Chapter 218: Ren Anqiang

In the battle plan formulated by the Japanese 15th Army on March 15, it planned to use the line of Dongggyi (Donji), Mintilla, and Ringanqiang as the offensive line, but it was stubbornly resisted by the 200 divisions of the Chinese expeditionary vehicle in Tonggu, and it was determined that the main force of the Chinese expeditionary force was advancing south of Mandalay according to intelligence, so it retreated to the line of Leke (Luo Yikao), Yangmiding (Yangmidian), and Ringanqiang, which were 50 kilometers to the south.

On 1 April, the 15th Army gave the order to advance to this line, and on 2 April, the Army's combat command post advanced from Rangoon to Rangku.

On 3 April, the battle plan for Mandalay was formulated, and its operational policy was: "Our army will cut off the enemy's retreat from Lashio with its elite corps, and advance with its main force along the Tonggu-1 Mandalay Highway and the Irrawaddy River area to the Chodele side, so as to encircle both flanks of the enemy's main force." Defeat and annihilate the enemy west of Mandalay, in the Irrawaddy and Giang areas; Then capture to the west of the line of Lashio, Bamo, and Jiesha, annihilate the remnants of the enemy, and at the same time, lose no time in pursuing the line of the Nu River with an elite unit. ”

At this time, the invading Japanese army no longer took the British army, which lacked the will to fight, to the present, and its attack spearhead was mainly aimed at the 5th Army, the main force of the Chinese Expeditionary Force, which was being deployed between Mandalay and Pingmanna. The deployment of the Japanese forces was to advance the 56th Division to Luo Yi Khao and advance towards Lashio to cut off the retreat of the Chinese army; The 55th Division advanced to Mandalay from the west of the Yangman Railway and the 18th Division to Mandalay from the east of the Yangman Railway to encircle and annihilate the main force of the Chinese Expeditionary Force; With the 33rd Division, it advanced along the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, captured and annihilated the British army that was trying to retreat to the northwest, and the new 22nd Division of our 5th Army occupied the forward position at Yedasi with one division, and used the main force to build a deep echelon position along the Swa.

The division took advantage of the favorable terrain of the narrow road from Swa-Pinmanna to densely forested on both sides. Preset fortifications along the way to block the enemy layer by layer.

From 1 to 4 April, the New 22nd Division confronted the enemy's 55th Division between Yunanyong Station and Ye Daxi.

With only small units of search and intermittent artillery battles, the 200th Division moved from Shawat south of Pingmana to Kaidanggang in the north to rest and stand by.

The 96th Division built fortifications near Pimphana. The main force of the 55th Division of the 6th Army was in the area of Heihe and Taxi.

The new 66th Division of the 38th Army arrived at Mandalay to take over, and the 5th Army supplemented the 1st and 2nd Regiments to guerrillise and search the rear of the enemy flank.

After the British abandoned Prome on 1 April, they dispersed to the Alan Temple area. The forward of the enemy's 33rd Division also followed and approached Ah Lan Temple.

The 96th Division sent a battalion to rush to Shaswa to guard the construction of Shaswa to ensure the safety of Pingmanna's right back. The Anglo-Indian 17th Division and the 7th Armoured Brigade were also transferred to Shaswa. Enemy planes bombed Pingmanna for several days.

From April 5 to 10, the Japanese 55th Division used infantry and artillery. The main force of the new 22nd Division used the pass roads and deep positions to resist one by one, attracting the enemy, and counterattacking from the flanks with small forces, constantly attritioning the enemy. This flexible tactic allowed the enemy to enter the road to heavy casualties. I can't figure out the reality of our army.

On the evening of April S5. New 22nd Division

After taking the initiative to abandon the guard position at Nanyang Station, he went to Ye Daxi's position. On 6 April, the enemy troops dispatched infantry, cavalry, artillery, and chariots, and began to attack the positions of the new 22nd Division of Ye Daxi on three sides from dawn. The two sides fought fiercely, and the battle was still going on in the evening.

April 7th. The enemy and the enemy fought at Yedasihui. The 66th Regiment of the new 22nd Division, which was guarding the place, took the initiative to attack. Inflict heavy damage on the enemy. The enemy counterattacked, and the position of our army was roundabout, and the artillery was concentrated to attack the northeast of Yedaxi. Part of the positions of our troops was broken through. The 66th Regiment suffered heavy casualties and was transferred from Yedasi to Swa. Most of the enemy of Tonggu gathered in Keyonggang to step up the repair of roads and bridges damaged by our army, and sent reinforcements from Yangon. The enemy's 5th and 5th divisions suffered heavy casualties in the Battle of Tonggu. Yoshitsune fought day after day

of constant consumption. Combat effectiveness has decreased significantly. The 15th Army ordered the 18th Division, which had landed in Rangoon on 8 April, to move quickly north to reinforce. The division was transported by rail and road to Tonggu to assemble and joined the fighting on the Swa front on the 11th. The headquarters of the 5th Army detected this enemy situation in time. A plainclothes detective named Ma Shan from the military headquarters of the 5th Army disguised himself as a Burmese and infiltrated the headquarters of the 55th Division of the Japanese Army to carry water and miscellaneous work.

He found that on the desk, there was a map with the location of the troops, so he took advantage of the enemy's meal to pretend to deliver boiling water to the office, and after getting the map, he ran back to Banmanna at night.

Du Liming reviews the map. Knowing that the enemy's reinforcements were the 18th Division, the 56th and 125th Wings, and one battalion each of mountain artillery and heavy artillery, he immediately alerted the front.

April 11-16. Under the cover of artillery and air, enemy reinforcements took turns to storm our Swa positions, and continued to bomb Banmanna.

At 23 o'clock on the night of the 11th, the 65th Regiment of the New 22nd Division left two companies to cover the main force of the regiment to the first line position of Sagaya (Shagana) according to the original plan.

After the 12th. The enemy attacked continuously with superior forces. Siege of Sagarya, Shavat and other places.

The units of the new 22nd Division resisted step by step, delaying the enemy one by one. By the 16th, the new 22nd Division was under the cover of the 96th Division. Safely transferred to the existing positions in Pingmanna.

According to the predetermined plan, the new 22nd Division blocked the enemy in the area of the Sva River for more than half a month

With flexible tactics, we completed the task of delaying the enemy's offensive, consuming its vital forces, and covering the concentration of our troops. Gradually draw the main forces of the enemy army to our army in the ambush area of Pingmanna.

Chiang Kai-shek, when he visited Burma on 5 April, had already approved the plan for the 5th Army's battle at Banmanna. Units of the 5th Army were ready to deploy as scheduled for 31 March. April 11th. Luo Zhuoying officially took over the command of the Chinese Expeditionary Force, and Commander Du Liming was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the Battle of Pingmanna. The whole army only waited for the order to turn to the defense, preparing to fight a big victory and turn the tide of the war in Burma in one fell swoop.

At this critical juncture, the situation on the eastern and western fronts deteriorated dramatically. So that the battle of Pingmanna fell short. In mid-April, the Japanese 15th Army judged that the 5th Army of the Chinese Expeditionary Force was the backbone of the defense of northern Burma, with the Anglo-Indo-Burmese Army on the right flank and the 6th Army on the left flank. In view of the strategic value of the vicinity of Pinmanna, an attempt was made to maintain the area for as long as possible. ”

Although it is not clear what the 6th Army was trying to do, it can be judged that the main fighting force of the 6th Army, which directly assisted the 5th Army, continued to serve as a guard against the attacks of the Japanese and Burmese forces from the upper reaches of the Salween River. The Anglo-Indian-Burmese army was defeated one after another. Demoralization is lost, and there will be no great resistance in the future,

Based on the above judgment, the commander of the 15th Army decided to use the 55th and 18th divisions, the main forces of the army, to capture and destroy the 5th Army, the main force of the Sino-British coalition near Pingmanna.

On April 17, the 15th Army issued an order to attack the movement to begin at dusk on the 18th.

After the British army on the Western Front abandoned Prome on April 1, the main force retreated to the Alan Miaohua area of Busui. When the Chinese Expeditionary Force deployed the Battle of Pingmanna, it again asked the British army to hold the Alan Temple.

Chiang Kai-shek visited Burma and stressed to Alexander the importance of holding on to the Alan Temple, but Alexander advocated abandoning it.

Chiang Kai-shek also instructed Stilwell to convey to Alexander that he should hold the agreed area at all costs.

The order of the Japanese 15th Army on April 1 was to "continue the original mission and prepare to advance along the Irrawaddia area to the Bhamo side."

The so-called "original mission" refers to the capture of Ringanqiang, which is about 50 kilometers north of Prome and about 100 kilometers south of Ringanqiang, and is an important barrier to defend the Ringanqiang oil field, and the enemy's 33rd Division continues to pursue northward after occupying Prome.