However, regarding the discussion between Yang Zhen and the two veterans of the Jinjin Army about the second phase of the battle, although Li Yanping knew that he had not achieved his goal, the details were not clear. However, judging from the telegram sent by Yang Zhen, the result was not Not very optimistic. The strategic intentions of the two veterans are obviously far different from what Yang Zhen expected.
Although Li Yanping also believed in his heart that Yang Zhen's appetite this time was indeed a bit too big, as the acting political commissar of the military region, he was very clear about the difficulties faced by the Northeastern base area, human resources, and even ordinary human resources. It has reached a point where nothing can be done without a solution.
The reserve soldiers that the army urgently needs, the workers in the factories under construction, and even the rural labor force are currently in extremely short supply. The essence of the Northeast is in Southern Manchuria, and taking over Southern Manchuria can only be a distant goal now, but The various factories that are about to be put into production are not waiting for anyone, and there is also a lack of rural labor force.
The amount of wasteland suitable for agriculture in northern Manchuria is probably the highest in the country at the moment. There are large areas of fertile black land in the Sanjiang Plain, the Nenjiang River Basin, and the east and west foothills of the Greater and Lesser Hinggan Mountains waiting to be developed. However, the actual agricultural population is now less than the number required. There is a fairly large gap.
And now the army has recruited a large number of young and middle-aged people to join the army, which has aggravated the shortage of agricultural laborers and has even affected agricultural production. Even after two years of hard work, even though there is a large amount of wasteland suitable for agriculture, food production is limited due to labor constraints. It has always been hovering at a low level, and the limited grain produced every year has to be extorted again and again by Jiangbei.
The lack of population has become the biggest constraint on the development of the base area. Industry, agriculture, and reserve troops all require a large number of labor forces, and regardless of men and women, Yang Zhen's follow-up plan is indeed very big, but if a stable transportation line is not established, , even if it is opened, it has no meaning.
God knows, for a considerable period of time, hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of ordinary people who could only walk thousands of kilometers on their own feet and had not received any military training, after crossing numerous blockades, How many people can reach Northeast China safely? You must know that it is impossible for the Japanese to be unaware of such a large-scale population movement.
Let the Japanese choose between millions, or even tens of millions, of Chinese people dying, or blocking the resistance and curbing its development. Judging from the Japanese's consistent style of not taking Chinese lives seriously, they will not do it at all. He hesitated to choose the former, and the population needed in the Northeast base area was not tens of thousands, but hundreds of thousands.
If the Anti-League that had just emerged back then was still in its infancy, waiting for food, then the Anti-League that currently has hundreds of thousands of troops is still a toddler who has just learned to walk. In order to stifle the growth of the Anti-League in its early childhood, The Japanese will never have any scruples, so the communication line with the customs must either be temporarily abandoned, or a safe line must be completely opened. This is the inevitable and necessary requirement for the development of the Anti-Japanese Alliance.
Although Li Yanping felt that Yang Zhen's appetite was a bit too big, this was just a feeling. As for Yang Zhen's thoughts, Li Yanping, who was well aware of the current predicament of the Northeastern base area, understood and supported it. But for the advance army, even As far as the central government is concerned, Yang Zhen's idea may be difficult to accept.
You must know that in the westward advance, we will not only face the main force of the Japanese North China Front, as well as a Japanese garrison in Mongolia, but also the Eighth Theater in Chongqing. The west of Baotou is still their territory, and the entire westward advance passes through the region.
The areas north and west of Datong are all under the jurisdiction of the Eighth War Zone.
And this eighth war zone will never turn a blind eye to the fight against the Lianxi advance. Therefore, even if the Japanese army and the Mongolian garrison are defeated, the next step will be to face the eighth war zone in Chongqing. This is not only a headache for Yang Zhen, but also probably
The most troublesome thing for the central government is that at this time, if there is any military conflict with Chongqing, it will only add more instability to the already delicate domestic political situation.
At the same time, once there is a big fight between the two parties, the only ones who take advantage are the Japanese who are reaping the benefits. The tragedy of the enemy currently having a fight with each other is something that not only the Anti-Japanese Alliance does not want to see, but the Central Committee is even more unwilling to see.
This is the so-called gap between demand and reality. No one in Yan'an or Chongqing can afford the reputation of fighting a civil war at this time.
As for Chongqing, which has begun to restrict the activities of the CCP and has been demanding the unification of military administration and military orders, regardless of whether the Suizhong and Suidong areas were captured from the Japanese by the Anti-Japanese Alliance or the 18th Group Army, since they belong to the Eighth War Zone
Territory, then they will definitely come and snatch it.
Compared with the Japanese garrison in Mongolia, in the entire second phase of the concept, I am afraid that the most troublesome thing for the central government is how to deal with Chongqing and the Eighth War Zone, which is surrounded on three sides and causes friction from time to time. On the one hand, it must be
Those who come here to grab food are, on the one hand, connecting with the life channels inside and outside the customs. This is undoubtedly a dilemma decision.
And for the central government, Yang Zhen, the Baotou, Guisui area must be under control. Once it really advances westward, it is impossible not to conflict with the Eighth War Zone. Once the gunshots sound, can it control the scale?
First of all, politically, you are in a passive position. After all, your 18th Army is now the national army. In the eyes of the people, you should obey the orders of the central government.
Looking at Yang Zhen who looked tired, Li Yanping hesitated for a moment and then said: "This matter, especially if it involves the cooperation of the advancing army and the internal troops, ultimately requires the central government's decision. If the two bosses do not agree, there must be something wrong."
Their own thoughts, this is not only a matter of confidence, strategy, and tactical vision, but also has other relationships."
"Last year's Hundred Regiments War, I heard that the deputy commander-in-chief was criticized a lot. The two bosses were so cautious. I'm afraid it has something to do with what happened last year. Since this matter still needs to be decided by the central government, we'd better arrange one.
People should go to the central government and actually report it, so that the central government can have a comprehensive understanding of our current predicament. We have always reported good news but not bad news before, but now some things should be revealed."
"The war is raging right now. Neither you nor Lao Guo can leave. Deputy Commander Yang and Director Xiang are in charge of local armed forces and training the second-line troops of the military region. Their current work is mainly focused on local and propaganda aspects. Neither of them can leave."
“Okay, it’s not appropriate for me to go to the Central Committee and report to the Central Committee alone. Let me go to the Central Committee and make a detailed report to the Central Committee in person. There are many things that cannot be explained clearly on the radio.”
Regarding Li Yanping's idea of going to the central government to report, Yang Zhen thought about it but finally shook his head: "Old Li, the military region can't do without you at this time, and I can't do without you. If you leave at this time, wouldn't you be asking me to do it?" My fate, as for going to the Central Committee, I’ll wait until this stage of the battle is over.”
"Anyway, after the Battle of Jehol, the advancing army needs a period of rest, re-equipment and training before it can play a greater role. Although the current advancing army is equipped, the training level is still far from what is currently required. The gap is still relatively large, and it is still difficult to undertake the next step of combat without a period of training."
"And regarding the second phase of the operation, we currently only have a general idea. A more detailed plan will take some time to study. It is not appropriate to go to the central government at this time. The most important thing is that in the second phase, Whether it is necessary to launch a war still depends on how well we fight this battle. If we win, there will be no problem. If it is a draw or a loss, it will be useless even if we talk about it."
"I am a person who still likes to make plans before taking action in this kind of matter. If the second stage unfolds, I will face the Japanese army's entire Mongolian garrison, as well as most of the North China Front Army, and it may even be a three-sided attack by the Kwantung Army. , the middle also involves the issue of relations with Chongqing. The central government will definitely be more cautious in this kind of matter. If you want to convince the central government, you must have a clear reason. If you don’t succeed in the first stage, you will be gone. It’s also a useless effort.”
Regarding Yang Zhen's answer, Li Yanping nodded deeply. Yang Zhen was telling the truth. If he wanted the central government to accept this plan that even the Chongqing National Government Staff Headquarters could not imagine, there was no reason that could convince the central government. It won't work. It's only true that you have to fight the first stage of the battle well.
Seeing that the vehicle had turned into the headquarters compound, Li Yanping patted the driver in front on the shoulder and did not ask him to drive the car to the front of the headquarters. Instead, he asked him to drive to a heavily guarded area behind the headquarters. Li Yanping knew that if the car drove to the front of the small guest house dedicated to receiving visitors from the central government, those noisy birds would definitely ruin Yang Zhen's rest. If Yang Zhen didn't rest now, his body might no longer be able to support it. .
Yang Zhen, who was exhausted to the extreme, did not refuse Li Yanping's little move. He knew that if he did not rest now, his body would reach an unsustainable point. A comprehensive counterattack by the Kwantung Army was imminent. At this time, he had to keep a clear mind. , is an absolute must.
As for meeting those people, it is not just for a while. Many times, being too enthusiastic can only have the opposite effect. It is more suitable to let them go for a while. Moreover, Yang Zhen has a rough idea of the purpose of these people. , the Soviet people who are in the most difficult situation at the moment must have needs, and the two people from the United States and Britain are undoubtedly here to make demands.
Regarding whether these guys had seen each other, Yang Zhen thought for a while and said to Li Yanping: "Let them wait first. If they are really anxious, let them go to the Northeast Bureau or talk to you. Don't let them wait." When they found out about my return, they said that I was on the frontier north of Xinjing and that I was busy with some things rather than buying and selling. It would be good for all of us to cool down for a while."
After the words fell, Yang Zhen saw that the car had stopped steadily in front of the small building. Yang Zhen, who was exhausted to the extreme, said nothing more. But this time, he had always been strong. Even when he was seriously injured, as long as he could move, he never stopped. Yang Zhen, who asked the nurse to take personal care of him, got out of the car this time with the help of Yuan Zhiruo and Zhang Zixiong.
After going upstairs, Yang Zhen told a staff officer who had been following him to wake him up immediately if there was a change in the enemy situation. He didn't even take off his clothes and fell asleep. Li Yanping left Yuan Zhiruo to take care of him. , and the necessary guards, all people were evacuated from the small building.
When Li Yanping left, he not only placed tight security around the perimeter to ensure that Yang Zhen could rest quietly, but also repeatedly told everyone that Yang Zhen's whereabouts must be kept strictly confidential and must not be revealed. To be alert means to ensure absolute safety, but also to make the deployment concealed to prevent those three guys with very sharp eyes from seeing the secret.