Chapter 100: Zhou Weiguo Enters The Shanghai Battlefield
After the meeting of Japanese high-level Navy officials began, Lieutenant General Nomura Kichisaburo, the newly appointed Third Fleet Commander, also received operational instructions requiring him to continue transporting even more Marine Corps to Shanghai for combat.
As for requesting assistance and support operations from Army Troops, the Navy Department has always refused.
However, the Japanese Cabinet still decided to prepare the combat deployment of dispatching Army forces. Once the battle situation of the Battle of Shanghai became critical, they would decisively decide to dispatch the Japanese Shanghai Mixed Brigade commanded by Major General Shimomoto Kumaya, the Ninth Division commanded by Lieutenant General Kenkichi Ueda, and the Mixed 24th Brigade composed of units such as the Independent Tank Second Squadron, to participate in the combat together.
At the same time, the Japanese Navy would also dispatch additional Yokosuka 2nd Special Marine Corps to continue supporting the Shanghai Operation, and as for the Mixed 24th Brigade, it would conduct landing operations at Wusong at that time.
Regarding these resolutions of the Japanese Cabinet, Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko, the Chief of Staff, also nodded in agreement after attending the Navy high-level meeting.
Moreover, this Battle of Shanghai was also receiving great attention from His Majesty, so all Japanese high-level officials, including the Cabinet, did not dare to be negligent.
It must be known that this operation was not only a key focus of His Majesty, but also under the attention of all foreign powers, as well as the entire nation of the country where the Chinese Army is located.
Therefore, these ambitious Japanese high-level officials also wanted very much to showcase their formidable operational capabilities in front of the whole world, letting everyone know their prowess.
Therefore, for this Shanghai Operation, the Japanese Cabinet’s plan was to reinforce Shanghai with sea, land, and air forces, at least reaching more than 30,000 men, at least 100 field guns, more than 60 airplanes up to over 100, and also dispatch dozens more warships.
Even more Naval Fleets joining the combat,
Including even more Army joining the combat, especially the Kwantung Army, which was eager to move, even more willing to dispatch more Army Troops under the covert promotion of Iwane Matsui and Masao Okamura, to participate in the subsequent Battle of Shanghai,
Even their Kwantung Army could be dispatched to participate in the combat.
So after the old Japanese Officer Major General Yoshida Nanpu and Major General Shiozawa were bombed by the I-5 fighter group and the Teb-1 bomber group, all Japanese high-level officials were also shocked, and then
Made more planned combat deployments, and became even more murderous, preparing to avenge the two Japanese major generals who were bombed by Zhou Wenhua’s Air Force, to avenge, and to wash away the shame of the operational failure of their Japanese Navy, Army, and Air Force.
The Japanese, who cared about face and glory, at this moment, not only did not have their fighting will dampened, but it became even more high-spirited and eager to move,
Thus, a more intense battle would rapidly sweep across the Shanghai Battlefield.
And at this time,
Zhou Weiguo, the wealthy Fudan University student, was also going to the front line with the female student Chen Yi to deliver comfort items,
Especially when the female student Chen Yi learned that the 19th Route Army had not received military pay for half a year,
She was even more determined to go to the front line to console the soldiers and deliver comfort items.
So Zhou Weiguo personally drove the car carrying the female student Chen Yi, as well as Zhang Chu, and the beautiful female student Tian Jing, heading to the front line to deliver comfort items,
As for Liu Zhihui, he was sent away to buy things and did not come along.
In the car, they stopped in front of the war zone fence, listening to the battle line at Caojia Bridge and Qingyun Road, hearing that the battle there was very intense,
“It seems the fighting ahead is very intense!”
Zhang Chu, wearing black student clothing, said worriedly.
“You were so impassioned just now, why are you nervous now? Scared?”
Zhou Weiguo, however, mercilessly mocked.
“Who’s nervous?”
Zhang Chu, however, feeling nervous and uneasy, retorted.
“Caojia Bridge and Qingyun Road are both under attack, what do we do?”
But at this moment,
The female student Chen Yi suddenly asked Zhou Weiguo.
At the same time, she also looked nervous, waiting for Zhou Weiguo’s reply.
“So where do we go now?”
Zhang Chu interjected uneasily.
“Chen Yi and I will go to Qingyun Road, you and Tian Jing go to Caojia Bridge!”
Zhou Weiguo replied calmly.
“It’s settled!”
Chen Yi said decisively.
And at this time, the 19th Route Army troops led by Battalion Commander Chen Zhenglun of a certain unit of the 19th Route Army were also engaged in a desperate fight with the incoming Japanese troops, the battle extremely fierce.
Gunfire sounds everywhere,
And everywhere smoke rising, gunpowder smoke filling the air, and explosion flames continuously bursting up.
“Company Commander, check supplies and numbers!”
Battalion Commander Chen Zhenglun, while leading the troops in counterattack operations and dodging Japanese artillery bombardment, loudly gave operational instructions to the Company Commander behind him.
“Report! The entire battalion has only 94 men left!”
“Most of them are wounded, only 34 capable of combat!”
“100 bullets, 10 cases of hand grenades!”
The Company Commander also loudly reported from the trench amid the flying war fire.
“Brothers! Our remaining ammunition is almost depleted!”
“But no matter what! We cannot lose face for the elders and fellow villagers of our Guangdong province!”
“We cannot lose face for our 19th Route Army!”
“Right now behind us is greater Shanghai. If the Japanese want to break in, there’s only one way: step over our corpses!”
“Understood?”
After hearing that their troops’ weaponry and ammunition were almost completely exhausted,
Battalion Commander Chen Zhenglun also shouted deafeningly to his troops.
“Understood!”
All the remaining soldiers shouted in unison loudly in response.
“Prepare for battle!”
“Distribute all bullets to the soldiers, quick!”
Battalion Commander Chen Zhenglun continued to shout loudly.
“Yes!”
A soldier quickly nodded in agreement.
After speaking, he immediately got up to act on orders and left.
And at this time, a chubby soldier was also hurriedly leading Zhou Weiguo and the female student Chen Yi through the battlefield into the position trench where Battalion Commander Chen Zhenglun was,
“What are you doing? Why did you bring two students here?”
When the chubby soldier brought Zhou Weiguo and Chen Yi to Battalion Commander Chen Zhenglun’s side,
Battalion Commander Chen Zhenglun immediately scolded displeasedly.
“They say they are students from Shanghai University!”
“They insisted on delivering comfort items here!”
The chubby soldier, while opening the white cloth bag he had been carrying, loudly responded.
“Delivering what comfort items?”
Battalion Commander Chen Zhenglun scolded.
“Are you Battalion Commander Chen?”
At this time, Zhou Weiguo interjected.
