Chapter 224: German Friend

It must be admitted that during the first wave of artillery attack, the place where the enemy had the most troops was directly covered by shellfire.

The vast majority of Japanese Army soldiers were also blown up in the first round of bombardment.

The surprise attack was one factor, and the firepower was, of course, far stronger than that of the Japanese Army.

That day, the MG42 General Machine Gun rained bullets like a downpour, never stopping from start to finish; as Commander, Jiang Anguo said, "Bullets, open fire!"

Dai Anlan paused and gave a summary: "Principal, if in the Tonggu first campaign we used flesh and blood to stubbornly resist the enemy's steel, then in the second campaign our steel will crush the enemy's flesh. The advantage in equipment directly changed our tactics and greatly reduced our casualties."

Jiang Anguo listened on the side, silently nodding in his heart.

Dai Anlan's words were both a report of the battle situation and a subtle effort to secure resources for him.

He attributed the credit to the Principal, laid the difficulties on the table, and placed hope in the "new weapons"; the logic was clear and watertight.

Stilwell also added in English: "General Dai is right. Modern warfare is a contest of firepower superiority. His 448th Regiment perfectly demonstrates this."

The Principal, after listening, fell into contemplation. His finger tapping stopped, his gaze deep, clearly weighing the weight behind those words.

"This time the th Division suffered losses, Anlan, I will have the Kunming Training Depot assign a regiment's troops to go with you to Myanmar, hoping you will redouble your efforts and bring glory to the national government." Since the Principal said so, it shows he does not intend to punish Jiang Anguo and Dai Anlan for disobeying orders.

Jiang Anguo also seemed to let out a sigh of relief.

After a while, he looked up, his gaze passing over Dai Anlan and landing directly on Jiang Anguo.

"Anguo," the Principal's voice became gentle yet carried an undeniable penetrating force, "your Independent Regiment seems to have many surprises. This batch of new weapons, especially the howitzers, where did you get them?"

The national government did not have that many howitzers; they were not easily deployed, and the quantity was only countable on the fingers. It was not until the second half of 1942, when American Army aid arrived, that things improved somewhat.

Jiang Anguo's heart jumped sharply.

He did not expect the topic to shift so precisely onto himself. In

In this room there were generals commanding thousands of troops, leaders deciding the nation's fate, observers from the Allied Forces, and every matter was more important than his modest colonel rank.

Jiang Anguo originally thought that just being a background figure today and safely listening to the report was already a great fortune.

However, the Principal's gaze fixed on Jiang Anguo, pinning him firmly to his seat.

Everyone's eyes converged on him, including Dai Anlan's slightly concerned glance and Stilwell's scrutinizing gaze tinged with doubt.

No way out.

Jiang Anguo took a deep breath, gently placed his teacup on the table, then stood up. He forced himself to look straight at the Principal's eyes and said, without deference or arrogance:

"Report, Principal, we rescued a man in our forces. His name is Lei Ao, a German doctor and also a weapons expert."

He deliberately paused, observing the Principal's reaction. The Principal's eyebrows lifted slightly, indicating him to continue.

"In Myanmar, while on the march, we saw a group of civilians who had been ambushed by the Japanese Army, the situation was critical. Dr. Lei Ao was then providing voluntary medical aid to the civilians, and we rescued him together. In the subsequent interactions, I learned that his family still has deep connections and influence in Germany's military industry." Jiang Anguo spoke at a measured pace, but each word was clear and forceful, "Principal, I saved his life; he regards me as a friend. These weapons, including the howitzers you mentioned, were sent through his family's private channels. He said it is to thank me and to help the China that still holds justice in his heart."

When he finished, the entire room fell into an eerie silence.

Jiang Anguo dared not bring up tanks again; does that sound reasonable?

A German providing you with Soviet tanks—does that make sense?

A flash of surprise crossed Dai Anlan's eyes; he clearly did not know Jiang Anguo had prepared such a line, yet that line perfectly explained all the doubts.

But it must be admitted that now the Lashu, Xibu, and Corner Mei front lines are like iron forts; if the Japanese Army wants to break through, they must be prepared to pay an enormous price.

Stilwell's brows knit tightly. German channel? In 1942, Germany and Japan were Axis allies; a German secretly supplying arms to China? That sounds like a fairy tale, full of espionage. He stared at Jiang Anguo with an inquisitive gaze, as if trying to see through his mind.

But in Lashu, Stilwell personally saw soldiers wielding Mauser rifles, which could not be fabricated, and at that time he also saw Soviet tanks.

However, recalling that the Soviet Union had previously supported Huaxia, Stilwell no longer dwelled on the issue.

The Principal, however, smiled.

He offered no questioning, no interrogation; instead he leaned back in his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the table, producing a "thud, thud" sound. In those deep eyes flickered a complex light—appreciation, doubt, but mostly the excitement of discovering treasure.

"Dr. Lei Ao… German channel…" he repeated slowly, as if savoring the flavor of a dish.

Whether the doctor is genuine or not, the weapons and equipment are certainly real.

"Anguo," he suddenly said, his tone becoming profound, "you are the kind of person who, wherever you go, meets benefactors. Now a German weapons expert is willing to risk his life for you. That shows you have ability and personal charisma."

These words were both praise and a kind of rebuke.

The Principal leaned forward again, his gaze sharpening: "However, you must understand that this is wartime. Every drop of gasoline, every bullet, is a strategic resource of the nation. Since Dr. Lei Ao is your friend, he is also our friend. His channel cannot be limited to just your Independent Regiment's channel."

Jiang Anguo's heart rose to his throat; he knew the real test had arrived.

"I don't care how he was delivered, nor how complex the background is," the Principal's voice left no doubt, "I order you: first, immediately ascertain Dr. Lei Ao's exact location and background, ensure his absolute safety and absolute loyalty. Second, keep close contact with him, tell him the nation needs him! As long as he can procure weapons, money, supplies, anything he needs, just ask, and I will find a way!"

"Third," the Principal's voice rose sharply, "this channel is under your full authority! I don't want anyone else interfering; I only want results! I need more machine guns, more mortars, more heavy artillery! I want you to turn this 'German friend' into an overseas armory for our Party-State! Can you do it?"

"Principal, it's not that I, a lowly officer, don't consider this issue; it's that Germany is also embroiled in war now, and at this stage shipping weapons out is extremely difficult, and Lei Ao's cache was already shipped to Asia before the war, just never deployed, and I happened to rescue him. At present, Principal, perhaps you could consider the American channel!" Jiang Anguo said this, glancing at Stilwell standing aside.

The Principal at that moment also realized: Germany was fighting on three fronts—Britain, the Soviet Union, North Africa—and they were surrounded by those nations. If they could now get German weapons out, they would be like gods.

Don't even say Germans sell you weapons; even the Germans themselves now lack weapons.