Even if I'm a useless bum at Whampoa Military Academy, I'll be invincible in the War of Re

After Zhao Yunwen finished his meeting with Marshall, he was invited to give a lecture at National Jiangcheng University. The students of Jiangcheng University flocked to the lecture, and the streets were packed with people.

During this period, he delivered a speech entitled "Carry the War of Resistance Against Japan Through to the End," and shouted the slogan "100,000 Youths, 100,000 Soldiers," which caused a huge sensation and made him a household name.

As the saying goes, "People fear becoming famous, just as pigs fear growing fat." From then on, numerous contracts were signed. High-ranking officials and politicians tried to win him over, military leaders tried to get close to him, wealthy families arranged marriages, business tycoons discussed cooperation, and even the Eighth Route Army's Jiangcheng office joined in the fun. The person who sent the invitation was none other than the Huangpu Military Academy director, whom Zhao Yunwen could not refuse.

Zhao Yunwen was exhausted from dealing with all of this, and he could only laugh heartily when he was with young students. They talked not only about war, but also about ideals, life, and the future of China. They discussed the country and wrote passionately, which won him a lot of fans.

When he set off to leave Jiangcheng, he was surrounded by thousands of like-minded comrades, many of whom were energetic young students, as well as returned overseas Chinese who had achieved academic success, and technicians and skilled workers from the Hanyang Military Factory who had been recruited with high salaries.

After Zhao Yunwen returned to Xinyang City, he handed all these people over to Lu Ping. The Tiger Army did not yet have its own territory, so these talents could only be reserved for the time being.

Jiangcheng is a treasure trove of talent. The Tiger Army brought back nearly five thousand people, three thousand of whom were college students. These people trained while also doing logistical support under Lu Ping's arrangement, and the total number of personnel in the field hospital exceeded one thousand.

In mid-July, at the military headquarters in Xinyang City, southern Henan Province, a high-level military conference was underway.

All core officers of the Tiger Legion Commander level and above attended the meeting, which was chaired by the Chief of Staff. Zhao Yunwen sat in the center with piercing eyes.

Chief of Staff Xie Polu first conveyed the Military Commission's preliminary order to organize the defense of Jiangcheng, and then briefed the audience on the enemy situation:

"The enemy's Central China Expeditionary Army plans to deploy more than 25 troops, with the support of the navy and air force, and adopt a pincer movement strategy of large-scale flanking maneuvers on the north and south flanks and a main attack on the Yangtze River front."

The Central China Expeditionary Army comprised two main field corps, and also directly commanded a garrison division, the 3rd Fleet of the Navy, and an air force corps.

The main attacking force was the 11th Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Yasuji Okamura, comprising five and a half divisions and the Hata Detachment. It advanced westward along both banks of the Yangtze River, undertaking the main frontal attack, cutting off the Yuehan Railway, and encircling Jiangcheng from the south.

The 2nd Army of the Northern Front Group, commanded by Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko, comprised four and a half divisions. It advanced westward along the northern foothills of the Dabie Mountains, intending to capture Xinyang and then move south along the Pinghan Railway to encircle Jiangcheng from the northern and western fronts.

It directly commands the 3rd, 9th, 18th, and 116th Divisions, which are responsible for defending the occupied rear areas such as Nanjing, Shanghai, and Anqing, and ensuring supply lines.

The Navy's 3rd Fleet, with over a hundred ships, controlled the Yangtze River waterway, while the air force seized air superiority to support ground operations.

In mid-June, the Hata Detachment captured Anqing, and the 6th Division attacked Huangmei, officially launching the outer perimeter battle.

The Botian Detachment was the first to capture Anqing, Madang Fortress, and Hukou, opening up the upper reaches of the Yangtze River as the vanguard landing force.

Just yesterday, the Japanese army occupied Jiujiang, completed its frontline assembly, and officially issued the order for a full-scale offensive.

Currently, the enemy's Second Army on the northern front is resting and replenishing personnel and equipment in Hefei, and has not yet made any moves.

As Xie Polu explained, everyone's expressions became extremely solemn. This was a battle involving millions of soldiers, far exceeding the scale of the Battle of Shanghai. The Japanese had assembled nine and a half divisions plus a detachment, equipped with a large number of naval and air forces, advancing on three fronts. The Nationalist army was blocking their advance layer by layer, making it destined to be a bloodbath.

Everyone turned their attention to Zhao Yunwen, who was the soul of the Tiger Legion. With Commander Zhao in command, they were fearless against even the most powerful enemies.

Zhao Yunwen looked around and said in a deep voice:

"Gentlemen, Xinyang City is the core of the northern defense and a place that the enemy's Second Army is determined to take. The commander has entrusted the defense of Xinyang to the Tiger Army, which is a great trust in us."

Don't be fooled by the fact that the Second Army is playing a supporting role; their commander is a royal prince, and he won't be content to play a supporting role!

There are two reasons why we haven't moved yet: First, we suffered heavy casualties and depleted supplies in the previous battle in Zheng County, and we need to replenish them; second, the Japanese have clashed with the Russians at Zhanggufeng in the north, and the Japanese headquarters is observing the situation.

Our main task at present is to focus on guarding the gateway between northern and southern Henan, rest and recuperate, consolidate the defense of Xinyang, support the front line, monitor enemy movements, and wait for the Japanese army to advance westward.

First, the entire army was given a tiered system of rest and replenishment. Seriously wounded soldiers were kept in rear hospitals for recuperation, while lightly wounded soldiers rotated with their units for rest. Weapons, ammunition, supplies, and organizational structure were replenished, and each regiment underwent rotational training, with a focus on mountain warfare.

Secondly, a deep defense system was constructed in Xinyang. In accordance with the orders of the command, Luoshan, Liulin, Wushengguan, and Xianshan were used as the outer four-layer defense line. This included digging trenches, anti-artillery tunnels, foxholes, machine gun positions, and artillery bunkers; storing food and ammunition; building concealed ammunition depots; and clearing the firing range.

Third, to pacify the rear and stabilize the local area, we must eliminate scattered soldiers, defeated soldiers, and bandits in southern Henan, and work with local militias to maintain public order.

The reconnaissance regiment advanced towards Gushi, Yejiaji, and Lu'an to continuously monitor the movements of the Japanese 2nd Army in Hefei; its focus was on understanding the Japanese troop assembly, training, and the movement of ships and supplies, reporting daily to the army headquarters. The cavalry regiment maintained perimeter security.

Everyone stood up and saluted in unison before dispersing. The mission had been assigned, and the rest was up to the division and regimental commanders. Zhao Yunwen would not interfere; delegating authority appropriately was necessary, as he only cared about the results.

After dismissing the others, Zhao Yunwen, along with Xie Polu, Lu Ping, and a group of military staff officers, gathered around the sand table to study the defense of Xinyang.

Zhao Yunwen spoke first:

"Look, Xinyang was formerly known as Yiyang. It has three passes: Wusheng Pass, Pingjing Pass, and Jiuli Pass. It is located on the southern border of Henan and Hubei provinces and is a vital strategic location for the Central Plains to enter Hubei Province."

Xinyang's terrain slopes from south to north, bordered by the Tongbai Mountains and the Dabie Mountains to the south, gradually transitioning northward into hills and shallow plains along the Huai River. It has a stepped landform of mountains, hills, ridges, and plains, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Xinyang is characterized by hilly terrain, making it easy to construct a deep defense. Layers of hills, slopes, and valleys stretch from east to west, allowing for multiple lines of defense. Along Luoshan, Liulin, Xianshan, and Wusheng Pass, a tiered defense could be implemented to sustainably deplete the enemy's manpower.

Chief of Staff Xie Polu added:

"Xinyang has many rivers, all of which are tributaries of the Shihe and Huaihe Rivers. It is currently the rainy season in southern Henan. The river valleys are prone to flooding and the roads are muddy, which restricts the mobility of heavy artillery and vehicles. Even if the Japanese reach the outer perimeter, their heavy equipment will advance very slowly. We can rely on the rivers to create simple obstacles and conscript laborers to repair roads and reinforce temporary bridges."

Furthermore, the hilly areas are densely vegetated, with pine, bamboo, and miscellaneous trees everywhere, which facilitates the concealment of artillery positions and defensive forces; however, they are also vulnerable to enemy reconnaissance and infiltration, so it is necessary to strengthen vigilance and counter-reconnaissance training.

Zhao Yunwen nodded and said:

"That's right. Xinyang has a unique terrain. It is guarded by the Wusheng Pass mountain range to the south, with undulating hills spreading outwards in layers. Luoshan and Liulin control the east-west passage. It is not an isolated city."

By deploying defenses layer by layer on the surrounding hills and valleys, a deep defensive line can be formed that allows for both retreat and defense, rather than being trapped inside the city and passively subjected to attacks.

Therefore, the defense of Xinyang focused on peripheral warfare. Chief of Staff Xie was in charge of constructing the defensive system, while Lu Ping was responsible for the necessary funds, supplies, and labor. Here I must emphasize that whenever civilian labor was used, money and supplies had to be provided, and the standard should be higher than the usual wages.

Each of the three divisions sent a regiment to suppress the bandits, with a time limit of half a month. All the defeated soldiers, including the bandits, were to be captured. Only the ringleaders were to be executed, and prisoners were to be given an opportunity to serve the country.

After weeding out the less capable ones, these people were all organized into a supplementary battalion, and veterans were sent to receive intensive training to replenish the troops in wartime…