Chapter 74 Indian troops counterattack northern Myanmar

After the main force of the expeditionary force withdrew from Burma to western Yunnan, in April 1943 in Chuxiong on the east bank of the Nujiang River, the "Commander-in-Chief Headquarters of the Chinese Expeditionary Force" was established. Eleventh Army and Twentieth Army.Beginning in 1943, the Expeditionary Army organized the "Military Commission's Cadre Training Group in Yunnan" and the "Dali Branch of the Yunnan Cadre Training Group". American instructors were responsible for the military training of the officers of the expeditionary force. Thousands of officers received the training. as much.

In August 1943, Roosevelt and Churchill met in Quebec, Canada, and decided to launch an offensive in Burma in the winter of 1943.The specific goal was to counterattack northern Burma. The military operations were mainly undertaken by the Chinese troops stationed in India and the Chinese Expeditionary Force in western Yunnan, with the assistance of the British and Indian troops and part of the U.S. military.But at the Cairo Conference in 1943, Britain and the United States decided to limit their offensive to northern Burma only.The Allies appointed British Vice Admiral Mountbatten as commander in chief of the Southeast Asia theater, and Stilwell as deputy commander in chief to coordinate and command the Allied forces in Southeast Asia.

The first step in fighting in northern Myanmar is to open up the China-India Highway.The China-India Highway runs from Liedo in India, passes through the Savage Mountains, the Hukang Valley, Myitkyina to Bhamo, and connects with the Burma Road. It is known as the China-India Highway or the Stilwell Highway in history.The road passes through uninhabited mountains and trails, and rivers and rivers criss-cross each other. In the rainy season, it is muddy and difficult to walk. Road construction, marching, and combat are very difficult. In the spring of 1943, two engineering regiments in China and the United States began to build roads. The soldiers fought against the harsh natural environment and prepared for the counterattack.

The Chinese troops stationed in India and the Chinese Expeditionary Force are preparing to attack the Japanese troops in western Yunnan and Myanmar from India and western Yunnan in order to open up the Sino-Indian highway.However, due to the rainy season, the offensive was postponed until the end of October. In late October 1943, when the rainy season ended, the troops stationed in India as the main force, united with a part of the British and American troops, advanced along the Sino-Indian Highway to northern Myanmar, and officially started the northern Myanmar operation.Their opponent is the Japanese Burmese Front Army, which has 3 armies and 8 divisions. Among them, two divisions of the 33rd Army are stationed in the northeastern part of Myanmar and the west bank of the Nujiang River in China, facing off against the Chinese Expeditionary Army; the 15th Army The three divisions of the 28th Army are stationed in northern Myanmar, facing pressure from the Chinese troops stationed in India and the British and Indian troops. The three divisions of the 28th Army control the area around Yangon, the capital of Myanmar.

The Chinese troops stationed in India first set off from the area south of Ledo in India, passing through the Savage Mountains, where there are virgin forests everywhere. On November 4, 1943, under the cover of the air forces of the allies, the Chinese troops stationed in India launched an attack on Yubang, an important stronghold of the Japanese army in northern Myanmar. This victory made the Japanese army look at the Chinese army with admiration. The Japanese military history has the following records: "The historical situation is that one brigade of the Japanese army is more than enough to deal with one division of China... How can the Chinese army in the Hukang Valley be in terms of organization, equipment, or battles?" The method and training are completely different...causing heavy losses to our army. After receiving this information, our army was shocked."

After the Indian troops cleared the Japanese troops in the Hukang Valley, they advanced the battle line to the Menggong Valley.Menggong City is located at the confluence of Nangao River, Menggong River and Nanyin River. It has railways and highways leading to Myitkyina and Mandalay. Its strategic location is very important. On June 23, 1944, the New 38th Division captured Menggong; on July 11, the railway and road traffic from Gamai to Myitkyina via Menggong was opened. When the main force of the army stationed in India was fighting fiercely with the Japanese army in Menggong, part of the army stationed in India began to attack Myitkyina east of Menggong.Myitkyina is an important town in northern Myanmar and the hub of the Burma highway and railway. After capturing Myitkyina, the China-India Hump air transport will have a relatively safe route. The China-India highway and the China-India oil pipeline can also be connected with the northern Myanmar transportation line. Together, it has become the largest transfer station for military supplies to aid China.Defending the place was the 56th Division of the Japanese Army.

Fighting from mid-May to August 3rd, the Chinese army finally captured Myitkyina, and all the key points in northern Myanmar were now under the control of the Chinese army.Due to the arrival of the rainy season, the Indian Army's offensive to northern Myanmar has temporarily come to an end. Just after the rainy season in early October, the troops stationed in India began to attack Bhamo.Bhamo was an important stronghold for the Japanese invasion of China. On December 15, the New First Army conquered Bhamo City and wiped out most of the officers and soldiers under the command of the Japanese city defense commander Harayoshi Sanzuo. Only more than 60 Japanese soldiers fled by swimming.With the cooperation of the Chinese Expeditionary Force, the troops stationed in India occupied Nankan and other places, and took advantage of the victory to advance to Wanding in western Yunnan.During this period, Stilwell was ordered to return to the United States, with Wedemeyer as the chief of staff of the Chinese theater, and Solden as the commander-in-chief of the army stationed in India. During the period, the New Sixth Army was ordered to be airlifted back to China in order to prevent the Japanese army from occupying Zhijiang.

On January 21, 1945, the troops stationed in India and the expeditionary force met in Miaoxi, northern Myanmar. On January 27, the 38th Division of the New First Army of the Chinese Garrison in India, the 9th, 36th, and 88th Divisions of the Chinese Expeditionary Force and the US military successfully joined forces in Mangyou, and the China-India Highway was completely opened.So far, the troops stationed in India and the expeditionary force have completed the task of counterattacking northern Myanmar and western Yunnan.