. Chapter 1107: Flesh and Blood Flying Mandalay (3)

Tang Qiuli launched a sudden full-front attack on the line from Myitkyina to the Hukang River valley at the junction of eastern India and Burma at a target that neither the British nor the Japanese expected, and fought for more than ten hours to conquer Myitkyina and open up the passage for the British army to withdraw westward to India.

This is also the main part of the agreement he reached with Alexander and Stilwell in Tengchong, the independent division sent troops to Burma to rescue the British troops surrounded by the Japanese army in Mandalay, Tang Qiuli did this, and it was impeccable, if you have to pick a bone in the egg, the troops of the independent division did not attack the Japanese army in the direction of Mandalay, this is the only place that can be used to talk about things.

However, at the time of the signing of the agreement, Tang Qiuli solemnly stated that the military operations of the Independent Division in Burma were not under the command of any institution and the state, and that the capture of Myitkyina and the opening of the passage for the British army's westward retreat were also a battle that had to be carried out.

Tang Qiuli's second telegram flew from Ba Mo in northern Burma to Alexander, who was still stranded in Tengchong, and Alexander was taken aback, although he had a certain understanding of the combat effectiveness of the independent division, he did not expect that the passage from Myitkyina to Hukang Valley, which was regarded as a daunting path by more than 400,000 British and Burmese troops, would be opened in less than 12 hours.

Alexander was surprised and smacked his tongue, but he had an indescribable bitter taste in his heart, at the beginning, it was because the Japanese occupied Myitkyina, and all his troops, even to attack northward and open up the passage to India, did not dare to try, so they could only gather in Mandalay, and the Japanese made dumplings.

All the problems are concentrated in their own hands, there is no obstacle to retreating westward, what should the British do, that is their own business, it seems to be in front of Alexander, there is only one way to break through, but Alexander hesitated, he had no bottom in his heart, all the previous deployments were around the squadron, attacking the Japanese army in Mandalay.

But now, if the British army wants to break through on its own, in the face of more than 500,000 fierce and abnormal Japanese soldiers, can the breakthrough be successful? Alexander had the heart to send a telegram to Tang Qiuli, urging his troops to immediately go south to Mandalay, but thinking about it was ridiculous, Tang Qiuli could reply like this, "The troops are on their way south to Mandalay, please break through immediately, and the troops of our independent division will answer halfway." ”

In the end, the British still had to support themselves, in the northern Burma Ba Mo Tang Qiuli, after the second telegram was sent, Alexander still did not reply, he had already seen through the British Yankee's mind, the door to India was opened, this was a great temptation, but for breaking through the Japanese encirclement, whether he could break through from Mandalay, Alexander was not sure, so he hesitated.

However, at this time, the British could not hesitate, and the battle to attack Myitkyina had been going on for more than ten hours, and it was impossible for Ito Yanzaburo, who was besieging Mandalay, not to notice that once he adjusted his deployment, the British army's breakthrough operation would become more difficult.

The troops of the Independent Division, not fighting Mandalay, but Myitkyina, are very wrong for Alexander's thoughts, if it weren't for the Japanese and the British, in Mandalay, and consume each other, Tang Qiuli would not have gone to such great lengths to pave the way for the British, you British are willing to surrender, willing to be prisoners, and my business!

Chang Feng frowned lightly when he saw Tang Qiuli, thoughtfully, and reminded: "Division commander, do you want to send another telegram to Alexander, telling the British that we will send troops to meet in the direction north of Mandalay?" From this, the determination of the British to break through can also be determined. ”

Tang Qiuli shook his head and said: "No, our purpose is to let the British and the Japanese have a bloody battle, if we send troops to respond, with the usual practice of the British, we will throw all the pressure of the Japanese pursuit on us, in this way, wouldn't it go against our original intention of sending troops to Burma and fight for the British." ”

"By the way, Chang Feng, give Alexander's ass a fire, call him again, tell him, I have reported the situation of recovering Myitkyina and opening up the westward retreat to India to the Allied China Theater Headquarters, since Alexander still has the intention of letting us deal with the Japanese, then kick the ball at his feet, what happens in the future has nothing to do with us."

Chang Feng asked suspiciously, "Master, does this work?" Our military operations are not subject to the Allied Chinese Theater Headquarters? Tang Qiuli smiled slyly and said: "This is the art of struggle, as soon as this telegram comes out, everyone knows that we have done what we should do, if the British are not afraid of losing face, they will follow their own set, although the British are thick-skinned enough, it is estimated that this time they will not be able to stand it." ”

At this time, the street fighting in Myitkyina city was still in full swing, Alexander received Tang Qiuli's third telegram, and read it with mixed feelings, I don't know why, he had a feeling of being roasted on the fire, Tang Qiuli had already done the thing, only to the point of giving him one way, if he didn't break through, Mandalay City would be broken, and more than 400,000 British Emperor ** troops would be wiped out, this responsibility, no matter what, Tang Qiuli's head could not be found, so he could only bear it himself.

On the night of June 8, at 12:30 a.m., Alexander sent a long telegram to Major General Francis, chief of staff of the British army in Mandalay, "Francis, Tang Qiuli's troops have opened the passage to withdraw westward to India, Myitkyina is in the hands of the Chinese, so our only choice is to break through to the north and carry out our established plan, the time of the breakout can be set at two o'clock in the morning, I hope you will make careful arrangements to ensure the success of the breakout, note, this breakthrough plan, It has been approved by the Allied Chinese Theater Headquarters. ”

Alexander gave the order for the British army to break out in Mandalay, more than five hours have passed since Tang Qiuli's first telegram, and in the rapidly changing battlefield environment, this precious five hours of time have been wasted in vain under the guidance of Alexander's cunning and insidious thoughts.

On the night of June 8, at 11 o'clock, General Ito Yanzaburo, the supreme commander of the Japanese army outside Mandalay, received a telegram similar to farewell from Terauchi Shouichi, who was still fighting the trapped beasts in Myitkyina, "Ito-kun, Myitkyina is lonely in northern Burma, the only way to strangle the British army's westward retreat from India, although the location is important, it is very vulnerable to the attack of the troops of the devil Tang Qiuli in China. ”

"If Myitkyina is attacked, it will be Tang Qiuli to meet the siege of Mandalay, the besieged British army broke through, the development of the situation, by my misfortune, Myitkyina was besieged by the independent division, and now, the troops of our imperial army from this place to the Hukang valley have all been dispersed, Myitkyina is engaged in fierce street fighting, and my headquarters has been heavily shelled."

"At this moment, what I have done is just for the duty of the Japanese emperor, when Myitkyina was besieged by the heavy troops of the independent division, Ito-kun did not send reinforcements to the north, it was already doomed to the end of today, my department will fight to the last man, I myself, will also cut my belly and cut myself, in order to thank the emperor for the grace of the emperor, and finally remind a word, in case of the British breaking through, Terauchi Shouichi in Myitkyina without electricity."

After receiving a telegram from Terauchi Shouichi, Ito Yanzaburo's inner mood was extremely complicated, he could see Terauchi Shouichi's resolute heart, and also saw the implicit reproach, although the Japanese southern dispatch army of China, although it was yesterday's yellow flower, the wind and clouds were scattered, and it was an insignificant outcast on the strategic chessboard in Southeast Asia, but after all, it was of the same blood, they were all soldiers of the Emperor's Majesty, and the outstanding descendants of the Great Japanese Empire.

It's not that Ito doesn't want to support Myitkyina, but his appetite is too big, and one guy has bitten more than 400,000 Anglo-Burmese troops. Less will not help, but will send a snack to the people of China, and more, if the British in Mandalay make a move, they will be torn out of their bellies.

It is true that it is Ito's established strategy to destroy more than 400,000 Anglo-Burmese troops without a fight, but in his heart, how can he not be afraid that once the British are trapped and fighting, Mandalay will be a protracted and bloody battle, and with the strength of the British in Mandalay, it is absolutely possible to fight out the Japanese army sent to Southeast Asia by more than 100 or 200,000 soldiers.

Therefore, Ito would rather simmer slowly, a little bit to consume the morale and fighting spirit of the British, rather than attack Mandalay with a strong bow and a strong horse, there is a saying in China, "The rabbit bites when it is in a hurry," let alone the 400,000 heavily armed Anglo-Burmese soldiers?

If the British want to break through, well, dig a trap and wait for the prey to take the bait, but also to recover some blood debts for the samurai of the Great Japanese Empire in Myitkyina, Terauchi-kun and Tamasha, Ito Yanzaburo smiled coldly and ordered: "The 3rd, 5th, 6th, 1st, 3rd, and 4th Chariot Brigades that surround northern Mandalay, immediately give way to the defensive line, let the British out of the city, and rush to Libao to set up an ambush thirty kilometers north of Mandalay." ”

Ito Yanzaburo, sent out an ambush force, there are more than 100,000 people, but also equipped with a large number of heavy artillery brigades and chariot brigades, the direction of the British breakthrough, can only be due north of Myitkyina, Ito is ready to break through the British army on the way, the British army left the fortified city by surprise, in the movement, kill the British, but also save the casualties of the siege.

At this time, there were still more than two hours before two o'clock in the morning on June 8, and at two o'clock in the morning, the British army in Mandalay finally began to break through the siege, and the first to set off was the British Seventh Mechanized Division, the Whiteman Royal Tank Battalion, which served as the division's leading unit, and under the command of the battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Whiteman, the first to break out of Mandalay City, which had been besieged for ten days.

(To be continued)

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