The expeditionary force began to dominate Southeast Asia by recruiting defeated soldiers

Chapter 565: That’s not Okinawa, that’s Ryukyu! (Please give me a gift)

Unlike the United States of Southeast Asia, which was immersed in the joy of its newly established country, on January 9, Luzon Island was completely engulfed in artillery fire and destruction.

白鹰第6集团军约20万人在700艘舰艇和4700架飞机支援下从吕宋岛西岸的林加延湾登陆，尔后一路以第1军为主向北吕宋进攻，另一路以第14军为主向马尼拉方向推进。

During these few days, Marshal Mac stood on the bridge of his flagship, the USS Nashville, far away from the coastline, holding a telescope with a grim face.

His carefully planned "return of the king" did not appear with the expected devastating force.

Yamashita Tomoyuki, the "rat" he called him, turned the entire island of Luzon into a huge meat grinder.

General Yamashita Tomoyuki, commander of the Japanese 14th Front Army, was well aware that engaging in a head-on battle with the White Eagles would be tantamount to suicide given the complete loss of air and sea supremacy.

He adopted the tactic of "persistent defense in depth", breaking up more than 40 Japanese troops (including a large number of poorly trained reinforcements and logistics personnel) into small groups, and relying on the complex terrain of Luzon Island - continuous mountains, dense jungles, crisscrossing rivers and scattered towns - to build layers of mutually supportive fortifications.

During the day, the White Eagle relied on its absolute firepower advantage and air support to slowly capture one position after another.

The 1st Army attacked northern Luzon in an attempt to cut off the Japanese supply lines, while the 14th Army advanced slowly and bloodily towards Manila, like a blunt knife cutting meat.

Every step forward was accompanied by staggering casualties on both sides.

However, when night fell and the White Eagle's air superiority and heavy firepower were greatly reduced, it was time for the Japanese to counterattack.

"Banzai!"

The shrill howls pierced the dark jungle or the ruined streets.

Groups of Japanese soldiers, some holding bayonets, some holding explosive packs, jumped out from unexpected corners, tunnels and even piles of corpses like brainwashed beasts, and launched a frantic charge towards the unstable White Eagle position.

Ignoring casualties, they used their flesh and blood to charge at the White Eagles' machine gun positions and skirmish lines. The brutality of the close combat intimidated the White Eagles, who were mostly new recruits.

The positions captured during the day were often lost again in the frenzied counterattacks at night.

The next day, White Eagle had to retake it at the cost of more blood.

Under the continued high pressure and heavy casualties, the morale of the White Eagle soldiers plummeted to the bottom. The field hospital was overcrowded, and groans and wails were heard everywhere.

Marshal Mai looked at the casualty reports that came in like snowflakes every day, and even a proud "Douglas" had to face reality at this moment.

With a sullen face, he dictated a strongly worded telegram to the Pentagon:

"The Luzon battle is at a stalemate. The Japanese resistance is extremely tenacious, and their tactics are cunning. Our casualties continue to climb, and our advance is far slower than expected. Yamashita Tomoyuki intends to attrition the enemy and stall for time. Given that the Nanyang United States has previously pledged support and has extensive experience in rapid maneuvering in Southeast Asia, we strongly recommend urging Commander Zhang Chi to immediately dispatch the Nanyang National Defense Army Expeditionary Force, directly into the Luzon battlefield, to assist our army in breaking the deadlock and accelerating the annihilation of Yamashita's main force."

Yes, even Marshal Mai had to lower his posture and start seeking "foreign aid" after learning that Nanyang was willing to provide help.

-----

On the other side, Zhang Chi just sneered after receiving the telegram.

"In reply to the Pentagon and General Mike, the Southeast Asian States are paying close attention to the Luzon campaign and express their deep respect for the heroic sacrifice of the White Eagle soldiers. However, the Southeast Asian Defense Force has a clear strategic deployment and established operational direction. The troops are currently undergoing large-scale equipment replacement and targeted training, and are unable to deploy to the Luzon battlefield in advance.

But I reiterate my previous promise: once the White Eagles successfully eliminate the main force of the Japanese army in Luzon and march northward toward the Ryukyu Islands, the Nanyang Defense Army Expeditionary Force will arrive as promised and fight alongside the Allies to completely destroy the Japanese resistance center outside the mainland.

Soon, General Marshall, who had just ended an unpleasant meeting with the top leaders of the Republic of China, received a reply from Zhang Chi.

Marshall carefully read Zhang Chi's reply, his brows gradually furrowed.

His keen perception allowed her to immediately detect a subtle but crucial change.

"Ryukyu Islands?" he repeated the word in a low voice, tapping his fingers lightly on the telegram paper.

He clearly remembered that in his private conversation with Zhang Chi after the Nanyang National Founding Parade, as well as in earlier diplomatic notes, Zhang Chi used the term "Okinawa Islands" when referring to possible future troop deployment areas in the Nanyang.

Although geographically they refer to the same area, "Okinawa" is the name imposed by the Japanese after their colonial rule, while "Ryukyu" is the name of this archipelago since ancient times, representing its unique historical and cultural origins, and has inextricable ties with Daxia and the entire Chinese world.

"From 'Okinawa' to 'Ryukyu'... this is definitely not a slip of the tongue." Marshall came to the conclusion after a little thought.

Zhang Chi was clearly sending a signal - Nanyang's goal was not just to help defeat the Japanese, but they were more focused on the post-war order, especially the ownership of the Ryukyu Islands.

Are they trying to... promote the restoration of the Ryukyu Kingdom? Or are they using this as a springboard to wedge Nanyang's influence directly into the core area of ​​the Western Pacific?

This seemingly simple word replacement caused a storm in Marshall's heart.

He realized that the strategic ambitions of this young leader of Nanyang seemed to far exceed previous expectations.

Nanyang, this emerging Chinese country, seems unwilling to be just a regional power.

The bloody battle in Luzon and the inaction in Nanyang at this moment may be waiting for an opportunity and entry point that is more in line with their own interests - Ryukyu?

-----

The time came to January 26, 1945, and the Yalta Conference was about to be held.

Zhang Chi had already left the Grand Commander's Mansion in advance, bringing his guards and the Persian princess to Persia for a brief state visit.

Afterwards, he will board a C-54 Skymaster transport plane (pictured) sent by the White Eagle, and head north to the Crimean Peninsula of the Bear State under the joint escort of the transferring Nanyang Air Force and the White Eagle Air Force.

As the leader of a country, the security treatment Zhang Chi enjoyed this time was comparable to that of Prime Minister Qiu. Uncle Steel was afraid that even the slightest problem would arise among the leaders and dignitaries from various countries gathered in Russia, and he even allowed the White Eagle and Nanyang air forces to directly relocate and dock in Russia.

In the Southeast Asian mainland, after refusing to send troops to Luzon, Chief of General Staff Tan Zhijie has been intensively preparing for the "Thunder Operation" to be launched on February 2, a large-scale attack on Sumatra Island.