Chapter 536: Republic of China: Starting from Whampoa Class One Chapter 546 Japanese Retreat, Thais Move to Frontline

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Nakhon Phanom, Thailand's eastern border.

Sun Liren received a telegram from Lv Muzhi in the command post.

He finished reading the telegram and summoned the staff officer to the map.

"Commander Lv is urging us; we must accelerate the pace."

"I have led the Eastern Group Army into Thai territory."

"Long Wenzhang and Ruan Linqing in the west are also advancing."

"But on the northern border, blocked by the Mekong River, Ruan Wen and the Fifth Division are at a stalemate."

"The Fifth Division is the most combat-capable Japanese unit in Thailand; Ruan Wen's National Defense Army lacks firepower superiority and cannot crack this hard nut."

The staff officer nodded: "Now that we have entered Thailand from the east, why not dispatch a force to link up with the Central-South National Defense Army from the north, form a combined force, and drive straight to Bangkok."

Sun Liren did not hesitate: "That is exactly my thinking."

"I will send the Youth Fourteenth Division to attack the Fifth Division's flank and rear."

"Nakamura Akito of the Fifth Division will either wait to be annihilated in a pincer attack, or obediently abandon his defense and let Ruan Wen and his National Defense Army enter Thailand."

The staff officer snapped to attention: "Yes, I will relay the order immediately!"

Less than two hours after the order was issued, the troops outside Nakhon Phanom began moving, splitting into two routes.

The Youth Fourteenth Division's tanks and trucks drove north along the road, the dust kicked up by the wheels blotting out the sky.

Sun Liren's main force advanced toward Kuneng Province.

Thailand's northern border, the Mekong River.

Ruan Wen stood on a high ground on the south bank; through his binoculars lay the Japanese Fifth Division's positions on the opposite bank.

The river surface was not wide, visually less than two hundred meters. But it was these two hundred meters that he had been trying to break through for a week.

Every time the charging wooden boats and bamboo rafts paddled halfway, the machine guns hidden in the shore fortifications on the Japanese side would open up, dense bullet rain sweeping the soldiers on the boats into the river in swathes.

Mortars and grenade launchers took turns bombarding the ferry crossing, destroying most of Ruan Wen's river-crossing equipment.

The artillery supported by the Youth Army was not idle either.

The Central-South National Defense Army's 75mm mountain guns and 105mm howitzers continuously bombarded the opposite bank positions, blasting the Japanese surface fortifications beyond recognition.

But every time the shelling ended and the infantry launched a river-crossing charge, those concealed firepoints would come alive again from the ruins, once more sealing off the river surface.

Moreover, the Fifth Division's own firepower was also very strong; the devils were likewise equipped with heavy artillery. This made Ruan Wen and his Central-South National Defense Army run into a hard nut.

The two sides fought across the Mekong River for nearly a month, yet Ruan Wen's troops still could not achieve a breakthrough on the northern border.

Regarding this, Fifth Division Commander Lieutenant General Nakamura Akito was quite smug.

Nakamura Akito even signaled Yamashita Tomoyuki promising that holding for another two months would be no problem.

But when news arrived that Sun Liren had broken through the Imperial Guard Infantry Second Division's line and entered Thailand's eastern border,

Nakamura Akito could no longer remain calm.

With the Imperial Guard Infantry Second Division withdrawing, the Fifth Division's flank was wide open.

Nakamura Akito could anticipate that Sun Liren would certainly dispatch an armored force to raid from his flank and rear.

If they did not leave now, the Fifth Division would be caught between two fires and face total annihilation!

Thinking of this, Nakamura Akito immediately made a brief report to Yamashita Tomoyuki.

He stated the enormous threat from Sun Liren; once the Fifth Division's retreat route was cut by the Youth Army, continuing to hold would mean total annihilation.

He requested immediate withdrawal from the northern border line, a turn toward Kuneng Province, and link-up with the Imperial Guard Infantry Second Division.

Yamashita Tomoyuki naturally understood the stakes; he promptly approved Nakamura Akito's proposal.

Under Yamashita Tomoyuki's order, Nakamura Akito led the Fifth Division south to rendezvous with the Guard Division, reorganizing a defense in central Thailand.

As for the northern border line, Nakamura Akito could only hand it over to an accompanying Thai division to defend.

Ruan Wen spotted movement on the Japanese positions across the river and immediately seized the opportunity to reorganize an offensive.

The Thai National Defense Division, after a major expansion, was newly formed, lacking weapons and ammunition; a division didn't even have a single gun.

Large numbers of Thai soldiers even fought with old rifles the Japanese used in the Russo-Japanese War, and many Thai soldiers had no weapons at all.

Under Ruan Wen's assault, the Thai troops quickly collapsed.

The Central-South National Defense Army soldiers finally crossed the Mekong River and entered Thailand's northern border.

The Fifth Division dared not look back on the retreat road; fortunately Nakamura Akito ran fast and did not let Sun Liren cut off their rear, otherwise the Fifth Division would have faced total annihilation again.

Finally, after two days, the Fifth Division reached Kuneng Province and completed rendezvous with the Imperial Guard Infantry Second Division.

Here, the two Japanese divisions suffered a frontal strong attack from Sun Liren's main force.

Yamashita Tomoyuki flew directly from Bangkok to the front line to personally command operations.

To make up for insufficient troop strength, Yamashita Tomoyuki also pushed three Thai divisions to the front line to fill the gaps.

The Thai division soldiers were driven onto the positions, using inferior weapons to resist the Youth Army's offensive under Sun Liren.

But such a measure was clearly not sustainable.

Once Ruan Wen leads his forces to join with Sun Liren's, the Japanese Army's defeat in the near future is inevitable.

In Thailand's northwest, Long Wenzhang's Youth Eighteenth Division and Ruan Linqing's Central-South First Division successfully repelled the Eighteenth Division garrisoned in Tak Province; the northwest offensive drew another step closer to Bangkok.

When the battle report reached Bangkok, Terauchi Hisaichi was practically frantic.

Piles of telegrams lay spread on the desk.

As Southern Army Commander, Terauchi Hisaichi set out boasting four hundred thousand troops, and seized several million square kilometers of land.

Where could he of half a year ago have imagined that failure would come this fast!

As an old-school general of the Emperor Chuo, Terauchi Hisaichi watched it rise in high towers and feast guests; now the tower is about to collapse.

Truly a rout like a mountain collapsing; defeat reports sent from everywhere nearly filled Terauchi Hisaichi's command post.

In the Burma direction, Commander Iida Shojiro was captured near Reniangqiang.

The Japanese Fifteenth Army garrisoning Burma existed in name only; inside Rangoon only a few thousand remnants of the Fifty-sixth Division remained holding out.

In the Pacific direction, the Japanese Guadalcanal garrison again sent urgent word; the US Army offensive came like a tide, and Japanese power in the Solomon Islands was in dire straits.

There were also resistance incidents by Unity Party guerrillas in both Malaya and Indonesia.

Most pressing of all were the defeat reports from Thailand itself.

Terauchi Hisaichi realized Thailand could not be held; the Japanese Army could only contract its forces and deploy defenses on a smaller area of land.

The Japanese Army's destination for now could only be the Malay Peninsula.

"We must abandon Thailand......"

Terauchi Hisaichi spoke a sentence, his voice very light.

The Japanese adjutant at his side almost didn't hear clearly.

"Notify Yamashita Tomoyuki to contract the troops toward Bangkok."

"Also notify the Southern Expeditionary Fleet to regroup in the Thailand Bay, prepare to receive the Army's retreat."

"And, have Marshal Lawan summoned over."

Under Terauchi Hisaichi's order, Marshal Lawan was called to the Southern Army Command.

In Marshal Lawan's eyes, the entire command post had already become a chaotic mess; this was the rhythm of running away!

Japanese military police were moving document boxes onto trucks outside; signalmen ran back and forth.

Lawan entered Terauchi Hisaichi's office and found the room already mostly cleared out; the maps on the walls had also been torn down.

Terauchi Hisaichi cut straight to the point: "Marshal Lawan, I need you to send all remaining Thai divisions in Bangkok to the front line."

Lawan was stunned: "All of them? Only three divisions remain on the Bangkok side, the last reserve; send them all out?"

"Send them all out." Terauchi Hisaichi's tone brooked no negotiation.

The Japanese Army prepared to run; the Thai Army yet had to go to the front line.

Marshal Lawan understood — this was sending the Thai Army up as cannon fodder; the Thai Army would block the Youth Army and Zhongnan State's advance, buying time for the Japanese Army's retreat.

Lawan carefully asked: "Your Excellency, is the Imperial Army preparing to withdraw?"

Terauchi Hisaichi did not evade the question.

He nodded: "Burma is already lost, the Fifteenth Army is gone.

The Thailand battlefield faces enemies on three sides; continuing to death-defend Bangkok has no meaning.

I will transfer the troops to the Malay Peninsula and organize a defense there."

Lawan stood in place, his mind spinning rapidly.

The Japanese Army is leaving. Once they leave, Zhongnan State and the Youth Army will enter Bangkok.

He, Marshal Lawan, had served as a puppet for the Japanese this long; he once sent troops to invade Zhongnan State and vigorously suppressed Unity Party guerrillas — the blood debts on his hands were far too many.

With the Unity Party and Youth Army, Lawan was long on the blacklist.

Once the Youth Army caught him, they would give him no chance.

Terauchi Hisaichi saw through his thoughts and patted his shoulder.

"I will take you with me."

"Bring your agency personnel, withdraw to the Malay Peninsula."

"When necessary, you can establish an exile government overseas and counterattack back together with the Japanese Army."

"But if you want to come with me, first send the three Thai divisions garrisoning Bangkok to the front line, so Yamashita Tomoyuki and his troops can withdraw."

"Otherwise the enemy advances too fast and we won't be able to leave; do you understand my meaning?"

Lawan of course understood Terauchi Hisaichi's meaning; naval warships were right on the sea surface — Terauchi Hisaichi could leave anytime he wanted, and could also take Lawan along anytime, preserving his life.

Terauchi Hisaichi's thought was to bring away as many Japanese troops as possible from the Thailand front line; this required Thais to go to the front line and delay.

Although Marshal Lawan disliked the term exile government, he equally clearly knew he had no second road; staying in Bangkok was just waiting for death.

"I understand."

"Good!" Terauchi Hisaichi was very satisfied with Lawan's reply.

He finished his instructions, turned, and left.

Reaching the door he turned back and added: "From today the Southern Army Command is established aboard the Southern Expeditionary Fleet's cruiser."

"After you arrange the troops properly, come find me at the port."

Military police still walked the corridor; more filing cabinets were opened, papers scattered across the floor.

Terauchi Hisaichi got in the car without looking back; the motorcade drove out the command post's main gate, heading toward the port.

Lawan stood alone in the disordered office, listening to footsteps and shouts in the corridor, standing for a good while.

Then he summoned his assistant.

"Notify the 1st Burma Division, 3rd Division, 5th Division — all three divisions deploy to the front line."

"1st Division toward the Northwest, take over the 18th Division's defense zone. 3rd Division and 5th Division toward the Central direction, take over the 5th Division and Imperial Guard Division's defense zones."

"Move fast."

The assistant noted the order, was about to turn and send the telegram, when Lawan added: "Tell each division commander this is this Marshal's direct order, must be executed."

To save himself, Marshal Lawan finally steeled his heart to sell out his own subordinates.

After the assistant left, Lawan began notifying the heads of every agency department in Bangkok city.

He demanded that agency personnel transfer along with the Japanese Army, so as to prepare for establishing an exile government overseas.

——————

In Bangkok's northern suburbs, the Thai 3rd Division was departing in succession.

Third Division Commander Major General Plaek Phibunsongkhram was in his division headquarters, watching soldiers come and go moving things, looking pensive.

As early as eight years ago, he, Plaek Phibunsongkhram, was already a member secretly developed by the Unity Party.

Two years ago, he was merely a major.

Later, Thailand suffered repeated defeats in the war with Zhongnan State; Plaek Phibunsongkhram's superiors were either killed, captured, or dismissed by Marshal Lawan due to defeat.

Yet Plaek Phibunsongkhram, under the operation of Zhongnan State and the Unity Party, relying on some "military merits," was promoted repeatedly, quickly rising to the rank of colonel.

Under Terauchi Hisaichi's demand that Thailand carry out a major expansion of its army, Lawan expanded ten divisions in one breath.

Lawan lacked division commanders under him, and the outstandingly performing Plaek Phibunsongkhram was once again rocket-promoted, becoming the Major General commander of Thailand's Third Division.

In addition, Plaek Phibunsongkhram still maintained secret contact with the Unity Party, knowing the true current war progress.

Plaek Phibunsongkhram looked at his own troops, clearer than anyone in his heart that this force sent up would just be cannon fodder.

His Third Division's soldiers were all new recruits of less than two months, not even equipped with decent weapons, fundamentally having no combat power.

His Chief of Staff walked in from outside, holding a piece of paper: "Division Commander, Marshal Lawan's formal order has arrived, the whole division is to move north, accepting Commander Yamashita Tomoyuki's command."

Plaek Phibunsongkhram took that piece of paper; there was a matter he had thought about for a very long time, and he had also inspected his own Chief of Staff for a very long time.

He thought, now was precisely the time!

Plaek Phibunsongkhram asked his Chief of Staff: "Have wife and children all been settled?"

The Chief of Staff answered: "Oh~ they've all been brought from the hometown to Bangkok; if ultimately defeated, I'll take them and escape to Singapore together."

Plaek Phibunsongkhram took a deep breath and said: "I'm afraid once we go to the frontline we won't return; you'd better arrange someone else to send the family to escape."

The Chief of Staff was startled in his heart: "Division Commander, could it be you've received some news?"

Plaek Phibunsongkhram nodded: "A relative of mine works in a bank."

"According to his disclosure, all banks within Thailand are currently sorting national treasury assets, preparing to hand them over to the Japanese to transport together to the Malay Peninsula."

"My friend in the Military Police Command also told me, Marshal Lawan is packing up, personnel of various agencies and departments have already started packing, all departments are preparing to retreat to the Malay Peninsula."

"Only the army...... is to stay in the country."

The Chief of Staff was stunned: "The Japanese are leaving? Marshal Lawan too? He's also leaving?!"

Plaek Phibunsongkhram tore the order from Marshal Lawan in his hand to shreds, threw it on the ground: "Dog thing! Marshal Lawan sold us out!"

"We who shed blood and worked our lives for Marshal Lawan, in the end were used by Lawan as offerings to the Japanese, in exchange for a ship ticket to escape to Malaya!"

"I have reliable news from the Military Police Command, Lawan wants to establish an exile government in Malaya."

Plaek Phibunsongkhram looked out the window, said in a low voice: "He drove Bangkok's last three divisions all to the frontline, precisely to replace the frontline Japanese Army, so the Japanese could withdraw. We are just substitutes to die."

The Chief of Staff was silent for a few seconds, tightly clenching both fists.

"Division Commander Plaek Phibunsongkhram, whatever you say to do, I'll listen to you!"

This sentence was exactly what Plaek Phibunsongkhram had been waiting for.

That very night, he summoned all his regimental commanders and battalion commanders to the division headquarters.

After everyone arrived, Plaek Phibunsongkhram closed the door, stood before the table and got straight to the point.

"Gentlemen, I have received confirmed news."

"Lawan and the Japanese are preparing to abandon Bangkok, retreat to the Malay Peninsula."

"They're retreating, but there's no place for us on the ships!"

"Not taking us along would be one thing, but he even ordered us to pull our troops to the frontline, to block the Youth Army for the Japanese, to block Zhongnan State's National Defense Army."

"To buy time, replace the Japanese from the frontline, let them escape smoothly."

Hearing these words, the Thai officers in the conference room were both shocked and angry, whispering to each other, corroborating the news, discussing countermeasures.

Plaek Phibunsongkhram continued: "Look at the weapons in our hands, Russo-Japanese War obsolete scrap, the rifling is almost worn smooth."

"Nearly forty percent of men have no weapons, ammunition quantity insufficient, the whole division doesn't have a single cannon."

"And the enemy we face, you've all heard of, is Sun Liren's Youth Army!"

"They have tanks, have big guns, have planes."

"A force like ours pulled to the frontline, the only use is just to go die, not to fight a war."

Several regimental commanders clenched their fists tight.

Troops' pay and rations insufficient, equipment dilapidated, usually in Bangkok treated as second-rate troops ordered about by the Japanese, now again to be driven to the frontline as cannon fodder.

A regimental commander stood up: "Division Commander, what do you say we do?"

Division Commander Plaek Phibunsongkhram's Chief of Staff stood up: "The Division Commander and I have agreed, we rebel, directly rise up!"

A regimental commander asked: "The reasoning we all understand, but this is mutiny; once it fails, we're all a dead end."

Plaek Phibunsongkhram looked at him and said: "Thailand is no longer the Thailand of before, don't harbor fantasies."

"Sun Liren's main force is still two hundred kilometers from us, you think carefully."

"Going to the frontline we'll die, launching a coup we'll also die; since both are death, why not stake it all?"

"I'll contact the Unity Party people, they'll coordinate with our action; after success."

"We'll hand over an intact Bangkok to the Youth Army and the Unity Party."

"Our identity will be rebels, great meritorious subjects; this is a great revolution!"

"Free to come and go; those unwilling to participate may leave the venue first, I absolutely will not obstruct!"

The conference room fell quiet for a long while.

Plaek Phibunsongkhram's Chief of Staff stared at this group of subordinates; although his mouth said free to come and go, he had long since arranged personal guards outside; as long as anyone left the venue early, they would be seized on the spot outside the door.

Fortunately no one at the scene left; a battalion commander slapped his hat on the table: "Done. Marshal Lawan is unbenevolent, don't blame me for being unrighteous!"

The officers in the room voiced their support one after another, backing participation in this Coup.