"Request?" Hearing this, Halsey couldn't help but look at Zhang Chi suspiciously, and then replied with some embarrassment as if he understood something: "Colonel, if your request is to change the direction of the attack, then I'm sorry, I can't do anything about it......"

"Of course not!" Zhang Chi replied: "General, I won't embarrass you, in fact, my request is also beneficial to the United States!" ”

Zhang Chi knew that if it was unfavorable to the United States, there would be no way to talk about it at all, because the Chinese Expeditionary Force at this time could almost be said to have no bargaining chips, unless the things to be discussed were also in line with the interests of the United States. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

"Oh, let's hear it!" Halsey nodded with interest.

Zhang Chi led Halsey to the map, and said as he gestured on the map: "Let's assume ...... Everything I said was correct. In my hypothesis, the strategic goal of the Japanese army on the Chinese battlefield this time is to defeat the Chinese army in one fell swoop, or at least to create enough space for it to shift its strategic focus to China. Therefore, the scale of the Japanese attack on China this time is space, and the Chinese army is likely to be defeated due to problems such as insufficient preparation and low combat effectiveness. The general has no opinion! ”

"Hmm!" Halsey nodded.

In fact, Halsey had long believed Zhang Chi's speculation...... Halsey is a professional soldier who also came from the First World, and the sensitivity of the military allows him to know that there is a chance that what Zhang Chi said will come true, because Zhang Chi's speculation is not only reasonable, but also in line with the Japanese style.

Halsey's previous remarks were just to dismantle tension and at the same time consider the interests of the United States.

"Then there are two main directions of the Japanese army's operations!" Zhang Chi continued: "One is the Philippines and the other is China. On the Philippine side, I would like to ...... They will change their original tactics of hoping to prevent or defeat the US military, and try to drag the US military and make it impossible for the US military to get out of the quagmire in the Philippines, the longer the better! ”

Halsey couldn't help but look at Zhang Chi in surprise and said, "Colonel, I have to admit that you are right, that's what the Japanese did in the Philippines!" I mean...... We met with little resistance by sea and air, but on the islands...... They did change their tactics. Not long ago, I was wondering that the Japanese were converting, but your words made me understand the reason for their transformation......"

"Of course!" Zhang Chi replied: "Holding you back in the direction of the Philippines, Japan has two advantages: First, it can give them time to launch an attack on China and expand the space. The second is to let Japan survive for a long time, or there is time to transfer! ”

Halsey couldn't help but nod his head again and again, at this time he was already convinced of Zhang Chi's "guess".

Zhang Chi continued: "Needless to say in the Chinese direction, as I said earlier, the Japanese will concentrate their forces as much as possible to attack China. But in fact...... The Japanese have a third direction. ”

"The third direction?" Hearing this, Halsey couldn't help but look at Zhang Chi suspiciously.

"Yes!" Zhang Chi nodded: "The Philippines can indeed trap the US military for a while, but the US military will withdraw from the Philippines one day, and because the military gap between the United States and Japan is widening, it is very likely that this time will not be long." ”

"Yes!" Halsey agreed.

"On the other hand!" Zhang Chi took a pencil and drew in the direction of China: "At this time, because Japan has been fighting in China for many years, the quality of soldiers, equipment and logistics have declined significantly, while the Chinese troops have improved because of US aid. Therefore, although the overall strength of the Chinese troops is inferior to that of the Japanese army, and the Chinese troops will be defeated, the Japanese army wants to achieve their strategic goal in a short time, that is, to expand the Chinese occupation zone to the level they hope, but it cannot be accomplished in a short time! ”

Then Zhang Chi spread his hands and said: "On the one hand, the US military may withdraw in a short time, and on the other hand, the Chinese battlefield needs more time...... What did the general think the Japanese would do? ”

"Oh!" Hearing this, Halsey couldn't help but suddenly realize: "They will strengthen their defenses on the islands leading to Japan!" ”

"Yes!" Zhang Chi replied: "And it is easy to guess the islands that the Japanese have strengthened their defenses, that is, Liuhuang Island and Okinawa...... These are the two springboards for the U.S. military from the Mariana Islands to the Japanese mainland, and if I am not bad, the Japanese should be actively organizing defenses on these two islands by now. By the time the U.S. military withdraws from the Philippines, the defenses of the two islands may have been strengthened to the point of impregnability, and the time will ...... It will be much more difficult for the US military to attack Japan, and Japan will get time for them to shift their strategic focus! ”

"God!" Hearing this, Halsey couldn't help frowning, and then sighed, "We did something stupid, didn't we?" The strategic shift to the Philippines appears to be in the interests of the United States on the surface, but in reality it ...... On the one hand, we have to pay heavy casualties in the Philippines, and on the other hand, we have to pay the price because the Japanese have made adequate preparations on the islands of Ryuhuang and Okinawa! ”

"Of course!" Zhang Chi replied: "This is indeed a stupid thing, if the United States can attack Liuhuang Island and Okinawa Island with all its strength now...... Then the Japanese on these two islands obviously did not have much preparation, the reason is very simple, they originally hoped to defeat us in the Mariana Islands, they did not expect at all that not only did they fail to defeat us, but they would be defeated by us, and they were defeated badly! Therefore, the defense situation of the Japanese on Ryuhuang and Okinawa is likely to be a mess and will not be much better than Saipan, but when you finish fighting the Philippines and turn back...... It's different! ”

"You're right!" Halsey nodded and said, "We should have pursued the victory, but ......"

Halsey sighed as he spoke: "It's too late, they won't listen to us!" ”

"It's not too late!" Zhang Chi replied.

"Not too late?" Halsey looked up at Zhang Chi, then said with his mouth half-open, "Yes, that's the third direction you said, right?" ”

"Yes!" Zhang Chi replied: "And my request is to hope that the US direction will agree to the Chinese troops to attack in this third direction...... The Chinese troops I am referring to refer to are the entire New Seventh Army, including the Chinese Navy, Air Force and Army, and the Army also includes the 50th Division that is still fighting in New Guinea! ”

Seeing that Halsey didn't speak, Zhang Chi added: "General, the later we decide, the more fully prepared the Japanese will be on Liuhuang Island and Okinawa Island, and the more difficult it will be for us to take them down!" ”

(To be continued.) )