sjar Chapter 1126 Zhang Haiguang Heads South
Chapter 1126 Zhang Haiguang Heads South
Although Zhang Haiguang spoke with righteous indignation, Ma Leizi still felt that the southward campaign needed a long-term official. However, Zhang Haiguang also needed an explanation, so in front of him, Ma Leizi specifically dialed the number of the Northern Chief of Staff.
After Li Shaoyi left Pujiang, external communications were placed at the highest level. Even his superiors couldn't easily contact him; they could only speak with him if he initiated contact. Therefore, this matter could only be addressed to the Chief of Staff.
Ma Leizi briefly expressed his concerns. If Zhang Haiguang were to lead his troops south, there would be no problem with fighting. He had an infantry division, plus several security regiments. If he couldn't even stop three divisions, then his previous battles were just luck, and he didn't have any real battlefield skills. Giving him the position of infantry division commander was already a favor.
"It was my fault that Zhang Haiguang went to your place, and I should have explained it to you. But as you know, there were too many things to do during this military reform, so I forgot about it for a while. Let's talk about his southward march. You can completely entrust him with the affairs in the south. He won't be transferred away from the Shandong battlefield, and he will be of great use in the future."
As the chief of staff spoke, he slapped his forehead, completely forgetting about the matter. This was unavoidable; the entire army had been upgraded from a corps to an army group, with over 30 regular troops alone. Under such circumstances, if the chief of staff were to remember everything, his brain would practically be equivalent to a computer.
Ma Leizi now knew some of the rules, and after receiving the chief of staff's reply, he didn't delve deeper into the matter. After all, these were matters for higher-ups, and all they needed to do was obediently comply. Even though he was now a division commander and had more power, personnel arrangements at headquarters were still not something he could interfere with. If he overstepped his bounds, it would easily arouse suspicion from above.
After a moment's thought, Ma Leizi basically understood Zhang Haiguang's purpose. With two Japanese armies attacking eastern Shandong from both sides, the entire province was now isolated from the rest of the country.
Although Ma Leizi is currently well-equipped and can hold out for a while, in the long run, he may have to retreat by sea.
Even if we retreat, we won't just hand over this land to the Japanese. We are different from those guys in the Nationalist government.
"All contacted, how did it go?"
When I made the call, Zhang Haiguang was watching anxiously from outside. But he also knew some of the rules in our army: when officers are discussing something, it's best to wait nearby.
"No wonder you were transferred here. Judging from the current situation, it's very likely that this area will be handed over to you in the future. Of course, this is just my personal speculation. The Chief of Staff just said that there's no problem entrusting the southward advance to you. However, apart from the troops under your command, I can only give you a maximum of five more security regiments. I can't give you any more people."
To the north, they faced pressure from the Second Army, and to the east, they had to guard against a landing operation by the Japanese Marines. Therefore, even though Ma Leizi had an army corps under his command, he felt it was somewhat insufficient. Three divisions, five security regiments, and one infantry division were advancing from the south.
If Zhang Haiguang were to say no, Ma Leizi would immediately replace him, saying, "If you can't do this, there are plenty of people who can."
"Not bad, not bad at all. Five security regiments is quite a lot. I originally thought I could only get two or three, which would be the limit, since you are also short of manpower. With five security regiments, plus my original troops, if I let these people push one step further north, you can cut off my head."
Zhang Haiguang said with great pleasure that he had calculated that these three Japanese divisions were not the original, veteran divisions; almost 50% of their forces had been replenished. This meant that their combat effectiveness had decreased by 50%.
Our army is different. They've been like roaring tigers since they came out of training camp, and now they have everything they need. Plus, they're backed by the Fourth Army headquarters. Apart from the enemy coming from the south, we don't have to worry about anything else. So if we still can't win, it's normal for Ma Leizi to want to replace him.
"I know you're good at fighting the Japanese, but in the southern Shandong region, besides the Japanese, you also need to be wary of another group of people. These are all ragtag troops from the Fifth War Zone. They were originally considered our allies, but after the fall of Pujiang, we need to make sure we're clear on whether they're friend or foe. If it's a critical moment, we can take them out first before fighting the Japanese."
Upon hearing Ma Leizi's words, Zhang Haiguang's face showed a shocked expression. Even if Li Shaoyi were here, he probably wouldn't have said such a thing, since these people were also considered comrades in the War of Resistance. But Ma Leizi said it anyway.
Some time ago, some troops were withdrawn from the north, most of whom were understrength. Ma Leizi integrated them all, but who knew that more than a thousand Japanese spies had infiltrated them and mutinied on the front line. If our brothers hadn't reacted quickly, they might have torn a hole in our Yellow River defense line.
After the fall of Huangpu, similar situations occurred in various places. Our country has never lacked those who sacrificed their lives on the battlefield; those people are the backbone of our entire Chinese nation.
However, as the saying goes, "a large forest has all kinds of birds," and the number of traitors also increased exponentially. These people believed that after the fall of Huangpu and Nanjing, the entire country's war of resistance was basically over. They thought that even a million troops could not stop the Japanese invasion, and that we would perish at the hands of Japan sooner or later. Under such circumstances, it would be better to surrender in advance, at least we could have a better life.
According to information obtained by our military intelligence bureau, almost all the warlords in southern Shandong have received letters from certain Japanese officers. These letters guarantee them a good life in the future and allow them to expand their armies in their respective regions. The Japanese are only sending a few officers and will not interfere with their rule.
Some people naturally refused outright, ordering their men to prepare all kinds of weapons and fight the Japanese to the death, but others secretly wrote back to the Japanese...