readx;? At 9 a.m. on January 2, 1938, Wang Haitao, accompanied by Su Zuxin and others, appeared in front of nearly 200 teachers, students, and citizens of Shanghai's colleges and universities. Facing the thunderous applause www.biquge.info teachers, students and citizens, Wang Haitao stood on a high place and pressed down on his palm, and after the scene calmed down, Wang Haitao looked around, and then said with a smile: "Students, friends, I am Wang Haitao, commander of the New 90th Division of the National Revolutionary Army. As soon as Wang Haitao finished introducing himself, his words were interrupted by a burst of applause.

After the scene calmed down again, Wang Haitao continued: "First of all, on behalf of the soldiers on the front line, I would like to thank the citizens of Shanghai for their continuous support and help. As a soldier of the party-state, it is our duty to defend the country, and the soldiers on the front line are fighting bloody battles to defend our land from encroachment and our people from oppression.

Maybe some of our battles will be lost, maybe some of our cities will fall, but as long as our 40,000,000 compatriots unite and do not submit to the aggressor and fight the aggressor to the end, I believe that one day we will win the final victory and drive all the aggressors out of our land. ”

When Wang Haitao said this, there was applause from below. Wang Haitao was about to say a few more words, Tang Longzai hurriedly walked over with a telegram and said to Wang Haitao: "Master, Sheshan is in a hurry." Wang Haitao was stunned for a moment and took the telegram. This was sent by Zhao Zhongwu in Sheshan, who reported to Wang Haitao that the reconnaissance company had discovered a large-scale increase in Japanese troops at Jinshanwei.

After Wang Haitao hurriedly said a few words to Su Zuxin, he left here, Su Zuxin stepped forward and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, Senior Commander Wang has urgent official business that needs to be dealt with immediately, and I will receive you below." After Wang Haitao returned to the headquarters, he said to his subordinates: "Immediately send a report to Sheshan and order the reconnaissance company to quickly find out the number, number, and weapons and equipment of the Japanese troops who have landed." ”

Then he said: "Immediately telegraph this situation to Commander Gu, and ask Commander Gu to remind Songjiang to pay attention to defense." After finishing speaking, Wang Haitao stood in front of the map of Shanghai again, looked at the map and stopped talking. I don't know how long it took, Su Zuxin returned to the headquarters, he came to Wang Haitao's side and said: "Master, I have arranged for those students and citizens to escort them back to the city, what's the matter with the telegram?"

Wang Haitao said to Su Zuxin with a solemn face: "Sheshana's reconnaissance company reported that the Japanese army has increased its troops on a large scale in Jinshanwei, and the specific situation is still being reconnoitred. Su Zuxin also said with a serious face: "It seems that the Japanese are determined to win this Shanghai." Wang Haitao took over and replied: "I'm afraid that the purpose of Little Japan is not just a Shanghai, but Nanjing and even the whole of China. Once the Japanese army occupies Shanghai, it will inevitably attack Nanjing. ”

Su Zuxin was shocked and asked: "Will this be the case? If Shanghai is lost, can Nanjing still be defended?" Wang Haitao replied: "I don't know, but as long as we do our best, what the result will be, it is not something you and I can do left or right." ”

In the afternoon, a second telegram from Sheshan was sent to Wang Haitao, stating that the Japanese army had landed at Jinshanwei with the newly formed 14th Army, which had the 21st and 22nd Divisions under its jurisdiction and an independent heavy artillery brigade. The commander of the 21st Division was Lieutenant General Washizu Matsudaira, and there were about 23,000 people from the 62nd Brigade and the 64th Brigade, plus the Mountain Artillery Wing and auxiliaries.

The commander of the 22nd Division was Lieutenant General Jiichi Tsuchihashi, and there were 66th and 67th Brigades, which were similar in number to the 21st Division. The brigade commander of the independent heavy artillery brigade is Major General Keisaku Murakami, and under the brigade there are two 150 heavy cannon wings, a 240 heavy howitzer company and a siege artillery wing.

After reading Sheshan's telegram, Wang Haitao frowned, handed the telegram to Su Zuxin and said: "The Japanese army has reinforced two divisions and an independent heavy artillery brigade in Jinshanwei, with a total of more than 50,000 people, plus the original two divisions, there are nearly 100,000 people, I'm afraid Songjiang County can't support it." ”

Su Zuxin also hurriedly read the telegram and replied: "Division, after Lao Jiang withdrew several divisions of the Central Army from Shanghai, several defense lines in Shanghai are in danger, and now I am afraid that Commander Gu will have no troops to send to reinforce Songjiang County, right? What should I do next, I have to come up with an idea." ”

Wang Haitao thought for a while, and said to the adjutant: "The telegram ordered Zhao Zhongwu of Sheshan to immediately reinforce the fortifications in Sheshan, once Songjiang County is lost, it is necessary to block the attack of the Japanese army in Sheshan while receiving the ** troops, and can not retreat until I personally give the order, and the logistics department can retreat in the direction of Suzhou after leaving enough ammunition supply, and the armored battalion will send armored vehicles to escort it." ”

After giving the order, Wang Haitao came to the logistics office behind the headquarters, and after checking the logistics materials, Wang Haitao put a large number of weapons, ammunition and supplies into the storage ring in the warehouse, and then asked the logistics office to leave a car company and some ammunition and materials, and the rest of the personnel and vehicles to join the heavy artillery regiment first.

Three days later, Sheshan came to Taiwan again, and the county town of Songjiang fell under the bombardment of Japanese heavy artillery and aircraft, as well as the strong attack of a large number of infantry. The **107th Division guarding the Songjiang Railway Station was almost completely annihilated, the division commander Jin Kuibi and the brigade commander Wu Qian were seriously injured, the four regiment commanders were martyred, and only more than 300 people in the division were evacuated. The 106th and 109th Divisions in Songjiang City were also killed and wounded, and only more than 1,000 officers and soldiers of the two divisions withdrew from Songjiang County.

After the Japanese army occupied Songjiang County, the 21st Division immediately attacked Qingpu County, preparing to attack Kunshan after occupying Qingpu, cutting off the retreat of the Shanghai defenders in the direction of Suzhou. When the 22nd Division attacked Shanghai, it encountered resistance from the 547th Regiment of the New 90th Division at the foot of Sheshan. The 18th Brigade of the Japanese Army and the rest of the 5th Division occupied Minhang after attacking Minhang District, and then continued to attack the downtown area of Shanghai.

It took the Japanese army three days to break through the county town of Songjiang, and the news was urgently forwarded by General Gu Zhutong to the General Headquarters in Nanjing, and He Yingqin personally relayed Chiang Kai-shek. After reading the telegram, Chiang Kai-shek slapped the coffee table and scolded: "Niang Xipi, are the ten divisions under Xiang Hua [Zhang Fakui character Xiang Hua] all eating dry rice? As soon as the new 90th Division left Songjiang County, Xiang Hua lost Songjiang City. Ordered Xiang Hua to immediately counterattack and recapture Songjiang County. ”

He Yingqin said: "The commission is angry, General Zhang Fakui has done his best, this time the Japanese army has sent two more divisions and a heavy artillery brigade in Jinshanwei, there are nearly 100,000 Japanese troops in front of Songjiang County, it is impossible to block the Japanese army with those miscellaneous armies, such as the order, Shanghai is unable to hold, the commission quickly ordered to retreat from Shanghai, otherwise the Shanghai defenders will be surrounded by the Japanese army, and the whole army will be annihilated." ”

Chiang Kai-shek was taken aback and said: "Give Gu Mosan an order to organize the whole army to retreat to the Wufu and Xicheng fortifications and continue to block the westward advance of the Japanese army." The telegram ordered several divisions of the Central Army resting on the Wufu defense line to hand over their positions to the rear troops after the Shanghai defenders withdrew to the Wufu defense line, and then withdrew to the areas of Jurong and Drifting to rest and recuperate. He Yingqin took the order and left, leaving behind a worried Chiang Kai-shek.

After General Gu Zhutong received the telegram order from the Nanjing General Headquarters, his first thought was that the troops on the front line might not be so easy to withdraw, unless there was a strong force as a cover to attract the Japanese army. But this army is surrounded by more than 100,000 Japanese troops, and I am afraid that it will be more than lucky. Just when General Gu Zhutong felt troubled, his subordinates sent an urgent telegram from Wang Haitao, the commander of the New 90th Division.

The telegram said: "Report to the commander, I have heard that the county town of Songjiang has fallen, and the Japanese army is attacking Kunshan, intending to cut off the retreat of our Shanghai defenders. He thought that Shanghai could no longer be defended, otherwise there would be a danger of annihilation of the whole army, and he hoped that the commander Gu would consider the withdrawal of the whole army from Shanghai. If the Shanghai defenders can retreat, Commander Gu must arrange for all the troops to retreat in an orderly manner, and if he is willing to lead the new 90th Division to break the whole army, the new 90th Division can hold back the Japanese army for three days, and Commander Gu can withdraw all the defenders in Shanghai within three days. ”

After reading the telegram, General Gu Zhutong took the case and praised: "In times of crisis, Fang shows his true character as a hero! This Wang Haitao can stand up in a critical moment, and he is indeed a hero, I am not wrong about him!" After sighing, General Gu Zhutong shouted: "Adjutant!" The adjutant outside the door replied: "Sir." ”

General Gu Zhutong said: "Send a telegram to General Chen Cheng of the Left Route Army, ordering him to continue to block the Japanese army with a strong force, and the rest of the troops will retreat in an orderly manner along Taicang in the direction of Changshu, and block the Japanese army on the Wufu defense line in Changshu." Send a telegram to General Zhang Fakui of the Right Route Army, ordering his troops to retreat to the front line of Guangde and block the Japanese army in Guangde on the Wufu defensive line. ”

After a pause, General Gu Zhutong said: "Send a telegram to General Zhu Shaoliang of the Middle Route Army, ordering him to command the Shanghai defenders to retreat in the direction of Suzhou, and block the Japanese army in Suzhou on the Wufu Defense Line, and order the New 90th Division to break off the whole army and block the Japanese army to prevent the Japanese from pursuing." Finally, he sent a telegram to General Wang Haitao of the New 90th Division, ordering the New 90th Division to be the rear force, and after blocking the Japanese army for 48 hours, it could retreat on its own. ”

After sending out several telegrams in one breath, General Gu Zhutong forwarded his retreat plan and the telegram from Wang Haitao, commander of the New 90th Division, who took the initiative to take up the task of cutting off the rear of the whole army, to the Nanjing General Headquarters, and then said to the people around him: "Let's also retreat, the Third Theater Command is temporarily located in Wuxi City." ”

After the telegram was sent, all sides began to move, and unlike the disorderly retreat in history until it turned into a rout, this time there was a strong contingent of the New 90th Division as the rear force of the whole army, and all units could retreat in an orderly manner in accordance with the order specified by the upper peak. The Japanese army looked at the flag of the "New 90th Division of the National Revolutionary Army" fluttering on the south bank of Suzhou Creek, and was still stubbornly resisted, and did not expect that the Shanghai defenders would retreat so quickly.