Chapter 528: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 538 China-Burma Theater

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Ever since Lv Muzhi met with the Yixin Society, the Allied Forces have accelerated their deployment for joint operations against the Japanese Army.

In August, the United States directly launched the Guadalcanal Campaign against the Japanese Army in the Pacific Ocean.

On the Indochina Peninsula, the British, the people of Xia Guo, and the people of Zhongnan State have stationed troops at the border, watching like tigers eyeing their prey, waiting only for the rainy season to end in September.

The Imperial Japanese Army Southern Army felt unprecedented pressure.

Bangkok, Imperial Japanese Army Southern Army Command.

Terauchi Hisaichi sat in the seat of honor, with a huge Southeast Asian operational situation map spread out on the table before him.

Just now, he reported the news that the Americans had launched an attack on Guadalcanal Island in the Pacific.

"The changes in the situation are unsettling." Terauchi Hisaichi spoke these words with a dejected expression, a far cry from his high-spirited self at the beginning of the year.

Yamashita Tomoyuki, commander of the Twenty-Fifth Army seated to the lower right, had a poor complexion.

He oversaw Thailand's defense, and the situation in northwestern Thailand was worsening.

"In the mountainous areas of northwestern Thailand, two regular enemy divisions have already appeared, and the number of guerrillas is unknown."

Yamashita Tomoyuki stood up, pointing with a command baton at the map.

"One is the First Division of the Central-South National Defense Army, and the other is a Youth Division transferred from Hanoi by Sun Liren."

"On our northern and eastern border lines, the main force of the Central-South National Defense Army is regrouping."

"Plus the Youth Army mobilized by Sun Liren, the enemy's total strength for operations in Thailand conservatively exceeds three hundred thousand."

Yamashita Tomoyuki looked at Terauchi Hisaichi: "This does not even include those omnipresent Unity Party Guerrillas."

"The situation is extremely dire; we need more support."

Fifteenth Army Commander Colonel Iida snorted coldly, interrupting Yamashita Tomoyuki's words.

"Yamashita-kun, not only is the situation in Thailand deteriorating, Burma is also precarious."

Iida Shojiro stood up, pointing at Mandalay, a major city in central Burma, and said.

"My current defensive focus is on Mandalay."

"Before me will be a joint encirclement and annihilation by three armies."

"The Western Route is the British, who have regrouped. Although they were routed before, they now have American supplies backing them and cannot be underestimated."

"The Central Route is the Sixth Army of the Xia Expeditionary Force; they want to avenge their previous humiliation."

"And the most troublesome is the Dong Lu, where Du Yuming's Fifth Army and Xie Jinyuan's Sixth Youth Army are watching like tigers eyeing their prey."

"And there are those Unity Party Guerrillas causing trouble in the rear."

"Conservatively estimated, the enemies I must deal with number at least over three hundred thousand."

"Marshal, I request that Yamashita-kun immediately return the Eighteenth Division to my subordinates."

"Without the Eighteenth Division as our main force, Burma will be lost!"

Yamashita Tomoyuki immediately retorted: "Iida-kun, what do you mean by this?"

"If the Eighteenth Division is transferred away from Thailand, do you want to watch the enemy march all the way to Bangkok and drive Marshal Terauchi away?"

Terauchi Hisaichi said nothing; he was in a dilemma.

On the Indochina Peninsula, the Japanese Army currently has six divisions.

Thailand has the Fifth Division, the Imperial Guard Infantry Second Division, and the Eighteenth Division, which is under dispute.

The Burma direction has the Thirty-Third, Fifty-Fifth, and Fifty-Sixth Divisions.

It seems there are not too few troops, but facing the encircling armies from all sides, the Japanese Army's strength is becoming desperate.

The Japanese Army has opened too many battlefields in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, stretching their lines too long.

Now the US Army's counterattack at Guadalcanal has already consumed a large amount of Terauchi Hisaichi's energy.

Where does the Southern Army still have the strength to support the Indochina Peninsula?

"Enough." Terauchi Hisaichi waved his hand, stopping the argument.

"The Eighteenth Division must remain in Thailand; Yamashita-kun's flank cannot be opened."

"Since both sides only have three divisions each, we can only defend with all our might."

He turned his head, looking at Marshal Lawan of Thailand sitting silently in the corner.

"Marshal Lawan, the Great Japanese Empire has always supported Thailand's independence and prosperity."

"You have also seen the current situation; I need the Thai Army to show its due performance."

"Over the past few months, how has the conscription task I gave you been completed?"

Marshal Lawan stood up awkwardly: "Marshal, to expand the Thai Defense Army, I have borne enormous pressure."

"After my full-force expansion, the Thai Defense Army has expanded to ninety thousand men."

"These ninety thousand men have been formed into ten infantry divisions, almost draining Thailand's young and able-bodied men."

"The citizens and opposition figures at home are now cursing me behind my back..."

"Alright, alright, no need to say more!"

Terauchi Hisaichi had no patience to listen to the end; he perfunctorily praised:

"I have seen Marshal Lawan's loyalty."

"Since these nine divisions have been formed, please deploy them to the northwestern mountainous areas as soon as possible to suppress those detestable enemies."

Marshal Lawan's face showed an expression of extreme difficulty.

"General, the soldiers have been conscripted, but they... have no weapons."

"Of the current nine divisions, only three are equipped with the most basic rifles."

"The remaining six divisions average only one rifle per squad..."

"As for machine guns and cannons, they are pitifully few, and there isn't a single tank."

"Sending such troops into battle is simply suicide."

Terauchi Hisaichi listened and got a splitting headache.

Japan's national strength is now also nearing exhaustion; although the occupied territories are vast, they are like a leaking wooden bucket.

Because the Allied counteroffensive was too fast, the Japanese Army did not have time to obtain sufficient resources locally.

On top of that, the root cause of all evil, those ubiquitous Unity Party resistance forces.

The Reniangqiang Oilfield in Burma, which should have been a resource the Japanese Army could directly utilize, had its pipelines blown up by guerrillas every few days.

In Indonesia's oil fields and mines, the Japanese Army's economic activities have almost stalled, because the Unity Party guerrillas carried out mad sabotage activities there, making it almost impossible for the Japanese Army to obtain sufficient resources from the occupied territories.

The Southern Army Command fell into an awkward silence.

Marshal Lawan looked at Terauchi Hisaichi's troubled appearance and cautiously leaned in closer.

"General..."

Terauchi Hisaichi came to his senses, sighed: "I understand, the logistics department should have a batch of old weapons phased out by the Imperial Army."

"I will transport them to Bangkok as soon as possible to fill the Thai Defense Army's weapons gap."

"Everyone work together with one heart, we must defeat the enemy's counterattack!"

——————

In the mountains of northwestern Thailand, the morning mist had not yet dispersed.

In the fields, there were already many peasants busy at work.

Ever since the Indochina First Division stationed in this mountain area, the originally turbulent border has quieted down considerably.

On the field ridges, two old peasants squatted smoking dry tobacco, looking at the thriving rice in the fields, their faces bearing long-lost smiles.

"The Unity Party is distributing land again, saying as long as you're willing to plant, the border area government will issue a deed."

The other old peasant blew out a smoke ring: "Outside it's miserable!"

"Marshal Lawan is conscripting again, helping the Japanese fight."

"Bah! What 'Greater Thai Ideology', plainly it's just being cannon fodder for the Japanese, pushing us Thai people into a fire pit."

"The Unity Party is practical, not only leaving us seed but also helping us dig irrigation ditches."

"Used to always say the Unity Party was bad, I see Marshal Lawan is worse!"

"The Japanese seized Bangkok, usurping the nest, and Lawan still colludes with them..."

In the northwestern Thai mountain area controlled by the Central-South Country, this scene can be seen everywhere.

After the Indochina First Division entered here, they utilized the guerrilla forces to propagate and implement the Central-South Country's land policy, exposing the crimes of Marshal Lawan and the Japanese colluding with each other.

This achieved very good results in the northwestern mountain area; the mountain masses welcomed the Unity Party's arrival very much.

Chiang Mai, inside a command post.

Ruan Linqing put down the telegram in his hand and looked toward Long Wenzhang beside him:

"Orders have come from the homeland, we must break open a passage out of the northwestern mountains, this battle is starting."

Long Wenzhang straightened his waist upon hearing this:

"Commander Sun also sent word, tasking us with firing the first shot of the full counteroffensive across the Indochina Peninsula."

"As long as our guns sound here, all battlefronts will advance comprehensively, driving the Japanese out completely."

At this time in the northwestern mountains, the force deployment has already changed.

Sun Liren has already deployed the Youth 18th Division into the mountains, with Long Wenzhang formally serving as Division Commander.

Those Youth Army officers who originally served as advisors in the Indochina First Division have now all entered the Youth 18th Division.

Ruan Linqing's Indochina First Division, plus Long Wenzhang's Youth 18th Division, total strength has already exceeded thirty thousand.

Plus coordinating with the twenty thousand Unity Party guerrillas that have rapidly developed locally these past months, the entire northwestern mountain area has already gathered a massive armed force of over fifty thousand.

"To break out, we must first gnaw down Ban Pao this transportation hub." Long Wenzhang pointed at a dot on the map.

"Ban Pao is to our south; once we take it, the terrain southward will gradually open up."

"Further south to Tak Province, we can completely shake off the mountains' constraints and enter the Thai plains heartland."

Ruan Linqing frowned: "Ban Pao won't be easy to take; guarding there is the Japanese Army 18th Division."

"The 18th Division also has two Thai divisions coordinating."

Long Wenzhang stroked his chin:

"No matter how you say it, if we tie down the Japanese 18th Division here, Japanese forces will be dispersed and only face being annihilated piecemeal!"

——————

Bangkok, Japanese Army Command.

Yamashita Tomoyuki burst into Terauchi Hisaichi's office.

"General, urgent report! The 18th Division at Ban Pao is under fierce attack!"

"The enemy in the northwestern mountains has gone mad, attempting to force a breakthrough out of the mountain pass and advance onto the plain."

Terauchi Hisaichi stood up, quickly reaching a conclusion:

"This is the signal that the enemy is about to launch a total offensive; those fellows finally couldn't hold back."

"Not only are the enemies in the northwestern mountains attacking, the Central-South Country and Sun Liren's troops will also launch a full-scale offensive against Thailand."

"And the enemies in Burma will likewise launch a full-scale offensive!"

"Yamashita-kun, you personally go supervise the battle, you must hold Thailand's border line."

"Have Marshal Lawan send all the newly formed Thai National Defense Divisions up there to fight shoulder to shoulder with the Imperial Army!"

Immediately after, Terauchi Hisaichi turned to his adjutant and shouted:

"Send a telegram to Iida Shojiro in Burma at once, tell him the Allied general offensive has begun, have him prepare to engage at Mandalay!"

Bangkok's orders had not yet reached the frontline, but cannon fire was already shaking the heavens in the northwestern mountains.

It was the boom of 105mm howitzers, the tremendous sound shaking leaves rustling down from the trees.

Long Wenzhang held up his binoculars, staring fixedly at the distant Japanese positions shrouded in gunsmoke.

"Staff Officer Meng! Where is Staff Officer Meng!"

Meng Fan ran over gasping for breath.

"Division Commander! You called for me?"

"The artillery fire ends in fifteen minutes. The moment the bombardment stops, all units will launch their assault according to the original plan. You take men down to supervise!"

At the same time, the mountains along the Central-South State border also began to tremble.

Sun Liren was sitting on the turret of a Sanhao Tank, the tank moving along a widened road.

Behind him stretched an endless column of tanks and trucks loaded with soldiers.

"Send a telegram to Commander Lu: the Central-South National Defense Army and the Youth Fifth Army are launching a full-scale counteroffensive as planned."

When the radio wave reached Lv Muzhi's hands, on the Burma battlefield a larger-scale thunderous offensive was already prepared.

The Allied Forces in Burma advanced in three routes, like three sharp swords pointing straight at Mandalay.

The Western Route: three reorganized British divisions departed from Imphal in India, crossed the border, and entered Burma.

The Center Route: the Xia Expeditionary Force Sixth Army advanced south from Myitkyina, sweeping forward like broken bamboo.

The most movement was on the Dong Lu: Du Yuming's Fifth Army and Xie Jinyuan's Sixth Youth Army were setting out from Lashio, lunging toward Mandalay.

Xie Jinyuan sat in his command jeep, watching the rolling steel torrent advancing beside him.

T26 and T Light Tanks one after another raced along the road like agile leopards.

And the Sherman M4 Medium Tanks following close behind were like moving mammoths, pressing the ground into a slight tremor.

On this very day the attack was launched, the Allied Command formally announced the establishment of the China-Burma Theater.

The establishment of this theater aimed to coordinate the massive military operations of both Thailand and Burma.

There had been fierce disputes among the nations over the choice of Theater Commander-in-Chief.

The old man originally wanted to serve as Commander-in-Chief, on the grounds that Xia Guo had committed the most troops.

But Stilwell had no good impression of the old man; he firmly opposed the old man serving as China-Burma Theater Commander.

The British seized the opportunity to insert their own man, proposing that Lieutenant General Mountbatten, who had arrived by air as Viceroy of India, serve as China-Burma Theater Commander-in-Chief.

The old man loathed the British deeply; regarding Mountbatten serving as China-Burma Theater Commander, the Xia Central Government lodged a strong protest.

After multilateral consultations among Xia Guo, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Central-South State, all parties ultimately accepted a reality.

The Youth Expeditionary Army had the largest troop commitment and strongest combat power in this campaign, and Lv Muzhi held the highest rank of General and prestige.

Therefore, Lv Muzhi was formally appointed China-Burma Theater Commander-in-Chief, with Stilwell serving as Theater Chief of Staff.

The China-Burma Theater Headquarters was located in Lashio, where generals from all nations gathered.

Xia Guo's Du Yuming and Dai Anlan, Central-South State's Ruan Wen, the United Kingdom's Lieutenant General Mountbatten......

All the generals were listening to Lv Muzhi's arrangements for this operation:

"The British three divisions, as the Western Route Group, must reach Mandalay within at least half a month......"

Mountbatten sat in his chair, his expression quite dismissive.

"General Lu, you must understand, the Great British Empire has deployed three divisions' worth of troops in this campaign."

"With such massive forces, I cannot possibly place them entirely under the command of a Xia Guo man."

"To win this war, the China-Burma Theater Headquarters should fully consider the British Army's opinions and make corresponding adjustments to the operational strategy."

Mountbatten stood up, walked to the sand table, holding a command baton, intending to gesture at the deployment.

Chief of Staff Stilwell curled his lip, clearly displeased with Mountbatten's gesturing.

Lv Muzhi, however, seized the command baton from Lieutenant General Mountbatten's hand, then with a slight exertion of force, confiscated the baton from Mountbatten's grasp.

"If the British Army is unwilling to obey the Theater Headquarters' command, they may return to India by the same route, or go straight back to their British homeland — that is also acceptable."

"Without those three British divisions, I can still win the Mandalay Campaign."