Chapter 573: Southeast Asia Counteroffensive

War is cruel, and likewise the spoils of war are great.

Defeat the Guard Division and capture Singapore.

Reward list: one Essex‑class aircraft carrier, one Iowa‑class battleship, five Fletcher‑class destroyers, six Type XXI submarines, one 100,000‑ton drydock‑class facility, 50 B‑29 bombers, 60 M26 Pershing tanks, 100 sorties of F4U carrier‑based fighters, 80 TBF torpedo bombers, 80 P‑51 Mustang fighters, a full set of weapons equipment for two 1942 United States infantry divisions, increased troop organization, and a population of 800,000.

Jiang Anguo asked the system why this time it not only rewarded an aircraft carrier but also such a large troop organization and population.

The system answered that it was because a historically important node, Singapore, had been seized.

In other words, because Singapore was captured this time, the system gave such abundant rewards.

Singapore's strategic geography is why the system offered such generous rewards.

That is exactly what Jiang Anguo needed; he directly exchanged for 5,000 navy soldiers, 9,000 marines, 1,000 pilots, tank crews and other technical troops.

As a result, Jiang Anguo now commands a force of 57,000 men.

This does not include the temporarily formed overseas Chinese troops.

Of course, those overseas Chinese troops are not assigned to frontline combat; their main task remains logistics.

The overseas Chinese have a high literacy rate, meaning many cultural personnel, so the production efficiency of all kinds of war machines will be extremely high.

It must be admitted that Singapore, as a transit hub, plays a very important role.

To take all of Southeast Asia, Jiang Anguo must stand in Singapore to ship all supplies out.

To prevent the United Kingdom from shouting in the rear, the capture of Singapore was not heavily publicized.

Jiang Anguo once again reinforced Jiang Zhiyuan's Nankai Fleet; this Essex‑class carrier joined Nanko's battle order.

The first carrier was publicly promoted as a "Qihang‑class" carrier, and its name naturally became the carrier Qihang.

Navy soldiers quickly boarded the carrier docked at Singapore Harbor, along with a series of destroyers.

The carrier Qihang, captained by Jiang Xing.

As for that Iowa‑class battleship, Jiang Anguo did not deploy it, as a battleship requires too many crew.

However, we are now in the age of aircraft carriers.

The era of giant‑ship artillery has quietly faded; Jiang Anguo needs a navy fleet that can be thrown into battle immediately and win.

A battleship requires 2,000 personnel.

Yet a few torpedo bombers taking off from a carrier can directly neutralize a battleship; the outcome of a sea battle no longer depends on giant‑ship artillery.

The Japanese are still enthusiastic about Yamato and Musashi; the size of those two battleships is indeed few, but they have already been eliminated by this era.

Across the Pacific Ocean lies the United States.

After Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States simultaneously began construction of ten Essex‑class carriers.

Now we only need to wait for those carriers to enter the Pacific one by one and turn the tide.

An aircraft carrier cannot do without carrier‑based aircraft and torpedo bombers.

Therefore, this Qihang‑class carrier is equipped with three squadrons: 36 F4U carrier‑based fighters, 24 SBD dive bombers, 16 TBF torpedo bombers, and eight reconnaissance or patrol aircraft.

At the same time, Jiang Zhiyuan's flagship Zhenhai also completed supply replenishment at Singapore Harbor.

Generally, fleet commanders do not stay on the carrier, since carriers are relatively slow, even the Essex‑class tops out at 32 knots.

Fleet commanders usually prefer to command from battleships or cruisers.

Another front of the Southeast Asian battlefield has already been opened.

The main forces of the Expeditionary Force, the 200th Division and the 96th Division, launched an official offensive against Moulmein on the morning of August 10, opening the Nanko four‑route advance into Thailand.

As the first of the four routes, seizing Moulmein can tear open Thailand's southern defenses and open a land corridor between Myanmar and Thailand, laying the groundwork for subsequent advances.

Dai Anlan, as Frontline Commander, had already made thorough preparations.

The attack began in the air.

At dawn, Dai Anlan sent a telegram to the Yangon command post requesting bomber support to precisely strike the Japanese defensive positions in Moulmein.

Encouragingly, just an hour later the roar of engines echoed in the sky.

Dozens of fighters and bombers formed a massive formation like a dark swarm, breaking through the clouds toward Moulmein, their bombs already primed under the wings.

"Boom—Boom—Boom!"

As the lead bomber gave the bomb‑release order, heavy bombs rained down like rain, striking the Japanese strongpoints, fortifications and ammunition depots in Moulmein with precision.

Violent explosions erupted instantly, fire shot up, thick smoke billowed, the Japanese bunkers were destroyed, trenches filled in, and the once‑solid defenses turned into ruins.

Fighters then circled low, their cannons firing fiercely, sweeping fleeing Japanese soldiers, completely suppressing enemy fire; the whole of Moulmein was shrouded in war, the sounds of guns, explosions and screams intermingling deafeningly.

Dai Anlan stood at the Frontline Command post, binoculars in hand, closely monitoring the air bombardment until the Japanese gunfire thinned and the defenses collapsed, then he solemnly issued the attack order: "All units, commence the general attack!"

Landing craft waiting on the Nujiang banks sprang into action; the soldiers of the 200th Division, morale high, boarded swiftly and expertly without hesitation.

Few know that Moulmein is the mouth of the Nujiang, where the river flows into the Andaman Sea; the River Surface is wide and the current gentle, yet it serves as a natural barrier for the Japanese.

At this moment, the landing craft carrying the 200th Division's troops cut through the waves toward Moulmein's beachhead.

On the River Surface, dozens of landing craft surged forward in unison, a magnificent sight.

The remaining Japanese troops attempted a stubborn defense with rifles and a few artillery pieces, but were tightly suppressed by the Expeditionary Force's covering fire and could not stop the landing craft's advance.

To prevent any mishap for the Expeditionary Force and ensure Moulmein's smooth capture, Jiang Anguo had already made arrangements, ordering the unit of Song Mengqin, attached to Nanko Army's First Division, to rush to Dai Anlan's aid and form a pincer, just in case.

After receiving the order, Song Mengqin immediately led his troops at full speed along the southern Myanmar road, rapidly approaching Moulmein and ready to support frontline operations.

With air‑bombardment cover and Song Mengqin's flank support, the Expeditionary Force's advance proceeded exceptionally smoothly.

The soldiers of the 200th Division landed successfully, charging the urban area of Moulmein like a tiger descending a mountain, engaging the Japanese in a life‑or‑death fight.

The Japanese, already suffering heavy casualties and having lost their defensive advantage, quickly broke under the Expeditionary Force's powerful assault, either being annihilated or fleeing in disorder.

In just half a day, the Expeditionary Force broke through the Japanese lines and entered Moulmein's city center.