Chapter 515: Encircling Pingmana (1)

The atmosphere inside the command vehicle was oppressively heavy, while the rain outside continued to drizzle, as if foreshadowing that this southern campaign was destined not to go smoothly.

Du Yuming stared at the muddy road ahead, his mind fixed on a single thought: no matter the cost, the tank regiment must be rescued, Yangon must be captured, and the Dian‑Mian Highway opened.

In Chongqing, hope of opening the Dian‑Mian line had already been seen; otherwise they would not have sent a Radio Order at this moment for Du Yuming to devote all effort to opening the Dian‑Mian Highway.

Yet the road ahead was fraught with difficulties.

But he never imagined that misfortune would strike again; just as the tank regiment was mired and rescue efforts failed, another urgent Telegram arrived in his hands, completely shattering his confidence in the southward push.

The Telegram came from Division Commander Yu Shao of the 96th Division at the forefront of the Expeditionary Force, its wording full of urgency and gravity: "Commander‑in‑Chief, my division's vanguard, the 286th Regiment, has reached near Pingmana, discovering dense Japanese Army positions, fortifications solid and layout meticulous, apparently a Japanese elite regiment garrisoned there; requesting orders!"

"What?"

Du Yuming snatched the Telegram, his fingers trembling slightly from the grip, his complexion turning ashen in an instant.

Pingmana—its name struck his heart like a massive stone.

He knew the strategic significance of the place all too well; it was the essential route south to Yangon, and previously the Expeditionary Force and Allied Forces had intended to fight a Pingman Na Battle there. The terrain of Pingmana was a high ground—high attacking low—giving the advantage to the Expeditionary Force.

However, just as the Expeditionary Force was preparing for the Pingman Na Battle, the British Army on the Western Front caused a stir!

They withdrew.

Because the British Army withdrew, the Expeditionary Force at Pingmana had to retreat quickly, or else the Japanese Army would swing around from the Western Front and encircle the Expeditionary Force at Pingmana.

If at this moment the Japanese Army heavily defended Pingmana, it would be an ominous sign for the Expeditionary Force!

Once firmly controlled by the Japanese Army, the Expeditionary Force's southern route would be completely cut off.

Even more unsettling was that Yu Shao specifically emphasized in the Telegram that the density of the Japanese positions was terrifying, clearly pre‑prepared, a net covering heaven and earth.

"Pingmana… Japanese Army…" Du Yuming murmured softly, his mind instantly flashing Jiang Anguo's earlier worries.

Jiang Anguo had repeatedly warned him that a Japanese regiment was entrenched at Pingmana and that utmost caution was required, but at the time he was solely focused on capturing Yangon quickly and paid no heed to the warning.

Now, the Japanese Army indeed stationed forces at Pingmana, the Expeditionary Force's main body was blocked, the tank regiment was mired, and a predicament of being attacked from front and rear had silently arrived.

During the days of marching, Jiang Anguo sent Telegrams to Du Yuming every day, yet received no reply.

Having no other recourse, he could only forward the Telegram to Dai Anlan's side, asking him to keep an eye on the Japanese at Pingmana.

Lin Yi had previously been occupied with other matters; now back at Lashu, he was also decoding a Telegram from the Japanese 15th Army, learning that the Japanese garrison at Pingmana was the 113th Regiment of the 56th Division.

Du Yuming's thinking was simple: you, Jiang Anguo, a young man, can take it down; as for me, Du Yuming, being the Expeditionary Force commander, can I not defeat the Japanese Army?

Especially now that the Expeditionary Force's main body, the 200th Division, has returned under his command.

After seeing the latest organization of the 200th Division, Du Yuming was very confident of taking Yangon.

Dai Anlan's current 200th Division, however, possessed twenty‑four 75 mm infantry guns and twelve 105 mm howitzers.

Nevertheless, this southward move Dai Anlan did not bring all the artillery; the 200th Division had suffered losses in the counter‑offensive at Mandalay, and even though Jiang Anguo transferred both reinforcement regiments from Lashu to the 200th Division, its combat power could not be quickly restored.

It wasn't that Dai Anlan was reluctant; the reality is that marching and positional warfare differ— in a positional battle, artillery can stay put and fire continuously.

Yet marching over five hundred kilometers south to Yangon now was indeed fraught with difficulties.

The artillery in Dai Anlan's troops still received some personnel from Jiang Anguo; operating thirty‑six guns would require at least a few thousand men, while Dai Anlan's infantry division numbered just over ten thousand.

This time southward, Dai Anlan only brought twelve infantry guns and six 105 mm howitzers.

Even so, the 105 mm howitzers, despite being on tow vehicles, repeatedly became stuck in Myanmar's mud.

At this moment on the outskirts of Pingmana, the commander of the 286th Regiment of the 96th Division, Ling Zemin, stood on a height, his brows furrowed as he stared at the Japanese positions ahead.

"I always feel something's off up ahead!" the veteran's intuition.

The rain soaked his uniform, mud clung to his boot soles, yet he paid it no mind, his gaze fixed on the seemingly tranquil ground.

After receiving reconnaissance reports, Division Commander Yu Shao immediately ordered him to lead the 286th Regiment as vanguard to Pingmana to probe the reality and ascertain the Japanese force deployment.

"Regiment Commander, the scouts are back!" a signalman ran up, reporting hastily.

Ling Zemin instantly turned, his voice deep: "Speak! What's the situation inside? How many Japanese troops?"

"Regiment Commander, we sent three scouts forward, quietly approaching the outer perimeter of the Japanese positions to observe. Inside Pingmana the town appeared very quiet; we saw few Japanese soldiers, only a few scattered sentries patrolling the edges of the fortifications. Though the works were dense, the defense did not seem stringent."

Ling Zemin's eyes flickered with a hint of doubt, then he showed a few degrees of resolve: "It seems the Japanese are trying to create a false mystery, using dense works to mislead us while their forces are actually thin. Pingmana is the essential route south; we cannot linger here, we must seize it quickly to open a path for the main army."

"Regiment Commander, do not be careless! The Japanese are notoriously cunning; this could be a bait, with apparent thin forces but hidden ambushes. We should recon again and only attack after confirmation."

"It's too late!" Ling Zemin waved his hand, his tone firm. "The main force is still advancing from behind, the tank regiment is mired; we must seize Pingmana quickly and stabilize the situation. Issue the order: assign the First Battalion as the main assault, advance on Pingmana, break through the Japanese positions swiftly, and capture the high points inside the town!"

This southward move toward Yangon was not blind.

The Japanese had two divisions, the 33rd Division and the Fifty‑five Division. First, the 33rd Division was to defend Ren'ankiang, leaving the Expeditionary Force to face only the Japanese 55th Division stationed at Yangon.

Unless the Japanese 33rd Division abandons Ren'ankiang!

"Yes, Regiment Commander!" the signalman turned immediately to relay the order.

Soon after, the battalion commander of the 286th Regiment, Li Deyi, led his entire battalion, braving the drizzle, and quietly approached Pingmana.

The soldiers crouched low, their steps light, striving to make no sound; rain streamed down their helmets, blurring their sight, yet their resolve to attack remained unshaken.

The battalion's troops advanced cautiously, evading the Japanese outer sentries, and successfully reached a point less than a hundred meters outside Pingmana's walls.

Battalion commander Li Deyi lowered his voice and ordered the nearby soldiers: "Prepare to attack! Keep concealed, minimize casualties, and seize the Japanese positions in one stroke!"

The soldiers instantly gripped their rifles, ready for the assault, their eyes filled with determination.

Yet at the moment they were about to charge, the seemingly calm Japanese position suddenly emitted a "Wah‑la" blast.

The Japanese hidden beneath the cover opened the front shield in an instant, a forest of rifle and machine‑gun barrels snapping onto the battalion's soldiers, the cold muzzles glinting in the rain.