Shadow Spy

Chapter 409 No choice but to compromise

Churchill thought for a long time, called his confidential secretary, dictated a telegram, and replied to Lord Wavell in Asia.

In the early morning of April 4, Lord Wavell, who had just fallen asleep, was woken up by his adjutant. He saw Churchill's reply. After studying it for a while, he sighed and ordered his adjutant to record the draft of his oral telegram and send it to General Irvine in Burma. Went to new command.

Lieutenant General Alvin, who has just taken office as a new officer, has set strict rules for his adjutants. Especially when he is sleeping, no one is allowed to disturb him. This is partly to establish his dignity, and partly because he has a serious condition. People with insomnia require the help of sleeping pills every time to fall asleep. If they are forcibly awakened during this period, it will cause great damage to the body.But in the early morning of that day, the adjutant had no choice but to wake him up. For this reason, the adjutant was ready to be kicked out to the front-line army.

After Alvin was woken up, he was a little dazed for a moment. Being woken up in the early hours of the morning was an experience he had not had in several years after being promoted to general. He shook his head and took the wet bottle handed to him by the adjutant. He wiped his face with a towel, became more awake, and looked at his adjutant with a dissatisfied expression.

The adjutant said hurriedly: "General, Sir Wavell called urgently and requested that it be implemented immediately." After speaking, he handed over the telegram.

Of course, Alvin knew that the adjutant would not dare to wake him up unless something urgent happened, so he did not get angry at this time, but calmed down and took the telegram to read it.

In the telegram, Wavell asked him to immediately communicate with the Allied India-Burma Theater Command so that the main force of the British-Burmese Army could completely withdraw from Burma and assemble in India.To this end, "appropriate" concessions can be made during the negotiation process, and the specific standards will be controlled by Lieutenant General Irwin, provided that the interests of the British Empire are safeguarded as much as possible.

After reading the telegram, Alvin pinched his teeth and felt helpless!

He knew that this telegram showed that the British government and even the military's pressure on the United States and the Chinese Expeditionary Force had definitely failed. Lord Wavell had no other choice but to put the blame on himself!

But the question is, what can he do!Judging from the current situation, the United States and China are determined to maintain the dignity of the Allied Theater Command, and it is impossible to let the British troops withdraw from the front line!
Ask him to communicate with the Allied India-Myanmar Command, what can he say?

Alvin, who couldn't sleep anymore after being woken up, simply asked his adjutant to wake up all the officers on the staff (I couldn't sleep well, so you don't have to sleep either), and let's just have a meeting!

All the officers who were woken up from their sleep for the meeting were very dissatisfied. After circulating Wavell's telegram, they all pouted and secretly cursed: This stubborn "one-eyed dragon" is really annoying!
It was Wavell who ordered the British-Burmese army to retreat from Rangoon before. Without even a decent battle, they gave up the colony they had occupied for decades, causing the British army to lose face; finally, the British-Burmese army The 1st Division and the 17th Division of the British-Indian Army fought two decent battles in Tonggu and Degon and achieved very "brilliant" results. The Allies sent congratulatory messages, but Wavell ordered them to abandon their forward positions. Evacuate north!

At this time, the Allied forces couldn't stand it anymore and directly blocked the retreating British troops, claiming that the British troops were deserters!Presumably, this news will spread back to Europe and the United States soon, and the British military's face will be lost across the Pacific and Atlantic this time!

In this case, the old guy had no choice but to throw the problem back to the British and Burmese troops and let them think of a solution!Many people mentally raised their middle fingers to Wavell, the British general.

Seeing that the officers participating in the meeting were silent, Alvin could only say: "Everyone, please tell me, what should we do now?"

The officers were still silent, and no one spoke for a long time.Just when Alvin couldn't help but get angry, a major staff officer raised his hand and said: "General, I think that since your Lordship himself cannot help our British and Burmese troops to withdraw north safely, it is better not to withdraw at all and continue. It’s just a fight…”

Another staff officer followed: "Yes! Did the 17th Division fight well in Degong and the 1st Division in Tonggu? This shows that our British-Burmese army still has combat effectiveness. Why do we have to risk offending the Allies? Do you have to retreat if you take risks?”

"However, Your Excellency did not revoke the previous retreat order..." someone said.

"FU..." A young staff officer quickly covered his mouth after saying half a word, but everyone knew what he was going to say.However, no one reprimanded him, even Lieutenant General Alvin pretended not to hear.

After another period of silence, a colonel officer said: "The Lord's telegram said that 'appropriate concessions can be made during the negotiation process', then we will make concessions! As long as the theater headquarters agrees to the British and Burmese troops withdrawing northward, that will be enough. Isn’t it?”

Alvin looked at the colonel and said, "In that case, how far will we have to compromise?"

"I don't know!" the colonel spread his hands and said, "First contact the Allied India-Myanmar Command and let's negotiate!"

Other officers agreed with the colonel's statement. After all, they had no other choice.

"Okay!" Alvin thought for a while and could only nod in agreement with the suggestion.
-
On April 4, the Indo-Burmese Allied Forces Headquarters in Lashio received a telegram from the British-Burmese Army Headquarters. The main meaning was that a special person would be sent to Lashio to meet with General Stilwell to discuss the "British-Burmese Army" "Move defense" thing.

After seeing the telegram, Stilwell called back to the British and Burmese troops. He was currently on medical leave. The work of the Allied Forces Command was handled by General Panson, the deputy commander of the theater. He invited General Alvin and General Panson, who was "supervising the war" in Tonggu. connect.

Alvin was very helpless after receiving Stilwell's reply. He could only find a way to contact Tonggu, but he felt in his heart that he, a lieutenant general in the British Empire's army, was negotiating directly with a major general in the US military. It was really unreasonable!

At this time, someone came up with the idea that Major General Yuen, the commander of the 17th Division of the British Indian Army, had had contact with Li Junhao before and had "fought together" (Yuen said). It would be better to let him be the representative to negotiate. It happened that Degong was leaving. It is not far from ancient times.

Alvin was overjoyed when he heard this and immediately obeyed.

Major General Youn, who received the telegram, first expressed his contempt for Alvin's order, and then thought that the current war situation in Myanmar was a bit complicated, and he could just take the opportunity to meet Mr. American Observer... Oh, it is still the Allied Forces of India and Myanmar. Deputy Commander!
That afternoon, Major General You En drove to Tonggu with only one platoon of guards and made an appointment with Li Junhao.

(End of this chapter)