Age of Conquest Reborn

The so-called turning point in the war situation was actually a life-saving straw for the lieutenant colonel and staff officer in despair. It also implied another meaning. He naively believed that Commander-in-Chief MacArthur would not sit back and watch the Third Army.

Ten thousand soldiers were annihilated after being surrounded by the Japanese army in the Calais Mountains. It was enough to send a rescue force from the direction of Manila to open a gap in the Japanese army's encirclement.

However, Commander Whiteman, who was already panicking and confused, did not think of this. The lieutenant colonel staff felt that he had the responsibility to remind him. After all, life is more important than anything else. How could Major General Whiteman not know what the lieutenant colonel staff meant?

He put the pistol into his pocket, smiled coldly, and did not comment, hoping for reinforcements? He should give up this hope, the Third Army was already an abandoned chess piece in the eyes of his commander-in-chief.

Otherwise, the battle in the Calais Mountains has been going on for more than a day, and the reinforcements that should come have already arrived. Of course, Commander Whiteman was not in the mood to say these words to this staff officer. Seeing that Commander Whiteman did not respond, Lieutenant Colonel

The staff officer wanted to go up and say something, but when he saw the commander's face and eyes, it was a mixture of despair, confusion and a lack of nostalgia for life. The lieutenant colonel staff officer's heart tightened, and when the words came to his lips, he swallowed them back.

.

Commander Whiteman glanced at these officers blankly, stood up, and walked staggeringly towards the depths of the cave. Dozens of US military officers had a bad feeling in their hearts, but looking at Whiteman

No one had the courage to chase the military commander's lonely back.

Outside the cave, the sound of gunfire came incessantly. The roars of Japanese soldiers came in from time to time. Fighting was taking place everywhere, with groups of Third Army units being surrounded and annihilated by Japanese soldiers, perhaps in a few hours.

After that, everyone felt like a cold corpse next to the rocks scattered in the Calais Mountains. The Pacific night wind swept through the Calais Mountains. It blew through the cracks in the rocks and the lone trees made a choked scream.

A few minutes later, "Bang!" A dull gunshot was heard from deep in the cave. On the battlefield in the Calais Mountains where hundreds of thousands of soldiers were fighting and the sound of gunfire was thunderous, the gunshot was inconspicuous. It could be heard in the

The ears of dozens of US military officers in the cave were like a thunderbolt from the blue. Who knew which officer was the first to react and exclaimed, "No, Commander Whiteman committed suicide!"

It was like waking up from a dream. Dozens of U.S. military officers ran towards the depths of the cave. Next to a huge rock, there was a black bullet hole on Commander Whiteman's temple. Deep red blood splashed under the beam of flashlight.

Full of major generals

Face, a pistol, still lying quietly on his open right hand, trapped in a tight siege, knowing that there was no hope of breaking through and unable to escape the fate of the entire army being annihilated, Major General Whiteman, commander of the U.S. Third Army, could not bear the tremendous psychological pressure.

Kill yourself by drinking bullets!

This is the second senior U.S. military general to commit suicide on the battlefield since the outbreak of the Pacific War. The U.S. military officers surrounding the body of Major General Whiteman stood stunned for a while. No one spoke. They each picked up their weapons and dispersed.

In the dark night, they saw from Commander Whiteman the fate of themselves and the Third Army. However, due to the inability to survive, they still had to struggle and work hard. After all, not all US military officers committed suicide.

courage.

Manila, at around nine o'clock in the evening on August 13th, General MacArthur, commander-in-chief of the US Southwest Pacific Theater, was like a trapped animal, walking around anxiously in his office, cursing in a low voice.

Colonel Kleist, the acting chief of staff who had been standing aside with his hands down, heard clearly that the general was scolding Major General Whiteman, commander of the Third Army, "That damn Whiteman, he is such a stupid pig and idiot, he ruined me.

The whole plan!”

Colonel Kleist didn't understand why the Commander-in-Chief didn't care about the current situation of the Third Army surrounded by Japanese troops in the Calais Mountains. Instead, he kept cursing the commander, Major General Whiteman. In addition,

The channel for learning about the current dangerous situation of the Third Army is reports from several divisional headquarters. As the commander of the Army, Major General Whiteman has not received a telegram until now. Isn't this strange?

Originally, as the Chief of Staff, according to my duties, I should remind the Commander-in-Chief to pay attention to this. However, Colonel Kleister, who took the position a little less legitimately, was MacArthur's Commander-in-Chief. In order to eliminate the dissident Stilwell,

The chief of staff put Colonel Kleist, who obeyed his words, into this position below one person and above ten thousand people. Before that, Colonel Kleist was just the head of the logistics department.

Not only did he have the experience and lessons of his predecessor, General Stilwell, but he was also grateful to General MacArthur. Therefore, in the position of acting chief of staff at the headquarters, Colonel Kleister could at most play the role of a sounding board. Moreover, the colonel also abided by the

Adhering to the principle of doing more than doing less, General MacArthur will do whatever he says anyway. He also knows that with his little information and no gaps in his mind, he can't plan anything big!

In the eyes of Commander-in-Chief MacArthur, the life and death of Whiteman and the Third Army was no longer important. The entire army would be annihilated sooner or later. What he was concerned about was when the Japanese army reached the city of Manila and wandered around in a rage.

After a while, General MacArthur said to Colonel Kleist: "Kleister, immediately send out multiple reconnaissance troops to conduct two reconnaissance forces with Manila as the center within a radius of 200 kilometers, especially facing the Calais Mountains.

Fourteen hours of non-stop reconnaissance."

"Once the movement of the Japanese army is discovered, report it directly to the headquarters. At the same time, order all the troops on the Manila defense line to immediately enter the position to block the Japanese attack!"

Colonel Kleist said cautiously: "General, you judge that the Japanese army will attack the city of Manila tonight, but according to my judgment, the Third Army still has more than 40,000 troops in the Calais Mountains, and the Japanese army wants to eat them.

It is not an easy task for them. Isn’t it a little premature for the troops to enter the front-line position now? It will affect the physical strength and morale of the soldiers!"

Colonel Kleist has tried his best to tactfully remind General MacArthur in his own way, don't forget, we still have more than 40,000 soldiers in the Calais Mountains. As the commander-in-chief, you should think of something

A foolproof strategy, you can't just watch it being eaten by the Japanese one by one, right?

General MacArthur gave Colonel Kleist a thoughtful look and thought to himself: "I didn't realize that this absolutely obedient but mediocre guy could be so thoughtful and know how to make circumstantial suggestions.

, hum!" He sneered a few times in his heart.

On his face, he said calmly: "Kleist, execute the order immediately. I have my own judgment on the situation on the battlefield!" Colonel Kleist was stared at by General MacArthur with this meaningful look.

I was so frightened that I didn't dare to be wordy anymore and hurried out to convey the order.

Looking at the back of Colonel Kleist, General MacArthur squeezed out two words from his throat: "Childish!" He knew the battle situation in the Calais Mountains better than anyone else. If the Japanese troops came to the city tonight, it would mean that

, Whiteman's Third Army, has

The entire army has been completely wiped out. If the Japanese troops do not appear at the Manila defense line tonight, it means that the Third Army is still fighting. That is best. At least it can buy more preparation time for itself. As for sending reinforcements,

That is absolutely impossible.

Indochina, Singapore, Military Control Commission Office Building, at about 10 o'clock in the evening on August 13, Chief of Staff Zhao Yuhe walked into the office of Division Commander Tang Qiuli. The bright lights illuminated this large office as if it were daytime.

, Tang Qiuli was not busy behind the desk, but was lying comfortably on a wicker chair, concentrating on reading an ancient book. On the exquisite coffee table next to him, there was a cup of fragrant tea.

Mei Xue was busy cleaning up the messy documents on the table for him, putting them away in categories quickly. When she saw Zhao Yuhe coming in, Mei Xue said hello with a smile. Zhao Yuhe frowned slightly and said, "Director Mei, isn't it?"

Are you interested in orderly service? Why bother you to deal with it personally to the division commander! What are they doing?" The implication is that he wants to ask the orderly soldiers to raise an army and question them.

Mei Xue said nonchalantly: "It doesn't matter. I'm waiting for the division commander to get off work together. If I have nothing to do, I'll help clean up. There's no need to bother the orderly. I would do it myself and it would take a few minutes to tidy up. Now I'm spoiling him like this."

, he’s almost a big man, you guys talk first, I’m going out!”

Looking at Mei Xue's graceful figure, Tang Qiuli grinned. Zhao Yuhe did not mention the topic just now, but said: "Teacher, you are so leisurely and relaxed!"

Tang Qiuli said with a smile: "The Americans and Japanese are fighting to the death, but it has nothing to do with us. If we have nothing to do, we can learn something from our ancestors' military books.

Is there any new development in the war situation in Luzon Island?"

Zhao Yuhe nodded and said: "Yes, division commander, I have received the latest information from the intelligence office. Starting this afternoon, the U.S. Third Army has been heavily surrounded by the Japanese army in the Calais Mountains. The Japanese Fourteenth Army moved southward at starry night.

Attack on Manila, according to the judgment of the intelligence office, the Japanese army will reach the outskirts of Manila at about three o'clock tomorrow morning!"

Tang Qiuli raised his eyebrows and said: "Is the war in the Calais Mountains over? There are still more than 40,000 Americans. Shouldn't they all be eaten by Ito Yanzaburo in less than twenty-four hours?

"

Zhao Yuhe replied: "Commander, the battle in the Calais Mountains is not over yet. The US military is still resisting. Those who went south to Manila are only a unit of the Japanese Fourteenth Army!"

"Oh!" Tang Qiuli stood up and walked slowly in the office with a thoughtful expression. Zhao Yuhe looked at the teacher intently. In fact, Zhao Yuhe also had a big doubt in his heart.

(To be continued)