Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Pengcheng, the North China Joint Front Command.

Outside the window, the cold wind howled, while inside, the smokeless coal in the brazier burned brightly.

Chu Yunfei stood in front of the sand table, holding a battle report from the Fourth War Zone that had just been forwarded from Shancheng.

He read the report word by word and threw it onto the wooden edge of the sand table.

"The Fourth War Zone has been held."

Chu Yunfei's voice carried an undisguised admiration.

"Under the combined attack of three superior Japanese divisions and brigades, they made the timely and decisive decision to abandon the outer perimeter and hold Shaoguan until reinforcements arrived."

"Commander Zhang truly lives up to his reputation as the leader of the 'Iron Army' back then; he's tough as nails and quick-witted as a mule."

Chief of Staff Lin Wei, standing to the side, adjusted his glasses and nodded slightly.

"If it weren't for the Guangdong Army fighting desperately at the front, holding back the Japanese army's offensive pace..."

Lin Wei said, "Even if the reorganized Second Brigade arrives, it will be difficult to form a perfect flanking maneuver."

"In this battle, although the Fourth War Zone lost Leping, it did not disgrace the National Army. I never expected that the Guangdong Army, which lost Guangzhou almost without firing a single shot, would have such backbone."

Chu Yunfei shook his head without saying much, then turned to Zhang Dayun, the head of the operations section: "Dayun, what's the progress on our end?"

Zhang Dayun's spirits lifted, and he immediately picked up the command baton, quickly walking to the north side of the sand table: "Sir, in the few days you were away, the northern front attack has entered its final stage."

Zhang Dayun pointed his baton at several dense clusters of red fortresses on the map.

"The First Armored Group, in coordination with the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Army Groups, has completely cleared out the outer defensive nodes."

"The Japanese and puppet troops in the Pingjin area have been completely compressed into the core urban area. According to Commander Qian's report, they have eliminated about 30,000 Japanese and puppet troops so far. The Japanese troops defending the city are not many at present, and there are signs that they are trying to escape through Tianjin Port."

Zhang Dayun's tone was filled with excitement: "No matter what, the liberation of Beijing and Tianjin is just around the corner."

"Commander He optimistically stated that our military flag would be planted on the city walls of Beiping within 15 days at the latest."

Chu Yunfei remained calm and composed, showing no signs of excessive excitement.

This was the inevitable result of overwhelming superior equipment and firepower.

On the northern front, the two sides had 200,000 troops against 50,000, plus several hundred Sherman tanks, more than 400 large-caliber heavy artillery pieces, and more than 1,000 artillery pieces of various calibers, giving them overwhelming firepower against the Japanese.

Apart from the lack of timely close air support, air superiority was firmly in their own hands.

In this situation, let alone the ever-evolving and learning Qian Bojun, even if a pig-headed general like Liu Zhi were to take the lead, as long as they fought freely, they could still achieve victory.

"Good, what about the southern route?"

Zhang Dayun quickly moved to the south side of the sand table: "The actions in episode nineteen are very fast."

"The main force of the 19th episode has fully crossed the Yangtze River and is advancing into the heart of the Yangtze River Delta."

"in addition."

Zhang Dayun pointed to a major town northwest of Nanjing: "Wang Zhonglian's 31st Army Group has now reached Chuxian County."

"They cut off all the retreat routes of the Nanjing garrison to the north."

"Currently, the South China Joint Command's final mopping-up operations against the Japanese army's defense line in Jiangnan are progressing very smoothly."

Zhang Dayun put down his baton and loudly reported to his superior: "The General Headquarters estimates that the equipment for the Yangtze River Crossing Operation will be ready in ten days, and the all-out offensive to recover the Yangtze River Delta will officially begin in fifteen days!"

Chu Yunfei interlaced his fingers and placed them in front of him.

The fighting on both the northern and southern fronts has completely crushed the Japanese forces in North and Central China.

As for the Japanese army in the southeast, they pose no threat to China at present.

Lin Wei walked to Chu Yunfei's side and pulled out a document stamped with the bright red seal of the Supreme Command from his briefcase: "Good news keeps coming from the front, and the pace of troop reorganization in the mountain city is also accelerating."

Lin Wei spread the documents out on the table.

"The Second Division was reorganized into the Second Brigade, which shone brightly in Shaoguan."

"The Chairman is extremely satisfied with this."

"Now, no one can shake the General Headquarters' determination to carry out a comprehensive reorganization."

Lin Wei pointed to several unit numbers on the document: "The list of the second batch of pilot units for reorganization has been officially drafted and issued."

"The 8th Army Division, commanded by Yuan Pu, is under the North China Joint Command."

"The Ninth Division of the Army, commanded by Zhang Jinyan, has long been stationed in Guizhou."

"The 10th Division of the Army, commanded by Wang Shengyi, is a key garrison force in Sichuan."

"The 12th Division of the Army, Commander Lü Jizhou, is stationed in Gansu."

Lin Wei paused at this point, her tone becoming unusually solemn.

"besides."

Lin Wei looked at Chu Yunfei: "The General Headquarters has issued a decision that has shaken the entire army."

"The 18th Army of the National Revolutionary Army will be the first pilot unit to be downsized at the army level. Its army-level structure will be directly abolished and it will be reorganized into the '18th Reorganized Division of the National Revolutionary Army'!"

Even Chu Yunfei was surprised when he heard the news.

"The 18th Army?"

Lin Wei's expression was slightly strange: "If the General Headquarters wants to implement a downsizing of the entire army, how can the Minister of Military Affairs convince the public if he doesn't start by cutting his own top loyalists?"

"Moreover, once the name of the reorganized 18th Division is established, the actual combat power of this unit is probably more than twice as strong as the previous 18th Army."

Chu Yunfei nodded.

This is the smartest approach.

On the surface, they were demoted, but in reality, they got the fattest piece of meat.

"All the troops are changing their uniforms, and the expeditionary force of 600,000 is gradually taking shape in Southeast Asia."

Lin Wei tentatively looked at Chu Yunfei and asked in a low voice, "Your Excellency."

"General Stilwell has been urging us several times already."

"Once the dust settles on the battles in Beijing, Tianjin, and Jiangnan, will you personally travel south to oversee the joint operations in Southeast Asia?"

In Lin Wei’s view, that is the largest stage for the National Revolutionary Army to go international.

Chu Yunfei shook his head, his gaze following the sand table northward, past the Great Wall, and landing on the vast black earth covered in ice and snow.

"Let the Americans and British strangle the quagmire in Southeast Asia themselves."

His voice was cold and hard, revealing an unquestionable determination: "The expeditionary force over there is only responsible for securing the lifeline and coordinating with the American offensive."

"My focus will never be on the rainforest."

"Once Pingjin is captured, the 88th Division and the armored group will be transferred to the northward march sequence on the spot."

"Our primary task now is to ensure the demise of the Kwantung Army and to guard against the polar bear watching from the sidelines."

"No one can reap the rewards on China's black soil!"

……

The Pacific Ocean.

The pristine jungles of northern New Guinea.

The sky seemed to have a huge hole in it, and torrential rain poured down on the sweltering, putrid rainforest.

The muddy water, mixed with the stench of rotting leaves, was almost unbearable to breathe.

"Boom! Boom!"

Three hundred meters ahead, beneath a towering banyan tree, two muffled bursts of light erupted.

Several expeditionary force soldiers hid in the knee-deep mud, holding M3 submachine guns, and fired wildly at the Japanese army's concealed spiderweb-like firing positions.

"Flamethrower!"

"on!"

A captain, his face covered in tactical paint, roared and brandished his carbine.

Two soldiers carrying heavy M2 flamethrowers, under the cover of crossfire from their comrades, stumbled and trudged toward the moss-covered Japanese bunker.

"Whoosh—Boom!"

A twenty-meter-long jet of solidified gasoline erupted and poured into the concealed firing port.

A muffled scream echoed through the cramped bunker.

Several Japanese soldiers, their bodies engulfed in flames, crawled out from behind the bunker, howling as they went.

Before they could even raise their bayonets...

"Da da da da!"

A barrage of submachine gun fire turned them into a mangled mess.

But this does not mean the end of the battle.

The Japanese troops in this jungle were like a pack of irrational wild beasts.

When they ran out of food, they ate the flesh and blood of their comrades. Even when they were out of ammunition and food, they would tie themselves to the treetops and act as suicide snipers, or hug cluster grenades and suddenly burst out of the mud to perish together with the Nationalist soldiers.

This battle was incredibly agonizing for everyone.

Many soldiers have already developed mental health issues, and the situation is even more serious among the neighboring Australians, who have repeatedly massacred Japanese prisoners of war in their anger and even desecrated corpses.

Behind the battlefield, inside the corps command post, temporarily erected with large logs and tarpaulins.

Zheng Tingji took off his heavy helmet and wiped the rain and sweat from his face.

His uniform was completely soaked with sweat and mud.

"These Japanese soldiers can no longer be called human beings."

Zheng Tingji picked up the military water bottle on the table, took a big gulp, and his eyes revealed deep exhaustion and coldness.

"They would rather eat the corpses of their comrades, or be tormented to death by malaria, than surrender."

"Commander, we have advanced less than two kilometers today."

The chief of staff looked extremely grim: "The rainforest in this godforsaken place is too dense. The American planes can't find their targets at all, and our large-caliber artillery can't be pushed up either."

"It was all close-quarters combat at the platoon level."

He turned to the second page, his tone becoming even more somber.

"But the most deadly thing wasn't the Japanese bullets."

"It's an illness."

"In the past two months, the number of soldiers lost due to malaria, dengue fever, and snake bites is three times that of combat casualties!"

"The brothers' feet had been soaking in the mud for half a month."

"Half of them contracted severe trench sickness and could barely walk."

Zheng Tingji slammed his fist on the table, making a dull thud.

This jungle was the most terrifying enemy they had ever encountered.

"Reporting, Commander!" The guard outside the door lifted the tarpaulin and announced loudly, "The joint medical team dispatched by the General Logistics Department has arrived!"

Several military doctors wearing khaki raincoats and carrying huge Red Cross medical kits walked in.

Leading the group was a tall Australian military medical major, accompanied by several dark-skinned, sharp-looking local Southeast Asian doctors.

"General Zheng."

The Australian military doctor saluted and said in broken English, "We have brought the latest batch of quinine, as well as large quantities of sulfonamides and penicillin."

A local doctor who had been recruited from Siam immediately added in somewhat broken Chinese, "Commander, we are familiar with the poisonous insects and miasma in this jungle."

"The expeditionary force headquarters urgently transferred our group of doctors from Yangon and Bangkok."

"We will teach the soldiers how to use local herbs to drive away leeches and how to prevent skin ulcers in the mud."

Hearing this, Zheng Tingji's tense nerves finally eased a little.

Stilwell and the Expeditionary Force headquarters did not forget their lone army that had ventured deep into the wilderness.

The continuous logistical support is their greatest source of confidence to persevere.

Sure enough, fifteen days ago they reported a shortage of doctors, and fifteen days later the doctors had been mobilized and arrived in New Guinea by transport plane.

This efficiency is what gives them the confidence and strength to continue fighting.

"it is good!"

"Immediately distribute the medicine to the companies, regroup the troops, cease the attack, and await further orders."

Zheng Tingji strode to the telegraph machine: "Also, send a telegram to the Yangon Expeditionary Force Headquarters to thank them for their support."

"Our troops have now made initial progress on the front lines in New Guinea."

"Though the poisonous insects and miasma are hard to endure, and though the Japanese samurai code is insane."

"But my soldiers on this expedition will never retreat a single step!"

"In this tropical rainforest, we will utterly crush the remnants of the Japanese army into mincemeat, thus demonstrating the might of our army!"

After pondering for a moment, Zheng Tingji continued, "Also, send another telegram requesting reinforcements."

Mountain city, Yunxiu Tower.

The thick winter fog enveloped the entire mountain, making it cold and damp.

"Chairman, Commander Zhang Fakui of the Fourth War Zone has just disembarked from his special plane and has already arrived in the city by car."

Zhu Peiji, the head of the attendant's office, hurried along and gently pushed open the heavy wooden door of the study.

Chang Ruiyuan paused slightly in the hand holding the calligraphy brush.

A drop of ink fell onto the rice paper and quickly spread.

"Xiang Hua is here?"

Chang Ruiyuan put down his brush, a hint of surprise flashing in his cloudy eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a knowing smile.

He naturally understood why Zhang Fakui had abandoned the newly stabilized defense line in northern Guangdong and rushed to the mountain city.

Liu Yuzhang's Second Reorganized Brigade was quite famous in Shaoguan.

Zhang Fakui was envious and came here personally to beg for alms.

"Since we're here, we should at least meet them."

Chang Ruiyuan picked up a hot towel and wiped his hands: "Just let everyone know that we'll be preparing a table of authentic home-style dishes for dinner."

“Go and bring Xiang Hua over. Tell him I’ll personally host a welcome dinner for him.”

"Yes!"

……

That evening, the restaurant was brightly lit.

There were no delicacies on the long table, only a few exquisite Jiangnan home-style dishes, plus two bottles of aged Shaoxing wine.

Chang Ruiyuan picked up a glass filled with bitter orange juice, a warm smile on his face.

"Xiang Hua, this first glass of wine is for you."

"In the Battle of Shaoguan, you commanded with composure and led the Guangdong Army brothers to decisively thwart the main force of the Japanese army in South China!"

"With the great victory in central Jiangsu in North China, this can be considered a true triumph for both the North and the South."

Zhang Fakui quickly stood up, raised his cup with both hands, clinked them together, and drank it all in one gulp.

"Your Excellency flatters me; I am ashamed."

Zhang Fakui put down his wine glass, his movements decisive and efficient like a veteran soldier: "If it weren't for the miraculous arrival of the Second Reorganized Brigade, Shaoguan would probably already be under Japanese occupation by now."

After a few pleasantries, Chang Ruiyuan picked up a piece of green vegetable with his chopsticks.

He glanced at Zhang Fakui casually, his tone indifferent: "The military affairs at the front are very demanding at this time. Xiang Hua's return to Shancheng this time is not just to catch up with this old man, is it?"

Zhang Fakui didn't mince words; his face was full of frankness and sincerity: "Chairman, I'm just a rough man, so I'll speak frankly."

Zhang Fakui sat up straight, his eyes gleaming: "The Fourth War Zone is willing to be the first to accept the General Headquarters' reorganization plan!"

"The Ministry of Personnel came here this time because they want the Chairman to give them a definite answer."

"Could you also secure a batch of American-made equipment for our Fourth War Zone?"

Upon hearing this, Chang Ruiyuan put down his chopsticks.

He looked at Zhang Fakui, his eyes revealing undisguised admiration and satisfaction.

"it is good!"

Chang Ruiyuan gently slapped the table: "Xiang Hua is very understanding and righteous, I am very pleased!"

"Since you are willing to cooperate with the central government's military reorganization efforts, I will certainly not treat the soldiers of the Fourth War Zone unfairly."

Zhang Fakui's face lit up with joy, and he was about to express his gratitude.

Chang Ruiyuan suddenly changed the subject, his tone becoming solemn and unquestionable.

"However, since we are going to accept reorganization and take American guns and cannons, the rules and organization must be completely changed."

Zhang Fakui was taken aback: "Please give your instructions, Chairman."

Chang Ruiyuan stretched out his finger and tapped it hard twice on the table.

"In accordance with the latest plan drafted by the General Headquarters and the Reorganization Department."

"The former Fourth War Zone will be completely downsized and reorganized into the 'Fourth Army Group,' which will also be under the command of the South China Joint Command."

Chang Ruiyuan's voice was calm: "The original group army structure will be downsized and downgraded to corps-level units."

"The military-level unit was downsized to a full division."

"And the division-level combat units will be uniformly reorganized into brigades!"

Zhang Fakui's pupils contracted sharply, and he froze in his chair.

The conversion of a division into a brigade is already quite extreme.

He was already shocked that the 18th Army had just been reorganized into the 18th Reorganized Division, but he never expected that his voluntary begging for alms would result in this.

Chang Ruiyuan ignored his shock and continued to put forward the reorganization targets: "During the downsizing process, the South China Front Army must reduce its troops on the spot, with an initial quota of 18,000 people."

"These demobilized soldiers will not be sent back to their hometowns directly."

"They will be reorganized on the spot to form the 'Northern Guangdong Production and Construction Corps,' which will be placed under local jurisdiction and used for post-war recovery and infrastructure construction."

Zhang Fakui's breathing became rapid.

Chang Ruiyuan never regarded him as a confidant and subtly suppressed him, a former subordinate of Wang Zhaoming.

In the previous Jiujiang Campaign, if it weren't for Chen Cixiu's mediation, he would probably have been severely punished by the General Headquarters long ago.

"Chairman."

Zhang Fakui's voice was dry, filled with deep incomprehension and bitterness: "I can understand the troop reduction; the country is facing financial difficulties and cannot afford to pay salaries to people who are not actually employed."

"Our brothers are fighting tooth and nail on the front lines, and the battle isn't even over yet, but our entire unit has been demoted by one rank. How are the officers below supposed to accept this?"

This is equivalent to cutting off more than half of the already large structure of the Guangdong Army.

Chang Ruiyuan's smile vanished, his gaze turning deep and cold: "Xiang Hua, do you think this reorganization is taking away your military power?"

"Then you're mistaken."

"This is to be absolutely compatible with the 60th Division's complete American-equipped armament plan."

"American aid didn't come out of thin air. Stilwell kept a very close eye on our organizational structure and firepower allocation."

"Those empty troops that are just made up to make up numbers and are not up to par will only be a burden in the upcoming counter-offensive."

Chang Ruiyuan stared directly into Zhang Fakui's eyes, his gaze conveying an unyielding authority.

"The 18,000 people to be laid off must all be the elderly, the infirm, the disabled, and redundant personnel with no combat capability."

"Those who stay to fill the new positions must be elite soldiers and capable officers!"

"The quality of soldiers is more important than their quantity."

"You saw Liu Yuzhang's reorganized Second Brigade with your own eyes. How many people are in a brigade?"

Chang Ruiyuan emphasized, getting straight to the point: "The actual firepower of his entire brigade is more powerful than that of your previous bloated army group!"

"Xiang Hua, do you want a fancy-sounding but useless empty title, or heavy firepower that can actually drive the Japanese devils back into the sea?"

Zhang Fakui pursed his lips tightly and clenched his fists.

In his mind, the shocking image of the 2nd Reorganized Brigade crushing a Japanese division with semi-automatic rifles and heavy artillery outside Shaoguan City was uncontrollably vivid.

The generational gap in firepower cannot be compensated for with human lives.
You can rest assured.

At the opportune moment, Chang Ruiyuan picked up his wine glass and personally handed it to Zhang Fakui.

"The army-level officers will be downgraded to the division-level officers, and the division-level officers will be downgraded to the brigade-level officers, but the personal military ranks of the commanding officers at all levels will be retained as they are."

"Your treatment will not only not be reduced, but will be significantly increased due to the special allocation of US aid."

"The newly reorganized troops will have their salaries paid directly and in full by the central command and joint command, without any deductions or delays."

Chang Ruiyuan softened his tone, conveying a sense of heartfelt reassurance: "Xiang Hua, I, Chang, assure you, this is absolutely not an attempt to take advantage of the situation, nor is it intended to weaken you."

"This is in line with the general trend and building a truly modern national defense force!"

"Once the re-equipment is complete, the army group under your command, Zhang Xianghua, will be the sharpest dagger plunged into the heart of the Japanese army in South China."

"The Allied Forces did have a plan to land in Guangdong, but Yunfei rejected it. He felt that only by taking back the territory with our own hands could we seize the opportunity to recover other territories. I think you understand the meaning behind this."

Zhang Fakui looked into Chang Ruiyuan's resolute eyes and remained silent for a long time.

He ultimately decided to trust Chang Ruiyuan, or rather, to trust the new generation of forces represented by the Army Reorganization Office.

"As long as we can kill the Japanese devils, enhance our national prestige, and restore our sovereignty."

Zhang Fakui snatched the wine glass, tilted his head back, and downed the spicy Shaoxing wine in one gulp. He slammed the glass down heavily on the solid wood dining table, making a crisp sound: "In the Fourth War Zone, I, Zhang Xianghua, resolutely obey the orders of the Chairman and the General Headquarters." (End of Chapter)