Chapter 377: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 387 I'm Back to Handle Only Three Things

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Lv Muzhi returned to Zhengzhou without taking a plane, choosing instead to take the train, guarding against accidents.

Of course, he first had to take his own shipping company's ship to Wuhan, then board a train on the Pinghan Railway heading north back to the Youth Corps.

The train traveled along the Pinghan Railway, belching thick smoke, the carriages filled with young officer graduates from the Southwest Military Academy.

More importantly, on the flatcars behind were steel tanks covered with canvas.

These were the Type 3 tanks and their derivative models, such as assault guns, medium anti-aircraft guns, and self-propelled guns, newly built by the rear arsenals.

The train pulled into Zhengzhou Station, the platform packed with crowds there to welcome them.

Qiu Qingquan had long been waiting with the officers of the Youth Corps.

In Qiu Qingquan's eyes, first a scouting locomotive pulled into the station.

After ten or so minutes, a military train pulled into the station, only to be told that Lv Muzhi was not on this military train.

By the time the second military train pulled in, there was still only equipment on board, with no sign of Commander Lu.

It could be said that Lv Muzhi's trip this time was arranged very secretly; even Qiu Qingquan did not know which car Lv Muzhi was in, or exactly when he would arrive.

Until a car drove directly onto the platform, and Qiu Qingquan and the others were greatly surprised, unexpectedly finding that Lv Muzhi had actually gotten off early and switched to an automobile.

Lv Muzhi gestured for the canvas on the military train to be lifted, exposing the Type 3 tanks and other equipment to the sunlight.

No one had time to marvel at Commander Lu's mode of travel; everyone's gaze was already drawn to the tanks.

The officers excitedly gathered around to point things out, Zhou Weiguo, Sun Liren, Liao Yaoxiang, and others carefully stroking the armor.

Qiu Qingquan squeezed up beside Lv Muzhi and said with a smile: "Commander Lu! These new equipment, and the grassroots officers you brought... truly a timely rain!"

Lv Muzhi nodded and ordered Zhang Fei: "Distribute supplies according to the planned scheme; the officer graduates should report to their respective units."

"Yes!" Zhang Fei immediately turned to coordinate.

Tank engines roared as they drove down from the flatcars, and the young officers lined up to leave the platform.

Lv Muzhi gave Qiu Qingquan a look and shook his hand, and the two walked away from the crowd on the platform, talking as they walked, with only a few guards following not far or near.

Lv Muzhi asked directly: "How are the land survey and acreage records I instructed you to prepare?"

Qiu Qingquan reported seriously: "The Military Police Corps' Chen Minren personally led the team, now fully rolling out across southern Henan."

Checking acreage according to the principle of "more grain, more output; less grain, less output"; if there is fraud or concealed property, the relevant property will be directly confiscated by the state.

Progress so far is fairly smooth; although there is resistance, it is still under control.

Data should be available within two months, at which point grain requisition will have a fair basis."

Lv Muzhi nodded and said: "This time I'm back, there are only three things to do right before my eyes."

Qiu Qingquan listened intently with his ear turned.

"First, organize agriculture and build water conservancy. This is the foundation for soldiers eating grain and stabilizing the rear."

"Second, the three counties Chu Yunfei recovered on the north bank of the Yellow River were hard-won; I want to help him stand firm with all my strength, letting him serve as our bridgehead for counterattacking North China."

Qiu Qingquan frowned: "Chu Yunfei is under great pressure. Are you going to send him more troops?"

Lv Muzhi looked toward the north side and said: "Simply adding infantry divisions won't do; tanks and heavy artillery also need to be delivered to Chu Yunfei for him to stand firm."

I ordered American pontoon bridge equipment early on, precisely to build heavy floating bridges when the Yellow River's water level is lowest."

Deliver tanks and heavy artillery to Chu Yunfei."

Qiu Qingquan was both excited and worried: "Building a floating bridge on the Yellow River... it's not impossible; in winter the water level is low, and at the narrowest point it's less than four hundred meters, but the floating bridge is too big a target..."

Lv Muzhi said: "So this is a major project requiring large-scale deployment of Air Force fighters to strictly protect the pontoon bridge unit."

"And the third thing?"

Lv Muzhi turned again to look toward the east side.

Upon seeing this, Qiu Qingquan understood.

What's on the east side? The enemy! The Japanese devils!

The nearest Japanese devils are stationed in Lanfeng, specifically guarding against the Youth Corps, designated as the Japanese 21st Division and the Kwantung Army's Mixed Third and Thirteenth Brigades.

Located in the Lanfeng area of southern Henan. There the Japanese 21st Division and Kwantung Army brigades are marked.

"Third, I want to purge the Japanese devils from the southern Henan region south of the Yellow River and drive all the Japanese devils out!"

Qiu Qingquan's blood surged.

These three things were each more arduous than the last, and each had to be done with all one's might.

"Commander Lu, I understand! I will immediately coordinate all departments to pave the way for these three things!"

Arriving even earlier than the pontoon bridge equipment ordered from the United States were the T26 tanks supported by the Soviet Union.

A full one hundred T26 tanks, as Soviet support for the Youth Corps' counterattack on North China.

Considering this was the Youth Corps' first use of Soviet tanks, the old Russians thoughtfully also attached a tank instructional team to help the Youth Corps' tankers become familiar with the T26 tanks.

As soon as the tanks arrived, Lv Muzhi immediately organized graduates of the Southwest Military Academy's armored department to concentrate on learning how to operate the T26 tanks.

At the same time, educated youth and aspiring individuals were widely recruited in the southern Henan region to join technical branches such as artillery and armored troops.

In January 1939, the pontoon bridge equipment ordered from the United States arrived in Zhengzhou.

This batch of pontoon bridge equipment consisted of two sets, capable of laying two floating bridges on the Yellow River.

These two sets of pontoon bridge equipment could bear thirty tons; even with Lv Muzhi's heaviest Type 3 tank fully loaded with shells, its total combat weight was only around twenty tons, so it could safely cross the floating bridge.

Once successfully erected on the Yellow River, heavy equipment could be delivered to Chu Yunfei on the north bank of the Yellow River.

Now Chu Yunfei on the north bank of the Yellow River had only one division of the Youth Army to resist the Japanese, plus two friendly divisions from the First War Zone and nearby Eighth Route Army troops.

Focusing on defensive operations, relying on the rocket artillery at hand and air force support from above, to hold onto the three counties that had been recovered.

If heavy artillery and tank support were obtained this time, their combat power would multiply, enough to form a powerful deterrent against the Japanese Army in North China.

Although the pontoon bridge equipment had arrived, Lv Muzhi did not rush to build the bridge, but ordered the Engineers to further survey the hydrological conditions of the Yellow River, so that the work of deploying the floating bridge could proceed when the time came.

Before that, he decided to launch the Lanfeng Campaign first, annihilating the Japanese 21st Division and two Kwantung Army Brigades stationed there.

Lv Muzhi planned to use the great battle of Lanfeng as cover, while simultaneously deploying the construction of the Yellow River floating bridge.

Openly launching a fierce attack on Lanfeng, secretly delivering equipment to Chu Yunfei.

Although Lv Muzhi had powerful air power to protect the Engineers building the floating bridge, preparations with both hands still had to be made.

The ancients also said: openly repair the plank road, secretly pass through Chencang!

To do an "openly attack Lanfeng, secretly cross the Yellow River" himself was also not a problem.