As soon as Chief of Staff Zhou's words fell, Li Dazhuang hurriedly said: "Why don't you eat the jerky that fell into your mouth?" Master, I think it's time to fight. Aren't they engaged in nine-way encirclement and suppression? Let's eat him all the way, let him turn nine roads into eight roads, and shame these little devils to death! Everyone laughed.

Li Dazhuang felt very proud, and touched Qi Sixian next to him as he spoke, and said, "Did you say that?" ”

Qi Sixian smiled: "Hehe, I listen to the teacher!" Then he added, "Well, if we want to fight, our 342nd Regiment is willing to be the main attack!" ”

Ma Biao was not happy, glared at him and said, "What's the matter, the main attack should be our 331st regiment!" ”

Li Dazhuang was very unconvinced and said, "Why are you all the time? Our 332nd Regiment is the main attacker, and we will still destroy the devils! ”

In this case, it was impossible for Wu Quanfu to stay out of the matter, so he had to say: "Our 341st regiment has missed several battles, if we want to fight, please give us the most important task." On behalf of the whole regiment, I assure you that you will not fail in your mission! When he said this, everyone applauded in unison.

Ma Biao was anxious, slapped the table and said: "Division, you don't need to take action from your brothers, we have reunited this Japanese brigade!" "The 331st Regiment is the veritable first regiment of the 33rd Division, with the largest number of troops, the best equipment, and the strongest combat power, so I dare to pat my chest and say such hard words.

The commanders of the other three main regiments were so angry that their lungs were about to explode when they saw Commander Ma release such cruel words. Dare to love your group to eat meat, and don't leave us a bite of soup? But the strength of the people is there, and they want to extinguish their prestige, unless they have stronger strength. A few regiment commanders, you look at me, I look at you, they are all a little depressed. After all, it is not a joke to take on a brigade of the Japanese army alone, and no one dares to guarantee the ticket.

Seeing that they were silent, Zhang Haiyan felt that his own opportunity had arrived, and hurriedly said: "Master, colleagues!" I don't think it's necessary to dispatch the main force to fight a brigade of the Japanese army, so why not have our local troops? Moreover, the local troops urgently need to train their troops through actual combat at the moment, otherwise how can they enhance their combat effectiveness? Besides, the local troops are stronger, and the main forces are at ease to fight outside, isn't it? ”

Zheng Weiguo pondered for a moment and said to Professor Yang, "Director Yang, what do you think?" Everyone hurriedly looked over.

Facing the burning eyes of everyone, Professor Yang laughed a few times and said: "Well, this, you know me, I am a teacher, and fighting is to drive ducks to the shelves, not my business!" Everyone laughed when they saw what he said interestingly.

In fact, Professor Yang hopes to fight a battle in his heart, and in any case, it can also reduce the pressure on the base area in the southeast of Jinjin, right? But he is not good at military affairs, and he doesn't want to give everyone the impression of fighting for power, so he is concerned about the left and right.

Zheng Weiguo looked at Chief of Staff Zhou again, hoping to hear his opinion.

Chief of Staff Zhou said with a smile: "Division, I am only responsible for the specific combat plan, and whether to fight or not has to be decided by the division." "He is a person who is good at scheming and not making decisions, and seeing that Zheng Weiguo is reluctant to express his position, he naturally doesn't dare to make up his mind.

Zheng Weiguo saw that everyone was looking at him, and said with a smile: "You can't pile all the pressure on me alone!" In this way, I will arrive first today, and the military commanders of each ministry will write a note to me when they go back. ”

Chief of Staff Zhou said: "Division, then how do you reply to Commander Xia?" ”

Zheng Weiguo thought for a moment and said, "Tell Commander Xia not to act rashly, and don't keep thinking about fighting a big battle." If the Japanese army does not move, try not to provoke the enemy, and give priority to protecting the safety of the people's lives and property. ”

After the meeting ended, Zheng Weiguo left Professor Yang and Chief of Staff Zhou behind. It is said that there are three stinkers, and one Zhuge Liang is the top, but that is when facing ordinary problems. In a strange and complex situation like the present, the truth is often in the hands of a few.

Chief of Staff Zhou said: "Shizao, you don't want to fight this battle? ”

Zheng Weiguo nodded and said, "Well, I was afraid of hurting my morale just now, so I didn't say it clearly." The Japanese army was at a sharp edge at this time, and it was not a good time to make a move. We'll have to wait. ”

Chief of Staff Zhou said: "What do you mean by timing? ”

Zheng Weiguo explained: "The art of war talks about avoiding its sharpness and attacking its laziness. We have to wait until the Japanese army is at its most tired and demoralized! ”

Chief of Staff Zhou was a little worried and said, "But what if the 129th Division can't hold on?" That's the strength of ten wings! Once the 129th Division loses, the next target of the Japanese army is likely to be our 33rd Division! ”

Zheng Weiguo smiled: "It seems that you don't know about the 129th Division." Director Yang, you can tell him about the strategy of the 129th Division, so as to enhance the confidence of the chief of staff. ”

Professor Yang said: "According to the order of the command of the Eastern Route Army, before the Japanese army enters our 'line of change of interests,' it will adopt an internal line of operation, concentrate its forces, and break through each one, and when it hits the enemy's first line, the remaining roads will be restrained; when the Japanese army enters our 'line of change of interests,' it will move from the enemy's gap to the outer line of operation, attack the enemy's flank, and also seek to concentrate its forces and break through each one." ”

This is the tactical principle formulated by Mr. Zhu at the meeting of the Xiaodongling East Route Army in Qin County. The so-called line of change of interests is simply the boundary between the guerrilla zone and the base area. Crossing this line threatens the survival of the base area.

After Professor Yang finished speaking, he smiled bitterly and said: "Actually, I don't have full confidence, whether the 129th Division can hold its foothold at Jindongnan Station depends on this battle." ”

Zheng Weiguo nodded and said, "Well, it seems that most people are not optimistic about the prospects of this battle!" In fact, we must not only see the enemy's strengths, but also our own strengths and the enemy's weaknesses. ”

Professor Yang and Chief of Staff Zhou hurriedly said, "How do you say it?" ”

Zheng Weiguo said: "The advantage of our army lies in the internal line of operations, intelligence and logistics are guaranteed, and the morale of the soldiers is also very high when they fight to defend the base areas; On the other hand, once the Japanese army entered the base area, they became blind and deaf, and the long journey on mountain roads would make it more difficult for them to march, and the supply of food and ammunition would also become a big problem. ”

At the same time that Zheng Weiguo was making this speech, the 129th Division was holding a meeting of military and political cadres at and above the regimental level in Xijing Village, Liao County, to discuss the specific operational plan for countering the siege.

Division Commander Liu believed that instead of being passively beaten, it was better to strike first against the enemy, and decided to fight the enemy all the way between the county and the armed forces. After the meeting, the 129th Division led three main regiments and the 689th Regiment of the 344th Brigade of the 115th Division to fight south from Liaoxian County, and ambushed the Jimingpu Mountain between Shexian and Wu'an, preparing to ambush a wing of the enemy's 16th Division. At the same time, it was also proposed that the 33rd Division attack the Japanese troops (another wing of the 108th Division) attacking from Pingxiang to Xiyang.

It is said that the combat effectiveness of the 129th Division at this time was indeed very strong, and the four regiments dared to fight the idea of one wing of the Japanese army. This was unimaginable for the national army at that time (without belittling the national army).

Professor Yang was overjoyed after receiving the report and said: "Division commander, as long as the battle goes smoothly, after defeating the two wings of the Japanese army, the enemy's siege will be self-defeating!" ”

Zheng Weiguo said anxiously: "Oh no, the judgment of the 129th Division is wrong!" Immediately send a report to the 129th Division advising them to cancel the operation! ”

Professor Yang was stunned and said, "Teacher, why is this? ”

Shexian County, the rooster is paving the mountains, and Brigade Commander Chen is also asking: "Why does he disagree?" ”

Division Commander Liu said: "Division Commander Zheng has three reasons: first, the morale of the Japanese army is booming, and the timing is not right; Second, the separation of the two divisions violated the operational principle of concentrating forces; Third, the 16th Division was the most passive in this operation, posing little threat to the base areas, and was not the most suitable target. In the end, he also believed that the Japanese army would most likely not take this road, and suggested that we quickly return to the base area and wait for the day. ”

Brigadier Chen smiled: "If someone else said this, I would definitely think he was cowardly!" Division commander, deputy division commander, then do we still have to fight this battle? ”

Deputy Division Commander Xu said: "Although what Division Commander Zheng said is reasonable, but now the arrow is ready to fly, and he has to send it!" ”

Master Liu nodded and said, "That's right, you are uncertain, and you will lose cleanly!" We must not only fight this battle, but also fight it beautifully. ”

Brigadier Chen smiled: "Okay, when you win, let's see what Zheng Weiguo's kid says!" ”

Afterwards, Brigade Commander Chen recalled: This day was the most regular day of our Eighth Route Army, and after everyone entered the ambush site, they did ambush under the cover of favorable terrain and camouflage. I looked through my binoculars, but I couldn't find a trace of the army, and the hills and fields did not change their original shape slightly because of the increase in numbers.

Looking at it from afar, the camels and donkeys on the roads and the few cultivators in the fields were working as usual, never knowing that a great war was coming. Everyone slept like dead men, not daring to move, not even raising their heads, but just waiting for the enemy to bring guns.

In the whole occupied area, there was not a single person with whom we corresponded, and the communication was only through the telephone that had been set up last night, and the dry food was brought with us, and the cooks cooked the food, and they also hid in the back, waiting for the gunshots to be delivered. It was twelve o'clock, and the enemy had not yet come, and the telephone report from the lookout post at the highest point said that there was not even a single figure in sight in the direction of the rocky rock. (The above is the real situation of the Eighth Route Army ambushing in Jimingpu, see the memoirs of Brigadier Commander Chen)

Zheng Weiguo did not expect badly, the wing of the 16th Division of the Japanese Army did not take this road in the end, and the 129th Division ran in vain.

Division Commander Liu smiled helplessly: "I was also told by Zheng Weiguo's kid, the Japanese army really didn't come!" ”

According to the plan, the 16th Division was to send a wing from Wu'an through the Taihang Mountains to attack Liao County, but I don't know what it was, and only two brigades were sent to make a detour to Shexian to attack northward, and after encountering the attack of the Fourth Division of the Cavalry of the National Army, they stopped, and never took a step forward.

Brigade Commander Chen was puzzled: "What's going on with this 16th Division?" "Everyone also wondered that this didn't look like the Japanese army.

It was only later that it became clear that the war-weariness within the 16th Division was high, and the officers and non-commissioned officers hoped for a "triumphant victory" and envied that the navy had "returned home in triumph." The 16th Division also belonged to the Shanghai Dispatch Army in the past, and the other units returned to China to take turns to rest, but they were transferred to North China to drill ravines, and they were naturally angry. Many soldiers said in their letters home, "I don't know if there will be someone tomorrow." In addition, the 108th Division was the leader of the encirclement and suppression, which also made the top management of the 16th Division dissatisfied.

The top and bottom don't want to fight this battle, and it's not surprising that they can't work hard. Unfortunately, it also sent the Eighth Route Army a heavy punch into the air and delayed the fighters. The 129th Division's misjudgment caused the three wings of the 108th Division to quickly penetrate deep into the base area, and the three core counties of Wuxiang, Liaoxian, and Yushe were all exposed to the guns of the Japanese army.

PS: Thank you Brother Tian for his generosity, Shanren must write a book with heart to repay everyone's love.