Stilwell was slightly startled, "Are you talking about the Flying Tigers led by Claire?"
"Yes."
"But if I remember correctly, the Flying Tigers led by Claire only have three squadrons in total. He also has to allocate troops to garrison Guangxi and Yunnan. It would be good to have more than 20 aircraft from one squadron.
I'm afraid this aircraft still can't rescue Tonggu's 200th Division, right? The most important thing is that the aircraft of the Flying Tigers are all fighter jets. Their main task is to compete with Japanese aircraft for air supremacy. How much power can they have to support the ground troops?
"
Facing Stilwell's doubts, Luo Zhuoying could only smile bitterly: "Who told us that we have no cannons and no planes? Do you have any other ideas now?"
Stilwell was speechless. Although Luo Zhuoying's tone was normal, it was actually a hidden secret.
You Americans keep saying that you want to support the Chinese theater, but now you can't even send out a decent air force, and even the supplies to aid China are being sent out in a pinch. What qualifications do you have to dictate the affairs of the expeditionary force.
Facing Luo Zhuoying's implicit accusation, Stilwell became a little angry and raised his voice: "Luo, it's unfair for you to blame our U.S. government for this situation.
Our supplies need to travel a long way to reach China, and there is no guarantee of time. Your biggest problem now is to urgently mobilize an air force to support the expeditionary force. The size of this air force must be at least one hundred.
It must be more than one aircraft, and it must include no less than two squadrons of bombers.”
"Impossible...absolutely impossible!"
Luo Zhuoying shook his head repeatedly, "Our air force has been exhausted in the battles in previous years. It is simply impossible to mobilize such an air force to support Myanmar."
"How is that impossible?" Stilwell said with a displeased look on his face: "As far as I know, Chairman Chiang has an air force composed entirely of P-40 fighter planes, with a number of no less than a hundred.
If you send a report to Chairman Chiang now, he should be able to be transferred within two days."
As soon as Stilwell finished speaking, Luo Zhuoying almost jumped up, "Don't say we don't have such a large-scale air force. Even if we did, we couldn't mobilize it in such a short period of time."
No wonder Luo Zhuoying's face turned red with excitement. The air force Stilwell was talking about was the aircraft that Gao Hongming half-sold and half gave to the Chongqing government when he went to the Central Air Force to poach employees the year before last. A total of one hundred aircraft were sold at that time.
After two years of consumption, there are now less than 60 aircraft left. These aircraft are now regarded as eyeballs by Chiang Kai-shek, and they are all deployed around the Chongqing area to shoulder the task of defending Chongqing.
It is precisely because of this air force that although Chongqing has occasionally suffered small-scale bombings by the Japanese army in the past two years, large-scale bombings like the one in 1939 resulted in thousands of deaths and 200,000 people homeless.
Never happened again.
The reason why there are such big changes must be attributed to the P-40 fighters given by Gao Hongming.
Because of this, Chiang Kai-shek had already given a death order to Air Force Commander Zhou Zhirou. Without his order, no one was allowed to mobilize this unit, and violators would be severely punished.
Although Luo Zhuoying could be regarded as Chiang Kai-shek's confidant, he was certain that if he dared to propose to Chiang Kai-shek that the air force be transferred to Burma, Chiang Kai-shek would never give him any good advice.
"Then what should we do?" Stilwell glared and shouted angrily: "You brought up the matter, are you just going to watch the 200 Division being eaten by the Japanese?"
Everyone was silent, and everyone looked solemn. The 200 Division is the only mechanized unit in the national army, and its elite level is far superior to other units in the national army. If they are all lost in the same ancient times, they can imagine Chairman Chiang Kai-shek in Chongqing.
That angry face.
Du Yuming, deputy commander of the expeditionary force and commander of the Fifth Army, suddenly said: "General Stilwell, Chief Luo, maybe there is an air force in the country that can help us."
"Um……"
"who is it?"
Everyone looked at Du Yuming.
As the first graduate of Huangpu and a proud disciple of Chairman Chiang Kai-shek, Du Yuming was undoubtedly deeply trusted by Chiang Kai-shek. At the same time, the 200th Division surrounded by Tonggu also belonged to his Fifth Army, so he was able to carry out the first
Who is most anxious when the 200th Division is in danger of being encircled and annihilated? He should be the first.
I saw Du Yuming facing everyone's gaze and said slowly: "Everyone, have you forgotten that Commander Yan in the Shanxi World War II Zone has the largest and most elite air force in the country?"
"Liantai Vigilante Group?"
There was a burst of exclamation in the command post, and someone immediately shouted out.
Everyone except Stilwell understood. Some even slapped their thighs and said, "Why did I forget about this army?"
"Yes, I almost forgot if Chief Du didn't tell me. If the Liantai Militia can be mobilized, the Tonggu battle will definitely be solved."
"Well, the combat effectiveness of the Liantai militia is quite good." The person who said this was a tough-talking guy.
Only Stilwell was a little confused. He looked at the officers discussing in low voices around him. With his mind full of questions, he pulled Luo Zhuoying and said, "General Luo, what are you discussing, can you tell me?"
"That's it, General Stilwell. Just now, Commander Du mentioned a force in our country. This force has a very powerful air force. With their support, they can definitely defeat Tonggu's 200 Division.
Get rescued."
"Does China have such an army? Why didn't I know about it?"
Stilwell expressed doubts about this. He had only assumed the post of Commander of the U.S. Army in the China, Burma, and India Theater and Chief of Staff of the China Theater in January this year. In addition, the Chongqing government was afraid that Gao Hongming would gain too much limelight and deliberately suppressed his reputation. There was little publicity in the media.
Seeing the news about him, Stilwell naturally had never heard of the Liantai Militia.
Regarding all the things here, Luo Zhuoying naturally couldn't tell him in detail, so he said a little vaguely: "Well, I will tell you in detail about this army later. But I can be sure that General Du's words are not full of water.
, you can completely believe in its authenticity.”
After hearing this, Stilwell said happily: "In that case, why don't you apply to Chairman Chiang to transfer this unit? Time is life. If he is transferred here sooner, the 200 Division can be rescued sooner."
"this……"
Luo Zhuoying's expression became a little embarrassed for a moment.
After hesitating for a while, he said: "The biggest problem now is that this army is not dispatched by the National Government at all."
"God, how is this possible?" Stilwell was so surprised that he even spoke his native language.