Chapter 5: Cut off in half (I)

The Japanese base camp and the Southern Army were busy mobilizing troops to prepare for the subsequent Australian and Central Pacific operations, but the Japanese attack on Myanmar did not stop.

Under the fierce attack of the Japanese army, the First Division of the British and Burmese Army, which had just been rescued by the Sun Liren Army's troops in the Expeditionary Army, no longer wanted to fight again and decided to continue to retreat north. Perhaps in order to thank the gratitude for saving his life, the British did not leave without saying goodbye this time, but instead sent Captain Robinson to inform Sun Liren of the relevant situation of the British army's withdrawal. Due to the Japanese army's advance, Sun Liren decided to lead the newly formed 38th Division, which could no longer be returned to the 66th Army, to retreat to Mandalay in the rear.

It would be fine if the British retreated by themselves. What's abominable is that in order to find excuses for their own avoidance and retreat, the British lied to Stilwell and Luo Zhuoying of the Expeditionary Force Command that "there are more than 3,000 enemy troops between Ren'anqiang and Chokebodang, and the British army could not participate in the Mandalay battle on time."

Stilwell and Luo Zhuoying were not aware of it, so they quickly ordered the 200th Division's headquarters to raid to Qiao Kebodang for a long distance. However, after the 200th Division arrived at Qiao Kebodang, they found that there were no Japanese troops in the area, and only the British army was retreating under the cover of the new 38th Division! Angry, Dai Anlan's headquarters turned around and ran towards Tang Ji, the starting position.

Just after the 200th Division went back and forth, three days were gone! The Japanese army had taken the opportunity to capture Tang Ji first! Although the 200th Division then recaptured Tang Ji from the Japanese after more than two days of hard work, the Battle of Mandalay, which Stilwell and others had great hope, had completely fallen into vain, and the situation in Myanmar was no longer regained!

The British army retreated again and again on the western route, and the 6th Army of the Eastern Expeditionary Force could not withstand the fierce attacks of the Japanese army and continued to retreat. When Chen Mianyue's troops, the temporary 55th Division of the 6th Army, was defeated by the Japanese 56th Division, relying on its many vehicles and strong power, drove northward at a speed of more than 110 kilometers per day, which further exacerbated the deterioration of the war situation in Myanmar.

The commander of the 6th Army, Gan Lichu, had to lead the remnants to retreat to Jingdong and retreat from there to Simao and Pu'er areas in Yunnan. However, when the battle went out, the 6th Army, which had three divisions of 40,000 or 50,000 troops, finally retreated to the country with Gan Lichu and others!

If it weren't for the relationship between teachers and students in Huangpu, Chiang Kai-shek would have thoughts of killing Gan Lichu! In anger, Chiang Kai-shek simply removed the position of commander of the first-class Huangpu school.

With the defeat of the 6th Army and deployed in Lashio, the 66th Army, which ensured the retreat of the Expeditionary Army in the Wacheng area, was completely exposed to the heavy Japanese troops.

The 66th Army originally had four divisions in total, but the newly formed 36th Division Li Zhipeng's unit was in southern Yunnan. The Sun Liren's unit, the strong combat effectiveness, had not yet been built to rescue the British army. The commander Zhang Zhen could only use the new 28 and new 29 divisions. However, these two divisions were adapted from the Kangze Random Movement. These people were engaged in suppressing the communists and clearing the countryside. They did have a way of party struggles, but they could not talk much combat effectiveness when they were pulled on the battlefield to see the Japanese. In addition, Zhang Zhen only landed in March as the commander of the 66th Army, and had not yet grasped the situation of the troops, so he was not very flexible in command.

On the morning of the 27th, the Japanese army launched a fierce attack on the 28th Division, which guarded Lashio New City. At the same time, the Japanese army also raided the defense ground of the 29th Division, which was the old city of Lashio Old City, in order to defeat the 66th Army in one fell swoop.

However, the combat effectiveness of the two divisions of the 66th Army was indeed extremely poor. Before he even arrived for two days, Lashio was occupied by the Japanese army on the 29th. This caused the 5th Army, which was the main force of the expeditionary army and in front of the middle road, to completely cut off the retreat of the country! The rapid loss of Lashio also marked the complete failure of the expeditionary army's battle into Myanmar. Later, Chiang Kai-shek was angry and not only dismissed Zhang Zhen and two division commanders who had withdrawn from their posts, but also revoked the number of the 66th Army.

The development of the war situation in Myanmar has not escaped the People's Party, which is closely watching. Through the intercepted telegrams between the two sides of the warring parties intercepted by the People's Army Shannan War Zone, the entire battlefield situation was clearly placed in front of Zhao Zhenzhong, Zhou Mingyuan and others far away in northwest China.

"When the Expeditionary Force went abroad, we sent planes to secretly reconnaissance over Bamo and Nankan. In terms of the equipment and spirit of the officers and soldiers, what Chiang Kai-shek sent was indeed the elite in his hands." On the afternoon of the 29th, Chen Zhiyuan, who rushed to Lanzhou from the Shannan War Zone to report on the combat preparations, said with regret, "The 200th Division of the 5th Army, the newly formed 22nd Division, and the newly formed 38th Division of the 66th Army were fighting well, but other troops were unable to take the stage. Especially the command of the 6th Army and the 66th Army, it was simply a mess!

When the Japanese army had the advantage of air and ground firepower, these two armies neither concentrated their forces to annihilate a part of the Japanese army first, nor focused on defense. Instead, they dispersed the forces of each division! On the surface, this seemed to have a bit of a staging defense and a deep defense, but in fact it was the average use of troops, which caused a situation where the focus was everywhere and loopholes were everywhere.

Faced with the defense characteristics of the Expeditionary Force, the Japanese army, with its strong mobility, carried out annihilation strikes on the expeditionary forces in every link with superior forces and firepower! The Expeditionary Force's "stage defense, deep defense" was transformed into a tactic of fuel-adding, allowing the Japanese army to defeat each of them. This can be proved by the defeats of the three divisions of the 6th Army and the two divisions of the 66th Army!"

"This is a typical general's nest!" Zou Degui sighed regretfully, "It's a pity that the grassroots officers and soldiers of the expeditionary army. If we could command it, this battle would not be a big loss!"

"Old Jiang first checks whether he is his direct line, and whether he is obedient or not, and then he will consider the ability issue. In this way, it is not surprising that mediocre people can be reused." Zhou Mingyuan smiled disdainfully and said, "Don't look at Sun Liren's ability to fight, he has earned a lot of reputation for resolving the siege of Ren'an Qiang Ying Army, but he is not the direct line of Chiang Kai-shek, and he is still a little unfair, so it is destined to be difficult for Chiang to reuse! In addition, although we have announced to the public that we can provide convenience for the retreat of the Expeditionary Force, according to Chiang's temperament, he does not necessarily expect that he will receive our favor!"

"Old Jiang is really willing to turn his direct line into the Japanese devils' record? Du Yuming and others will really listen to Chiang Kai-shek's confused orders?" Zou Degui was a little unbelievable. "Now Lashio has been occupied by the Japanese army, the 5th Army and other retreat have been cut off, and fighting with the Japanese devils is a dead end. Isn't this clearly a loss-making business?!"

"He Jiang has done a bigger loss-making deal!" Zhao Zhenzhong sighed, "During the Battle of Shanghai, he knew that the Japanese army, naval and air forces could be exerted to the extreme in Shanghai and the surrounding areas, but our anti-Japanese war forces were at a disadvantage. However, Lao Chiang forced most of his troops to be put into the battlefield of the Songhu battlefield and let the Japanese rebels repeatedly tempered with heavy firepower! The sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of soldiers was in exchange for the intervention of the great powers that Chiang Kai-shek expected! But the final facts proved that it was just wishful thinking of Chiang Kai-shek! And now, before completely losing all hope, Lao Chiang was very likely to prevent the expeditionary force from entering the control area of ​​our Shannan for the sake of his Chongqing political face!

As for Du Yuming and others, due to the so-called friendship between teachers and students, and their relatives are also in the area controlled by the Chongqing authorities, and the influence of the ideas that Chiang Kai-shek instilled over the years, it is probably difficult to make up their minds until the last moment. However, Sun Liren, who is not the direct lineage of Chiang Kai-shek, may be the first to enter the northern Myanmar controlled area of ​​our army according to the conditions."

Although it is thousands of kilometers away, Zhao Zhenzhong and others analyzed the situation in Myanmar!

The retreat of friendly forces from the east and west, and the loss of Lashio, the main force of the expeditionary army, which retreated to Mandalay on the 27th, completely fell into trouble. In the south, the 18th and 55th divisions of the Japanese army advancing north; in the southwest, the 33rd Division, which was pursuing the British army and posing a serious threat to the flank of the 5th Army; in the southeast and behind the Lashio direction, the 56th Division of the Japanese army, which cut off the retreat route of the 5th Army's return. In the north, the Myitkyina direction, the People's Army, which was hostile to the Chongqing authorities!

Under these circumstances, where the 5th Army should go, not only became a difficult problem before Du Yuming, but also a big problem that made Chiang Kai-shek trouble.

"General Du, there is nothing to hesitate!" On the 29th, after learning about the loss of Lashio, Stilwell, the US commander of the Sino-Myanmar-Indian War Theater who followed the 5th Army's headquarters, said without any doubt, "We must admit the facts in front of us. For some disgusting reasons, the Battle of Myanmar has failed! In order to preserve the future combat forces against Japan, we have to retreat to the west of the Irrawaddy River, and then retreat northward along the railway to the Naba area, looking for opportunities to enter the armed control area of ​​the People's Party. Of course, after evacuating Mandalay, we must blow up the railway bridge and leave the Japanese behind!"

"Our army can withdraw from Mandalay first and retreat north to Naba, but it is not something I can decide whether to enter the area controlled by the People's Party." Du Yuming smiled bitterly, "It depends on the meaning of the Chairman of Chongqing."

"Although you are in hostility at home, the PPP has publicly announced that it is willing to provide convenience for the expeditionary forces to withdraw to its controlled areas. So what else can we hesitate?" Stilwell said in confusion. "Besides, the British are retreating to India through the PPP controlled areas. Why do we still have to wait?"

Du Yuming also couldn't explain the reason to Stilwell, a somewhat stubborn American. He only exchanged helpless eyes with Dai Anlan, Liao Yaoxiang, and Sun Liren, who led his troops to retreat to Mandalay and temporarily acted with the 5th Army, and then sighed with a wry smile: "We are different from the British. The British have reached an agreement with the People's Party, and whether we enter the People's Army's controlled area must wait for Chongqing's orders. You must know that the People's Party is still hostile to the central government. Once we put down our weapons in accordance with the other party's requirements, it means that we surrender to them to a certain extent, and we can only let them slaughter in the future!"

As Chiang Kai-shek's direct descendants, Du Yuming and others knew that even if they joined the People's Party, they would be rare to use them. Instead of putting down their weapons and becoming abandoned in Chiang's eyes, and if both sides were not pleased, it would be better to retreat to Naba first and wait for Chiang's decision.

Although Stilwell has been in China for many years and can speak fluent Chinese, he still can't figure out the subtle interpersonal relationships in the Chinese officialdom. Seeing that Du Yuming had a reason that was barely reasonable, he could only shrug his shoulders and agreed: "Okay, then General Du will contact Chongqing soon, and we must withdraw to Naba as soon as possible."

Although the railway from Mandalay to the north had been destroyed by Japanese aviation bombing, the expeditionary force retreated to Naba relatively quickly. By May 1, the 5th Army of Du Yuming and the new 38th Division of Sun Liren's troops all retreated to the area west of the Irrawaddy River, and alternately covered the retreat of Naba on foot to the north along the railway line.

However, the telegram from Chiang Kai-shek that Du Yuming and others had not arrived immediately. It was not until the Expeditionary Force arrived in Naba on the 7th that the guns and cannons of the Japanese vanguard and the People's Army stationed in Ruigu and Bamo's 10th Army were vaguely heard, and Chiang Kai-shek's telegram was released on Du Yuming's desk.

"The Chairman ordered our troops to take advantage of the favorable opportunity when the Japanese army had no time to fight against the People's Army, advance eastward across the river and penetrate from the Japanese side to the Nankan area. Yunnan has also concentrated its powerful troops to prepare for the response." After reading Chiang Kai-shek's telegram, Du Yuming announced to Dai Anlan, Liao Yaoxiang, Yu Shao and Sun Liren with a expressionless face.

"This is impossible!" Before several division commanders of the 5th Army spoke, Sun Liren stood up and said in anti-verbal voice, "Now the People's Army and the Japanese army are in Ruigu, and the Bamo area is engaged in artillery battles across the Taiping River. Our army can't get through at this line! The main forces of the Japanese divisions, including the 33rd, 18th, 55th, and 56th divisions in the south, are pressing towards northern Myanmar. The entire area east of the Irrawaddy River is almost entirely dominated by the Japanese army. Where is the back? Besides, not to mention the difficulty of our army building a floating bridge across the river and advancing eastward, it is just how to avoid the Japanese air reconnaissance after crossing the river? In the current state of lack of rear supplies, once the enemy finds traces, the Japanese will not need to fight. They just need to establish an encirclement to trap us alive!"

"Brother Fumin, this is the order of the Chairman!" Du Yuming said in a stressful tone.

"The ancients could still 're not accepting the orders of the king outside the country'. Now the committee member is in Chongqing for a long time and does not know the specific situation in Myanmar. We should formulate realistic plans based on the current situation. We cannot blindly follow the orders!" Sun Liren paused for a moment and said decisively, "Mr. Du must be ordered, so I forgive Sun for not being accompanied! I will never use the lives of nearly 10,000 brothers in the 38th Division as a joke!"

After Sun Liren said that, he saluted Du Yuming and others, and stood up and left without waiting for the other party to respond. Sun Liren's headquarters belonged to the 66th Army and did not belong to the 5th Army. In addition, he clearly stated that "the general is not subject to the orders of the king outside the country." Du Yuming really couldn't do anything to him for the time being.

"Captain, just let him go like that? Why don't you detain him?" Yu Shao asked with some wonder.

"Deduct him? Brother Feisheng wants the 38th Division to be together with us?!" Du Yuming glared at Yu Shao angrily and said, "When it was still the tax police regiment, Dai Yunong took the opportunity to snatch the three regiments of troops from his command, which would be enough to anger Sun Fumin. After the establishment of the new 38th Division, Sun Fumin was even more in control. If you want to detain him, it would have to stir up a mutiny of the 38th Division! We should not cause trouble!"

"Captain, although Sun Fumin said something just now, it's understandable. As for the current situation in Myanmar, the Japanese are only chasing the river, so we will burn high incense. If we think about any side and back, it would be equivalent to sending these tens of thousands of brothers to the Japanese guns!" Dai Anlan thought about it and suggested, "Or, let's call the principal to explain the situation? Otherwise, if we really want to cross the river, the heavy equipment of our 200th Division will become a big problem. Moreover, if Stilwell knows that we are going to break into the Japanese heavy defense zone, it will be a problem."

The 200th Division is a mechanized unit, equipped with tanks and many armored vehicles. The division had a railway bridge when it was evacuated from Mandalay before, but if it advanced eastward, the pontoon bridge built by the Expeditionary Force on the Irrawaddy River would not be able to withstand the weight of the chariot. The 200th Division had to abandon heavy equipment and become an infantry division! This would lead to a significant decline in the combat effectiveness of the 5th Army.

"I want me to say that we should make two-handed preparations. While preparing to enter the People's Army Defense Zone; while building a floating bridge in the Jiesha area in the southeast, it is a stance to cross the river and advance eastward, using a small number of troops to attract the Japanese army to fight across the river, and then report to Chongqing. It is said that the attempt to cross the river has been blocked by the Japanese army, so the chairman asks the chairman to clearly tell our army to stop next step." Liao Yaoxiang, who was silent for a long time, looked up and said his suggestion, and added, "I just don't want these tens of thousands of brothers to bury Myanmar due to improper command, and it is not that they want to go against the principal!"

"Jianchu doesn't have to be nervous. We all understand the current situation. I, Mr. Yu, will never behave like a good person when I get a cheap one! Don't worry!" Yu Shao promised with a smile.

Du Yuming, Dai Anlan and Liao Yaoxiang have been working together since 38 years. In addition, they are both from Huangpu, and they have been caring for each other and will not be too much trouble. Yu Shao is the oldest, but he has only worked with several other people since 40 years, and there is a little bit of apart. Now the few people are talking, and invisibly bringing their relationship closer together.

"I think Jianchu's method can be tried. Although the People's Party has killed all the Japanese, since the War of Resistance Against Japan, I have never heard of them making things difficult for the anti-Japanese forces in China. In addition to having a good relationship with the Second World War Zone, I heard that they have also provided help to the soldiers of the Anti-Japanese War. At least that Master Lin was treated by the People's Party." Dai Anlan also smiled, "We have been cut off from the road to return to China by the Japanese. You might as well take this opportunity to go to the area controlled by the People's Party to see how the People's Army fought with the Japanese! If it can be prompted to restart the material passage through Shannan, the principal will definitely be happy and will not blame us!"

"Then let's make the decision first. You will prepare for each other when you go back." Du Yuming also calmed down and said, "I'll have a good talk with Stilwell. Let's see if we can keep some self-defense weapons through the mediation of the Americans, and at least we must retain radio stations for domestic contact. As for the restart of the material channels, it may also fall on the Americans."

Chiang Kai-shek, who was far away in Chongqing, still hoped that his elite 5th Army could break through the Japanese army and prevent him from returning to the country, but he did not know that Du Yuming, Sun Liren and others had their own ideas and prepared to "resist the orders of the kings outside the country."

The communication between Du Yuming and Stilwell was a rare success since the two met. Stilwell not only agreed to help the Expeditionary Force and Chongqing to coordinate with the People's Party, but also took the lead in contacting Washington with the parties with decisiveness and decisiveness. The US government officials asked to communicate with the People's Party as soon as possible through the Shannan Business Office to do a good job in coordinating with the Expeditionary Force.

Although this kind of coldness in Chongqing and the United States and the expeditionary forces' approach to contact was somewhat beyond Zhao Zhenzhong's expectations, he was also happy to see it. No matter what, as long as Du Yuming and others can accept the conditions of the People's Party, it means that the tragedy of more than 100,000 people from the expeditionary forces abroad in history was rewritten. At least, the Wild Man Mountain, which is regarded as a forbidden area for life, will never swallow more than 30,000 Chinese children!
Chapter completed!