Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

South China, Shaoguan City Defense Command.

The smoke of battle had not yet dissipated, and wisps of smoke still rose from the ruins.

The command post inside the air-raid shelter was brought back to light.

Wu Shi, wearing a coat covered in mud and ash, held a cup of hot water and looked away from the Japanese armored vehicles that had been bombed into scrap metal outside the air-raid shelter.

He turned his head and looked at Liu Yuzhang, who was shoveling mouthfuls of military canned food, his eyes still filled with shock.

“Scales grow.”

Wu Shi put down his water glass, his tone tinged with disbelief: "Your swift and decisive strike not only lifted the siege of Shaoguan, but also crippled the main force of the Japanese 104th Division."

“A division, no, a fully-fledged brigade, took on a division regiment head-on and even defeated it in a short period of time.”

"Such combat power is simply... simply comparable to the world-renowned Flying Tiger!"

Liu Yuzhang swallowed the luncheon meat in his mouth and wiped his shiny bald head.

He casually tossed the empty can aside and grinned.

"Commander Wu, we dare not compare ourselves to elite forces like the Flying Tigers."

"This battle was not entirely due to the brothers' desperate efforts. It was mainly due to the tenacious resistance of the defending troops. The Japanese army had been attacking for so long that they were already exhausted. The brothers just got the advantage."

"As for the speed of reorganization, there are actually some inside stories behind it."

Liu Yuzhang stood up and patted his brand-new American-style field jacket.

"Commander Wu, you must be aware that the General Headquarters had already hinted at the reorganization and re-equipment plan for the '60th Division' several years ago."

“Not bad…” Wu Shi nodded.

This is true.

However, nobody took it seriously.

Everyone thought that arming sixty American-equipped divisions was pure fantasy, a pipe dream.

Now that the plan has actually been launched, many people are not optimistic about this operation.

There were no special factors; it was simply because the country was too weak to support such a large army.

It is indeed powerful and fierce, but it still needs logistical support and ammunition.

The amount of ammunition and shells consumed by sixty American-equipped divisions in a single battle is probably twice that of a Chinese-equipped division.

"Over the past six months, the chief advisor has given us combat troops who are resting in the rear a heads-up and sent several secret telegrams to warn us."

"We screen recruits in advance, eliminating the old and weak."

A glint of shrewdness and pride flashed in Liu Yuzhang's eyes.

"With the chief advisor's help, and the Chairman's side giving the green light in personnel appointments."

"Our Second Division is downsizing and restructuring much faster than those units that are still observing."

Wu Shi took a deep breath and pressed on, "So, what exactly is the scale of your unit's current troop deployment?"

Liu Yuzhang didn't hide anything and openly extended one finger.

"Currently, the Second Reorganized Brigade has a total of 13,000 combat troops!"

Wu Shi's pupils contracted slightly, and he gasped.

Thirteen thousand people?

"This far exceeds the organizational limit of a standard brigade of the National Revolutionary Army, and is almost comparable to the strength of an army!"

"Not to mention the terrifying firepower configuration."

Wu Shi pointed to the heavy artillery group outside the position, where the gun barrels were being cleaned.

"Those heavy weapons that just blew the Japanese army into a daze, were they 105mm howitzers?"

"Commander Wu has a good eye."

Liu Yuzhang nodded with a hint of pride.

"That heavy artillery regiment should, in theory, be assigned to a reorganized division that was downsized from a corps-level unit."

"But the chief advisor ordered that, in order to prepare for an emergency southward advance, this heavy artillery regiment be directly reinforced and given to our reorganized 2nd Brigade!"

"Firepower is the ultimate truth. The artillery firepower of our current heavy artillery regiment is said to be equivalent to that of two mountain artillery regiments in the past!"

After listening, Wu Shi remained silent for a long time.

He gazed at the soldiers of the 2nd Brigade on the position, all of them holding Garand semi-automatic rifles and full of spirit.

His eyes were filled with undisguised admiration and envy.

"The soldiers are well-trained and well-fed, with strong armor and powerful cannons."

Wu Shi sighed deeply: "If only our Fourth War Zone troops could also be reorganized like this sooner and equipped with a full set of American weapons."

"Let alone this small 104th Division, even if Okamura Yasuji himself came, the Japanese devils would never have been able to fight so easily in northern Guangdong!"

The bloody battles between Lechang and Pingshi brought Wu Shi's thirst for firepower to its peak.

Liu Yuzhang stroked his chin and nodded in deep agreement.

"Commander Wu, let me speak from the bottom of my heart."

"When it comes to war, it all comes down to comprehensive national strength, and weaponry is the core of combat power!"

Liu Yuzhang placed one foot on a nearby ammunition box, his tone revealing absolute realism.

“Our former Second Division was not considered a top-notch unit in the Central Army.”

"But now, we can play so fiercely and so impressively."

"What did they rely on?"

Liu Yuzhang patted the Thompson submachine gun at his waist: "We rely on these plenty of bullets and endless shells!"

Wu Shishen agreed, and the fire in his heart gradually burned.

If the Fourth War Zone can seize this opportunity, it will surely be reborn.

"Brigade Commander Liu, your unit should take a break and reorganize. The defense will be temporarily taken over by the remaining troops of my unit."

Wu Shi gave a solemn military salute.

"I must report the situation here to Commander-in-Chief Zhang immediately!"

After saying that, Wu Shi turned around and strode back to the confidential room.

He grabbed the paper and pen, refusing to let his staff write it for him, and personally began drafting a top-secret telegram to Zhang Fakui, the commander-in-chief of the Fourth War Zone.

Under the dim light, Wu Shi wrote furiously.

"To the General:"

"Urgent report from the Ministry."

"At dusk this day, elite Nationalist troops suddenly appeared south of Shaoguan City."

"It was the Second Reorganized Brigade of the Army, which was ordered by the General Headquarters and the Joint Command to rush to the aid of the army. Its brigade commander was Liu Yuzhang."

"The unit descended like a divine army, bringing heavy artillery to launch a fierce attack on the Japanese 104th Division from the flank and rear."

"After only four hours of fighting, the enemy ranks were thrown into chaos, with heavy casualties. Their remnants have now retreated to the eastern mountains."

"The siege of Shaoguan has thus been lifted!"

"The officers and soldiers were deeply impressed by the brigade's military bearing."

"Its official organization is a brigade, but in reality, it has as many as 13,000 soldiers."

"Furthermore, the brigade has completed its re-equipment, with all infantry equipped with American-made semi-automatic and fully automatic weapons, and it also has a large-caliber howitzer heavy artillery regiment under its command!"

"The firepower is unprecedented and far exceeds the total strength of an entire army in our Fourth War Zone."

"According to Brigade Commander Liu, this is the result of the reorganization and re-equipment of the 60th Division."

"Commander, weaponry and equipment are truly the primary combat strength of our army!"

"If our war zone wants to wash away the shame of northern Guangdong and make contributions in the future counter-offensive, it must actively support the General Headquarters' plan to reorganize the army."

"I earnestly request the Commander-in-Chief to immediately petition the central command and strive to have our war zone included in the reorganization and re-equipment process as soon as possible!"

“Wu Shi kowtows to report.”

After writing the last word.

Wu Shi handed the telegram heavily to his confidential staff officer.

"Send it out immediately! Top Secret, Urgent!"
-
Headquarters of the 23rd Army of the Japanese Southern China Expeditionary Army.

Commander Lieutenant General Hisaichi Tanaka stood with his hands behind his back in front of the battle map, his eyes fixed on the location of Shaoguan.

The blue arrows, which should have been advancing triumphantly, are now blocked outside Shaoguan City. The attacks in other locations are also quite unsuccessful.

Chief of Staff Adachi and his assistant Major General held a newly received urgent telegram in their hands, their faces as pale as paper.

"This is impossible!"

Tanaka Hisaichi turned around abruptly, veins bulging on his forehead, and snatched the telegram. "They are only facing a ragtag force from the Chinese army."

"Your Excellency Commander"

Adachi swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly. "According to the top-secret battle report sent back by the 104th Division, the force that attacked them was not the same troops they had fought before, but a fresh force that was fully equipped with American weapons."

Adachi and his assistant pointed to a line of text on the telegram: "The unit number is the Second Reorganized Brigade of the National Revolutionary Army."

"The Second Reorganized Brigade?"

Tanaka Hisaichi frowned, his mind racing through the Chinese army's order of battle. Suddenly, his eyes lit up: "Could it be the former Second Division?"

"Exactly."

Adachi nodded heavily. "The intelligence department has just confirmed this number."

"This unit was originally stationed on the border and was a core second-line garrison force."

"Second-line troops?" Tanaka Hisaichi laughed angrily. "You're telling me, a second-line force can be equipped with a heavy howitzer group?!"

Adachi wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and handed over a document.

"Commander, this is precisely what is puzzling."

"According to our inside sources in China, the so-called '60th Division' reorganization plan was actually only officially launched 40 days ago."

Adachi took a deep breath: "If the intelligence is true, it means that this reorganized 2nd Brigade took less than fifteen days from receiving the order, starting to eliminate the old and weak, and replacing them with American equipment, to rushing to the Shaoguan battlefield day and night by rail and car!"

"In fact, they spend half their time on the road!"

"Fifteen days?!"

Tanaka Hisaichi jumped up as if he'd been pricked by a needle, his face full of disbelief: "This is impossible!"

"Even with hands-on instruction from Americans, it would still take at least several months for an army to re-equip, train, and integrate!"

"How could they possibly have built such a terrifying fighting force in just half a month?!"

"Did the intelligence department get the timing of the reorganization plan wrong?"

"Or did the Chinese High Command secretly arm this unit long ago?"

Adachi and Suke shook their heads with a wry smile.

"At present, the latter is more likely."

"idiot!"

Tanaka Hisaichi slammed the telegram to the ground, his chest heaving violently.

He suddenly realized that if the Chinese army was really changing its equipment so quickly, then the upcoming battles would be impossible to fight.

"Report this matter to the Nanjing General Headquarters immediately! Please make a decision, General Okamura!"

……

Nanjing, the headquarters of the China Expeditionary Army.

As Okamura Neiji looked at the detailed battle report sent by the 23rd Army in his hand, his fingers tightened slightly, crumpling the paper into wrinkles.

"Fifteen days"

Okamura Neiji muttered to himself, a deep and cold light flashing in his eyes.

Chief of Staff Kawabe Masazo stood to the side, looking at Okamura Yasuji's gloomy face, and tentatively asked, "Commander-in-Chief, Tanaka Hisaichi seems to be terrified by this suddenly appearing American-equipped brigade. Should we request that the General Headquarters transfer troops to support South China?"

Okamura Neiji threw the battle report on the table, a mocking smile playing on his lips.

"Support? There's no need for that."

"But what should we do about the offensive in the South China region?"

Okamura Neiji turned around and looked at the battle map on the wall.

"The offensive in South China was originally a political opportunism launched to cover up the disastrous defeat in Jiangbei."

"It now appears that the Chinese military's combat capabilities are far stronger than we had anticipated."

"They didn't even use the main force of the expeditionary force; they just used a newly reorganized advance brigade heading south to shatter our last illusions."

"What's next?"

Okamura Neiji closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and seemed to have made an extremely difficult decision.

"Order the 23rd Army to immediately cease all offensive operations in the Shaoguan direction!"

"What?!"

Kawabe Masazo exclaimed in shock, "Commander!"

"Terminate the offensive? Tokyo's headquarters are still loudly proclaiming the great victory in northern Guangdong!"

"They announced to the people that the Imperial Army had defeated 300,000 Chinese troops!"

"If we stop the offensive now, and fail to even capture Shaoguan, how will the cabinet explain itself to the people?!"

Okamura Neiji suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and cold as a knife, staring intently at Kawabe Masazo.

"Explain?"

"That's a matter for the Tojo Cabinet to consider, not for me!"

"All I know is that if we continue to fight to the death in Shaoguan, we will only be wasting our last remaining mobile forces in South China!"

Okamura Yasuji walked to the map and tapped his finger forcefully on the long coastline of Guangdong: "Don't forget, our adversary has the capability for large-scale amphibious operations!"

Kawabe Masazo immediately stood at attention: "Hai!"

"Order Tanaka Hisaichi to immediately change the 23rd Army's operational mission from offensive to full-scale defensive posture!"

"Let them build strong anti-landing positions along the coastline."

"A combined force of Americans and Chinese could launch a forced landing in South China at any time."

He turned his head and looked at Kawabe Masazo, whose face was full of resentment, his tone chilling.

"The fantasies of headquarters cannot save the empire."

"What we can do now is to make use of all the favorable terrain to delay the enemy's advance, preserve our strength as much as possible, prolong the war, and consume more of their war resources."

……

at the same time.

South China, the temporary headquarters of the Fourth War Zone Command.

Zhang Fakui held the detailed report submitted by Wu Shi, which not only confirmed the complete retreat of the Japanese army, but also provided a detailed assessment of the organization, firepower, and logistics of the reorganized Second Brigade.

His fingers traced patterns on the report, his eyes gleaming with an unprecedented brightness.

"A brigade of 13,000 soldiers, attached to a heavy howitzer regiment."

Zhang Fakui put down the report, let out a long breath, his tone filled with barely suppressed excitement and urgency.

"It really opened my eyes to a whole new world."

He walked to the entrance of the cave, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes.

“We used to always blame the brothers for not fighting hard enough.”

"Now it seems that our equipment is inadequate."

Zhang Fakui turned around, his gaze resolute: "Our Fourth War Zone cannot continue to suffer like this."

"We must catch this ride on the '60th Division' reorganization!"

Chen Baocang, who was standing to the side, nodded in deep agreement: "Commander, since the Japanese army has already switched to a defensive posture, northern Guangdong is safe for the time being."

"But if we want to have a place in the next counter-offensive, we must win the full support of the General Staff."

Zhang Fakui strode to the desk, picked up the military cap on it, and deftly put it on his head.

“This matter can’t be resolved by just sending telegrams. Those people in the mountain city won’t act until they see the benefits.”

"Effective immediately, the daily command of the Fourth War Zone will be temporarily handed over to Chief of Staff Wu."

Chen Baocang was taken aback: "Commander, what's going on?"

"I want to go to the mountain city!"

Zhang Fakui's eyes gleamed: "I want to personally meet with the Chairman to report on my work!"

"Even if it means losing face, I will fight to secure a few American-equipped engineers for our people in Guangdong from the American aid!" (End of Chapter)