Myitkyina, Chinese Expeditionary Force Headquarters.
On the balcony of the second floor, Yue Weihan held his telescope high and was watching the fierce air battle. Two barricades had been set up on the balcony, and two Maxim heavy machine guns for anti-aircraft fire had also been set up.
"The main seat is dangerous." Luo Zhuoying panted and climbed onto the balcony, waving repeatedly, "It's too dangerous here."
"Brother You Qing, don't be nervous." Yue Weihan said calmly, "The Japs' planes have already been entangled by the Flying Tigers' fighter jets, and they don't even care about bombing the ground."
When Luo Zhuoying looked up fearfully, he saw countless planes rolling through the sky. In the blink of an eye, several planes emitted black smoke, and two of them exploded directly in the air. The wings of these planes and
The fuselage is painted with eye-catching "plaster" patterns, which is obviously a Japanese plane.
"Master, it seems that the Flying Tigers have the upper hand?" Luo Zhuoying asked cautiously.
"It's not that the Flying Tigers have the upper hand, it's that the Flying Tigers are killing the Japs' bomber group." Yue Weihan said while adjusting the viewing angle of the telescope, "The escorting Japanese zero fighter group has been annihilated, and now the Flying Tigers are
The bomber group that strangled the Japanese army, just now, 6 bombers have been shot down."
Before he finished speaking, two more Japanese Type 99 dive bombers were shot and smoking.
"Oh, the Flying Tigers are amazing. Look, Commander, the Japs are no match for them." Luo Zhuoying couldn't help but admire, "It would be great if China could also have such a powerful air force."
Yue Weihan's expression was slightly suffocated, and he immediately put down the telescope and said in a deep voice: "Yes, Brother You Qing, your words reminded me that our expeditionary force should consider forming its own air force, the Flying Tigers.
Although they are powerful, they are not Chinese after all."
"Establish an air force?" Luo Zhuoying was stunned when he heard this, and then his heart suddenly stopped.
Luo Zhuoying thought, is it so easy to establish an air force? Where do the aircraft come from in the first place? Is it possible that the US government will directly hand over the aircraft to the expeditionary force? Even if the US government gets crazy and directly sends aircraft to the expeditionary force, where will the expeditionary force find pilots?
Go? There are quite a few idle pilots in Chongqing, but is Chairman Chiang willing to give them to them?
Naturally, Yue Weihan didn't know that Luo Zhuoying was laughing at him in his heart. He really wanted to form his own air force.
Of course, Yue Weihan also knew that it would be extremely difficult for the expeditionary force to form its own air force.
First, Stilwell's joints must be opened. Stilwell was the "general manager" who oversaw the use of U.S. aid supplies to China. Only with Stilwell's support would the U.S. government consider helping the expeditionary force to establish an Army aviation force.
Secondly, the relationship with Chennault must be improved. If we really want to form an air force, we have to train pilots here.
Finally, the expeditionary force must become strong enough! Only when the expeditionary force shows strong enough strength that President Roosevelt feels that it is worthwhile to help the expeditionary force establish the Army Air Force, can the U.S. government be able to withstand the pressure of the National Government and directly
Help the expeditionary force form the Army Aviation Corps.
However, Yue Weihan naturally would not shrink back when encountering difficulties.
Yue Weihan's character, at best, is determined and tenacious; at worst, he won't shed tears until he sees the coffin. Once this guy makes a decision, he really has the aura of not giving up until he achieves his goal. Yue Weihan has no intention of watching it at the moment.
The live broadcast of the air battle over Myitkyina was so grand that we went straight down to the underground headquarters to find Stilwell to "get close" to him.
Yangon, Japanese Army Headquarters.
Major General Haruki Isayama, Chief of Staff of the Fifteenth Corps, walked into Shojiro Iida's office with a livid face. He immediately put his feet back and stood at attention and said: "Your Excellency, Commander, the 5th Aviation Group's bombing operation against Myitkyina Airport suffered a serious failure.
Almost all the fighters and bombers involved in this operation were lost!"
"What?" Iida Shojiro suddenly stood up and said in disbelief, "A serious failure!?"
"Hai!" Haruki Isayama suddenly lowered his head and said, "In this operation, the 5th Flying Group originally planned to bomb the China Army positions along the Mong Gong Line after bombing the Myitkyina Airport. However, the aircraft fleet had just arrived in Myitkyina.
Over China, they were intercepted by the Flying Tigers. Of the more than 100 fighter planes involved in the operation, less than 20 returned home!"
Shojiro Iida's face suddenly darkened. The 5th Aviation Group lost more than 80 aircraft at once, which was a great loss of vitality. What's worse is that Japan's aviation manufacturing industry is not developed, and most of the aircraft produced are
The fighter planes must also give priority to supplying the navy. In a short period of time, the 5th Flying Group will not be able to restore its combat effectiveness.
This also means that the 15th Army will not be able to receive air support for at least three months.
Without the fire support of aviation, the 18th and 33rd Divisions' attack on Meng Gong will be greatly affected, because the Chinese Expeditionary Force has a large armored force and heavy artillery force, coupled with the existence of Myitkyina Airport, China
The expeditionary force can also receive aerial fire support from the Flying Tigers.
Iida Shojiro immediately strode towards the left wall, and Isayama Haruki took two steps forward and opened the curtain.
On the map, the two red arrows representing the Japanese 18th and 33rd Divisions had extended to the vicinity of Meng Gong, and formed a pincer offensive against Meng Gong, one on the left and one on the right. Shojiro Iida looked at the map for a long time, and suddenly
Asked: "Isayama-kun, do you think the Chinese army will suddenly turn to the offensive?"
"Attack?" Isayama Haruki said in shock, "No way?"
After saying this, Isayama Haruki added, "The Chinese Army has built three lines of defenses along the Meng Gong line. With strong fortifications to rely on, is it possible for the Chinese Army to launch an attack on the Imperial Army? Based on my view of the
The China Army understands that in this situation, the China Army will only choose to hold on and will not take the initiative to attack."
"But the current commander of the China Army is Yue Weihan." Shojiro Iida said worriedly.
However, Isayama Haruki said disapprovingly: "Yue Weihan just arrived, it is impossible for him to grasp the actual command of the China Army so quickly. In addition, Yue Weihan had already ordered the troops to deploy along Meng Gong, and then suddenly changed the order to attack, it was changed overnight.
, this can easily arouse the resentment of grassroots officers and soldiers, I think... he won't be so unwise, right?"
After saying this, Isayama Haruki added: "Taking a step back, even if the China Army in front of Meng Gong suddenly turned to attack, there would only be less than three divisions, and they would not be the 18th or 33rd Division at all.
opponent."
Shojiro Iida waved his hand, pondered for a moment and then said: "Order the troops to move to defense on the spot."
"Hai!" Iida Shojiro had already made his decision, and Isayama Haruki said nothing more and immediately accepted the order.
Myitkyina, Expeditionary Force Headquarters.
Just after the air battle ended, Yue Weihan held an emergency combat meeting.
Among the seven division commanders of the expeditionary force, only Sun Liren and Dai Anlan attended the meeting, but even so, there were still serious differences of opinion at the meeting.
"Attack!" Yue Weihan patted the map on the wall of the conference room and said loudly, "Only offense is the best defense!"
"Attack?" Luo Zhuoying, who was standing next to him, was startled and exclaimed, "Chief, did I hear correctly?"
"Brother You Qing, you heard that right." Yue Weihan smiled slightly and added: "Before the Japanese advance group to the north realizes the danger, use the armored regiment directly under the Fifth Army as the forward and the 200th Division as the main force to defeat the left army in one fell swoop.
On the way, the Japanese 33rd Division immediately turned around and cooperated with the new 22nd Division and the 98th Division to encircle and annihilate the Japanese 18th Division near Meng Gong!"
Attack is the best defense. This has been proved by the "Desert Fox" Rommel. In the North African battlefield, Rommel relied on the absolutely weak infantry and armored forces to attack the troops and armored forces without air support.
The British army, which was in an absolute advantage, launched an attack brazenly. As a result, the British army was caught off guard and was defeated like a mountain!
Dai Anlan and Sun Liren looked at each other. They obviously couldn't keep up with Yue Weihan's ideas. They launched an active attack before the Japanese army's northern advance group realized the danger? The question is, where is the danger for the Japanese army? The current situation, no matter how you look at it, it is the expeditionary force.
Being at an absolute disadvantage, where would you find the opportunity to turn defense into offense?
Yue Weihan did find a fleeting fighter opportunity!
After the air battle at Myitkyina, the Army Air Force of the 15th Japanese Army Corps stationed in Myanmar has been severely damaged, and it may be difficult to recover in a short time. In this way, the Flying Tigers will undoubtedly seize the air supremacy in northern Myanmar.
It also means that the Chinese Expeditionary Force will be able to receive air fire support from the Flying Tigers!
On the ground, the expeditionary force also has more than 80 T-26 tanks, more than 100 armored vehicles and 24 150mm-caliber field heavy howitzers, and these heavy equipment are all intact.
As long as the fighter planes are well controlled, this will be an unstoppable assault force.
If the Japanese army in Myanmar had not lost its air supremacy, the armored strength of the Chinese Expeditionary Force would actually be nothing at all. But now, the Japanese army in Myanmar has lost its air supremacy. This is a good opportunity for the Chinese Expeditionary Force. No matter how tenacious the Japanese army is, it cannot be used
Flesh and blood blocks the torrent of steel!
There is a strong ground assault force and full air support. If we don’t attack now, when will we wait?
Stillwell had seen the world and knew the power of air-ground coordination. In addition, the old American man was adventurous by nature. He immediately nodded and said: "Great, this is really a brilliant idea! The Chinese Expeditionary Force has enough weapons to tear apart the Japanese army.
The armored assault force of the defense line, and now with the air support of the Flying Tigers, is there any reason not to take the initiative to attack?"
"Chief, would you like to think about it again?" Seeing that Stilwell and Yue Weihan were on the same page, Luo Zhuoying was so frightened that she broke into a cold sweat. She took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from her forehead, and cautiously advised, "Fifth
The army has just built a complete defense fortification, but it wants to abandon the fortification and attack the Japanese army? I am worried...the officers and soldiers can't figure it out."
"There is nothing unreasonable." Yue Weihan said shamelessly, "Soldiers must obey orders as their bounden duty!"
Sun Liren and Dai Anlan couldn't help curling their lips when they heard this. They felt uncomfortable hearing what Yue Weihan said. When it comes to disobeying orders on the battlefield, can anyone be more powerful than Yue Weihan?
However, Sun Liren and Dai Anlan also admitted that Yue Weihan's battlefield insights were indeed very powerful.
Just now, Sun Li and Dai Anlan were a little confused, but when Stilwell said it, they immediately understood that this was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! More importantly, it was difficult for the Japanese army to believe that the Chinese Expeditionary Force would suddenly switch from defense to defense.
Attacking has the advantage of "taking the enemy by surprise and attacking him unprepared" in the art of war.
Fifty miles southeast of Menggong, the main force of the Japanese 33rd Division was rolling northward along the highway.
The 33rd Division was urgently mobilized on the eve of the Battle of Wuhan. It is a three-unit field division with 3 infantry regiments and 1 regiment each of engineering, baggage, field artillery, and search. The search regiment is actually a reduced version.
The tank wing consists of 2 to 3 light tank squadrons, 1 infantry squadron and 1 artillery tank squadron.
When the Southern Army was first formed, in addition to the 4th and 14th tank regiments directly under the headquarters, the cavalry regiments of 7 of the 10 field divisions were replaced by search regiments. The armor strength alone
Generally speaking, the Southern Army is obviously stronger than the North China Front Army and the Central China Front Army. Since the Kwantung Army is responsible for guarding against Soviet tank clusters, it has the strongest armored force.
In the rolling traffic, the chief of staff of the Japanese 33rd Division Murata, Osaka Ichi, trotted up to the armored vehicle of the division commander, Lieutenant General Sakurai Shozo. He immediately stopped his feet and stood at attention and said: "Your Excellency, the Division Commander, Commander Iida has an urgent call.
Our division immediately stopped advancing, built fortifications on the spot and turned to defense."
"What?" Shozo Sakurai asked in astonishment, "Stop advancing and switch to defense on the spot?"
"Hai!" Colonel Murata lowered his head suddenly, then stretched out his hand heavily and handed the telegram to Shozo Sakurai.
After reading Shojiro Iida's telegram, Shozo Sakurai said disdainfully: "Defense is a cowardly act. How can the Imperial Japanese Army hold its position and wait for the weak China Army to attack? Order the troops to continue to advance and must seize the opportunity.
We captured Mengong Town before the 18th Division. Although our division is not a permanent division, that is just a difference in designation!"
"Hai!" Colonel Murata lowered his head suddenly, then turned around and walked away with his saber in hand.
Sakurai Shozo casually tore off Iida Shojiro's telegraph order and immediately ducked back into the armored vehicle.
In the Japanese army, senior generals of the Navy usually strictly implement the orders of their superiors, but senior generals of the Army often perform "disobedience before the battle". What is even more incredible is that the Japanese Army General Staff Headquarters actually encourages this phenomenon.
Disobedient army generals will never be held accountable as long as their adventures succeed.
Historically, notorious Japanese generals such as Seishiro Sakagaki, Shun Tada, Moto Sugisugi, Hideki Tojo, etc. almost all rose to prominence by relying on their disobedience on the battlefield.