When Song Xilian said to Wang Haitao for help, he did not have much hope, but after all, large-caliber artillery is a strategic weapon for any unit, and its importance goes without saying. The country is weak and simply cannot produce large-caliber artillery, and the only way to obtain artillery is to import it. Before the Japanese army captured Guangzhou, the government could still import some large-caliber artillery from Germany, but as soon as the Japanese army occupied Guangzhou, all foreign aid was cut off, and now there is nowhere to buy large-caliber artillery even if it has money.

Song Xilian's 11th Group Army was Chen Cheng's descendant troops, and its weapons and equipment were very good, but there were only a few dozen artillery pieces and only two artillery shells, which was far from enough to prevent the Japanese attack. In order to complete the task of guarding the Sino-Burmese border explained by Shangfeng, Song Xilian had to open his mouth to ask Wang Haitao for help, who made Wang Haitao's troops famous in the whole country for their large number of artillery!

Even if Song Xilian opened his mouth, he didn't expect Wang Haitao to sell him how much artillery, in his heart, Wang Haitao could see that it was all civil engineering, and it would be good to transfer one or twenty artillery pieces to himself, but Wang Haitao opened his mouth to give himself fifty-four 75-caliber field guns and fifty-four 120-caliber heavy mortars to his three field artillery battalions, which frightened Song Xilian.

The wine table was quiet because of Wang Haitao's words, and all the officers of the Eleventh Group Army stared at Wang Haitao, this person's gaze frightened Wang Haitao, Wang Haitao thought for a while and then said: "Just the 75 caliber field artillery is a little less powerful, so let's take out twelve German-made 150 caliber howitzers, each of these guns is equipped with 200 shells, this will be fine." I really can't get any more!"

Song Xilian came back to his senses and shouted at Wang Haitao: "Is Commander Wang's words true? Not joking with me?" Wang Haitao glanced at Song Xilian and the officers who were staring at him strangely and asked: "Are you kidding? There is no joke in the army, how can I joke about this kind of thing, of course it is true." Tomorrow I can transfer these artillery pieces and shells to General Song. ”

Song Xilian shouted: "Okay! I know that Commander Wang is a bold person, and Song has received this love, and if it is useful to Song and the 11 th Group Army in the future, Commander Wang can only open his mouth, and I will definitely help him even if I give up this life!"

As soon as the two finished speaking, the officers of the Eleventh Group Army applauded vigorously, and there was more gratitude and respect in their eyes when they looked at Wang Haitao. With these artillery, how many officers and soldiers can be saved in battle, Wang Haitao's favor is great. At the following banquet, the officers of the 11th Group Army burst out with great enthusiasm for the officers of the 90th Army, and they saluted the officers of the 90th Army one after another, and Wang Haitao bore the brunt of the wine.

This meal was really drunk until midnight, and the Eleventh Army drank several of them, and even the massive Wang Haitao was a little overwhelmed, and he drank eight points, and Su Zuxin and them were even more unbearable, and they were all carried out of the hotel gate by the guards. There was nothing to say all night, and the next morning, after Wang Haitao got up to wash, his groggy head was a little clearer.

At this moment, the guards came in to report that there was General Song Xilian, the commander of the Eleventh Army, outside the door, asking to see him. Wang Haitao hurriedly straightened his military uniform and walked out of the gate. General Song Xilian, General Gan Lichu, General Zhong Bin, and General Li Zhipeng all came at the gate, and Song Xilian saw Wang Haitao come out, and the rest of the people* saluted first, Wang Haitao also hurriedly returned a salute and said: "General Song, why are you all here?

Everyone came to the house and sat down, the guards brought tea, and Song Xilian said: "Commander Wang is resting well? The conditions here are a little worse, Commander Wang forgive me." Wang Haitao replied with a smile: "How can there be so many people who lead troops to fight? Is there something wrong with a few people here?" After Song Xilian and those few glanced at each other, it was still Song Xilian who said: "Don't be afraid of Wang Junxing's jokes, a few of us heard yesterday that Commander Wang generously gave dozens of artillery pieces, and we didn't sleep well all night, don't hide it from Commander Wang, this 150 caliber heavy artillery, we have seen it, and we have never used it in battle, no, everyone couldn't sit still in the morning, and rushed over to ask Commander Wang to take us to see and understand." ”

Wang Haitao also smiled when he heard this, and said, "This is easy, I'll take you there now." Wang Haitao, Song Xilian and other generals went out, got into the car brought by Song Xilian, and the group went straight to the military camp outside the city. After not much effort, Wang Haitao and the others came to the station of the 90th Division, and the division commander Tang Yikuan quickly greeted him.

After Tang Yikuan and Wang Haitao and others met the salute, Wang Haitao said to Tang Yikuan: "Division Commander Tang, you let the artillery battalions of the three regiments of the 272nd Brigade gather. Tang Yikuan took the order and left, and came back after a while to report that the three regimental artillery battalions of the 272nd Brigade had been assembled. Only then did Wang Haitao lead Song Xilian and others to the square where the artillery was placed in the three artillery battalions.

As soon as they arrived at the square, a gate was neatly arranged, and the polished 75-caliber field guns stood quietly on the square, and in front of the artillery were the officers and men of this artillery battalion. Behind the artillery was a row of towing trucks and neatly stacked shell boxes. Without Wang Haitao to speak, Song Xilian and the others had already walked towards these artillery. Wang Haitao also followed Song Xilian to these cannons.

Coming to the artillery, General Song Xilian stroked the cold barrel of an artillery piece and carefully examined the artillery. Wang Haitao introduced: "General Song, these artillery pieces are all German 75 caliber field guns imitated by the Longzhou Arsenal, although they are imitations, their performance is comparable to that of German 75 caliber field guns, with a firing range of nine thousand meters and a maximum rate of fire of ten rounds per minute. ”

When Song Xilian heard Wang Haitao say that these artillery pieces were produced by the Longzhou Arsenal, he couldn't help but be stunned and asked: "Commander Wang, you said that these cannons are all produced in China? ”

Song Xilian said with some excitement: "Commander Wang, this is not bad, even the Chongqing Arsenal after the relocation can't produce this kind of artillery! Then if I want to buy some more artillery in the future, I hope that Commander Wang will definitely help!" Wang Haitao heard this and hurriedly said: "That's natural, everyone is a family, how can Haitao not help?"

After seeing these 75-caliber field guns, Wang Haitao led Song Xilian and his party to the heavy artillery brigade and saw the twelve German-made 150-caliber howitzers. Song Xilian and the others were even more excited when they saw these heavy artillery that were about to belong to them. asked Wang Haitao again and again what the performance of these heavy guns was. After Wang Haitao told them that the German-made 150-caliber howitzer had a maximum rate of fire of four rounds per minute and a maximum range of 13,300 meters, the eyes of everyone looking at these heavy guns became even hotter.

After Wang Haitao promised to send artillery to train the artillery of the 11th Group Army, and after a while he would send people to send these artillery pieces and shells to Song Xilian along with the trained artillery, Song Xilian and his entourage said goodbye to Wang Haitao and left with satisfaction. After Song Xilian and the others left, Wang Haitao arranged for the delivery of the cannons, and then returned to his residence by car.

Because Ruili is the logistics base of the expeditionary force, Wang Haitao also built a rear hospital here, and the wounded and sick of the 90th Army were sent here for treatment, even the seriously wounded will be rescued in this rear hospital first, and then transferred to Longzhou Hospital when the situation is stabilized. Therefore, there are still quite a few wounded and sick in the rear hospitals. Wang Haitao decided to leave the 210th Division and the Guard Brigade in Ruili and wait with him for a period of time, and then escort the logistics hospital and the wounded and sick back to Longzhou, while the 90th Division, the 93rd Division, the Heavy Artillery Brigade, the Reconnaissance Brigade and other troops returned to Longzhou to rest and recuperate.

Tang Renxin, the deputy commander of the army, and the 90th Division acted together, and after returning to Longzhou, Tang Renxin was fully responsible for the military affairs on the Longzhou side. The engineer regiment also stayed, and Wang Haitao asked the engineer regiment to help the 36th Division build a permanent defense fortification on the national border.

Although Song Xilian returned to the headquarters of the 11th Group Army in Baoshan, Zhong Bin stayed in Ruili, on the one hand, to coordinate with the 36th Division after the arrival of the 88th Division, and on the other hand, to accompany Wang Haitao, the commander of the 90th Army. After being poured a few meals of wine in a row, Wang Haitao couldn't stand this enthusiasm and began to avoid Zhong Bin and them.

In the battle of this expedition to Burma, the 210th Division suffered the smallest losses among the three divisions, one was that Wang Haitao protected it, and the other was the strength of the 210th Division's combat capability. If it weren't for the absolute air superiority of the Japanese army, the 210th Division, a mechanized division, would have been able to fight the Japanese Guards Division and the 16th Division.

Wang Haitao stayed in the 210th Division for the past two days, discussing with division commander Tang Hongming, commander of the 460th Brigade Wei Bin, and commander of the 461st Brigade Liu Mingde on strengthening the air defense force of the 210th Division. In order to strengthen the air defense force of the 210th Division, increasing air defense weapons was the only way, and in this battle, Wang Haitao found that the most effective weapon against Japanese planes was antiaircraft guns.

Now there are only so many antiaircraft guns in the whole army, and if the number of antiaircraft guns of the 210th Division is increased, other units will have to be reduced accordingly, and the 210th Division will want it, and the heavy artillery brigade and armored brigade will not be important? However, it is impossible to buy another batch of antiaircraft guns from Germany, Guangzhou has been lost, Vietnam has also been occupied by the Japanese army, and for a period of time, Wang Haitao will not be able to get foreign aid, and Wang Haitao cannot help but set his sights on the Longzhou Arsenal.