Wu Keren stayed in Karachi for another four days, and then embarked on his return journey with a letter from Ouyang Yun to Marshal Zhang. Since the military vehicles they were riding in were all old and might break down at any time, Ouyang Yun instructed Jiang Huang
Yong replaced them all with new vehicles from the Karachi military base. Riding in these brand-new off-road vehicles and military trucks, Wu Keren waved goodbye to Jiang Huangyong, Liu Dakai and others who were seeing him off.
The convoy drove about five kilometers away from the base. The engine sound of fighter planes in the east became louder and louder. Wu Keren looked up and saw the huge figures of more than 20 overhead fortresses. Knowing that these planes were transporting supplies from Guangzhou, behind him
The adjutant was quite emotional and said to him: "In just five years, the Xuebing Army has developed into a huge behemoth. Military Seat, I say we should just join the Xuebing Army."
"How dare you say such nonsense!" Wu Keren scolded.
"Military seat, I'm just saying that, hehe!"
"Don't say this kind of thing in the future. What's wrong? Just a few big meals of fish and meat to buy you off?"
"Military, it's unfair, I just said it!"
"Shut up - remember it all. If anyone asks about what you saw in Karachi after you go back, don't reveal a word of it!"
"yes!"
Guangxi, which belongs to the rear, refused to give it, and Zhejiang, which was raging in war, refused to give up. They just issued a series of empty promises. Ouyang Yun's approach made Wu Keren's trip to Karachi return empty-handed. Since the Northeast Army
After living in Larong, things went from bad to worse, and now they can barely survive; what about the Xuebing Army? They captured Guangxi without a single blow, and easily captured Zhejiang, and also controlled French Indochina—
- One is declining, while the other is rising. The situation of the two armies is so different that it makes the lower-level officers and soldiers of the Northeast Army very jealous. At this time, if someone stirs up trouble, there is no guarantee that collective rebellion will not occur. Wu Keren has been in a high position for a long time and knows this well.
For this reason, I took precautions and took great pains to remind my subordinates not to talk nonsense.
After more than half a month of turmoil, Wu Keren returned to Larong when the Japanese combined fleet began to use troops against Zhejiang. As soon as he returned to Larong, he happened to hear that the Xuebing Army had won another great victory. Both sides surrounded the Ningbo Airport.
In that air battle, the Xuebing Army's air force and air defense forces were dispatched together. The Japanese troops suffered heavy losses and had to withdraw from the coastal waters of Zhejiang Province. To the lower-level officers and soldiers of the Northeast Army, this news was just "another great victory for the Xuebing Army."
But it has a special meaning for Wu Keren - if he still felt that many of Ouyang Yun's words were exaggerated when he was in Karachi, now he is seven points convinced. "Perhaps he can stay in Southeast Asia to guard the southern gate of the country.
It's also a good choice," he thought, and after meeting Shaoshuai Zhang and others, he truthfully reported what he had seen and heard in Karachi and the contents of the meeting with Ouyang Yun.
Marshal Zhang was frowning as he read the letter from Ouyang Yun he brought back. Opposite Wu Keren, the commander of the 57th Army, Miao Zhengliu, squinted his eyes and said rudely: "He Ouyang
What qualifications does Yun have to point fingers at us? If it weren't for Chen Jitang's legacy, their Xuebing Army might have been wiped out by Little Japan long ago! What a toad yawning, what a loud tone. Young Marshal, since he didn't give
, then let’s go get it ourselves. It’s what he deserves from us anyway!”
Marshal Zhang raised his head. He folded the letter and put it into the envelope. Then he looked at Miao Zhengliu and said, "Commander Miao, speaking from my heart, apart from this westward march, the Xuebing Army has not treated me badly." We can say this kind of thing here, but we must not say it outside. Our Northeastern Army is not an ungrateful person——"
"Young Marshal, you are just too kind-hearted. Okay, I won't say nonsense below," Miao Zhengliu said, avoiding Marshal Zhang's eyes.
Marshal Zhang looked at Wu Keren: "Commander Wu, how trustworthy do you think my brother Ouyang's words are?"
"I think you can try it!" Wu Keren said ambiguously.
When Miao Zhengliu heard this, he became anxious and said: "Old Wu, why don't you give it a try! Brothers are almost out of food, so we can't afford to give it a try!"
Marshal Zhang looked at Liu Duoquan, Wan Fulin and He Zhuguo, and asked, "What are your opinions?"
Liu Duoquan thought for a while and said, "I think it's worth a try." He paused and then said, "If what Xiao Wu saw in Karachi is true, Ouyang Yun shouldn't have made a mistake. In this case, we We should think further ahead - everyone, by now we should have seen that no matter the final outcome of this war of the century, it will be difficult for us to return to the Northeast. Anyway, we can't go back, so we might as well take this opportunity Become bigger and stronger - with so many troops, we can completely take over the defense of Myanmar. At that time, even if the British are causing trouble, we can also requisition food from the local government for war needs. If the Burmese people are ignorant, then We might as well learn from the Bingjun and build a new government. As long as the food problem is solved, the troops will have nothing to worry about. If Ouyang Yun cannot fulfill his promise for ammunition supply, we also have reason to go to Guangxi for food, right? The focus of the Japanese army's strategy We are now in the southwest and south, so we should not look eastward for the time being. If the scale of the war is not large, we can fully afford it!"
"I agree with Commander Liu's opinion," Wan Fulin said.
He Zhuguo also expressed his agreement.
Shaoshuai Zhang stood up and looked at the picture on the wall. After a few seconds, he exhaled and said, "Then try it?!"
Everyone else stood up and said in unison: "We listen to the commander-in-chief!"
After Chuichi Nagumo's Yamato aircraft carrier fleet returned to Japan after completing the mission of conquering Way Islands, Yamamoto Isoroku, who had been waiting in Sasebo for a long time, immediately issued an order and personally appointed the commander to lead the combined fleet to attack the southeastern coast of Zhejiang in a mighty manner. passed.
On February 8, 1942, the Chinese Lunar New Year, Yu Zhenghai, a pilot of the reconnaissance aircraft group of the Zhejiang Southern Aviation Corps, detected three Japanese small ships traveling together more than 300 kilometers southeast of Zhoushan Island. In view of the sea area It had been a long time since a Japanese warship had appeared. Yu Zhenghai immediately sent back an alarm and then flew towards the Japanese warship, wanting to find out and see if there were any Japanese warships behind.
About twenty minutes later, he discovered a large formation of Japanese ships and two enemy planes approaching him. He was shocked and immediately turned around and returned. After getting rid of the enemy planes' pursuit, he quickly generated electricity. Report this latest discovery to the top.
A few minutes later, the information he sent back was passed to Wang Hai.
Since the Battle of Green Island, the top brass of the Xuebing Army had realized that it would definitely lead to retaliation from the Japanese army. As a result, Wang Hai's trip to Karachi was delayed again.
When Wang Hai saw that the telegram sent back by Yu Zhenghai contained the words "large fleet fleet", he immediately realized that the Japs might have dispatched the main force of the combined fleet. He did not dare to be careless and called Ye Zhao and the Guangzhou Headquarters respectively to inform them.