Chapter 424: Landing South of the Mijie River

Leaving the clamor of Mei Miu, the marching route of the 201st Division underwent an unexpected dramatic change.

No one saw the main force of the 201st Division raise dust on the highway, nor did anyone hear the roar of trucks from deep in the jungle.

The 201st Division seemed to have vanished from the Dian-Mian Highway.

Jiang Anguo made a decision so bold it bordered on madness: the whole army would go "down to the sea".

In fact at Naoqiu, Jiang Anguo had already split from the 200th Division; he led the 201st Division southward directly to the Mijie River.

Only a handful of people knew this, and Dai Anlan was among those who knew.

East of Mei Miu, in a hidden river bay, tributaries of the water system on the east side of Mandalay converge here.

Before dawn on the Mijie River, forty‑five massive vessels lay quietly moored at the shore.

These steel barges called "Strikers" had flat hulls like huge crocodiles, now opening their massive bow doors to engulf the troops ready to embark.

Jiang Anguo stood above the helm of the lead LCI‑101, the sea breeze ruffling his American‑style coat that seemed out of place at the moment. His gaze did not follow the fires of Mei Miu, but fixed stubbornly on the deep‑gray waterway south that led to the Mijie River.

"Division commander, all regiments report, personnel and equipment have all boarded."

The Chief of Staff jogged forward, a roster in hand, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.

Regiment Commander Tie Quan of the 1st Regiment and Regiment Commander Yang Zhi of the 2nd Regiment had just hoisted the last 75 mm infantry gun onto the landing craft decks; these forty‑five landing craft were like forty‑five moving barracks, swallowing the entire main forces of two regiments together with the needed light artillery and vehicles.

"Very good." Jiang Anguo glanced at his watch, the hand pointing to exactly four a. m., "Send the order: all lights out, maintain radio silence, keep engine RPM at minimum, advance downstream! Target: south bank of the Mijie River!"

At the command, the diesel engines of the forty‑five LCI landing craft let out a low, rumbling roar.

The sound differed from the ferocity of a tank engine; it resembled a continuous, muffled thunder, raising successive white waves on the water.

The fleet slowly pulled away from the hidden river bay, like a giant serpent silently gliding through the night, racing south along the winding waterway.

Jiang Anguo sat on a canvas chair beside the helm, not holding a binoculars but eyes closed, seemingly listening to the sound of water striking the hull.

In his mind, a panoramic picture of the battle was being rapidly constructed.

This was another of his "stroke of genius".

This tactical instinct stemmed from the crucible of blood and fire he endured on the home front.

Not long ago at Yichang, facing the Japanese Army's fortified river defenses, he twice forced his troops to cross the Yangtze River, attacked Xiaoting, and recaptured Yichang.

He knew deeply that an amphibious assault must be swift; before the Little Devils could react, the landing troops must get ashore, otherwise those on the river become live targets.

In traditional river‑crossing operations, the deadly weakness lies between the initial beachhead and the rear‑support gap.

Of course, he had forty‑five LCI landing craft, each equipped with four 12.7 mm machine guns and two 20 mm Oerlikon cannons, enough to shred the Little Devils.

Unlike the Battle of Yichang, during that battle his order of battle limited him; he started with only three landing craft, unable to transport an entire infantry regiment across to the north bank of the Yangtze River in one go.

Later, after a battalion of the entire regiment suffered casualties at Xiaoting and its slots opened, five more landing craft were added.

LCI, a landing craft designed specifically for amphibious warfare, possesses the ability to charge directly onto a beach; once its massive bow door opens, soldiers can surge onto land like tigers descending a mountain, without the previous need to wade inch by inch.

"Division commander, what are you thinking?" Tie Quan walked to Jiang Anguo's side, eyes on the black jungle receding rapidly on both banks, and couldn't help asking.

Jiang Anguo opened his eyes, pointed to the deck beneath his feet, then to the black night sky ahead.

"I'm wondering what expression the Little Devils of Mandalay will make when they see our troops suddenly appear on the south bank of the Mijie River," Jiang Anguo said with a mischievous grin.

"Tie Quan, once you reach the designated point, speed must be rapid; give the Little Devils no chance to react. An amphibious assault is a beachhead paid for with lives. Every second the riverbank bleeds. Minimize casualties as much as possible!"

He stood, his gaze sharpening: "The Mijie River is the Yangtze. But this time the initiative is in our hands. The Japanese 18th Division should be in a scramble, focused on the Mei Miu direction, their eyes fixed on the highway, the tanks behind them, the aircraft in the sky. They could never dream that we would come by water around to their rear, teaching them a lesson in the 'rear' they consider safest."

The fleet raced through the night.

Although the eastern Mandalay water system has many tributaries, the main channel is deep enough to accommodate the draft of an LCI.

An LCI landing craft, fully loaded, weighs no more than four hundred tons, so crossing the Mijie River poses no problem.

It is a race against time, and also a gamble. If the Japanese had laid mines at the river mouth, or if gunboats patrolled, this massive fleet would become a live target.

But Jiang Anguo bet correctly.

The Japanese 18th Division's entire attention was drawn to the ground offensive toward Mei Miu, and P‑38s and B‑25s had bombed away most of their reconnaissance, so this "ghost fleet" slipped toward the mouth of the Mijie River in the darkest moments before dawn, unnoticed by anyone.

A pale dawn rose on the horizon, and the wide surface of the Mijie River unfolded before his eyes.

"Division commander, forward reconnaissance reports a small Japanese Guard Unit on the north bank of the Mijie River," the communications man's voice interrupted Jiang Anguo's reverie.

"How many?" Jiang Anguo asked.

"About a company, constructing makeshift fortifications along the shore."

"Take them out," Jiang Anguo coldly waved his hand, "Move quickly, cleanly, and don't let them sound the alarm. Seize the crossing, prepare to land."

"Yes!"

"Prepare for battle!" Jiang Anguo yanked down his goggles, his voice booming through the throat mic across the ship, "All craft, form attack formation! Whatever you encounter, charge the beach directly! Speed is everything!"

Jiang Anguo was conducting pre‑battle mobilization.

At that moment, a few flashes of fire lit up on the opposite riverbank, a Japanese Guard Unit's outpost having spotted the sudden fleet.

"Tap tap tap—"

The Japanese Type 92 heavy machine gun roared, bullets striking the thick steel of the LCI and spraying dazzling sparks.

"Return fire!" Tie Quan bellowed.

The 12.7 mm Browning heavy machine guns on the landing craft decks roared instantly; the forty‑five craft, each with several guns, instantly wove a dense web of fire across the river, shredding that Japanese outpost in an instant.

But that was only the prelude.