Bai Zhizhan did not look for Li Yunxiang, and Li Yunxiang was not in the imperial capital at that time.

In the next few days, Bai Zhizhan found Zhou Yongtao and other staff officers, set up the team of the headquarters, and began to draft the battle plan.

There is no doubt that what is most lacking right now is people.

Although Zhou Yongtao's performance has always been excellent and he has been promoted to naval colonel, he is still too young to continue to rise to the top.

According to the unwritten rules, Zhou Yongtao did not want to become a general before the age of 40.

Don't forget that Bai Zhizhan was promoted to commodore at the age of 42. No matter how good Zhou Yongtao's performance is, he is only Bai Zhizhan's subordinates.

Not to deliberately suppress young people, but an officer in his 20s, who can command?

On the third day after returning to the imperial capital, Bai Zhizhan sent a telegram to Li Jie, who was still in Shiquan City and was busy preparing for the construction of the combined fleet, asking him to hand over the relevant matters to Jin Hong, who was left behind with the "Yanhai", and to return to the imperial capital as soon as possible on the pretext of returning to the naval headquarters to report on his work.

brought Li Jie back because he was stable enough.

According to Liu Changxun's meaning, whether it is going south to Austria or attacking the Khowaii Islands, the navy should act alone, and do not count on the support of the army.

It must include the Marine Corps and shore-based aviation.

If I want to say, this is also the place that gives Bai Zhizhan the most headache.

commanding the fleet to fight, Bai Zhizhan recognized the second, and no one dared to recognize the first.

However, after joining the army for more than 20 years, Bai Zhizhan has never commanded a ground battle, and even in the pre-war exercises, it has little to do with him.

In addition, commanding shore-based aviation is likewise not a strong point in the White War.

Of course, with Shen Pu and Zhu Huasheng, who is about to be transferred to a command post, the problem of aviation operations is not big, and it is not the turn of Bai to worry about the war.

What wants to make the war bothersome to stop fighting is actually a landing operation.

Obviously, this is also the key to Bai Zhizhan's first thought of Li Jie.

Among his most trusted friends, only Li Jie participated in landing operations as the commander of the landing fleet.

That's right, it's to attack Lion Spring City.

Although Li Jie did not directly command the landing operation, and only went to Shiquan City with the large army after the surrender of Bran's army, he was on the front line from beginning to end, with the Marines, and was also responsible for providing cover and support for the landing force throughout the process.

In Bai Zhizhan's words, I have never eaten pork, but I have always seen pigs run.

On February 14, Li Jie returned to the imperial capital.

It was also on this day that good news came from the island.

After more than 10 days of continuous assault, the 9th Marine Division finally captured the peak of Capitol Hill and wiped out the last enemy force.

This battle can be said to be fought in the heart.

It is more appropriate to say that there are all kinds of twists and turns.

If anything, it's a belated victory.

Even according to the information released by the imperial authorities, in the three-month fierce battle, the imperial navy and land army killed tens of thousands of officers and soldiers and wounded more than 20,000 officers and soldiers were killed, and only then did they defeat the island defended by more than 20,000 Nuland and narrow soldiers, and the total number of casualties exceeded that of the enemy.

In terms of equipment losses, it is also very huge.

According to the same data released by the imperial authorities, during the attack on the island, the imperial naval and land forces lost a total of more than 1,400 combat aircraft and nearly 100 ships.

More than 60 transport ships were sunk by the bombing alone.

Fortunately, the fierce battle is finally over.

As for whether to attack Guan Dao or not, it is actually clear at a glance.

The next day, the Sixth Bureau provided an intelligence.

Even according to the most conservative estimates, the total strength of the garrison on the island is more than 30,000, of which the main force is the 1st Marine Division, which has a strength of nearly 20,000.

Crucially, taking advantage of the time gained by holding the island, the Nuland army did its best to strengthen the defense of the island.

According to reliable information, more than 200,000 tons of cement were shipped to Guan Island alone.

In order to speed up construction, the Nuland army expanded the water plant on the island and strictly banned the use of seawater to mix concrete.

There is enough reason to believe that the newly built fortifications on the island are built according to the standards of countering large-caliber shells.

Even if it can't withstand the shells fired by the battleship's main guns, it will definitely be able to withstand 200 mm shells.

Based on this, the Sixth Bureau speculated that it would take about half a year to attack Guam, and at least 50,000 troops had to be invested, and preparations had to be made to sacrifice 30,000 officers and soldiers.

In addition, it is necessary to mobilize the task force.

All in all, the assault on Guan Island was a thankless task.

From a strategic point of view, if you don't go to the southwest and look at the ocean, there is no need to attack Guan Dao at all.

On this day, Liu Changxun held a meeting at the Navy Headquarters to solicit opinions on the next stage of combat operations, which was actually to set a strategic policy.

Because no one dared to guarantee that they would be able to take Guandao in the first half of the year, after some discussions, Liu Changxun formally appointed Bai Zhizhan as the commander-in-chief of combat operations in the direction of the Middle East and the Middle East, responsible for drawing up and perfecting the battle plan, and submitting it to the Navy Command for filing before the end of the month.

In addition, Liu Changxun appointed Liu Xiangdong as the commander-in-chief of the Fanyanyang fleet and Liu Xiangzhen as the commander-in-chief of the combined fleet.

At this point, the controversy over the direction of the strategic offensive has basically come to an end.

However, Liu Changxun did not order the transfer of the 11th Task Force back, nor did he make a decision on whether to storm the Kibu Fortress.

With the situation at that time, Liu Changxun may just hope that the two cousins and nephews would have something to do in Fan Yanyang.

According to the arrangement of the naval command, after focusing on the Guia Ocean, it is definitely necessary to take care of the needs of the White War first, and then Fan Yanyang will be considered.

If you give up the island and directly attack the Khowaii Islands, 4 large aircraft carriers may not be enough!

In fact, in all the previously drawn up battle plans for attacking the Khowaii Islands, it was clearly mentioned that at least three task forces were needed.

It must be said that Liu Changxun is a little confused in this matter.

On February 20, Liu Xiangzhen went to Shiquan City.

On the same day, Lian Xusheng was exceptionally promoted, and Xue Yuanzheng personally awarded him the rank of army general and assumed the post of commander-in-chief of the Northwest Theater.

In addition, Lian Xusheng also won the title of "Iron Cavalry Protector of the Country" at the same time.

As early as 20 years ago, Lian Xusheng was the descendant of the current saint in the Praetorian Guard, and his ability to be reused had a lot to do with it.

In those eventful years, Lian Xusheng and the crown prince lived together, and even lived and died together.

This kind of friendship built through bloody battles on the battlefield will never fade easily.

If anything, this title came a little late.

In Peng Huaisheng's words, if Lian Xusheng did not go to Fanyanyang, but had been in the northwest, I am afraid that he would have been promoted a few years ago.

Although this statement is a bit biased, it gets to the point.

The main battlefield of the army has always been in the northwest, and the southwest is actually dominated by the navy, so Lian Xu went to Fanyanyang, mainly to give Bai Zhizhan face.

Of course, no matter what, Lian Xusheng was promoted exceptionally and became the Duke of the Empire, so he must have a good celebration.

Probably received the news a long time ago, and Li Yunxiang rushed back the night before.

In the afternoon, Li Yunxiang came to find Bai Zhizhan, and brought a few bottles of good wine that he said he had brought back from the southwest, and went to Lian Xusheng to celebrate.

Of course, it is also to see off Lian Xusheng.

According to the arrangement, Lian Xusheng will have to leave for the Northwest Front tomorrow.

In Li Yunxiang's words, I don't know when I will come back.

。 m.