Wang Xuexin said "Oh" and asked: "Did Stilwell see it?"
Sun Erwei nodded and handed the telegram to Wang Xuexin, but he took it back after passing it halfway.
"Sorry!" Sun Erwei said, "I haven't translated it yet."
Wang Xuexin smiled and expressed understanding.
In fact, Wang Xuexin knew what was going on without reading the telegram.
The reason why Stilwell in history failed to discover the sinister intentions of The Sun Never Sets is because they placed all their hopes on the Sun Never Sets, so they had an obsession: "We can only choose to believe that the Sun Never Sets.
Otherwise everything will be lost!"
With this obsession, Stilwell and even the entire Yingjiang government believed in the army on which the sun never sets without any reservation, as if they had fallen into the trap of a pyramid scheme. They almost believed whatever Alexander said.
But after Wang Xuexin's reminder, Stilwell went to see the Army on Never Sets with suspicion.
It’s easy to see what’s wrong with this:
Why did the army on which the sun never sets withdraw its mobile troops to the second line before the war?
Shouldn't these troops be deployed on the front line and ready for counterattack at any time?
Unless you plan to retreat from the beginning, you are worried that these mobile troops will be delayed or surrounded by the enemy!
Why did the officer who never sets on the sun secretly move his headquarters back?
Aren't they very confident that they can block the enemy's attack?
Unless they lie, they simply don’t think they can hold on or even want to hold on!
Why didn't the artillery be moved to the front line before the sun set?
The farther the artillery fires, the more advantageous it is to the army where the sun never sets?
Unless Alexander already knew that this was a meaningless battle!
Stilwell cursed "go to hell", and then immediately contacted the Chinese Expeditionary Force, reminding them to be careful of their flanks, as the Sun Never Sets army was likely to retreat early.
Then he sent another telegram to Sun Erwei, saying: "His judgment is correct, but we can't seem to change anything!"
It's true what Stilwell said, this battle can't change anything.
Even if Stilwell was prepared beforehand, this would not be an exception.
The reason is very simple. The entire west side is full of garrison where the sun never sets. The army will retreat all the way and give up their positions to the enemy. Then this battle is destined to have no hope of victory from the beginning.
Wang Xuexin called back: "I only hope to minimize the losses of the Chinese army!"
Stilwell replied: "I'll do my best!"
Indeed, we can only do our best. This battle is not something that Stilwell, the nominal commander, can control. Moreover, the battlefield is changing rapidly, and no one dares to say that he can "control" it.
"We are too optimistic about this battle!" Sun Erwei sat in front of Wang Xuexin with some frustration and said, "Wang, if this is the case, didn't you expect the consequences it would cause?"
"Consequences?" Wang Xuexin was stunned for a moment, and then realized what Sun Erwei meant: "You mean the Yunnan-Burma Highway has been completely blocked?"
Because this was something that had already happened in history, and even so, China did not perish, so Wang Xuexin acted very calmly.
This surprised Sun Erwei. He shrugged and said: "Yes, of course it is this! King, although this is a battle between stubborn troops, you can't be so casual, can you? The blockade of the Burma Highway is likely to cause
The total collapse of the stubborn army will make the Eighth Route Army unable to support itself. You Chinese people have a saying..."
"The lips are dead and the teeth are cold?"
"Yes, it's just that the lips are dead and the teeth are cold!" Sun Erwei is indeed an intelligence officer who has been in China for many years, and he actually knows a few idioms.
"So!" Sun Erwei said, "Don't you do something?"
"What can we do?" Wang Xuexin asked.
This immediately stopped Sun Erwei from questioning.
Wang Xuexin is right. The Eighth Route Army is mainly located in Shanxi and Hebei, and relies on the mountains to deal with the Japanese. It is hundreds of thousands of miles away from the Yunnan-Burma Highway, and there are stubborn troops in the middle... Even if you want to do something, there is nothing you can do to help.
"Okay!" Sun Erwei said helplessly: "Then what are your plans? I mean, the Burma Highway is about to be blocked!"
"Of course!" Wang Xuexin said: "Transport the $10 million in food as soon as possible. In addition..."
Wang Xuexin suddenly remembered that the Independent Group had "made enough food and clothing by oneself", so he said: "Sun Erwei, I want to import a few looms. Look..."
"Loom?" Sun Erwei looked at Wang Xuexin with wide eyes and surprise.
At this critical moment, others were rushing to transport guns, artillery, and ammunition, but Wang Xuexin was thinking either of food or looms... This made people feel that Wang Xuexin was not fighting, but more like a businessman.
But how can Sun Erwei, who has been living in the superior conditions of Yingjiang all year round, understand the plight of the Chinese people?
Wang Xuexin believes that for truly far-sighted people, when external channels are blocked and it is difficult for supplies to enter China, what they need most is often not guns and ammunition or equipment, but basic human needs.
In the final analysis, people's basic needs are just four words: "food, clothing, shelter, and transportation."
In fact, the issues related to survival are food and clothing.
What people often refer to as "food and clothing" refers to these two things... If the problem of food and clothing is not solved, lives will be lost. They are the basis for continuing to fight the enemy.
That's why Wang Xuexin took out a loan of 10 million US dollars from Yingjiang to buy grain without any hesitation.
With these grain reserves and the Eighth Route Army organizing land reclamation and cultivation everywhere, at least the Eighth Route Army will not have any major problems in the next few years, even if there is a major disaster in Henan.
The problem of fullness is solved, and what remains is the problem of "warmth".
Although the winter in Shanxi and Hebei is not as cold as that in Northeast China, it is still common for people to freeze to death.
The Eighth Route Army organized wasteland farming and also planted cotton... This was Wang Xuexin's suggestion when he issued border currency. The Eighth Route Army planted grain on a large scale and used various methods such as tax cuts, subsidies, and small loans to encourage people to grow cotton. At this time, cotton
Already small in scale.
The problem is that the efficiency of people's hand-spun cotton weaving is too low. It consumes a lot of manpower and time to weave cloth to make clothes that can only be worn by a few members of the family... Will there be problems when the disaster breaks out in Henan?
From this general perspective, Wang Xuexin believed that the Eighth Route Army needed looms at this time.
To be precise, it's not a "need", but an "urgent need". It's just that others didn't see the crisis.
Wang Xuexin, a person who came from modern times, certainly has this foresight.
From a small perspective, if the independent group had a few looms... wouldn't there be a way to make money?
What else will Li Yunlong worry about then?
As long as the woven cloth is sold, won't the money flow in?
Thinking of this, Wang Xuexin nodded firmly and said: "Yes, it is a loom! If possible, I plan to buy ten of them!"