Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Fifth War Zone, Headquarters of the 31st Army Group.

The atmosphere inside the command post was incredibly enthusiastic due to the series of victories.

On the map, the blue arrow representing the 13th Army, the main force of the group army, is advancing with unstoppable momentum.

They tore a huge gap in the Japanese army's defenses and are rapidly advancing into the heart of southern Hebei.

"Report to the Commander-in-Chief! Our vanguard has captured Guangzong County, annihilated a portion of the enemy, and the Japanese troops fled at the mere sight of them!"

"Report! The 13th Army reports that enemy resistance is weak, and our troops are pursuing them at full speed towards Nangong County!"

Tang Enbo held the telephone receiver, listening to one victory report after another coming from the front lines, his face beaming with a triumphant smile.

He could almost picture himself leading his troops to liberate Hebei and receiving a personal commendation from the Chairman in the mountain city.

However, just as Tang Enbo and his subordinates were chatting and laughing.

A confidential staff officer solemnly handed over an urgent telegram that had just been received from the North China Theater Command.

"Commander-in-Chief, it bears the name of Commander Chu Yunfei."

Tang Enbo took the telegram, and the smile on his face faltered slightly.

He unfolded the telegram, and saw that it read:

"To Commander-in-Chief Tang: Your troops have crossed the Yellow River and won consecutive victories, enhancing our national prestige. I, Yunfei, am deeply impressed. However, the enemy situation is complex, and Okamura Yasuji is cunning and treacherous, and I fear he may be planning to lure the enemy deep into our territory."

To ensure a complete victory, we urge your department to immediately slow down the pace of your attack.

Maintaining close coordination with our forces, supporting each other, securing both flanks, and advancing steadily and surely is the best course of action.

Do not venture out alone and risk getting into danger.

Chu Yunfei kowtowed.

After reading the telegram, the smile on Tang Enbo's face vanished completely.

Instead, a sinister sneer appeared.

"What a wonderful approach of 'steady progress' and 'simultaneous advancement'!"

He slammed the telegram on the table and sneered at the chief of staff beside him, "I think Chu Yunfei isn't worried about me going deep into enemy territory alone, but rather that I, Tang Enbo, will steal his credit!"

Chief of Staff Gou Jitang picked up the telegram, read it carefully, and cautiously advised, "Commander-in-Chief, Commander Chu's concerns are not entirely unfounded. Our offensive has indeed been too rapid, and logistics and the flanks have become disconnected. Coordinating with Gong Yuxin's reserve 13th Division is indeed a prudent and prudent strategy."

What Gou Jitang said is actually perfectly correct.

The problem lies in his identity.

Although Gou Jitang graduated from the Japanese Army Academy, he was also from the Sichuan Army.

These were non-direct-line generals belonging to Tang Enbo's faction (direct-line generals refer to Huangpu Military Academy graduates under Tang Enbo's faction).
Tang Enbo had always ostracized the non-direct subordinate generals under his command.

At this critical moment, Tang Enbo didn't even offer any words of comfort.

"Mature and prudent?" He scoffed dismissively. "That's an excuse for mediocre generals! On the battlefield, opportunities are fleeting!"
Now that the Japanese army is suffering a crushing defeat, it is the best time for us to make our mark!
Commander Chu Yunfei is in charge of the central command himself, but he made me wait here for his reserve 13th Division.
He wants Gong Yuxin to reap the rewards we risked our lives for!

Tang Enbo's suspicions and desire for military merit instantly overwhelmed his reason.

In his view, Chu Yunfei's order was not a well-intentioned reminder, but a blatant attempt to hinder and suppress him, in order to gain credit for his own elite troops.

"Pass on my order!" A resolute madness flashed in Tang Enbo's eyes: "Order the 13th Army! Ignore everything else! Continue the pursuit at full speed! I don't care about flanks or logistics! Nangong County must be captured before nightfall!"

"Then," his voice suddenly rose, "Do not send a telegram back to the Joint Command today. After noon the next day, turn the radio back on and contact the Joint Command. Tell them that our army has already mingled with the enemy's main force and ask our allies to speed up their offensive to reinforce our troops."

"Yes!"

At his command, the entire 31st Army Group, this massive war machine that was supposed to operate in a coordinated manner, completely deviated from Chu Yunfei's expectations.

They galloped forward at full speed like a wild horse.

Japanese North China Front Headquarters.

Okamura Neiji was calmly watching the blue arrow on the sand table, which represented Tang Enbo's troops and was plunging headlong into the trap he had set.

"The arrogant Tang Enbo."

He stared at the map and muttered to himself, “He thought he was chasing a pack of stray dogs, but little did he know that on his flanks, the main forces of our 20th and 35th Divisions had already prepared for a flanking attack.”

Okamura Neiji fought Tang Enbo three times, and Tang Enbo managed to escape each time.

In his eyes.

Tang Enbo was more like an eel, incredibly slippery, making it virtually impossible to destroy his main force.

During the Battle of Zaoyi, Tang Enbo not only broke out of Okamura Yasuji's encirclement, but also delivered a fierce blow to him from the outside.

Tang Enbo now seems to have lost his mind.

It's unclear whether it was for military merit or to use their own main force as bait.

Neiji Okamura would never let go of such an easy opportunity!
At that very moment, an operations staff officer stepped forward and reported: "Commander, the main force of the 31st Army Group of China, the 13th Corps, has completely entered the encirclement that our army has set up in the Nangong and Xinhe areas. Their follow-up troops are at least 50 kilometers away from them, and their flanks are completely unprotected."

“The time has come.” Upon hearing this, Okamura Neiji no longer hesitated. He immediately turned around and issued the long-awaited order: “Order!”
The 20th and 35th Divisions immediately launched a simultaneous converging encirclement of the Chinese 13th Army, which had broken into the Nangong and Xinhe areas, from the east and west!

"Order the air force to conduct continuous bombing of the area and completely cut off their retreat!"

"I will make Tang Enbo and his most elite troops pay the heaviest price for their arrogance!"

"Hai!"
-
the other side.

Outside Changshan City.

Within the headquarters.

Sun Xinpu and Liu Wang stared blankly at Cao Potian.

Even this burly Shandong man felt a little embarrassed at this moment.

The long-awaited Japanese reinforcements have yet to arrive, and continuing to wait will only delay the progress of the battle.

Cao Potian naturally favored the Japanese army returning to Changshan, but after waiting for a long time, only two garrison brigades were providing support from the outside.

This level of support is clearly not in line with expectations.

Cao Potian looked at the phone next to him.

Sun Xinpu and Liu Wang immediately exchanged a glance: "Commander, give the order!"

"Yes, Commander, the brothers are getting impatient. Those little devils' comfortable days are really over!"

Cao Potian nodded slowly, then picked up the phone placed to the side: "This is Cao Potian, connecting to the army group command."

Three hours later, the order for the general offensive was issued.

The Nationalist army's offensive became increasingly fierce.

The roar of mountain guns and heavy artillery blended together, and tons of shells whistled into the city, blasting the Japanese fortifications to pieces.

In the hands of Chu Yunfei's elite troops, heavy mortars could barely serve as front-line support weapons.

During the battle for Changshan City.

Chu Yunfei's only tank unit also joined the battle at this time (mostly Japanese tanks captured during the Battle of Northern Shanxi, with a small number of Soviet T-26s).

Countless soldiers from the Republic of China era, dressed in khaki uniforms, followed behind the tanks.

Towards the breach in Changshan City that had been breached by artillery fire.

An experimental combined arms attack was launched. Inside Shijiazhuang city, at the headquarters of the Japanese 109th Division.

The surrounding area was a complete mess.

The massive shockwave from the explosion shattered the air currents in the command center.

The chandelier on the ceiling was teetering on the verge of collapse, and the walls were riddled with bullet holes and cracks.

Division Commander Sue Mitsuko, an old Japanese soldier who had participated in the Battle of Nanjing, was no longer as arrogant as before.

His military cap was missing, his uniform was blackened by gunpowder smoke, and his face was filled with frustration and madness.

He grabbed a communications officer by the collar and roared hysterically, "Where are the reinforcements? Where are the reinforcements from the North China Area Army?!"

The staff officer, pale-faced and trembling, replied, "Reporting to the division commander, General Okamura Yasuji is currently directing the encirclement and suppression of the 31st Army Group. There are no more troops to reinforce it. The 7th Division, 3rd Division, and two garrison brigades of the Locust Army on the outskirts are the maximum number of troops that can be mobilized at present."

"The general means he wants us to hold out until the very last moment!"

"Hold on to the last moment without any reinforcements?!" Sue Mitsuhiro shoved the staff officer aside. "Is this how they want our 109th Division to become the price they pay for crippling the 31st Army?"

He rushed to the map, looking at the outposts on the city's outskirts that had been completely submerged by blue arrows, and felt a chill run through him.

He knew that Changshan was finished.

His garrison division, mainly composed of reserve personnel, was actually no match for the well-equipped and highly motivated elite forces of the Republic of China.

They were putting up a difficult resistance entirely with semi-permanent and permanent fortifications.

Although it could inflict considerable casualties on the attacking forces, the fall of the city was only a matter of time!

The Japanese troops inside the city were in complete panic.

Under the fierce artillery fire and powerful combined arms offensive of the Nationalist Army, the positions and fortifications they could use were constantly decreasing and shrinking.

The streets were littered with burning enemy and friendly vehicles and corpses.

The battle raged fiercely, with every building and every street a battleground.

That night.

The general offensive on the North China battlefield was in full swing.

The military commission, located far away in the mountain city, received a document from the United States.

The telegram was worded "friendly" but its content was cold.

After receiving this telegram.

Even Zhang Zhizhong, who had experienced many storms, couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions at this moment.

After a brief consultation with Chang Ruiyuan.

Noon the next day.

A telegram was sent from the personal staff to the headquarters of the North China Joint Command.

Upon receiving the telegram, Fang Ligong's expression changed drastically, and his face turned grim.

At this moment, his face wore an indescribable complex expression, a mixture of anger and confusion.

Chu Yunfei, who had just returned from the front lines, noticed the change in Fang Ligong's expression and immediately asked, "Brother Ligong, what's wrong?"

"Lord Yun".

Fang Ligong relayed the telegram, his voice hoarse: "Urgent telegram from the mountain city."

Chu Yunfei took the telegram, thinking it was about new aid supplies, and a smile immediately appeared on his face.

But when his gaze swept over the contents of the telegram...

That smile froze instantly.

The telegram was polite, yet every word was veiled in its malice.

The United States first expressed its "warmest congratulations" and "highest respect" for the "glorious victory" achieved in the Second World War zone.

But then, the conversation took a turn.

They expressed "deep strategic concern" about the current situation of the National Revolutionary Army's "excessively long battle lines and overly aggressive offensives".

They offered a "kind" reminder.

We must be wary of a possible strategic counterattack by the Japanese army and focus on "consolidating the existing gains".

To avoid the danger of "logistical problems and troop dispersal" due to "excessive penetration".

At the end of the telegram, the so-called recommendations from the U.S. Army General Staff sounded more like orders.

A large-scale strategic offensive should be "temporarily halted".

Entering a final "comprehensive rest and strategic strengthening period" of at least three months.

The goal is to "integrate the troops, await more substantial reinforcements, and make more comprehensive preparations for the final battle."

"Bastard!"

Chu Yunfei cursed under his breath.

He then quietly placed the telegram aside and turned his gaze back to the huge war sand table.

On the sand table, blue attack arrows.

With unstoppable momentum, they plunged straight into the heart of the Japanese army.

He knew perfectly well in his heart.

This is not a "suggestion," much less a "concern."

This is a command-style suggestion from an American.

As Fang Ligong watched Chu Yunfei's silent back, his mood gradually calmed down.

"Lord Yun, they are afraid."

Fang Ligong's voice carried a hint of bitterness: "They are afraid that we will win too quickly, afraid that we will win too thoroughly."

His voice was eerily calm: "Because a Republic that still needs their 'aid,' a Republic that still needs to look up to them, is the 'best' Republic in their eyes."

"The Americans want to end this war in their own way, in the way they want."

He picked up his baton and gently tapped Changshan City, which was already surrounded. After taking Changshan City, the Japanese army's Pinghan Railway line would be completely cut off.

The victory horn has sounded.

The Japanese army's logistical support in North and Central China would be most directly affected.

And this moment.

The most powerful hand that should have been supporting him from behind instead tried to bind him tightly at the most crucial moment.

Fang Ligong looked intently at his old superior.

He was also curious.

Will Chu Yunfei abandon this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and continue maneuvering on the chessboard of zz, or will he disregard everything and risk losing his most important external support to continue the attack? (End of this chapter)