Umezu Mijiro's plan was still bankrupt, and although the Second Air Force desperately launched an attack on the port, under the desperate counterattack of two air defense regiments and more than a dozen warships and guns in the port, the invading Japanese planes had no choice but to withdraw from the battle in hatred after losing most of their planes; according to post-war statistics, the total losses of Japanese planes in this air battle included 267 planes, while the fleet losses of the Third Army were negligible in comparison. The www.biquge.info lost only eight vixen fighters and two anti-aircraft guns, and the only most significant loss was that the French destroyer Stubborn was hit by a 100-kilogram bomb, resulting in a bullet in the tail, the destruction of the power compartment, and the complete loss of power on the entire battleship.

The Second Air Force did bring very little losses to the other side at such a heavy price, and this air battle also completely woke up the Kwantung Army, which had always been arrogant. Umezu Yoshijiro even locked himself in his office and kept the door closed for a whole day, and only walked out of the office again the next morning with a pair of panda eyes, and the first thing he did when he walked to the battle hall was to ask the chief of operations staff Hattori Takushiro Nakasa, who was waiting outside.

"Where have the 135th Brigade and the 119th Division arrived?"

Hattori Takushiro replied respectfully: "Your Excellency, the 135th Independent Mixed Brigade has arrived in Suizhong, and the 119th Division has arrived in Linghai, and it is expected that it will be able to rush to Huludao before dark tomorrow." ”

Umezu Mijiro shook his head and said, "The speed is too slow, let them speed up, and they must rush to Huludao tomorrow morning and launch an attack on the Shina people!" Although we lost yesterday's air battle, it doesn't matter, we can get back what we lost in the sky on the ground! ”

"Hay!"

Hattori Takushiro answered, and just wanted to go down to convey the order, but the second section chief of the intelligence director, Toshio Nishimura, hurriedly ran over with a telegram and said loudly: "Report, our air reconnaissance report, the people of China will move quickly in the direction of Jinzhou after unloading their troops in Huludao!" ”

"Nani!"

"How can it be so fast?"

The information that rose up shook everyone like thunder on the ground, and the faces of everyone in the hall changed. Huludao is only more than 60 kilometers away from Jinzhou, and if a force makes a forced march, it will take three hours at most, and if it is an armored force or a mechanized force, this time will be shortened by half, and the Jinzhou garrison at this time is only a garrison wing, how can it withstand the tiger and wolf division of the Third Army. Could it be that Jinzhou, as an important town in Liaoning Province, is going to fall into the Chinese people like this?

Takyushi Nakasa hurriedly said to Umezu Mijiro: "Your Excellency Commander, the current garrison in Jinzhou is only more than 2,000 people, and it is impossible to withstand the attack of the Chinese people, please quickly order the Jinzhou side to quickly carry out a full mobilization and issue weapons to all the imperial civilians in Jinzhou, otherwise Jinzhou will not be able to support the arrival of reinforcements!" ”

At this time, the chief of staff Yoshimoto Sadachi on the side asked Nishimura Toshio Nakasa, the second section chief of the intelligence director, "Nishimura-kun, where has the Shina troops arrived now?" What troops are they? At what pace and how many? ”

Yoshimoto Sadachi is worthy of being the chief of staff, and he immediately asked the key to the question, after all, you don't even know the opponent's number, troops, and marching speed, and how to deal with the opponent's attack. But Nishimura Toshio smiled bitterly and said: "I'm really sorry, this telegram was suddenly interrupted before it was finished, and it is estimated that the reconnaissance plane has been shot down by the Shina people." ”

Everyone fell silent, although Takushiro had just proposed to issue weapons to the ronins and civilians in Jinzhou City, but this was just a means of dying and struggling, how could those civilians who had never even touched a gun on weekdays be the opponents of those soldiers of the Third Army who were armed to the teeth, at best it was just a waste of some ammunition for the other party.

Just when everyone was at a loss, Hattori Takushiro suddenly said, "Your Excellency Commander, it's not right...... Jinzhou not only has a garrison brigade, we also have a division of troops! ”

"Hmm!"

Everyone was startled at first, but then Yoshimoto Sadachi's eyes lit up, "That's right, didn't we just transfer the first division of Manchukuo the day before yesterday?" You should have arrived in Jinzhou by now, right? If the Jinzhou defense line is garrisoned by the first division, it should be able to withstand the attack of the Zhina. ”

However, there are different opinions.

"The 1st Division of Manchukuo has never fought with the regular army of China since its formation, and we do not know the real combat effectiveness. You must know that the Third Army of China is not a weak brigade, and don't forget that the fleet of the China people is anchored in Huludao, and their fighters can fly to Jinzhou at any time to bomb our ground forces, do you think that the First Division of Manchukuo, which has never experienced actual combat, can stop the planes of the China people? ”

"That's just a possibility, how do you know that the 1st Manchurian Division can't stop the attack of the Zhina? No matter how unbearable the first division of Manchukuo is, it is still a team of more than 10,000 people, and with such a team to defend Jinzhou, we will have a lot more certainty. ”

"You're quibbling!"

"You're too pessimistic, you don't have the bravery of an imperial warrior at all!"

The two sides almost began to argue as they spoke.

Seeing that the quarrel between the two sides was escalating, Yoshimoto Zhen turned cold and shouted: "Okay, don't quarrel, let Your Excellency the commander be quiet!" ”

Seeing that His Excellency the Chief of Staff was angry, several of the arguing staff officers stopped their mouths in a huff, and everyone shifted their eyes to the silent Umezu Mijiro.

After a while, Umezu Yoshijiro finally spoke, "Yoshimoto-kun, immediately order the First Division of Manchukuo to rush to Jinzhou, and the commander of the Jinzhou garrison, Asamizu Kusa Daisa, will participate in the defense of Jinzhou. In addition, you send another telegram to the shallow water grass mustard, telling him to hold out for two days anyway, that is, until the eighth of July. Then send a report to the 135th Brigade and the 119th Division of the Independent Mixed Formation, asking them to immediately change their goals and rush to Jinzhou, and they must rush to Jinzhou before 10 o'clock in the morning the day after tomorrow, and join forces with the defenders of Jinzhou to encircle and annihilate the Chinese army! ”

"Hay!"

The voices of the officers rang out in the battle hall......

Roosevelt, who was sitting at his desk, put down the Parker pen in his hand, read the commendation he had just written carefully, and then solemnly signed his name, and when he signed his name, there was a knock on the door behind him.

"Tuk Tuk ......"

"Come in!"

The door was pushed open, and his senior thinker, Hawkins, walked in. Hawkins, who is nearly 50 years old this year, has a graceful demeanor, a dignified demeanor, and a tall stature, with gray-blue eyes, a high, wide forehead, a thick and fluffy dark chestnut head, and a thin chin that is even more resolute and resolute, and most striking are his two slightly upturned broad eyebrows, which resemble the ancient warriors depicted in traditional Chinese paintings

I saw Hawkins say to Roosevelt very excitedly: "Your Excellency President, there is news from the Chinese side, just yesterday our little friend really launched an attack on the Kwantung Army in the northeast, and they have landed on Huludao!" ”

"Oh!"

Roosevelt put down the commendation order in his hand, only to see him smile and ask, "Hawkins, is their battle going well?" ”

"Very well, Your Excellency!" Hawkins nodded and said: "Less than two hours after the Chinese landed, the Japanese themselves dispatched nearly four hundred fighters to try to bomb Huludao, while the Chinese released an aircraft carrier, four escort aircraft carriers, and a total of 100 fighters to engage in a big air battle with the Japanese themselves. According to the report of Lieutenant Colonel Crawford, the sky at that time was almost completely filled with airplanes. According to the words of the Chinese people, the downed planes fell one after another like dumplings in the pot, this air battle can be called the largest air battle in the history of Asia, the last day I himself lost more than 270 fighters and had to retreat helplessly, and now the Chinese army is advancing towards Jinzhou in the northwest direction! ”

"Hmm!"

Roosevelt nodded, he rang the electric bell on the table, and soon the graceful Lucy Mercer walked in, she came to Roosevelt's side and leaned over and asked softly, "Your Excellency, do you have any orders?" ”

"Dear Lucy." Roosevelt pointed to the wall and said, "Can you help find a map of China and hang it on the wall?" ”

Lucy, who had delicate facial features and a delicate face, smiled and said softly: "Of course, I am happy to serve you!" ”

After saying that, Lucy skillfully pulled out a map from the bookshelf, spread it out and clamped the two ends of the map with a clip, and then pulled the lifting rope, the map was quickly hung up, and after doing all this, she walked over again and pushed Roosevelt's wheelchair under the corner.

Roosevelt took a magnifying glass and looked for it on the map, and soon his eyes were fixed on the map, only to see him look at the map and ponder for more than ten minutes, before finally beckoning to Hawkins: "Hawkins, you look at the map." ”

After Hawkins came over, Roosevelt pointed to the northeast corner of the map and said: "This little guy has driven almost all the warships and freighters he can drive, according to Lieutenant Colonel Crawford's report, this time the landing of the Chinese people has dispatched a total of more than 40,000 troops of an infantry division, an armored division and a heavy artillery brigade, so many people need to consume a lot of materials every day." Especially the day I himself will definitely fight back wildly, so what they need most now is a solid stronghold, so they are targeting Jinzhou, there is nothing wrong with such a strategic phalanx, the only question is whether the day I himself will give them this opportunity! ”

"Hi-i himself?"

Hawkins smiled bitterly: "I'm afraid I can't wait to tear him to pieces, yesterday's big air battle, I himself sent almost everything that could fly, if it weren't for the big gap between their planes and the planes of the Huaxia people, I'm afraid the Huaxia people would have been driven into the sea long ago!" ”

"So that's the crux of the matter." Roosevelt muttered: "Although the Chinese people in the sky have the upper hand for the time being, but the Japanese themselves will definitely not give up, you must know that they have more than 600,000 elite troops in the northeast, and they will definitely mobilize troops for a crazy counterattack, once that little guy can't withstand it, I'm afraid this mission will fail, so we have to find a way to help them." ”

Hawkins' eyes widened, "How are you going to help them?" ”

Roosevelt asked rhetorically, "What do you think they need most right now?" ”

Hawkins said without hesitation: "The more arms and supplies, the better!" ”

"Yes!" Roosevelt nodded appreciatively and said: "The Chinese people lack soldiers the most, and what they lack most is weapons, ammunition and material supplies, and their way to transport supplies is only by sea, but you also know that it is very unfortunate that the Japanese navy is their strong point, although we have severely damaged the combined fleet of the Japanese themselves at Midway, but their main force has not been fundamentally destroyed, so what would you do if you were the Japanese themselves?" ”

"Of course, we will use all our strength to send all the fragile navy of Huaxia to the bottom of the sea, and then slowly play the troops that have landed to death!" When he said this, Hawkins's face was full of solemnity.

"That's why I said I wanted to help that Huaxia man!"

Hawkins was puzzled and said, "But we are too far away from Huaxia, how can we help them?" Besides, I think ...... You seem to ......"

"Seems like what?" Roosevelt said lightly: "Hawkins, do you think I care too much about that Chinese young man?" ”

"Yes." Hawking said solemnly: "You must know that the young man is just a group army, is it necessary for you to care so much about a local warlord in your status?" ”

Roosevelt sneered, "Hawkins, do you still think he's just a local warlord?" ”

Hawkins didn't speak.

Roosevelt pushed the wheelchair out of the corner, came to the desk and opened the drawer, took out a delicate box, took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a big puff, then said slowly: "Hawkins, through the development of the past few years, this little guy has developed into a quite powerful force with the army, navy and air force, and what is even more rare is that there is a very mysterious force behind him, and this force knows that we can't find out where their location is?" How big is the scale. If you look at what they are now calling the place, you can imagine what his next move would be once he regained the Northeast, with his tough temper? ”

Hawkins is worthy of being a staff member of his own, and he saw the crux of the problem at a glance, and immediately blurted out: "Regain the lost territory they once had, that is, Outer Mongolia!" ”

"Not bad!" Roosevelt approving: "There is an old saying among the Chinese people, which says that if people have no long-term concerns, they must have near-term worries." Although we are still at war with the Germans and the Japanese themselves, we must now consider the post-war situation and the world situation. I can assert that after our victory over the Germans and the Japanese themselves, our honeymoon relations with the Soviet Union will inevitably turn hostile, and then the Chinese in the middle will become our allies or our enemies. ”

"Oh, I see!" (To be continued.) )