In order to defend against the attack of the Japanese army that might come at any time, Wei Yunsong had deployed the 131st Division and the 135th Division of the 31st Army to the southern suburbs of Nanning, leaving only the 188th Division in the city. Because there was almost no danger on the way from Qinzhou to Nanning, the 131st Division could only use a lake and a small river channel as a defensive position. However, for the Japanese army, which has a high degree of mechanization, these types of terrain are not difficult to break through.

Compared with the urgency of the 16th Army, the 4th Theater Command did not call back for several days. As a matter of fact, such a big matter was not up to Xia Wei, the commander of the Fourth Theater of Operations, who sent a telegram to the Central Military Commission in Chongqing as soon as he received the telegram from the 90th Army. But at this time, the Central Military Commission was condemning Wang Haitao.

The reason is very simple, Wang Haitao's incident in southern Anhui was reported to Lao Jiang by Gu Zhutong, commander of the Third Theater, and it quickly spread among the high-level in Chongqing. When Lao Jiang heard that it was this Wang Haitao again, and he had done his best to eliminate the New Fourth Army, he couldn't help but be angry, and slapped the table and scolded twice: "Niang Xipi!"

On this cusp, Xia Wei's telegram added fuel to the fire, and the old Chiang immediately ordered the troops of Yunnan and Guizhou to be assembled to deal with the 90th Army stationed in the Chongzuo area by force. Before the order was issued, a report was received that the Japanese army had successively captured the cities of Hengyang and Yongzhou in Hunan, preparing to attack Guangxi Province. At this time, He Yingqin, Minister of Military Affairs, Bai Chongxi, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Chen Cheng, Minister of Political Affairs, came together to ask to see Lao Jiang.

After meeting Lao Chiang, the three of them put forward a unanimous view on the actions of the Japanese army, that is, in order to deal with the occupation forces of Southeast Asian countries, the Japanese army was preparing to open up the north and south of China by land, and it was expected that the Japanese army wanted to support the occupation forces of Southeast Asian countries through Vietnam after capturing Guangxi Province. If we want to smash the plan of the Japanese army, we must send troops to fight the Japanese army under the command of the Fourth Theater of Operations, and Guilin and Nanning in Guangxi must not be lost.

Now Guangxi has the 90th Army, which has made the Japanese army suffer so much, and if the 90th Army can be mobilized, plus the two armies of the 16th Group Army, Guangxi will have no worries. When Lao Jiang heard what the three of them said, he also forcibly suppressed the idea of using force against the 90th Army, and asked the three of them: "Then how can you tell me how to mobilize the 90th Army? Do I still have to ask someone from Yan'an to give an order to the 90th Army?"

The three of them all heard the anger in Lao Jiang's words, and Chen Cheng replied cautiously: "The principal is angry, according to his humble position, this Wang Haitao is just a pure soldier. It is reported that he was also passing through southern Anhui and did not want to see the old ministry destroyed, so he came to help, I am afraid that he did not mean to go against the government. Besides, as long as it is against the Japanese army, this Wang Haitao will spare no effort. ”

When Lao Jiang heard this, he wanted to reprimand Chen Cheng again, but he was persuaded by Bai Zhengxi. Bai Chongxi said: "Chairman of the committee, let's give Wang Haitao another chance this time, as long as he can block the Japanese army's attack and smash the Japanese army's plan, even if he is guilty of meritorious service?" Lao Jiang said: "In this case, let me think about it again." ”

After Chen Cheng and Bai Chongxi retired, He Yingqin was left behind by Lao Jiang. Lao Jiang asked He Yingqin: "Respectfully, do you also agree with the opinions of Jiansheng (Bai Chongxizi Jiansheng) and rhetoric (Chen Chengzi rhetoric)?" He Yingqin replied: "Principal, in my opinion, it is best for the principal to agree with their opinions. First, this Wang Haitao was born in the Gui department, and later belonged to the rhetorical subordinates, these two people have a love for Wang Haitao, and the principal agreed with the opinions of the two, and gave the two a favor.

Second, this time the Japanese army is fierce, and there will be a bloody battle with the army that is blocking, if they agree with the opinions of the two, the two will persuade Wang Haitao to lead the troops to fight the Japanese army to the death. Everyone knows the combat effectiveness of the 90 th Army, and after a bloody battle, it can smash the Japanese army's plan, and the 90 th Army is bound to suffer huge losses.

He Yingqin was worthy of being Lao Chiang's confidant, and he had a very thorough understanding of Lao Chiang's thoughts, and Lao Chiang was overjoyed when he said this, and agreed on the spot to expand the 90th Army into the 90th Group Army, under the jurisdiction of the 90th Army and the 91st Army, and transfer the 90th Group Army to participate in the war to block the Japanese attack on Guangxi. After Lao Jiang's meaning was conveyed by He Yingqin to Bai Chongxi and Chen Cheng, both of them were very happy.

Bai Chongxi and Chen Cheng sent telegrams to Wang Haitao in their private names, and after explaining the relationship, they both hoped that Wang Haitao would go all out to defend Guangxi. Wang Haitao received these two telegrams successively, and he was secretly grateful for the two of them in his heart. So Wang Haitao summoned Su Zuxin and Tang Renxin together.

After the people arrived, Wang Haitao first showed the telegrams of Bai and Chen to a few people, and then said: "I thought that as long as I dealt with the little Japan in Qinzhou and held the city of Nanning, it would be fine, but the little Japan was preparing to attack from the north and south this time and capture Guangxi Province in one fell swoop. We can't just dispatch one division, and this time I'm afraid we will have to fight another big battle with the whole army. ”

After some discussion, they decided to wait for the Chongqing Central Military Commission's order to expand the number of troops as soon as the order for the expansion of the army arrived, with the 90th and 93rd Divisions forming the 90th Army and the 210th and 211th Divisions forming the 91st Army. Tang Renxin served as deputy commander of the 90th Group Army and commander of the 90th Army, and Tang Longzai served as the commander of the 91st Army. As for the independent division, it is directly under the 90th Group Army.

The 278th Brigade of the 93rd Division was transferred to Zhengzuo City to take over the defensive tasks of the 210th Division. The 210th Division was ready to attack and waited for the order to launch an attack on Qinzhou. Longzhou City was handed over to the independent division to be stationed while reorganizing and training, and the independent division should be ready to reinforce Pingxiang at any time. The 90th Division, the 211th Division, the Heavy Artillery Brigade, the Armored Brigade, and the Guard Brigade all went to Nanning with them. The reconnaissance work of the Japanese army in the early stage was all handed over to the reconnaissance brigade to complete.

Two days later, the Chongqing Central Military Commission's order for the expansion of the 90 th Army into the 90 th Group Army was sent to Longzhou. In the telegram, Wang Haitao was promoted to commander of the 90th Group Army, with the rank of second-class general. Su Zuxin was promoted to Chief of Staff of the 90th Group Army, with the rank of general. Tang Renxin was promoted to deputy commander of the 90th Group Army and commander of the 90th Army, with the rank of general. Tang Longzai was promoted to the commander of the 91st Army of the 90th Group Army, with the rank of general. Zhao Zhongwu was also promoted to deputy chief of staff of the 90th Group Army with the rank of lieutenant general, and Tang Renli was promoted to chief of logistics of the 90th Group Army with the rank of lieutenant general. Many officers have been promoted to the next rank.

On the sixth day, Wang Haitao led the 90th Division, the 211th Division, the Guard Brigade, the Heavy Artillery Brigade, and the Armored Brigade to leave Longzhou City and head for Nanning City. Two days later, when Wang Haitao arrived in Nanning, Wei Yunsong and He Weizhen, the commander of the 31st Army, were already waiting at the gate of the city.

Wei Yunsong had already received news from Chongqing and knew that the Japanese army was fierce this time, but the 90th Army would also go all out to defend Guangxi with his 16th Group Army, so Wei Yunsong was relieved. Wei Yunsong knew very well that the combat effectiveness of the 90th Army was by no means comparable to that of his own 16th Group Army.

Now that the Japanese army has become a flanking attack from the north and south, it is reported that the Japanese army in the north has already approached Quanzhou after capturing Yongzhou, and the attack on Guangxi will begin immediately. A brigade of the 170th Division of the 46th Army has gone north to Quanzhou and is stationed on the spot. However, the 46th Army alone could not hold northern Guangxi at all, so Wei Yunsong's idea was that the 16th Group Army would move north, with Guilin as the center, and defend northern Guangxi. Nanning was handed over to Wang Haitao to garrison.

After Wang Haitao, Tang Yikuan, and Tang Longzai were led to the headquarters of the 16th Group Army in the city, Wei Yunsong said: "Commander Wang, now Chongqing has issued a death order, asking you and my second army to defend Guangxi, and the Japanese army is fierce. I want to lead the whole army of the 16th Army to the north, defend the Guilin area, and not let a single Japanese army go south, and the defense of Nanning City will be handed over to Commander Wang, I don't know what Commander Wang wants?"

In the face of more than 30,000 Japanese troops in the direction of Qinzhou, Wang Haitao was still sure to deal with it, so Wang Haitao had no opinion. Wei Yunsong was also very happy to see that Wang Haitao had no objection to his proposal, and immediately proposed that Wang Haitao send troops to take over the various defense lines in the Nanning area. Wang Haitao also immediately ordered the 211th Division to go south of Nanning and take over the position from the 31st Division.

The relationship between the two sides took only one day, and the next day Wei Yunsong led the entire army of the 31st Army to Guilin and handed over the entire Nanning area to Wang Haitao. Wang Haitao asked the guard brigade to garrison the urban area of Nanning, and the 90th Army took over the area north of Nanning, and then took a guard battalion to inspect the various defensive positions in the area south of Nanning.

During the inspection, Wang Haitao found that the defensive position built by the 31st Army was still very reasonable, but the construction of the position was not satisfactory. Wang Haitao knew that he was facing the 70th Division of the Japanese Army, and Wang Haitao really didn't care too much about this 20,000-strong Type B Division. Now only the strength of the 211th Division should be able to defeat the 70th Division, but Wang Haitao wants to completely annihilate the 70th Division.

Wang Haitao's plan was to first gradually put the 70th Division on the outskirts of Nanning, attack it by surprise with a heavy artillery brigade, and then use the 211th Division and the armored brigade to attack together, so that the 70th Division could be defeated at once, and then order the 210th Division to launch an attack from Chongzuo to Qinzhou, quickly cut off the retreat of the 70th Division, and surround and destroy the 70th Division.

As long as the 70th Division is eaten, the 211th Division and the 210th Division are combined, and the Japanese troops left behind in Qinzhou are wiped out in one fell swoop with a powerful offensive and Qinzhou City is recaptured, so that the threat in southern Guangxi can be completely resolved. After solving the threat in the south, Wang Haitao was able to free his hands and feet to deal with the Japanese army attacking from the north and south. For the 16th Group Army, Wang Haitao only hoped that they could hold northern Guizhou before they dealt with the Japanese army in Qinzhou.