The Fourth Outstanding Person of Huangpu Military Academy

Fan Shisheng: "Fifteen thousand men?!...You mean, you still have fifteen thousand men under your command? Are they all outside Shaoguan City?!"

Zhu De laughed heartily, shook his head and said, "No, all 15,000 of them are still in southern Jiangxi.

"Oh!" Fan Shisheng felt relieved.

Zhu De: "Outside Shaoguan City is the Fourth Army. It's the Communist Fourth Army commanded by Ye Ting.

Fan Shisheng: “.

Zhu De: "Outside Lechang City is Chen Tianheng's First Army. They have surrounded and isolated Lechang County."

Fan Shisheng: “…

Zhu De: "Shisheng, you and I were classmates. I still consider you my friend. We both graduated from the Yunnan Military Academy. We followed Dr. Sun Yat-sen and participated in the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty, the fight against Yuan Shikai and the Northern Expedition to protect the law. I came to visit you today because I trust you, Brother Shisheng. I believe that there will be no conflict between us brothers. Therefore, the First and Fourth Armies are now holding their ground. We do not intend to destroy you.

Fan Shisheng: “So what the Communist Party means is…”

Zhu De: "Brother Fan, if your 16th Army can revolt against Chiang Kai-shek, that would be the best. If you don't want to revolt, we won't force you. Just get out of the way and let us pass through Shaoguan. What we want is Guangzhou.

Fan Shisheng picked up the phone at the command center and asked the operator to connect to Lechang County. As expected, the call could not be connected.

Zhu De: "It's normal that the call can't be connected, but you can say into the microphone right now: 'The sword of revolution is invincible.'

Fan Shisheng did as he was told, bewildered. Suddenly, a voice came from the previously silent receiver: "Got it. ...The call is connected."

Zhu De: "The scouts of the First Army cut the telephone line and connected a telephone for monitoring. The monitor heard the code and restored the line."

Fan Shisheng: "Hello? The 140th Regiment? The 140th Regiment? Hello?" "Yes! I am from the 140th Regiment! Commander! It's terrible! Lechang County seems to be surrounded! We can't get out from any direction!"

Fan Shisheng: "Ah, ah, don't fight the enemy, negotiate with them and let them enter the city. Yes, we have an agreement with the army outside.

Chapter 123: Quick Passage to Guangzhou

Wuhan.

Bai Chongxi, Chief of the General Staff of the National Revolutionary Army, disembarked and arrived in Wuchang. Li Zongren and Huang Shaohong were waiting for him at the dock.

After this Hunan Campaign, the Guangxi Clique reached a peak of strength. From Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, to southern Henan and parts of Anhui, the New Guangxi Clique's territory became its own. After devouring Tang Shengzhi's Xiang Army, the Guangxi Clique now possessed five armies, with three more designated and ready for expansion, potentially expanding to eight.

The three giants of the Guangxi clique gathered in Wuhan to discuss the future development strategy of their faction. However, when discussing the development of their own faction, they naturally cannot separate it from the national situation.

"The Communist Party did not attack Jiangxi," Zi Chongxi said. "As for the military situation in Jiangxi, until yesterday, there were no Communist armed forces in Nanchang, Jiujiang, or the Nanxun line, and the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Government founded by Chen and Deng had also disappeared.

Li Zongren: "The Communists complied with the agreement we reached with them. They successively gave up the Miluo River defense line, Changsha, Zhuzhou, Xiangtan, and finally Hengyang. We took them all without a single drop of blood. I am puzzled. The Communists were willing to give us Hunan but not attack Jiangxi. Where would they go to stay?"

Bai Chongxi: "I suspect that the Communist armed forces want to take over Guangdong.

"Impossible." Li Zongren denied.

"The Communist Party has too big an appetite." Huang Shaohong also did not think this was reasonable.

Bai Chongxi: "Delin, before you occupied several cities in Hunan, where did the Communist Party retreat to?"

Li Zongren: "At that time, the Communist Party's organs, their armed forces, and their supporters were evacuated in all directions. The largest number of people went east into the rural areas on the Hunan-Jiangxi border. Therefore, I thought they wanted to attack Nanchang by advancing against us. If the Communist Party wanted to attack Guangdong, their main force would probably move to Hengyang first. After disappearing from Hengyang, they would probably head straight for Guangdong.

Bai Chongxi: "After a long period of confirmation, Nanjing found out a few days ago that Ye Ting's Fourth Army did not join the Hunan battlefield at all, but had been dormant in southern Jiangxi. The Fourth Army in southern Jiangxi was only aiming for two places, one was Fujian and the other was Guangdong. If the First Army disappeared in Hengyang, then the most likely scenario for the Communist Party was that the First and Fourth Armies entered Guangdong at the same time and raided Guangzhou. This was Chen Tianheng's best tactic.

Li Zongren: "But the Communists have no foothold in Guangdong. The poor people in the mountainous areas of northern Guangdong might listen to the Communists, but south of Shaoguan, whether in rural areas or cities, they treat the Communists like the plague and avoid them as much as possible. When Chiang Kai-shek said to purge the Communists, the Communists were arrested and executed everywhere, and no one interceded. How can they go to Guangdong? They will fight with the militia every day.

Bai Chongxi: "Fighting the militia is not a big deal. The militia will ultimately be no match for the regular army."

Li Zongren: "Jiansheng, this is not a purely military issue, it is a political issue. If the political foundation is not solid, no matter how strong the military is, it cannot save it.

"Speaking of political issues, Jiansheng and Delin, have you noticed what political information the Communist Party has announced to the outside world during these three months in Jiangxi and Hunan?" Huang Shaohong suddenly said, "Politics comes before military affairs, but the current Communist Party's policies are probably different from before.

Li Zongren: "The Communist Party now claims to be an independent political party, not under the command of the Soviet Union. This is necessary. If they were still a branch under the Soviet Union, they would not be able to gain a foothold anywhere in the country. But a Communist Party not under the command of the Soviet Union is still a Communist Party and is still engaged in class struggle."

"I have a feeling—just a feeling," Huang Shaohong said, "that during these three months in Hunan, the Communist Party has probably already figured out a strategy for gaining a foothold in Guangdong..."

Li Zongren suddenly slapped his forehead and said, "Shaoxing! If the Communist Party really wants Guangdong, it will also harm our interests! Didn't we have a plan before to integrate Guangxi and Guangdong?

Huang Shaohong: "There was not much hope in the first place. It would be difficult to take down the Guangdong clique and swallow up Guangdong. So, if the Communist Party really sends troops to Guangdong during the next period of time, then we will take Jiangxi.

Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi nodded: "Agree.

484

Shaoguan.

Chen Tianheng and Liu Bocheng rode at the head of the procession. The gates of Shaoguan were wide open, and Zhu De, Fan Shisheng, Xu Xiangqian, and Zhou Shidi were waiting at the gate.

"Commander Zhu," Chen Tianheng saluted Zhu De and extended his hand to Fan Shisheng: "Senior Fan."

“Commander Chen, um, Commander-in-Chief Chen.

Fan Shisheng looked at Chen Tianheng and suddenly remembered himself almost twenty years ago.

Yunnan Army Academy, Tongmenghui, Zhu De, Zhu Peide, Deng Taizhong, Yang Zhen, Cai E, Long Yun, Lu Han, who were from different classes but worked together... I was also a classmate back then.

Chen Tianheng: "Senior Fan, thank you for your assistance and support for the workers' and peasants' revolution. This is a thank you from the Party Central Committee and the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Government, as well as my personal gratitude. The future direction of the 16th Army is up to you and the officers and soldiers of the 16th Army to decide. No matter what you decide, we will provide the greatest convenience."

Zhu De: "From my personal point of view, I still hope that Brother Shisheng will join us. The motto of the Military Academy is "Perseverance and Diligence". We must work for the national rejuvenation and the rejuvenation of China. One man raising his arm can make ten thousand men stand up.

Fan Shisheng: "Chen Tianheng, Guangdong, and Guangzhou are already in your hands, right?"

Chen Tianheng: "We have entered Shaoguan and are on the Yuehan Railway Line, but the enemy has not yet fully realized it. The capture of Guangzhou is indeed a foregone conclusion.

Fan Shisheng: "Haha... I originally wanted to think about it for a few days, but now it's like this. If I think about it for a few days, I will become hesitant and wait for you to capture Guangzhou before choosing a side. How embarrassing... It's better to decide now.

Chen Tianheng: "So, Senior Fan has decided to join?"

"Yes. My men, whether they volunteer or not, I will lead them no matter how many are left. If there is a remaining division, I will lead a division. If there is a remaining regiment, I will lead a regiment."

G4D 鐗晁熁 Gang 4

"Commander, the First Division has rested for a day in Shaoguan, and the stragglers and carriages have been gradually taken back into the city. Do we need another day of rest?"

Xu Xiangqian asked.

Chen Tianheng: "Yes, the situation is very favorable for us now. We have entered Shaoguan, but the Guangzhou side still believes that Shaoguan is under the control of Fan Shisheng's 16th Army. This has greatly facilitated our preparations for the battle. The estimated attack date is tomorrow. The 1st and 2nd Divisions of the 1st Army and the 10th and 11th Divisions of the 4th Army will depart from Shaoguan and quickly attack Guangzhou along the railway.

Xu Xiangqian: "Zhou Shidi, you may not have practiced this kind of railway rapid assault tactics. We have already practiced it on the Shanghai-Hangzhou line when we captured Shanghai.

Chen Tianheng: "Therefore, the First Army's General Staff Headquarters is in overall control of this battle. By the way, Zhou Shidi, which of the 1st and 10th Divisions arrived in Shaoguan first?

Of course it’s our First Division! We arrived yesterday morning, but they didn’t arrive until four in the afternoon.

"The 10th Division was originally moving faster, but when it was almost reaching Shaoguan, a landslide on the bank of the Zhenjiang River buried the road, delaying it.

"Que knows that continuous heavy rain can easily cause landslides. Don't you know to prepare the forward reconnaissance battalion?"

"We were well prepared. When we saw a buried road, the scouts went down to deal with it. Otherwise, we would have been delayed for more than a day.

9 month 3 day.

Shaoguan Railway Station.

“Comrades.

Chen Tianheng delivered a pre-war mobilization speech.

"Shaoguan to Guangzhou is 200 kilometers, about the same distance as Hangzhou to Shanghai.

"We fought a very successful battle in the raid on Shanghai. Our raid on Guangzhou this time can be said to have successful experience, but there are also different circumstances.

“The difference is:”

"The enemy defending Guangzhou City is likely to engage in an urban battle with us. Street by street, house by house, every corner of Guangzhou may be hiding enemy troops and firing bullets. All commanders and staff at all levels of the participating troops, from division commanders to regiments, battalions, companies, and platoons, must be mentally and professionally prepared.

"Tactically, we must take the enemy seriously, but strategically, we must have full confidence. We are the sword of revolution, we are an iron army, and we are fully capable of crushing any enemy we encounter on the battlefield. Do you have this confidence?"

"have!

Ye Ting's mobilization speech was very simple.

"Our Fourth Army originated from Guangdong, and this time we fought our way back home.

"We are the authentic descendants of the Fourth Army's Iron Army. In this battle, we must crush this imposter, the New Fourth Army, to the ground. Do you want to do it?"

"think!"

Guangzhou.

At 9 a.m. on September 3, Chen Jitang, commander of the Guangzhou city defense and acting commander of the New Fourth Army, received a call from Li Jishen.

"What? The Communist army wants to attack Guangdong? Where are they now? No one knows? The Fourth Army needs to be prepared? How should we prepare?"

Chen Jitang has a series of question marks.

But Li Jishen said that this was the latest intelligence from Nanjing. Regardless of whether the intelligence was accurate or not, Guangdong had to be defended.

Chen Jitang hung up and immediately contacted the Fifth Army stationed south of Guangzhou. Li Fulin had been wandering around the night before, and it took him most of the day to arrive at the headquarters and answer the phone. He said weakly, "Okay, got it."

Chen Jitang called Changzhou Island again.

"What? What are you talking about, Chen Jitang? How could the Communists possibly attack Guangzhou? Are you crazy? Are you making up a reason to mess with my 20th Division?"

Over there, Ye Jianying started shouting at him.

"No, no, no, Chief of Staff Ye, I'm not asking the 20th Division to participate in the defense of Guangzhou, I'm just letting you know.

Chen Jitang thought, even if I wanted to transfer the 20th Division into the city, I couldn't do that because the 20th Division only obeyed Chiang Kai-shek.

Chen Jitang first contacted the 16th Army in Shaoguan, but the phone call from Guangzhou to Shaoguan was unavailable, so Chen Jitang sent a message to the 16th Army through the telegraph office. After speaking with the 20th Division, a call came back from Shaoguan.

"The 16th Army has faithfully fulfilled its duties, guarding the northern gate of Guangdong Province. Today, Shaoguan and Lechang are safe and sound, devoid of enemy forces, and in perfect order." - Fan Shisheng

Chen Jitang was relieved.

"Commander, do you want each division and regiment to build barricades?

"Build barricades? How many people do you want to be scolded?" Chen Jitang rejected the chief of staff's proposal. "How about this? Send an order for the new 10th and 11th Divisions to leave their camps and deploy in the city and suburbs. Forget about the 12th Division. The new 10th Division will be stationed in the north of Guangzhou, and the 11th Division in Dongguan."

"Yes."

Chen Jitang: "Then return to camp at six in the afternoon.

"Ah, the defense will be deployed until 6 pm?

"Really? Don't you understand? If they go back to camp to sleep, we'll be shortchanged on one day's travel allowance!"

Just as Chen Jitang was calling people one by one, at 9:10 a.m., a train consisting of a mixture of sealed carriages and passenger carriages suddenly arrived at Qingyuan Railway Station.

The train stopped directly at the platform, the doors of the carriages opened, and groups of soldiers in peaked caps poured out of the carriages:

"Military action!"

"Put down your weapons! Disperse all those who are not involved!

"Dada--"

A railway policeman, for some reason, took out his pistol and aimed to shoot when he saw the soldier in the peaked cap. The scout from the Second Division's Reconnaissance Battalion was quick-witted and fired a burst of shots from his MP18 submachine gun, and the policeman fell from the second-floor corridor.

"Military action! Disperse all unnecessary personnel!"

The 4th Regiment of the 2nd Division and the division's reconnaissance battalion arrived in Qingyuan on the first train. Part of the troops controlled the railway station and surrounding areas, while most of the troops continued to rush towards the military camp in Qingyuan City - where the 34th Regiment of the New Fourth Army's newly formed 12th Division was stationed.

Ten minutes later, the second train arrived at Qingyuan Station, and the 5th Regiment of the 2nd Division joined the annihilation battle against the defenders.

By noon, this commercial city in northern Guangdong, on the Yue-Han Railway, had changed hands. But as early as 9:40, when the 4th Regiment took control of Qingyuan Station, a train carrying officers and soldiers from the 1st Regiment of the 1st Division of the 1st Army sped south along the Yue-Han Railway, passing Qingyuan Station but not stopping, and heading straight for Guangzhou.

If a citizen were near the railway line at this time and had good ears, he might be able to hear the soldiers on this train even singing military songs in their spare time:

"The uprising in Guangzhou, the flames of war in Dongjiang"

"Mianhu Lake bathes in blood, tempered into steel"

"The Sword of Revolution"

“Born in Huangpu”

"The victory flag is flying in Wuchang City...

Guangzhou North.

The officers and soldiers of the 11th Division of the New Fourth Army were driven out of the barracks to work by a military order. The three regiments were divided into three places to dig trenches and build city defense lines.

The New Fourth Army was originally the 11th Division of the Fourth Army of the Guangdong Army stationed in Guangzhou during the Northern Expedition. Later, Li Jishen expanded the 11th Division into the New Fourth Army. Now, of the three divisions under the New Fourth Army, two have the word "new" in their names, but the 11th Division does not.

"Look! Whose motorboat is that?

The officers and soldiers of the 32nd Regiment of the 11th Division were digging trenches and placing light and heavy machine guns in the urban-rural fringe area on the ground which was rich in water after the heavy rain. At this time, some sharp-eyed soldiers saw two motorboats in the Liuxi River, rumbling and emitting black smoke as they approached the position planned to be built by the 32nd Regiment.

“Are you selling goods?

The leader of the 32nd Regiment said: "Let the guy selling the goods come over here, come over here!"