Chapter 765
The Second Kaifeng Conference: Battle Summary, 250,000 Enemy Troops Annihilated!
Kaifeng, Henan.
The old course of the Yellow River as autumn winds blow.
Sandstorms raged.
This ancient capital, which has witnessed the vicissitudes of eight dynasties, was shrouded in a chilling military atmosphere this morning.
The current headquarters of the First War Zone, formerly the HEN Provincial Government Building, is now fluttering with banners.
Today, the security level inside and outside the headquarters has reached its peak.
The Second Kaifeng Military Conference will be held today.
However, the location of the meeting was different from that of the first military conference.
The core security was not handled by the First Theater's own military police regiment, but by the Joint Command Guard Regiment, whose members were all wearing M1 helmets, carrying Thompson submachine guns, and wearing American military boots.
They stood like sculptures at every post of the headquarters.
The stench of blood from the battlefield and the oppressive feeling brought by modern equipment were overwhelming.
Every general who stepped through the gate felt a chill run down their spine, some even wondering if it was a trap set by the US military.
Outside the headquarters, in the square.
Several black sedans bearing license plates from different war zones slowly came to a stop.
Commander-in-Chief Li Pinxian of the Fifth War Zone got out of the car first and respectfully opened the back door.
Li Zongren, deputy commander-in-chief of the joint command and leader of the Guangxi clique, wearing a general's cloak, stepped out.
He squinted, surveying the sentries around him. His gaze lingered for a moment on the Browning heavy machine guns mounted on the high ground, before glancing at the flags fluttering atop the headquarters building.
"Lord De".
Li Pinxian lowered her voice, her tone tinged with bitterness: "This is Brother Ming's headquarters, isn't it?"
"Why does it look like a joint command post?"
“Look at these soldiers, their equipment doesn’t look like the military police of the First War Zone.”
Li Zongren remained calm: "With strong troops and horses, one's backbone is naturally strong."
"Heling, remember this: we're here to survive, but also to make money. Put away those inappropriate thoughts. Now, many things are already done."
Just then, a few people walked in through the main gate.
The man at the head of the group looked haggard. Although he held the rank of a first-class general, he exuded a sense of helpless dejection. He was the "master" of this place—Commander-in-Chief of the First War Zone, Jiang Dingwen.
"Brother Delin, Brother Heling."
Jiang Dingwen stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting, his smile bitter: "You must be tired from your journey."
"Brother Mingsan."
Li Zongren returned the greeting, half-jokingly probing, "You, Commander-in-Chief, are being too polite. You're even letting others see your own front door?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Dingwen's face showed a hint of embarrassment. He then helplessly spread his hands and pointed to the heavily guarded building behind him: "Brother Delin, please don't embarrass me."
“I’m not afraid you’ll laugh at me, but ever since Wei Wen came here, I, as the commander-in-chief, haven’t really handled any military affairs. Now, the commander-in-chief of our First War Zone is basically just a landlord looking after the gate.”
"The deployment of troops and the supply of food and ammunition are all decided by Lin Weiwen."
"Even with the setup of this venue and the security arrangements today, I, as the commander-in-chief, didn't even have the right to say a word."
At this point, Jiang Dingwen sighed: "Well, this is also the Chairman's instruction. As his subordinate, I naturally have to cooperate fully. I'm happy to have some peace and quiet."
Li Zongren and Li Pinxian exchanged a glance, both feeling a chill run down their spines. Even Jiang Dingwen, in his own stronghold in the First War Zone, had been rendered powerless in this way.
This meeting doesn't seem to be so easy to hold.
……
Headquarters Auditorium.
It was exactly 9:00 AM.
As the piercing bugle call sounded, hundreds of officers of Gold rank and above stood up in unison, the clatter of their boots echoing throughout the hall.
Even the representatives of the Eighth Route Army sat among the crowd according to their military ranks.
On the dais, the seating arrangement was clearly defined.
Chairman Chang Ruiyuan sat upright in the center, his expression dignified.
The first person on the left is Zhan Shuai, and the first person on the right is Li Zongren.
On either side were Chu Xichun, commander of the Second War Zone; Jiang Dingwen, commander of the First War Zone; Li Pinxian, commander of the Fifth War Zone; Hu Zongnan, deputy commander of the Eighth War Zone; and Lin Wei, chief of staff of the Joint Command.
"sit!"
Chang Ruiyuan gestured with his hands, and everyone took their seats. The entire venue fell silent.
"Gentlemen."
Chang Ruiyuan's sharp gaze swept across the room, and he set the tone first: "Today's meeting is ostensibly a summary, but in reality, it is a reflection!"
"The fourth phase of the counter-offensive has resulted in the recovery of the entire Shandong province, the annihilation of 100,000 enemy troops, and the reopening of the Jinpu Railway and the Longhai Railway. This is a great victory!"
"It is a victory worthy of being recorded in history!"
"but!"
Chang Ruiyuan's tone suddenly turned cold as he changed the subject: "This victory has also covered up a lot of filth!"
"Some units fought bravely and tenaciously, while others hesitated and even lied about military intelligence!"
"Today, we're going to lay it all out and show our ugly side!"
"Chief of Staff Lin, read out the operational summary reports for each of the four phases!"
Lin Wei stood up, facing everyone's gaze, holding the heavy document in her hand, and walked to the podium.
He was a trusted confidant who came from the personal staff and one of the actual operators of the joint command.
His words naturally represent absolute authority.
"This fourth phase of the counter-offensive lasted seventy-four days, spanning four provinces: Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, and Anhui, with a battle line stretching for thousands of miles."
"This is the largest, most devastating, and most fruitful strategic decisive battle since the establishment of our North China Joint Command!"
"Now, we will read out the comprehensive statistical data from all departments!"
Lin Wei raised his head, his gaze sharp as lightning: "First, estimate the total number of enemy troops killed!"
"In this battle, our army killed more than 83,600 Japanese officers and soldiers, and killed, wounded and captured more than 148,000 Japanese and puppet troops!"
"Among them, it was confirmed that three Japanese lieutenant general-level commanders, six major general-level commanders, and thirty-eight officer-level commanders were killed."
"Captured officers of the rank of colonel or above: 47 people."
"Anyway, the total number of puppet troops is over 76,400."
"Based on a comprehensive weighted calculation, it is estimated that 250,000 Japanese and puppet troops will be annihilated in this battle."
"This fourth phase of counter-offensive operation defeated the main forces of the Japanese 12th Army and the North China Area Army, and basically eliminated the combat forces of the Wang Jingwei regime in the Jiangsu and Shandong regions."
"Whoosh—!"
A collective gasp of surprise erupted from the audience.
Although everyone knows it was a great victory.
But when the number "twenty-five" was presented to us definitively, the shock still shot straight to the top of my head.
Lin Wei paused, then continued reading:
"Statistics on seized supplies!"
"More than 45,000 Japanese Type 38 and Type 99 rifles were captured."
"1,200 Type 96 and Type 99 light machine guns;"
"Three hundred and forty Type 92 heavy machine guns!"
"We captured over 160 Type 92 infantry guns, Type 41 mountain guns, and various mortars!"
"Especially valuable are the 48 Japanese Type 97 and Type 95 tanks and armored vehicles that were captured and are estimated to be under repair!"
"More than 700 cars and trucks of various kinds!"
"More than three thousand warhorses in good working order!"
"In addition, 120,000 sets of clothing, 3,000 tons of grain, and a large amount of industrial raw materials that the Japanese army had not had time to transfer or burn were seized in warehouses at the ports of Qingdao and Haizhou."
Gold mountains and silver seas!
This is an incredible windfall!
Completely fatty meat!
Those Japanese rifles and machine guns.
For the commander's elite troops, or the top-tier combat units in North China, they might be considered "firewood".
But for those troops still using Hanyang rifles...
That's a highly sought-after prize that everyone dreams of!
Sun Weiru and Tang Huaiyuan stood up straight, their faces glowing.
However, Lin Wei's voice did not remain high-pitched.
He turned a page, his tone suddenly turning cold, and the temperature in the entire auditorium seemed to drop several degrees in an instant.
"While the results were brilliant, the cost was also heavy."
"The combat damage data and effectiveness assessments for each major participating unit are now being released!"
Lin Wei's gaze turned to the right side, where the generals of the Fourth and Fifth Army Groups were sitting.
"The Fourth Army Group (Sun Weiru's troops) and the Fifth Army Group (Tang Huaiyuan's troops)."
"Initial victory achieved; performed well in the campaign."
"During the three-stage operation, in the face of the Japanese army's combined land and sea resistance, the troops in this direction were tactically flexible. Especially in the general offensive phase at Haizhou, they were good at using air-ground coordination to annihilate more than 10,000 enemy troops with lightning speed."
"Battle casualty statistics: 4,420 killed and more than 2,800 seriously wounded."
"The ratio of enemy casualties to our own is close to 1:2!"
"Both army groups performed exceptionally well and deserve commendation."
A round of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience.
Although Sun Weiru and Tang Huaiyuan tried their best to restrain themselves, they couldn't hide the smiles in their eyes.
Although both units suffered heavy casualties in the process of fighting against the Japanese army.
This can be used to sweep away the remaining enemy forces in Yantai, Weihai and other places later.
The Fifth Army Group really showed its strength, routing the Japanese army and making their casualty ratio look much better.
Thinking about this...
Tang Huaiyuan couldn't help but look in Li Yannian's direction.
I must thank you, Li Yannian, for taking credit; otherwise, I would never have received such high praise at the meeting in episode five.
Li Yannian, on the other hand, looked as if he had swallowed a dead fly; his face was ashen, and he remained silent, lost in thought.
As the applause subsided, Lin Wei continued her presentation slowly.
Episode 88 (Fang Ligong's Unit)
"At the outset of the fourth phase of the counter-offensive, the mission was to capture Liaocheng."
"After the Battle of Quancheng, it cooperated with friendly forces to recapture strategic locations such as Zaozhuang and Xin'an Town, and performed well in the Pengcheng Offensive and the Haizhou Annihilation Battle." "Battle casualty statistics: 11,465 killed, 1,136 seriously wounded, 768 slightly wounded, and 174 missing."
"The estimated number of enemy troops annihilated is 38,965."
The casualty ratio was approximately 1 to 2.5.
"Overall performance was excellent, and it can be regarded as a model of the National Revolutionary Army."
"During the Battle of Pengcheng, the performance of each unit was as follows."
The Eighth Route Army's Eastern Expeditionary Force
"Our own casualties: 2,140 killed and 1,760 wounded."
"The estimated number of enemy troops killed is 5,300."
"The casualty ratio is approximately 1 to 1.8."
"Overall performance was excellent and deserves commendation."
Episode 31 (Wang Zhonglian's section).
Lin Wei's voice turned cold: "We have an elite force and heavy artillery, but along the Jiuli Mountain line, facing the isolated and helpless remnants of the Japanese 65th Division, our advance is slow, and we can only watch our opportunities slip away!"
"Although we annihilated the enemy in front of us, we suffered heavy casualties!"
"Battle casualties: More than 6,800 killed, and more than 15,000 seriously wounded or missing!"
"The ratio of enemy casualties to our own was close to one to one, a Pyrrhic victory."
Wang Zhonglian trembled, his face turned ashen, and he lowered his head, not daring to look at Chang Ruiyuan.
The loss of 20,000 men is a devastating blow to any army group.
If it weren't for these outstanding troops who fought so well before us...
Wang Zhonglian, who successfully recaptured Pengcheng, might even be hailed as a famous general of the National Revolutionary Army.
After all, Pengcheng was captured, wasn't it?
Who cares how much the loss is?
Things are different now, under the premise that everything emphasizes efficiency and the value of sacrifice.
Wang Zhonglian's poor command was naturally magnified infinitely.
Lin Wei turned to the last page, her tone even carrying a hint of anger.
"The Jiaodong battlefield direction."
"The 34th Army Group (Li Yannian's troops)."
"Before heavy firepower was in place, the commanding officer was greedy for merit and recklessly drove the infantry to attack the Japanese permanent fortifications. This mismanagement caused serious consequences."
"Battle casualty statistics: 83,200 killed, 8,432 lightly wounded, 796 seriously wounded, and 1,640 missing."
"The total number of casualties is approximately 18,000."
"Confirmed enemy casualties: approximately six thousand."
"The casualties of the 15th Group Army and other participating units in the Qingdao area were 3:1."
Lin Wei slammed the folder shut with a sharp, resounding sound.
"If this were a battle fought by any of you here, what would you think?!"
The entire room fell silent.
The generals, who had just been excited about the spoils, were now all silent with fear.
Those cold, hard numbers were like slaps to the face of some people, and they also shattered everyone's illusions.
After Lin Wei closed the folder, Chang Ruiyuan coldly read out two names: "Wang Zhonglian, Li Yannian!"
"Have!"
offstage.
Wang Zhonglian and Li Yannian stood up shakily, their faces ashen, sweat instantly soaking their backs.
The entire arena was deathly silent, all eyes were fixed on the two people, and also on the young "war commander".
Chang Ruiyuan slowly stood up. He didn't look at the two people, but instead surveyed the entire room. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling aura.
"If you win the battle, do you think everything will be fine?"
"Do you think that now that you have American aid and the grain paid by the people, you can use the lives of your soldiers to fill your official positions?"
"Or are they willing to play the game of feigning compliance while secretly opposing the joint command in order to preserve their strength?"
"Wang Zhonglian!"
Chang Ruiyuan turned around abruptly, pointing at Wang Zhonglian: "At the foot of Jiuli Mountain, you delayed for three whole days. Do you know how many innocent civilians were slaughtered by the Japanese army during those three days? Do you know how much our allies paid to cover your flank?!"
Wang Zhonglian said with a serious expression, "Principal, I know I was wrong."
“Li Yannian, I understand that you want to claim credit.”
"But a soldier's honor is earned through battle, not by piling up the corpses of his brothers!"
Chang Ruiyuan slammed his fist on the table: "According to wartime military law, those who delay battle opportunities, act recklessly for personal gain, or cause heavy casualties shall be executed!"
The moment the word "kill" was uttered, a murderous aura filled the air.
Li Yannian and Wang Zhonglian turned pale.
Hu Zongnan and the others wanted to plead for them, but dared not speak.
Li Zongren, keeping his eyes downcast and his mind focused, hesitated for a moment before finally speaking decisively: "Chairman, it is understandable that Wang Zhonglian's troops were not effective in attacking the enemy lines in this operation. His artillery units lacked firepower, and the Japanese army had been building for a long time, and had also used the defensive fortifications that our army had previously repaired to construct a three-dimensional defensive posture."
Chang Ruiyuan interrupted sharply: "Brother Delin, there's no need to defend them. As soldiers of the National Revolutionary Army and senior commanders of the Party and the State, poor performance in combat is incompetence!"
Wang Zhonglian and Li Yannian were struck dumb, looking at Chang Ruiyuan with despair in their eyes.
Hu Zongnan spoke under immense pressure: "Principal, I believe that although there were many casualties in the third phase of the fourth counter-offensive, we have successfully completed the combat mission assigned by the Joint Command and achieved the established goals of liberating and annihilating the Japanese army. Although there were some oversights and misjudgments in the command process, they are understandable."
"After all, neither unit has prior experience in large-scale offensive operations. I suggest that the matter be handled accordingly."
The entire venue fell into a deathly silence.
Hu Zongnan didn't step forward to speak up for his old subordinate and classmate at this time.
So what do the people around Hu Zongnan think?
Hu Zongnan was speechless, and Chang Ruiyuan didn't even glance at his student.
Their attitude was unusually tough.
At this moment, many people have already understood.
Chang Ruiyuan was clearly stating his position, simply to give an explanation to the joint command.
It didn't take long.
Zhan Shuai's voice broke the suffocating silence.
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that his face was ashen: "Principal, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should say it."
"There's nothing wrong with that..."
"No one can avoid making mistakes in command and control. The two officers did make mistakes, but they did not refuse to advance or fear death."
"Why not learn from past mistakes to avoid future ones, and instead try to cure the disease and save the patient?"
Chu Yunfei's implication was that punishment was necessary, but not to the point of execution.
Of course, it wasn't that Chu Yunfei was cowardly.
Instead, dealing with Wang Zhonglian and Li Yannian didn't yield much benefit.
First of all, let alone placing these two under the Nationalist military system.
Even in other countries, he wouldn't have been executed.
Looking at the entire history of World War II.
The execution of high-ranking military officers is extremely rare.
Not to mention countries like Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Even star.LIN, who likes TuTu.
After a senior commander suffered a defeat in battle, he was simply transferred from his command post; he was not executed.
Leaving aside the Soviet command system for the moment, just considering the two army groups under Li Yannian and Wang Zhonglian, if these two were transferred away, the command system would not be able to be rebuilt in a short period of time.
This naturally caused a significant delay in the subsequent combat operations.
Chang Ruiyuan sighed, putting on a look of heartache yet deep affection for talent.
"Since a mistake has been made, it naturally needs to be severely punished."
"However, since you have pleaded for leniency, and considering that you two ultimately accomplished the strategic objectives and possess rich experience in commanding operations against Japan, we will allow you two to atone for your crimes through meritorious service."
"Effective immediately, he is demoted one rank and three months' salary is withheld as compensation for the fallen soldiers! He will remain in his original position on probation to observe his future performance."
"Yes!" X2
"sit down!"
"Thank you, Chairman! Thank you, Chief Advisor!"
Wang Zhonglian and Li Yannian looked as if they had just escaped death. They sat in their chairs, staring intently at the teacups in front of them, panting heavily.
This is a classic "good cop, bad cop" drama.
It not only shocked the entire audience, but also clearly conveyed a signal.
Clearly, this scene at the meeting was something the two had discussed beforehand.
Even the way the two were dealt with must have been discussed in advance.
The fact that the punishment remained the same even after the established battle objectives were achieved demonstrates the determination of Chang Ruiyuan and his comrades.
In the current North China Joint Command, anyone who is complacent, seeks to preserve strength, or is greedy for quick success could potentially violate the "Chairman's Ten Kill Orders" drafted at the First Kaifeng Conference.
It may violate wartime military law and supplementary regulations.
Of course, even if it is violated, it still needs to be handled by the military law enforcement department and sentenced by a military court.
Even if Chang Ruiyuan wanted to kill a mid-level commander who had made a serious mistake, he would still need to go through this process to prove the legal basis.
"Gentlemen,"
"The problems of Commander-in-Chief Wang and Commander-in-Chief Li are not just personal issues, but also a microcosm of the chaotic command system and backward thinking in our army."
Why would someone act rashly in an attempt to claim credit?
Why would someone choose to avoid battle in order to preserve their strength?
Ultimately.
"It's because our command structure is unreasonable, the command hierarchy is too complicated, the organization is imperfect, the troop formations are all over the place, and the logistics and supply are a mess."
Lin Wei turned to Chang Ruiyuan and said respectfully, "Chairman, if we don't address these issues at their root, even if we have many generals, we'll be nothing more than a disorganized mess."
Chang Ruiyuan nodded slightly, his gaze sharpening: "Wei Wen is right."
"How can the army of a nation be ordered by multiple departments?"
"Regarding this matter, please feel free to express your opinions on how to make adjustments." (End of Chapter)