Shadow Spy

Chapter 375 Command of the Allied Forces in the Far East

The strategy proposed by Li Junhao was actually adopted by the United States in his previous life, but he proposed it first and it became his idea. After it was recognized by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, it was even named the "Panson Plan"!
But one thing Li Junhao knew was that in his previous life, the First Battle of Burma ended in a disastrous defeat for the British and Chinese expeditions. There were many reasons for this. The biggest reason was the hesitation of the British and the stupidity of the British commanders on the front line. !All he needs to do now is fight for a change.

First, he asked his secretaries to go to the State Department, War Department, Navy Department and various intelligence agencies to request all current intelligence on Myanmar. In addition, he directly called the British Embassy and asked its military attache to ask for information on the British troops stationed in India and Myanmar. He wanted to know everything about the situation as well as the progress of alliance negotiations between Britain and China.

Originally, he asked someone to inquire and found out that his old friend Joseph Warren Stilwell had just resigned from the post of commander of the 3rd Army and had been transferred to Washington to be responsible for formulating plans for the U.S. military. "Sportsman" operational plan for landing in North Africa.This was great. He immediately called the Army Department and made an appointment to meet with him.
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On the afternoon of the 17th, Li Junhao met the high-spirited General Stilwell in his office in the King's Building.

When old friends met, they both laughed and hugged warmly.Since Stilwell was transferred back to China in August 1939, the two had not seen each other for more than two years. At this time, one of them was a rear admiral in the navy and the other was a rear admiral in the army. They were both already among the senior officers. However, in comparison , Li Junhao's position is even more prominent.

Regarding this, Stilwell was very emotional. Pan Sen was still his subordinate at the beginning, but he did not expect that his current military rank would not only catch up with him, but also make him even more difficult to compare in terms of position. It is really amazing!

After reminiscing about old times, the two talked about the current situation in the Far East. Stilwell agreed with Li Junhao's situation prediction and also believed that Myanmar is one of the important cores of war preparations in the Far East.

Li Junhao also asked about the situation of the Burma Highway. When Stilwell left China two years ago, he personally inspected this highway and was so impressed that he introduced it in detail.

Because both of them were very busy at work, the conversation ended after more than two hours. When Stilwell left, Li Junhao clearly told him that he would propose a motion to establish the Allied China Theater Command. , and proposed the appointment of Stilwell as the chief of staff of the theater and concurrently as the commander of the China-Burma Theater, hoping that he would be prepared to go to China again.

Of course, Stilwell understood the importance of these two positions and knew that he was promoted and reused by his old friend. He immediately said that he must be prepared and wait for orders at any time.
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On December 12, at the National Security Conference held at the White House, Li Junhao, who was attending the meeting, drew everyone's attention to the situation in the Chinese theater and South Asia. He pointed out that the ongoing alliance negotiations between Britain and China were progressing too slowly because of the British This delay will greatly affect the situation in the Far East battlefield, and it is recommended that the United States intervene directly.

Roosevelt now attaches great importance to him as an "expert on Far East issues" and asked him to report in detail after hearing this.

Li Junhao said that the Japanese army has now taken control of French China and has signed a "friendship treaty" with Thailand, and its troops have been directed towards Myanmar; and the Burma Highway is currently the only remaining channel to aid China. Once it is cut off, it will inevitably It will seriously affect China's war situation.Combined with the Far East strategy mentioned at the last meeting, Myanmar, this important bridgehead, must not be lost.

Currently British Burma is a strategically important region on the South Asian Peninsula, bordering British India to the west and bordering China and Yunnan to the north and northeast.If this area is occupied by the Japanese army, not only will the Burma Road be cut off, but the Japanese army will also directly threaten China's southwestern rear. This will be a serious problem!Because of Myanmar's important strategic significance to the allies, the British had negotiated a military alliance with the Chinese government as early as early 1941, preparing to use China's military power to defend Myanmar when necessary.In response, the Chinese government also responded positively and offered to send Chinese troops to Myanmar to assist in defense.

Although the British agree to rely on China's military power from a strategic perspective, they are emotionally unwilling to allow foreign troops to penetrate deep into their colonies, so they have been procrastinating in negotiations, and they do not agree with the long-established Chinese expedition. The army entered Myanmar ahead of schedule...

Li Junhao believed that the British ideas were extremely dangerous. They also overestimated the combat effectiveness of their own army and believed that they could withstand the first wave of Japanese attacks with the British and British-Burmese troops currently in Burma...

Judging from the performance of the British army on the European battlefield, he believed that the combat effectiveness of its troops stationed in the colonies was not strong, and the British army had a contemptuous view of Asian armies, so when they encountered the Japanese army, they would definitely suffer a big loss and would be even more defensive. Don’t live in Myanmar!
Therefore, Li Junhao suggested that the United States must immediately intervene in the Sino-Burmese battlefield, sign an allied cooperation agreement with China and Britain, and firmly control the command of the Allied forces in the Far East. It must not let the arrogant British or the Chinese Kuomintang government Conduct a campaign, because that would mean failure.

After listening to his story, Roosevelt asked him when the Japanese army was expected to start attacking Burma.
Li Junhao replied: "Based on the current situation in South Asia and the intelligence coming from the Far East, it can be basically determined that the Japanese army will launch an attack on Burma from late January to the end of next year, that is, a month later, but the time is not very clear. too much!"

"Hull, you immediately instruct Ambassador Johnson to China to represent our country in alliance negotiations between China and Britain." Roosevelt immediately made a decision, "Oger, do you have anything else to say about the issue of command authority for the Allied forces in the Far East? Any suggestions?"

"Yes." Li Junhao said, "From the perspective of commanding the entire Far East war situation, the Far East Allied Forces General Headquarters should be established to coordinate allied operations in China, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. I recommend that General Marshall serve as the Far East Allied Forces Commander-in-Chief. commander.

“In addition, it is recommended that General Wainwright, who is commanding U.S. military operations in the Far East in the Philippines, be the commander of the Southeast Asia Theater;
"Third, the establishment of the China Theater Command. Taking into account the actual situation of China's Anti-Japanese War, it is recommended that the leaders of the Chinese Kuomintang and the underground party serve as the commander-in-chief and deputy commander-in-chief, and that General Stilwell, the former military attaché in China who is familiar with China's situation, serves as the commander-in-chief. chief of staff.

"The India-Burma Theater Command was established, with General Stilwell as the theater commander and assuming actual command responsibilities..."

(End of this chapter)