Chapter 139: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 139 Sun Yuanlang, Don't Say I Didn't Warn You

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Sun Yuanlang was modest, but when it came to fighting, modesty and flattery wouldn't do; if desertion happened in his own forces, he wouldn't be as sentimental and easygoing as the President.

Lv Muzhi smiled: "What's so great about being a Ji Jun Zhang or Group Army Commander? My happiest times were being an elementary school teacher in Shanghai;

if it hadn't been for the President and Chief Liu appointing generals back then, I might have been an instructor at Whampoa, or even the principal; of course, teaching at the military academy isn't bad either, but the army offers me a broader sky!"

Lv Muzhi looked at the conference stenographer beside him and waved his hand: "Hey, hey, stop recording, you go out for a moment."

The conference stenographer packed up his paper and pen, stood up, and left.

"This closed-door meeting has no outsiders, so I'll speak plainly."

Hearing Lv Muzhi speak so seriously, everyone straightened their bodies, staring at Lv Muzhi.

"I don't require you to win battles; my consistent goal is to inflict maximum casualties on the enemy while preserving our own strength."

Everyone nodded.

"Note that I mean inflicting casualties on the enemy comes first, preserving strength comes second; don't take it to the extreme of literally only caring about saving your own skin and abandoning your troops' lives—such people, I will execute under battlefield discipline."

Hearing these words, Song Xilian glanced slightly at Sun Yuanlang beside him.

Sun Yuanlang had once been a deserter, yet became a German-equipped division commander, and now, like me, he got a 72nd Army commander post—who benefited from this?

This was simply setting a very bad example for the troops; Song Xilian was also very dissatisfied, but since the Principal personally appointed the general, he had no right to criticize.

But now Lv Muzhi brought up the past directly at this closed-door meeting, practically serving as the mouthpiece for other Whampoa soldiers.

He was probably the first person to dare put this directly on the meeting agenda.

Wang Jingjiu and Qiu Qingquan also glanced sideways, looking at Sun Yuanlang.

Sun Yuanlang's ears turned red, but he remained seated motionless, as if Lv Muzhi was talking about someone else.

"Ah~ Brother Wei Yue is overthinking; our Ninth Army Group won't have such scum!" Song Xilian said lightly.

"Exactly, exactly; even if there were, after this closed-door meeting, I don't think he'd dare do that, right?" Qiu Qingquan said deliberately, as if he knew nothing.

As soon as Qiu Qingquan finished, Sun Yuanlang stood up directly, breathing heavily, and everyone looked up at him.

"Brother Wei Yue's words are exactly what I think! I state my position: if my 88th Division has deserters, I, Sun Yuanlang, will not tolerate the first one!"

"Good!" Lv Muzhi, who had been leaning back in his chair, now sat up straight.

"Everyone heard that; I've given fair warning: whoever violates discipline, I will personally enforce battlefield discipline—don't say I didn't warn you!"

Everyone stood up and said firmly: "Yes!"

Lv Muzhi pressed the button beside his chair, and the stenographer waiting outside came back in.

Lv Muzhi said: "You may record now; Qiu Qingquan, you explain the defense zone division!"

Qiu Qingquan stood up: "Now I'll divide everyone's defense zones; currently my Youth Army has two divisions and four brigades, among them the Liao Yaoxiang Brigade is seconded to the Fifteenth Group Army to defend Luodian, the Zhang Fei Brigade is seconded to the Eighth Group Army to defend Jinshanwei, meaning the Youth Army has two brigades in our Ninth Group Army."

"But don't think it's too few; without enemy reinforcements, these two Youth Army brigades cooperating with three German-equipped divisions are enough to hold our Ninth Group Army's defense zone."

"According to the plan, the Chu Yunfei Brigade will cooperate with Sun Yuanlang's 88th Division to fight in the Jiangwan area; I concurrently serve as Youth Army First Brigade commander, fighting with Wang Jingjiu's 87th Division in Hongkou; Song Xilian's 36th Division serves as the Reserve Force."

"All units need to avoid enemy naval gunfire and try to create situations to fight the enemy's land forces alone......"

Lv Muzhi was holding a meeting here, and the little devils were also holding a meeting to study strategy over there.

When in doubt, don't rush; let the leaders hold a meeting to discuss first.

Seeing that the army finally witnessed the Youth Army's combat strength, from the example of an infantry battalion almost annihilating an infantry battalion, the Youth Army's combat strength was already evident,

Commander Matsui Iwane this time didn't clamor to go ashore anymore, but obediently convened a joint naval, land, and air meeting on the Mutsu Battleship.

He was truly afraid that after going ashore, he would be fiercely charged by the Youth Army and captured alive!

Now on the sea surface, all fleets had blocked every sea exit.

The torpedo boats Lv Muzhi sent out earlier ran out from the Tonglu Canal, a tributary of the Yangtze River; this canal had been navigable since the Northern Song Dynasty, and with this canal, Lv Muzhi's torpedo boats could emerge from within Jiangsu Province.

But now it was strictly guarded by the devils, and everyone also increased efforts for air defense deployment.

Fighter squadrons took off in rotation from the homeland nonstop to protect the fleet's airspace, preventing the Xia Guo Army from sending planes to concentrate attacks on battleships again.

The devils' various aircraft carriers also recognized Xia Guo's air power again; after replenishing lost carrier aircraft, they began to wait in full readiness.

The Xia Guo Army could hardly sneak attack the devils' fleet from sea and air anymore.

"Your Excellency Matsui Iwane, how is it? Isn't it safer on my warship?" Commander Gu Qingchuan of the Navy asked deliberately.

Matsui Iwane smirked: "It is safe, but it's useless; can the navy occupy Xia Guo's territory? If not, what's the use?"

To Matsui Iwane's retort, Gu Qingchuan just smiled, thinking to himself: Idiot! Still stubborn, who was it that begged me for naval gunfire support back then, and now he doesn't dare disembark from the Mutsu Battleship!

Major General Saga Tadashi of the Third Air Group was also on the battleship at this time, saying: "Everyone need not panic; I have requested the experimental Type 97 Fighter to join the air battle, making up for the combat shortcomings of the Type 96 carrier fighter and other outdated models."

"The homeland's fighters must also be strong!" Commander of the 11th Division urged.

"Naturally; the homeland's Type 96 land attack aircraft are being deployed; although taking off from the homeland consumes fuel, they can also bomb Xia Guo's positions."

Matsui Iwane looked at Gu Qingchuan: "Your Excellency, shouldn't you also state your position?"

Although Gu Qingchuan looked down on the army, the two could be considered 'united against a common enemy' in this battle!

"Naturally, rest assured; although Luodian is far, naval gunfire can hit it, just with low accuracy; if a balloon is raised to correct the trajectory, it can also provide decent artillery support for the army; as long as I'm willing, nothing is impossible!"