Chapter 91: Alert
The two shocking doorplates, Headquarters of the Jiangsu-Xuzhou-Shandong-Henan-Anhui War Zone of the Republic of China and the Shandong Provincial Government of the Republic of China, were hung at the gate of a farmhouse, looking as ridiculous as they could be.
Although it seems ridiculous, it is a true reflection of the current war situation in Shandong. When the Japanese army, which was unable to make any breakthroughs on the front battlefield, began to focus on the rectification work in the occupied areas, Yu Xuezhong and Miao Chengliu, who were retreating step by step, could only be cramped in the old house of a rural landowner .
Yu Xuezhong was not actually worried about the seven consecutive regiment-level sweeps carried out by the Japanese army in Shandong between April and October 1942. However, the key issue was that as the commander-in-chief of the theater, Yu Xuezhong knew that the Sino-Japanese war had shown a turning point because he was in a high position and had a long-term vision. However, his subordinates did not have as much information channels as he did. Therefore, he was not optimistic about the future of the War of Resistance.
Therefore, after the brothers Shi Yousan and Shi Youxin defected to the enemy, many of Feng Huanzhang's former subordinates in the Jiangsu, Xuzhou, Shandong, Henan and Anhui war zones, as well as local powerful groups in Shandong and other places, defected to the enemy one after another under the enticement of the Shi brothers. The most influential among them was Sun Liangcheng.
Sun Liangcheng was one of Feng Huanzhang's Five Tiger Generals and Thirteen Guardians. After the failure of the Central Plains War, he lived in Tianjin for a while.
After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, he was entrusted by Feng Huanzhang, who had plotted to return to North China but failed, to return to North China to contact his old subordinates. During this period, he also established a relationship with Dai Yunong.
Thanks to the financial support from Chiang's clique and his old relationship with Feng's army, Sun had an army of several thousand men by around 1941 and was appointed by the Shandong Provincial Government as the director of the Luxi Administrative Office and commander-in-chief of the Luxi Guerrilla Army.
However, Sun's intention of coming to North China was not simply to fight against Japan. He was shouldering the two major tasks of realizing Feng's comeback and holding back the Northwest, and he also had the ambition to become the King of Shandong. However, due to the suppression of the Northeast Army, his wish was not easy to achieve, so most of the time he was forced to lie dormant and appear to support Yu and Miao.
Before Shi Yousan's rebellion, he had contacted Sun Liangcheng, but Sun did not agree immediately and instead secretly contacted Guiyang. After obtaining Feng Huanzhang's permission and Chiang's promised support, Sun quietly contacted the Japanese army through Shi Yousan's mediation.
Since western Shandong was very important to the Japanese army in maintaining the situation in Henan, and since the 55th Army, the main force of the Shandong Anti-Japanese Army, was Han Fuqu's old subordinate and had a close relationship with Sun, the Japanese army was very interested in Sun Liangcheng's approach.
The man was in love and the woman was willing to have an affair, so they immediately had an affair.
On September 7, 1941, Sun announced his treason and surrendered to Japan in Liulou, Jinxiang, and took office as the chairman of Henan Province of the Japanese puppet regime and the commander-in-chief of the third and seventh groups of the Imperial Army. "Brother Leshan, congratulations."
It turned out that in the reception room of the landlord, Yu Xuezhong congratulated Cao Fulin.
"Your promotion to the deputy commander-in-chief of the Eighth Army shows that Lanzhou still appreciates your contribution in Shandong. I hope that after the 55th Army goes to Shanxi, it will continue to show its prowess in the anti-Japanese battlefield."
"General Yu, you are kidding. The reason why you moved the 55th Army out of Shandong this time is probably because you are worried that our army will have something to do with traitors like Shi Yousan and Sun Liangcheng."
Cao Fulin's face was not looking good. Although this time it was not a promotion in name only but a demotion in reality, Shandong was the root of the 55th Army. Without the root, even if it could reunite with Sun Tongxuan's troops from the same origin, the Eighth Army would be nothing but a floating duckweed at the mercy of others. What's more, this floating duckweed was about to go to the unfamiliar Jin-Cha War Zone.
"Speaking of things to be celebrated, it's Commander Yu and Chairman Miao. From now on, the Northeast Army will dominate Shandong."
Although Yu Xuezhong remained calm, his eyes became gloomy.
Being the only dominant player sounds good, but Shandong's anti-Japanese war was not going well, so the blame could only be placed on the Northeast Army and on Yu Xuezhong.
What's more, Yu Xuezhong also learned that the Northwest was very dissatisfied with the unfavorable situation of the Anti-Japanese War in Shandong, and it was very likely that a direct division-level detachment would be sent to Shandong within the year.
This troop that was about to go to Shandong might not just be a deterrent military supervisor, but more likely to be a vanguard for grabbing territory. However, he could not express his opposition. After all, it was a fact that Shandong's strength was weakened after the 55th Army was transferred away.
"Brother Leshan, please don't say anything in anger. I am just following orders. This is an overall adjustment, and the movement is not just in Shandong."
Regardless of whether Cao Fulin believed it or not, Yu Xuezhong still explained it.
"Several battle zones have been strengthened. It seems that Lanzhou seems to be preparing something, but you and I haven't received any definite news yet." After sending away Cao Fulin who was about to be transferred, Miao Chengliu, who was sitting behind the screen, came out with a serious face: "Brother Xiaohou, the deputy commander-in-chief has judged that the Northwest has just swallowed up Yang Hucheng's troops, and it is impossible to continue to reduce the vassal state in a short period of time. But in the current situation, we still have to be on guard. In my opinion, we can use the transfer of the 55th Army as an excuse to require the Northwest to restore the original organization of one division and three regiments of Liu Xiaotong's division."
Although a lot of troops were expanded privately in the name of security corps, the core force of the Northeast Army in the Jiangsu, Xuzhou, Shandong, Henan and Anhui war zones was still the original four infantry divisions and two cavalry divisions.
However, as a punishment for the Northeast Army's unfavorable combat performance, the strength of these four infantry divisions was reduced to a reduced organization of one division and two regiments.
In fact, the reduction in relevant funds does not affect the strength of these four divisions, but the problem lies in the supply of ordnance.
Since the Northeast Army had no production capacity of its own, and the joint logistics headquarters of various provinces and war zones were firmly controlled by the Northwest, the third regiments of these four divisions could only use miscellaneous firearms and equipment, and were naturally lacking in combat power.
As Miao Chengliu was talking, he began to complain: "After all, Liu Xiaotong and his men's achievements are more significant than those of the Hebei Militia. Why is it that the Hebei Militia has been organized into a Type A provisional division with one division and three regiments, while we can only maintain a Type B organization?"
Yu Xuezhong thought for a moment and said, "The Hebei militia was given the designation of the 30th Reserve Division because He Guangfu was a veteran cadre of the Northwest Army, so they were also promoted. But we are not the direct descendants of Lanzhou, and it is not so easy to restore the establishment of four regiments at once. Fortunately, Brother Zhuge took over Hubei, Henan and Anhui, and the Third Corps also arrived in the east of the road. The two war zones can take care of each other and make adjustments, which may improve the current situation of lack of guns and ammunition."
"Commander He has just started, and with Ma Hongbin's interference, I'm afraid it will be more difficult than ours."
Miao Chengliu shook his head, obviously thinking that Yu Xuezhong's idea was not a good one.
"It's impossible to let the horse run without letting it eat grass. Brother Xiaohou should complain to Chief of Staff Zhao. I think Zhao Xingsong will consider it."
Speaking of Cao Cao, Cao Cao arrived. Zhao Xingsong's voice rang out from outside: "Where is Chief Yu?"
Yu Xuezhong and Miao Chengliu came out: "The Chief of Staff is looking for me? What's the matter?"
Seeing Miao Chengliu was also there, Zhao Xingsong's eyes froze, but he quickly greeted him as if nothing had happened: "Chairman Miao is here too, which saves the staff from having to run another trip to notify him."
Zhao Xingsong then reported, "Commander Yu, we just received a telegram from Lanzhou saying that Wang Jinzhai's 50th Army will be transferred from southeastern Shanxi. Lanzhou asked us to make necessary preparations for the response."
Yu Xuezhong felt relieved when he found out that the troops coming here were not from the Northwest. He immediately asked, "How powerful is the 50th Army?"
"Originally there were three divisions, namely the new 35th Division, with Wang Jinzhai as the division commander, the new 36th Division, with Deputy Army Commander Liu Wenbo as the division commander, and the 147th Division, with Chao Guangshun as the division commander. However, Chao Guangshun had a bad relationship with Wang Jinzhai, so the 147th Division was transferred to the 15th Army and is currently transferred to Luxi."
The 15th Army was the old blood of the Zhensong Army and was nominally still under Pang Bingxun's 14th Corps, but after being transferred to Luxi, it had actually regained its independence.
Moreover, this independence is only a formal transition. According to the agreement secretly reached between the brothers Liu Zhenhua and Liu Maoen with the Northwest, the army after the transfer will soon be fully Northwest-oriented. The army commander and commander of the 65th Division Liu Maoen and commander of the 64th Division Wu Tinglin will also serve as division commanders of the Northwest Army later. Chao Guangshun, who was unaware of this, has just escaped from the tiger's den and fallen into the wolf's mouth. However, it may not be unlucky for him to be able to integrate into the Northwest quietly in this way.
"Two divisions of troops would be of some benefit to the current war zone."
Yu Xuezhong nodded, withdrew 3 divisions and returned 2 divisions, obviously trying to shut himself up in advance.
"I just don't know how strong the 50th Army is?"
"The 50th Army fought tough battles in southeastern Shanxi. I heard they will change their equipment in Luoyang when they are transferred to the eastern province. They should have some combat capability."
Zhao Xingsong's answer was both an answer and a warning.
"I think his experience in Shanxi will be helpful to the battles behind enemy lines in the eastern province."
Miao Chengliu's face suddenly turned a little embarrassed: "Shandong did not fight well, but there is a reason for this . We don't have enough weapons and ammunition. We can't let the brothers fight the devils with fire sticks."
Even clay has its own character. Miao Chengliu's words were a bit aggressive, so Zhao Xingsong had to fight back: "As for the lack of weapons and ammunition, according to Chairman Miao, the responsibility should be on the Joint Logistics Command. But why did the Military Police Command find out that some troops secretly sold guns and ammunition to the Communists? I want to ask Chairman Miao if this is a contradiction."
Miao Chengliuxiang jumped up immediately like a cat whose tail was stepped on: "The Communist Party is also fighting against Japan. What's wrong with the troops below supporting them with some guns and bullets? As for the so-called exchange of money, it's just speculation and a slander against the provincial government."
"Let's not talk about whether it's slander or not. What's the crime of colluding with the Communist Party? Anti-Japanese? But the kind of anti-Japanese in Suzhong? But the kind of anti-Japanese that caused friction with Zhang Yu and Xie Zikang?"
Zhao Xingsong retorted.
"Or is it that using the Communist Party to eliminate the Zhang and Xie factions is the Shandong Provincial Government's anti-Japanese campaign?"
Zhao Xingsong said grimly.
"Perhaps, Deputy Commander-in-Chief Zhang supports your resistance against Japan in this way."
"Chief of Staff Zhao, what are you talking about?"
Seeing that the Northwest was trying to put the blame on the entire Northeast Army, Yu Xuezhong had to step forward.
"Chairman Miao is indeed responsible for not governing his subordinates strictly, but is this just a one-sided problem? The war zone is still very alert to the Communist Party's failure to resist Japan and create friction."
"Master Yu, please forgive me. I, as the Chief of Staff, am only a channel for communication. Since Master Yu has noticed the seriousness of the problem, I hope we can make up for it. Otherwise..."
Zhao Xingsong turned and left. Miao Chengliu angrily said to Yu Xuezhong: "Chief Yu, look. "
"Don't say any more. We really need to control the situation down there. The Northwest won't touch our territory for the time being, but judging from the situation in Central Jiangsu, the Communist Party is going to swallow us whole."
Yu Xuezhong spread rumors to Miao Cheng who seemed to be thinking about something.
"Han Deqin underestimated the Communist Party too much, which is why he is now squeezed out and has nowhere to survive."
