Chapter 393: Promotion

Jiang Anguo, far away in Dangyang.

Having received word that Nick's side had already intercepted William's bomber squadron, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

This mission was entirely outside the attack plan, a last‑minute addition, so everyone was in a rush.

Jiang Anguo finally had time to review the operation: two bombings, totaling a score of 560,000.

It included bombing three airfields and bombing Tokyo.

Jiang Anguo glanced again at his total score, which had reached 4,240,000—a terrifying figure.

If he wished, he could arm eighty German‑equipment divisions on the spot; of course this excludes aircraft and tanks. With that absolute strength, not even a single Japan, let alone the Americans on the other side of the globe, could match it.

At one p. m., the roar of engines echoed in the sky; Jiang Anguo rushed out of the command post, looked up, and saw William and Nick.

The weather now was far worse than in previous days; dark clouds had already gathered, clearly heralding a storm.

"Commander!" William tipped his hat, hurried out of the plane, and approached Jiang Anguo.

Jiang Anguo stepped forward, gave William a firm pat on the shoulder, and said, "The mission was completed beautifully."

"Thanks, Commander!" William shouted.

Jiang Anguo shook hands with each pilot in turn; finally everyone formed five rows and took a group photo.

With that, the Battle of Yichang truly ended.

From the initial Battle of Yichang, then Dangyang, Jingmen, Jingzhou, it evolved into the Jianghan Campaign.

Throughout the campaign, two Japanese Army divisions—the 13th Division and the 39th Division—were annihilated, and the 13th Division's commander Nei Shan Ying Tai Lang was captured.

The 39th Division was also captured, its commander Zuozuo Mu Dao Yi.

In one battle, two Japanese division commanders with the rank of Major General were taken prisoner.

Moreover, the Japanese 13th Division, a Class A Division, was completely wiped out by Huaxia.

Chongqing, Huangshan Residence, June 6 1942.

The good news fluttered in like snowflakes.

From Yichang's liberation to Jingmen's defeat; from the live capture of Nei Shan Ying Tai Lang to the total annihilation of the 13th Division; and today—Zhijiang's great victory, Jingzhou's recapture, Tokyo's successful air raid… In just seventy‑two hours, report after report arrived, nearly overloading the Military Commission's telegraph office.

They all doubted whether these reports were genuine.

But the Military Command under Dai Li intercepted Japanese telegrams, and after translation confirmed that the 13th and 39th Divisions had indeed been reduced to shattered ground.

In other words, all the frontline reports they received were authentic.

Of course, it couldn't be fabricated; both division commanders were captured, so nothing could be false.

The Principal hadn't sat down in all these days.

At first he sat upright reviewing; each telegram sparked extreme excitement. Later he simply stood, paced before the map, and couldn't hide his smile.

His original order to Jiang Anguo was: "Capture Yichang within five days; if victory seemed impossible, withdraw to the garrison zone."

The result? Three days! In just three days, not only was Yichang reclaimed, but four fronts were struck—Dangyang, Jingmen, Zhijiang were all retaken, and the Japanese two main divisions were annihilated!

"Niang Xi Pi!" he slammed the table, laughing, "Well fought! Absolutely superb! A great morale boost!"

Everyone in the aide room stared at each other; it had been many days since anyone had seen the Principal so joyous.

One could say that after the Myanmar Campaign, the Principal's complexion had never looked good.

It was when Dai Anlan and Jiang Anguo counterattacked Tonggu, crushing the 55th Division's 144th Regiment, whose commander Nan Sai Zheng Xiong was killed, that a faint smile appeared.

More astonishingly, the usually expressionless commander personally grabbed the phone and repeatedly called Xue Yue and Li Zongren: "Tell the front‑line troops, give them whatever they need! Aircraft, artillery, personnel—all priority to Jiang Anguo!"

Indeed, of the aircraft at the state office, Jiang Anguo cared only for the pilots; the number of cannons was also limited.

The Principal also worried Jiang Anguo's forces were insufficient, but with the two divisions and one regiment on the Jianghan Plain, plus the Fifth, Ninth, and Sixth War Zones—three war‑zone forces in total—at least four to five days were needed for them to arrive and take positions.

Especially after learning that the 13th Division's commander Nei Shan Ying Tai Lang had been captured alive, the Principal paced furiously in his office, shouting, "Quick! Immediately! Send a telegram now, order Jiang Anguo and Hu Lian to transport Nei Shan Ying Tai Lang to Chongqing! I'll show the world that the so‑called 'Imperial Japanese Army' is nothing but a prisoner beneath the stairs!"

Of course, regarding the captured Japanese division commander, Jiang Anguo didn't wait; the moment Nei Shan Ying Tai Lang was seized, he both sent a telegram to Chongqing and ordered the commander dispatched there.

It must be said that when the Principal saw Nei Shan Ying Tai Lang, they recognized each other; at that time Nei Shan Ying Tai Lang had been the squad leader of the Principal's artillery unit.

The Principal especially remembered that when he erred, the squad leader had kicked him hard with his foot.

The propaganda machine ran at full speed.

The Central News Agency issued continuous bulletins: "Our troops thunderously counter‑attack, four western Hubei cities liberated"; three international press briefings were held each day, nonstop.

Even the detail that the 39th Division's Chief of Staff Zhuan Tian Sheng Shou was killed was announced at a dedicated press conference, with precise time and location, to underscore the tangible victory.

A foreign reporter asked in astonishment, "When did your army acquire such powerful armor and air power?"

The spokesperson merely smiled, "It is the result of all our soldiers' blood‑soaked struggle, proof that justice inevitably prevails."

They themselves didn't know where the aircraft and tanks came from.

Just now, news that bombers had successfully struck Tokyo arrived, causing all of Chongqing to boil over.

The newspaper had already changed today's headline to: "Huaxia Air Force Directly Strikes Tokyo, Imperial Myth Shattered."

At this moment, the Principal stood on the balcony, gazing at the mist over the Jialing River, murmuring, "Never imagined… truly never imagined… our army can wage such a war."

Perhaps he had been misled; it wasn't his troops' strength, but Jiang Anguo's constant presence at the front, his Independent Regiment always at the vanguard.

He turned and ordered the aides, "Draft decree—promote Jiang Anguo to Major General, award the Blue Sky and White Sun Medal; the 11th Division and the 150th Division, whole‑army commendation; the Independent Regiment, collective merit!"

As for Hu Lian and Xu Guozhang, the Principal knew that had they possessed such strength earlier, they would have counter‑attacked long ago; it was clearly Jiang Anguo's boy who led this.

Thus, the primary credit goes to Jiang Anguo, without doubt.

It must be said, the Principal regards his nephew quite well; if not for age limits, Jiang Anguo's recent exploits would merit not just Major General but even Lieutenant General.

The key is that they are comrades.

Few can fight, and even fewer can actually fight.

One could say Jiang Anguo is now, among Huaxia's commanders who defeat stronger foes, the general who has eliminated the most Japanese troops.

Sunlight pierced the thin mist over the mountain city.

This battle not only reclaimed territory seized by the Japanese Army, but also won back the nation's backbone.