The temporary joint command went smoothly. Gao Hongming just explained to Tang Huaiyuan on the phone, and the other party immediately agreed in less than three minutes.
Tang Huaiyuan is not stupid. Now his Third Army relies on Gao Hongming for all supplies and ammunition. To put it bluntly, once Gao Hongming stops supplying, he will be without food in less than three days.
Both Tang Huaiyuan and Brigadier Chen were cheerful people. Once the three parties reached an agreement, they moved the headquarters to Yangping Town in the evening and merged it with Gao Hongming's regiment. In this way, Gao Hongming's headquarters staff
The number of people has also increased from dozens to hundreds.
Looking at the soldiers wearing gray German military uniforms, brown-gray Eighth Route Army uniforms, and French blue-green Yunnan Army uniforms that were constantly passing around, everything seemed a bit messy because the joint command had just been established.
Gao Hongming, Tang Huaiyuan, and Brigadier Chen were sitting in the corner of the hall, looking at the staff officers and staff coming and going around, and said with a helpless smile: "This is the first time I have seen so many staff officers wandering around me.
It made me a little dizzy."
Brigadier Chen laughed, "Commander Gao, if you don't tell me, I really didn't notice it. There are indeed a lot of people, but there is nothing we can do about it. Besides, as the commander of an army, Commander Tang has 20,000 troops under his command.
Naturally, the department has more staff, which is understandable.”
Tang Huaiyuan said helplessly: "Actually, I have no choice. Our Third Army is too poor. Even radio stations can only be spread to the division level. Many things can only be completed by manpower. The reason why we have recruited so many staff officers is
To get a few more errand boys."
"Yes." Brigadier Chen was also very emotional when he heard this. The Eighth Route Army was not like this. Since last year, with Gao Hongming's help, their life had become easier, otherwise it would have been even more difficult.
While he was talking, an orderly wearing a blue-green military uniform came over with a tray and handed everyone a cup of coffee.
Tang Huaiyuan took the coffee and took a sip: "Brother Gao, do you know why I agreed immediately when you just told me about setting up a joint command?"
"Oh why?"
"Of course it's convenient for me to come to your place to eat and drink." Tang Huaiyuan took a sip of coffee, with a look of enjoyment on his face, "You don't know, since the Japanese invaded Zhongtiao Mountain, the supplies of the Third Army have been completely exhausted.
It was cut off. Before I met you, the brothers in the Third Army had only eaten one meal a day for four consecutive days. Even I, the army commander, could only drink some porridge. If you hadn't arrived in time, we would have
I’m afraid the Third Army has been eaten by the Japanese long ago.”
Speaking of this, Tang Huaiyuan also expressed emotion, "On May 7, when the Japs first attacked Zhongtiao Mountain, we all thought it was just another routine attack. We never thought that this time the offensive would be completely different from the past.
different.
The Japs' offensive was too fierce. Not only did they dispatch hundreds of planes and hundreds of tanks, but they also attacked the weak links of our defense. In less than two days, the Zhongtiao Mountain defense line completely collapsed. By the third
Within three days, Wang Jun, Chen Wenqi and Liang Xixian died one after another. At that time, our Third Army had actually been dispersed, and it was all supported by Nian Jie (Cun Xingqi)'s 12th Division.
At this most dangerous moment, if Gao Laodi's flying brigade had not appeared in time to provide us with air cover and airdrop some supplies and ammunition, our Third Army would have been gone long ago.
I, Tang Huaiyuan, have been a soldier for half my life, and I think I have a good way of judging people. In my opinion, Brother Gao, you are the noble person in my life. Anyway, you saved my life. Now, brother, I will give you this more than 100 yuan.
I leave it to you."
After saying that, Tang Huaiyuan laughed, but this smile was particularly cunning for Gao Hongming.
"Hey……"
Gao Hongming, dumbfounded, pointed at the old man, "Well, you are relying on me for your relationship."
"How can this be said to be a lie? Didn't you say that you want to set up a joint command? Brother, I ran over as soon as I heard about it. What else do you want?"
Well... Gao Hongming didn't want to talk any more. This person came here to eat and drink, and he was so aboveboard.
Of course, the above is just a joke. The actual situation is that everyone is not a fool. Now that the Japanese have invaded the country with their troops, fools all know that it is imperative to establish a joint command. If they continue to fight independently as before, the efficiency will be too slow. Since ancient times,
The most taboo thing in fighting is to send orders to multiple gates. China has too many bloody lessons in this regard in its thousands of years of history.
"Okay." Gao Hongming nodded, and then he asked a staff officer on the side, "Is Chief of Staff Chi here?"
"I'm coming……"
Following Gao Hongming's voice, Chi Yaohui was seen walking in, followed by a group of staff officers. As soon as this group of people came in, they did nothing else and took the lead in moving the table in the middle of the room aside, followed by a group of people.
Then a shelf four meters wide and more than six meters long was brought in.
When the shelf was brought in, everyone in the hall was surprised. Brigadier Chen even exclaimed, "It's actually a sand table!"
Yes, what these staff officers brought in was exactly a huge military sand table.
As soon as the military sand table was set up, Brigadier Chen and Tang Huaiyuan rushed over quickly, followed by a group of staff officers who also cheered and surrounded it. Everyone stood against it with a heated look in their eyes.
The sand table is not a rare thing. It appeared as early as the Eastern Han Dynasty, but it was not really used in large-scale wars until modern times.
The so-called military sandbox is a model that stacks or outlines hills, rivers, cities, fortresses, and routes in real geography strictly according to certain proportions.
Compared with abstract maps, the advantages of sand table are obvious. It turns an abstract two-dimensional plane into a lifelike three-dimensional object and presents it to people, which can provide more intuitive basis and reference for decision-makers.
Of course, although the sand table has so many benefits, it is quite troublesome to make, and the most annoying thing is that it is not convenient to carry. It is basically a disposable thing, so few people will make it unless they have plenty of time.
Tang Huaiyuan circled the four-meter-wide and six-meter-long sand table several times and found that the sand table was made to be lifelike in terms of terrain, roads, enemy and our army postures, and positions, even in Yangping Town where they were located.
Even the streets and alleys are marked, which can be said to be extremely careful.
Even Brigadier Chen sighed with emotion: "Tsk tsk... Commander Gao, you, the chief of staff, are indeed a talent. Apart from other things, there are only a few people in China who can compare with his ability to make sand tables."