readx; February 18, Xuzhou. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

At this time, when the 23rd Group Army and the Guozai Deng Brigade were fighting on the front line of Kouziling, a mysterious figure was also closely watching the development of the situation in China and paying attention to the life-and-death struggle between the two giants in the East.

He was Colonel Stilwell, the U.S. military attache in China at the time.

When he came to Xuzhou, everything made his Western-infused brain chaotic. He felt that the war between this mysterious ancient country and Zhongyu in his eyes was as confusing as Wuhan he saw for the first time.

The chaotic docks and neighborhoods are crowded with thousands of people like ants on a hot pot. Officials, large and small officials, speculative businessmen, and refugees crowded into the ranks of dying soldiers and enthusiastic people who propagated national salvation

Here, he can see both the dedication and energy inherent in an indomitable nation, as well as the frustrating laziness and indifference. Although he has been in China on and off for more than 20 years, he still believes that it is even more difficult to truly understand China and unravel the intricacies of the web than to learn Chinese.

But the smart, stubborn Stilwell doesn't stand still. He made full use of his experience in China for more than 20 years, and with a fluent Chinese language, he came to the forefront of the battlefield, from the strategic rear to the occupied area, he walked everywhere, looked everywhere, and asked everywhere.

Political officials, journalists, and generals from both sides were his key targets, while ordinary Chinese people, soldiers, and students were also the targets of his conversation. He observed, pondered, and explored every aspect of this war, predicting China's distant future.

Naturally, he was also pondering what kind of impact this sacrifice made by the Chinese would have on his homeland, the United States

He's really hard. At home, Colonel McCabe, the immediate boss of the Military Intelligence Department of the General Headquarters, opposed him at every turn, making him feel deeply constrained even in China, thousands of miles away. But Stilwell is Stilwell after all, and his stubbornness and fanatical pursuit of his career make him never admit defeat. His life's motto is ingenious, but it couldn't be more relevant to him right now:

"Don't let those dog mongrels bite you to the ground!"

He used almost all his connections in the domestic military circles, including his classmate General Marshall, to clean up the "pedantic petty official" McCabe. He also skillfully exploited Roosevelt's attention to the Chinese battlefield to exert pressure on Chiang Kai-shek through the American political axe. He finally succeeded, and he received a pass to "travel" around China.

At this moment, the mood of the Chinese people rose overnight with the beginning of the siege of Kouziling. In his words, "the whole country was ecstatic." There is no longer any doubt that the army can be defeated

When he faced Commander Xue Yue, the former commander-in-chief of the enemy in the Xuzhou Theater, Stilwell opened his mouth: "General, what happened in Kouziling makes me absolutely admire, this is the embodiment of your superb command art."

Obviously, Stilwell took the battle that took place in Kouziling as if it was under Xue Yue's command, and he then continued:

"But from a general tactical point of view, I think you need to attack more and attack the enemy. Only by actively making efforts can we effectively eliminate the self. ”

Xue Yue was obviously interested in the fact that the conversation could start from the same profession as the two. Over the years, although there has been no shortage of wars in China, there have been too few debates about strategic tactics in both Shanghai and Nanjing. The swaggering generals seem to have reached the pinnacle, tired of the topic, but obsessed with politics.

But as soon as they went to the battlefield and played with Yu Ben, these "politicians" lost their conceit when talking about politics. "Deformed middle [***] people!" He wanted to yell at the guys, but the sound rolled around in his abdomen, and he couldn't get out.

Today, an American colonel from across the Pacific Ocean single-handedly hooked up the subject: "Colonel, I admire your frankness. But do you know our opponents? Know our troops? An offensive is possible and necessary in a general sense. But on the battlefield in China, its position may have to be reversed from defense. ”

"No, there is no such thing as an absolute disadvantage. He said that he was better than yours in terms of equipment, but the dispersion of their troops caused by their wide battle front, and the mountains and rivers on the battlefield, weakened the advantage of their mechanized equipment. And you have a large numerical advantage and the best soldiers, so I think that on the Chinese battlefield, the [***] team should not give up the attack. The key is the quality of the Chinese commanders, which are not very efficient. As soon as Stilwell was in a hurry, he revealed his vitriol, stubborn surname.

Xue Yue was not in a hurry or annoyed, but laughed loudly: "Colonel, do you know? You, not the first Western military man to suggest an offensive to us! ”

"Well, I'm sure anyone with open eyes will see that. So who is this Western military man you are talking about? Stilwell asked, annoyed a little.

"Falkenhausen, Germany's general counsel for the [***] team. Colonel, we are the same in terms of aspirations, and we have a lot in common in terms of tactics, but there are many things in China that you cannot understand. For example, if you are a squad leader and want to take your people out of the position, the timing is also favorable, but your platoon commander orders you to hold the position, what should you do? ”

"The general means that you have resistance?! Isn't it, as the former commander-in-chief of the enemy in the theater of operations, that you don't have the right to choose the mode of warfare? As a soldier, Stilwell, who had suffered greatly from McCabe, knew everything about it, and his wrinkled face was full of surprise.

"Colonel, although our professions are the same, the ideological differences between the East and the West permeate all sides, and the military is no exception. To be honest, the situation in Xuzhou is very bad right now. Although we have surrounded the Kunisaki Brigade at Kouziling and can annihilate it at any time, our 10 divisions have already pounced here from three directions, and we are constantly moving our troops here. But more than 600,000 people gathered in Xuzhou, the formation was dense, the personnel were chaotic, and they could not take the initiative to take offensive action, may I ask the colonel, if it were you, what would you do?"

"General, don't you have an old saying in China, 'The king will not be subject to the orders of the king abroad'? You are the former enemy commander in the theater of operations, and you have the right to mobilize troops to take action. ”

Xue Yue shook his head with a wry smile and said, "Mr. Military Attaché, there are some things in China that you know very well. But there are some things that you Westerners can't understand with your Western thinking. Falkenhausen's general counsel has also emphasized attacking and attacking many times, but I can't satisfy him. It's not that I don't want to do it, it's that there are some troops that I can't move at all. ”

I don't know when, the smile on Xue Yue's face has passed, and there is only a little melancholy and helplessness.

Stilwell thought of the petty bureaucrats at the Washington headquarters and his understanding of the factional strife of the squadron, and he somewhat guessed the difficulties of the Chinese general in front of him, which he feared. As a diplomat, he knew that it would be too boring to talk about any "offense".

He changed the subject in time: "General, do you have confidence in this war?" ”

Xue Yue slowly retracted his gaze and turned to Stilwell: "Of course! I have no doubts about China's victory, although we cannot expect to defeat him right now. But how big is Ben, how many resources and manpower are there? Can they withstand the attrition of a long war? Strategically speaking, it is simply not capable of resolving the war in China. They were defeated when they sent their troops. It's just that for various reasons, China's victory may come later, and we will have to pay greater sacrifices. ”

Stilwell was quite unimpressed by Xue Yue's words: "General, your self-confidence is admirable, and I am also full of sympathy for China. However, I believe that with modern military equipment and such a passive strategy and tactics of your [***] team, it will not be easy for China to win this war. May I ask if the loss of Xuzhou is equivalent to the loss of the Central Plains, how will you fight? ”

"Sir, didn't you suffer successive defeats at the beginning of the American Civil War, and the Southern Army was much stronger? But what about the end result? Even if the Chinese battlefield loses the Central Plains, will it be over if it loses again, and the series of wars that follow? Excuse me, even if I send all my troops to China, will they be able to control the vast occupied areas? Nanjing was lost, and our guerrilla troops were still fighting in the rear, and I still had no success! ”

"But you have to admit that in military terms, this is a failure!" Stilwell is very stubborn: "Defeat is not the same as conquest. Over the past 5,000 years, China has been forcibly occupied by foreign enemies several times, but this nation has not perished. Today, even if I want to occupy it, it is impossible, let alone conquer. Xue Yue didn't show weakness and shot back.

Stilwell shook his head and flinched: "I hope that the Chinese soldiers have the confidence of Chief Xue." ”

Xue Yue got up from his seat, paced a few steps, and said, "Mr. Military Attaché, about this war in China, you can take your time, and the results I said will definitely appear." As he spoke, the topic changed:

"However, with all due respect, sir, I do not think that your country's current policy toward China and toward China is not wise enough. The arms and steel you sold to me indirectly strengthened their military power. One day you may reap the consequences of your own efforts and pay a heavy price for it. ”

Stilwell was stunned for a moment: "General, please be more detailed!" ”

Stilwell has been pondering this question for a long time, and he also feels its seriousness. To this end, he sent a report to Washington. But so far there has been no response. Today, he would like to hear an objective assessment of a high-ranking Chinese general on this matter.

"Ben wanted to build an empire in the East, and his appetite naturally did not stop at China. Russia to the north and the Pacific islands to the south, they will definitely make a choice. Maybe one day, Ben will also become your enemy of the United States. Therefore, your lending to China to help China build a mechanized army and enhance its strength to contend with this is not only conducive to safeguarding human justice, but also completely in the interests of your country. I hope that in the future my soldiers will no longer be able to eat bombs that I have made with the steel of your country. ”

The two of them kept talking. In Xue Yue's eyes, although Stilwell is straightforward and a little rude, his sense of responsibility, sense of justice, and keen observation of things all reveal the excellent qualities of a professional soldier. Although Stilwell was not as optimistic about the future of China's War of Resistance as he was, he understood that this veteran soldier who had been influenced by the Western tradition of "weaponism" at West Point.

In addition, after all, he can have an impact on Washington, so Xue Yue still has great hopes for him!

(To be continued)