Chapter 325: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 335 I Was Ordered to Take Over Ma Dang Fortress!

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Xue Yue's telegrams to Lv Muzhi were all complaints, saying the battle arrangements here and there were unreasonable.

Qiu Qingquan said: "Anqing has fallen."

Anqing is located on the north bank of the Yangtze River, within Anhui Province, more than three hundred kilometers from Wuhan.

"There's nothing surprising about it. The Japanese have assembled so many troops to attack, so Anqing falling is perfectly normal."

Qiu Qingquan nodded: "Here at the North China Area Army, the Japanese have reinforced many troops, and even the Area Army Commander has been replaced;

they have deployed three divisions and two brigades around Shandong and Xuzhou, precisely to guard against our Youth Corps, fearing we'll make a move in North China."

As for the route of the Central China Expeditionary Army's attack on Wuhan, it can now be determined: the two armies of the Central China Expeditionary Army, Gangcun Ningci's Eleventh Army with five divisions and the navy attached, will attack Wuhan directly along the Yangtze waterway and the southern foot of the Dabie Mountains;

Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko's Second Army with four divisions attached will detour and strike the flank along the corridor between the northern foot of the Dabie Mountains and the Huai River."

"If Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko's Second Army goes along the northern foot of the Dabie Mountains, they'll enter southern Henan. I heard they've sent the Imperial Guard Division over."

Qiu Qingquan said: "Yes, their Sky Locusts have even sent out their own 'Imperial Guard Army,' but southern Henan already has Central Army troops stationed there, mainly Hu Gongnan's and Song Xilian's forces, so we don't need to intervene."

Lv Muzhi said: "I'm not worried at all about that Second Army of some Prince Higashikuni or whatever. In my eyes, that Imperial Guard Division's combat power isn't even as good as the previous Tsuchiya Yuan Division;

what I'm worried about is Gangcun Ningci's Eleventh Army—that's the real tough opponent. The battlefield in the Yangtze direction sees the Japanese navy and army advancing side by side. Xue Yue's telegram is also worried about this, especially worried about the Ma Dang River Defense Fortress on the Yangtze."

Qiu Qingquan walked a few steps to the map and marked the location of Ma Dang Fortress: "After Gangcun Ningci's Eleventh Army captures Anqing, the next step should be to transport infantry by boat to attack Ma Dang Fortress."

Ma Dang Fortress can be called a natural barrier, built against the mountain, with three levels of river-blocking batteries vertically and three layers of defense lines horizontally, comparable to the previous Jiangyin Fortress. According to the Military Commission's estimate, Ma Dang Fortress can hold out for at least one month.

After the Japanese fight a hard battle for one month, they will face Zhang Fakui's Second Army Group stationed at Jiujiang on the front, waiting with ease, as well as Xue Yue's Third Army Group stationed at Nanchang;

plus Tang Enbo maneuvering behind them. It can be said that our forces deployed on the south bank of the Yangtze are still relatively sufficient."

Lv Muzhi handed the telegram to Qiu Qingquan: "Xue Yue's telegram is worried that the Ma Dang Battery won't hold out for one month;

once the Ma Dang Battery falls, before the original plan is disrupted, Zhang Fakui's Second Army Group will also go to war early with the high-morale Japanese, and Xue Yue's First Army Group's flank will be exposed before Gangcun Ningci."

Qiu Qingquan finished reading the telegram, shook his head and said: "It seems Commander Xue Yue is very dissatisfied with the military commander of Ma Dang Fortress!"

"That's right. The main force responsible for defending Ma Dang Fortress is Li Yunhang's Sixteenth Army. Logically, with an army's strength guarding the strategic Ma Dang Fortress, there should be no problem, but this Commander Li's actions are truly unfathomable;

with the great enemy at hand, Li Yunhang has probably gone crazy. He set up an Anti-Japanese Military and Political University in Maguan Town. Even officers down to platoon level of the Sixteenth Army must attend two weeks of political study, and these officers must gather for a graduation ceremony four days later.

When the news reached Xue Yue's ears, he was very worried about Ma Dang Fortress."

Qiu Qingquan said: "That's not difficult. Just order him to stop this military and political university and let him focus on river defense. If that doesn't work, just remove him from his position as Commander of Li Yunhang's Sixteenth Army!"

Lv Muzhi smiled helplessly: "Where is it that simple? Xue Yue, as Commander of the First Army Group, can naturally reach the heavens and report this matter to the old man. But why on earth does he have to make three visits to the thatched cottage and send me three telegrams to complain?

He actually just wants me to personally send someone to Ma Dang Fortress!"

Qiu Qingquan thought about it and realized it was indeed so. Under the Youth Army's banner, there had once been a Yangtze River Torpedo Brigade.

After experiencing the Songhu Campaign and the Jinling Defense Campaign, the Torpedo Brigade suffered heavy losses. After retreating to Wuhan, the available water surface was further compressed.

Half a year ago, the Torpedo Brigade was reorganized by Lv Muzhi into the Yangtze River Defense Marine Corps. The Marine Corps had four thousand men, equipped on the water with torpedo boats, patrol boats, gunboats, etc.; on land, equipped with armored vehicles, anti-aircraft vehicles, and artillery.

The commander of the River Defense Marine Corps was the former Torpedo Brigade Commander An Bang, who had now been promoted to Major General of the Navy, ordered to protect the waters near Wuhan during the campaign.

Lv Muzhi said: "If Commander Li Yunhang of the Sixteenth Army is truly unreliable, then I should indeed transfer our River Defense Marine Corps to garrison Ma Dang Fortress.

Those 406mm coastal defense guns in Ma Dang Fortress were originally dismantled from Jiangyin Fortress. After Xue Yue's reminder, I'm not too reassured leaving them to others. An Bang was originally the commander at Jiangyin Fortress. I think it would indeed be appropriate for him to take over Ma Dang Fortress."

Just as the two were speaking, a staff officer came over: "Commander-in-Chief's urgent telegram."

Lv Muzhi took the telegram, pointing at it and said: "As expected! Not only First Army Group Commander Xue Yue, but also Second Army Group Commander Zhang Fakui have sent reports to the Central Government, requesting that the Youth Army's River Defense Marine Corps be transferred from Wuhan to the frontline Ma Dang Fortress;

not only that, Xue Yue and several other army group commanders jointly requested that regardless of whether the Youth Corps comes or not, I myself must go to Wuhan to help the staff officers deliberate."

Qiu Qingquan was stunned and said: "What about Henan then? The troop reform and reorganization is underway!"

Lv Muzhi said: "The plan has been finalized. For the time being, leave it to you and Zhang Fei to proceed step by step;

at the same time, have the Youth First Army prepare. I may request them to move south to support combat operations at any time."

Qiu Qingquan asked: "Move south to support? Go to Wuhan?"

"It's not yet certain whether to send troops across the river to support Wuhan, but at least the Central China Expeditionary Army's Second Army will pass through Henan. As long as it's the Henan region south of the Yellow River, we have to manage it!

If the Japanese dare to pass through our territory, especially that Imperial Guard Division or whatever, listen to my command. The Youth First Army's three divisions will move south directly to apply pressure. I must make them hit a snag with me!"

"The matters here are temporarily left to you and Zhang Fei. You two discuss it. I have to cross the river for a trip."

"The First Army has rested for one month. Now the First Army must be in a state of readiness to depart at any time;

as for the Second Army, Third Army, and Fourth Army, they must do well in the alert and combat readiness work of their jurisdictions;

especially the training and personnel recruitment of the Third Army and Fourth Army must be grasped tightly. The local conscription and absorption plans must be carried out vigorously."

Qiu Qingquan nodded and said: "Rest assured, Commander Lv. I'll wait here for your return.

As soon as you give the order, the First Army will depart immediately!"

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Two days later, a rainy night.

Maguan Town has a mountain called Maguan Mountain. On Maguan Mountain there is a fortress, which is Ma Dang Fortress.

Ma Dang Fortress has three layers of defensive works inside and outside, garrisoned by Li Yunhang's Sixteenth Army, the Central Navy Marine Corps Second Battalion, and attached artillery units, totaling thirty thousand men defending this fortress, truly impregnable.

At this moment, although it was a night of pouring rain, the venue of the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University in Maguan Town was still packed with people.

The heavy rain could not dampen the enthusiasm of Sixteenth Army Commander Li Yunhang's speech. The venue gathered officers above platoon level of the Sixteenth Army. The venue was packed with people, very lively.

"Ah! Comrades! Brothers!

I originally didn't want to hold this big meeting, but coincidentally a heavy rainstorm fell, and I was inspired, so I specially convened this big meeting. I believe this heavy rain cannot extinguish our army's burning fighting will!"

The venue was an open-air venue. Below, a group of platoon leaders, company commanders, and battalion commanders of the Sixteenth Army, as students of the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University, stood at attention in the rain, listening to Commander Li Yunhang's speech.

Officers with better conditions could get hold of a rubber raincoat to wear; those slightly worse off wore straw raincoats, while most cadets could only listen to the speech in the rain.

As for Li Yunhang himself and officers at regimental level and above, standing or sitting on the lectern equipped with a rain shelter, they addressed the cadets of the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University.

"On this night of pouring rain and imminent battle, we gather together to jointly celebrate the splendid achievements of the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University—what a scene rich with revolutionary romanticist spirit..."

The grassroots officers below the stage stood in the rain, their expressions wooden.

"I know some of you might be thinking: the devils have already taken Anqing and will attack us at any moment, so why are we still holding meetings and studying here?"

"I want to tell you, this kind of thinking is one-sided and shortsighted!"

"The military and political university I founded has forged one spiritual shell after another, absolutely no inferior to the devils' shells!"

"Through these two weeks of study at the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University, I believe everyone's determination to resist Japan and will to defend home and country have grown immensely!"

"As long as we are united as one, we will surely defend Ma Dang Fortress and defend the Wuhan Campaign..."

"Alright, finally let me talk about these ten..."

As for the grassroots officers listening below the stage, although all looked straight ahead, their minds had long flown who knows where, only thinking about finishing the meeting quickly and going back to rest.

Just as he was speaking, seven or eight jeeps and trucks drove into Maguan Town.

Leading them was An Bang, commander of the Jiang Defense Marine Corps of the Youth Army, bringing the vanguard of the Jiang Defense Marine Corps into Maguan Town.

Over a hundred marine soldiers wore raincoats, submachine guns hidden inside their raincoats, walking into the meeting hall, swaying with every step, acting as if no one else was present.

The officers above and below the stage were all greatly surprised, staring blankly at this troop.

Anyone who could strut through the outer perimeter sentry posts of the 16th Army and walk into Maguan Town must have a very extraordinary background.

"Who are these people? Such nerve! Daring to disturb Commander Li's speech?"

"Don't know, looks like navy by their attire, oh, hurry up and finish, better to go wash and sleep early, save our spirits to fight the devils..."

"Who are you? Why barge straight into my meeting?!" Li Yunhang, commander of the 16th Army, shouted in rebuke.

An Bang removed the hood of his raincoat, stepped forward and said: "An Bang, commander of the Jiang Defense Marine Corps under the Youth Corps, I am ordered by the Central Government and Lu Commander to formally take over Ma Dang Fortress!"