Chapter 1014 Founding Celebration (14)
Sun Zhen walked to the front of the podium in a daze and saw that the front row of the small auditorium was full of senior officials. Even Chen Yixin, who had brought him to the meeting, could only sit in the back row. He was even more panicked and didn't know what to say. That's it. However, Chen Yixin saw his embarrassment and comforted him: "Sun Zhen, just tell me what you know about the local military situation."
Sun Zhen licked his lips and said: "My hometown is in Huang County, Dengzhou Prefecture. Before I fled south, I was just a farmer. My understanding of military affairs is limited. If there is anything wrong, please don't blame me."
The administrative establishment of Dengzhou began in the Tang Dynasty, and it was not until the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty that the state was promoted to a prefecture. It is recorded in "Records of the Ming Dynasty" that "at that time, the two states of Yideng and Lai were close to the sea and were the main routes between Korea and Japan. Without building a government and adding troops and guards, it would not be enough to control them."
Dengzhou Prefecture governs seven counties including Penglai, Huangxian, Qixia, Zhaoyuan, Laiyang, Fushan, Wendeng and one Ninghai Prefecture. The government seat is in Penglai. Local garrisons are mainly concentrated in Dengzhou Fucheng, Weihaiwei, Chengshanwei, Jinghaiwei, and Dasongwei. Originally, there were more than 20,000 troops stationed in Dengzhou, but after two years of war, most of the official institutions, including the military barracks and guards, had been destroyed, and the remaining available local troops were about ten. There is no one left.
When Sun Zhen left Dengzhou and began to flee, the Ming Dynasty had already mobilized troops from Jinan Prefecture, Qingzhou Prefecture, Yanzhou Prefecture and other places to enter the Denglai area to quell the rebellion. After the war, some troops would probably be left behind to rebuild the local garrison system. However, considering the lack of food, clothing and taxation after the war, this kind of reconstruction work probably cannot be completed in a short time.
As Sun Zhen himself said, his understanding of the local military situation in Dengzhou was only superficial and he didn't know much. Sun Zhen basically knew nothing about such relatively specific military information as the size of the garrison at each garrison, who was the commander, and the damage done during the Denglai Rebellion. As for the local geographical environment, although Sun Zhen was familiar with it, he had not yet mastered the advanced skill of drawing a map, so he could not describe it on paper.
"Sergeant, you have participated in many military operations. You should know how much our army attaches importance to ports. So, do you have any relevant information to tell us about the local ports in Dengzhou?" Yan Chujie waited until General Sun Zhen found out. After the situation was almost explained, I asked him a question.
Whether it is marching into Taiwan Island or the Northern Expedition to Zhoushan, Haihan's first choice is the main local port. Although Sun Zhen was just an ordinary soldier at the time, after experiencing several battles, he naturally had a certain understanding of the cross-sea combat tactics that Haihan was good at. Almost all the offensives launched by the Haihan Army were based on occupying local ports. Beginning, use it as a forward base to launch an attack on the target. This tactic requires that the occupied port has certain ship docking and land transportation conditions, so that troops and heavy firepower equipment can be deployed to the local area as quickly as possible using maritime transportation. Ordinary natural harbors or fishing village wharves are still difficult to meet the needs of military operations.
Sun Zhen thought for a while before replying: "Commander, all the military offices in Dengzhou are located offshore. Jinghaiwei, Chengshanwei, and Weihaiwei all have military seaports, but the largest one is undoubtedly Denghaiwei." Zhou Shuicheng. The city faces the Bohai Sea in the north, spans mountains in the northwest, and borders the river in the southeast. The city wall is three feet high and more than ten feet thick. There are cannons on the city wall, and the outer wall bricks were re-paved during the Wanli period. "
Dengzhou Water City was used as a military base as early as the Song Dynasty. During the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, the water city was built on the original basis, with a water gate in the north and a Zhenyang Gate in the south. It was named Beiwa City. Qi Jiguang, the anti-Japanese general during the Wanli period, and Yuan Keli, the governor of Denglai during the Tianqi period, both trained their navy here to resist foreign invaders. It is one of the most important military ports on the Jiaodong Peninsula.
However, this water city was not spared during the Denglai Rebellion. After the fall of Dengzhou City, Shandong General Zhang Keda held on to the water city for several days, but was eventually defeated because he was outnumbered. Zhang Keda killed his wife, concubines, and family members, and then committed suicide in the Taiping Tower in the city, martyrdom for his country. Except for a few of the navy and sea ships stationed in Shuicheng, which were destroyed in the war, the rest were all looted by the rebels and became their main means of transportation to defect to the Northeast. Even if this water city still exists, it should be just an empty city now.
Although the objective conditions of the place pointed out by Sun Zhen are not bad, he did not consider that its location is close to the capital of Dengzhou. If Haihan chose to directly occupy the Ming army's military base and station troops there, it would clearly be a military The nature of the invasion is such that it may be difficult to coexist peacefully with the local officials. However, Haihan currently has no plans to expand the local territory on a large scale. This would offend the Ming court and local officials, and even trigger military conflicts. This is not a situation that the Executive Committee and the military want to see.
Of course, the Ministry of National Defense will not identify or deny alternative locations just because of what Sun Zhen and his family say. The final decision will probably have to be made after the advance team conducts on-site inspections.
When Sun Zhen returned to his seat after answering the questions, he realized that the back of his palms were wet. Although he thought he was fearless, he still couldn't avoid being nervous in front of these senior officials. If it weren't for Chen Yixin's presence, he felt that he might not be able to speak a complete sentence fluently.
The next person who came to the stage to explain the situation was Navy Commander Wang Tom. Just like the past military operations carried out by the Haihan Army overseas, this plan also requires the participation of the Navy.
"The Navy has developed a rough route through sailors who frequently travel to the northern route." Tom Wang walked to the map and began to introduce the Navy's preparations to the participants.
At present, the northernmost base of Haihan is Zhoushan Dinghai Port. From here to Haizhou, which borders Shandong and Jiangsu provinces, there is a distance of more than 400 nautical miles. The distance to Dengzhou, especially to the north of the Jiaodong Peninsula, is even further. The round-trip voyage is definitely More than a thousand nautical miles. In this area, Haihan does not have any supply points under its own control, so careful consideration is needed in route formulation, voyage arrangements and landing reconnaissance operations to reduce operational risks.
Although there are some immigrants from the north in the Haihan Army, not many are familiar with sea routes, so it may be necessary to recruit some sailors from the private sector who are familiar with northern sea conditions to join the operation. There are many discrepancies between the Ming Dynasty's east coastline in this era and the satellite map in Haihan's hands, so it is necessary to take this opportunity to revise the map data at hand. Therefore, the route planned by the navy basically follows the coastlines of Jiangsu and Shandong provinces. However, considering the unpredictable local conditions, no specific stopping points have been determined in advance. The decision must be made based on the actual situation during the operation.
"The Jiaodong Peninsula is an unknown area for us, and it is very important for our layout in the north in the next few years, so I will also personally participate in this northward reconnaissance operation." After Wang Tom introduced the general status of the route, A slightly surprising news was announced.
The last time Tom Wang personally participated in a military operation was when he commanded the Battle of Miyakojima in the second half of last year. After the Shibazhi were eliminated in that battle, Wang Tom also stayed in Sanya for more than half a year. He was a restless person. This was the only external operation in the first half of 1634, and he had never been there before. The unfamiliar areas he had visited were very attractive to him. In view of the difficulty and special nature of this task, there are not many generals in the military who are qualified for the task. However, two generals, Qian Tiandun and Shi Diwen, are currently stationed in Zhoushan. It would be a bit of a fight for Wang Tom to go there. feeling.
Yan Chujie was the first to express doubts: "Can either Qian Tiandun or Shi Diwen be qualified for this task? Is it necessary for you to make this trip yourself?"
Wang Tom said: "Qian Tiandun is from the Army, and I am certainly not familiar with maritime business. Although Shi Diwen is from the Navy, he does have the ability to complete tasks, but what is the local situation in Zhoushan? The Military Commission has not sent anyone to the field. After inspection, I went to visit and explain to the executive committee. Besides, this plan requires coordination between the army, navy and other departments. I have done many things without having to send telegrams back for instructions. .”
Although what Tom Wang said is a little biased, it is also true. The Haihan Army captured Zhoushan in April and May last year, but neither the Executive Committee nor the military sent special personnel to the local area for inspection and acceptance. All the information they had came from telegrams or written reports. A year has passed in the blink of an eye, and it is reasonable for the base camp to send a senior executive to inspect the work. As the commander of the Navy and the current second-in-command of the Ministry of National Defense, Tom Wang is understandable in representing the military and the executive committee to complete this mission. Moreover, this mission is not the sole responsibility of the military. With Wang Tom as a senior executive, it will indeed be more convenient to coordinate many things.
Yan Chujie's question was not to try to stop Tom Wang. On the contrary, he raised the question first just to give Tom Wang the upper hand and block the mouths of others. Therefore, after Tom Wang gave a brief explanation, Yan Chujie did not ask any more questions and acquiesced to Tom Wang's arrangement.
Because the target area is too far away from Sanya and the local situation is unclear, the current discussions are basically just on paper. The real action plan will probably have to wait until Wang Tom arrives in Zhoushan and meets with Qian Tiandun and others. Discuss specifically.
When they came out after the meeting, the fireworks outside had already ended, and the guests at the dinner had basically dispersed. The military arranged a boat to take them back to their residences on the west coast of Victory Port. After Sun Zhen came out to take a few breaths, he realized that he was about to have the opportunity to return to his hometown. He was so excited that he almost wanted to shout at the top of his lungs. But he also knew that he should not lose his composure in this situation. He was surrounded by almost all senior officers with higher military ranks than him. If this was embarrassing, it would not be embarrassing for himself, but for the special operations battalion.
"It seems that you can stay in Sanya for a few more days this time." Chen Yixin joked: "Commander Wang will have to wait at least a few days before leaving. During this time, you can enjoy yourself in Sanya."
Sun Zhen shook his head and said: "Sanya is a place that spends too much money. I'd better save some military pay for my humble position. Maybe I can put it to some use when I return to Dengzhou in the future."
Chen Yixin said: "Are you going to visit relatives and friends after returning to Dengzhou?"
Sun Zhen nodded and said: "I left Dengzhou in a hurry when I left Dengzhou, and I didn't have time to say goodbye to my relatives and friends. If I can find my family, I have to tell them after all. It is said that the local area has become a scorched earth, and I don't think about the days after the war." It will be easier. Although I don’t have much savings in my humble job, I can always save a few people even if I use it to buy rice.”
Chen Yixin said: "If you find your separated family, then arrange to immigrate to the south. You are already a sergeant, and the procedures for naturalizing your family will be quick."
Sun Zhen smiled bitterly and said: "I hope so. I am afraid that I will not be able to find anyone when I return to Dengzhou."
Chen Yixin didn't know how to comfort him, so he patted him on the shoulder and said: "Ji people have their own destiny, so don't think too much about it. When you get to Dengzhou in the future, everything will be clear."
The military was not the only department that held secret meetings during the celebration. When the meeting here ended, another meeting was also being held in Fort Victory. There were far more department heads attending this meeting than at the meeting at the naval base. Even He Xi from the Haihan Security Department only showed his face there and hurried over to attend the meeting. The person who presided over this meeting was Tao Donglai, the top leader of the Haihan Executive Committee. In addition to him, Bai Kesi, Ning Qi, Gu Kai, Schneider, Yue Zhiyun, Ren Liang and others from the executive committee were also present. , the weight seemed to even exceed that of a military meeting.
"Tomorrow morning, everyone has their own arrangements for foreign affairs activities, so this meeting can only be arranged at this time." When Tao Donglai saw everyone gathered, he quickly got to the point: "The main content of today's meeting is: Discuss the next key projects to be implemented in Taiwan. Relevant information has been sent to everyone, and I believe you have read it in advance. This project requires various departments to coordinate in advance, so a special project has been set up under the leadership of the Ministry of Industry. The project team will be responsible for the subsequent operations. Lao Bai, can you say a few words?”
Bai Kesi took over the conversation and said: "I am the person in charge of this project team, and I can also cooperate with all departments during the project implementation. I believe everyone can understand how significant this project is to our future development. I will emphasize two points, one is to obey the arrangement, and the other is to keep confidentiality. These two requirements are not only made for everyone here, but also for all the technical personnel and laborers who will participate in this project. Then, let’s start. Let’s discuss specific implementation plans.”
(End of chapter)