Chapter 82: Battle of Shanghai (2)

Zhang Zhizhong has always been a pro-war faction, and his remarks are also cliché. Since he became the commander-in-chief of the Beijing-Shanghai Security Bureau, he has always imagined that the Neon Army has launched an attack from Shanghai and is actively preparing.

Chiang Kai-shek looked at He Yingqin, who was sitting aside with a frown and had no sound. Minister of Military Affairs, He Yingqin, has always been named the largest pro-Japanese faction in the army for signing the "He Mei Agreement" with Mijiro Umezu.

"Respect me and tell me what you think."

He Yingqin smiled bitterly. After so many years of partnership with Chiang Kai-shek, He Yingqin knew this chairman very well. He knew that Chiang Kai-shek's tendency was to fight at this time. After all, East China is not as good as North China, and North China is still controlled by local forces in the northwest. But East China is different. It is the main source of fiscal and taxation for the National Government and the foundation of the Kuomintang's rule, and it cannot be lost. But at the same time, the strength of China and Japan is there, and Chiang Kai-shek is worried that his current status will endanger his failure.

After the Xi'an Incident, He Yingqin completely stopped the idea of ​​replacing Chiang Kai-shek. After pondering for a moment, he said: "If the situation further expands, you still have to fight. However, the level of fighting and what effect it achieves still needs to be considered comprehensively. I think it is not advisable to send heavy troops into Shanghai rashly now, and you should wait and see what kind of changes."

Everyone understands He Yingqin's meaning, and still follows the previous January 28th Incident and the Great Wall's anti-Japanese war, which is the second period just mentioned by Zhang Zhizhong.

Chen Cheng and He Yingqin, deputy head of the Ministry of Military Affairs, have always been disagreement. After the Xi'an Incident, Chiang Kai-shek promoted him from the position of director of the Wuhan Army Organizing Office to Nanjing to restrain He Yingqin. Therefore, as soon as He Yingqin finished speaking, Chen Cheng immediately put forward different opinions.

"I think this time should be fought, and it should be fought hard." As he said, Chen Cheng looked at Chiang Kai-shek respectfully: "Chairman, since the Great Wall Anti-Japanese War, the Neon Army has frequently increased its troops in North China, and the exercises have even approached the outskirts of Beiping. The situation in North China is also about to break out. If the Neon Army starts a war in North China, it will use its fast troops to go straight to Wuhan along the Pinghan Line; once Wuhan is lost, China will definitely break the east and west into two. In this way, not only will North China fall, but the Hubei, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and other lower reaches of the Yangtze River will all fall by the Neon Army. Therefore, we not only need to increase troops in the Songhu area, but also take the opportunity to expand the Songhu battlefield and lure the enemy to the east."

Hearing that Chen Cheng's opinion was exactly the same as himself, and even more courageous than himself, Zhang Zhizhong hurriedly said: "Chairman, Ci Xiu is right. We should concentrate our main forces on the Songhu battlefield, defeat the enemy in front of us in one fell swoop and win some victory. It can change the always lightheartedness of Europe and the United States, and cause their intermediary, or even armed interference, and create an opportunity to end the war."

Chiang Kai-shek nodded, literati ruled peace, military ruled war. Foreign Minister Wang Chonghui placed his hopes on diplomatic mediation, but Chiang Kai-shek knew very well that weak countries had no diplomacy, and imperialism was eyeing China, but the Japanese were even more blatant. Diplomatic mediation was tantamount to conspiring with tigers.

However, in the main war, it was divided into two factions. He Yingqin was more conservative, while Chen Cheng and Zhang Zhizhong seemed very radical. This was what Chiang Kai-shek was willing to see. He Yingqin wanted to replace him in the Xi'an Incident. It was very necessary to weaken and restrain He Yingqin's power.

Finally, Chiang Kai-shek turned his attention to the new Deputy Chief of General Staff Bai Chongxi. Bai Chongxi is the second-in-command in the Guangxi clan, but Chiang Kai-shek admires his talent very much.

"Jiansheng, why don't you speak? You can speak as much as you want to do here." Chiang Kai-shek said to Bai Chongxi with a happy look.

Bai Chongxi was not going to speak out. Except for Wang Chonghui, the other people here, were all his direct descendants of Chiang Kai-shek. He, the deputy chief of staff, was just a product of the Guangdong-Guangdong Incident last year, and his weight in Chiang Kai-shek's eyes was naturally not as important as the previous ones. Moreover, Bai Chongxi was unwilling to offend any of them. However, since Chiang Kai-shek called him to speak, Bai Chongxi reluctantly smiled and said, "Chairman, humble rank is a soldier, and can only be analyzed from the perspective of military strategy."

"It's okay, it's okay. Jiansheng, you are a good player in war. Come on, come and analyze it for us." Chiang Kai-shek waved his hand and smiled.

"We have been defending the attack of the Neon Army since the east and west defense is better than from north to south. In history, Mongolia destroyed the Southern Song Dynasty and Jurchens destroyed the Ming Dynasty. They all submerged from north to south, first taking Huguang, and then fully occupied the entire Yangtze River basin. However, from east to west, geographically, they had feinted attacks. Moreover, in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, there were dense river networks, and the mountains along the way were north and south, which was not conducive to the development of the enemy's mechanized troops, but also conducive to the continuous defense and elimination of their biological forces." After saying that, Bai Chongxi couldn't help but smiled at everyone and said, "My opinions are based on the comprehensive attack of the Neon Army on us. Of course, it is of course the best not to attack."

"Yes, it is of course the best not to fight, but now we cannot be allowed. The Japanese have been peeking at us for a long time, and a war between China and Japan is inevitable after all." Chiang Kai-shek sighed deeply.

Then he said: "Minister Wang, on behalf of the National Government, you will immediately launch an attack on our Hongqiao Military Airport on behalf of the National Government and filed a solemn protest against the Japanese Embassy. In addition, the Shanghai Municipal Government will also negotiate with the Japanese Consulate and the Japanese Marine Corps in Shanghai."

When everyone heard Chiang Kai-shek's arrangement, they were stunned at the same time. The Chairman had already said that the Sino-Japanese War was inevitable, but isn't this still a peace talk?

Zhang Zhizhong couldn't sit still anymore. He opened his mouth and was about to speak, but he heard Chiang Kai-shek say to him: "Wen Bai, transfer the 36th Division from Wuhu. Another order is the 87th Division, the 88th Division, immediately heading to the front line of Suzhou, and prepare for the first-level combat, ready to rush to Shanghai at any time."

What is this decision? I want to negotiate peace and fight. Everyone can't understand it. After all, Zhang Zhizhong is still concerned about the Third Security Regiment in Shanghai, and couldn't help but smile bitterly: "Chairman, the situation of the Third Security Regiment is not optimistic now. If there is no reinforcement now, I am worried that they will not be able to withstand the attack of the Neon Marine Corps. This is our only mobile force in Shanghai at present."

Chiang Kai-shek knew that the Third Security Regiment stationed in Shanghai was arranged by Zhang Zhizhong last year, and the equipment and military pay were all preferential. After a brief consideration, he said: "Since you have no confidence in Yang Hu's two security regiments, I will transfer a security regiment from the Zhejiang Security Department to rush to the Third Security Regiment to Shanghai as soon as possible."

Zhang Zhizhong still knows some of the combat effectiveness of the Zhejiang Security Corps. Since Yu Jishi was transferred to the Zhejiang Security Department, he has been in charge of retraining this time. It is much stronger than the two security groups in the Shanghai Security Command.

Since Chairman Jiang said this, he was already giving him face, Zhang Zhizhong had no choice but to nod his head helplessly.

After the meeting, Zhang Zhizhong, the last one who walked out of the door, saw Chen Xiude who was waiting in the yard. He walked over and smiled reluctantly and said, "The Chairman has promised to transfer a security team from Zhejiang to reinforce, so don't worry."

Chen Xiude also breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly said, "Thank you, teacher. Liangzhen's place. I greeted him some time ago. He had arranged a security team to be along the Jiaxing Shanghai-Hangzhou Railway. He set out tonight and will arrive tomorrow morning."

When Zhang Zhizhong heard this, he looked at Chen Xiude in surprise and smiled and said, "It turns out that you have made arrangements long ago, so I will feel much more at ease."

At present, when Tian Toshio learned that a squadron of Yoshikawa Toshiro led the First Brigade led by the First Brigade was ambushed by the Third Security Regiment before reaching Hongqiao Airport. One squadron lost most of the losses and asked for reinforcements, he angrily pulled out the command knife and cut the table in front of him into two halves. He kept scolding Yoshikawa Toshiro for being incompetent. These children of aristocratic families could only rely on their family's elegance and had no ability at all.

The security team must be in danger, and now that it has lost more than half of the squadron, how could Maeda Toshio give up? If the Third Shanghai Security Regiment cannot be eliminated, then what awaits him is a caesarean section and apologize.

Maeda Toshio immediately ordered Yoshikawa Toshiro to stand by on the spot, and he personally led the killed Yasuke Kitashima's second brigade and an artillery squadron affiliated with the Marine Corps to quickly reinforce. He wanted to personally command the elimination of the Third Shanghai Security Regiment, which brought him great shame and troubles.

Chen Xiuwen was very satisfied with the ambush in Chengjiaqiao commanded by Qiao Zhen. He destroyed a transportation army of the Neon Army and wiped out nearly a hundred Neon Army. However, only two soldiers from the machine gun company were killed during the retreat. Three of the spies who were covering the retreat were injured, and all of them were penetrating injuries caused by the 38 rifle, which was not serious.

"The regiment seat, the Neon Army dispatched another brigade of troops and an artillery squadron, carrying a total of four 92 infantry artillery pieces. Now the Neon Army in Chengjiaqiao has stopped advancing. I judged that they were waiting for the reinforcements to come up and wanted us to pounce on each other." Chen Zui ran in with a serious expression and reported.

"Two brigades and one artillery squadron, the Japanese devils respect me enough." Chen Xiuwen put down the pencil in his hand, stood up and said to himself.

"Team, have you transferred two companies back from Longhua Airport? Otherwise, we will be under too much pressure here." Chen Zui said with a worried look on his face.

Chen Xiuwen looked at Qiao Zhen, and Qiao Zhen also frowned and did not speak. Hongqiao Airport now has two battalions and two companies of the Machine Cannon Battalion, plus the troops directly under the regiment headquarters. The total number is only more than 2,000 people, and the ratio to the invading Neon Army is only 1:1. The pressure is indeed very great.

"No, this time the Neon Army sent two brigades. They were completely likely to divide their troops to attack Longhua Airport. The Second Battalion and the machine cannon could not move. Tell Zhou Suping that no matter how we fight here, he would nail me to Longhua Airport." Chen Xiuwen threw the pencil in his hand on the table and said.

"Damn it, soldiers come to block the enemy, and water comes to Tutun. There are only 3,000 people in Shanghai. Behind us, the 87th Division and the 88th Division can be reinforced in one night. As long as we keep tonight, the reinforcements will be in place tomorrow." Chen Xiuwen said confidently. After commanding his own troops and fighting with the Japanese devils for the first time, Chen Xiuwen felt very excited and his whole body began to get hot.

"Pa, Pa" Looking at the more than 100 corpses that had been restrained by the roadside, Maeda Toshio roared and threw seven or eight big mouths from the captain of the first brigade.

Masaino Ichiken stood straight in front of Toshio Maeda, letting blood come out of his nostrils and mouth, and he didn't dare to dodge, "Hi, Hi." He kept shouting.

Yoshikawa Toyoro also stepped forward with an awkward look on his face and reported: "Commander, this time we were ambushed by the Third Security Regiment, mainly because they had already mastered our marching route. They also equipped a large number of automatic weapons and mortars, and ran away after they were shot. We did not have any chance to counterattack. Today, we caused huge casualties, and the responsibility lies with me. Please punish the commander."

Due to Yoshikawa Toshiro's identity, Maeda Toshio was unable to attack him, so he had to vent his anger on Masano Ichiken. Hearing Yoshikawa Toshio's defense, Maeda Toshio said coldly: "Yikawakun, you said that the Third Shanghai Security Regiment is equipped with a large number of automatic weapons. Is it better than Hua's German equipment?"

"Yes, Your Excellency. According to our information, the German equipment engineers of China are equipped with ordinary Mauser 98k rifles, 1924 standard rifles, a small number of Maxim heavy machine guns and German 82 mortars." As he said, Yoshikawa Toshiro took out a 12.7mm bullet shell shell shell and handed it to Maeda Toshio: "We found a large number of shell shell shells of this large caliber heavy machine gun on their ambush positions, as well as a large number of shell shell shell shells of 60 mortar shell shell shells, all of which are made of American weapons. Their rifle shell shell shells are also different from the 7.62mm shell shell shell shells of German rifles. So, I think this Third Security Regiment is not an ordinary security regiment, and it is very likely that it is a secret force arranged by China in Shanghai with strong combat power."

Maeda Toshio held the 12.7mm shell and slowly calmed down. He had just seen the bodies of the dead soldiers, many of which were missing arms and legs or even broken in the waist, and were all caused by the strafing of such large-caliber heavy machine guns. At this time, Maeda Toshio had already believed in everything Yoshikawa Toshiro said. But now Maeda Toshio no longer has a way out. Eliminating the Third Security Regiment is his only way out.

"The Great Japanese Imperial Army is invincible. No matter how well their equipment is, as long as they are face to face, those despicable Chinese will never be opponents of the Great Japanese Imperial Army. For the honor of our Great Japanese Imperial Army and for the honor of our Marine Corps, I order to set out to Hongqiao Airport immediately and eliminate the Third Shanghai Security Regiment."

"Your Excellency, please allow our First Team to be the vanguard." Masaino Ichiken walked to Toshio Maeda and shouted loudly, regardless of the blood on his face.

Maeda Toshio looked at Masaino Ichiken nodded with satisfaction and said, "Masaino, I hope you can lead your first team to wash away your shame this time."
Chapter completed!