Republic of Korea in Yeokcheon - Chapter 104



Only Krnovel

#104. How to balance it?

September 10, 1947.

Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China.

Quack! bang! bang!

Ta-ta-ta-ta! Ta ta ta ta!

“Ugh!”

“Kaaak!”

“Avoid everyone!”

“Shit! weapon! “I’m asking for a weapon!”

The 68th Army of the 20th Corps of the North China Field Army under the Chinese Communist Red Army was helplessly being pushed back by the Kuomintang Army.

There was only one reason: there were no weapons and there was a shortage of ammunition.

In terms of morale, they overwhelmed the Kuomintang army, but war cannot be fought based on morale alone.

North China Field Army Headquarters.

bang!

An older man who appeared to be in his late 40s could not overcome his anger and slammed the desk.

It was Nie Rongzhen (Nie Yongjin. 聶榮臻), commander of the North China Field Army.

“weapon! “How can we go to war when we don’t have weapons?”

“Calm down, Comrade Commander.”

“How can I calm down! Not only the 20th corps, but even the 19th corps was cut in half! “I can’t even fight properly because I don’t have a weapon!”

“You need to calm down though. “If we want to survive at least for the remaining 18th corps.”

“Damn it!”

Neryungjeon worked hard to slow down his aging process despite repeated dissuasion from political committee member Boi Bo (薄一波, Park Ilpa).

“As Commissioner Bo knows, if we continue like this, our Red Army will be annihilated.”

“It is true that it is dangerous, but should it be so?”

“The shortage of weapons and ammunition is not something that only our North China field forces experience. “It’s the Red Army’s problem!”

“I understand that the party is aware of this and is taking measures. “First of all, it seems urgent to restore the remaining forces of the 19th and 20th corps and establish measures for the 18th corps.”

“Have you heard anything?”

“I heard that they are looking into every possible way to obtain weapons.”

“Where on earth do you get it? The Soviets are not providing proper support! Now there is no place to get the Japanese weapons!”

“I heard this from Xi Zhongxun, political commissar of the Northwest Yatian Army… … .”

“hmm? “What does the man who served me say?”

“I’m not sure, but they said there was a place to get weapons.”

“Where do you mean?”

“Only Comrade Commander knows this. “Last time, Xi Zhongxun mentioned in passing that he was looking for weapons in Manchuria.”

“Manchuria? No, Manchuria has been occupied by those damn Panz for a long time. Where on earth do they get weapons? Besides, aren’t they the kind of people who would be angry at the Communist Party? “I’m on the side of the Kuomintang!”

“That doesn’t seem to be the case.”

“What are you talking about? that is?”

“I don’t know anymore. Xi Zhongxun also refused to say any more, saying it was just his own guess.”

“Damn, that attendant is a dirty person… … .”

“Comrade Commander, your words are harsh.”

“Whoa! I understand. Anyway, our noses are worth three feet, so let’s do our best to hold on.”

* * *

September 12, 1947.

Republic of Korea Government Complex.

“Hey President.”

“hmm? why?”

“They say Zhou Enlai is coming secretly.”

“Tsk tsk! She thought so. “How many corps were blown away not long ago?”

“It’s not important that a few corps were blown away. We are under pressure from the national army on all fronts. “If things continue like this, it will be difficult for the Red Army to survive this winter.”

“Was there a lack of weapons in the end?”

“Originally, the Red Army should have had the upper hand from this point on. The Soviets handed over all of the Manchurian Kwantung Army’s weapons to them, and as if that wasn’t enough, they also provided quite a bit of support here and there. Moreover, although there was a brief crisis, the entire Manchurian region became their base.”

“But not now.”

“you’re right. “We handed over the weapons used by the Japanese military, but that won’t be enough.”

“How much Japanese military weaponry do we have left?”

“There are a little over 300,000 rifles, including Arisaka. “There are about 400 artillery pieces.”

“I don’t think that will be enough?”

“It will be very insufficient.”

“So how do we balance it?”

“First of all, the Soviet Union needs to help us more. Well, that’s up to Zhou Enlai to take care of.”

“and?”

“I think you should ask Roosevelt for some help?”

“what? To Roosevelt? Does that make sense?”

When Go Seok-man suddenly told him to ask Roosevelt for help, Lee Kang-cheol was reluctant.

“That’s why I’m secretly asking for help.”

“What and how do you want me to help you? “We can never give you American weapons.”

“Who wants to give us American weapons?”

“then? ah! “Maybe you?”

“Yes, Japan’s GHQ has quite a bit of weapons confiscated from the Japanese military in storage, right?”

“Didn’t you say you were discarding all of that?”

“I checked, and they said that they first discarded the ones that were not in good condition, and kept the good ones just in case. “We plan to dispose of it at the end of this year.”

“They say how much stock is left?”

“It is said that there are over 600,000 rifles alone. “There are quite a few machine guns and various artillery pieces.”

“Is it good enough? But how do I hand it over?”

“You get it as scrap metal.”

“To scrap metal?”

“Yes, they say we receive it as scrap metal and melt it at our steel mill. Of course, I ask President Roosevelt for his understanding.”

“Hmm, is that okay?”

“It’s not just okay, it’s the only weapon that can be given to the Red Army right now. Oh, and since Vietnam has quite a bit of stock, we will pass on that as well. “If we were to give American weapons instead, Ho Chi Minh would say yes.”

“That’s a good idea. Okay, I’ll talk to Roosevelt and ask for his understanding. When does Zhou Enlai say he will come?”

“I received a call saying I would be coming on September 16th.”

“Of course you can’t give it to me for free, right?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“ha ha ha!”

“Hehehe!”

Lee Kang-cheol immediately contacted Roosevelt and explained the situation.

The answer is of course yes.

Roosevelt also knows that China will be the biggest threat to the United States in the future, so he wants to keep fighting with them for as long as possible.

-I will tell MacArthur to actively cooperate.

I hope you can adjust it on your own.

Anyway, I think we are the real villains too.

On the one hand, we support the South, and on the other hand, we support the North.

I don’t think either General or I can go to heaven.

“Fuhahaha!”

Lee Kang-cheol burst into laughter at Roosevelt’s words.

Because I too had similar thoughts.

* * *

September 16, 1947.

Zhou Enlai visited South Korea again in extreme secrecy.

“Welcome, Teacher Zhou.”

“See you again, Mr. President.”

“ruler! Sit. “Let’s eat first.”

“Hey, the meal is… … .”

“I told them to go back the more urgent it is. “Let’s eat first and talk.”

“Ha, I understand.”

Although Zhou Enlai was in a hurry, he had no choice but to do as the water owner, Lee Kang-cheol, told him to do.

Only after the meal was over was I able to face Lee Kang-cheol.

“Yes, Mr. Zhou. “What brought you here again?”

“No shame, but we don’t have time, so I’ll tell you right away. To be honest, our Red Army’s war situation is not good.”

“Well, that’s a shame.”

“… … .”

Lee Kang-cheol said with an expression that did not seem regretful at all.

“Anyway, so what?”

“Mr. President, we need more weapons.”

“Of course you will, but we also handed over all the weapons we could.”

“Mr. President! It’s really urgent. “How could it not work?”

“What did you do with all the weapons we provided last time?”

“I was really grateful at the time, but it’s still not enough. I sincerely ask you to do so. “Anything is fine, so I sincerely hope that you will provide us with weapons.”

Zhou Enlai said with a truly earnest expression.

The Red Army was truly doomed if they did not obtain weapons here, so they were so desperate.

“Huh! “Wow, Mr. Zhou is really causing us trouble.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Minister of Defense.”

“Yes, Mr. President.”

“Are there any weapons left that we can support?”

“There are some remaining weapons used by the Japanese military… … .”

“I do?”

“I don’t know if the Red Army will be able to stop the Nationalist Army’s offensive even if we support it. “Aren’t we making the foolish mistake of pouring water into a bottomless pot?”

“Minister Go Seok-man! What do you mean? If only we had more weapons, our Red Army could easily overcome the current crisis! Please believe me!”

“Teacher Zhou.”

“Please speak, Minister. “I will listen to whatever you say.”

“Huh… … .”

Seeing Zhou Enlai look so low-key, it seemed like he was really in a hurry.

“I think I mentioned it last time, but our Republic of Korea’s intelligence power is quite good. So I know to some extent how urgent Mr. Zhou is.”

“Is that so?”

“Not long ago, the North China Field Army commanded by Commander Nie Longzhen suffered a great defeat. “I understand that two of the three corps were almost destroyed, and the remaining 18 corps also retreated and suffered heavy losses.”

“Huh!”

Zhou Enlai looked like he was about to faint.

He only heard the news of the defeat of the North China Field Army right before he boarded the plane.

And, even at that time, I had not heard any news about the 18th Corps, but it seemed like Korea already knew about it.

“B, but our Red Army’s field army is not just the North China Field Army. Northwest Field Army, East China Field Army, etc… … .”

“I know. And their situation is not very good either.”

“… … .”

“On the other hand, the Nationalist Army has 4 million troops. “If we provide support by removing all the weapons used by the Japanese army, will the Red Army be able to withstand it?”

“Our Red Army is currently being pushed back due to lack of weapons, but if we provide a little more support, we can easily defeat the Nationalist Army. “Our Red Army succeeded even the general who no one said would succeed!”

“So how much is just a little bit? The weapon I gave you last time was a rifle worth 500,000. “How much is left now?”

“… … .”

“Would it be okay if we swept in and provided about 300,000 rifles and 400 artillery pieces?”

“ha… … .”

Even if Zhou Enlai thought about it himself, it seemed like a weapon of that size would not be enough.

“Hey, even if it’s an American weapon… … .”

“Oh, that’s not it. “It is obvious that the moment the Red Army takes up American weapons, we will be captured by both the Nationalist Army and the United States.”

“Whoa! Is there really no way? “Anything we can give, and whatever we can, we will do.”

“Are you sincere when you say that?”

“If we get pushed back any further, it’s over, so what can’t we do? Please open a way for us to live. And to be honest, isn’t it what your country wants for us to surrender?”

“Hmm… … .”

Zhou Enlai decided to just tell everything honestly.

The reason he came to Korea was not just to beg.

Clearly, the Republic of Korea wanted to see them and the Kuomintang fight each other for a long time.

So they came with the hope that they would not just stand by and see themselves defeated like this.

These people will support weapons by any means necessary.

However, the cost will be enormous.

“In that case. “There is a way to obtain weapons.”

“Is that so? oh! thank you!”

“But there is a price.”

Zhou Enlai looked at Gu Shiman’s mouth with anxiety.