Chapter 312: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 312: Dealing a Return Blow

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Two days later, near Dangshan County, in the region where Henan and Jiangsu meet.

Trains on the Longhai Railway were packed with soldiers and weapons, all Youth Army troops withdrawn from Xuzhou.

On both sides of the railway line, convoys of armored vehicles and trucks drove west along the road, kicking up dust all over the sky.

Lv Muzhi stood on a jeep, his gaze sweeping over his troops.

At this time, the main friendly forces around Xuzhou were breaking out from different directions.

Tsuchiya Kenji's Fourteenth Division had not yet fully taken position, and the Central China Expeditionary Army to the south was not aggressive enough, allowing the National Army's main force to successfully jump out of the encirclement.

Friendly forces to the west and southwest almost swaggered out.

The Central Army, Sichuan Army, Northwest Army, Northeast Army, Guangxi clique, Yunnan clique... various units were pumped like blood into the channels where they were most needed.

Liao Yaoxiang urged Lv Muzhi to take the train, where there were special luxury compartments available.

However, Lv Muzhi refused, insisting on riding in the bumpy jeep.

According to Lv Muzhi, if Japanese spies placed explosives on the railway tracks, it would be over; this was a trick the little devils often used.

Liao Yaoxiang shook his head with a smile and said: "Commander Lu, the main force of Tsuchiya's Fourteenth Division has already moved south from the Heze direction. Estimating by the advance speed of Tsuchiya Yuan's division, they are very likely to encounter us around Shangqiu."

But by the time they reach the Shangqiu area, our Youth First Army will already have jumped out of the battlefield; instead, the Youth Second Army covering our rear will be blocked right by them.

In my opinion, there are two options now: one is for the Youth First Army to block the Fourteenth Division north of Shangqiu, allowing the Youth Second Army to continue retreating along the Longhai Railway;

the other option is to get off the train and retreat directly southwest, slower in speed but still relatively safe, after all, the Central China Expeditionary Army to the south hasn't encircled us yet."

Lv Muzhi smiled slightly: "Both options are feasible, but I choose a third."

My goal is not to repel Tsuchiya Yuan's Fourteenth Division, nor to let the Second Army hide from Tsuchiya Yuan in the southwest region. Actually, Tsuchiya Yuan's Fourteenth Division has already entered the preset battlefield. I want to wipe them out!"

Chu Yunfei beside him looked at Lv Muzhi in shock: "Commander Lu means..."

Chen Minren said: "Tsuchiya Kenji has a retreat route. If he senses danger, he will surely quickly withdraw to Heze. If our army presses from the front, we probably cannot annihilate them completely."

Lv Muzhi laughed: "Why did the Youth Second Army fall behind? That was deliberately arranged.

I have already telegraphed Qiu Qingquan to lead the main force of the Youth Army Second Army to disembark at Dangshan, with the main force maneuvering north to outflank Tsuchiya Yuan's rear;

and our First Army will pin the Fourteenth Division from the front, holding down Tsuchiya Yuan's troops!"

Liao Yaoxiang asked: "This is very dangerous. The Japanese Fifth Division and Twentieth Division to the east are chasing west. If they catch up and attack us from front and rear together with the Fourteenth Division, the Youth First Army will be in danger!"

Lv Muzhi said: "We are not fighting alone. Do you think the Battle of Xuzhou has really completely ended?"

Actually, there is still one final battle. Annihilating the Fourteenth Division will put a perfect period on the Battle of Xuzhou. This has long been in the plan of me, Li Zongren, and the Central Government!"

Almost at the same time, the Communications Staff Officer handed over another urgent telegram.

Lv Muzhi glanced at it, the smile on his face growing stronger, and said: "The Third Group Army has already reboarded at Kaifeng Station, not heading west, but turning back east to come toward us."

"The Third Group Army... coming back east?" Liao Yaoxiang was very surprised. Friendly forces had already withdrawn, so how could there be anyone rushing back?

"Not just the Third Group Army, but many friendly forces are preparing to give the devils a return blow!" Lv Muzhi said firmly. "Their task is to block the Japanese divisions chasing from the east.

And our task is, under their protection, to annihilate Tsuchiya Yuan's Fourteenth Division!"

Chu Yunfei said in surprise: "The previous large-scale retreat was actually a feint?!"

Chen Minren also laughed: "Good, good, good. Commander Lu has completely grasped the devils' psychology!

All troops retreated west and southwest at once, and as a result, the Japanese army got anxious and sent the Fourteenth Division regardless of everything to cut off our retreat. How could they have expected us to deal them a return blow!

Even more unexpected was that so many troops would turn around and return to the battlefield at the same time!"

"Yes! Understood!" Liao Yaoxiang's voice was full of excitement.

And the Youth Second Army lagging behind, Qiu Qingquan, Zhang Fei, Zhou Weiguo, Sun Liren and others, under Lv Muzhi's overall arrangement, turned their momentum of retreating west and charged north with great momentum, targeting the rear flank of Tsuchiya Yuan's division moving south.

The Third Group Army returning east to the battlefield at the same time, as if passing by Qiu Qingquan and the others, took over Qiu Qingquan's relay baton, blocking the Japanese troops chasing out from Xuzhou!

Forward Command Post of the Fourteenth Division.

Tsuchiya Kenji held up binoculars, observing the Longhai Line railway in the distance.

Tsuchiya Yuan's division was a heavy division. According to Tsuchiya Yuan's own estimate, one division fighting five divisions of Xia Guo's Central Army was no problem.

After days of forced marches, the troops finally arrived near the Longhai Line, but seemed to be a step too late.

The vast majority of Xia Guo's army had already passed. According to reconnaissance reports, the vehicle flow and troops heading west were still endless.

"Division Commander, the enemy main force is retreating, but the rearguard forces are still of considerable scale, especially Lv Muzhi's Youth Army. Only the Youth First Army withdrew from the battlefield before we arrived; the Youth Second Army has already been blocked by us!" the Chief of Staff reported.

Tsuchiya Kenji put down his binoculars, a trace of regret on his face: "Too bad, still a step too late, letting the enemy escape. Too bad, too bad that two elite divisions will be shattered on the battlefield!"

However, Tsuchiya Yuan's division commander's face quickly turned from anger to joy.

"However, since the Youth Army chose to cut off their tails to survive, then let's eat up the remaining Youth Second Army!"

"Order the Heavy Artillery Unit to concentrate fire and bombard the railway near Shangqiu! Blow up all the roads for me!

Intercept the Youth Army Second Army troops that have not yet passed!"

Tsuchiya Yuan's calculation was not without reason: the Japanese army concentrated hundreds of thousands of troops to encircle Xuzhou. Xia Guo's army, seeing the situation, escaped the encirclement. This was the general trend of the battlefield. Now it seemed the Japanese army seemed to have the initiative.

As long as we block the Youth Second Army retreating west, and the Fifth Division and others on the east press forward, we can form an east-west pincer attack!

Eat up part of Lv Muzhi's elite force! Even if we only eat up one division, it would be a great victory, enough to recover some face lost from the destruction of the Tenth and Thirteenth Divisions.

This time, we must break the myth that the Youth Army is invincible!