mixed in the war

World War II finally reached a small peak towards the end of the first half of 1942.

In the European battlefield, the German army's "Ice and Snow Line of Defense" in Stalingrad has successfully completed its mission and is coming to an end!But relying on the solid ice and snow defense line, the German army has already built permanent fortifications. With these fortifications, they once again blocked the Soviet army from the defense line, and still maintained a great momentum of encircling Stalingrad... and the whole world Everyone knows that if the Soviet Union cannot break through the encirclement of the German army in a short period of time, then the fall of Stalingrad will only happen sooner or later.Because after a winter of consumption and waiting, even if the German army does not launch an offensive, the Soviet defenders in Stalingrad will not last long.According to reports, throughout the winter, the heating and food problems caused by insufficient fuel and food have caused nearly [-] Stalingrad casualties.If it wasn't for Gordov and Khrushchev, who were in charge of guarding the city, who saw the opportunity quickly and forcibly collected the meager fuel and food from the people and adopted a rationing system, the number of casualties would only be even greater. It may also cause chaos in the city, giving the German army an opportunity to take advantage of.

But in any case, it is really difficult for Stalingrad to survive.The performance of the Soviets seems to prove this point.Stalin's 62nd, 63rd, and 64th Army Groups, which were urgently transferred from the Soviet Army Reserve to relieve the siege of Stalingrad, began to move slowly towards the southwest of the city. , 21th, and 28th Army, the 38st and 57th Tank Armies, the 1th Air Force Army, and the Volga Fleet of the Navy jointly formed the Caucasus Front Army, with Marshal Budyonny as the commander-in-chief and Timoshenko as the deputy commander-in-chief.Its purpose is very obvious, that is, to defend the security of Stalingrad in the west and south directions.Because going in these two directions from Stalingrad is the most important grain-producing area of ​​the Soviet Union.There is also the Caucasus oil field, which supplies 4% of the oil in the entire Soviet Union.Once this falls, the Soviet Union's strategic supplies will be gone.At that time, the only way for the Soviet Union to go is failure.

And when the Soviets were struggling to support, Britain and the United States finally formed a common Allied Command.It's just that Eisenhower, who was supposed to be the commander-in-chief of the Allied Forces, was tricked by someone this time and failed to take office. He was "replaced" by another American general with only the rank of major general, Omar Nelson Bradley!He was also one of the candidates who Qin Wei tried to join the observation team but failed. In the original time and space, this man was one of the five-star generals of the U.S. Army. first chairman.

But the choice has changed.The problems faced have not changed.Bradley only had the rank of major general at this time, and he was unknown, so after he arrived in the UK, he was despised by many British colleagues.Although the United States keeps sending its soldiers to Great Britain, the performance of American soldiers who have not experienced the war also makes the British who have experienced a brutal war for a long time look very unpleasant.In the eyes of the British.These American soldiers wear fashionable and beautiful military uniforms and receive high salaries.But his thoughts were not on the war at all.Instead, he only cared about going to drinks and dances during his vacation, seducing beautiful women everywhere... How the hell did this come to join the war? This is to pry the corner of the wall while all the British men are on the battlefield?Therefore, the conflicts between the British and the Americans quickly began to accumulate, and incidents such as quarrels and fights occurred from time to time.

……

And just as one scene after another of major dramas was playing out on the European battlefield.The "actors" on the Asian battlefield are also unwilling to be lonely.

The successive victories of the Japanese army in the Malayan battlefield further lowered the morale of the British army. When the Malayan defenders retreated to Johor, north of Singapore, Arthur Percival, the commander-in-chief of the British Far East Army, refused. The British army was unwilling to set up fixed defenses in the north of Johor at the request of the British military.Instead, the intention is to withdraw all troops across the Strait of Johor and into Singapore.In the end, his request was approved by Wavell, who has become the commander of the United States-UK-Netherlands-Australia Joint Command, and more than 8 Commonwealth troops withdrew into the small town with extremely low morale in order to conduct Last defense.

However, Percival obviously miscalculated the situation.Not long after he withdrew into Singapore and ordered his engineers to blow up a 20-meter-long hole on the Causeway between Johor and Singapore, the Japanese army arrived and immediately launched an attack on Singapore.The commandos of the Japanese army turned into residents of Singapore, used small boats, directly crossed the Strait of Johor, attacked Singapore, and successfully entered the city.Afterwards, because the Japanese Air Force completely controlled the air, the Allied forces were extremely short of military supplies and real objects. In addition, a large number of refugees crowded into Singapore, which increased the difficulty of maintaining the water source. , Percival had to order the white flag to be raised.

In this way, from the beginning to the end, in less than two months, the Japanese army swept across 650 miles of land in Malaya until they captured Singapore.Throughout the battle, the Japanese army paid the price of nearly 13 casualties, while the British army had fewer casualties than the Japanese army, but as many as 16 surrendered to the Japanese army.This victory is the largest land battle victory in the history of the Japanese army.They once again made a dramatic show of force to the world.Originally, this victory was won by Yamashita Homofumi, who was once the chief of staff under Moto Sugiyama, the commander of the North China Front Army. .This man was cruel by nature. After capturing Singapore, he raised his butcher knife to the Chinese in Singapore just like when he was in North China, creating the tragedy of "Singapore Massacre".However, this time, Fengwen Yamashita was bombed to death by people sent by Qin Wei early in Wuhan together with Yuan Sugiyama, and was buried in a sea of ​​flames without even leaving a body. Therefore, the "Tiger of Malay" was replaced by Jun Imamura , the successor of Seishiro Sakagaki, the former head of the Fifth Division of the Japanese "Steel Army".Although the Fifth Division led by him was almost wiped out during the Battle of Southern Guangxi, he himself made steady progress in the days that followed, and was promoted to the commander of the No.[-] Army, and finally got the opportunity to command the Malaya Campaign.

The war in Malaya made the Japanese ecstatic.Japanese newspapers advertised with great fanfare: "The overall situation of the Great East Asian War has been decided; Singapore has been captured in just three days, and only our Imperial Army of Shenwu can achieve this great honor." And Hideo Ohira, the head of publicity at the Japanese headquarters in Tokyo, even directly declared: "Japan is a The sun that illuminates world peace. Those who bathe in the sun thrive, and those who resist the sun can only perish. Both the United States and the United Kingdom should think deeply about Japan's millennium hot history."

And just as Imamura was pushing all the way in Malaya, the Burmese side finally started fighting.

The British had already made all preparations.But they didn't expect that it was their rear that had problems first.Ren'anqiang, an important oil producing area in south-central Myanmar, was suddenly attacked by a force known as the "Myanmar Independence Army".This force is composed entirely of Burmese locals. Although it has attracted the attention of the Burmese and British authorities before, it has not been taken seriously by the British.Because according to the news obtained by the British, the "Myanmar Independence Army" was poorly equipped, and the members of the army basically had no military training. Most of them were just civilians, and the leader did not have any military combat experience.There are not many members, only a few thousand people... But it was precisely this force that they ignored that stabbed them hard at a critical moment.

Because the main energy was put on the Japanese, there were not many defenders in Ren'anqiang, and the oil field was quickly captured by the Burmese Independence Army who suddenly killed them.after.The Japanese airborne troops who had performed wonderfully in Siberia and in the battle to snatch the Indonesian oil fields provided reinforcements in time.As a result, the British could not regain this important place in time.

And then.The Burma campaign begins.

The Japanese army launched the first attack on the No.15 Army, Commander Shojiro Iida, who was the first Taiwanese mixed brigade to enjoy the "unconscionable cannon" "invented" by Qin Wei in the Battle of Wuhan The head of the brigade.Under the command of Shojiro Iida, the 55th and 33rd Divisions of the Japanese Army, led by Hiroshi Takeuchi and Shozo Sakurada, respectively launched attacks from Thailand to Dawei and Moulmein in southern Myanmar.Bingfeng pointed directly at Yangon.

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"The British are in a hurry! Urging us to fight in Burma."

He Zhonghan left early.Without much consideration, he agreed to the task entrusted by Qin Wei... to take over the affairs of overseas Chinese evacuated from the Philippines, Burma, Malaya, Indonesia, Singapore and other places to China.Most of these people are currently concentrated in Myanmar and Vietnam, and a small number have entered Yunnan and Guangxi.But this is only temporary.In the plan of Qin Wei and others, these overseas Chinese will be an important channel for the national government to extend its tentacles into Southeast Asia.It is also an important assistant for them to control Southeast Asia in the future.This is also the reason why Lao Jiang agreed to He Zhonghan to be in charge of this important matter after receiving the recommendation from Qin Wei and He Yingqin... First, to give face to the two important men; It is foreign affairs, so there is no need to be afraid of how much threat He Zhonghan will pose to him after he takes power; third, He Zhonghan is really capable and good at propaganda, and he has always done a good job in political work. Many people are better at winning over the hearts of overseas Chinese; Fourth, they show their magnanimity...and so on.

However, overseas Chinese affairs are only related to the future, and Lao Jiang is most concerned about the present.

"They are not good at the front line?"

Because there was Yan Huiqing first, and then Song Ziwen, Soong Meiling failed to get the chance to show off in the United States this time.But she still cares about national affairs.

"It's more than a disadvantage. If there is no outside force to help, the front line will almost certainly fall. They are retreating steadily now!" Wang Chonghui, who came to deliver the news, said disdainfully.

"Fortunately, I listened to Qin Wei's suggestion and didn't get involved. Otherwise, hmph..." Lao Jiang never trusted foreigners, so Qin Weiyi told him that if the war was unfavorable, the British would definitely use the squadron to top the tank , he believed it.And the current poor performance of the British on the battlefield has once again confirmed his thoughts.

"Can't we just look at it like this? In the final analysis, we are also allies with them." Song Meiling worried.

"Madam, don't worry, isn't Stilwell still not moving? He has [-] U.S. troops under his command, and he doesn't care. We have no reason to worry." Lao Jiang said.

"But……"

"A seat!"

Song Meiling still wanted to express her opinion, but was interrupted by a person who broke in suddenly.She wanted to lose her temper at first, but seeing the face of the person coming, she had no choice but to keep silent.There is no way, Mao Qingxiang is not only one of the three pillars of Lao Jiang's intelligence and governance system, but also a family friend of Lao Jiang's family. When their parents were doing business together in Xikou, Zhejiang, their relationship was already very good.

"What's the matter?" Lao Jiang also glanced at this subordinate he had known since childhood, and asked.

"I just received some good news." Mao Qingxiang said with a smile, "The assault force of the New 1st Army successfully attacked and occupied the Japanese airport in Chiang Mai, Siam, and captured 42 jet planes they placed there... Committee Member , our air force has grown stronger again!" (To be continued..)