Chapter 419: Sherman' Attack!

Myanmar, Naukow Front Command.

June 29, 1942, 3 a. m.

The night rain had just stopped, and the mud‑filled battlefield tent was brightly lit.

Maps covered the long table, telephone wires tangled like spiderwebs, and the air was filled with a mixture of coffee, sweat and gunpowder.

Jiang Anguo, Dai Anlan, and Stilwell stood side by side, none of them sleepy.

The Mandalay campaign was already nocked.

Hu Xianqun strode in, his face alight with excitement, his uniform splattered with mud: "Brother! This time I'll definitely lead the charge for you! Let the Little Devils know what 'no grass grows under iron hooves' means!"

Before his words finished, he suddenly realized his slip; he shouldn't have called Jiang Anguo "brother."

The "brother" before him was already a Major General of the Army, commander of the 201st Division, his shoulder insignia glinting coldly in the light.

He straightened his back with a hint of awkwardness and corrected himself: "Report, General Jiang, the tank regiment is on standby!"

Jiang Anguo was unfazed, instead laughing as he patted his shoulder: "Good! That's the spirit I want! Take your tank regiment and crush them, leave no survivors!"

Hu Xianqun breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze immediately drawn to a tank surrounded by several officers behind Jiang Anguo.

It was neither the common T-34 nor the old M3 'Stuart'; the hull was low and heavy, the turret sloped in an arc, and the 76 mm main gun rose like a giant python.

"Brother, your tank… looks a bit different!" Hu Xianqun said curiously.

Before his words finished, Stilwell strode forward, pride flashing in his eyes: "Of course! This is the M4 'Sherman' medium tank, the US Army's latest cutting‑edge equipment, integrating firepower, protection and mobility! Only a handful of units worldwide field it!"

The American aides behind him puffed out their chests and lifted their chins, as if they had forged the steel beast themselves.

Jiang Anguo merely gave a faint smile, his tone calm yet as sharp as a blade: "General, this tank was bought with real gold and silver from an American arms dealer, and it seems to have nothing to do with you."

Of course, Jiang Anguo did indeed purchase it, but he was merely looking for an excuse.

He paused, staring straight at Stilwell: "Naturally, if your country refuses to sell, I can also bring in a Soviet T-34 to settle this battle; Soviet comrades would be happy to help."

The tent fell silent in an instant.

Stilwell's smile froze, his gaze suddenly sharp.

He could of course read between the lines; this was not a simple military cooperation but a power play between two great nations on the Myanmar board.

In fact, whether Soviet, German or American weapons, all have already troubled these three countries, because they simply cannot understand how such weapons appeared on the Myanmar battlefield and simultaneously ended up in the hands of a Huaxia commander.

But the one consolation is that this general is currently on the same side as them.

The Americans want Chinese troops at the front, using flesh and blood to wear down the Japanese Army's main force, buying time for the Pacific Theater.

And Jiang Anguo declares with action: my troops, my equipment, my tempo of war are not for you to decide.

What Stilwell has always wanted is to take over command of the forces.

He has not done so; as the US Lieutenant General commander of the China‑India‑Myanmar theater, he has that authority.

However, on the battlefield, being abandoned by allies again and again has created cracks and mistrust between the sides.

Now the only thing Stilwell can boast about is the American‑made weapons and equipment, which Jiang Anguo regards as insignificant.

Dai Anlan stood aside, calmly raising a teacup, hiding a hint of smile at the corner of his mouth.

He knows Jiang Anguo's temperament all too well; of course Dai Anlan has also witnessed his brother‑in‑law's clout— that arsenal could equip not just a division but even an entire army group.

Now Dai Anlan's 200th Division has, once again, upgraded its weapons: all the old light and heavy machine guns were discarded and replaced with the latest MG42 General Machine Gun.

That firepower was essentially doubled.

For this assault on Meimou, Hu Xianqun's tank regiment fielded 36 T-34 tanks, while the 201st Division's tank battalion that followed them to the front fielded 24 Sherman tanks.

That does not include the transport units supporting the tank operations.

Stilwell inhaled deeply, suppressing his anger, and switched to diplomatic language: "General Jiang, regardless of how your equipment arrived, our objectives are now aligned."

Stilwell then realized this was not the first time he had met the young general; back then he was only a colonel, and now he is a Major General.

In Chongqing, he also learned of this general's connections there; he had always thought the general's rank of colonel came from those ties.

However, after the Battle of Yichang, Stilwell could confirm that the young general rose by his own ability.

To ease the atmosphere, Dai Anlan said at that moment: "Anguo, let's discuss the timing of the attack."

Jiang Anguo nodded, not wanting to spend more time on the matter.

"This battle's objective is clear: annihilate the Japanese 18th Division and avenge the civilians who died in Nanjing. The foremost enemy is the Japanese 114th Regiment at Meimou; in this fight, your tank regiment, Hu Xianqun, and Zhang Bing's tank battalion are the main forces. It is now 3 a. m.; you have two hours, and the attack begins at 5 a. m." Jiang Anguo said calmly.

Zhang Bing, commander of the tank battalion of Jiang Anguo's 201st Division.

He was formerly the company commander of the tank company of the Independent Regiment.

"Yes." Hu Xianqun and Zhang Bing stood up simultaneously and said.

"Before 5 a. m., our air forces will concentrate fire for a final air raid on Meimou, after which the ground tank forces will advance. Regiment Commander Gao!" Jiang Anguo gave the pre‑battle deployment.

For Jiang Anguo, the 200th Division could actually obey unconditionally.

Regiment Commander Gao Jiren of the 598th Regiment stood up, "Go!"

Jiang Anguo looked at Gao Jiren and said: "Regiment Commander Gao, have your unit cooperate with the tank regiment, make a rapid thrust into Meimou, and aim to crush the 114th Regiment in one blow."

"Yes!" Gao Jiren straightened his posture.

Jiang Anguo nodded, "You can depart now; the 599th Regiment will follow, ready to provide reinforcement at any time."

At that moment, Stilwell stepped forward and said: "Jiang, my 10th Air Squadron can provide aerial bombing!"

It seemed that Stilwell suddenly remembered he still had an air unit.

Jiang Anguo shook his head, "Thank you for the offer, General, but my air force is sufficient to handle Meimou's enemies. General, you may send them to bomb Mandalay; I doubt there are many Japanese there."

Jiang Anguo was not wrong; aside from the previous two days, when he checked the WarSystem, the points were rising rapidly, accounting for Japanese soldiers killed by bombing as well as Burmese civilians in Mandalay.

But on the 27th and 28th, the growth slowed considerably, clearly indicating the Japanese had withdrawn from Mandalay; intelligence from William and Song Yunfei's aerial observation showed the Japanese had dispersed their positions around Mandalay.

Jiang Anguo didn't want to be too at odds with Stilwell, so he said: "General, you just wait at Xibu for news of our victory!"