Australia, in the wilderness near the north, was originally the habitat of kangaroos, but after the Japanese army landed, the game in the surrounding area went into the stomach of little Japan.

This flat area also became an air base for the Japanese army. However, at this time, it was not the Japanese planes that were parked, but the American B-17 and B-29.

MacArthur stood on the control tower of the airport, the highest point in the entire area, overlooking the entire airport. For the first time since he arrived at this airfield with the bomber force last night, he had time to look down on the entire airfield.

Recalling the welcome banquet held by the Japanese army last night, and reading all the newspapers and media, MacArthur's mouth showed a hint of irony. I just don't know what his expression indicates, whether it is a satire of Japan's position or a satire of Washington's decision.

The morning sun had just come out, and the afterglow was shining on the airfield, imprinting the bombers in golden light.

Recalling the time when he was standing on Corredo Gil Island, MacArthur had a very strange emotion in his heart. It is a great irony for him that he was driven out of the Philippines by the Japanese army, but now he is standing with the Japanese army.

Nine years ago, he fell out with Roosevelt, who was in a position at the time, resigned as chief of staff of the U.S. Army, and came to his second home in the Philippines at the invitation of Philippine puppet President Quezon. During the Spanish-American War, MacArthur's father, Arthur. Brigadier General MacArthur, who fought in Manila, had a special affection for the Philippines.

While in the Philippines, he was in charge of training and only the Philippine Army. On this outpost island group in Southeast Asia, he deeply felt the weight of the pressure brought by the Chinese army and the Japanese army.

His luck was bad, and before he could start defense, the Japanese army began to attack. He could only come to Australia with many emotions to organize an army against the Japanese army.

He became an abandoned Caesar, a frustrated Augustus, a Napoleon on his way to the island of Elba. MacArthur, who commanded a million troops, has become the MacArthur of history, at the moment of retreat. He had become a loner. There is not a single soldier. And on the way to retreat, the beautiful wife, beloved son, and his own net worth and life were all in the mouth of the Japanese fleet. Whether you can escape. The number is still undecided.

Until now. He still remembers that day, the gloomy sky, the afterglow of the setting sun. It's a bit similar to today. If it was changed to the evening, it might be more able to stir up his inner memory.

With feelings of frustration, disappointment, pain, and powerlessness, he left the Philippines. When he set off, he tried his best to be cold and indifferent to hide his heart. This is an extreme contrast with last night, when he tried his best to hide his disgust for the Japanese army and pretended to be smiling.

No matter how much MacArthur thought about it, he could never have imagined that one day he would be on the same front as the enemy who had fought and died before. He never thought that the sins committed by the Japanese army had nothing to do with the overall situation in Washington's eyes. Hypocritical politicians, fooling all citizens and creating public opinion.

He has thought about many endings, some good and some bad, but the result like this is something he can't think of in his life.

It is not that he is unaware of the benefits of uniting Japan against China, and he also understands that Washington's actions are all aimed at counterbalancing the more dangerous Chinese empire. They are also imperial countries, but Japan can be bought by the United States. It was a deal about America's future, so MacArthur tried to make himself appear peaceful.

It was true that he hated and hated Japan, but he wanted to win the war even more. As long as he can win the victory in the future, let alone cooperate with Japan, even if he cooperates with Satan, he has no complaints.

And at the beginning, he was forced to take his wife and children on a submarine with a displacement of only a few dozen tons, and fled all the way to Australia, although this was Roosevelt's order to organize the second group of resistance forces in Melbourne. But the fact that he was driven away has been remembered by history. When he came to this airport, he had already made up his mind that he would definitely ask the Japanese army for it. It is used to wash away the shame of the body.

In fact, until now, MacArthur still does not know where his failure in the Philippines was. The former chief of staff of the US Army is not without deep self-reflection.

Aren't you prepared? He used every day of the six years to organize and train 200,000 Philippine federal troops, and procured planes, field artillery, guns, and torpedo boats. He made a great deal of effort, built fortifications, defended beaches, and planned to destroy roads and bridges everywhere. (In Luzon, bridges between cliffs and mountain streams have traditionally been seen as a lifeline)

However, all this, under the fatal blow of the Japanese army, will collapse like a papier-mâché edifice.

Maybe there's nothing wrong with him. He underestimated the combat effectiveness of the Japanese army. Perhaps he had the same idea that the Japanese army was just like this, because the Japanese army was resolved by China more than ten years ago. This made everyone generally not optimistic about the combat effectiveness of the Japanese army.

However, when the Japanese army burst into combat effectiveness, it entered the eyes of Western countries. And it is brought with life.

Just as MacArthur was stunned as he looked at the busy airport, there was the sound of hurried footsteps behind him. The leather boots slammed on the wooden plank, waking MacArthur from his memory.

"Report, General, this is the latest battle situation in the Philippines that the Japanese army has just sent." A U.S. Army colonel's staff officer walked up behind MacArthur and reported.

Although MacArthur has the name of Douglas and the nickname of Doug, it is estimated that no one in the entire United States, except for General Marshall, dares to call him by this nickname. Everyone called him a general, which was an honorific title for him.

"Read." MacArthur said without looking back.

"Yes, according to the latest information, Masaharu Honma, the supreme commander of the Philippine garrison of the Japanese army, has called and he has received a farewell message from his assistant Manila four brigades. It is now established that the Chinese army has captured the area around Manila. The Chinese Army, on the other hand, had already landed yesterday and is now advancing towards Luzon. ”

"This—" MacArthur turned and read the message. He was surprised by the speed of the Chinese army's attack, although the speed of the attack was also very fast when the Japanese landed, but he did not feel how fast the Japanese army was.

However, the contents of this telegram had to surprise him.

The fortifications of Manila at this time were not comparable to the fortifications of the previous American period. The drawing of the Philippine fortifications was still in front of MacArthur's bed. Last night, he also deduced that according to the current strength of the US military, it would take at least ten days to completely capture Manila. And also in the case of occupying air superiority. And China only took three days, and even those three headache mountains were destroyed by China.

How this did not surprise him.

"Is there a detailed battle report?" MacArthur was eager to know how China had done it. You know, the defense of Manila is simply a fortress. There are countless bunkers around, foxholes, and fortifications are extremely strong.

"No, that's all the information the Japanese army has obtained."

"Fool, how can there be no detailed battle situation? And what about the Chinese casualties. MacArthur couldn't help but scold, this kind of large-scale battle, without a detailed count of the battle situation, is simply playing at home.

"There's only one estimate." The colonel's staff officer said cautiously that MacArthur's face was not very good, and he didn't want to be scolded.

"Say."

"The casualties should be around three thousand."

Hearing this casualty figure, MacArthur frowned and said, "What about the Japanese army's own casualties?" It's impossible to use an estimate again!"

"Thirty thousand, of which 10,000 are Japanese regular troops and the other 20,000 servant troops."

"No, where can China's combat effectiveness be so low." Ten to one is a great victory wherever it is placed, but in MacArthur's view, this casualty figure for China is wrong. When facing the siege of more than 100,000 Allied troops, China only paid many casualties. Comparing this number, MacArthur felt that there was definitely moisture in this number.

In fact, the number of casualties in China is not a preliminary budget, but Honma Masaharu's own imagination. Because he couldn't see the battle situation in front of him at all, those Japanese troops who fought against China did not send back news about the casualties of the Chinese army when they were dying. And according to the ratio of three to one, Masaharu Honma reported such a number. As for the 20,000 servant army, in Honma Masaharu's opinion, it is naturally not included in the calculation ratio.

"The Chinese Army is highly combative, which is recognized by the world, and each of them is equipped with rifles with a high rate of fire, and in terms of supporting firepower, it is extremely powerful. The combination of air-ground and three-dimensional strikes, and the tactical tactics applied, are far ahead of the world. If the Japanese army could defeat this battle with a record of 3 to 1, then we are afraid that even Australia would not be able to hold it before. MacArthur muttered to himself.

Like Masaharu Honma, MacArthur did not count those servant armies, the essence of the Filipinos, MacArthur had already classified those Filipino servant armies of the Japanese army as a team that did not need to be counted.

Just as MacArthur said, if it had been able to achieve three to one casualties in the face of the powerful firepower of the Chinese navy, army, and air force, then the current Australia would have long been in Japan's pocket. If the forces of both sides are placed on an equal footing, such a record can only say that the Japanese army is too stupid. However, China has a large number of advantages, and such a record shows that the Japanese army is very strong in combat.

At this moment, an order was given from the conning tower of the airbase to allow the bombers to take off. (To be continued.) )