Empire Conquest-Chapter 891 - 115: Commander’s Talent (Part 2)
Actually, there has always been a strategic plan.
According to the final adjustments, after the Boss Bay War, the Empire will support Bakistan to launch a regional war aimed at dismembering and consuming Fanluo Country, fundamentally eliminating the greatest immediate threat, and testing the "Chewing Strategy" proposed by Zhou Yongtao.
Given the Empire Army’s performance in the Boss Bay War, defeating Fanluo Country is not difficult.
If the war against Fanluo Country kicks off, the Global War will become history.
The reason is simple, other superpowers will surely imitate, or be forced to imitate the "Chewing Strategy," fundamentally changing the confrontation model represented by the Global War.
As a result, superpowers will embark on the path of chewing smaller neighboring countries, and the global order established after the last war based on alliances will collapse.
Moreover, just chewing on neighboring small countries would keep superpowers busy for decades.
Actually, this is a strategic transformation.
Simply put, it is transforming the previous decisive Global War into prolonged regional wars with the fundamental goal of strategic expansion lasting for decades.
During this expansion period, all expansion wars have clear objectives, or aim to enhance the country’s strength.
To be more precise, this is why Zhou Yongtao insists on first targeting Fanluo Country, and the first step is to dismember Fanluo Country.
No one can swallow a unified Fanluo Country.
Even the Liangxia Empire, swallowing the more than 700 million people of Fanluo Country in one bite would surely lead to indigestion, and might even burst in the end.
Evidently, chewing is the ideal choice.
In order to chew Fanluo Country, dismembering it must be the first step.
From another perspective, this is a key reason why the Liangxia Empire actively supports and aids Bakistan, especially after Zhou Yongtao came to power.
However, there is an unavoidable issue. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢
It will take decades to reap the fruits of the Chewing Strategy.
Not to mention the 70-year-old Zhou Yongtao, even all Empire leaders over 50 like Lin Shiping probably won’t see the day when the Empire becomes the sole global superpower.
This means a focus on cultivating the younger generation.
Clearly, this is why young officers like Ding Zhennan are crucially utilized.
According to Zhou Yongtao, although Ding Zhennan is just in his early 30s, with his abilities, perhaps no one will rival him in the next 30 years.
Of course, what Ding Zhennan lacks are opportunities to showcase his talents and hone his skills.
But one Ding Zhennan is certainly not enough.
Those two who are famous alongside Ding Zhennan?
Clearly, that’s just external opinion.
Regarding individual capability, Li Tianling is not a commander type, more like a frontline warrior, apt at commanding troops in combat.
Of course, given time, perhaps Li Tianling might undergo qualitative changes.
Manifested significantly in his grandfather Li Yunxiang.
However, even if Li Tianling grows, his skills would be confined to aerial combat, making him the Air Force commander at most.
Bai Huawei is slightly better, but still hasn’t reached the level of a commander.
It’s not that Bai Huawei isn’t skilled enough, but lacks vision.
Many compare Bai Huawei to Bai Zhizhan, considering him Bai Zhizhan’s successor, the Navy officer most likely to achieve Bai Zhizhan’s level today.
To this, Zhou Yongtao disagrees.
If anything, Zhou Yongtao is closer to Bai Zhizhan, achieving second only to him.
Clearly, Zhou Yongtao understands Bai Zhizhan best.
In his view, Bai Zhizhan’s greatest strength wasn’t fleet command in battles.
Although Bai Zhizhan led the Imperial Fleet in winning several major naval battles during the Second Global War, in almost all fleet battles, the tactical commander wasn’t Bai Zhizhan but his partnering officer, initially Li Mingbo and later Zhou Yongtao.
More often, Bai Zhizhan accompanied the fleet on campaigns.
Regarding individual capability, Bai Zhizhan shone most in strategic vision far surpassing others and his precise grasp and judgment of battle development.
Not only at then but even now, no Navy General reaches Bai Zhizhan’s level.
Even Zhou Yongtao admits he pales in comparison to Bai Zhizhan.
Clearly, Bai Huawei lacks such strategic vision as Bai Zhizhan’s.
In this regard, Ding Zhennan is more akin to Bai Zhizhan.
A notable event underscoring Ding Zhennan’s capability, particularly his strategic foresight, involves the Howay Islands in East Ocean.
Back then, during war games, nearly all strategists thought about exchanging space for time.
Simply put, in a losing start, they considered abandoning Howay Islands, retreating to the North Ma Islands line, weakening enemy’s offensive momentum via long distance, securing more time to stabilize defenses closer to native soil.
Yet, Ding Zhennan staunchly opposed.
According to Ding Zhennan, regardless of the cost, Howay Islands must be held.
The reasoning: Newland Republic might seek reconciliation with Liangxia Empire after capturing Howay Islands by halting attacks.
Under the Global War context, Liangxia Empire had limited choices.
Even if Xue Yuanzheng was reborn, he couldn’t risk losing the entire war to contest islands thousands of miles from Empire’s native soil.
As a World Island country, Liangxia Empire must first secure native safety before considering external expansion.
Moreover, retreat doesn’t buy safety.
Contracting the lines inevitably heightens native threats and forfeits strategic initiatives.
In the last war, the Empire suffered greatly because of this!
Early on, if not for the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom’s constraint, the Navy could have won East Ocean sea control a year early. Forcing Newland Federation’s early entry or deterring Luosha Federation’s advance, the Empire might achieve comprehensive victory in Global War.
Due to losing strategic initiatives, the Empire had to redirect focus to Fan Flame Ocean and Boss Bay, missing the chance to entirely defeat Newland Federation.
According to post-war revealed data, the Empire would have divided Newland Federation into several nations upon defeating it.
If that transpired, Liangxia Empire could have become the first millennia enemy Empire dominating globally.
Latterly, Military Intelligence Bureau intel confirmed Ding Zhennan’s guess, that Newland authorities had no intent to totally defeat Liangxia Empire, mainly intending to reclaim Howay Islands, perhaps return to Southwest East Ocean. If Empire resigned Howay Islands, Newland Republic would likely advance further, losing Southwest East Ocean and becoming passive at East Ocean, even being suppressed by enemies.
Among the current young military generation, certainly amongst the already emerging talents, none yet matches Ding Zhennan.
This is evidently not worthy of celebration.
Zhou Yongtao keeps Lin Shiping to discuss cultivating and selecting military talents, or hopes to gain news from Lin Shiping.
Unfortunately, Lin Shiping offers limited information.
Not due to unfamiliarity with young military officers, but due to war’s outbreak, even the talented might lack chances to shine.
Even if exceptionally talented, opportunities are needed to manifest.
According to Lin Shiping, let the horses run for a while.
Whether they’re thousand-mile horses, a lap will reveal.
Surely, it’s decided Ding Zhennan should strongly be cultivated as a thousand-mile horse.
Otherwise, Zhou Yongtao wouldn’t mention letting Ding Zhennan head to Bakistan post-Boss Bay War, taking charge of operations against Fanluo Country.
Frankly, disregarding age, rank, and position, Ding Zhennan is absolutely the best commander for the campaign against Fanluo Country.
Age issues are unsolvable, but Zhou Yongtao can lend a hand in the latter two areas.
After the conversation with Lin Shiping, Zhou Yongtao signed the Promotion Order for Ding Zhennan, exceptionally promoting him to Army Brigadier General, appointing him as Joint Forces Chief of Staff, placing him in charge as acting Commander-in-chief, thus giving Ding Zhennan full charge of operations against Iraq.
This arrangement also aims to expedite Shi Shouliang’s return to the Northwest War Zone.
