noffsinger Chapter 161 Prelude to the Great War (2)
Chapter 161 Prelude to the Great War (2)
By mid-February, the Fifth War Zone of China had dispatched the 2st Army and the th Army to the southern front, and finally drove the Japanese army back to the south bank of the Huai River, stabilizing the situation on the southern front and preventing the Japanese army from continuing to move north to open up the Jinpu Road.
On February 6, seeing that the war situation on the southern front was improving, the war zone ordered the Chinese troops on the west bank of the canal on the northern front to cross the canal, attack the Japanese troops on the east bank of the canal, and launch an attack from the flank on the Japanese Fifth Division moving southward from the east.
February 11th was the traditional Chinese Spring Festival. Two days before the event, Zhang Wenwu had specially purchased a large amount of meat and various side dishes from Xuzhou and surrounding areas so that the officers and soldiers of the army could have a happy Spring Festival.
On that day, Division Commander Huang and Chief of Staff Zhao Dong specially asked Zhang Wenwu to book a restaurant in the town, and called all the officers above the battalion level of the 102nd Division to come and have a New Year's Eve dinner together, and also to reward and comfort everyone. This made Zhang Wenwu very busy. Not only was he responsible for settling everyone, but he was also forced by those regiment commanders to drink a lot of wine. If it weren't for the people from the Quartermaster Department to help block the wine, he would probably have been carried out.
On February 102, the Fifth War Zone Command held a New Year's Eve party in Xuzhou, and invited celebrities from all walks of life in Xuzhou and journalists from all over the country who were interviewing in Xuzhou to attend. Officers at all levels of the 102nd Division were also asked by the War Zone Command to attend the party. So that morning, officers at the regimental level and above of the nd Division, led by three big guys, Division Commander Huang, Chief of Staff Zhao Dong and Deputy Division Commander Qi, took a train to Xuzhou City to attend the party.
The party was held in the auditorium of the Xuzhou Municipal Government in a Western-style buffet format. Colorful flags were hung on the ceiling of the hall, and a temporary rostrum was built in the front. Commander Li, the theater commander, first delivered a New Year's greeting on behalf of the theater, and then began to accept on-site interviews from reporters from various countries.
Zhang Wenwu and a group of officers from the 102nd Division stood on one side of the venue, drinking various foreign liquors and listening to Commander Li's speech on the stage, while some other officers from the Fifth War Zone stood on the other side of the venue. Everyone formed two completely different camps, which was very obvious from the color of their uniforms.
Liang Kejian, wearing a neat uniform of a major general of the Central Army and holding a glass of wine, walked to the side of the officers of the 102nd Division. He came to find the organization, but there was no way he could not fit in where the officers of the Fifth War Zone were standing.
"Deputy Director Liang, here." After seeing Liang Kejian, Zhang Wenwu quickly called him over in a low voice. Commander Li was currently being interviewed by reporters from various countries, so he had to lower his voice so as not to disturb the boss's interest.
Liang Kejian followed the voice and saw Zhang Wenwu waving at him. He immediately walked over with a smile. When he came to Zhang Wenwu's side, Liang Kejian raised his glass and clinked it with Zhang Wenwu's. Then he said, "Director Zhang, I finally found you. Happy New Year!"
Zhang Wenwu also smiled and wished the other party a happy new year, then asked in a low voice: "Deputy Director Liang, thank you very much for taking care of our division during this period. I will introduce you to the chief officer of our division. We all work together in the Fifth War Zone and are all from the Central Army system. We should get to know each other. Our Chief of Staff Zhao Dong has always said that he wants to thank you in person for your help."
Liang Kejian also nodded happily and said thank you, indicating that everyone was from the Central Army and should help each other in the Fifth War Zone.
"Commander Li, do you think you can stop the Japanese attack? Do the troops in your war zone have this confidence?" When Zhang Wenwu was about to chat with Liang Kejian, he heard a female reporter under the rostrum loudly ask a question to Commander Li who was being interviewed.
Commander Li listened to the female reporter's question with a smile, and then said with a smile: "Of course, I and all the officers and soldiers of the Fifth War Zone firmly believe that we can stop the Japanese attack, and I also believe that we will definitely defeat the Japanese army."
"Commander Li, as far as we know, the troops of the Fifth War Zone are what you Chinese call local troops. Why are you so confident that you can stop the Japanese attack?" asked a foreign reporter.
Commander Li continued with a smile, "Although our theater is basically composed of troops from various places, we all have something in common, that is, we are all Chinese, we are all Chinese soldiers. As soldiers, we have the responsibility and obligation to stop the Japanese invasion of China. This is the source of my confidence. In addition, Mr. Reporter, I would like to correct your statement just now. Our Fifth Theater not only has local troops, but also troops from the Central Army. This also shows the government's attention to the Fifth Theater."
"Commander Li, can you introduce the Central Army troops you mentioned just now?" the female reporter asked promptly.
Commander Li smiled and nodded, then introduced to all the reporters: "Of course, the government attaches great importance to the war in our Fifth War Zone this time, and has specially sent the 102nd Division of the th Army of the Central Army, which performed very well in the battle in Shanghai, to the Fifth War Zone to participate in the war. This is also a clear attitude of the government to defeat the Japanese army."
Zhang Wenwu felt something was wrong when he heard Commander Li's speech. But after thinking about it carefully, it seemed that there was nothing wrong with what Commander Li said. Just when he was a little confused, Liang Kejian beside him whispered, "Director Zhang, your 102nd Division is tied to this broken ship of the Fifth War Zone."
When Zhang Wenwu heard what Liang Kejian said, he reacted immediately. Commander Li was amazing. He brought out the 102nd Division in front of so many Chinese and foreign reporters. This was paving the way for the war zone to make good use of this central army unit in the future. If the 102nd Division did not obey orders, the government would lose face. The 102nd Division was introduced in front of so many Chinese and foreign reporters. If something happened, it would be reported everywhere.
Zhang Wenwu now understood why he felt something was wrong just now. Logically speaking, Commander Li should not have mentioned the 102nd Division in front of so many reporters. Not to mention the issue of military confidentiality, even if a unit was to be used as an example, it should have been the local units in the Fifth War Zone. At the very least, they had to be the units that were currently confronting and fighting the Japanese army in the south and north.
This is an open conspiracy. As the representative of the Central Army and the government, the 102nd Division has not fired a shot or achieved any success since coming to the Fifth War Zone. Why should it be specifically mentioned by Commander Li?
Sure enough, Commander Li called Commander Huang to the podium and solemnly introduced him to the Chinese and foreign reporters present, and immediately some reporters began to ask Commander Huang questions.
"Commander Huang, can you tell us about the current situation of your unit?" The female reporter asked again, taking the lead.
Commander Huang also replied politely: "My officers and soldiers are training day and night and are ready to join the battle at any time according to the orders of the theater." He was not a pushover either. From Commander Li's speech just now, he and the other two big guys of the 102nd Division discovered the problem, but he still had to answer the reporters' questions. Otherwise, if these reporters went back and wrote articles saying that the Central Army generals were unruly, he would be in trouble.
"Commander Huang, in which direction will your unit fight the Japanese army? As one of the few central army units in the Fifth War Zone, will your unit undertake important combat tasks?" The foreign reporter asked the question following the question raised by the previous female reporter.
"Your question needs to be answered by Commander Li of the theater. I can only say that our officers and soldiers will go to any place needed to fight in accordance with the instructions of the theater." Commander Huang threw the question to Commander Li of the theater. It was indeed difficult for him to answer this question.
Commander Li smiled and replied, "Mr. Reporter, it is not convenient to disclose the combat direction and specific tasks of the 102nd Division here. However, as the elite of the Central Army, the 102nd Division will definitely play a good role model in our Fifth War Zone and is capable of taking on the important responsibility of fighting the Japanese in key areas. As Commander Huang said just now, I believe that all officers and soldiers of the 102nd Division will strictly implement every task and order assigned to them by the War Zone Command and make new contributions in our Fifth War Zone."
Well, after listening to Commander Li's speech, Zhang Wenwu became more certain of his own thoughts. He even began to suspect that the female reporter before was a spy arranged by them. Her questions successfully brought up the topic of the 102nd Division, which made it impossible for the commander of the 102nd Division to avoid these questions. It also showed that Commander Li was preparing to mobilize the 102nd Division of the Central Army. This was an advance news build-up. When his orders came down, the 102nd Division could only obey obediently, and the government and the top leaders could not interfere in this matter. It was great.
Commander Li and Chief of Staff Xu took great pains to smoothly command this direct force of the Central Army. What Commander Li was most worried about was that the 102nd Division would not obey orders, and it was possible that another Han Paopao incident would happen. By then, he would not have a good way to hold them accountable for the incident, because, by then, there was no doubt that the superiors and Commander Chen would come forward to excuse the behavior of the 102nd Division. Now all journalists and celebrities knew about the existence of the 102nd Division. If the 102nd Division dared to disobey orders, he would have good public opinion and social forces to support him in holding them accountable.
Zhang Wenwu is now praying that Commander Li will not throw the 102nd Division into that village to fight the attack of the 102th Division of the Japanese Army. The tragedy in that place is no less than that of Luodian in Shanghai. Although the nd Division has been actively training for more than a month, if it is sent to that village to defend it, it is estimated that there will be few people left after this battle.