Chapter 212: Aftermath Of The Battle
Difficult Slope
“Report to the Commander-in-Chief!”
An adjutant with a hurried expression, holding a telegram in hand, quickly entered the cave dwelling, breaking the silence in the room.
His voice trembled slightly due to excitement, and his face bore an expression of disbelief.
Yan Xishan slowly turned around, a faint trace of weariness and vigilance flashing in his deep eyes.
He took the telegram but did not open it immediately. Instead, he first glanced at the adjutant and asked in a deep voice, “What is it that has you so panicked? Has there been another incident on the front lines?”
During this period, due to the Shanxi militia, the Japanese troops in Shanxi had been unusually active in their movements. Although he knew the Japanese were most likely not targeting him, no one could guarantee that. As long as the Japanese did not stop their movements, Yan Xishan could not feel at ease.
The adjutant swallowed hard, tried to calm his emotions, and then said in a tone almost like a dream, “Commander-in-Chief… it’s… it’s from Mount Wutai… Su Yaoyang’s militia… they… they…”
“What happened with Su Yaoyang’s militia?” Yan Xishan raised an eyebrow, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.
As time passed, Su Yaoyang and the Shanxi militia’s influence in Shanxi had grown increasingly large.
Moreover, they had formed their own faction in the Wutai County area. Although nominally still under his control as the Second War Zone Commander-in-Chief, in reality, they had grown too powerful to control. Could it be that this militia had stirred up some new trouble?
“They… they have newly formed an air force!”
The adjutant finally uttered the most unbelievable words, his voice rising several pitches due to excitement. “And… and just this noon, they engaged in fierce combat with a large-scale Japanese aircraft formation over Mount Wutai, and… and heavily damaged the Japanese aircraft formation!”
“Air force?!”
“Heavily damaged the Japanese aircraft formation?!”
These two phrases struck Yan Xishan’s heart like two bolts of thunder! On his usually calm and composed old face, an expression of incredulous shock appeared instantly! He even suspected there was something wrong with his ears!
“What did you say?! Say it again!” Yan Xishan stepped forward abruptly, grabbing the adjutant’s arm. His originally deep eyes were now wide open, and his voice had become somewhat hoarse from the shock.
The adjutant was startled by Yan Xishan’s sudden action but still held back his excitement and repeated the contents of the telegram, adding some more detailed information he had just learned from the intelligence department:
“Report to the Commander-in-Chief! According to confirmed intelligence from Mount Wutai, Su Yaoyang’s militia has somehow obtained a batch… a batch of extremely advanced American-made fighter aircraft! Just yesterday afternoon, the Japanese dispatched at least thirty or forty aircraft in an attempt to bomb the airport newly built by them at Jiuqu River.
Subsequently, the air force under Su Yaoyang scrambled urgently to engage, and both sides erupted in fierce combat over Mount Wutai!
In the end… in the end, the Japanese lost over twenty aircraft, including several Type 97 heavy bombers and fighters, and even a few ‘Ki-43 Hayabusa’ fighters! While Su Yaoyang’s air force… only lost four aircraft, and all pilots parachuted to safety!”
“American-made fighters?”
“Shot down over twenty Japanese aircraft?!”
“Our side only lost four, and all pilots survived?!”
Every word was like a heavy hammer pounding on Yan Xishan’s heart! He felt his breathing becoming rapid!
This… how is this possible?!
Where did Su Yaoyang get so many advanced American aircraft? And he even formed an air force? And achieved such brilliant results? This was simply a pipe dream!
The Jin-Sui Army had once formed a small-scale air force（ “Jin-Sui Air Team”） in 1930, which participated in combat during the Central Plains War, but it disintegrated rapidly due to weak strength and defeat in the war.
Although there were nominal attempts to restore it afterward, no effective force was rebuilt.
And now, an outsider had quietly acquired such a powerful air force and fought such a brilliant victory! This left Yan Xishan, amid his shock, with a complex mix of emotions—envy, jealousy, doubt, and a faint… unease.
He released the adjutant’s hand and slowly walked to the huge military map, his gaze fixed intently on the positions of Mount Wutai and Jiuqu River. His mind was racing, analyzing the various possibilities and profound implications hidden behind this sudden news.
If this news was true, it would be a huge turning point for the entire anti-Japanese war situation in Shanxi and even North China! The strategic value of a force capable of effectively countering Japanese air superiority was immeasurable!
However, where did Su Yaoyang’s air force come from? Was it direct aid from the Americans? Or obtained through some other secret channel? Where did their pilots come from? What was their technical level? How was logistics support handled?
More importantly, after acquiring such a powerful force, would Su Yaoyang’s ambitions expand? Would he still obey the orders of the Second War Zone Command?
For him, was the emergence of this air force a blessing or a curse?
A series of questions surged into Yan Xishan’s mind like a tide, furrowing his already tense brows even deeper.
He was silent for a long time, and the atmosphere in the cave command post became unusually oppressive due to his silence. The adjutant stood by, not daring to breathe, nervously awaiting the Commander-in-Chief’s instructions.
Finally, Yan Xishan spoke slowly, his voice low and hoarse: “Immediately… send someone to Mount Wutai to verify the situation! Be sure to investigate clearly the origins, scale, equipment, personnel composition of this air force, and… Su Yaoyang’s true intentions! Remember, conduct it secretly, do not alert the enemy!”
“Yes! Commander-in-Chief!” The adjutant quickly stood at attention and saluted, then left to carry out the order.
After the adjutant left, Yan Xishan stood alone in front of the map for a long time.
His gaze wandered back and forth between Mount Wutai, Taiyuan, and the even more distant Chongqing, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
Unlike the atmosphere of shock, doubt, and a hint of hidden anticipation surrounding Yan Xishan, the headquarters of the Japanese North China Area Army’s 1st Army in Taiyuan was now completely shrouded in an oppressive, dejected, and even despairing gloom.
Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Shinozuka Yoshio, who had been in his position as 1st Army Commander for less than two months, sat with an ashen face behind his large desk, clutching tightly a battle damage report just delivered by the aviation staff officer.
His eyes were bloodshot, the veins on his forehead throbbing with extreme anger and disbelief, and his originally neatly combed hair now appeared somewhat disheveled.
The office was deathly silent, the air seemingly frozen, suffocating everyone.
Several senior staff officers and adjutants stood with hands at their sides, not daring to breathe, fearing to provoke the commander on the verge of rage.
They all knew that this battle report was nothing less than a resounding slap to the Imperial Japanese Army, which had just achieved a series of “glorious victories” in the Wuhan Campaign and was full of complacency—a heavy blow almost too much to bear!
“Baka yarou!”
Shinozuka Yoshio could no longer suppress his inner fury. He slammed the battle report onto the desk with force, letting out a deafening roar! That thin sheet of paper now seemed to him to carry endless shame and failure!
“Useless! A bunch of useless fools! The Empire’s most elite aviation force actually… actually defeated by a bunch of Chinese militia without even a designation?! And losing so many aircraft and excellent pilots?! That idiot Iga Toraji! How did he command?! Does he have the face to come back alive to see me?!”
Shinozuka Yoshio’s roars echoed in the office, every word filled with unwillingness and humiliation. He could hardly believe his eyes, let alone his ears!
Just yesterday, he had confidently approved Iga Toraji’s operational plan, expecting this aviation ace he had personally promoted to destroy that audacious Jiuqu River airport in one fell swoop, removing this thorn in the Imperial Army’s side.
He had even begun planning how to reward those “heroic” pilots at the post-war victory banquet.
However, reality had given him a cruel and merciless slap!
Over twenty aircraft! More than twenty of the Empire’s most advanced warplanes, including precious Type 97 heavy bombers and the highly anticipated Type 1 “Ki-43 Hayabusa” fighters, had turned into wreckage and thick smoke over Mount Wutai in a mere surprise attack mission!
What pained him even more was that those were excellent pilots the Empire had cultivated at great cost! Each one was a treasure! Their loss was undoubtedly adding insult to injury for the already stretched North China Area Army aviation forces!
And the cause of all this was just an obscure so-called “air force” hastily assembled by a local militia! They were using, reportedly, American-aided fighter aircraft!
“Americans…” Shinozuka Yoshio gnashed his teeth as he muttered the name, his eyes flashing with venomous light.
Although he did not know the model of the American “aid” aircraft, he was certain they must be the latest and most advanced American fighters, otherwise they could not have inflicted such heavy losses on the Imperial aviation forces.
He stood up abruptly and paced irritably back and forth in the office, like a beast trapped in a cage. His mind raced, analyzing the reasons for this disastrous defeat and the possible chain reactions.
First, this failure would undoubtedly greatly damage the 1st Army’s morale.
The ground troops that had just made some progress on the front lines, upon learning that their rear air support had suffered such heavy losses, would inevitably have their combat will affected.
Second, that damned Jiuqu River airport had not only not been destroyed but had become famous due to this “victory”! It was foreseeable that in the coming period, it would hang over the 1st Army like a Sword of Damocles, constantly threatening the army’s rear supply lines and key strongholds.
What troubled him even more was that this suddenly emerged, well-equipped air force had strength far beyond what the 1st Army’s own aviation forces could handle. If it could not be eliminated quickly, the consequences would be unimaginable!
But how to eliminate it? With the 1st Army’s current remaining aviation strength, engaging head-on would be like throwing eggs at a rock, only inviting greater losses.
Shinozuka Yoshio felt a deep sense of powerlessness and frustration. This was a feeling he had never experienced since stepping onto the Chinese battlefield. For the first time, he realized that this war, which seemed to be in the bag, was not as simple as he had imagined. Those seemingly weak Chinese could always erupt with unexpectedly stubborn resistance at certain times.
After much contemplation and weighing the pros and cons, a helpless expression appeared on Shinozuka Yoshio’s face.
He knew that with his current forces alone, he could no longer resolve this thorny problem. He had to request aid from his superiors.
He slowly walked back to the desk, picked up the phone, and said to the operator on the other end in a tone laced with obvious fatigue and reluctance, “Connect me… to North China Area Army Headquarters… I want… I want to speak with General Terauchi Hisaichi…”
Yes, he decided to report this mess, along with that shameful battle report, to his direct superior… North China Area Army Commander-in-Chief General Terauchi Hisaichi.
He hoped the Area Army headquarters could mobilize stronger aviation forces or draw elites from other theaters to thoroughly eradicate the heart-wrenching threat of Jiuqu River.
Although doing so meant he would bear full responsibility for the command failure and operational defeat, possibly affecting his future career, at this moment, he could not care less. Nothing was more important than quickly mitigating the adverse effects of this failure.
When General Terauchi Hisaichi’s slightly hoarse and authoritative voice came clearly through the military phone line to the 1st Army headquarters in Taiyuan, Shinozuka Yoshio felt his heart about to jump out of his throat.
He gripped the cold receiver tightly, his palms sweating from tension, and his back already soaked with cold sweat. He knew that what he would face next was bound to be a storm of rebuke from his superior.
“Shinozuka-kun, you had better give me a reasonable explanation! Why, why did the Empire’s most elite aviation force suffer such heavy losses at a small Jiuqu River?
Over twenty aircraft! Do you know what that means?! It means the Area Army’s air superiority across all of North China will be severely weakened because of this! How have you been carrying out your duties as 1st Army Commander?!”
As expected, after listening to Shinozuka Yoshio’s halting, humiliation-filled, and reluctant report, Terauchi Hisaichi fell briefly silent, then unleashed thunderous fury that stung Shinozuka Yoshio’s cheeks.
“Hai! Your Excellency General! This subordinate… this subordinate failed in command and in selecting personnel. Please punish this subordinate, Your Excellency General!” Shinozuka Yoshio’s voice trembled slightly with shame and fear as he bowed deeply, even though Terauchi Hisaichi on the other end could not see it.
In the office, the staff officers and adjutants who had been trembling from Shinozuka Yoshio’s earlier rage now dared not even breathe, wishing they could bury their heads in the ground.
Had they ever seen their usually majestic, unquestionable commander-in-chief in such a humble and wretched state?
Terauchi Hisaichi on the other end of the line did not seem appeased by Shinozuka Yoshio’s admission of guilt.
He continued with stern language, harshly criticizing the 1st Army’s numerous mistakes and follies in this operation—from lapses in intelligence gathering, to underestimating the enemy in tactical planning, to chaos in on-site command—scolding Shinozuka Yoshio mercilessly until he was covered in spittle.
However, for all the scolding, Terauchi Hisaichi was not just a brute who only vented emotions.
As the North China Area Army Commander-in-Chief, what he needed to consider more was how to quickly salvage the adverse effects of this failure and how to deal with that suddenly emerged, well-equipped air force.
After more than ten minutes of “remote reprimand,” Terauchi Hisaichi’s tone finally softened slightly, though still laced with strong dissatisfaction and warning:
“Shinozuka-kun, you must firmly remember this lesson! The Empire’s resources in North China are limited and cannot withstand such repeated squandering by you.
That Jiuqu River airport and that damned air force must be dealt with as soon as possible! Otherwise, it will become our heart-wrenching affliction!”
“Hai! Your Excellency General! This subordinate understands!” Shinozuka Yoshio quickly replied, secretly breathing a sigh of relief in his heart. He knew that once the Commander-in-Chief had vented his anger, it was time to discuss business.
“As for the reinforcements you requested…” Terauchi Hisaichi’s voice carried a hint of obvious fatigue and helplessness, “The Area Army headquarters’ currently available aviation forces are also very tight.
Every battlefield needs air support. I cannot put all the eggs in your basket just because of your one small setback.”
Hearing this, Shinozuka Yoshio’s heart sank again. If the Area Army refused strong reinforcements, what could he use to deal with Su Yaoyang’s air force?
As if sensing Shinozuka Yoshio’s despair, Terauchi Hisaichi paused on the other end, then continued, “However, given the special situation on the Shanxi battlefield and the huge threat posed by that ‘Thunderbolt’ air force, the Area Army headquarters will soon draw some aircraft and experienced pilots from other theaters to supplement you.
But the number will not be large; do not hold high expectations. Moreover, once this batch of reinforcements arrives, you must produce a feasible operational plan in the shortest time to destroy the Jiuqu River airport in one stroke and annihilate that Chinese air force! If there is another mistake, you can apologize to His Majesty the Emperor yourself!”
“Quickly dispatch a batch of aircraft and pilots for supplementation…”
Despite Terauchi Hisaichi’s tone still being harsh and the conditions stringent, for Shinozuka Yoshio at this moment, it was undoubtedly the best outcome! He was like a drowning man grasping a lifesaving straw!
“Hai… Thank you, Your Excellency General! This subordinate… this subordinate will certainly not fail Your Excellency General’s expectations! I will definitely resolve the Jiuqu River issue thoroughly in the shortest time!”
Shinozuka Yoshio was so moved that his voice choked slightly. He bowed deeply again, as if Terauchi Hisaichi were right in front of him.
“Hmph! I hope so.” Terauchi Hisaichi snorted coldly, then said impatiently, “That’s it. I have other matters to handle.” With that, he hung up with a “click.”
Listening to the busy tone from the receiver, Shinozuka Yoshio slowly straightened up, letting out a long breath, feeling as if all his strength had been drained. He slumped in his chair, cold sweat still dripping from his forehead.
Although he had been harshly scolded by his superior and lost all face, he had at least secured a glimmer of hope. As long as new aircraft and pilots were supplemented, he had the confidence and ability to compete with that damned Su Yaoyang again!
