Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 258 China, the master of East Asia, rises from the abyss!
Seoul, Zhisi

"Reporting to the commander-in-chief! Reporting to the former brigade commander!"

"Ding Wei reporting for duty!"

"We were bombed by the American devils along the way, which caused a delay. I'm really sorry."

"I have already arranged for the comrades of the 12th Army to build and strengthen the defenses of Seoul. Political Commissar An Changsen is overseeing the work."

Ding Wei stood at attention and saluted.

"Tell Xiao An not to overwork himself. After you finish overseeing things, go see his daughter, Comrade Anjing."

"And you don't need to apologize, you've come at the perfect time!"

"This is the latest achievement of that kid Wu Wanli in Incheon, take a look."

The boss handed the telegram to Ding Wei and said...

"In the defensive amphibious landing at Incheon, nearly 6,000 American troops were annihilated!"

"The Seventh Steel Regiment only suffered losses of nearly a thousand men. Although the Ninth Division of the Republic of Korea was decimated, from a military perspective, it was a worthwhile exchange!"

"Boss, although I've never fought against the American devils, I've heard a little about their combat capabilities and firepower."

"It was so difficult when we were fighting the Japanese devils, let alone the American army that completely defeated the Japanese army."

"Wu Wanli is indeed a talented general, and an extremely young one at that!"

"In my opinion, if Comrade Wu Wanli had joined the army at the very beginning of the War of Resistance against Japan, he would definitely be in a higher position than me now!"

Ding Wei stared wide-eyed at the battle report and praised it sincerely.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha……"

"You little rascal, don't overpraise Wu Wanli."

Chief Chen smiled and said it, but in his heart he somewhat agreed.

After all, the Korean War has only lasted about six months, and the fourth phase of the war is not even over yet.

The boss smiled and then kept everyone in suspense.

"Judging from the current battle situation, it is still possible for Wu Wanli to achieve the target number of enemy casualties against the US Army's 1st Division."

"If we really cripple half of the US Army's 1st Division, our 12th Army guarantees that we can hold Seoul and wait for the final encirclement and annihilation."

"But Wu Wanli's plan to seize an aircraft carrier is still too risky for me."

"In that port area, a single large-caliber naval gun can wipe out an entire company."

"If we fail, the consequences will be unimaginable..."

Ding Wei said with some concern.

"If we can complete the encirclement and annihilation of the U.S. Army's 1st Division, we can at least guarantee that we can obtain the production line of the old MiG fighter jets free of charge."

"The Chinese people no longer needed to tighten their belts and squeeze out food rations to exchange for the Soviet Union."

"This is the most important thing..."

"As for seizing aircraft carriers, we still need the Soviet Union's strong assistance."

"If the Soviet Union does not agree to help, we will have to reconsider whether this plan can be implemented."

"After all, China's navy and air force are too weak, making it too difficult to complete this mission."

"After all, Wu Wanli will be facing not only the US Army garrison, but also the powerful US fleet!"

Chief Chen sighed and said.

"Our new China has a weak foundation, and the strength of the air force and navy is indeed too weak."

"Even when we fought in the Korean War, it was only for China's national security and international standing; we didn't dare to think about anything else."

"But now I realize that with a general like Wu Wanli who dares to fight and take risks, we may be able to develop our navy and air force while we're at it!"

"The Air Force goes without saying; the MiG-9 fighter jet production line has already been established in China."

"If we can also reclaim China with aircraft carriers, then our navy can also develop rapidly."

"The Enterprise aircraft carrier that Wu Wanli attacked was no ordinary aircraft carrier; it was of great significance to the navy..."

The boss remarked with emotion.

"MiG-9 fighter jet?"

"I heard that the main fighter jets supporting the Korean War are the MiG-15s, aren't they?"

"This is an outdated technology that will put us at a significant disadvantage when producing aircraft to fight against American fighter jets!"

Upon hearing this, Ding Wei frowned and said...

"Don't look down on me, Ding Wei. Right now, China can't even build a MiG-9 yet."

"Moreover, after this MiG-9 fighter jet production line is established, the output is not expected to be very high in the short term."

"However, the Soviet advisors said that if we successfully annihilate these 30,000 American troops this time, we will receive other military technology and advanced weapons and equipment production lines in the future."

"It's not just small things like the Mosin-Nagant POPSA, but also large things like air force fighter jets and naval warships, there are opportunities."

"When I heard that, I felt like the Soviet Union was treating China as a key player in the red camp that was draining American military and national strength?"

Chief Chen said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"You know what, if I, Ding Wei, were to become the leader of the Soviet Union, I would be more than willing!"

"Let China achieve its goal of depleting U.S. military and national strength, and then give China more technology and assistance to support China in depleting U.S. national strength to the greatest extent possible."

"The Soviet Union suppressed its number one enemy without sending troops or showing its face; it simply stood behind the scenes."

"Who wouldn't want something that perfectly aligns with the national interest..."

"However, if the fighting continues like this, and the United States is weakened while China gradually grows stronger, then China and the Soviet Union..."

"Of course, this is just speculation, and purely a military viewpoint, unrelated to politics."

Ding Wei swallowed halfway through his sentence and added.

"Hahahaha...you slippery little devil!"

"However, I also agree with what Comrade Ding Wei said: there are no permanent friends between countries, only permanent interests."

"But at least for now, we are close allies with the Soviet Union in resisting the United States, so let's not say things like that in the future."

Chief Chen patted Ding Wei on the shoulder, first agreeing, then offering a reminder.

Ding Wei, Kong Jie, and Li Yunlong were all his beloved subordinates.

He knew Ding Wei had extraordinary strategic vision, but at this time it was still best to remind him to protect himself.

"Let's see what the Soviet Union says then."

"As the elder brother of the red camp, let's hope they won't back down,"

"After all, we still captured the main force of the army, and Wu Wanli has once again demonstrated his strength in the latest battle at Incheon."

The commander looked in the direction of the Soviet Union and spoke slowly.

....................................

Soviet Union, Moscow, Kremlin

Have you read all the war reports from North Korea?

"This is interesting. It seems that the Chinese really have the potential to take over the fighter jet production line by eliminating enemy forces, so they won't need to provide food anymore."

Stalin took a puff of his pipe and said.

"I'm sorry, we underestimated the strength of the Chinese military."

"Perhaps we should raise our goals a bit, making them more difficult for China to achieve."

Molotov said, bowing his head.

"It doesn't matter."

"The MiG-9 fighter jet represents a valuable air force fighter production capability for China today, but it is already obsolete for us."

"It's worth the price to bleed the US a little more."

"As a major power, we cannot be petty. Other countries in the red camp are watching."

"It would be a good thing to set an example so that other red countries would dare to confront the United States directly with our assistance."

"However, it is truly rare for China to have a general like Wu Wanli. I am a little envious."

Stalin smiled and said jokingly.

"This……"

"This Chinese man named Wu Wanli did fight very well, but compared to our great war of national defense, he's not good enough, is he?"

Molotov said somewhat indignantly.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha……"

"His real achievement this time was not defeating the US military or capturing or annihilating a large number of US soldiers."

"Instead, he was able to use a group of Chinese officers who had fought alongside him to form a relatively strong fighting force within the North Korean army."

"Then use these North Korean soldiers to defeat the US military."

"I've seen the specific battle reports. The quality of the American troops and their offensive are about the same as before."

"It has fierce firepower, strong fighting spirit, and the advantages of air force and navy."

"Which do you think is more difficult: defeating the German army with the Soviet army, or defeating the American army with a mixed force of Chinese officers and North Korean soldiers?"

Stalin asked.

"This……"

"To be fair, the fighting ability of North Korean soldiers is indeed inferior to that of the US military, otherwise they wouldn't have been driven to the Green River."

"From this perspective, Wu Wanli is indeed a remarkable person."

"Speaking of him, I think of his audacious act of stealing a US aircraft carrier."

"What he wants to seize is not just an ordinary converted escort carrier, but the USS Enterprise, the most famous and powerful aircraft carrier in the US Navy."

"Do we really want to help him?"

Molotov asked.

"If this had happened before, I would have thought it was a pipe dream and wouldn't have been willing to expend military strength for it."

"But if Wu Wanli can win the Battle of Inchon and severely damage the US 1st Infantry Division with relatively few elite losses, just like in this battle, then I feel there is really hope," Stalin said.

"Then...should we reply to the Chinese side that they have agreed?"

Molotov inquired.

"Reply to them as I just said. If they can continue their victory in Incheon, I will order my full support to them."

Stalin nodded and said.

"But... there's still one problem."

"The US Navy's USS Enterprise aircraft carrier is different from the MiG-9 fighter jet production line that we are helping to build."

"The MiG-9 fighter jet is an outdated version, while the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier represents an advanced, first-class level of aircraft carrier technology."

"If China were to actually use this to study and build its own aircraft carrier fleet, their development speed would probably be much faster in the future."

"We've already seen the fighting power of the Chinese army in the Korean War. If their navy becomes too powerful in the future..."

A hint of worry flashed in Molotov's eyes as he spoke in a low voice.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha……"

"I've already figured out a solution to this problem, so there's no need to worry."

Stalin took a puff of his pipe and said with a smile.

"Should we sail the USS Enterprise directly back to a Soviet port?"

Molotov's eyes lit up, and he asked.

"no!"

"Other countries in the red camp are watching, we can't go too far."

"Otherwise, if morale is low, the team will be difficult to lead."

"If the Chinese manage to seize an aircraft carrier, we should still give it to them."

"However, I already have a better solution; it all depends on what the Chinese side says..."

"Anyway, there's no rush. Let's wait until Wu Wanli really wins the Battle of Incheon."

"Otherwise, it's all just empty talk."

"However, with this plan in place, I do hope that the Chinese military will succeed."

Stalin took a puff of his pipe, a sly glint of politician's cunning flashing in his eyes, and said with a smile.

....................................

Imperial Palace, Imperial Library
The grandfather clock points to three in the morning, and a portrait of Lincoln hangs next to it.

"That's right, this kind of arrangement is truly beautiful."

"What kind of junk did you have in your palace before?"

"Just like China's resistance in North Korea, it was all meaningless!"

MacArthur, with an ivory pipe in his mouth, leaned back on the sofa and said with a half-smile.

"You're right, this kind of combination is in line with the trend of Japan-US friendship."

As for China?

"They suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of us Japanese, and we annexed most of China."

"The army massacred China's capital at that time, defiled Chinese women, and used their people for human experiments."

"But what about the Chinese army?"

"They launched a counterattack when Japan was at its weakest, and actually suffered a major defeat in Henan, Hunan, and Guangxi. It's laughable!"

"If it weren't for the powerful United States instilling atomic teachings in Japan, most of China would still be under Japanese occupation."

The Japanese Emperor lowered his eyes to gaze at the celadon teacup, and as he spoke of that period of aggression, recalling Japan's morbidly powerful era, a hint of pride and nostalgia flashed in his eyes.

In his view, China would never have won without the US and the Soviet Union.

Japan is a nation that admires the strong and bullies the weak.

During the prosperous Tang Dynasty, they would humbly submit to China and pay tribute.

Now that the United States has dealt them a blow, they've practically come to regard the United States as their father in the face of overwhelming military power.

"Your Excellency General!"

"Incheon... News has come from Incheon..."

A U.S. Army chief of staff staggered in, shouting in a slightly panicked manner.

"idiot!"

"How many times have I told you!"

"We are the world's most powerful American military, and we must remain calm no matter what happens!"

Before he could finish speaking, MacArthur, upon hearing this, cursed angrily.

"The Chinese general named Wu Wanli annihilated the US Army's 1st Division...nearly 6,000 elite troops in the Battle of Incheon Beach."

The U.S. Chief of Staff lowered his head, his Adam's apple bobbing several times before he spoke in a low voice.

MacArthur smashed his pipe on the mother-of-pearl inlaid coffee table with a "crack," his eyes wide with shock.

"What did you say?!"

"Nearly six thousand elite troops?!"

"An entire reinforced regiment was wiped out just like that?!"

"That good-for-nothing Thomas landed with 30,000 men, and within two days of the start of the war, one-fifth of them were eaten up by the Chinese?!"

Where is the Chinese army?

"How much did they lose!?"

He paused for a few seconds, then grabbed the U.S. Chief of Staff by the collar, flashing the red glow of his cigar in front of the man's eyes, and asked loudly.

"According to General Thomas's report, they almost annihilated most of the 9th Division of the Korean People's Army."

"And there are also nearly a thousand people from the Seventh Regiment of China Steel."

"Sir, here is the detailed battle report. You can take a look."

The U.S. Army Chief of Staff sighed and said.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, the sound of a teacup shattering came from behind the rosewood screen.

The Japanese Emperor stared at the tea stains splattered on the painting "Sunrise over Mount Fuji," his hands trembling uncontrollably beneath his wide sleeves.

This Chinese commander named Wu Wanli actually managed to leave the American troops who once dominated Asia lying dead on the battlefield!?
Back then, under the walls of Nanjing, even the National Revolutionary Army's most elite German-trained divisions were defeated by the Imperial Army!
"Damn Wu Wanli, what method did he use? How could the battle have turned out like this!"

"The toxic gas from a white phosphorus incendiary bomb explosion can be blown back by a sudden change in the east wind, killing our assault troops!?"

"What damn luck! Why is God so kind to the Chinese army?!"

When MacArthur saw the battle report, he felt a surge of anger.

It's bad enough to lose, but to lose in such a frustrating way!

They released white phosphorus gas, which poisoned their own army. It's utterly shameful to admit it!
"The sudden change of the east wind... the divine wind?"

"How is that possible? Why should the Chinese also be blessed by the divine wind..."

Upon hearing this, the Japanese Emperor was startled and murmured in disbelief.

If it weren't for the "miraculous" typhoons in Japanese history, Japan would have been destroyed by Kublai Khan during the Yuan Dynasty of China long ago.

However, this very belief of theirs actually helped the Chinese army.

Not only that, the American army, which had given the Japanese army a sound thrashing in the Pacific theater, was now suffering a crushing defeat!
This is different from the previous encirclement and annihilation of the US 1st Marine Division and the US 5th Marine Division, where China at least had a numerical advantage.

But right now, the only real Chinese troops are the 7th Steel Regiment, a few thousand men; the rest are just North Korean soldiers. How could Wu Wanli possibly win?!
"Telegraph the President back home and tell him that Ridgway and Thomas are a bunch of incompetent fools!"

"I request to return to the Korean battlefield and serve as the commander-in-chief of the UN forces."

"If all else fails, even just serving as the chief advisor for the task force will suffice."

After calming down, MacArthur saw an opportunity to seize power and whispered to the US Chief of Staff.

"This... General, changing commanders in the middle of a battle has too much of an impact. The President probably wouldn't agree to it, would he?"

Upon hearing this, the U.S. Chief of Staff kindly offered a reminder.

"Changing commanders at the last minute is unlikely, but it might happen if Ridgway and his men are actually defeated."

"Even when I was in command, I lost to the Chinese army because of carelessness. How could Ridgway possibly fight better than me?"

"Just you wait, in the end it will be my turn."

"As long as I regain command of the UN forces and fight carefully, the Chinese army will surely be defeated by me!"

MacArthur took a puff of his pipe and snorted coldly.

"Mr. Emperor, what's wrong?"

The U.S. military staff noticed the emperor's pale face and asked a question.

"When China said it had stood up in 1949, I just took it as a joke."

"But if they really can defeat the powerful American army with thousands of elite Chinese troops at Incheon, then..."

"I truly believe that the Chinese people have stood up."

The Japanese Emperor wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his eyes filled with despair.

He understood perfectly well that it was impossible for two world powers to emerge from such a small region as East Asia.

If the Chinese people stand up, it means that the Japanese will have no chance to become America's lapdogs.

"With the protection of the United States, you Japanese don't need to worry about the future threat from China. Just be obedient."

MacArthur looked at the despairing Japanese Emperor, uttered a single sentence, and walked out.

Soon, news that Wu Wanli, with some Chinese officers and his "auxiliary troops," had defeated the American forces was spread by agents in Japan.

In an instant, a large number of Japanese people watched the news of the battle results between the Chinese and American armies with utter terror, as if they were watching China, the master of East Asia, rise from the abyss!
And the bloody day that belonged to Japan seems to be gone forever...

(End of this chapter)