Chapter 89: Hundred Thousand Army Souls (Part 2)

General Stilwell still had the wildness and enthusiasm of the cowboy style of the American western region. After the defeat of the Battle of the Gucheng, the Samsung Lieutenant General re-planned the Battle of Mandalay, planning to assemble 250,000 Chinese and British troops, relying on the city of Mandalay, and fight the main force of the Japanese army.

The British army still looked listless, still lost its army after contact with the enemy, and still provided the Chinese Allies with a plot that would only make people more confused; the Chinese army was still deploying defenses; Masao Watanabe and the 56th Division led by him were still hiding in the black fog without the air supremacy of this Allies having lost their air superiority and could no longer use reconnaissance aircraft to conduct large-scale searches.

Dai Anlan, Gao Jiren and Zhou Zhizai, the three most core senior officers of the 200th Division, face the map longer and longer every day.

None of them said this, but these experienced professional soldiers saw a deep worry on each other's face.

Because they all understood that the mysteriously missing Fifty-sixth Division was the sword of Damocles that might have quietly moved to their heads!

In recent days, the Japanese army has become even more unconventional and calm, which has made Dai Anlan and the senior officers who are already wary of their high-ranking officers feel the most terrible peace before the storm comes.

Zhou Zhi, again, sighed at the thoughts of all of them when he was watching the sky at night: "It's really bright that the sky is about to be bright, and its darkness is particularly fierce!"

Out of the keen sense of danger by outstanding soldiers and absolute loyalty to the army and the country, the last 200th Division sent a telegram to Chiang Kai-shek, who had already arrived in Miaomei and commanded the expeditionary force to fight in Myanmar... Be careful of the enemy's 56th Division's sneak attack on Lashio!

Lashio is not only the most important arms storage base and transit station behind the expeditionary force, but also the gateway to the Yunnan-Burma Highway, but also the only way for their expeditionary force with a population of up to 100,000 to return to China! The number of people is only 100,000 expeditionary force.

Without the full participation of British "friendly forces" in the war, it is almost impossible to defeat the four enemy divisions without air supremacy. However, no matter how the situation in Myanmar develops, as long as they can firmly protect Lashio, the expeditionary army will be at its worst and can withdraw all the divisions back to China!

Seeing the telegram sent by Dai Anlan, Chiang Kai-shek, who was in charge of the Myanmar War Zone, smiled, "This Anlan, when he fights, he will focus all his attention on the enemy and be a rare tiger general.

But if you focus too much on local battlefields, you will often lose your overall view. Now An Lan can suggest that you be careful in defending Lashio and make great progress!”

In fact, Chiang Kai-shek, as a man who has experienced many battles, finally reached the peak of power step by step.

The head of state who made his fortune by the army, as the founder and principal of the Whampoa Military Academy, had long seen the importance of Laxu City to the expeditionary army, and Gan Lichu, the commander of the Sixth Army who was responsible for defending Laxu, the life-and-death gate of the expeditionary army, issued an order to ensure the safety of Laxu!

The situation is also seen as urgent. The person who smells the danger is Stilwell!

Stilwell misjudged the strength of both sides and made a battle plan that might not be implemented in reality. This is because the Chinese Command gave him the wrong information that "three Chinese divisions can deal with one Japanese division."

To be honest, put aside the judgment errors caused by intelligence errors, this US Samsung Lieutenant General definitely has the most outstanding military talent.

In other words, if this Samsung Admiral is qualified to become the "Deputy Commander of the Asian War Zone", if he is given accurate information and complete command, he is really qualified to win this war!

On April 21, the Japanese 56th Division suddenly advanced eastward.

After capturing Leke City, the 55th Division of the 6th Army, the defensive unit, retreated across the board, causing a huge gap in the eastern war zone. After receiving the news, Stilwell looked at the map for only an hour and suddenly drove to Lashio overnight.

Stilwell went to the Sixth Army Headquarters with his body covered in dust. When Stilwell rushed to the Sixth Army Headquarters, the commander Gan Lichu was not in the headquarters. When Stilwell found the commander under the leadership of the adjutant, he looked at everything in the room.

Stilwell, who had not slept for more than thirty hours and was running back and forth on the battlefield, suddenly changed his face. Stilwell was silent for a long time before pointing at Gan Lichu and said, "You are so busy!"

As the commander of the Sixth Army and as the commander of the defensive Lashio, he was indeed very busy to defend the arteries of life and death for the Expeditionary Army.

But his busyness was definitely different from that of Commander Dai Anlan and Commander Du Yuming who fought bloody battles on the front line. Gan Lichu is now wearing a comfortable pajamas, muttering a cigarette imported from the United States, and busy playing mahjong with several subordinates.

Facing General Stilwell who suddenly appeared in front of him, looking at his gray face, Gan Lichu was stunned for a moment, and quickly reacted and shook his subordinates sitting in front of him. Those who were open-minded and marching and formation might be just enough. They flattered their superiors and looked at their favorites, but they were all experts and immediately stood up and left the room.

"Isn't this General Stilwell? You don't inform the officials in advance if you want to arrive in Lashio. Please forgive me if you don't greet me!"

Listening to Gan Lichu's words and looking at his face that had raised the most "sincere" laughter, Stilwell's finger stretched in the air began to tremble, "Notify me? Don't tell me, you don't even know that Chen Mianwu, the commander of the 55th Division, retreated without permission and lost Leke City!"

Commander Gan Lichu was stunned. Although it had been a day, he really didn't know that his beloved general, Chen Mianwu, faced the enemy's full attack without receiving the order. He retreated without authorization in the face of the battle and surrendered Lekecheng to the enemy.

If he knew the local language, even if he was stationed in Lash City in the rear and would not be attacked by the enemy, he would have prepared in advance and acted as a loyal and patriotic general. How could he let Stilwell see the scene of playing mahjong with his subordinates in pajamas?

Gan Lichu's lips squirmed for a while, and when his head had not found a reason to explain his dereliction of duty, Stilwell had already slammed the door and left.

"Handling the strategic important city of Lashio to a person like Gan Lichu, it would be like putting his neck into the noose. I ordered the Sixth Army Gan Lichu to immediately investigate and choose the truly capable one to take over. For the sake of the military law, shoot the timid battle in the face of battle.

Lead the subordinates to retreat and expose the back area of ​​the battlefield on the east side of our battlefield, Chen Mianwu, commander of the 55th Division, in front of the enemy!"

After all, Stilwell is just an American three-star lieutenant general, not a Chinese.

Although he issued this order with a tough attitude, the order was passed to Chiang Kai-shek. After being instructed by the supreme commander who truly controlled the expeditionary army, it was executed at a discount. The commander of the Sixth Army Gan Chuli was scolded.

He sincerely criticized himself and made an unanimous guarantee; as for his cowardly battle, he withdrew from his position without authorization, handed over the city to the enemy, and even broke into the enemy's eastern front and opened a gate, Commander Chen Mianwu was ordered to make meritorious service and lead his troops to return to regain the lost Leke City!

Faced with such a situation, Stilwell could only shake his head repeatedly. This Samsung lieutenant general who was full of Western adventurous spirit and had a strategic vision could not help but feel powerless to turn the world around.

It was on this day that the British army once again retreated from the frontal battlefield without notifying friendly forces, exposing the flanks of the Chinese army to the enemy. This is not counting, when the British army retreated.

Even installed explosives on the Mandalay Bridge. Once they detonated the explosives and destroyed the bridge, according to General Stilwell's request, the Chinese troops that were displayed nearby and prepared to fight a battle between Mandalay would lose their retreat.

Faced with the actions of the Chinese and British troops, Stilwell really had nothing to say. On that night, Stilwell wrote a report to the US President. This person has a good vision.

Moreover, because of age and experience, compared with Lei Zhen, Dai Anlan, Zhou Zhizai, Gao Jiren, the three-star lieutenant general who stood higher and looked further, revealed the interests of the Myanmar battlefield in one sentence: "As a British colony, Myanmar has no special geographical value, nor any valuable resources that must be protected to the death. On this land, the British only have three divisions to defend.

The British were unwilling to do so. They would not fight the Japanese here to fight to the death. They actually had already eliminated the Myanmar colony on the map. This is why Britain has always been unwilling to enter Myanmar and assist in the fight against the landlords.

And the reason they nodded in agreement in the end was just hoping that the Chinese army could take over their defense so that they could withdraw from Myanmar and enter India more safely."

"The British had no intention of fighting at all. In order to preserve their strength, they were about to collapse with the enemy.

The reason why the Chinese went to Myanmar was to protect the Yunnan-Burma Highway so that they could pass this highway every month and receive 5,000 tons of aid supplies provided by countries led by our United States.

They could not fight to the death on the battlefield in Myanmar for the sake of Britain's interests. It is because of this that the generals who retreated without receiving the order were not heavily blamed."

Having written this, this Samsung Lieutenant General made his final judgment on the Myanmar battlefield: "It has come to this point. No matter how hard I try, the complete failure of the Myanmar battlefield is inevitable!"

On April 28, Stilwell's judgment received the most effective response!

It was on this day that the 56th Division, which had been missing on the Allied turf for more than ten days, suddenly appeared in the Nanpao Valley 20 kilometers north of Lashio! This famous "Dragon Division" who was good at creating miracles on the battlefield, led by the commander of the Masao Watanabe Division who was proficient in jungle and mountain combat, left the logistics supply line, and the Arc Army broke through more than a dozen levels in a row, and conducted a strategic interlude of 1,500 kilometers.

In the end, the surprise attacked the city with lightning speed, with tank troops as the vanguard!

The subordinates lost their strategic location. After a whole day, they didn't know that they were still wearing pajamas and playing mahjong with their subordinates. In the end, they were only punished by the reprimand Gan Lichu, the commander of the Sixth Army in the area. What kind of troops can he bring out and what kind of troops can he train?

Faced with the fierce artillery fire of the Japanese heavy artillery regiment, caught off guard, and I don’t know how many soldiers fell into a pool of blood before they figured out what was going on.

Most of the soldiers were not even wearing their military uniforms. When they heard the sound of shelling and the sound of the enemy's yelling to charge the city, what they most intuitively did was not to pick up their weapons and throw them into the battlefield immediately, but to stumble backwards. No matter what, behind them was the country's gates. As long as they escaped into the jungle and the deep mountains and fled eastward, they could always return to China!

Only a very small number of soldiers fought back under the leadership of low-level officers. However, there was no unified command and no senior officers to take charge. With the charge of the Japanese tank regiment, the gunshots of local resistance were quickly suppressed.

As for the person who faced the big formation, he could still calmly and demonstrate his style as a famous general in Mahjong. Commander Digan Chuli was the first time he encountered an attack in Lashio.

Then he fled to Wanding. Then the commander showed his character of not being afraid of hardship or fatigue. He also took an armored vehicle that was absolutely not comfortable in pajamas. He retreated continuously for 300 kilometers without stopping and fled directly to Baoshan in China.

It is estimated that no matter how good the Japanese army can fight, it will not be possible to reach this position in a short period of time. Commander Gan Chuli finally stopped his desperate expedition.

Facing such an enemy commander, Masao Watanabe led him to create miracles in the battlefield, breaking the defense of the Sixth Army, and raising a flag over Lashio City.

When Masao Watanabe sent the victory to the headquarters via radio, the Japanese army, which had been calm for several days, launched a fierce attack on the Chinese Expeditionary Force almost at the same time.

The Chinese Expeditionary Force was already in a state of inability to conquer the powerful enemy and even retreated.

The most terrible situation of withdrawing from China's roads is also cut off! At this point, the Allied forces surrounded on three sides had only the last road left, which was to withdraw from the west side of the only land not surrounded by the Japanese army into India.

Faced with the situation where the back road was cut off, the supply was interrupted, and the enemy was surrounded by three sides. If you were unable to make a comeback, the Chinese Expeditionary Force, the British military, and General Stilwell, the nameless commander, had to sit down and have a good talk.

It was not until this time that Alexander, the commander of the British army, opened their trump card: "Now the Japanese army has captured Lashio. The Allies are attacked from three sides.

My British Empire Government allows Chinese troops to carry weapons and equipment for humanitarian reasons. Retreat to India for asylum!"

Commander Du Yuming, who attended this perhaps the last coalition meeting, was stunned when he finally understood what Commander Alexander said through the translator, the battle-hardened soldier was stunned, he was really stunned.

humane?!

Refuge?!

Their expedition in foreign land was to help the British army fight against the invasion of powerful enemies on their own colonies. For this goal, they endured the treacherous beliefs of British "allies". On the twelve days of bloody battle with the ancient city, they counterattacked Tangji. They resisted the enemy's bombing and used the lives of soldiers to suppress the enemy's attacks again and again. When the battle situation finally returned for various reasons and fell into absolute passiveness, as allies and allies, the retreat action, which was taken for granted, was actually included in the category of refuge?!

What a joke that makes people unable to laugh at all after hearing it, and how ironic it is!

But before Commander Alexander finished speaking, he looked at Du Yuming with a squinted look, first with the most gentlemanly attitude, sucked a Cuban cigar in his mouth, and after elegance, he continued: "But I must apply in advance. According to international practices and for safety reasons, your army must first apply for refugee status according to the army organization and declare its refugee status after being reviewed and approved by our British Empire Government.

And we must accept centralized management at the designated location of our government. If Mr. Du Yuming, if you have any comments or suggestions, you can raise them to me."

I understand, everything is clear!

Du Yuming really wants to laugh now. If he was not the commander of the Fifth Army and did not need to be responsible for the lives of tens of thousands of brothers in the division, he would really draw out his own gun without hesitation and kill Alexander in this ally, the Allied Army with one shot!

No wonder the British army was about to collapse with the enemy on the battlefield, which lost their faces in the British Empire; no wonder they kept sending false information to Chinese military friends; no wonder General Alexander, who was obviously defeated and lost the entire Myanmar, could still have a smile on his face, elegance on his body, well-dressed in a gentleman's dress, and a expensive Cuban cigar in his mouth!

It turned out that the British army had long been preparing to give up Myanmar. They allowed the Chinese Expeditionary Force to enter Myanmar, which was not just as simple as helping them withdrew from the entire division to India safely.

Although the British army is always about to collapse, they always guard the last line of defense and the last retreat route that even the Chinese army has not defended. Isn’t this a problem? They not only want the Chinese army to enter Myanmar, but also want to use a gentlemanly attitude and a humane standpoint.

The "Welcome" has been advancing step by step with the Japanese army and their British "friendly forces" design, and 100,000 Chinese troops have retreated to India as "refugees" and stationed in their commands to accept their management.

Facing Alexander's eyes, he watched him sitting there silently.

General Stilwell, who was shaking his head and sighing secretly, Du Yuming stood up and said, "Thank you General Alexander for your kindness. However, we are the Chinese army. When we come from China, we will go back to China! We have our own motherland and our own homeland.

We don’t need to go to India to be refugees!”

Alexander smiled and reminded: "Captain Du, don't forget that on your way home, there are a whole division of enemies waiting for you and blocking your way home.

I think with the strength of your army, it will be difficult to break through the enemy's defense line before the entire enemy army gathers in siege. "

Du Yuming looked back at Alexander.

This has been working tirelessly to revitalize the Fifth Army, making the Fifth Army become the commander of the national military training for several consecutive years. A bayonet-like light suddenly rose in his eyes. He straightened his chest and said in a deep voice: "If you can't break, you have to attack!"

Alexander laughed.

He knew that Du Yuming, as a soldier who had not yet lost his blood, would naturally react so fiercely. He waved his right hand and made a tolerant and generous move, and said with an inclusive attitude: "I can understand Commander Du's feelings and respect Commander Du's courage. If Commander Du, you can change the meaning, I, Alexander himself and the British Government.

Welcome to you at any time.”

Alexander is really sure to win. Now the Allies are surrounded on three sides, and the Chinese expeditionary force returns to China.
To be continued...