sjar Chapter 543 Marshall is heading north
Chapter 543 Marshall is heading north
The time comes on June 1th.
A C-47 Skytrain transport plane belonging to the White Eagle Army Air Transport Command was quietly parked on the runway, and the ground crew was busy carrying out the final inspection.
The huge twin engines emitted a low roar as they warmed up before takeoff. The propellers stirred the humid air, making a dull "whooshing" sound.
General Marshall stood at the edge of the runway, his eyes fixed on the plane that was about to take him north, but his heart was like a madly spinning engine, his thoughts churning and he could hardly calm down.
His trip to Southeast Asia ended.
The soul-stirring national parade a few days ago, the soldiers' high morale and excellent equipment, the confidence and hope overflowing on the streets of Yangon, and the several meetings with the extremely young yet unfathomable Nanyang leader Zhang Chi... all of these left a very deep impression on him.
Nanyang, this newly born country, has demonstrated amazing cohesion and development potential.
Especially Zhang Chi, his strategic vision and control of the current situation made even this veteran, a seasoned veteran, feel frightened.
As a result, the two sides successfully signed a series of agreements covering all aspects of economy, military, technology, and industry, except for the issues of tariffs and military bases, on which Zhang Chi was very determined.
Marshall was very satisfied with the results in other aspects.
However, the more successful the trip to Southeast Asia was, the heavier the shadow in Marshall's heart became.
Although both received aid from the White Eagle Army, the contrast between the Republic of China and Southeast Asia was so stark that it created an almost absurd sense of separation.
His next stop was the Republic of China, a mountain city.
(Abridged)
This will be a decisive battle. White Eagle has invested massive resources in the Republic of China and will not allow failure.
But Marshall's mission on this trip went far beyond that.
Before leaving, Commander Luo gave him a more important mission in the Oval Office with great earnestness, that is, he must closely observe the real recovery level and actual combat effectiveness of the White Party army!
Commander Luo's concerns are not groundless.
Due to the passage of the "variable" Zhang Chi, the butterfly's wings flapped history.
The originally tragic "Great Retreat of Henan, Hunan and Guangxi" only happened halfway.
The collapse of the White Party's main force in Henan Province was still horrific, but in the subsequent battles in Hunan and Guangxi Provinces, the situation changed subtly - the main force of the expeditionary force originally intended for the Southeast Asian battlefield was withdrawn back to the country ahead of time due to the presence of Zhang Chi and the Anmin Army.
This well-equipped and well-trained fresh force was promptly deployed to the Hunan-Guangxi battlefield. Although it failed to achieve the same devastating victory as Zhang Chi did in Southeast Asia and liberate large tracts of lost territory, it finally curbed the Japanese's overwhelming offensive, creating a stalemate in southern Hunan and northern Guangxi. It even seized the opportunity to launch several beautiful counterattacks, wiping out some of the Japanese troops.
However, this cannot cover up a cold fact. The White Party army, which had relative air superiority provided by the Flying Tigers (the main Japanese aircraft were in the Pacific in 44), a large number of eagle weapons and equipment, and a force far exceeding that of its opponents, still failed to achieve a decisive victory after deploying the "ace" of the Expeditionary Force. It only managed to stabilize its position and failed to recover lost territory on a large scale.
This is a world of difference compared to Zhang Chi's record of making rapid progress in Southeast Asia and recovering most of Southeast Asia.
Massive amounts of aid were given, but the return was such "inefficient"?
Some members of parliament with strong racist tendencies even openly declared in private: "The Chinese are inferior, lack the will to fight, and are not worthy of assistance at all!"
This argument made Marshall deeply worried and angry.
It is not only wrong, it is dangerous.
Because Zhang Chi and the Nanyang Defense Force under his command have used iron-clad facts in the tropical jungles of Southeast Asia and in the test of blood and fire to forcefully and loudly refute this absurd racist view!
The problem isn't that the Chinese aren't good enough. The soldiers in Southeast Asia were also primarily Chinese, and they proved that the Chinese warriors' tenacity, bravery, and tactical prowess were no less than any other ethnic group.
The problem is that the White Party is not doing well. It is the White Party regime, which is corrupt, inefficient, factional, and rampantly corrupt, that is not doing well.
The conclusion is so clear, yet so despairing.
Today, the huge amount of military, economic and political aid invested during the war has created an astronomical "sunk cost".
Withdraw? Cut loss? Easier said than done.
The core mission of Marshall's trip was not to raise an army to hold people accountable, but to "appease" them.
At the same time, he must also go deep into the grassroots level of the army and see with his own eyes what exactly is the difference between the National Army and the Chinese with the same Eagle weapons?
Is it training? Is it command? Is it logistics? Or is it a deeper problem of system and morale?
Only after discovering the problem can he try to improve it - although he knows that this is almost an impossible task.
"General, Commander Zhang Chi has arrived." The adjutant's whisper interrupted Marshall's thoughts.
Marshall turned and saw a small convoy of vehicles approaching the airport.
Zhang Chi walked over quickly, accompanied by several guards.
"General Marshall, have a safe trip." Zhang Chi stretched out his hand and shook hands with Marshall.
Compared with the grand scene when Stevenson left office, the farewell at this moment seemed simple and low-key.
Beside the runway, everyone tacitly stepped back a distance, leaving space for these two key figures who will determine the future of the Asia-Pacific region.
"Thank you for coming to see me off personally, Your Excellency," Marshall said sincerely. He recognized the young man's abilities. "My trip to Southeast Asia has left a profound impression on me. The vibrant energy and flourishing of your country are truly admirable."
"General, you are too kind. This is just the beginning of our nation, and there is a lot of work to be done. We still have a long way to go."
Marshall nodded and got to the point. "Your Excellency, I once again cordially invite you to attend the Allied Summit in Yerta, Crimea, in early February of next year. Your opinions and the position of the Southeast Asian countries will be crucial in shaping the post-war Asia-Pacific order."
Marshall's repeated emphasis naturally made Zhang Chi understand.
Commander Luo and Uncle Steel, these two shrewd chess players, will definitely join forces to attack John on the issue of colonies in Southeast Asia and force him to give up control of Pegu, Malaya and other places.
The South Seas Republic, a new local force that has proven its worth on the battlefield, will be one of the most powerful levers they use to pry open John's colonial system.