Chapter 59: Jinling Trembles with Rage; Flames of War Reignite in Eastern Gansu

Chapter 59: Rage in Jinling, War Rekindled in Eastern Gansu

June 1936, Nanjing.

Inside the Chairman's Official Residence on Whampoa Road, despite the height of summer, the atmosphere was frozen and oppressive, heavy with the frost gathering on Chiang Kai-shek’s face. The paper of an urgent military intelligence telegram in his hands had been crumpled and distorted by his knuckles, and his chest heaved violently with rage.

"Utterly foolish! That braggart Ma Hongbin! Beyond stupid!" Chiang Kai-shek's Zhejiang accent grew sharp with extreme fury. "Nearly ten thousand troops, with years of cultivation in eastern Gansu, completely annihilated by... by a single regiment of the Zhu-Mao bandit remnants! Qingyang is lost! Huanxian is lost! Even... even the heavy artillery I just allocated has fallen into enemy hands! A supreme humiliation! An utter disgrace to the Party and the State!"

He slammed the telegram down onto the desk so hard that the glass top vibrated with a humming sound. Chen Bulei and the attending staff officers standing quietly to the side held their breath, lowering their heads in dead silence. The crushing defeat in eastern Gansu was not merely a military setback; it was a heavy political blow. Warlords across the country, especially the Northeast Army—which had recently shown apathetic attitudes toward the communist suppression and maintained secret ties with the Red Army—were watching coldly from the sidelines. The prestige of the Central Army and Chiang's own reputation were being dragged through the loess ravines by a fool named Ma Hongbin.

Another intelligence report arrived, its contents driving Chiang Kai-shek's blood straight to his head: in an attempt to shirk responsibility, the defeated general Ma Hongbin had described the Red Army's "Independent Regiment" in his report as if they were heavenly soldiers and divine generals, claiming with absolute certainty that the unit had been expanded by the bandit central committee into an "Independent Brigade," boasting nearly ten thousand troops. They were allegedly establishing so-called "Soviet Governments" in places like Qingyang and Huanxian, dividing up land, recruiting soldiers, and acting with extreme arrogance.

"An Independent Brigade?! Eight thousand troops?! A Soviet Government?!" Chiang Kai-shek squeezed the words through his teeth, his complexion turning from iron-blue to a terrifying, ashen white. A single regiment had already turned eastern Gansu upside down; if they were truly allowed to successfully expand, secure a foothold, and link up with the bandit lair in northern Shaanxi, the consequences would be unimaginable! This Wang Lin was bound to be a fatal threat to his heart and bowels!

"Immediately! Send a telegram to Hu Zongnan!" Chiang Kai-shek practically roared. "Order his First Army—no! Tell him to immediately detach the First Division, the most combat-capable and fully reorganized unit, and rush by night directly to Qingyang! Set a deadline to recover the lost territory, annihilate Wang Lin's forces, and recapture the heavy artillery! I want to see results! I want to see Wang Lin's head!"

...

Xi'an, Shaanxi, the Temporary Headquarters of the First Army.

Hu Zongnan frowned deeply upon receiving this harshly worded telegraphic order. At forty years of age, as the "foremost disciple of the Son of Heaven," he understood the principal's fury at that moment, as well as the political significance of annihilating this rising Red Army vanguard—it was not just a military operation, but a demonstration of power intended for the Northeast Army and the various Ma family factions in the Northwest.

However, the reorganization of his First Army was at a critical stage. Although the framework of the elite First Division had been established, the absorption of new recruits, the calibration of equipment, and tactical coordination were far from mature. Many German-style weapons were still unfamiliar to the officers and men in operation. To rush them into battle against an opponent that had just achieved a massive victory, possessed soaring morale, and was full of tricks would carry extreme risks.

After weighing the matter repeatedly, Hu Zongnan picked up his pen to reply, detailing the situation meticulously: "To the Supreme Commander: Your telegraphic order has been respectfully received. Although the reorganization of the First Division under my command has been initially completed, there are numerous new recruits whose technical and tactical skills are unfamiliar. The coordination between heavy weapons and the troops is particularly in need of drills. To rush into battle hastily might make it difficult to achieve complete success, and would instead damage our military prestige. I earnestly implore you to grant a grace period until the end of August. Once the reorganization and training are complete, I will personally lead the elite tiger-troops to trample eastern Gansu flat for you, capturing the chieftain and presenting victory."

...

After the telegram was sent, Hu Zongnan felt somewhat more at ease, believing his reasons were sound. He ordered the First Division to intensify its reorganization and training while simultaneously dispatching reconnaissance units to infiltrate toward eastern Gansu to gather intelligence and carry out preliminary preparations.

...

Time moved into late June.

In Nanjing, Chiang Kai-shek had yet to see Hu Zongnan dispatch troops; instead, he received more intelligence regarding the growing "bandit disaster" in Qingyang: the Soviet Government had hung out its shingle for business, Red Guard detachments were established, and land distribution was in full swing... The Red Army was seemingly turning Qingyang into a new fortress.

Chiang Kai-shek's patience was completely exhausted. He bypassed telegrams altogether and directly connected to the dedicated line to Xi'an. Once the call went through, refusing to let Hu Zongnan say another word, an ice-cold voice pierced through the line:

"Zongnan! I have read your telegram! I do not want to hear these excuses! Reorganization not completed? Are you waiting for the Communist bandits to turn Qingyang into a second Ruijin? Political necessity outweighs military affairs! Now, immediately, at once! I want to see action from the First Division!"

Hu Zongnan tried to explain: "Principal, your student is not shrinking from battle, it is truly..."

"Truly what?!" Chiang Kai-shek interrupted sternly. "The First Division is the elite model of my Central Army; its equipment and firepower far surpass the Ma family armies! Are you actually afraid of a newly cobbled-together brigade of the Red Army? What is Yu Jishi (then commander of the First Division) even doing? Let me tell you, Hu Zongnan! Dispatch the troops immediately! This is an order! If you dare to delay again and miss the military opportunity, you won't need to hold the post of Army Commander anymore!"

With a loud click, the phone was slammed down heavily. Hu Zongnan gripped the receiver, his face alternating between pale and dark. Since the principal had spoken to this extent, there was no room for maneuvering left. Military orders were like mountains, and his future was on the line as well.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the helplessness and hidden worries in his heart, a soldier's decisiveness flashing in his eyes: "Pass down the order! The First Division is to immediately halt reorganization and training, conduct pre-battle mobilization, and replenish ammunition and rations! Within three days, swear an oath and set out with Qingyang as the target! Tell Division Commander Yu that the Principal is furious and the whole nation is watching. This battle is allowed only to be won, not to be lost! We must display the majesty of our Central Army!"

"Yes!"

...

In Qingyang, eastern Gansu, in early July, the Independent Brigade's reorganization and base area construction were in full swing. Inside the brigade headquarters courtyard, personnel streamed back and forth as reorganization plans were being refined and implemented; outside the city, the training grounds echoed with cries of battle, and the back-mountain shooting range rumbled with artillery fire.

On this day, Wang Lin was discussing the assignment of new recruits and defense adjustments with Political Commissar Wang Guangdao and Chief of Staff Zhong Guangbang when a confidential clerk hurriedly delivered a top-secret telegram bearing the signature of the Central Military Commission.

Wang Lin quickly read it, his expression first turning excited: "Good news! The Second and Fourth Front Armies have successfully united in Garze! They have decided to march northward together!"

"That's wonderful!" Wang Guangdao and Zhong Guangbang cried out in great joy upon hearing this, smiles instantly blooming on their faces. The imminent convergence of the three major main forces meant that the strength of the Red Army would grow unprecedentedly, and the situation in the Northwest would take on a completely new look!

However, Wang Lin's smile quickly subsided as he handed the telegram to them: "There is more at the end. The Central Committee issues an urgent notification: Chiang Kai-shek has strictly ordered the First Division of Hu Zongnan's First Army, numbering around ten thousand men, to set out from Xi'an with its spearhead pointing directly at our Qingyang. The Central Committee judges that although the enemy's First Division has rushed into battle hastily, it is well-equipped and possesses powerful firepower, and Chiang Kai-shek is determined to win, intending to use this battle to establish his prestige."

At the end of the telegram was the recommendation from the Central Committee: "... Your unit has just been through a major battle and the reorganization is incomplete. As an exhausted force after prolonged combat, it will likely be difficult to confront this strong enemy head-on. It is hoped that you will assess the situation and consider temporarily abandoning cities such as Qingyang and Huanxian, retreating into the surrounding mountainous areas to maneuver, taking the preservation of effective strength as the primary task. Only after the enemy's vanguard momentum has passed, or after we have united with the Second and Fourth Front Armies, should you plot a recovery. You must not engage in reckless battles."

The atmosphere inside the brigade headquarters instantly shifted from the peak of joy to solemnity. Joy and pressure, hope and challenge had arrived almost simultaneously.

After reading it, Wang Guangdao pondered and said, "The Central Committee's consideration is sound. Hu Zongnan's First Division is Old Chiang's trusted ace unit; we truly need time to complete our reorganization and rest."

Looking at the map, Zhong Guangbang added, "The enemy has over ten thousand troops, an obvious advantage in equipment, and they come carrying anger with their morale at its peak. Our army has fought continuously, with quite a few wounded soldiers and new recruits who have not yet integrated. Fighting them head-on is indeed unwise."

Wang Lin walked over to the map, his sharp gaze sweeping over the mountains, rivers, and streams around Qingyang, and remained silent for a moment. To abandon the city he had fought so hard to capture and the base area in its early stages of construction—he was unwilling to do so. Yet the Central Committee's recommendation was undoubtedly the most calm and rational judgment.

{Historical Aside: From May to September 1936, Chiang Kai-shek's First Army under Hu Zongnan was officially reorganized into the First Army. Hu Zongnan used the First Division as a foundation to spin off the 78th Division. After the reorganization of the First Army was completed, it numbered nearly 50,000 men (including non-combat troops). After the First Division was split off, following its reorganization around July, it numbered about 11,000 men.

In early July 1936, Commander-in-Chief He successfully united the Second Front Army with the Fourth Front Army in Garze. With the arrival of Commander-in-Chief He, Commander-in-Chief Zhu, Commander Liu, and others who had been tacitly constrained were finally able to regain their voices. Coupled with the Fourth Front Army's failure during its southward push at Baizhangguan, the southward plan had now failed. The final resolution of the Garze Conference was: March North! The main force of the Red Army was finally clenched into a fist once again, advancing toward the Shaanxi-Gansu region.}