Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Chapter 493: Aid Arrives; A True Dancer Dancing on Five Eggs! (Subscribe)

At Yangon Port, connecting ships arrive one after another.

Like industrious worker ants, they transfer cargo from large transport ships anchored offshore to the temporarily repaired dock one by one.

At the dock, engineering corps from China and the United States and temporarily recruited Burmese laborers worked profusely as weapons and equipment were unloaded one piece at a time.

Brand new M1 Garand semi-automatic rifles, Thompson submachine guns, Browning light and heavy machine guns, 60mm and 81mm mortars, all tightly wrapped in oilcloth.

And those 75mm mountain guns and 37 or 45mm anti-tank guns that the army generals have been longing for.

In addition to weapons and ammunition.

There were also mountains of military rations, medicines, bedding, communications equipment, engineering equipment, and barrels of precious gasoline and diesel.

The arrival of these supplies.

For the Chinese Expeditionary Force, whose supply lines were once stretched thin due to the destruction of the Port of Yangon.

It is not only like providing timely assistance, but also more like a shot of adrenaline.

Liu Bolun, the commander of the newly formed 28th Division, and his adjutant were both holding an umbrella.

He followed behind Chu Yunfei, not daring to breathe.

Not far from them, Chu Yunfei was chatting and laughing with He Jingzhi about the equipment sent by the Americans.

The newly formed 28th and 29th troops were actually the "Guizhou Army".

Theoretically speaking, they are all troops under He Jingzhi's command.

In order to avoid offending the KMT's de facto second-in-command.

Chu Yunfei did not dismiss Ma Weiji directly, but kept him in the joint command as a combat staff officer.

"Commander He, the positions of the newly formed 28th and 29th divisions naturally need to be changed. Now that the newly formed 28th Division is the defense force stationed in Yangon, it is natural that the replacement of equipment should be completed first."

He Jingzhi smiled as if it was natural. He nodded slowly and said, "Captain Chu is right. Yangon is very important to our army. It is the lifeline of the entire expeditionary army. It must be handed over to an absolutely reliable force whose combat effectiveness can be rapidly improved in a short period of time."

What He Jingzhi said is absolutely reliable.

The troops whose combat effectiveness can be rapidly improved in a short period of time are naturally Liu Bolun's troops.

As the commander of the newly formed 28th Division, he performed quite well when he led his troops to cooperate with Sun Liren in the Biaoguan Encirclement and Annihilation Campaign. He was also a third-term student of the Whampoa Military Academy, so he was considered half of our own people. "

"Um"

Chu Yunfei decided to give him a chance, and also give this unit a chance to be reborn.

But not now.

But He Jingzhi was standing right in front of him, and Chu Yunfei couldn't refuse him directly.

There was a large amount of supplies, and there were also many American army soldiers, who also arrived at the port of Yangon in small boats.

In addition to the armored regiment, there are two infantry regiments, together with various directly affiliated units, forming a special "cavalry division".

When the rain stopped for a while, Chu Yunfei personally arrived at the re-equipment site of the newly formed 28th Division to boost morale.

He was dressed in a spotless general's uniform and high riding boots.

Surrounded by a group of staff officers and guards, he inspected the soldiers who were receiving and familiarizing themselves with their new equipment.

The soldiers were all excited to see the legendary "war commander" in person.

They stroked the heavy American rifles in their hands, feeling the excellent mechanical texture and powerful firepower, and the joy and excitement on their faces were beyond words.

Many veterans in the team were so excited that they even burst into tears.

Have they ever thought that one day they would be able to use such sophisticated weapons!

If we consider it from the perspective of improving combat effectiveness, giving priority to completing the replacement of the new 28th Division will indeed greatly improve the overall combat effectiveness of the expeditionary force.

And they didn't change their uniforms for nothing. After completing the training, they will also be deployed to fight on the front lines.

The defense of Yangon will be entrusted to a division of the Sixth Army.

As to which one it is, we need to wait and see.

The weapons and equipment were considered to be in tatters in the expeditionary force's sequence. Even if they were shipped to the country, they would be enough to reorganize an original local infantry division into a side combat division of the Central Army.

Even Chang Ruiyuan was envious of these weapons and equipment, not to mention the other theater commanders.

Chu Yunfei received several telegrams expressing the hope of receiving a share of supplies.

But whether it was Li Zongren, Gu Zhutong, Xue Yue, or Chen Cixiu, they all refused.

The domestic battlefield is generally in a stalemate, and it is the most critical moment for them.

As long as the current war situation is maintained, the threat to the Japanese rear will remain.

Make sure that the Japanese army cannot seize the crude oil resources in Yenangyaung, then they will naturally not be able to continue this war!

"Brothers!" Chu Yunfei's voice was steady and loud, clearly reaching the ears of every soldier, "What you hold in your hands are the latest weapons from our American allies!

They're better than any gun you've ever used!

But I want to tell you that no matter how good a weapon is, it still needs brave and well-trained soldiers to wield it!"

His eyes were sharp as torches, sweeping across the young and eager faces: "The newly formed 28th Division may have had unsatisfactory performance in the past, but that is not your fault!
It's because our country is weak and our equipment is inferior to others!

Now, the Party-State and its allies have given us the best weapons, and we must use these weapons to demonstrate the power of Chinese soldiers!

Show the mighty military power of the newly formed 28th Division!"

"Rangoon is the most important base of our expeditionary force in Burma! Its safety is related to the life and death of hundreds of thousands of comrades, and to whether we can completely drive the Japanese invaders out of Burma and China!

You are stationed here with a heavy responsibility!
I ask you to familiarize yourself with the new weapons in the shortest possible time, train hard, and turn yourself into a true iron army! Can you do it? ! "

"Can! Can! Can!"

The soldiers roared in unison, shaking the sky. The bloodiness and pride that had been suppressed for so long were completely ignited by Chu Yunfei at this moment.

Division Commander Liu Bolun stood aside, looking at his subordinates whose morale was high, and his heart was filled with emotion.

He knew that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity given to him and the newly formed 28th Division by Chu Yunfei.

He secretly made up his mind to train this unit into a truly powerful force and live up to the expectations of the headquarters.

After encouraging the newly formed 28th Division, Chu Yunfei did not stay in Yangon for too long.

Chu Yunfei knew very well that every troop on the front line was eagerly looking forward to this "rain of blessings" that could change the situation of the war.

A total of the weapons and equipment were enough to equip approximately four infantry regiments, and priority was given to replacing the equipment of two regiments of the newly formed 28th Division.

The remaining regiment was handed over to the Fifth Army.

As for the weapons and equipment of the remaining regiment.

Chu Yunfei ordered the logistics department to overcome all transportation difficulties and transport some of the M1 Garand rifles, Thompson submachine guns, 60mm mortars and some ammunition that had just been unloaded from the ship.

It was urgently allocated to Wu Ziqiang's newly formed 12th Army which was intensively training in northern Myanmar.

Used to deal with guerrilla forces such as the Burma-Yunnan Independence Army that infiltrated into northern Myanmar from the Thai border.

"Your Excellency, what are the weapons and equipment of the remaining regiment?"

"Send it to the Fifth Army. They have been suppressed for so long, it's time to give them a break. Also, hasn't the US Army's vanguard arrived? Let his commander come to see me and I will take him to the Fifth Army headquarters."
-
The atmosphere inside the Fifth Army Headquarters was even more gloomy than the rainy day outside the window.

Army Commander Du Yuming paced back and forth in front of the huge Burma battle map with his hands behind his back. The hard heels of his military boots tapped on the damp wooden floor, making a monotonous and depressing "click" sound.

His brows were furrowed in a deep frown, forming the shape of the Chinese character "川". He would stop from time to time, and use a red and blue pencil to make a heavy mark on a certain location on the map, or cross it out in annoyance.

On the map, the blood-red arrows symbolizing the Japanese Army's 18th, 33rd and 56th Divisions still look like sharp swords, firmly nailed on the Chinese Expeditionary Force's defense line.

Although the pressure in the Mindang direction was temporarily relieved due to Zhang Lingfu's unexpected night attack, the main force of the Japanese army was still there, and the threat was like a sword hanging over one's head, which had not been lifted at all.

The offensive operations of the newly formed 38th Division were also slow due to heavy rain, but it did attract part of the main force of the Japanese army.

Chief of Staff Liao Yaoxiang and Commander of the 200th Division Dai Anlan sat aside, each with a different expression.

Liao Yaoxiang was relatively calm, holding a copy of the latest battle briefing and logistic statistics in his hands. His eyes behind the lenses were sharp and focused, and he kept looking over those cold numbers.

Dai Anlan's eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, with his hands folded across his chest. Although he remained silent, his bright eyes never left the map on the wall, as if he was thinking of some strategy to defeat the enemy in one fell swoop among those criss-crossing contour lines and military markings.

Both Du Yuming and Liao Yaoxiang expressed deep concern about this tense stalemate.

"Commander Du," Liao Yaoxiang was the first to break the suffocating silence in the command center.

He put down the documents in his hand, with a tone that was difficult to conceal worry: "Once the rain starts, it will have a great impact on the actions of both sides.

The Japanese army temporarily stopped its large-scale offensive. It seemed that on the one hand, they were waiting for the rainy season to pass, and on the other hand, they probably suffered a loss in Mindang and needed to readjust their deployment and accumulate strength.

But we can't just keep wasting time with them like this!

The morale of the troops was certainly boosted by Mindang's victory.

But the weather was terrible, and the supply line was stretched due to the destruction of the port of Yangon.

Transportation is difficult, and over time, non-combat casualties may become the last straw that breaks the camel's back!"

Dai Anlan nodded heavily, and continued with a firm look in his eyes: "Although Commander Chu is very good at predicting the enemy and commanded Zhang Lingfu to give the Japanese a warning in the Battle of Mindang, we must be aware that the overall strength of the Japanese army in Burma is still strong, and its commander Terauchi Hisaichi is not an easy person to deal with. He is a shrewd and ruthless man.

I am worried that their silence at this moment is not because they are afraid and retreating, but rather that they may be secretly plotting a bigger conspiracy.

We must plan ahead and take the initiative. We cannot always be in a passive situation. If we want to take the initiative on the battlefield, we must launch a truly large-scale offensive, rather than the piecemeal approach we are currently taking."

Du Yuming stopped and sighed deeply, his tone full of helplessness and heaviness: "I also know what you are worried about.

Commander Chu has also been communicating with me over the phone.

It emphasized the need to consolidate the existing defense line, take advantage of the intervals during the rainy season to maximize the consumption of the enemy's manpower, and at the same time seize the time to train the troops and wait for the U.S. aid materials and subsequent newly trained troops to form combat effectiveness.

But the word "wait" is easy to say but very difficult to do!

The brothers on the front line are soaking in mud and water every day, bitten by mosquitoes and plagued by epidemics. Which one of the medicines, ammunition and food is not carefully calculated to the extreme?
Although the port of Yangon is in our hands, the destruction caused by the Japanese army before their retreat was too thorough, and it is difficult to restore all functions in the short term. The transportation of materials is still difficult, and the materials urgently transferred from the country are actually just a drop in the bucket for the huge combat force! "

at this time.

The door curtain of the command center was suddenly pulled open by someone, and a cold wind mixed with the smell of rain and earth rushed in.

Qiu Qingquan, commander of the newly formed 22nd Division of the Fifth Army, strode in like a whirlwind, covered in rain and mud.

His angular face was full of impatience and anxiety, like a tiger trapped in a cage.

"Commander Du" Qiu Qingquan didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point. His voice was as loud as a bell, shaking the flames of the lanterns in the headquarters: "This battle was so frustrating! The Japs suffered such a great loss in Mindang, and lost a regiment commander. Now they are hiding behind the defense line like turtles, not even daring to breathe!
Are we just going to watch them lick their wounds and regroup?

In my opinion, we should kill him while he is weak! We should beat the man when he is down, that is what we should do!"

He rushed to the map in a few steps, ignoring the mark Du Yuming had just drawn on it, and poked heavily with his thick fingers at a position where the 18th and 33rd Divisions of the Japanese Army met, his eyes flashing with excitement: "Captain Du, look!"

"After the Japanese army suffered a setback in Mindang, the morale of the 18th Division will inevitably be unstable, and there will definitely be gaps and confusion in the connection between it and the 33rd Division!

Sun Liren's newly formed 38th Division tied down at least an entire brigade of Japanese combat troops.

This is our once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Even if we cannot defeat their main force in one fell swoop, we can completely disrupt their deployment.

Let them be unable to take care of each other and have no peace!

No matter what, it's better than us sitting here and waiting for the mold to grow, and letting the brothers' spirits be worn away by this damn weather!"

Hearing this, Liao Yaoxiang frowned slightly and advised in a calm tone: "Brother Yu'an, don't be so reckless.

Commander Chu's previous strategic intention was to take advantage of this opportunity to expand the results of the battle, but the weather was not good and continuous heavy rain made the roads muddy.

The Japanese armored forces were unable to exert their due advantages.

But at the same time, our armored forces and logistical supply lines were also affected.

The Japanese army urgently needed crude oil resources, and they needed to capture Yenangyaung.

Time is on our side, so Commander Chu let the newly formed 38th Division take the risk of infiltrating to buy time.

At the same time, through persistent consumption, the Japanese army was worn down.

It is also to further accumulate strength and wait for a more favorable opportunity for a decisive battle."

Dai Anlan also pondered and said: "The desire to fight is worthy of recognition, but on the battlefield, blood and courage alone are not enough, and careful planning is also needed.

Although the Japanese army suffered losses in Mindang, its main force is still intact. The 18th Division and the 33rd Division are both main forces of the Japanese army. Their officers and soldiers are well-trained and have a strong fighting will. They should not be underestimated.

If we attack rashly without adequate preparation and unfavorable weather conditions, we may end up in a stalemate and be caught by the enemy, which will not be worth the loss. "

Qiu Qingquan disagreed. He raised his voice, and the veins on his neck popped out: "The Art of War says, take the enemy by surprise and attack them when they are unprepared!

The Japanese must be thinking that we will stay put because of the rainy season, and that we are scared by their turtle shells. This is the best time for us to fight back!
Although my tank cannot run fast in the mud, it is more than enough to break through their makeshift field fortifications and support infantry operations!
It's better than leaving these precious iron things here to rust in the rain and watch our brothers suffer in the trenches!"

He turned to Du Yuming suddenly, and said with eager and earnest eyes: "Commander Du! Please give the order!

I am willing to issue a military order. If we cannot break through the Japanese defense line and disrupt their deployment within three days, we will let them know how powerful our Fifth Army is.

I, Qiu Yu'an, come to you with my head!"

Du Yuming looked at Qiu Qingquan's face, which was flushed with excitement, and the determination in his eyes to never give up until he achieved his goal, and he felt quite conflicted and excited.

Didn't he want to take the initiative and teach the arrogant Japanese a lesson?
But Chu Yunfei's advice and orders are still fresh in my mind.

The huge risks of fighting in the rainy season also weighed on his mind like a dark cloud.

He pondered for a long time, his eyes repeatedly wandering over the locations on the map pointed out by Qiu Qingquan, as if he was fiercely weighing the pros and cons.

The atmosphere in the headquarters became extremely tense again.

Liao Yaoxiang and Dai Anlan stopped talking, but just looked at Du Yuming with complicated eyes, waiting for his final decision.

In the distance, the sound of raindrops tirelessly hit the tarpaulin roof of the headquarters, making a monotonous and dull sound, adding a bit of depression and solemnity.

A fierce debate about fighting and defending, as well as deep concern about the future direction of the war, just like the continuous rain, shrouded the highest command of the Fifth Army.

"Commander Chu is here!"

Qiu Qingquan and others were stunned.

Chu Yunfei took off his raincoat and put it aside. He glanced at the positions of the people in the command center with a smile, and glanced at the battle map on the table: "It seems that Brother Guangting has already thought of an attack plan?"

"Yes." Du Yuming nodded silently.

Chu Yunfei pointed at the black commander standing not far behind him, and then looked at Qiu Qingquan: "Commander Qiu, his name is Jackson, an American, from the U.S. Army - the 1st Armored Regiment of the Burmese Army."

"Burma Army, 1st Armored Regiment?"

Chu Yunfei nodded slightly and introduced: "It is a temporary organization, with the strength of almost a main division, under which there are two infantry regiments and a direct team. However, their artillery force is still on the way. It is expected to be equipped with 24 75mm mountain cannons and 12 105mm cannons. The combat effectiveness is quite good."

"The British support troops are on the way. After the reorganization, the number of troops is about 12,000. I will assign them to the Fifth Army to accompany the battle."

"In addition, I have brought you a regiment's worth of weapons, as well as a large amount of equipment and ammunition supplies to support the Fifth Army's subsequent offensive operations."

Chu Yunfei waved to the security guards accompanying him.

Jackson was immediately taken away from the command center.

Chu Yunfei also took the pencil handed over by Liao Yaoxiang at this time, and then drew a long offensive line on the battle map on the table: "For this offensive operation, it is planned to mobilize five main divisions, two artillery regiments, a mountain artillery battalion and various auxiliary forces to launch an attack.

Due to the inconveniences caused by the rainy season, our combat objective was simply to inflict heavy damage on the Japanese 18th Division.

Launch an attack first, consume their manpower, force them to be unable to launch an attack, and maintain the current situation.

As long as we firmly hold on to this supply line, we can launch a full-scale counterattack to recover all of Burma after the training of the newly formed 12th Army is completed."

Du Yuming was silent for a moment, and then asked in a low voice: "If we launch a counterattack directly at this time, are we sure to win?"

“Yes, but this is not the right time.”

Chu Yunfei hesitated a little, then met the gazes of several people and slowly explained: "Because of the attacks and interference of the Burmese puppet army, the anti-Japanese base in northern Myanmar has developed slowly. It is estimated that it will take at least three months to gradually take shape.

The British side has already noticed the intention of the high command and is currently showing goodwill and negotiating. As for the future fate and direction of Burma, it is actually in the hands of the expeditionary force, that is, you.

Therefore, I must handle the issue of offensive operations with great care, in order to gain more support and assistance, and even drag the Americans and British into a fight."

Chu Yunfei didn't like to make things too clear before.

But now he had to brief the generals of the five armies in order to calm their emotions.

Just by looking at the intricate attack lines on the battle map, Chu Yunfei had already guessed the thoughts of most of the generals of the Five Armies.

Sure enough, when Chu Yunfei opened his heart.

Qiu Qingquan sighed, looking disappointed.

Dai Anlan and Liao Yaoxiang's eyes flickered as they fell into deep thought.

Du Yuming nodded in understanding, with a similarly conflicted look on his face.

In fact, the generals of the Five Armies saw the shadow of Chang Ruiyuan in Chu Yunfei.

During the Battle of Shanghai and the ten-day siege, Chang Ruiyuan was as concerned as Chu Yunfei. Many of the subsequent battles were actually political considerations.

Carl von Clausewitz once stated in On War: War is an extension of politics, and the mother of war is politics.

The teacher also made a corresponding statement in his discussion on protracted war: War is bloody politics and also the continuation of politics.

Chu Yunfei naturally knew these principles well.

In fact, the High Command had already handed over the specific affairs of the expeditionary force to him for decision.

In other words, the burden on Chu Yunfei is extremely heavy.

He not only wanted to have a good relationship with Stilwell, the American envoy.

We also need the help of the Americans to reshape the future political ecology of Southeast Asia.

It is necessary to maintain its own "independence" while ensuring its "loyalty" to the mountain city.

In addition, it is necessary to maintain good relations with the Soviet Union to ensure that it will not be completely dependent on US aid.

In short, Chu Yunfei is no longer the rising star and famous general of the National Army who "spread three big pies" on the battlefield in North China.

But the real dancer dancing on five eggs.
(End of this chapter)