Chennault learned about the training and teaching of the flying regiment and was fascinated by many novelties. As a person who has been engaged in flying and teaching for many years, he seems to be unable to believe that the teaching and flight training of the air force units of the Eighth Route Army have completely formed their own unique system, and this system can have an immediate effect on the rapid training of pilots. What surprised him even more was that the facilities of the Eighth Route Army were very simple but sound. Especially the training mode seems to have a lot of new things.

After visiting the teaching and daily ground training of the flight group, Liu Yalou accompanied Chennault to visit the No. 3 cave reservoir. "General Chennault, Cave No. 3 is 8 or 5 meters high, 55 meters wide, and 500 meters deep. There are 25 secondary cavities on both sides of the main cavern, which can accommodate the currently known heavy bombers. When we built this project, it was tailor-made for the war against Japan. "May I ask General Liu, how many years has this project been built." "It took seven years." "If I'm not mistaken, this is General Ouyang's masterpiece!"

"General Chennault is right, the Xiaoshan base was built by General Ouyang. At the beginning, he built the Dongku Airport in the Jiujiang area, although the Jiujiang Dongku Airport is small in scale, but the effect is very good after actual combat testing. "General Ouyang's strategic vision is extraordinary, and I admire China for having such an outstanding military strategist. In Chongqing, I visited General Ouyang, but he told me nothing, only suggested that I come to the field. ”

"You Chinese have a proverb that says well, if you want to know the taste of pears, you must taste them with your own mouth. The facts speak for themselves, the flying regiment formed by your party, in the face of the powerful Japanese Air Force, skillfully used reasonable tactics to crush the enemy's attack, and at the same time tempered and trained its own excellent pilots in actual combat. I recently visited your unit's ground training, and although the training facilities are simple, the training methods and even the military theory of air combat are very advanced. ”

Chennault chattered a little excitedly: "General Liu, I am a little confused, your government's air force is very backward, it can be said that aviation theory, including training methods, is still in the initial stage, but I find that your party's training methods and teaching methods are very advanced, which makes it difficult for me to understand, please General Liu to solve my doubts." "General Chennault, it's best for Deputy Commander-in-Chief Peng to answer this question, frankly there are some things that I can't say clearly." In fact, Liu Yalou is worried about revealing secrets, what can be said and can't be said, he can't grasp it well, and he is worried about saying what he shouldn't say.

At noon, Liu Yalou entertained the guests with the friendship of the landlord, and Peng Dehuai also returned from the inspection of the airborne troops. At the moment, the Airborne Forces are still classified and therefore cannot be made known to Chennault. During the dinner, Chennault laid out his confusion and disposition, and the straightforwardness and persistence of the Americans were exposed. In the face of Chennault's question, Liu Yalou said: "Deputy Commander-in-Chief Peng, I don't know all about some questions, and I can't answer the questions raised by General Chennault!" ”

Peng Dehuai understood what Liu Yalou meant: "General Chennault is our most trusted friend, and he has no secrets in front of his friends. The Air Force of the Eighth Route Army has grown from scratch, from small to large, and even today to form combat effectiveness, and it can be said that General Ouyang has made great contributions. General Ouyang is proficient in two foreign languages, especially his long-term attention and dedication to the study of advanced foreign military theories. Not only that, but he made innovations on the basis of his research, thus forming our military theoretical system today. ”

"We strive to develop the army building toward regularization, standardization, and militarization, and General Ouyang of the Air Force construction has initially formed a teaching and training system with reference to the experience of foreign armies and in combination with our own conditions, and it can be said that we have entered the forefront of the world in terms of military theory. General Ouyang's greatest merit is that he has made accurate predictions and has well integrated the advanced military theories and experiences of various countries to form our own theoretical system. ”

"General Chennault, there is really no secret. Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and Germany, including our enemy, the Japanese army, we have learned and learned from their good things. General Ouyang's talent is that he can thoroughly eat the advanced things of various countries for his own use, and bring forth the new. As for the construction of the Xiaoshan base, the opinions of the headquarters were not unanimous at the beginning. However, General Ouyang eliminated interference and advocated getting on the horse. Due to the strong financial resources of the Jiujiang Base Area he founded, the Xiaoshan Air Base has the scale it has today. ”

"Facts have proved that General Ouyang's foresight and sagacity have laid the foundation for today's achievements of the Eighth Route Army Air Force. The air force of the Eighth Route Army has come to this day, and it can be said that it has condensed a lot of hard work of General Ouyang. From the construction of the troops, the preparation for the construction of aviation bases, the selection of pilots, to the teaching, training, and formation of the flight regiment, General Ouyang has done everything himself. It can be said that the fame of the Eighth Route Army Flying Regiment in the First World War was not accidental, but the result of long-term careful preparation and accumulation. ”

Peng Dehuai continued: "General Chennault, we Chinese are a hospitable nation and a grateful nation. Especially at a time of national crisis, we are grateful for the dedication of such a general to China's anti-Japanese war. If General Chennault needs our support, he will do his best. Especially in the overall situation of the Anti-Japanese War, we will not have any selfish motives. "General Peng, thank you for your sincerity. I need support and cooperation! "Please speak up, General!"

"I want the Flying Tigers to enter the Xiaoshan base, and we will fight side by side!" Chennault's subtext was that the fighters of the Eighth Route Army were needed to provide air cover, and Peng Dehuai naturally heard the overtones. Usually, air combat fighters are much more dangerous and have a better battle damage rate than bombers, and Chennault is naturally worried that the other side will not accept it. Peng Dehuai was naturally secretly happy when he heard this, this was exactly the result he wanted, especially if it was proposed by Chennault himself, the effect would be better, so as not to make Lao Jiang suspicious.

"General Chennault trusts us so much, and there is no reason not to allow it. However, I am afraid that the general is wishful thinking, and the Ministry of National Defense will not approve it, and Chairman Chiang will not agree to it. Peng Dehuai communicated with Ouyang Jian in the telegram before he came, and agreed that Chennault would be 100% moved after visiting Dongku Airport. Not to mention that the Dongku airfield can effectively avoid the Japanese bombing, and the fighters of the Eighth Route Army alone can provide effective air cover, which will greatly solve Chennault's problem.

Ouyang Jian analyzed in a telegram to Peng Dehuai that after Chennault visited the Xiaoshan base, he would definitely propose that the Flying Tigers be stationed in the base and fight side by side. Ouyang Jian pointed out in the telegram that Chennault's request was 100 percent not agreed to by Lao Chiang. Chennault was a soldier who didn't understand politics, but he had to rely on his abilities. Ouyang Jian's purpose is to lay the groundwork first, and when there is a big fight between the United States and Japan, the strategic location of the Xiaoshan base believes that it will attract great attention from the United States. Once the U.S. military decided to use the Xiaoshan base, Lao Chiang would not be able to stop it.

"General Peng, the strategic location of the Xiaoshan base is excellent, and the fighters are deployed in Zaili, so that they can attack Guangzhou to the south, Wuhan to the west, Songhu to the north, and to the east to blockade the Taiwan Strait and attack the island of Taiwan. The Xiaoshan base was an all-round threat to the Japanese army. Stumped on your country's high command is an idiot. I immediately set off for Chongqing, and asked General Peng to wait for the good news! ”

"General Peng, the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army fully supports you, but the premise must be the general's own proposal, so as not to make Chairman Jiang suspicious and cause unnecessary trouble." "Your country's biggest enemy is the Japanese army, and the problems between you have nothing to do with me, I am considering it from a military point of view, and I believe that your country's high command will adopt my suggestions." "General Chennault, I wish you all the best."

In the afternoon of the same day, Chennault flew directly to Chongqing by transport plane. The next morning, Ouyang Jian's residence Neigong Nanyu reported: "Chief of the General Staff, General Chennault returned from Jiangxi yesterday afternoon and went to the Ministry of Defense early this morning. "Go get some good food and entertain General Chennault in the evening." "Are you sure General Chennault is coming to visit in the evening!" "Eight or nine is not far from ten, you go and prepare!" Gong Nan saw Ouyang Jian smiling and silent, and half-believed and suspicious Zhang Luo went.

At about 9 a.m., Chennault came out of the gate of the Department of Defense with an extremely ugly face. He got into the car and headed straight for the U.S. Embassy, because the U.S. ambassador wanted to see him. Chennault did not expect that the Ministry of Defense rejected the proposal of the Flying Tigers to be stationed at the Xiaoshan base in Jiangxi, and the problem actually lay with the United States. When Chennault saw the US ambassador Jensen, he bluntly said: "Mr. Ambassador, the Communist Party's Xiaoshan Air Base is strategically located, why don't you agree to the Flying Tigers stationing?" The Eighth Route Army Flying Regiment proved their capabilities, and our bombers needed them for air cover. ”

Jensen shrugged his shoulders and said, "Things in China are very complicated, just when you go to Jiangxi. The government of the Republic of China had already anticipated the result, so it communicated with me in advance and did not agree with the Flying Tigers to use the Communist Party's flying base. There is a political element in this, and from the standpoint of the United States, we must respect the national government, and you should understand. Chennault sighed, looking very depressed.

"General Chennault, the US Air Force is very interested in the Communist Party's Xiaoshan base, please tell us more about the situation at the Xiaoshan Air Base!" Chennault seemed to have a glimmer of hope when he heard this.