As soon as Yang Zhen rushed back to the combat room, the commander-in-chief, who was working in the combat room with two telegrams and carefully studied the map, immediately came up. He did not care about greetings and handed the telegram in his hand to Yang Zhen and said, "This is the latest enemy situation report sent by Dong Ping. Judging from the notice, the enemy situation is very serious. Do you think we should do the next step?"

After handing the telegram to Yang Zhen, the commander-in-chief walked to the map and pointed to the map that had marked the enemy and us and said: "From the telegram sent by Dong Ping, the situation is extremely serious. After receiving the 24th Regiment, the troops of the Japanese Fourth Division did not withdraw to Jiamusi but stationed in Taipingchuan to Heli Line."

"In addition to the previous reinforcement of one infantry and cavalry unit of the 24th Regiment, the Japanese and puppet troops stationed in Jiamusi are also gradually increasing their troops to Wang Shazitun and Lide. As the vanguard of the 67th Regiment, which was a reinforcement vanguard, and part of the Third Cavalry Brigade, he carried a large number of supplies and supplies. With the cooperation of a mixed brigade of the Puppet Manchukuo Army and a cavalry unit, he had arrived at the Miaolingzishan line."

"Through a fallen puppet Manchukuo Army officer captured, in addition to the full dispatch of the Japanese Fourth Division stationed in Jiamusi, a large number of troops are also being increased one after another."

"As far as we know, the 44th Regiment, the main force of the 11th Division of the Japanese Army stationed in Mishan, was assigned to four infantry squadrons of the 43rd Regiment and a brigade of the mountain artillery, commanded by Major General Yoshikazu Heiyan, the commander of the 22nd Brigade, was moving quickly to the Jiamusi area through the railway."

"Two mixed brigades, an independent brigade and two cavalry regiments, which had just been established in the Seventh Military Region, have completed assembly in the Jiamusi area under the command of its commander Zhang Wenzhu. They will advance to the North and South Germany line tomorrow."

"This is just the Japanese army that we can control at present. Whether the Japanese army has been mobilized in other directions is not clear yet because the intelligence relationship is not yet perfect. As far as the current direction of the Japanese army is concerned, the goal of the Japanese army's mobilization can be determined, which is to target us."

Yang Zhen did not feel any surprises about the emerging enemy situation. He fought continuously in the territory of Tangyuan, annihilated one after another, defeated the forces of five Japanese brigades, defeated a large number of puppet Manchukuo military and police, and killed Sasaki, the highest commander of the Japanese army, who was attacking this time. According to the Japanese army's habits, it was almost impossible not to retaliate.

No matter what they did before, after this battle, the Japanese army would probably regard themselves as the number one major concern. Whether it was to cover up the density of their bacterial war bases, or to completely eliminate the anti-Japanese armed forces in the North Manchuria region and create a stable rear for future war against the Soviet Union, the Japanese army would definitely try to eliminate themselves as quickly as possible. Judging from the Japanese army's usual efficient intelligence, it has been so long that they will not know their true identities.

However, the Japanese army was so fast, which was somewhat beyond Yang Zhen's expectations. He originally thought that no matter how the Japanese army reacted in this battle, he would at least buy him three to five days of rest. However, he did not expect that in just two days, the Japanese army had already drawn heavy troops into the territory of Tangyuan.

According to the information sent by Dong Ping, the Japanese army not only dispatched all members of the Fourth Division, but even dispatched a whole regiment of the 11th Division to cooperate in combat. With the addition of the puppet Manchukuo military and police, the huge number of enemies made Yang Zhen feel extremely stressed.

Looking at the clear enemy-to-me situation on the map sign, Yang Zhen pondered for a long time before looking up and said, "From the current deployment of the Japanese army, their main target is concentrated in the northwest of Tangyuan. The situation of the Japanese army's move shows that we have been exposed here now."

"According to the deployment of the Japanese army in the Northeast, especially the North Manchuria, the Japanese army, who are good at flanking detours, will never simply take sieges to our army from the front. Whether it is to cover up the secrets of its bacterial warfare base or to eliminate the anti-Japanese armed forces in the North Manchuria area, they will definitely mobilize heavy troops during this suppression."

"We are now at a close distance from the Soviet Union. Just follow the Xing'an Mountains north and we can retreat into the Soviet Union at any time. In order to ensure that we can be completely eliminated in Tangyuan, the Japanese army must mobilize troops to block us from the north. Therefore, the enemy that has appeared in front of us will definitely not be the entire Japanese army mobilized this time."

"From the garrison of the Japanese army in North Manchuria, the First Division stationed in Sunwu is located just behind our army. Moreover, the pseudo-Heihe Province area stationed in is not far from our army in a straight line. Once our army is fighting fiercely with the Japanese army in front and rushing from behind, it will bring great passivity to our army."

"The Japanese army can transfer the main force of the 11th Division from Mishan, and may not be able to mobilize the first division stationed behind our army. The enemy on the surface is not scary, and the most worrying thing is those enemies hidden in the dark that we don't know yet."

Speaking of this, Yang Zhen thought about it for a while and said to Guo Bingxun: "Old Guo, order Li Mingrui to lead the two companies of his reconnaissance battalion to unfold to Yilan and Wuyun respectively, and do a good job of surveillance against the north and south, especially the northwest. At the same time, he told Dong Ping that he would retreat immediately and lead a company of the reconnaissance battalion to unfold eastward. He must understand the Japanese army's actions and approximate routes. If necessary, he can capture prisoners. He also asked him to send the captured puppet Manchukuo officer back."

"Order the troops to terminate the rest immediately, strengthen the first regiment, and strengthen the third regiment to enter all the fortifications and prepare for combat. In addition to leaving behind a backbone and the group of workers who are of the age rescued by Liu Changshun, a new supplementary regiment will be formed."

"In addition to supplementing the losses of the main force in the previous stage, the remaining forces were reorganized into thirteen independent companies. The eight independent companies and the first regiment served as the defense of the Qunceshan line. The other five independent companies were left on standby. The engineer battalion ordered the final supplement and modification of the fortifications."

Regarding Yang Zhen's idea of ​​fighting with the Japanese in Qunce Mountain, the commander-in-chief said in disagreement: "Deputy Commander-in-Chief Yang, I hope you can calm down and not be impulsive. The forces mobilized by the Japanese army this time, not including the three more brigades of the puppet Manchukuo army, just the Japanese army, mobilized a division and a reinforcement corps."

"According to this scale, the Japanese army alone had nearly 20,000 people. In addition, the Puppet Manchukuo Army that was equipped to fight, there were 30,000 people. Although our troops are equipped with ammunition and food, they can maintain their combat effectiveness for a period of time. But you also know that the combat effectiveness of the troops is almost no chance of winning when facing the Japanese army."

"Even if there are original fortifications to rely on, as the builders of fortifications, the Japanese army with detailed structural information will only know more in detail than us. Although the Japanese fortifications we are relying on now have partially transformed, the general structure has not changed."

"In addition to the artillery of the Japanese division, only the artillery directly under the artillery, there is a heavy artillery corps in Muling. These fortifications that have almost no secrets for the Japanese army. How long can they withstand the bombardment of heavy artillery in the Japanese army? Instead of waiting for the Japanese army to complete the encirclement and cause severe damage to our army and break through, it is better to evacuate as early as possible while the Japanese army has not completed the encirclement."

"Now, fighting hard and fighting is not the best choice for us. If you win, fight, fight, leave, and don't care about the gains and losses of a city and a place. This is what you told me."

In response to the opposition of the commander-in-chief, Yang Zhen shook his head and said, "Commander-in-chief, it's not that I don't want to give up here. But even if we give up here, can the mobilization of the large army be hidden from the Japanese army? They have air superiority. After we are sure that we are hiding on the front line of Qunce Mountain, all our movements will be stared at by the Japanese planes."

"Unless we follow the old path and disperse guerrillas, it will be difficult for us to get rid of the Japanese aerial reconnaissance in the large army. It is not the time for us to have only a thousand people before. With the non-combatants, there are tens of thousands of people. Twenty or thirty thousand people are transferred, but it is not a small matter. If we imagine a silent transfer like before, there is almost no possibility."

"I have said before that we cannot become a bandit. We must establish a stable base if we have a little possibility. Even if the location is not too good, we cannot become a stable soldier and material replenishment base, but at least we must find a place for the troops to rest."

"To be honest, the environment of the entire North Manchuria is not very good for establishing a stable base. Although the mountains are high and dense, it provides us with a good hidden place. However, it is also sparsely populated here, and not to mention the difficulty of replenishing soldiers, the grain output is not enough to maintain a large army."

"And due to the limitations of the surrounding environment, although it is sparsely populated here, the Japanese and puppet rule is not weak. The Kwantung Army currently has eight divisions in the northeast, but except for the 23rd Division stationed in Hailar and the 7th Division in Qiqihar, almost all the troops are stationed in the northeast full area east of Heilongjiang. This is not just a cavalry brigade, two independent garrisons, and a large number of so-called border garrisons and other Japanese garrison troops."

"These Japanese troops, coupled with a large number of puppet Manchukuo troops, as well as various so-called railway police, forest police, and public security police, the number of Japanese and puppet troops in the entire Northeast Manchuria area is almost the highest in the entire Northeast. Their ruling strength is not weaker than that of South Manchuria. However, although the situation is not optimistic, this is our only choice."

"It is not easy to establish a base. It is separated from Luobei and the Soviet Union from the north and died from the river. To the west are the vast Xing'an Mountains. To the east are the Sanjiang Plain with a vast area and swamps. Although the overall environment is not ideal, at least the terrain and geographical location are still a relatively good choice for us."

"The base I want to establish is not the guerrilla base established by the Anti-Japanese United Nations League, but a base that wants to create a solid and reliable rear for us. So the commander-in-chief, even if I am reluctant, I have to fight this battle. Otherwise, even if we evacuate, the troops will be safe for the time being."

"But can we retreat there? In the case of the entire northeast being an enemy-occupied area, we are nothing more than taking the old path and retreating into the deep mountains and hidden. But tens of thousands of troops are trapped in the deep mountains and forests. Under the pursuit, attack, and large-scale blockade of the Japanese army, let alone fighting, even if they are hungry over time."

"Even if we give up here and retreat into the mountains, will the Japanese army give up the attempt to eliminate us? They will not. They will organize a large number of troops to encircle and chase us and block us. The Japanese army has air advantages on the top, a large number of modern railways, highways and other means of transportation under it. There are also a large number of cavalry."

"When our army is far less mobile than the Japanese army, once we lose a stable position to rely on, it is extremely unfavorable for me to engage in field battles. Moreover, I am also worried that when the army's marching ability, especially when the night marching ability is still weak, once we evacuate in a hurry, it is likely that not only will we not be able to escape the pursuit of the Japanese army, but we may even run away our troops. Besides, we can't always make small fuss like this, right?"

"Yes, the Japanese army did have the deployment drawings for the fortifications here, but our efforts to modify the fortifications here were beyond the enemy's expectations. Apart from the fortifications of reinforced concrete, we have modified the remaining civil fortifications so much that we cannot say that they are completely new, but at least most of the fortifications on hand of the Japanese army can be invalidated."

"We have rebuilt a large number of extremely hidden reverse firepower points and cross firepower points. The number of plum blossom-shaped fortifications, traffic trenches, and anti-aircraft holes has almost increased. We have also built a large number of hidden traps along the line of Qunce Mountain. In addition, we have many mines on hand, at least on the front, which can form a large-density minefield."

"Although the Japanese army had the original fortification deployment map, these fortifications were extremely strong. I once looked at the fortifications built from a large amount of reinforced concrete and almost no cost. Their main fortifications can block the bombing of at least 100 kilograms of aviation bombs. Their frontal strength can withstand the attack of 150 mm howitzers equipped by the Japanese army."

"The purpose of the Japanese army to build this secret military warehouse was not to clear out and guard against the Anti-Japanese United Army, but to use it in the future in combat against the Soviet Union. Therefore, its fortifications are based on the Soviet firepower configuration, and these fortifications are extremely strong. The main fortifications, the Japanese 75mm standard division artillery, was helpless."

"I'm afraid when the Japanese army built this secret warehouse, they never dreamed that one day we would use these extremely strong fortifications they built to deal with themselves."

"However, we cannot concentrate all our belongings here. In addition to combatants and necessary medical staff, the rest of the staff, including the families of workers who are preparing to set up a clothing factory, must be immediately withdrawn to the hinterland of Qinghei Mountain to hide. All wounded personnel must be transferred as soon as possible. All unnecessary materials must be strengthened and cleared. Evacuated what should be evacuated, and destroyed."

Regarding Yang Zhen’s arrangement, Guo Bingxun pondered for a while and said: “Commander, we have already had a response plan since we seized Qunce Mountain, a secret Japanese warehouse. It’s just that our previous deception tactics played a role and have not been used. I think it should be time to start it now. However, depending on the situation, necessary modifications must be made."

When Guo Bingxun talked about the content of the response plan that he had already made after he decided to rest here for a while, Yang Zhen and his friends naturally knew very clearly.

However, Yang Zhen did not agree immediately about Guo Bingxun's thoughts. After hesitating for a while, he nodded and said, "I think it's OK. However, the response plan is simply based on defense, and now it needs to be modified. Some of my ideas were still produced in the later stage of the previous battle. I will tell you later, let's make a conclusion."

"Are there are more than a dozen Japanese-style 96 150 mm howitzers are idle in the warehouse? Tell Ma Qichang to let him not do anything in the past two days and find a way to master the usage as soon as possible. There is no need to shoot accurately, just use the shells according to the ruler marked in advance. Haven't the coordinates been marked long ago?"

Speaking of this, Yang Zhen looked at the commander-in-chief with a grim expression in front of him, Li Yanping and Guo Bingxun, and said in a very serious tone: "This battle can be said to be our life-and-death battle. It is also the first time that our army has fought head-on with the Japanese army since its establishment. If this battle is fought well, we will gain a rare development space and completely open up the anti-Japanese situation in the Xiajiang area."

"If we fail, if we are still alive, we can only find a chance to start a new business. So in order for us to survive and develop in the future, we must fight this battle anyway."

"I decided to divide all the troops in Qunceshan into two major parts: defending and maneuvering. I have just said that I would like to use Wang Guangyu's first regiment to strengthen the third regiment and one battalion and eight independent companies as garrison troops, and to provide a battalion of the field artillery regiment with direct artillery regiments, plus inventory of heavy artillery. I will defend the base of Qunceshan. The political commissar and chief of staff are unified commanded."

Speaking of this, Yang Zhen said to Guo Bingxun: "Old Guo, this time it is a positional war. You came back from studying in France. The French army has gained extremely rich positional warfare experience in World War I. It is under your command here, and it can show what you have learned. The length of time you stick here directly determines whether our battle will be won."

After explaining Guo Bingxun, Yang Zhen said to the commander-in-chief: "Commander-in-chief, you command the personnel and materials that need to be evacuated, as well as the reorganized supplementary regiment, and transfer to the location of the arsenal. After you get there, you should not return to Qunce Mountain. First, you must complete the training of the supplementary regiment as quickly as possible, and second, you must fully preside over the production of the arsenal."

"You asked the arsenal to temporarily stop renovating machine guns. In addition to organizing the arsenal to produce submachine guns, you should produce as many landmines and some black gunpowder as possible, the more the better. In addition, organizing manpower to transport all the empty gasoline barrels back to Qunce Mountain, which is of other use."

After saying that, Yang Zhen waved his hand to stop the commander-in-chief who wanted to say something after hearing this arrangement, said: "Commander-in-chief, I know what you are going to say. Command-in-chief, I understand your thoughts. But we cannot gather all the senior commanders together to give the Japanese a chance to take us in one fell swoop."

"With enough radio stations on hand, we commanded separately, which is a good choice for both the troops and the battle."
Chapter completed!