The two sides hit it off, and Kimura immediately sent a seaplane to send Chandrabose to Kolkata. As for the promised guns, most of them were still far away in the Malayan warehouse, but these things were just casual talk, and he believed that even if he didn't give them, Bose would gladly go. He knew the little bit of gimmicks in Bowes's belly.

419 was the first to receive news that the Japanese intended to let the Indian National Army take the lead, and as an echo of Tojo's instructions to prepare the Greater East Asia Conference (which had not yet had time to be changed to the Greater Asia Conference), the base camp intended to politically create a scene of Asians liberating Asia, and in addition to the Indian army, the troops of Burma, Thailand, and even the Wang Jingwei regime would be involved. Of course, politically, it was also to expel Chiang Kai-shek and his army from Asia, highlighting the illusion that Wang Chingwei's government was the legitimate and legitimate Republic of China.

Objectively, of course, it was the Japanese army's lack of adaptation to the soil and water, and the problem caused by too many diseases. Before the invasion of Burma, the Japanese army had been preparing in Thailand for two years, stockpiling a large amount of medicines and water purification equipment, which was too hasty compared to the invasion of India, which led to an unexpected outbreak of the epidemic.

Chu Tingchang advanced close to attack Calcutta, but the Japanese could not hold out, shelling each other, and he tried several times to lure the enemy out, but to no avail.

Drone observations show that the Japanese are overhauling the bunkers in the city, and it seems that they are going to defend them. In Chittagong, Sun Liren faced a similar situation, he and Chu Tingchang had to separate each other in order to win over domestic soldiers and weapons from the United States. However, the 31st Division of the Japanese Army, which was guarding there, refused to fight.

In the headquarters, everyone was at a loss, the 200th Division attacked day after day, and its own personnel were not small due to the extreme heat and epidemic, and 8,000 shells had been fired, that is, a sound was heard.

Tao Mingzhang proposed to concentrate the artillery and bombard a gap, and then form a column with tanks and half-tracks, make a central breakthrough, capture the city center on the march, and maybe the enemy will collapse.

Of course, Chief Chu knew that this would not work, and he had seen the tall buildings in the British area of Calcutta. When a convoy drives in the middle of such a building, it will be consumed by the fire from the windows and roofs on both sides, especially the half-track car does not even have a roof, and one * can wipe out a car of people. He'd been in the jungles of Burma. When the troops enter, they will be pinched off and annihilated.

Zhou Youfu suggested that Chu Shizuo open the incense hall again and invite Master Guan, and he found that after arrogance got the gold, Chu Tingchang never cast a spell again (he happened to be absent when he shot the Japanese cruiser to open the cinnabar pen drawing charm).

Thinking of robbing the British of gold, it may have damaged the Yin virtue of Chu Shizuo. In fact, of course, it is not what he thinks, on the one hand, he is afraid that Director Guo is by his side, and on the other hand, the enemy is not moving at the moment, and he has nothing to do. The troops of the British 4th Army came up and brought in some train guns for shooting, of course, because they were afraid that the two Japanese battleships on the sea might appear at any time, so they just hid far away.

However, even if the offensive was not smooth, American and British reporters had already gathered here, waiting for the moment to turn the situation around, and they were keenly aware that the Japanese army seemed to be less ferocious than before after landing, and that they had stopped moving, and perhaps a turning point was about to appear.

"Master, you can set up an altar again and ask Master Guan how to break the enemy next." Guard Lian Zhao Xiaoli asked eagerly, at the military meeting of Chief Chu Ting, regardless of size, he also had the point of interjecting.

"There are three animals here, I'm afraid it won't work." He Bisheng said.

"So it's going to be wasted like this?"

"Isn't it good to spend it?" Zhou Youfu said that he was the only one here who knew the real thoughts of the British, because he participated in the big bank move, "Let the Japanese pull to death, and we will pick up ready-made." ”

"My brother in the 38th Division said that a few days ago, Sun Bu killed a Japanese Dazuo." He Bisheng said.

"Da Zuo is the oldest, we even killed the lieutenant general."

"But he's in Burma after all."

Guo Rugui sat on the side, listening to their discussion and gradually began to be ridiculous, in addition to the rumors that Chu Tingchang pinched the trick and chanted a spell to annihilate the enemy, and the rumors that they were at odds with Sun Liren's department also seemed to be true, but in the ranks of the national army, all kinds of superstitious trends of thought and factional disputes were also normal.

"What's wrong with Myanmar, we still have photos, is there any evidence of the Dazuo he killed?" Zhou Youfu's voice became louder, and killing the lieutenant general was the most glorious thing in his life, and no one could question it.

"Don't even make any noise." Chu Tingchang interrupted everyone, "I'll take a bath and change clothes alone later, ask a hexagram, you wait here, don't come with me, otherwise it won't work." Zhao Xiaoli, you take people to guard the outside, and don't disturb any military telegrams. ”

"Yes."

Everyone finally waited for Chu Shizuo's words, and breathed a sigh of relief, they also wondered, Shizuo has such magical powers, why don't they make a dozen or twenty hexagrams every day, and make all the movements of the Japanese army clear.

After Chu Tingchang left, everyone and Guo Rugui waited around the city defense map drinking tea and dry, the map drew the Japanese army's defensive arc area, the defense is divided into two parts: the periphery and the urban area, and the configuration of troops and firearms is also very clear.

Obviously, there were two problems in the siege at this time, one was that the intelligence on the deployment of the Japanese army was provided by the British, relying solely on aerial reconnaissance, the defense of the 18th Division was drawn in such detail, accurate to the position of each squadron and each heavy artillery, obviously there were a lot of brains in it, and they had learned this set from the British in the past. The British were less likely to leave blank space on the map, and sometimes used staff conjecture instead of reconnaissance intelligence. It looks like that, a dozen, and it's not right at all.

The second point is that the Japanese 2nd Division and the Nanhai Detachment deployed along the Ganges River are on the flank, and I heard that they can't move, and they are not in a joint position with the 18th Division, and it is also Mutaguchi who proposed not to let them bring infectious diseases to their defense areas, but it is difficult to say that the Chinese and British troops have been trapped in Calcutta for a long time, and they will not suddenly come to outflank and cut off the rear. So this matter needs to be cautious, and it is better to ask the heavens.

Chu Tingchang reappeared, and it was an hour later, and he looked refreshed.

"Master, is there a door?" Zhou Youfu asked.

"Well, a hexagram that divides the upper and lower parts is the appearance of the burning of jade."

"Doesn't that sound unlucky?"

"No, it's the Japanese army that is about to be dragged down by mediocre hands, and the jade will be burned." Chu Tingchang walked to the map with his hands behind his back, "I expect it to be tomorrow...... At the latest, the Japanese army will make a sortie to test our combat strength. ”

"Then eat them. Anger the enemies of the city. Zhao Xiaoli replied.

That's not true. When the enemy comes out, we will show weakness to the enemy. ”

"How can you show weakness to the enemy?"

"......Look," he said, gesturing over to the map, "you see, this is our junction with the British, and the enemy may attack from here, and what we have to do is to give up the flanks...... Let the enemy see the opportunity. ”

At dawn, two Japanese Ki46 reconnaissance planes quickly flew over the Allied area north of Kolkata to conduct aerial reconnaissance, and this timing was chosen because at the beginning of the day they could hide themselves with the help of the rising sun in the east, and once they turned and left, they could quickly return to Burma with speed. British planes generally chased them to sea and turned back.

From time to time, the backseat pilot asked to turn sideways over the fuselage and look down to contrast with yesterday's enemy deployment. He saw two new field hospitals appear on the side of the road, stretchers next to them, one after the other, all the way out of the road.

There is no bandage in the vicinity of the field hospital, and it is clear that it is not a combat injury, but a rapidly spreading infectious disease, and it seems that the enemy's East Asian constitution is not suitable for this place, which is good news that must be reported. The message was quickly sent back via radio.

Meanwhile, Chandrabose was in Kolkata for a solemn flag presentation ceremony for the 1st Division of the Indian National Army. Mutaguchi and the staff of the headquarters attended the ceremony. Lieutenant Mutaguchi will see the most fancy flag he has ever seen in his life.

This is a military flag of six kinds of ived silk, carefully embroidered.

The banner is exaggerated, and in the glow of the golden sun, a lion head with a huge mouth is waiting to devour the enemy. The 1st Indian Division used the lion as a totem. The 2nd Division is an elephant, and the military flag is still being made in China. Such a complex embroidery pattern can only be completed by the traditional Suzhou embroidery process, and after colluding with Free India, Wang's puppet government took over the job; The third division is the Indian leopard, and the candidate pattern is also being designed at the Tokyo Imperial Academy of Fine Arts.

In the distance, the cannon of the Chinese army attacking the city began to rise from the night, and it seemed that the British were about to attack.

Someone sent the latest information, not the information compiled by the Sittwe Command, but the interception of a telegram from a reconnaissance plane of its own side. Mutaguchi watched it a few times and couldn't help laughing, he thought, with the hygiene habits of the Chinese army, which were far worse than the Japanese, it would be strange that there would be no epidemics.

"Okay now, everyone's fair." His mind moved, "Wait, why be fair, there are obviously some soldiers on my side who can't get malaria and dysentery." ”

The final flag was being awarded to the sound of the snare drums, and Chandra had awarded the commander of the division. Mutaguchi stood up and saluted with all the Japanese officers to the bells and whistles of the flag. Most of India's 1st Division had fought in North Africa, while others had served as mercenaries in the Nazi camp, and were experienced veterans, but there was a lack of officers above the battalion level.

This unit had a lot of guns and high morale, but it lacked heavy weapons, and the Japanese were reluctant to give them captured British artillery for the time being. However, the unit's reconnaissance battalion was the killer of Commander Mutter, and it was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Javier, a former Brandenburg unit, and included many Indians who had served in the Brandenburg unit or had been trained in the British Special Air Service Regiment. They got together to learn from each other, and they learned from each other's strengths, and obviously they were better than the Japanese army in terms of special operations.

Mutaguchi walked up to Chandra's side: "I have good news, the Chinese army outside the city seems to have an epidemic of disease. ”

"Oh?"

"I plan to strike at once, interspersed between them and the British, so that perhaps a part of them can be annihilated."

"Can you hand over the British to my troops?" "This is the first battle of my army, and I don't want the world to see my men wipe out a weak army, I think India has to regain its self-confidence from the colonizers of yesteryear," Chandra said. ”

"There is no problem with this, it is up to your men to attack, and of course, further aerial reconnaissance is needed to determine the details of the attack."

"Three hundred and forty years, my people have waited for three hundred and forty years since the establishment of the East India Company, and it is time for us to take revenge."