PFC Chapter 260 The Southern Expedition: Li Jianghe's Request
Chapter 260 The Southern Expedition: Li Jianghe's Request
Those two places are the gateways to Wuhan. If we lose them, the battles that follow will be much more difficult.
Meanwhile, in the De'an and Lushan areas, several Japanese divisions, including the 106th and 101st Divisions, were launching a fierce attack towards De'an.
In addition, the Japanese army's Hata Detachment, Yoshizumi Ryosuke's 9th Division, and Honma Masaharu's 27th Division continued westward after capturing Ruichang.
Xue Yue's First Army Corps was organizing twenty divisions to fight fiercely against the Japanese invaders in this area.
However, how long he could withstand the fierce attacks of the Japanese invaders was truly unknown.
Twenty divisions may sound like a lot, but the Japanese firepower was several times greater than theirs.
After each round of shelling, a large number of people would be missing from the position.
"Does this mean we're going to move the main force of our Third Column to the Jiujiang front to fight? That place isn't suitable for our mechanized forces."
Bai Chengshan spoke directly, his voice as loud as ever, so loud that the teacups on the table trembled slightly.
Wang Dayong, who was standing nearby, said, "Even if it's not suitable, we have to go. If this place can't hold on, then Wuhan will still fall."
There was no complaint in his tone, only a simple truth—fighting is not about picking and choosing; you go wherever you are needed.
Lin Yongzhi suggested, "Let's see what the higher-ups think. Anyway, as long as we can fight the Japanese, anything goes."
He rubbed his hands together, a simple, honest smile on his face, as if fighting and farming were similar to him, both being physically demanding jobs.
Li Jianghe also said at this moment: "There is no such thing as suitable or unsuitable. Our troops can only make full use of their mobility advantage when fighting in mountainous terrain, but their ability to attack fortified positions is still incomparable to that of ordinary infantry."
As he said this, he was also making plans in his mind.
The fighting in the northern foothills of the Dabie Mountains has basically ended.
It would be somewhat difficult for their own Third Column to launch a proactive attack on the defensive line formed by the Japanese 13th Division, the Imperial Guard Division, and several other units under Nishio Toshizo.
Although those Japanese troops were also badly damaged, they held their ground in their fortifications and fought back. Taking them down would have cost them a lot.
It would be better to head south and relieve the Nationalist army's siege.
Moreover, according to his calculations, the Battle of Wanjialing was not far off.
Moreover, there were old acquaintances there—Ryosuke Yoshizumi and his Ninth Division.
This old Japanese soldier was also one of the main culprits in the Nanjing Massacre.
Li Jianghe naturally had no reason to let him off the hook.
Just thinking about Yoshizumi Ryosuke's face made Li Jianghe's fingers involuntarily clench.
Accounts must be settled one by one, and people must be killed one by one.
That afternoon, Li Jianghe took a car to Gushi.
Upon entering the Fifth War Zone Command Headquarters, Li Jianghe was quite surprised to find that there was another person there.
That person was none other than Commander He.
"Rivers, how have you been since we parted in Wuhan?"
Commander He said with a smile, his face crinkling with wrinkles.
After saluting, Li Jianghe asked, feigning ignorance, "Commander He, what brings you to the Fifth War Zone...?"
He knew perfectly well what else Commander He could be doing here at this time—he wanted to divert troops from here to reinforce the Yangtze River region.
But he didn't want to appear too eager, so he wanted to let the other person speak first.
Commander He gestured for them to come in: "Let's go inside and discuss this in more detail."
His movements were unhurried and deliberate, as if he had already planned it out.
After entering the operations room, Commander He personally explained the current battle situation around Wuhan, especially the battles on both sides of the Yangtze River and in the direction of Nanxun.
He held a thin baton in his hand, pointing at the map and drawing a small circle on it for each place name he mentioned.
Through the explanation, Li Jianghe gained a deeper understanding.
His previous predictions about the situation in Jiujiang were based more on historical data than on current intelligence.
The current situation in Jiujiang is completely different from that in the past.
There are several main points.
First, the Japanese troops assembled in this direction are larger and have more firepower.
Some troops that had never been deployed to this area in history were drawn by the Japanese army, including several elite divisions from the mainland, such as the Japanese 7th Division, which had been stationed in the mountainous areas of Hokkaido for a long time.
The soldiers in that division were all experts in mountain warfare, and dressed in snowsuits, they appeared like ghosts in the vast white forest.
Secondly, the Nationalist army's war situation became even more unfavorable.
Historically, Xue Yue's First Army Corps was locked in a stalemate with the Japanese army in this region for quite some time. Although the losses were still quite heavy, they were at least able to barely maintain the entire front line and fight back and forth with Okamura Yasuji.
But now the situation is completely different—the Japanese firepower is too fierce, not only on the ground, but also on the surface and air forces.
If it weren't for the Soviet-aided air force, the Nationalist army would have had absolutely no air superiority in this region.
If it weren't for the Soviet-aided air force, the Nationalist army would have had absolutely no air superiority in this region.
Those Soviet pilots flew their fighter planes and engaged in dogfights with the Japanese in the sky. One after another, they crashed, but they still gritted their teeth and kept going.
"In short, the war is at a stalemate, but we can't hold out for long. The gap in overall national strength between the two countries is simply too great."
After Commander He finished speaking, his brows furrowed into a knot that seemed impossible to untie.
He turned to look at Commander Li and Commander Bai, his tone earnest:
"That's why the Chairman personally sent me here, hoping to borrow some troops to fight on the southern front."
As he said this, his gaze finally fell on Li Jianghe.
There was expectation in his eyes, but also a hint of uncertainty.
It goes without saying that in the entire northern foothills of the Dabie Mountains, the only troops that could be mobilized to fight the Japanese invaders were Li Jianghe's Third Column.
As for the Northwest Army, they had already suffered heavy losses in fierce battles with the Japanese invaders in the Gushi area, with their overall casualties exceeding half.
Unable to replenish its ranks in a short period of time, it essentially lost the ability to continue fighting.
The soldiers of the Northwest Army were covered in dust and dirt, their bodies wrapped in bandages, dozing against the corner of the wall, their faces etched with exhaustion.
The same was true for Song Xilian's 71st Army, which suffered more than half of its casualties.
They held off the offensive of two main Japanese divisions in the Fujin Mountain area, and even launched a counter-offensive afterward, at a very heavy cost.
Finally, there was Hu Zongnan's First Army.
Li Jianghe guessed that the principal probably wouldn't move this unit, because he still needed to rely on it to guard Xinyang—the northern gateway to Wuhan.
Therefore, Commander He was actually targeting Li Jianghe this time.
Commander Li and Commander Bai exchanged a glance before slowly speaking:
"Jiang He, what do you think?"
He did not force Li Jianghe.
If Li Jianghe was unwilling to lead the Third Column south to fight, but instead wanted to continue fighting the Japanese invaders on the northern slopes of the Dabie Mountains, then Commander Li would insist on keeping him there no matter what.
After all, the Third Column is currently the most capable force in the Fifth War Zone. If it is let go, the pressure on the northern front will fall entirely on the Northwest Army and the First Army.
Commander Bai reminded him, "Just tell the truth. There are no outsiders here, and Commander He won't force you."
As he said this, he looked up at Commander He, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Right? Jingzhi."
Commander He chuckled and looked kindly at Li Jianghe: "Yes, I wonder what you think, Jianghe."
His smile was gentle, but Li Jianghe knew that beneath that smile lay the principal's orders and the pressure of the entire battle situation.
Li Jianghe pondered for a moment, tapped his fingers lightly twice on the edge of the table, and then said:
"My troops can go south to fight, but not all of them can be transferred there; a portion must be left on the northern slopes of the Dabie Mountains. I also have other requirements."
The reason for saying this is that the terrain there is indeed not suitable for the full deployment of mechanized troops.
Li Jianghe planned to send some light armored vehicle units, as well as infantry, artillery, and air defense units, south to fight.
However, the tank detachment should be left in the north as a precaution.
If the Japanese invaders were to advance westward again, the tank detachment at Baicheng Mountain could at least play a restraining role, preventing the northern front from collapsing all at once.