Zhao Gang's analysis was correct. Bullets were one of the reasons why Wang Xuexin held back and did not pursue him.
But it's only one of the reasons.
If it were just for this reason, Wang Xuexin should have been prepared to expand the trading volume with Mao Xiong and buy more bullets.
But Wang Xuexin did not do this.
This is because Wang Xuexin did not think that this was the best time to counterattack the Japanese.
Wang Xuexin took this into consideration. At this time, the Japanese were attacking the stubborn army with all their strength to open up the communication line with Southeast Asia.
If the Eighth Route Army launches a counterattack at this time, what will it face?
First of all, the battle between the Japanese and the stubborn army could not continue.
The reason is that the Eighth Route Army's counterattack will directly threaten the Japanese's transportation and supply lines.
Although it is only a land transportation and supply line, the Japs can still transport southward by sea, but land trains and automobiles are only half the transportation. Without these supplies, the Japs will not be able to maintain the war on the front line.
As a result, the Japanese would suspend the battle with the stubborn army and then turn their forces to the Eighth Route Army...
We must know that the Japanese troops in China at this time numbered hundreds of thousands. Can the Eighth Route Army independently withstand such pressure?
Then let the stubborn troops watch the fire from the other side. Why bother?
This is also the reason why Wang Xuexin did not plan to fight eastward from Yuncheng but to turn north.
The most important thing when turning to the north to fight is not to counterattack easily.
Because once a counterattack threatens the Japanese supply lines, the Japanese will be forced to concentrate their forces against the Eighth Route Army.
but……
Once a counterattack is launched, it will be a well-prepared counterattack, and once it is launched, it will penetrate into the Northeast and threaten the Japanese production base to drain wages from the bottom of the cauldron.
Is the Eighth Route Army ready now?
Apparently not!
Wang Xuexin was thinking about how the Eighth Route Army could advance with lightning speed...
At this moment, Chen Songyong came to Wang Xuexin with another telegram and said: "Captain, what should the independent group do next?"
Wang Xuexin couldn't help but be a little surprised when he took the telegram. He thought Li Yunlong would still be entangled for at least a while, but he didn't expect that Li Yunlong would change his gender now.
What should the independent group do?
Wang Xuexin thought about it and then ordered: "To ensure the normal operation of the factory, make every effort to transfer all important equipment to underground fortifications or hide it in the mountains instead of concentrating it in the steel plant!"
"yes!"
Li Yunlong understood immediately when he received the telegram: "What Xiao Dongbei means is that the Japanese will blow up the steel plant!"
After thinking about it, he nodded slightly: "Although the steel factory has an airport and a plane, it is of no use. The devils have 'people with high fire'. This thing can fly at night, and it can hit them accurately... This damn thing
drop!"
Then Li Yunlong received another telegram: "The independent regiment has begun to learn car driving. Each class must have at least two skilled drivers!"
Upon seeing this telegram, Li Yunlong's eyes immediately lit up, and then he slapped his thigh and shouted: "Good thing! Damn it, it's finally our turn!"
Zhao Gang took the telegram and looked at it, and said excitedly: "Two drivers per shift, does this mean... mechanization?"
"What else can it do if it's not mechanization?" Li Yunlong laughed "hehe": "And it's the kind of half-track armored vehicle. I heard that Xiaodongbei has recently been trial-producing automobile engines. Why don't we take over the steel plant?
Is this it?”
Zhao Gang kept nodding his head, and then said excitedly to Li Yunlong: "Old Li, our troops are already equipped with repeating rifles. If we equip them with half-track armored vehicles... then we..."
"Isn't that what makes him invincible?" Li Yunlong said with a smile: "Don't talk about little devils then, we can all practice with Hans!"
Although what Li Yunlong said is a bit exaggerated, it is not unreasonable.
Because there is no army in the world that is both mechanized and equipped with AK47, and Hans can't do it either.
But of course, war is not as simple as a single piece of equipment or a certain army.
For example, Li Yunlong's mechanized troops rely too much on roads. If they rely on roads, they must have air superiority, otherwise they will be blown up by the enemy and defeated.
Compared with the previous battles of the Eighth Route Army, this clearly belongs to the frontal battlefield and is another way of fighting.
How could Li Yunlong care so much at this time? Without saying a word, he took the guards and went to the army to assign tasks.
What Li Yunlong has to do is to organize all the people and cars in the regiment who can drive, and then select those soldiers who are flexible or have a certain education in squad units to learn to drive.
Wang Xuexin indeed planned to transform the independent regiment into a mechanized force.
Because he believed that the only way to quickly invade the Northeast was to form mechanized troops.
Otherwise, why would the Eight Roads counterattack?
Do they have more troops than the Japs or do they have better quality equipment than the Japs?
It's neither.
If nothing else can compare, then it can only compare with speed, air power, and tactics.
Like Hans attacking the furry bear.
Hans's equipment is better than that of a furry bear? Does he have more troops than a furry bear?
Not so.
Hans actually took a trick and used outstanding air power to cover his ground troops for a quick surprise attack. As a result, the Mao Xiong was so embarrassed that he almost destroyed the country.
Hans could use this trick, and the Eighth Route Army could also use it.
For no other reason than the Eighth Route Army may have the upper hand in aviation... It should be said that it is foreseeable that it will have the upper hand.
First of all, the Eighth Route Army can produce its own "La-5" fighter. The performance of this fighter itself is no worse than the "Zero Fighter", and can even be said to be better.
Secondly, the Eighth Route Army has more advanced air-to-air missiles.
These two are enough to fill the problem of insufficient training of pilots in the Eighth Route Army.
Once the Eighth Route Army has more and more pilots and grows, it will only be a matter of time before it gains the upper hand in the air.
With air superiority, we have the conditions to engage in blitzkrieg with the Japanese.
Another prerequisite for blitzkrieg is mechanized troops.
Just when Wang Xuexin was planning in his mind how to form this unit, Zhang Zongping reported: "Comrade Commander, Comrade Menlokov came to see you. He made a special trip to Liyuan Airport!"
Wang Xuexin said "oh".
This was what he expected.
Once a repeating rifle like the AK47 is used on the battlefield, the devil will definitely spread the word after knowing about it.
Who will be the first to pay attention when word spreads?
Of course it's a furry bear.
Because this gun even uses their bullets.
It's just that they have bullets but no guns.
The problem of the Eighth Route Army was exactly the opposite. The Eighth Route Army had guns but no ammunition.
Therefore, Wang Xuexin had already thought about it...if Mao Xiong wanted this kind of gun, it would be easy to do it and he would have to help the Eighth Route Army make bullets.
And he also helped the Eighth Route Army set up a production line.
Wang Xuexin doesn’t want to be choked by anyone again, no one can!