Chapter 228: Lin Yi, You Must Take Responsibility

Jiang Anguo naturally didn't need American assistance aircraft; after searching and haggling, he only managed to obtain about a hundred combat planes.

The United States' policy has always been Europe first, Asia second.

Jiang Anguo has a system, but he can't tell you.

Jiang Anguo looked at Stilwell and said, "General Stilwell, you should understand that the Japanese Army is now attacking our Third War Zone; it is because your bombers bombed Tokyo, and some of those bombers were forced to land in Jiangxi and Zhejiang, that those two places were suddenly attacked by the Japanese Army. Therefore, I hope you can quickly persuade President Roosevelt to send military aid to Huaxia, otherwise I am not sure how long we can hold out."

Stilwell wore a look of disbelief, "Impossible."

As for this matter, Stilwell naturally would not admit it.

But in fact, that is exactly how it is.

The Principal also looked bewildered, still wondering why the Japanese Army suddenly attacked the Third War Zone; the Japanese Army's advance routes actually follow the railway lines, as well as the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, mainly focusing on supply lines.

The Zhejiang‑Jiangxi region also has a railway leading to Guangzhou.

But now Guangzhou has already been taken by the Japanese Army; the central Zhejiang‑Jiangxi areas are mountainous, and occupying them not only requires dividing troops but also makes them easy targets for nearby guerrilla attacks, making it unprofitable.

The Japanese Army's purpose in advancing into Zhejiang‑Jiangxi is clear: to prevent American bombers from using Huaxia airports to strike the homeland, they must destroy the airports in that region.

The Principal gave Stilwell a deep look, then slowly sank back into his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the tabletop as if weighing every detail of the plan.

As for the situation of the American Aircraft Carrier, the Principal actually did not know, because no one had told him, and even only a few Americans were aware.

This includes Stilwell.

However, the Doolittle raid on Tokyo was a huge morale boost for the Huaxia Battlefield, just like when transport planes dropped paper bombs in the past, whereas the opposing Little Devil could only use real bombs.

What the Principal did not expect was that the Third War Zone suddenly faced a heavy Little Devil pressure, because an independent bomber group had parachuted into Huaxia.

"General Stilwell, this is the Japanese Army's blatant retaliation, but our forces are still holding out, and we hope your United States government can also show sincerity," the Principal said, looking at Stilwell.

The Principal must affirm his army's resistance; although they have been retreating, all his elite units were lost in Shanghai and Nanjing, and the few remaining elite forces are encircling Chongqing and Chengdu. The final resistance could not be thrown into a single battlefield at once.

For example, this time the Japanese Army's attack on the Third War Zone.

The Principal has already ordered Wang Yaowu's 74th Army toward the Jinhua direction.

Stilwell, standing aside, said, "Principal, rest assured, the weapons and equipment for ten divisions are only this year's goal; more and more weapons and equipment will enter Huaxia thereafter."

Stilwell now can only use weapons as an excuse to account for why the Japanese Army attacked Zhejiang‑Jiangxi; Stilwell naturally does not know what happened in the Third War Zone.

In the tense silence, the Principal suddenly furrowed his brow, as if recalling something crucial. He lifted his head, his gaze blazing, staring directly at Jiang Anguo.

"Anguo, I just remembered something," he said, his voice low yet tightening the whole living room's air. "How did you learn about the sinking of the American Aircraft Carrier?"

The moment the question was raised, Stilwell's expression became extremely unnatural. The Coral Sea battle is top secret to the American Army; although the Yorktown was heavily damaged and the Lexington sank, the specific losses and strategic impact could never be known by a Chinese regiment commander stationed far away in Myanmar.

Jiang Anguo had long been prepared for this question; he had anticipated it. He had even planted a hint during his previous conversation with Dai Anlan.

He faced the Principal's probing gaze, his demeanor showing no panic at all, but rather an unusual calm.

"Principal, do you still remember that Japanese intelligence report I intercepted earlier?" he asked.

The Principal nodded, of course remembering. That intelligence directly led to Tonggu's counterattack; he was present at the time and was deeply impressed.

"Since that report, I have had my deputy Lin Yi monitor the Japanese Army's high‑level communication channels in the Myanmar war zone around the clock," Jiang Anguo said at an even pace, his logic clear. "Principal, consider this: the Japanese Army gave up the once‑in‑a‑lifetime chance to chase our 200th Division in Myanmar and instead turned to defense on the spot; that is completely unlike their usual character. If they don't get a bite of meat, they will never easily concede."

He paused briefly, letting everyone digest this key point.

"My deputy Lin Yi, during the subsequent monitoring, intercepted an encrypted telegram from the Japanese Southern Army Headquarters to the Myanmar forces. Although we could not fully decipher it, combined with the earlier material we pieced together a startling piece of information: the Japanese Army is preparing a massive offensive against Australia and has already begun pulling elite divisions from the southeastern Huaxia war zones southward for concentration!"

Jiang Anguo's voice grew low and powerful: "For an army to conduct such a large‑scale amphibious operation, what is the prerequisite? Control of the seas! The only explanation for their daring to move their main force southward is that they have achieved a decisive victory at sea. At that time in the Pacific, the only force capable of confronting the Japanese Combined Fleet was the American Aircraft Carrier fleet. Therefore, I infer that the American Aircraft Carrier must have suffered a huge loss!"

With those words finished, the entire living room fell silent enough to hear a pin drop.

This is not some mysterious prophecy, but a tightly linked, intelligence‑and‑logic based chain of reasoning!

From the Japanese Army's abnormal actions, to the fragmented intercepted intelligence, to the macro‑level strategic assessment, each step is flawless.

Dai Anlan, listening nearby, was left staring in amazement; only then did he realize that his brother‑in‑law harbored such meticulous strategic thinking.

But Dai Anlan also felt that his side was far too passive, each time being dictated by the Japanese Army on the battlefield.

The only instance, which was Tonggu's counterattack, was when the Expeditionary Force said the war would start at a certain time, and it started then, giving the Japanese Army no chance to respond.

Being overly passive, Dai Anlan also considered launching a proactive strike to defeat the Japanese Army, but looking across the current Huaxia battlefield, no commander has yet been able to directly defeat even a single Japanese division.

Even Xue Yue of Changsha, employing layered blockades and the two‑flank "Heaven Furnace" tactic, still incurred very heavy losses when directly confronting that Japanese unit.

Stilwell's face flushed red in an instant, then turned a bit pale. He felt a strong embarrassment.

As the China Theater Chief of Staff for the Allied Forces, he didn't even know what was happening on the front lines, while a Chinese regiment commander, through his own intelligence network and analysis, had grasped the dramatic shift in the Pacific war situation.

This is not only a failure of intelligence work, but also a huge irony for him as an "Allied expert".

More importantly, Jiang Anguo's words gave him an irrefutable reason to urge Huashengdun.