After thinking about it, Yang Zhen shook his head: "If we can't delay more Japanese troops to move south, so that the Japanese army can achieve its overall strategy before the Americans complete all mobilization, and even invade Australia and Hawaii, then it will be a huge disaster for the Americans. If the Japanese army invaded India, it would be a devastating blow to the British. ”

"At this time, they need the Chinese to hold back the Japanese as much as possible for them. It turned out that the Americans had always been lukewarm in their pleas for help from Chongqing. At most, it is to give some loans, and they have not been generous to us. But since the beginning of this year, it has been providing loans, selling fighter jets, and allowing Chongqing to order bullets in the United States to supplement its combat effectiveness. ”

"For us, since last year, we have been provided with a number of fighter jets, tactical bombers, transport aircraft, as well as a large number of steel, machinery and fuel. Although we still have to spend money, except for the equipment, the rest of the combat aircraft seems to be given away for nothing. This move of the Americans has clearly demonstrated their attitude. ”

"It is precisely for these reasons that I insist that the Americans will not deliberately depress the plan for the distribution of the supplies and equipment we need because of my clash with Major General Stilwell last night. But why things are the way they are is something I don't understand. ”

"What makes me even more incomprehensible is that if the Americans are going to allocate us such a small amount of supplies, it is not worth giving up the high-ranking Mr. Hopkins to make a personal trip. It is even more difficult for the Soviets to make so many moths in order to get more supplies from us. ”

"Come to think of it, I still don't think the Americans will just give such a small amount of supplies. Heavy equipment may not have our share in a short period of time. Or we will be given very little, but military supplies should never be such a part. Strengthening our strength is now only good for them, and there is no danger in any way. ”

Speaking of this, Yang Zhen took out a thick stack of paper from the satchel he was carrying, handed it to the political commissar of the Advance Army, and said, "Old chief, this is our original plan. If we follow the current situation, I am afraid that it will be a long process to talk about. Fortunately, in this matter, we are not in a hurry, and we have time to grind with them. ”

After taking the plan handed over by Yang Zhen, the old man opened it, but the more he looked at it, the more surprised he became: "Your appetite is too big, right?" At least 100 fighters, 100 bombers, 60 anti-tank guns every month, and by the end of '42, 1,000 tanks and 500 guns of 75 mm caliber or more. ”

"There are so many equipment, medical and health supplies, individual water bottles, gas masks. Can the Americans agree to the amount you want? Even if you can expand your army to one million, the Americans will not be able to give you so much equipment and supplies at once. ”

For the surprise of the old handsome, Yang Zhen shook his head with a smile and said, "Old chief, this is not just for us. Or so many troops in the country? Not only must the Anti-Japanese Federation complete the modernization of its equipment, but the troops in the customs area must also be expanded and reequipped. The situation of lack of guns and ammunition in the past must not happen. We need not only sufficient ammunition, but also modern equipment. ”

"There are also these machines and equipment, which are urgently needed for us to build a factory. If the Americans do not agree, our half-built factories and overstaffed workers who are being trained will be useless. When we first planned, we didn't plan according to one factory. In that case, we can only barely sustain ourselves, where is there still enough strength to support Kannai? ”

"Last year, when we built the first batch of factories using American equipment, we were trained according to three sets of people in one factory. At the same time, when the factories are built, they are all the same factories, according to two or three infrastructures. At present, the basic construction of the buildings of these factories has been completed. At this time, if the Americans don't give these opportunities, then the fun will be greater. ”

Regarding Yang Zhen's answer, Lao Shuai didn't say anything, but he always felt that his stall was a little too big. With so many factories starting to build at the same time, it's no wonder that he always talks about the lack of funds. According to his plan, there is no need to pay for the equipment for the time being, but the reinforced concrete for the construction of the factory, which one must not be a large investment?

According to their plan, if the Americans really don't budge, then the large amount of money will be completely wasted. The point is that the Americans will agree? What they needed was for the Chinese to hold back as many Japanese troops as possible for them, not to help China complete industrialization.

Whether politically, economically, or even militarily, it is impossible for Americans to agree to this list. Judging from the current domestic situation and the possible political situation facing China after the war, there is no reason for Americans to satisfy Yang Zhen's appetite. The reason is very simple: helping the CCP complete industrialization and establish the current military industry may not be in the long-term interests of the Americans.

After hesitating for a moment, Lao Shuai still said: "Comrade Yang Zhen, are you analyzing the domestic political situation?" Are they worried that after we have acquired a large amount of American-made weapons and equipment, we will not fight against Japan, but will preserve our strength and wait for the seizure of power with certain quarters? You must know that Chongqing's propaganda that we can't travel to is very detrimental to our efforts to win US aid. ”

"We are not the ruling party, and our army is only a few tens of thousands of people on the national government's establishment table. If Chongqing puts forward its attitude and opinions in this regard in person, the Americans still have to consider it. After all, at least on the surface, Chongqing's strength is far stronger than ours, and the Americans will not ignore Chongqing's attitude. ”

"The Americans want to arm us and hold back more Japanese troops for them, but they don't want Chongqing to think about the Japanese. If the supreme leader of Chongqing were to openly defect to the enemy, I don't believe that this is possible. However, if he threatens to talk about Japan, the Americans will not fail to consider it. ”

"Their ambassador to the United States, who graduated from Columbia University with a Ph.D., has a lot of influence in the upper echelons of the United States. If he comes forward to lobby, then there will still be some impact on the decision-making level of the White House. If this person was able to take up the post of ambassador to the United States in 38 and even affect Japan's change of ambassador to the United States, then he will not affect the US policy toward China. ”

"They traveled from Moscow to Harbin by train, and it took several days along the way. Could it be that in the past few days, there have been some disputes in their country over our policies? This has led them to drastically reduce their material and equipment aid to us. ”

"There's one more thing you should be aware of. You can't just see that arming us is in their military interests on the battlefield. It is also necessary to see if getting too close to us is beneficial to their political interests. The Americans will not abandon their support for Chongqing in order to support us. In the end, Jiang is still old and spicy, and the old handsome's words suddenly gave Yang Zhen a trace of understanding. He had considered 10,000 reasons before. However, it did not occur that the Americans would be able to reduce the aid of the confrontation alliance for the sake of China's current domestic politics.

According to the figure put forward by Hopkins, the Anti-Union can guarantee an offensive and a certain threat to the Japanese army. However, the strength of the Anti-Japanese Federation was controlled to a certain extent, so that it could not form a military threat to Chongqing for at least a while. The change in attitude on the part of the United States is not unrelated to this reason.

After thinking about it, Yang Zhen turned his head and said to the old man: "Old chief, no matter what the reason is, the Americans have changed their attitude towards us, but we must not have any thoughts of giving up. I have to keep going with this, and we must not lose this opportunity. ”

Looking at the raging fighting spirit in Yang Zhen's eyes, Lao Shuai smiled and said: "That's right, dare to go against the current, know that you can't do it, this is the real you." It was when we met for the first time in Rehe, the anti-** commander who was young, but his heart was full of fighting spirit and extremely determined. Go and do it boldly, as long as we work hard and consider it more comprehensively, there will be no gains. ”

The old handsome's encouragement made Yang Zhen smile and didn't say anything. Just looked at the Songhua River outside the window and pondered quietly. Lao Shuai didn't say it, as long as he thinks about it comprehensively and works hard, it's not that there is no chance at all. How many beats can there be in life, and when will you beat if you don't beat at this time?

And when Yang Zhen and Lao Shuai were discussing in the reception room, in the reception room where Hopkins stayed, the conversation between Hopkins and Pearson was also underway. Lao Shuai judged the reasons why the Americans changed their minds, although he didn't guess all of them, but at least he guessed some of them.

Just after Hopkins arrived in Moscow, attended the Moscow talks with Harriman and decided on the amount of supplies to be distributed by the confrontation coalition. But on the way to the Northeast, he received a telegram from the United States. In the telegram, the owner of the White House asked him to carefully consider Chongqing's attitude and opinions, as well as the gains and losses of US political interests in China, in terms of the amount of equipment and materials allocated to the Anti-Japanese Federation.

It is necessary to take into account the background and particularity of this Chinese army, and control their military strength to a certain extent. It is necessary to ensure that they can attract and disperse the pressure of the Japanese army on the United States and Britain when necessary, and to play a role in containing and supporting them on the battlefield. But they must not be allowed to affect the stability of China's politics, especially at this time.

The White House told Hopkins on a telegram that the United Nations supply and equipment distribution plan should not exceed the standard of equipment assistance to Chongqing as much as possible at the moment. The White House has agreed to transfer all of the 100 P43 fighters and 30 B-25 bombers originally planned to be provided to the Anti-Japanese Union by the end of 41 April.

With regard to its support for its military industry, it is necessary to ensure that the future military production capacity of the Anti-Japanese Federation must have a certain degree of self-support capacity, but it must not exceed the scale of Chongqing's existing military industry. In terms of the production of heavy weapons, it can only be maintained at a low level.

At the same time, if the White House asks for a plan for the distribution of materials and equipment, it will still focus on Britain and the Soviet Union, with the focus on Britain. A batch of tanks originally scheduled to be handed over to the Anti-Japanese Union was to be handed over to the British army in North Africa. In terms of military raw materials, it is necessary to ensure as much as possible that the anti-union can maintain the needs of light weapons, but in terms of heavy equipment, it is necessary to control their scale.

It was this telegram that allowed Hopkins to change the original distribution plan. With a stroke of the pen, half of the material aid originally scheduled for the confrontation alliance was cut in half. The increase in the proportion of cotton, medical supplies, and cloth for making military uniforms correspondingly decreases dramatically in the production and manufacture of weapons and equipment.

As for the heavy equipment, in addition to this batch of fighters, the batch of heavy equipment that was to be provided from the beginning of '42 was also simply cancelled. The original equipment allocation plan has been cut by more than half. The first batch of heavy weapons assistance was postponed until the middle of '42.