October 9, 1940, Li County, Eighth Route Army Headquarters
"Don't worry, because the First Army also needs time to adjust. In a major attack, especially in the Daitei Battle, the First Army also suffered heavy losses. Yamamoto Kazuki is confident that the balance of combat power between the two sides can be maintained." Kuroshima Morita was just repeating Yamamoto Kazuki What Mu meant, he himself didn't believe it at all. Why should we carry out high-density raids? Isn't it just to curb the development of the Eighth Route Army? Once the Eighth Route Army is given time, the recuperating Eighth Route Army can quickly grow. Relying on its huge population base, the Eighth Route Army's expansion rate will definitely be unmatched by the First Army.
It is said that there are problems with the Japanese army's strategy and tactics, but in terms of high-density raids on base areas, the Japanese army has done an absolutely beautiful job. If nothing else, if Neji Okamura were to command the Bald Eagle troops in 2023, there would be no problem. It has been impossible to defeat Afghanistan in twenty years. To put it bluntly, the intensity of the raids was too low and the troops were too slack, giving the opponent a chance to breathe. Of course, this may also be because they do not want this war to end.
"Yamamoto Kazuki is quite confident." The deputy commander said disdainfully. He must not believe that the Japanese army will really cease the war and give him a year? If Kazuki Yamamoto dared to give the Eighth Route Army a year to recuperate, he would dare to fight some more battles in Peiping, or even continue northward, where he might even encounter the Kwantung Army.
"Where is the ceasefire line? Should the ceasefire remain in place, or should the scope be adjusted?" the deputy chief of staff continued to ask. The current control areas of the Eighth Route Army and the Japanese Army are actually very unclear. Some base areas are larger than before the big break, and some The base area has been compressed a lot. Generally speaking, the area of control of the Eighth Route Army is larger than before the big break. He is worried that Yamamoto Kazuki will ask the Eighth Route Army to withdraw to the control area before the big break. This already involves the territory. Question, this kind of thing cannot be compromised easily.
"Just cease fire in place. The existing strength of the First Army can only control the existing area. However, Yamamoto Kazuki hopes that the lurking personnel in the areas of both sides can also stop sabotage activities, and the arrested personnel of both sides can also be carried out. Exchange, including the 'traitor' in your words." As he spoke, Kuroshima Morita took out a map and pushed it to the deputy chief of staff on the other side. This is a simplified map of the area currently controlled by the First Army. Of course, this map is still There are some discrepancies. After all, according to the tradition of the Japanese army, it is normal to deceive superiors and conceal their subordinates.
"We need time to verify this map." The deputy chief of staff glanced at the map and pushed it to the deputy commander. It was almost exactly as he remembered it, but he couldn't speak easily.
"No problem. In fact, according to our statistics, the First Army will give up about 500 villages and 300 remote strongholds. Many of them are large strongholds close to the base area." Kuroshima Morita Smiling, I couldn't help but add that Yamamoto Kazuki is a practical person. Now that the autumn harvest has been completed, leaving some remote villages with only the old, weak, sick and disabled to the Eighth Route Army is definitely throwing away the burden. , as for the strongholds, they are all strongholds that require a lot of energy to be restrained and have little practical effect. The Eighth Route Army in Jin Province is no longer the former Eighth Route Army. Those crudely built strongholds are simply vulnerable to the Eighth Route Army's attacking firepower. Compared with Instead of leaving it to gain experience for the Eighth Route Army, it is better to withdraw directly and save troops and supplies to do a lot more things.
"Boss, this Yamamoto is really extraordinary." The deputy chief of staff was obviously aware of Yamamoto Kazuki's thoughts, but the problem was that even if they knew that the Japanese had no good intentions, they had no choice, and they certainly could not leave those areas alone. Ah, if that were really done, what would be the difference between the Eighth Route Army and the mountain city government?
"Yamamoto Kazuki means that war is a national policy and we cannot change it. But as soldiers, we can make the people suffer less. Whether we are Japanese or Chinese, it is the same. The First Army It promises that during the armistice period it will never carry out large-scale massacres in the occupied areas, nor will it recruit young men on a large scale again. It can also guarantee that it will control the amount of materials shipped back to the mainland, strictly limit the exploitation of workers by industrial and mining owners, restore the judicial system, and restrict the gendarmerie. And the law enforcement power of the Special High School Division, you two, please believe in the sincerity of the First Army!" Kuroshima Morita added sincerely.
"Heidao, you understand that this kind of thing is not something we can decide. In this way, you can have a good rest in Li County and meet your old friends." The deputy chief of staff said with a smile, especially when mentioning old friends. He consciously emphasized his tone.
"Understood, I'll go right away!" After hearing the words of the deputy chief of staff, Kuroshima Morita couldn't help but feel shocked. Friend, what friends does he have in the base area? It was not Brigadier Chen who "persuaded" him to surrender. In his opinion, that past event was definitely the darkest moment of his life, but naturally, Kuroshima Morita could not always avoid his direct superior.
Just as Yamamoto Kazuki expected, neither Shaanxi nor the Eighth Route Army headquarters could refuse the olive branch he extended. It is a fact that the Eighth Route Army's strength has skyrocketed, but it does not have the strength to completely defeat the Japanese army, and the Japanese army has mastered too much power. If too many civilians really go crazy like Okamura Neji, it will definitely be a disaster. Therefore, after repeated consultations, the deputy commander-in-chief reached a partial armistice agreement with the First Army on behalf of the Eighth Route Army Headquarters.
The specific contents are as follows:
1. Starting from November 1, 1940, the First Army of the Japanese North China Expeditionary Force and the Eighteenth Group Army of the National Revolutionary Army had a comprehensive armistice in Shanxi Province. The armistice agreement ended on October 31, 1941.
Note: This agreement is limited to Shanxi Province and does not include southern Suiyuan and other provinces in China where the jurisdiction of the First Army and the Mongolian Garrison overlap.
2. Both sides promise not to carry out sabotage operations against civilians and infrastructure in areas controlled by the other party during the armistice period.
Note: Infrastructure includes but is not limited to residential construction projects; commercial construction projects; energy and power projects; transportation projects; basic water conservancy projects; post and telecommunications projects; energy supply systems; water supply and drainage systems.
3. Both sides promise not to send more than ten troops to areas controlled by the other party. Once one party violates the agreement, the armistice agreement will be terminated immediately.
4. The First Army of the Japanese North China Expeditionary Force promised not to take any action outside the judicial framework against the people in the control area during the armistice period. It would strictly control the actions of the garrison, strictly enforce military discipline, and strengthen the authority of military courts.
5. Both sides promise not to use illegal means to collect military supplies and property. The target includes ordinary people and collaborators with Japan. Everything must be legal and compliant, well-founded, and recognize the other party's right to observe and protest in special events.
6. Both parties promise not to forcibly recruit men and civilian laborers within the control area. All use of civilian labor must be based on employment, supplemented by corvee labor.
7. The First Army of Japan's North China Expeditionary Force will release no less than 2,000 political prisoners and prisoners of war every month in the next year. It also promises to improve the treatment of prisoners in custody and will no longer torture those whose identities have been identified. .
8. The Eighteenth Group of the National Revolutionary Army will deport anti-Japanese collaborators and their families in the controlled areas out of the country in batches, while allowing them to bring their legal income to ensure their personal safety and health.
9. The aviation forces of both sides strictly control the scale of cross-border reconnaissance operations. Any reconnaissance operation using a formation of more than two aircraft will be regarded as a sabotage of the armistice agreement.
10. The First Army of the Japanese North China Expeditionary Force promised not to use biological and chemical weapons in Shanxi Province, and at the same time disclosed to the 18th Group Army the area where biological and chemical weapons were released before the armistice agreement, and cooperated with the rescue operations for the people.
11. The First Army of the Japanese North China Expeditionary Force promised that the number of freight trains transported from Shanxi Province during the armistice period was lower than that of the previous year, but this does not include goods from other regions transported via Shanxi Province.
12. Both parties promise to restore the judicial system in the control area and respect judicial authority.
13. The First Army of Japan's North China Expeditionary Force will require Japanese companies in the control area to improve the treatment of Chinese employees and strengthen supervision to ensure that employee injuries during the armistice period are not higher than those in the previous year.
14. The First Army of Japan's North China Expeditionary Force canceled the law enforcement rights of the gendarmerie and special higher education institutions over civilians, strictly controlled the activities of other secret service agencies in Shanxi Province, and accepted reports from the Eighth Route Army.
In addition, in order to ensure the normal implementation of the armistice agreement, both sides will station observers in the areas controlled by the other party, but the number of observers and attachés shall not exceed five, and the self-defense weapons and radio stations they carry must be declared.
In addition to the above-mentioned agreement, Kuroshima Morita also reached some other deals with Brigadier Chen. The Kuroshima family used dried abalone produced in Japan to exchange 30,000 tons of cold rice from the Eighth Route Army. This was not a temporary transaction. When Morita Kita was instigating rebellion in Kuroshima, Wang Yue mentioned this matter to Brigadier Chen. Compared with the expensive dried abalone from Shandong Province, the high-end abalone from Japan was also expensive in later generations.
That kind of half-headed or single-headed wild abalone is very rare over there in 2023. Sometimes one can be auctioned for tens of thousands of dollars. Even so, the supply is still in short supply, just like the so-called "Wagyu" and "Korean beef". , has become a cultural symbol of a country, and is by no means as simple as a simple ingredient.
As for the cold rice that was exchanged for Kuroshima Morita, it was obtained by Chen Xi from Libi Country in the name of feed. If the rice from Heilongjiang Province that has been stored for more than five years is produced in the country, it is not even allowed to make pig feed. gadgets used,
But this kind of re-polished and waxed rice looks better than most rice in 1940. With the specially formulated essence, this aged grain can actually exude the fragrance of new rice, although it certainly cannot. It was given to the Eighth Route Army and could be sold to the Japanese. Wang Yue said he had no pressure.
Such good rice, not to mention being eaten by Chinese people, even ordinary Japanese soldiers cannot eat. The final destination of this rice can only be transported back to the mainland and then put into the market to bring good news to the Japanese people.
Some people died, but not completely...
