Chapter 113: BF109 Soars Over Xibu

The Stuka bomber withdrew from above Xibu.

The remaining task is handed to BF109 fighters, which continue flying toward the Expeditionary Force's positions; upon seeing the Blue Sky with a White Sun flag on the positions, they lower altitude and sway the wings left and right.

Quanzong also hurried to the front command post; after seeing Dai Anlan, he said, "Division Commander, the fighters in the sky came from Lashu to support us, we can now follow the fighters to break through the enemy's Defensive Line."

In fact, before the bombers and fighters reached the Japanese Army's positions, Dai Anlan had already received Jiang Anguo's Telegram, which ordered an attack after the bombers dropped their bombs.

However, Dai Anlan had never experienced ground‑air coordination and could not make a correct judgment.

Therefore, only the fighters can maneuver around, then wait until they reach the battlefield to launch an attack on the Japanese Army; the ground forces of the th Division will launch an attack here.

Dai Anlan was taken aback, because the fighters, after receiving aid from the United States, had already been used in some battles, yet Dai Anlan still did not understand how ground and air units coordinate attacks.

But the recent bombing was truly exhilarating, only the number of bombs was a bit low.

"Division Commander, the fighters will soon clear the Japanese ground positions; once the positions are cleared, we will quickly break through Xibu, thus bringing us closer to Lashu." Quanzong said anxiously.

Quanzong's action is already overstepping authority; if Quanzong were a Battalion Commander, reporting directly to Dai Anlan would be acceptable, but Quanzong is only a Company Commander.

Dai Anlan nodded, "I understand, Liu Shaofeng."

Dai Anlan also realized the importance of the issue: they must break through the Japanese Army's Defensive Line in one push, otherwise they are too passive.

The Expeditionary Force's repeated battle failures were not only due to the United Kingdom's incompetence and abandonment of allies; another reason was the army's frequent redeployments. Otherwise, as long as the north of Myanmar is held, at least a protracted war with the Japanese Army can be ensured, because the terrain of northern Myanmar is indeed treacherous.

It can truly be said that one man holds the pass while ten thousand cannot open it.

A small force can completely contain the Japanese; even without securing all of Myanmar, the safety of northern Myanmar can be guaranteed, and thus external military aid can still be air‑lifted from India.

"Proceed." Senary 448th Regiment Regiment Commander Liu Shaofeng.

"Order your unit to quickly assemble and prepare to attack." Dai Anlan issued the command.

"Yes, Division Commander."

Quanzong's Eighth Company naturally was also in the attack order; the Eighth Company received ample ammunition in this supply run, and aside from the fallen personnel, the remaining soldiers each have the strength for a battle.

Ground‑air coordination—don't blame Dai Anlan; even many domestic units have never trained for it, meaning after the aircraft drop bombs, they follow up with an attack.

In fact, after the aircraft drop bombs, the ground forces must launch an offensive.

It is like infantry‑artillery coordination: once the Artillery shells land, the ground troops immediately advance to seize the enemy's first Defensive Line; once that line is breached, the subsequent battle will save considerable time and manpower.

Four BF109 fighters in the sky, under the sunlight, made the Blue Sky with a White Sun flag dazzling.

Quanzong shielded his eyes with one hand, looked at the fighters, holding an MP40 Submachine Gun, and knew this moment was the final battle with the enemy.

Not only Quanzong, but all the soldiers of the Senary 448th Regiment were ready, waiting to launch an attack on the Japanese Army.

Even at a distance, the wails of Japanese soldiers could still be heard inside Xibu.

Quanzong could guess that it must be the wails of injured Japanese soldiers in Xibu after the Stuka bombing.

Little Devil, should just die.

Even Jiang Anguo at Lashu believes that dead Little Devils are best; this one devil is worth 20 points, adding a total of 3,080 points, comprising 137 Little Devils, 2 Japanese squad leaders, and 1 platoon leader.

Alright, that's it; roughly one round of bombing eliminated two squads of Japanese Devils.

The Japanese Army regiment that can now reach Xibu is also understrength, so a Japanese platoon is only about thirty to forty men.

If a few more bombing rounds occur, the Japanese unit stationed in Xibu could go meet the Emperor.

There is a regretful point: the Japanese reacted too quickly; many Japanese, upon seeing United States aircraft, naturally chose a dispersed formation, allowing many Little Devils to escape this disaster.

What they didn't expect is that the escorting BF109 fighters had not fired a single aerial bomb, so their ammunition was abundant.

This BF109 model is the F2 type, equipped with two 7.92 mm machine guns with 1,000 rounds, and one 20 mm cannon with 200 rounds.

Its firepower is acceptable, and it inherits the BF109's greatest advantage: short legs!

BF109 fighters returning from the southwest flew toward the outer Japanese positions around Xibu.

Dai Anlan held a telescope, and at this moment also wielded a Sten Submachine Gun; this gun was part of the supplies Sun Liren previously gave to the th Division.

"Division Commander, you stay at the position to command; I'll handle the charge." Senary 448th Regiment Regiment Commander Liu Shaofeng stepped in front of Dai Anlan, understanding Dai Anlan, but this charge—if the Division Commander were hit by stray fire, it would be a serious problem.

Dai Anlan pushed Liu Shaofeng aside and shouted angrily, "Liu Shaofeng, at this moment you should be with your soldiers; from now on, there is no Division Commander, only soldier Dai Anlan."

The Deputy Division Commander and the Chief of Staff beside Dai Anlan came to advise, but it was of no use.

There was no other choice; Liu Shaofeng could only return to the position, simultaneously issuing death‑orders to several Battalion Commanders: when the charge begins, it must be swift, occupying the Japanese positions at the first moment.

Flight Squadron Leader Song Yunfei's fighter skimmed over the Expeditionary Force's position—more like a few small trenches—and swayed its wings left and right.

Even so, it greatly boosted the Expeditionary Force's morale, raising arms and shouting.

The th Division's soldiers had been suppressed for too long, fighting a miserable war; they truly managed a one‑for‑one exchange with the Japanese, even one‑for‑three.

If the Japanese 148th Regiment holds Xibu to the death, it would be a lethal blow to the th Division.

The Japanese adopt a strategy of waiting for the enemy's fatigue; before the th Division receives supplies, it lacks clothing, food, everything, and cannot independently face a Japanese regiment.

This is trench warfare combined with Myanmar's terrain advantage; the Tonggu Campaign inflicted at least six thousand casualties on the Japanese. It is evident that two or three battles in Myanmar could hold the Japanese at the Miteila line, and if the Tonggu Campaign proceeds smoothly, the Japanese could be blocked at Tonggu, where both sides are high mountains, making crossing clearly impossible.

Even if one were to infiltrate from other positions around Tonggu, via Maoqi, Lei Gu, to raid Xibu and Lashu, one must consider whether they have the capability and how to solve the supply issue.

Watanabe Masao of the 56th Division is now undertaking this extremely risky action; if it followed the original schedule, he indeed succeeded, even once threatening Kunming—the rear of Chongqing—by a hair.

But Jiang Anguo's appearance means he will not give Watanabe Masao a chance to break through Lashu; now that fighters and bombers are present, Jiang Anguo even entertained a bold idea: to swallow Watanabe Masao's 56th Division.