Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Chapter 477: Terauchi Juichi's determination, as ruthless as a hero cutting off his arm, Yangon is gone! (Subscribe)
Joint Command, North Yangon, Myanmar.

The smoke of the Biaoguan encirclement and annihilation battle had not yet completely dissipated, but the joy of victory was about to be delivered to all troops. The commendation order from the Chinese theater's highest command had already been sent to the joint command on the front line via an encrypted telegram.

This order officially issued by the Shancheng Military Committee is undoubtedly the highest recognition of this great victory.

The telegram clearly pointed out that in order to honor the generals who had outstanding command and military exploits in the "Biaoguan Victory", it was decided to award the fourth-class Baoding Medal to the following personnel:

General Sun Liren, commander of the newly formed 38th Division: He led his troops to make a detour at a critical moment, severely damaging and encircling the main force of the Japanese 55th Division, and made great contributions.

General Liu Bolun, commander of the newly formed 28th Division: led his troops to cooperate with the defenders of Biaoguan and launched a tenacious counterattack, creating favorable conditions for the final encirclement and annihilation of the enemy.

General Dai Anlan, commander of the 200th Division: He commanded the troops, fought bloody battles, endured tremendous pressure on the front battlefield, and responded quickly to the troops' actions.

Colonel Feng Wenxiang, commander of the 14th Regiment of the newly formed 11th Army: He led the officers and soldiers of the regiment, fought bravely, was the first to break through the enemy's defense lines, and made great contributions to opening a breakthrough in the battle.

In the office, Chu Yunfei and Stilwell looked at the original telegram side by side.

General Stilwell's face was full of praise: "Good! Very good! This is the honor they deserve! This commendation will have a huge impact on the morale of all the expeditionary forces!"

Chu Yunfei nodded seriously, his eyes deep.

Of course, he was happy for his comrades-in-arms to receive the honor, but he also keenly discovered that this Baoding Medal directly awarded by Shancheng not only rewards military merits.

I'm afraid it also carries with it the political considerations of the command's clear achievements and the anchoring of military merits.

Since the Datong encirclement and annihilation campaign, they have not achieved the feat of completely annihilating the enemy's combat units in an organized manner for a long time.

And this time, the battle was in a foreign country and was so crucial.

The awarding of the fourth-class Baoding Medal is, in the final analysis, just an attitude of the command.

The priority of an expeditionary battlefield is actually not as high as that of a domestic battlefield.

In any case, the victory is real and the honor is earned with the blood of the soldiers.

He looked at Sun Ming and said, "Immediately send the commendation orders to the commanders of the winning units and spread the message to the entire army to commend the military achievements and boost morale!"

"Yes! Sir!" Sun Ming saluted excitedly, turned around and left quickly.

For the soldiers fighting on the front lines.

There is no greater consolation for their sacrifice than recognition from the High Command.

"Mr. Stilwell, it's time to launch our public opinion offensive!" Chu Yunfei added with a smile.

The so-called public opinion offensive was a means discussed by the two to publicize the achievements of the expeditionary force.

In essence, it was to use the power of the media to magnify the necessity of the Southeast Asian battlefield, to flatter and even deify the opponents of the expeditionary force, to elevate the strategic positioning of the expeditionary force, and to gain more aid and material support in the United States.

the other side.

Yangon, temporary frontline command post
At the edge of the city, the air was filled with an indescribable mixed smell - the salty smell of sea water, the burnt smell of an unextinguished fire, the slight stench of rotting matter, and the faint smell of gunpowder.

Broken walls and ruins can be seen everywhere, and the sound of gunfire faintly heard in the distance is like dull background music, indicating that this place is still the focus of the war.

The battle line continued to advance. Although the commander of the 18th Division of the Japanese Army was insane, his fighting spirit was the strongest among all the enemies Huang Baitao had ever encountered.

The configuration of the 18th Division is also based on Type A combat forces, and its combat effectiveness is quite strong.

Even with full artillery support.

Both sides also need to fight for each house and street one by one.

In a temporary command post converted from a bombed-out warehouse and filled with sandbags, Huang Baitao, commander of the newly formed 11th Army, put down the encrypted telegram from the joint command in his hand.

The content of the telegram was extremely concise. It did not contain the expected order for a general attack. It only reported the commendation for Guan Dajie and required all front-line units to "consolidate existing positions, strengthen vigilance, and be on standby for action."

His weather-beaten, angular face was slightly furrowed in an imperceptible frown.

The final title of the telegram was not Stilwell, but Chu Yunfei.

Every little change in detail is actually a reminder to the generals on the front line.

This is the true will from the joint command.

Holding a cup of steaming coffee, deputy army commander Zhang Dongkai carefully walked around the command center and came to Huang Baitao.

He noticed the thoughtful look on the commander's face: "Commander, has the order for the general attack not been issued yet?"

"No, and this is what Chief Chu meant. I don't understand."

He watched Huang Baitao take the coffee but not drink the water, his eyes still fixed on the huge map of Yangon and surrounding battles.

"The Fifth Army, the Sixth Army, the Sixty-Sixth Army, and our new Eleventh Army are all elite troops.

What about the Japanese troops on the opposite side?

The main force, the 55th Division, was completely wiped out, and now there are only about 3,000 Japanese soldiers defending Rangoon.

Even if we add the other second-line troops and the Marines they have put together, at most there will be two and a half divisions of troops!"

Huang Baitao moved his baton back and forth on the map: "Commander Chu has never issued an order for a general attack. There must be other reasons. Could it be the chairman's intention?"

Zhang Dongkai was startled, then nodded slightly: "It's not impossible. After all, the chairman has asked Chief Chu to come out several times before."

He saw Huang Baitao sigh, so he didn't continue.

"In a protracted battle, the cost of supplies, food supplies, and the evacuation of the wounded are all astronomical. Why does Commander Chu continue to waste time like this instead of deciding the outcome in one battle?"

Huang Baitao's voice is actually the voice of the vast majority of soldiers fighting on the front lines.

In fact, they couldn't understand why the commander who had shared life and death with them and made outstanding military achievements had not yet issued the order for a general attack.

Could it be that you have no confidence in their ability to counterattack and win?
Huang Baitao couldn't hold back his temper when he thought of this, and he turned his head to look at the phone beside him.

After pondering for a moment, he picked it up and put it down several times.

Finally, he said, "Dong Kai, you continue to command the battle. I'm going to the joint command center."

"General." Zhang Dongkai's eyes tightened, and then he nodded firmly: "Please rest assured, General, I will definitely wipe out the remaining enemies in the port as soon as possible!"
-

Japanese Army, Southern Army Headquarters
Almost at the same time as the Shancheng commendation order was issued.

The Tokyo headquarters is also reviewing the battle that just ended.

And urgently adjusted the strategic deployment of the entire Southeast Asian battlefield.

The atmosphere in General Terauchi Juichi's office was as heavy as iron.

Spread out on the table were the latest instructions from the headquarters, as well as a plan for the reorganization of the Southern Army drawn up in accordance with its spirit.

The disastrous defeat at Biaoguan was like a loud slap in the face, which completely awakened the optimism within the Southern Army. They were forced to face reality, shrink the front line, and reintegrate their forces.

The headquarters' orders were severe and clear: due to the major changes in the war situation and the strategic position of the Thai Empire as the "Southern Lifeline" and an important part of the "Absolute National Defense Circle".

In order to unify command, effectively integrate resources, strengthen the offensive against the remaining non-occupied areas in Southeast Asia and the defense of the entire territory of Thailand, it is decided that:
The existing numbers of the 15th Army (Myanmar side) and the 25th Army (Malaysia and Singapore side) will be abolished.

The command structures and remnant troops of the former 15th Army and 25th Army were merged, and reinforcements were added to formally form the "Thai-Burma Front Army."

The front headquarters was located in Bangkok, with General Terauchi Hisaichi serving as the commander of the front, responsible for unified command of all Imperial Army and its affiliated units in Thailand and the border areas.

The newly formed "Thai-Burma Front Army".

Its combat sequence also reflects the dilemma of the Japanese army being stretched to its limits and forced to rely on its vassal army:
Three divisions: (but it is expected that the 18th Division, which will be withdrawn from Yangon for rest and recuperation in the near future, and the main forces or backbones of the 33rd and 56th Divisions currently deployed in the west and on the Thai-Myanmar border) will serve as the basic strike force and defensive core of the front.

Regular newly formed mixed brigades: two temporarily formed by supplementary troops drawn from the original divisions, rear garrison troops and some light troops) are used to fill gaps in the defense line and perform garrison tasks in secondary directions. Their combat effectiveness cannot be compared with that of the divisions.

A pseudo-Thai army division: (provided by the pro-Japanese Thai government) ostensibly supporting combat, but in fact more responsible for maintaining public security and clearing out local resistance forces.

Two pseudo-Burmese army corps: (adapted or expanded from the "Burma Independence Army" supported by Japan) were used to assist the Japanese army in combat on the border and maintain order in the occupied areas, but their loyalty and combat effectiveness were questionable.

Terauchi Hisaichi was looking at a new staffing list, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table.

This order tantamount to the end of the Imperial Army's ability to take the initiative in the battlefield. The strategic focus had completely shifted to defense, and the core goal became to defend Thailand.

And carefully maintain the existing occupied areas to prevent the war from spreading to mainland Thailand.

He remembered Lin Canghui's previous advice - retreat, hold on, and divert resources to China.

Now, the decision of the headquarters partially confirms Lin Canghui's judgment, at least in terms of shrinking the front line and integrating forces.

A new front army was formed, but the battle was far from over. At this point in time, the Japanese had already begun to forcibly recruit local Thais to repair the Thai-Burma Highway in order to cope with the next large-scale offensive.

The devils are in urgent need of oil resources.

Can only be obtained in Yenangyaung.

Defense was impossible, and the only option left to them was offense.

At this time, even if they took the initiative to negotiate with the Americans, they would never be able to obtain favorable conditions.

At the beginning of the war, the thoughts of the navy's "elites".

Even including Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto who planned it, many of them knew that with Japan's national strength, it could never be a real rival to the United States.

Perhaps what they really wanted was just to scare the Americans through a short, glorious victory, forcing them to return to the negotiating table and recognize the empire's sphere of influence in East Asia.

The most important thing is to lift the oil embargo on Japan!

That was the real trigger of the war!
The funny thing is that once the wheel of war starts rolling, it can never be stopped easily.

Today, the Japs are stuck in a quagmire, and the original idea of ​​"limited war" has long been shattered.

Terauchi Juichi took a deep breath, trying to calm his turbulent emotions.

give up?

No, this word must never appear in the dictionary of our country's soldiers.

He sat back at the table and looked at the new 18th Division battle report handed to him by the chief of staff.

Casualties continued to rise, ammunition reserves were running low, some positions were lost, and the artillery fire from the newly formed 11th Army was becoming increasingly fierce.

"Another strict order! Lieutenant General Mutaguchi Ren'ya, commander of the 18th Division: Immediately stop all unrealistic fantasies of holding on. The front army orders that the planned retreat plan must be implemented immediately!"

He emphasized the key part of the order with a heavier tone: "Before organizing the withdrawal of troops, you must, at all costs, use all the engineering forces in your hands and all the explosives you can find to carry out thorough and devastating destruction of all the remaining docks, warehouses, lifting equipment, oil depots, docks and related ancillary facilities in the Yangon Port area!

Make sure that it completely loses any military and economic value to the enemy for a considerable period of time in the future!
This is a death order, no discounts or delays allowed!"

"Repeat: Execute immediately! The Southern Army will mobilize all air forces to provide cover for the 18th Division's retreat and demolition operations as much as possible!"
-

Boom, boom!
An earth-shaking explosion sounded.

Huge, orange-red fireballs mixed with thick black smoke columns shot up into the sky one after another, instantly engulfing the entire port.

The solid reinforced concrete pier was shattered in the explosion, with twisted steel bars exposed and sinking into the muddy river water along with a large amount of rubble and soil;

The numerous warehouses, towering cranes, oil tanks and warehouses storing precious materials were easily destroyed like building blocks, turning into piles of burning ruins and flying debris.

This was a devastating explosion that the Japanese army had planned for a long time. It was a carefully calculated, systematic and thorough destruction!

In a short period of time, Myanmar's most important deep-water port and Southeast Asia's transportation hub was almost razed to the ground amid deafening explosions, and its infrastructure was completely destroyed.

Zhang Dongkai's face was filled with shock, his body trembling slightly with anger and fear.

"Crazy! The Japanese are completely crazy!"

The telescope in his hand slipped out of his hand, and he muttered to himself, his voice trembling with excitement: "There are at least a thousand Japanese soldiers on the port. How dare they carry out such an explosion and bombing!"

Just as explosions were occurring one after another at the port and the air was filled with smoke, a sharp and shrill air raid sirens suddenly pierced the sky!

Immediately afterwards, a large number of Japanese planes attacked from different directions.

The Zero fighters were responsible for gaining air superiority and low-altitude strafing, while the Type 99 twin-engine light bombers and Type 97 heavy bombers carried heavy bombs.

They swooped down like dark clouds, covering the entire sky under the setting sun.

As for their target, it was precisely the vanguard of the expeditionary force that was cautiously advancing towards the ruins of the port area while the main force of the Japanese army was retreating!
Bombs rained down like hail, blasting deadly balls of fire and columns of smoke over the frontier positions and along the lines of attack;

The Zero fighters were like bloodthirsty vultures, repeatedly flying low over the ground, frantically firing at all moving targets on the ground with machine guns and 20mm cannons.

The attacking force was caught off guard and immediately fell into great chaos. The slight sense of relief that had just arisen from the enemy's retreat disappeared, and was replaced by heavy casualties and forced retreat.

The few anti-aircraft artillery positions and anti-aircraft machine gun fire points of the National Army roared towards the sky with all their might, and tracer bullets drew desperate and powerless tracks in the dim sky.

In the face of the Japanese army's overwhelming air superiority and carefully planned air-to-ground coordinated strikes, this little anti-aircraft firepower was like a few reefs in the raging waves. It was instantly submerged and could not effectively prevent this aerial massacre aimed at covering the retreat and inflicting maximum casualties on the Allied forces.

This is just like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, appearing pale and powerless.

In joint command.

The telephone rang one after another, and the staff officers hurriedly gathered together the urgent battle reports, casualty statistics and requests for assistance from the front line to the command desk.

Standing in front of the huge battle map, Chu Yunfei's face looked extremely ugly, his lips were tightly pursed, his eyes were as sharp as a knife, staring at the combat troops whose organization level was rapidly declining on the three-dimensional map.

The scale, determination and ruthlessness of the Japanese coordinated retreat, bombing and air strike exceeded previous expectations.

Among all the generals Chu Yunfei has fought against, he is the most ruthless and decisive commander.

During the last Battle of Xuzhou.

It was because of Terauchi Hisaichi's command that the main force of the National Army, although it took the risk to successfully annihilate the 14th Division of the Japanese Army in the Battle of East Henan, was also severely damaged.

As a result, the Japanese army easily broke through the defense during the Battle of Wuhan.

And this time, Terauchi Juichi is even willing to destroy the Port of Yangon at all costs!

Chu Yunfei underestimated Terauchi Juichi's determination.

Before this, he always believed that Terauchi Juichi would not choose to destroy the Port of Rangoon.

Because he knew clearly that the Japanese army's strategic goal was not only to cut off the Yunnan-Burma supply line, but also to seize the oil fields in Yenangyaung to support the subsequent Pacific War.

But now, they have directly blown up the Port of Yangon and even destroyed the entire Yangon, destroying the key to their efficient plundering of crude oil resources.

It was meaningless for the Fifth and Sixth Armies to continue to hold on.

The US military's aid seems to have shifted to the China-India route.

Or through airdrops?

However, the China-India Highway needs to be reopened, and the efficiency and quantity of air transport of supplies are too low.

Actually.

The expeditionary force now has only one chance left.

That is to take the initiative to attack and try to seize Maodan Mian, the second largest port in Myanmar.

This was exactly what Terauchi Hisaichi had planned. The initiative of the war, which was originally completely controlled by the expeditionary force, returned to the starting point.

Both sides have reasons to take the initiative to attack, and the battle will be more intense than before.

Think of this.

A strong feeling of fatigue and dizziness came over him like a tide. Chu Yunfei subconsciously reached out his hand and held the edge of the cold map table in front of him to steady himself.

He was already a little tired from commanding battles for several days, and now his face turned almost visibly pale, his forehead was covered with fine cold sweat, and his breathing was a little rapid.

Sun Ming, who had been standing quietly by the side, ready to execute orders at any time, keenly noticed that something was wrong with Chu Yunfei's condition.

His heart tightened, and he immediately took a small step forward without making a sound, his body just blocking the line of sight of General Stilwell who was about to step forward to talk to Chu Yunfei.

At the same time, he used a very subtle little movement to gently support Chu Yunfei's arm with his right hand, lowered his voice, and asked with concern in a volume that only the two of them could hear: "My Lord, what's wrong with you?"

Chu Yunfei took a deep breath, suppressed the turbulent blood, straightened his back slightly, waved to Sun Ming, and said with a hint of weakness in his voice that could not be completely concealed: "It's okay, I just used up too much mental and physical energy."

To counter the Japanese air raids.

Chu Yunfei used the artillery guidance skill three times in a row in a short period of time.

The exhaustion of physical strength and energy has caused visible damage to his body.

He did not look at Stilwell who was blocked by Sun Ming, but just signaled to Sun Ming with his eyes, "Come with me for a walk, let's go outside and get some fresh air."

"Chu, where are you going?"

Chu Yunfei's words were brief but powerful: "Change the environment and think about countermeasures."

(End of this chapter)