Yan Baichuan was a businessman and had been making shrewd calculations all his life.
At present, Shanxi is a mixed bag. The major forces are mainly the Central Army, the Shanxi-Sui Army, the Eighth Route Army and the Japanese Army, each of which has its own territory.
Among them, the Jinsui Army was the weakest, but the Jinsui Army was never eaten, and Yan Baichuan was also quite capable.
Moreover, he is extremely suspicious and only relies on his confidants and fellow villagers. There is an old saying in Shanxi: if you can speak Wutai dialect, you can hang a foreign knife.
This means that as long as you are from Wutai County, you will gain Yan Laoxi's trust.
This is also the reason why Chu Yunfei was reused by Yan Baichuan even though he was a student of Principal Chang.
At this time, Yan Baichuan was frowning.
Yoshio Shinozuka mobilized 50,000 elite Japanese troops and 20,000 puppet troops to raid the Eighth Route Army's base in southeastern Shanxi.
In Yan Baichuan's view, although the Eighth Route Army had a large number of troops, it was too dispersed and the Eighth Route Army in southeastern Shanxi would definitely not be able to defeat the Japanese army.
After the Japanese army defeated the Eighth Route Army, they would definitely defeat the Jinsui Army in turn.
My lips are dead and my teeth are cold.
The Eighth Route Army, the Eighth Route Army, you are too showy. First, you launched a hundred-regiment battle, and then wiped out a Japanese brigade.
They also went to rob the Japanese military columns.
Little did they know that Mu Xiu was bound to be destroyed by Lin Feng, and with the Japanese army's vengeful behavior, they would definitely suffer even more ferocious retaliation.
The way to survive is to keep a low profile and bide your time like the Jinsui Army.
Yan Baichuan put his hands behind his back and sighed with emotion at the headquarters.
Yang Xingru, deputy commander of the Second Theater Command and commander-in-chief of the Sixth Group Army, hurriedly walked into the headquarters with a dull expression.
In his hand he held a telegram that had just been received by the Communications Department.
This fellow Yan Baichuan, the deputy commander who was highly regarded by Yan Baichuan, was in extreme shock. He seemed to be in disbelief at the content of the telegram in his hand, so much so that he even lost his expression.
"Report!" Yang Xingru shouted at the door.
"Xingru, are you coming to Liao?"
"Come and take a look. This is the situation map of southeastern Shanxi that I ordered the combat staff to draw."
Yan Baichuan walked to the center of the headquarters without raising his head. A large and accurate map was placed on the table.
"Situation map of southeastern Shanxi?"
Yang Xingru hurried over and looked at the situation map drawn by the headquarters' operational staff.
It has to be said that the operational staff of the headquarters drew the situation in southeastern Shanxi very beautifully. Arrows of various colors were intertwined, and the direction of the Japanese attack was clear at a glance.
The Japanese army's divided attack, combined attack, and iron wall encirclement offensive posture surrounded the Eighth Route Army base area in southeastern Shanxi. From this situation map, it seems that the Eighth Route Army will be defeated. Even if it can break out some personnel, it will still be a loss.
It was extremely disastrous, and serious damage to vitality was inevitable.
"According to intelligence, the Japanese army is carrying out Operation Sanguang again this time. Unfortunately, Liao, a common man in southeastern Shanxi."
Yan Baichuan sighed with emotion. He cared very much about his reputation among the people. One of the reasons why he did not surrender and become a traitor was because he was afraid that the people in Jin would scold him.
There are at least two to three million ordinary people in southeastern Shanxi. If the Eighth Route Army were defeated, these ordinary people would definitely be killed by the Japanese army.
Yang Xingru's expression and tone were very strange: "Commander, the Japanese army's mopping up operation against the Eighth Route Army's base area in southeastern Shanxi has ended."
"It's over, so soon?"
"It will be less than five days before the Japanese army starts their raids, right?"
Yan Baichuan raised his head and glanced at Yang Xingru, finally noticing the strange expression on Yang Xingru's face.
Yang Xingru said: "To be precise, it only lasted four days."
Yan Baichuan then asked: "What was the result? Did the Eighth Route Army suffer heavy losses? How many civilians were killed by the Japanese army?"
"Commander, you may not believe it, but this is a telegram just sent by the intelligence personnel of Taiyuan Station."
Yang Xingru's tone was urgent: "The Japanese army was defeated in this sweep. Two divisions of the Japanese army were severely damaged by the Eighth Route Army, and one regiment was completely wiped out. The commander of the 37th Division, Lieutenant General Hirata Kenkichi, was killed by the Eighth Route Army. From the intelligence point of view, the Japanese army was killed in this battle.
More than 25,000 people were killed."
"very?"
Yan Baichuan quickly received the telegram and his tone suddenly rose an octave: "This is impossible, absolutely impossible!"
Killing 25,000 Japanese soldiers is not killing 25,000 pigs. It is definitely not that easy.
At that time, one division of the Eighth Route Army was able to kill more than a thousand Japanese troops at Pingxingguan.
Yan Baichuan was very afraid of the Japanese army and felt that the Japanese army was very powerful. When the Japanese army attacked Shanxi, the 21st Brigade of the Japanese 5th Division fought from Pingxingguan to Taiyuan, and only one brigade defeated the Shanxi-Sui Army all the way.
There are more than 30 divisions of the Central Army, and their combat effectiveness is terrifying.
Although the combat effectiveness of the Japanese army that swept the Eighth Route Base Area this time was not as good as that of the Japanese 21st Brigade, there were also the 14th Brigade and the 18th Brigade transferred from the permanent division.
The combat effectiveness cannot be underestimated.
At Taierzhuang, 290,000 Chinese troops fought against 50,000 Japanese troops, but they were able to kill more than 10,000 Japanese troops. The Chinese troops themselves suffered 50,000 casualties.
Killing 25,000 Japanese soldiers seems very difficult, but in fact it is also very difficult, almost unimaginable.
Just rely on the tens of thousands of Eighth Route Army troops in southeastern Shanxi?
This is simply impossible!
unless…
Yan Baichuan read the telegram and said in surprise: "Is this Eighth Route propaganda?"
Yang Xingru's tone was affirmative: "Commander, it can't be propaganda from the Eighth Route Army. This is the latest information obtained by the intelligence personnel of Taiyuan Station from a Japanese officer."
"Then there is only one possibility."
Yan Baichuan said: "The Eighth Route Army quietly transferred the main force of the entire North China to southeastern Shanxi. There are 400,000 Eighth Route Army troops in the entire North China. The 400,000 Eighth Route Army attacked 50,000 Japanese troops and killed 25,000 Japanese troops. This is only reasonable. They launched
That hundred-regiment battle, where 400,000 soldiers fought against tens of thousands of Japanese troops, isn’t that what they achieved?”
"Commander, the Japanese army's intelligence and spies are not for nothing. It is impossible to hide such a large-scale transfer of the Eighth Route Army from the Japanese army."
Yang Xingru smiled bitterly and said: "Maybe this record was achieved by the Eighth Route Army in southeastern Shanxi."
Since the end of the battle was relatively short, the intelligence personnel of the Jinsui Army at the Taiyuan Station received limited information.
Therefore, Yan Baichuan and Yang Xing didn't know what happened specifically, so they could only guess.
"How could the Eighth Route Army in southeastern Shanxi be so strong?" Yan Baichuan frowned, confused: "Or is it that the Japanese army's combat effectiveness has dropped significantly in the past two years?"
Yang Xingru analyzed: "Probably not. Not to mention the 37th Division. It is the elite of the Japanese First Army. The 2nd Guards Division has a greater background. It is the guard of the Japanese Emperor, and its combat effectiveness will not be bad."
After a pause, Yang Xingru said again: "Commander, in a sense, the Eighth Route Army killed 25,000 Japanese troops, which is a good thing for our Jinsui Army. The Japanese army will definitely regain its position after suffering such a big loss."
, there is no time to take care of our Jinsui Army."
Yan Baichuan nodded and agreed: "That's true. If the Eighth Route Army is so aggressive, it will definitely suffer more ferocious revenge from the Japanese army."
"But... what I want to know most now is what happened in southeastern Shanxi these days."
"Check it out for me and mobilize all intelligence personnel."
"We must find out how the Eighth Route Army killed so many Japanese troops. The sooner the better."
"Also, forward this information to the Chairman of the Standing Committee. Hum, I'm afraid he won't be able to sleep again after reading it."
"Yes." Yang Xingru responded in a higher tone.
Before Yang Xingru went out, another piece of information from Taiyuan was passed in by personnel from the Communications Department.
"Commander, our intelligence personnel spent some gold bars to buy a piece of top-secret information from a senior Japanese military officer."
"The Eighth Route Army commander who commanded the Eighth Route Army troops and severely damaged the Japanese 2nd Guards Division and the 37th Division this time is Li Yunlong..."
After reading the information handed to him, Yang Xingru hesitated for a few seconds before speaking out.
"Li Yunlong, is it him again?"
Yan Baichuan's expression and tone were extremely surprised.
…
"What are you talking about, severely damaging two Japanese divisions and annihilating the Japanese 36th Regiment?"
Dagushan, headquarters of the 358th Regiment of the Shanxi-Sui Army.
Chu Yunfei was staring at the location of southeastern Shanxi on the map. After listening to Chief of Staff Fang Ligong read the telegram, he suddenly turned around with an expression of extreme shock.
Fang Ligong nodded: "Yes, this is the latest information received more than ten minutes ago. I have verified it through the superior department. The Japanese army was annihilated by the Eighth Route Army this time, at least 25,000 people."
Chu Yunfei stood motionless as if he had been struck by lightning, his expression changed from shock to horror, and he couldn't help but said to himself: "Oh my God, the Eighth Route Army, what kind of army is this..."
Fang Ligong adjusted his glasses, although he had always looked down on the Eighth Route Army and thought that the Eighth Route Army's guerrilla warfare was not commendable.
But this time I have to admit that the battle of the Eighth Route Army was really beautiful:
"It's unbelievable."
"According to intelligence, the Japanese 37th Division and the 2nd Guards Division were severely damaged this time, and the Japanese 36th Regiment was completely wiped out."
"These Japanese troops have great backgrounds."
"The 37th Division is the elite of the Japanese First Army, and the 2nd Guards Division is a serious guard of the Emperor of Japan."
"There is also the Japanese 36th Regiment, which was originally affiliated to the 18th Brigade of the 9th Division of the Japanese Army. It was the first Japanese army to enter Jinling City during the Battle of Jinling and participated in the massacre."
"None of these Japanese troops is good."
"It is simply unimaginable how the Eighth Route Army achieved this record."
When he learned that the annihilated Japanese 36th Regiment had participated in the massacre, Chu Yunfei showed an extremely relieved look on his face:
"Well done, that's what you have to do. You must not be merciful to these inhumane beasts!"
After a pause, Chu Yunfei continued: "The Chinese army, in the second theater sequence, has a unit like the Eighth Route Army. It is a blessing for the Republic of China and a blessing for the nation."
"but…"
Speaking of this, Chu Yunfei stopped talking and his expression became a bit solemn.
The Eighth Route Army is too powerful, which is not a good thing for the party-state.
Fang Ligong's expression also became solemn: "The Eighth Route Army's combat effectiveness is indeed beyond everyone's expectations, but... 25,000 Japanese troops were killed, and the Eighth Route Army's losses must have been extremely heavy. Ammunition and supplies were consumed greatly, and there will definitely be suffering in the future.
When the Japanese army mobilized heavy troops to retaliate, although the Eighth Route Army was very capable of fighting, compared with the Japanese army, the gap was like a chasm."
"The Eighth Route has no supplies of materials, weapons and ammunition, and is surrounded by Japanese troops. I'm afraid it will be difficult to withstand the next heavy raid by the Japanese troops."
