Chapter 405: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 415: What the Second War Zone Cannot Do, My First Wa

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Yan Laoxi adjusted his glasses, a hint of mockery at the corner of his mouth.

"The target is set too high; be careful you bite off more than you can chew and end up delaying the Party and State's strategy."

The old man was very dissatisfied seeing Yan Laoxi act so arrogantly, after all, Lv Muzhi was his own man.

But he couldn't show displeasure on the spot, as that would lose him dignity, so he could only look toward Lv Muzhi and Wei Lihuang.

"What do you two say?"

Wei Lihuang quickly stood up: "In my opinion, being able to retake Fenglingdu Ferry Crossing is already a major victory; it absolutely cannot be described as a minimum objective."

As for what Wei Yue said about recovering all of Shanxi,

I think it's also possible, but... we should still take it one step at a time.

Also, I want to remind Commander Yan: closing the door to beat the dog may not be appropriate, right?

If even Wei Yue becomes the kind of animal you speak of, then I fear we military men present here are hardly better than dogs?"

Wei Lihuang just wanted stability, so his opinion differed from Lv Muzhi's.

But now Second War Zone Commander Yan Laoxi publicly mocked Lv Muzhi of the First War Zone; both were colleagues in the same war zone, and both were from the Central Government, so Wei Lihuang had to argue it out properly.

A few words left Yan Laoxi red-faced.

The reason Lv Muzhi said he wanted to recover Shanxi was simply because he feared some people in the First War Zone set their targets too low, and even if they lost, they'd feel it was taken for granted.

Lv Muzhi originally wanted to say recover all of North China, but felt the words might be too much, so he changed it to Shanxi.

Now hearing Yan Laoxi's words, Lv Muzhi felt very uncomfortable in his heart.

The battle hasn't even started, yet he's boosting the enemy's morale and destroying his own prestige.

Happening right over the First War Zone's head, Lv Muzhi absolutely would not allow it.

He first straightened his cuffs, then looked levelly at Yan Lao Xi.

"There is a famous saying in 'The Art of War by Sun Tzu'."

"Those who aim for the top get the middle; those who aim for the middle get the bottom; those who aim for the bottom must fail."

"What this means, I shouldn't need to translate for everyone, right?"

"There is a bad atmosphere in the army: thinking the Japanese are too strong, that losing is natural and permissible."

"Before going onto the battlefield, not thinking about how to kill the Japanese with prestige, but already having prepared the reasons for their own defeat."

"The reason Shanxi is still in Japanese hands today is partly due to terrain and strength;

but the fact that the army's morale is scattered, I think, is an even more important reason that cannot be ignored."

Lv Muzhi's words made some people present feel uncomfortable.

Lv Muzhi pointed to the huge map on the wall and said:

"What is Shanxi? That is only the first step of my Lv Muzhi's counteroffensive plan."

"As long as we are united as one, what's so difficult about fighting to Beiping, fighting to Jinling?!"

"What Commander Yan cannot do does not mean I cannot do it."

"I not only want to recover all of Shanxi, but also follow the Tong Pu Lu all the way up, fighting to Datong!"

"I also want to pass through Zhang Jia Kou, cross Juyong Pass, and take Beiping City!"

The whole hall fell into deathly silence, and even the old man showed a look of surprise.

The winter counteroffensive in his own mouth did not include this plan.

Wei Lihuang listened beside him with boiling blood; he suddenly felt that having such a subordinate, though a headache, had indeed won tremendous face for the First War Zone.

"I agree with Wei Yue's plan: make recovering Shanxi the minimum combat objective of the First War Zone!"

"What the Second War Zone cannot do, my First War Zone will do!"

"The Japanese devils the Second War Zone cannot kill, my First War Zone will kill!"

Wei Lihuang's words raised the old man's blood pressure.

"Good! Just as you say!"

"I'm waiting for your First War Zone to march into Shanxi and restore these mountains and rivers in their original state!"

Lv Muzhi looked around the hall:

"The 300,000 officers and men of the Youth Army are already fully prepared and ready to depart."

Wei Lihuang also stood up and said: "All troops of the First War Zone are fully prepared and ready to depart!"

The commanders of the Fifth War Zone and Ninth War Zone also stood up one after another to express their stance: "We are also ready!"

The old man was very gratified: "Good! I announce: the Winter Counteroffensive begins now!"

Once the order was issued, armies across the land of Xia Guo all moved, launching fierce attacks against the Japanese within their respective jurisdictions.

First, within the jurisdiction of the Central China Expeditionary Army, it could be said that heaven shook and earth trembled.

Tang Enbo's Thirty-first Group Army set out from Xinyang, along the north foot of the Dabie Mountains, with over ten thousand troops heading east out of Henan and plunging into Anhui.

Li Zongren's Gui Xi Jun, setting out from the Tianjiatun Fortress on the north bank of the Yangtze River, likewise advanced into Anhui Province along the south foot of the Dabie Mountains.

The counteroffensive routes of these two men were exactly the same as the attack route of the Japanese Central China Expeditionary Army during the Wuhan Campaign, except completely reversed.

The designation of the Central China Expeditionary Army has now been revoked.

The defense of all of Central China is now entirely supported by Gangcun Ningci's Eleventh Army.

Facing the mighty Winter Counteroffensive, Gangcun Ningci once again felt willing but unable.

The territory he had seized during the Wuhan Campaign was gradually being retaken by the Xia State Army.

Gangcun Ningci, anxious, repeatedly sent telegrams to the Imperial General Headquarters and the North China Area Army, requesting reinforcements.

The Japanese Imperial General Headquarters had actually been waiting for the Xia State Army's counteroffensive all along, and its forces were constantly expanding.

However, the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters stuffed all the newly expanded troops into the Kwantung Army's establishment.

In the Imperial General Headquarters' strategy, the Kwantung Army was the key to ensuring Manchuria did not fall, and then the Kwantung Army would transfuse blood into North China.

As for Central China and Hua Nan, holding the coastal regions would be not bad.

The telegram sent to Gangcun Ningci roughly read: "Hold fast and observe further developments."

Gangcun Ningci could only use the five divisions under his command to face the two-pronged attack of Tang Enbo and Li Zongren.

Besides this, guerrilla troops of the Third War Zone also emerged from near Jing Hu to conduct guerrilla warfare everywhere, leaving the Japanese Army thoroughly exhausted.

To preserve its effective strength, Gangcun Ningci abandoned Huang Mei, Taihu, Su Song, and other places south of the Dabie Mountains, retreating to defend Anqing.

North of the Dabie Mountains, Gangcun Ningci again abandoned Yejiaji and Lu'an, retreating to defend Hefei.

All at once, the Fifth War Zone's minimum objective was placed directly before Tang Enbo and Li Zongren......

The Fifth War Zone advanced triumphantly in Central China.

The First War Zone likewise prepared an offensive against North China.

Lv Muzhi led the Youth First Army and the Second Army's main force to attack Shanxi.

The Guerrilla Corps pinned down the enemy in Henan North.

The Military Police Corps and recruited local militia reserves defended Henan South, while also collecting grain and taxes to ensure logistical supply for the troops.

The Youth Third and Fourth Armies fought eastward back to Xuzhou, preventing that nest of enemies behind them from launching a surprise attack.

The specific personnel arrangement was that Lv Muzhi, Qiu Qingquan, and Sun Liren would advance into Shanxi.

Chu Yunfei conducted guerrilla warfare in Henan North.

Chen Minren garrisoned and administered Henan South.

Zhang Fei, Liao Yaoxiang, and Zhou Weiguo led their troops to Xuzhou.

Before departing, Lv Muzhi gave special instructions to Zhang Fei, Liao Yaoxiang, and Zhou Weiguo of the Third and Fourth Armies attacking Xuzhou.

"I expect a major battle will occur at Xuzhou and Bengbu; your Third and Fourth Armies must be extra cautious, coordinate with the friendlies of the Fifth War Zone, and definitely hold the Jinpu Railway."

"If you succeed, you can control the Jinpu Railway, advance north along the railway to Tianjin, and it is not impossible."

"Wait until I lead the First and Second Armies out from Shanxi, and together we'll wrap up the dumplings of Pingjin!"