Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Chapter 557 Micro-management on the battlefield, the battle line is solid! A grand encirclement? Terauchi Hisaichi is determined to fight to the death! (Please subscribe)
the next day.

Rain began to fall again over the main battlefield.

"Based on past experience, the rainy season in Southeast Asia should be coming to an end, giving us three months to launch our offensive."

Chu Yunfei remained with his hands behind his back, without turning around: "The reorganization of the Gansu army is still ongoing, and we don't know if it can be completed in a short time."

"If we cannot complete the task, we will have no choice but to continue the offensive with our existing combat forces."

Du Yuming slowly stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Chu Yunfei: "As long as we can win this battle, our current combat forces will be sufficient to continue the attack."

Chu Yunfei sighed: "That's true, but our opponents are often not just the Japanese."

Du Yuming's expression changed slightly. After a moment of silence, he slowly asked, "You mean the British?"

"Ah."

"We need at least 20,000 troops deployed in northern Myanmar to guard against the insidious forces from the Indian side."

"What about transferring Yunnan troops to Burma?"

"Their fighting strength is insufficient, and their determination is also insufficient."

"Then, should we transfer the main force of the Ninth War Zone to Burma?"

“Ananvik will inevitably launch another attack.”

"Then, will the newly formed combat troops originally planned for a counter-offensive be transferred to Burma?"

Chu Yunfei nodded: "That's what I meant too, so this morning I had my staff officer draft a telegram to inquire about the training progress of Brother Yu'an's newly formed troops."

"Did Yu'an call back?"

Chu Yunfei turned and walked toward the battle map, with Du Yuming following beside him.

"The newly formed 7th Army has successfully established the newly formed 51st Division, with Li Jianping, a graduate of the third class of the Whampoa Military Academy, as its commander. Previously, he only participated in the war effort as a staff officer and had no significant combat achievements."

"Although they are American-made weapons, so far there are only three infantry regiments, and they are still short of a lot of support equipment. There are 55 trucks missing, and the mountain city is also unable to replenish them in time."

"The newly formed 52nd and 53rd Divisions have not yet been established. I plan to appoint Staff Officer Ma as deputy division commander and give him another chance to lead troops into battle. What do you think, Brother Guangting?"

Chu Yunfei made no attempt to hide it.

Ma Weiji was actually not on the same path as him.

Even his position was removed from his post after Chu Yunfei reported it to the Ministry of Military Affairs.

Although he remained in the joint command as an operations staff officer, this was a far cry from his previous position as a division commander.
Then there's nothing I can say.

Qiu Qingquan was a member of the Fifth Army faction, meaning he was one of Du Yuming's old subordinates.

If someone were to become a division commander, they would definitely need to consult Du Yuming's opinion.

It's only natural that Du Yuming would be unwilling.

Therefore, Chu Yunfei had no choice but to send Ma Weiji to Huang Baitao's side, where he could only continue to serve as deputy chief of staff or chief of staff.

To Chu Yunfei's surprise,

Du Yuming readily agreed: "Ma Weiji's troops are very spirited, and he himself is quite firm in his stance. However, he lacks command experience. At this time, transferring him to be a deputy division commander would indeed be of great benefit to his future command of troops."

"That's good."

On a paved road 120 kilometers away from the command post.

The fine rain, like endless silver needles, pierced the muddy land of Myanmar.

For the retreating Chinese Expeditionary Force soldiers, the rain was icy cold.

But it couldn't compare to the chill that grew in my heart from abandoning the position.

They had finally managed to capture the positions, but due to the Japanese counterattack, they had no choice but to abandon them and continue their retreat.

only.

This is not a rout.

Under the officers' orders, the troops were organized in an orderly manner.

Although the soldiers were covered in mud and looked exhausted, they were no longer running around like headless flies.

They took turns providing cover, operating in company and platoon units, fighting and retreating, each step steady and firm.

The wounded were prioritized for loading onto trucks, while heavy equipment, repaired by engineers, struggled to travel along the rudimentary roads.

Chu Yunfei's arrival was like an invisible stabilizing force, piercing into this chaotic battlefield.

He himself did not appear on the front lines.

But his orders were clearly transmitted to every division and every regiment through radio stations.

These orders were given by telegram.

The message was precisely delivered to every division commander, and even to every regimental commander.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

Meanwhile, in the temporary command post of the Japanese 18th Division, the atmosphere was one of jubilation.

Lieutenant General Yutaro Igawa, the division commander, was looking smugly at the red arrows representing his troops on the map.

"Hahaha! The Chinese army is finished! They've completely collapsed!"

Yutaro Igawa waved his fist and laughed loudly at his subordinates, "What expeditionary force, what elite main force? Under the thunderous blow of the Locust Army, they are nothing but a rabble!"

"Pass on my order: full speed ahead! Don't give them any chance to breathe!"

A staff officer reminded him with some concern, "Your Excellency, the division commander, we are advancing too fast, and our supply lines are already stretched too long."

"Shut up!"

"Of course I know that we are already under a lot of logistical pressure."

"But do we have any other choice, Komura-kun!"

"We can only win this battle; we cannot afford to lose."

Yutaro Igawa rudely interrupted him: "And now, victory is within reach, this is the crucial battle for the rise and fall of the empire!"

"I don't want to hear another word that could undermine morale!"

"Pursue! Pursue! Keep the attack going!"

"Hai!"

Amidst Lieutenant General Yutaro Igawa's roar, the 18th Division continued its pursuit of the retreating Fifth Army, while simultaneously coordinating with the 33rd Division to launch a phased encirclement and annihilation operation against the newly formed 13th Army.

Some small units that failed to retreat in time were caught up by the Japanese army and died heroically.

This was naturally a new victory for the Japanese army!
In the blink of an eye, another two days have passed.

Further back, Commander-in-Chief of the Thai-Burma Army Headquarters, Hisaichi Terauchi, looked at the map showing the various units advancing triumphantly, but felt a vague unease in his heart.

The withdrawal of the Chinese army was extremely orderly.

Although the resistance was weakening, it always managed to inflict heavy blows on the pursuing forces at key moments.

Like a slippery eel, you can see it, but you can't catch it.

The minor victories achieved are completely insignificant and cannot alter the overall situation.

It's like bait deliberately meant to lure them in.

He had a strong urge to order Yutaro Igawa to slow down the offensive and proceed cautiously.

But looking at the tempting results on the map...

Although Terauchi Hisaichi did not want to gamble, he had no other choice.

Perhaps the Chinese army has truly reached its limit?

Perhaps this is a golden opportunity to completely eliminate them?
He ultimately said nothing, tacitly approving of the frenzied pursuit.

Liao Yaoxiang, who had just arrived at the front line, soon received the strangest order of his military career.

"The chief advisor orders that your unit immediately abandon its current position, retreat 15 kilometers, and take up residence in a small village called 'Pinmana', where you will construct fortifications and hold out for further orders."

After the communications officer finished reading the telegram, he himself found it hard to believe.

On the map, Binmana is just an inconspicuous little dot, with no natural defenses and not even a decent road passing through it.

To place an elite team of top-notch engineers in such a place.

One of the staff officers couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "Are they sending us to be bait, or are they sending us to our deaths?" Liao Yaoxiang's face turned ashen. He snatched the telegram, read it several times, and confirmed that it was correct.

He certainly knew what Binmana was; its terrain was flat and flat, making it an excellent firing range for tanks and heavy artillery.

Leaving troops there to hold out would be tantamount to suicide.

The command center was deathly silent; all eyes were on Liao Yaoxiang, awaiting his decision.

Liao Yaoxiang remained silent for a long time, countless thoughts flashing through his mind.

Disobeying orders? That's a capital offense on the battlefield.

Moreover, it was Chu Yunfei who gave the orders.

This person never plays by the rules.

This terrain is also suitable for their artillery and tanks to operate.

However, in such flat terrain, if the weather clears up, wouldn't their heavy weapons become easy targets for the enemy?

"Execute the order!" Liao Yaoxiang's voice was hoarse, but unusually firm.

He slammed the telegram on the table: "Commander Chu's deployment must have a deeper meaning. Just because we don't understand it doesn't mean it's wrong! Issue my order: the entire division must immediately disengage from combat and advance towards Binmana!"

"Master's seat!"

"Excuting an order!"

Liao Yaoxiang interrupted his subordinate, who was about to offer further advice, his eyes flashing with a resolute light.

Similar scenes played out repeatedly at various command posts of the Southern Route Army.

Dai Anlan's 200th Division was ordered to guard a seemingly insignificant railway bridge;
Zheng Dongguo's main force of the Fifth Army was ordered to extend its defensive line.

They broke up into smaller units, such as companies and battalions, and launched small-scale harassment attacks against the Japanese army.

These commands, taken individually, appear fragmented and even absurd.

But when they come together, an invisible net is slowly unfolding.

The huge gap that was originally torn open by the Japanese army.

They were gradually glued together and solidified by this "sticky" tactic of breaking things down into smaller parts and setting up defenses everywhere.

The Japanese offensive began to falter.

Their prized armored spearheads were often met with fierce fire from flank groves or inconspicuous hills as they advanced.

During their pursuit, their infantrymen often stepped into elaborately disguised traps or were disoriented by elusive expeditionary squads.

Battlefront.

It stabilized again in a way that none of the commanders could comprehend.

……

Two days later.

Thai-Myanmar Front Command.

Terauchi Hisaichi's unease became a reality.

The chief of staff walked into his office with a worried expression, his face ashen.

"Commander, the situation is very bad."

He handed over a summary report.

Terauchi Hisaichi took it, glanced at it a few times, and his hand began to tremble uncontrollably.

"The 18th Division reports: Artillery ammunition reserves are below the danger line, with an average of less than ten rounds per gun. Requesting urgent replenishment!"

"33rd Division reports: The vanguard armored units have run out of fuel and can no longer continue the pursuit!"

"Logistics Department reports: The highway to Yangon has been systematically destroyed by the Chinese army. In addition, the roads are muddy due to the rainy season, making it difficult for our transport convoys to move. In the past 48 hours, less than 30 percent of the supplies have been successfully delivered to the front line!"

Terauchi Hisaichi sat in the main seat with a livid face, his baton creaking in his hand.

Reports from the front lines were like slaps to his face.

A logistics chief of staff walked in, his face pale and his voice trembling: "Your Excellency, Commander-in-Chief."

"Our artillery shell reserves have fallen below the danger line."

"At the current rate of consumption, it can only last for three more days at most."

"The fuel supplies of each supply regiment are also running low, and the supplies to the front lines are about to stop being delivered!"

"Bagya Road!"

Terauchi Hisaichi rushed to the map. He knew perfectly well that the expeditionary force's retreat was not a rout at all, but a carefully planned strategic deception!

He used the extension of defensive depth as a weapon to lure the elite Japanese divisions in little by little.

Then, by disrupting traffic and launching sporadic attacks, they continuously bleed this war machine dry.

Terauchi Hisaichi suddenly stood up and slammed his baton onto the map: "Why can't we break through the enemy's defenses?!"

The staff officers fell silent, none daring to answer.

An intelligence officer stepped forward with a forced smile and whispered, "Commander-in-Chief, according to the latest intelligence, Chu Yunfei arrived at the Yangon command post a few days ago and has taken over full command of the expeditionary force."

Chu Yunfei

Terauchi Hisaichi chewed on the name, his eyes filled with resentment and a hint of barely perceptible fear.

That name again!

From Myanmar to North China, and back to Myanmar, this name was like a persistent nightmare, shattering his plans time and time again.

He slowly sat down, as if all his strength had been drained from his body.

He got it.

This is not a defeat, it's a trap.

A massive trap constructed from space and flesh and blood.

Chu Yunfei's seemingly clumsy retreat turned his proud rapid attack into a hopeless struggle mired in the quagmire.

With each step he took forward, he was consuming precious fuel and ammunition, lengthening his supply lines, and thus getting one step closer to death.

The offensive is no longer sustainable.

The vanguard troops were being rationed, and the soldiers, clutching their last few rice balls, were maneuvering in the damp rainforest against the elusive Chinese army.

"Commander-in-Chief, a telegram has arrived from Matsuyama Yuzo, commander of the 56th Division. The enemy's offensive on Chiang Mai has slowed down, and its main force is very likely to detour south. We have not yet been able to pinpoint the enemy's exact location, and they are concerned that the Northern Route Army of the Expeditionary Force may be conducting a large-scale flanking maneuver to encircle our main force."

Given Chu Yunfei's boldness, it is quite possible that he would carry out such a large-scale encirclement.

It is indeed very difficult, but he is good at creating miracles.

"Commander, should we order a turnback?"

retreat?

Terauchi Hisaichi felt deeply powerless.

If an army of hundreds of thousands were to retreat in front of the enemy, and the enemy were to seize the opportunity to launch a counterattack, it would be a more terrible disaster than a failed offensive.

If we attack, we can't break through; if we retreat, we risk being counterattacked.

Staying put would likely result in being surrounded by the enemy's main force.

Terauchi Hisaichi, a once invincible "general" on the Far East battlefield.

For the first time, I experienced what despair truly meant.

He looked up at the huge map on the wall.

Those arrows represent the attack arrows of his hundreds of thousands of troops.

At this moment, they no longer appear as symbols of victory, but rather as necks being pulled into nooses.

And the unseen adversary is preparing to tighten the ropes.

"No, we have one last chance."

Terauchi Hisaichi looked toward the direction where the newly formed 22nd Division was holding, his eyes filled with madness: "That's the decisive battlefield that Chu Yunfei reserved for us. The terrain there is flat, which is very suitable for armored units and artillery to perform well."

(End of this chapter)