noffsinger Chapter 157 The Struggle Before Defeat
Chapter 157 The Struggle Before Defeat
Mutaguchi Ren'ya was now very troubled. The Chinese were getting stronger and stronger, and their morale, equipment, and combat awareness had far surpassed those of the Japanese. On the other hand, the Japanese soldiers' equipment remained the same, but their age had changed significantly, with more and more soldiers in their 40s and teens. Besides rifles, the squadrons, battalions, and regiments had fewer and fewer other weapons, such as machine guns, grenade launchers, and artillery. They used to have canned food, but now they had to rely on local requisitions. Southeast Asia was still okay, with grain-producing areas, and rice balls were still enough, but meat was becoming increasingly scarce. Some troops were now forced to organize their own hunting, which meant sweeping the surrounding area and grabbing whatever they could. This resulted in Japanese soldiers not daring to leave their bases alone, as so-called resistance fighters and guerrillas were everywhere. Mutaguchi Ren was also very clear that many people did not have guns at all. Northern Myanmar was a multi-ethnic region with tough people. Their survival in the mountains had forged their indomitable character. Without guns, all kinds of primitive weapons were sharp weapons in their hands. The Japanese army was already surrounded by a vast ocean of people, so how could they resist the aggressive Chinese!
The 114th Regiment reported that all the outposts outside Mengguan had been lost, and the troops suffered heavy losses. They could only retreat to Mengguan City for the time being; the 23rd Regiment was retreating step by step on the Yansai and Goren lines, and several squadrons lost contact. Some troops had to retreat into the depths of the primeval forest to avoid the attack of the Chinese army; the 35th Regiment was still intact. This was an order directly issued by Mutaguchi Ren'ya bypassing the division headquarters, asking them to establish a defense line along the Myitkyina line. At the same time, various independent brigades were also recruited to establish strongholds along the Myitkyina line. Mutaguchi Ren'ya cruelly ordered all units to sweep along the line and implement the policy of clearing the fields. These unruly people in northern Myanmar were just the best laborers for building bunkers and strongholds.
All units of the 33rd Division also received orders to move south, except for those left behind to defend important strongholds. It was no longer meaningful to wipe out the guerrillas, and the guerrillas were no longer what they used to be. They received continuous airdrops from the US military, and were equipped with a large number of rocket launchers, mortars, and machine guns. Their range of activities was constantly expanding. The 33rd Division and its attached security brigade could no longer fight in squadrons, and even battalion-level troops were hit.
Mutaguchi Ren'ya continued to shrink his troops, preparing to launch a decisive battle with the Chinese army in the area centered on Myitkyina. He knew very well that if this battle could not effectively stop the Chinese army's offensive, then the Japanese army's withdrawal from northern Burma would be an inevitable trend.
On the other hand, in the 33rd Army, Watanabe Masao was also very distressed. The 56th Division was no longer as arrogant as when it first arrived in Myanmar. The Battle of Baoshan in southern Yunnan had ended, and the balance of power between the two sides that had lasted for more than a year was broken. The commander of the 113th Regiment was killed in battle, and the entire regiment was almost wiped out. In Tengchong, part of the 146th Regiment, with the support of a battalion of the 56th Search Regiment, was fighting fiercely with the New 6th Army of the Chinese Army. Watanabe Masao had ordered the 56th Division to withdraw to the southern Yunnan border line. Once the Tengchong battle failed, the various units would quickly withdraw to the northeastern Myanmar region. At the same time, he ordered the 54th Division and various security brigades to speed up the suppression of the guerrilla army in northeastern Myanmar. Watanabe cruelly ordered that in northeastern Myanmar, the Zen Gang and the Chinese would all be eliminated!
In the Burma Front, Watanabe Shozo had already received orders from the Southern Army to withdraw the 31st Division. This left the main Japanese forces in Burma with the 18th, 33rd, 53rd, 54th, and 56th Divisions. The 115th, 203rd, and 211th Divisions, formed from the Security Brigades, were clearly inadequate to handle the heavy lifting in terms of organization, equipment, and combat effectiveness. The Imperial Headquarters also hinted that, if all else failed, the Burma Front could abandon northern Burma and focus its efforts on securing Central and Lower Burma, where the Japanese army held crucial oil fields and other supplies. The port of Rangoon, in particular, could not be lost. Otherwise, the Malay Peninsula would become a key Allied target, and the Japanese army's carefully cultivated Southeast Asian stronghold would crumble.
Watanabe Masamitsu gave the Burmese Independence Army greater power, and at the same time, asked the Burmese to assume more responsibilities. He asked Watanabe Masao to transfer the 54th Division to the south, and ordered part of the Burmese Independence Army and the 203rd Division to take over the 54th Division's defense line. The Burmese Independence Army will assume the responsibility of clearing out the Zen Gang and the Chinese.
Watanabe Shozo planned to concentrate the 53rd and 54th Divisions on the Magway line, particularly the Yenangyaung oil fields, which he had to defend at all costs. He also focused the air force's air defense operations on this line. At the same time, he ordered Mutaguchi Ren'ya's 28th Army to secretly move south to establish a crucial defensive perimeter around Mandalay. As for Myitkyina, Watanabe was reluctant to abandon it for the time being. His plan was venomous: he had the 18th Division fight a desperate battle with the Chinese army in Myitkyina. He also ordered security forces to accelerate the destruction of roads and facilities in northern Myanmar. He even secretly ordered some of the Kachin and other ethnic minorities who had defected to him, as well as Chinese scum, to form a punitive force. Under the guise of a guerrilla army, they would burn, kill, and loot along roads that the Chinese army might open in northern Myanmar, thereby creating ethnic tensions in the region.
In Lesa, the Qinshi Burmese Guerrilla Army headquarters has relocated there. Multiple intelligence sources indicate that the Japanese army is struggling before collapse, and unidentified armed groups have been spotted sabotaging under the guise of the guerrilla army. Liu Xiao, with a direct detachment of the First Column, has rushed there, determined to eliminate these enemies impersonating the guerrilla army. Luo Bing, with the Second Column, has departed for northeastern Burma. There, the Third Guerrilla Column (the Chinese Guerrilla Column) is facing a difficult time. Enemy forces are engaged in widespread burning, looting, and depopulation, leaving many areas depopulated. The Chan and Chinese communities there are facing brutal persecution.
Qin Shi and Wei Wei are already married. At this moment, Wei Wei is pregnant, but she has greater responsibilities and the workload of the Intelligence Department is getting heavier. Qin Shi is very worried about her health.
After visiting Wei Wei, Qin Shi returned to headquarters. Deputy Commander Zhou Hu was discussing with Tang Xuesi that the First Detachment of the First Column was preparing a secret southward advance, awaiting an opportunity to launch a surprise attack on Bhamo. Bhamo, south of Myitkyina, was the core point of the western section of the old Burma Road and a crucial stronghold on the new Sino-Indian Highway (Stilwell Road). The Irrawaddy River Bridge near Bhamo was particularly crucial, a crucial transportation hub. Qin Shi and Zhou Hu had discussed the need for the guerrilla army to prevent the destruction of key roads and bridges by the Japanese. The guerrilla army was determined to protect the Bhamo Bridge, no matter the cost!
Qin Shi asked the two, "How is the planning going? Is there any chance of taking the bridge by surprise?"
Zhou Hu and the others saw Qin Shi return. They had already discussed a number of options, all of which were risky, so they shook their heads at Qin Shi. Tang Xuesi took the initiative and said, "The results of the reconnaissance and terrain survey are very disappointing. A Japanese security brigade of over 800 people is specifically responsible for defending the bridge and its surroundings. If the First Detachment forces a surprise attack, casualties will be heavy. This is mainly because reinforcements from the surrounding enemies will continue to arrive, and the First Detachment may not be able to hold on!"