a strong smell of gunpowder and burnt odor.

The scene here is nothing short of hell.

Countless wounded and routed Japanese soldiers crowded onto the dilapidated dock.

Bandages, tattered uniforms, and abandoned guns and ammunition were everywhere.

In the sky, several P-40 fighters painted with shark mouths roared past, and under the strafing of their cannons, strings of blood mist rose from the dock.

"Where's the boat?"

"Why hasn't the ship arrived yet?!"

A Japanese colonel brandished his pistol and roared at the naval lieutenant in charge of dispatch.

"Colonel, Chinese planes have blocked the airspace!"

The naval lieutenant, sweating profusely, explained, "The transport convoy is still lingering in the open sea and dares not dock at this time!"

"idiot!"

The colonel kicked the lieutenant to the ground: "The army is fighting desperately in the back, and you navy people are just watching the show?!"

"Get the ship to shore immediately! Even if it's nighttime!"

In the distance, the rumbling of explosions grew closer.

No one knows whether it was an aerial bombardment or a heavy artillery shell.

A young wounded Japanese soldier leaned against a wooden crate, gazing desperately towards the sea, clutching a talisman tightly in his hand: "Mother."

For these tens of thousands of Japanese soldiers, the sea was both a hope for life and a barrier to death.

They were unable to swim across this vast ocean.

Meanwhile, on a nearby hillside, Japanese marines were frantically reinforcing their fortifications.

They knew that if they couldn't stop the Nationalist army's attack, tens of thousands of people on the dock would be driven into the sea to feed the fish.

This is a race against time, and a gamble with death.

Mountain city, Huangshan official residence.

The highest military conference room was brightly lit.

Chang Ruiyuan sat at the head of the table, discussing the allocation plan for the "1200 Sherman tanks" with the others.

He Jingzhi, Bai Jiansheng, Chen Cixiu, and others present all craned their necks, their eyes gleaming. Those were 1200 American tanks!

In the past, I wouldn't have dared to even think about it!

"Everyone."

Chang Ruiyuan put down his teacup, cleared his throat, and said with a hint of pride, "The telegram said that of these 1,200 tanks, in addition to equipping the troops on the North China front, 200 were specially set aside, along with a full set of logistics and maintenance vehicles and ammunition, to be sent back to the rear to form the 'Armored Corps Training Corps'!"

"Furthermore, they asked me to take on the role of principal of the Armored Forces Academy concurrently!"

"it is good!"

He Jingzhi was the first to applaud, his face beaming with joy: "Protecting the secondary capital and deterring the villains (referring to the Sichuan warlords) is more than enough!"

Although Bai Jiansheng was from the Guangxi clique, he could only nod in agreement at this moment, while secretly wondering if he could extract something from this batch of equipment for the Fifth War Zone.

"but."

Chen Cixiu pushed up his glasses and raised a practical question: "Chairman, if we are to establish the Northern Armored Assault Group Army as planned, for direct use in operations beyond the Great Wall, shouldn't we also be careful about how we allocate it?"

Chang Ruiyuan waved his hand, appearing very "magnanimous": "When a general is in the field, he may not obey all military orders."

"Since the goal is to fight the Manchuria, let him keep the lion's share."

"Give him those thousand cars!"

"Cixiu, you will personally take charge of this matter."

"Select the most loyal and reliable young officers to enter the training corps. When the time comes, we need young people to take charge of this unit so that it will be vigorous."

Everyone understood.

young people..
Isn't that referring to Chang Weiguo?
Clearly, Chang Ruiyuan is trying to build a real "Imperial Guard".

After discussing the allocation of Sherman tanks.

The topic quickly shifted to another exciting direction—bombing the Japanese mainland.

"How are the Air Force's preparations?"

Chang Ruiyuan looked at Zhou Zhirou, who was present at the meeting.

Zhou Zhirou immediately stood up and reported at attention: "Reporting to the Chairman! 'A Thunderclap from a Clear Sky' is being prepared intensively!"

He opened a map and pointed to the flight path: "Thanks to the American aid channels provided by Chief Advisor Chu, our B-25 bomber fleet has been expanded and is receiving more advanced B-24 'Liberator' heavy bombers."

"Currently, apart from the Qianjin Airport in Quzhou, Zhejiang, which is undergoing emergency repairs and expansion, the Qianjin Airports in Shanxi and other parts of North China have been completed."

"Advisor Chu suggested that we shouldn't just focus on the bombing of Tokyo."

Zhou Zhirou pointed to the direction of Kyushu Island, Japan on the map: "The suggestion from North China is to carry out 'shuttle bombing' of the Yawata Steel Works and Sasebo Naval Base on Kyushu Island, Japan!"

Bai Jiansheng became interested: "Shuttle bombing?"

“Yes,” Zhou Zhirou explained, “In the past, we took off from the same place and landed back there, which limited our flight range.”

"The current plan is for bombers to take off from North China or East China, bomb the targets, and then land in the Allied-controlled area on the other side, or conduct large-scale maneuvers between different bases along the Chinese coast, in order to prevent the Japanese from retaliating by assembling their air force."

"Furthermore, the U.S. 14th Air Force has pledged to provide P-51 Mustang fighter jets for ultra-long-range escort."

"We plan to launch our first air strike operation, codenamed 'Revenge,' within two weeks!"

"The target is the Yawata Steel Works in Kyushu, Japan!"

"That is the steel heart of Japan, and the source of their gun manufacturing."

"it is good!"

Chang Ruiyuan slammed his hand on the table, stood up, and his eyes gleamed with the satisfaction of revenge: "How many bombs did the Japanese drop on our heads? How many of our compatriots did they kill?"

"This time, we're going to drop bombs right on their heads!"

"We must let them know that the blood of the Chinese people was not shed in vain!"

Bai Jiansheng asked doubtfully, "If the flight range and escort aircraft are limited, why not directly choose Manchuria and the Caoxian Peninsula as targets?"

Zhou Zhirou smiled and said, "Perhaps they think these places will be taken over by us soon."

"No matter what, our air force operations must succeed, and failure is not an option!"

"This bombing will show the might of the Chinese nation and keep these Japanese from sleeping at night!"

Chang Ruiyuan walked to the window, looking at the clear night sky after the rain, and felt great: "Isn't the Quebec Conference about to close? Before it closes, let the whole world see that we have the ability to bring the war to Japan!"

"Yes!"

Meanwhile, in the outer sea of ​​Haizhou.

A dark Japanese submarine quietly surfaced, its periscope reflecting the distant flames of the harbor.

"Captain, are we really going to dock? It's like hell there."

The submarine captain looked grimly at his army comrades, who were crowding like ants on the dock, filled with despair.

"This is an order."

"Even if it's hell, we'll pull them up."

"Otherwise, the empire will truly have no tomorrow."

"A ship! It's an Imperial ship!"

"The navy is here! We're saved!"

That shout was like a spark igniting dry tinder.

The order that could barely be maintained under the bayonets of the military police collapsed instantly in the face of the instinct for survival.

"Let me up! I'm the regimental commander of the 65th Division!"

"Get out of my way! My leg is broken, I want to go back to my homeland!"

"Baka! Don't push! I'm injured!"

On the dock, thousands of Japanese soldiers surged frantically toward the direction where the submarine was docked. The soldiers in front were pushed and shoved by the crowd behind them, and many screamed as they fell into the dark, cold seawater, instantly swallowed by the waves, without even a bubble rising to the surface.

"Stop! Everyone stop! Line up by your unit!"

The army military police captain in charge of guarding the dock drew his sword and roared at the top of his lungs, but his voice was insignificant in the face of thousands of collapsing soldiers.

A sergeant, his face covered in soot and his clothes tattered, his eyes red, smashed a military policeman blocking his way with the butt of his rifle, stepped on his comrade's body, and charged like a madman toward the gangplank that the submarine had set up.

"For my brother's country! I must live!" the sergeant roared, reaching out to grab the rope.

"boom!"

A crisp gunshot.

The sergeant had a bloody hole between his eyebrows, and he fell straight backward, crashing into the crowd of people who were scrambling for the item.

The one who fired the shot was not a member of the Nationalist army, but an army colonel standing on a wooden crate on a high place—Sato, who was in charge of the retreat.

Colonel Sato held a still-smoking Type 14 Nambu pistol in his hand, his face ashen and twisted like a demon. He looked at the group of soldiers at his feet, who had lost all dignity as Imperial Army soldiers and were trampling on each other like wild beasts, without a trace of pity in his eyes.

"Anyone who dares to make a move will suffer the consequences!" Colonel Sato roared.

But the gunshots did not deter the frenzied crowd; instead, they sparked even greater unrest.

The will to survive overcame military discipline and respect for their superiors.

"They're going to abandon us!"

"Only officers can leave! Fight them!"

Someone in the crowd shouted something, and the shoving instantly turned into a riot.

A private who had lost his mind picked up his bayonet and stabbed a military policeman who was trying to stop him through the chest.

The gushing blood completely shocked everyone.

Chaos reigned on the docks, with people killing each other. The sounds of rifle butts smashing skulls, bayonets piercing flesh, and the cries of the dying filled the air, creating a scene of carnage illuminated by the firelight.

On the submarine's bridge, Major Takagi coldly watched this scene, a deep sense of disgust flashing in his eyes.

"Is this the army's 'elite'?" he muttered sarcastically, then ordered the sailors around him, "Set up machine guns. If they dare to attack the submarine, kill them on sight."

"Hai!"

On the shore, Colonel Sato, witnessing the out-of-control situation, finally issued the most ruthless order.

"Heavy machine gun team! Ready!"

Behind the mountain of sandbags, two Type 92 heavy machine guns, originally used for air defense, slowly turned their muzzles and aimed at their comrades in the same uniforms who were charging the pier.

"Fire! Shoot these bastards who have disgraced the Empire back!"

"Da da da da da-"

Flames spewed out.

The dense hail of bullets felled the leading rank of soldiers like wheat being harvested. Blood mist exploded under the beams of searchlights, and screams instantly drowned out the sound of the waves.

The surging crowd, which had been pushing forward wildly, finally came to a halt under the machine gun fire. The bodies piled up like mountains in front, and those behind retreated in terror, causing another round of casualties as people were trampled.

The dock fell silent instantly, save for the groans of the wounded and the hissing of the heavy machine gun barrels cooling the heat.

Colonel Sato stood on high ground, blowing away the smoke from his gun barrel. His voice was as cold as if it came from hell: "Only units that have received orders and the seriously wounded are allowed to board the ship! Anyone who dares to cross the warning line will be killed without mercy!"

Ironically, order was finally restored under this bloody crackdown.

The submarine hatch opened again, and the chosen "lucky ones," their faces pale, climbed onto the submarine like zombies, stepping over the corpses and blood of their comrades.

Major Takagi watched all this, took a deep drag on his cigarette, and flicked the butt into the sea. The sea breeze howled, as if singing a final elegy for this sinking empire. (End of Chapter)