Chapter 83: Madman! Watanabe Masao!

Jiang Anguo wrote in his own notes:

It was his first time leading troops in combat, and he was extremely unfamiliar with the unit's organization and firepower. Today, watching a live‑fire artillery drill, he realized the unit's firepower was insufficient.

It was precisely Shi Xiaomao's suggestion that made Jiang Anguo recognize his own problem.

The issue lay in the mortar configuration; in fact, the 60 mm mortar wasn't that heavy.

It was only an extra five kilograms.

The firing range, however, was more than three times that of the 50 mm mortar; theoretically a 50 mm mortar can reach 700 m, but in practice that's impossible—the theoretical data are insufficient.

Shooting from a hillside differs from shooting on a plain.

And regarding all the discarded mortars, Jiang Anguo's issue system: can they be stored in the system?

"Yes, Host. Any item obtained through System Exchange can be stored in the system; external items cannot be stored," the system said.

Alright, Jiang Anguo felt a surge of joy; this essentially made it a mobile warehouse. Unfortunately, external items aren't allowed—otherwise Lashu's supplies could be stored directly in the system and taken back home, which would be so convenient.

The whole Independent Battalion, a name they gave themselves, is actually the th Division Supplementary Battalion.

All re‑equipment was completed, and everyone conducted analysis and exchange, since this mortar's specifications differ from the original 50 mm mortar, so practical operation naturally differs as well.

It still requires Jiang Sanpao and Yan Ping to give instructional explanations.

The soldiers were very enthusiastic; a powerful weapon naturally won their favor—it is a fire‑support weapon that can effectively knock out the enemy's mortars and machine‑gun positions.

Except for the sect's Octonary Company, which at this time went to support the th Division and hasn't returned, the Octonary Company is still equipped with 50 mm mortars.

The th Division could be described as being exhausted; when the British betrayed the Expeditionary Force during the retreat from Ren'ankiang, the British said they discovered three to five thousand Japanese soldiers pursuing from the rear.

Rescue forces were urgently needed; Sun Liren's troops had already abandoned Ren'ankiang. Two regiments plus the 600th Regiment amounted to four to five thousand men, enough to cover the British.

And they were unaware that the British had once telephoned the Mandalay Expeditionary Force Headquarters.

When the th Division moved from the central road to the Western Front, they discovered there was no Japanese pursuit at all.

The Japanese Headquarters' order was crystal clear: occupy Ren'ankiang's oil fields. Because the British had damaged those oil fields, after occupying Ren'ankiang, the Japanese 33rd Division poured massive forces into extinguishing the fire at Ren'ankiang.

This counts as the British finally reacting, and in Indonesia, whether the Dutch or the Americans, none have destroyed their own military facilities or important industrial equipment.

On April 22, the Japanese 56th Division's vanguard had already approached Taunggyi; Taunggyi was garrisoned by the temporary 55th Division of the Sixth Army.

Unexpectedly, the Japanese didn't even concentrate a single regiment's strength; in less than a day they captured Taunggyi.

After Jiang Anguo received the news from Lin Yi, he hadn't reacted at all.

On April 23, Taunggyi fell, and the Japanese left only a regiment's worth of troops.

"Taunggyi is lost."

At the same time, the Expeditionary Force Headquarters realized there was a problem.

"The most urgent task now is to retake Taunggyi; I will personally lead the th Division there," Du Lvming said at this moment.

Everyone recognized Taunggyi's importance; with Taunggyi seized by the Japanese, the gateway to the Shanbang Plateau fell, and Lashu, previously in the rear, suddenly became the front line.

Luo Zhuoying and Stilwell agreed with Du Lvming, and Du Lvming immediately ordered the th Division, which had just returned from the Western Front, to set out for Taunggyi at once.

Round‑trip, the th Division had already marched at least 500 km; of course, at this point its supplies were still ample, with Transport Vehicles and even railways available.

However, prolonged high‑intensity marching quickly erodes the soldiers' combat effectiveness.

Naturally, Du Lvming had taken this into account, so he also mobilized the Fifth Army's Cavalry Regiment, Engineer Regiment, Transport Vehicle Regiment, and added the th Division, forming a force of over 18,000 men heading to Taunggyi, determined to retake it.

The Japanese 56th Division's commander, Watanabe Masao, was already no longer in Taunggyi at this time.

"General, should we let the troops rest?" the 56th Division's chief of staff, Kurokawa Kunisuke, said.

Watanabe Masao, looking at the marching troops whose faces showed fatigue, still shook his head and said, "Kurokawa, increase the marching speed. As long as we capture Lashu, we can head north and seize Bamo and Myitkyina; then, whether British or Chinese, we can take them all in one stroke."

In fact, Watanabe Masao also harbored a more ambitious plan: if he could cut off the Chinese army's rear, he wondered whether he could seize the opportunity to thrust directly into China's deep rear.

This step is very risky.

The Headquarters and the Southern Army had both contemplated this operation, but their plans required at least 200,000 troops; otherwise, the Japanese would have already attacked China's rear from the front.

It should be noted that by now Guangxi's major cities had already fallen to the Japanese, making an advance from Guangxi feasible; in reality, the mountain roads were treacherous, and the Japanese lacked the resolve, while domestic economic pressure forced them to seek other areas for invasion.

The Japanese have already occupied China's political and economic centers, including all ports; what remains are remote, rugged, and steep‑terrain regions.

The strategic significance is not great.

The Southern Army's commander-in-chief, Terauchi Hisaichi, reported that the Japanese forces in Myanmar numbered only the 55th Division and the 33rd Division.

Both Watanabe Masao's 56th Division and the 18th Division's Mukoda Koya were units that, when the war reached its midpoint and advancement became difficult, came from Malaya to provide support.

The Southern Army's main thrust remained the islands of Indonesia, which hold important oil, and another direction pointed south toward Australia.

As long as they fully invade Australia, the Americans' foothold would disappear.

As for Australia, that's not something Watanabe Masao needs to consider; his ideas are already bold.

Among the Japanese troops, there is no shortage of the bold—or rather, there is no shortage of lunatics.

Just then, a Transport Vehicle tipped over.

The marching speed of the troops clearly stalled, and congestion began to appear.

The Japanese soldiers tried to right the vehicle; for the Japanese, it was just materiel, and they were not that affluent.

Watanabe Masao also saw this and shouted, "Push the vehicle to the side and clear the road."

"Hey."

The Japanese soldiers, seeing it was the division commander, stood at attention, bowed their heads, and said.

The vehicle was quickly pushed aside, and the army continued its northward advance.