Chapter 491: Southern Huaxia Freedom Army (1)

These prisoners have rather complicated origins.

Lin Yi followed Jiang Anguo's gaze and continued the report, "Among them are the remnants of the Japanese Army's airborne unit; after they parachuted into northern Myanmar, we defeated and captured them."

"There are also the broken troops and prisoners from the 56th Division and the Japanese 39th Division, all of whom we captured during the Mandalay Battle and the Battle of Yichang."

"The majority are Japanese; besides them, there is a portion of Burmese who incited trouble and colluded with the Japanese Army. Like the Japanese prisoners, they undergo forced labor here, doing the same heavy work."

Jiang Anguo couldn't be bothered to deal with the Burmese.

Jiang Anguo's gaze slowly swept over the prisoners, observing their utterly exhausted appearance without a hint of compassion.

These Japanese soldiers burned, killed, and looted on the Huaxia Battlefield, harming innocent civilians.

Having slain Expeditionary Force soldiers on the Myanmar battlefield, their hands stained with fresh blood, they now fall as prisoners and perform high‑intensity labor—just the punishment they deserve.

And those Burmese who colluded with the Japanese betrayed their own country and compatriots, aiding tyranny, and thus rightly deserve appropriate sanction.

"This mine is merely one of the sites where we detain Japanese prisoners."

Lin Yi opened the notebook, reciting the statistics, his tone precise: "Currently we hold 367 prisoners here; the highest rank among them is held by Shanben Jianci and Jiman Yixiong of the Japanese 39th Division, both bearing the rank of Lieutenant Colonel."

"They were frontline combat officers; after being captured they attempted to incite other prisoners to cause trouble, displaying a very arrogant attitude."

Jiang Anguo, upon hearing this, raised his eyebrows slightly and asked in an even tone, "Did they cause any trouble?"

He had long anticipated that these Japanese prisoners would not settle easily, especially the officers; their inherent arrogance and militarist mindset would never readily submit, making trouble inevitable.

Lin Yi nodded, a trace of coldness on his face, his tone bearing some resolve: "When we first brought them here, these guys caused quite a ruckus, refusing discipline, refusing labor, inciting other prisoners to rebel, even attempting to attack overseers and guards, their arrogance was extreme."

However, after we, following your order, executed the most troublesome Japanese, these fellows became completely obedient, no longer daring to act wilfully, dutifully obeying discipline and completing labor tasks on schedule."

As he spoke, a hint of sentiment flashed in Lin Yi's eyes.

He recalled that in the past he was merely an ordinary officer, without even a single soldier under his command, following the broken troops all the way to Yunnan.

Lin Yi could never have imagined that one day he would command so many Japanese prisoners, decide their lives and deaths, and watch these once haughty Japanese soldiers reduced to laborers at others' beck and call.

All of this owes itself to the leadership of the division commander, to the strength of the st Division, and to the accumulation of victory after victory.

"Hmm, well done."

Jiang Anguo nodded slightly, his tone containing some commendation, "These Japanese prisoners deserve no mercy; the crimes they committed on Huaxia are countless. Discipline them well, let them atone for their sins through labor."

As for those who are obstinate and attempt trouble, punish them without leniency, kill to set an example, and never allow them any opportunity.

Unfortunately, we did not capture more prisoners, whether from the 13th Division or the Japanese 39th Division; aside from executing some, the majority of prisoners actually ended up in the hands of Hu Lian and Xu Guozhang, which counts as their war merit.

Jiang Anguo did not order them to come; as for the fate of the prisoners in their hands, that will depend on the decision of the Chongqing Military Committee.

The discussion was also very lively; a faction thought they should be killed.

More people considered exchanging Japanese prisoners for their own soldiers, which is a quite reasonable plan.

A small minority even thought of returning the Japanese prisoners, to demonstrate a nation's magnanimity.

This inevitably made the Military Committee suspect whether these people were Japanese spies, and Dai Li's side also assigned people to keep an eye on the officials who wanted to release the prisoners.

"Yes, division commander, I have noted it," Lin Yi hurriedly replied, recording Jiang Anguo's order in his notebook.

"Aside from the prisoners at this mine, the other Japanese prisoners have been assigned to various construction sites around Lashu, primarily responsible for building bridges, roads, and defensive works, with some also handling material transport."

According to statistics, there are currently 1,976 Japanese prisoners detained in Lashu; all are under strict supervision, performing high‑intensity labor, and no large‑scale trouble has occurred.

Lin Yi finished speaking, closed his notebook, and stood respectfully aside, awaiting Jiang Anguo's instructions.

The prisoners are not confined together, because too many people would easily cause trouble and be hard to discipline.

Killing them is naturally simple; it's just a waste of ammunition. If they stood in a line, 7.92 mm rounds could string them like candied hawthorn, even saving bullets.

But that would be far too cheap for these Little Devil (Japanese soldier)s.

Jiang Anguo did not speak immediately; instead, he continued walking toward the lower part of the mine, carefully observing each prisoner's condition and the mine's supervision, pausing now and then to ask Lin Yi details such as the prisoners' rations, medical situation, and guard deployment.

Indeed, the captured Little Devil (Japanese soldier)s do receive medical aid; this is not out of kindness.

Rather, the aim is to make the Little Devil (Japanese soldier)s do more work; there aren't many in Southeast Asia, and capturing them is not easy.

In the Great Power Battle, because artillery coverage was so extensive, few Little Devil (Japanese soldier)s survived, and the resistance was fierce.

Therefore, the Japanese prisoners finally captured in the Great Power Battle, aside from the Lieutenant General, were only about seventy to eighty junior officers among the Little Devil (Japanese soldier)s.

At that moment, deep within the mine, a "ding-ding-ding" bell rang, breaking the mine's gloom.

That bell is the signal for the prisoners to start meals; it sounds at a fixed time each day, the only moment these prisoners can slightly relax.

Hmm, just ten minutes.

Capitalists, they don't exist.

Little Devil (Japanese soldier)s never give prisoners meal time; it's a death march.

Jiang Anguo, that great benevolent man, Jiang the Great Benevolent, even grants ten minutes for meals.

When the bell rang, the laboring prisoners all stopped their tasks, dragging their exhausted bodies; they barely had the strength to speak.

They slowly gathered, forming a disordered line moving toward the mess hall, their eyes showing no joy, only numbness and fatigue.

The overseers, wielding batons, watched the sides of the line to prevent anyone from taking advantage to cause trouble or escape.

Jiang Anguo halted, a faint curve appearing at the corner of his mouth, and said to Lin Yi, "Let's go and see these prisoners, check their rations, and see how they look now."

"Division commander, no!" Lin Yi heard this, hurried forward a step, raised a hand to block, his tone full of worry, "There are many chaotic people ahead, all Japanese prisoners; although guards are present, accidents are inevitable. It's too dangerous; you shouldn't go. Let me check and report back to you."