Before that, the good news had already reached Yan'an.
After receiving the report, all walks of life in Yan'an were of course rejoicing. Chairman Mao, Mr. Zhu and Vice Chairman Zhou were especially happy. Mr. Zhu and Vice Chairman Zhou once again gathered in Chairman Mao's cave dwelling to enjoy a rare moment of leisure after heavy work.
, it’s really nice to chat about Xu Rui’s achievements together.
Since the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, everything has been improving.
Relations within the party were straightened out, and the anti-Japanese armed forces behind enemy lines under the leadership of the party continued to grow.
Mr. Zhu said: "After the 20th Division was completely annihilated, the Japanese 104th Division immediately retreated to Suzhou. If no accident occurred, the 7th Division from Hokkaido would not dare to come in a short time.
Well, in my opinion, after this battle, Shanghai can have at least three months of peace."
Vice Chairman Zhou nodded and said: "I think so too. The Far East Conference is currently undecided. Although the Japanese Kwantung Army has a certain advantage, this advantage is not decisive. This forces the Japanese government to use almost all its military resources.
They are all leaning towards the Far East battlefield. As a result, the military resources invested in the Central China battlefield and the Shanghai battlefield are bound to be reduced. This time the 20th Division was completely wiped out. Within three months, the Japanese will probably be unable to make a comeback."
Chairman Mao shook his head and said: "Boss, you two have underestimated the determination of the Japanese."
After a pause, Chairman Mao then continued: "In my opinion, in half a month at most, the Japanese army in Central China will come back and launch the third Songhu Battle again! Shanghai is not only the largest international military center in the Far East, but
The metropolis is the starting point of the entire Yangtze River waterway and the key to the Yangtze River! If Shanghai is not taken back, the little devil will not be able to sleep peacefully!"
How else can we say that Chairman Mao is a master of strategy who only emerges in a thousand years? His vision is very powerful, and he hit the crux of the problem immediately! Shanghai is indeed the key to the Yangtze River waterway. If Shanghai cannot regain it, then the Yangtze River waterway may be lost to Shanghai at any time.
The danger of being cut off by military divisions is fatal!
Once the Yangtze River waterway is cut off by the Songhu Military Division, the 500,000 Japanese troops stationed in Wuhan and central China will immediately become a lone army and may fall into a desperate situation of running out of ammunition and food at any time! Don't say three months, even if
The Japanese army in Central China would not be able to bear it for a month. After all, the Battle of Suizao is still ongoing.
Boss Zhu and Vice Chairman Zhou were both awestruck when they heard this. They really didn't expect this.
With a smile, Chairman Mao then said: "In my opinion, the Japanese government is indeed very difficult at the moment, but it is far from being so difficult that it cannot be opened. What's more important is that although the Far East Battle is fierce, it is not large-scale.
At present, only the two divisions of the cluster heading north are locked in a stalemate with the Soviet Red Army in Chita. The entire Kwantung Army group has not been fully mobilized, so there is no need for large-scale military resource investment. Therefore, at this time, the military resources supplied to the Kwantung Army
If we take part of it and tilt it appropriately towards the Songhu battlefield, the Kwantung Army can bear it."
Mr. Zhu and Vice Chairman Zhou nodded repeatedly, both agreeing with Chairman Mao's judgment.
Chairman Mao added: "So I dare to say that within half a month at most, the Japanese troops in Central China will definitely make a comeback and launch the Third Battle of Songhu."
Mr. Zhu nodded, frowned and said, "If this is the case, I will start to worry about this little guy Xu Rui."
Vice Chairman Zhou also believed deeply and said: "Yes, although the Songhu Military Division won the second Songhu Battle, it paid a huge price. The eight main battalions before the war totaled 15,000
There were more than a thousand people. After the war, the number dropped sharply to less than 9,000. The attrition rate has exceeded 40%. If the Japanese army comes back in three months, the Songhu Military Division will have enough recovery time, but if it only takes half a month
, I’m afraid...”
In half a month, only the lightly wounded were able to recover and return to the team, but the seriously injured were too late to return. As for the new recruits recruited after the war, they had not completed their training, and it was even more impossible to form combat effectiveness! At this time, Song
The situation the Shanghai Military Division will face will become extremely difficult.
Because it is completely predictable that the Japanese army will definitely have more troops in the third Battle of Songhu, and the intensity of the attack on Shanghai will definitely be far greater than that in the second Battle of Songhu.
Chairman Mao nodded and said solemnly: "It is foreseeable that the situation in the third Songhu Battle will be much more severe than the second Songhu Battle. However, to say that the Songhu Military Division has no chance at all, that is
No, but the question we have to consider now is whether it is necessary to conduct the third Battle of Songhu in Shanghai?"
Vice Chairman Zhou said: "Chairman, do you mean to give up Shanghai voluntarily?"
"If the situation requires it, it is not impossible to abandon Shanghai." Chairman Mao brought the cigarettes from the pit next to him, picked up the paper and tobacco from it, and rolled his own cigarette while saying, "The core purpose of guerrilla warfare is to survive.
If people lose their land, both people and land will be saved; if they save land and lose people, both people and land will be lost."
Mr. Zhu said: "If the situation is unavoidable and we have to abandon Shanghai, then where should the Songhu Military Division be transferred? There are no mountainous areas around Shanghai suitable for guerrilla warfare."
Chairman Mao said: "If it really doesn't work, I'm afraid we can only cross the sea."
Mr. Zhu said: "Old Mao, you mean to go to the mountainous area in eastern Zhejiang? Siming mountainous area?"
"This is only a last resort choice." Chairman Mao rolled the cigarette, struck a match and lit it. He took a puff of it happily and then said, "But now, we haven't reached that point yet."
While the three of them were talking, Vice Chairman Zhou's bodyguard suddenly walked in and handed over a telegram.
After reading it, Vice Chairman Zhou said: "Chairman, boss, the Communist International has just sent a telegram, requesting our Central Committee to issue an order to the Songhu Military Division, so that the Songhu Military Division must stay in Shanghai for three to five months no matter what.
Comrade Dimitrov also said that if we agree to the Comintern’s request, the Comintern Headquarters can consider granting us US$100,000 in funding.”
"One hundred thousand dollars?" Mr. Zhu said suddenly, "The Communist International is really generous. Their aid to the National Government often amounts to tens of millions of dollars, but for our CCP, even one hundred thousand dollars is too much!"
, Boss Zhu turned to Chairman Mao and said, "Old Mao, we cannot give this order."
"Of course such an order cannot be given. We are not on the front line and do not understand the specific conditions on the front line. How can we issue combat orders on behalf of the front line commanders? This is both unscientific and extremely irresponsible." Chairman Mao nodded, and then
He said to Vice Chairman Zhou, "Enlai, just reply to the Communist International like this."
"Okay, Chairman." Vice Chairman Zhou nodded, stood up and left.
Watching Vice Chairman Zhou leave, Mr. Zhu asked Chairman Mao again: "Old Mao, you just said that even if the Japanese invaders came back in half a month and once again mobilized heavy troops to attack Shanghai, the Songhu Military Division would not be without a trace.
Opportunities, tell me, where are the opportunities for the Songhu Military Division?"
"Urban guerrilla warfare!" Chairman Mao said solemnly, "The only chance for the Songhu military division is urban guerrilla warfare! In the past, we always thought that guerrilla warfare could only be fought in the mountains and valleys. This was wrong. In fact, in large and medium-sized cities like Shanghai,
Cities, as long as they are well organized and commanded properly, can also carry out guerrilla warfare."
"Urban guerrilla?" Mr. Zhu fell into deep thought.
(Dividing line)
Meanwhile, in Tokyo.
A profound summary of the defeat is being held at the War Department.
Important officials attending the summary of this defeat included Army Chief of Staff Kanin Miyazahito, Army Minister Juichi Terauchi, Undersecretary of the Army Hideki Tojo, and Commander of Tsurumai Fortress Seishiro Itagaki. Moreover, this meeting was chaired by Itagaki Seishiro
Hosted, mainly to review the gains and losses of the Second Battle of Songhu.
Tojo Hideki's stance this time was very low, or very pragmatic.
This time, Tojo not only officially recognized China’s statement about the Second Battle of Songhu, but he also did not hesitate to slap himself in the face by inviting Seishiro Itagaki, the former commander of the Twelfth Army who had just been dismissed, back to the Army.
Ministry, and Itagaki Seishiro presided over the summary of the defeat.
Seishiro Itagaki didn't care about Tojo Hideki's face at all, and said directly: "The second battle of Songhu was defeated for one reason, too impatient! Before the Seventh Division was in place, the Twentieth Division was
We hurriedly launched an attack on Shanghai and advanced too fast, which is why we learned the lesson of being attacked by fire at Jiangwan."
"Hai!" Tojo Hideki immediately stood up and said, "I bear the unshirkable leadership responsibility for Jiangwan's defeat."
"Tojo-kun, the theme of this meeting is the defeat and the final decision, not who should be held responsible." Kanin Miyazaihito waved his hand and motioned for Tojo Hideki to sit down again. To be honest, after just hearing about the 20th Division
When the news came that the entire regiment had been wiped out, Kanin Miya Zaijin was very angry and really wanted to remove Tojo Hideki from his post.
However, the series of actions that Tojo Hideki made immediately afterwards made most of Kanin Miya Zaijin's resentment disappear. In any case, Tojo Hideki still has a big heart, and he is always decisive and responsible in his work. At least from now on
At this stage, no one is more suitable for the position of Army Under Secretary than him.
Tojo Hideki shouted and sat down again.
Seishiro Itagaki added: "But then again, although the Imperial Army was defeated in the Second Battle of Songhu, and the 20th Division was also completely wiped out by the Songhu Army Division, the Imperial Army did not gain nothing at all." Pause.
After a pause, Itagaki Seishiro continued, "Through the second Battle of Songhu, I can see Xu Rui's weaknesses more clearly!"
"Insufficient troops!" Seishiro Itagaki said solemnly, "The biggest weakness of Xu Rui or the Songhu Military Division of the Communist Party is the lack of troops! As long as we seize this weakness of Xu Rui or the Songhu Military Division of the Communist Party, we can carry out targeted
The blow is predictable, and defeating Xu Rui is no longer an impossible task."