Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

At the same time that the Japanese 12th Heavy Artillery Brigade turned Zhengjiagang Village into scorched earth.

The main battlefield in Handan.

The commander of the Japanese 8th Division, Shizuo Yokoyama, was completely unaware of this.

He was still lost in the dream that "artillery support is coming soon."

It was exactly 5:00 AM.

According to the original plan.

He commanded his two most elite infantry regiments, under the cover of dozens of Type 97 medium tanks.

Facing the junction of the newly formed 14th Division and the 76th Army of the National Revolutionary Army.

They launched their fiercest counterattack before dawn!
He wanted to use a resounding victory to wash away the passive and shameful state of the locust army in recent days!

The darkness of night is the best cover.

The Japanese tanks roared, like steel behemoths lurking in the night, as they rolled across the silent fields.

Following closely behind were thousands of Japanese soldiers carrying Type 99 rifles.

They were silent, like demons crawling out of hell.

This was a long-planned counterattack.

This caught the Nationalist army completely off guard!
The first one I came into contact with.

It was a forward outpost of the 24th Division of the 76th Army.

Their main force had already moved northeast to attack.

The troops here are basically just a shell.

The sentry unit has just fired a warning shot.

Just fifteen minutes later, Japanese tanks, like iron plows, plowed into the Nationalist army's position!
Machine guns roared, and grenades exploded.

The Nationalist soldiers, awakened from their sleep, hastily organized a resistance.

From the very beginning, the battle entered its most bloody and brutal phase, reaching a fever pitch!
……

At this critical moment.

A small convoy of several American Jeeps arrived just in time to reach the front lines in Handan.

They got off the car.

It was a senior military advisory group headed by U.S. Army Brigadier General Stevens.

Their purpose in coming here was to "observe" and "evaluate" the upcoming victory in Handan, at Chu Yunfei's "invitation".

however.

They didn't expect that what awaited them was not cheers of victory.

Instead, it was a sudden test of blood and fire!

"My God! It's a Japanese tank!"

A young U.S. Army captain screamed in terror as he looked at the steel monster spitting fire in the distance.

Brigadier General Stevens tackled him to the ground with his experienced strength.

It was immediately apparent.

They stumbled into a massive nighttime counterattack!

The battle was extremely fierce!
The 76th Army, being a direct descendant of the Central Army, did not collapse despite being caught off guard.

The newly formed 14th Division, under the command of Division Commander Chen Zejun, also reacted quickly.

They relied on strong fortifications and used concentrated firepower.

They held off the Japanese army's frontal assault with all their might!
both sides.

On a front stretching several kilometers, the battle was fierce and back-and-forth, with every inch of ground fought for!

It was clear that the Japanese army was about to tear a hole in the battle line.

The newly formed 16th Division, which had always served as a reserve force, was led by Division Commander Guo Yanzheng.

Like a tiger descending the mountain, they resolutely threw themselves into battle!

The combined attack of two elite main forces was like an unbreakable dam.

They held firm against the Japanese army's frenzied counterattack, which was like a raging storm!
……

at the same time.

On the flank of Anyang.

After a night of rest, the Eighth Route Army's Eastern Expeditionary Column and the 40th Army, which had just stabilized their positions, also received new combat orders.

And a new force finally arrived on the battlefield at dawn.

It was the 30th Army under Chi Fengcheng!
……

30th Army Headquarters.

Chi Fengcheng, the fierce general of the Northwest Army who became famous in the Battle of Taierzhuang, is looking at the map.

His eyes burned with a fierce fighting spirit.

at this time.

Beside him stood his chief of staff, Wang Guanwu, who had also made outstanding contributions in the Battle of Taierzhuang.

Wang Guanwu was holding a briefing on the enemy and friendly situation that had just been issued by the North China Joint Command, and his face was flushed with excitement.

"Commander! Commander! Look!"

He pointed to the data on the briefing, his voice trembling slightly: "This is an incredible victory!"

Chi Fengcheng took the briefing and was also deeply moved.

It was clearly written in the briefing.

The enemy facing them, the Japanese Independent Mixed 7th Brigade, was exhausted after a night of fierce fighting, with fewer than 5,000 troops.

Their 30th Army, together with the Eighth Route Army's Eastern Expeditionary Column on the flank and the 40th Army on the front, had a total strength of over 40,000 men!
The ratio of troop strength is an astonishing 8:1!

What excites him even more is the heavy weaponry.

All the mountain guns and field guns of the three nationally-equipped divisions.

In addition, there were the mortars of the Eastern Expeditionary Force.

The total firepower far exceeded that of the Japanese soldiers in front of them!

"Damn it!" Wang Guanwu slapped his thigh and said excitedly, "Your Excellency, I, Wang Guanwu, have never fought such a costly battle in my entire life!"

"Back then, in Taierzhuang, our division was no match for an entire enemy division, and we didn't even have many cannons."

"When we run out of ammunition and food, we'll fight the Japanese with bayonets!"

"If it weren't for Commander-in-Chief Sun personally leading his men to reinforce us at the last minute, we would have really perished in the village!"

His words also stirred up Chi Fengcheng's memories of that bloody battle.

Yes, there was a time when these ragtag troops used human lives to fill the huge gap in equipment.

But now, the tables have turned!

Chi Fengcheng felt an unprecedented surge of pride welling up in his heart.

He slammed his hand on the table and gave the order!
"Give me the order!"

Chi Fengcheng's voice boomed like thunder in the command center.

"No more waiting! Now!"

"All troops, in accordance with Chief Advisor Chu's orders, launch a full-speed assault towards Cixian and Linzhang, directly north of Anyang!"

"I will use the fastest speed, like a knife, to plunge it deep into the heart of the 5th and 8th Divisions, completely severing their connection, and contributing our own strength to the victory of this operation!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Guanwu immediately stood at attention, snapped to attention, and gave a sharp salute, his eyes filled with bloodthirsty excitement: "Yes, Commander!"
-

On the main battlefield in Handan, it was already broad daylight.

The Japanese 8th Division's long-planned and aggressive nighttime counterattack was shattered like a giant wave crashing against a reef by the tenacious resistance of two elite Chinese divisions.

After leaving behind thousands of corpses and the wreckage of more than a dozen tanks, the remaining Japanese troops retreated in disarray to their starting positions.

Inside the division headquarters.

Division Commander Lieutenant General Shizuo Yokoyama was so furious that he smashed everything he could in the command post to pieces.

"Baga! Baga! Way to go!"

Pointing at the map, he yelled at the group of silent staff officers, "Why? Can anyone tell me why?"

"Where's the promised artillery support? Where are that bastard Kuroda Yuya and his heavy artillery brigade? Where are they?"

"Why are our men charging at the Chinese army's lines with their own flesh and blood, while not a single one of our own artillery shells has fallen?"

No one could answer his question.

Because, even as he was gripped by impotent rage, the direction of Zhengjiagang Village remained deathly silent.

It was as if the heavy artillery brigade he had once been so proud of had completely evaporated from this world.

……

the other side.

The rear of the newly formed 14th Division.

Brigadier General Stevens and his senior U.S. military advisory group were finally rescued from danger under the escort of a guard unit.

But everyone's face was filled with lingering fear.

The experience of this night.

For these officers who were used to directing operations from the rear, it was far too exciting.

The result after the headcount.

Stevens' heart sank to the bottom.

Two majors were killed in the melee just now.

More than a dozen officers of the rank of lieutenant and colonel were wounded.

Among them, two were seriously injured and in critical condition.

Chen Zejun was also shocked when he heard the news.

Without saying a word, he immediately made the arrangements himself.

All the wounded were sent to the field hospital in the rear for emergency treatment as quickly as possible.

then.

Chen Zejun looked at Stevens, who was still in shock, and a deep sense of apology appeared on his face.

"Your Excellency Brigadier General, I am very sorry. It was my oversight that put you and your team in danger."

Stevens waved his hand, his face pale with anger and lingering fear. But his sense of honor as a professional soldier prevented him from blaming the Chinese general before him.

"No, Major General."

His voice was somewhat hoarse: "The responsibility lies with me."

"It was me who was too impulsive, insisting on taking the advisory group to the front lines to observe."

"I underestimated the brutality of this war and the fighting capacity of the Japanese. I never expected that they would be able to launch a brave counterattack under such circumstances."

Brigadier General Stevens glanced at his men being carried onto stretchers, a flicker of pain crossing his eyes.

then.

He turned to look at Chen Zejun with a new, admiring gaze: "But General Chen, I must say that you and your soldiers performed exceptionally well in the battle just now."

Faced with such a fierce surprise attack by the Japanese army, you not only did not collapse, but also organized such a tenacious resistance.

You are true warriors.

Chen Zejun didn't say anything, but silently saluted him.

After a brief exchange.

Chen Zejun immediately turned around and threw himself back into the intense command work.

"Commander, news just came from the front lines that they have successfully captured Huzhuang Village, and the next step is to directly attack Handan City."

"Oh? Such rapid progress."

Looking at Chen Zejun's hurried yet determined back.

Stevens was filled with mixed emotions.

he knows.

For these Chinese soldiers, the bloody battle they had just witnessed was merely a trivial episode in this massive campaign.

Stevens returned to his makeshift tent and immediately sat down in front of the radio.

He personally drafted a secret telegram to General Stilwell, which was sent to Rangoon.

He wanted to report back everything he had seen and felt here, in its entirety.

To His Excellency Chief of Staff Stilwell:

"My unit arrived at the Handan front line in the early hours of this morning. Just then, the Japanese 8th Division launched a large-scale night counterattack, and the battle was extremely fierce. My advisory group was unfortunately caught up in the battle and suffered heavy casualties. However, the fighting spirit and tactical skills of the Chinese army that I witnessed firsthand far exceeded our previous assessments."

Faced with a powerful enemy, they fought to the death and never retreated, eventually defeating the enemy.

The difficulty our army faced in this battle is something that can only be truly understood by those who have personally experienced it.

"Furthermore, according to General Chen Zejun, commander of the 14th Division, the Japanese army's counter-artillery tactics and capabilities have made great strides."

Its artillery is now able to quickly locate our artillery positions and carry out precise countermeasures through a combination of means, including sound, fire, and aerial reconnaissance.

It has developed into a fairly mature system, which deserves our army's high vigilance.

Stevens paused for a moment at this point.

He himself was an artillery general.

He was also a staunch supporter of the U.S. Army's "big artillery doctrine."

Chu Yunfei's approach of vigorously developing field artillery clusters in North China coincided with his philosophy.

His purpose in coming here was to use the most vivid real-world example from the North China battlefield to persuade those foolish civil servants in the country who were still arguing endlessly about whether to develop armored forces or artillery forces.

He took a deep breath and continued writing.

"In my opinion, Chu Yunfei's theories of 'large artillery' and 'field artillery clusters' are highly forward-looking and fully applicable to the future operational needs of our army."

"I earnestly request that Your Excellency the Commander-in-Chief submit a report on the actual battle cases of this North China campaign to the War Department and General Marshall for reference."

……

telegraph.

After traversing thousands of mountains and rivers, we arrived in Yangon.

After reading the telegram, Stilwell wore the expected smile.

Stevens’s application to visit China was personally approved by him; they were all members of the U.S. Army and were headed by General Marshall.

The current debate in the United States is whether to develop armor or artillery.

Ultimately, we still need to develop the army.

Chu Yunfei's success in North China is the strongest evidence of their military reforms.

As long as Chu Yunfei can continue to win.

Then the faction to which Stevens, Stilwell, and Marshall belong will have a much greater say within the Pentagon!

Stilwell immediately called back in person.

"To Brigadier General Stevens"

"I am deeply saddened by the loss of my fallen comrades. However, war is merciless, and I hope you can find solace in your grief."

The safety of the military officers is of paramount importance.

You must provide me with a detailed daily report on the battle situation at the front, so that I can always be informed of the situation in North China.

"Furthermore, I suggest that Brigadier General Stevens make more contact with my military attaché in China, Colonel Smith."

"He has been studying in China for nearly ten years and has done considerable research on the artillery tactics of the National Revolutionary Army."

After reading the reply, Stevens immediately turned to his adjutant and asked him a question.

"Colonel Smith? Where is he?"

The adjutant quickly checked the personnel list and then replied, "Colonel Smith is currently at the headquarters of the North China Field Artillery Group, with the group's commander, General Liang Guoping."

"Oh?"

A keen interest flashed in Stevens' eyes: "Does he go there often?"

"Yes, Colonel Smith and General Liang Guoping, the artillery commander, have a lot in common. I recently heard from colleagues that Colonel Smith has even learned quite a bit of Shanxi dialect."
-

The battle continues.

It continued until noon that day.

At the headquarters of the Japanese 8th Division, Lieutenant General Shizuo Yokoyama, the division commander, paced back and forth in his room as the intensity of the battle continued to rise.

An ominous premonition, like a dark cloud, loomed over his heart.

If the artillery brigade had indeed moved its positions, it should have made contact by now, after such a long period of time.

His biggest fear was that the artillery positions would be completely destroyed.

at this time.

A communications officer rushed in, his face quite grim: "Division Commander! Something terrible has happened!"

"The 12th Heavy Artillery Brigade has been completely wiped out!"

"what?"

"The news came from Sun Dianying's newly formed Fifth Army of the Nanjing Nationalist Government. They heard a violent explosion that lasted for more than ten minutes in the early morning. After dawn, they sent a reconnaissance unit to investigate."

Shizuo Yokoyama felt a buzzing sound in his head, as if he had been hit hard by a heavy hammer.

He didn't hear what the staff officer said next.

He strode forward, grabbed the communications officer by the collar, lifted him up, his eyes bloodshot.

"Can you say that again!?"

"Brigade Commander Major General Kuroda Yuya has been killed in action!"

The communications officer practically cried out, "The entire brigade, with its twenty-four heavy artillery pieces, was completely wiped off the map overnight by the Chinese army's artillery fire!"

"boom!"

Shizuo Yokoyama felt a sudden dizziness.

He let go, staggered back a few steps, and slumped into a chair.

It’s over.

Everything is over.

He is not a fool.

He instantly understood the cause and effect of everything.

It was his telegram.

It was his telegram filled with "colleague's camaraderie" and "expectations from seniors."

This caused Kuroda Yuya, that fool blinded by glory, to abandon the order to transfer overnight, exposing the entire heavy artillery brigade to the slaughter of the Chinese army!

It was he who personally sent one of the empire's most important strategic support forces in North China to hell!
"I am a sinner of the empire..."

Shizuo Yokoyama muttered to himself, his eyes vacant, as if his soul had been ripped away. Immense self-blame and fear, like two venomous snakes, were frantically gnawing at his heart.

He knew that this responsibility was too great, so great that he simply could not bear it.

a long time.

He seemed to have made a difficult decision.

Yokoyama Shizuo slowly stood up, walked to the radio, and personally drafted a telegram of apology to Commander Okamura Yasuji, which was sent to Beiping.

"Your Excellency Commander:"

"Due to mismanagement and misjudgment, my subordinate Shizuo Yokoyama caused the annihilation of the 12th Heavy Artillery Brigade. He deserves to die."

"However, the war is raging. I humbly request Your Excellency to allow me to atone for my crimes through meritorious service."

"I, along with all the officers and soldiers of the Eighth Division, will fight to the bitter end against the enemy here! We will bravely kill the enemy!"

"If you don't succeed, you will become benevolent!"

"I will serve His Majesty the Heavenly Locust with utmost loyalty!"

"Long live the Great Japanese Empire! Long live His Majesty the Heavenly Locust!"

The telegram had just been sent not long ago.

Yuzaburo Horiguchi (Major Staff Officer) strode in with a grave expression: "Reporting to the Division Commander!"

"Urgent call from Colonel Kiyoki Kitamura, commander of the 31st Infantry Regiment!"

"The main force of the enemy's 24th Division of the 76th Army is launching a fierce attack on the Zhushan and Loushan Village line where our army is stationed!"

Yuzaburo Horiguchi pointed to the area on the map where they had just repelled a counterattack, his voice tinged with disbelief.

"The enemy's offensive is extremely fierce! They have a large force and are fearless in the face of death!"

"According to Colonel Kitamura's report."

"Under continuous artillery cover, the enemy has stormed our positions several times, and a fierce hand-to-hand battle is underway between the two sides." (End of Chapter)