The resistance encountered in Bago was something that Chen Shanguo did not expect, because from the information provided by the Chindit troops before, there was only one Japanese military police squadron stationed in Bago. Chen Shanguo thought that after annihilating this military police squadron, he could continue to penetrate Yangon, but now he was shelled by the Japanese army before he entered Bago...... This at least shows that there was more than one squadron of military police in the Japanese army in Bago.

"What's the situation?" Chen Shanguo asked Colonel Baird of the Chindit unit.

The task of the Chindit forces was to occupy key points along the road and provide intelligence to Chen Shanguo, so of course now was the time for Colonel Baird to play his role.

But Colonel Baird was also confused, and spread his hands to show that he didn't know anything, and he couldn't help but curse in his heart, this should be the Indian soldiers deserting again.

Colonel Baird guessed correctly, the habit of Indian soldiers is to do things as they can, and even if they make mistakes, they will not introspect themselves, but will find all kinds of excuses and excuses to prevaricate.

This time, the Indian soldiers distributed on the road and the high ground were dissatisfied that they were arranged to carry out the mission so close to the enemy, while the British were placed on the side of Puqi and obviously much safer, thinking that nothing would seem to happen on the road, so they hid far away in a sheltered cave and went to sleep, which made the Chinese army never get the information that the Japanese reinforcements reinforced Bagu, and it was not until the Japanese artillery opened fire that the strength of Bago would not be as simple as previously thought.

Therefore, sometimes it is not a good thing to have more elements of the army, such as this Chindit army, there are British, Burmese, Indians, and there are countless contradictions and conflicts before the soldiers of different countries, among which there are many contradictions within the Indians...... These Indians come from different states, and the states themselves are not in harmony with each other, and then there are problems of high castes and low castes, and so on, which can easily lead to the accusations and comparisons between the various parts, and then there is a situation of negative warfare.

But Chen Shanguo only frowned. Although he was a little dissatisfied with Colonel Baird's performance, he also knew that this was not the time to hold him accountable, so he did not say anything more.

"Master!" At this time, a correspondent walked up to Chen Shanguo with a telegram and reported: "I have received information from the Burmese Independent Volunteer Army that the Japanese army has sent two mixed brigades to Bago, numbered the 73rd Mixed Brigade and the 105th Mixed Brigade, with a total strength of about 10,000 people, and the members are urgently mobilized logistics personnel and Japanese nationals!" ”

"Hmm!" Chen Shanguo nodded, with a hint of worry in his eyes.

Although the two mixed brigades of the Japanese army in front of them were only a rabble, with their numbers and the tenacity of the Japanese, it was very likely that they would be able to block the new 1st Division in Bago.

If the Japanese army is reinforced in other directions. For example, the 29th and 30th Wings of the Japanese Army, which were still stopped near Tonggu, rushed back in time, and the Chinese army would face the dilemma of being attacked by the Japanese army on both sides...... This is also a situation that interspersed troops often have to face.

At this time, a British communications officer took another telegram and reported to Baird: "Colonel, our scouts report that a Japanese army of about 20,000 men has occupied Bago first, and that it has a large number of artillery pieces, and the tank troops are also on their way!" ”

Chen Shanguo listened to the translator's words. I couldn't help but glance at Baird, and asked with a smile: "10,000 or 20,000, Colonel, which information do you think we should believe?" ”

"It should ...... It's 10,000 people to be more accurate! Byrd replied awkwardly, "I beg your pardon." General, my intelligence officer may have had a hard time estimating the enemy's strength because it was too dark! ”

Baird had found a good excuse for his men, but he knew it in his own heart. The Indian soldiers who came to their senses probably didn't do any further reconnaissance at all, but just casually reported a number and did nothing.

After looking at the map for a while, Chen Shanguo immediately ordered: "The new regiment occupies the airport." The rest of the troops are attacking the enemy with all their might! ”

Chen Shanguo's order should be said to be correct, and he will give this order based on several judgments:

First of all, judging from the intelligence, it is very likely that the enemy has just arrived in Bagu, so it is necessary to take advantage of the fact that the enemy's foothold is not stable and has not yet built a defensive line to immediately launch an attack to disrupt the enemy's deployment, otherwise it is very likely to form a protracted war of confrontation between the two armies, which is also the most taboo situation of interspersed troops or "blitzkrieg".

Second, it can be seen from the intelligence that the enemy in front of them was put together by the river and rushed to the battlefield, and there is no doubt that such a unit will have problems in various aspects, such as insufficient training, poor command, and poor coordination. Therefore, the Chinese troops should fight faster and slower.

Thirdly, if the new regiment occupies the airfield, then the supply and even reinforcements of the expeditionary force can be guaranteed, and then the new 1st division can hold out in Bago and pose a threat to Rangoon even if it cannot reach Rangoon.

But there were two things that Chen Shanguo did not expect.

One point is an estimate of the combat effectiveness of the patchwork Japanese army in front of him.

However, anyone would think that the combat effectiveness of this Japanese army is not strong, and even Kimura Hyotaro, who commands this army, thinks so.

Another point is that the Japanese did not have defenders at all in the direction of the airfield.

Chen Shanguo's idea was that the Chinese army had already made a precedent of occupying the airfield and then using American transport planes to parachute supplies and troops during the Battle of Bamo, and the Japanese should not have given up the airfield to the Chinese army so easily, because it would almost mean leaving the Chinese army to supply.

Therefore, Chen Shanguo assigned the most combat-effective unit, the new regiment, to occupy the airport.

In fact, Shozo Kawabe also had this idea, and one of the orders he gave to Kimura Hyotaro was to hold the airport no matter what.

However, Kimura Hyotaro did not carry out Kawabe's orders as rigidly as other Japanese officers, believing that if he sent troops to defend the airfield based on the terrain of the airfield and the situation of his subordinates, it would soon lead to the collapse of the entire Bago Line, and eventually the airfield could not be defended.

Rather than this, it is better to abandon the airfield on its own initiative, and as for the supply and reinforcements of the Chinese army, it can be controlled by artillery fire if possible.

Later actual combat proved that Kimura Hyotaro was correct in this idea.

It was precisely because of this unexpected choice of Kimura Hyotaro that Chen Shanguo used the wrong soldier...... Let the new regiment, which has the strongest combat effectiveness, be responsible for the attack on the airfield, which is almost defenced by the Japanese. (To be continued.) )