usatvline Chapter 2084 The Death of Lady Wang
Chapter 2084 The Death of Lady Wang
Chapter 2084 The Death of Lady Wang
“The United States of America has the world’s most powerful industrial base,” said Heitaro Imamura. “In peacetime, this may not seem like much, but once war breaks out, this strong industrial base becomes the most solid foundation for a country to support a war.”
Cheng Qianfan's expression was complicated, and he remained silent.
“There’s one more important point,” Heitaro Imamura said, shaking his head. “The United States has such a good geographical location. On that continent, no country can challenge the United States’ position. At the same time, being separated by a vast ocean means that even if it participates in a war, the American mainland can stay away from the flames of war.”
He looked at Kentaro Miyazaki and asked, "Kentaro, do you know what this means?"
"This means that it will be very difficult for the Empire to attack the American mainland and destroy its war potential," Cheng Qianfan said after careful consideration.
Heitaro Imamura glanced at his student, seemingly surprised that Kentaro Miyazaki would answer the question from this angle. However, after thinking about it, he realized that Kentaro's answer was not without merit.
"This means that even if this global war ends, it may still be unknown who the ultimate loser will be," Heitaro Imamura sighed. "But the Americans will definitely be the winners of this war."
Cheng Qianfan stared wide-eyed at Imamura Heitaro, seemingly unable to believe these words came from his teacher. "Teacher, do you mean the Americans can't possibly lose? The Empire, the Empire..."
“Kentaro, given the current situation,” Imamura Heitaro said, “the best outcome for the Empire would be to inflict a severe defeat on the Americans and make them willing to return to the negotiating table with the Empire.”
Cheng Qianfan's eyes were filled with disbelief, and he kept shaking his head.
Heitaro Imamura sighed. He knew that this might be unacceptable to the student who had always believed in the imperial army's might and its ability to sweep across the world.
"Kentaro, the reason I'm telling you this today is to encourage you to open your eyes to the world and pay more attention to the international situation. We should have confidence in the Empire, but we cannot be blindly optimistic. The Empire needs clear-headed people who can see the world clearly, so that our country can have hope."
“Teacher…” Cheng Qianfan looked up at Imamura Heitaro, his eyes filled with confusion. “I don’t understand. I… I don’t believe it.”
Heitaro Imamura gave a wry smile. Yes, why was he talking about these things with this young man, Kentaro?
He shook his head; he was simply tormented. The more clear-headed a person is, the more painful it is.
……
Leave Imamura Mansion.
Cheng Qianfan's eyes gleamed with excitement.
Previously, despite the Japanese army's defeats in the Pacific theater, Imamura Heitaro had never been so frustrated.
Even at the beginning, for example, when the Japanese were defeated at the Battle of Midway and the Japanese whitewashed their results, Heitaro Imamura tacitly approved of this and did not explain the truth of the results to his student.
But this time is different.
He could tell, of course, that Imamura Heitaro was out of sorts, or rather, that he just wanted to talk to someone.
His student was undoubtedly a suitable person; after all, at Imamura Heitaro's level, he absolutely could not say such discouraging things to others.
Of course, from another perspective, Kentaro Miyazaki is not a suitable listener, after all, this is not in line with the identity of Heitaro Imamura.
All I can say is that Heitaro Imamura's mind is in turmoil.
As a rising star in the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a senior diplomat who has always maintained a certain level of clarity, Heitaro Imamura is undoubtedly the one most capable of clearly perceiving the changes in the war situation.
At the same time, this also precisely illustrates how unfavorable the war situation was for the Japanese.
A genuine smile spread across Cheng Qianfan's lips.
"Brother Fan, what's wrong? What's making you so happy?" Li Hao asked Brother Fan as he drove, glancing at the rearview mirror.
"Haozi, the Japanese have suffered another defeat in the Pacific theater. Their day of destruction is not far off," Cheng Qianfan said.
"That's great!" Li Hao said happily.
……
The tide of battle turned even faster than expected.
On the India-Burma battlefield, the British Indian Army achieved a brilliant victory in the Battle of Imphal.
Of the 100,000 Japanese troops, 73,000 were killed or wounded.
In addition, the Chinese Expeditionary Force also launched a counter-offensive, and the Japanese offensive in Burma completely failed.
The Chinese Expeditionary Force completely stabilized the battlefield situation, and the supply line along the Burma Road was also secured.
In the Pacific theater, the Allied forces achieved victory in the New Guinea campaign.
Australian troops annihilated as many as 120,000 Japanese soldiers in New Guinea, and the Japanese mortality rate from disease was as high as 43%.
It can be said that the situation during the War of Resistance Against Japan was very favorable.
……
"Tang Enbo deserves to die!" Cheng Qianfan said to Lao Huang, his eyes bloodshot. "Traitor to the country!"
The situation of the nationwide War of Resistance Against Japan was very favorable, and the Eighth Route Army behind enemy lines and the New Fourth Army in central Jiangsu had begun to take action to recover lost territory.
Under these circumstances, the Japanese army launched the Henan Campaign.
Tang Enbo's troops suffered a series of defeats, fleeing all the way from Zhengzhou to Luoyang. In thirty-seven days, they lost thirty-eight cities. It was utterly incompetent and utterly shameful!
Most unexpectedly, Tang Enbo's troops committed numerous atrocities in Henan, including arson, murder, and looting, which aroused public outrage. There were even instances where ordinary people would rather tip off the Japanese than let Tang Enbo's troops go unpunished.
"You can curse him until you're hoarse, but you won't be able to hurt Tang Enbo in the slightest," Old Huang sneered. "He's a good student of Principal Chang. Just watch, he'll be routed and lose territory, while this Commander Tang will be completely unscathed."
The facts are just as Lao Huang described.
People from Henan hung a huge banner at the gates of Luoyang that read, "We'd rather have the Japanese army burn and kill than have the Tang army stationed there!"
A thousand Henan gentry members jointly filed a complaint:
Henan Province, across the land, is plagued by floods, droughts, and locusts, with the Tang Dynasty being particularly hard hit
Professor Wen of Southwest Associated University passionately declared in a speech: Such a general deserves to be torn to pieces; killing him is not enough to appease public anger.
The front page of Ta Kung Pao stated bluntly:
If Tang Enbo doesn't die, China will perish!
Tang Enbo's actions not only aroused public resentment, but also caused widespread discontent within the National Revolutionary Army.
Two members of the Guangxi clique, along with representatives from various departments, submitted a proposal to the Military Commission, demanding that Tang Enbo be tried by a military court.
However, Chiang Kai-shek vetoed the proposal with a single word.
Subsequently, the Central Military Commission issued a notice that the commander of the 13th Army and the Luoyang Garrison Commander were made scapegoats and punished, while Tang Enbo escaped unscathed.
The whole country was in an uproar.
Even Americans couldn't stand by and watch this happen.
An American journalist questioned Chiang Kai-shek: Why was his general harming the people in Henan Province while the Eighth Route Army was distributing grain and providing disaster relief in the Taihang Mountains?
Chiang Kai-shek stormed off, accusing the American journalists of being misled by rumors.
……
Cheng Qianfan never imagined that the massive defeat in Henan was just the beginning.
Then came one bad news after another.
In August, Hengyang fell. General Fang's troops ran out of ammunition and food and had no choice but to break out. Of the 12,000 Nationalist soldiers, only one in ten survived.
In September, Guilin and Liuzhou suffered a major defeat.
The Japanese army's 37th, 40th and 58th elite divisions, along with more than 10 troops from the Kwantung Army, advanced south along the Xiang-Gui Railway, heading straight for Quanzhou, the northern gateway to Guangxi, and pressing towards Guilin City.
At a critical moment, Chiang Kai-shek suddenly changed the funding plan for the defense of Guilin, and the construction of the fortifications could not continue. However, Chiang Kai-shek still gave the Guilin garrison the order to "hold out for three months."
In the end, the defending troops put up a desperate resistance, but were outnumbered.
Furthermore, the fall of Guilin can be attributed to human error, as the funds for Guilin's city defenses were embezzled, and the cement used was of insufficient grade and crumbled upon impact.
Soon after, Liuzhou fell, and the Japanese army approached Dushan in Guizhou.
In just a few months, along a 1,500-kilometer front from Zhengzhou to the Guangxi border, the Nationalist army was routed, suffering more than 500,000 casualties, losing 146 cities in seven provinces, totaling 200,000 square kilometers, with 60 million compatriots falling into enemy hands and millions of civilians dying.
Furthermore, the defeat of the National Revolutionary Army directly led to the destruction of 36 US airfields in China, the temporary loss of air superiority, and the cessation of land-based aid to China.
“It’s a disgrace!” Cheng Qianfan said through gritted teeth. “While the entire anti-war zone was reporting victories, only the Chinese battlefield, only the Nationalist army battlefield, was in complete rout. It was a rout unlike anything we’ve ever heard of.”
"Calm down, calm down." Song Fuguo tossed a cigarette to Cheng Qianfan and advised, "The Japanese army's so-called Operation Ichi-Go did indeed gather the strongest forces they could muster. This is not a fault of the army."
"Is it not a fault of war?" Cheng Qianfan sighed.
He took the cigarette, lit it, took a deep drag, and sighed, "I'm just doing this because I feel sorry for the principal."
"The principal's achievement of securing a top-four finish for our country in Egypt was no small feat," Cheng Qianfan said. "This battle... sigh..."
"Alright, let's not dwell on the past," Song Fuguo said. "The Japanese army's temporary victory cannot cover up their decline."
“That’s true.” Cheng Qianfan shook his head and said, “The defeats in Henan, Hunan and Guangxi were like giving the Japanese a forced breather. You didn’t see it, but people in Nanjing were in a state of panic before. After the Japanese achieved the so-called victory of Operation Ichi-Go, they all seemed to have come back to life.”
“They’re just clowns; they’re like grasshoppers in autumn, they won’t be able to hop around for much longer,” Song Fuguo said.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
Song Fuguo looked at Cheng Qianfan.
Cheng Qianfan gestured to Song Fuguo not to worry, then went to the door. "What is it?"
"Brother Fan, it's me," Li Hao said. "Urgent telegram from Nanjing."
Cheng Qianfan opened the door.
Li Hao saluted Song Fuguo, then handed the telegram to Cheng Qianfan.
Cheng Qianfan unfolded the telegram and began to read it.
His expression suddenly changed, and then he looked at Song Fuguo.
"What's wrong?" Song Fuguo asked.
“Wang Tianhai is dead,” Cheng Qianfan said, a smile appearing on his face. “Wang died in Tokyo.”
"Really?" Song Fuguo was overjoyed and stood up abruptly.
“That’s right!” Cheng Qianfan nodded. “The Japanese have officially notified the Nanjing puppet regime.”
He sneered and said, "When the news of Wang's death was sent to Nanjing, Nanjing was holding a birthday banquet for Zhou Liang. What a wonderful day."
"Great!" Song Fuguo said happily, then snorted coldly, "He died just like that, which is too easy for Wang Tianhai."
He looked at Cheng Qianfan and said, "It seems you're going to Nanjing."
"No rush." Cheng Qianfan slowly shook his head. "This matter is still in the secret stage. We'll wait for notification from Nanjing."
He looked at Song Fuguo and said, "Commander Song, Wang is dead. At such a joyous moment, we should do something to celebrate with heaven."
"This matter still needs careful discussion," Song Fuguo said thoughtfully. "Wang Tianhai is dead. At such a sensitive time, the Japanese and puppet regime will definitely strengthen their vigilance. We cannot let our guard down."
"Commander Song is indeed very thoughtful," Cheng Qianfan exclaimed. "I'm still not composed enough."
"You, you," Song Fuguo said, pointing at Cheng Qianfan with a smile.
My old subordinate is known for his caution in his work, so how could he have really lost his composure like this?
……
Zhabei.
Cao Yu stood at his door and took out his keys to open it.
The moment the door opened, his eyes narrowed, and he reached for the pistol at his waist.
"Don't move!" a hoarse voice said.
"Yes, raise your hands."
Cao Yu obediently raised his hands, and then the other party removed the pistol from his waist. The door was then closed and bolted shut.
“Brother, if you’re after money, I, Cao, am quite wealthy and will certainly not let you leave empty-handed,” Cao Yu said.
"It seems Captain Cao has made a fortune in Shanghai over the years." As he spoke, he turned on the incandescent light.
"It's you?" Cao Yu was shocked when he saw the uninvited guest in the room, then his face lit up with joy. "Brother Bai, it really is you!"
"Yes, I came uninvited," said the chubby man. "Is Captain Cao thinking about how to capture me so he can give me to Wan Haiyang to claim credit for his services?"
"Brother Bai, what are you saying?" Cao Yu said with a wry smile. "Could it be that Brother Bai doubts my loyalty to the Party and the State?"
"You can know a person's face but not their heart. All these years have passed, who knows if you, Captain Cao, are a man or a ghost?" the chubby man laughed.
"Alright." Cao Yu ignored the gun pointed at him and plopped down on the stool. "That scared me to death. I thought it was my enemies coming after me."
Seeing this, the chubby man smiled and put away his short gun.
The two looked at each other for a few moments, then laughed and hugged each other.
"Brother Bai."
"Brother Cao."
……
"That order from Commander Zhao back then really got me into trouble," Cao Yu said with a wry smile.
Zhao Yannian secretly ordered him to betray Wang Kangnian, so as to gain leverage over Wang Kangnian's direct superior, Wu Shanyue, and bring him down.
Unexpectedly, Wang Kangnian betrayed the party so quickly, and Wu Shanyue betrayed it even faster, which directly led to the rapid dismantling of the Shanghai branch of the Party Affairs Investigation Department by the Japanese.
Even Zhao Yannian, the mastermind behind all this, had to flee Shanghai in a sorry state. Qin Detai, the deputy district head of Shanghai who had been hiding well, was betrayed by Wu Shanyue and had to evacuate overnight.
Cao Yu was also regarded as a major traitor of the Party Affairs Investigation Department, bearing so much infamy.
“Commander Zhao knows about your grievances,” the chubby man said. “Even Commander Xue later learned that your heart was with Cao Cao but your body was with Han, and he greatly admired your willingness to serve in the enemy camp.”
"Commander Xue knows me too?" Cao Yu was shocked.
“Of course it’s true,” the chubby man said. “Cao Yu, listen to my command.”
Cao Yu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly stood up.
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