If the enemy launches a landing operation within the radius of attack of land-based aircraft, I repeat the tragedy of the Battle of Lingayen...... Are you sure that you can simultaneously deal with more than 400 land-based aircraft of the enemy's fleet? ”

Wharton was not reconciled, this time he grasped the key point of Jericho, and the admiral hesitated for a moment, and replied ambiguously: "To a certain extent, there is a lack of certainty......"

"However, the suppression of the enemy's land-based aviation should be the task of the army." Jericho reacted suddenly and threw the ball back in one go.

Wharton had to spread his hands: "I can only regret to admit that the army has become impossible to complete this task, and our remaining aircraft are less than one-eighth of the opponent's." ”

"Where's the reinforcements? Didn't London promise? ”

"We will be able to replenish 200 aircraft by September, but I am not sure that the enemy will wait until then to attack, and besides, these planes will not be enough to overwhelm the enemy in front of us."

Jericho thought for a moment, put his hands behind his back, shook his head, and said, "You must have pinned your hopes on this fleet when you came here, but I must remind you that I can't risk this fleet that pins the fortunes of the British Empire. Yes, I will not allow the enemy to land in the rear of the land front, but this does not mean that I will risk my entire fleet without a chance of winning, London does not want to lose India, but Britain cannot afford to lose the fleet. ”

Wharton and Edmon looked at each other in shock.

"What does this mean by London?" Wharton didn't believe it.

"Before I set out from Scarpa, Marshal Fisher personally instructed me, and you may send a telegram to confirm it."

Field Marshal Fisher, father of dreadnoughts, is currently the First Sea Lords (quite Chief of the Naval Staff). It was reasonable for him to instruct Jericho on behalf of the High Command.

"That is, if we are not guaranteed to suppress the enemy's land-based aviation, the fleet will not attack?" Wharton was a little anxious.

"There is no need for complete suppression, what I need is that there will be enough ground-based fighters to provide air protection for the fleet when the fleet arrives at the enemy's landing site, and at the same time a considerable number of land-based attack aircraft will cooperate with my carrier-based aviation to search for and attack enemy ships. For the sake of coordination, I would like to temporarily hand over the command of all land-based aviation units to me. Jericho took the opportunity to make a request.

Wharton glanced at Edmund in embarrassment, his finger in a circle on the table: "This requires the approval of the High Command......"

Jericho shook his head, "No." All we need to do is send a telegram jointly. ”

"If the army completely loses air cover, the Burmese front will also be in danger......"

"Now that the army on the Burmese front has lost its air cover and is in the danger you mentioned, if the enemy has not launched a roundabout landing, and the Indo-Burma front has been lost, then there is no need for my fleet to attack."

Wharton's face darkened, and he clenched his fists and said, "The army will do its best to defend it...... I can hand over all the existing ground-based air fleet to you, and all the planes and pilots for subsequent reinforcements will also be given to you, but I have one condition. ”

Jericho nodded, "Please speak." ”

"Don't give up, don't back down. Defeat them, for the glory of Britain! ”

……

July 15, 1915. On the eleventh day after the seizure of Semipalatinsk, on the outskirts of the town of Rubzosk, 120 miles north of Semipalatinsk, on an open flat ground compacted by machinery, Senior General Liang Tianhe, commander of the Northwest Front of the Chinese Army, climbed out of his brand-new ZL9 "Dongfeng" three-seat reconnaissance and liaison plane painted with green, yellow, and black field camouflage, stepped on the wings and jumped to the ground, smiling and smiling at the two favorite generals who came to greet him -- General Lu Kaiping, commander of the Second Armored Group Army, and General Qian Lan, commander of the Fifth Group Army -- and the entourage shook hands one by one.

"It's hard work, you've made amazing achievements, but don't be complacent, more severe tests are yet to come." Announcing this ominous warning to everyone, Liang Tianhe turned around and walked towards the "Red Rabbit" four-wheel drive off-road vehicle specially prepared for him. Close the car door and go straight to the second assembly headquarters in the town.

A quarter of an hour later, in a simple and intact log cabin in the town, Liang Tianhe didn't wait for everyone to sit down and said straight to the point: "I'm so anxious. Flying to the front line is not to see the scenery, nor is it to put on a show. Both commanders are good brothers who have followed me for many years, so I'll tell you the truth. ”

Hearing this, Lu Kaiping and Qian Lan looked at each other and nodded in unison.

"Maybe the two commanders also felt it, from Ayaguz, Semipalatinsk, to Rubtsovsk at our feet, during this time, we played too smoothly, too smoothly."

"You must suspect that the general Brusilov on the other side, who has a reputation for being good at using soldiers, is probably playing some kind of conspiracy."

"That's right, there is a conspiracy, a big conspiracy, a few days ago, the special envoy of the base camp personally told me that there is intelligence that Brusilov's men have gathered a large number of mobile troops transferred by the Russian army from Europe, and it is very likely that they will first attack our Northwest Army."

Speaking of this, Liang Tianhe paused, and observed the expressions of the two henchmen left and right.

"That is, there is likely to be a trap ahead?" Qian Lan was a little resentful, but she was not afraid.

"So what are we going to do?" Lu Kaiping didn't seem to care, but went straight to the point.

Liang Tianhe's expression was serious: "The base camp ordered us to continue to advance, attract Brusilov's mobile corps, entangle them, and annihilate them when reinforcements arrive." ”

Qian Lan gritted her teeth in dissatisfaction: "I see...... Use us as bait. ”

"Reinforcements? How many? "Lu Kaiping is clearly more concerned with substance.

"Six infantry divisions, two armored brigades, three cavalry brigades, the main force of which is the Janissary Ground Troops, have already set out from the interior at the beginning of the month, and they are scheduled to be assembled around Semipalatinsk in mid-August." Liang Tianhe replied indifferently, "In addition, the 19th and 10th infantry of the reserve of the Front Army have arrived in Saicheng, and they have been temporarily organized into the Irtysh Group, which is under the command of Chief of Staff Yan Canglong, and is responsible for the defense of Saicheng. The 41st and 50th Infantry Divisions, transferred from the 10th Army, plus the 16th Cavalry Brigade, were scheduled to arrive in Seychelles on July 20, and these forces were to be incorporated into the Fifth Episode of the Army Reserve. ”