Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Pengcheng, the North China Joint Front Command.

A pile of high-altitude reconnaissance photos, recently handed over by the US military, were scattered on the table.

Despite its noticeable black-and-white graininess, the colossal object moored in the massive dry dock still exudes a highly oppressive atmosphere of war and industry.

"Yamato."

Fang Ligong pointed to the center of the photo, his voice tinged with undisguised solemnity: "The current spiritual symbol of the Japanese Navy, one of the largest battleships in human history."

Chu Yunfei casually picked up a high-magnification close-up photo, his eyes sharp: "It really is in the Wu Port shipyard?"

Fang Ligong adjusted his glasses and quickly provided extremely accurate intelligence: "According to intelligence provided by the US, this giant ship was hit on its starboard side by a torpedo fired by a US submarine while it was cruising near the Truk Islands."

"After taking on more than 3,000 tons of water, it was towed to the dry dock of the Kure Naval Shipyard for a major overhaul of the chassis, and anti-aircraft guns were also installed."

Chu Yunfei put down the photo, his eyes like sharp scalpels: "The intelligence provided by Okamura Yasuji is correct. You must know that the Yamato was not only the flagship of the former Combined Fleet, but also the only remaining confidence and fig leaf for Japan in this war."

"If you just blow it up into a pile of scrap metal in the dry dock."

"This kind of devastating psychological blow is more shocking than destroying their aircraft carrier in a naval battle."

Fang Ligong nodded emphatically in deep agreement.

Destroying a nation's spiritual totem is tantamount to draining the last backbone of that nation.

A joint bombing plan codenamed "Sakura Slash" was quickly developed in a very short time thanks to the tireless efforts of the North China General Staff.

And it was sent directly to the U.S. Pacific Joint Command Center via a top-secret radio station.

……

the other side.

The US flagship on the front lines in New Guinea in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.

General Douglas MacArthur wore his iconic gold-rimmed garrison cap and had a corncob pipe in his mouth.

He was standing in front of a large chart table, listening to the latest battle report from Chief of Staff Major General Sutherland.

"General, the 'Reckless Operation' and the 'Persecution Operation' have been fully launched!"

Sutherland drew two extremely sharp assault arcs on the nautical chart with his baton: "Our amphibious landing force has directly bypassed Wevak, which is heavily guarded by the Japanese 18th Army!"

"The main force is conducting a large-scale forced landing in Hollandia and Etape under the cover of naval gunfire!"

MacArthur exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, his eyes gleaming with absolute arrogance and confidence: "This is the art of the 'leapfrog' tactic."

MacArthur slammed his pipe down on Wevak's spot: "Let those tens of thousands of elite Japanese troops in Wevak stay in the jungle and grind meat with the Australians and Chinese."

“As long as we cut off their supply lines, hunger, dengue fever, and malaria will take their lives for us.”

Just then.

A senior communications officer strode into the command room and handed over a top-secret joint operation telegram from the Far East Theater Command.

MacArthur took the telegram and quickly scanned the English translation.

Upon seeing the signature "chu," he couldn't help but become serious.

After carefully reading the telegram, MacArthur's previously arrogant gaze instantly became extremely solemn.

MacArthur abruptly took off his pipe and exclaimed, "A brilliant strategic idea!"

"Take off from an airport in mainland China and bomb the Kure Shipyard in Japan!"

"If we can sink the Japanese Navy's First Mobile Fleet and the Yamato, it means we can use the same method to completely shut down the Japanese Navy's mobile fleet in its home port!"

Sutherland leaned closer to read the telegram and gasped in shock: "General, the Chinese are incredibly aggressive; they are so frenzied."

"I like Chinese people like this," MacArthur laughed.

"Sutherland, send a telegram to Washington immediately!"

"If the Chinese and American air forces can achieve corresponding results, then the Japanese fleet will lose any threat, and our future amphibious landing operations will inevitably proceed more smoothly."

"I completely agree with and fully support this plan!"

"Pentagon and the 14th Air Force in China are hereby ordered to immediately allocate all available heavy bombs and personnel to fully cooperate with the Far East Command's air strike operations!"

……

Two days later.

Pengcheng Forward Command Post, Confidential Operations Room.

Several U.S. military transport planes, escorted by a formation of P-51s, secretly landed at the Xuzhou field airfield.

Colonel Hayes, the senior joint bombing commander dispatched by the United States, strode into the operations room of the North China forward command post with several staff officers.

Before long, the aviation staff of both China and the United States immediately began an intense war game simulation around the sand table.

"Commander Chu."

Colonel Hayes stared at the somewhat rough model of Kure Harbor on the sand table, his brow furrowed and his expression extremely serious: "The Yamato possesses unprecedented heavy armor, and the thickness of its horizontal deck is terrifying."

"Even if a hundred ordinary high-explosive bombs hit it, they would not be able to damage its engine compartment and ammunition depot."

Zhou Zhirou, representing the Chinese Air Force, took over the conversation with a sharp look in her eyes: "Therefore, we need the US to provide heavy armor-piercing bombs specifically designed to deal with battleships."

Colonel Hayes nodded, but the worry on his face did not disappear: "We can provide bombs, but what's truly lethal is anti-aircraft fire."

Colonel Hayes placed his hands on the edge of the table, his tone unusually grave: "Kure Harbor is the absolute heart of the Japanese Navy; its air defense network is as dense as a beehive."

"If the Yamato departs early, or if we are trapped by indiscriminate anti-aircraft fire over Kure, we will lose dozens of heavy bombers and our best crews for nothing!"

"Our aerial photographs only prove that it was still in the dock yesterday."

Hayes raised his head and looked directly at Chu Yunfei: "Sir, we must have 100% accurate real-time intelligence, otherwise this will be a meaningless suicide mission."

Faced with the doubts of the US military commander, Chu Yunfei did not rush to explain. He pulled out a brown paper bag sealed with sealing wax from the drawer and casually threw it in front of Colonel Hayes.

"Open it and take a look."

Chu Yunfei spoke in a calm tone.

Hayes opened the envelope with suspicion and pulled out several blueprints with the top-secret seal of the Japanese General Headquarters.

His eyes widened instantly.

"This is."

Hayes gasped: "This is the precise maintenance schedule for the Yamato at the Kure Naval Arsenal?"

"Not only that."

Fang Ligong pushed up his glasses and added coldly, "This also shows the deployment positions of all the Type 98 100mm anti-aircraft guns in Wugang, as well as the blind spots of the radar."

"Including their three daily shifts, and of course, our intelligence sources indicate that this intelligence is from a month ago."

Colonel Hayes' fingers trembled slightly.

This was one of the deepest secrets kept by the Japanese Empire.

"Sir... this intelligence..." Hayes swallowed hard, looking at Chu Yunfei in disbelief. "How can you be so sure this intelligence isn't a trap set by the Japanese?"

in other words.

After the initial shock subsided, the Americans immediately began to question whether the source of this intelligence was problematic.

"Colonel."

"All you need to know is that in this war that is about to collapse, there are also many 'smart people' within the Japanese Empire who do not want to be buried with Hideki Tojo and Amako."

"This gift came from an 'old friend' at the very top of Tokyo's military and political system."

"Its reliability was verified by using the corpses of tens of thousands of fanatical Japanese soldiers as collateral."

This statement came out.

Colonel Hayes and several U.S. Army staff officers beside him suddenly exchanged a look of extreme shock.

Chinese hands.

It has actually reached the highest levels of the Japanese General Headquarters and even the Expeditionary Army?!
They actually planted a super spy in the heart of Japan, capable of providing strategic intelligence at any time!
Faced with this irrefutable, even extremely precise, top-secret defense blueprint.

Colonel Hayes's doubts vanished completely, replaced by a gambler's fervor.

"If the intelligence is that accurate."

Colonel Hayes abruptly straightened up and slammed his fist into his palm: "This is a sure-win gamble!"

"Sir, on behalf of the United States, I fully agree to this operational plan!"

"Two thousand pounds of delayed-fuze armor-piercing rounds will soon be urgently loaded onto a ship in Hawaii and shipped out."

"The U.S. will select its most experienced high-altitude bomber crews and fully integrate them into your country's flight formations."

Chu Yunfei walked to the front of the sand table and placed his hands firmly on the edge: "Gentlemen, don't limit your attention to just this Yamato."

His hawk-like gaze slowly swept over the senior Chinese and American generals present, and he casually pointed to other places on the map.

"Perhaps our goal is not just the entire Kurehab Shipyard!"

"According to top-secret intelligence we obtained, the Japanese army is extremely short of fuel."

"They have a large number of warships stationed in the port." "Even during the height of the Yangtze River Delta campaign, their transport ships had not been able to deliver large quantities of weapons and ammunition for some time, only providing the most basic combat supplies."

"I think our bombing can be a long-term, sustainable form of bombing."

Our operational objectives

Chu Yunfei paused, then added very seriously, "It is all the remaining motherships and cruisers of the First Mobile Fleet."

Colonel Hayes had no objections: "OK!"

Chu Yunfei then turned to Zhou Zhirou: "The plan is finalized immediately!"

"Yes, I will immediately arrange for the main force of the Chinese Air Force and the US attached aircraft to be transferred to the front-line airfields along the coast of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shandong to prepare for war!"
-
In the blink of an eye, half a month has passed.

In the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia.

The landing operation of the British Fourteenth Army had completely devolved into an extremely bloody meat grinder.

After landing on the beaches of Sumatra and Java, the British Indian Army encountered almost frantic resistance from the Japanese forces.

The promised joint cross-sea support between the Chinese and American air forces has not materialized; not even a single aircraft has been seen.

Only a few scattered ships from the U.S. Pacific Fleet were conducting shore bombardment.

The British quickly realized they had been tricked.

The anger from London headquarters crossed the ocean and reached the White House desk in Washington.

The British angrily accused the Far East theater of war of "standing idly by."

There are even suspicions that the Yamashiro side has no intention of fulfilling its commitment to joint operations with the Allies.

There's no particular reason why Churchill dared not criticize the Americans; it was simply because he couldn't afford to offend them.

Under immense pressure.

Three interrogative telegrams from Washington landed on Stilwell's desk in one day.

After all, Stilwell was the U.S. representative in the Far East theater and, moreover, the Chief of the General Staff.

Soon, in front of the North China Joint Front Command Post in Pengcheng.

A jeep with a US military star on its license plate screeched to a halt outside the gate of the compound.

Stilwell flung open the car door, not even bothering to open his umbrella, and stormed angrily into the command center's operations room: "Chu!"

"Where are you, Chu!"

Stilwell slammed his rain-soaked military cap onto the edge of the sand table, his gaunt face revealing extreme anxiety and anger: "Washington needs a reasonable explanation!"

Stilwell's azure eyes were fixed on Chu Yunfei behind the sand table: "Washington has approved the 'Sakura Slaying' operation plan for a full two weeks!"

"That batch of two thousand pounds of heavy armor-piercing aerial bombs has also been unloaded at your airfield!"

"But what about your heavy bomber fleet?"

"They're still circling along the Yangtze River! I even suspect you ordered these bombs to be used to destroy the Japanese army's permanent fortifications."

Chu Yunfei smiled, neither admitting nor denying.

Stilwell's voice was laced with undisguised accusation: "The British are bleeding on the beaches of Indonesia, Prime Minister Churchill is sending telegrams to President Roosevelt every day to express his dissatisfaction, and you, my close ally."

Stilwell raised his voice: "Are you really going to just stand by and watch the British die out, and then pin the blame for breaking our Allied obligations on the Americans?"

"Even in less than four days since the start of the battle, the British have lost more than 8,000 men and three regimental commanders!"

Faced with Stilwell's fury.

Chu Yunfei remained calm and composed.

From the moment Stilwell walked in, Chu Yunfei began to pay attention to his words.

His statement that "Washington needs an explanation" rather than "Give me an explanation" reveals something.

Stilwell was clearly not interested in Operation Cherry Blossom Slash.

After all, it is not in the army's interest for the air force to attack naval ships and help the navy fight.

Especially given that the expeditionary force will become the main force in the island-seizing and landing operations, the army will not suffer too many losses.

Chu Yunfei smiled and slowly picked up his teacup: "Mr. Stilwell, my old friend, please have some tea first, and we can talk slowly."

Stilwell shrugged and sat down to the side, saying, "I'm sorry, Chu, I'm not in the mood right now."

"The lives of British soldiers are lives, and the lives of Chinese soldiers are lives too."

Chu Yunfei gestured to Fang Ligong.

Fang Ligong, who was standing to the side, pushed up his glasses, picked up a baton, and pointed to the Jiangnan region on the sand table: "General, please take a look at the current situation in East China."

Stilwell waved his hand: "The battle in East China is nearing its end, there's nothing to worry about anymore."

The United States had to admit this.

This is a large-scale battle that has lasted for three months and is about to end.

China's performance far exceeded their expectations.

Even Gu Zhutong, who had previously been labeled as having mediocre abilities, delivered a commendable performance in command during this battle.

Since the equipment was changed and logistical support has been adequate, almost all combat units have performed admirably.

It was as if these generals were not incompetent before.

Rather, the problem lay with the entire Nationalist military system; the platform itself had major issues, or rather, the micromanagement of some individuals influenced the generals' judgment.

"That's right. Half a month ago, the battle in the Yangtze River Delta region had already entered the most brutal core stage of attack."

"After retreating to the south of the Yangtze River, the Japanese Central China Area Army is holding out at all costs, relying on the permanent fortifications around Nanjing and Shanghai."

Chu Yunfei stood up and walked to Stilwell: "Without the continuous air support of our heavy bomber group..."

"In this battle in the Yangtze River Delta, our army will suffer at least 50,000 additional casualties!"

"so."

Chu Yunfei paused for a moment, then gave the most perfect explanation: "Therefore, our bombing plan has been slightly postponed."

When Stilwell heard the number, the muscles in the corner of his eye twitched violently, but he still firmly stated, not giving an inch: "General Chu, I understand your feelings of cherishing your soldiers."

Stilwell sternly reminded him: "But this is an international battlefield! As the chief advisor of the Far East Theater, and as a responsible main force of the Allied Powers, your side needs to be even more responsible for fulfilling the overall obligations of the Allied Powers!"

"Keep attacking the Japanese army, attacking the Japanese navy, attacking the Japanese forces in Southeast Asia. In short, we cannot stop!"

"Take it easy, my old friend."

Chu Yunfei did not continue to confront him. He took a top-secret, urgent telegram from the war zone from his adjutant Li Jingzhong and stuffed it directly into Stilwell's arms: "General Stilwell, we never hesitate to fulfill our obligations."

"But I need Washington to give me about another week."

Stilwell lowered his head in confusion, his gaze sweeping over the Chinese telegram that smelled of ink: "This..."

A moment later, Stilwell suddenly raised his head, looking at Chu Yunfei in disbelief: "You've already reached the city walls?!"

"good."

Chu Yunfei placed his hands on the edge of the sand table, his eyes burning with the vengeful fury he had suppressed for seven years: "Restoration is just around the corner."

"That was our old capital."

"Seven years ago, the Japanese massacred hundreds of thousands, or even nearly a million, of our compatriots in that city."

"Now, we will avenge this blood debt with our own hands."

The air inside the operations room seemed to ignite completely in that instant.

"At such a crucial moment."

"I will never withdraw a single bomber from the front lines, not even a single bullet!"

"I hope that our allies can remain calm and understand the enormous political significance of this battle for China and for the entire world's anti-fascist war."

Stilwell fell completely silent.

As someone who has lived in China for many years and is an "expert on China," he knows all too well what kind of untouchable sore spot and scar the word "XX" represents in the hearts of Chinese soldiers and civilians.

Reclaim the old capital
Once the flag of the Republic of China is raised again atop the city walls, it will be a declaration to the world that the once weak Eastern superpower has been reborn from the ashes!

This has an immeasurable political incentive for the entire allied nation.

A full minute passed before Stilwell exhaled a long breath, and the hard lines on his face finally softened completely.

“You are a true commander, Chu.”

Stilwell removed his military cap and, in an extremely rare moment, revealed a wry, conciliatory smile: "What you are doing now is indeed of paramount importance to your side and your country."

"Now that we've reached the final hurdle, I'm willing to give you one last helping hand, my old friend."

Stilwell turned around and gave the order to his adjutant, Dorn, behind him: "Dorn, draft the telegram immediately."

"I will personally explain the actual situation here to President Roosevelt and General Marshall." (End of Chapter)