Chapter 597: Naval Infantry Regiment 1

The victory in the Liao nei qundao naval battle completely eliminated the Nanhua Navy's maritime threat, and Jiang Anguo, who had been anxious for days, finally let his mind settle.

It also eased Jiang Anguo considerably; after days of intense pressure, Jiang Anguo realized how enormous the stress is when you gamble with an entire country.

He stood before the map at the Singapore command headquarters, his fingertips tracing the outline of the Malaya Peninsula.

Jiang Anguo's expression remained steady as he said in a low voice to his adjutant Wang Fei, "Having both aircraft carriers intact is the greatest victory; with the Navy holding the line, we can be fully confident in clearing the Japanese forces from the Malaya Peninsula."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Jiang Anguo grabbed the communicator and linked directly to Zhou Haitong: "Zhou Haitong, I order you to lead the Naval Infantry Regiment 1 southward to the Malaya Peninsula immediately, to completely eradicate the remaining Japanese forces on the peninsula. The Navy will support you. Ensure total control of every strategic point on the Malaya Peninsula."

Indeed, this naval victory gave Jiang Anguo enough time to seize the entire Malaya Peninsula.

The map of the entire Nanko was terribly fragmented, pieces scattered east and west.

Even the Expeditionary Force arriving from Moulmein and Yao Quanyi's Independent Regiment from the Golden Triangle, the two units advancing westward and southward, only followed the main road.

Many surrounding cities had not been captured.

From the other end of the communicator, Zhou Haitong's voice was firm and strong: "Commander, rest assured! All troops of Naval Infantry Regiment 1 are ready, heading south immediately. We will not disgrace the mission; we will completely clear the Japanese and seize the Malaya Peninsula!"

After hanging up, Zhou Haitong immediately summoned his subordinates for a war council, outlining the southward operation: "Brothers, the commander has ordered us to move south and clear the Japanese from the Malaya Peninsula. Commander Jiang Zhiyuan will lead the First and Second Fleets to cooperate with us. The Navy will handle fire support and sea blockade; we will conduct the amphibious assault, capture every town, leaving no Japanese remnants!"

"Understood!" the officers of the Infantry Regiment 1 replied in unison, morale soaring.

Subsequently, Zhou Haitong led the Naval Infantry Regiment 1 aboard transport ships toward the Malaya Peninsula.

Jiang Zhiyuan led the Set Sail and Awakening aircraft carriers, constituting the Nanhua Combined Fleet, which trailed closely, handling escort and fire support, establishing a "land‑sea coordinated, bidirectional thrust" operational stance.

Before the amphibious assault, Jiang Anguo also dispatched numerous reconnaissance planes and dropped many propaganda leaflets, which featured photos of the Japanese Fifth Fleet's sinking, prominently showing the wrecks of the Akagi and Kaga carriers.

The psychological warfare against the Japanese garrison on the Malaya Peninsula instilled fear in them.

The headquarters and the Southern Army command, to steady morale, did not inform the troops of the failures in the Myanmar Campaign or the Liao nei qundao naval battle.

Only the Japanese division commander knew this information, but it had to be kept secret to avoid causing panic among the soldiers.

On the Malaya Peninsula, the remaining Japanese forces' morale plummeted after learning of the disastrous Liao nei qundao naval battle and the sinking of two aircraft carriers.

Yet they still stubbornly resisted, relying on towns and mountains on the peninsula to build fortifications, attempting to block the Nanko forces' advance.

The Japanese commander roared at his subordinates, "Even if the Combined Fleet is defeated, we must hold the Malaya Peninsula, sharing life and death with our positions; we must not allow the Nanko forces to advance any further!"

When Zhou Haitong's transport ships reached the eastern coast of the Malaya Peninsula, Jiang Zhiyuan's Combined Fleet immediately deployed; the carrier‑borne aircraft from Set Sail and Awakening took off in succession, launching a fierce bombardment on the Japanese coastal fortifications.

"Boom—boom—boom," each aerial bomb struck Japanese bunkers and artillery positions with precision; flames shot skyward, thick smoke billowed, and most of the Japanese defenses were instantly demolished.

"Zhou Haitong, Navy fire support is in place, the Japanese coastal defenses have been destroyed; you may commence the landing immediately!" Jiang Zhiyuan reported the situation to Zhou Haitong via the communicator.

Zhou Haitong instantly ordered: "All troops, prepare to land! Seize the beachhead and cover the advance of follow‑up forces!"

Landing craft carrying the Infantry Regiment 1's soldiers raced toward the beachhead, while Navy destroyers moved close to shore, using their main guns to precisely strike remaining Japanese fire points, clearing obstacles for the landing forces.

The remaining Japanese soldiers fired wildly, trying to stop the Nanko troops from landing, but Navy firepower suppressed them so they could not lift their heads, forcing them to flee in disarray.

"Brothers, charge!" Zhou Haitong personally led his soldiers ashore, his submachine gun spraying continuously, leading by example to boost morale.

The Infantry Regiment 1's soldiers surged forward with bravery, relying on superior equipment and tenacious spirit to swiftly capture the beachhead, crush the coastal Japanese, then split into three columns to advance inland across the Malaya Peninsula.

Along the way, whenever they encountered the Japanese's sturdy town‑based defenses, Zhou Haitong immediately contacted Jiang Zhiyuan: "Zhiyuan, my unit is facing fierce Japanese resistance at Ban Bu Li Prefecture; request Navy carrier‑based aircraft for fire support to destroy the Japanese fortifications!"

Ban Bu Li Prefecture is a coastal city in southern Thailand.

Jiang Zhiyuan replied immediately: "Copy that! Carrier aircraft are launching now, will reach the target area in ten minutes, coordinating with your unit!"

Moments later, Nanhua carrier aircraft roared in, bombarding the Japanese town fortifications; the bunkers and trenches were destroyed one by one, and Zhou Haitong seized the opportunity to lead the Infantry Regiment 1 in a fierce street battle.

Ground troops cleared the Japanese street by street, while the Navy patrolled the coast, sealing off the Japanese maritime escape routes to prevent a breakout.

The Japanese commander, seeing the tide turn, tried to lead the remaining soldiers to break out by sea, but found the waters completely blockaded by the Nanko Navy, leaving no chance of escape.

"Baka! The Nanko Navy is too cunning; we're surrounded!" the Japanese commander shouted in desperation, yet still ordered resistance, ultimately being annihilated by Zhou Haitong's Infantry Regiment 1.

With land‑sea coordination, the Nanko forces advanced at lightning speed, successively capturing Johor, Selangor, and Perak and other key regions; at each location they received support and cooperation from local Chinese, many of whom voluntarily guided the Nanko troops and supplied Japanese intelligence, greatly accelerating the clearance.

Zhou Haitong, while commanding the clearance of Japanese forces, kept close contact with Jiang Zhiyuan, promptly reporting the battlefield: "Zhiyuan, my unit has captured Perak; the remaining Japanese are fleeing toward Penang. Request the Navy fleet to block Penang's waters to prevent a breakout!"

Jiang Zhiyuan immediately ordered: "Second Fleet, proceed at full speed to Penang waters and seal off the sea; carrier aircraft, take off and cooperate with your unit to encircle the Japanese in Penang!"

Finally, with the Navy fleet's full support, Zhou Haitong led the Naval Infantry Regiment 1 to completely surround the remaining Japanese forces in Penang; after a day‑and‑night fierce battle, they successfully annihilated all Japanese and captured Penang.

Thus, the remaining Japanese forces on the Malaya Peninsula were fully cleared, and Nanko now completely controlled every strategic point on the peninsula.

Zhou Haitong stood on Penang's shore, watching Jiang Zhiyuan's Combined Fleet in the distance, and said into the communicator: "Zhiyuan, thank you for the Navy's cooperation; the Malaya Peninsula has been thoroughly cleared!"

Zhou Haitong also felt a bit envious of the Navy; its ship cannons were truly enviable, especially those two aircraft carriers.

What a spectacle!

Jiang Zhiyuan replied with a smile: "We are brother units, no need for formalities! Next, we will cooperate with you to fortify the Malaya Peninsula's defenses, awaiting the commander's next orders!"

At sunset, Nanko ground troops and Navy soldiers stood side by side, the Malaya Peninsula's flags fluttering in the wind; this land‑sea coordinated clearance concluded with Nanko's total victory, laying a solid foundation for Nanko to further consolidate its rule over Southeast Asia.