Chapter 42 Chapter 41: Taking a Step Back Is Not a Good Chinese Man

Yalta, at the southern tip of the Crimean Peninsula, has beautiful scenery. From February 4th to 11th, 1945, the leaders of the Soviet Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom Stalin, Roosevelt, Churchill and their senior staff gathered here to discuss the post-war European situation and the war against Japan. Although the war-torn people in this world did not realize that the nightmare would finally end in 1945, the politicians who dominated the war process had already judged that 1945 would be the year when the world political situation would change because of the end of the war. A historic year of major change.

The downfall of Germany and Japan was imminent. The gathering of the leaders of the Soviet Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom was actually a pre-arranged bargaining agreement for the distribution of post-war interests.As an important party in the war against Japan, China was not invited to participate in the Yalta Conference.At the time of the Cairo Conference, China was listed as one of the four major powers in the world because it needed China’s vast land and many lives to support the war against Japan. Now the victory of the war is no longer in doubt. China was excluded from the distribution.In the eyes of the big powers, apart from enduring suffering, bearing losses and making sacrifices, China simply does not have the qualifications of a "big country" to divide the interests of the world.

The meeting first recognized the United States, Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and China as permanent members of the United Nations, and established the principle of unanimous consent of the permanent members on substantive issues; the meeting decided that the Soviet Union, the United States, Britain, and France would occupy Germany after the war, and Germany would not be allowed to own The army, Germany must pay war reparations; the meeting determined that the eastern border of Poland is roughly based on the Curzon Line (that is, the border between Su and Poland is divided by the Bug River), and Poland was agreed to obtain new territories in the east and north.The U.S. and British Joint Staff also determined the final timetable for the war process: the earliest time for defeating Germany was July 1, 1945, and the latest was December 31, 1945; The time was eighteen months after the victory over Germany.

On the fourth day of the meeting, discussions began on the Pacific battlefield. Because Japan still has a considerable number of troops in China and its mainland, and attacking the Japanese mainland is the stated goal of the United States. Given the low combat capability of the Chinese army, the United States no longer expects the Chinese army to cooperate with the US military to attack the Japanese mainland.Therefore, when Roosevelt left Washington for Yalta, Marshall made it clear that to conquer the Japanese army, especially the elite Kwantung Army stationed in Northeast China, the United States would have to pay the price of hundreds of thousands of casualties if the Soviet army did not send troops.Therefore, the United States must pull the Soviet Union into the camp of fighting against Japan.

The British believed that no matter how the interests were redistributed, the colonies of the British Empire around the world could not be lost.On this issue, however, the British were handicapped by the Americans.Americans think: "exploit the resources of India, Burma, Java, take away the wealth of those countries, but never give them anything back, such as education, decent standard of living, minimum health care, etc" and do so "Negiates the value of providing some kind of organizational structure for peace before it begins".Roosevelt said: "The colonial system means war" and suggested that the colonies be temporarily managed by the United Nations.Churchill was very angry, saying that Roosevelt was disintegrating the British Empire: "Under any circumstances, I will not agree to allow forty or fifty countries to meddle in the survival of the British Empire! As long as I am still Prime Minister, I will never put Britain's Hand over the hereditary property, not a single bit!" At the same time, the British reminded the Americans to be extremely vigilant against the possible excessive interest claims made by the Soviet Union. The most important thing is that the Soviet Union is likely to reach out to China's territory - Tsarist Russia's peeping and seizure of Chinese territory in modern times is well known to the world - this will arouse China's dissatisfaction and trigger new international disputes.

The attitude of the Soviets was simple and clear: if the special rights and interests of the Soviet Union to Japan, Outer Mongolia, the Korean Peninsula, and China could not be satisfied, even if the United States would shed blood in the process of finally solving Japan, it would be difficult for the Soviet Union to openly declare war on Japan.The population of the Soviet Union was not large, and more than 20 million people were killed or injured in the war with Germany. The Soviet Union and Japan had no disputes in this war. If they went to war against Japan, they had to have a reason that was justifiable to the Soviet people.

Roosevelt drew the topic in a circle, saying that the staff in Washington believed that if B-29 bombers were used to carry out intensive bombing of the Japanese mainland, the U.S. military might make Japan surrender without landing on the Japanese mainland.Stalin immediately interrupted him and asked a straightforward question: If you want the Soviet Union to declare war on Japan, you can just say so, but you must explain what the terms of the exchange are. Thus, Roosevelt and Stalin discussed the prerequisites for the Soviet Union's war against Japan: Outer Mongolia's independence from China; Japan's return of lands occupied in the Russo-Japanese War - southern Sakhalin Island (Sheye Island), the Kuril Islands, and China's Lushun and the Port of Dalian; the Soviet Union must regain control of the railways in Northeast China, while ensuring the various rights and interests of the Soviet Union in Northeast China.

Roosevelt stated that the Soviet Union had no problem acquiring Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.As for maintaining an ice-free port in the Far East, is it possible to lease Dalian Port from the Chinese, or turn China’s Dalian Port into an international free port?Stalin was noncommittal on the idea, but reiterated the need to have control over the railways in Northeast China.Roosevelt believed that this request was not too much, and suggested that China lease the operating rights of the Northeast Railway to the Soviet Union, or set up a Sino-Soviet joint committee to jointly operate and manage it.

The aforementioned deal between Roosevelt and Stalin was negotiated behind Churchill's back. When the British got the draft agreement, Foreign Secretary Eden immediately said that Roosevelt and Stalin's behind-the-scenes dealings were "a disgraceful by-product of the meeting."Only, Churchill did not protest. —England does not intend to participate in the final bloody battle against Japan.Besides, Stalin wanted something from the Chinese, not the British. Roosevelt said that Chiang Kai-shek needs to be informed about China's issues, but at the same time, he hinted that if the Chinese people know in advance, there will definitely be troubles. ——"One of the troubles in dealing with the Chinese is that no matter what they say to them, they will broadcast it to the whole world in less than twenty-four hours." In this regard, Stalin's attitude is: "For the time being, there is no need to talk to China. .”

"The Soviets were bribed to do something they wanted to do very much. Once Germany was crushed, the Soviet Union would not take any risks at all to attack the beleaguered Japan, and it would not require much blood and material expenditure." ——Stalin finally made a concession : China's Dalian can become a free port under the control of the international community, but Lushun must be under the control of the Soviet Union, because the Soviet Union wants to use it as a naval base in the Far East. The Yalta Conference is over. A few months after the end of the Yalta Conference, the US government notified the Chinese side of the content of the "Yalta Agreement" through Hurley.

Yalta Agreement In February 1945, the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union met in Yalta.During the meeting, Stalin proposed the conditions for the Soviet Union to participate in the Pacific War. After several discussions, the agreement was as follows: The leaders of the three powers of the Soviet Union, the United States of America, and Great Britain have reached an agreement that within two or three months after the surrender of Germany and the end of the European War, the Soviet Union will side with the Allies and participate in the war against Japan on the following conditions: 1. The status quo in Outer Mongolia (Mongolian People's Republic) should be maintained. 2. The rights and interests formerly owned by the Soviet Union, which were infringed by the treacherous Japanese attack in 1904, should be restored.These rights are as follows: (1) The small islands in the south of Sakhalin and its vicinity should be returned to the Soviet Union. (2) Dalian Port should be internationalized.The superior rights and interests of the Soviet Union in this port should be guaranteed, and the Soviet Union should still be allowed to lease Lushun Port as a naval base. (3) The Middle East Railway and the South Manchuria Railway, which export from Dalian, should be jointly operated by a Sino-Soviet company.The superior rights and interests of the Soviet Union on this road should be protected.China should still retain sovereignty over Northeast China. 3. The Kuril Islands should be taken over by the Soviet Union. The above agreements concerning Outer Mongolia, the ports, and the railways should be approved by the Generalissimo. According to the proposal of Marshal Stalin, President Roosevelt should take action to obtain the approval of the Generalissimo. The leaders of the three powers agreed to these demands of the Soviet Union, which should undoubtedly be realized after Japan's defeat. The Soviet Union has expressed its readiness to conclude a Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship and Alliance with the Chinese Nationalist Government in order to assist China and its armed forces and free China from Japan's fetters. Chiang Kai-shek told Hurley: China's territorial, sovereign and administrative integrity must be ensured. But in fact, the "Yalta Agreement" had already been signed. If China publicly opposed it, it would face the situation of losing military aid from the United States and the Soviet Union not participating in the war against Japan. In private, Chiang Kai-shek was very angry: China's independence, unity, freedom and democracy require the work of "friends" and "agreement from Britain and Russia", which is a shame to the country. ——"The country is not self-reliant, the people are not self-improvement, the universe is so big, there is still a place for our nation to survive? Can you not be afraid?" The reason why the Soviet Union put forward the claim of power, in addition to the inherent logic of hegemony and expansion, was that the United States, which could not independently complete the final blow against Japan, had to draw the Soviet Union into the war against Japan.On the Chinese anti-Japanese battlefield, China and the United States were allies, but the performance of the Chinese army on the battlefield made it impossible for the United States to regard the Chinese army as an ally that could fight side by side. ——When China has gone through an arduous war of resistance and is about to usher in victory, not only is it unable to guarantee or even obtain the interests due to the victorious country, but it has become the object of rights and interests being invaded. This is undoubtedly an intolerable shame for the Chinese people. In early 1945, the prospect of war seemed to the Japanese almost hopeless: 1. In the future, the enemy will quickly and directly increase the military pressure on the core areas of Japan, Manchuria, and China, and the remaining strongholds in the southern areas and the Pacific Ocean will be completely isolated. 2. It is estimated that Japan will be able to carry out war in an organized manner. Even if all efforts are made, it may only be limited to the middle of Showa 20 (1945). After that, the combat methods and war guidance may have to be quickly changed. guerrilla warfare.As long as the domestic situation continues to develop according to the status quo, various defects in war guidance will inevitably be exposed. 3. From the perspective of Japan, it is estimated that the time that Germany can continue to maintain, even under the most favorable circumstances, can only be limited to the middle of Showa 20 (1945).However, even if Germany collapses and the enemy's military forces in East Asia, I am afraid that there will be no major changes anytime soon. 4. It is estimated that the Soviet Union will definitely abolish the Japan-Soviet Neutrality Treaty, but it will never participate in the war against Japan or provide bases to the United States until the end of the war against Germany (around mid-1945). 5. Japan expects the United States, Britain, the Soviet Union, and Chongqing to have a crack in the current war cooperation. This seems impossible at present. Sixth, in order to ensure that the countries and nationalities of Greater East Asia assist Japan in fighting, it will eventually be necessary to use force to control it.Based on the above views, the conclusion is that it is already very difficult for Japan to use diplomatic means to reverse the world situation. Based on the above judgments, the Japanese base camp discussed two different war guidance plans: one is to continue the decisive battle and fortify the Chinese battlefield until the opponent gives up the will to fight; the other is to abandon the decisive battle and stick to the Chinese battlefield to prepare for a long-term protracted war .The two plans of the Japanese are actually a strategy, that is, to achieve a protracted war on the Chinese battlefield. ——You must know that when Japan launched a war to invade China, protracted war used to be the resistance strategy of the Chinese people. Finally, the Japanese base camp decided to implement the first plan, that is, to continue the decisive battle. However, the information of the Yalta Conference quickly spread to Tokyo, which was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue for the Japanese: it was originally expected that the Soviet Union would not declare war on Japan in the Far East due to the "Japan-Soviet Neutrality Treaty". We will never forget the defeat in the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. Not only will we have to avenge our past humiliation, but we must also regain all the lost rights and interests.Then, once the Soviet Union fights against Japan, Japan will be under the attack of China, the United States, and the Soviet Union. Not to mention the exhausted war resources, damaged weapons and equipment, and the shortage of troops that can no longer be replenished, it is whether the mainland can keep the capital. It's a question I dare not answer. In view of the imagining of the approaching desperation, the Japanese base camp was extremely at a loss: in 1945, the US military would land on the Japanese mainland without any scruples; Soviet tank groups and cavalry groups would rush into East Asia, including mainland China and the Korean Peninsula; after China has received more and more military assistance from its allies, it will surely carry out a large-scale counterattack against the Japanese army——“Especially, Yan’an’s activities against our occupied areas will become more and more intensified.” In this way, the Japanese army All the areas in China that were occupied at a huge price, including the "Manchukuo" in Northeast China, will be lost, and the remaining military forces will have to return to the mainland to fight to defend Japan.Then, the dream of the Japanese Empire to expand its territory in modern times will come to naught, and Japan will continue to maintain a tense, crowded and barren state of existence on narrow islands as before. The Japanese army base camp re-formulated the war guidance plan, the core content of which is the local decisive battle: policy The Imperial Army and Navy focused on crushing the main enemy, the U.S. Army's attack, defeating the enemy's combat effectiveness, and ensuring critical areas during the war, so as to dampen the enemy's will to fight in order to achieve the goal of the war. outline 1. Effectively use the existing strategic situation to repel the enemy's attack and quickly establish an independent situation.The so-called independent posture refers to the insight into the changes in future operations, first of all, quickly establish a firm attack posture in the country and in important areas of the mainland that are crucial to the defense of the country. 2. On the Philippine side, fight tenaciously against the main force of the U.S. military on its way to contain the U.S. forces. 3. Pay attention to operations around the East China Sea, and complete combat preparations before February and March.And strengthen the defense of the Ogasawara Islands, including Iwo Jima.It is also necessary to consider the situation where the US military directly attacks the mainland and prepare for it. 4. For the invading U.S. military, use the combat power of the army and navy, especially the aviation force, to defeat the enemy's combat power and smash its attack attempt.As for the combat method of attacking the U.S. military, first use the air force to destroy them at sea as much as possible; then cut off the supply lines of the U.S. troops who landed, and at the same time destroy them with ground forces. 5. The operations on the Chinese mainland have been changed to those in which the U.S. military is the main enemy.Take Shanghai and important areas in southern China as the focus of combat preparations. Sixth, air defense focuses on the defense of the imperial capital and the important production departments and transportation harbor facilities in the mainland. 7. Break through the enemy's blockade and transport fuel to the south.Securing sea traffic between the mainland and the mainland. Eighth, the tactics of surprise attack and "special attack" are the main ones. As far as the Chinese battlefield is concerned, the Japanese are most worried about the landing of the US military. However, there is a huge difference between the judgment of the Japanese army base camp on the situation and that of the Chinese dispatched troops. On November 22, 1944, Neiji Okamura took over as the commander-in-chief of the Chinese Expeditionary Army. As soon as Ningji Okamura took office, he began to plan a battle plan that surprised the base camp: enter Sichuan and capture Chongqing. Neiji Okamura believed that Chiang Kai-shek’s surrender to Japan was only a final blow away: Chongqing government officials were extremely corrupt, internal factions were fighting each other, the economy and finance were on the verge of collapse, and the conflict with the Communist Party was irreconcilable. Everything has been tilted towards it, and the ruling foundation of the national government is showing signs of shaking.Then, Japan should give Chiang Kai-shek another "tight buckle".It is precisely because Japan is facing a crisis in the war situation that it is even more necessary to actively fight in China. ——"The way to win the Great East Asian War today lies in the sacrifice spirit of the young people in the Pacific and making Chongqing surrender. The dispatched army must overcome all difficulties and resolutely carry out the battle to bring Chongqing to surrender." Tokyo does not know where Okamura's courage comes from. As of early 1945, the main force of the Japanese invaders commanded by Neiji Okamura consisted of 25 divisions, of which eight were Type A divisions: the 3rd, 13th, 22nd, 27th, Thirty-ninth, forty-seventh, 104th and 116th divisions; four B divisions: 34th, 40th, 61st and 110th divisions.In addition, the nine C Divisions are the fifty-eighth, fifty-ninth, sixtieth, sixty-third, sixty-fourth, sixty-fifth, sixty-eighth, sixty-ninth and seventieth division.There are also four divisions of the 114th, 115th, 117th and 118th divisions.The C and D divisions are mostly composed of new recruits, especially the D divisions, which have inferior weapons and equipment, without artillery, engineering and heavy troops, and are basically useless in field battles. Okamura Ningji explained to the base camp for the attack on Sichuan: 1. Even if the U.S. military wants to land in mainland China, its purpose is to seize the air bases occupied by the Japanese army in preparation for attacking the Japanese mainland. Therefore, the initial deployment of troops will not be very large.Facing the powerful Japanese army on the Chinese battlefield, the landing of the US military had to rely on the Chinese army's counterattack from the interior to cooperate.Therefore, in the battle against the landing of the US military, the main enemy should be the Chinese army, not the US military.If the National Government is forced to collapse before the US military lands, it will be tantamount to smashing the US military's landing plan in half. 2. In view of the huge loss of the Chinese army in the "Operation No. 1" of the Japanese army, although its strength will eventually be restored with the support of the United States, the conditions for carrying out a large-scale counterattack in a short period of time are not yet ripe. It will not be possible until mid-1945.Therefore, this is a good opportunity for the Japanese army to completely overthrow the Chiang Kai-shek regime and destroy the rear of the Chinese War of Resistance before the Chinese army recovers—the sooner the Japanese attack Sichuan, the better for the Japanese army. 3. The various political difficulties faced by Chiang Kai-shek are now becoming more acute.Chiang Kai-shek was resistant to the United States and was dissatisfied with the discrimination and coercion of the United States. At the same time, the opposition between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party became more obvious.So, at least on the issue of dealing with the United States and the Communist Party, Chiang Kai-shek's position is somewhat consistent with that of Japan.Therefore, it is possible, even possible, to combine the military attack on Sichuan with political strategic activities to further alienate Chiang Kai-shek from the Americans and the Communist Party, to make China's internal political situation more chaotic and turbulent, and to disintegrate the national government's will to resist the war. It is necessary to consider attacking Kunming after capturing Chongqing. Fourth, the total strength of the Chinese army has not increased much. If the base camp no longer draws troops from the Chinese battlefield, the Chinese dispatched army can fully achieve its military goal of attacking Chongqing with its current strength.As for the rear supply issue, if the officers and soldiers of the Chinese dispatched army can fight tenaciously without strong rear support like the officers and soldiers on the Pacific islands, then the combat mission of attacking Sichuan can be completed. Neiji Okamura also described to the base camp the "beautiful prospects" after the attack on Sichuan: curbed the US military's attempt to land on the coast of China, shattered the Chinese army's plan to take the opportunity to counterattack; forced the Chinese and American allied forces in Burma to return to the defense, and the Japanese army in Burma would be out of desperation; Chongqing lost its largest base of manpower and material resources, and its army soldiers, ammunition and supplies all lost their sources; the collapse of the Nationalist government made the Local governments in various parts of China began to cooperate with the Japanese army; the pressure of the Chinese battlefield against Japan would be concentrated on the Communist Party's anti-Japanese armed forces, and the Communist Party would collapse due to the enormous pressure it could not bear. ——"In short, the ocean front has come to an end, and the Japanese army on the mainland is about to launch an unprecedented internal battle against the combined combat power of the United States, Britain and China. We must face up to the situation in the mainland battle, and we cannot blindly conduct defensive operations , Instead, we should seize the good opportunities for defeating each of the few remaining places, and boldly and decisively launch an offensive against Sichuan, so that it will help guide the overall war, and we are sure that this is the top priority.” The anxious Okamura Neiji asked his staff to formulate a battle plan for the Sixth Front Army to directly attack Sichuan from Guizhou on the first day of 1945. However, the Tokyo headquarters did not approve Okamura Ningji's plan. ——"Although the commander's plan to attack Sichuan is not unreasonable, in view of the overall strategic situation of the empire and the current state of national power, it is impossible to carry out a two-front battle at the same time in dealing with the relationship between the main enemy and the U.S. Army. Therefore, it is hoped that the dispatched army can Concentrate on strengthening the combat readiness of southeast China for the war against the United States.” In fact, the Sixth Front Army, the main force in the plan to attack Sichuan, did not agree with the operations planned by Neiji Okamura. The remarks of the front army's combat staff were very representative: I think it is really unreasonable to march to Chongqing.When I visited the Eleventh Army a few days ago, I saw the strength table of the Eleventh Army, which shows that it can no longer be compared with the divisions before last year.The combat effectiveness of the current divisions, the first-line divisions, is only equivalent to the combat effectiveness of a regiment.On the contrary, the Chongqing Army is currently using American-style equipment to continuously enrich its combat capabilities and prepare for major operations on this basis.For the front army, now should be the moment of expansion and contraction.Not to mention the entire Chinese war situation, but only in terms of the front of the Sixth Front Army, our combat power has reached its maximum, and it is dangerous to deal with the expected drastic changes in the situation.If we implement the Zhijiang operation, we must abandon the Guiliu area and stick to Hunan, Hubei, and Guangzhou in order to preserve our troops.The so-called fight to Chongqing is unreasonable. As far as the frontal battlefield is concerned, the Japanese invaders must use their large numbers to maintain close contact with China in Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Henan, Hunan, Hubei, Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, Anhui, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other provinces on China's vast territory. The confrontation of the army.Looking at this reality alone, it is also difficult to understand why Okamura Ningji, who has always been scheming, stubbornly believes that he can enter Sichuan and destroy Chongqing without using much force; Can the force ensure that the long confrontation line will not collapse?Neiji Okamura claims to have a deep understanding of China and has a basically accurate estimate of the combat capabilities of the Chinese army.However, he who had commanded the "communist public security war" in North China for a long time, didn't he estimate the millions of anti-Japanese forces already possessed by the Communist Party at this time?If the U.S. military really landed from the coast of China, it is likely that the Communist Party's anti-Japanese armed forces could cooperate with the U.S. military in combat. ——As early as 1944, the U.S. military had communicated with Yan'an on this issue many times, and received a firm commitment from Peng Dehuai, deputy commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army.The Americans did not expect Chongqing to have much effect on the US military at all.So, in the Shandong coast where the Eighth Route Army is active and the central and southeast coastal areas where the New Fourth Army is active, how should Okamura Ningji deal with the two-sided attack of the tenacious Eighth Route Army, the New Fourth Army, and the fierce US military?It is further imagined that once the U.S. lands on the coast of China, not only will the Communist Party’s armed forces fully cooperate, but Chongqing’s troops will also participate in counterattacks from various theaters. Liuzhou also captured Chongqing and even Kunming in one fell swoop. What convincing basis is there on the military? It is worth noting that in its combat guidance, the Japanese Army Base Camp clearly regarded the US military as the "main enemy" and did not pay attention to the Chinese army on the frontal battlefield. After the "Operation No. 1" launched by the Japanese army, hundreds of divisions of the Chinese army on the Henan, Hunan, and Guangxi battlefields were hit to varying degrees, and at least 500,000 people were lost.At the same time, the Nationalist government controlled fewer and fewer complete provinces, and by early 1945, only Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Shaanxi, and Gansu remained in the interior.The reduction of the area under its jurisdiction has led to a significant reduction in the number of troops. In addition to the bad habit of the Kuomintang army on empty pay, the actual strength of many combat divisions is even less than a regiment.Therefore, although the national government's regular army establishment list lists forty group armies, more than 110 armies, more than 310 divisions, and more than 20 cavalry divisions, plus air and naval forces and directly-administered troops in various theaters , the total force was maintained at more than four million. However, after the outbreak of the Pacific War, especially after the opening of the Yunnan-Burma Highway and the "Hump Route", the United States assisted the Nationalist Government to equip eleven U.S. armed forces, namely the second, fifth, eighth, thirteenth, and eighteenth , Fifty-third, Seventy-first, Seventy-fourth, and Ninety-fourth Armies, as well as the new First Army and the New Sixth Army; Forty-sixth, fifty-second, sixtieth, sixty-second armies, etc.Among all the US military units in the Chinese army, the new First, New Sixth, Fifth, Eighteenth, and Seventy-fourth armies have the strongest equipment, and each army has three US military divisions. , directly under the jurisdiction of the Howitzer Regiment, Cavalry Regiment, Engineer Regiment, Armored Regiment, Automobile Regiment, Supplies Regiment, Communication Battalion, Anti-aircraft Machine Gun Battalion, Anti-aircraft Artillery Battalion, Flat-Fire Artillery Battalion, and Secret Service Battalion. Level is the absolute main force in the hands of the national government. At the same time, in the later period of the Battle of Guizhou and Liuzhou, as the Japanese forwards had penetrated into the territory of Guizhou, Chiang Kai-shek put forward the slogan "one inch of mountains and rivers, one inch of blood, one hundred thousand young people and one hundred thousand troops".After joining the army, the patriotic intellectual youths who responded to the call were quickly organized into nine youth divisions, with Luo Zhuoying as the director of training and Jiang Jingguo as the director of the political department. Officers and soldiers generally have a high level of education, and the direct line troops in this direct line have quite strong combat effectiveness. On the battlefield behind enemy lines, the anti-Japanese armed forces led by the Chinese Communist Party launched an unprecedented large-scale counterattack when the Japanese army transferred a large number of troops in North and Central China to the battlefields of Henan, Hunan, and Guangxi for "Operation No. 1".The counterattack on the battlefield behind the enemy expanded the scale of guerrilla warfare, established many new anti-Japanese base areas, and liberated large areas of land behind the enemy.By the beginning of 1945, the anti-Japanese armed forces led by the Communist Party had grown to 910,000 regular troops and 2.2 million militiamen. The liberated areas covered an area of ​​950,000 square kilometers. 100 million.Due to the recovery and development of production in the anti-Japanese base areas, the army's material supply has been greatly improved. Although it still cannot get the support of the Nationalist Government, the quality of weapons and equipment has improved. The enthusiasm of young peasants to join the army has continued to rise. It is not what it used to be, and it has posed a deadly threat to the Japanese invaders. The Japanese invaders could not last long in the Chinese battlefield. Neiji Okamura, who was keen to continue the offensive, immediately set his sights on another direction of China after his plan to enter Sichuan was rejected by the base camp. Neiji Okamura discovered that the Japanese army's operation to open up the mainland communication line left a small tail waiting for him to complete, that is, the southern section of the Guangdong-Han Railway had not yet been opened. The Japanese army's original plan was to open up the southern section of the Guangdong-Han Railway between Hengyang, Hunan and Guangzhou, Guangdong. Start the attack from Hengyang, Lingling and the area north of Guangzhou, wipe out the troops in the seventh war zone and the remaining enemy troops, and occupy and secure the key areas along the southern line of the Guangdong-Han Railway.” However, the bloody battle in Hengyang City seriously delayed time and added With the deterioration of the war situation in the upper Pacific, the base camp had to postpone the capture of the southern section of the Guangdong-Han Railway. Since the southern section of the Guangdong-Han Railway from Hunan to Guangdong was controlled by the Chinese army, the Japanese 23rd Army in Guangdong and the Japanese 11th Army in Hunan were actually separated, and the 23rd Army was isolated between Guangdong and Guangdong. Southeast coastal areas.At the same time, the air bases of the Sino-US joint air force in Suichuan, Ganzhou, Xincheng, Nanxiong and other places also seriously threatened the Japanese invaders and even the Japanese mainland. ——In order to improve the strategic situation of the Japanese army in this area, destroy the air base of the Sino-US joint air force, and especially prevent the possible landing operations of the US military in the future, it is necessary to open up the southern section of the Guangdong-Han Railway. After the Battle of Guiliu, when the Sixth Front Army of the Japanese Army was about to implement the original combat plan, the commander Neiji Okamura was transferred to the commander-in-chief of the Chinese Expeditionary Army, and his successor was General Naozaburo Senbe; He was transferred back to China, and his successor was Lieutenant General Yoshio Yoshizuki, who was transferred from the Japanese Army Garrison in Mongolia.After the personnel adjustments were completed, the situation on the battlefield had already changed: with the help of Chennault, the Chinese side transferred some troops from the Yunnan Expeditionary Force to the inland by air; The troops of the Ninth War Zone also became active, constantly attacking the rear of the Japanese troops who had advanced into Guangxi. The deployment of the Chinese troops along the Guangdong-Han Railway is as follows: the main force of the Xueyue Ninth War Zone is concentrated in Guidong, Rucheng, Yongxing, Chenxian, Guiyang, Changning, Leiyang and Chaling in southeastern Hunan, with a total force of at least There are four armies and twelve divisions, and the distance between the first-line troops and the cordon of the Japanese opposing positions is only a few kilometers; while in the seventh theater of Yu Hanmou in Guangdong, the Chinese army only has the 60th and 65th armies. The theater deploys other troops to guard the Guangdong-Han Railway, and the troops that can be invested will not exceed three armies.Therefore, Neiji Okamura believed that there was no need to worry too much about the quantity and quality of the Chinese defenders along the Guangdong-Han Railway. Naozaburo Okabe, the new commander of the Japanese Sixth Front Army, presided over the formulation of a combat plan to open up the southern section of the Guangdong-Han Railway: policy 1. The Front Army decided to use the 20th Army and the 23rd Army to surprise and occupy the southern part of the Guangdong-Han Railway in mid-January of the 20th year of the Showa era (1945); The U.S. Air Force base in the Sui and Jiangxi regions. 2. The main purpose of this operation is to occupy the main technical facilities on the Guangdong-Han line without damage, and the second is to annihilate the enemy's field troops. 3. The combat period is scheduled to be about two months. Guidance Four, the twentieth army (1) The 40th Division assembled near Dao County and Lingling, and the powerful part assembled near Leiyang, and then the 27th Division assembled near Youxian and Chaling to prepare for battle. (2) Start the operation in mid-January to surprise the occupation of the Guangdong-Han line north of Shaoguan. For this reason, we must make good use of the trained advance team and strive to occupy it without damaging important technical facilities. (3) Order the 27th Division to advance towards the Suichuan and Ganzhou areas and destroy the US Air Force bases in these areas. (4) Together with the 23rd Army Book, the enemy's air base in the Nanxiong area should be destroyed and the local enemies should be wiped out. (5) After the battle is over, it is necessary to ensure the areas along the Guangdong-Han line to the north of the province.In addition, the 27th Division and the 40th Division were transferred to the command of the 23rd Army. 5. Twenty-third Army (1) Place a powerful corps near Qingyuan to prepare for battle. (2) Combat began in mid-January, and the 20th Army should surprise attack and occupy the Guangdong-Han line south of Shaoguan. (3) After occupying Shaoguan, destroy the air base near Nanxiong and wipe out the surrounding enemies. (4) After the battle is over, the Canton-Han line south of the provincial border should be restored.In addition, in order to strengthen the combat readiness against the United States, the 27th Division and the 40th Division were included under the command of the army. 6. Railway Forces The Second Field Railway Team and the Twentieth Army are responsible for occupying the technical facilities of the railway and repairing the Yuehan Line north of Shaoguan. The Twentieth Army should be equipped with the necessary personnel to occupy the technical facilities of the railway. In the above order, a concept has become the focus of repeated emphasis: "strive not to damage important technical facilities". ——The southern section of the Guangdong-Han Railway passes through the Nanling Mountains, and there are a lot of bridges and tunnels along the way. Once they are damaged by the Chinese army during the retreat, it is very difficult to repair them. However, how easy is it for the Japanese army to implement occupation before the Chinese army destroys it? Thus, after entering 1945, the first battle of the Japanese invaders unexpectedly began with collective disguise.This is a trick Okamura Ningji often used when dealing with the armed forces behind the Eighth Route Army in North China: Japanese officers and soldiers only need to wear the clothes of Chinese civilians, and their appearance is not much different from that of Chinese civilians. On January 3, the 40th Division of the Japanese Army started operations from Dao County. The 40th Division had just finished fighting in Guilin, and the officers and soldiers were exhausted. After a short rest, they had not yet recovered their vitality. However, the division still organized four advance teams A, B, C, and D in accordance with Okamura Neiji's instructions.The officers and soldiers of the advancing team all disguised themselves as Chinese civilians, tried their best to conceal their intentions of action, and tried to capture the Guangdong-Han Railway north of Shaoguan and occupy Shaoguan, known as the northern gate of Guangdong, before the Chinese army discovered them and destroyed the railway.At the same time, in order to avoid the reconnaissance and bombing of the joint air force of China and the United States, all the actions of the advance team were carried out at night. The advance team of the 40th Division, dressed in Chinese civilian clothes, "along the Shuyan Road, Siyan Bridge, Zhihuaping, Piandongzhongdong, Huangshapu, and Huangzhupu road areas, first marching southeast and crossing the provincial border. Then, advance towards the southwest of Pingshi via Dayuan-Hongmiaojiao-Dongyuanbao. Then advance separately, focusing on the Xinyanxia Bridge at the north gate of Pingjie Street, and occupy the important bridges and tunnels south of Baishidu intact.挺进完全在夜间进行。敌军已命令住民躲开。官兵们不靠近村庄而在深山幽谷中穿行，山野跋涉，其劳苦可知。” 甲挺进队出发四天后，一月七日，丙、丁两支挺进队从道县出发，前进路线和甲挺进队相同，目的是支援和增强甲挺进队的战果。但是，十日的时候，日军的偷袭被中国军队发觉了：“道县的日本第四十师团月十一日潜至东南，开始扰乱。我新编第二十师、暂编第五十四师、突击第二纵队开始了阻击战，在插花坪、江华、猶洞之间展开激战。” 于是，十日才从零陵出发的乙挺进队就不那么顺利了。因为当面的中国军队警戒很严，日军绕来绕去，走了一个星期，还没走完预定路程的一半，并于十八日遭遇中国军队的猛烈阻击。指挥乙挺进队的大队长香月少佐，不得不命令官兵使用重机枪、迫击炮和掷弹筒进行回击，战事胶着之际，他索性打开原来一直保持静默的无线电向上级报告战况，并命令官兵脱去中国百姓的衣服开始正规作战。但是，香月少佐很快就发现，他们被中国军队包围了。 甲挺进队第七天进入广东境内。日军越接近粤汉铁路，隐蔽越困难，终于在第十五天的时候被中国军队发现，接火后日军才看见四面都是中国官兵。带队的铃木少佐强行突围，可围上来的中国官兵越来越多，铃木少佐命令脱去中国百姓的衣服边打边走。傍晚的时候，他们终于看见了一条铁路线和一个铁路隧道。铃木少佐查看了地图，确定这就是他们的偷袭目标：新岩下桥。 中国军队乘坐轨道车赶来。 双方激战后，铃木少佐用无线电向师团报告：“我偷袭成功了。” 位于衡阳的第二十军司令部内“欢呼不已”。 接着，其他挺进队的消息陆续传来：丁挺进队没有抵达指定地点，北江铁路桥已被中国军队炸毁。乙挺进队虽然突出重围，于二十一日抵达粤汉铁路线上的燕塘隧道，但郴县南面的铁路桥也被中国军队炸毁了。 日军第六方面军随即命令各师团主力出发：第四十师团主力大举向南推进占领粤汉铁路沿线；第二十七师团主力向赣州发动进攻，摧毁位于遂川、赣州、南雄的美军航空基地；第一〇四师团迅速北上攻占韶关和富国煤矿。 韶关是广东北部粤汉铁路线上的重镇。自全国抗战爆发以来，韶关始终在中国军队手中，目前第七战区在这里设有战斗指挥部。日军第一〇四师团前锋第一六一联队，几年前曾从广州北上作战，但只抵达了英德以北地区，未能占领韶关。十九日晚，第一六一联队抵达三坑墟后，第二大队奉命急速北上韶关。 日军第一〇四师团在此前西进广西的作战中伤亡不小，现在的第二大队兵力不足三分之二。沿着粤汉铁路北上的时候，日军发现盘旋在山里的铁路线，每隔五米就有一段路基被挖断，拆下来的铁轨并排竖起来挡在路基上；货车也被拖进了隧道，隧道已经被水泥封堵。 二十四日凌晨，第二大队走到韶关以南大约四公里处的莲花岭时，突然遭到猛烈的火力阻击。——阻击日军的是中国第七战区第十二集团军第一六〇师主力以及第六十五军教导团。 第二大队立刻出现死伤，不得不逐个清除铁路两侧的碉堡，苦战多时才得以向韶关南面的曲江大桥推进。大队长斋藤让一个小队的官兵换上中国百姓的衣服，对韶关火车站进行偷袭。哪知中国守军躲在车站内的建筑物里或是砖墙后面突然开火了，韶关城内的炮兵也向车站开炮支援守军作战。日军的正面攻击受阻，但穿着中国百姓衣服的那个小队却挖开车站的围墙潜入了站台，他们把日本国旗“挂在月台的旗杆上，表示确保了该地”。中国官兵不畏日军的火力拦截，“数次登上旗杆企图扯下太阳旗”，但均因日军的猛烈阻击而失败。 北上的日军进入韶关必须通过曲江大桥，因此这里成为中国守军火力最密集的地方。日军第二大队决定偷渡。偷渡的官兵每人携带两顿饭的主食、一百二十发子弹和两枚手榴弹，泅渡时竟然没被对岸的中国守军发现。日军很快攻占了对岸的碉堡，第二大队主力随后渡江。在江边到市区之间的一片开阔地上，日军看见了一座他们从未见过的体形巨大的碉堡，中国守军围绕着这个大碉堡构成了相互联系的严密火力网。日军组织起一个“肉攻班”，发起不顾一切的冲击，后方掩护的重机枪和火炮也一齐向大碉堡开火。当“肉攻班”伤亡殆尽后，跟在后面的日军冲进了大碉堡，这才发现这里是中国第七战区战斗指挥部——“其宽阔程度可容纳两个连”。 接近市区的路上，第二大队官兵不由得心惊胆战：道路两侧全是碉堡，路面架设了几层美式铁丝网，建筑物上也布满了火力点。日军试图破坏铁丝网时，立即招致中国守军的猛烈射击。由于奔袭、作战、泅渡，第二大队的疲劳程度已超出了极限，士兵不再冲锋，而是躺在距铁丝网不远的地方睡下了。 一月二十六日拂晓，炮兵上来了，第二大队发起强攻： 炮兵对铁丝网的破坏轰击，进行了将近三十分钟，然后对后方高层楼房进行破坏式轰击。有的被破坏有的倒塌。至此，对第一线的炮兵轰击停止。接着，两个中队一起开始了对攻击目标的突击。在五十米的距离中，虽然有的中途倒下来，后面的人接着冲上去。第八中队首先向白墙建筑群投进手榴弹，接着冲进去；随后，第五中队占领了碉堡；第七中队的一部也冲进了市区。时间是正午过后。 日军突入韶关市区，残酷的巷战开始了。 房屋在炮火中倒塌后，中国守军只能以一道道残垣断壁为掩护阻击日军，两军有时竟然“一壁之隔对峙着”。日军“先用十字镐破坏墙壁，然后投进手榴弹，反复冲杀前进”。而在那些有楼层的房子里，中国守军“从上层投下的手榴弹以及射出的狙击子弹犹如雨点般倾泻下来”。日军为避免被杀伤，只能分散成一个个的单兵作战——“有时占领一间屋子需要几个小时。” 午夜，中国守军阵地上升起两颗绿色信号弹，这是撤退的信号。 接着，架在浈水上的粤汉铁路桥被炸断，冲天的烈焰照亮了夜空。 日军想卡住韶关中国守军的退路，已经晚了。 二十七日，日军第一六一联队主力突入韶关，市内的道路上到处躺着中国官兵的尸体，大多死于刺刀或手榴弹，而第二大队也是伤员累累，由此可见“巷战的惨烈程度”。——粤汉铁路南段的战略要地韶关，实际上是由日军的一个大队攻取的。 至此，日军彻底打通了粤汉铁路。 第二大队攻击韶关的时候，日军第五十七旅团攻占郴县和三都；第二十七师团攻取莲花和遂川，进而攻占赣州；第四十师团攻取了南雄、南安和新城。 中国第九战区曾经发动反击作战。一月三十日，第六十师收复坪石东北二十公里的九峰，逼近粤汉铁路位于粤北的要地乐昌；二月二日新编第二十师收复良田，逼近粤汉铁路位于湘南的要地郴县；二月日，暂编第五十四师收复宜章，然后与第四军主力协同，一度夺回粤汉铁路位于湘粤交界处的要点坪石。但是，日军随即反攻，良田、宜章和坪石再次陷落，粤汉铁路的控制权重回日军之手。 在第九战区发动的反击作战中，陷入中国军队包围的日军第四十师团乙挺进队指挥官香月少佐，被击毙在坪石东北十五里处一个名叫塘村的村庄边的稻田里。 日军第六方面军对粤汉铁路南段的进攻，虽然取得了局部战果，但对挽救整体战局并没有多大帮助。不要说日军已无力修复和确保粤汉铁路的畅通，即使这条铁路畅通，对日本也没有起死回生的作用。如果说粤汉铁路南段作战日军还有收获的话，那就是在铁路线附近地区抢掠了不少国内急需的战略物资，同时摧毁了郴州、遂川、赣州、南雄、新城等数个美军航空基地。可是，中美联合空军的战机并没有减少，据情报显示，这些战机的起飞地点改在了湖北的老河口和湖南的芷江。 冈村宁次依旧渴望着进攻四川。 为了说服中国派遣军把精力放在应对美军的登陆上，并进一步消除中美联合空军对日本本土的威胁，日军大本营派第一部（作战部）部长宫崎周一中将亲赴中国当面劝说冈村宁次。 一月二十五日，宫崎周一飞抵南足。 他当天宣读了参谋本部的“大陆命第一二二八号”： Order 一、大本营之企图，在于击败进攻之敌，特别要击败主敌美军，以确保皇土为核心的国防要域，摧毁敌之战意。 二、中国派遣军总司令官要击败向中国大陆进攻之主敌美军，粉碎其企图，在确保大陆要域的同时，谋求促使重庆势力衰亡。 为保证完成任务，应以下列纲要为准则： 一、要立即加强中国大陆的战略态势，击败来自东西正面进攻之敌（特别是美军），粉碎其企图，并确保以皇土为核心的大陆国防资源。为此，要把加强战备的重点保持在中国中南部，特别是长江下游要域。 二、要加强对重庆势力的压迫，击败敌之战力，并结合政治谋略措施促使其衰亡。又，要尽力封住敌人在华之航空势力。 三、为确立军的作战根据地，并使之易于获取重要国防资源，要迅速谋求占据地域（特别是华北及长江下游要域）的安定。 四、在向西苏尼特王府、百灵庙、安北、山西省西南端至黄河、老河口、宜昌、秀山、黎明关、平马一线以西实施地上作战时，除以小部队进行挺进奇袭等作战外，须根据另外的命令行事。 五、当在台湾、西南群岛方面作战时，要尽可能对航空作战等加以协助。 六、要尽力保持与南方要域的联络，并要协助保护海上交通的海军。 七、为适应以前各号作战的需要，可与关东军总司令官、南方军司令官、第十方面军司令官及中国方面舰队司令官相协力，并可相互协商派遣一部部队到他军作战地域。至于指挥关系可按协商准则执行。 这份命令的要点是：再次明确大本营以保卫本土安全为核心的战略意图，特别强调当前日本的主要敌人已不是中国军队而是美军。同时明确地警告冈村宁次：在中国战场上，中国派遣军能保持住现有占领区就不错了；如要越过大本营制定的华东战略线，向中国的西南方向大规模出击，没有取得大本营的同意绝对不得擅自行动。 但是，冈村宁次对这份命令的理解十分奇特：当然要击败可能在中国大陆登陆的美军，但大本营并没有说不能同时进攻重庆，因此还是可以依照派遣军的判断来行事的。况且，不管大本营的命令在文字上如何表述，实际上东京是支持派遣军进攻重庆的积极设想的。——“总的来说，大本营要求全力向东面对付美军登陆作战的意图，不但没有达到原意，反而形成承认总司令官所持的以西面作战为主体的作战指导。” 三天后，冈村宁次按照他对大本营意图的理解，命令日军华北方面军和第六方面军攻占湖北的老河口和湖南的芷江： 一、余企图覆灭敌前进航空基地。 二、华北方面军司令一官应尽快攻占老河口一带。 三、第六方面军司令官应尽快攻占芷江一带。又，应以一部协助华北方面军的老河口作战。 四、第五航空军司令官应以一部协助第二、第三两项的作战。 “在大本营来说，已经指示了中国派遣军东西正面作战的态势，从表面看其重点是对付美军，是东主西从的；而总司令官的真正意思，却是以重庆为重点，是西主东从的。也就是说，他期望的是一面促进对美作战准备，一面依据已下达作战命令的芷江、老河口两战役的进展情况，继续扩大西面作战。” 冈村宁次的攻击路线是从湖南西部的芷江打入四川。 只是，这一次，他提供给大本营的作战理由，不再是进攻四川而是摧毁美军的航空基地。于是，大本营难以驳斥。——从日后的战争进程看，冈村宁次的判断没有失误，特别是美军并没从中国的东南沿海登陆。然而，冈村宁次绝对想不到，他所策划的老河口和芷江作战，不但没有成为日军捣毁重庆的序幕，反而成为侵华日军全军覆灭前的最后两场大规模作战了。 老河口，湖北西北部的一个小城，既是中美联合空军的重要基地，也是中国第五战区司令长官部所在地。 主攻老河口的是日军华北方面军第十二军，册应的是日军第六方面军第三十四军。 日军华北方面军第十二军，一九四四年完成京汉铁路沿线作战后，一直驻守在黄河南岸铁路沿线以及洛阳方向：第一一〇师团在洛阳附近，坦克第三师团在襄城附近，第一一五师团在郾城附近，第一一七师团在新乡附近，骑兵第四旅团在开封东南的归德附近，军司令部位于郑州。虽然与中国第一、第五两个战区对峙，但第一、第五战区部队仍处于“恢复因经受京汉线作战而损失之战力”的状态中，所以，第十二军的主要精力都用在了应对共产党抗日武装发动的反攻中，部队被八路军和抗日民兵的游击战术搞得焦头烂额。现在，突然让他们远距离奔袭，转为正规的大规模野战，竟还一时转不过弯来。 日军第十二军所掌握的有关情报是： 一、由于洛阳及平汉线南段失守，中国第一战区的作用转变为“防卫西北和四川，过去企图据以控制华北乃至延安的价值明显降低”。而第一战区要恢复战力，没有胡宗南部队的协助是极为困难的。 二、汤恩伯的骨干部队似已“向内地后退进行整理”。 三、胡宗南军最精锐的第三十四集团军，下辖第一、第十六、第九十军东移，“以主力担任潼关以东的防务”。如此，其面对延安的兵力虽有所减少，但第三十七集团军，下辖第三十六、第八十军“仍在执行封锁任务”。 四、胡宗南将素质较差的新编第七军（属第三十七集团军）配置在韩城，原有向北监视驻守吉县的阎锡山的意思，但从一九四四年二月阎锡山与胡宗南会谈后“阎的动向以及重庆方面改善对阎的补给等情况”看，也许蒋介石与阎锡山之间增加了信任，“对此不应等闲视之”。 五、第五战区司令长官李宗仁，不仅与他的桂系军队“被京汉线隔离”，且当刘汝明的部队（第二集团军）奉命增援第一战区后，第五战区的防备力量被严重削弱了。“特别是第一战区的配备重点已转移到豫陕方面”，李宗仁的处境“极苦”。 根据以上判断，第十二军司令官内山英太郎认为，一旦日军实施攻击，当面中国第五战区的部队必会避战后退，很可能要退到以南阳为中心的地区在白河西岸进行抵抗，目的是等待第一战区部队北上增援。因此，必须首先隔断第一战区与第五战区的联系，快速攻占第五战区的指挥中枢老河口。 日军第十二军作战计划： 一、令豫西地区队顺着洛阳一卢氏大道前进，在突破长水镇（洛阳西南偏西一百公里）西方地区当面之敌以后，除尽量多的牵制敌人以外，做出似乎要进攻西安的行动，使军主力的攻击能顺利进行。 二、第一一〇师团突破鲁山附近之敌，顺着鲁山一南召（鲁山西南三十二公里）大道向南阳西北方挺进，准备攻占南阳。 三、坦克第三师团突破当面之敌以后，经保安镇（南阳东北六十五公里）附近向西峡口一淅川一线突进。 四、第一一五师团以一部突破舞阳，以主力突破沙河店附近敌阵地，然后向南阳南侧前进，准备攻占南阳。 五、骑兵第四旅团（配属一个步兵大队）先跟随第一一五师团前进，然后超越第一线奔向老河口，占领该的飞机场。 六、吉武支队随在坦克第三师团的后方前进，一面扫荡敌人，一面向安阳前进。 一九四四年五月，豫中会战结束后，重庆军事委员会将第九、第十二、第十三、第十四、第二十九、第八十九以及暂编第十五军等部队，分别调至鄂西北、豫西南以及陝南地区整补，这使得中国第一战区的作战部队大大减少。一九四五年初，军事委员会又把第一、第五战区平汉路以东的辖区合并，成立第十战区，以第五战区副司令长官李品仙为司令长官。为了使中国第一、第五战区能够协同作战，一月八日，军事委员会下达《协同作战要领》，要求第一、第五战区以固守战区、掩护机场和巩固川陕门户为目的，以主力固守函谷关、卢氏、南阳、老河口等地，作战由李宗仁统一指挥。同时，变更了两个战区的作战地区，把可能发生战事的区域，大多划在了第五战区里。一九四五年三月，为加强四川防务，军事委员会在汉中设置行营，任命李宗仁为行营主任，第五战区司令长官一职由副司令长官刘峙接任。 刘峙刚刚上任，就传来日军即将进攻老河口的情报。 此时，中国第一、第五、第六战区部队的位置是：第一战区第四十军驻守潼关以东的灵宝；第三十四集团军驻守豫、陕、晋三省交界处的潼关、华阴和韩城一带；第四集团军驻守灵宝东面的洛宁，其第三十八军驻守豫西嵩县；新编第八军等部驻守豫西南的南召；第三十一集团军和第十五军驻守豫西南的西峡口地区。第五战区第二集团军驻守豫南的方城、泌阳；第二十二集团军在鄂北大洪山，其第四十七军驻守豫南与鄂北交界处的邓县。第六战区第三十三集团军第五十九、第七十七军分别驻守鄂北宜城和鄂中远安，其中第五十九军第三十八师驻守鄂北南漳附近。 第五战区一线部队的防区，从湖北中部的钟祥一路向北延伸，直到河南南部的舞阳，弯弯曲曲足有八百多公里；二线部队防守的鄂北襄河、唐河一线，三线部队防守的豫南白河一线，连起来宽度也足有五百多公里。如此宽大的防区，兵力必会因分散而薄弱。一旦日军投入骑兵师团和战车师团，一线防线一破就等于大堤决了口，二线和三线部队只能是一退再退。于是，刘峙报给重庆军事委员会的防御计划是：大幅收缩防线，把日军放进来，待日军向老河口攻击时，在白河附近或襄河附近与之决战。——这种冠冕堂皇的“退后决战”套路，已一次次导致国土丧失和百姓流离，可这些似乎并不在将领们的考虑范围之内。至于最后的“决战”能否真正得到实施，从战区到重庆谁都心知肚明。 刘峙的计划得到了批准。 三月二十一日，重庆军事委员会命令：第五战区部队先在泌阳、方城、