Chapter 351: The Hunan Army’s Final Song
Song Xi stepped forward and asked, "Xiang Chu! What's the name of this female Japanese spy?"
Xiang Chu shook his head and said, "Takeshita Yunzi of the Shanghai Special High Section is known as the flower of espionage. She has obtained countless intelligence from us and is also the instigator of the secret leak case of Huang Jun, the secretary of the Executive Yuan, and his son."
Song Xi said in astonishment: "Is it her?"
At this time, Li Tong ran over.
Xiang Chu pointed at Takeshita Yunzi's body and ordered:
"Li Tong! Find a place to bury this female Japanese spy."
"Yes! Junior Master."
Li Tong hurriedly accepted the order.
A stabbing occurred at the scene, so the condolences naturally ended abruptly.
Song Xi said reluctantly: "Xiang Chu! I'll wait for you in Nanjing."
"Okay! See you in Nanjing."
Xiang Chu smiled and nodded, paused, and reminded,
"But Nanjing can't be defended either. Let's go to Chongqing as soon as possible."
Song Xi shook her head and said, "No! I want to go to Changsha first."
Xiang Chu smiled and said, "Okay! See you in Changsha."
Song Xi said angrily: "Are you so dull?"
Xiang Chu smiled bitterly and said, "Sister! I have the will but not the courage."
"What's wrong with a hug? Seriously!"
Song Xi shouted loudly, rushed forward to hug him, and then let go.
Her face flushed with shame and she turned and ran towards the condolence car which was about to return.
“There is no solution in this life!”
Xiang Chu shook his head.
After the condolence car drove away, he immediately returned to the front line with the supervision team.
A lieutenant general was pointing a pistol at his head, crying.
Xiang Chu rushed over and shouted, "Sir! Don't commit suicide."
The division commander glanced at him and said with a sad smile: "Xiang Chu! My 18th Division has been completely wiped out. Why am I still alive as the division commander?"
Xiang Chu snatched his gun away and said with a wry smile: "In the Songhu battlefield, a division was wiped out every day. If everyone committed suicide like this, wouldn't countless division commanders die?"
"I, Zhu Yaohua, will sacrifice myself on the battlefield. See you in the next life!"
The lieutenant general snatched the pistol from Xiang Chu's hand and rushed to the front line again.
Xiang Chu was speechless and choked with emotion, quietly watching the Hunan Army and the Japs fighting hard and refusing to retreat.
The Hunan Army lost its position during the day, but attacked the Japanese at night and took it back.
In the battle of blood and fire, the soldiers fought back and forth with the Japanese, and each division suffered extremely brutal blows.
Tao Zhiyue's troops from the Hunan Army's elite 8th Division were left with only about 300 men in the end.
The 53rd Division lost four battalion commanders in the first battle, and the 4th Division was reduced to only 128 people.
The 15th and 16th Divisions entered Shanghai first and fought from mid-September to the end, suffering most casualties.
The Hunan Army's organizational structure was completely destroyed and all its numbers were cancelled.
Of the more than 9 Hunan troops, only a few scattered remnants and a few senior generals were left.
Xiang Chu witnessed the Hunan Army's bloody battles for several days and shook his head, saying, "Since the end of the Qing Dynasty, the Hunan Army has wiped out the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, recovered Xinjiang, and resisted foreign aggression. The Battle of Songhu was the last swan song of the Hunan Army."
Liu Zhengxiong sighed: "It is true that without the Hunan, there is no general. Unfortunately, from now on, there will be no more Hunan Army."
At this time, a group of young men who were only fifteen or sixteen years old came running over with the flag of the Hunan Army, followed by a group of middle-aged and elderly people who came to the battlefield to express their condolences.
It was obvious that this troop was composed of new recruits, holding old Hanyang-made rifles, and some were holding swords and spears, and were about to charge into the battlefield where corpses were piled high.
Xiang Chu shouted: "Supervisory team, stop them!"
"Yes!"
The supervisory team hurriedly received the order and lined up in a row behind the front and back to stop this group of child soldiers from Hunan.
A lieutenant colonel stepped forward, saluted, and reported loudly: "Sir! Hunan has recruited security forces to rush to the Songhu front to join the battle."
Xiang Chu pointed to the sky and the battlefield full of artillery fire and said, "Lieutenant Colonel! These new recruits will be seeking death if they go up there. Keep them and train them well. The war of resistance will be a long one. The devils will definitely reach Hunan. It won't be too late to attack them then."
"this......"
The Hunan Army Lieutenant Colonel hesitated.
The young Hunan Army soldiers shouted in unison: "Sir! We want to go to the front line to kill the devils and avenge our brothers."
"There's no rush for revenge, there will be a chance soon!"
Xiang Chu shouted loudly, patted the Hunan Army Lieutenant Colonel on the shoulder and said, "Lieutenant Colonel! Let's take them away first. There is no need to make unnecessary sacrifices. The Japs will definitely invade Hunan."
"All right!"
The lieutenant colonel of the Hunan Army nodded heavily, pointed to a group of elderly people who came to express their condolences and said,
"The people of central Hunan are donating money enthusiastically for the war of resistance. Where should I ask them to pay it?"
Xiang Chu ordered, "Hongyi! Take the people and lead them there."
"Yes!"
Hongyi hurriedly accepted the order.
Xiang Chu watched the Hunan Youth Army and the visiting group leave and said with emotion:
"If you want to destroy China, all Hunanese people must die!"
After a pause, he said, "It's not bad that all provinces share the same hatred and a common enemy."
Liu Zhengxiong shook his head and said, "Where are the Yunnan Army? Where are the Northeast Army? Why aren't they on the battlefield?"
Xiang Chu said sternly, "The 66th Yunnan Army reorganized and set out late, and they haven't arrived yet. The Northeast Army is coming from North China. They have no home to return to, and they hate the devils to the bone. They will never let the Chinese people down. They will definitely be the ones to cover the rear."
Liu Zhengxiong handed him a newspaper and whispered;
"Look! Our 115th Division won a great victory at Pingxingguan."
Xiang Chu took the newspaper and said with a smile, "I've read it a long time ago. This was the first battle of the Eighth Route Army on the North China front. 4 against 4, and they killed more than 1 enemies. It was really amazing."
Liu Zhengxiong clenched his fist and said, "We have won the first battle! We have shattered the devil's myth that the Japanese army is invincible."
Xiang Chu said thoughtfully: "The expected goal of the Songhu Battle has been achieved. We really shouldn't waste time on it any longer."
Dachang fell, and the entire Songhu battlefield was shaken.
Seven divisions of the Northeast Army rushed from North China and joined the battle, holding off the Japanese attack.
No new supervision order was issued, and Xiang Chu led the supervision team back to Shuiji Primary School late at night.
Kong Ling had packed her belongings. Seeing him coming back, she immediately threw herself into his arms and said reluctantly, "Dear! Our command post has to evacuate Shanghai first."
Xiang Chu patted her shoulders and said, "Well! If we don't evacuate now, if the enemy cuts off our retreat, we won't be able to leave even if we want to."
Kong Ling said angrily: "If I can't leave, I'll die with you. What's there to be afraid of? Humph!"
Xiang Chu was very touched, knowing that she was not joking, he looked into her eyes and said:
"Kong Ling! If anything happens to me, don't hang yourself again. Promise me!"
Kong Ling cried, "No! You will be fine. I will find Minister Chen to ask you to come with me. Woohoo!"
At this moment, the radio transmission sounded urgently.
Xiang Chu rushed to the radio station and transcribed the message, deciphering it as follows:
"My benefactor! Japan has formed the Tenth Army with 12 troops and will land in Hangzhou Bay. Angelica!"
"Zhili risked his life to send this message!"
Xiang Chu was filled with emotion. He stood up and handed the message to Kong Ling, smiling bitterly.
"The devils have increased their forces again, report it quickly."
Kong Ling took a look and said angrily: "Why do these damn devils have so many people? They sent out another 12 troops!"
After she finished speaking, she hurriedly sat down and forwarded the message to multiple radio call signs.
The Japs once again increased their troops on a large scale in an attempt to annihilate the Chinese army in one fell swoop.
The Supreme Command assessed the situation and decided to abandon Shanghai.
All troops received orders to retreat on November 11st.
However, because 17 countries including Britain, France and the United States would hold a meeting in Brussels to discuss the China crisis and intend to condemn Japan, the Supreme Command ordered to hold out for a while longer.
In this way, the military campaign was transformed into a political campaign, with immeasurable consequences.