Chapter 191: The Art of War is Deception

Marshal Liu looked at the Songhu Battlefield!

He pondered for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the Sichuan Army generals in the conference room.

"Since the little devils are going to reinforce the Songhu Region."

"Then the 23rd Group Army under my command should even less be transferred into the 3rd War Zone."

Marshal Liu saying this actually had its reasons; it was not that Liu Fucheng was reluctant to part with his elite troops.

Good steel must be used on the blade's edge; the 23rd Group Army under his command must be used where it ought to be used.

Taking a drink of water, Marshal Liu moistened his throat and continued.

Marshal Liu was also very clear in his heart that the high-ranking military and political officials in Jinling certainly had not considered Jinshanwei.

"If you fly directly to Jinling, you might not even be able to see Chang Kaishen."

"Once the devils' flanking maneuver succeeds, the over 700,000-strong army on the Songhu Battlefield will be in danger of having its retreat cut off."

"The over 100,000 reinforcements of the little devils will land at Baimaokou and Jinshanwei."

Everyone felt that Jinshanwei was not suitable.

Jinshanwei here is a trumpet-shaped bay.

They had also studied the devils' tactics; this was something Yu Hua had told them back then.

On the contrary, Zhapu is a very ideal landing spot.

The secret agency of the Jinghu Garrison Command was first known as the Whampoa Military Academy Senior Instructor's Office.

There was no other way; he could only grit his teeth and persist.

"Back then, surveys were conducted at the harbors around Songhu."

Right now, everyone is still holding on by a thread of spirit; once they know the devils have landed ashore, the various units will surely fall into chaos.

The entire Songhu war situation would then rapidly deteriorate.

According to Yu Hua's hypothesis, if the devils really came this way.

Sun Zhen also spoke up: "Yu Hua, this Jinshanwei is unfavorable for the devils to land, isn't it?"

The harbor here is not wide; it is very narrow, which is unfavorable for the devils' large ships to land.

Fu Chang flipped through it, gave a thumbs up to Yu Hua, and then told him to get some good rest.

Now there is a great victory on the Xinkou Battlefield; that is the Jin-Sui Army, the sons of Jin Province.

"This location is also very suitable for the devils to land."

Marshal Liu was very clear about this point.

"Everyone feels the devils won't land here, so, might the little devils also know that?"

He walked to the map and drew three red arrows with a pen.

Marshal Liu placed his Command Stick on Jinling.

Hearing this, Yu Hua widened his eyes, "Marshal!"

"A frontal assault, with flanking maneuvers on both wings!"

"Is it also very possible that the devils might do the opposite of what we expect?!"

"In 1936, when the Whampoa Military Academy set up its hypothetical enemy."

In February 1936, Zhang Wenbai received a secret mission from the Nanjing Command.

According to Yu Hua's analysis, the troops on the Songhu Battlefield must retreat; the Republic of China Army has absolutely no chance of winning.

Yu Hua's words were like a heavy hammer, and also like a great primordial bell, making everyone suddenly awaken.

So many Sichuan Army generals also believed that the devils would not choose to land at Jinshanwei.

Three arrows, advancing side by side, thrusting straight at the over 700,000-strong army in Songhu.

Seeing everyone deep in thought, Yu Hua also knew that his inspiration had also started the Sichuan Army generals thinking.

After Yu Hua finished speaking, the entire conference room was deathly silent.

"The little devils' newly committed troops will likely land here."

The little devils certainly will not give up this opportunity.

"Shanghai is only a little over three hundred kilometers from Jinling; the devils could reach it in one Rapid March."

Seeing Marshal Liu say this, Yu Hua nodded: "No problem, Marshal."

Spending about an hour, Yu Hua finished writing the report and submitted it to Marshal Liu.

"Yu Hua, hurry and organize your report."

After all, the previous battle results in Jin Province were all achieved by the Sichuan Army.

He also did not believe that Jinshanwei was an ideal landing spot.

"Plus, the devils certainly know about the construction of the National Defense Works."

"In this way, the Songhu war situation can be resolved."

"Concentrate everything in the Seventh War Zone to jointly deal with the Shanghai Expeditionary Army."

"Once public opinion rises, we will then talk about the concentrated use of the Sichuan Army units."

"Absolutely impossible!"

It was getting late, and Marshal Liu also announced the end of the meeting, telling the various units to seize the time to rest.

Later, a National Defense Line was also built along the line from Jinling to Zhapu.

Seeing the three arrows on the map, Marshal Liu also broke out in a cold sweat.

That agency had once hypothesized where the little devils' reinforcements would land to support Songhu.

The little devils might really come and do the opposite of what is expected.

"Now in the 2nd War Zone, there is no fighting in the direction of Niangziguan!"

Deng Xihou pondered carefully, and some cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

Zhang Wenbai was appointed as Commander of the Jinghu Garrison Command to prevent the little devils from extracting intelligence from the Chinese side.

Deng Xihou fell silent for a moment, "I also believe that Jinshanwei is impossible."

"Besides Zhapu, I also believe that the little devils will definitely land at Baimaokou."

"I feel that your wish to concentrate the Sichuan Army will likely fall through."

The meeting reached this point.

Those present were all veteran generals who had experienced many battles; for any general, capturing the enemy's capital was supreme glory.

"Chang Kaishen does not want his troops to be eaten up by the devils, so he will definitely order a retreat."

After dawn, in the streets and alleys of Jinyang, children selling newspapers were all calling out about the Xinkou Great Victory.

"The Nanjing Command will definitely retreat, according to the devils' attack posture."

Yu Hua saw that so many Sichuan Army generals did not believe him, and he also knew that if it were himself, without having received information from later generations.

Only the sound of everyone's breathing could be clearly heard.

"I am prepared to report to the Nanjing Command so they can have a response."

"They will definitely march their troops north... to attack Jinling!!"

"Once the more than 700,000 elite troops on the Songhu Battlefield are in danger of being wiped out."

"I judge... that after the Shanghai Expeditionary Army captures Songhu."

Yu Hua also wanted to sleep; having been busy for most of the night, he was quite tired now.

The water level in this area is too shallow; large Transport Ships cannot dock.

Deng Xihou nodded: "Marshal, what you say is correct."

"Let us use public opinion to test it first."

"If the devils want to march their troops north, we of the Sichuan Army naturally cannot let the devils succeed easily."

Yu Hua also wanted his proposal to make Chang Kaishen pay attention and make preparations early.

Later, it was renamed the Whampoa Military Academy Field Training Office, publicly claiming that it was specifically used for training military academy students in field exercises.

The common people in the city, hearing that the Jin-Sui Army had won a victory, scrambled to buy newspapers one after another.

However, Liu Dashuai asked Yu Hua to first write the analysis report on the situation of the Songhu battle.

"How could the little devils choose this place?"

"The little devils' tactics are actually very simple, the Three-Board Axe!"

"How could he hit our National Defense Line head-on?!"

"I also believe that the devils will definitely bring their troops to the gates of Jinling."

"I will fly to Jinling tomorrow to discuss with Chang Kaishen about my two group armies and two armies of the Sichuan Army."

They could think of it, and the devils could certainly think of it too.

"Marshal!"

The remaining Sichuan Army generals looked and spoke up one after another: "Impossible!"

"Since you have mentioned the Songhu Battlefield, tell us about the next movements of the Shanghai Expeditionary Army."

After all, Chang Kaishen did have a way of dealing with the various warlords in the country.

Seeing Yu Hua draw on the map, Sun Zhen was also greatly shocked.

Yu Hua was very clear about Liu Dashuai's idea, which was to concentrate the more than 200,000 men of the Sichuan Army.

Yu Hua looked at Deng Xihou, "Commander-in-Chief, military strategy says that warfare is the art of deception."

"Right now, the Shanghai Expeditionary Army has not been able to tear open a gap on the front."

Jinling, this is the capital of the Republic of China; for the little devils, Songhu is truly too close to Jinling.

"Thinking that this place is not suitable for a devil landing, the most ideal location is still Zhapu."

"Catch them off guard... attack where they are unprepared!"

Yu Hua looked at everyone, the soldiers of the Sichuan Army, when they were training in Jincheng.

"It would be better to just stay in the nd War Zone; we will use public opinion to put some pressure on the Nanjing Command first."

Liu Dashuai pondered for a long while, "Fine..."

They began to set up secret organizations for the war against Japan; there were several such secret organizations across the country.

Hearing this, Yu Hua picked up the Command Stick again and pointed it at Jinshanwei.

Liu Dashuai grinned and said: "The Seventh War Zone was established for the purpose of defending Jinling."

He was afraid that his troops would be gradually centralized by Chang Kaishen.

As people of Jin Province, these commoners also felt that the money and grain handed over to Yan Laoxi had finally paid off.

The Jin Province soldiers had also taught the little devils a harsh lesson, not wasting the commoners' money and grain.

(End of this chapter)