Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Changjin Lake, a Hundred Battles, a Hundred Victories

Chapter 125 Chen Shiwan!
As the reclamation of wasteland continued, in less than two months, Chen Ming and the local government mobilized soldiers and civilians to reclaim 100,000 mu of wasteland.

These newly reclaimed lands can replenish the army's food supply during the ensuing famine.

During this period, the Japanese army also kept a close watch on the Independent Detachment's movements to prevent them from doing anything unexpected during the mopping-up operation.

When it was discovered that the independent detachment was not carrying out any major operations other than sporadic guerrilla warfare, but was instead reclaiming wasteland.

The Japanese soldiers breathed a sigh of relief and recovered their strength.

After capturing three county towns, the Independent Detachment did not continue its offensive but chose to recuperate and reclaim wasteland.

In the eyes of the Japanese, this was a sign of heavy losses suffered by the Independent Detachment, and that their previous attack on two county towns was actually a bluff.

Otherwise, why didn't the Independent Detachment continue to attack other weakly defended Japanese facilities while the Japanese were sweeping through, but instead went to reclaim wasteland and farm?

It's just that the independent detachment's combat effectiveness has been severely damaged, and it no longer has the ability to break through the Japanese blockade.

With supplies blocked, they had no choice but to reclaim wasteland and become self-reliant.

The reason why the Independent Detachment previously chose to surround the Japanese troops in Wuzhai County without attacking, and let the Japanese and puppet troops in the strongholds go, was that the same reason?

Many Japanese officers' vigilance towards the Independent Detachment gradually decreased during the detachment's two-month land reclamation campaign.

Even the commander of the 41st Division, whose elite regiment had been crippled by the Independent Detachment, made a private statement.

"I always said that my 237th Regiment is the elite of the Imperial forces. If it weren't for that sinner Ono spreading false military intelligence and causing a lot of casualties, how could we have possibly retreated?"

"Shinotsuka is too cowardly. Although my 237th Regiment suffered some losses, the Independent Detachment was definitely crippled."

"It was his cowardice that made him intimidated by the Independent Detachment's bluffing. He failed to seize the opportunity when the Independent Detachment was weak to eliminate the enemy, and instead stopped advancing, which gave the Independent Detachment time to recover."

"He is also a sinner of the empire."

The commander of the 41st Division privately told others this, accusing Yoshio Shinotsuka of being cowardly.

This also indirectly proves that their troops are elite; back then, a single regiment could have crippled an independent detachment of tens of thousands of men.

It was Yoshio Shinotsuka's cowardice that allowed the Independent Detachment to escape.

It was also because of his cowardice that the Independent Detachment was forced to abandon Wuzhai County. Several thousand troops penetrated deep into Wuzhai County, but withdrew without even fighting.

This gave the independent detachment a chance to rest and recuperate.

People always try to comfort themselves.

The commander of the 41st Division absolutely refused to believe that the Independent Detachment was stronger than his elite regiment, and in his mind, he had already blamed the 237th Regiment's heavy losses on Ono, the scapegoat.

This idea will grow stronger over time until you convince yourself.

However, the 41st Division Commander dared to speak so rudely to Yoshio Shinotsuka because the latter had already been dismissed from his post at the General Headquarters and transferred back to Japan.

During Yoshio Shinotsuka's tenure, he produced so many dismal results, yet he also transformed a team that originated from a small district squad into one that could sway the course of battles.

The Japanese General Staff had begun to question Yoshio Shinotsuka's abilities, and under the influence of the Yamamoto family, they placed the blame for the Independent Detachment's annihilation of so many Japanese and puppet troops on Shinotsuka.

Yoshio Shinotsuka was forced to resign as commander of the First Army and embarked on his journey back to Japan.

He was succeeded by the newly appointed Lieutenant General Iwamatsu, who took over all duties of the Japanese First Army.

After the large-scale mopping-up operation ended, the Japanese detective radio vehicle returned, and all departments resumed contact.

Chen Ming also reported the results of the independent detachment's counter-sweep operations.

In this large-scale mopping-up operation, the Japanese army mobilized 150,000 troops, exceeding the troop strength of the Jinan Campaign.

Under the massive mopping-up operation by the Japanese army, the Eighth Route Army suffered considerable losses, with many units experiencing attrition rates exceeding 40%.

The Independent Detachment, with only over 3,000 casualties, annihilated more than three times the number of Japanese and puppet troops, including over 5,000 Japanese soldiers.

During the counter-sweeping campaign, three county towns were liberated and more than 100,000 mu of farmland were reclaimed.

Such a record is exceptionally impressive within the Eighth Route Army.

If you carefully calculate Chen Ming's record, from when he started leading the district squad in combat to now leading an independent detachment.

They fought countless battles, large and small, winning many victories without a single defeat.

Such achievements were too dazzling, annihilating a large number of Japanese and puppet troops and undertaking several important missions.

During this period, the Japanese army was still very powerful. As long as 10,000 Japanese soldiers participated in the battle, they could inflict tens of thousands of casualties on both the National Revolutionary Army and the Eighth Route Army.

Chen Ming led his troops to annihilate so many Japanese troops, indirectly reducing the losses of countless Chinese troops.

On the Eighth Route Army's side, Chen Ming also earned a nickname.

Thus, after Chen Ming earned the nickname "Tiger of North China" among the Japanese army, he also gained the title "Chen the Ten Thousand" among the Eighth Route Army.

This is not a derogatory title like Sun Quan's "Sun Shiwan," but a genuine honor.

This title has buried the lives of countless enemies.

At headquarters, the division commander looked at the battle report submitted by the independent detachment, and saw the number of enemy troops killed, the spoils captured, the results of the battle, and the amount of land reclaimed by the independent detachment during the counter-sweep.

He was all smiles.

Chen Mingtai really made the 129th Division proud. With his own abilities, he transformed a militia into an invincible and formidable force.

This is enough to demonstrate just how capable Chen Ming is.

The division commander had already made up his mind that no one could take Chen Ming away from their 129th Division's fighting force.

It's one thing to coordinate operations in northwestern Shanxi, but you want to take everything along with the pot and the bowl?
As for seniority, Chen Ming was a squad leader during the Autumn Harvest Uprising. He was later wounded in battle, which is why he did not hold a higher position.

Later, due to injuries, he was able to begin commanding operations independently in 39, which delayed Chen Ming's growth.

Given Chen Ming's abilities, if he hadn't been injured in battle because of his bravery, would he have been able to hold that position?
The division commander has decided that if anyone brings up seniority issues again, he will have a serious talk with them.

At the same time, the division commander also decided that when Chen Ming personally went to the battlefield to survey the terrain in the future, his security forces must be strengthened.

Such an outstanding comrade wasted so much time due to several injuries.

If Chen Ming hadn't been injured and recuperating, how many more Japanese soldiers could he have eliminated and how much pressure could he have relieved during the period from 37 to 39?

When the division commander was happy, the general was equally happy.

The independent detachment annihilated a large number of Japanese troops, a feat that would rank it among the top in the domestic battlefield.

To say that Chen Ming could be worth 100,000 troops is already a very conservative estimate.

The key point is that Chen Ming was different from other generals.

Chen Ming is extremely skilled at waging war of annihilation!

Most of the commanders of the Eighth Route Army today are skilled in guerrilla warfare and sabotage.

This is because the enemy was strong and we were weak, and we were forced by circumstances to avoid engaging the Japanese army in a full-scale battle.

Secondly, most commanders lack experience in large-scale annihilation battles.

Chen Ming, on the other hand, was skilled not only in guerrilla warfare and raiding, but also in annihilation warfare.

In the process of developing from the district squad, there were very few times when the Japanese soldiers were able to break through safely.

Most of the time, they wiped out the Japanese soldiers in organized units.

This is why the independent detachment has such sophisticated weaponry and equipment, and such a rapid development speed.

The key point is that the boss also knows Chen Ming's terrifying command ability.

The troops under command can be organized precisely down to the squad level, and sometimes even to combat teams of just a few men, without becoming disorganized. Troops can be moved and adjusted in real time according to the battlefield situation.

This terrifying command ability is like having a third eye, giving them a complete grasp of the battlefield situation.

If you have this ability to command a detachment, what about 100,000 people?
When commanding 100,000 people, the boss wouldn't require Chen Ming to have the calculation ability to be accurate down to the squad or even the combat team level.

Even if it's accurate down to the platoon level, this capability is terrifying, enough to unleash the combat power of the troops beyond what is expected.

The boss had a premonition that if Chen Ming continued to grow, he would become a commander capable of leading large-scale operations.

After the mopping-up operation ended, the post-war propaganda work was in full swing.

This time, the newspaper was different from the last time, which only published the story of the Independent Detachment annihilating the main force of a Japanese brigade.

Instead, they compiled and summarized the Independent Detachment's achievements in the anti-mopping-up operation, along with the Independent Detachment's previous battles, and published them in major newspapers.

The astonishing achievement of eliminating a huge number of Japanese troops sparked an unprecedented heated discussion across the country.

Now the whole nation knows that Chen Ming of the Independent Detachment not only annihilated the main force of a Japanese brigade, but also crippled the core regiment of a Class A division in this anti-mopping-up operation.

And the cumulative number of enemy casualties is so high, it's equivalent to a battle.

As a result of this propaganda, countless people with patriotic ideals yearned for the Eighth Route Army and the Independent Detachment, and the wave of wanting to come to Shanxi Province to join the Eighth Route Army and the Independent Detachment reached its peak.

The material donations and monetary contributions from all sectors of society are unprecedented.

They shouted various slogans.

"Tighten your belts and support the Eighth Route Army in fighting the Japanese."

"Go to Shanxi Province, join the Eighth Route Army, and fight the Japanese devils!"

"Those with money should contribute money, and those with strength should contribute strength, to protect our homeland!"

Under the influence of this wave, a large number of ambitious young people, supplies, and donations poured into Shanxi Province to fully support the War of Resistance against Japan.

Unlike the public's fervent emotions, Chiang Kai-shek of the Nationalist government was so enraged after seeing the newspaper that he smashed his expensive tea set at home.

"Niang Xipi!"

Chiang Kai-shek cursed loudly.

The Eighth Route Army's Independent Detachment achieved such a brilliant victory, while the Nationalist Army suffered defeat after defeat.

They even fought a humiliating battle like the Battle of Southern Shanxi.

The Japanese have now amassed a large force and are preparing to attack Changsha, which will be another difficult battle.

Politics is a game of strategy. When the Eighth Route Army's support rate in China increased, it meant that the Nationalist government's support rate was decreasing.

How could he not be angry.

His wife, seeing him smash his favorite tea set, asked:
"Darling, what's wrong? What made you so angry?"

"Damn it." He stopped cursing when he saw his wife beside him. "It's that Chen Ming again. This time, under the Japanese army's large-scale mopping-up operation, he has annihilated more than 10,000 enemies."

"This is a good thing, you should be happy."

“How can I be happy? Look at the people outside, what slogans are they shouting, saying they want to go to Shanxi Province to join the Eighth Route Army.”

"The reputation of the Eighth Route Army is growing. If this continues, it's uncertain whether the country will be under the control of the Chang or the Communists."

Chiang Kai-shek said angrily.

"So what do you plan to do now?" the lady asked.

"I haven't figured it out yet. The Eighth Route Army has been sending newspapers everywhere, so the Independent Detachment definitely needs to be commended. But how to do it is giving me a headache."

Chen Ming's record is outstanding; he has annihilated so many Japanese soldiers.

Although these enemy casualties were accumulated, it wasn't a single battle that wiped out so many Japanese and puppet troops.

But the key point is that the troops led by Chen Ming were just a detachment without any official organization. According to intelligence, the main force of this detachment did not even have 10,000 men.

With such a small force and the rudimentary equipment of the Eighth Route Army, they managed to eliminate more than 1.5 times the number of Japanese troops.

Such a dazzling achievement is unparalleled nationwide.

Chen Ming is incredibly skilled in combat!

When Chiang Kai-shek was having a headache, his wife thought for a moment and then asked:
"Is it possible to win Chen Ming over?"

"You mean?"

"People only want three things: money, power, and fame. No one can completely resist the temptation of these three things."

“We can invite Chen Ming to Shancheng under the guise of commendation, and let him name his terms.”

"If he wants money, with our financial resources, are we afraid we can't satisfy him?"

"If he wants power, we can try to win him over with the position of lieutenant general. I don't believe he won't be tempted."

"If we want fame, we can mold him into a famous general. In short, we will do everything possible to give him the fame he desires."

"That's what Chiang Kai-shek's wife said."

"What if he doesn't come?" Chiang Kai-shek asked.

"If he doesn't come, just give him a reward. It's his own fault for not coming, we can't give him anything even if we wanted to, anyway we didn't lose anything."

"If we can win over Chen Ming, it will not only weaken the strength of the Communist army and win over the hearts of the people, but also add a particularly capable general to the National Army."

"Chen Ming achieved such a remarkable victory with a main force of less than 10,000 men and rudimentary equipment. If he came here and was given tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of men to command, would we still have to worry so much about the Japanese offensive?"

The lady analyzed.

After listening, Chiang Kai-shek felt that it made a lot of sense.

Under the guise of commendation and publicity, we will lure Chen Ming to Shancheng. Once he arrives, we will use every means to win him over.

Even if we can't win him over, we can't openly attack him, but we can still reveal Chen Ming's whereabouts to the Japanese spies.

The Japanese soldiers hated Chen Ming to the core and would never let him leave alive.

At that time, we can also take the opportunity to expose the Japanese spies hidden in the mountain city and strike at their intelligence system, killing two birds with one stone.

If you don't come, then there's nothing more to say. We've already shown our sincerity enough. It's your own fault for not coming, so we'll just give you some nominal rewards later.

"Well, let's do it."

Chiang Kai-shek made up his mind.

Chen Ming had no idea what the Nationalist government was thinking.

He is currently organizing the autumn harvest in the base area.

After the battle report was sent to the rear, the rewards from the rear also arrived.

The Independent Detachment's outstanding performance in the counter-sweeping operation directly impacted the Japanese army's counter-sweeping efforts, preventing the Japanese from achieving their strategic objectives.

The independent detachment received an honorary banner inscribed with its name, reading "Ever-Victorious Army".

In addition, it received a significant amount of resource allocation.

P.S.: That's all for today's 5000 words, sorry.

(End of this chapter)