coobybook Chapter 502: Expeditionary Force Counterattack
Chapter 502: Expeditionary Force Counterattack
502 Expeditionary Force Counterattack
“Lashio is taken.”
In the early morning of the 14th, Ye Qingshan received reports from Zhang Fa and Lu Dahai in Nankan.
I know about the battle in Lashio and everything is going well.
Now, Lashio, an important strategic location, has returned to the hands of their expeditionary force.
"In Lashio, we cut off the retreat of the 56th Division of the Japanese.
Should we notify the Fifth Army and ask them to start counterattacking?"
Zhou Pingkou came over from behind and spoke.
"Well, the news that Lashio was recaptured by us.
Tell Commander Luo Zhuoying.
Let the Fifth Army and the 66th Army strengthen the Eighteenth and Thirty-third Divisions of the Japanese in the Mandalay direction. "
Ye Qingshan nodded and said.
Ye Qingshan knew that at this time, the Expeditionary Force's Fifth Army and the 66th Army still had at least troops.
Before, before their 86th Army entered Burma, the expeditionary force was facing an unfavorable situation on the battlefield.
But the expeditionary force's manpower has not yet been wiped out by the Japanese.
Now, Ye Qingshan led his troops into Burma, recaptured Lashio, and reversed the unfavorable situation of the expeditionary force on the battlefield.
The conditions for counterattack are already in place.
Soon, Luo Zhuoying, who was far away in Moneva, received Ye Qingshan's telegram.
"Haha, what a great Ye Qingshan.
That's pretty fast action.
Lashio has been recaptured so soon?"
Luo Zhuoying was also surprised when he received the news from Ye Qingshan that Lashio had been recaptured.
It's too fast.
“Tell this news to Commander Du.
Tell their Fifth Army that after daybreak, they should immediately launch a counterattack against the Japanese 56th Division troops that were intercepting them.
Commander Yu Ye's 86th Army attacked the remaining troops of the Japanese th Division together.
Commander Ye fought for their chance of revenge.
In addition, the main force of the Fifth Army must also contain the main force of the Japanese 18th Division heading towards Mandalay.
Our 66th Army also needs to take action.
Pin down the Japanese 33rd Division and counterattack in the direction of Mandalay.
The Battle of Mandalay may yet break out.
However, this time, the offense and defense have changed."
Luo Zhuoying excitedly said to the chief of staff behind him.
Ye Qingshan's actions were faster and smoother than he expected.
This made him see the possibility of Ye Qingshan's plan succeeding.
Before, the entire army was fleeing in a panic, but now they have reversed the situation and started a counterattack.
Luo Zhuoying's mood went through great ups and downs, and it was hard for her not to be excited at this moment.
"Commander, General Stilwell has sent another cable asking why we did not withdraw to Imphal as ordered.
He also asked about the specific battle situation on our side.
How should we respond? ”
The Chief of Staff behind him asked.
At this time, Stilwell realized that something was wrong after he followed the British army to retreat to Imphal.
"Tell General Stilwell that we have decided not to withdraw to Imphal.
Instead, they continued to fight a decisive battle with the Japanese in Mandalay.
Don’t go into details about other details. ”
"clear."
Soon, the Fifth Army and the 66th Army, which received Luo Zhuoying's order, also took immediate action.
On the Fifth Army side, Du Yuming was also surprised when he saw Luo Zhuoying's telegram: "Ye Qingshan's troops are moving so quickly.
Lashio has been taken back?
Can we start the counterattack?
I thought that my Fifth Army would have to hold out in Yingduo for several days at least."
Then, Du Yuming also became alert.
At this time, Du Yuming's Fifth Army was the most elite of the three armies of the Expeditionary Force into Burma.
At this point, the main force was still intact and had not been crippled by the Japanese like the Sixth Army.
Now, he learned that all the logistical supplies of the Japanese 56th Division in Lashio had been destroyed by Ye Qingshan.
This way, they have the chance to take revenge.
The reason why they are now trapped in Yingduo by the Japanese.
This was because the 113th Regiment of the th Division of the Japanese army had come from Lashio and intercepted them.
He tried to cooperate with the Japanese 18th Division coming from the direction of Mandalay to wipe out his Fifth Army in Yingduo.
Therefore, it was not just Gan Lichu's Sixth Army that hated the Japanese 56th Division at this time.
Du Yuming's Fifth Army also hated the Japanese 56th Division to the core.
"Pass on my order to start the counterattack after daybreak.
We will first attack the 113th Regiment of the Japanese th Division that is intercepting us from the north.
Inform Dai Anlan that the task of counterattacking the 113th Regiment of the 200th Division of the Japanese enemy will be handed over to their th Division.
I will let the armored corps and artillery regiment cooperate with them and make sure to wipe out this damn Japanese regiment for me.
As for the Japanese 18th Division, tell Liao Yaoxiang and Yu Shao.
Their two divisions must stop them for me.
This time, we will let the devil know the strength of our Fifth Army."
Du Yuming was also full of fighting spirit at this time, finally he didn't have to escape in a panic like before.
After dawn, the Fifth Army and the 66th Army launched a counterattack.
This made the fighting in these two places more intense.
The Japanese's other two main divisions, the 18th Division and the 33rd Division, were firmly pinned down by the Expeditionary Force around Mandalay.
*
*
Boom boom boom!
On the Nankan side, as the sky in the east brightened, the sound of gunfire in the ambush circle did not stop at all.
This ambush battle lasted for a day and a night, and it is not over yet.
Even last night, the fighting never stopped.
What surprised Ye Qingshan was that Zheng Quezi's 209th Division had not yet defeated the two ambushed regiments of the Japanese th Division.
"What did Zheng Quezi do for a living? The whole night has passed.
The gunfire hasn't stopped yet.
Why the battle is not over yet."
Ye Qingshan looked unhappy and shouted loudly.
According to Ye Qingshan's plan, this ambush should have ended last night.
His 209th Division had more than people and was fighting in ambush with artillery support. Even the two regiments of the Japanese th Division were very powerful.
They should have been annihilated.
"Commander, the message from the 209th Division said.
The remnants of the Japanese 148th Regiment organized a suicide squad to break out last night.
They joined together with the 56th Engineer Regiment of the Japanese Army in the south.
There were still about a thousand devils left.
They plunged into the jungle on the west side of the road.
Relying on the jungle to fight back.
This was the first time for our soldiers to engage in jungle warfare and they lacked experience.
After rushing in, they suffered a loss and were beaten back.
Fortunately, the jungle was still surrounded by the 209th Division, and the Japanese could not escape.
Commander Zheng has summoned officers to discuss new offensive tactics.
Give them a little more time, and they will definitely eat up the last of these devils."
Zhou Pingkou was standing by, explaining for Zheng Quezi's 209th Division.
Ye Qingshan calmed down his anger and indeed agreed with what Zhou Pingkou said.
This was the first time for the 86th Army to experience jungle warfare, which had never happened before.
They faced each other right from the start. It was understandable that the Japanese, the king of jungle warfare, suffered a loss due to lack of experience.