Chapter 502: Southward to Yangon (1)

Jiang Anguo sat in the transport aircraft's cockpit, his gaze fixed on the winding Dian-Mian Highway below.

The plane slowly lowered its altitude, and Jiang Anguo's sight pierced the clouds, landing on the familiar camp below.

The Mandalay camp was situated at the edge of the airport.

The outline of the Mandalay Expeditionary Force camp came into clear view, and looking out, the vast camp area seemed unusually empty.

In front of the barracks that once held orderly formations, soldiers on patrol were rarely seen; the training ground was deserted, only a few wisps of cooking smoke drifted lazily toward the sky, and even the training shouts and slogans that once echoed through the camp had vanished without a trace.

"Something's off," Jiang Anguo frowned, murmuring low.

He knows this camp too well; even during a rest period, it would never be this desolate.

Moreover, the newly formed 38th Division and 22nd Division he painstakingly shipped back from India Yingpar—where have all the troops gone?

The aircraft's landing gear touched the runway, the fuselage jolted slightly, and the plane came to a stop.

Jiang Anguo stepped off the plane, and a lithe figure hurried to the stairwell; it was his trusted aide, the st Division Infantry Regiment commander Iron Fist.

Iron Fist's expression carried a hint of gravity; as Jiang Anguo stepped off the stair, he immediately stood at attention and saluted, his voice pressed low: "Commander, you finally returned."

Jiang Anguo patted his shoulder, scanned the camp, and asked bluntly: "Why is the camp so empty? Where have the troops gone?"

Iron Fist's eyes flashed with complexity, then reported: "Commander, two hours ago General Du Yuming led the 200th Division, the 93rd Division, a Tank Regiment, and a detachment drawn from the newly formed 38th and 22nd Divisions southward to Yangon. General Stilwell also accompanied them, and before departing he specifically instructed that our garrison must hold Mandalay until you return."

"What?" Jiang Anguo's voice rose sharply, his eyes widening to the point of shock, nearly unable to react.

No wonder the view from the plane seemed barren; the Expeditionary Force's main body had, in the brief time since his departure, all been taken by Du Yuming to the Southern Theater.

In his mind it clicked instantly: orders from Chongqing must have been reissued, urging the opening of the Dian-Mian Highway.

Especially since the United States promised more aid, the first batch of weapons and equipment had already reached fifteen army divisions.

At the same time, the first batch of supplies had set sail from Australia, sailing to near Christmas Island, and the second batch was soon to reach New Zealand.

It must be said that the Americans were efficient, but Jiang Anguo knew clearly that they hoped to use Chinese lives to buy time for themselves in the Pacific Ocean.

Du Yuming already held command of the Expeditionary Force, and now, with the ample supplies Jiang Anguo had previously allocated to the 200th Division as backing, he felt emboldened and unafraid.

And when Lin Yi received an urgent telegram in Lashu, he likely could not notify him in time via airborne communications, forced to watch helplessly as the main forces withdrew, leaving only this empty camp.

Mandalay at this moment had become a 'ghost town.'

Only the nominal 'Nanko Democratic Federal Republic' shell remained, along with the st Division's lone force left under his command.

Suppressing the shock in his heart, Jiang Anguo inhaled deeply, forcing himself to stay calm.

He looked up at Iron Fist, his tone deepening as he posed a crucial question: "Where is that little old man Stilwell? Isn't he always advocating a steady, cautious approach? How come he's now willing to risk the main force?"

Iron Fist curled his lip and added: "General Stilwell also headed south; before departure he was full of vigor, constantly muttering 'Capture Yangon, open the corridor, and give the Allied Forces an answer.' I think he sees this southward move as a chance to score a great achievement."

Jiang Anguo let out a cold laugh in his mind; he could not have failed to guess Stilwell's thoughts.

If the Expeditionary Force could march southward, retake Tonggu, Yangon, and reopen the Dian-Mian Highway cut off by the Japanese Army, it would be a monumental achievement for Stilwell.

Given his penchant for glory, not only would he gladly send the main force south, but even letting him lead the charge himself would likely delight him.

As for whether the Expeditionary Force's supplies were sufficient or the soldiers weary, that probably wasn't among his primary concerns.

"Have you clarified the supply situation?" Jiang Anguo's tone shifted, his gaze sharpening.

He knew the Expeditionary Force's current supply status all too well.

Previously, he had not provided excessive supplies to the 93rd Division, Sun Liren's newly formed 38th Division, or Liao Yaoxiang's newly formed 22nd Division; daily rations were kept just enough to barely sustain combat.

Even when Du Yuming's main force withdrew to Myitkyina and Bamo, Jiang Anguo only maintained daily rations.

As for the newly formed 38th and 22nd Divisions, they are now fragmented, each having only one Infantry Regiment attached for combat.

The remaining troops were still resting in Mandalay, replenishing with the Japanese weapons previously captured.

Especially in Myanmar operations, manpower was indeed difficult to replenish.

Jiang Anguo never cared for the Japanese Army's standard rifles, collecting only officers' swords above the rank of colonel and valuable spare parts.

These Japanese arms conveniently filled the equipment gaps of the two divisions, giving their combat power a slight boost.

Iron Fist nodded immediately: "Checked. The units General Du Yuming took rely on supplies mainly from the 200th Division's leftover stores and ad‑hoc requisitioned Burmese civilian goods along the way. However, this will stretch the subsequent supply chain too far, posing great risk."

The only exception is the 200th Division; before the assault on Mandalay it had allocated a large stock of supplies, and upon departure it received nearly two months' worth of provisions, which gave Du Yuming the confidence to lead the main force south.

Jiang Anguo closed his eyes, his fingertips lightly tapping his palm.

It's not that he didn't feel for those supplies; he simply understood that a rash long‑range assault without a solid supply line, should the Japanese Army ambush midway, could plunge the Expeditionary Force's main body into disaster.

Of course, with northern Myanmar now occupied by Expeditionary Force units and the Japanese Army heavily battered, perhaps only the Burmese volunteer forces under Angshan could muster troops to ambush the Expeditionary Force.

"No, we can't just watch them charge forward," Jiang Anguo snapped his eyes open, his gaze radiating unquestionable resolve.

He knew the Japanese Army's tactics well, especially Colonel Matsui Shuji's 113th Regiment, which entrenched itself around Pingmana, notoriously cunning.

If a flank attack were launched on the southward Expeditionary Force's main body, it would easily sever their supply line, and tens of thousands of Expeditionary troops could then find themselves in peril.

Matsui Shuji is a defensive‑type commander, especially adept at engineering works.

The Expeditionary Force's leaders, unaware of this, would certainly suffer losses around Pingmana.

"Iron Fist," Jiang Anguo patted his shoulder, his tone solemn, "you must immediately return and arrange for your 448th Regiment to set out at once, follow General Du Yuming's units, maintaining a one‑day marching distance."

"Remember, do not make rash contact; only observe their movements. If they encounter a Japanese ambush or face supply issues, your regiment must advance to support immediately, ensuring the Expeditionary Force's main body is preserved."

Jiang Anguo was not preparing to let Iron Fist's regiment charge into battle directly; the Expeditionary Force might already be caught in a delusional confidence, believing that with the strength of the 200th Division they could capture Yangon.

He paused, then added: "Also, take a portion of our division's supplies with you, not much, just enough for emergencies. Remember, our primary mission is not to claim glory but to safeguard this Expeditionary Force, preventing them from falling prey to the Southern Theater's short‑term opportunism."

"Yes, Commander!" Iron Fist gave a standard military salute, his eyes full of agreement.

He understood the commander's considerations and grasped how perilous the current situation was.

The st Division's 448th Regiment, an elite force forged by Jiang Anguo himself, received the order without hesitation, turned and sprinted toward the deep camp area to arrange the deployment.