Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Chapter 551: The Operation Against Siam Begins; The Fifth Army Breaks Through the Ban Na Line (Please Subscribe)
It was 4:35 a.m.

Expeditionary Force Headquarters
Inside the command center, a huge fan futilely stirred the stagnant, humid air, its buzzing sound like persistent gnats, adding to the oppressive atmosphere.

P.S.: Electric fans were invented decades ago, so it makes perfect sense that Stilwell was using an electric fan.
Stilwell, the "supreme commander" of the China-Burma-India Theater, was pacing back and forth in front of a huge map of the Siam campaign, his hands behind his back.

His incredibly blue eyes were filled with deep concern for the current war situation, and the heels of his military boots tapped against the damp, dry floor with a monotonous and tense "thump."

"We only have two armored brigades, Du."

Stilwell and Du Yuming finally stopped. He turned around and said to Du Yuming in a very worried tone.

Seeing that Du Yuming ignored him.

He immediately pointed his baton at the markings representing armored forces and emphasized, "Can two light armored brigades and our artillery group break through the enemy's defenses?"

"We are going to attack Siam!"

"We must break through the fortified defenses that the Japanese army has built up over the past year!"

"The M3 Stuart, although they are highly mobile in the jungle, cannot withstand the direct attack of a 37mm anti-tank gun."

"With this little strength, you think you can go head-to-head with three Japanese divisions?"

"It's more like sending our soldiers to a steel funeral in convertibles!"

Stilwell's anxiety, like the rain clouds outside the tent, weighed heavily on the hearts of everyone in the command post.

He knew exactly what kind of people those American soldiers were.

Before the outbreak of war, they were generally untrained.

Many army infantry divisions are just empty shells.

The officers were poorly trained, and even the Army General Staff was unaware of the Army's future development direction.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have sent so many military officers to various countries to learn their infantry tactics.

These are all weaknesses of the U.S. Army.

Chu Yunfei knew very well that Du Yuming should also be quite aware of this now.

However, Du Yuming, the acting commander-in-chief opposite him, showed no sign of worry.

He was slowly and methodically wiping the M1911 in his hand with a clean white silk handkerchief.

His expression was calm, even with a hint of leisurely ease.

This gun was a gift from Stilwell.

Du Yuming disassembled the pistol parts one by one and then skillfully reassembled them, producing a crisp metallic clanging sound.

Only after Stilwell's complaints came to an end did he raise his head, his sharp eyes revealing a powerful confidence.

Du Yuming's voice was steady and powerful, with a hint of barely perceptible disdain: "General Stilwell, you seem to have overlooked the most powerful weapon."

Stilwell often had a habit of placing too much emphasis on logistics, strategic reserves, and the weapons used by his soldiers.

In such situations, the exceptionally high combat skills of the expeditionary force soldiers are often overlooked.

This is an alternative form of "weapon-only theory".

Stilwell raised an eyebrow: "What?"

"It's human."

Du Yuming stood up, walked to the map, and his aura instantly became sharp.

Instead of looking at the location of the armored brigade, he pointed heavily with his finger at the blue area representing the tens of thousands of troops of the Chinese Expeditionary Force.

"In terms of troop strength, we have an absolute advantage of nearly three to one against the enemy in front of us!"

Du Yuming's voice was firm and resolute, filled with boundless trust in his soldiers: "Every one of my soldiers is a battle-hardened veteran who has crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood!"

"They may not have the same rations as your American soldiers, or the same sophisticated individual equipment, but they have the same things that the Japanese, and any army in the world, cannot match."

That is the determination to defend our homeland and the will to fight the invaders to the bitter end!

He turned around and looked intently at Stilwell: "General, I admit that armored forces are important in frontal combat."

But in the end, it is the people who hold the guns who decide the outcome of the war!
In the jungles of Siam, amidst the muddy rice paddies, the final victory is not determined by who has more tanks, but by whose bayonets are sharper, whose troops are larger, and whose backbone is stronger!

Stilwell sighed. "Du, I know the Expeditionary Force soldiers are the best soldiers in the world." (The operational plan for the Siam campaign)

"However, this battle plan will most likely consume a lot of our troops."

"Well-trained soldiers are a valuable asset to any army."

Stilwell was clearly opposed to Du Yuming's battle plan.

However, as the situation in the Far East theater gradually improved, the Nationalist army gradually gained more say.

Just like this expeditionary operation.

Even the theater chief of staff, Stilwell, only had the power to make suggestions, not to make decisions.

Previously, when Stilwell was in China, Du Yuming's plan was implemented with great success.

All units have completed their final preparations for the attack.

At present, it is naturally impossible for Stilwell, who has only been back on the front lines for less than half a month, to interfere with the attack plan.

It should be noted that Du Yuming was equally proud and arrogant.

He firmly believed that although his plan carried a certain degree of risk, it was the safest option.

This style of play.

In reality, it is based on superior troop strength.

To break through the defenses and launch a major flanking maneuver, encircling the enemy.

Annihilate all Japanese troops within the encirclement.

If successful, at the very least, it would severely damage the main Japanese forces in the Siam region, and clearing out the entire Southeast Asia would not be difficult.

"Regarding this Siam campaign, I discussed it with Chu when we were in Longcheng. He also didn't think it was a good idea to focus the main offensive on the southern region. He preferred a gradual, piecemeal approach rather than such a large-scale offensive."

Originally, Du Yuming had some patience for Stilwell.

But when he heard Stilwell using Chu Yunfei's name to support his ideas, Du Yuming immediately sneered: "General Stilwell, I am the commander-in-chief of this battle, and you only have a certain degree of advisory authority. I just hope you can recognize your own position."

Stilwell looked slightly embarrassed.

Before he could say anything more, Liao Yaoxiang, to prevent the situation from escalating further, immediately stepped forward and said, "Commander Du, it's time to launch the general offensive. Please give the order."
-
At five in the morning, the deepest darkness before dawn enveloped the rainforests of Myanmar.

The Southern Route Army of the Expeditionary Force.

On the attack position, opposite the Japanese defensive line.

An ordinary soldier of the 200th Division of the Fifth Army is holding a brand-new M1 Garand rifle tightly in his hand.

His heart was pounding violently in his chest.

Surrounding him were hundreds of veterans like him, who had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Their faces showed no fear, only a suppressed rage and desire about to erupt.

Behind them, on the artillery position tightly covered by camouflage netting, hundreds of dark cannons had already raised their proud heads, like steel behemoths poised to unleash their power, silently awaiting the final command.

"The whole army!"

Du Yuming's voice was clearly transmitted to the ears of every commander via radio.

"The general attack begins!"

"fire--!"

In an instant.

Twenty-four 150mm cannons, a large number of 105mm howitzers, 75mm mountain guns, and heavy mortars roared almost simultaneously!

On the Japanese army's position.

Private First Class Kenta Tanaka of the Japanese Army huddled in the damp and sweltering trench, struggling to wipe the moisture from the barrel of his rifle with a tattered cloth.

The air was filled with the strange smell of rotting leaves and soil, and the chirping of insects and the howls of unknown wild beasts in the distance added to the eeriness of the silence.

"Another damn day."

The old soldier beside him cursed under his breath, pulled a hardened rice ball from his pocket, and chewed it expressionlessly with the cold rainwater: "The Chinese haven't made a move for half a month."

Kenta Tanaka didn't speak, but just stared blankly at the dark forest opposite him, which looked like a giant beast lurking in the shadows.

He thought of his wife back in their hometown, and a wave of sorrow washed over him.

Just then, a strange and deep rumbling sound, as if coming from the depths of the earth, faintly came from the ground.

"what sound?"

The veteran stopped chewing and listened attentively.

The sound grew louder and closer.

The initial dull rumble gradually coalesced into a terrifying shriek that tore through the air and sent chills down one's spine!
Boom~!

A violent explosion suddenly rang out.

"It's a cannonball!!"

A sentry's hoarse shout rang out across the silent position: "Enemy attack!"

Kenta Tanaka felt as if the whole world had been ignited in an instant.

Before he could even react, he was violently thrown into the air by an irresistible force.

The scorching heatwave instantly engulfed his entire body, tearing his military uniform to shreds and shattering his consciousness.

The earth trembled and groaned violently, as if it were about to be completely torn apart.

The Japanese army's seemingly indestructible reinforced concrete fortifications were easily smashed and overturned like biscuits under this level of saturation heavy artillery bombardment!
The sturdy machine gun bunker was uprooted, thrown into the air, and then turned into clouds of dust.

The Japanese soldiers on the position didn't even have time to let out a scream before they were reduced to a shower of blood, flesh, and rubble in the devastating explosion.

The artillery preparation took only twenty minutes.

The Japanese army's outer defenses at Banmai, which were deployed in Banmai, immediately bore the brunt of the attack and suffered a devastating blow.

Inside a Japanese bunker less than three kilometers from the front lines.

Major Nishijima Akaya, the battalion commander of the garrison, gripped the periscope tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging.

His proud defenses are being torn apart, and his so-called "brave warriors of the brother nation" are being killed by a continuous sea of ​​fire.

"Boom! Boom! Boom—!"

Nishijima Akira's ears were instantly ringing from the explosions, but he could still distinguish between different caliber cannons from the overwhelming sound of the explosions.

There was the crisp crack of a 75mm mountain gun, and the muffled sound of a larger caliber artillery piece exploding.

With each tremor of the earth, Nishijima Akaya's heart sank inch by inch into a cold abyss.

"Commander!" A communications soldier scrambled in, his face covered in black gunpowder and filled with undisguised terror: "It has been confirmed that the telephone lines of the first and second companies have all been severed by enemy artillery fire, and all forward observation posts have lost contact. We are now unable to communicate with the frontline combat troops!"

Nishijima Akira seemed not to hear.

His mind raced, desperately comparing the hellish scene before him with the information he possessed.

The newly formed 13th Army.

Army Commander Yu Zhixing.

Its predecessor was a second-rate border unit of the Yunnan Army, and its members came from local warlord backgrounds.

The troops were relatively weak in combat effectiveness, and were only equipped with a limited number of light weapons.

This is just a partial set of magical light weapons?

Could it be that in just a few months, the Americans have already delivered a large amount of weapons and equipment, and even completed the corresponding training?
Or is it that the Americans have already deployed corresponding combat troops in Myanmar, and this artillery barrage was carried out by the US military artillery?
Akira Nishijima muttered to himself.

A chilling sensation rose up my spine and instantly spread throughout my limbs and bones.

He knew that if he stayed here, his final fate would be the same as those soldiers who were blown to pieces.

To needlessly sacrifice one's own life in order to deplete the enemy's steel resources.

As an officer, Akira Nishijima was well aware of America's industrial strength and the importance of this intelligence.

Without hesitation, he turned and ordered, "Order: the Fourth Company shall disengage from the battle and cover the withdrawal of the battalion headquarters and the guard squad. At the same time, dispatch a cavalry messenger to the regimental headquarters to warn them."

The adjutant looked shocked: "Captain, are you planning to retreat?"

"What else can we do? Die in this dark bunker?"

Nishijima Akira murmured, "We need to get the intelligence out alive, at least to let the Commander know just how terrifying our enemy is now."

The adjutant wasn't stupid; he immediately bowed and nodded, "Hai!"

On the battlefield.

Ordinary expeditionary soldiers felt the tremors coming from the ground beneath their feet.

A soldier peered over the shoulder at the Japanese position opposite, which was completely engulfed in flames and thick smoke.

That's their artillery fire!
This is their own powerful force, capable of utterly crushing their enemies!
The moment the cannon fire finally stopped.

A loud whistle pierced the sky as it signaled the charge!

"Beep~ Beep beep~!"

"For the country! For our fallen brothers! Charge!"

A company commander drew his pistol from his waist.

He was the first to leap out of the trench, his voice hoarse with excitement, yet full of power.

"kill!"

Thousands of expeditionary soldiers surged forth like a flood bursting its banks.

He leaped from the trench and launched a swift and decisive general offensive against the still-smoking death emplacement.

Da da da~!

Light and heavy machine guns continued to suppress the Japanese firing positions that were still resisting.

The soldiers leaped forward quickly, either to get close enough to detonate the explosives or to call for artillery support.

The Japanese forces stationed at this location consisted of only two battalions.

this battle.

It lost all suspense from the very beginning.

This was a one-sided, devastating crushing defeat.

When Wang Erzhu and his comrades.

As they stepped through the still-smoking shell craters and charged onto the Japanese positions that had been completely flattened by artillery fire.

See.

All that remained were devastated ruins and mutilated corpses.

"Damn it, this battle was too easy."

One veteran remarked with deep emotion, "We've never fought such a fruitful battle before."

The Japanese army has not launched a large-scale offensive for nearly four months.

The expeditionary force, backed by the United States, received ample supplies.

Artillery is the most effective way to deal with these Japanese.

The defensive lines surrounding Banner were, at best, merely early warning positions and outer perimeter defenses for the Japanese army.
The Fifth Army's ultimate objective was the Banlongda region.
(End of this chapter)