12dz Chapter 518 The key to victory or defeat
Chapter 518 The key to victory or defeat
518 Key to Victory
On the morning of the 20th, Ye Qingshan issued an order for a full-scale counterattack.
The Fifth Army and the 66th Army, which had obtained sufficient supplies, as well as the main force of Ye Qingshan's 86th Army, attacked from the east, west and north respectively.
Launch a counterattack against the Japanese 15th Army in the direction of Mandalay.
Boom boom boom!
"Hit me hard!"
For the first time, the sound of artillery fire around Mandalay lasted all day.
"Tell Wang Dachuan and Long Wendong that within two days, I want to see them capture Mei Miu and Aniskan."
After Zhou Pingkou took over the command of the 86th Army, he firmly carried out Ye Qingshan's orders.
Open up the passage from their eastern front into Mandalay as soon as possible.
Two hundred thousand people from both sides launched a major battle around Mandalay.
After a day of bloody fighting, the battle line between the Expeditionary Force and the Japanese 15th Army around Mandalay did not change much.
There was no battle, and the expeditionary force counterattacked and defeated the enemy with great ease.
The Japanese 15th Army did not shrink its defense line except in the north.
The defense lines on both the east and west sides are indeed shrinking.
Moreover, the Japanese 15th Army did not retreat from Mandalay.
That is why they never appeared. The expeditionary force was surrounded and retreated in a hurry, but was pursued by the Japanese and suffered a defeat.
We have the lesson of the expeditionary force ahead of us.
It was impossible for the Japanese commander Shojiro Iida to make the same mistake.
After all, even the most elite troops will retreat in panic once they are surrounded by the enemy.
It is easy to turn into a major defeat under the enemy's pursuit.
Even the Japanese are no exception.
This is also why Shojiro Iida knew that his 15th Army had been surrounded by the expeditionary force in Mandalay.
However, he still ordered the main force of the 15th Army to fight in Mandalay.
Then, two regiments were selected and rushed south urgently to prepare to retake Toungoo in the south.
Only when the retreat route to the south was opened up would Shojiro Iida allow the main force of the 15th Army to withdraw from Mandalay.
Otherwise, rely on the higher terrain of Mandalay to resist the siege of the expeditionary force.
It's quite suitable.
The first day of the counterattack passed like this.
At night, Ye Qingshan sat in the headquarters, listening to bursts of artillery fire coming from the south.
Looking at the latest battle report of the four front-line armies sent by the headquarters' operations staff, his expression was solemn and his brows were furrowed.
"The situation is more serious than I expected."
After a day of attack, the battle lines around Mandalay remained almost unchanged.
This is very telling.
For the expeditionary force on the counterattacking side, such an outcome was very demoralizing.
Summarizing information from all parties, Ye Qingshan made an estimate.
The Japanese 15th Army entered Burma and continues to fight to this day.
The remaining military force in their hands was similar to what Du Yuming and others had guessed before, which was about 100,000 people.
Except for the Japanese troops surrounded in Bhamo and Myitkyina in the north, as well as the Japanese troops sent to break out.
At this time, there should be about 80,000 Japanese troops still defending Mandalay.
As for the expeditionary army, apart from Ye Qingshan's 86th Army, the other three armies also had more than combat-capable soldiers.
Add Ye Qingshan’s 86th Army of people, that’s people.
Similarly, in addition to the 200th Division and the th Regiment besieging the Japanese in the north, there was also a mobile regiment heading south and the baggage troops left behind.
The expeditionary force participating in the Battle of Mandalay had about 110,000 troops.
The disparity in military strength between the two sides is not that great.
The ammunition supplies from the two armies that Stilwell had transferred earlier allowed the Expeditionary Force to surpass the Japanese 15th Army in firepower.
At least today, on the first day of the counterattack, the two sides had already started the artillery battle, and the Japanese were defeated.
After all, the Japs are now surrounded and have no logistical supplies.
Subsequently, it is still unclear when the Japanese troops that broke through to the south will be able to recapture Toungoo and open up the supply route.
Therefore, the commanders of the front-line divisions of the Japanese 15th Army could only give orders to save weapons and ammunition.
However, the expeditionary force's advantage in manpower and firepower was offset by the Japanese's advantage in terrain.
Therefore, on the first day of the counterattack, the two sides fought fiercely.
However, there was no change on the battle lines of both sides.
Ye Qingshan’s biggest trouble now is that with only the 110,000 men in his hands, it seems that he really cannot absorb the 80,000 elite Japanese troops.
Fortunately, Ye Qingshan had predicted this before.
Nor did I expect a quick resolution.
First, slowly wear down the main force of the Japanese 15th Army in Mandalay, and wait until their morale and ammunition are almost worn down.
It will be much easier to digest.
To achieve this, Zhao Dongsheng's mobile regiment needs to hold out in the Toungoo area for a long enough period of time.
Similarly, the Japanese commander Shojiro Iida also knew that his 15th Army was surrounded and had lost its supplies.
They also chose to hold on and not retreat. The longer the time goes, the more disadvantageous it will be for them.
Only by sending the troops to break out to the south as quickly as possible, retaking Toungoo and opening up the supply route, can the 15th Army be revived.
So, on this rainy night, Ye Qingshan and the Japanese commander Shojiro Iida both fixed their eyes on the same location on the map.
Toungoo!
The key to the entire battle at this moment lies in this important strategic position.
"Contact the mobile group for me. I want to communicate directly with Zhao Dongsheng."
Ye Qingshan gave the order after a moment.
Let Zhao Dongsheng's mobile regiment maintain direct contact with the headquarters in the next battle.
“Tell Zhao Dongsheng about the mission their mobile regiment has taken on.
Just defend Toungoo to the death.
As for how long I can hold on, I don’t know either.
In short, Toungoo cannot be lost.
Even if it is their mobile regiment, they will fight to the last man and cannot lose.
In this battle, whether our expeditionary force can avenge the previous defeat and defeat the Japanese 15th Army, this heavy responsibility now falls entirely on their mobile regiment. "
Ye Qingshan had a serious expression and spoke word by word.
Xiao Wusheng was behind him, quickly writing down what Ye Qingshan said.
“Ask Zhao Dongsheng what their mobile regiment needs.
I try my best to meet their requirements.
Go and send the message."
"Yes!"
At the same time, a breakout force headed south, consisting of two regiments of the Japanese 48th Division and 215rd Division, the th Regiment and the th Regiment.
At this time, we also arrived at the northern area of Taungoo.
After Shojiro Iida learned about this, he immediately issued a death order to the two Japanese regiments.
"Tell the 48th and 215th Wings to give them three days.
We must recapture Toungoo and annihilate the Chinese troops there."
Ye Qingshan was worried here.
After reading the telegram sent by the Japanese 15th Army in Mandalay on the first day of the Expeditionary Force's counterattack, the Japanese commander Shojiro Iida
Also very anxious.
With such intense fighting on the first day, the ammunition stockpiled by his 15th Army trapped in Mandalay would be exhausted in four or five days at most.
If the supplies cannot be delivered by then, his 15th Army will be finished.