"Your Excellency, General!" After Hyakutake Haruyoshi retreated, the staff officer asked Yamamoto Isoroku: "Are we really going to retreat?" You know, we defeated the American ghost fleet at sea, and the Americans don't even have an aircraft carrier now! ”

"Alas!" Yamamoto Fifty-six sighed, "Asano-kun...... If you continue to fight like this, what do you think will happen? ”

The staff officer was silent, he actually knew in his heart that the situation was unfavorable to the Japanese army, but he was unwilling to retreat after winning the battle.

"We have indeed won at sea!" Yamamoto continued: "But it was a pyrrhic victory, this victory has cost us a large number of fighters and pilots, and we are no longer able to compete with the Americans for air supremacy in the waters off Kuah. It is true that the Americans do not have aircraft carriers, but they do have Guadalcanal, which is an unsinkable aircraft carrier, and on the other hand, American ghost beast fighters will continue to fly from Espírito Santo...... The result would be a repeat of the previous battles, with the Americans controlling the day, we controlling the night, and the Americans could transport supplies to Kuah Island by plane and ship, while we could only use the 'rat transport' ......" (Note: The Japanese call the "Tokyo Express" mode of transport "rat transport")

Then Yamamoto Fifty-six let out a long sigh: "So, the further this battle goes, the worse it is for our army, Kuah Island will drag our army and navy there until the last drop of our blood is sucked dry, understand?" ”

"Yes!" The staff officer responded helplessly.

Yamamoto Isoroku was right, because by this time the Japanese army on Kuah Island had almost collapsed...... A total of about 35,000 people were invested, 10,000 were killed in battle, and 9,000 died of starvation and disease, and this number is still increasing, and now the Japanese army on Kuah Island may be less than 10,000 people with combat effectiveness.

If before, it was possible for these 10,000 people to take Kuah Island with sea and air superiority, but now. With the arrival of the American Air Force has become a fantasy...... Unless we continue to increase troops to Kuah Island, it is obviously absurd to do so, and Kuah Island is like a bottomless pit, and it cannot be filled no matter how much it is filled.

Of course, the US military was not aware of Yamamoto's decision, and the Sino-US coalition forces were still actively organizing preparations for war.

"It seems that the Japanese still want to continue this battle!" Clifton said to Zhang Chi as he looked at the papers.

"Why do you say that?" Zhang Chi asked.

So far, Zhang Chi doesn't think that there is any point in the Japanese continuing to fight, but who can guess the thoughts of the Japanese? They often hold out until the end, even going so far as to launch a jade shatter attack.

"We just received the information!" Clifton handed the document to Zhang Chi and said, "The Japanese have been supplying Kuah Island, and even sent a force of 1,000 people. Then we also heard them radio a few times, and although we haven't deciphered it yet, we are probably organizing the next attack!

Zhang Chi couldn't help but be silent.

"What do you mean......" Clifton reacted to Zhang Chi with some bewilderment.

"Colonel." Zhang Chi asked: "Did we receive so much news about the Japanese attack before?" For example, radio, and then for example, the reconnaissance and bombing of the Japanese, ......"

"You mean ......"

"This may be done for us to see!" Zhang Chi replied: "In the past, the Japanese were always very quiet before attacking, and they could even keep the radio silent for several days, and we always had no way of knowing when they were attacking, but this time...... The Japanese, on the other hand, are afraid that we will not know. ”

As soon as Zhang Chi said this, Clifton nodded and said, "It seems that it is indeed as you said, so what do you say...... Not only did the Japanese have no intention of attacking. Instead, in retreat? ”

"Yes!" Zhang Chi nodded: "If I'm not mistaken, the Japanese may have already withdrawn part of it!" To verify whether this is true or not, we should launch a counteroffensive! ”

And so the battle soon began.

First, the artillery fire was desperately used to bomb the Japanese defense line, and then three regiments each sent a battalion of troops to advance in three directions at the same time.

Of course. This advance was carried out under the cover of tanks...... Although the U.S. tanks also do not have the ability to fight at night, the U.S. and Chinese coalition forces can fire flares at the front and turn night into day.

As Zhang Chi thought, the Japanese defense line did not have many troops...... In fact, this was the third day that the Japanese army had launched its retreat plan, which the Japanese called "Operation K". They sent thirteen destroyers every night to deliver supplies to Kuah Island under the pretense of being like the Tokyo Express, but in fact they took about 5,000 soldiers from the island every night when they returned.

Can't take more. This is because the destroyer can stay in the waters of Kuah Island for a short time, only about an hour, and it is impossible to withdraw more troops in this limited time.

By the third day, there were actually only the last 5,000 Japanese troops left on Kuah Island, and most of these 5,000 Japanese troops were waiting for the arrival of warships on the coastline.

The Sino-American coalition forces successfully entered the Japanese defense line...... In fact, it should not be said that it is to enter, but to say that it is to enter, because before the Chinese and American coalition forces could shoot, those Japanese soldiers pulled grenades, and when the Japanese troops dropped them and withdrew, all they were left with was grenades.

Among them, especially the U.S. military, they couldn't understand why the Japanese were making such senseless sacrifices, so they exclaimed over and over again: "Oh my God, why are they doing this?" ”

"Zhang ......" Clifton said in the walkie-talkie, "You're right, they really withdrew, we are one step slower!" ”

"No!" Zhang Chi replied: "Not yet!" Cape Cruise! ”

As he spoke, Zhang Chi hung up the phone, and with a wave of his hand, he led the soldiers all the way towards Cape Cruise.

Cape Cruise was the place where Japanese destroyers landed to deliver supplies, and it was also the end of the Maruyama Road, so it was natural that the Japanese would gather there if they wanted to retreat.

All Zhang Chi had to do was get there before they left......

From this point of view, the Maruyama Highway helped Zhang Chi a lot, because if it were not for the road built by the Japanese, Zhang Chi would not have been able to reach his destination in an hour.

(To be continued.) )