Chapter Seventy-Four: The Battle of Morogoro (I)
The African People's Army successfully liberated the entire territory of Lindi Province in five days, and the main force of the British army in Lindi Province was about 70,000 people, but in the face of the main force of the African People's Army, it did not even have the slightest ability to resist. The few remaining forces fled either to Morogoro or to Dar es Salaam.
After liberating Lindi province, the African People's Army (APA) moved westward to Morogoro province, while the main force of the African People's Army (APA) in Rovuma province was rapidly approaching. This made Rodney, the British colonial governor of Morogoro province, very nervous. But also urgently to ******** Governor K. Peters sent a telegram for help.
When K. Peters was also terrified when he received Rodney's telegram, and he no longer had the same arrogance as before. He knew in his heart that there were now more than 40,000 British troops in the entire province of Morogoro. The rest are servant troops, and the current servant army is no longer with their own hearts. So I can't count on it.
After thinking about it, he ordered the main force of the entire Morogoro province to retreat to the area north of the Great Ruaha River and defend the river, and at the same time ordered Rodney to form an expatriate to participate in the battle, and at the same time transferred tens of thousands of troops from several northern provinces to reinforce the Morogoro province.
Just as the British were retreating, the intelligence services of the African People's Army (APA) discovered their movements. A report was sent to the command of the African People's Army. After Li Junhao learned about it, he clearly pointed out at the meeting: "Comrades, the intention of the British troops in Morogoro Province is very clear, that is, to withdraw their main forces to the north bank of the Great Ruaha River to block us by the river and buy time. Wait for their main force to arrive. Therefore, we also have to race against the enemy for time, try to intercept them on the south bank of the Great Ruaha River and destroy them. This will make our follow-up operations much lighter, and once they cross the river, our pressure will increase greatly. ”
Before this expedition, the army in the Rovuma area was silent for a month, and after receiving the combat mission, a grand Northern Expedition pledge meeting was held. Li Junhao said at the meeting: "Comrades, the comrades who have performed very bravely in the liberation of Rovuma Province have been very brave, for which I have to thank the comrades. Now, we have liberated the province of Mtwara, liberated the province of Lindy, and even annihilated 200,000 British troops, but those are the achievements of the Eastern Route Army! It has nothing to do with our Western Route Army. Therefore, in this liberation of Morogoro Province, we strive to achieve better results than the Eastern Route Army. Of course, you are also as good soldiers as the Eastern Route Army, and when we conquer the Mologoro region, we will continue to fight north and turn the British colonial government upside down. ”
"Rest assured, Chairman of the Report, that little British force in Morogoro Province can be destroyed by our people?" This is said by a colonel.
The soldiers below have also fought with the British many times, and they know the fighting level and ability of these British Yankees, so they also agree with the colonel's words and collectively shout: "Use me in the first battle, and I will win." Drove Britain to the sea and liberated the entire African continent. ”
Li Junhao was not angry because of the arrogance of the soldiers, but he still said loudly to the soldiers under his hands: "Yes, the British can't be careless in their fighting level, but we can't take it lightly and lose Jingzhou." It's better to be careful. Tactically value the enemy and strategically despise the enemy. So we can't be arrogant. Complacency is dangerous, especially among officers. Do you remember that? ”
"Remembered."
When the soldiers heard him say this, they were full of confidence in an instant, but the weed that had grown arrogance was cleaned up by Li Junhao's words.
Soon the African People's Army's eastern and western armies crossed into the territory of Morogoro province, and the British army had received orders from their superiors to retreat. Many of the cities of the British were already empty, and there was nothing left for the African People's Army.
This made Li Junhao, who was traveling with the army, laugh at himself and said: "Hehe, today Lao Tzu was actually invited by the British to a feast on the wall." ”
Durabo said disapprovingly on the side: "The commander is retreating with a large amount of supplies, and the speed of the march is definitely not fast." None of this is necessarily a bad thing for us. ”
At this time, Li Junhao spread out the map and said: "You send a report to Nebron, and ask him to lead the Western Route Army to march along the junction of Morogoro Province and Lindy Province. Straight to the south bank of the Great Ruaha River, and then quickly move westward to cut off these routes of British troops fleeing north. Just eat these British troops under the noses of the British on the Great Ruaha River. ”
Later, after receiving the telegram from Li Junhao, Nibron checked the map and said to the staff officer beside him: "It is worthy of the commander, so that we can rush to the south bank of the Daruaha River to set up positions and wait for the arrival of the British army." The army on the southern route is driving these ducks north, and when they come to us, they are already a tired army, and they can not be defeated by waiting for their labor. ”
Then he ordered the whole army to march north with all his might, ignoring the cities along the way, and eat up a small group of British troops, and leave a large group of enemy troops around and leave them to the troops on the southern front. Full march to the Great Ruaha River.
The troops on the southern front were divided into two armies by Li Junhao, and they encountered the city along the way, and dismantled the passes, and captured Mbalin, Lughda, Muyan Bila, Mwaya, Mahongai, and the British were almost caught by Li Junhao several times, and finally the British had to abandon a large number of materials and speed up their escape. Just like that, you chased me along the way.
Soon arrived in the city of Facala. As a result, Li Junhao's southern front troops were less than 30 kilometers away from their place, and in desperation, the British army left 5,000 British troops and 5,000 Indian soldiers in the Fakara area to block Li Junhao and buy time for his main force to escape.
But these blocking forces had not yet engaged Lee Jun-ho's troops on the southern front, and the main force of the British was only concerned about fleeing for their lives and plunged into the pocket formation arranged by Nybraon.
While the Englishmen were running with their heads down, suddenly a series of violent explosions rang out around them. The British army, which was already frightened birds, was even more frightened. It was only then that the Britons found themselves in an ambush, but this made the British, who wondered why these had run in front of them and set up a pocket formation waiting for them to drill.
Just when the British troops in the city of Fakara were preparing to block Li Junhao's army, they heard the explosion behind them and knew that their main force was surrounded by the enemy, and their existence was already of little significance, and they chose to surrender when Li Junhao's troops approached the city.
However, the British army on the south bank of the Great Ruaha River did not choose to surrender, but tried to break through and cross the river with a fluke mentality, but in the face of the strong firepower of the African People's Army, several breakthroughs could not be completed. The British North Shore Army also tried to send ships to meet them. However, as they reached the middle of the river, they were hit by APA artillery, and the steamers lost a third of their lives before being forced to retreat to the north shore.