After hesitating for a moment, Yang Zhen gritted his teeth and said: "Chairman, boss, Baotou area is rich in coal, steel, and rare metal resources, and I am bound to get it there. Even if there is a conflict with the Nationalist government forces in Suixi and Houtao areas in order to achieve this strategic goal, I will not hesitate to do so.

"Chairman, whether we can win Baotou or not is related to our future industrial layout. If we don't take anywhere, our industrial layout can only be lame forever. So when we make a plan, it's very targeted. It is not only out of military necessity, but also from the strategic necessity of industrial development. ”

"According to my plan, the site of the second steel plant built by the Americans is in Baotou. Several chiefs, the existing and surveyed iron ore resources in the northern Manchurian district, which are simply not enough to meet the raw materials required for the simultaneous operation of two million-ton steel plants. ”

"The steel plant we are building now is half a million tons. And with the gradual arrival of steelmaking equipment such as electric furnaces and converters that the Americans provide every month, the production capacity of this steel plant, which will be put into trial operation next year, will gradually expand every year. The final production capacity will be two million tons in two years, or even more. ”

"Most of the iron ores in North Manchuria, which are poor ores with relatively low iron content, and most of them are located in the deep mountains, which is not easy to mine. The best iron ore resources in Northeast China are in Benxi, Anshan and Liaoyang in South Manchuria. The iron ore resources of North Manchuria cannot be compared with that of South Manchuria, and there are too many differences in both output and mineral taste. ”

"Unless we take Nanman within one to two years, at least half of the industrial equipment we have tried our best to get together, and even the steel mills that we have built at any cost, will eventually be idle due to lack of raw materials. From the present point of view, it is almost impossible to take South Manchurian in a short period of time, and it is not conducive to our strategic development. ”

"Moreover, the location of this steel plant in Baotou is also conducive to providing necessary military raw materials to Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningbo and Jinsui nearby. This is because a large part of the military equipment aided by the United States and Britain is the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningbo border region as its final destination. We are ready to use northern Shaanxi, the most stable base area of the whole army, as a military manufacturing base in Guannai. ”

"Although northern Shaanxi lacks water, it is not suitable as a major industrial base. But we think it's okay to make some basic infantry weapons such as guns, grenades and shells here, as well as as a repair base for heavy weapons. Take Baotou and build our second steel industrial base, whose steel production will mainly be supplied to the battlefield in Guannei. ”

"Also, we don't want to, and can't put all our eggs in one basket. In that case, once the Japanese army completes its operations in Southeast Asia, it will concentrate a large number of air forces to carry out air strikes on our rear after freeing up its hands, and the pressure on our air defense will be too great. Once there is a slight negligence, the damage caused is too great. ”

Yang Zhen spoke in detail, and while speaking, he kept holding various triangles, goniometers and other equipment to do homework on the map. When his words fell, according to his thoughts, a complete battle map was also marked. The starting point of the attack, the attack route, the supply route, and even the selection point of the field airfield of each branch of the military are clearly marked on the map.

When the chairman and the boss walked to the map, they looked at the extremely standard homework on the map marked by Yang Zhen, and once again marveled at the richness of this guy's military heritage. Especially when he once served as the director of the political department of the Whampoa Military Academy, and it was the first time to meet Yang Zhen, the vice chairman of the most basic skills, he was even more amazed and at the same time, he also fell into thinking.

After being silent for a long time, the chairman turned his head to look at Yang Zhen and said, "If you follow your idea, then when do you think the time to launch the battle is appropriate." You have just come out of a great war and are in dire need of recuperation, and you will not be fit for action for at least three to five months. ”

"But don't forget, we just signed a strategic synergy with the British. If the Japanese army launches an attack on Southeast Asia, you will have to take action at the same time. We still have to carry out the assistance of signing in black and white. This can be regarded as a person under the roof and has to bow his head. ”

The chairman's rhetorical question, Yang Zhen smiled and said: "Chairman, the agreement has been signed, but isn't there still a buffer period of two to three months?" Although the Japanese army has mobilized a large number of troops in Thailand, Vietnam, Hainan Island and Taiwan, these troops still need to be trained in adaptation to combat in the tropics. ”

"In a war like this, which gambles on national strength, in terms of the character of the Japanese, they will not do it without the certainty of winning with a single blow. In the First Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War, and the War of Aggression against China, including the upcoming Southeast Asian War, they paid attention to not shooting, but once they made a move, they would definitely kill with one blow. They never talked about the rules of war, and it was their habit to go to war without declaring it. ”

"The most critical thing is that the Japanese will not officially launch an offensive in Southeast Asia until they have solved the powerful US Pacific Fleet. They could not have seized the oil-rich Dutch East Indies without destroying the US Pacific Fleet. ”

"Based on the current intelligence coming from the Japanese base camp, as well as our decipherment and monitoring of the Japanese army's radio movements, we can basically determine that the Japanese offensive will be in full swing in early December. Moreover, the Japanese army's actions would begin with the naval aviation carried by aircraft carriers attacking the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. ”

"After the destruction of the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor is completed, the Japanese army will launch an attack on the Philippines and Malaya from bases in Thailand, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Judging from the military strength they are currently concentrating in Southeast Asia, they may take a break after taking Burma, or directly continue to attack India. ”

"But given the supply lines, I feel like there should be a bit of a break, and they need some time to digest the food they're swallowing. Although the real purpose is to snatch the food from Meiying's hands and swallow it in his stomach. But at least superficial articles, such as organizing some kind of puppet regime, still need to be done. From Malaya to Myanmar, they take a certain amount of time. ”

"We also need a certain amount of time to reorganize and train the troops, adjust their equipment and strengthening. At the same time, ammunition, oil, food, medicine, and other materials must be secretly sent to the hoarding point of choice. In addition, we have arranged for all field hospitals in the military region to set up secret field hospitals in the name of free medical treatment in the name of free medical treatment in the direction of Linxi and Rexi."

"There is also the need to stock up on ammunition, especially shells of various calibers. The most critical thing is the newly formed troops, which need time to train and develop combat effectiveness. At least one or two synthesis exercises are required, which take a lot of time. So according to our estimates, March next year is the best time for us to launch an attack. ”

"And Chairman, the agreement was indeed signed, but it was not fully implemented in accordance with the agreement, which is another matter. Chairman, it is not entirely impossible to let go of the other party's pigeon once in a while and delay it for a while. The aid of the Americans and the British is not destined to be 100 per cent, so there is no need to be too serious. ”

"I would choose the best time to launch it, before the Japanese end the war in Southeast Asia, of course. However, I will not rush into an offensive until the troops have completed the prescribed subject training. In that case, not only would we not be able to relieve the so-called pressure of the British, but we would probably be able to put ourselves in it. ”

Yang Zhen's reply, several central leaders present, including the vice chairman who had not spoken and the political commissar of the advance army who participated in the whole negotiation, all looked at Yang Zhen speechlessly. What is this guy when this agreement is? Do children play at home? This is with the two major powers, to put it mildly, it is an agreement signed with the two major financiers, and you dare to play greasy on this?

Although the chairman has always emphasized self-reliance and hard work, this great man, who has come from a shortage of guns and ammunition, longs for a well-equipped army more than anyone else. In fact, the chairman attaches great importance to the aid provided by the United States and Britain this time. I was scared of poverty, and the experience of tens of thousands of troops who couldn't even eat at the beginning, and there were no bullets in the chamber of the gun was really poor.

The chairman, who has a long-term vision and strong national self-esteem, hopes more than anyone else that China will complete industrialization and build its own national defense industry at an early date. Don't be driven to death by people at every turn, forced to drill into the ravine, and go deep into the mountains and old forests to survive. As the leader of a political party, the chairman desires more than anyone else.

And the boss and the vice chairman, all the leaders who have come through the most difficult moments, there is not a single one who does not aspire from the bottom of his heart to build his own strong defense industry. So everyone, including the chairman who has always firmly supported Yang Zhen, didn't understand his words.

The vice chairman pointed at Yang Zhen and shook his head and said, "Comrade Yang Zhen, this is a formally signed agreement. The political commissar represents the Central Committee, and you, on behalf of the Northeast Bureau and the Anti-Japanese Federation, have signed, which means that this is an agreement that has officially come into effect. Whatever the purpose of the United States and Britain is, for us, we should fulfill the agreement within our capabilities. ”

Listening to the vice chairman's Huai'an accent, which sounded very comfortable, Yang Zhen smiled and said, "Vice chairman, it's not that we don't completely fail to fulfill the agreement. I'm just going to put it back for a while, depending on the situation. It is clear to me that we have this on the basis of the strategic partnership we have with them, and if the United States and Britain see no need to maintain this relationship, we will get nothing. ”

"But no matter how important the assistance of the United States and Britain is, we still need to cooperate with them strategically. So a few chiefs, we have some delays in some areas, and we don't have to worry that they will really cut off our aid. As long as the Japanese offensive is in one day, they will not really part ways with us. Of course, there will be some protests. ”

"What's more, I have other solutions. We have a number of Soviet-made Il-4 bombers in our hands, and the combat range can take off from the base area to the Japanese mainland. Once Japan launches an offensive against the United States and Britain, in order to show support for our allies, we will send a group of bombers to carry out several air strikes on the Japanese mainland. ”

"Also, there is a premise for us to launch a coordinated offensive. That is the aid equipment promised by the British, and it must be all in place. However, judging from the current war situation, it is difficult for US and British aid to arrive within two months of the outbreak of war. At least the British, they didn't move so fast. The situation on the battlefield in North Africa will affect the speed at which they can provide equipment. ”

"Of course, we will launch this offensive at the time of the Southeast Asian campaign, because we don't want to face the pressure of the Japanese alone. Although it is clear that we know that the British cannot hold Southeast Asia, it is also a good choice for us to have one person who can disperse the Japanese forces and contain a part of the Japanese reserves. ”