In the headquarters of the capital, Deng Zixuan was silent, seemingly absent-mindedly listening to Chen Jintang and Pei Gejin's arguments. "I think the time is ripe for the central cluster to launch an attack, and we should launch a summer offensive, and if the attack goes well, we can advance to Novosibirsk before the winter comes, and then the westward expansion strategy will be more active," Chen said. Pei Gejin said: "To launch an attack on the Irkusko defense line, I think the time is not ripe, we should let the Western Front move first, if the northern Xinjiang region is occupied, the belly of the Russian Irkutsk defense line is threatened, and then launch a powerful offensive, if it goes well, we can advance to the Ural Mountains line." ”

Chen Jintang shook his head and said: "According to intelligence, the Russian army continues to increase its troops in the Altay region, and the Western Front will be under pressure from the western and northern fronts. The Russians are not fools and will not fail to see this. The two argued, and Deng Zixuan seemed to be unfocused, as if his attention was not on them. Chen Jintang and Pei Gejin couldn't say anyone, and their eyes couldn't help but turn to Deng Zixuan, hoping to get his support.

"You two see what I'm doing. I don't have an answer on my face either! Deng Zixuan said with a smile. President, what exactly do you think, give us some enlightenment. Pei Gejin said urgently. On the surface, both the Central Cluster and the Western Front were ready for the offensive, but our enemy was not idle. In the case of the Irkusko defensive line, the Russian army has adopted a system of defense in great depth. The great depth I am talking about is not the previous defense line of several tens of kilometers, but a defense line of hundreds or even thousands of kilometers, and all the way forward is a tough battle. Know how to go deep into the enemy's territory. The more stubborn the enemy's resistance. If the war drags on, it will be very bad for us. ”

"So you're still sure to do it in Irkusko!" Chen Jintang asked. Deng Zixuan shook his head and said, "You heard me talk about the armored combat mode!" Pei Gejin said: "I've heard you say it before, but the armored group fights. We must have tanks, ours are still in trial production. Deng Zixuan stood up and said: "In the future land war, we must shorten the combat time to the greatest extent, and how to quickly defeat the enemy and shorten the course of the war is the first issue for us to consider. ”

"The assault of the armored group, I'm afraid you can't imagine how powerful it is. I can tell you. As soon as the armored group appears on the battlefield, the mode of war will be profoundly transformed. I have been unable to make up my mind for a long time in the western strategy, and this is the problem. At present, the Academy of Sciences has broken through the difficult problems of tank theory. High-power diesel engines have also been successfully developed, but we have encountered problems in metal materials. For example, a chariot is manufactured, but it does not go far before it lies on its stomach, and the chariot loses its combat effectiveness. So we need time. That's why I'm struggling. ”

"President, listen to you, there are no plans to launch an offensive on the Western Front?" Chen Jintang was confused. Deng Zixuan asked rhetorically: "Just now I was thinking about transferring He Meng to the Eastern Front as the commander!" "How to place Bai Sheng?" Pei Gejin was taken aback and suspected that something was wrong with Bai Sheng. Deng Zixuan said with a smile: "I am going to transfer Bai Sheng back to the headquarters and serve as the deputy commander-in-chief of the National Defense Forces, the pressure on you two is too great, so I can share it for you." Seeing Deng Zixuan pondering, Chen Jintang guessed Deng Zixuan's thoughts.

"President. How fierce are you recruiting, do you have to attack Japan? "You say that?" "But the time is not ripe!" "Quite the opposite. I think it's the right time. The future war will be a decisive victory in the ocean, so joint land and sea operations will be the mode of war in the future. At present, the various arms of our navy have matured, and as long as we control the Yellow Sea and the Tsushima Strait, we will be able to launch a landing operation against Japan. Japan's land area is long and narrow, and its strategic depth is small, which is advantageous to the attacking side. If we had captured the Japanese mainland, the coalition's maritime defense strategy would have completely collapsed, and if we had successfully captured Japan, the next step would have been an excellent setting for the American continent. ”

Pei Gejin said: "President, the strategy you formulated at the beginning was to change the strategy first in the west and then in the east? Deng Zixuan said: "At this time and that time, there are three reasons why I changed my strategy, one is to speed up the process of war, we cannot blindly use all the troops to become proficient, and a protracted war is not my goal. Second, the Empire is ready to fight the enemy in a decisive battle, and if we want our enemies to submit, we must strike hard. Third, the rise of the Imperial Navy laid the foundation for a decisive victory in the ocean. ”

Deng Zixuan continued: "The war has developed to such an extent, we must have a greater strategic vision, we must focus on the global strategy, and we must not be limited to a local area, so we must speed up the process of the war. Now that the initiative of the war is firmly in our hands, I need a general who is both wise and brave to launch a landing operation against Japan, and He Meng has the qualifications. "But what about He Meng and the Western Front, there is no suitable candidate in the west to take on this great task." Pei Gejin was blunt.

"This is exactly the reason why I am entangled, the question of the choice of the commander of the Western Front makes me undecided, you two ponder. See who can take on the task? Deng Zixuan asked. Chen Jintang and Pei Gejin glanced at each other and fell into deep thought. After a long time, Chen Jintang said: "President, I think Shang Hu, the commander of the Burmese Front, can take on this great responsibility. Deng Zixuan's eyes lit up and said: "How did I forget this kid, Shang Hu's experience in Myanmar proves that he can be completely independent." Immediately issued an order, ordering Bai Sheng to return to Beijing as soon as possible to be promoted to deputy commander-in-chief of the National Defense Forces, and ordered Leng Yifei to be promoted to deputy chief of general staff of the National Defense Forces, and concurrently served as the commander of the Central Cluster...... "The appointment of Leng Yifei is Deng Zixuan's balancing strategy.

Pei Gejin immediately took out his notebook to record, and Deng Zixuan continued: "Order He Meng of the Western Front Army to go to the Korean Peninsula to succeed as commander." Shang Hu, commander of the Burmese Front, was ordered to go to Xinjiang to take over as commander of the Western Front. The order was ordered to promote Liu Yunlong, deputy commander of the Burmese Front, to be promoted to commander, Nie Shicheng, commander of the 2nd Army, to be promoted to deputy commander of the Burmese Front, and Seinfeld remained chief of staff of the Burmese Front, and the order took effect immediately after it was issued. Pei Gejin turned around and left after the record, and Chen Jintang said with a smile: "President, at the beginning of the year, you paid special attention to the construction of fortress artillery on Dokdo in the Tsushima Strait, was it just to prepare for landing in Japan?" ”

Deng Zixuan said: "At that time, I had an idea, but after the victory in the Battle of Huangyan Island, it gave me confidence to strengthen this idea. "President. Your tone is so strict, you haven't revealed a single piece of information, when do you think it's appropriate to attack? I asked Fan Tao. He said that the battleships damaged in June and the captured enemy ships would be repaired, so I think it would be better to choose the date of attack in mid-June. "Good! I immediately asked the staff to work out an offensive plan and form an attack plan as soon as possible. Joint land and sea operations are a new topic, and how to coordinate them. How to cooperate is probably a difficult problem. ”

"Therefore, it is urgent to accumulate experience in joint land and sea operations, and you should ask the general staff to come up with a complete combat plan as soon as possible, and try to take unfavorable factors into account." Deng Zixuan's decision to launch an attack on Japan was finalized, and the headquarters immediately began to implement it. In about half a month, the General Staff Headquarters came up with a set of plans. After Deng Zixuan looked at it, he thought it was imperfect, so he personally gave instructions and took his opinions as a reference. Let the General Staff Headquarters improve as soon as possible.

About 10 days later. Bai Sheng and his wife Biying arrived in the capital by sea via Tanggu Port. In the headquarters, Deng Zixuan saw Bai Sheng, who was in the dust, and personally poured a cup of tea and said: "Bai Sheng, transferring you back to the headquarters as the deputy commander-in-chief of the National Defense Forces is out of consideration for the overall situation, don't think about it." "President, it is the duty of a soldier to obey orders, and his subordinates will not have emotions, and I will seriously hand over to He Meng." "It's a lie that you don't have emotions, but there's a lot going on at headquarters. The pressure on Chen Jintang and Pei Gejin is very high and needs to be shared by you. "Humble Order!"

"Tonight, you and Biying are at home. I will pick up the wind and wash the dust for you, in addition, Wan'er bought a house for you and your wife, you will see if you are satisfied, and settle down to rest for a few days. That night, Chen Jintang, Pei Gejin, and Bai Sheng and his wife made a fuss in Deng Zixuan's official residence for half the night, of course, their topic was inseparable from the war. Deng Zixuan listened carefully to Bai Sheng's analysis of Japan, combined with the intelligence of the Central Intelligence Agency, and believed that the time was ripe for war against Japan.

A few days later, He Meng led his family to the capital. As soon as they met, Xiuhua and Wan'er were in a mess, and the adopted daughter Peony shouted very cleverly and sweetly. Wan'er saw that the height of the peony was already side by side with Xiuhua, and she became a slim big girl and said: "Xiuhua, this is your adopted daughter, look at how beautiful she looks, how old she is this year." "Back to Mrs., the junior is 15 years old this year." "It's almost the age of marriage, I don't know which stinky boy is blessed!" Wan'er took Peony's hand and looked down the mountain, and Peony's face was red with shame.

At the banquet, Deng Zixuan admired his beloved general and said: "He Meng, I am very satisfied with your achievements in Xinjiang, and the transfer of you to the Eastern Front Army is based on future considerations, and you must be mentally prepared." "Humble duty understands!" He Meng seemed to have a clear heart, and he knew Deng Zixuan's thoughts. "Look, as soon as you meet, it's a national affair, so you can't care about the small family. Xiuhua, I won't stop you when you go out with your husband, but this time you leave your children in the capital, and they have the right to receive a formal and good education. This time, I am in charge of buying you a house in the capital. ”

Xiuhua looked at Deng Zixuan, "What do you look at him, I have the final say in this matter, he is running around, and the children's studies are delayed." He Meng, after that, I will take your mother and child to the capital, and you can't be one in the east and one in the west, is that still home? "Wan'er should not allow the exercise of the rights of the hostess, and there is no room for doubt. The family was happy, laughing and laughing. Soon, Wan'er, Xiuhua and the children left the table and gave up the space to Deng Zixuan and He Meng.

"I originally wanted you to hand over to Shang Hu, but time waits for no one, Shang Hu will not arrive in the capital until the end of the month, and you must leave for the Korean Peninsula immediately." "Excuse me, President, I wrote a detailed report on the situation of the Western Front and the situation of the enemy, and at the same time recorded my thoughts and future strategic movements. You look at it first, and then hand it over to Shanghu. After He Meng finished speaking, he took out a report and handed it to Deng Zixuan.

"I will read it carefully, now you have to hand over to Bai Sheng as soon as possible, according to the combat plan formulated by the headquarters before leaving, I want to hear your suggestions." "Yes! Subordinate Order! He Meng was very excited. Deng Zixuan continued: "At present, the total strength of the Eastern Front has reached 1.5 million, and according to the intelligence of the Central Intelligence Army, the defense strength of the Japanese archipelago is about 3 million. The total strength of the Taiwan Front is 500,000 men, and the Taiwan Front cannot be put into combat at the beginning of the offensive, so you are under a lot of pressure. ”

"Please rest assured that the president will resolutely complete the task!" He Meng's face showed a resolute expression. "Taiwan's landing operation is a small test of the edge, and this large-scale landing operation is an upgraded version of the joint land-sea operation. We don't have a lot of experience, so you want to ??????。 ”。 (To be continued......)

PS: For the sake of a bigger strategic stance, the protagonist locks his eyes on the vast ocean.