Chapter 335: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 345 Arrogance

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Any sensible person should understand that the Russians simply do not want to get involved!

The staff officer nodded: "Indeed. Lieutenant General Kamei Kizō, commander of the Nineteenth Division stationed at Zhanggufeng, surely would not be so foolish as to actively attack the Russians.

This is likely merely Russian protest and pressure over our launching of the Wuhan operation."

"Enough! No matter how the Second Army plans!" Gangcun Ningci's eyes turned cold, "My Eleventh Army must break through.

Order the Bo Tian Detachment... to use special shells!"

The staff officer's body trembled; the so-called special shells were poison gas shells.

Since the Jinling campaign, Xia Guo and the Japanese Army had formed a delicate balance regarding such weapons, neither having actively used poison gas on a large scale, because Lv Muzhi, like the Japanese Army, also held such chemical weapons in hand.

Gangcun Ningci sneered: "There is no other way; as long as we use them first, we have a chance to take Machang and press straight toward Wuhan.

Even if Lv Muzhi retaliates afterward, our army bearing some losses is worth it."

"But the high command has long had instructions regarding poison gas; to avoid Lv Muzhi's large-scale retaliation causing our medical supplies to run short, poison gas must be handled with caution..."

"Imperial General Headquarters is far away in the home islands, neither sending additional cruisers nor urging the Second Army at Hefei to sortie immediately; who knows the troubles I face on the frontline?!" Gangcun Ningci interrupted him, continuing:

"Order Hatada Jūichi; I will have the special shells delivered to his position, and he must find a way to take Ma Dang Fortress!

Otherwise, let him commit seppuku to apologize!"

Just as Gangcun Ningci decided to defy the high command's instructions and use poison gas shells, in faraway Manchuria, in the Zhanggufeng region, another command defying the will of the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters had already been issued.

Out of some arrogant notion, the Japanese Nineteenth Division Commander Hatada Jūichi actually ordered an active attack on the Soviet Army in the Zhanggufeng region.

By seizing the initiative, the Nineteenth Division once drove the Soviet troops stationed there from their positions.

Nineteenth Division Commander Lieutenant General Hatada Jūichi, smug and triumphant, was outrageously arrogant on Zhanggufeng, choosing to immediately report victory to Imperial General Headquarters:

"The Nineteenth Division has fully recovered Zhanggufeng for all of Manchuria! This place is no longer disputed and has been completely incorporated into Manchukuo's territory.

By the grace of His Majesty the Emperor, my troops have won a great victory, and the foolish Russian dogs have fled in disgrace!"

The news reached Tokyo, and Imperial General Headquarters was thrown into shock.

The Eleventh Army's unauthorized use of poison gas shells was bad enough, but at this critical juncture of the Wuhan campaign, a Japanese Army general actually dared to actively attack the Soviet Army?

This Nineteenth Division Commander is truly arrogant; this is practically fearing the Empire is not losing fast enough!

Indeed, the Soviet Army's retaliation came swift as thunder.

The Soviet Army directly concentrated over fifteen thousand men, using 237 artillery pieces and 285 tanks in the combat zone.

Additionally, over two hundred aircraft were committed to support Soviet Army troop operations.

Hundreds of fighters, over two hundred tanks, and over ten thousand Soviet Red Army soldiers, with the force of Mount Tai pressing down, surged toward Zhanggufeng.

The Nineteenth Division responded hastily; the result was predictable—soon they were beaten back in successive retreats, finally being heavily encircled on the mountain heights.

Hatada Jūichi was beaten so badly he repeatedly called for aid, requesting Imperial General Headquarters dispatch tank forces to break the siege.

Imperial General Headquarters in the home islands, originally seeing the Russians show no mercy, was also extremely angry and wanted to fight to the death.

But seeing the Nineteenth Division beaten so badly, they indeed had no strength to counterattack, and could only choose to actively seek peace with the Soviet Army.

Thus the Japanese devils of the Nineteenth Division fought a bitter battle with the Soviet Red Army in the Zhanggufeng region, while the high officials of Imperial General Headquarters actively declared: this incident was purely the unauthorized action of lower-ranking officers, absolutely not the Empire's intention.

Nineteenth Division Commander Hatada Jūichi, encircled by the Soviet Red Army on the mountain, was completely dumbfounded; he originally thought he could establish an unparalleled achievement, but never expected the Soviet Army's martial virtue to be so abundant, nor that he would be mercilessly abandoned by the high command.

The news reached Wuhan, and Soviet Ambassador to China A Leisi was even more incredulous.

"The Japanese... have something wrong with their heads?" He looked at the telegram, muttering, "How dare they?"

General Shanov of the Volunteer Air Force also shook his head: "They not only underestimated us, but also overestimated their own military strength.

While deeply entrenched in the Xia Kingdom battlefield, they still dare to provoke us? The Japanese way of thinking—this is simply inconceivable; I truly cannot fathom it."

Lv Muzhi took up the conversation, his tone calm: "This is the nature of the Japanese, insatiably greedy.

Having such a neighbor on your border is no different from burying a time bomb.

Your country should no longer indulge them; it must strike the Japanese Army occupying Manchuria with thunderous force, maintain peace in the Far East, which also serves your country's interests."

A Leisi looked at Lv Muzhi, his eyes shifting slightly: "It seems General Lu very much hopes to use our country's power to crush the Japanese?"

Lv Muzhi frankly admitted: "Of course, this is my true inner thought, no need to hide it. The Japanese Army is arrogant and overbearing, repeatedly causing trouble—that is a fact.

But I also know your country will not easily be drawn into a full-scale war with the Japanese Army; nevertheless, I still must urge you."

A Leisi pondered for a moment: "Our country indeed has no intention of triggering a full-scale conflict with Japan; our troops stationed at Zhanggufeng originally were merely to apply pressure, to stimulate the Japanese Army's fragile nerves.

I never expected there to truly be madmen in the Japanese Army, that such a madman would actually be a lieutenant general division commander, daring to actively attack us...

However, after this incident, I think we will increase aid to Xia Guo, especially aid to the Youth Corps."

"This is not a public occasion, and I will also speak frankly to you: using Xia Guo's strength to restrain Japan, this policy will become even firmer. You can rest assured."

The old man beside him still could not help but ask: "Then what does your country plan to do about the Zhanggufeng incident? The Japanese Army is so arrogant; you and I, our two countries, should join hands to give them a heavy blow, at least lifting the crisis at Wuhan!"

A Leisi shook his head: "This is not something I can control; according to my knowledge, the Japanese Army side is already seeking negotiations, calling this incident a mere misunderstanding.

Our country currently also has no intention of expanding hostilities; please understand, being drawn into a full-scale war would not serve our country's interests."

Lv Muzhi smiled: "Ambassador, you are truly outspoken; your country's calculation is indeed shrewd."

"Every country has its positions and interests, unrelated to right or wrong," A Leisi said calmly, "At least, the Youth Corps can obtain more weapons—is that not good?"

The old man still wanted to say something.

"It doesn't matter, Principal; this major campaign may not necessarily fail," Lv Muzhi said, looking at the map, "After the Zhanggufeng incident subsides, Prince Tōgū Toshihiko's Second Army will have no rear worries and will throw itself wholeheartedly into the Wuhan campaign.

We must focus our energy on the military."