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

Chapter 263 Puppet Army Company Commander: I'd Eat Shit to Survive!
Chen Ming had a good understanding of the special operations team's telegram.

Given the situation in Baotou, infiltrating there would be extremely difficult. Chen Ming sent the special operations team to try, just to give it a shot.

If it succeeds, all the better. After paralyzing the Japanese armored division in Baotou, more troops can be freed up, and there will be no need to deploy heavy troops to surround the Japanese inside Baotou.

After all, the combat effectiveness of an armored division and a division that has lost its armor is completely different.

With armored forces gone, Chen Ming only needed to send two battalions to guard the outskirts of Baotou to use the weather to trap the Japanese soldiers inside and prevent them from breaking out.

Chen Ming had to place the Japanese armored divisions, which possessed armored capabilities, in Baotou, along with their special forces, rocket artillery battalion, anti-tank battalion, and air defense battalion.

At the same time, at least one unit from the third, fourth, or fifth battalion should be stationed in Baotou for auxiliary defense.

This would tie down part of the Independent Detachment's strength, preventing Chen Ming from fully engaging the Japanese in a decisive battle.

The use of troops will also be more cautious.

After all, no one can ignore the existence of an armored division.

Now the special operations brigade reports the situation and seeks instructions.

Chen Ming lit a cigarette and smoked it, lost in thought.

Chen Ming understood the psychology of the puppet troops and knew what they were seeking.

The commander of the puppet army division was more inclined to surrender to the Nationalist army than to our army, for the following reasons.

The first factor is identity. In the minds of the puppet troops, the legitimate government is still the Nationalist government, while our army can only be considered a local regime and is not within their primary consideration.

Among the puppet troops, some senior officers were originally officers in the Nationalist government's ranks, and their acceptance of surrendering to the Nationalist government was certainly greater than that of surrendering to our army.

The second issue is strength; the overall strength of our army is definitely lower than that of the Nationalist army.

Previously, the puppet troops preferred to surrender to the Nationalist army rather than our army, simply because they felt that our army was just a bunch of guerrillas with poor equipment and weak strength, and that there was no future in following them.

However, this is not a problem for Chen Ming.

In the entire northern part of Shanxi Province, can we find any of our own troops that are stronger than the Independent Detachment?

The most powerful Suiyuan Army in Suiyuan, compared to the strength of the Independent Detachment, was at most equivalent to a reinforced battalion.

The reinforced battalion of the Independent Detachment, with the added quality of its soldiers and combat effectiveness from Chen Ming's badge group, was already capable of contending with the veterans of the elite Japanese Class A divisions in the early stages of the War of Resistance.

In terms of combat effectiveness, they had an absolute advantage over the Suiyuan Army.

Moreover, in addition to its own strength, the reinforced battalion of the independent detachment also had the support of the command headquarters.

Whether in terms of artillery firepower, armored forces, or logistical support capabilities, they are superior to the Suiyuan Army.

There were three such reinforced battalions in the independent detachment, plus three ordinary battalions. What could the Suiyuan Army compare to?

Were the Japanese troops stationed in Mongolia and the puppet Mongolian troops being chased and beaten by the Independent Detachment, losing large areas of occupied territory, and forced to cower in big cities and hold out?
However, the Suiyuan Army had most of the Suiyuan region under the control of the Independent Detachment, and Guihua was also in the hands of the Independent Detachment.

With such formidable strength, the second question is no longer an issue.

The third question concerns the status and position after surrendering.

A significant portion of the high-ranking officers in the puppet army were former officers of the Nationalist Army.

Even after surrendering, they still maintained connections within the Nationalist army, so their own strength was minimally affected and their status was preserved to the greatest extent possible.

After all, in the National Revolutionary Army, having troops meant having strength and confidence.

Those who surrender to our army will definitely undergo reorganization and training, and the status of senior officers in the puppet army will inevitably be affected, and they may even lose their military power directly.

For a general, losing military power is equivalent to losing everything.

Especially for puppet army officers who had experienced the warlord era, having troops under their command was essential for others to respect them.

Without soldiers, he is nothing.

Finally, there is one more point: after the puppet army officers surrendered, they were worried about being purged by our army.

After surrendering to the Nationalist army, what did it matter to kill a few civilians?
As long as we can support him, it will be beneficial to the overall situation, and there is a high probability that we can retain power.

Therefore, to get the puppet army division commander to surrender, it is simply a matter of resolving these issues.

The main questions are the first, second, and last ones.

However, Chen Ming is not someone who compromises easily and will not back down on some key issues.

It would be good if the false strategist could surrender, but if he remained stubborn, Chen Ming wouldn't mind eliminating him directly.

Anyway, the puppet military division in Baotou was just pushed out by the Japanese to fight the Independent Detachment and was just a unit sent to their deaths.

Just after the Independent Detachment occupied a large area of ​​land, it formed many new units.

These troops were sent to fight against the puppet army, serving as a training exercise for the troops.

Although the weather is cold, with temperatures dropping to minus fifteen degrees Celsius?

Is this a problem?
Does the cold weather mean we won't fight?
Warfare knows no season, and training takes into account neither heat nor cold.

Our Party's troops are ready to face any challenge at any time.

Moreover, it was just sending troops to train in rotation, not large-scale combat, so there wasn't much pressure on logistics.

Meanwhile, news came from the arsenal that some new weapons had been developed, and these puppet troops could be used to test the effectiveness of these new weapons.

Finally, Chen Ming sent instructions to the special operations brigade via telegram.

The following conditions must be clarified:

First, life safety can be guaranteed; this is an ironclad rule.

Second, the military structure can be retained, but it must undergo reorganization and training. Once the reorganization and training are completed and the military structure is deemed satisfactory, the military structure can be retained.

Third, for politically qualified officers, their positions may not be revoked (they hold honorary positions, but their actual troops are controlled by cadres dispatched by our army).

Fourth, the livelihood of family members can be solved, and housing and land for cultivation will be allocated.

These four conditions are the highest conditions Chen Ming has given. If there are any other demands, Chen Ming will not make any concessions.

We can always fight it out, but then we won't have that option anymore.

Chen Ming wanted to let the senior officers of the puppet army know that if they couldn't get it at the negotiating table, they shouldn't expect to get it on the battlefield either.

At the same time, Chen Ming also gave instructions to the special operations brigade.

If the commander of the puppet army division remains obstinate, one could consider starting with the deputy commander of the puppet army division.

The former commander of the puppet army division in Baotou had been killed by Xu Desheng and his cavalry detachment, for which Chen Ming had commended the unit.

The current commander of the puppet army division was reinstated by the Japanese, and his position is not as stable as the original commander, nor does he have strong control over his subordinates.

Moreover, this deputy division commander of the puppet army was originally the most likely successor to the division commander, but the Japanese promoted a puppet army division commander they trusted from other units.

He may well harbor resentment, after all, the position that rightfully belonged to him was taken away by someone who was parachuted in.

Chen Ming instructed that if the commander of the puppet army division firmly refused to surrender, then they could consider starting with the former deputy commander of the puppet army division.

The puppet troops gather for profit and disperse for profit, and it is not uncommon for them to betray their own superiors.

After the telegram was sent to the special operations brigade, Duan Peng immediately felt reassured.

Once the command center granted them the authority, they were able to do many more things.

"Let's capture someone to interrogate him and have him try to contact the commander of the puppet army."

Duan Peng spoke up.

The most basic condition for turning a puppet army division commander against his will is to establish contact.

Given Duan Peng's personality, capturing someone to relay a message was the easiest and quickest method. This way, there was no fear of being exposed. During the standoff in Baotou, our troops on the opposing side were making daily propaganda calls for the Baotou troops to surrender.

"Alright, I'll take some men to arrest them right away," the captain of the second squadron said.

"Yes, be careful. It would be better to catch someone of a higher rank; that would make things easier later," Duan Peng instructed.

"Yes."

A night passed, and the captain of the second company returned with a puppet army officer, who was also a company commander.

"Reporting to the battalion commander, we have captured a company commander of the puppet army. Please give instructions."

The captain of the second squadron said, puffing out his chest.

It's not easy to capture a puppet army company commander at a time like this.

The puppet troops were all hiding inside fortifications, under the supervision of the Japanese, waiting in comfort. It was very difficult for even a puppet officer, let alone a company commander, to survive.

However, the second squadron still managed to do it.

When it comes to infiltration through disguise, special forces are professionals.

In terms of Japanese language skills and imitation of the demeanor of Japanese officers, many Japanese officers could not match the special forces cadres.

They couldn't infiltrate Baotou, but infiltrating a puppet army stronghold shouldn't be a problem.

After ascertaining the situation, the Second Company disguised themselves as Japanese soldiers on patrol and successfully infiltrated a defensive fortification southwest of Baotou.

They successfully wiped out the Japanese soldiers inside, eliminated a large number of puppet troops, and captured the puppet army company commander in charge of the fortification's defense.

After bringing the man to Duan Peng, the puppet army company commander, terrified out of his wits, immediately knelt before him, weeping and crawling:
"Grandpa Eighth Route Army, spare my life! I'll do whatever you want me to do."

The puppet army company commander wasn't stupid. He knew that this group of troops, who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, had wiped out his men but captured him, so there must be something they needed him to do.

Whether I survive or not now depends on my own performance.

There is an old Chinese saying: "Those who understand the times are heroes."

The puppet army company commander was well aware of this tactic and therefore cooperated fully.

As usual, Duan Peng inquired about the situation in Baotou, and the puppet army company commander told him everything he knew without reservation.

Is there anything wrong with these messages?

After isolating the puppet army company commander, Duan Peng asked the captain of the first company.

"I just asked the troops besieging Baotou, and they said that this information is basically correct and matches the information they have gathered."

"That's what the squadron leader replied."

"Well, he's honest enough that he didn't try anything funny," Duan Peng nodded.

Then, Duan Peng successfully returned to the interrogation room and told the puppet army company commander about his plan to turn the puppet army division commander against the puppet army.

"What? You want me to contact my superior?"

"I'm just a company commander, how could I possibly meet a division commander?"

The puppet army company commander was surprised after hearing this.

He was just a lowly company commander, while the commander of the puppet army division was the highest-ranking officer of the puppet army in Baotou, not counting the Japanese soldiers within the puppet army division.

The gap between the two was like a chasm; how could he possibly have any chance of contacting his superior?

"I don't care about that, that's your problem. I just want the result."

"If you can succeed, you'll have done a great service and your life will be saved."

“If you can’t do it, your puppet troops can’t enter Baotou. If a bullet or shell lands on your head, you’re finished.”

"Don't think you can hide and we won't find you once you go back."

"If a company commander has no soldiers left, do you think your superior will send you to recruit new soldiers, or will he simply dismiss you and investigate you?"

"Besides, you know the situation in Baotou. It's only November now, there are still several months to go. Are you sure you can survive the next few months?"

Duan Peng spoke up.

He didn't care about the difficulties or obstacles; all he knew was that people don't know their limits unless they push themselves.

Are company commanders of puppet troops unable to see division commanders, battalion commanders, or even regimental commanders?
There's always a way if you put your mind to it.

The puppet army company commander had no choice but to accept the mission despite his reluctance.

He didn't dare to try anything funny, given the fighting strength of this unit, which had been able to easily wipe out one of his companies and bring him back.

He knew how powerful this unit was; it might be difficult to deal with their division commander and brigade commander, but dealing with a company commander like him would be a piece of cake.

If the other party is determined to kill you, you have no ability to resist.

Unless the Japanese agree to let him enter Baotou, or transfer him to the logistics unit.

But how could that be?

A company commander who had brought ruin to his unit while suffering zero casualties to the enemy was lucky to escape being killed outright. Why would the high-ranking Japanese and puppet troops transfer him to a safe place?

Moreover, Baotou is currently besieged, surrounded by Eighth Route Army troops.

The puppet army company commander dared not gamble, unsure whether they could successfully break through the siege.

His only chance of survival now is to find a way to contact his mentor.

After returning to the camp on the outskirts of Baotou, the puppet army company commander did not go directly back to his unit. Instead, he found a latrine, endured the stench, and jumped in, covering himself in filth.

This is how he explained why he was able to come back alive.

Otherwise, if everyone else died and you were the only one who came back alive, wouldn't that mean you betrayed us?

Hiding in a cesspool is a good excuse.

At the same time, one can use their own embarrassment to divert some attention.

After the company commander of the puppet army returned to the camp, someone immediately informed the battalion commander of the puppet army about the situation.

The puppet army company commander delivered the speech he had prepared.

He claimed that he was in the outhouse when he was suddenly attacked by the Eighth Route Army.

I was terrified and crawled into the cesspool, hiding there for a whole night before daring to come out.

He escaped capture by the Eighth Route Army because he hid in the cesspool.

This reason seems quite reasonable at first glance. It was dark at the time, and the stench of the cesspool meant that the Eighth Route Army did not conduct a thorough search, making it highly likely that he escaped unscathed.

After all, who would bother going down into a latrine and rummage through the excrement to see if anyone is hiding inside?

Sometimes, the more absurd the reason, the more credible it is.

The puppet army battalion commander believed his company commander's story, after all, he knew his men all too well.

To survive, they might not only jump into a cesspool, but they might even eat everything inside.

The puppet soldiers told him to quickly find a place to wash himself clean, because the Japanese soldiers wanted to question him and find out what had happened.

The puppet army company commander breathed a sigh of relief after meeting the battalion commander.

Once you pass the first hurdle, the rest won't be difficult.

This one incident alone has made him famous.

(End of this chapter)