The principal thought that since this little bandit had become powerful, it would be difficult to bring him under his direct control.
The methods used to win over people are nothing more than soft and hard tactics. The soft side is to lure them with benefits and promise them high-ranking officials and generous salaries.
But this little bandit doesn’t seek a high official position, nor does he seek wealth (it’s not that he doesn’t seek wealth, it’s that you can’t afford to give him the money he asks for! How much do you have to give to a man with a net worth of tens of millions to satisfy him?)
Hard measures are nothing more than restraining them with national justice and administrative means, or even using the army to frighten them. But now that the mountain is high and the emperor is far away, neither the government nor the army can reach in. What's more, there is still the eyeing King of Shanxi. To protect him, the country is currently facing internal and external troubles. It will be difficult to deal with things if they get too big, so they can't be tough.
Damn you, why did this little bandit turn into a hedgehog all of a sudden? It’s so hard to swallow!
But the principal just changed his mind and stopped worrying about the matter. There are so many major issues in the country that he needs to consider now. These things for Zhou Wen are not worth spending too much energy on. Anyway, the future is long, so just take care of it slowly.
But those who deserve praise should still be rewarded, and those who should be publicized should also be publicized. After all, they represent the Military Commission and the Party Headquarters, and they have inspired the people, right?
Besides, aren't you still sent by the Military Commission? In the end, the credit must go to the Military Commission for its good deployment. I, the principal, commanded it well, didn't I?
But if it’s an affordable reward, let’s put it aside for now and figure it out slowly.
…
Not to mention how domestic newspapers and various news channels reported and publicized the Yunzaobang victory in the next few days (you read that right, the Nanjing Military Commission and the propaganda department have called the Zhaojiaqiao ambush the Yunzaobang victory).
It is only said that Zhou Wen led the brothers of the mercenary group to the front line again the day after the victory at Yunzaobang.
Of course, this time it is not because another major battle breaks out again, but because the Japanese army wants to reverse the unfavorable situation of losing troops and generals and low morale, and at the same time is worried that the Chinese army will take an offensive posture due to insufficient troops, they simply use offense instead of defense to attack China. Squadron-level attacks were launched at all key points defended by the army.
It has to be said that although the Japanese army suffered unprecedented blows and losses in Yunzaohama, it still showed its strength and cleverness. This also shows that as the former enemy commander of the Japanese army, Shimomoto Xiongmi's command ability is indeed extraordinary.
In this unfavorable situation, Major General Shimomoto Xiongmi still commanded the Japanese army to maintain a vigorous offensive. Of course, the purpose was not to achieve a comprehensive victory, and he did not even have any illusions about a partial victory.
The purpose of his attack was considered from both political and tactical aspects. Politically, of course, he wanted to reverse the negative impact of Zhaojiaqiao's defeat, alleviate various political and public opinion pressures from domestic and international countries, and let Japan and the world see it. Look at the indomitable and invincible spirit of the Imperial Japanese Army. At the same time, I want to tell the Chinese army that even if I suffer a defeat and lose nearly a thousand troops, I can still make you breathless.
The tactics are even more clever. He wants to take advantage of the Chinese army's heavy deployment in frontline defense positions. Under the deterrence of Japanese aircraft and artillery, the mobilization of troops is slow and the lack of effective offensive methods and other weaknesses. Adopt a full-line offensive posture to hold back the main force of the Chinese army, unable to mobilize and assemble calmly, making it difficult to concentrate superior forces to launch an attack on the weak areas of the Japanese army.
As long as it can be delayed for a few days and reinforcements from the Japanese Ninth Division arrive, the situation will naturally return to its previous situation or even become more advantageous.
The headquarters of the 19th Route Army naturally saw the Japanese army's intentions, but limited to the capabilities of the 19th Route Army, it can only fight at the moment. It just orders all frontline departments to be more vigilant and ensure that the frontline positions are not lost. Anyway, Nanjing Reinforcements will also arrive soon.
Therefore, the Japanese attack was of course unable to charge as hard as before and capture the 19th Route Army position. Instead, it stopped at a certain distance and used various firepower to suppress the Chinese army's position, using long-distance precision. Shooting and powerful support firepower maintain high-intensity pressure on the defensive positions of the 19th Route Army, making it impossible for you to defend and attack.
It has to be said that the Japanese tactics were very targeted against the 19th Route Army. The combat distance of about 200 meters made the shooting effect of most soldiers of the 19th Route Army basically ineffective. It was a pure waste of bullets. However, the quality of the Japanese army's individual soldiers is very good at this distance. If you use machine gun fire to suppress it, the Japanese grenade launchers hiding behind the bunker will completely silence your machine gun in minutes.
Therefore, although it was clear that the Chinese army had just won a great victory and had gained a good strategic and military advantage in the direction of Yunzaobang, it was confounded by the Japanese army's tactics that were as sticky as brown sugar. Unbearable, the soldiers on the front line were overwhelmed by the Japanese firepower and could not hold their heads up.
In response to the Japanese army's brown sugar tactics, the 19th Route Army headquarters really didn't have a good way to deal with it for a while.
But Zhou Wen has a way.
Ever since Zhang Ermao died due to lack of battlefield experience, Zhou Wen already knew that he was a little overprotective of the new recruits of the mercenary group.
Battlefield experience can only be accumulated through battles, and battles inevitably involve casualties. The usual training and equipment can only reduce the probability of casualties but cannot guarantee that there will be no casualties.
The type of battle that Zhou Wen taboos is the type where both sides fight for the best and never retreat until death. It's not that he and his brothers are afraid of death, but as the old saying goes, it's a question of whether it's worth it. If you think about it, soldiers who spend countless funds and time, receive the most rigorous training, and use the most advanced individual equipment to compete with enemies who have the advantage of aircraft and artillery will not do it even if they are mentally retarded.
Now the Japanese army's brown sugar tactic is just right for Zhou Wen's appetite. Zhou Wen was still struggling with how to train the recruits at first. Now the Japanese army's tactic is just right. They really get what they want.
We brothers are the ancestors of long-distance shooting.
Therefore, Zhou Wen immediately made a request to the 19th Route Army headquarters to join the battle on the front line.
Of course, Zhou Wen's plan was not to use the mercenary group as a separate military unit to fight, which would easily be subject to targeted retaliation from Japanese aircraft and naval guns.
Think about it, if a mercenary group of more than a thousand people specializes in fighting in a certain area, according to their combat effectiveness, even if most of them are new recruits, the mercenary map has excellent commanders, complete equipment, and well-trained training. If you inflict a large number of casualties on the Japanese army from the beginning, it would be too conspicuous and it would be very easy for the Japanese army to attack them in a targeted manner.
What's more, after the victory at Yunzaobang, the Japanese army already knew that there was such a powerful Chinese army and was looking for an opportunity to retaliate. Why did you send it to your door yourself?
