Lost and Spy

Chapter 2014 Retreat route
At this time, the Chinese Expeditionary Force was ready to retreat.

And at this moment, an extremely unexpected situation happened.

After the 56th Division of the Japanese Army occupied Lashio, they did not stop attacking. They divided into two groups, and continued to detour to the northwest along the way, successively captured Nanqian, Bhamo, and Myitkyina; Wanding, Mangshi and Longling are close to Huitong Bridge.

Wanding, Mangshi and Longling are all towns along the Yunnan-Burma Highway, and Huitong Bridge is a bridge across the Nujiang River on the Yunnan-Burma Highway. Once the Japanese army occupied Huitong Bridge, they would enter the hinterland of Yunnan, China. At that time, Kunming It's hard to say whether you can keep it.

Once Kunming falls, there will be no need to fight the War of Resistance.The Japanese army rushed to the vicinity of the Huitong Bridge, and the cunning Japanese and Burmese traitors mixed in with the refugees crossing the bridge, preparing to occupy the Huitong Bridge by surprise.

At that time, there was chaos on the Huitong Bridge. A large number of refugees and defeated troops rushed to cross the bridge first, refusing to give in to each other.The Chinese army guarding the bridge fired warning shots to maintain order.

Seeing the Chinese army shooting, the Japanese troops who seized the bridge among the refugees thought they had been discovered, and immediately fired back and seized the bridge.

When the Chinese army saw someone shooting among the refugees, they knew that the Japanese had sneaked in. Since they didn't know the real situation of the Japanese army, nor could they tell which was the Japanese army and which was the refugee, the bridge guards in panic detonated the pre-planted explosives.

After failing to capture the bridge, the Japanese army began to forcibly cross the Nujiang River. The number of Chinese defenders was too small to stop the Japanese army at all.

At the critical moment, Song Xilian led the 36 divisions to arrive. They were originally ordered to support Lashio, but they had just arrived here.

The 36th Division was also one of the three German weapon divisions that year, with strong combat power. After a fierce battle, the 36th Division annihilated hundreds of Japanese troops who had just crossed the Nujiang River in one fell swoop, repelling the Japanese army's forced crossing.

Chennault's Flying Tigers also came to join the battle, shooting and bombing the Japanese army continuously, causing heavy casualties to the Japanese army.The Chinese army barely blocked the Japanese army on the west bank of the Nu River.

Many years later, a TV series described this scene:
Chinese soldiers sang on the banks of the Nu River, and found that the Japanese had mixed in, and then recognized the Japanese through their singing, and quietly wiped their necks. (My leader is my regiment.)
The purpose of the Japanese was achieved. They blocked all the roads from Myanmar to China, and there were no roads where there was no blockade, such as Savage Mountain.

The back road has been copied, and this battle cannot be fought.

Stilwell finally realized that the Battle of Pinmanna could not be fought, and the most important issue now was how to retreat safely.

On April 4, Stilwell abandoned Mandalay and led more than 30 people from the 5th Army, the main force of the Chinese Expeditionary Force, to the west bank of the Irrawaddy River, preparing to retreat to Myitkyina.

Later, Stilwell received news that Wanding, Longling and other places had fallen, and the Burma Road was completely cut off.Due to poor communication, Stilwell did not know about Bhamo and Myitkyina.

Now the Chinese Expeditionary Force has only two ways to go. One is to take the road that the British took and withdraw to India. Since the 38th Division blocked the 33rd Division of the Japanese Army, the way to India has not been cut off; China, from where it was withdrawn to China.

In fact, neither road is good, and they are all hunted down.

Before the British fled, they let go. If the Chinese army retreated to India, the British Empire would welcome it, but the British Empire could only receive the Chinese army as refugees.

What do you mean?
To enter India, Chinese troops must first take off their military caps, tear off their badges, and then disarm.

Du Yuming was already angry with the British, and when he heard the British say this, he was furious: "Even if we all die in battle with the Japanese army, we will not go to India as refugees."

Stilwell and Luo Zhuoying’s opinion was to withdraw to India. The British insulted the Chinese and not the Americans. It would be better to go to India. The Chinese Expeditionary Force needs the Americans. Stilwell can take this opportunity to completely control the Chinese Expeditionary Force .

Du Yuming asked the chairman of the committee to withdraw Tengchong from Myitkyina, but the chairman who did not know that Myitkyina had been occupied by the Japanese army agreed to this plan.

Just as Du Yuming led the 5th Army to transfer, Stilwell and Luo Zhuoying led hundreds of people from the headquarters to flee.

They didn't want to withdraw to Myitkyina in the first place, they just wanted to go to India, what's more, the current mess was caused by them, and it's hard to explain when they return to China.

In times of crisis, what is the behavior of a commander who abandons his subordinates and flees first?
This is a felony that should be shot in any country.

Stilwell told only Marshall, and he led the small army headlong into the Burmese jungle, where he lost the news.After a difficult march of more than two weeks, Stilwell reached Dinsuki, India.

Stilwell was a military attache and liaison officer stationed abroad. Not only did he have a group of journalist friends, but he was also very good at using the power of the media.In any case, it is dishonorable to abandon him and not flee, and the Americans cannot forgive him.

Stilwito, a reporter friend, helped and publicized that he was not afraid of hardships and dangers and led the army to break through.

Americans who are full of personal heroism plots heard the adventures of Stilwell and his party in the jungle, and gave the old cowboy a thumbs up. No one suspected that he was a deserter.

Americans know what they don't know, but Chinese people are not confused. Not only Chinese people, but also Americans in China can see clearly.

Chennault, commander of the Flying Tigers, said:

"If he is a company commander or battalion commander, he is only responsible for the troops under his direct command. This behavior is indeed commendable. But as the commander of the US military in Asia and the chief of staff of the Chinese theater with heavy responsibilities, he left the troops without authorization And three weeks of silence, then that's appalling ignorance and irresponsibility."

On May 5, Du Yuming heard the news of the Japanese occupation of Myitkyina from the radio.

All the way home was blocked.

Now, there is also a road that is not a road:

Savage Mountain!
Going west, crossing Savage Mountain, crossing Jiangxin Slope, and crossing Gaoligong Mountain, which is more than 4000 meters above sea level.

Considering that the march of large troops would be too chaotic and the target would be easily exposed, Du Yuming ordered the 200th Division to come to the rear, use guerrilla warfare to contain the Japanese chasing troops, and then retreat in camera. He himself decided to lead the new 22nd Division through the Savage Mountain.

At the same time, Sun Liren's 38th Division was ordered to rush to Yeren Mountain.

Dai Anlan has always been obedient to orders, and there was no hesitation after receiving the order.

However, he still couldn't understand Du Yuming's order to destroy all tanks and trucks.

"Report, Meng Shao is here."

"What? What is he doing here at this time?"

Dai Anlan was startled: "Let him in."

As soon as Meng Shaoyuan came in, he immediately said with a serious face: "Master, please let the rest go out, leaving only the commander and the chief of staff."

Dai Anlan frowned, and then did the same thing: "Meng Shaoyuan, what is so mysterious? It's me and the chief of staff."

Meng Shaoyuan said with a straight face: "Convey, appoint a secret order!"

(End of this chapter)