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

Upon receiving the order, the P-40 fighter group immediately launched a fierce attack, focusing its attention on intercepting the Japanese B-25s.

After several rounds of firefights, five more Japanese warplanes were shot down.

Seeing this, the remaining Japanese pilots were already somewhat terrified.

Especially after seeing the US warplanes becoming increasingly aggressive, they were ultimately forced to retreat.

Upon seeing this, the B-25 bomber group immediately arrived over the Japanese positions and began dropping bombs.

Bombs rained down, destroying many Japanese positions. In an instant, the entire Japanese position was engulfed in flames, with screams and explosions mingling together.

"Mission accomplished," the B-25 group reported on the radio. "Returning to base."

Lieutenant Rector nodded: "P-40s, cover the B-25s' return, then withdraw from the combat zone."

The Flying Tigers completed their mission and began an orderly withdrawal.

On the ground, Huang Zurong smiled with satisfaction after hearing that the air battle had ended.

"Commander!" Lin Yi excitedly ran up to him and reported, "The Flying Tigers shot down twelve Japanese warplanes and destroyed several Japanese positions. The Japanese warplanes have now all withdrawn, and we have gained air superiority over Lashio."

Upon hearing this, Huang Zurong nodded, a smile appearing on his face: "Very good, send a telegram to Stilwell to thank him for his support."

"Understood." Lin Yi replied and left.

Huang Zurong walked to the map, looked at the location of Lashio, and pondered his next move.

At this moment, Long Wenzhang walked into the command post, his face also full of smiles.

"Commander, the brothers are celebrating. They say it's the first time they've seen such powerful air support. Everyone is very excited. They never dared to imagine air support before."

Hearing this, Huang Zurong smiled and said, "Tell the brothers that this is just the beginning. From now on, air support will be a regular occurrence."

"Understood." Upon hearing this, Long Wenzhang felt even more energized and had a stronger sense of belonging.

In the past, would they have received air support?

That's simply a dream.

Looking at Long Wenzhang's expression, Huang Zurong chuckled. Only he knew that while Stilwell's air support was good, it couldn't be relied on completely. If they really wanted to hold Lashio, they had to rely on themselves.

"Lin Yi," Huang Zurong suddenly said, "why do you think Stilwell was willing to send the Flying Tigers to support us?"

Lin Yi thought for a moment: "Because we need it, and he also needs us to defend Lashio."

"That's just the surface reason." Huang Zurong shook his head. "The real reason is that Stilwell was too isolated on the Burma battlefield. The British were reserved with him, and the mountain town was hindering him at every turn. So he needed a force that could truly command and fight to prove his influence on the Burma battlefield, and we were exactly the force he needed."

"You mean, Stilwell will agree to whatever we ask for from now on?" Lin Yi asked doubtfully.

"That's right, but we need to utilize Stilwell's support while not relying on it entirely. Maintaining our independence is crucial to gaining the upper hand in future competition." Huang Zurong nodded, looking like a promising young man.

"Yes, I understand," Lin Yi replied immediately.

On the other side, the 200th Division's position.

General Dai Anlan stood by the trench, looking at the sky in the distance, which had returned to calm, his heart filled with complex emotions.

"Commander," Gao Jiren said softly, walking up behind him, "The Flying Tigers have withdrawn. Our observers report that the Japanese have lost more than ten aircraft, and it will likely be difficult for them to organize another large-scale air raid in the short term."

Upon hearing this, Dai Anlan nodded, as if he had already guessed it: "This is good news for us. At least, we won't have to face the bombing by Japanese warplanes anymore."

"Commander," Gao Jiren hesitated for a moment before asking, "Do you have other ideas?"

Hearing this, Dai Anlan gave a wry smile: "I was thinking, what would have happened differently if our 200th Division had also received air support back then?"

After a moment of silence, Gao Jiren slowly said, "Perhaps we wouldn't have suffered such great losses, and perhaps more brothers could have survived."

"Yes," Dai Anlan said with a wry smile, "but it's too late to say anything now."

He suddenly looked up at the other person: "Do you know how I feel right now?"

Gao Jiren shook his head, looking at the other person blankly: "Commander, what are your feelings?"

"Having air support is really awesome," Dai Anlan said bitterly.

"But it seems this guy has chosen to cooperate with Stilwell."

"Commander..." Gao Jiren wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Dai Anlan.

"Forget it, Yamashiro will never agree."

"However, at least we have now gained air superiority over Lashio, which is a huge help to our defense."

Gao Jiren nodded: "Yes, Commander. At least we won't face attacks from Japanese warplanes, and our casualties will definitely be reduced considerably."

Dai Anlan gazed in the direction of Lashio City in the distance, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

.........

Yangon, Headquarters of the Japanese 15th Army

Lieutenant General Shojiro Iida stood before the huge battle map, his brow furrowed, his finger heavily tapping the location of Lashio, his eyes filled with anger and confusion.

"Report, Commander." Chief of Staff Major General Haruki Isayama entered, holding a battle report he had just received. "An urgent telegram from Lieutenant General Renya Mutaguchi of the 18th Division."

Lieutenant General Shojiro Iida took the telegram, read it quickly, and his expression grew increasingly grim.

"Twelve fighter planes shot down?" Lieutenant General Shojiro Iida's voice was low and cold. "The position was attacked, and the losses were heavy? Is this the result he gave me?"

Major General Haruki Isayama cautiously said, "Commander, according to Mr. Mutaguchi's report, the US military has dispatched the main force of the Flying Tigers, with more than twenty aircraft participating in the battle. Our Type 97 fighters are at a disadvantage in both performance and tactics, so..."

"So what?" Lieutenant General Shojiro Iida whirled around, staring at Major General Haruki Isayama. "So you were utterly thrashed? Isayama-kun, do you know what that means?"

Major General Haruki Isayama lowered his head: "Yes, Commander, this means that the garrison at Lashio is much stronger than we thought."

"Powerful?" Lieutenant General Shojiro Iida sneered. "What makes a security regiment commander, a former Nanyang mechanic, capable of receiving full support from the US military? What does that mean? It means we're not just facing a security regiment, but the entire Allied forces, you understand?"

He walked to the map and slowly moved his finger along the Burma Road: "Lashio is the gateway to the Burma Road. If Lashio falls, the entire Burma defense line will collapse. But if Lashio is held, the Allied forces can use it as a base to launch a counterattack on Burma. Therefore, the Battle of Lashio is not just a battle, but the key to the entire Burma battlefield."

Major General Haruki Isayama nodded. He knew the importance of Lashio, of course, but since the other side was currently angry, he couldn't argue. He could only bite the bullet and say, "Commander-in-Chief is right. So, what do we do now?"

Lieutenant General Shojiro Iida pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "Send an order to the 55th Division to speed up their march and reach Lashio within a day. At the same time, mobilize all the aircraft of the 3rd Air Wing to support Lashio."

"Commander-in-Chief," Major General Haruki Isayama said with some surprise, "The Third Air Wing? That's our only main air force in Burma. If we mobilize it all to Lashio, what will happen to the other areas?"

"Other directions?" Lieutenant General Shojiro Iida sneered. "The British have already retreated to India. There won't be any major movements in other directions. The focus now is Lashio; we must take Lashio."

Major General Haruki Isayama nodded: "Yes, sir, I'll make the arrangements right away."

Lieutenant General Shojiro Iida looked at the map again, his eyes flashing with determination. He had originally thought that a single division could easily take Lashio, but now it seemed that this would be a tough battle, and the garrison in Lashio seemed to be much stronger than he had imagined.

"Huang Zurong," Lieutenant General Shojiro Iida muttered to himself, "Who exactly are you? Why do the rice beasts value you so much?"

He suddenly remembered something and said to Major General Haruki Isayama, "Send someone to investigate Huang Zurong's background. I need to know who this security regiment commander, who came from a background as a Nanyang Overseas Chinese mechanic, really is, and whether he has other forces supporting him."

"Yes, Commander, I'll make the arrangements right away," Major General Haruki Isayama replied immediately.

……

Imphal Allied Command.

General Stilwell stood before the battle map, his brow furrowed as he looked at the latest report delivered by the intelligence officer.

"General," the intelligence officer reported, "the Japanese are preparing to mobilize all aircraft of the 3rd Air Wing, targeting Lashio. According to our intelligence, at least sixty aircraft will soon arrive over Lashio."

Stilwell sneered: "That old fox Iida has finally lost his patience. He's realized how troublesome Lashio is. Once we have complete control, his thousands of men in northern Burma will all be wiped out."

"General, what should we do?" the intelligence officer asked doubtfully. "The Flying Tigers only have twenty fighters available for combat at the moment. The rest of the fighters are also on guard against the Japanese. With so few fighters, they will be at a great disadvantage against sixty Japanese fighters."

Upon hearing this, Stilwell paced back and forth, then suddenly stopped: "We must send reinforcements. Send a telegram to Chennault and ask him to find a way to transfer two more squadrons of P-40 fighters from Kunming."

"General, Kunming is a major city in the southwest. If too many fighter jets are transferred, what will happen to Kunming's air defense?" the adjutant hurriedly reminded him.

"Moreover, if problems arise over there, it will cause considerable losses and may even affect us here."

"Kunming's air defense can rely on anti-aircraft guns and ground troops." But Stilwell's tone was firm, directly rejecting the other party's suggestion. "But Lashio is different. If Lashio falls, the entire Yunnan-Burma defense line will collapse, and Kunming will also be threatened. Therefore, Kunming must make sacrifices for Lashio."

"Besides, what's the use of giving them so many supplies?" Stilwell said with some dissatisfaction.

"Tell Chennault that this is not a discussion with him."

Upon hearing this, the intelligence officer nodded: "Understood, I'll make the arrangements right away."

Stilwell pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "Also, send a telegram to Wavell requesting British air support."

"General," the intelligence officer hesitated, "would General Wavell agree? Relations between the British and us aren't good..."

"He has to agree," Stilwell sneered. "If Lashio falls, the Japanese will inevitably attack Imphal next. Imphal's defenses are not yet established, so whether Wavell likes it or not, he has to send aircraft to support it."

"Understood, I'll arrange it right away."

On the same day, in New Delhi, at the British military headquarters.

General Wavell paced back and forth in his office, his brow furrowed.

On his desk lay a telegram from Stilwell, brief and direct—requesting British aircraft to support Lashio.

"General," the adjutant entered, "how should we reply to General Stilwell's telegram?"

Upon hearing this, Wavell nodded: "I see. That damn American really knows how to assign me tasks."

"General, what should we do? We've already suffered heavy losses in Myanmar. If we have to redeploy our fighter jets..." the adjutant said with some difficulty.

"Moreover, we cannot spare more fighter jets right now, and there are some problems in the North African theater, so they need more fighter jets."

Hearing this, Wavell was also in a dilemma. On one hand, there were allies, and on the other hand, his own side needed fighter jets. So, after a moment of contemplation, he suddenly said, "Report to Stilwell, the British army is unable to send fighter jets to support us. Our troops are being reorganized and have no spare capacity to support Lashio."

The adjutant nodded: "Understood, I'll arrange it right away."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. The adjutant opened the door, and the communications officer came in again with a telegram.

"General, General Stilwell needs to see you."

"What?" General Wavell was dumbfounded. Why was he asking to meet him so directly?

"He's already at the airport and will be here soon," the communications officer explained.

Upon hearing this, General Wavell was speechless. Did he think that the general wouldn't agree to his request because he had flown in directly?

It can only be said that the other party really understands him, and seeing this, he couldn't very well say anything about not meeting.

Not long after, Stilwell arrived at the office and got straight to the point.

"General Wavell, I need your support."

Wavell paused for a moment, then sneered, "General Stilwell, you've come at the right time. I was just about to send you a telegram informing you that the British army is unable to support Lashio."

"Why?" Stilwell walked to his desk, placed his hands on the surface, and stared at Wavell. "Lashio is crucial to the safety of the entire Burma battlefield. If Lashio falls, the British will retreat to Imphal, and the Japanese will relentlessly pursue them. At that time, the Imphal defenses will also be threatened."

Wavell shook his head: "General, the British have suffered heavy losses. We have lost three brigades in Burma. Now is the time for us to rest and regroup. We have no spare capacity to support Lashio."