Peng Dehuai and Ouyang Jian stayed at the Xiaoshan Air Base for half a month, and then went to Fuzhou to inspect. Due to the unsafe airspace off the coast of Fujian, the two went by car. The season of August is enchanting, and the coastal scenery of Fujian is charming. On the sandy road surrounded by greenery, several American-style military jeeps and two trucks carrying soldiers of the guard unit were speeding forward. The motor of the car roared, many small animals fled in fright, and the birds in the forest were silenced.

"Recently, the Japanese army has been very honest, and according to intelligence, Okamura Ninji has continued to shrink its forces, vigorously strengthened fortifications at various strategic points, and continued to strengthen law and order and encircle and suppress base areas in North China. It seems that Okamura Ninji is a pragmatic soldier who realizes that the situation is grim! Peng Dehuai broke the silence in the jeep. After the Battle of Midway, the Japanese Navy suffered heavy losses, and although the Japanese did not announce the truth of the naval battle and trumpeted the results to confuse the public, the situation in the Pacific theater had been reversed. ”

Ouyang Jian continued: "According to the information provided by General Stilwell, after the main fleet of the Japanese army was heavily damaged, it was no longer able to fight a decisive battle with the US Navy. However, although the Japanese navy was heavily damaged, its strength was still alive. At present, the US military is launching a local counterattack in the Solomon Islands, and the two sides are fiercely competing for the sea and islands. The combat capability of the US Army is limited, and the two sides may have to fight a fierce battle for a long time. However, the ground offensive of the US military will gradually intensify. ”

After the Japanese army suffered a heavy defeat on Midway Island, they were unwilling to fail and immediately formulated a southward battle plan, and the U.S. military launched the Battle of Kuah Island in order to prevent the Japanese army from moving south. In the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific, there is a small island 150 kilometers long and 40 kilometers wide, called Guadalcanal, or Guadalcanal for short. It is an isolated, uninhabited wild island. In the dense tropical jungle, where snakes and scorpions are infested and crocodiles are abundant, the natural environment is very harsh. ”

"Because of its strategic location, the island is an important target for both sides. After the Japanese occupied Tulagi Island on the northern side of Kuah Island in January, they brought laborers from China and the Philippines to Kuah Island to build an airfield. Once the airfield is repaired, the combat radius of the Japanese fighters will cover the surrounding islands, posing a huge threat to the existing US defense line. In order to speed up the construction of the airfield, the Japanese army requisitioned a large number of engineers from the country. ”

For the U.S. military, occupying the island can not only deter the Japanese army from moving south, but also serve as a starting point for the U.S. military to carry out operations to cross the border and counterattack the Japanese mainland. Nimitz, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, developed the "Lookout" combat aircraft plan, which aimed to seize Kuah Island. On 31 July, US Navy Rear Admiral Turner led 23 landing ships, carrying 16,000 officers and men, and under the cover of three aircraft carriers, one battleship, and several destroyers, launched an attack from Fiji to Kuah Island, which is currently in fierce fighting. ”

"Can the U.S. landing operation be successful?" Peng Dehuai was obviously not optimistic about the US Army's combat capability. "According to the balance of forces between the two sides, the US military has a clear advantage, because it should be said that there is no problem in taking Kuah Island. However, the Japanese troops defending the island have been in battle formations for a long time and have a lot of combat experience. The U.S. Army lacks actual combat experience, and this battle may be protracted. "With deep pockets, the U.S. military can fight in this way, after all, their logistics supply is too powerful!" If the U.S. military takes Kuah Island, it will be an absolute nightmare for the Japanese army, and I estimate that the competition between the two sides will be fierce, and there will be continuous increase in troops! Peng Dehuai said shrewdly.

"Brother Peng's analysis is correct, if the US army takes Kuah Island, the conditions for a major counteroffensive will be met. In the Chinese battlefield, with our growing strength, we also have the conditions for a counteroffensive. Okamura Ninji, as the most intelligent general of the Japanese army, will not fail to see the current situation clearly. Therefore, strengthening the defense is the first thing he has to consider. "Brother Ouyang, your foresight has been verified again, it seems that we are on the right path to form a Marine Brigade, and we have even gone ahead of the US army!"

"Brother Peng, the premise of the counteroffensive is battlefield air supremacy. At present, the Japanese army's air power is fully engaged in island defense operations, and the Japanese army is constantly drawing air power in the Chinese theater, which is a great opportunity for us. If we seize air supremacy, we will fully meet the conditions for landing on Taiwan······. While the two were discussing the battle situation, the convoy arrived in Fuzhou. Jiang Guangding, chairman of Fujian Province and commander of the Defense Corps, heard the news and personally greeted him outside the city.

Peng Dehuai and Ouyang Jian refused Jiang Guangding's retention and drove to Mawei, where the Marine Brigade was located. At the beginning of the year, according to the order of the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army, the Marine Brigade was formally established on the basis of the naval special combat team of the Jiujiang Red Star Fleet. The commander of the Marine Brigade is Li Dabao, with a total strength of 6,000 people. The Marine Brigade is composed of three regiments, in addition to retaining a special operations group. The Marine Brigade was formally established in January, and eight months have passed, and the training situation of this unit has naturally aroused the concern of Peng Dehuai and Ouyang Jian.

At present, the Mawei Shipyard is a temporary base for the Marine Corps, and it was chosen here for a concealed role. The convoy entered the abandoned Mawei shipyard and stopped in front of an abandoned factory. At this time, Li Dabao, commander of the special operations brigade, led all the generals to greet him. The uniforms of the Marine Corps are dark blue, and the camouflage combat uniforms are also blue. The style of the military uniform is not much different from that of the special forces, except that the armband has the words Marine Corps written on it.

The Navy's marines are mainly engaged in cross-island or landing operations, so the standard weapon is a submachine gun, which is designed to strike with heavy firepower and rapid assault. "Report to the Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Chief of the General Staff, and Marine Brigade Commander Li Dabao to lead all the generals and officers, welcome the two leaders to come and guide!" Walking into the brigade headquarters, Ouyang Jian asked straight to the point: "Mr. Peng and I are mainly looking at your establishment, armament, and training, please introduce it in detail." Don't be overjoyed, mainly talk about the shortcomings! ”

Li Dabao eloquently explained the composition of the troops, their personnel, weapons and equipment, and the basic training that the troops conducted in accordance with the requirements. After Li Dabao's introduction, Ouyang Jian frowned and did not squeak, Peng Dehuai said: "Brigade Commander Li, the head of the Central Committee cares about the Marine Brigade very much, and you have done a good job." Ouyang Jian said unceremoniously: "Your logistics, armaments, and training are all comprehensive, but we don't have time to train step by step." The training plan must be combined with actual combat. ”

"The purpose of starting from actual combat is to put forward harsh requirements for you in a harsh environment. Tactical coordination, coordinated assaults, and beach-grabbing landings focus on landing operations. Do you know why your Marine Brigade is deployed in Mawei? "Chief of the General Staff, I know it's for Kinmen Island!" "Kinmen Island is too small, and your target should be the island of Taiwan opposite. The fight against the Golden Gate is just a test of your ability to fight across the island. Next year's major counteroffensive will come, and you have to get your troops capable of landing operations as soon as possible. ”

"Brigadier Li, how to build a cross-island combat force in a short period of time requires you to use your brains. If there are any practical difficulties, we will study and solve them together. "Peng Dehuai is kind and pleasant." General Peng, Chief of the General Staff, frankly speaking, I have no experience in landing operations, and I am only trained according to the teaching materials. "In this case, you arrange a landing drill, let's observe, and test your training level first!" But be mentally prepared, and I'll give you a problem. ”

After two days of preparation, a landing site was selected at the mouth of Mawei to simulate the Kinmen landing operation. Li Dabao arranged for a regiment to launch a landing attack, and the dense rubber boats on the sea launched an attack on the beachhead. As soon as the high point came out, Peng Dehuai, Ouyang Jian, and Li Dabao held a telescope to check. The rubber boat on the sea launched a charge with great momentum, and suddenly Ouyang Jian said: "The concealed artillery fire on the shore suddenly hit, and the artillery fire covered it very fiercely, and your assault troops lost one-third." ”

When Li Dabao heard this, he immediately ordered the 2nd Regiment to attack. The troops rushed to the beachhead, and Ouyang Jian began to make trouble again: "The enemy forces activated the dark fire point and formed a crossfire. Support artillery fire can't clear dark fire points, and your stormtroopers are pinned down on the beachhead. When Li Dabao heard this, he had no choice but to order the use of bazookas and explosives packs to clear the hidden fire point. Since your attack speed is too slow, enemy reinforcements come up and launch a counterattack ·······. ”

Under the difficulty of Ouyang Jian's unkindness, the landing operation organized by Li Dabao failed. Ouyang Jian asked Li Dabao to summarize the lesson, and Peng Dehuai smiled and said, "Brother Ouyang, it's too hard. "Brother Peng, anything will happen on the battlefield, and my purpose is to make them think more about the unfavorable factors. Don't be unable to deal with emergencies! "Brother Ouyang, it seems that you have studied the landing operation, and you are prepared." "Finding fault is also caring for them, and I hope they will grow up as soon as possible."

Peng Dehuai and Ouyang Jian stayed at the Mawei Marine Brigade Base for half a month. During this period, Ouyang Jian continued to make problems and difficulties in response to the various countermeasures proposed by Li Dabao and others, and Li Dabao and other generals were disgraced. Even Peng Dehuai was surprised, as if Ouyang Jian had experienced countless landing operations. Torture is also a means, and while Li Dabao was exhausted, he naturally accumulated rich combat "experience."

It wasn't until the last drill that Ouyang Jian felt that he had passed. Li Dabao and the generals were deeply touched and had a clearer understanding of the cross-island operation. At the beginning of September, Peng Dehuai and Ouyang Jian returned to the headquarters.

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