Chapter 468: Thai Devils

Qian Yunzhou felt that this time the Thai Army was somewhat different.

"They suddenly mobilized three divisions' troops, and I'm sure those three divisions must be Thai elites; more crucially, the telegram only mentioned the troop movement and didn't say who the Commander was."

Major still is the Expeditionary Force withdrew to the northwest corner of Myanmar, and the intelligence department for a while will not focus on the Thai direction, so intelligence on Thailand can only be handled by the 93rd Division itself.

"Based on my understanding of the Thai military, they simply have no outstanding generals capable of commanding three divisions in coordinated combat; there must be Japanese backing them behind the scenes."

Lv Guoquan's eyes flashed with a glint of brilliance, and he nodded approvingly: "You make a valid point."

"Little Devil (Japanese soldier) are in a difficult situation in Myanmar; Mandalay was captured by Dai Anlan's th Division, and the southward advance to Yangon is only a matter of time. Fan Tian Xiang Erlang's 15th Army is severely weakened, and now our army has the advantage, which must mean he has courted the Thai, and it is highly likely that he dispatched a Japanese Army officer to serve as the Commander of the Thai Army, assisting them in formulating battle plans and commanding operations," Lv Guoquan said.

In fact, before the Expeditionary Force entered Myanmar, the Thai Army in Northern Thailand was already moving toward Myanmar, but at that time a single explosion caused that Thai force to stall.

Lv Guoquan later also dispatched scouts to investigate, and the intelligence obtained was that a force had quietly entered Thai territory and detonated the Thai Army's logistical supplies.

This made Lv Guoquan think of a small unit in his own defense sector; at the time, when asked, they simply said they came from the th Division, and seeing the documents as proof, Lv Guoquan let that unit pass through the defense sector.

"Commander, your wisdom," Qian Yunzhou nodded heavily, adding, "I speculate that the Commander dispatched by the Japanese Army most likely comes from Fan Tian Xiang Erlang's 15th Army, and his rank would not be low—at least colonel level—familiar with northern Myanmar terrain and our Expeditionary Force's combat style."

The Thai Army itself is attached to the Japanese Army; with a Japanese Army officer in command, their combat power may increase considerably, and they will become even more overbearing.

"Three divisions..." Lv Guoquan muttered, tapping lightly on the map at Da Qili's location, "Da Qili currently has only one Reinforced Camp stationed, with fewer than two thousand troops. If the Thai three divisions launch a full assault, the garrison will inevitably be locked in a hard fight."

Lv Guoquan also did not want to become too antagonistic with the Thai, so he did not deploy many troops toward Da Qili.

"Moreover, the troop strength of these three divisions is greater than we previously estimated; it seems Fan Tian Xiang Erlang has poured a lot of resources, hoping to use the Thai Army's strength to capture Da Qili in one stroke."

"Commander, judging by the looks, these Thai people are not aiming to take Da Qili, but to seize Jingdong and attack our rear from the Jingdong direction," Qian Yunzhou said.

"Commander, should we immediately send a telegram to the Expeditionary Force headquarters requesting reinforcements?"

Qian Yunzhou asked, his tone carrying a hint of worry, "Although our 93rd Division is fully motivated, it is currently dispersed across eastern Myanmar, and the main force is still at a certain distance from Da Qili. If we rely only on the current troops, resisting the Thai three divisions' attack may be difficult."

The 93rd Division has only nine thousand troops, while the Thai Army has deployed not only three infantry divisions but also a cavalry division, totaling thirty-five thousand people.

In terms of manpower, they exceed the Expeditionary Force; as for combat power, that's hard to say.

However, regarding weapons and equipment, after the 93rd Division received Jiang Anguo's weapon supplies, it is not lacking.

Leveraging geographical advantage, a single Expeditionary Force division defending Jingdong would not face a great problem.

Moreover, after the Japanese Army's 56th Division failed in its attack on Lashu, the 93rd Division's officers and soldiers began constructing defensive works in their respective sectors.

Lv Guoquan shook his head, his tone firm: "No, the Expeditionary Force headquarters is currently planning a counteroffensive in northern Myanmar; troops are stretched thin and cannot spare any forces to reinforce us. Moreover, the situation at Da Qili is urgent; by the time headquarters' reinforcements arrive, it may already have fallen."

Lv Guoquan's intelligence here was again mistaken, because this counteroffensive plan was not commanded by Du Yuming; it was entirely carried out by Dai Anlan and Jiang Anguo, with two divisions completing the mission.

And with absolute superiority, they annihilated the Japanese Army's 18th Division and secured victory in Mandalay.

He paused, then continued: "Furthermore, since our 93rd Division entered Myanmar, we haven't fought a decent battle; the soldiers have been simmering with fire, each eager to fight a victorious battle to boost morale."

Lv Guoquan said loudly, "This time the Thai Army took the initiative to attack, giving us an opportunity to show them the might of our Chinese Expeditionary Force, and to let the Thai know that aligning with the Little Devil and opposing us leads to no good outcome!"

Qian Yunzhou looked at Lv Guoquan's steadfast gaze, and the worry in his heart gradually faded, replaced by a surge of zeal: "Commander is right! The soldiers of our 93rd Division are all exemplary; even without reinforcements, we can hold Da Qili!

"However, to be safe, I suggest we immediately adjust the deployment, sending the 273rd Regiment, which is closest to Da Qili, to reinforce swiftly, while ordering other units to prepare for battle and be ready to support at any time. Additionally, we must strengthen the defenses of Da Qili's forward positions, dig trenches, set up fortifications, and prepare for a protracted war."

The 93rd Division, three regiments, namely the 272nd Regiment, the 273rd Regiment, and the 274th Regiment.

"Alright, we'll do as you say," Lv Guoquan nodded, his tone serious. "Additionally, you must immediately assign personnel to closely monitor the Thai Army's movements, ascertain their exact troop deployments, attack routes, and the specific information on the Japanese Army Commander, ensuring we know both ourselves and the enemy, never faltering in battle. Also, send a telegram to the garrison at Da Qili, ordering them to hold the position; no matter how great the pressure, they must not retreat a step while awaiting the 273rd Regiment's reinforcement."

"Yes, Commander!" Qian Yunzhou immediately bowed to receive the order, turning to convey the command.

At that moment, a rapid footfall suddenly sounded from outside the door.

Immediately after, a Messenger dressed in Expeditionary Force uniform stumbled in, his face full of anxiety, his forehead drenched in sweat.

Running while shouting loudly, "Commander! Bad news! Bad news! Thai Little Devil... the Thai Little Devil has already attacked Da Qili! The forward positions are under heavy artillery fire, the garrison has suffered heavy casualties, requesting the Commander to dispatch reinforcements immediately!"

The Messenger's voice shattered the headquarters' calm, and the air instantly filled with a tense combat atmosphere.

Qian Yunzhou's complexion changed, and he stopped in his tracks, looking at Lv Guoquan, his eyes full of urgency: "Commander, the situation is urgent; the 273rd Regiment must depart immediately!"

However, Lv Guoquan showed no sign of panic; he rose slowly, his gaze steady, a hint of sharp edge appearing on his face.

He raised his hand to press Qian Yunzhou's shoulder, his tone calm: "Why panic? Troops block the enemy, earth shields the water. Though the Thai Army comes in a raging surge, our 93rd Division's soldiers have never been frightened!"