Chapter 788
The Chairman's Brilliant Strategy! Chu Yunfei Angrily Rebukes the British, Pointing
The morning sunlight, like a golden blade, mercilessly sliced through the heavy velvet curtains of the Cairo Mena Palace Hotel, casting dappled and interwoven light and shadow on the carpet.
outside the window.
A slightly warm, dry breeze rustled through the broad leaves of the date palm trees.
The rich aroma of freshly ground coffee filled the air, mingling with the lingering scent of Cuban cigars, subtly softening the tension left by last night's informal dinner.
Wearing his signature black cloak and leaning on a silver-inlaid cane, Chang Ruiyuan, accompanied by Zhan Shuai, strode steadily into the private suite of US President Roosevelt.
This was a private, courtesy meeting, but it was also an extremely important opportunity for the three leaders to probe each other's true intentions before their formal confrontation.
The atmosphere inside the suite seemed harmonious.
Roosevelt sat quietly in his wheelchair, his legs completely covered by that familiar Scottish wool blanket.
That face, etched with the wrinkles of time and illness, now wore a gentle smile, radiating the unique charm of a statesman.
Beside him, Presidential Envoy Patrick Hurley sat upright, a thick diplomatic bulletin in his hand, his gaze sharp.
After a few simple diplomatic pleasantries, Roosevelt did not rush into the military topic, but instead leaned slightly forward.
His gaze swept over Chang Ruiyuan, carrying a hint of deliberate regret and familiarity.
"Your Excellency Chairman, it is truly a great pity."
Roosevelt's voice, transmitted clearly through the interpreter behind him, reached the ears of the two Chinese men: "I thought I would be able to see your wife again today."
"Her series of anti-Japanese speeches delivered in the United States still resonate in the hearts of our Congress and the people; that is a remarkable personal charisma."
As an important diplomatic figurehead for China in the United States, Madame Chang's absence from such a crucial historical meeting inevitably led to various suspicions among the Allied high command, such as "the Nationalist government's rear is unstable."
Chu Yunfei stood half a step behind Chang Ruiyuan, his eyelids slightly lowered.
His brain was working at lightning speed at that moment.
Roosevelt's concern was not merely out of personal friendship; he was testing the recent political turmoil in Chongqing and whether the brutal purges carried out by the North China Joint Command in the rear had shaken the foundation of the War of Resistance.
Chang Ruiyuan remained calm, his hands, which were firmly on his cane, as steady as Mount Tai.
He met Roosevelt's gaze, a hint of undeniable strength and authority flashing in his deep eyes.
"Thank you for your concern, Mr. President."
Chang Ruiyuan's voice was firm and resolute, carrying the decisiveness of an Eastern leader: "My wife is currently in the country, assisting in dealing with some pressing internal problems, and she is really unable to spare any time for anything else."
"Internal problems?" Roosevelt raised an eyebrow, revealing a perfectly timed look of surprise.
"Yes, a complete purge!"
Chang Ruiyuan slammed his cane on the carpet, making a dull thud: "We are waging a full-scale war against those parasites who suck the blood of the War of Resistance, against those corrupt officials who are lining their own pockets by taking advantage of the national crisis!"
"The newly formed 22nd Army Group has taken full control of the mountain city garrison, and the Joint Inspectorate is implementing the Wartime Fairness Act with swift and decisive measures."
Chang Ruiyuan raised his head, his tone filled with a do-or-die fervor: "The China Theater must undergo this painful self-examination. Only by clearing away the internal obstacles can our army unleash its purest and most lethal fighting power in the upcoming counter-offensive!"
Upon hearing these words, Chu Yunfei secretly admired them.
This old man was no good at military command and his economic development was a complete mess, but his political skills were truly superb.
The "coup" he used to suppress dissidents, seize power and wealth, and even purge the Guangxi warlords was packaged in a few words as a righteous anti-corruption purge that conformed to universal American values.
This is exactly what the Americans wanted.
after all.
What Washington bureaucrats hate most is that their aid dollars and supplies are divided up by corrupt officials in the Far East.
Sure enough, Roosevelt's smile deepened considerably, and he even nodded slightly in satisfaction.
He placed his hands on the armrests of the wheelchair and turned his gaze back to Chang Ruiyuan and Chu Yunfei.
"The Chairman's great courage is admirable."
Roosevelt deliberately emphasized his words, seemingly expressing his personal support: "Since China has this determination, I think it's time to sweep certain prejudices into the dustbin of history."
talking.
Roosevelt's smile slowly faded.
He picked up a blue kraft paper folder stamped with "Top Secret" from the low table beside him.
Under Hurley's watchful eye.
Roosevelt gently pushed the folder to the center of the table, making a soft hissing sound.
"Your Excellency Chairman, General."
Roosevelt's smile faded, and his gaze became deep and serious: "Last night, I received a memorandum that was extremely unpleasant."
"It came from John Peyton Davis, Second Secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Chongqing."
Upon hearing this name...
Chu Yunfei's gaze swept over the folder like a sharp blade.
He knew Davis very well.
Within the complex circle of US policy toward China, there has never been a shortage of politicians and civilians who arrogantly view China negatively and advocate for allocating all resources to the European theater.
The translator's voice continued to echo in the spacious suite.
"In this memo, Mr. Davis strongly opposed the continued involvement of the U.S. military in strategic affairs in Asia."
Roosevelt clasped his hands over his stomach, his eyes hardening: "He absurdly believed that using the precious lives of American soldiers to help Britain, France, and the Netherlands rebuild their decaying colonial empires in the Far East was a strategic disaster."
These words struck precisely at the most vulnerable and acute political weakness within the Allied nations.
Anti-colonialism was a banner raised high by Americans, but it was also the deepest pain for the British.
"Not only that."
Roosevelt's voice carried a hint of anger: "He also openly accused the Republic of China's army in his report of being corrupt, incompetent, lacking in offensive spirit, and useless, and even suggested that I immediately cut all military aid to China."
Upon hearing the translator's account, Chang Ruiyuan's knuckles, gripping his cane, instantly turned deathly pale.
But his profound self-cultivation, honed over many years, allowed him to suppress this raging fire.
He didn't rush to argue, but simply stared coldly at Roosevelt sitting opposite him.
He knew that the US president was not releasing this memorandum at this time to humiliate China in person.
Roosevelt shook his head, then slammed his large hand down on the memorandum twice, making a dull thud.
"This is utter nonsense, a product of unfounded speculation!"
Roosevelt looked intently at the two men: "I have signed a formal presidential order to immediately recall Davis to Washington, strip him of his advisory authority on the front lines, and send him to a sinecure as a member of staff to retire."
"He must pay the political price for his foolish prejudice against strong allies."
Chu Yunfei stood quietly beside Chang Ruiyuan, like a cold and aloof statue.
He quickly analyzed Roosevelt's every expression and movement in his mind, and instantly understood the true intentions of the wheelchair-bound president.
This is not simply about upholding justice.
This was an extremely clever and meticulously crafted political deal.
Amidst the increasingly tense situation in the Far East.
Although the Pacific Fleet is powerful, it requires countless ground troops to fill the meat grinder-like black hole of casualties in island assault battles.
The raging fire over Tokyo, and the complete annihilation of the Japanese 60th Division on the North Jiangsu Plain.
It is the toughest and bloodiest pledge of allegiance that the Chinese military has submitted to the world.
Roosevelt used the political future of a mere second secretary as a bargaining chip in exchange for the unwavering support of the China Theater for the US Pacific strategy at the next meeting.
"Mr. President, you are very perceptive."
Zhan Shuai leaned forward slightly, his tone a perfect blend of gratitude and sharpness: "The blood that the Nationalist soldiers shed in the ruins and mud should not be judged by those civil officials sitting in air-conditioned offices drinking coffee with their superior prejudices."
At this moment, the atmosphere reached the perfect tacit understanding that Roosevelt desired.
Presidential envoy Hurley, who was standing nearby, immediately took over the conversation, seamlessly transitioning the topic to the substantive strategic level.
He stood up and walked to a drawing board on the side of the suite.
With a "whoosh".
Hurley pulled down the covering curtain, revealing an enormous joint nautical chart of Asia and the Pacific.
The picture is filled with red and blue attack arrows.
"Based on the overwhelming land assault capabilities demonstrated by the Chinese Expeditionary Force and the North China Armored Group in previous battles."
Hurley picked up his baton and glanced at the two Chinese officers: "The U.S. Pacific Fleet will provide full support to your forces and the U.S.-Australian coalition in their joint operations with the strongest possible force."
"Oh!"
The baton was pointed heavily at several key choke points on the nautical chart.
"We will provide absolute air and sea cover."
Hurley's voice was inflammatory: "The next core strategic objective of the Allies should be to target the Japanese stronghold of Rabaul in the South Pacific, and the entire Philippine archipelago that runs through the defensive line!"
The commander's sharp gaze followed the trajectory of the baton, shifting back and forth along the long and tortuous cross-sea attack line.
The image of the Japanese army's absolute defense perimeter, composed of countless islands, fortresses, and submarines, instantly flashed into his mind.
To attack the Philippines?
Dalabauer?
The Americans have a very shrewd plan.
They needed the expeditionary force to tackle those tough challenges filled with tunnels and heavy machine guns.
They attempted to use the newly formed steel torrent of the Sino-US allied forces and the blood of the expeditionary force to exchange for absolute control of the US Navy in the Pacific and minimal casualties.
A blatant, overt conspiracy.
However, Chang Ruiyuan and Zhan Shuai did not mind, since this was a consensus reached by both parties beforehand.
It's just that Americans want more now.
As long as weapons, industrial equipment, and agricultural resources can be continuously transported back to the country.
If the Chinese military can use the firepower of the US Navy to step out of the Asian continent and exert influence throughout Asia, then this deal is not a loss.
……
It was 11:00 AM.
Outside the highest-standard conference hall of the Mena Palace Hotel.
The heavy, ornate oak gate was forcefully pushed open from both sides by British military police.
The summit has officially commenced.
The air conditioning was blasting in the spacious conference hall, but it couldn't suppress the pervasive political fervor.
Government officials from various countries and high-ranking generals with countless military stars on their shoulders stood on either side of an extremely long mahogany conference table, stepping on thick Persian carpets.
The air was thick with the oppressive aroma of Churchill's cigars and the almost suffocating sense of power struggles.
Chang Ruiyuan sat at one of the main seats at the long table, while the clerk behind him was quickly organizing documents.
Chang Ruiyuan stood ramrod straight, his whole body resembling a fully drawn bow.
Facing a group of British and American tycoons with their chests adorned with medals, he displayed an unprecedentedly tough stance since the outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japan.
"Tap!"
Chang Ruiyuan pressed his silver-inlaid cane firmly on the wool carpet.
His cloudy yet sharp gaze, like that of a lion awakening, stared directly at Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister sitting diagonally opposite him.
"The China Theater is absolutely capable and determined to undertake the strategic mission of cutting off the Japanese army's mainland transportation lines and even sweeping across the entire Southeast Asia!"
Chang Ruiyuan's voice, though delivered without a megaphone, was powerful and left no room for negotiation.
"but!"
Chang Ruiyuan suddenly raised his hand and tapped his index finger on the table: "There is one absolutely unshakable premise to all of this!"
"That means the allies must keep their promise and launch a strong and powerful naval joint operation by the British Eastern Fleet!"
A brief silence fell over the entire conference room.
The American generals turned their heads in surprise, while a few unpleasant coughs came from the direction of the British delegation.
"Our next target is the Philippine Islands!"
A barely perceptible twitch flashed across Churchill's obese face.
His short, stubby fingers, which held a cigar, paused slightly, and extreme disgust was hidden beneath his heavy eyelids.
To send the precious warships of the British Royal Navy to escort the expeditionary force's advance?
They also had to help the expeditionary force to reclaim the Philippine Islands, which originally belonged to the Americans.
This not only goes against his original intention of preserving the empire's maritime strength, but also contributes to the rise of this dragon in the Far East.
Churchill bit his cigar tightly, not immediately refuting the argument, but instead giving it a cold shoulder with an almost arrogant silence.
Chu Yunfei sat upright in the third seat to Chang Ruiyuan's right, his eyelids half-closed, coldly observing this ultimate game concerning the lifeblood of the nation.
The interests of these three countries are on full display at this moment.
The British wanted to preserve their fleet strength and maintain their hegemony in the Mediterranean, while the Americans wanted to stand by and watch, letting China and Britain become cannon fodder to wear down the Japanese army.
Chang Ruiyuan, on the other hand, wanted to take advantage of the Americans' influence to force the British to invest their most valued naval forces in the Southeast Asian region, which was crucial to China's lifeline.
Each link in the chain is crucial, and neither side is willing to give in easily.
……
2:30 PM.
The Cairo sun became unusually harsh.
Golden light streamed through the gaps in the blinds, like bright, gleaming fences, making the secret room of the Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting somewhat stuffy and hot.
At this smaller oval conference table, the veiled rhetoric of politicians was absent.
It was purely a battle of wits between military commanders.
This meeting was to discuss the top-secret amphibious operation plan that Hurley had previously proposed, which involved a counterattack on the Philippines and Taiwan.
Chang Ruiyuan acted like a leader, ultimately choosing to be absent due to "illness."
He directly placed the heavy responsibility of being the plenipotentiary representative on the shoulders of the war commander.
When the war commander pushed open that heavy door.
He walked into the conference room with a steady and powerful military gait, dressed in a crisp, grass-green general's uniform and high riding boots.
In that instant, a visible sense of rejection and hostility emanated from the half of the area where the British officers were located.
In the eyes of these proud British aristocratic officers.
China's supreme commander only appears on time when he asks for airplanes and artillery.
Now they've only sent a "young" general to represent one of the four finalists.
This is nothing short of blatant contempt for the British Empire's centuries-old military!
Lord Alan Brooke, the Imperial Chief of Staff, sat in a large leather chair, leaning back.
He didn't even bother with the perfunctory gesture of getting up to greet him.
A gloomy look clouded over his thin, pale, and rigid face.
Brooke's gaze toward Chu Yunfei revealed an undisguised, deep-seated contempt for impoverished agricultural countries.
Yes, we've fought many exciting battles.
But how many artillery pieces, tanks, and planes did the Japanese army have?
Brooke concluded that if the main British forces had been allowed to fight the Japanese, the Japanese would have been wiped out long ago.
"Commander Chu".
Lord Allen Brooke toyed with his solid gold Parker pen, his voice as cold and hard as the Thames' winter water: "What we are discussing now is a grand amphibious strategy that encompasses the Pacific and the whole of Southeast Asia."
He slightly raised his chin, his condescending aristocratic tone filled with sharp sarcasm.
"A war of this scale requires an incomparably powerful fleet and a vast logistical supply line that stretches half the globe."
Brooke slammed the pen he was holding onto the map.
"Excuse my bluntness, Your Excellency."
"It's hard for us to believe that a military unit can't even supply the most basic weapons and ammunition domestically."
Brookton paused, then said without continuing, "I am not sure what substantive, even slightly constructive, strategic advice your country can offer to the Allies in this unprecedented transoceanic expedition."
The air in the conference room plummeted to freezing point in that instant.
The American generals sitting opposite them exchanged glances, seemingly oblivious to their own thoughts.
Neither Marshall nor Stilwell made any move to smooth things over.
They were also filled with great curiosity, wanting to see firsthand how this Eastern war general, who had risen to fame on the Far Eastern battlefield and was even hailed as a god by the domestic media, would respond to the harsh and difficult demands of the old-line imperialists.
Chu Yunfei did not get angry.
There wasn't even a hint of anger on his face.
He calmly walked to his nameplate, pulled out the heavy chair, and sat down slowly with an elegant yet indescribable sense of oppression.
Then, he stretched out his white-gloved hands and very slowly unbuttoned one of the top buttons on the collar of his military uniform.
This seemingly casual yet combative movement startled the British man on the other side.
Chu Yunfei raised his head, his deep black eyes, like two swords that had just drunk blood on the battlefield in northern Jiangsu.
His gaze pierced through the long conference table, directly and unabashedly striking Alan Brooke's arrogant face.
Lord Brooke.
His voice wasn't loud, but it was deep and resonant, like distant thunder on a stormy night, carrying a destructive power that was awe-inspiring.
"I'd like to remind you of something."
"Whether a strategy is grand or not, whether an army is glorious or not, is never proven by a fleet hiding in port all day to avoid battle, or by its gentlemanly manners."
Chu Yunfei leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table, a mocking and cold smile curving his lips.
"If you firmly believe that the once-proud British fleet remains invincible."
His voice was like a sharp icicle, striking hard.
"Could you please answer my question, Chief of the General Staff?"
"Why when those ridiculous Japanese bicycle convoys swept across the Malay Peninsula and Singapore?"
"The Royal Navy's supposedly invincible Z Fleet, those two magnificent ships, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, will be reduced to scrap metal on the seabed in just a few hours?"
Chu Yunfei's mockery was completely undisguised: "Why could the Royal Navy only watch helplessly as it surrendered control of the sea, forcing your hundreds of thousands of elite Imperial soldiers to raise the white flag to the Japanese in disgrace, without any support?"
"Furthermore, your country's military did not seem to perform very well in the conflict on the India-Myanmar border."
"boom!"
Lord Brooke's facial muscles twitched violently as if out of control.
The Parker pen he had been playing with creaked under the strain of his clenched fist, almost breaking in two.
The British generals around him also looked livid, some of them glaring angrily, almost jumping out of their chairs.
The panic at Dunkirk and the failure of the Far East strategy are the most bloody scars on the British Empire's history of World War II.
In addition, Chu Yunfei brought up the conflict on the India-Myanmar border.
In that conflict, Smith's 7th Division of the British Indian Army was dealt a heavy blow by Qiu Yu'an's troops under the command of Chu Yunfei, and had no choice but to swallow the bitter pill. Even Alexander, who planned this conflict, was transferred back to Africa.
This is something no one wants to talk about; internal conflicts and contradictions within the alliance should be avoided as much as possible.
And he, at the most important occasion of the Cairo Conference, in front of all the Americans, tore open this wound bloodily and rubbed it with a handful of salt!
Brooke took a deep breath, about to open her trembling lips to retaliate.
"Enough, gentlemen."
General Marshall, the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, sitting next to the head of the table, forcefully interrupted the impending diplomatic conflict with his deep and penetrating baritone voice.
Marshall's gaze was fixed on the theater defense map in the center of the table, his thick eyebrows furrowed tightly.
He represented American interests, and while he was happy to see the British humiliated, he had to steer the conversation back to reality.
"Chu".
Marshall's words carried the directness, unquestionability, and severity characteristic of a five-star general.
"Let's leave those painful regrets of the past in history for now."
Marshall raised his head, his hawk-like gaze fixed on Chu Yunfei: "But as soldiers, we must face the problems we are facing now."
"Washington believes that the Chinese Expeditionary Force has been too cautious in its established strategy in Southeast Asia."
Marshall unceremoniously pointed his finger heavily at the defensive line on the map where Myanmar and Southeast Asia meet.
"Your troops lack the adventurous spirit that a world power should have!"
Marshall's accusations came like a barrage: "For every tactical attack, even the smallest one, you demand near-perfect air cover and absolutely secure flank defenses."
"You are always endlessly and greedily demanding more transport plane space, more armored vehicles, and now you are even asking the Pacific Fleet to act as your flank babysitter."
This was a ruthless, even condescending, direct criticism.
This caused the balance in the entire conference room to tilt instantly.
The British men's faces broke into a smug, mocking smile, as if they were watching how Chu Yunfei would be taught a lesson by his American masters.
Chu Yunfei did not back down.
He suddenly stood up from his chair.
"boom!"
Chu Yunfei pressed his hands firmly against the edge of the solid wood table, his body exuding a sense of oppressive power, like a beast about to pounce on its prey, as he leaned forward dramatically.
His mind was like a sophisticated computer, instantly stripping away the distractions of surface emotions and precisely dissecting the starkly different strategic underpinnings behind the two old foxes, Marshall and Brooke.
The Americans were desperate for war, hoping to liberate their Southeast Asian colonies through war and establish a new Asian order led by the United States after the war.
The British had long been terrified.
They had absolutely no interest in a counterattack in Southeast Asia; deep down, they only wanted to keep all their fleets in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, desperately holding onto the last vestiges of the British Empire.
I've seen through it all.
Chu Yunfei's gaze remained unyielding, like an indestructible shield, fiercely meeting Marshall's scrutinizing gaze.
"General Marshall!"
Chu Yunfei's voice boomed like thunder in the secret room.
"From the moment we Chinese soldiers were born, we have never known what it means to fear sacrifice!"
"If Chinese soldiers were afraid of death, the Japanese army would already be standing on Indian soil, joining forces with the Germans in the Middle East!"
He grabbed a battle report from the table and threw it at him.
"We annihilated the Japanese 60th Division and defeated the 13th Division on the Central Jiangsu Plain with our own flesh and blood. This battle lasted less than 15 days."
"The key point I need to mention is that the participating units had just completed the fourth phase of the counter-offensive in North China and had less than half a month of rest before they once again relied on their own two feet to complete a rapid maneuver of 250 kilometers and were thrown into high-intensity combat."
"This is clear proof of the Chinese soldiers' unwavering courage and fearlessness in the face of sacrifice!"
Chu Yunfei bent his index finger joint.
"Bang! Bang!"
The knuckles struck heavily on the deep blue sea area between the Philippines and Taiwan on the map, each strike resonating in the hearts of the generals present.
"Our highly efficient command system can ensure that our land forces can launch a storm-like, rapid advance!"
"Our infantry on the front lines dare to break through the enemy's defenses using the most suitable combat methods. We have the most complete battalion and company-level infantry tactics. We can even use our own flesh and blood to open up attack channels for the precious armored forces behind us!"
"I think the countless battles before have already proven one thing."
Chu Yunfei's voice suddenly rose again: "We are one of the best infantry units in the world!"
Those eyes, burning with rage, swept over Marshall, Brooke, and every other proud Allied general present.
"but!"
"As the Supreme Chiefs of Staff, can you here, with the medals on your chests, guarantee me this?"
"When our brave Expeditionary Force soldiers were carrying out the landing operation in the Philippines, wouldn't they be bombarded by Japanese warplanes dropping bombs overhead?"
"Can you guarantee that when our army boards transport ships and attempts to cross the strait to retake those occupied islands?"
"Won't our undefended flanks be subjected to the devastating firepower of the Japanese Combined Fleet, regardless of the cost?"
Chu Yunfei pointed to the strait: "You must know that the Philippines is far more important than Qiongzhou Island. Once the Japanese army suffers a defeat, it will mean that their strategy in the South Pacific has completely failed, and the Japanese army will definitely do everything in its power to defend it."
A barrage of relentless, intense questioning followed, like a heavy artillery barrage.
A fierce argument erupted completely in the meeting room.
The military commanders of the three sides stood up and clashed in various languages, their faces flushed, none of them willing to back down an inch.
The British generals, their faces flushed, boasted that the Atlantic defenses were under terrifying pressure from German U-boats and that there were no troops available to deploy.
Americans angrily accused China of excessive demands for aid, claiming it was draining America's war potential (a performance intended only for those who are interested).
Chu Yunfei was like a nail driven into the edge of a cliff.
He stood alone and stubbornly adhered to the bottom line that "without air and sea supremacy, there can be no amphibious counter-offensive in the Far East," refusing to budge an inch!
Just as the noise was about to lift the roof off and the entire meeting was about to fall into a deadlock with no results,
Joseph Stilwell, the U.S. Army Chief of Staff for the Far East Theater, sat silently in the corner, observing everything like an invisible man.
He suddenly pushed back his chair and stood up.
He grabbed the thick memo, which was sealed with a combination lock and had just been personally compiled by him, from the table.
Stilwell strode heavily to the front of the conference table.
Those eyes, bloodshot from long-term anxiety.
At this moment, it is flashing with an almost insane strategic ambition and a gambler's brilliance.
"Snapped!"
Stilwell slammed the heavy memo onto the oak table.
The sharp sound instantly silenced the argument and drew everyone's attention.
"Gentlemen! Gentlemen!"
Stilwell's slightly hoarse voice echoed loudly in the room: "It's pointless and a waste of time for us to sit here halfway around the world, blaming each other for past failures and for not putting in the effort!"
Chu Yunfei turned his head slightly, his eyes glancing at the familiar cover of the memo.
A faint, relieved glint flashed in the depths of his eyes.
Last night, over cigars and black tea, I secretly reached an agreement with this old American man, and we carefully rehearsed our bottom line for exchanging benefits.
"Here I am!"
Stilwell pointed to the memo and spoke at breakneck speed, giving the British no chance to interrupt.
"There is an ultimate alternative warfare plan based on the cold reality of the Far East battlefield, which can be implemented immediately!"
He raised the first finger.
"First: Immediately increase the rations of aviation fuel and special bombs to China."
"Intensify the use of field airfields in the heart of mainland China to launch devastating shuttle bombing raids day and night against the Japanese mainland, industrial areas on Taiwan, and Japanese military bases in the Philippines! Completely paralyze their war machine!"
Then, he raised his second finger and pointed directly at Marshall.
"Second: We must never allow the Japanese navy to have the opportunity to control the Taiwan Strait and the shipping lanes in the South China Sea."
"To accomplish this blockade mission, there is no choice but our great U.S. Pacific Fleet!"
At last.
Stilwell suddenly waved his hand, as if brandishing a battle sword, pointing directly at the long and winding coastline of southern China on the map.
"Option 3: Integrate and utilize the Chinese Expeditionary Force currently being re-equipped with American weapons, as well as the elite heavy-armored group army under the North China Joint Command!"
"We will send troops to Central and Southern China, recapture Guangzhou and Hong Kong in one fell swoop, completely open up our most critical maritime logistics supply line, and shorten the aid cycle once again!"
This last sentence struck the British like a blow to the back of the head.
Should we let the Chinese take back Hong Kong?
This is tantamount to tearing flesh from the wound of the British Empire!
However, given the urgent nature of the war, it was an option that was impossible to refuse from a military perspective.
"Based on the above ideas!"
Stilwell threw out his final and most explosive card.
"I am here to strongly recommend to the President and the Joint Chiefs of Staff!"
He looked at the silent Marshall, and at Lord Brooke, whose face had turned from white to pale and who was almost passing out.
"In Southeast Asia, we must not only deploy our fleet, but also immediately add three full-strength U.S. Army divisions to the battlefield!"
Stilwell slammed his hand on the table and said, slowly and deliberately, "We will use the battle-hardened Chinese Expeditionary Force as the main force of the assault to assist the U.S. military in completing the brutal counter-offensive against the Philippines."
"If the war progresses smoothly and it is indeed necessary, we will mobilize China's newly formed armored army group to launch a general offensive directly from the Central Jiangsu direction along the coastline."
"Even in the final stages of this war, a joint operation was launched to force a landing on Taiwan." (End of Chapter)