"Lieutenant Colonel, if those people didn't all have Asian faces, I would have thought I was in a Nazi military camp."
Along the way, Doolittle and his team's views on the Liantai Militia were constantly refreshed.
Iron-gray Type 36 German military uniforms, M35-style steel helmets, 98K rifles, MP40 submachine guns, and the ubiquitous MG42, as well as Willys jeeps, armored vehicles, troops patrolling with live ammunition, and distant gunfire can be seen everywhere.
Everything reminded them that there was a war going on here.
Since Doolittle had a large number of people, it was of course impossible for them all to come, so they sent representatives headed by Doolittle, with Richard and Henry as their deputies.
When they followed the staff officer leading the way to the door, they saw two sentries in black military uniforms standing at the door. The helmets of these two sentries were also different from ordinary soldiers. There was a skull printed on their helmets.
The sign was so frightened that they almost turned around and left.
Doolittle suppressed the horror in his heart and asked the staff officer leading the way: "Mr. Lieutenant... this... this... this is the SS?"
"No……"
The lieutenant shook his head.
"Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle, these soldiers are not the Nazi SS, but our commander's guard battalion.
They are carefully selected soldiers with the strongest military qualities and are also the most loyal soldiers."
Doolittle and the other three quietly rolled their eyes.
Listen...you still say no, what is the difference between this and Mustache's flag guard troops in the past?
However, it didn’t take long for the complaints from Doolittle and others to be brought to Gao Hongming’s office.
Although it is said to be an office, it is actually a relatively spacious room.
"This is a handsome young man who is only in his twenties." This was the impression of the independent group when they first saw Gao Hongming.
At the same time, Gao Hongming also saw the famous James Harold Doolittle, the first person to bomb Tokyo.
This is a middle-aged man of medium height, slightly fat and slightly bald. At first glance, he looks quite kind, but his character is revealed only by the wisdom and perseverance revealed in his eyes from time to time.
"Snapped!"
Doolittle stepped forward and gave a military salute and said loudly: "The deputy commander of the 17th Bomb Group of the United States Air Force salutes you. Thank you for sending the brave pilots to save us from this predicament."
Gao Hongming replied in English with a solemn expression.
"Gao Hongming, the leader of the Liantai County Militia Corps of the Republic of China, would like to express his gratitude to you and all the pilots and crew members who carried out this bombing mission on behalf of all the soldiers of the regiment.
I believe that you and the 80 crew members who participated in this operation will go down in history for this just bombing. Even a hundred years from now, the Chinese people and the American people will be grateful for your efforts! Your names will also be remembered forever.
It will go down in history, I am very sure of this!"
After finishing speaking, Gao Hongming stopped his body, put his heels together and made a snapping sound, and then solemnly saluted the three people with a military salute.
"Thank you for the compliment!"
The three of Doolittle did not expect that Gao Hongming would say such a thing when they met for the first time.
You must know that this evaluation is very high.
After all, everyone's life is limited, but names and deeds can be passed down forever along with human history.
Don't think that only Chinese people pursue the idea of leaving a name in history. In fact, foreigners also like it.
"Thank you... thank you for your compliment." Doolittle did not expect that Gao Hongming would give him such a high praise when they met him for the first time, and his face turned red with excitement.
"Okay, Mr. Doolittle, let's sit down first."
Gao Hongming greeted the three people to sit down, and then an orderly brought coffee to everyone, "Come on... I know you like drinking coffee, so I specially asked someone to make a pot for you, try it!"
Doolittle took a sip of coffee and said in surprise: "Why does this coffee taste so familiar? Is it my imagination?"
Richard said in a positive tone: "Sir, this is not an illusion, I feel the same way."
Henry nodded in affirmation.
Gao Hongming burst out laughing, "This coffee is actually the instant coffee you are used to drinking in the army, and of course the taste is the same."
After that, he took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and distributed them to everyone.
"God, it's actually a good luck cigarette."
Seeing the cigarette Gao Hongming took out, Doolittle and the others were speechless.
However, they are not very surprised by this. In fact, the United States has begun to provide military assistance to China since this year, and a large amount of American supplies have begun to flow into China. They are not surprised to see American products here.
After everyone chatted for a while, Doolittle proposed the purpose of coming today.
"I think you've guessed what we're here for today.
Yes, I came here for the more than ten comrades trapped in Ji'an County. It is now surrounded by the Japanese and will fall at any time.
If they are not rescued as soon as possible, they may be shot to death by the Japanese immediately once they fall into the hands of the Japanese!"
Gao Hongming asked calmly: "Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle, what do you want me to do?"
"You have the largest and most advanced air force in China. I hope you can dispatch no less than one brigade of fighters and two squadrons of bombers to provide air support to the defenders of Ji'an County.
Then we sent a Fi-156 reconnaissance aircraft to make an emergency landing in Ji'an County to rescue our crew members so that they could go home safely and reunite with their families."
Gao Hongming was silent for a moment and then asked: "Lieutenant Colonel Doolittle, do you know how many mothers will lose their sons and how many girls will lose their sweethearts if I agree to your request?"
Without waiting for Doolittle to answer, Gao Hongming continued: "You were right just now, I do have the largest and most advanced air force in China.
But the largest scale here is also relative. Compared with the US Air Force, it can only be regarded as a drop in the bucket.
The total number of planes I own is only over 200 planes.
But do you know how many Japanese attacks my troops will face?"
Gao Hongming stretched out his thumb and index finger, "Eighty thousand!"
"A total of 80,000 Japanese troops are under siege. However, the troops in my hand are only 40,000 at full strength. The reason why I can persist now is because I still have the advantage of air superiority for the time being.
A few days ago, I dispatched two squadrons of reconnaissance aircraft and a squadron of fighter jets to fly to Zhejiang, more than a thousand kilometers away, to rescue you. This is the largest force I have ever mobilized through gritted teeth.
Now you ask me to dispatch more than half of my air force and run to a place more than a thousand kilometers away to implement the rescue plan. If something goes wrong, the opportunity of the air force that I have spent several years building up will be destroyed in one day.