On the main position of Gaoziling, taking advantage of the time when the Japanese army stopped attacking, the seriously wounded were withdrawn from the position, and the logistics troops sent supplementary ammunition and food to the position, while the officers and men guarding the position were tired and half-leaned on the fortifications to rest for a while. If you have the strength, you have to repair the fortifications again to meet the next attack of the Japanese army.

The Japanese Sixth Division's attack on this day, the loss of personnel was also within the acceptable range, but it failed to capture the position of the Shina people, and the shells were consumed too quickly, which made the division commander, Lieutenant General Kanda Masazen, a little dissatisfied. Lieutenant General Kanda Masane adjusted the arrangement, replaced the 23rd Wing with the 13th Wing, which had been attacking for a day, and asked Commander Anami to increase the intensity of aircraft support tomorrow.

According to General Xue Yue's battle plan, the blocking battle on the periphery of Changsha City would take 15 to 20 days, so that when the Japanese army attacked under Changsha City, it was already strong, and then it was time for a full-scale counterattack. However, General Xue Yue obviously overestimated the combat effectiveness of the national army, and the defense line of the Xinqiang River was only held for four days, and the defense line of the Miluo River was broken by the Japanese army in three days. Now that the Gaoziling position has only been fought for one day, the 60th Division has lost half of its men and horses, and it seems that it will have to retreat after one more day at most.

Behind the 37th Army and the 54th Army was the position outside Changsha where the 90th Army was stationed, and once the Japanese army began to attack the position of the 90th Army, then the battle reached a critical moment. Now that the preparations of the 90th Army have been completed, and continuing to let the 37th Army and the 53rd Army fight hard with the Japanese army does not conform to General Xue Yue's combat intention.

With the continuous changes in the battle situation every day, Xue Yue and Jiang Jun also kept holding meetings with his subordinates to discuss the military situation in the Ninth Theater Headquarters, and kept issuing orders one by one. On the evening of January 3, Wang Haitao was ordered to come to the Ninth Theater Headquarters, and General Xue Yue greeted Wang Haitao warmly when he saw him. After the cold noise, Wang Haitao followed General Xue Yue to the war room.

In the war room, Lieutenant General Wu Yizhi, chief of staff, and Lieutenant General Shang Zhen, deputy commander, were discussing something in front of the sand table, when they saw General Xue Yue and Wang Haitao coming in, they stopped talking and raised their hands to salute. After Wang Haitao also saluted the two commanders, General Xue Yue said: "Commander Wang, I want you to come here today to tell you some new information about the Changsha Battle in the theater and to ask for your opinion on the defense of Changsha. ”

After Xue Yue finished speaking, he gestured to Chief of Staff Wu Yizhi, and Wu Yizhi began to talk to the sand table about the changes in the form of battles between the Chinese and Japanese armies in the past few days. In the process of Chief of Staff Wu Yizhi's explanation, Wang Haitao always listened carefully, and Wang Haitao knew most of the circumstances in this, and only Wang Haitao did not understand some details of other positions.

Chief of Staff Wu Yizhi finished speaking for half an hour, and after he finished speaking, General Xue Yue took over and said: "Commander Wang, I said at the operational meeting in Chongqing that the purpose of our army in this Hunan and Jiangxi campaign is not to repel the Japanese army, but to hope to inflict heavy damage on the Japanese army, and it is best to annihilate one of its divisions. To accomplish this operational objective, there are two heavy tricks. The first is to hold the city of Changsha and consume the living forces of the Japanese army under the city of Changsha. The second is to encircle, pursue, and intercept the Japanese army from the periphery when the Japanese army is defeated and retreat, and strive to eliminate one of its divisions.

At present, several armies blocking the Japanese army on the periphery are fighting very hard, and the losses of the 20th, 72nd, and 37th armies are not small. Therefore, after the study of the theater command, it is ready to let these armies withdraw and rest for a while. But in this way, Commander Wang's 90th Army would fully withstand the full attack of the Japanese army. I would like to know how long Commander Wang can withstand the attack of the Japanese army in Changsha City and ensure that Changsha City is not lost. ”

As soon as General Xue Yue finished speaking, Chief of Staff Wu Yizhi said: "Commander Wang, how long Changsha City can be defended is related to the entire operational deployment of the Theater Command. Wang Haitao looked at the sand table and calculated carefully, everyone else was waiting for Wang Haitao's answer, and the entire war room was quiet.

Ten minutes later, Wang Haitao took all kinds of possibilities into account, let out a sigh of relief, and looked up at the people in the room. Facing General Xue Yue, who had expectations in his eyes, Wang Haitao replied: "Commander Xue, my 90th Army is sure to defend Changsha for ten days!" Wang Haitao said this, and a trace of joy flashed in General Xue Yue's eyes, while Chief of Staff Wu Yizhi and General Shang Zhen showed surprise on their faces.

Before General Xue Yue could speak, General Shang Zhen couldn't help but say: "Commander Wang, you have to carry the attack of more than 100,000 Japanese troops with the strength of one army, you must think about it carefully." Wang Haitao replied with a serious face: "There is no joke in the army, I dare to promise to defend Changsha City for ten days, and I will definitely be able to do it!" As soon as Wang Haitao's voice fell, General Xue Yue blurted out: "Okay!"

Wang Haitao and the others all looked at General Xue Yue, and General Xue Yue said: "Commander Wang, with your ten-day stubborn defense, I can arrange the battle situation and deal a heavy blow to the Japanese army." In the past ten days, if Commander Wang has any requirements, just mention them, and the war department will try their best to satisfy you, but the military law is ruthless, if Changsha City is lost within ten days, don't blame me Xue Yue for not asking for mercy. ”

Wang Haitao replied: "Commander Xue, rest assured, I, Wang Haitao, am willing to make a military order, and if Changsha City is lost within 10 days, Wang Haitao is willing to serve as a military lawyer! Wang Haitao has no other requirements for defending Changsha City, but only hopes that the heavy artillery on Yuelu Mountain can provide artillery support to the 90th Army. Xue Yue replied: "The heavy artillery position on Yuelu Mountain was originally built for the defense of Changsha, so I will naturally support you, and from tomorrow onwards, I will hand over the command of the heavy artillery position on Yuelu Mountain to you." I will order the 37th Army and the 53rd Army to withdraw from their positions at 10 p.m. tomorrow evening, so that the Japanese army will attack Changsha the morning after tomorrow, and Commander Wang will make all preparations for battle tomorrow, and your ten-day covenant will be counted from the 5th of the first month. “

Wang Haitao immediately replied: "Yes, Haitao will certainly live up to the trust of the commanders! Haitao will rush back to Changsha City now to make arrangements to block the Japanese army. General Xue Yue had a smile on his face, and told Wang Haitao again before letting him leave. As soon as Wang Haitao left, Chief of Staff Wu Yizhi asked General Xue Yue: "Brother Boling, do you think this Wang Haitao can hold Changsha City for ten days?"

Xue Yue thought for a while and replied: "I think this Wang Haitao is not a person who can boast, he dares to guarantee that he will defend Changsha City for ten days, he should have a spectrum in his heart." Besides, the combat effectiveness and weaponry of the 90th Army are not comparable to other troops, and his achievements in the past few years have not been bragged. After General Xue Yue finished speaking, General Shang Zhen continued: "Commander Xue, even so, do we arrange the 99th Army on the west bank of the Xiangjiang River, in case there is any accident in Changsha City, we can order the 90th Army to support immediately." ”

General Xue Yue thought for a moment and said, "I don't think so, I have other arrangements for the Ninety-ninth Army." There is no doubt about employing people, this time I Xue Yue chose to believe him Wang Haitao once. "Next, one after another military orders were quickly issued from the Ninth Theater Command to all armies, and all armies immediately took corresponding actions after receiving military orders, and a big net was being opened under Xue Yue's arrangement, and in the net was the big fish of the Japanese Eleventh Army.

Besides, as soon as Wang Haitao returned to the military headquarters of the 90th Army in Changsha City, he recruited all the officers above the brigade level under his command overnight. After everyone hurried to the military headquarters, Wang Haitao was waiting for everyone in the conference room. Seeing that everyone had arrived, Wang Haitao sat on the main seat of the conference table, glanced around, and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I was invited to the Ninth Theater Headquarters by Commander Xue this evening. Xue Yue ordered the commander to ask me to go to one question, how long can our 90th Army ensure that Changsha City will not be lost under the all-out attack of the Japanese army. ”

Wang Haitao paused when he said this, glanced around again, and saw that everyone was looking at him with a serious face, so he continued: "I have made a military order in front of Commander Xue, and I want to ensure that Changsha City will not be lost for ten days, and the reason why I dare to make this guarantee is because I believe that the 90th Army has the ability to do this." Now I want to ask you, do you have any questions?"

Wang Haitao's subordinates discussed with each other in a whisper at this time, and after a while, Tang Longzai was the first to stand up and said: "Military seat, with the strength of our ninety army, let alone ten days, it can be defended for even a month." Tang Hongming next to him also stood up and said: "Military seat, our 90th Army is above the Japanese army in terms of weapons and equipment and individual soldier quality, as well as Changsha City, a fortified city, with the advantage of time and place, with 60,000 against 100,000, we have the confidence to hold on." ”

Su Zuxin also said: "Military seat, if the heavy artillery position in Yuelu Mountain can give us artillery support in time, then the certainty of holding Changsha City will be even greater." Wang Haitao replied: "Chief of Staff Su don't have to worry about this, Commander Xue has promised to transfer the heavy artillery of Yuelu Mountain to me to command." Hearing Wang Haitao say this, not only Su Zuxin, but even Tang Renxin, the calm deputy commander, showed a reassuring expression on his face.

Wang Haitao raised his hand at this time and pressed it down, signaling everyone to be quiet, and then said: "You are very confident, this is very good, but don't despise the Japanese army, after all, the Japanese army is prepared this time." The Theater Command will order all other units to withdraw from their positions at 10 p.m. on the 4th of January, that is, the outermost positions of our army will be attacked by the Japanese army by the morning of the 5th of January at the latest. Of course, the Laodao River is not on the other side, and the Japanese army is already being blocked today. Now I order that the positions outside the Changsha city wall must be held until the night of the 11th of January, do you have any confidence?"

All these officers under Wang Haitao stood up and replied loudly: "Have confidence!" Wang Haitao shouted: "Okay! This is the soldier brought out by me Wang Haitao! If you have any needs, just mention them, and I will try my best to satisfy you." Now let's go back and get ready, and adjourn. The officers at the meeting did not stop any longer, and quickly returned to their units after leaving the conference room, preparing to block the Japanese attack.