Age of Rebirth

Chapter [-] Flesh flying across Mandalay ([-])

Tang Qiuli launched a sudden full-line attack on the line from Myitkyina to the Hukang Valley at the junction of eastern India and Burma, which was unexpected by both the British and the Japanese. After more than ten hours of fighting, he overcame the Myitkyina China opened up the channel for the British army to retreat westward to India.

This is also the main part of the agreement he reached with Alexander and Stilwell in Tengchong. The independent division sent troops to Burma to rescue the British troops surrounded by the Japanese army in Mandalay. Tang Qiuli did this, and, to be picky, if If you have to pick a bone in the egg, the troops of the Independent Division did not attack the Japanese army in the direction of Mandalay. This is the only place that can be used as an issue.

However, when the agreement was signed, Tang Qiuli solemnly declared that the military operations of the Independent Division in Burma would not be under the command of any organization or country. Moreover, the capture of Myitkyina and the opening of the passage for the British army to withdraw westward must also be carried out. The battle, the actual situation, the British can say, Tang Qiuli has prepared everything for you British, and the next thing is for you British.

Tang Qiuli's second telegram flew from Bhamo in northern Myanmar to Alexander who was still stranded in Tengchong. Alexander was taken aback. Although he had a certain understanding of the combat effectiveness of the Independent Division, he did not expect it. The passage from Myitkyina to the Hukang River Valley, which was regarded as a treacherous route by the four 10,000+ British and Burmese troops, was opened up in less than twelve hours. [

Alexander was astonished and clicked his tongue, feeling an unspeakable bitterness in his heart. At first, because the Japanese occupied Myitkyina, all his troops did not even dare to go north to attack and open a passage to withdraw to India. We could only gather hedgehogs in Mandalay, but the Japanese made dumplings.

All the problems are concentrated in my own hands. Withdrawing obstacles to the west, what the British should do is my own business. It seems that in front of Alexander, the only way to go is to break through, but Alexander hesitates, and he has no idea. However, all previous deployments revolved around the squadron attacking the Japanese army in Mandalay.

But now, if the British army is to break out of the siege by itself, facing more than 50 fierce and abnormal Japanese soldiers, can the breakout be successful?Alexander wanted to send a telegram to Tang Qiuli, urging his troops to go south to Mandalay immediately, but thinking about it, he thought it was absurd. Tang Qiuli could have replied, "The troops are on their way south to Mandalay, please break out immediately. , Our independent division troops are on the way to meet them."

In the end, the British still have to support themselves. After the second telegram was sent from Tang Qiuli in Bhamo, northern Myanmar, Alexander still did not reply. He has already seen through the mind of the British guy, and the door to India is open. It was a great temptation, but Alexander was not sure about breaking through the siege of the Japanese army and successfully breaking out from Mandalay, so he hesitated.

However, at this time, the British couldn't help but hesitate. The battle to attack Myitkyina has been going on for more than ten hours. It is impossible for Genzaburo Ito, who surrounded Mandalay, to not notice that once he adjusts his deployment, the British army's breakout operation will definitely It became more difficult. In fact, for his own hesitation and suspicion, Alexander planted a disastrous root for the British army who broke out of Mandalay.

The independent division did not fight Mandalay, but Myitkyina. It was not in Alexander's mind. If it wasn't for the Japanese and British to strangle each other in Mandalay and consume each other, Tang Qiuli would not have spent so much time. Do your best to pave the way for the British. You British are willing to surrender and be prisoners. It's none of my business!

Chang Feng saw Tang Qiuli frowned slightly, thoughtfully, and reminded: "Master, should I send another telegram to Alexander, telling the British that we will send troops to the north of Mandalay?" Response? This can also determine the determination of the British to break through."

Tang Qiuli shook his head and said: "No, our goal is to have a bloody battle between the British and the Japanese army. If we send troops to respond, as the British always do, they will throw all the pressure of being pursued by the Japanese army on us. , In this way, wouldn’t it be contrary to our original intention to send troops to Burma and fight for the British.”

"By the way, Chang Feng, put a fire under Alexander's ass, call him again, and tell him that I have already reported the situation of recovering Myitkyina and opening the passage to withdraw from India to the Allied China Theater Headquarters, since Alexander still wanted us to deal with the Japanese, so he kicked the ball to his feet, and everything that happened in the future is related to us."

Chang Feng asked suspiciously: "Master, is this useful? Our military operations are not restricted by the Allied China Theater Headquarters?" Tang Qiuli smiled slyly and said: "This is the art of struggle. This telegram As soon as it came out, everyone in the world knows that we have done everything we should do. If the British are not afraid of losing face, they will follow their own way. Although the British have thick skins, it is estimated that they will not be able to stand it this time."

At this time, the street fighting in the urban area of ​​Myitkyina was still in full swing. Alexander received Tang Qiuli's third telegram and read it with mixed feelings. It feels like being on fire, Tang Qiuli has already done what he has done, and only gave him one way. If he does not break through, the city of Mandalay will be destroyed, and the entire army of more than [-] British Imperial Army will be wiped out. He couldn't find Tang Qiuli's fault no matter what, so he could only bear it by himself.

On the night of June [-], at [-]:[-], Alexander was in Tengchong, and sent a long telegram to Major General Francis, the chief of staff of the British army in Mandalay, "Francis, Tang Qiuli's troops, have opened up Myitkyina is in the hands of the Chinese as the channel to withdraw from India to the west. Therefore, our only choice is to break through to the north and implement our established plan. The breakout time can be set at [-] o'clock in the morning. I hope you will do it carefully. Deploy to ensure the success of the breakout, note, this breakout plan has been approved by the Allied China Theater Headquarters."

It has been more than five hours since Tang Qiuli sent the first telegram to the British army in Mandalay to break out of the order given by Alexander. Under the rapidly changing battlefield environment, these precious five hours are so cunning in Alexander. Under the leadership of insidious thinking, it was wasted in vain. If the British army organized a breakout immediately, and the Japanese army was not fully prepared, they would have been caught by surprise, and the difficulties and losses would have been much smaller.

On the night of June [-]th, at [-] o'clock sharp, General Ito Genzaburo, the supreme commander of the Japanese army outside Mandalay, received a farewell telegram from Terauchi Shouichi, who was still fighting trapped beasts in the city of Myitkyina. , "Ito-kun, Myitkyina is lonely in the north of Burma, and it is the only channel for the British army to withdraw westward to India. Although the location is important, it is extremely vulnerable to the attack of Tang Qiuli's troops. I sent the rest of the army to the south of Myitkyina, which is similar to a lone army Outside, the situation is dangerous."

"If Myitkyina is attacked, it must be Tang Qiuli's move to meet the besieged British troops in Mandalay City. The development of the situation, according to my misfortune, is that Myitkyina was besieged by the independent division. Now, Our imperial troops from this area to the Hukang River Valley have been completely disintegrated, Myitkyina is engaged in fierce street fighting, and my headquarters has been violently bombarded."

"At this moment, everything I have done is for the sake of the Japanese Imperial Army. When Myitkyina was besieged by the independent division, Ito-kun did not send reinforcements to the north, and today's ending is already doomed. , our department will fight to the last person, and I myself will also cut myself open to thank His Majesty the Emperor for his kindness, and a final reminder, in case the British break out of the encirclement, Shuichi in the temple will be cut off from electricity in Myitkyina."

After receiving the telegram from Terauchi Shouichi, Ito Yanzaburo's inner emotions were extremely complicated. He could see Terauchi Shouichi's determination and the hidden meaning of blame. , On the strategic chessboard in Southeast Asia, it is an insignificant abandoned child, but after all, it is of the same blood, they are all soldiers of His Majesty the Emperor, and excellent descendants of the Japanese Empire. Regarding the end of Shouichi Terauchi, Ito is also full of heart. With sorrow.

It's not that Ito doesn't want to support Myitkyina, but his appetite is too big. One guy has bitten more than 40 British and Burmese troops. It's a big stuffing and thin-skinned. How many reinforcements are appropriate?If it is too little, it will not help, but instead, it will send a snack to the Chinese people. If there is too much, once the British in Mandalay make a move, they will be overwhelmed.

Destroying four 10,000+ British and Burmese troops without fighting is certainly Ito's established strategy, but in his heart, he is not afraid that once the British are desperate, Mandalay will be a protracted and bloody battle. With the strength in Mandalay, it is absolutely possible to fight off a dozen or two 10,000+ soldiers from the Japanese Southeast Asian Expedition. [

Therefore, Ito would rather simmer and simmer, and consume the morale and fighting spirit of the British a little bit, rather than attack Mandalay with a strong bow and a hard horse. There is a saying in China, "The rabbit bites when it is anxious," let alone four 10,000+ Heavily armed soldiers of the British Burmese Army?

The British want to break out of the siege, well, just dig the trap and wait for the prey to take the bait. It is also for the samurai of the Great Japanese Empire in Myitkyina to recover some blood debts. Ito Gensaburo smiled coldly and ordered: : "The [-]rd Army, [-]th Army, [-]th Army, [-]st, [-]rd, and [-]th Tank Brigades that surrounded the northern part of Mandalay, immediately get out of the line of defense, let the British out of the city, and rush to the north of Mandalay Set up an ambush at Libao, thirty kilometers away."

Yansaburo Ito sent out an ambush force of 10,000+ people, and also equipped with a large number of heavy artillery brigades and tank brigades. The direction for the British to break through can only be Myitkyina, which is due north. Ito is preparing to break out in the British army On the way, the British army who had beaten the strong city was caught off guard. During the movement, they killed the British and saved the casualties of the siege.

At this time, there were still more than two hours before [-]:[-] am on June [-]th. At [-]:[-] am, the British army in Mandalay finally started the breakout operation. The first to set off was the [-]th Mechanized Division of the British Army , the Whiteman Royal Tank Battalion, who served as the vanguard of the division, was the first to rush out of the city of Mandalay, which had been besieged for ten days, under the command of the battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Whiteman.

(To be continued)

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