Xiao Jinshan couldn't answer Fang Yuanshan's words, now, in his heart, there was only extreme shock and fear, as well as remorse and self-blame, "I am eager to fight, and I almost killed the troops, is it a competitive spirit, or is it a personal hero's idea, which blinds the judgment of reason?" ”

In fact, when the British and Indian troops suddenly stopped attacking yesterday evening, they should have thought of this, instead of sending an urgent telegram from the division commander overnight, in a sense, his own brigade commander was incompetent, and he did not understand the true meaning of this blocking battle. []

Fortunately, a stern order from the division commander prevented him from making a big mistake, looking at Xiao Jinshan's sad appearance, Fang Yuanshan patted him on the shoulder and comforted: "Old Xiao, don't blame yourself, I'm not the same, I didn't expect that the British didn't play their cards according to common sense, and they shelled first without launching an infantry attack, which was an accident!" ”

Xiao Jinshan shook his head, patted Fang Yuanshan's hand on his shoulder, and didn't say anything more, accompanied by the fierce artillery fire of the British and Indian troops, the troops continued to retreat in the direction of Magao, and behind him, the artillery sound became more intense.

After walking far away, Xiao Jinshan still looked back, reflecting half of the sky, and secretly thought to himself: "After I go back, I must review it with the division commander," The lessons learned this time are extremely precious to Xiao Jinshan and Fang Yuanshan, and it has also played a decisive impact on the style and method of commanding operations in the future for the two of them.

At 6:30 a.m. on 28 April, the artillery of the Anglo-Indian forward unit ended their shelling of Xinduo, and within an hour, four regiments of British and Indian artillery poured tens of thousands of shells of various calibers, especially American-made 155-mm howitzers, into the small town of Magao, which was only a few kilometers away. There was a large crater several meters square in the ground.

Xinduo Town, instead of houses collapsing, has become a ruin, full of rubble. [ ] As desolate as centuries ago, no one could believe it if you look at the effects of the shelling, and an hour ago it was a mountain town with stone walls, paths, and greenery, and a strong atmosphere in northern Myanmar. Tens of thousands of shells have been wiped off the map.

Major General Fisher, commander of the 1st Division of the Indian Army, was obviously very satisfied with the effect of the artillery bombardment, and after putting down the binoculars, he slammed his right hand in the direction of Xinduo, and the combat staff officer next to him, understanding the gesture of the division commander, shouted into the phone 97ks: "The division commander orders." The 1st Tank Regiment, covering the 1st and 2nd Infantry Regiments, immediately began to assault Xinduo! ”

More than half an hour later. In the new multi-direction, in the black smoke that has not yet dissipated, three green flares were raised, Major General Fisher was stunned, looked at his watch, obviously shocked by the rapid attack of his troops, and was relieved to think about it, under the cover of tens of thousands of shells, what creatures could survive?

I don't know if I can see it. The mutilated corpses of the Chinese soldiers, His Excellency the Division Commander was a very merciful man, a devout Christian, and he would feel uncomfortable with such a bloody scene, but this did not prevent him from ordering the artillery to destroy the town.

Major General Fisher's military boots. General Alexander, who stepped on the land of Xinduo ahead of his superior, looked at the ruins and ugly craters everywhere, Major General Fisher frowned, stepped on a stone that was obviously torn apart by shells, but was still flat, and ordered the signal troops: "Report immediately to Your Excellency the Commander, my 1st Division has occupied Xinduo!" ”

Then, to a large group of staff officers around him, he said compassionately: "My God! This is also too cruel, poor Chinese soldiers, I can't even see the signs of zài, I don't want to use such a cruel way, it's too inhumane, but this is war, order down, if you find the remains of Chinese soldiers, bury them on the spot, I hope that in northern Myanmar, poor Chinese soldiers, don't do useless resistance anymore! ”…,

Alexander came with a dozen senior staff officers, and Major General Fisher hurriedly greeted him and said: "Welcome to Your Excellency, Commander, inspect the positions of the 1st Division, unfortunately I can't send prisoners to you, Commander, poor Chinese soldiers, have disappeared with this town, and my soldiers can't even find a single body of them!" ”

Alexander frowned slightly suspiciously, and muttered in his heart, "Not a single corpse?" This is strange, Fisher's artillery, no matter how powerful, can't blow up the Chinese soldiers without a trace, this is not normal? Could it be that Xinduo did not have Tang Qiuli's local troops to defend at all? Chinese give up Xinduo, why? ”

Looking at Commander Alexander, whose pale blue eyes kept rolling, revealing a hint of imperceptible suspicion, Major General Fisher's heart swept through a trace of unhappiness, "This difficult commander, what is he suspicious?" Doesn't the facts in the eyes explain a qiē? Even if not a single body of a Chinese soldier is found, what does that mean? Xinduo is at your feet, suspicious old fellow! ”

Major General Fisher felt that there was no need to delay any more time in Xinduo, and he did not want to stay with Commander Alexander, who was not quite on the right path, very simply, feeling uncomfortable and extremely unhappy!

"Your Excellency, Commander, did our 1st Division immediately cross over to Sindo and advance in the direction of northern Burma? It's cloudless and the sun is shining, it's really a good weather for the march, and this evening I will be under the city of Magao to welcome the arrival of the commander! Major General Fisher asked in a cold tone. []

Alexander, who has become a fine man, how could he not hear the potential meaning of Major General Fisher, but there is no need for him to worry about this, he shook his head inscrutablely, and said with a smile: "Dear Fisher, don't be in a hurry, order your soldiers to clean up the ruins of Xinduo immediately, you don't want the baggage convoy behind to spend a whole day clearing the road, so that when your soldiers reach the city of Margao, they will welcome me hungry, right?" ”

Alexander wanted to use a few jokes to adjust the somewhat unnatural atmosphere, but Major General Fisher, obviously not appreciating it, put on a straight face, gave the order in a stiff tone, and found an excuse to slip away.

While walking, he secretly slandered to himself, "What a hell, his dignified number one main division was actually sent by this unreasonable commander to do the work of sappers, he knew that the ruins were blown up, and his own troops had to clean them up, he would rather not let go of a single shell!" Along the way, urging the ghost to march in a hurry, not even taking a breath, now it's good, and I'm not busy leaving, I really don't understand what the old guy means? ”

Alexander was more anxious than that general, and he was anxious to take Xinduo, and the land of northern Burma was in front of him, and before this evening, he would be able to attack Myitkyina, and northern Burma would be in his hands, but he had to wait for the troops from other directions to follow.

Before launching the artillery bombardment of Xinduo, Alexander issued an order to the troops in the direction of Ledo, Sugia, Gamai, and Xintaiji, "After each unit begins to march, after an hour, report the situation of the march, and the local troops in Tang Qiuli, will the intensity of the resistance still be as fierce as yesterday?" ”

Alexander didn't hurry for too long, and the communications staff officer sent several telegrams, "Your Excellency, my unit began its operation at 5:30 a.m. today, and after more than an hour of marching, it has advanced more than 20 kilometers in the direction of northern Burma. ”

Alexander immediately felt that his whole body was refreshed, he pushed aside the dark clouds and saw the blue sky, and the last trace of doubt in his heart was gone, in fact, even the troops in the direction of Ledo, Sugia, Gamai, and Xintaiji still let him be like yesterday, he was stubbornly resisted by Tang Qiuli's local troops, and his steps were difficult, and he advanced less than a few kilometers in an hour, and he was more than half a day's distance behind the middle route army. …,

Alexander will still order the Central Route Army, as fast as possible, out of the Hukang River Valley, pounce on Ma Gao, more than 200,000 troops with high morale, is ready to fly, has to be launched, but he will slightly adjust the battle deployment, besiege Ma Gao without attacking, divide half of the troops, and sweep away the local troops of the independent division near Ma Gao.

It was also waiting for the other four-way troops to catch up, and Xinduo did not find the local troops of the independent division, so where did they go, Alexander's judgment was that they should assemble in northern Burma, and prepare to make a protracted maneuver on their own, delay the time for the British Imperial Army to attack Ma Gao, and wait for Tang Qiuli's main army to arrive.

If it is really as I judged, it is troublesome enough, now, there is no need to worry about it, the local troops of the independent division assembled somewhere in northern Burma, the other troops will be cleared out, and the main force will be commanded by themselves, and it will be enough to concentrate on attacking Magao and Myitkyina, and there is no need to be distracted by some third-rate miscellaneous troops of Tang Qiuli.

Alexander put down the telegram and ordered to the chief of staff, Lieutenant General Raphaeld: "Immediately convey my order, the 1st and 6th Divisions continue to be the vanguard, the troops set off immediately, the goal is to go straight to Magao, and not to entangle with the scattered Chinese troops along the way, order Lambgar to garrison the 5th Division, leave a regiment of troops, hold on to Xinduo, and form a logistics supply base in Xinduo." ”

After receiving the order, the soldiers of the 1st Division, who were wielding shovels and pickaxes, muttered dissatisfiedly, and immediately climbed into the trucks with mud and dust covered in mud and dust, followed the "booming" tanks, drove through the ruins of Xinduo, and rushed towards Magao in northern Burma.

As for Commander Alexander's promise that the boys of the British Empire troops would put on brand new uniforms, shave their beards, and return to Indochina in good spirits, it became an empty phrase.

However, none of the British and Indian soldiers took the commander's seriously, and the British and Indian soldiers who went out of the Indian continent for the first time and set foot on the land of Indochina were obviously less passionate about fighting than they were about this land.

(To be continued)