Rebirth: I am in Jin-Cha-Ji

Instead, the Second Army blocked the 110th Division.

As a result, the battle was deadlocked there.

The scale of the battle is getting bigger and bigger.

Tang Enbo and Chiang Ting-wen acted as if they were going to send troops across the river to launch a second campaign in northern Henan. This gave the 36th Division in northern Henan a headache. After all, Chiang Ting-wen and Tang Enbo had an army of to men at their disposal.

Even if most of them were weak, miscellaneous troops, they were still that many. Even if two armies were sent up, the 36th Division would not be able to stop them. Faced with the situation of Jiang Dingwen and Tang Enbo, the 36th Division could only firmly defend Xinxiang.

However, Wu Shimin's 98th Army's attack on Jincheng put the remaining 37th Division in a state of great anxiety. The 98th Army was the only one to remain after the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain, a gesture of respectability for the Nationalist government. Consequently, Chiang Kai-shek rewarded the 98th Army handsomely.

The current 98th Army has three divisions. Although it is not as strong as the Kuomintang’s direct troops, it still has nearly 20000 people.

After the 37th Division's attack, only one regiment remained in Jincheng. Chiang Kai-shek ordered the 98th Army to deploy, acting as a relief for Sun Lianzhong and Sun Tongxuan. The 98th Army's massive advance put immense pressure on the Japanese forces in Jincheng. Unexpectedly, Naobe Saburo of the District Department hadn't anticipated the snowballing nature of this battle, with more and more troops participating.

As a result, more and more Japanese troops were sent to the battlefield.

Initially, there were only the 110th Division, the 37th Division, and the Tank Division. Because they were unable to resolve the battle, the 131st Division, the 132nd Division, and a brigade of the 69th Division were added.

This is the Eighth Route Army's favorite situation.

Because half of the North China Front Army began to gather here.

This was actually a good opportunity for Chiang Kai-shek. The North China Front Army was much weaker than before the First Northern Henan Campaign, a fact Chiang Kai-shek himself had noticed. If Chiang Kai-shek had launched a Second Northern Henan Campaign at this time, he would have no problem taking Northern Henan. He could even have continued northward and sent his troops into Hebei.

However, the failure of the first battle in northern Henan still made Chiang Kai-shek very worried.

Therefore, he chose another way: a way to develop power in Hebei without mobilizing his own troops or engaging them in bloody battles.

“Ding-ding-ding—

"Commander, why did you order the troops to cease fire across the board?"

Baoding, Hebei.

Ma Fawu came to Pang Bingxun's command room in a fierce manner. Because Ma Fawu had just received an order from Pang Bingxun, which required the 40th Army to cease fire across the board and cease fire with the Japanese army. Ma Fawu could not accept this order.

Because Ma Fawu thought of something.

Recently, many people Ma Fawu had known in Hebei during his early years had come to persuade him to surrender, urging the Japanese to use him in a more important position. However, Ma Fawu refused and rebuked them.

Ma Fawu knew that there were also many people here at Pang Bingxun who went to persuade him.

But Pang Bingxun never gave in.

But now that this order has been issued, Ma Fawu cannot help but think about it.

Isn't this a sign of surrender?

Ma Fawu graduated from the Baoding Military Academy 20 years ago and then joined Sun Yue's army. At that time, Pang Bingxun was a fierce general in Sun Yue's army, and Ma Fawu served as an officer under Pang Bingxun.

Ma Fawu has been following Pang Bingxun for many years and is now the commander of the 40th Army.

He is considered Pang Bingxun's favorite general.

Therefore, he did not hesitate and came directly to Pang Bingxun to ask Pang Bingxun whether he wanted to be a traitor.

Pang Bingxun was old and in poor health. His opium habit had also contributed to his increasingly listless spirit. Half-lying in bed, he no longer resembled the powerful general of his youth.

Ma Fawu looked at Pang Bingxun like this and said directly: "Commander, are you going to surrender to the Japanese? I have fought with you for so many years, and we have fought the Japanese for many years. If you surrender to the Japanese at this time, it will be a disgrace to your later years, and it will be a disgrace to the world. Commander, you must not do such a thing. It will be something that will be criticized by the people of the whole country. If you agree, I will immediately lead the 40th Army to open the way, and we will fight out from Baoding. Baoding is surrounded by the Eighth Route Army base. At worst, we can enter the Eighth Route Army base. Wu Shimin's 98th Army went to the territory of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army, and it is still alive and well now. It is much better for us to go to the Eighth Route Army base than to surrender to the Japanese."

Ma Fawu was very anxious.

Ma Fawu followed Pang Bingxun and joined many different factions. He first joined Sun Yue, a general under Cao Kun, and moved between various warlords. Finally, after joining Chiang Kai-shek, he was constantly suppressed.

But that and this are completely different things.

Although defecting from a warlord's side was unpleasant, it wasn't a big deal. But if you surrendered to the Japanese, you were considered a traitor. Your entire ancestry would be cursed.

Although Ma Fawu did not dare to call himself a hero, he would definitely not become a traitor. Although the current situation is not very good, it is not the end of the road. The 40th Army still has more than 40 people and can definitely break out of the Japanese encirclement. During this period of fighting with the Japanese army, Ma Fawu clearly felt the decline in the Japanese army's combat effectiveness. Ma Fawu was very confident that as long as the th Army broke through, the Japanese army would definitely not be able to stop it. Whether it breaks out to the western or southern Hebei region, there will be no problem.

Pang Bingxun smiled.

He stood up with difficulty, then said, "It's not that I want you to give up resistance, but the higher-ups want us to give up resistance. It's not that I want to be a traitor, but the higher-ups want me to be a good traitor. Damn it, I'm now being ordered to be a traitor."

Seeing that Ma Fawu didn't understand, Pang Bingxun pointed to the telegram on the table.

Ma Fawu took the telegram and took a quick look at it, but he didn't understand what Chongqing meant. In the telegram, Chongqing only asked Pang Bingxun to endure humiliation for the party and the country, and there was no extra words.

"Commander, what does Chongqing mean?"

Ma Fawu looked at the telegram from Chongqing and was very dissatisfied.

What do you mean?

What does it mean to endure great things and bear heavy burdens?

Combined with what Pang Bingxun just said, Ma Fawu's eyes widened.

Is it better for Chongqing to let us be Han people?

Pang Bingxun looked at Ma Fawu's expression and his face also turned ugly.

"Yu, from the moment Chiang Kai-shek allowed us to enter Baoding, this was a dead end for us. Do you understand?

Ma Fawu frowned.

Pang Bingxun said: "Tell me, what is our relationship with Chiang Kai-shek? During the Central Plains War, we fought so many battles with Chiang Kai-shek. How could Chiang Kai-shek trust us? But why did he take Baoding back from the Eighth Route Army and then give us such a ragtag group instead of the Central Army? Why did he let me be the governor of Hebei Province? Our chairman is not a generous person. If we have the ability to gain a foothold in Baoding, then the National Army will enter Hebei. If we don't have the ability to gain a foothold in Baoding, then this is our future.

"Commander, why does Chiang Kai-shek think that we will obey his orders after we defect to the Japanese?

Ma Fawu was very angry.

There is no government leader who would allow his troops to surrender to the enemy.

Ma Fawu really didn't understand.

What is this operation?

Pang Bingxun sneered, "Our Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek is quite calculating. Ever since Britain and the United States entered the war, he's concluded that Japan would be no match for them. Since they can't defeat Britain and the United States, who does Chiang Kai-shek consider his biggest enemy?"

"Eighth Route Army?"

"It's the Eighth Route Army. The Eighth Route Army is so powerful in North China now. If we let it go, the entire North China will be controlled by the Eighth Route Army in the future. How could Chiang Kai-shek feel at ease? In order to suppress the Eighth Route Army, he did so many things. He even personally sent troops to ambush the New Fourth Army headquarters. But the result is obvious. The development of the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army cannot be stopped at all. Since these methods have not succeeded, of course we have to think of other ways. Chiang Kai-shek is worried that if he personally sends troops to attack the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army, he will be opposed by public opinion. So he can only "save the country in a roundabout way." He wants us to join forces with the Japanese to encircle and suppress the Eighth Route Army. And as long as our troops are in Hebei, then Chiang Kai-shek will have troops in Hebei. When the Japanese are no longer able to do so, we will rebel, and the National Government will immediately have troops in Hebei. As for us? We have been traitors and have a stain on our reputation. In the future, we can only listen to Chiang Kai-shek honestly. Otherwise, he will convict us with just one word and treat us as traitors."

Pang Bingxun came from the warlords' civil war.

Having served so many masters, Pang Bingxun understood all the little tricks in Chiang Kai-shek's mind.

Ma Fawu sat aside dejectedly.

He couldn't understand it. A leader like Chiang Kai-shek didn't act uprightly, using overt tactics to gain control of the country. Instead, he resorted to such shady and shady actions, truly losing the dignity of a leader. To combat the Eighth Route Army, he actually came up with such a shady method.

But Ma Fawu understood, just as Pang Bingxun had said. This was the inevitable outcome from the moment the troops entered Baoding. For Pang Bingxun and his 24th Army, entering Baoding was a dead end.

Either you have the ability to stop the Japanese army and gain a foothold in Baoding. If you can't defeat the Japanese army, then even if you want to break through, the higher-ups will not agree.

Even if you die, you must stay in Baoding.

Chiang Kai-shek had sent them to Baoding in order to keep the 24th Army firmly stationed in Hebei. No matter what method you use, as long as you can stay in Baoding, your mission will be accomplished.

Pang Bingxun stood up and walked tremblingly to Ma Fawu.

Patting Ma Fawu on the shoulder, he said, "Yu, I know you have to bear the grievances this time. But who made us stepmothers? Chiang Kai-shek is so concerned about his reputation. If he doesn't let us do this kind of thing, will he let the Central Army do it?

"Commander, how do we talk to the Japanese?"

"Do you know what Sun Liangcheng in Shandong did?"

"I heard something."

Ma Fawu nodded.

Sun Liangcheng surrendered with 2.5 men, becoming the most combat-effective puppet army unit in Shandong. However, when Sun Liangcheng surrendered, he made an agreement with the Japanese: "Only attack the Eighth Route Army, not the Nationalist Army."

Pang Bingxun said: "We also put forward such conditions when negotiating with the Japanese. We are colleagues of the National Army and will work together in the future.

If we offend them, it will be disadvantageous to us in the future.

"Commander, is there no room for maneuver?"

"After reading this telegram, do you think we have any other way out? Go and appease our people. Don't say it's an order from Chongqing, just say it's just a temporary measure. Once we get enough supplies from the Japanese, we will turn against them and will definitely not remain traitors."

"Yes."

"Also, after we surrender to the Japanese, the most important thing is not to fight the Eighth Route Army, but to expand our strength. We need to ask the Japanese for guns and bullets. Then we can set up more security divisions and brigades. As long as we have enough troops, then no matter if it is the Japanese or Chiang Kai-shek who comes later, they will not treat us lightly.

In this era, the gun in your hand is the most important thing.

"Commander, I understand."

Ma Fawu walked out in a depressed mood.

When he reached the door, he suddenly said helplessly: "Damn it, I never thought that one day being a traitor would be patriotic."

Chapter 525 Ammunition Supply

While the Japanese and Nationalist armies clashed in Hebei, the Ji-Re-Cha Military Region had little time to focus on this. This was because there were so many battles going on in Rehe, with fighting going on all the time. The Kwantung Army's troops were constantly pouring into Rehe, and now the Japanese, puppet, and Eighth Route Army had concentrated around 150,000 troops in Rehe.

Of course, the continuous influx of Japanese and puppet troops into Rehe led to severe food shortages for the Japanese and puppet troops there, primarily due to the excessive number of Japanese and puppet troops allowed in by the defense forces. However, aside from controlling the major cities, they had no control over the rural areas. The puppet regimes established by the Japanese and puppet troops in the rural areas were completely destroyed by the Hebei-Rehe-Chahar Military Region and the Hebei-Rehe-Liaoning Military Region.

Without food, we can only steal food.

Therefore, in the past few months, the Yirecha Military Region and the Jireliao Military Region have mainly been fighting against food robbery in Rehe.

Wei Hongjun had been busy promoting rent and interest reductions. After the New Year of 1943, he received a telegram from the military district asking him to come over.

It just so happened that there were frequent battles during this period, but not much spoils were captured.

Prepare to go to the military district to collect a batch of ammunition.

After the military region moved to Zhangjiakou, all the arsenals of the former Eighth Column were incorporated into the management of the Military Industry Department of the military region. The arsenals that Wei Hongjun had established around Xuanhua are now directly under the management of the Military Industry Department of the military region.

So of course we have to go to the military district to collect the ammunition.

"Director Sui, the military district has provided us with so many Type 50 small cannons?"

Wei Hongjun came here both for a meeting and to collect ammunition.

When I came to collect the ammunition, I was shocked to see the list. This was especially true of the 170mm small guns that the military region had allocated to the Ji-Re-Cha Military Region. These were small guns made by the Eighth Route Army Arsenal using imitation Japanese barrels. They were given at once.

This 50mm cannon is a good thing.

Although modeled after the Japanese Zheng-style cannon, the Eighth Route Army's 50mm cannon could fire both direct and indirect fire. Originally modeled after the Japanese grenade launcher, the Eighth Route Army modified it to function like a mortar. The 50mm cannon was also more powerful than the Japanese grenade launcher. The 50mm cannon could easily blast through any average Japanese bunker, provided it wasn't of exceptional quality.

Wei Hongjun knew that the Eighth Route Army Arsenal was imitating the Japanese army's grenade launchers.

However, the 50mm small gun was previously mainly copied by the arsenal at headquarters. The arsenal in Jin-Cha-Ji had previously mainly manufactured shells for the 50mm small gun, not the 50mm small gun. As far as Wei Hongjun knew, the Jin-Cha-Ji Arsenal had only recently begun copying the 50mm small gun.