kingnovel Chapter 1268 A Different Southeast Asia
Chapter 1268 A Different Southeast Asia
Throughout Southeast Asia, naval strength actually increased after the outbreak of war, mainly due to the inability of domestic coastal ports to sustain their warships, which then had to head to Southeast Asia. The Japanese military was unable to pursue them there, as they needed to maintain good relations with Western countries; it wasn't yet time for Japan to launch a full-scale war. Therefore, our warships were able to intercept their cargo ships in Southeast Asia.
The Japanese Navy also made several provocations, but under the head-on attack of our shore-based aircraft and naval warships, the Japanese lost one light cruiser and two destroyers, and ultimately abandoned the idea of using force in the region.
The main reason is that they have no supply points in this region. After the combined fleet arrives in the Southeast Asian waters, it will need a large number of transport ships to accompany it. This is where our submarines come in handy, specifically targeting their transport ships. The combined fleet is indeed powerful, but if the battle cannot be ended in a short time, they will likely starve.
Soldiers could endure being a little hungry. But if warships were hungry, they probably wouldn't be able to continue advancing. The Combined Fleet spent a long time analyzing the map and finally concluded that the naval forces in this area, belonging to the 72nd Army Group, were not so easily destroyed.
Since the navy couldn't do anything for them, they had no choice but to utilize the local Japanese merchants. In addition to increasing subsidies for these merchants, they also dispatched a large number of agents to the area, infiltrating their ranks to purchase more resources for Japan.
But the 72nd Army's personnel in the area weren't to be trifled with. Now that both sides are in a state of combat, there's not much to say; any goods related to the Japanese are subject to our interception.
"Reporting to the manager, Commander Ding has arrived."
While Sun Yanbin was thinking about something, Commander Ding Hanhai, the highest-ranking military officer of the 72nd Group Army stationed in Southeast Asia, arrived.
This man took office as port commander when Li Shaoyi left Southeast Asia. He is now the highest-ranking officer of the 72nd Army Group in Southeast Asia.
Currently, the 72nd Group Army is considered to be one of the strongest forces in Southeast Asia, with its army consisting of two brigades and three regiments.
Three Marine Corps regiments.
The air force has 11 airfields and a total of more than 350 combat aircraft.
These are all airfields that Commander Ding forcibly occupied; they haven't been idle lately. These 11 airfields can control most of the sea areas in Southeast Asia, which is what the Japanese Combined Fleet fears most.
Despite the 72nd Group Army's official announcement that it has only over 300 aircraft of various types, mostly transport planes, this number can snowball during wartime. All its airfields are built to high standards.
For example, the two larger airports can each accommodate nearly 200 combat aircraft. Even the smaller airports can accommodate over 100 combat aircraft. Therefore, in the event of war, these airports could instantly grant the 72nd Group Army absolute air superiority in the region.
The navy possesses 4 heavy cruisers, 11 light cruisers, nearly 20 destroyers, and more than a dozen other support vessels. It's fair to say that it's a behemoth in Southeast Asia at this moment; no other navy is more formidable than ours.
After the outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japan, Li Shaoyi thought he would be able to unlock larger warships in his system, but he only unlocked a heavy cruiser, which was a cruiser in the ton range. He did unlock two submarines, though.
However, the battleships and aircraft carriers he so desperately wanted were nowhere to be found, which was a major worry for Li Shaoyi. In the upcoming naval battle, without aircraft carriers, he would be left behind, unable to participate, and even less able to gain sufficient benefits.
Of course, before that, the entire Southeast Asia region had to be under our control. Li Shaoyi knew that if the Japanese wanted to wage a Pacific War, Southeast Asia would be of paramount importance. Although we couldn't stop the Japanese from running rampant in this region, we still needed to occupy some strategic locations so that they wouldn't have a good time in Southeast Asia for long. In short, it was a case of "I can't stop you, but you can't eliminate me either."
To achieve this strategic objective, Commander Ding implemented a tough expansion policy in the region. Under immense military pressure, both the local indigenous people and the Western powers chose to concede, which was a major reason why the 72nd Army was able to expand smoothly in the area.
"Commander Ding, you've arrived."
Manager Sun welcomed Commander Ding in from downstairs. Although he was no longer in the military, he still habitually raised his hand in salute.
"An urgent telegram has arrived from home. I've come to discuss this with you. Go upstairs and talk to them."
Judging from Commander Ding's expression, this matter must be quite important. Manager Sun didn't say anything and quickly followed behind.
This telegram was sent by Li Shaoyi. It mainly requested the transfer of a group of pilots and the expansion of the local pilot force. After the outbreak of the War of Resistance, there was a severe shortage of pilots everywhere. Although we also hired a number of foreign pilots, these people didn't have the same fighting spirit as our pilots; they worked for money, so they couldn't be the same as our pilots.
"The commander-in-chief has mentioned the pilot matter to us several times, and we've taken it very seriously. But the problem is, training a pilot is completely different from training an ordinary soldier. And we've already recruited almost all the overseas Chinese youths..."
Manager Sun frowned and said, "Although there are millions of overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia, not all of them are suitable to be pilots. Only a portion of them can, and even then, it has to be voluntary. You can't force them to enlist. Currently, the majority of overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia are willing to enlist."
Moreover, the overseas Chinese community consistently achieved top results in domestic wars. If they wish to further expand their pilot ranks, they will likely have to find other solutions.
"The commander-in-chief knows our situation here, so he made a suggestion: we should only use this place as a training base for pilots, selecting a group from within the country and another group from overseas Chinese students from other regions. However, the teaching ability here must be improved."
Upon hearing Commander Ding's words, Manager Sun finally understood. One of the domestic flight schools had already been destroyed by the Japanese; it seemed the teachers there could be transferred here.