Rebirth: I am in Jin-Cha-Ji

In addition to this money, Chen Jiageng also donated a large amount of supplies to Yan'an and the Eighth Route Army and New Fourth Army.

There are cloth, food, medical equipment, medicines, etc.

However, after the donation, it was not easy for the supplies to reach Yan'an, the Eighth Route Army, and the New Fourth Army. Therefore, they have not yet reached the Eighth Route Army.

"That's great."

"No, if the enemy has more weapons and ammunition than we imagined, then we must report this to the commander.

If the commander supports this, we can completely swallow up this batch of good stuff. If our Jin-Cha-Ji troops have enough guns and ammunition, their combat effectiveness can be increased by one-third. This is a great opportunity for our Jin-Cha-Ji troops.

Yang Quanwu is determined to go all out.

Now, Tada Shun was using bunkers to squeeze the Eighth Route Army's space, and the atmosphere was growing increasingly tense. Yang Quanwu, a senior Eighth Route Army general, could already smell the scent of a major battle. Therefore, he needed to stockpile more valuables.

The money in hand should be spent and exchanged for weapons, ammunition and supplies.

However, Yang Quanwu does not eat alone.

Such a good thing would certainly not be left out by the other military divisions. While the First Division and the Eighth Column benefited, the other divisions could also benefit. Only when the entire Jin-Cha-Ji Eighth Route Army strengthened would the pressure on the First Division and the Eighth Column be reduced. Otherwise, during their raids, the Japanese and puppet troops would target the First Division and the Eighth Column.

Yang Quanwu hurried to Fuping with Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun.

After hearing the report, Marshal Nie was overjoyed.

Unexpectedly, just as headquarters was preparing to launch a raid, the Eighth Column brought in such a powerful weapon. So, they immediately arranged to test the modified mortar. After seeing it, Marshal Nie was very excited.

Although Marshal Nie was known for his poor command skills, he had studied military command. After years of commanding battles, he knew this modified mortar was crucial for the Eighth Route Army. It was a powerful weapon that could quickly improve the Eighth Route Army's combat effectiveness.

Therefore, someone was immediately sent to deliver this modified mortar to the headquarters.

As for doing business with the North China Security Army to purchase weapons and ammunition, Marshal Nie did not hesitate at all.

Direct approval.

And approved the use of the money donated by Chen Jiageng.

Huang Peng is brave.

With so much munitions, he wasn't afraid of feeding the Eighth Route Army. His point was, as long as the Eighth Route Army could afford it, he'd sell them. As a result, the business between the two sides grew bigger and bigger.

A large amount of money was spent to buy batches of arms.

"Bang

"boom"

Eighth Route Army Headquarters.

There were the Eighth Route Army's deputy commander-in-chief Peng Dehua, deputy chief of staff Zuo Quan, political director Luo Qirong and other leaders of the Eighth Route Army Field Command, as well as the 129th Division's commander Liu Mingzhao, political commissar Deng Xixian and other leaders.

Because the Eighth Route Army Headquarters and the 129th Division Headquarters are not far apart.

We even work together sometimes.

Chen Geng, commander of the 386th Brigade, jumped up and said, "Good stuff, really good stuff.

This is the Eighth Route Army Headquarters and the 129th Division testing a modified mortar sent by the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region. The Eighth Route Army showed it to Yang Quanwu, who then went to the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region to show it to Marshal Nie.

Marshal Nie was also very happy.

Now the entire Eighth Route Army is troubled by the Japanese army’s bunkers.

The Eighth Column actually brought such good things.

Honestly, this isn't that technically complex. Many things are more about the idea, and once you have the idea, the technical solution becomes much easier. Of course, this kind of good stuff can't be hidden.

Marshal Nie ordered the arsenals of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region to begin large-scale renovation of their mortars in preparation for removing bunkers. At the same time, he handed them over to the Eighth Route Army Headquarters so that they could also see them.

After receiving the information, the Eighth Route Army Headquarters immediately conducted joint tests with the commanders of the 129th Division.

The effect is really good.

"With this thing, it won't be difficult to take down the Japanese bunkers."

Chen Geng couldn't put this modified mortar down.

The 129th Division was also currently suffering from Tada Shun's "Dragon Prison Strategy." Tada Shun gradually reduced the Eighth Route Army base areas and the space for the Eighth Route Army's operations. Overall, it was quite successful.

After 1940, there were no large-scale battles between the Eighth Route Army and the Japanese Army. This was because Tada Shun changed his strategy towards the Eighth Route Army and invested all resources in building bunkers, so the Japanese and puppet troops reduced their large-scale raids on the Eighth Route Army bases.

But small-scale battles between the two sides continued every day.

The Japanese and puppet troops wanted to build blockhouses, but the Eighth Route Army refused to allow them to do so. Consequently, the troops of both sides surrounded the blockhouses, and fighting ensued almost daily.

However, in this battle surrounding the blockhouses, the Eighth Route Army was currently at a disadvantage overall. This was primarily because the Eighth Route Army had few effective solutions for the eastern and western blockhouses, the core of the Japanese "Prison the Dragon Strategy." Destroying a single Japanese blockhouse would incur significant casualties for the Eighth Route Army, as they lacked heavy firepower.

Therefore, the main force of the Eighth Route Army will not act rashly.

Both Yan'an and the Eighth Route Army headquarters were troubled by Tada Shun's "Dragon Prison Strategy." The Eighth Route Army could not tolerate the Japanese army's relentless advance and was determined to strike back. However, faced with the densely packed fortifications in North China, the Eighth Route Army headquarters had no real solution.

Of course you have to fight, but how to fight will achieve the best effect.

The 386th Brigade is the core unit of the 129th Division, so it is also the unit under the greatest pressure in the "cage policy".

Now I am certainly excited to see something so good.

"Commander, we should modify the mortars we have as soon as possible."

"Yes."

"With this thing, breaking the Japanese army's 'cage strategy' shouldn't be a problem."

Peng Dehua also nodded repeatedly.

"Okay. Our arsenal's main task during this period is to modify mortars. Send someone to the Jin-Cha-Ji Arsenal immediately to learn how to modify mortars.

Chapter 324 Combat Order

After the disastrous defeat in the raid on the Eighth Route Army base in 1939, Tada Shun learned from his mistakes and began to change his strategy towards the Eighth Route Army.

This seemingly clumsy method of encircling the Eighth Route Army base was surprisingly effective. As long as the Japanese army held together, the Eighth Route Army couldn't defeat them. Therefore, the Japanese army would deploy at least one battalion each time, sometimes even over 2,000 or 3,000 men. Once they occupied a location, they wouldn't leave, establishing strongholds and forts.

Many towns where the Eighth Route Army guerrillas were active, due to their proximity to railways and highways, fell under the threat of Japanese bunkers. Even if they didn't completely fall into the hands of the Japanese and puppet troops, the Japanese and puppet troops could send troops from these strongholds and bunkers to sweep them at the slightest movement of the Eighth Route Army guerrillas.

The Eighth Route Army's guerrilla zone began to shrink, and the Eighth Route Army's base area began to shrink.

The Eighth Route Army and the Japanese army, despite the seemingly peaceful situation, were engaged in a deadly war. The Japanese army intended to completely devour the Eighth Route Army's guerrilla areas and then build blockhouses throughout the Eighth Route Army bases, completely dividing them. This division of the Eighth Route Army bases also served to divide the Eighth Route Army's forces, preventing them from moving freely as before. It also restricted the Eighth Route Army's ability to assemble troops freely.

As long as the Eighth Route Army's activities were restricted and its main forces were not allowed to gather easily, the Eighth Route Army would not be able to launch large-scale ambushes, which would greatly improve the safety of the Japanese troops in the Eighth Route Army base.

The Eighth Route Army would certainly not choose to surrender.

The battle for territory between the various Eighth Route Army units and the Japanese army became increasingly brutal. Fighting occurred almost daily. To prevent the Japanese from building blockhouses, the main force, local troops, and even local militia went there daily to destroy them.

Therefore, after 1940, there were fewer large-scale battles between the Eighth Route Army base and the Japanese army, but small-scale battles were very frequent.

But the situation was becoming increasingly unfavorable for the Eighth Route Army, as the Japanese army was gradually encroaching on the Eighth Route Army's base areas.

The Eighth Route Army did not have the strength to swallow up a large Japanese force in one go.

So despite trying their best, they were unable to stop the Japanese army from building bunkers step by step towards the Eighth Route Army base.

Tada Shun is becoming more and more satisfied with his work.

For Tada Shun, everything from 1940 onward was good news. The Eighth Route Army, which had previously been a source of great trouble for him, had become a "turtle in a jar" under his "cage policy." No matter how tenacious the Eighth Route Army was, Tada Shun saw it as a "trapped beast fighting to the bitter end."

Once we have completely completed our own fort network, we will be able to completely annihilate these Eighth Route Army troops.

Of course, Tada Shun was happy because he saw the dawn of victory in this war. After the July 1940 Incident, Japanese generals believed victory would be imminent. However, after three years of fighting, no one knew when victory would be achieved. But things changed after .

After 1940, the world situation began to undergo dramatic changes. These changes were increasingly unfavorable to China's war of resistance and increasingly favorable to Japan. Since Germany declared war on Britain and France, it had been conquering cities and territories across Europe. On April 1940, 4, Germany invaded Denmark and suddenly attacked Norway. After repelling the British and French expeditionary forces, it occupied all of Norway on June 9. On May 6, the German army invaded Western Europe. On May 10, May 5, and June 10, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France surrendered one after another. The British army withdrew from continental Europe, and the British mainland was seriously threatened by the German army.

In just a few months, Germany swept across Europe. Even France, known as the continent's most powerful nation, quickly surrendered. For a time, Germany was unmatched across the continent.

Germany's growing power in Europe directly threatened the Soviet Union's security in Europe. For the Soviet Union, Europe was its core industrial area. Therefore, the Soviet Union had to focus on Europe.

In the early days of the Chinese War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the only country that supported China was the Soviet Union. Britain, the United States, and France all adopted a neutral stance. While verbally condemning Japan, they continued to conduct business with Japan, including many military supplies. For them, the Sino-Japanese conflict had little to do with them.

Although Japan's invasion of China affected their interests in China, it was clear that those interests were not enough to make them turn against Japan.

Only the Soviet Union was worried that Japan would attack the Soviet Union from the north, so it supported China's war of resistance, hoping that China would contain Japan. Therefore, it provided a large amount of weapons and ammunition to the National Army.

After the Battle of Nomonhan, there were fewer calls for the Japanese army to move north.

In addition, Germany was now invincible in Europe, and the Soviet Union was even more worried about Germany, so its support for China's war of resistance gradually decreased.

What about Japan?

Taking advantage of the fact that Britain and France were severely damaged by Germany in Europe, China put pressure on Britain and France to make their colonies in Southeast Asia behave themselves and to close the connection between their colonies in Southeast Asia and China.

To put it bluntly, it means closing China's national borders.

Since losing the coastal areas, China can only import goods from the Soviet Union through Xinjiang and use the roads between China and Vietnam and China and Myanmar to import materials.

The supplies of overseas Chinese also entered China through here to support China's war of resistance.

But now Japan is not happy.

Britain and France, having suffered heavy losses in Europe, were unwilling to offend Japan in the Far East. On June 1940, 6, France agreed to a complete blockade of the Sino-Vietnamese border, allowing Japanese military personnel to enter Vietnam to monitor the embargo on China. On July 20, 1940, Britain notified Japan of its agreement to close the Burma Road and, on the 7th, officially announced a three-month ban on the transport of arms, ammunition, gasoline, trucks, and railway materials through Burma to China, effective July 12. Hong Kong was also placed under a simultaneous embargo.

It can be said that China’s external channels are directly closed.

Japan's arrogance in Asia was growing at this time.

But beneath Japan's arrogance lies a certain amount of bravado. Japan has always sought to dominate Asia, but its overall strength is somewhat bloated. Since the July 7 Incident and its large-scale invasion of China, Japan has been increasingly mired in the Chinese battlefield. While the Japanese army may have won one or two battles, overall, Japan sees no chance of defeating the Chinese army anytime soon.

After almost three years of fighting, Japan's finances have collapsed.

Japan's gold reserves had already reached their limit. Moreover, the Japanese army's casualties in China were increasing day by day, and the shortage of troops was becoming more and more serious.

The current situation is that the Kwantung Army, the North China Front Army, the Central China Front Army, and other parts of the Japanese army are all requesting increased troops at home.

However, Japan has always disagreed with increasing troops.

Even Japan wants to reduce the number of its troops in China.

Because the war simply cannot be continued.

The good news on the European battlefield at this time greatly encouraged Japan. Ultimately, the headquarters concluded that with the development of the world situation, now was the best opportunity to end the war in China. Taking advantage of the unfavorable world situation for China, they put pressure on Chiang Kai-shek and the Nationalist government to surrender. As long as Chiang Kai-shek and Chongqing surrendered, Japan could choose to end the war in China. To force the Nationalist government to surrender, the Japanese army launched the largest battle since the Battle of Wuhan.

This is the Battle of Zaoyi.

The Japanese deployed 110,000 troops, with the Central China divisions mobilizing nearly every available force to attack the Fifth War Zone. After the Battle of Wuhan, the Japanese army engaged only a few tens of thousands of troops, typically only 20,000 to 40,000 at a time. However, the Battle of Zaoyi saw the Japanese deploy a full 110,000 troops. This battle, in which the Japanese captured Yichang and inflicted heavy damage on the Fifth War Zone, appeared to be a significant success.

But they didn’t actually achieve their goal.

They originally wanted to sweep the Fifth War Zone and completely eliminate the threat it posed to Wuhan. Unfortunately, the orders from the Japanese high-level officials were inconsistent. The Japanese army had not originally intended to occupy Yichang, but they had just withdrawn from Yichang. The Japanese emperor, inspired by Germany's occupation of the French capital of Paris, ordered his troops to occupy Yichang and threaten Chongqing. So the Japanese army fought back again and finally occupied Yichang.