Rebirth: I am in Jin-Cha-Ji

The differences are very serious.

As a result, there was an ongoing debate over whether to retreat or stay in eastern Hebei.

The debate had been going on for several months since the Fourth Column and the Yidong Anti-Japanese United Army met in Yidong, and telegrams were constantly exchanged with Yan'an.

Yan'an had always insisted on establishing a base in eastern Hebei, but the leaders of the Fourth Column, Deng Guo and Song Shilun, believed that establishing a base in eastern Hebei was too difficult and that the conditions for establishing a large-scale base were not met at this stage.

Therefore, no decision has been made as to whether to stay in Jidong to establish a base or for the troops to leave Jidong.

Time passes day by day.

As the number of Japanese and puppet troops grew, the North China Front Army and the Kwantung Army dispatched troops to encircle the anti-Japanese forces in eastern Hebei, necessitating a decisive decision. With so many troops engaged in battle in such a state of disarray, the Fourth Column was ultimately led by Commander Deng Guo and Political Commissar Song Shilun. Song Shilun, however, made the final decision, declaring the troops should retreat. The situation in eastern Hebei was unsuitable for a large force to remain and establish a base.

After the two of them made their decision, they quickly convinced the Hebei Provincial Party Committee and the leaders of the Jidong Anti-Japanese United Army. Finally, it was decided that the troops involved in the Jidong uprising would retreat westward with the Fourth Column and go to the Pingxi base for training.

After the troops were trained and improved their combat effectiveness, they returned to Jidong to establish a base. Only a small number of troops and some cadres were left in Jidong to continue the struggle.

Although some people at the meeting opposed the evacuation of Jidong, they believed that although the Japanese army was strong, it was not so strong that it must be evacuated.

Jidong was a good place and should not be abandoned so easily. However, most people, especially the leaders of the Fourth Column, still believed that it would be difficult to persist in Jidong.

So in the end, the decision was made that the troops should retreat.

But how to withdraw?

Neither Yan'an nor the headquarters were reassured.

Both Yan'an and the Eighth Route Army headquarters hoped that the Fourth Column would remain in eastern Hebei and establish a base there. This was because eastern Hebei was so important. Controlling it would significantly alter the anti-Japanese situation in North China, and could even support and bolster the anti-Japanese efforts in Northeast China.

Although Yan'an and the headquarters sent telegrams several times, and even Chairman Mao himself sent a telegram, the Fourth Column still believed that the time was not ripe.

We must withdraw our troops.

In the end, Yan'an and the Eighth Route Army Headquarters did not force the Fourth Column.

In this regard, the Central Committee rarely issued firm orders to the troops below. Most often, Yan'an offered suggestions, not orders, to the troops at the front. Often, Yan'an respected the judgment of frontline leaders. Seeing the Fourth Column's leaders' resolute stance, they ultimately stated that if they couldn't hold out, they could retreat. However, Yan'an and the Eighth Route Army headquarters were concerned that if so many troops retreated, the situation would become dire.

After all, the troops involved in the Jidong uprising, while impressive, were not regular troops. Although they had received some basic training over the past few months, they were severely short of military and political cadres. How could a force of nearly 10 men be able to generate sufficient combat effectiveness in such a short period of time?

A large-scale retreat of tens of thousands of people would be problematic if the organization wasn't properly organized. Even for trained troops, such as those in Yidong, the retreat of tens of thousands of people was no easy task. Yan'an and the Eighth Route Army headquarters deliberated for a long time, ultimately concluding that the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region was the closest to Jidong, and the Fourth Column was also affiliated with it.

The Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region was also helpless after receiving the order.

How to support the Jidong troops?

Are there any troops in Jin-Cha-Ji that can support the Jidong troops?

This time, the main force that encircled and suppressed the eastern Hebei troops was the Kwantung Army.

In support of the Jidong uprising, the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region had already launched offensives across the country, pinning down the Japanese forces in North China. Furthermore, the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region was still battling against mopping-up operations, and the base areas were still engaged in fighting. How could they possibly support the Jidong forces?

Finally, the military district handed the command to the First Division. Currently, the Jin-Cha Military District only had troops from the First Division that were strong enough to support the Fourth Column and the Eastern Hebei Division.

After receiving the order, the First Division passed it on to the Eighth Column.

Because half of the main force of the First Division was fighting in Yanbei with the 120th Division and the Second Military Division to expand the Yanbei base, while the other half was still fighting in Hebei and had to protect the security of the Fuping Military Region.

The First Division was currently unable to withdraw troops, so Yang Quanwu handed the command to the Eighth Column.

The Eighth Column Headquarters gathered the main leaders of the Eighth Column.

They all frowned deeply.

This counter-mopping-up operation achieved remarkable results, killing the Japanese brigadier-general. However, the Eighth Column also paid a heavy price. The Sixteenth Regiment suffered over 700 casualties, the Eighteenth Regiment over 600, the New Second Regiment over 400, the Guard Regiment over 300, the Special Forces over 100, and local forces such as the County Battalion and District Squad over 700.

The casualties were too heavy.

The 16th and 18th Regiments suffered serious injuries.

All of them need some time to repair.

In addition to these troops, the county brigades and district squads that remained in the base area also suffered heavy casualties in battles with the Japanese garrison troops. The base area was also severely damaged by these Japanese and puppet troops.

How to support the Fourth Column and Jidong troops now?

"We can only make a fuss here."

Wei Hongjun pointed to Yanqing, Changping, Huairou and Miyun.

Wei Hongjun was quite nervous.

After all, this historical retreat was a complete failure. It could be said that this retreat destroyed the entire Jidong Uprising. Of the 100,000 troops, only less than 2,000 returned to the Pingxi base area. Many troops turned back midway and were pursued and attacked by the Japanese and puppet troops.

In the end, less than a thousand people returned to Yidong.

The casualties were heavy, and the troops were severely disorganized. Wei Hongjun was only the political commissar of the 1th Column of the st Division of the Jin-Cha-Ji Army, and he couldn't get involved in such a major event. But now that the military region had assigned the task of supporting the Jidong troops to the th Column, Wei Hongjun hoped to do something.

Even if we can't reverse the defeat, if we can get one more person back, then that's one more person. One more person means one more force to fight against Japan.

Xiao Yongshi frowned and said, "Political Commissar, this is the retreat route of the Fourth Column and the Jidong troops. If we control this area, we can indeed support them. But there are Japanese garrisons in these places. How can we control them? We have no troops to send right now."

Even if we send out our main forces, it will be difficult for us to control this place."

"I don't want to control this place. Although the number of Japanese and puppet troops here is small, we can't defeat them in a short time."

Wei Hongjun shook his head.

He said: "The New 1st Regiment, the New 3rd Regiment, and the special forces team here are the troops we can rely on. The headquarters and the military region are aware of our situation, and it is impossible for us to send the main force to support them. We also do not have the ability to support all the retreating troops in Jidong. The only thing we can do is to open up a retreat route so that more people can be withdrawn. So I suggest that the New 1st Regiment and the special forces team go north from Huailai and take some important areas of Yanqing. Moreover, when the news of the defeat of the Independent Mixed 2nd Brigade spreads, the Japanese troops that have recently swept our base will definitely retreat. In this way, the New 3rd Regiment will also be able to free up their hands. Our main task is to open up some other retreat routes, preferably some mountain roads. If we can support more troops to return to our base, then our mission this time will be a success."

"Ok.

Wang Qiuyun nodded, supporting Wei Hongjun's idea.

If the Eighth Column had 20,000 to 30,000 troops, it could have marched a large force into Changping, Huairou, Miyun, and even Jixian, opening up a route and then supporting the retreat of the Jidong troops.

But the Eighth Column doesn’t have so many troops.

Therefore, the only option was to open up some mountain roads that were not used by anyone, or that were rarely used. After opening up these roads, they could use them to withdraw some of the Jidong troops. As many as could be withdrawn.

Seeing Wang Qiuyun's agreement, Wei Hongjun continued, "We will temporarily form an eastward-moving detachment with the mission of supporting the Jidong troops. Comrade Zhang Dahu, commander of the New 1st Regiment, will serve as commander, and Comrade Xia Houwen, commander of the New 3rd Regiment, will serve as political commissar. They will jointly be responsible for this operation. What do you think?"

"can."

While the Eighth Column was discussing how to support the Fourth Column and the Jidong troops, the New Third Regiment was carrying out a difficult counter-mopping-up operation.

The New Third Regiment's actions at Longguan were so severe that they were reported to the North China Front Army's high command. The Long (Longguan) and Yan (Yanqing) areas where the New Third Regiment operated were crucial sections of the Pingsui Road.

How can we allow the New Third Regiment to continue to jump around?

Therefore, during this raid, the Japanese army also focused on the New Third Regiment.

The Japanese army sent two squadrons from Zhangbei to carry out a mopping-up operation.

One of the squadrons was a guerrilla detachment that swept Feng Mulin, and the other was a reinforced squadron newly formed for this sweep. It had an additional machine gun squadron compared to the ordinary squadron, and was sent out to sweep Longguan of the New Third Regiment.

In addition to a reinforced squadron, a puppet Manchukuo regiment was transferred from Rehe, along with police and security forces from Akagi. The reinforced squadron comprised approximately 320 Japanese troops, a puppet Manchukuo regiment comprised 900, 200 Akagi police, and 500 security forces. Nearly 2000 troops participated in this sweep.

The Japanese army had four puppet Manchukuo infantry brigades in Rehe.

Originally, they were all supposed to participate in the siege of the Fourth Column and the Eastern Hebei Division. However, for this mopping-up operation, a puppet Manchukuo infantry brigade was transferred from Rehe. Of course, it was called a brigade, but in reality, it only had about 2200 people.

The New Third Regiment has a lot of troops, but the base is newly built.

The loss is huge.

The New Third Regiment's rural base at Longguan had been overwhelmed, with some even deserting. However, the unit structure remained intact, and Xiahou Wen's work hadn't been in vain.

The troops faced great problems and suffered heavy sacrifices.

Many soldiers and local officials suffered casualties during this campaign. Yet the troops persevered, continuing the campaign. Xiahou Wen was constantly considering how to put an end to the campaign.

Opportunities always come to those who are prepared.

"Xia Houwen, you are quite courageous."

Chapter 182 Instigating Rebellion

"Xia Houwen, you are quite courageous."

Wu Shi is fifty-one years old.

Wu Shi was a burly figure, though only 1.7 meters tall. His broad shoulders, stiff back, and scarred face gave him a strikingly tough demeanor. He looked anything but fifty-one, more like a young man in his thirties. Xiahou Wen, by comparison, was only thirty-two, yet looked even older. Wu Shi's gaze was intensely aggressive, sizing up the man who had been causing unrest in both Long and Yan counties.

I was very surprised.

I had originally thought Xiahou Wen, who was on the list of Japanese puppet troops, was a strong soldier. Unexpectedly, Xiahou Wen didn't look much like a soldier, but rather like an old farmer. Yet, he also had the air of a very elegant scholar.

His temperament is like that of a scholar.

Seriously speaking, it should be said that Xia Houwen is very much like a teacher from the countryside. Wu Shi did not expect that such a person who looks like an old farmer would actually be the one who turned Longyan County upside down.

Everyone says Xiahou Wen is very powerful, but looking at him now, you can't tell anything.

However, Xiahou Wen was not at all inferior in momentum.

The wind is light and the clouds are thin.

He didn't take Wu Shi's mental pressure seriously at all and calmly sat in front of Wu Shi. Facing Wu Shi's questioning, Xia Houwen said leisurely, "President Wu? Captain Wu? Or should I call him Wu Ergouzi?

"Bastard thing."

Wu Shi was furious and slammed the table. However, he quickly calmed down and said, "Xiahou Wen, I only agreed to meet you for my son's sake. Don't you think I really won't arrest you? You are a wanted criminal by the Imperial Army. If I hand you over, the Japanese will reward me with at least one hundred yellow croakers."

Besides, if I really gave you to the Japanese, I would ask them for a heavy machine gun, and they would probably give it to me."

Xiahou Wen is an important figure in the eyes of the Japanese.

Although the Japanese trusted Wu Shi, they were also wary of him. The best the guards and police officers under Wu Shi had were light machine guns. The Japanese did not equip Wu Shi's guards with heavy machine guns.

This is something Wu Shi has always been dissatisfied with.

The combat effectiveness of a unit will be completely different depending on whether it has heavy machine guns or not.

“President Wu, you should have received news about the situation on the front line.

Our Eighth Column killed the commander of the Japanese Army's 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade, Tsuneoka Kanji, in Beilingzhuang. The Japanese Army's 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade was almost completely wiped out in Shengxian.

"so what?"

"The Japanese troops that are now sweeping up the area will retreat one after another."

The 8th Column attacked Tsuneoka Kanji, and the 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade that had been dispatched was almost completely annihilated. Ultimately, fewer than 300 Japanese troops returned to Zhangjiakou. Although the news hadn't spread widely, Wu Shi and his men had heard it.

My heart was pounding.

They never expected that the powerful and arrogant Japanese army would suffer such a crushing defeat. They never expected that the Japanese generals would be killed by the Eighth Route Army. They had never dared to think of such a thing before.

It was really unexpected.