Ge Guangting is a native of Mengcheng, Anhui Province, not a native of Northeast China. However, in order to be able to get reinforcements for the Northeast, Ge Guangting ran in many ways despite being nearly fifty years old, which made Song Zhewu very admirable, such an old man bowed to him, how could he dare to accept it peacefully, and hurriedly stretched out his hand to help Ge Guangting, and said in a loud voice: "Mr. Jingcen, this can't be helped, this can't be helped." ”

Ge Guangting straightened up, reached out and took out a cashier's check and a password from his arms and handed them to Song Zhewu. "This cashier's check of 2 million yuan is Hanqing's opening fee for the Fourth Route Army to send troops to the Northeast, and all the weapons and ammunition of the reinforcements are provided by the Northeast Army. There is also this password, General Song can contact Han Qing in time if he has something. Han Qing is still waiting for my news in Beidaihe, and I won't stay long, so I will rush back to Beidaihe now, so that Han Qing can prepare early. ”

Song Zhewu stopped Ge Guangting, who was in a hurry to leave, and said with a smile: "Mr. Jingcen, the military situation is urgent, I have no objection to you rushing back to Beidaihe as soon as possible." But it's not bad time, it's noon soon, Mr. Jingcen will go to rest for a while, and we will discuss the number of troops to be sent, as well as the list of materials that need to be provided by Deputy Commander-in-Chief Zhang, and after lunch, you will take it back with you. ”

Ge Guangting knew that he was too anxious, so he hurriedly nodded and went down to rest.

Although Xiao Guodong, Tao Rong, and Wang Xu all had scruples about sending troops, since Song Zhewu had decided, he asked them to fully cooperate with the organization of the troops to prepare for the expedition. Song Zhewu took a few people to the war room next door and began to discuss the issue of sending troops.

In order to dispel the concerns of Xiao Guodong and Tao Rong, Song Zhewu first expressed his determination to send troops again, and then analyzed the current equipment and strength of the Soviet army for them.

Tao Rong first said: "Commander, is the intelligence of these Soviet troops you said accurate?" Tao Rong knew that Song Zhewu had a source of intelligence, and he was not surprised that Song Zhewu could know the general situation of the Soviet army, but being the chief of staff for a long time made him develop a cautious habit.

For Wang Xu, he was not very surprised, he thought that Song Zhewu should have a secret source of information, because many of the things that Song Zhewu told him to do were as if they were prophetic, and they had to be fast. So, he didn't really care about it either.

Song Zhewu nodded and said, "The main situation should be accurate. ”

Xiao Guodong looked at Song Zhewu and said: "Although in terms of intelligence, the Soviet army has a limited advantage over our Fourth Route Army, but the planes and tanks have an advantage over us, and the infantry should be stronger than us." However, in order to deal with the more than 80,000 people of the Soviet army, our strength should not be less than 200,000, and the troops of our divisions have just been reorganized, and there will still be a period of running-in between the various units. And in this way, our troops in Laiyuan will be empty. ”

Tao Rong thought for a while and said: "Commander, I agree with Chief of Staff Xiao, although we have a certain advantage in infantry, but we do not have planes and tanks, this advantage will be greatly reduced, although we have the cooperation of the Northeast Army, but we still have to focus on ourselves, and we should not hand over our safety to others." Therefore, our troops in Suifenhe on the Eastern Front must be about 100,000 in order to form a certain advantage over the Soviet army. Although the Soviet troops in Manchuria on the Western Front did not have many troops, the Northeast Army there did not have many troops, and the lines of communication in our rear were long, so it was necessary to have 100,000 people to be invincible for the sake of safety. ”

Song Zhewu looked at the machine man and said: "With 100,000 people on the eastern and western fronts, it can still form an absolute advantage against the Soviet army in Manchuria on the western front, but it is not enough to deal with the Soviet army on the Suifenhe side." In the end, the strength of the Soviet army there will reach more than 50,000 people, and there will be not only air forces but also ships to help the battle, and in such an environment, no matter how many people there are, there will be no advantage at all, and it is impossible to achieve victory without paying huge casualties. And even if it is victorious, as long as the Soviets retreat to within range of naval guns, we will have nothing to do with them. The most critical problem is that it is relatively close to Vladivostok, and it is convenient for Soviet troops to reinforce. Therefore, the Eastern Front should be on the defensive, and the Northeast Army itself will be responsible, while we will make a fuss on the Western Front. ”

Regarding Song Zhewu's idea, Xiao Guodong, Tao Rong, Li Wentian, and Wang Xu all quickly agreed. They originally thought that since Song Zhewu had promised to rescue the Northeast, it would naturally be a comprehensive support, and troops would be sent on both the eastern and western fronts. As soon as Song Zhewu said, they naturally quickly figured out the problem.

Tao Rong said: "Okay! The commander's plan is still safe, the Soviet army on the Eastern Front not only has more troops, but once the situation is not good, it is also convenient for the Soviet Army to organize reinforcements, and it should indeed focus on defense on the Eastern Front, as long as the Northeast Army does not seek merit, with their weapons and equipment and the number of troops, there should be no problem in self-preservation; The Soviet troops on the Western Front not only did not have many troops, they were far away from Vladivostok and their Transbaikal Military District, and even if they were routed by us, they would not be able to have reinforcements soon. I agree with this plan. ”

Li Wentian pondered and said, "I also agree with the commander's plan. However, in that case, there would be no need for us to send 200,000 troops, and the logistical support of the 200,000-strong army would be very heavy. I think 100,000 people will do. We can only draw one division from Laiyuan, plus part of the cavalry corps. This has an advantage, that is, even if we aid the Northeast Army, we will not be greatly affected in our preparation and training in Laiyuan. ”

Xiao Guodong, Tao Rong, and Wang Xu also agreed with Li Wentian's plan and put forward some supplementary opinions. Song Zhewu watched several people discuss the plan, and did not interject, just smiled and said nothing.

Li Wentian asked Song Zhewu: "Commander, you don't agree with this plan?" ”

Song Zhewu shook his head and said, "No, I basically agree, but I don't think 100,000 people are enough." ”

Seeing that everyone was puzzled, Song Zhewu continued: "I mean, we are going to dispatch Yafei's first division, cavalry brigade, plus all the cavalry corps. ”

The cavalry army plus Zhang Yafei's first division has more than 140,000 troops, plus the cavalry brigade, Han Guang's brigade, which actually has more than 10,000 people, has a total strength of more than 150,000. Is it a bit of a fuss to use 150,000 troops against the 20,000 or 30,000 Soviet troops in Manchuria?

Song Zhewu understood everyone's thoughts, and said solemnly: "If it is only to deal with the Soviet army on the front line in Manchuria, it is true that it will not use 150,000 troops, at most 100,000 people, and I can completely annihilate their 30,000 people." It's just that our dispatch of troops this time should not only be to rescue the Northeast, but we should also have a more important task. ”

"There's a more important mission?" Everyone was confused for a while, and they didn't know why.

"It's Outer Mongolia." Wang Xu was the first to react, and stood up excitedly.

Song Zhewu once asked his intelligence agency to pay attention to the affairs of Outer Mongolia, and because he was also in charge of one of the most secret departments of the General Staff, the Fourth Route Army Communications Office, and he had to make a special trip to Song Zhewu for confidential telegrams, so he also knew that Wei Guanghui had recently had close contacts with the descendants of Genghis Khan's lord Wuliang Haizirama, the hereditary prince of the Karaqin Right Banner of the Zhuo Suotu League, and the head of the Zhuo Suotu League, and the president of the Mongolian and Tibetan Institute of the Republic of China. Tumeng, Hanchen) descendants. The intent is self-explanatory.

"Yes, it's Outer Mongolia." Song Zhewu said with certainty.

Looking at the surprised and happy expressions of several people, Song Zhewu said slowly: "You know some things about Outer Mongolia, and some things are not very clear. ”

Song Zhewu stood up, walked slowly on the ground with his hands behind his back, and said in a heavy tone: "After Xinhai, under the instigation of Tsarist Russia, the princes and nobles of Outer Mongolia elected the Eighth Jebuzundamba, the living Buddha of Outer Mongolia, to be called Emperor Yueguang, and the year name was shared. In Kulen proclaimed the power of reading, the establishment of their so-called "Great Mongolia" political axe, although the power of reading was not recognized by the then Qing Dynasty political axe and the successor Republic of China political axe. However, in the second year of the Republic of China, Beiyang Zhengaxe and Tsarist Russia signed the "Sino-Russian Declaration". The declaration stipulated: 'Outer Mongolia recognizes China's suzerainty and is part of China's territory'. However, China's political axe cannot garrison troops and immigrate to Mongolia, while Tsarist Russia can, and Mongolian affairs need to be resolved by agreement between the two countries. The treaty left China in name only, while Tsarist Russia still controlled Outer Mongolia. Accordingly, on June 9, 1915, Outer Mongolia announced the abolition of the "Great Mongolia of Reading Power". Yuan Shikai also canonized the 8th Jebzundamba as "Hutu Ketu Khan". In 1917, the October Revolution broke out in Russia, the Soviet Union announced the abrogation of the unequal treaty signed between Tsarist Russia and China, and Russian leader Lenin said when he was alive that all the Chinese land plundered by the Tsar would be unconditionally returned to the Chinese, and he promised that when the Chinese Revolution succeeded, Outer Mongolia would naturally return to China. ”

Song Zhewu walked to the large-scale map hanging on the wall, pointed to Outer Mongolia and said: "The Soviet political axe said one thing and did another, although they said that they would return Outer Mongolia to us, but in fact they continued to support Outer Mongolia." On November 7, 1919, because both the Russian White Army and the Red Army were caught in the civil war of the Soviet Union and had no time to take care of Outer Mongolia, The President of the Republic of China President Xu Shichang and Political Axe Leader Duan Qirui decided to send troops to Outer Mongolia and sent Xu Shuzheng to lead troops into Kulen in Outer Mongolia to hold the "cabinet manager" Badma hostage. Dorji, the living Buddha of Jebtsundamba under house arrest, and completely denied the "Sino-Russian Statement". On February 11, 1921, during the Soviet Civil War, the Soviet army took the opportunity of attacking the White Russian army to enter Outer Mongolia and expel the Chinese garrison. In 1922, the Soviet Union and Mongolia signed an entente, and the Soviet Union took the lead in recognizing the "reading power" of Outer Mongolia. In June 1924, Choibalshan launched the "Mongolian People's Republic", the supreme power belonged to the Great Hural, there was no president, and the political axe handled state affairs in peacetime. In November, the First Great Hural Conference was held in Kulen, which established pro-Soviet status as an unchangeable national policy, allowed the Soviet Union to garrison troops, and formulated a "constitution" imitating the Soviet Union. Because we were on the eve of the first Zhifeng War in China at that time, the warlords of all factions had no time to separate, only Zhang Zuolin did a great thing for our Chinese nation at this time, he ignored the threat of the direct warlords, regardless of the opposition of his subordinates, resolutely sent troops to oppose the foreign [***] Li, and recovered a large part of the country, but because there was no strong support from all factions in the country, in the end he had to sit back and watch Mongolia with the help of the Soviet Union. In 1922, the Soviet-Mongolian Treaty of Reconciliation was concluded. On November 26, 1924, the Mongolian political axe announced the abolition of the constitutional monarchy, the establishment of the Mongolian People's Republic, the capital of Kulen, and the name of the city was changed to Ulaanbaatar, but China, Britain, the United States and other major countries at that time did not recognize the political axe. ”

Song Zhewu waved his hand angrily and said: "In 1927, Stalin, the Soviet political axe, despite the promise of their revolutionary mentor Lenin, went so far as to demand that China recognize the reading power of Outer Mongolia. Although Chairman Chiang, chairman of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China, tried his best to achieve his goal in the domestic political and military struggles, and made many people despise him, he was absolutely impeccable in matters concerning the interests of the state and the nation. However, in 1928, when there was a large-scale reunification and progress movement in Outer Mongolia that opposed Reading Li and demanded the return of the motherland, the Soviet Union marched into Outer Mongolia to carry out bloody suppression on the grounds of "counterinsurgency", and the whole of Outer Mongolia was bloodied and miserable. Mongolian unifiers demanded that the government of the Republic of China send troops to Outer Mongolia, and a skirmish broke out between Chinese and Soviet troops on the eastern border of Outer Mongolia. Afterwards, the Soviet army was unwilling to expand the situation and announced its withdrawal from Outer Mongolia, but Chiang Kai-shek also had the same considerations, and the Chinese [***] team did not enter Outer Mongolia again. ”

"Although the Soviet army has no garrison in Outer Mongolia at present, Choibalshan and the so-called political axe led by him are extremely pro-Soviet, and after a long time, there will definitely be changes. Once the Soviet army is stationed in Outer Mongolia again, it will not be easy for us to take back Outer Mongolia, which has 2 million square kilometers of land! Even the provinces of the Central Plains are not as big as it is when added together. ”

Song Zhewu said hatefully: "So, what I mean is that this time to send troops to the northeast, not only to teach the Soviet army an unforgettable lesson in Manchuria, but also to solve the problem of Outer Mongolia together." ”

"Good! Good! Xiao Guodong, Tao Rong, Wang Xu, and Li Wentian said yes in unison.

Li Wentian jumped up excitedly, and said loudly: "Commander, I Li Wentian must go to send troops this time, if the commander can trust me Li Wentian, he will hand over the troops to me, I will not only beat Lao Maozi back to his hometown, but also must take back Outer Mongolia to the commander." ”

Tao Rong coughed and said: "Canxuan, this time we are going to send 150,000 troops, not only the cavalry army, but also the first division of Division Commander Zhang, I think it is still Chief of Staff Xiao." ”

Tao Rong reminded him, and Li Wentian also understood that Tao Rong was telling him that there were Zhang Yafei and Wei Guanghui, two generals of Song Zhewu, and it was not appropriate for him to take command. smiled embarrassedly and said, "No matter what you want me to do, I must beat Lao Maozi." ”

Song Zhewu said with a smile: "Don't fight, I think so, this time the troops will be sent by me and Canxuan, and Brother Xiao and the two of you will stay at home and train the troops as soon as possible." ”

Seeing that Xiao Guodong was about to speak, Song Zhewu knew that Xiao Guodong wanted to stop him from going out in person, so he waved his hand and said: "Don't fight, since you want to rescue Manchuria, Zhang Xueliang must meet with me, and it is not appropriate for others to go." ”

(To be continued)