funbook-pk Chapter 1046 Demanding Command
Chapter 1046 Demanding Command
"Brothers, do you have telegraph equipment? I want to send a telegram to the Fifth War Zone."
Xu Chuan and his companion had been choked by the smoke, and now, having used up all their strength to kill the Japanese soldier, they gulped down the entire pot of water. They had never tasted water so delicious before.
“Our radio station probably won’t work, but wait a minute, our company commander should be fine. I have to take the brothers and keep heading north. I’ll find someone to take you two back.”
Wang Jiushan waved his hand and led most of his men forward.
The remaining man, whose arm was slightly injured, led the two men to wait in place. About twenty minutes later, a large number of vehicles arrived from behind. Hearing that the people in front of them were agents of the Military Intelligence Bureau, the company commander did not give them a friendly look, but after checking their identification, he also had the communications officer send a message for them.
Commander Li, far away at the Fifth War Zone Command, immediately received a telegram from a Kuomintang agent, who indicated that it was sent using the machine of the Qingzhou Garrison Regiment.
Currently, in addition to the Qingzhou Garrison Brigade, there are also the Zhoucun Security Regiment around the provincial capital. The two security regiments, totaling about 4,000 people, are accelerating their advance towards the provincial capital according to their commander's orders.
"Judging from this telegram, they're not just setting up a defensive line south of the provincial capital; they're preparing a counterattack?"
Chief of Staff Huang of the Fifth War Zone looked at the telegram in front of him and didn't know what to say. "You two security regiments have about four thousand men, while there are at least ten thousand Japanese troops in the provincial capital. You are quite bold. Moreover, there are still a large number of Japanese troops coming from the north. Even if you can successfully launch a counterattack, can you hold it?"
"Send a telegram immediately. In the name of the Fifth War Zone Command, I order them to set up a defensive line thirty miles south of the provincial capital in the Taishan Mountains to stop the Japanese army from advancing south and halt their counter-offensive..."
"Sir, the 4th Infantry Division of the 72nd Army is not under our command..."
Before Commander Li could finish speaking, a combat staff officer stood up and corrected him.
"Now that they're in the Fifth War Zone's territory, they have to obey my orders."
When Commander Li said this, he clearly lacked confidence. If it were any other army on the Fifth War Zone's territory, they might have given him some face. But the 72nd Army was a different story. These guys did things their own way, and even if it were the Nationalist government's Ministry of Military Affairs, let alone the Fifth War Zone Command, they would still oppose you.
The telegram returned very politely a dozen minutes later.
But it was a blank telegram, without any words on it.
"Connect me to the Pujiang Military Region Command and speak directly to Li Shaoyi."
Holding the blank telegram in his hand, Commander Li knew that saying anything else would be useless. No matter how angry he got, the arrogant and fierce soldiers of the 72nd Army, even the second-line garrison regiments, might not take his orders seriously.
Therefore, if we want to control this group of fierce and ruthless troops, we can only find the root cause and call Li Shaoyi to suppress this matter from above. Only then will these people take the Fifth War Zone Command seriously; otherwise, it will just be an empty title.
According to what these people think, they don't receive a penny of military pay or a single bullet during peacetime, but when war breaks out, they want to boss us around. Is there such a good thing in the world?
Because there were no large-scale battles in the Pujiang war zone, only skirmishes in a few places, Li Shaoyi lived a very comfortable life.
After allocating his troops, Li Shaoyi went to find a place to rest. He was sleeping during the day when the phone call came in.
"Commander Li!"
Although both were theater commanders, Li Shaoyi had great respect for Li Shaoyi, the commander of the Guangxi clique. Back when we were fighting in the north, his officer corps provided support, along with a complete army.
Although we repaid this kindness with equipment, it doesn't mean that it's over once you've repaid the kindness.
Moreover, he was a senior figure in the domestic military, and his attitude towards the War of Resistance against Japan was very firm. Based on this alone, there is nothing wrong with Li Shaoyi respecting him.
"Brother Li, I have to beg you. The Third Army Group can't stop once it gets going. It has handed over most of Shandong Province to the Japanese. Now, the only troops still fighting near the provincial capital are two garrison regiments under your Fourth Infantry Division..."
Commander Li didn't say much else to Li Shaoyi. He quickly explained the situation around the battlefield to Li Shaoyi. The main thing he wanted Li Shaoyi to tell Ma Leizi that the situation in eastern Shandong was very bad, and since they didn't have many troops, they had to switch to a defensive posture.
After listening to Commander Li's words, Li Shaoyi frowned. He had already handed over all the information about the situation in Ludong to Ma Leizi. Ma Leizi must have also formulated his own battle plan, and there must be people behind him. Otherwise, a mere two security regiments would not have dared to launch a counterattack on the provincial capital.
"Commander Li, please be patient. I have already informed my division commander about the situation in Ludong and entrusted him with full authority. A general in the field may disobey orders from his superior. I believe my men have a comprehensive battle plan. I will immediately order him to send the battle plan to the Fifth War Zone Command and establish a communication mechanism with them..."
As he listened to what Li Shaoyi said, the face of the Guangxi Clique commander, Li, grew increasingly grim.
He spoke very eloquently and treated you like a senior, but in the end, he meant one thing: the 4th Infantry Division can fight however they want, and I can't control them from Pujiang.
"This Li Shaoyi is still young. He won the war against the Russians and the Japanese before, but now he's handing over such great power to his subordinates. If we really fail, the whole of eastern Shandong will be in the hands of the Japanese. Does he know how much he'll have to pay?"
After hanging up the phone, Commander Li of the Fifth War Zone was also quite angry.
However, even without these few security regiments, Shandong would have been completely lost. The responsibility cannot be placed on the 72nd Army; it should be placed on Commander Han of the Third Army Group.
Ma Leizi, who had just arrived in Qingzhou, was woken up from his sleep by someone saying it was a call from the commander-in-chief.
Li Shaoyi's meaning was very simple: the command was still in your hands, but you had to report to the Fifth War Zone on what needed to be done. After all, it was being done on their territory, and Commander Li of the Fifth War Zone had treated us well, so we had to give him face.