Chapter 24 The Fifth Division (Part 1)

Under Du Yuming's leadership, more than 60,000 Chinese troops of the Fifth Army gave up the safe retreat to India and advanced all the way north. They could only withdraw from China alive if the Japanese army passed through Miyunchina before they could.

Under the hot sunlight, the surface temperature has exceeded 60 degrees. Whether it is rolling on a car tire or stepping on a human shoe, it will leave a deep or shallow mark.

In this hot weather, I don’t know how many Chinese soldiers were walking slowly on the river valley road from Mandalay to Miyunzhina with their heads down. Now the situation is hopeless, surrounded by enemies on all sides. On the faces of these Chinese soldiers, they can no longer find the ambition of sacrificing their lives for the country and the people when they first entered Myanmar. The only thing is the desire to return home after a great defeat, and the double fatigue of spirit and physical strength after a long journey.

It can be seen that the team of more than 60,000 Chinese soldiers is like a gray river, flowing slowly forward in silence with fatigue.

Impal, India!

Kosimma, India!

Vincenzo, India!

...

One by one, one by one, the three-way intersections leading to India were slowly thrown away by this long gray dragon. When the team reached Wenzo, they finally stopped. Because... I just received a telegram from the military headquarters, Miyunchina, the only way for the Chinese expeditionary force to pass and return to China smoothly. This last hope has been extinguished by the Japanese army!

Looking at the telegram sent by the military headquarters in his hand, Du Yuming was really stunned. It was already late at night, and the mountains around him were hidden in a dark silence, but looking around, it seemed even more depressing and heavy. The soldiers who had been walking for a day and were already extremely tired leaned against the stones and trees on the side of the road, sitting silently. No one was willing to speak, and there was only the heavy breathing of a group of people, and the eyes flashing with faint moonlight in the darkness.

Du Yuming knew that everyone was watching him. Although he wanted to control himself, his hands holding the telegram were still trembling slightly. He was bombarded and fired by enemy planes for several days, and retreated like a group of stranded dogs for several days. More than 60,000 subordinates whom he had to be responsible for were isolated and helpless. All of this was slowly eroding the will of the commander.

As an excellent commander, Du Yuming could certainly calculate that the enemy who captured Miyunzhina was so mobile that it would never be a large-scale force like the main force of the 56th Division. According to conventional calculations, at most, there were two regiments, about four or five thousand. The most important thing was that these two regiments had long-distance attacks and seized Miyunzhina, and they were exhausted. He still had four main divisions and more than 60,000 troops. If he ordered the gathering of absolute superior forces and attacking Miyunzhina, he might also open a way to return to China.

But now the Fifth Army is no longer the original Fifth Army. Once they fail to attack Miyunchina, they will be surrounded by the Japanese army that followed closely behind, and the Fifth Army will be destined to be wiped out here!

...

When he heard the order issued by Du Yuming, facing Dai Anlan, who was discussing something together in the 200th Division, Zhou Zhizai, Gao Jiren and Lei Zhen, looked up together.

"Retreat? Bypass Meng Gong's abandoned car and went up the mountain? Go into the mountain to fight guerrilla warfare with the enemy? Wait for an opportunity to enter the border?!"

Listening to the messenger's words, the eyes of the four people were really wider and wider. Finally, Gao Jiren couldn't help but say: "What's wrong with the commander? With the current situation of our army, once we give up cars and tanks and enter the mountains, the command system of the troops will completely fall apart. At that time, we will no longer be a unit, but a scattered soldier, a yor, and a bunch of rigorously trained mobs!"

"I think going into the mountains to fight guerrilla warfare is not suitable for the current situation of our army."

Zhou Zhi held his glasses again, pointed to the map, and said, "This place is full of endless mountains, including primitive jungles characterized by tropical rainforests. Our soldiers have never received survival training in primitive jungles and have no logistics supplies. Not to mention fighting guerrilla warfare, I am afraid that even the most basic survival will not be guaranteed. The most important thing is that this is Myanmar, not China, we are not familiar with the terrain, and the local natives of Myanmar are generally hostile to us, so we cannot get their help at all. How can guerrilla warfare last without the support of the people?"

Dai Anlan kept nodding slightly, but Lei Zhen’s sudden sound made him tremble slightly: “Du Yuming is scared!”

"Du Yuming insists on refusing to retreat to India. This courage is worthy of respect! However, he has been retreating these days, fighting against the enemy bomber fighter repeatedly attacking every day, and isolating and helpless. He must also make up his own decisions and the life and death of tens of thousands of subordinates. The courage of our Commander Du Yuming has probably been worn out!" At this point, Lei Zhen gave an attribution: "No courage, I see that Du Yuming's command is over."

Dai Anlan, Zhou Zhi and Gao Jiren's eyebrows were beating constantly. Lei Zhen's words were so sharp that it was almost unacceptable, but they just understood that this might be the most real reason!

"Report!"

A combat staff member suddenly ran into the temporary criticism headquarters. He lifted the curtain of the military tent and shouted: "Second, Sun Liren ran away with his troops!"

Upon hearing this news, Dai Anlan and others were moved again.

You should know that Sun Liren is not a small role, but a commander of the 38th Division!

Gao Jiren quickly shouted: "What the hell is going on? Tell me carefully!"

"Yes!" The combat staff member gasped for a few breaths and continued to report: "Now some troops have received orders and abandoned their cars and went up the mountain. The troops that went up the mountain first are all in chaos! Everyone is running for the sake of their lives. The officers were still restraining at the beginning, but in the end they followed them! Sun Liren, who was thirty-eight, said that if this continues, the troops must be completely destroyed. It would be better to pull the troops to India, so that they can still preserve a glimmer of life. So he did not lead the troops up the mountain, and suddenly snatched the cars and armored vehicles that other troops had already been thrown at the foot of the mountain, and ran towards India!"

"Bang!"

Dai Anlan's hand relaxed, and the red and blue pencil he held in his hand fell on the military map in front of him. He was not panicked when facing the enemy's surprise attack on the command center; he ordered the shelling command center, and the first shell hit his head, but he was not panicked. He fought with the enemy who was several times more than him in blood, but he did not panicked. But at this time, everyone present could see that Dai Anlan's heart was also confused.

At this time, the other troops who received the order to go up the mountain to fight guerrilla warfare and had been ordered to operate were in chaos!

As the saying goes, a soldier is the courage of a general, and a general is the soul of a soldier. When a general is in trouble first, how can his subordinates not be in trouble?!

Sun Liren took the 38th Division to disobey and turned to India. Regardless of whether his actions were right or wrong, Sun Liren's behavior and the evacuation of the 38th Division undoubtedly carried out the heaviest and final blow to the Fifth Army, a group that had lost its centripetal force due to the loss of control of the commander Du Yuming.

"Let's go out and have a look!"

When Dai Anlan and Lei Zhen and others walked out of the temporary division headquarters quickly, although they were mentally prepared, they were still stunned by the scene in front of them. Looking around, in the mountains and jungles, there were gray figures running wildly everywhere. On the hillside, on both sides of the road, you can see everywhere on the battlefield, which should be regarded as the weapon of the second life by soldiers.

The pride of the 200th Division, those cars and tanks that the country spent so much gold and bought after many twists and turns, were abandoned by their original owners before they could play their role in the battlefield. The door that was opened but no one closed again was still shaking gently, as if they were protesting something in their own way.

Looking at this scene after scene, Dai Anlan and the subordinates whom he trusted the most looked at each other. They all saw five words in each other's eyes... The defeat was like a mountain of defeat!

"Looking at those troops, it seems that they have received orders long ago, so they will become like this," Zhou Zhi was the chief of staff after all. He said in confusion: "In theory, this kind of order should be the commander who summoned the commanders of each division to issue it. At least, a commander should be sent to send commanders at the same time. Why did only our 200th Division receive the commander's commander until this time?"

"Because hesitates!"

Lei Zhen's quiet and cold voice sounded again. It was not until this time that Dai Anlan was surprised to find that perhaps he had experienced too many heart-wrenching past events. Although Lei Zhen was young, he already had a pair of eyes that could almost see through the hearts: "Du Yuming was afraid, but deep in his heart he also knew that his decision was wrong. So he subconsciously kept the 200th Division. If he wanted to renege, at least there was still a main force and room for revolving. However, Commander Du Yuming really ignored the ten-day retreat and the attack on the soldiers of the army. He did not do enough mobilization work and did not stimulate the soldiers' courage again. Those troops that had already gone up the mountain would be powerless to turn things around now if anyone went up!"

Sun Liren ran away with the 38th Division. The 22nd and 96th Divisions have become headless flies running around the mountains in the mountains. The Fifth Army, four main divisions, plus more than 65,000 directly under the army, at this time, they can barely gather into formations and call them troops, and only 200 divisions are left!

"I will go back to the General Staff immediately. Our division in Miyunchina cannot be defeated, but our division must not go up the mountain to fight guerrillas, and it cannot disperse as soon as we go up the mountain. I must find a way back to the country for the 200th division!"

As the saying goes, the sea is full of storms, and only then can the heroic nature be revealed. At this time, the first person to wake up was Chief of Staff Zhou Zhizai. After saluting Dai Anlan, he left without looking back.

"There is nothing wrong with saying that our 200th division must not be dispersed. I immediately gathered the officers above the company level and scolded them. Then I told every soldier through them that the more time it was, the more he had to be held together, otherwise he would die faster!"

Gao Jiren also immediately found his direction and saluted Dai Anlan, Gao Jiren also left.

"We can't produce those cars, tanks, armored vehicles and artillery by ourselves. We bought them from abroad for a lot of gold. We bought these weapons to use them to resist foreign humiliation, and we are definitely not to let the enemy seize them, and then use these weapons to attack our compatriots!"

Lei Zhen raised his hand to Dai Anlan and said in a deep voice: "Since I can't take it away, I will take the spy platoon and blow up all the cars, tanks and armored vehicles!"

On May 10, 1942, the expeditionary force led by Du Yuming was forced to give up his car and enter the Hukang Valley. The only 200 division that entered the valley was deliberately slowed down in order to help the military headquarters resist the pursuers, and was surrounded by the enemy and lost contact with the military headquarters.

Among the mountains of Myanmar, the 200th Division was chased and beaten by enemies several times more than their own. The troops were forced to disperse again and again, and gathered together again and again under the strong cohesion of their officers. In this case, the guerrilla tactics proposed by Commander Du Yuming were not able to be implemented at all. These Chinese soldiers were unfamiliar with the place here and even speechless. Moreover, in recent years, the national independence movement represented by Aung San, the general of Myanmar continued to develop. The local indigenous people hated the British colonists and also hated the Chinese who helped the British army. The guide refused to lead the way for the Chinese army. Not only did Dai Anlan whip his leather boots with a horse whip, the local indigenous people also reported the whereabouts of the Chinese army to the Japanese army. In this case, the 200th Division was always being pursued, not to mention that when other troops entered the mountains, they had become mobs.

Seeing the troops whose control had been scattered after only ten days by the enemy, and whose control had reached the brink of collapse, Dai Anlan couldn't help but smile bitterly. If this continues, there is no supply or support, and there are enemies everywhere. Even the food is eaten up. The 200 division, which has begun to swallow the bark of the tree to satisfy their hunger, can hold on for another three days under the enemy's fierce attack, it is already a miracle!

It was on that night, when he was camping, that Dai Anlan discovered that Lei Zhen was missing, and the spy platoon he led was the one who disappeared with Lei Zhen.

"It's okay if you leave, it's okay if you leave."

Even Dai Anlan didn't notice that his voice was so bitter at this time: "Lei Zhen grew up in the mountains since he was a child. When he arrived here, he was like returning home. In addition, the spy platoon he trained himself, although there were few people, it was more suitable for this kind of mountain guerrilla warfare. They were self-reliant and the possibility of returning to the border alive is much better than following our troops that were about to be disbanded by the enemy."

"No, Master, I and you have the opposite view."

Zhou Zhi said softly again: "I have been with Lei Zhen for so long. Master, you should understand his nature more than anyone else. The cowardice in the battle at the time of battle is definitely not Lei Zhen's style. I think the reason why he left without saying goodbye is that he should have found something that he thinks is more important than following the 200th teacher, but explain to Master, you will never agree with."

Listening to Zhou Zhizai's words, Dai Anlan's face finally showed a look of relief, but after thinking for a moment, Dai Anlan's face changed again, "Zhizai, are you talking..."

"You have said that Lei Zhen is a child who grew up in the mountains. He is more proficient in mountain jungle combat than anyone else. You have said that our 200th division will be disbanded by the enemy."

Zhou Zhi turned his head again and watched them walk step by step with his legs, looking at the trees and stones immersed in the darkness around him, his eyes shining in the darkness. Zhou Zhizai's heart was even more thinking about a question: "Lei Zhen, do you want to lead the spy platoon to constantly harass the enemy through guerrilla warfare, so that they can slow down the attack. However, facing a fierce attack that may be one or several regiments, or even the 56th Division, with your platoon, how much trouble can it cause to them? I really don't want to comment like this, but I can't say that your current behavior is really like... a mantis arm to be a chariot!"

Zhou Zhi guessed it right again, but he guessed it wrong too!

Lei Zhen took the spy platoon and stayed where the 200th Division passed by, but he did not intend to use guerrilla warfare to harass the enemy and disrupt the enemy's attack rhythm. Just as Zhou Zhi said again, harassing a corps or even a division with a mere platoon's troops is tantamount to harassement of a mantis arm and chariot!

Therefore, the first order issued by Lei Zhen to the spy was... "Build a defensive position!"

No one hesitated. Everyone took off their bodies. Under the order of Lei Zhen, they deliberately carried twice as much ammunition, pulled out their engineer shovels, and dug them quickly on the ground. In less than an hour, on the ridge line that is most suitable for humans to walk on this hillside, they dug out a simple trench piled with chest walls and shooting piles.

Pointing behind them, a vertical drop of more than 250 meters, there were rolling mountain lines everywhere, huge stones everywhere, dense jungles were mixed in the middle, and there was a natural mountain hillside behind them, shouting loudly: "Luo Sanpao, there, raise our national flag high!"

Without the flagpole, Luo Sanpao directly cut off a three or four-meter-long tree pole with a machete. Even the branches and burrs on it were not cut off, so he hung the national flag that their spies would carry close to each other wherever they went. When Luo Sanpao brought the bullet holes on this side, he also recorded that their 59th Regiment spies were placed on the land of Myanmar. The most glorious national flag was raised high on the top of the hillside. Facing the strong wind of the mountains, it raised a red color and raised a blue sky and bright sunshine, Lei Zhen shouted suddenly: "Salute!"

"brush!"

It was at this time that forty-two equally powerful right hands were slashing hard and fell to their foreheads at the same time. It was at this time that forty-two pairs of eyes were glowing, and even under the sunlight, they were flashing with drops of water. It was at this time that everyone, led by Lei Zhen, sang the most fearless battle song of their 200 divisions. If history could become eternal, if each of their eyes could see through the fog of history and see the strength and rise of China in the future, if their ears could hear the roar of dragons in the future, they should really laugh out loud, and they should really laugh out loud.

Because the military songs of their 200th divisions were written by the famous patriotic composer Nie Er, who devoted all his efforts to the point of spreading the land of China throughout the ages and allowed thousands of people to sing the marches of the volunteer army!

Military songs are also national anthem! What a glory and how proud it is?!

Get up! People who don’t want to be slaves!

Build our flesh and blood into our new Great Wall!

The Chinese nation is at its most dangerous time.

Everyone was forced to let out the last roar.

Get up! Get up! Get up! Get up!

We are united,

Advance in the enemy's artillery fire!

Advance in the enemy's artillery fire!

Go forward! Go forward! Go forward!

Without gorgeous tunes or pretending to be high, dozens of soldiers, standing in this land destined to be completely covered by war in the near future, they will become a resting place for the dead and the paradise lost in the living, together, and fight for all their love, express all their hatred, pour in all their feelings and no regrets. They are singing hard, they are shouting hard.

When their voices mixed together, tear the sky and cut through the injustice between the sky and the earth, an indescribable feeling was in their blood vessels, in their blood, in their souls, burning little by little, boiling little by little.

When the song ended, the sound of the lingering sound remained and the blood was boiling, Lei Zhen turned around and shouted wildly: "Life is a life, the plants and trees are springing, and it is a vigorous and violent, why regrets of death! I can tell you that I will lead you to snipe the enemy here and cover the retreat of the 200th Division. I can tell you that using a platoon to resist may be a corps or an attack of a division, this is moths to the fire, this is destined to die, and those who do not want to participate can choose to leave by themselves, and I, Lei Zhen, will never force you!"

Before the officers and soldiers of the spy platoon could answer, they suddenly heard a roar: "Who said you are the same platoon?"

Lei Zhen smiled, he really smiled. The officers and soldiers of the spy platoon could not see it, but he could see that about a company's troops, led by a captain, had been inserted into the hillside by them. The high-rise national flag was attracted by the fortifications they built on the mountain line that was most suitable for humans to walk under the hillside.

Those who have not experienced everything will never understand that a group of defeated soldiers, a group of soldiers who were chased by the enemy, but dared not look back, and could not turn back to resist. They suddenly saw their national flag, heard their military songs, and saw a trench representing the perseverance and unyielding war between soldiers and fighting to the death!

"Aren't you afraid of death? Haven't you heard me clearly?"

Lei Zhen stared at the leading captain and shouted: "I want to lead the brothers who are willing to follow me to snipe the pursuers who have been chasing behind the 200th Division! If they dare to pursue a division, then they will at least be a corps. Behind them, they may be the main force of the 56th Division! This is a battle that will surely die, and there is no chance of vitality. Do you really dare to participate?"

"You kid only has one platoon and dozens of people, so you dare to raise the national flag here, dig trenches, and wait to go to the fire with a corps or even a division. I, Xiao Dayong, accept this courage!"

The captain Xiao Dayong patted his chest hard and shouted wildly: "But don't look down on others! Do you think you are the only person, but you dare to fight the enemy to the death? I tell you that there are many people who are not afraid of death! I, Xiao Dayong, told myself more than once along the way that I don't have the courage to stop and take the lead. But if someone really dares to kick the eagle and bite the turtle son bastard behind him, even if he is just a recruit, I, Xiao Dayong, must salute him seriously and stand behind him for his dispatch!"
To be continued...