The more troublesome of these were the mines and wooden stakes laid by the Japanese in the river, but these did not cause much trouble for the Chinese army, because the Chinese expeditionary force had diving suits.

The diving suit was not originally equipped with the Chinese army, but the Sherman tank did, because the tank often had to wade across the river during the battle, and it was necessary to prepare several sets of diving suits to reconnoiter the river, such as finding out if there were mines laid by the enemy in the river, or whether there was mud at the bottom of the river that would trap the tank, etc.

So the mines of the Japanese army were not a problem. Of course, the Chinese army had no experience in eliminating mines, so they simply planted bombs on the mines and detonated them. The same method was used to deal with the wooden piles, and the roots of them were loaded with explosives one by one and fused, and then with a few "booms", the obstacles used by the Japanese army to barrage were quickly cleared.

After the obstacle was cleared, hundreds of large and small ships of the new 1st Division sailed down the Irrawaddy River, and because they were moving in the darkness and the Japanese were still fighting with the Chinese army, the Japanese did not even notice that a fleet had passed through their lines.

At this time, Tanaka Shinichi was still reporting to Honda Masasa: "Your Excellency, Commander, we are under fierce attack by the Chinese army, and I am afraid that we will not be able to hold it!" ”

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Honda Masato replied: "Not long ago, you confidently told me that you would definitely be able to block the attack of the Chinese army, and now you say that you can't hold on?!" ”

"Your Excellency, Commander!" Shinichi Tanaka replied: "Chinese troops suddenly appeared in the rear of our army...... Although they did not attack us, they blew up roads and bridges and organized a defense in our rear, and we were already surrounded! It can't be defended as planned! ”

"What?" Honda Masako couldn't help but be shocked when he heard this: "How did the Chinese army run to your rear?" ”

"I ...... Don't know the situation! Shinichi Tanaka replied: "Maybe it's interspersed, maybe it's airborne, which puts us in a total passivity." Our supplies have also been completely cut off, and if we continue like this, the 18th Division will have only one way to die! ”

After thinking about it, Honda Masasai responded, "I will try to send reinforcements to you." It really can't be done, and we must retreat to the jungle so that the Chinese army can't advance with confidence! You should be clear that you can't let the Chinese army drive straight into Yangon! ”

"Yes!" Shinichi Tanaka answered.

Honda Masasai just put down the microphone and hung up the phone to the riverside Shosana.

Kawabe Shozo was just lying down when he was woken up by the phone ringing, and after hearing this bad news, Kawabe Shozo couldn't help but scold: "Bastard, what's going on with the 18th Division, isn't it the elite of the Imperial Army?" Why is it so vulnerable in front of the Chinese army, I don't even know how the Chinese army appeared in the rear! ”

"Yes!" Honda Masako could only respond like this, but in fact, what he was thinking in his heart was...... Where is the Chinese army in Burma in general, and aren't you also in chaos under the attack of the Chinese army?!

After thinking about it, Kawabe Shozo ordered: "No matter what, we must block the attack of the Chinese army." I'll immediately send the 2nd Division forward to defend! Until the 2nd Division is ready for defense, it is not allowed to take a step back! ”

"Yes!"

Shozo Riverside's thinking and command are correct according to common sense, because the terrain of Burma is complex in northern Myanmar and central Burma, and southern Myanmar is a plain suitable for mechanized troops to fight.

In the past, the Japanese army was more willing to choose to fight the Chinese army in southern Burma, because at that time, the Japanese army's equipment, especially mechanized equipment, was much better than that of the Chinese army, so it would have more advantages in a decisive battle on the plains and could deal a heavy blow to the Chinese army.

But now, the Chinese army is fully equipped with American equipment, and the tanks are also Yankee tanks. The Sherman tank was still a tank that the Japanese army could not even deal with without the right equipment to fight it, and with the cooperation of American aircraft, the Japanese army would never want to confront the Chinese army on the plains.

Therefore, the Japanese army had only one choice if they wanted to hold off the Chinese army and ensure the safety of Yangon. That is to use the complex terrain to block the Chinese army in Burma and buy time for Yangon, or arguably for the 15th Army to capture Imphal.

Thinking of this, Kawabe Shozo did not hesitate, and immediately ordered the 29th and 30th Wings of the Second Division to rush to the south of Tonggu overnight to build a defensive line along the road to block the Chinese army.

The 2nd Division had four infantry wings, and Kawabe Shozo sent two infantry wings in one breath. This can also be seen that he is afraid of the Chinese army.

But this time he was wrong, and it was a big mistake.

Because the Chinese army did not follow the interspersed route of the Japanese 56th Division in the First Burma Campaign, as Shozo Kawabe imagined. Instead, the Irrawaddy River was used to intersperse, so the river army Zhengsan's transfer was actually to further empty Rangoon's forces and expose them to the Chinese army.

On the other hand, this illustrates the importance of intelligence on the battlefield.

Objectively speaking, at this time, Kawabe Shozo was in chaos under the attack of the Chinese army as Honda Masasai thought, and on the other hand, because the Japanese army was accustomed to interspersing on land, and under the limitations of this habitual thinking, he did not expect that the Chinese army would intersperse along the Irrawaddy River.

To make matters worse, the Japanese army was empty at this time...... To be precise, the Japanese army at this time had a lot of troops, with more than 200,000 troops in ten divisions, which was several times more than the first Burma campaign.

However, the strength of the Japanese army was mainly distributed on the periphery, three divisions were used to attack Imphal, one division was used as a reserve for attacking Imphal, two divisions were used in western Yunnan and northern Burma, three divisions including the second division were also used to defend against possible naval landings of the British army, and there was only one division in Burma.

The so-called mixed brigade is a kind of establishment of the Japanese army, which is not subordinate to any division or regiment, mainly in order to adapt to some special tasks on the battlefield, such as the tasks of public security, guarding, and guerrilla operations in the occupied areas, so it has been organized into a kind of unit with a large number of 5,000 people, and at the same time has artillery, engineers, and other units with a certain combat effectiveness, but neither weapons and equipment nor combat effectiveness can be compared with the regular troops, and its tasks determine the nature of this unit is a static garrison in the occupied area.

It is such a mixed brigade stationed in Burma. (To be continued.) )