Luo Feng persuaded Lei Peng and Ding Li to join the independent group, but they were firmly opposed by them.
Seeing that Lei Peng and Ding Li were resolute, Luo Feng didn't say much. After all, there was no rush to do this. Even if the Japs urgently mobilized troops from Nanjing and Wuhu to counterattack Feicheng, it would take seven days at the earliest to arrive. , he still has time to slowly persuade Ding Li and Lei Peng, and he can always convince them.
Luo Feng also really wanted to understand that the hope of China's war of resistance lies in Xi Jinping, and the hope of the Chinese nation's great rejuvenation can only be in Xi Jinping. If it weren't for his promise to the brigade, he himself would Join the independent group, but now, they can only send Lei Peng and Ding Li to join the independent group.
However, before Luo Feng could find another opportunity to do Ding Li and Lei Peng's ideological work, Xu Rui found him first and in turn did his ideological work.
After hearing Xu Rui's explanation of his purpose, Luo Feng couldn't help but wonder, and asked: "Captain Xu, do you actually think that I should accept the order from the war zone commander?"
"Yes." Xu Rui nodded and said, "I think you should accept it!"
"Why?" Luo Feng said in confusion, "Captain Xu, are you trying to tell me that your independent regiment will help us defend Feicheng and can hold Feicheng for at least half a month? Are you? You want to tell me that the Third Theater Zone has a chance to encircle the Japanese group heading north? So, no matter how much we pay, it is worth it."
Xu Rui said: "I don't want to say this to you, but the facts are facts. For now, it may be difficult for the third theater to independently encircle and annihilate the Japanese group heading north, but if the fifth theater can fully cooperate, then the total of the two theaters combined More than a hundred main divisions of the National Army still have a chance to win this battle!"
What Xu Rui said is also true. As long as the National Army's Third Theater Command does not make small calculations and can cooperate with the Fifth Theater Command, and as long as Chairman Chiang no longer directs blindly, then the two theaters combined will still have more than one million Nationalist troops. There is a great opportunity to encircle and annihilate the 9th and 13th divisions of the Japanese group heading north near Fuyang and Mengcheng.
Of course, there are two prerequisites for this. One is that Feicheng can be defended, and the other is that the Fifth War Zone can block the southward cluster of the North China Front Army, and cannot allow the Japanese 14th and 16th Divisions going south to compete with the 9th and 13th Divisions going north. As long as these two prerequisites are achieved for the divisions to join forces, it will be possible to encircle and annihilate the 9th and 13th Divisions.
However, to be fair, Xu Rui does not believe that these two prerequisites can be realized at the same time. Even if Feicheng can be defended, it will be difficult for Xuzhou to prevent the Japanese army from going south. However, Xu Rui still insists on defending Feicheng. Because Xu Rui doesn’t want the historical tragedy of the Yellow River bursting its banks to happen again.
Historically, due to the smooth rendezvous between the Japanese's northward group and the southward group in Shangqiu, the battle of Lanfeng was defeated. In order to prevent the Japanese army from advancing westward along the Longhai Line, the National Supreme Army Command brazenly ordered the Huayuankou to be blown up, and torrential floods poured down. , flooded the entire Huanghuai River Basin, causing millions of people to drown and 30 million people to be displaced.
On the way to Guanzhong, more than a million people froze to death, starved to death or were run over by trains. This can be said to be the worst humanitarian disaster in the history of World War II.
However, the irony is that apart from causing certain losses to the Japanese 14th Division, the Yellow River bursting its banks failed to play a substantial role, and its strategic role was almost zero!
Before the Yellow River burst its banks, the Japanese base camp had two opinions on the march route for the Battle of Wuhan. One believed that heavy troops should be concentrated on the North China Plain and then move south along the Ping-Han Line; the other believed that heavy troops should be concentrated on the Yangtze River and use the convenient The Yangtze River water transport followed the Yangtze River all the way west, approaching Wuhan.
Both routes have their own advantages and disadvantages. Going south along the Ping-Han Line will help the Japanese army take advantage of mechanization, but the transportation and supply lines will become very long and easy to be attacked. Going west along the Yangtze River will make logistical support easier. , water transportation is not only safer but also faster than land transportation.
However, the complex terrain on both sides of the Yangtze River is not conducive to mobile operations by large corps.
After repeated discussions, the opinion of attacking Wuhan along the Yangtze River finally prevailed. In other words, even if the Nationalist Government did not blow up Huayuankou, the Japanese army would not move south along the Ping-Han Railway in a large scale, but would still advance westward along the Yangtze River. This means that the strategic significance of the Nationalist government's blowing up Huayuankou is equal to zero!
Sometimes, the truth of history is so helpless and so outrageous.
The three major humanitarian disasters during the Anti-Japanese War, the Huayuankou embankment burst, the Changsha fire, and the Chongqing air-raid shelter suffocation accident, could have been avoided. It was only because of the cowardice of the Kuomintang and the incompetence of the Nationalist government that they finally led to such tragedy. **, it’s really embarrassing to say it.
As a time traveler, Xu Rui certainly doesn't want such a thing to happen again.
But it was impossible for Xu Rui to tell Luo Feng such a reason, and there was no way to tell it, because now, digging the Yellow River when necessary to block the Japanese attack is a secret, and it is impossible for a small battalion commander like Luo Feng to know about it, so, Xu Rui can only make a fuss about the ambitions of the commander of the Third War Zone.
Xu Rui did not expect that the Third War Zone could really annihilate the Japanese group heading north.
What Xu Rui really hopes is that even if the Third War Zone cannot completely annihilate the Japanese group heading north, it can at least force the Japanese group heading south to rush south for reinforcements. As long as the Japanese group heading south does not advance along the Longhai Line to Zhengzhou, the National Army Headquarters will probably You won't panic and order the garden entrance to be blown up, right
This is Xu Rui's full plan.
In order to prevent the tragedy of Huayuankou bursting from happening again, Xu Rui really worked hard!
Xu Rui added: "There is a saying that I don't know if Camp Commander Luo has heard of it. Try your best and prepare for the worst. Although the possibility of gathering and annihilating the Japanese troops heading north is small, it does not prevent us from doing our best for this goal." We have tried our best, but the final result is still not ideal, so we have no regrets, otherwise, in the long life to come, when we look back on this matter, Camp Commander Luo dare to say that he has a clear conscience?"
Luo Feng was silent when he heard this. Yes, if it was really because of his personal reasons that the high command's plan to annihilate the Japanese group going north was in vain, even if the high command did not hold him responsible, in the long journey of life in the future, When he looks back on this incident, can he really have a clear conscience
Luo Feng's determination finally wavered and said: "Captain Xu, do you think I should accept the order?"
"Yes, I insist that you should accept the order from the superior department." Xu Rui said very sincerely.
"Okay, I listen to you. I accept the order from the commander-in-chief and be the brigade commander." Luo Feng nodded heavily and added, "But you have to help me. My Wanzhong Advance Brigade is still missing. If you If you don't want to help me, with less than 200 remaining soldiers under my command, I can only hold Feicheng for one day at best."
"No problem." Xu Rui said decisively, "Our Dameishan Independent Regiment will do our best to help your troops defend the city! For this reason, we will not hesitate to spend all our resources."
Xu Rui told the truth. He was really willing to spend the entire independent group for this.
Of course, it must be explained that Xu Rui's willingness to fight all the Independent Regiment is not for the battle plan of the third theater, but for the tens of millions of innocent people in the Huanghuai River Basin. If the sacrifice of the Independent Regiment can really be exchanged for the three thousand innocent people in the Huanghuai River Basin, Tens of thousands of people live and work in peace and contentment, so what's the point of regretting their death
(Dividing line)
Wan Xiangyun walked into Gu Shutong's office excitedly and said, "General Manager, Luo Feng has called back."
"Oh?" Gu Shutong, who was concentrating with his eyes closed, immediately opened his eyes and asked eagerly, "What should I say?"
"He agreed. He said that even if the Wanchong Advance Brigade fights to the last man, it will also fight to the death with Feicheng!" Wan Xiangyun said as he handed the telegram to Gu Shutong, and then continued, "It seems that Luo Feng You and Xu Rui are both smart people, and they have already accepted your suggestion, hahaha."
After a pause, Wan Xiangyun continued: "The only drawback is that the Supreme Command actually took over the command power from our third theater, and in the end we became someone else's wedding dress."
"Old Wan, you are overthinking." Gu Shutong waved his hand and said calmly, "If this thing is done, the Japanese group going north will be completely wiped out, but no one can do it because of your and my efforts. It cannot be taken away.”
Wan Xiangyun chuckled and said, "What the president said is absolutely true. I think too much because of my humble position."
Gu Shutong changed the topic and continued: "By the way, in the morning, there was a sudden high-density radio communication between the Japanese Army's Central China Front and the country. Did the Technical Department of Fuxing Society find out what happened?"
"Look at my memory. I wanted to say this just now, but I forgot about it as soon as Luo Feng's telegram interfered with it." Wan Xiangyun slapped his forehead fiercely and said excitedly, "What happened in the morning at the Fuxing Society has already happened." After investigation, it was said that the commander of the Japanese Central China Front, Shan Shanyuan, committed seppuku and committed suicide."
"What are you talking about? Shanshan Yuan committed hara-kiri." The ancient trees were stunned when they heard this.
"Yes, I never expected that Shan Shanyuan would commit seppuku." Wan Xiangyun sighed, and then said disapprovingly, "But I really don't understand, why did Shan Shan Yuan commit seppuku?"
"This is not all thanks to Xu Rui." Gu Shutong said with a sigh, "After the Kawaguchi detachment was completely wiped out, the Japanese base camp and the Japanese royal family were extremely disappointed with Shan Shanyuan, although they did not formally dismiss him. , but everyone knows that if Shan Shanyuan cannot perform well in the future, he will be dismissed sooner or later."
Wan Xiangyun continued: "Unfortunately, Shanshan Yuan lost Feicheng again right after."
"Yes, the fall of Feicheng would be a fatal blow to the Japanese army!" Gu Shutong exclaimed, "If Shan Shanyuan does not want to suffer the humiliation of being dismissed, if he does not want to repeat the mistakes of his predecessor Matsui Iwane, if he wants To protect his dignity, the only way is to commit seppuku, but this old devil is really capable of doing it."
"Yes." Wan Xiangyun was convinced, "How much pain would it have to have to commit seppuku?"