Chapter 53: Prepare in advance

It's true that the distance is not close, but the carriage is still faster than the people. This is the road to Suzhou, although it is not a cement road, it is still a good national highway.

Changshu is already a hilly area around the mountains, the mountains are not high, and there are a lot of water networks, such a terrain, the roads are a little rugged, and there are many bridges on many roads.

Standing at the foot of the hillside, Xue Ru really couldn't see where there were fortifications, and there were shrubs and artemisia grass everywhere. The men got out of the car and, led by Wang Yu, entered the hillside and searched for the so-called fortifications along the shallow slope.

Gradually, Xue Ru began to forget about fatigue and was attracted by this defensive line, known as the Maginot of the East. Not because of its solidity and tightness, but because of its simplicity, which can also be called a fortification?

In fact, Xue Ru is not a high-level commanding officer, that is, an average officer level, but he still knows that he is not a strong defensive position. Even if you are not a soldier, a military fan or a pseudo-military fan, you know a lot of common sense.

On the shallow slopes of the hill were single pillboxes and some defensive bunkers, there were no rear artillery positions, and the machine-gun fire points were scattered.

What Xue Ru couldn't stand the most was that there were no communication trenches between these defensive bunkers and the bunkers. The other is that there is no shooting range, the entire bunker, around the bunker, is full of trees and stones, and even the basic shooting range has not been cleared.

Such a fortification is said to be because the key cannot be found? Xue Ru finally understood that it was just a kind of shame and excuse speech. No wonder some people in later generations said that if you can't find the key, can't you smash the lock? Even if you use * to blow up, you can blow it up.

The more places he looked, the more Xue Ru's heart sank, and it was impossible for such a line of defense to hold on. Unless there is a few months to repair and perfect, after all, there are still many fortifications on the hillside, on the high hill. If it is perfected, it is better than a temporary position.

But Xue Ru didn't have time, she also regretted it, she had delayed for a long time in order to train the troops, you have to know that she came so early? But by this time it was too late to say anything.

In order to understand the real situation, Xue Ru didn't say anything, and took people to leave Qingsong Mountain and rushed to Dongpingling, for more than two days, Xue Ru except for the carriage to hurry, the rest of the time was walking, and inspected the defense fortifications on both sides of Changshu in detail, and the final result was very disappointed.

Xue Ru didn't know how it was designed or constructed, so she visited the villages here and found the local chief and township chief, but they couldn't tell clearly.

After finding a lot of people who participated in the work at the beginning, they finally found the so-called fortifications at key points, with no ammunition storage sites, no logistics storage sites, no corresponding communication facilities, and no complete fire support points, so it can be said that it is a scrapped defense line.

There are also some bunkers that have been raised by local people with chickens, ducks and pigs. There were also fortifications built on flat and low-lying areas, which were heavily waterlogged. Anyway, it's just a sentence: "It doesn't work at all".

Xue Ru said goodbye to Feng Zaidao and Wang Yu, left Changshu, and returned to Kunshan with the places he had simply marked on the map. She wants to report the situation to Xue Yue, don't count on the Xicheng defense line, since this is the case here, the Wufu line is not much better.

There is almost no need to study such a situation, why everyone knows. With Xue Ru's level, it can also be seen that if the entire fortification is perfected in detail, it will be really difficult to break through it.

Xue Ru didn't know which German consultant it was, but at least he had military common sense, and the design of several key points was good, but unfortunately none of them were completed, and the supporting settings and projects were not finally completed at all. Many places are also fooling, and the reinforced concrete is also substandard. Some of the defensive bunkers turned out to be wooden planks covered with dirt, and such bunkers could not be carried by heavy artillery or even mortars.

No drawings could be found, no details were given, and the foreign army could not find these fortifications at all. In two days, Wang Yu and Tian Jiasheng also had a good relationship, and they no longer stared at each other.

However, Xue Ru did not agree to let him follow, let him stay, take his security company, and hurry up to rest and reorganize the two positions of Qingsongling and Bingdonggang. Here are two bunker groups, covering the two highways from Changshu to Wuxi.

Since there was something to do, Xue Ru promised him again, let him take his brothers to stick here, he could be counted as a member of the Snow Fox Brigade, Wang Yu agreed very positively. said that he was looking for his brother-in-law, and someone from the county would help him repair it, and at the same time make some simple material preparations.

On the way back, because of the carriage, the speed was much faster than the time it came. Looking at Xue Ru's gloomy face, Tian Jiasheng, who understood why, didn't know what to say, and was silent for a long time and asked, "Captain, what should we do?" “

How does Xue Ru know what to do? I also thought that I knew in advance, sorted out the defense line in the rear, and reported to Xue Yue, if I retreated, I might arrange for troops to enter these fortifications. If someone is defensive, there will be no panic.

But now it seems that this is not the case at all. sighed and said: "I don't have any good way, send a telegram to the commander, see if you can transfer troops in advance, hurry up to repair the fortifications, and establish a defensive front." “

Tian Jiasheng said hatefully: "A bunch of moths, corrupt officials, this will kill a large number of brothers in the national army." ”

The tofu scum project killed people, and Xue Ru had nothing to say. Corruption is the main reason for the weakening of a country, but did Chiang Kai-shek know all this? Who is the supervisor? Shooting him a hundred times is not enough to atone for his sins.

Xue Ru didn't complain, because it was useless, so let's find a way. But she really couldn't think of a good way, even if the Snow Fox Brigade was crowded now, it was only the strength of two regiments.

Finally got the weapons and ammunition of an army, and the equipment was okay, but in the face of several divisions of the Japanese army, how could they block the attack of the Japanese army?

When Xue Ru returned to Kunshan, Wu Yuzhao hurriedly handed Xue Yue's telegram to Xue Ru. Seeing Xue Yue's telegram, Xue Ru remembered that before he knew it, so many days had passed, and today was already the sixth day of November.

Xue Yue telegraphed to Xue Ru that he had received news that the Japanese 10th Army had landed at Jinshanwei in Hangzhou Bay yesterday, and that the strength of three divisions and one brigade had appeared.

Xue Ru closed his eyes, and from Xue Yue's tone, Xue Ru understood that what he said was not believed by people at all. It was only out of precaution that I let myself come to Kunshan, and I did not foresee the terrible consequences at all.

After a long time, he opened his eyes and said: "Send a telegram to the commander, the Xicheng defense line is useless, and it is impossible to resist the Japanese attack. ”

"Why?" Wu Yuzhao asked in surprise.

Xue Ru thought about it, but the telegram was not clear at all, so he said: "I'll tell you the situation, you go to Qingpu immediately, meet the commander, report the details, and ask him to transfer troops to retreat to the Xicheng defense line." Otherwise, it will be too late, and all the fortifications will have to be repaired on the spot, and there will be no strategic reserves. ”

When Xue Ru finished introducing the situation, Wu Yuzhao's face turned white. He is not Tian Jiasheng, he is a senior staff officer, and this situation is too obvious.

The headquarters did not pay attention to what Xue Ru said, and the Japanese army really landed in Hangzhou Bay, which was already very passive. It is not known whether the blocking forces transferred by the Right Wing Corps in the direction of Hangzhou Bay will be effective. With the map of the defense line drawn by Xue Ru, he immediately rode to Qingpu to meet Xue Yue.

Xue Ru knew that he couldn't do nothing after all, so what's the use of complaining at this time, let's find a way to solve the problem. A meeting of the squadron leader and above was immediately convened, along with Yao Jingyu, the county magistrate of the Kunshan County Government, and Zhao Chengdong, the county police chief.

Wu Yuzhao returned to Qingpu to report, Xue Ru's face was not very good, and the people attending the meeting didn't know why. It turned out that Xue Ru didn't want to say that it would not only be a crime of shaking the morale of the army, but it would also cause panic, but the Japanese army had landed in Hangzhou Bay, and the matter could not allow her to think about it anymore, so she didn't have an opening sentence, and said directly: "Everyone, according to the battlefield intelligence, I will introduce the situation, and then arrange what to do." Everyone, record it, remember the things of your unit, don't make mistakes, and if you can't do it, don't blame me for being ruthless. ”

Xue Ru really didn't speak like this, only the police chief Zhao Chengdong was a little unimpressed, and everyone else felt that the matter might be serious. Yao Jingyu didn't know why he would let him, the county magistrate, participate in the army meeting, but in the face of the army, he didn't dare not come.

Xue Ru said: "Yesterday, the Japanese 10th Army, under the command of Commander Yanagawa Heisuke, the 6th Division, the 18th Division, the 114th Division, and a 9th Brigade landed at Jinshanwei in Hangzhou Bay, and have attacked Jiaxing, Wujiang, and Nanxun. The national army did not hold on. The 13th Division, the 11th Division, the 3rd Division, and the 9th Division, concentrating their forces on the banks of the Suzhou Creek, have been linked with the marines in downtown Shanghai. The defeat of the Songhu meeting was decided, and the Japanese army surrounded the national army from the north and south. In order to preserve the strength of the war of resistance and prepare for a protracted war of resistance, the army must withdraw from Shanghai, and Taicang in Kunshan is the line of retreat. ”

Xue Ru stopped, and everyone opened their mouths in surprise. Everyone is holding the confidence of victory and is not afraid of sacrifice in the battle, is it that hundreds of thousands of soldiers died in vain, but in the end they failed?

The astonishment was followed by silence, and the smell of defeat permeated the room. Xue Ru was a little heartbroken, this is Shanghai, what if it is Nanjing? That's the capital. It is no wonder that for a long time, China has been talking about the failure of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and its morale has been completely damaged at this time.

Take a deep breath: "Xiao Yong, what about your ability?" Keep your head up. Defeat is only temporary, as long as we are still here, sooner or later we will win, so difficult that you are afraid of death? ”

Xiao Yongteng stood up suddenly: "Look at me, who said I was afraid of death?" Lao Tzu finally insisted. ”

Xue Ru said that he was just to boost morale, knowing that Xiao Yong couldn't stand the stimulation the most, and sure enough, he stood up and shouted with a red face and a thick neck. He made such a noise, Liu Yuanshan and Qiao Han also stood up: "Captain, we are still the Snow Fox Brigade, and we have never been afraid of devils." What's the big deal, even if the national army all retreats, we fight the devils the same. ”

Xiang Wenbin took a sip of Sichuan flavor: "Captain, how do you say how to fight, the Sichuan army brothers are here to fight devils." ”

Seeing that the emotions were mobilized, Xue Ru said: "Very good, I declare that the Snow Fox Brigade is the last person to leave Kunshan, and now what we have to do is to ensure that the retreating troops pass through Kunshan and Taicang smoothly, and assemble and arrange defensive positions on the Xicheng defense line, remember, behind us is the capital Nanjing, and it is advantageous to hold on for one more day." ”

Everyone felt a hint of sacred duty and looked at Xue Ru solemnly. Several people unconsciously straightened the red silk scarf on their chest, which was their symbol. Xue Ru imagined a lot of phenomena, based on the film and television dramas of later generations, but I don't know if it's accurate, it shouldn't be so bad, right?

According to this situation, all the troops were arranged, and at the same time, Lan Xun Zhou was asked to return to Taicang immediately, pay attention to the direction of the mouth of the Liuhe River, and be sure to block the Japanese army from occupying Taicang and cover the passage of the army in the middle.

After arranging the army, Xue Ru waved his hand, and the officers hurriedly went out to prepare, Xue Ru said to Yao Jingyu: "County Magistrate Yao, immediately mobilize the people to evacuate, it is best to avoid the highway and hide in the countryside, and then come back when it is calm." ”

Yao Jingyu's face was already pale, and it turned out that Shanghai had failed. Kunshan is so close to Shanghai, hundreds of thousands of troops can't do it, and the Snow Fox Brigade only has a few thousand people, can it be used? Worried, he said: "I will let the people evacuate to Nanjing, which is the capital." ”

Xue Ru sighed secretly in his heart, it is the capital that is more dangerous, according to the information declassified by later generations, Japan did not massacre because of Nanjing resistance, they want to completely destroy the will of the Chinese to resist with killing. Nanjing, as the capital, could not escape the fate of being slaughtered no matter what.

But he knew all this, but he had no power to change it. How Xue Ru wished that he was the commander of a group army, although he couldn't say that he would win the war, he could change it slightly. But he is just a ragtag army of a brigade, and it is all formed by the security forces.

She couldn't say that Nanjing would also be lost, so she had to say: "It's too late, immediately move to the countryside, the walls are clear, the most important thing is food, you can't leave it for the devils, and bury it on the spot if you can't take it away." ”

Hearing Xue Ru's undoubted tone, Yao Jingyu hurriedly agreed. Xue Ru said to Zhao Dongcheng: "Director Zhao, I don't care what you did before, but assist County Magistrate Yao, otherwise you will know the consequences." ”

Zhao Dongcheng actually looks down on this little girl, a little girl, not relying on a little power in her family, what ability she has to command a war. But he knew that Xue Ru had military power in his hands, and he hurriedly said: "Definitely, definitely." ”

Xue Ru didn't have time to talk to them: "Okay, County Magistrate Yao, the things I want will be delivered as soon as possible, and you should hurry up." ”