Chapter 708: Clash of Thoughts

As the war has progressed to this point, the U.S. government can barely be considered to be doing its best.

The size of the army controlled by the federal government alone has exceeded 500,000, and the cumulative number of troops engaged in the war has even exceeded 600,000.

More than 300,000 of these 500,000 troops are distributed in the northeastern states to resist the attack of the main force of the coalition army.

The remaining 200,000 troops were divided into two groups, one to prevent the French from going north to threaten the eastern states, and the other to prevent the Australasians from advancing eastward.

Putting aside the stalemate on the frontal battlefield, the entire United States and even the world are currently paying attention to the advancement of Australasia and the French.

This can be considered the last chance for the United States. If the United States can successfully fend off these two countries, the remaining states may shelve the idea of ​​an independence referendum.

But if the United States cannot stop any of them, it is likely to face a more serious crisis.

Among other things, the states in the central region that are already facing the threat of war are definitely not willing to continue.

After all, the U.S. troops are all fighting in the east, and the defensive force in the central part is very weak. It is impossible for the central states alone to resist.

As long as the central part of the United States falls, the remaining areas of the United States will really only have the original 13-state colonies and the Great Lakes Industrial Area. It is impossible to resist the Union Army by relying on these areas alone.

If this last life-saving straw cannot be grasped, perhaps the situation the United States will face is that states will become independent one after another and then be dismantled into multiple countries.

Naturally, General Pershing also understood the dire situation currently facing the United States. The troops he led never made a sudden advance, but steadily and slowly approached the front line.

The good news is that no enemy troops were encountered along the way, and the army's behavior was without any surprises.

But the bad news is that by the time General Pershing led the army to North and South Dakota, the Australasian army had already attacked the banks of the Missouri River.

The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River that runs north and south through the two Dakotas.

It was November 3, 1928 when General Pershing arrived on the east bank of the Missouri River.

The rapid attack of the Australasian army obviously exceeded General Pershing's expectations, but there was no time to surprise General Pershing at this time.

After being stationed in a town on the east coast named after Germany's iron-blooded Prime Minister Bismarck, General Pershing immediately began to deploy defenses relying on the Missouri River from south to north.

The good news was that the Missouri River ran through both Dakotas from south to north, which was a good thing for General Pershing's defense.

Just deploy a defensive position from Williston to Bismarck to Yankton, and then make some defenses to the north and south, and you can build an excellent defensive front.

But the biggest problem currently facing General Pershing is that he has too few troops. An army of only 100,000 people cannot lay out this long defense line at all.

You know, this line of defense runs through three states, with a total length of more than 600 kilometers.

One hundred thousand people were deployed on a 600-kilometer defense line, with an average of only 166 people defending per kilometer.

Coupled with the flanks and some reserve forces deployed in the north and south directions, the number of soldiers on the frontal defense line will only be smaller.

This also means that General Pershing must select a few key areas for defense, and can only adopt a patrol system in other areas, and pray that the Australasian army will not attack from there.

Too few Army personnel is a problem that the current U.S. government simply cannot solve. If it weren't for the huge financial promise, I'm afraid it would be difficult for the Army to gather these 500,000 people.

Although General Pershing specifically requested before leaving, the War Department must supplement General Pershing with 100,000 troops within two months.

But General Pershing knew that this was a task the War Department simply could not accomplish. Even if the Army Department is completed, the additional 100,000 people will definitely be new recruits who have not experienced training at all. They will play little role on the battlefield and will only increase casualties.

Although defensive warfare does not require elite soldiers, you must at least know how to shoot. You can't use the gun as a fire stick.

Especially in defensive warfare, trenches need to be constantly repaired. A soldier who doesn't know anything will only cause trouble.

Fortunately, General Pershing also had a relatively capable assistant, George Smith Patton Jr., and the deployment of the defensive front went smoothly, at least without any trouble.

However, because the number of soldiers was too small, General Pershing divided the total army of 100,000 into three parts.

The first section numbered about 50,000 people, nearly the strength of four divisions. These four divisions will be divided into combat units based on infantry regiments and deployed in key defense areas along the entire defense line.

The remaining two parts are a little more than one division. Their tasks are to defend the north and south sides respectively and to serve as reserve forces for war at any time.

After the defensive positions are fully deployed, the biggest task of the U.S. military is to quickly dig trenches and deploy related defense facilities.

General Pershing then had time to chat with his assistant, and asked his assistant what he thought of this war.

"George, do you think we still have a chance of winning this war?" In the Northwest Front Army Headquarters, the supreme commander of this army looked at his close assistant George and asked with a tired look.

George Smith Patton Jr. was silent for a long time, and then he looked at Pershing: "General, do you want to hear the truth or a lie?"

"Of course it's the truth. Why are you so polite after not seeing me for several years?" General Pershing said with a smile.

Before General Pershing retired, George was General Pershing's assistant. George, who had unique ideas, was always valued by General Pershing, which also made the two guys who were several dozen years older have a good relationship.

"I don't think there is a chance of winning, General." Hearing that General Pershing wanted him to tell the truth, George Smith Patton Jr. had no worries and said it very straightforwardly.

Although he had already had this guess in his heart, General Pershing was still unwilling to accept such a result and asked: "Why do you think so? As long as we win this defensive battle, I think we still have a chance of winning."

"In fact, everything is over, isn't it? General." George Smith Patton Jr. looked at General Pershing and said helplessly: "When California announced an independence referendum, the demise of the United States had already entered the countdown.

We may have a chance of winning before, but after that, any state can hold an independence referendum, which also means that the federal government has lost control of the states.

We may be able to delay for a while, but this is not a good thing for the United States and all Americans, because such a failure to resist can only increase casualties."

General Pershing was silent. He had no reason or words to refute his assistant.

Yes, California's independence referendum seemed to open Pandora's box, leaving all states in the United States with a new choice, that is, an independence referendum to avoid war.

The current situation has proved this point. If the conditions had not been negotiated with the United Army, I am afraid that most of the states in the United States would choose an independent referendum to avoid this war that would increase casualties.

Even if they can resist the attack of the Australasian army, what can they do?

Australasian has occupied several western states, and the division of the United States has become an established reality.

Whether the delay will drag down the enemy is not mentioned for the time being, the American people in the war zone are destined to be unable to bear such a burden.

Moreover, the casualties on the American side are not small, and the current casualties have already exceeded 100,000.

Especially when most of the soldiers on the battlefield in the United States are recruits, the casualties on the American side are the most.

If it continues like this, the US government may be able to survive, but it will be another blow to the American people that is no less than the economic crisis.

What exactly are they doing this for? Just to let the US government hold on for a while longer?

But if they don't hold on, doesn't it mean letting their country be invaded by the enemy? This is a shame for General Pershing, who is proud of his military identity, and it is absolutely unacceptable.

"That's enough, George." General Pershing interrupted George's move to speak and directly overturned the conversation: "As a soldier, I cannot accept letting the enemy invade my country. No matter what the outcome of this war is, I cannot abandon the honor of being a soldier."

George Smith Patton Jr. was stunned, but looking at General Pershing's firm look, he had to nod and say nothing more.

George Smith Patton Jr. deeply understood General Pershing's character. For this traditional and stubborn general, since he was wearing the uniform of the United States of America, he would naturally devote everything to this uniform, even his life.

Such a stubborn guy is naturally impossible for anyone to persuade, even Patton, who was highly appreciated by General Pershing.

It is worth mentioning that General Pershing and Patton almost became relatives.

Before the outbreak of World War I, General Pershing and Patton's sister Nita were in love, and even developed to the point of engagement.

After the outbreak of World War I, the two agreed to get engaged after the war. Although the war came and went quickly, the two who had not seen each other for more than half a year eventually failed to get together and finally became ordinary friends.

This also made Patton miss the opportunity to become General Pershing's brother, and Nita has been single until now.

However, such trivial matters are not important to open-minded Americans, and the current identities of the two are still generals and subordinates.

Although General Pershing's attitude was very firm, his thoughts were still influenced by George Smith Patton Jr.

General Pershing frowned after ending the meeting. He could no longer see the future of the United States. Can the United States continue?

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