Kulikov's face was sallow, and he was unspeakably thin. This is a big loss compared to his slightly chubby figure when he first arrived in Yan'an a year ago. There is no way, the living conditions in China are still too difficult, and even a high-ranking military adviser like him will not be able to get the living treatment when he was in the Soviet Union.

Of course, the most important thing is that Kulikov is a person who is very strict with himself, and he believes that as a commander, he must take the lead and demonstrate, do not engage in specialization, and he will eat whatever the fighters eat. And the conditions in Huaxia are indeed too poor. Moreover, the water and soil are completely different from those of the Soviet Union, and it is naturally normal for his body to deteriorate due to serious water and soil adaptation.

But compared to physical problems, what really made Kulikov not eat and sleep well was the military problem. Turning a guerrilla army into a regular army was much more difficult than he thought. Even during the domestic revolutionary war, he fought guerrilla warfare, and he thought he had experience in this.

But the guerrilla warfare in China and the guerrilla warfare during the Soviet Union's domestic revolutionary war were completely different things. There is basically no heavy industry in China. In fact, there is no light industry in North China and Northwest China, and it is difficult for the base areas to be self-sufficient in grain. Most of the guns and ammunition had to be captured or supported by the Soviet Union. If enough enemy supplies cannot be captured after a battle, the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army will not be able to make ends meet, and such a battle cannot be fought.

In the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in China, weapons and ammunition were sometimes more important than life. Almost all fighters are taught the first lesson when they enlist in the army is how to conserve ammunition. However, although Kulikov was able to understand this economy, he believed that if he wanted to formalize and fight a big battle, he first had to give up this "petty family" mentality.

He told Commander-in-Chief Zhu and General Peng on more than one occasion: "The Soviet Union will spare no effort to support the anti-Japanese cause of the Chinese people and will do everything possible to provide material support." So regularize the partisans as soon as possible. It is imperative to fight a big battle as soon as possible. Saving is important, but you can't save for the sake of saving! It is necessary to tell the fighters that they must dare to shoot and fire, and do not have any fears. ”

In order to help the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army complete the regularization as soon as possible, Kulikov was almost constantly moving around the base areas, and he encountered devils and puppet troops more than once, and almost lost his old life.

However, he thought it was worth it: "Nothing gives me more fulfillment than helping my class brothers in the East to accomplish the cause of national independence and liberation." ”

With the tireless efforts of Kulikov. In 1942, a considerable part of the Tubalu changed its appearance, not only in terms of weapons and equipment, but also in terms of tactics began to move closer to the world's advanced level. This is just the beginning, but if you keep working hard, you will definitely succeed.

At the same time that the Germans were about to launch a large-scale offensive operation, Kulikov was also helping the Eighth Route Army at the foot of the Taihang Mountains to get out of the ravine and expand its territory.

You read that right, it's to expand the territory. The Eighth Route Army, which had initially grown up, was no longer satisfied with nesting in the ravine. It's ready to head to small and medium-sized cities. Among them, the first to launch an offensive was the 120th Division, which was active in the northeast of Jin.

According to the plan of the central government, the division will launch an attack from Daqingshan to Jining, Zhuozi, and Hohhot, and recover these three cities in one fell swoop. Once successful, this means that Suiyuan Province will be completely recovered, and it will also mean that the northern passage of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningbo border region will be completely opened.

At that time, the materials that the Soviet Union exported to Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningbo through Outer Mongolia would be continuously transported to North China along the package line railway, which meant that the Eighth Route Army operating in this area would no longer be subject to material restrictions and could only conduct guerrilla warfare. It is entirely possible to carry out a larger-scale anti-Japanese struggle.

Of course, it is not so easy to achieve this, although the main force of the Japanese invaders has already moved south. But North China remains the focus of its attention. Especially as the Soviet Union initially opened up the connection with Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningbo, the Japanese invaders were always thinking about how to cut off this lifeline again. So on the package line railway. The Japanese concentrated a relatively strong regular army and a considerable number of puppet troops, with a total strength of no less than 50,000 troops.

For such a formidable enemy, even He Shuai found it tricky, especially after he learned that the Soviets would not directly intervene in this operation, and only two Outer Mongolian cavalry divisions would provide support.

Although after more than half a year of rearmament and training. A considerable part of the Tubalu has undergone a qualitative change, but whether the combat effectiveness of the troops can withstand a frontal battle is something that no one can pack. Considering that the enemy is very strong and entrenched on the railway line, this kind of combat is even more difficult.

Because once it is not possible to quickly divide and annihilate the enemy. The enemy's reinforcements will quickly reach the battlefield by rail, and it is difficult to say who will win and who will lose at that time.

When drawing up the battle plan, the plan submitted by He Shuai to the central government described it as follows: "In the early stage of the campaign, the sabotage battle was still the focus. The paralysis of railway traffic and the isolation of the enemy in the fortresses along the railway line were crucial to the success or failure of the campaign...... After paralyzing and delaying the enemy, leave some of the elite forces to act as a blocking force, and then concentrate superior forces and firepower to capture Jining ...... in one fell swoop."

Is this plan feasible? It should be said that it is quite in line with the actual situation of the Eighth Route Army, and since the two battles of the Hundred Regiments, the Eighth Route Army has mastered the skills of sabotage warfare relatively proficiently, and can be relatively proficient in temporarily paralyzing the traffic of the Japanese invaders. After defeating the enemy's advantage of rapid reinforcement on the communication route, it will be relatively easy to block and encircle and annihilate the enemy in the future.

But Kulikov did not like this set of tactics very much, and he put forward another set of suggestions: "Do not carry out sabotage operations, leave only the elite forces to block, and the superior forces are directly engaged in the attack on Jining." ”

There is a big difference of opinion between the foreign adviser and the local marshal, and now it is difficult to deal with it, who should be listened to? The Central Committee of the Turkish Communist Party decided to first hear the reasons of both sides.

He Shuai's reason was very simple, he believed that without a sabotage battle, he would not be able to paralyze the lines of communication of the Japanese invaders, and he would not be able to prevent the rapid reinforcement of the enemy, and the blocking troops would be under great pressure at that time. Once the blocking is not effective, it will bring great trouble and difficulties to the main force attacking Jining.

There is truth to this, but Kulikov's side is not vexatious. His reasoning was that since 1940, the Eighth Route Army had fought two battles of the Hundred Regiments, each time making a fuss about the transportation routes. This kind of tactics is already familiar to the Japanese invaders, and I am afraid that they have already made targeted arrangements. Once the raid is carried out again, the Japanese will quickly become alert and immediately send reinforcements. At that time, before the sabotage battle is over, the troops will be attacked by enemy reinforcements, and the blocking operation will not be easy to fight at this time.

Kulikov believes. This is tantamount to startling the snake, it is better to move directly and neatly, and as soon as you come up, you will catch the enemy of Jining by surprise and annihilate it as quickly as possible. In this way, even if the enemy's reinforcements came by rail, the blocking force would not have to last long. Once the main force attacking Jining completes its mission, it can also turn around and teach the enemy's reinforcements a hard lesson.

It should be said that the words of He Shuai and Kulikov have some truth, but at the same time they are both problematic. Conducting large-scale sabotage operations is indeed easy to startle the snake. However, if the sabotage operation is not carried out, the enemy's reinforcements will come quickly, the pressure on the blocking troops will be great, and no one can guarantee that the main force attacking Jining will be smooth sailing, and once both ends do not go well, the consequences will be very disastrous.

Therefore, the reply of the Central Military Commission of the Turkish Communist Party was: "It is not advisable to conduct large-scale sabotage operations, but it is also of practical significance to delay and delay the march of the enemy's reinforcements." Whether to carry out small-scale sabotage operations in the Jining-Datong section and the Jining-Baotou section without investing the main force. Is it feasible to undertake this task with only small or local forces? ”

After some discussion, Kulikov and He Shuai agreed to the CMC's proposal. In the middle of the night on 20 September, some of the engineering units cooperated with the local armed engineering teams to conduct a crisp, rapid and decisive small-scale sabotage battle. Destroyed part of the railway, interrupted the enemy's traffic. And at the same time as they moved, the main force of the 120th Division of the Eighth Route Army, with the support of artillery belonging to the Outer Mongolian cavalry troops, began the first offensive operation!

Li Ergou is an imperial army, also known as Ergouzi. Of course, Li Ergou was not a second dog at the beginning. At first, he was Yan Xishan's team, but after Yan Laoxi was beaten by the devil and urinated. These stragglers bravely took refuge in the Japanese and acted as accomplices of the devils.

The second devil is a Chinese person, but many times, they are even more hateful and hateful than the real devil. For example, Li Ergou is a guy who has lost his conscience, and eating, drinking, prostituting, gambling, fish, and meat is his daily work.

On this day, Li Ergou came out of the smoke house with a yawn, and he was thinking about whether to go to Yihong Mansion or go to the gambling hall next. Just when he was thinking about it, Zhang Sanpao dragged Hanyang Zao Gao and ran over with one foot and one foot low.

"Report ...... Report...... Report...... Team...... Captain. ”

This product is a stammer, and you can't say it without dividing it into five paragraphs.

Li Ergou glanced at him, stretched, yawned and asked, "What's the matter?" ”

"Too ...... Too...... Taijun ...... Call...... Calling you! ”

As soon as he heard that it was the devil who was invited, Li Ergou's laziness suddenly disappeared completely, as if he had been poured a basin of cold water for three or nine days, and he was doubly sober.

"Don't go yet!" Li Ergou kicked Zhang Sanpao and scolded: "Taijun is looking for me, why didn't you report it earlier!" ”

Zhang Sanpao replied honestly: "You...... You...... You don't mean...... Say...... That's you...... Daddy...... Look for...... Looking for you, too...... Also...... I'll have to wait for you...... Draw out...... Finish smoking! ”

Li Ergou slapped him again and scolded: "Is my father the same thing as Taijun? Taijun, that's even closer and bigger than my own father! ”

Li Ergou rushed back to the station, and when he went back, he realized that Taijun had nothing else to do, just to clear the township and sweep. In this regard, the Imperial Association Army is full of resentment:

"What if the hell is patrolling and encountering the dirt road?"

"Dirt Eight Road? The martial arts team is enough! ”

"I said, Captain, how many times have you been patrolling this month? The eight roads are swept more and more, you can't talk to Taijun, let's not waste this effort! ”

Li Ergou actually doesn't want to go out of the city, how dangerous it is to go out of the city to patrol! Outside, there are either eight roads or martial arts teams, and if you are not careful, you will be shot cold, or you will step on landmines. The captain above him was killed by the martial arts team, and his captain had only been in the army for half a year, and he didn't want to go to the west like this.

However, Li Ergou didn't have the courage to protest with the devil, he saw the little devil's legs and stomach cramps, and he became weak, and instinctively wanted to offer a pair of knees. Let him say a word to the devil. Then you might as well kill him. Anyway, the devil said that he would never dare to go west, he was a complete minion.

"Li Sang, this time, it is still your brigade that fights the vanguard! The Imperial Army is fighting for you! ”

Hearing this, Li Ergou's back tooth socket hurts, Nima, every time it is their Imperial Allied Army that blocks the gun in front. It is also called a pioneer. As for the imperial army's pressing formation, are you pressing the formation? As soon as you see that the situation is not right, you will run first, or you will fight with our Imperial Allied Army, Nima, you have no other tricks?

The devil really has no other tricks, and letting the Imperial Allied Army go to mines and block guns is also the only use of the Imperial Allied Army. Anyway, as long as the gun goes off, this group of turtle grandchildren will escape without a trace, what is the use of such goods?

Li Ergou took his brother out of the city in high spirits. However, less than three miles away from the east turret of the city, the momentum of these grandsons disappeared. Without him, without turrets and bunkers, these immoral grandsons are really uncourageous, and walking on the road is like stepping on cotton. As for the devils behind them, as always, they were on horseback, looking at the Imperial Association like monkeys. For these timid and incompetent "Shina people". They are also quite contemptuous.

Li Ergou slowly moved along the railway line, and their task was to ensure that the line was unblocked. Dispel the military crews that are making a fuss about the railroad. However, this kind of patrol is of little significance, because there are too many armed engineering teams of the Eighth Route Army, and they can easily avoid patrols like Li Ergou with the masses as their ears. Maybe as soon as Li Ergou and the others leave, the martial arts team will drill out of the woods, haystacks or underground and pry the railroad tracks away.

Li Ergou has seen a lot of such things. He can't manage it, and he doesn't dare to manage it, he is afraid that the Japanese are not fake, but he is even more afraid of the Eighth Route Army Martial Arts Team, and the Japanese will only slap his mouth. And the Eighth Route Army wanted his life.

Therefore, when Li Ergou patrolled, even if he really found out that there was an activity of the martial arts team, he would deliberately pretend not to see it, anyway, the martial arts team is generally weak in firepower and will not fight hard with the patrol team, and the goal of the martial arts team is to hijack the train to get supplies. As long as Li Ergou pretends not to see and continues to patrol honestly, the two sides are generally well water and do not interfere with river water.

For Li Ergou, this is better, anyway, he works hard for the Japanese to beg for food, and he can't joke about his life. As for the discovery of the Wugong team by the Japanese, that is another situation. Fortunately, such bad situations are generally rare, because the martial arts team is quite good at concealment and is not easy to detect.

"Team...... Team...... Captain, front ...... Yes...... There is a case! ”

Li Ergou asked sharply: "What's the situation, it's the martial arts team?" ”

"Too ...... Too...... Black, look ...... Can't see clearly! ”

Li Ergou scratched the back of his head, thought about it, and asked again, "Has Taijun found out?" ”

"I didn't ...... No! ”

Li Ergou replied as a matter of course: "Then pretend not to see it!" ”

Kulikov was also quite surprised by this wonderful relationship between the Imperial Allied Army and the Eighth Route Army, as a foreigner, he really could not imagine that the two hostile sides could have such a "tacit understanding", which was logically completely impossible.

After repeated understanding, he knew the reason, the so-called puppet army is actually a group of scum, this group of people can not be regarded as real soldiers at all, for them to be a soldier is just a means to eat mixed food, and the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army are not as easy to bully as ordinary people, in order to save their lives, they are naturally passive and sabotage.

For example, Kulikov once saw that in a battle, the puppet army that was fighting the vanguard search and advancing clearly walked past the Eighth Route Army, but also pretended not to see anything. And after the devil stupidly catches up, as soon as the gun goes off, this group of people will scatter, and then the next thing is between the Eighth Route Army and the devil. The group would stay away from the battlefield and flee home in a big circle.

And this time the situation was similar to before, the blind puppet army swaggered into the encirclement of the Eighth Route Army, making the devils behind him think that everything was safe, and they also crashed into it with a stupid head.

Then, the gun went off! Different from the previous fighting style of the Eighth Route Army, the previous Eighth Route Army was very cautious in shooting, and rarely fired more than twice, basically starting to charge after one or two shots, and then using white-knuckle combat to solve the problem. Or just throw out the overwhelming grenades and blow up the devils, and then clean up the battlefield.

And this time the Eighth Route Army did not launch a charge quickly, but continued to shoot, of course, the grenades did not stop, and these grenades are not the same as the copycat grenades produced in the base area earlier, most of them are standard grenades aided by the Soviet Union, and the explosives loaded are trinitrotoluene, and the bullet body also has prefabricated fragments, which is more lethal. In addition to grenades, mortars were used by the Eighth Route Army.

When the shells exploded in the cavalry of the devils, these invaders were still a little unable to react, because this was not a typical combat method of the Eighth Route Army, and the devils could not accept it for a while.

And it was such a poor kung fu, the battle was over, and the devils were not left under the powerful firepower of the Eighth Route Army, and all of them were annihilated. Even Li Ergou, a group of traitors who were ready to smear oil on the soles of their feet and escape at the first time when the battle started, were also arrested alive.

"Isn't this Li Ergou, Captain Li, what are your legs trembling? Last month, when you went to Dongzhuang to sweep, you were very angry! (To be continued.) )