The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

Chapter 322 The Politics Behind the War

Weimed nodded slightly and said in a tone of agreement, "The liberation of Belgium will undoubtedly be the largest battle the Allies have faced in recent times. In my opinion, the British Army should go all out, and the strength of the US Second Army should be strengthened to ensure the smooth progress of this campaign."

Mountbatten, already aware of the US and British positions on this battle, took over the conversation and said, "I intend to redeploy the 17th British Indian Army stationed in London to the 14th Army Group to facilitate the smooth progress of the war."

Nimitz immediately agreed: "Then the mission of landing in Calais and Ostend will be left to the navy."

Eisenhower was quite satisfied with the response. He turned his gaze to Yang Hong and asked, "Little guy, what do you think about this?"

Yang Hong did not answer directly. Instead, he turned his gaze to Weimed and said, "Chief of Staff, I propose that General Patton be appointed as the overall commander of the US Army. The Second Army is capable of completing this operation. In addition, I believe that the 2nd and 82st Airborne Divisions can be assigned to the Second Army and airdropped to Lens at the beginning of the battle to seize this vital bridge."

Yang Hong continued, "Several aviation brigades from the Flower Planting Family have not yet been transferred to Italy. They can also be deployed to the 2nd Army to provide fire support for the airborne division."

This was exactly the result Eisenhower had hoped for. He nodded with satisfaction and said in an unquestionable tone, "Very good, it's settled! After this battle, the main offensive direction of the Allied forces will shift to the Balkan Peninsula and Italy. General Nimitz, I suggest that you transfer the Marine support forces to the region after completing the landing operation. Helicopters will play an even more significant role in mountain warfare. In short, cutting off the German supply of mineral resources will become the primary focus of the Army's operations for some time to come!"

In this conversation, each person's inner thoughts hold a different metaphor. Weimar's emphasis on the battle and recognition of the US military's strength demonstrate his strategic vision and desire for victory. Mountbatten's proposal reflects his clear assessment of the situation and decisive decision-making. Nimitz's proactive response demonstrates his confidence in the mission and his sense of responsibility. As the supreme commander, Eisenhower's satisfaction and decisive decision-making reflect his leadership and grasp of the overall strategy. Yang Hong's suggestion demonstrates his wisdom and deep understanding of military strategy, while also hinting at the flower-growing family's stance on this battle and the war in Europe.

In Moscow, in the Kremlin, the leader received firsthand intelligence on the Allied campaign through Dadlov. He summoned Zhukov and other senior generals, and the newly appointed Chief of the General Staff, Marshal Shaposhnikov, presented the general plan for the Allied campaign on the Western Front. Simultaneously, based on various intelligence reports, he analyzed several predictions for the Allied campaign on the Western Front, concluding that after capturing Belgium and liberating central France, the Allies would likely adopt a passive strategy.

After listening to Chief of the General Staff Shaposhnikov's analysis, Marshals Rokossovsky, Vasilevsky, Konev, and Zhukov chatted among themselves, discussing in low voices. The leader sat in a position of symbolic importance, expressionless, allowing the group of senior officials below to discuss among themselves. Marshal Shaposhnikov was well aware of the leader's thoughts. After giving everyone a moment, he coughed lightly, waited for everyone to stop talking and look at him, and then said softly, "Everyone, this matter concerns the operations for some time to come. The leader would like to hear your opinions."

Several people looked at each other, and finally, the always fiery Marshal Konev was the first to speak: "Comrade Leader, I think we should give these Western speculators a strongly worded note, forcing them to abide by the alliance and intensify the efforts on the Western Front!"

Shaposhnikov answered without question: "The US and Britain can easily use a defeat to excuse your meaningless diplomatic rhetoric. And you will have no reason to refuse."

Marshal Rokossovsky looked at the still expressionless leader and knew that he basically agreed with the Chief of the General Staff's opinion. So he came up with a plan and said, "We can also adopt a conservative defensive strategy after retaking the country, allowing the Germans to return to the Western Front and deal a heavy blow to the United States and Britain."

Marshal Vasilevsky realized that there was a big loophole in Marshal Rokossovsky's statement and quickly refuted it: "Marshal Rokossovsky, I disagree with your opinion. You must know that if we drive out the Germans and do not take advantage of the situation to attack, giving the Germans a chance to breathe, when will we be able to completely defeat them and when will they be punished for their crimes on our land? Although continuing to attack the Germans after we liberate our country will bring more casualties to the Red Army, if we do not completely eliminate the German fascists and let them survive, it will be a crime against the Soviet people!"

Zhukov agreed with Marshal Vasilevsky's statement. He calmly took over the topic and said, "Comrade Leader, I believe we have passed the most difficult period. We have the ability to liberate our country and thus the ability to defeat German fascism alone! Now, whether Western speculators participate or not, the great Soviet Union and the Soviet Red Army will do their utmost to destroy German fascism and place the guilt of war on the Germans. We must completely and thoroughly eliminate them!"

Marshal Shaposhnikov knew Zhukov had hit the nail on the head. He nodded and said, "We must not only eliminate the German fascists, but also their accomplices. Not a single one of them can be spared! Therefore, after liberating all the territory, the great Soviet Red Army will continue its westward advance, occupying Eastern Europe, Northern Europe, and the Balkans until the German fascists are wiped out. We must settle the sins of the fascists and their accomplices, a blood debt and a blood ring!"

Bulganin, the Soviet Army's Political Commissar, raised his hand to stop Shaposhnikov from continuing. He glanced at the crowd and whispered, "Marshal Shaposhnikov, that's a bit much. You know, as a Bolshevik, my ultimate goal is to liberate the world! The ultimate goal of the great Soviet Patriotic War is to liberate all of humanity. Therefore, we will continue our war against German fascism without hesitation, dedicated to eradicating this scum of humanity!"

"Germany and its minions must certainly be attacked, but the proletariat of Germany and Europe as a whole are the targets of our revolution. We must not only eliminate the German fascists and their lackeys, but also completely liberate the proletariat enslaved by them!"