Chapter 571: Counteroffensive in Southeast Asia

The night was so thick it could not be pierced, like splashed dense ink, wrapping Yangon's sea surface tightly.

A PBY seaplane slipped silently out of the hangar, its engine emitting a low, steady roar as it rose slowly, its wings cutting through the black night sky toward Singapore.

Inside the cabin, Jiang Anguo stood by the porthole, his gaze heavy as he stared at the boundless sea below.

The black water glimmered faintly in the night, its endless breadth and depth stirring, for the first time, a vague unease in his heart.

It was his first ever flight over the sea; beneath him was no solid ground, only rolling waves, and that sense of unknown emptiness unsettled him far more than commanding on land ever had.

Even after flying back from Lashu, Jiang Anguo had been very worried, mainly fearing Japanese Army aircraft suddenly appearing in the sky.

At that time he indeed encountered them over Chongqing, but managed a safe landing without injury.

At that moment, William's steady, firm voice came over the radio, dispelling some of Jiang Anguo's unease: "Commander, I have led 24 P38 Lightning fighters to the escort formation, providing you full protection and will not let any threat reach you."

Hearing that voice, Jiang Anguo felt much more reassured.

He knew that for this escort mission, William had flown back directly from the Andaman Islands.

All 24 P38 Lightning fighters took off, forming a tight escort formation, like loyal guardians circling the seaplane.

They had already prepared for the worst, willing to sacrifice everything, even their precious lives, solely to protect the seaplane bearing Nanko's hope.

This personal flight to Singapore was not a spur‑of‑the‑moment impulse by Jiang Anguo, but a decision made after repeatedly weighing options following the capture of Singapore.

The most pressing reason was that the Nankai Fleet led by Jiang Zhiyuan was now facing a tricky dilemma.

After two fierce battles, the fleet's ammunition was nearly exhausted and supplies were in dire shortage; without timely replenishment, future operations would be impossible.

Yet the supply problem proved far more thorny than imagined.

Logically, the fleet could only return to Yangon's port to restock, but Jiang Anguo remained concerned: Yangon's harbor is shallow, making it too dangerous for large battleships such as the Zhenyuan and Zhenhai; a slight misstep could cause grounding.

This was an oversight Jiang Anguo had neglected when drafting the original battle plan.

And this fleet was his first main fleet, the backbone of the Nanhua Navy, which could not be tarnished by a single grounding nor let hard‑won naval strength be wasted.

Because of this consideration, Jiang Anguo resolved to fly to Singapore himself, to inspect the fleet's situation on site, coordinate supplies personally, and resolve the fleet's urgent need.

All of this was closely tied to the island‑hopping tactic he upheld.

Attacking the Andaman Islands from Yangon and then Singapore is precisely an island‑hopping tactic.

It completely bypassed a

The island‑hopping tactic appears sharp and efficient, able to swiftly breach the Japanese Army's defensive line and seize strategic points.

But it tests a force's absolute strength, especially its logistical supply capability.

Only by ensuring frontline troops have sufficient ammunition and supplies can the tactic be realized, avoiding the "can attack but cannot hold" dilemma.

Now the problem is that the two‑thousand‑kilometre sea route from Yangon to Singapore, crossing the Malajia haixia, makes the supply line long and fragile; a slight slip could invite a surprise attack by remaining Japanese forces, cutting off supplies.

Earlier, the Nankai Fleet's supply emergency served as a stark warning; relying solely on remote coordination cannot precisely control quantity, timing, and safety of supplies, nor promptly address sudden fleet issues.

Thus Jiang Anguo had to go to Singapore himself; only by being on the front line could he coordinate supplies on the ground and open the supply route.

Ensuring the smooth continuation of the island‑hopping tactic also lays a solid logistical foundation for the upcoming offensive against Thailand.

Beyond that, an even crazier, grander strategic plan had already matured in his mind.

After capturing Singapore and eliminating the threat on the Malaya Peninsula, he will concentrate forces to launch a full‑scale four‑pronged attack on Thailand, eradicating the lurking danger behind him.

Jiang Anguo knows that, compared with the Sumatra base, Thailand's threat is more urgent.

Now the remaining Japanese forces on the Malaya Peninsula have been completely eliminated, leaving no threat.

His next goal is to unify Myanmar, Thailand, and the Malaya Peninsula, forming a solid strategic defensive line to lay a firm foundation for future operations.

Completely shedding a passive defensive stance to seize the initiative of the war.

This four‑route plan to attack Thailand has been repeatedly rehearsed in Jiang Anguo's mind, with every detail thoroughly considered.

The first route, led by the Expeditionary Force's main units, concentrates superior troops to directly assault Moulmein in southern Thailand, tearing open the southern defensive line and creating a breach for subsequent forces.

The second route, with Yao Quanyi's Independent Regiment stationed in Qinglai and the Golden Triangle, joins the guerrilla brigade led by Li Yi of Nanko, departing from northern Thailand, advancing steadily southward to pressure Manggu, the Thai capital, and tie down Japanese Army and Pseudo Army forces in northern Thailand.

The third route departs from Singapore, splitting into two forces for combined sea‑and‑land thrust, forming a pincer.

One of these forces advances northward on land, first clearing remaining Japanese troops in Malaysia, then moving into southern Thailand to coordinate with the Expeditionary Force's main units;

The final route is the Nankai Fleet led by Jiang Zhiyuan, after completing its ammunition resupply.

Setting out from Singapore's waters, it will sail along Thailand's coast to launch a direct sea assault on Manggu, sever Thailand's maritime supply line, and cooperate with land forces to encircle and utterly crush the Japanese Army and puppet forces within Thailand.

Of course, the British in India behind them are constantly shouting about retaking Myanmar.

Jiang Anguo is too lazy to bother with them.

Mainly because there is no real need to worry, as he still holds a card: the Japanese Army 33rd Division, with the Sakura Province 3rd Corps moving toward India.

Even though the Sakura Province 3rd Corps has recognized that the transport aircraft in the sky are not Japanese, this is surely a Huaxia plot, yet they have no choice: either strike the China camp or follow the transport's direction toward India.

The seaplane glided steadily through the night, while 24 P38 Lightning fighters circled like sharp swords, their engine roars intertwining in the night sky with great power.

Jiang Anguo gazed at the black sea outside, his earlier unease replaced by resolve, his eyes flashing with a keen light.

He knows that this personal trip to Singapore not only solves the fleet's supply problem but also sounds the horn for the Thailand offensive.

This four‑pronged campaign will be a tough battle, but he is confident that, with Nanko's brave and battle‑hardened troops and meticulous strategic deployment, Thailand can be captured, achieving the goal of unifying Southeast Asia's interior and taking a solid step toward Nanko's rise.

The night remains deep, yet Jiang Anguo's heart has already ignited with blazing warfire and hope.