The War of Resistance: From Overseas Chinese Mechanics to King of Nanyang

The shock brought by the telegram lingered in the command tent for a long time.

Everyone fell into an unbelievable silence, with only the sound of the wind outside the tent seemingly reminding them that this was not a dream.

Du Yuming stood in front of the sand table, his eyes fixed on the location of Lashio, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

"How is this possible?" he muttered to himself, his voice so low that only he could hear it.

As a seasoned general, Du Yuming knew all too well what Lashio meant.

It used to be a transit point for Allied supplies, but now it has become a transit point for the Japanese army.

If this place were to be occupied, the impact on the Japanese army would be incalculable.

"Commander, the telegram content is confirmed to be correct." The communications officer reported again.

Du Yuming took a deep breath and turned to look at the officers around him.

Their faces were filled with shock and confusion, and some even began to whisper among themselves, discussing the veracity of the news.

"Quiet!" Du Yuming gave the order, and the tent immediately fell silent.

"Let me sort out the current situation first."

He walked to the makeshift tactical table, picked up a pencil, and began sketching on the map.

"Everyone knows that the 200th Division suffered heavy losses. Normally, such a unit should be retreating, but now they have actually captured Lashio?"

"Commander, could this be a smokescreen spread by the Japanese?" a staff officer suggested. "The Japanese might be deliberately releasing false information to try and mislead us."

Du Yuming shook his head. "That's unlikely. While the Japanese are cunning, they wouldn't resort to such a clumsy tactic. Besides, if they really wanted to mislead us, they could have used a much more covert method."

"Moreover, the telegrams deciphered by the communications team mentioned the local militia repeatedly, and the frontline troops suddenly stopped. All of this indicates that the capture of Lashio is real."

Although he said that, he was still very shocked. It was unbelievable that a force that should have lost its fighting capacity could launch such a bold surprise attack from the rear.

"Your Excellency, it seems I've heard of this militia before," someone suddenly said.

"What?" Du Yuming was stunned for a moment, then looked at the other person.

As the other party explained, Du Yuming instantly recalled that when he was reorganizing military affairs in Kunming, he had heard some rumors that someone in the Southeast Asian Chinese community was recruiting soldiers, but he did not pay much attention to it at the time.

Looking back now, it must have been the other person.

It's unbelievable that a militia group I looked down on could bring me such a huge shock.

On the other hand, Stilwell showed a completely different reaction after learning that Lashio had been captured.

Unlike the others, the American general did not show shock and confusion; instead, he revealed an enigmatic smile.

"The 200th Division did it? Interesting, very interesting." Stilwell muttered to himself in fluent Chinese, then turned to his adjutant, "What's your opinion?"

The adjutant was clearly stumped by the question, stammering as he replied, "General, this news is indeed unbelievable. The 200th Division has just experienced a fierce battle and should be retreating, yet they have launched such a bold military operation. This completely defies conventional military logic."

Stilwell nodded. "You're right, it certainly doesn't follow conventional logic, but that's precisely what makes it so interesting."

He walked to the map, pointing to the location of Lashio. "Lashio, this location is extremely important. It controls the entrance to the Burma Road, the lifeline of the entire Burma battlefield. Whoever controls Lashio holds the strategic initiative."

Stilwell turned to his adjutant: "Do you know what this means? If the 200th Division really captures Lashio, then they've opened a door for the Allies, meaning northern Burma won't be lost, and might even become a forward position, allowing our troops to continue advancing into the heart of Burma and drive the Japanese back into the sea."

"But General, we haven't confirmed the authenticity of this news yet," the adjutant cautiously reminded him.

"Currently, it has only been deciphered by British military intelligence, and its authenticity still needs to be confirmed."

Stilwell waved his hand. "The veracity isn't important. What matters is what this news can bring. Even if the 200th Division doesn't actually capture Lashio, as long as they create enough chaos, it will force the Japanese to send reinforcements from other places, thus relieving pressure on other areas."

The adjutant was dumbfounded; he hadn't expected Stilwell to analyze the problem in this way.

"General, how should we deal with this?" the adjutant asked patiently.

Stilwell smiled mysteriously. "Respond? There's no need for a response. What we need to do is observe, wait, and then seize the opportunity. Right now, the most important thing is to make contact with the 200th Division as soon as possible and find out their true situation."

He paused, then suddenly remembered something: "Right, the 'military group' mentioned in the deciphered telegram, that's even more interesting. If this militia group is really as the telegram describes, we might be able to use them."

"Use him? You mean recruit him?" the adjutant asked in surprise.

Stilwell shrugged. "Why not? We've been here for a while now, haven't you noticed? We don't have any real military power."

"To truly change the current situation, I must control some forces that I can directly mobilize. If this militia is really as powerful as the telegram says, incorporating them would undoubtedly be an excellent opportunity."

The adjutant was dumbfounded; he never expected Stilwell to have such an idea.

"General, is this appropriate?" the adjutant asked cautiously. "After all, this isn't our home turf, and the very existence of this militia is shrouded in mystery."

Stilwell waved his hand. "Whether it's appropriate or not depends on how we define appropriate. My task is to help the Chinese army fight against the Japanese army in Burma, not to be bound by those rules and regulations."

"If incorporating this militia can help us better accomplish this task, then it is appropriate."

He paused, then continued, "Besides, do you really think I care about those so-called boundaries of authority? I came here to get things done, not to be a bureaucrat who only signs documents."

The adjutant was stunned; he hadn't expected Stilwell to say something like that.

"General, what should we do next?"

"First, we need more intelligence." Stilwell walked to his desk, picked up a document, and said, "Have the intelligence department step up its work and find out as soon as possible the actual situation of the 200th Division, as well as the origin and strength of this militia."

He closed the file, his gaze sharpening: "Then, we need to be prepared to immediately find a way to contact the 200th Division and this militia once the information is confirmed."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a communications soldier rushed in: "General, breaking news!"

"Speak!" Stilwell commanded immediately.

"The Japanese 15th Army Headquarters has dispatched the entire regiment of the 18th Division to Lashio immediately, expected to arrive within two days. In addition, the Japanese have also mobilized part of the 55th Division from the Mandalay direction, preparing to encircle Lashio."

After hearing this, Stilwell's expression became even more inscrutable.

The Japanese army's swift response, from another perspective, confirms that a major upheaval had indeed occurred in Lashio.

If the 200th Division had not captured Lashio, the Japanese army would never have been so nervous.

"Very good, this confirms our suspicions." Stilwell nodded, then turned to his adjutant. "It seems the 200th Division has indeed given the Japanese quite a surprise. Now, we must speed up our actions and not miss this opportunity."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Have the intelligence agencies focus their attention on this 'military group.' I have a hunch that this armed force could be key to changing the entire battlefield landscape in Myanmar."