Chapter 6, The War of Resistance, Showdown

Zhu Jiahua frowned slightly; he knew that this was Zhang Qun, the leader of the "New Policy School," subtly launching a covert attack against him. However, he could not speak out directly because Chen Guofu and Chen Lifu's confidants were secretly causing trouble, and he still could not fully control the Central Unification, this intelligence organization.

He Yingqin immediately nodded and left, and then Zhu Jiahua promptly suggested: "President, we still need to ascertain what the Northwest requires. Additionally, could we have Mrs. Sun intervene to facilitate communication with the Northwest? If that is not feasible, we may need to request the British and American embassies to step in."

At this time, the 30th Corps of the Yunnan Army, led by Lu Han, Sun Du, and Zhang Chong, was engaged in a defensive battle against the Japanese 11th Army along the Chongyang, Yangxin, and Banbingshan front. They found themselves surrounded on all sides by the Japanese forces in front and over 100,000 dubious 'friendly' troops behind, rendering them unable to advance or retreat. In order to preserve the seeds of the Yunnan Army, Lu Han took the lead, and more than a dozen major generals and brigadier generals from the entire corps jointly issued a telegram supporting the Central Army's entry into Yunnan to investigate the 'Tong Wang' case and stabilize the situation in central Yunnan.

"President, there is indeed such a possibility, but can the Central Unification and Military Unification provide sufficient intelligence?"

Dear Brother Jingzhi, you should immediately call Zhou Zhirou and instruct him to make thorough arrangements for the air defense in Guiyang

The Guiyang National Government subsequently revealed intelligence regarding Wang Zhaoming's secret meeting with Long Yun before his escape, while also declaring that the central government’s entry into Yunnan was not intended to remove Long Yun from his position as provincial chairman, but rather to ensure the stability of the rear and the safety of the Yunnan-Burma international transportation route. It is hoped that the officers and soldiers of the Yunnan Army, if they uphold the purpose of resisting the war and defending the country, will refrain from resistance.

Zhu Jiahua said a few necessary words of nonsense before beginning the introduction

It is inappropriate, it is inappropriate. The central government's finances should be abundant, yet now having lost more than ten counties in northern Guizhou, the allocated portion is still insufficient. Surely, it cannot be expected to force other regions in Yunnan Province to increase taxes to compensate for this shortfall

In this situation, Chiang Kai-shek had no choice but to take decisive measures to salvage the situation

President, I agree with Dean Kong's perspective

In terms of military matters, I am not knowledgeable, but I know that, regardless, the Northwest has only three to four divisions in the southern Sichuan and northern Yunnan regions. This is certainly not an indication of a desire to engage in a major conflict with us. From this, it can be inferred that the Northwest is merely preparing to demand an exorbitant price.

All eyes were on Zhu Jiahua, not because he was the top leader of the Central Unification, but because the qualifications of Zheng Jiemin and Dai Li, who currently managed the Military Unification, were too low, rendering them unfit to appear in this setting. Therefore, to resolve the issue concerning Zhang Qun, one could only seek confirmation from Zhu Jiahua

"President, what my late brother Liu said is indeed very reasonable"

A few people are still talking, while the guards are shouting loudly outside the door

"It is necessary to command Li Mo'an to maintain calm in the town, to arrange matters on the spot, and to avoid conflicts with the northwest lightly. However, once a conflict arises, it should be met with a serious counterattack immediately"

The Northwest restructured the Southern Group Army into the Xiang-E-Ba-Shu Theater, with a total of 5 divisions in Sichuan and Tibet. After the reorganization, 1 additional division was added. Furthermore, air defense commands were established in Chengdu, Chongqing, and other locations, as well as river defense commands along the Zigui and Yichang frontlines. Air defense artillery and several battalions of fortress artillery were allocated

In the future, China should adopt a policy of good-neighborliness and friendship as its educational guideline. Japan, in particular, should encourage its citizens to abandon the traditional mindset of aggression and humiliation towards China, and instead establish a pro-China educational policy to lay the foundation for lasting peace between the two countries. This is the effort we should make for the happiness of East Asia.

The individuals present exchanged glances and nodded in unison, indicating that they had reached a consensus. Consequently, Jiang Zhongzheng continued to inquire: "Since it is already known to be extortion, what stance should the central government take on this matter?"

Ha Ha-kung is now also the President of the Executive Yuan, and his speed of promotion is not much slower than that of the Chairman Wang Danping from the Northwest.

Since Long Yun has already left Yunnan, the central army and various departments of the Guiyang National Government have successively entered Yunnan

He responded in this manner.

Zhang Qun, the provincial governor, certainly does not wish to cling to the remnants of the past

President, I thought the Northwest was merely a show of strength.

Come in

Seeing that the situation had turned against him, Long Yun was forced to announce his resignation as the Chairman of Yunnan Province and the Commander of the First Group Army. On January 22, the First Army entered Kunming, and shortly thereafter, Long Yun was abducted and flown to Guiyang. Three days later, he was reappointed by the National Government as a Central Supervisory Commissioner, thus entering a state of semi-house arrest.

However, I have a general understanding of the history of expansion in the Northwest and found that after Dai Jiliang took control of Shaanxi, his most significant administrative task was the construction of railways

The purpose of China's War of Resistance is to seek the survival and independence of the nation. After more than a year of resistance, which has brought immense suffering, if the war can still be concluded with a peace that aligns with justice, then the survival and independence of the nation can be ensured, thus achieving the purpose of the resistance.

However, Long Yun lost, but the Northwest did not recognize that Yunnan would henceforth be the territory of the Jiang faction

At this moment, Zhang Zhizhong, the Chairman of Hunan Province, is also by Chiang Kai-shek's side

As he spoke, the guard handed over the telegram, and upon seeing it, Chiang Kai-shek slammed it down on the table in a fit of rage

After listening for a long time, Jiang Zhongzheng suddenly interrupted Zhu Jiahua's introduction.

To the Central Party Committee of Guiyang, Mr. Jiang and all comrades of the Central Supervisory Committee: "In April of last year, the declaration of the temporary national representative assembly explained the reasons for this resistance against Japan, stating that after careful consideration, it is believed that the National Government should use this as a basis to exchange sincerity with the Japanese government, in hopes of restoring peace

Report

The Japanese invaders captured Wuhan, and there are two possible futures. One possibility is that General Ninjirō Okamura's 11th Army moves south to support General Toshikichi Andō's 21st Army advancing north, encircling our troops in Hunan and Guangdong. The other possibility is that the 11th Army moves north to join forces with General Kamezo Otagai's 12th Army to attack Henan and Anhui. Both scenarios are plausible. In this ambiguous situation, even if Dai Zhixiang is as unruly as ever, he would not dare to draw out heavy troops to challenge the central authority at this time, especially since both domestic and international public opinion would not permit him to do so.

The land of China and Japan is contiguous, and the friendship between neighboring countries is both natural and necessary. Over the years, however, they have diverged significantly, which necessitates a deep inquiry into the reasons behind this and a clear understanding of their respective responsibilities.

I believed that the Northwest would not dare to instigate a civil war at this moment of national peril; therefore, the central authority must not be deceived into retreating

Just as Zhu Jiahua was frowning and preparing to say something further, another voice called out "Report" and immediately a guard entered with a telegram: "President, a telegram from Lanzhou!"

The meaning of "Brother Jingzhi" is that while the Northwest is in a standoff with the central government, secretly, they are mobilizing troops and dispatching forces

Recently appointed as the Commander of the First Group Army in Guiyang, Long Yun found himself with only the newly established 93rd Army and several local security teams at his disposal, which were insufficient to meet the demands of the situation. In a moment of desperation, he sent a telegram nationwide, recounting the revolutionary history of the Yunnan Army and its performance after the War of Resistance, questioning the National Government about the reasons for its military intervention in Yunnan, and whether there was a conspiracy to eliminate the anti-Japanese armed forces

Do you know about the Panzhihua project in the Northwest, brother Liu?

Zhang Qun, who has just been appointed as the Chairman of Yunnan Province, has not yet assumed office. However, since he has been entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the governance of Yunnan, he naturally does not wish to have a powerful neighbor lurking nearby.

The rampant activities in the northwest, with aircraft threatening the skies over Kunming, have instilled fear among the citizens, presenting an excellent opportunity for the central government to retaliate

Starting from January 25, the 219th Division, 223rd Division, and 240th Division of the Northwest Army, which had been stationed on the front line in Yibin, have successively penetrated into Yunnan, continuously taking control of areas such as Suijiang, Shuifu, Yanjin, Yongshan, and Daguan. They have also engaged in armed conflict with the 83rd Division of the 33rd Corps, led by Liu Kan, which was rapidly advancing from the south of Zhaotong.

Chiang Chung-cheng, having read the telegram, suddenly burst into laughter: "The Northwest has already sent Chiang Song-lin to Lincheng, it seems the time for a showdown has arrived, so let us wait and see."

On January 17, the 1st and 27th Corps of the 17th Army led by Hu Zongnan, which had retreated to Qianxi Anshun, Zhenning, and Puan for rest, crossed the border from Yunnan to Guizhou and directly invaded Yunnan. They quickly took control of the line from Fuyuan to Qujing and, ten days later, approached the outskirts of Kunming.

At the same time, we must work in unison with the countries involved to maintain and enhance the order of peace and security, as well as to ensure world peace, thereby fostering friendship and common interests.

Zhang Qun seconded the motion

Kong Xiangxi, however, appeared exceptionally resolute

"It is not the fear of the ten thousand that is concerning, but rather the fear of the one. Currently, the Japanese army has occupied Guangzhou. Apart from the transportation line to Soviet Russia in the northwest, all remaining foreign aid supplies must pass through the Yuegui border in Guangxi, as well as the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway and the newly completed Yunnan-Burma Road. However, the machinery, raw materials, and other supplies requested by Dai Zhixiang may not necessarily be met by Soviet Russia, which raises concerns that the northwest may resort to desperate measures."

In fact, Zhu Jiahua, who holds a long list of titles including Secretary-General of the Central Executive Committee, Director of the Central Party Affairs Committee, Executive Secretary of the Central Committee of the Three Youth League, Chief Director of the Chinese Branch of the International Anti-Aggression Movement Conference, Vice President of the World Association of the League of Nations Comrades, and Honorary President, has already replaced the defector Wang Zhaoming as the second person within the Kuomintang in terms of party affairs. Therefore, Chiang Kai-shek takes his opinions very seriously.

President, urgent telegram from Kunming

The Northwest Army dispatched aircraft to Kunming to distribute leaflets, seeking justice for Long Yun

In a moment, the sound of the wind and the cries of the cranes filled the air, and rumors spread everywhere that the Northwest was preparing to engage in a great battle with Guiyang for the sake of Longyun

Although Wang Zhaoming's telegram caused some high-ranking Japanese military officials to rejoice, it provoked an outcry among the domestic and overseas Chinese communities, which was subsequently exploited by the Northwest to generate widespread skepticism towards the Nationalist government

The above three points are the principles of peace

The Northwest is pressing forward step by step, with aspirations for both the land of Long and the land of Shu. This time, under the pretext of supporting Long Yun, it is merely a matter of territory. The central government cannot easily show weakness

Isn't that allowing the Northwest to occupy Northern Yunnan

In response to this, Kong Xiangxi also concurred: "Brother Yuejun makes a valid point; we are still unaware of the bottom line in the Northwest. What if the other party demands even more? Furthermore, if we lose northern Guizhou, the gateway along the Jinsha River will be wide open, and in the future, if the Northwest were to advance into Yunnan Province, they could reach the outskirts of Kunming in no time. Such a strategically advantageous location must not be lost under any circumstances"

Once the railway in Shaanxi was nearly completed, he marched into Gansu, and soon the railway extended to Lanzhou and Dihua. After gaining control over northern Sichuan, he immediately began the construction of the Baocheng and Pingxing railways

President, since we already know that the Northwest is asking for an exorbitant price, we should certainly remain in a position of advantage.

The Northwest is expected to produce over 100,000 metric tons of steel from the iron ore in Panzhihua within three years. To this end, the Northwest has not only deployed heavy troops around Panzhihua but is also urgently repairing the railway from Chengdu to the mining area. Do you think it is possible that the actions of the central government have provoked the Northwest, leading Dai Jiliang to misjudge that the central government intends to take action against the mining area, thus prompting these preventive measures

I respectfully present this proposal and sincerely hope for its adoption! Wang Zhaoming, Fish

Several people looked at each other in confusion, and after a long while, Kong Xiangxi finally asked, "President, what has happened?"

From this, can it be concluded that the Northwest Army is unlikely to enter Yunnan before the completion of the railway from Chengdu to the Panzhihua mining area

Chiang Kai-shek furrowed his brow, and the others also sensed something amiss, fearing that another significant event was about to occur

He Yingqin was from Guizhou and had served in the Qian Army for many years. He was the best representative of the Jiang Jieshi National Government in Guizhou. Although his value has slightly diminished due to the transfer of Yunnan at this moment, half of the Huangpu military personnel came from his ranks, which undeniably represented the largest faction within the Central Army.

The possibility mentioned by the president does exist

On December 16, 1938, Wang Zhaoming, then Vice President of the Kuomintang, suddenly left the provisional capital of Guiyang, traveling to Hanoi via Kunming. As soon as the news spread, it caused an uproar among the people.

However, before the Kuomintang could quell the turmoil caused by Wang's defection, on January 6, 1939, Wang Zhaoming published an article in the Hong Kong newspaper "South China Morning Post": January 6, 1939

It was still Chiang Kai-shek who decisively made the decision. Of course, the air force of the Kuomintang had suffered almost total losses, and the few remaining aircraft were being cannibalized to support others. The so-called tight defense arrangements in Guiyang were merely an attempt to call upon the Soviet Union's air squadron sent to aid China.

Currently, the work of the Central Organization in the three provinces of Bashu is difficult to carry out. The counter-espionage organization in the northwest is monitoring various regions very closely. Of course, the focus in the northwest may be on the Japanese espionage agencies, but our organization has also suffered considerable impact as a result. Furthermore, the sudden transfer of Liu Wenhui has rendered the original covert lines temporarily ineffective, so at present, we only have some scattered intelligence.

Chiang Kai-shek said coldly, and the expressions of the crowd immediately changed dramatically. Indeed, if the Northwest can distribute flyers to Kunming, it can naturally also distribute flyers to Guiyang. It is even possible that the flyers could be turned into bombs. What should be done about this