For the sake of this military operation, Germany put great effort into secrecy, and the Iron Investigation Bureau and the Military Intelligence Investigation Bureau did not receive any information for several days after they launched their full efforts to gather intelligence, and it seems that the German blockade is extremely tight.

Without any information, it has already been shown that there is a problem, which can prove that Xiao Zhenlei's speculation is not a random conjecture, and in fact, Jiang Baili's General Staff has also reached a similar conclusion.

On the morning of May 11, Jiang Baili hurried to see Xiao Zhenlei, and as soon as they met, he said: "President, the situation is not good, we speculate that most of the German troops opposite the British army have probably gone south to cut off the back road of Rennes and Diese, if this speculation is true, then the one million American troops in France will be all over!" ”

Xiao Zhenlei was surprised: "You can also see it? I have given the Iron Investigation Bureau and the Military Intelligence Bureau the power to investigate the movements of the German troops on the opposite side of the British army, but three days have passed, and there is still no news from the European side, don't look at the lack of news, this actually speaks for itself, if the German army does not move, then our intelligence officers will send back some sporadic clues, but now there is no news back, what does this mean? It shows that the German army has strengthened its secrecy work, under what circumstances will it strengthen secrecy work? There must be a major military operation, if you and I are right, now I am afraid that the German army has already attacked quickly in the direction of Rennes, according to the information obtained by our intelligence department, the American army has less than 100,000 men on the line of Rennes and Diese as the rear, and on the side facing the northwest direction, the American army has not built any fortifications. There was not even a trench, after all, at that time the direction from Diesse to Rennes was the US military defense line, how could their own people be able to guard against their own people? So there were no fortifications at all in the direction of Rennes towards Diese. A considerable part of the 100,000 American troops in Rennes are still wounded soldiers, and these people can't stop the 40 German troops at all, as long as the German army fights fast and does not let the American troops react, I believe that as long as one round, the rear road of the 1 million American troops will be cut off! By the way, who is the commander-in-chief of the US Expeditionary Force? ”

Jiang Baili said: "It's John? Joseph? General Pershing! ”

Xiao Zhenlei frowned: "It's him?" It stands to reason that with his ability. He doesn't lose sight of that."

Jiang Fangzhen shook his head and said, "Whoever has a million male soldiers in his hands will be arrogant, right?" Pershing is a man who has risen too fast, and it is said that he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. After graduation, he went to serve in the army cavalry unit. In 1890 he was promoted to lieutenant for fighting against Indians in New Mexico and South Dakota, and in 1897 he served as a tactical instructor at West Point. During the Spanish-American War in 1898, he participated in the Cuban battlefield. 1899-1903. He served in the U.S. Army in Luzon. Participated in the suppression of the uprising of the people in Luzon, in 1904 he served as military attache in Japan and military observer of the Russo-Japanese War, and was promoted to the rank of captain, before his promotion speed was average, but in 1906 he was favored by the then President of the United States Roosevelt, from captain to colonel to brigadier general, which is unique in the United States, let alone the United States. Even in other countries, this kind of thing has hardly happened. The year before and last year, he led 15,000 troops to invade Mexico and suppress Mexican guerrillas. After the United States announced its participation in the Allied war against Germany, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe to organize and direct the training and operations of the American army on the French front. He was a perfectionist, and in every occasion he appeared in public as a regular soldier - with a straight waist, a shaved garment, shiny riding boots, a soldier of proper manners, and meticulous manners, who was strict with himself, but not lenient, and demanded that his men be like him. At that time, Pershing never engaged in showmanship, he attached great importance to the training of the troops, if it were not for the strong demand of Britain and France, he would not even send the troops to the European battlefield now, in his opinion, the training of the troops is not over, the US army must receive all-round tactical training in order to pull on the battlefield to fight the German army, but time is not waiting, the United States high-level side in order to be eager to show the strength of the United States, forced him to lead the troops to reinforce the European battlefield, After Pershing arrived in the European theater, he asked the troops to break the defensive thinking of the British and French troops trapped in the trench front, and strengthen the tactical training of firepower and breakthrough, in this regard, Pershing was much stronger than Haig and Petain! ”

Xiao Zhenlei took a puff of his cigarette after listening to Jiang Baili's introduction to Pershing and said: "It is not surprising that once you suddenly get a high position, you get carried away!" Although I don't want the U.S. army to become stronger, but now we are allies after all, and the situation on the Western Front is very important, if this million U.S. troops are dumped by the German army, I am afraid that the war on the Western Front will be eroded to an unimaginable level, Brother Baili, you contact General Pershing and remind him that the German army may copy his back road! ”

"Okay!" Jiang Baili agreed and left.

London, 10 Downing Street.

New British Prime Minister Lloyd? George and French Prime Minister Clemenceau, as well as a number of British and French generals, were holding a military meeting with Pershing, commander-in-chief of the American Expeditionary Force in Europe.

British and French politicians and generals do not like Pershing very much, they think that Pershing is extremely difficult to deal with, the British and French high-level original plan is to prepare to use the US military as a strengthening force, as cannon fodder, not to give it independent command, only let the US military play a supporting role, but Pershing is not a simple commodity, he has already seen through the political intentions of Britain and France, this military meeting, but British Prime Minister Lloyd? When George and French Prime Minister Clemenceau demanded that the US military obey the unified command of the Anglo-French Joint Command, Pershing was very annoyed, and he said in front of Lloyd George and Clemenceau: "Your Excellency Prime Minister, Your Excellency the Prime Minister, as the commander-in-chief of the US military in Europe, I hereby state one point that the US military must have an independent operational direction, and I myself must independently command the US military operations, and only under this premise can the US army launch a war against the German army!" Otherwise, you should know that our US military is not short of weapons, ammunition, and war materials, and that we have our own independent logistical supply, and even the British and French armies rely on our US military for logistics, and if you want to use my subordinates as cannon fodder, I will absolutely not agree."

British Prime Minister Lloyd's? George and the French Prime Minister Clemenceau and other British and French generals had never imagined that Pershing would speak so impulsively on such an occasion, and his remarks completely blocked the room for negotiation, and if the British and French did not make concessions, unless the President of the United States removed Pershing from his post as commander-in-chief of the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe, Pershing would not buy them.

Lloyd's here? George and Clemenceau and the British and French generals had a headache, and the commander-in-chief of the British homeland, General Haig, still wanted to make some efforts, he said: "General Pershing, you should know that our Entente is an alliance, and the army comes from various countries, and the combat effectiveness of the joint operation itself will be dispersed, and only the unified command can give full play to our maximum combat effectiveness!" I hope the general will focus on the big picture! ”

Pershing took a puff of his pipe and said, "Do you know why I ask the US military to have an independent operational direction, and why I will ask me to have independent command and combat rights to the US military?" Because I don't agree with your passive defensive tactics of sticking to the trench front at all, and if you want to defeat the German army, you can only take the initiative to attack, and you can only increase your firepower and break through tactical training! If you want us to join the British and French unified command, then let me be the commander-in-chief of the coalition forces, otherwise everything will not be discussed! ”

Haig's face turned blue with anger, and he pointed at Pershing and was speechless for a long time, and finally burst out a sentence: "If you want independent command, you can do it, whatever you want, I will never deal with you, hum!" With that, he brushed his sleeves and left.

British Prime Minister Lloyd's? George persuaded: "General Pershing, now that we are one, I hope you can abandon your personal prejudices, and you can think about this matter again, okay?" I will communicate with you, Mr. President, and hope to have a mutually satisfactory outcome ??????."

Lloyd's? Before George could finish his words, Pershing's adjutant hurriedly walked in and whispered in Pershing's ear: "General, General Jiang Fangzhen, Chief of the General Staff of Huaguo, has sent you a telegram!" ”

Pershing was furious at this time, and all his attention was on Lloyd? On George, he casually asked, "What did General Chiang say in the newspaper?" ”

"General Chiang said in the telegram that since the German army has occupied Diese, it is very likely that it will launch a fierce attack in the direction of Rennes in a big way, and he reminds you that if the German army really moves south, with the current strength of the American army on the front line of Disse and Rennes, it may be difficult to resist the ferocious offensive of the German army, and if the Rennes and Disai line is occupied by the German army, then the 900,000 American troops on the front line will be very dangerous!"

Pershing heard this, and didn't think about it carefully, he just felt that Jiang Baili was really worried too much about sending this telegram, and it was too ridiculous, the German army opposite the British army was going south? Is this possible? You must know that the German army opposite the British army is only 600,000 people, and the British army has more than 1 million, and its own strength is insufficient, so can the German army still divide its troops to the south? Isn't that ridiculous?

Pershing said to the adjutant nonchalantly: "You go and call General Chiang back, and say that I already know, but I believe that the Germans cannot do this, unless the British troops opposite them are all dead!" ”

"Yes, Your Excellency!" The adjutant said yes and turned away. (To be continued......)