Chapter 512: Tank Regiment Stuck in the Mud

Jiang Anguo felt he had still taken a bit of a loss; it was the pilot's skill, the flight data, and the experience of bombing Japan that were the most valuable, and he sold them for just 200, already very cheap.

"The Americans want B29 technology; I sell them an actual aircraft, I make money, I don't offend them, I can even sell a favor—why wouldn't I? Moreover, their own B29s will be in the air soon, it doesn't affect me, and I have even more advanced equipment waiting for them."

After saying that, Jiang Anguo was in a great mood, and his original intention to go to the barracks faded a bit.

He immediately had someone prepare the agreement, while also arranging personnel, selecting a sound B29 bomber, and getting ready for handover.

Five million US Dollars in hand instantly eased Nanko's fiscal pressure, and he could also have more funds to invest in government construction, army training, and people's livelihood protection.

What can these five million do?

Calculated in terms of food, the United States now prices a ton of grain at 32 US Dollars, so five million US Dollars can purchase 156,000 tons of grain.

The key is that this injection of funds showed the overseas Chinese in Nanyang that Nanko has strength, reassuring them to invest in Nanko.

Of course, Jiang Anguo is confident about the investment.

Chen Jiageng is a living business card.

At Mandalay Airport, Luobote was anxiously sending a telegram home.

Reporting his transaction with Jiang Anguo, his tone was full of excitement; he firmly believed this deal would bring a qualitative leap to the US Army aviation unit.

He had no idea that his so‑called "bargain" was merely a "buy‑sell" meticulously designed by Jiang Anguo, and he was the one willingly handing over money like a god of wealth.

What Jiang Anguo didn't expect was that the telegram Luobote just sent, transmitted via the 201th Division's radio station, reached the US 10th Air Squadron pilots by afternoon, and they arrived at Mandalay Airport.

They had flown in from Yingpar; after withdrawing from Mandalay, they were stationed at Yingpar.

If not for the defeat at the Battle of Midway, this air squadron might now have been sent to Africa to support the British in Africa.

Obviously, the Americans now care more about the Pacific theater and whether their own homeland might be threatened.

Jiang Anguo, seeing this, also said, "When you need our support you don't come, but when you don't need it you're fast."

In the first Myanmar Campaign, the number of aircraft that took off was countable; of course the American fighter planes still took off, while the British aircraft simply stayed on the ground and were wiped out by the Japanese.

Jiang Anguo also did not hesitate to give this sold B29 bomber, and he even painted the wing and tail sections completely with paint.

He also kindly filled it with fuel; as for bombs, none were needed, and he dispatched a squadron of fighters to escort the bomber out of Myanmar.

As for whether the bomber would go via Australia or fly back to the United States via Africa, Jiang Anguo had nothing to do with it.

The Expeditionary Force moved south to Yangon.

Du Yuming personally took command of the central army, and Stilwell enthusiastically marched with the troops; evidently Stilwell had far more confidence in this expedition than in the first.

Stilwell was eager to swiftly capture Yangon and open the Dian-Mian Highway, achieving an unprecedented feat.

But no one expected that this seemingly unstoppable southward march, shortly after setting out, would encounter unexpected trouble.

At this time, Myanmar was in the rainy season, continuous drizzling constantly washing over the land.

One could say the best luck was all used up by the Expeditionary Force in Mandalay.

If those few days of a sudden window—clear skies, at least no rain—had not appeared, Jiang Anguo's bomber and fighters would not have been able to take off.

The already rugged Dian-Mian Highway was soaked by rain into a mud‑filled mess, the surface soft and slurry‑like.

Even infantry had to walk cautiously, let alone T-34 tanks weighing dozens of tons.

Hu Xianqun's Tank 448th Regiment, as the Vanguard Unit of the Expeditionary Force, should have led the way, using its powerful armor to intimidate the Japanese Army and boost the whole army's morale.

But a sudden downpour instantly plunged this elite unit into a dire situation.

"Boom—" accompanied by the muffled roar of engines.

Hu Xianqun's Tank 448th Regiment trudged slowly along the muddy road, each T-34 tank laboring through the slush; its tracks crushed the surface, spraying mud everywhere, the hulls cloaked so tightly that their original shape was indistinguishable.

At first the tanks could barely move forward, but the farther south they went, the softer the road became; the mud rose over the tracks and even half the wheels, increasing resistance.

"Regiment Commander, we can't go on! The road ahead is too bad, the tanks are stuck!" a signalman, drenched in the downpour, ran to Hu Xianqun's command tank and reported urgently.

Rainwater streamed down his cheeks, mixing with mud on his face, making him look especially disheveled.

All of the Expeditionary Force was like this, not just the Tank Soldiers.

Jiang Anguo also deeply experienced Myanmar's rainy season; at the time, to counter the parachute troops of Kuji Seichi, he marched a hundred li, eventually ripping off his raincoat—not just to reduce marching speed, but crucially because it affected his shooting.

Hu Xianqun slammed the door open, leapt down, the icy rain instantly drenched his uniform; he wiped the rain and sweat from his face, his gaze turning to the troops ahead, his complexion darkening instantly.

The leading few T-34 tanks were already deeply sunk in the mud, their tracks spinning wildly but only slipping in the slush, spraying even more mud.

Not only could they not advance, they sank deeper; the hulls tilted slightly, about to be completely swallowed.

"How could this happen?" Hu Xianqun exclaimed, his face full of disbelief, his tone laced with urgency, as he kicked the mud beside him hard.

"During the Counteroffensive Mandalay Battle the tanks were fine, how did we end up here, unable to move?"

He involuntarily recalled the scene when they set out from Kunming, where the roads were also rugged and rain relentless, his tank regiment bouncing all the way.

Upon reaching Lashu, almost the entire crew was disabled; most tanks broke down due to the terrible road conditions, which is why his tank regiment remained stationed at Lashu.

It wasn't until Jiang Anguo discovered this remaining tank unit and had the Tank Company commander Zhang Bing, under his command, send men with parts to assist Hu Xianqun's Tank 448th Regiment in repairs, that some tanks were revived.

But in the end those tanks were not used; Jiang Anguo directly equipped Hu Xianqun's Tank 448th Regiment with T-34 tanks.

They played a crucial role during the Counteroffensive Mandalay Battle.

It was thought that after re‑equipping and resting, the tank regiment could make a big impact in the southward march to Yangon, but unexpectedly history repeated itself.