Tang Shenzhi, a first-level party-state general and commander of the Nanjing garrison, convened a dozen division commanders under his command to hold a military meeting overnight. The central topic of the meeting was only one, whether to defend or withdraw. Since the war started, all the defense fortifications outside Nanjing have been lost.
The Purple Mountain position and city wall fortifications alone can no longer hold on for long.
In addition, the Jiangyin Fortress has also been lost. The 104th Regiment of the 13th Division of the Japanese Army has crossed the river from Zhenjiang and is cooperating with the Chongteng Detachment to attack Yangzhou. The Japanese army's goal along the way is very clear, that is, to capture Yangzhou and then flank Pukou from the west.
, cut off the Jinpu Railway, thus completely blocking the northward retreat route for the Nanjing defenders and the people in the city.
Just now, Chairman Chiang Kai-shek had sent a secret order, claiming that Nanjing could no longer be defended and instructing the Tang troops to retreat immediately. However, Tang Shenzhi was unwilling to do so, so he had no intention of holding on despite the order.
Putting aside the warlord war period, Tang Shenzhi at this time can indeed be called a bloody man.
After the defeat in the Battle of Songhu, anyone with a little military knowledge could easily see the situation in Nanjing. It was no longer possible to defend Nanjing. The Guangxi warlords Li Zongren and Bai Chongqi, both known as military strategists, advocated abandoning the defense, and the party and the state were absolutely unable to defend it.
Most senior generals also agreed with Li and Bai's views. Only Tang Shenzhi advocated holding on to Nanjing and fighting the Japanese invaders to the end.
However, fighting a war requires not only determination, but also strong military strength. In the Battle of Songhu, the more than 70 fully-manned elite divisions of the Chinese army could only draw a draw with the five elite divisions of the Japanese army.
At that time, Tang Shenzhi had only a dozen incomplete divisions short of major generals. How could he possibly block the thunderous offensive of nine elite divisions of the Japs?
"Everyone..." Tang Shenzhi suddenly stood up, his eyes flashed across the faces of the more than a dozen division commanders present, and he said with emotion, "Tang has made up his mind and vows to live and die with Nanjing! He vows to live and die with the Prime Minister's Mausoleum! However, the appointment
The order cannot be violated, so you can each lead your own troops and evacuate Nanjing one after another..."
"Commander Tang, what are you talking about?" Gui Yongqing, the commander of the Central Military Academy's teaching corps, stood up angrily and said, "Your Excellency wants to live and die with Nanjing, and with the former Prime Minister's mausoleum. Could it be that I, Gui Yongqing, am greedy for life and afraid of death?
Senior? Is our Central Military Academy Teaching Corps a force that is afraid of enemies and war?"
Tang Shenzhi frowned and said, "But, the appointment order..."
Gui Yongqing said coldly: "I will be outside, and I will not accept your orders!"
When the two were arguing, Tang Shenzhi's adjutant suddenly barged in with a strange expression and said quickly: "Commander, the frontier positions such as Zijin Mountain, Zhonghua Gate, Guanghua Gate, and Yuhuatai all reported that various Japanese troops suddenly stopped advancing, and some even
It began to shrink and retreat, and its behavior was extremely suspicious!"
"What did you say?" Tang Shenzhi said in disbelief, "The Japanese army suddenly stopped advancing?"
The more than a dozen national army division commanders who attended the meeting also looked at each other. Obviously, the Japanese army's move was beyond their expectations. The Japanese army has always been arrogant and will not stop its attacks easily, let alone retreat on its own initiative. Today, the Japanese army is uncharacteristically,
Did they take the wrong medicine? Or...their Emperor passed away?
The adjutant said hesitantly: "Commander, there is another situation..."
Tang Shenzhi waved his hand and said loudly: "What's going on? Tell us!"
The adjutant said: "Not long ago, the Technical Section of the Nanjing Stay Division of the Military Command Bureau discovered that there was a sudden increase in communications between various departments of the Japanese army. According to their analysis, if there is not a major change within the Japanese army, then there is some major action being planned. The Japanese army was involved in the Battle of Songhu.
The same situation also occurred before Jinshanwei landed."
"Damn, what on earth are you doing here?" Tang Shenzhi frowned and said, "It's contraction and telecommunications."
Gui Yongqing, the commander of the Central Military Academy's teaching corps, said: "At this point in the war, the strength of both the enemy and ours has been made clear. Even if the little devil wants to play, he can't do anything. I think it's 80% true."
What happened to them?"
Tang Shenzhi said flatly: "No matter whether there are changes on the Japs side, this is a rare opportunity. I order all divisions and brigades to counterattack across the board and retake the outer positions to the death!"
"Yes!" More than a dozen division commanders present stood up at the same time and agreed with a loud voice.
…………
Wuhan, travel camp.
Dai Liyin, the director of the Military Command Bureau, asked for an audience at night. Wang Shihe, the chief of the national guard, did not dare to neglect and hurriedly led him to Chairman Chiang Kai-shek's office. Seeing that it was Dai Li, Chairman Chiang put down the brush in his hand and asked in a friendly voice: "Yunong, what's this?
You came to me too late, is there something urgent?"
Dai Li approached Chairman Chiang and whispered in a low voice: "Commissioners, the Nanjing Stay Office of the Bureau of Military Command, and the Shanghai Station all sent secret messages, claiming that this afternoon the Japanese base camp, the Central China Front Army Headquarters, the Shanghai Condemnation Army Headquarters, and the frontline divisions
The number of messages exchanged between departments suddenly increased, and a person’s name was mentioned repeatedly in them!”
"Name? What name?" Chairman Chiang was slightly unhappy.
Dai Li quickly explained: "Commissioner, the name repeatedly mentioned in the Japanese military's telegrams is the same person as the commander of the Japanese army's Shanghai dispatched force who arrived not long ago! According to the information provided by the agents lurking in Tokyo, the new Japanese army's Shanghai commander
The commander of the dispatched force is named Asaka Miyakohiko. This person is from the Japanese royal family and is the direct nephew of the Chief of General Staff of the Japanese Army, Prince Kanin Miyazaihito! According to our analysis, this person is likely to have been ambushed this afternoon and
Killed!"
"Oh?" Chairman Jiang stood up immediately after hearing this. If he could really kill the commander of the Japanese army in Shanghai, that would be really exciting news for the people of the country. What's more, this person is still a member of the Japanese royal family, and his status is extremely valuable. Once
If the news spreads, it will definitely deal a big blow to the prestige of the Japanese army! The myth of the Japanese army's invincibility will become a complete laughing stock. Even the royal family and the commander of the group army were killed by the national army. How dare you say that you are invincible?
At that moment, Chairman Chiang said urgently: "Yunong, is this done by people from your Military Command Bureau?"
Although Dai Li really wanted to be greedy for this huge credit, he also knew that there would be no good results if he pretended to take credit in front of the old man. He immediately shook his head and said: "The humble post did not arrange an ambush. The Nanjing Stay Division of the Military Command Bureau and
The Shanghai Station did not arrange the assassination operation in advance, so this was definitely not done by people from our Military Command Bureau."
"If he's not from the Military Command Bureau, who could he be?" Chairman Chiang frowned, "Since that Chaoxiang Palace Jiuyan is the commander of the Shanghai Condemnation Army, the security measures around him must be quite strict. If we attack by force, even if
Even if we send two divisions, we may not be able to win it, right? Yunong, could it be that you made a mistake?"
Dai Li said cautiously: "Although this news is speculation, I am 60% sure. However, for final verification, we need to decipher the Japanese military code again and confirm it."
Chairman Chiang said urgently: "Organize capable forces immediately and decipher the Japanese military code as soon as possible!"
"Yes!" Dai Li agreed, then turned around and left in a hurry.
Watching Dai Li go away, Chairman Chiang could never regain his composure. After pondering for a while, he suddenly looked back at the captain of the bodyguard Wang Shihe and said: "Shihe, if what Dai Li said is true, the Japanese commander of the Shanghai Condemnation Force
Chaoxiang Palace Jiuyan was really shot to death, do you think it was Zhongshu's troops who did it?"
Wang Shihe's heart suddenly trembled. When the commissioner mentioned Yue Weihan, he no longer called him by his first name, but called him by his first name. This shows that this boy's weight in the commissioner's mind has increased a bit. Furthermore, he thought that Yue Weihan graduated from the Central Military Academy.
Less than two years old, and so young, even Wang Shihe couldn't help but feel a little jealous.
However, Wang Shihe quickly suppressed his jealousy and replied: "Commissioner, if this matter is true, it is most likely Zhongshu who did it, because the troops in the third theater have already evacuated the Songhu area.
, only Zhongshu’s Baoshan Battalion has been missing since the breakout of Sihang Warehouse, and is probably still operating in that area.”
"Haha, if you think about it more carefully, it does seem like it was done by Zhongshu." Chairman Jiang smiled and said, "In Baoshan earlier, this kid also bombed the forward base of the Japanese 3rd Division and killed that so-and-so.
What kind of lieutenant general did Tengtian become the division commander? I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the Japanese invaders kill another group army commander this time.”
"Yes." Wang Shihe also said with emotion, "It can be said that a newborn calf is not afraid of tigers. This kid Zhongshu really dares to think and do anything, and he can really achieve it! I think if the appointment is given
If he goes to Tokyo, maybe this kid can really kill the little emperor of Japan."
"Shihe, what you said is a bit exaggerated. Haha, let's talk about whether Zhongshu killed Chaoxiang Palace Jiuyan or not. There is no final conclusion yet." Chairman Jiang smiled and waved his hand, and suddenly said, "That's right.
, you go and get the bottle of foreign wine that my wife brought back from the United States. I am happy today and want to drink two glasses."