More than 300,000 troops of the two corps of the Eastern Front Combat Group were just east of Mandalay, and in the night, a long line of lights and a defeated rooster shrank their heads towards southern Burma, which was a long line composed of flashlights, horse lights, and a few car and tank lights.

If it is about mechanization, compared with the troops of the independent division, the Japanese army is a whole generation behind, if it is the night march of several main corps of the independent division, it is completely a sea composed of all kinds of car lights, and several brigade commanders of Feng Jiwu's corps called the corps headquarters, "Commander, we watched the little devil flee south, and we didn't fire a single shot?" ”

"Commander, please approve it, the heavy artillery regiment of our brigade, hit a base number, just hit a base number, the soldiers are anxious, if it goes on like this, I can't stop it," this is a call from the commander of the third brigade, "Commander, I know the strategic deployment of the division commander, but I can't watch the little devil run away so easily, right?" Please approve it, our brigade will attack and promise to cut a big piece of fat meat for you to come back," This is a call from the commander of the First Brigade.

Feng Jiwu replied to the demands of these brigade commanders for war: "No, without my order, you can't fire a single shot, if you can't help but itch your hands and stab me Louzi, when the division commander deals with me, I will definitely not spare you," just suppressed the request of the brigade commanders of his own corps to ask for war. Ma Chaoyang, commander of the Southeast Mobile Corps, called again.

Ma Chaoyang did not ask for battle, but only relayed the opinions of the brigade commanders of his corps. What can be said. It's almost like asking for a battle by yourself, "Deputy division commander, this corps commander can't be the commander anymore, the brigade commanders under me are about to blow up my phone, there is only one meaning, the Niangziguan garrison corps can fire, why can't our southeast mobile corps?" You said, deputy division commander, how can I explain to my subordinates? ”

Feng Jiwu was so angry that he was happy. "Ma Chaoyang, the one who told you that the Niangziguan garrison corps had begun to attack the retreating Japanese army, said. Where did you get the information, nonsense? You don't know the division commander's strategic deployment, and you're here to make trouble for me, if you want me to say, what does the brigade commander under you mean, it's your Ma Chaoyang's meaning at all, if you're not afraid that the division commander will settle accounts with you, you can fire! ”

As soon as Feng Jiwu put down Ma Chaoyang's phone, another phone rang urgently. Feng Jiwu was furious, grabbed the phone, and shouted: "It's over, I said, without my order, not a single shot is allowed, what, you say it again, okay, I know." Closely monitored. ”

Feng Jiwu put down the phone and happily turned around in place a few times, this call was not from the brigade commanders who asked for battle, but from the front-line troops. "The Japanese army is in the eastern direction of Mandalay, and our troops are in front. Deploy a large number of troops, and there is an attempt to attack us, "I want to doze off and send a pillow to prevent the retreating Japanese army, this is good, the little devil sent it to the door."

Since there is a battle, it does not violate the order of the division commander, a good thing, Feng Jiwu immediately ordered: "Eastern Combat Group, immediately carry out a annihilating attack on the Japanese army in front of you, pay attention, only attack the Japanese troops in front of you, if you are easy to fight and can't take it, don't blame me for handing you over to the division commander to deal with, and bear the consequences!" ”

When Feng Jiwu said these words, everyone listened attentively, although the division commander Tang Qiuli had warned in advance that it was not allowed to talk about military issues, but everyone here was born in leading troops to fight, a few glasses of wine, plus the war situation in Myanmar was basically decided, and the mood was comfortable, and he returned to his old business in a few words, Feng Jiwu said while asking Ma Chaoyang, "Commander Ma, I'm not wrong, you are still playing with me, saying that the Niangziguan garrison was fought first, thinking that I don't know, at that time, your heart was like a cat scratching, More anxious than a few brigade commanders under you. ”

Ma Chaoyang's face was flushed, Feng Jiwu could joke with him, he didn't dare to joke with Feng Jiwu, so he had to mutter: "That's not forced by them, besides, when I heard that your regiment fought first, can I not be in a hurry?" The crowd burst into laughter, and after the war, it was fun to talk about the war that had just taken place.

Tang Qiuli shook his head helplessly, probably, it was more difficult for these guys not to talk about the war than to block their mouths, but fortunately, they were all easy topics, so he didn't stop them, as for Liu Xinlan, the unsuccessful wine supervisor, he didn't even see a shadow at all.

Feng Jiwu said easily, Ito at that time, but there was no such relaxed mood, the guns in the east of Mandalay rang out, Ito was shocked into a cold sweat at that time, no need to ask, it must be the troops of the independent division flank, launched an attack on himself, what he was worried about, still happened, I hope that the troops of the four divisions can block the volley of the independent division troops at the expense of themselves, although it is difficult.

The sound of gunfire rang out for almost the whole night, and Ito's heart was also carried all night, and he felt a little comforted that the battlefield had always been in the east of Mandalay, and had not developed in the direction of the withdrawal of troops, which proved that the blocking troops had played a role, and when the sky was light, the Japanese army had all withdrawn from the Libao Grand Canyon defense line and Mandalay.

Before leaving the city, he stared at the battlefield in eastern Mandalay, where sporadic gunfire was still ringing, hoping to see the troops who had completed the blocking mission, withdraw part of it, and block the more than 300,000 soldiers of the independent division who were swarming in with four divisions.

These warriors of the Great Japanese Empire, the soldiers of the Imperial Army, were using their flesh and blood to open a hole for the withdrawal of the main force of the dispatch army, Ito looked and looked, until his eyes saw through, the battlefield was completely silent, and he did not see a single soldier withdraw, he knew that the troops of the four divisions were finished, and next, he would face the troops of the independent division, endless pursuit.

Ito's convoy drove out of Mandalay, he looked back for the last time, Mandalay City in the midst of autumn, this important town in central Myanmar, carrying too many dreams and ambitions, today, had to leave, when can he come back again? Ito knew that in his life, I am afraid that there will be no more hope, two muddy tears, down the wrinkled face, silently dripping, the guards in the car, couldn't help but sobbed in a low voice, as if it was an elegy for Ito Yanzaburo, the ambitious Japanese general.

Ito withdrew his gaze from the direction of Mandalay, his face turned pale, and he regained the usual coldness and perseverance of Japanese soldiers, and shouted to the driver, "Get out of the way!" "He doesn't have time to grieve, although the imperial army has withdrawn south, but the next trouble is not small, he has to deal with the independent division troops who are crazy to pursue, and the devil will not let him go.

Up to now, Ito still believes that his decisive decision to retreat south was unexpected by Tang Qiuli, in other words, it was a surprise effect, and he had ordered the vanguard 35th Division, the 7th Mixed Brigade, the 8th Cavalry Wing, and the 9th Chariot Wing to recapture Taunggyi and Leigu and open the passage for the southward retreat.

Since the troops of the independent division flanking Mandalay were concentrated in that direction, it was a good time for Taunggyi and Loikaw to have weak defensive forces, and to Ito's surprise, the Japanese vanguard, taking Taunggyi and Loikaw, took these two gateways southeast of Mandalay without firing a single shot.

Feng Jiwu didn't put a single soldier in these two places, Ito couldn't understand it, he definitely didn't believe that Tang Qiuli and his generals would make such a low-level mistake, and Ito, who was a frightened bird, the first judgment was that this was the conspiracy of the devil Tang Qiuli, and he must be waiting for him somewhere in front.

It's not right, Tang Qiuli's troops are all concentrated on the front line of Mogok and Mandalay, and the third army from there is enough to compete with the main force of the dispatch army, Ito is confused, and besides, the rearguard troops reported that they did not find the pursuing soldiers of the independent division in hot pursuit, that is, the imperial army troops could withdraw from Rongnan.

And such a good thing? On 14 October, Ito's headquarters entered Leikaku, and when he arrived here, he had already walked half the way to Yangon, and the vanguard of the Japanese army had already advanced to the front line of Dandang, and there was no independent division to intercept or block it, and the tense nerves of the Japanese soldiers began to relax.

No one believed that the troops of the independent division would strike a blow to the Imperial Army troops again, only Ito pathologically believed that the troops of the devil in China would appear like a ghost in a place you did not expect, and he emphasized over and over again on the phone, "Pay attention to ambushes, pay attention to volleys, pay attention to dangerous areas, conduct fire reconnaissance first, and send small units to search and advance." ”

The division commanders of the Japanese army were almost grinding out calluses in their ears, and later, they were all tired of listening, "Your Excellency Commander, you are like a psychopath, always imagining that the enemy will appear, and the pursuers of the independent division are still about four days away from us," Needless to say, Ito's measures greatly reduced the speed of the Japanese army's retreat.

On 15 October, the bomber group and fighter group of Le Yiqin's Southern Flying Group arrived, and more than 200,000 Japanese troops retreated more than 100 kilometers along the retreat route, and there were places where bombing could be carried out everywhere.

The soldiers of the Japanese rearguard unit, whose flesh and blood were blown up, complained bitterly, scolded their commander-in-chief for being a crow's mouth, and always muttered that there were pursuers, and now it is really here, or a group of planes that specialize in throwing bombs overhead, so you have your heart, right?

Not to mention, as soon as the Leyiqin group exploded like this, the retreat speed of the Japanese troops immediately accelerated, and no one wanted to stay behind, as a live target for the plane, the Japanese troops on the stall, had to shout bad luck, not to mention how depressed they were, more depressed than the Japanese soldiers, and there were.

(To be continued)To be continued......