134: US troops fell into the trap of the Anti-Japanese Army

The Anti-War Army's underground base within the mountain.

Fang Le looked at the content displayed on the multimedia screen in the command center, slightly shocked.

As seen, according to high-altitude intelligence, after the Anti-War Army's first wave of long-range fire attacks, the U.S. Military carried out a large number of counterattacks.

The U.S. Military's field airport aircraft were dispatched, the U.S. Military's mobile missile vehicles drove out from under camouflage nets, and the U.S. Military's several temporarily constructed missile silo openings were also activated. Then, a large number of missiles, aerial bombs, and artillery shells fell onto the previously exposed mountain strongholds of the Anti-War Army.

The strongholds were hit one after another, resulting in violent explosions, fires, and even mushroom cloud-like formations.

Fang Le couldn't help but turn to his generals: "Our strongholds aren't guarded anymore, right?"

Political Commissar Zhao Gang replied: "General Commander, please rest assured. Some of those strongholds were originally unmanned and could be remotely operated. For others, after completing their long-range fire attack missions, the soldiers withdrew through secret routes."

Fang Le nodded.

"That's good."

"It seems the U.S. Military spared no expense in this wave of counterattacks."

U.S. Military Joint Command Headquarters.

Four-star General Douglas nodded with satisfaction, looking at the various precise hit images on the screen.

He specifically turned to Aris, the so-called hawk he considered too "merciful" in previous wars.

"General Aris, what do you think of the effect of this wave of counterattacks?"

Aris could only comment and praise.

"You used large-scale attack methods, including but not limited to GBU-57 massive bunker buster bombs, MOP airburst bombs, thermobaric bombs, and cluster bombs, against all of the Anti-War Army's strongholds... Aside from depleted uranium bombs, you almost used all conventional high-power weapons."

"Although these bombs are generally expensive, with one possibly costing several million U.S. dollars, they are perfect for dealing with the strongholds the Anti-War Army built on the mountain surface."

"In modern warfare, the immediate removal of the American military's air defense capabilities and long-range fire capabilities is a priority. Your decision, General, is beyond reproach."

In fact, even if Aris were in command, he would use these high-power weapons to incapacitate the American military in one go.

Douglas felt very comfortable after being slightly acknowledged, saying: "Perhaps this wave of attacks cost the People's Army hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars in military expenses, but if it can cripple the Anti-War Army, it's worth it."

"Now, execute the second wave of carpet bombing."

Aris was puzzled: "Are you going to use those large bombs again?"

Douglas: "Of course not... Just watch."

Soon, Douglas ordered the Army's armed helicopter units to take off collectively and, guided by the command system's data link, spread out widely, flying towards the vast hundreds of kilometers of the MacDonnell Ranges, the Anti-War Army's territory.

Aris was surprised.

"General, isn't this a bit risky?"

Although the previous wave of large-scale attacks destroyed the Anti-War Army's exposed strongholds, what about those that weren't exposed?

Armed helicopters in close-range engagement are easily hit by any infantry anti-aircraft missile.

Douglas laughed heartily: "There are always losses in war; the key is whether the losses are worth it."

"I'm actually hoping the American military will pop up and attack those armed helicopters."

"As long as they dare to show themselves, if the attack comes from a hidden American military individual, that's fine. If it comes from an unexposed fixed stronghold, an air-to-ground missile can directly eliminate it!"

Under high-altitude cameras, the armed helicopters arrived at the places that had been bombarded by the large bombs, observing details at close range and transmitting the video back to headquarters.

Looking at the deep, huge craters created by the large bunker buster bombs, the fierce flames burning where the thermobaric bombs hit, and the mountains pitted by continuous cluster bomb explosions, even Aris was secretly startled.

This was the effect of the high-power weapons he hadn't used, or used very little, in the previous battle of Darwin City.

...

After patrolling the entire MacDonnell Ranges several times, the U.S. Military's helicopter units confirmed there were no more Anti-War Army attacks and no new hidden Anti-War Army strongholds were found, so they withdrew.

U.S. Military Headquarters.

Aris: "General, what are you going to do next?"

Douglas: "We have completely cleared the Anti-War Army's external strongholds on the mountain using long-range heavy firepower and close-range carpet bombing by armed helicopters. Their air defense early warning capabilities are also completely destroyed. They have now become deaf and blind, ready to be hit and endure."

"Next, of course, is to dispatch ground troops for a large-scale occupation."

"If it weren't for this step, I would have used depleted uranium bombs before. That stuff contains a certain amount of radiation, after all, and is not suitable for infantry to enter and take over territory."

Aris instinctively felt something was wrong.

"General Douglas, isn't dispatching infantry into the MacDonnell Ranges so quickly a bit too hasty?"

Douglas: "Dispatching infantry for occupation is essential."

"The focus and difficulty of this battle is to find the Anti-War Army's true stronghold in the MacDonnell Ranges, not the external strongholds we just eliminated."

Aris, of course, knew this.

He arrived at the MacDonnell Ranges earlier than Douglas and had made numerous efforts to scout the location of the Anti-War Army's main base, but found nothing.

Aris imagined the Anti-War Army hiding in natural caves or artificial caves excavated by blasting and other engineering methods, but he couldn't find such locations at all.

Since the Anti-War Army's more than 10,000 soldiers entered the vast MacDonnell Ranges, they have been as invisible as water hidden in sand, yet they appear and disappear like ghosts when launching surprise attacks on the U.S. Military.

Hopefully, Douglas will be able to search out those Anti-War Army forces from deep within the MacDonnell Ranges this time.