“Expand the army!” Lu Yuhua’s voice was firm and resounding like a huge bell in this slightly dim conference room, causing the air to tremble slightly.

He stood straight, like a towering mountain, exuding an aura of majesty that could not be ignored.

His gaze was like a sharp hawk, slowly sweeping across the generals in front of him.

Each of these subordinates who have followed him in battles for many years have their faces engraved with the vicissitudes of life and traces of battle.

At this moment, they all sat upright with their backs straight like javelins, with concentration and expectation on their faces. Their bright eyes were fixed on Lu Yuhua, as if listening to the call of fate.

“As we take over Cambodia and Vientiane, we will once again become the focus of attention.” Lu Yuhua raised his head slightly, his eyes deep, as if he could see through the walls of the conference room and look at the vast land in the distance, “But our current military strength is not enough to completely defend so much territory. So, I decided to expand the army.”

He paused slightly, his eyes revealing great firmness and determination, as if announcing to the world that this decision could not be questioned.

Originally, he had been holding back on expanding the army, with his own profound considerations. He knew very well that with limited resources, people’s potential could often be infinitely stimulated.

He just wanted to train his subordinates, let them continue to hone themselves in a harsh environment, like steel being tempered in a raging fire, so as to improve their combat qualities and command capabilities.

During those difficult days, the subordinates fought hard in one battle after another, and gradually grew from their initial immaturity to their current strength and courage. Each of them has transformed into an elite on the battlefield.

Now, the situation is becoming increasingly tense, and the territory captured by the Free Army is larger than imagined.

From the west, the city of Mogaung, which has been baptized by war, the ruins tell the vicissitudes of the past; the once prosperous city of Si Thammarat is now gradually recovering under the control of the Free Army; from the north, Chiang Rai, the land of mountains and rivers, has now become the rear base of the Free Army; the Lancang River, this surging river, is like a bond, connecting the various strongholds of the Free Army; from the east, Vientiane, a city full of exotic customs, now flies the flag of the Free Army; Phnom Penh, an ancient and mysterious place, is also included in the territory of the Free Army; from the south, Bangkok, the prosperous coastal area now also has the presence of the Free Army. This vast area spans the three countries of Annan, Siam and Cambodia, covering an area of ​​nearly one million square kilometers. The Free Army has 100,000 soldiers and a million people, and has become a force that cannot be ignored in Southeast Asia.

However, although the territory is large, there are too few people, which has always been a concern for Lu Yuhua. But now that Cambodia has been conquered, the situation has improved and it has been connected to the other side, so it will be much easier to immigrate in the future.

According to careful calculations by those bespectacled staff officers in the logistics department who bury themselves in documents and data all day, at least 200,000 to 300,000 immigrants will be able to arrive in the next month, and more than two million immigrants within half a year.

What a huge force this will be. Thinking of this, a barely perceptible excitement flashed in Lu Yuhua’s eyes.

Lu Yuhua knew very well that with the addition of these immigrants, the strength of the Freedom Army would become increasingly stronger.

Not only will there be a more sufficient supply of soldiers, but those passionate and energetic young people will inject fresh blood into the Free Army; logistics support and other aspects will also be greatly improved. Women can wash clothes, cook and take care of the wounded in the rear, the elderly can pass on their life experience, and children can grow into the new force of the Free Army in the future.

And what Lu Yuhua needs to do now is to expand the army.

He claimed that there were 200,000 troops, but in reality there were only more than 100,000. His goal now was to expand the army to 200,000 and let the flag of the Freedom Army fly in more places.

Lu Yuhua did not have too many requirements for the navy and the air force. After all, these two were advanced branches of the military and could not be handled with just a few words.

The navy needs to build a large number of ships. Starting from the design, a group of engineers in white coats repeatedly sketch and modify the drawings, and every line embodies their wisdom; to launching, in the huge dock, the ship slowly slides into the water, stirring up thousands of waves; and then to forming combat effectiveness, the crew needs a long period of training and become familiar with every operating procedure. This is a long process that requires a lot of time, money and energy.

The Air Force needs to train professional pilots, from selecting young people with excellent physical and psychological qualities, to conducting simulated flight training on the training ground day after day, to purchasing advanced fighter jets, each of which is priceless, and to building a complete aviation base, etc. Each of these requires huge amounts of money and a lot of time. In contrast, the expansion of the Army is relatively easy to achieve, and can also improve the overall strength of the Free Army in a short period of time.

At this point, the Free Army has completed its reorganization and adjustment. In the future, the organization will basically not be changed, especially the future expansion of the infantry divisions, which will all be based on this template.

Seeing everyone showing satisfaction, Lu Yuhua secretly thought that this cake was cut beautifully. The generals of each unit were relatively satisfied with the areas and troop allocations they were responsible for, which was crucial for the subsequent operations and development. They knew that only reasonable allocations could allow the troops to exert their maximum combat effectiveness.

When all the troops are expanded, the Free Army will have 200,000 soldiers, which is a very large force. In this war-torn Southeast Asia, it is enough to become a force that cannot be underestimated by all forces. Those forces that once despised the Free Army will re-examine this rising force in the future.

“Next, the Second Division will be transferred to the Lancang River area to continue to be responsible for immigration work.” Lu Yuhua’s voice was steady and powerful, as if it had a magic that made people feel at ease. “The First Division will be transferred to Vientiane Prefecture to continue to nibble at Siam, and the Third Division will be on standby. Waiting for orders to attack at any time.” Every word he said was clearly transmitted to the ears of the generals, like a war drum, inspiring people. “Yes, General!” The three of them responded in unison, their voices full of fighting spirit and determination, as if they were going to overturn the roof of this conference room. Their eyes were shining with excitement, and they were full of anticipation for the upcoming mission.

Recently, the Japanese army’s attack was very swift. After taking Shillong, they attacked everywhere and occupied a lot of territory, but also relaxed a lot. Wherever the Japanese army went, they burned, killed, looted, and committed all kinds of evil. The villages were burned down, and the people were displaced and cried loudly.

Those innocent lives were lost under the butcher knife of the Japanese army, and the beautiful homeland was turned into ruins.

Lu Yuhua had been holding back a rage in his heart, and that rage was like the magma underground, surging and boiling in his heart. Now that the Freedom Army had grown stronger, he felt that it was time to teach the Japanese army a lesson and make those invaders pay a heavy price for their atrocities.

Lu Yuhua’s heart beat faster at the thought of taking over the whole of Myanmar.

If he conquered the whole of Myanmar, his power would increase dramatically. Myanmar is a resource-rich land with dense forests and precious minerals.

Britain has been operating in Myanmar for many years and has abundant resources and well-developed infrastructure.

If the Free Army can occupy Burma, it will not only be able to obtain a large amount of material supplies, but also the mountains of food, weapons and ammunition will provide a solid guarantee for the further development of the Free Army. It can also improve its international status, from a local force to the world stage, and even have the hope of competing with the British. Of course, all of this needs to be prepared in advance, and every detail must be considered carefully.

After the meeting, Lu Yuhua called Zhou, the staff officer in charge of logistics, to his office. The lights in the office were dim, and a huge military map hung on the wall, with lines and marks of various colors marking the distribution of various forces.

“Old Zhou, this military expansion has put a lot of pressure on logistics.” Lu Yuhua patted Staff Officer Zhou on the shoulder and said with a hint of concern in his voice, “The equipment and food for the new recruits, as well as the resettlement of subsequent immigrants, all depend on your logistics department.”

Staff Officer Zhou looked serious, saluted with a standard military salute, and said, “Don’t worry, General Manager, the logistics department will do its best.” He frowned slightly and continued, “However, our weapons and equipment are still a bit old now. Many of them were captured from the battlefield. They are of various types and difficult to maintain. Moreover, with the addition of new soldiers, there is a big gap in weapons. Those old guns often jam, which can be fatal on the battlefield.”

Lu Yuhua frowned slightly and fell into deep thought. After a moment, he said, “In terms of weapons, on the one hand, we should strengthen the maintenance and upkeep of existing weapons and repair them as much as possible. We should organize a group of skilled craftsmen to repair them day and night, and ensure that every weapon can play its best role. On the other hand, we should find a way to trade with some surrounding forces to see if we can get some advanced weapons. Those cunning businessmen will always find a way as long as there is profit. In addition, our own arsenal should also speed up production progress and increase production capacity. Let the workers work in three shifts and produce day and night. I want to see more guns and ammunition coming out of our factory.”

“Yes, Commander. As for food and fodder, our reserves are still sufficient, but with the increase in immigrants, the subsequent consumption will be very high. Moreover, most of our farmlands are in some unstable areas, which are often affected by wars, and the output is not very stable. Those fertile lands have become barren because of the war, which is a pity.” Staff Officer Zhou continued to report on the logistical difficulties, and there was a hint of worry in his eyes.

“Well, regarding farmland, organize some troops to strengthen the protection of grain-producing areas. Send the most elite soldiers to ensure the safety of the farmland. At the same time, encourage immigrants to open up new farmland and give them certain preferential policies. For example, tax exemption for the first three years, and provide seeds and farm tools. In addition, establish trade relations with some neutral countries or forces in the surrounding areas, and buy some food and fodder from them for emergencies. Those neutral countries will be willing to do business with us as long as the price is right.” Lu Yuhua gave countermeasures one by one. He had a clear mind and considered everything very comprehensively.

After solving the logistical problems, Lu Yuhua called in Li, the head of the intelligence department. “Little Li, have you figured out the recent movements of the Japanese army? How are their troops deployed around Xilong?” Lu Yuhua asked, with a hint of anxiety in his eyes.

Li quickly opened the file in his hand, which was densely packed with various intelligence. “General, according to our intelligence, the Japanese army has deployed three divisions around Xilong, with about 50,000 to 60,000 people. Their main force is concentrated in Xilong City. In that city, the Japanese army’s barracks are everywhere and the security is strict. The defense of some surrounding towns is relatively weak. However, they have set up many strongholds on the main roads, and the fortifications are relatively complete. Those strongholds are built with reinforced concrete, which is easy to defend but difficult to attack.”

Lu Yuhua carefully looked at the intelligence data, his brows sometimes furrowed and sometimes relaxed. After thinking for a moment, he said: “The main force of the Japanese army is concentrated in Xilong. This is an opportunity. We can first send a small force to harass the strongholds around them and attract their attention. It’s like a group of flies buzzing in their ears, making them restless. Then, we can concentrate superior forces to attack their weakly defended towns and cut off their supply lines. Let them become an army without food and grass, and see how long they can be arrogant.”

“Yes, President. In addition, we have received news that the British are somewhat worried about our development in Southeast Asia. They seem to be secretly in contact with some local forces, trying to curb our expansion. Those British guys are always thinking about their own interests and can’t stand seeing others develop.” Secretary Li added, with a hint of anger in his tone.

“Hmph, the British are not having a good time in Southeast Asia either. Their colonies in India are already in turmoil and they are busy with their own affairs. We don’t have to worry about them for now, let’s deal with the Japanese first. Once we take over Burma and have enough strength, we can then fight them. However, you still have to pay close attention to the British movements and report to me immediately if there is any movement. Even the smallest move of theirs cannot be let go.” Lu Yuhua’s eyes revealed a hint of disdain, as if the British were nothing more than a group of jumping clowns in his eyes.

In the following days, the Freedom Army carried out operations in an orderly manner according to Lu Yuhua’s deployment.

The Second Division arrived in the Lancang River area and quickly established a resettlement site. Soldiers were busy setting up tents and leveling the land.

They used their own hands to create a temporary home for the immigrants. They organized immigrants to reclaim wasteland. The immigrants, with their vision of a new life, wielded hoes and sowed seeds of hope on the land. They built houses, brick by brick, with everyone’s sweat.

At the same time, patrols in the surrounding areas were strengthened. Soldiers rode on war horses and shuttled through the mountains and forests to ensure the safety of the immigrants. (End of this chapter)