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

Liao Lei had gotten used to ordering Zhao Yunwen around, and the others spontaneously gathered around.

Zhao Yunwen didn't treat himself as an outsider and said while looking at the map:

"Oba remains the focus of the Japanese's efforts to break the deadlock. Let's step outside Oba and make a hypothetical scenario."

If Dachang is lost, then the Ninth Army Group will have no choice but to retreat south of the Suzhou River, leaving the entire city to the Japanese.

The Battle of Shanghai has thus lost its meaning. What do you suggest for the next step?

Zhao Yunwen not only did not answer Liao Lei's question, but also threw out a counter-question, causing everyone to fall into deep thought.

Liao Lei didn't think Zhao Yunwen's question was superfluous. He also knew that Dachang would be lost sooner or later, so considering the situation after Dachang was lost was a necessary step to take.

Chief of Staff Wang Zanbing spoke first:

"Is it possible for both sides to negotiate a peace agreement under the mediation of the great powers? The Japanese are still so young; they can't possibly dream of swallowing up the whole of China!"

Commander Wei Yunsong of the 48th Army also chimed in:

"That's possible. Before the war, Matsui Iwane shouted that he would destroy China in three months. It's been almost three months, and they haven't even captured Shanghai. They've lost nearly 100,000 men."

Although our army suffered greater losses, its main force was still intact, with 700,000 troops around Shanghai alone. Continuing to fight would not benefit the Japanese, so it was better to stop while we were ahead.

It is highly likely that the situation will resemble that after the First Battle of Shanghai, with both sides agreeing to a ceasefire along the Suzhou Creek as the dividing line.

After listening, everyone nodded in agreement. In their view, the Nationalist army might lose a major battle, but the main force of the Nationalist army was still there, and there was no problem in holding the Suzhou River line.

Liao Lei did not express his opinion, but instead looked at Zhao Yunwen:

"Brother Yunwen, there's no one else here. Speak freely, as long as it's in our ears, it won't get out of this command post."

After Liao Lei finished speaking, he dismissed the unimportant people, leaving only high-ranking officers of the division commander level and above.

Zhao Yunwen then said:

"Commendations, you have underestimated the Japanese appetite. If the first Battle of Shanghai was just a test, this time they will definitely not stop at Shanghai."

Tanaka's memorial clearly stated that to conquer China, one must first conquer Manchuria and Mongolia; to conquer the world, one must first conquer China!

This strategy was proposed ten years ago, when the Northeast Army was at its zenith outside the Great Wall. Now look at the North: the Japanese have occupied Manchuria, Mongolia, Beijing, and Tianjin, and have just won the Battle of Niangziguan, with their advance pointing directly at Jinyang.

Hedong is the backbone of the country. Once Jinyang is lost, there will be no major battles in North China, and the Japanese army will be able to advance directly towards the Central Plains and the Huai River region.

This is an attempt to swallow up the entire North! Since ancient times, whoever controls the North controls the world. They're about to lose all of North China and the Central Plains. Do you still doubt the Japanese devils' wolfish ambitions?

The relaxed expressions on everyone's faces vanished, replaced by a hint of fear in their eyes. The North was the foundation of China.

The threat of national subjugation and racial extinction is no longer a hidden worry, but a real and serious problem. The Battle of Xinkou has already shown signs of defeat, and the loss of Jinyang is only a matter of time.

The main force of the Nationalist army was in the south, and there were almost no central army troops in the Central Plains. The Northwest Army, Jin Army, and Northeast Army were unreliable, as they belonged to three different systems and no one could command them, resulting in a disorganized mess.

Liao Lei fell silent. Wang Zanbing asked in an almost desperate tone:

"Is our great nation of China truly destined to perish at the hands of the Japanese invaders?"

Everyone turned their hopeful eyes to Zhao Yunwen; they were not afraid of death, but they were afraid of having no hope.

Zhao Yunwen said with a firm expression:

"Of course not! Even if the north is lost, the people will not be willing to be slaves of a conquered nation. They will definitely rise up in resistance and slow down the Japanese advance southward."

At present, the Japanese strategic focus is still on East China, with 250,000 troops concentrated in Shanghai alone, accounting for 40% of their standing forces.

Considering the garrison divisions outside the Great Wall and on the mainland, the Japanese still have approximately 150,000 to 200,000 mobile troops.

The Shanghai-Nanjing border region had 700,000 Nationalist troops as its main force. The Japanese wanted to conquer China in one battle, but their national treasury couldn't withstand prolonged depletion. Therefore, the north was only a secondary battlefield for the time being.

Everyone nodded in agreement, and hope rekindled in their eyes. Liao Lei then gestured for Zhao Yunwen to continue.

All of the above was just setup; the main event is about to begin:

"Gentlemen, the most dangerous situation is when the main force of the Nationalist army retreats to the Suzhou River, resulting in a stalemate between hundreds of thousands of troops on both sides!"

Our Supreme Command will place its hopes on peace talks, expecting the great powers to mediate, and attempting to replicate the peace talks following the First Battle of Shanghai, sacrificing local interests in exchange for peace.

Liao Lei nodded and said:

"Excuse my bluntness, but your principal is really capable of doing such a thing."

Only a bigwig from the Guangxi clique would dare to say such a thing. Zhao Yunwen continued to drop bombshells:

"As mentioned earlier, the Japanese still have at least 150,000 to 200,000 mobile troops. With their powerful naval transport capabilities, they can send these people south of Shanghai."

For example, Hangzhou Bay could be any landing point along the Zhejiang coast, making it impossible to defend against!

Liao Lei could no longer sit still. He leaned close to the map and drew a curve from Hangzhou Bay, which could encircle the entire Songhu region's army.

His expression changed drastically, and he said in a trembling voice:

"Do they really have such a huge appetite?"

He first shook his head, then nodded, his facial expression turning extremely painful.

Zhao Yunwen is right. Even if we send people to block them now, the Japanese can just land somewhere else.

With sea control in the hands of the Japanese, how could they possibly stop the hundreds of thousands of Japanese troops from landing along their hundreds of kilometers of coastal defense?

"Brother Yunwen, is there really no other way?"

Everyone turned their expectant gazes toward Zhao Yunwen. These hundreds of thousands of troops were the lifeblood of the National Government Army, the foundation upon which they had persevered for so long, and they could not afford to lose them!

Zhao Yunwen said with a firm expression:

"Of course there is a way: retreat! Leave a portion of the troops to confront the Japanese, while the main force retreats in large strides to the vast area between the two defense lines."

By deploying troops in stages and setting up defenses at each level, we can hold off the Japanese for more than three months with sustained and tenacious positional warfare, covering the transfer of factories, schools, people, and supplies from Jiangsu and Zhejiang to the interior, and ideally emptying Nanjing.

No matter where the Japanese land, their target is Nanjing. As long as we hold onto the hundreds of thousands of troops in Shanghai, we can hold out for at least six months, let alone three!

Liao Lei was initially overjoyed, but then his face fell as he said:

"It's no use. As long as there is hope for peace, the Commander-in-Chief will not retreat on his own initiative."

Zhao Yunwen was also in great pain. He knew the outcome, but he couldn't change it. He could only pin his hopes on the Guangxi clique, as if it were a last resort.

"Commander Liao, the only people left who can speak for you are a few big shots in your Guangxi clique, especially Lord De."

After rambling on for a while, Zhao Yunwen finally got to the point: the Guangxi clique is not just about Li Delin and Bai Jiansheng, but also includes Huang Shaohong, one of the three giants, as well as Li Renchao, who is also from Guangxi Province and is considered a representative of the new Guangxi clique.

This is a considerable political force, enough to rival Chiang Kai-shek.

As a key figure in the Guangxi clique, Liao Lei had influence with Li Degui. In order to preserve the four main divisions of the 21st Army Group in Shanghai, Liao Lei decided to do his best to persuade Li Degui.

"General Zhao, this is a matter of great importance. I will organize the relevant information and report it to Lord De."

The rest is not our concern. We soldiers will fight on even if the situation is hopeless.

We must hold the fort; every extra day we can hold it is a day we can count. This is what we can do right now.

Zhao Yunwen then chimed in:

"That's right, the Japanese are mobilizing a large force to counterattack. Our opponents next will not only be the Ninth Division, but also other Japanese troops."

Wei Yunsong coldly shouted:

"What's there to be afraid of? Whether one division comes or two divisions come, we'll fight."

As I said before, if you want a grand victory, you have to pay with your lives. Tens of thousands of soldiers of the Guangxi Army are ready to fight the Japanese to the death!

Qu Shounian also said loudly:

"That's right, we'll meet force with force and water with earth!"

"We swear to fight to the death against this position!"

The soldiers shouted slogans one after another, their eyes burning with fighting spirit; the Guangxi Army never feared battle.

The communications director rushed in and loudly reported:

"Report from the front lines: the Japanese have launched another attack, led by the 13th Division!"

Another beastmaster group appeared, and Zhao Yunwen instantly unleashed a terrifying killing intent. He coldly shouted:

"If he wants war, then let's fight!"