Among the several general armies of the Japanese Army, the Southern Army was not the largest. However www.biquge.info their area of operations was undoubtedly the widest, reaching the islands of the central Pacific Ocean to the east, Australia to the south, Burma to the west, and the islands of southern Japan to the north.

In the past few years, especially after the successful surprise attack on the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor, the Japanese army has become even more invincible and has begun to expand aggressively throughout the South Seas. Now he has control over the entire South Seas.

However, with the crushing defeat of the Japanese navy in the Battle of Midway, the Japanese army gradually began to lose its strategic initiative. The Southern Army of the Japanese Army, as if it had expanded to the limit, began to have all kinds of problems. To the east, the Americans were preparing to launch a counteroffensive on the islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and to the south, the plan to attack the Australian mainland was delayed. And Burma, because of the rise of the Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army, caused them heavy losses. If they cannot defeat the Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army, they will not only be unable to fully control Burma, but will also have a huge impact on their strategy of attacking India westward and dominating the Middle East.

During this time, General Shouichi Terauchi was very annoyed. His attention was also completely focused on the upcoming decisive battle between the Burmese Front and the Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army.

"With the strength of six divisions and three independent mixed brigades of the Burmese Front, it should be easy to defeat those Chinese people. Although the strength of the two sides is equal, the warriors of the Dainichi * Empire are not something that those Shina people can resist, right? The warriors of the Great Day * This Empire are enough to be ten with one! Even if those people have the support of the Americans, we should have the right to win. General Shouichi Terauchi thought secretly.

It's no wonder that he looks down on the combat effectiveness of the Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army, but the combat effectiveness of the Chinese * army in this era is already very bad. It's just that the Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army is a complete exception. Although all the officers and men are Chinese, their equipment is American-style equipment, their training is harder, their will to fight is stronger, and their combat effectiveness is even stronger than that of the domestic army.

On the evening of September 10, after dinner, General Terauchi Shouichi called Lieutenant General Tsukada to drink together. A few pots of sake, a few delicate side dishes, and two geisha who look like ghosts dancing with snow-white faces.

"Tsukada-kun, is there any news about the war in Burma? Aoki-kun, have you already won? "General Shouichi Terauchi has always been a little uneasy about the war in Burma.

"Your Excellency, Commander, there is no news yet. However, I believe that Aoki-kun will be able to win. This time, we dispatched more than 100,000 troops. It is absolutely impossible for the people of China to defeat us. Lieutenant General Tsukada said with an oath.

Although, his confidence is somewhat inexplicable. However, the Japanese soldiers of this era are indeed very confident in the combat effectiveness of their troops.

General Shouichi Terauchi nodded, as if agreeing with Tsukada's point of view.

"Those guys in the Navy, they failed miserably at Midway, they suffered heavy losses. Moreover, recently the Americans have tried to launch a counterattack on Kuah Island, and the situation in the Pacific Ocean is becoming more and more unfavorable to us! General Shouichi Terauchi sighed.

"Your Excellency, the Navy guys have been too arrogant since the Battle of Pearl Harbor. However, the fiasco in the Battle of Midway should have brought them to their senses. The naval strength still exists, and it is not so easy for the Americans to launch a large-scale counteroffensive. One more victory will turn the tide in our favour. Lieutenant General Tsukada said with relief.

Terauchi Toshiichi smiled and drank the sake from the cup, he knew that the current situation was not as optimistic as Lieutenant General Tsukada said. However, there was no other way for him. In the entire Southern Army, the battle line has been stretched too long, and he no longer has the spare strength to reinforce other battlefields.

At this time, Masami Ishii, a senior staff officer of the Southern Army, broke in with an anxious face.

The singing and dancing of the geisha came to an abrupt end.

Shouichi Terauchi frowned and waved his hand. After the geisha saluted, they hurriedly withdrew.

"Ishii-kun, what's going on?" General Shouichi Terauchi asked.

"Your Excellency, Commander, the Burmese Front has suffered a crushing defeat. Now, General Aoki is leading the remnants of the retreat. Masami Ishii reported.

"What? How so? General Terauchi was stunned, and he couldn't believe the news at all.

Lieutenant General Tsukada was also dumbfounded. Just now, they swore that the Burmese front would definitely win. As a result, I was slapped in the face in a blink of an eye!

"What the hell is going on?" General Shouichi Terauchi asked angrily.

"Your Excellency Commander, the 31st Division, the 49th Division, and the 53rd Division led by General Aoki were unable to attack Sidang for a long time and suffered extremely heavy losses. Last night, it was counterattacked by the armored forces of the China. Now, there are only more than 30,000 men left in the three divisions. Today, the 18th Division and the 24th Brigade were surrounded and annihilated by the 1st Infantry Division of the Chinese people, and all of them were shattered. The 56th Division and the 72nd Brigade were attacked by the 2nd Infantry Division of the Chinese people. General Ohara Jinyu led more than 2,000 remnants to flee, and the rest were shattered. The 54th Division and the 105th Brigade were mixed with the 105th Brigade, which suffered minor losses and had already begun to retreat. Masami Ishii reported with his head down.

The face of General Shouichi Terauchi has become very hideous.

"Yaga! How did that idiot Aoki Shigesei get to be like this? General Terauchi was furious. Two divisions and two independent mixed brigades were completely annihilated, and three divisions were disabled, leaving the Burmese Front with more than half of its troops. If you look at it from the perspective of combat effectiveness, they have already lost seventy percent of their combat effectiveness. If you want to rely on them to defeat the Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army, it is even more a pipe dream.

Lieutenant General Tsukada and Masami Ishii didn't say a word and didn't dare to answer.

"Tsukada-kun, I want to remove Shigesei Aoki." General Shouichi Terauchi said.

Lieutenant General Tsukada was shocked: "Your Excellency, the Burmese Front is retreating now, and if you rashly change generals, I am afraid that it will be even more detrimental to stabilizing the situation there." ”

General Terauchi Shouichi thought about it, and it was indeed this truth: "Order Aoki Shigesei to maintain the war situation in Burma no matter what." Resist the attacks of the Chinese people. ”

"Hi, Your Excellency, Commander." Lieutenant General Tsukada nodded hurriedly. (To be continued.) )