Chapter 39 Chapter Thirty-Eight I Will Follow Them Anywhere

After the fall of Burma in 1942, even though the Burma Road was cut off and China’s international aid during the War of Resistance could only be supported by the “hump route” with limited capacity, the British still believed that they had lost the most.The Japanese army occupied the entire territory of Myanmar, directly threatening eastern India, and India was the largest overseas colony of the British Empire and its core military base in Asia.Churchill worried that if the Chinese battlefield collapsed, the Japanese army would be able to free up at least 15 to 20 divisions to attack India; echo.At that time, the end of the British will come.

As far as the United States is concerned, the fall of Myanmar has also interfered with the overall strategy of the United States to "first Europe and then Asia".While competing with Japan for control of the Pacific Ocean, the Americans hoped that the transportation and supply lines to China would be unimpeded, so as to keep the Chinese battlefield in check on the Japanese army, and at the same time ensure that mainland China would serve as a forward base for attacking the Japanese mainland in the future. Therefore, the plan to counterattack Burma has always been brewing. China, the United States, and the United Kingdom have no disagreements on counterattacking Burma. However, despite repeated consultations on specific issues such as how and when to counterattack, the plan for counterattacking Burma has been delayed for nearly two years.The fundamental reason for the delay is that countries start from different interests and hold different strategic goals.

After the outbreak of the Pacific War, the situation in which China alone fought against Japanese aggression ended, and the Chinese placed high hopes on using the military power of the allies to end the war in Asia.However, with the passage of time, Chiang Kai-shek found that the strategy of "Europe first and then Asia" adhered to by the United States and Britain could not be changed, and the war against Japan was always placed in a secondary position by the United States and Britain. China restrained and dragged the Japanese army, and kept the muddy flood of the Japanese army on the battlefield in China—therefore, all the assistance from the United States and Britain to China had only one purpose, which was to prevent the dam of this "flood discharge area" from collapsing.In this regard, Chiang Kai-shek's basic position is: If there is a counterattack to Burma, China, the United States, and Britain must fight together.When the Chinese army entered Burma for the first time in 1942, it had learned a bloody lesson, and it would never fall twice in the same place.

Although the Americans have a positive attitude towards counterattacking Burma, the strategy based on "Europe first and then Asia" must first take into account the European battlefield. It is impossible to send enough troops, especially the main force of the army, to participate in the Burmese operations, and it is impossible to independently undertake the Burmese operations. The supply of all military materiel.At present, what the Americans can do is to send Stilwell to command the Chinese army, and at the same time urge the British to act quickly. The British are consistent with the Americans in the strategy of "first Europe and then Asia", but they have their own small differences in the specific implementation process.The British generally hold the view that the British homeland is the hub of the war, and ensuring homeland security is the most important thing. Even if Malaya, India, and even all the colonies in Asia are lost, as long as the homeland is kept, the war can continue.Therefore, although they were saddened by the fall of Burma and worried about the possibility of the Japanese army attacking India, they still adhered to such a coping strategy: as long as Japan did not take the initiative to attack India, Britain did not need to rush to counterattack Burma.When the United States launches a major counterattack against Japan, or even waits until the moment when American soldiers set foot on the Japanese mainland, the Japanese will naturally have no power to defend Burma, and Britain can take advantage of it to regain Burma.Therefore, there is no reason for the British army to fight the Japanese army in Burma immediately.At the same time, the British have always disapproved of using mainland China as a base for attacking the Japanese mainland, believing that the Allied forces can deal a devastating blow to Japan from the sea.

Both the Chinese and the Americans are well aware that the biggest knot of the British they cannot express clearly is to prevent the Chinese army from penetrating into Burma, even if the purpose is to expel the Japanese for British Burma.The worry of the British is: China and Myanmar are neighboring countries with close ties in history. Now Myanmar is rising to oppose colonial independence movements. Once the Chinese army penetrates into Myanmar, it is likely to fight not only the Japanese but also the British with the Burmese. At that time, China can replace Britain as the master of the Burmese colony. ——The British don't know that there is a Chinese saying called "measure the belly of a gentleman with the heart of a villain".

Due to the failure of the first command to enter Burma, Stilwell's determination to regain Burma was as firm as steel.His counter-offensive idea is: use the equipment transported by the United States to India, train the two corps of the Chinese Army, and command them to attack Burma from India; The flank attack opened up the Sino-Indian Highway in one fell swoop.Then they marched south to Yangon, drove the Japanese out of the Indian Ocean, and recovered the whole of Myanmar. ——"I firmly believe that China is of decisive strategic importance," Stilwell called Marshall, the chief of staff of the U.S. Army, and asked him to send at least one army division. A serious mistake was made."

Stilwell's overall plan was called the "Anagim Plan" by the Allied forces.The ambition of the plan is astonishing, and its operational purpose even includes recovering Vietnam, Thailand, China's Hainan Island and Guangzhou City in one fell swoop. As an ordinary military general, he felt that he was at least the Allied commander on an equal footing with MacArthur.In the first step, the British sent out three divisions, the United States sent out one division, and China sent out two divisions. They entered Burma from Assam in India to the east, and attacked Mandalay, an important town in central Myanmar, through Gariwa, Damu and Homalin respectively. .At the same time, China dispatched another twelve divisions to attack westward from western Yunnan, and after occupying Lashio and Bhamo in northeastern Burma, they joined forces with the Chinese, American, and British forces entering Burma from India in Mandalay.In the second step, the army entering Myanmar spread out in a fan shape and went southward, heading straight for southern Myanmar and the capital Yangon, driving the Japanese army to the coast of the Indian Ocean; while the British navy and air force took advantage of the army's offensive to re-establish sea dominance in the Bay of Bengal, regained the Andaman Islands, and dispatched A powerful army landed from Yangon, attacked from the north and the south, used both water and land, and took Yangon in one go.The third step is to gather the main forces of the Chinese, American and British allied forces to move eastward after regaining Myanmar, recovering Thailand and Vietnam, and reaching the coast of the Beibu Gulf of China. At this time, the Chinese army dispatched another nine divisions to attack Vietnam from the Yunnan-Vietnam border , captured Hanoi and Haiphong ports, and finally recaptured Hainan Island, Hong Kong and Guangzhou.During the implementation of this counter-offensive plan, the U.S. forces on the Pacific battlefield will divide into two groups and launch a full-scale attack on New Guinea, New Britain and other islands in the Southwest Pacific, blocking the reinforcement of the Japanese army and completely destroying the Japanese army in Taiwan and Taiwan. Philippine Naval Capabilities.The ending is: not only in Burma, but throughout Southeast Asia and South China, the Japanese will be wiped out, and the Allied flag will fly high.

…Shortly after the Japanese succeeded in Burma, the United States opened up an air route over the hump of the Himalayas, and under unimaginably difficult conditions, it took risks and began to airlift supplies to western China.But the Hump route is only a contingency measure.As we all know, the fundamental solution is to open a road to break through the Japanese blockade, so that enough materials to equip the entire army can be shipped by land or water.Burma seemed a natural starting point, and its recovery became a fascinating topic, a visceral and desirable goal in Stilwell's staff. The "Anagim Plan" is exactly what the Chinese expected.

The Americans raised no objections, except that they could not send troops to Burma. The British, on the other hand, were horrified by the mammoth plan. Stilwell had repeated consultations with Wavell, Commander-in-Chief of the British and Indian Army on this plan.Wavell said that whether the British navy and air force can be transferred to southern Myanmar is irrelevant. Even if they are transferred, it is unpredictable whether they can control the sea and air power in the Bay of Bengal.Although it is difficult for the British army to recover Yangon now, he resolutely refused the Chinese army to go south to Yangon, and demanded that the Chinese army must stop when it advanced to the Hukang River Valley (also translated as the Hugang River Valley) in northern Myanmar. ——"They don't want the Chinese to take part in the recovery of Burma. Wavell made it very clear that the Chinese are not welcome. There is no place, no means of transport, no supplies, or anything else." The result of Stilwell's argument is: by He commanded the Chinese troops stationed in India to capture Myitkyina and Bhamo in northern Myanmar, in order to use the Myitkyina airport to communicate with the Chinese army entering Myanmar from the Yunnan border.

The British's non-cooperation dealt a heavy blow to Stilwell.When reporting to Chiang Kai-shek, he had to scale down the "Anagim Plan": use six divisions of the Indian Burma Army and one division of the British Army to capture Myitkyina; several divisions of the Chinese Western Yunnan Army attacked at the same time to capture Mandalay.Chiang Kai-shek said that China could deploy ten divisions of troops, provided that the British must mobilize enough naval and air forces to seize and control the sea and air control over the Bay of Bengal and the entire territory of Myanmar.At the same time, the British were also responsible for preventing the possible reinforcement of the Japanese army to Yangon from Singapore and other places.Chiang Kai-shek believes that if the British can do it, the battle is sure to win; if the British can't, the battle is doomed to failure.And "the Chinese army must not suffer a second setback."

Burma, occupied by the Japanese army, was like a big wedge inserted southward between British India in the west and China in the east.To drive the Japanese out of the jungles of Burma and build a winding road would require the cooperation of the British and Chinese.It was Stilwell's task to persuade, plead, intimidate, and even beg the Chinese and British—over which he had no real command—to organize a fight for the immediate recapture of northern Burma in order to break the Japanese blockade . . . in theory Both China and Britain affirmed the necessity and urgency of implementing the Burma campaign, but neither side was willing to provide the troops needed for the battle. Stilwell's narrowed-down battle plan, after bargaining between China, the United States, and Britain, finally seemed to reach a consensus: launch an offensive in the spring of 1943, open a passage from Assam in India, and connect it with the Burma Highway , in order to open up the supply line of foreign aid entering China.The Chinese troops stationed in India and the troops in western Yunnan carried out operations as planned, while the British army was responsible for attacking from the west of the battlefield. ——As a result of this consultation, the operation was limited to a narrow area in northern Myanmar.As for the amphibious landing of the British in Yangon, all parties have avoided this topic, neither clearly stipulating it nor completely denying it. However, it didn't take long for this plan to be rejected by the British. Wavell informed Stilwell that the British army would form a line of defense with three divisions to defend India, and could not make any commitments to counterattack Burma. Stilwell's anger at the British could not have been greater. He didn't know that the ordeal the British had inflicted on him was yet to come. From January 14 to 23, 1943, US President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Churchill and their senior military staff held a Casablanca meeting in Morocco, North Africa, to discuss the overall strategy for future wars.Due to the good situation in the European battlefield, the war against Japan was included in the agenda of the meeting, and counterattacking Burma was an important matter that needed to be discussed.However, when discussing the war against Japan in the Asian region, China was not invited to participate, although the topic always revolved around China.At this time, the U.S. military was fighting hard on the Pacific battlefield, and the brutal island battle with the Japanese army caused heavy casualties to the U.S. military.Therefore, Americans believe that using China's huge human resources to deal with Japan is the most effective way, and the prospect of China's battlefield is inseparable from the prospect of the United States in the Pacific.The Americans insisted on implementing the "Anagim Plan" as soon as possible.U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Ernest King said: "In the European theater, Russia is in the best position to deal with Germany in terms of geographical location and human resources; in the Pacific, China and Japan have a similar relationship. Our The fundamental policy should be to equip the Russian and Chinese manpower necessary to enable them to fight."Counterattacking Burma and opening up the land line of communication between China and India are just "an important step in this direction."Marshall, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, even emphasized that the British army must jointly attack with the Chinese army to contain the Japanese army.If the British do not do this, it will not only be a disaster on the Pacific battlefield, but also ruin the European first strategy.At the same time, he believes that counterattacking Burma and opening up passages into China will facilitate the gathering of air power to attack Japan in the future, because "it is much more difficult to attack Japan from a series of islands extending northward from Australia than to attack Japan from China."The final reason why the Americans urged the British to launch the Burma campaign is: Burma is a British colony, who will fight if the British don’t fight? The British rejected any commitments, citing inability to provide ships for amphibious operations in southern Burma and doubts about the Allies' ability to provide adequate supplies and medical care.He even proposed that if the British army had to land in Yangon, the British combat mission to cross the English Channel on the European battlefield would be reduced. Facing the blackmail of the British, the Americans issued the following threat: Unless the British army carried out a counterattack against Burma, otherwise "the United States will have to cancel its obligations to the European battlefield with regret." Without the Americans, the British may not even be able to keep their homeland. The British decided to implement the scaled-down "Anagim Plan", and the planned launch time of the campaign was around November 15, 1943. The Americans then gave the British a step: "The United States will help to make up for the lack of landing ships and navy, and the ships and navy will be drawn from the Pacific." After the Casablanca meeting, Roosevelt sent a special delegation led by General Arnold, commander of the U.S. Army Air Corps, to China to brief Chiang Kai-shek on the meeting.When the delegation passed through India, Arnold, Wavell and Stilwell had a detailed discussion on the plan to counterattack Burma.Afterwards, this battle plan was agreed by Chiang Kai-shek. ——Chiang Kai-shek's conditions are: to transport 10,000 tons of supplies via the Himalayan route every month, and to support China's 500 combat aircraft by the end of November this year. In February 1943, China, the United States, and Britain held a high-level military conference in Calcutta, India. The Chinese representatives were Chief of Staff He Yingqin and Foreign Minister Song Ziwen.The final combat plan reached at the meeting was: November 1943 to May 1944 was the combat period; three divisions of the British Army would attack from Gariva; the Chinese troops stationed in India would attack the Hukang Valley; The expeditionary force attacked in the direction of Lashio; the British navy blocked the coast of Yangon, captured Sittwe and Langley Island on the west coast of Myanmar, and occupied Yangon before January 1944. This is the finalization of the "Anagim Plan". However, only one month later, the British raised objections again, on the grounds that there were still not enough ships: the North African battlefield currently occupies almost all the ships of the British army, and it is impossible to carry out an amphibious landing operation on Yangon in Myanmar. From May 12 to 23, 1943, Roosevelt, Churchill and their senior military staff held a "Trident Conference" in Washington.This time, not only Song Ziwen, the Chinese representative, but also Wavell, Stilwell and Chennault were specially invited to attend.When the meeting discussed the "Anagim Plan", fierce disputes broke out again: Churchill claimed that let the Japanese stay in Burma!The Allied Forces could completely bypass Burma and "occupy the northern tip of Sumatra as the first step in attacking Singapore"; while the Chinese side took a tough attitude, saying that if the British not only did not send troops, but also restricted the Chinese army to stop near Mandalay, Counterattacking Burma not only does not help the Chinese battlefield, but also requires Chinese officers and soldiers to pay huge sacrifices. China will never do it. At least the reason why the Americans are so stubborn about Churchill is clear: "The British do not want to see China at the end of the war, the kind of powerful position that Japan once had. If China is in a strong position, the British flag cannot be held for a long time. Flying over Hong Kong.” ——In terms of the modern history of China, the great powers have always treated China with one principle, that is, they must never let China become strong, because once China becomes strong, the special rights and interests of the great powers in this world will be destroyed. questioned or shaken.This principle has evolved to this day, and it has become a theoretical system popular in the world among the great powers, called "China Threat Theory." Faced with the inconsistency between China and the United Kingdom, the Americans proposed a plan with the main combat goal of recovering northern Myanmar, namely the "saucer plan".This plan shrinks the already narrowed "Anagim Plan" again—mainly it reduces the obligations of the British in the counterattack to Burma, but it greatly increases the burden on the Chinese army, making it difficult to recover Burma. The Chinese troops stationed in India and the Western Yunnan Expeditionary Force became the main attack, and the British army only assisted: "Cooperate with the attack of the Chinese army starting from Yunnan, take a powerful, offensive land and air military action, from Assam to Lido and Imphal. Burma advances in order to achieve the following objectives: to contain as many Japanese troops as possible, to cover the air route to China, and as an important step to open up the Burma Road." - "The Saucer Project" does not contain the content of capturing Rangoon, which is It means that the traffic line from Yangon Port northward to China was still blocked in 1944. In order to appease the angry Chiang Kai-shek, Roosevelt awarded Chiang Kai-shek a medal of the Legion of Honor, the highest honor.The Legion of Honor, the highest honor established by Washington, is the highest honor that the United States can bestow on foreigners.Chiang Kai-shek reluctantly agreed with the "Tu Dish Plan" while still emphasizing: Although China does have excellent human resources, the lives of the Chinese people are also fate, and the war in Burma is by no means the business of China alone. The United States should send powerful ground troops to participate in the war, while The British army must control the air supremacy in the Bay of Bengal and the entire territory of Burma. The "saucer" remained on the table for another three months. In the summer of 1943, the leaders of the United States and Britain held a meeting with senior military staff in Quebec, Canada, but China was not invited.After the meeting reached two decisions: "Japan must be defeated within twelve months after defeating Germany" and "the United States will attack Gilbert Island and the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean", the issue of counterattacking Burma was discussed again.The Americans urged the United Kingdom to join forces with the Chinese and American forces against Japan to recover Burma as soon as possible while the Allied forces opened up a second front in Europe.The British told the truth to the Americans in the absence of China: China is not an indispensable partner in the war, and China's post-war strength is likely to be the beginning of the doom of the Far East of the British Empire.Although India is a British colony, Indians have a stronger desire for independence than Burmese. If the British army is allowed to counterattack Burma from India, it is difficult to say whether the Indian troops participating in the war are really fighting for Britain.Therefore, if it is necessary to carry out a counterattack against Burma, all the British can do is to support the Chinese army in taking risks in northern Burma. The leaders of the United States and Britain finally reached a compromise: to seize Myitkyina, Sittwe and Langley Island as the operational goals, and set up an Allied Command in Southeast Asia. The deputy commander in chief was Lieutenant General Stilwell of the United States Army. ——The war was dominated by the Chinese, but the command power was divided between the United States and Britain. In order to persuade Chiang Kai-shek, Mountbatten came to China to explain to Chiang Kai-shek in person.Chiang Kai-shek once again emphasized: the victory or defeat of counter-offensive operations is not only based on land, but must have absolute air and sea control. Britain should send a powerful fleet to control the sea in southern Myanmar and stop the reinforcements of the Japanese army.In short, the counterattack to Burma can only be won if the north and south attack.In addition, we must absolutely guarantee that the air freight to China will always be maintained at the level of 10,000 tons per month.Mountbatten promised that the reinforcement ships of the British Navy would arrive soon, and that the Allied forces would airlift 10,000 tons of military supplies to China every month.However, after the meeting, Chiang Kai-shek privately instructed Chief of Staff He Yingqin that the Chinese army should be cautious in attacking. The United Kingdom and the United States will not control the Bay of Bengal and will not cooperate with the flanking attack from southern Burma. The Chinese army will never send troops. Another half a year passed in a blink of an eye. In November 1943, at the Cairo Conference held by the leaders of China, the United States, and the United Kingdom, Mountbatten reported the combat plan for counterattacking Burma. The lord named his plan "The Champion Holder". The "title holder" is vague. It only stipulates the occupation of Menggong, Myitkyina, and Bhamo in northern Myanmar. It does not specify the actions after the capture of the above three places, nor does it mention the amphibious operations and amphibious attacks of the British army in southern Myanmar. , Not even an action to capture Mandalay, an important city in central Myanmar.Chiang Kai-shek believed that this plan could not meet China's strategic needs to open up the Burma Road.The chiefs of staff of the U.S. military expressed high support for Chiang Kai-shek. As a result, Roosevelt, despite Churchill's opposition, was determined to support China.He assured Chiang Kai-shek that the United States could provide Britain with the ships necessary for landing, urged the British army to carry out amphibious operations in the Bay of Bengal, and cooperated with the Chinese Expeditionary Force to carry out north-south pincer attacks on the Japanese troops in Burma.In order to inspire Chiang Kai-shek's fighting spirit, Roosevelt also promised to start to formulate an aid package plan to equip 90 Chinese army divisions and loan one billion U.S. dollars to China. After the Cairo Conference, when Roosevelt and Churchill went to Tehran to meet Stalin, Churchill got the Soviet Union's commitment to launch a war against Japan after defeating Hitler, so he strengthened his reasons for opposing Burma's war.Churchill believed that as long as the Soviet Union sent troops, Japan would collapse, and Burma would return to the British without a war.Therefore, no matter how many landing ships the United States was prepared to provide, the British not only refused to participate in the Burmese operations, but they also forbade the Chinese army from entering southern Burma. Stalin's promise to fight against Japan also changed Roosevelt's attitude.Roosevelt called Chiang Kai-shek and said that since there was going to be a big war in Europe, the United States could not supply enough landing ships to the Bay of Bengal, and the counterattack against Burma should either be fought according to the "saucer plan" or postponed until the end of 1945. ——Roosevelt also knew that if Stalin had kept his word, by the end of 1945, Japan would have collapsed under the attack of the Soviet Union. At that time, there would be no such thing as fighting in Burma. However, American soldiers—including Stilwell—considered the issue from a purely military point of view. What they cared about was not the intrigue of politicians, but how to reduce the pressure on the US military on the Pacific battlefield and at the same time prepare for the offensive. Fruitful preparations for the Japanese homeland.Army Chief of Staff Marshall believed: "As long as our air force hits Japan, Japan will counterattack us. At that time, the task of protecting the airport will have to rely on the Chinese army." Therefore, the United States must support the Chinese battlefield. The most convenient way is to re-open the Yunnan-Burma Highway. "This is the most serious question to consider".Even if "the air force's attack on Japan is strengthened in the future", it "needs the cooperation of Chinese ground forces", and the Chinese battlefield cannot be collapsed anyway.If the Yunnan-Burma Highway is not opened up and only rely on the "hump route", it is difficult to say that the Chinese battlefield can last until the end of 1945.Out of consideration for the US military interests in Asia, Roosevelt's attitude changed quietly.He privately told Chiang Kai-shek that if the Chinese Expeditionary Force entered Burma to fight, the Burmese counter-offensive could start at any time. At that time, regardless of the attitude of the British, the United States would help and fight side by side with the Chinese army. During the two-year dispute, although Chiang Kai-shek had a tough attitude, he understood that in the cracks between the great powers fighting for their own interests, China had no choice but to endure the burden.The battle between western Yunnan and northern Myanmar will be carried out sooner or later. Only by defeating the Japanese troops in western Yunnan and northern Myanmar can the smooth flow of the China-India Highway and the Burma Highway be ensured. to Chongqing.What's more, the Americans also have the desire to maintain China's battlefield status for the future decisive battle against Japan.At the very least, the Myitkyina Airport in northern Myanmar can be taken back, so that American transport planes can avoid the dangerous "hump route", and more American pilots will live until the end of the war.Therefore, no matter how much disputes there are over the issue of counterattacking Burma, China has been preparing for combat. When the Chinese Expeditionary Force retreated in 1942, it was divided into two parts: the main force of the Expeditionary Force withdrew to western Yunnan; more than 600 members of the Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force and more than 4,000 members of Sun Liren’s newly organized 38th Division retreated to India and Burma At Imphal at the junction, more than 4,500 people from the Fifth Army headquarters led by Du Yuming and the newly formed 22nd Division retreated to Dibrugarh (now Dibrugarh) in northeastern India.Since the Japanese army broke into the Yunnan border of China from northern Burma, the Chongqing Military Commission urgently dispatched Song Xilian's Eleventh Army to fill the Yunnan border defense.After Song Xilian's troops blew up the Huitong Bridge on the Nujiang River, the Chinese and Japanese armies confronted each other across the Nujiang River.At this time, Chiang Kai-shek immediately began to reorganize the troops on a large scale: the designation of the new 29th Division of the Sixty-sixth Army that was withdrawn was revoked, and the designation of the new 28th Division was retained, and it was incorporated into the sequence of the 71st Army. At the same time, the thirty-sixth division of the seventy-first army was changed into an independent division, which was under the direct command of the eleventh group army.The withdrawn Sixth Army canceled its provisional designation of the 55th Division, and the rest of the troops were organized into the 93rd Division. They trained in Cheli and Fohai and guarded the national border; the 54th Army marched from Kunming to the border. Enter, under the command of Song Xilian.By 1943, in the direction of western Yunnan, the Chinese army consisted of eight divisions of the Eleventh Army and four divisions of the Twentieth Army. In February 1943, Chen Cheng was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the Chinese Expeditionary Force. With Kunming as his base, Chen Cheng started a large-scale training for the Chinese troops gathered in Yunnan. A total of 32 divisions planned to participate in the training. The attack division and six adjustment divisions have a total strength of 410,000.In order to improve the combat quality of officers and master American equipment, Chiang Kai-shek established the "Military Commission Cadre Training Group in Yunnan" in Kunming and served as the head of the group. The training group successively held training courses for infantry, artillery, engineering, communications and tactics. Mainly officers at all levels below the regiment.By 1944, more than 10,000 military officers had received training.Officers above the regiment were airlifted to India in batches to receive American-style military training. In October, Chen Cheng resigned from the position of commander-in-chief of the expeditionary force due to illness, and the Military Commission appointed Wei Lihuang as commander-in-chief.At this time, the Chinese army in western Yunnan has undergone training and has taken on a new look.Each army governs two to three divisions, and each division has more than 13,000 troops. Although there is still a shortage, each division basically maintains a strength of 8,000 troops.The units directly under the army include artillery regiments or artillery battalions, as well as supply battalions, engineering battalions, communication battalions, war defense artillery battalions, secret service battalions and search battalions.Most importantly, American weapons have significantly strengthened combat firepower: each army has a howitzer battalion, each division has a mountain artillery battalion, each infantry regiment has a battle defense artillery company, and each battalion has a bazooka platoon.The individual weapons used by soldiers are all American rifles or carbines. The powerful but small American grenades are generally loved by Chinese soldiers. The Chinese army that truly accepts American military training in an all-round way is undoubtedly the army stationed in India. In 1942, after the troops of the Chinese Expeditionary Force retreated into India, Stilwell presented Chiang Kai-shek with a "Plan for Organizing and Training the Chinese Army in India."Stilwell said that the transportation route to China had been cut off by the Japanese army, and it would be difficult for American weapons and equipment to be transported into China in the future. He suggested that 100,000 Chinese officers and soldiers be selected to be airlifted to India in batches, where they could receive training from US military instructors.The size of the training should be able to form two corps and six divisions, plus an infantry division and a reserve of six paratrooper battalions, as well as several artillery and tank units.In India, Chinese military officers brought in by air can also be trained in rotation. After returning to China, these officers will serve as instructors to train more soldiers in the country.Stilwell's training plan was approved by Chiang Kai-shek. Chiang Kai-shek instructed to airlift 50,000 officers and soldiers to India for training, and appointed Stilwell and Luo Zhuoying as the chief and deputy commanders-in-chief of the Chinese army stationed in India. Stilwell's plan was clearly in line with Chiang Kai-shek's wishes.Chiang Kai-shek originally planned to let the expeditionary troops who retreated to India return to China via Tibet, but if they could receive training in India and equip them with American weapons, it was obviously more cost-effective than returning to China in a time-consuming and laborious manner.More importantly, the Americans also promised that while training and equipping the troops stationed in India, they will also fully equip the second, fifth, sixth, eighth, thirteenth, fifty-third, The fifty-fourth, seventy-first, seventieth, seventy-fourth, seventy-ninth, eighty-fifth, and ninety-fourth armies totaled thirteen armies.In Chiang Kai-shek's view, this will not only improve the combat capability of the low-quality and crudely armed Chinese army against Japan, but also if it is time for a showdown with the Communist Party, having more than a dozen American armed forces in hand will surely win the battle. . Stilwell's proposal was also in line with the original intention of the U.S. Department of the Army to "make full use of China's human resources."The United States does not lack money or weapons, but it lacks people.Therefore, the U.S. Department of War quickly approved Stilwell’s plan, stating that the improvement of the quality of the Chinese military is in the interests of the United States, and the success of the Chinese military in the war against Japan will be the only guarantee for the United States to continue to support China. The United States is willing to provide the Chinese military with Equip with the most advanced weapons and dispatch the best military instructors. The presence of the Chinese troops stationed in India and the upcoming counterattack on Burma are also fighting for British colonization from a certain perspective, so the British must do something.After repeated negotiations, the British finally agreed to vacate the Ramga Barracks, which could accommodate tens of thousands of officers and soldiers, for the use of the Chinese troops stationed in India; at the same time, they paid for all the living expenses of the Chinese troops stationed in India, including meals and salaries of officers and soldiers. At the beginning of the military training in the Ramgarh Barracks, the Chinese side airlifted Chinese officers and soldiers to India with hundreds of people at a time.Because everyone has to go through a medical examination by an American military doctor, and the Chinese are generally malnourished, they are almost unqualified according to the American standards. After lowering the standards, many people were eliminated. In the end, less than 40,000 Chinese officers and soldiers were airlifted to India. .These selected Chinese youths started a special life course in a foreign country.The training method of US military instructors is completely different from that of the Chinese army.The Americans regard training grounds as factories and soldiers as raw materials, with meticulous division of labor and strict requirements, and quickly process each soldier into qualified products in the simplest and most practical way.Formal actions such as queuing and shooting guns are enough; it is enough for officers to stand up straight when inspecting and raising the national flag; because of the powerful artillery, engineering and aviation forces, the U.S. military does not pay attention to digging trenches, repairing bunkers and other earthworks, let alone doing The night battles that the Chinese army is keen on, because the Americans basically don't fight at night.U.S. military instructors only conduct intensive teaching in tactics, weapons use, and highly technical specialties.Due to language barriers, the teaching of the U.S. military basically relies on demonstration, and the Chinese people’s talent for imitation amazed the Americans: “The peasants in the countryside who have never seen a machine before learned how to use hand grenades and machine guns in a week, and they learned with great interest. Telephones and radios for operational warfare. In later battles, some individuals were rewarded, and this was the first time a Chinese soldier was rewarded.” The living conditions of officers and soldiers stationed in India are unimaginable in China.The military uniform was supplied by the United Kingdom and forwarded by the US Army. In addition to a full set of summer clothes, woolen jackets and sweaters were also added.The staple food is mainly rice and bread, and the supply of meat, eggs, milk and vegetables is sufficient.Due to the tight transportation during the war, canned food occupies a large proportion, and it is easy to get bored after eating for a long time, but high-quality, high-calorie food has injected plenty of physical strength into Chinese officers and soldiers.Soldiers have to take anti-malarial medicines every day and distribute anti-mosquito oil. The field hospital, mainly composed of US military doctors, has advanced equipment, and small US military aircraft will pick up the wounded or sick.What makes the officers and soldiers stationed in India feel the most different from those in China is that there are no corrupt officers here to deduct their military pay and meals.In order to strictly prevent the bad habit of the Kuomintang army from deducting military pay from being repeated in the Indian army, the Americans canceled the practice of handing over the general's salary to the chief, and distributed every military salary to every soldier by public roll call.The U.S. military's "resupply supply system" that "supplies to the company and supplies to the people" has put an end to the outdated and backward supply loopholes of the Kuomintang army.There is also no desertion phenomenon that is common in the country.The officers and soldiers are far away from the motherland and are eager to return home, but their patriotic enthusiasm is always high. "Fight back to the motherland" is the common slogan of everyone. There is no doubt that the concept of army building upheld by the US military has had a great cultural influence on Chinese officers and soldiers.Conscious discipline, observance of time, emphasis on efficiency, loyalty to duty, love of honor, love of comrades-in-arms, courage to sacrifice and desire for victory have subtly improved the basic qualities of Chinese officers and soldiers.但是，也正是由于文化上的差异，随着时间的推移，美国人对中国人惯有的歧视，渐渐引发了双方的矛盾冲突。兵是中国兵，统帅却是美国人，史迪威在中国官兵心中是“皇上”派来的严酷的“监军”，而中国官兵憎恶的“皇上”就是总在中国人面前摆出“施主”姿态的美国人。 史迪威多年前曾任美国驻华武官，他对中国政府官员、中国军队将领以及中国式的人际关系，既了如指掌又深恶痛绝。在他的心目中，蒋介石政权对中国百姓的苦难无动于衷，充斥于国民政府内部的是腐败、无能和失职；而中国军队的多数将领为了一己私利随时可以做出伤天害理之事： 金钱、影响和职位是领导人唯一考虑的事情。阴谋诡计，欺骗出卖，虚假报道。索要他们能得到的任何东西；他们独一无二的念头是让别人打仗；对他们的“英勇斗争”作虚假宣传；“领袖们”对人民漠不关心……全然愚蠢无知的参谋机构，无力控制派系争斗，继续压迫民众，拯救他们的唯一因素是老百姓的麻木服从。“知识分子”和富人们把他们宝贝的崽子送去美国，农家子弟离家去死……而我们则处于这样一种位置：只能支持这个腐败的政权并赞美其挂名首脑，那个英明的爱国者和战士——“花生米”。 “花生米”是史迪威私下给蒋介石起的绰号。 在政治上，史迪威无疑是美国的代言人，他的第一要务是维护和扩大美国的在华利益，同时负责监督数额巨大的美援在中国的具体运用，防止用美国纳税人的钱采购的物资和装备被中国军政权力阶层中饱私囊。一九四二年入缅作战的失败，令他决心用美国的装备和中国的人力打回去。他对掌握中国反攻缅甸军队的指挥权抱有极大的渴望，而这一点恰是把权力当成第一要务的蒋介石、视兵权为命根子的中国军队将领不能容忍的。——史迪威与蒋介石和国民党军高级将领间的矛盾，无不起源于他对中国人固有的看法、他倔强而固执的性格、他不顾一切反攻缅甸的强硬意志。 在史迪威看来，中国人将局部利益置于全局利益之上的习性，导致了中国军队在战场上的一次次军事失利。比如侧翼部队每一次都不会竭尽全力援助正面受敌的友军。但他认为中国军队的士兵吃苦耐劳，能够接受并忍受长时间的奔袭、作战以及饥饿、伤病，只要有好的将领，他们完全可与世界上任何一支军队抗衡。所以，史迪威坚决要求驻印军“只要中国兵，不要中国军官，尤其不要中国高级将领”，主张营以上军官全部由美军担任。为此，专门从美国调来了三百多名军官。史迪威的这一主张，立即受到中国方面的强烈抵制。蒋介石虽然大为光火，但为了缓和关系，同意撤销中国远征军第一路军司令长官部，成立中国驻印军总指挥部，由史迪威出任总指挥。可这还不能令史迪威满足，他把调来的三百多名美军军官全部安排在驻印军各级指挥部里，名义上是联络员，实际上控制着中国军队的指挥权。只要美军联络员认为某个中国军官不好，不经过任何人就可以把这名军官撤职，直到这名军官上了回国的飞机，中国军队的将领们才会知道。史迪威的参谋长波德诺将军也是个中国通，还是个大国沙文主义观念相当严重的人。他坚持中国驻印军按照美军的惯例由参谋长直接指挥部队，中国的将领们认为这不符合中国军队的惯例。由此，史迪威认为所有的中国将领无不碍手碍脚。他千方百计地压缩驻印军军级指挥部编制，以达到削弱军长职权的目的。按照他的规定，军部没有任何直属部队，能做的事仅是管理军容风纪。部队的指挥、训练、人事、财物等权力，全部集中在总指挥部。他还认为在他身边的中国军队将领无不心怀叵测，总指挥部副参谋长温鸣剑给国内军政部发了一封电报，因为电文没有经过史迪威审查，史迪威竟然不和重庆打招呼解除了温鸣剑的职务，然后指派兰姆伽兵营行政指挥官博金接替了副参谋长一职。此事在中国驻印军中引起大哗，严重激化了史迪威与中国军方的矛盾。 中国驻印军新一军军长郑洞国致电重庆： 限本晚到。重庆。蒋委员长，侍从室主任林，何总长，商主任：六八二密。史迪威将军本日突然下令，调副参谋长温鸣剑为高参，委美人博金为副参谋长。查温自到职以来，努力整顿，遇事力持大体，成缋斐然，竟为宵小所陷，全军愤慨。假使必须更换，亦应报明中央明令处理，并仍以华人接替，方符中美合作之旨。自罗长官（罗卓英）奉调回国后，经半年之努力，中美关系已渐好转，今竟有此不幸事件，则人无保障，势必媚外图存，军队纪纲如何维持，国家体制其何以堪，职虽极端忍耐，实无法维系军心，更何以言战斗。谨电鉴核，伏候钩裁，职郑洞国。 罗卓英在史迪威的一再要求下已被调回国内军政部。 蒋介石将中国驻印军新编第三十八、新编第二十二师合编为新一军，由郑洞国出任军长，但部队可以归史迪威直接指挥。 第一次入缅作战结束后，史迪威去重庆面见蒋介石，蒋介石曾询问罗卓英是否应留在印度，史迪威的回答是：“我两人合作无间，余甚喜其为人。”根据杜聿明的说法，那时的罗卓英唯史迪威之命是从。而当罗卓英成为中国驻印军副总指挥后，史迪威要求蒋介石将他调离的理由是：他想染指兰姆伽训练营地的指挥权；他要求把四十五万卢比的津贴交给他分发；当空运中国官兵的运输机只能挤进三十五到四十个人且绝不能有一个胖子时，罗卓英的指令是：“把五十个人光着身子塞进一架飞机”，因为他们也就“挤三个小时嘛”。 这位中国指挥官之所以这样说，是因为他觉得，既然这些士兵定能领到新军服，让他们把旧军服穿走就是愚蠢，是浪费。部队分成小队从昆明乘飞机，都穿着短裤，唯一的行李就是防止呕吐用的纸袋。好几个人被冻死了。兰姆伽的接应人员要求在飞机上放上棉衣，供每趟乘坐飞机的中国兵御寒，但是中国当局认为没有必要这么做。人们到了印度下了飞机之后感到寒冷和晕机，但是坐在阳光下晒个把钟头，大都很快就恢复过来了。 史迪威执拗的试图由他来完成对中国军队的改造，他不明白的是，“从根本上说，谁也不能违反统治者的意志来改造他的军队。不首先改造社会，就无法改造属于其产物的军队”。 一九四四年，中国抗击日本侵略的战争已经曙光初现，中国西南边境线内外的对日作战必须实施了。然而，单靠中国的力量不足以把日军赶出西南国境，也无法重新控制缅甸北部使国际交通线畅通。所以，中国人必须和美国人联合在一起，无论中国人对包括美国人在内的列强存有怎样的复杂心绪。 中国和美国在那段历史中的关系微妙而奇特。 只要下决心干的事，美国人的求真务实与坚持不懈令中国人十分惊讶。无论英国人为缅北作战设置多少障碍，史迪威反攻缅甸的决心始终毫不动摇。美国军方对史迪威提出的各种要求——除了不能派遣陆军部队参战外——几乎都是有求必应。史迪威认为，如果中国驻印军要从利多攻入缅甸，就必须修筑一条从印度边境穿越缅北的高山峡谷、原始森林以及纵横交错的湍急河流直通密支那和八莫的公路，并同时铺设一条可供机械化装备使用的输油管线。英国人的第一反应是：在这样一个人迹罕至的地方修出一条公路，其难度犹如架着梯子登天，史迪威不是异想天开就是精神错乱了。但美国陆军部认为，史迪威非常高瞻远瞩，这样一条公路对中、缅、印战场乃至整个东南亚战场只有好处。于是，立即派遣安鲁逊准将和皮克准将率领美国航空工程团和机械化工兵团，带着大批的施工机械浩浩荡荡地抵达了印度。史迪威把这六千多美军工兵与中国驻印军的工兵团合编成一支中美联合工兵部队，由中缅印战区美军后勤供应总司令惠勒少将统一指挥。美国人的雷厉风行让英国人十分尴尬，英国人不得不出钱为中美联合工兵部队招募了一些印度和尼泊尔劳工。 中美联合工兵部队进入野人山区，在闷热的丛林峡谷中砍伐树木，开凿山岭，不顾毒蛇猛兽和蚂蟥蚊虫的袭击，风雨无阻地艰苦作业。山体塌方和洪水暴发曾让工程数次返工，但工兵作业依旧保持着每天推进一英里的高速，甚至还在这条公路上修建起数座可以通行中型坦克的坚固桥梁。美军的筑路部队和油管铺设部队，官兵大多数是黑人，他们身强力壮，吃苦耐劳，一丝不苟，日夜劳作，毫无怨言，其极端的尽职尽责是中国官兵前所未见的，其作业能力超强的机械化程度同样令中国官兵大开眼界。美军黑人士兵操纵着重型筑路机械，在丛林峡谷中披荆斩棘，所到之处无难不克，无坚不摧。一九四三年二月，这条起始于印度利多的公路，总长已铺设了四十三英里，到达印度东北部边境，即将进入缅甸北部。筑路部队官兵在这里竖起一块路标，上面写着：“欢迎来缅甸，此路通向东京！”——中美联合工兵部队为反攻缅甸的胜利奠定了坚实基础，也开创了人类战争史上的筑路奇迹。 史迪威策划的缅北作战，似乎一切都已准备就绪，但无论从哪个方面看，能否取胜还是令人生疑：面对缅甸境内多达数个师团的日军，英军虽然号称有六个师，可没有主动作战的欲望，能参战的只有一支归史迪威指挥的特种部队；中国驻印军虽然士气高涨，可目前仅有两个师，按照每师满员一万二千人计，与英军加起来总兵力不过四万。史迪威原指望马歇尔给他派来两到三个陆军师，可马歇尔只给他派来一支番号为“美国陆军第五三〇七团”的小部队。即使是这支小部队，也不是美军的正规军，而是由三千多名志愿者组成的民间武装。美国兵厌恶地说，这个团的名字听起来就像洛杉矶街道上的一个通讯处！这群志愿者将自己部队的战场代号定为“抢劫者”，从代号就能看出他们不过是一群追求人生冒险的狂热分子。史迪威一直期望有一支能够“解决问题”的美军，而“第五三〇七团”的三个营中，居然有大量驻扎在特立明达的第三十三师的步兵——第三十三师被认为是美国陆军中的垃圾场，专门放置种种不合格和智力低下的人。正如他们的一位军官所说，“他们来参加'抢劫者'突击队，只是从如下意义上说是志愿者，即'这些人只要能离开特立明达，什么事都愿意干。'”更令史迪威恼怒的是，就是这样一支部队，马歇尔还应英国人的请求，把它交给了指挥着由英军和山民共同组成的“钦迪克远程突击队”的英军准将温格特。 为了掌握反攻缅甸的指挥权，史迪威怂恿蒋介石派出一支“中国远程突击队”，他希望把中国远程突击队与英军特种部队合编成“中英联合突击兵团”，由他亲自指挥。为此，中、美、英三方又开始了讨价还价，最后达成的协议是：史迪威如果指挥“中英联合突击兵团”，就必须接受英军第十四集团军总司令斯利姆的统一指挥，而美国“抢劫者”部队的指挥权还属于温格特——阴郁多疑的英国人就喜欢这种互相矛盾错综复杂的指挥关系，如同他们喜欢伦敦令所有事物都影影绰绰的浓雾一样——史迪威无奈的表示：只要英国人参加反攻缅甸，他就可以在名义上隶属斯利姆。为了给史迪威一个台阶下，马歇尔同意“抢劫者”部队可以不参加英军每天例行的《天佑吾王》合唱，但在英军唱歌的时候这些美国人还是应该起立。但是，同时，马歇尔致信盟军东南亚战区总司令蒙巴顿勋爵：“如果透过表面现象，你将会发现，他（史迪威）希望的只不过是办事毫不拖延……他对任何进攻建议和作战方案都会拿出极大的精力、勇气、智谋和无限的才能与想象力。他的头脑比我们所有的将领机敏得多，他所经受的锻炼和理解能力达到了一种不平常的高度。他的缺点是对保守和行动迟缓有急躁情绪——但是在这次非常任务中是个好样的。” 更令反攻缅甸前景莫测的是，史迪威将反攻路线选在了印度东部重镇——英军军事基地英帕尔，因为从这里通向缅甸的地势相对平缓，有利于重型装备的开进。史迪威认为，中、美、英联军合力在这个方向东渡钦敦江，不但能迅速攻取孟拱和八莫等战略要点，还可以切断密支那铁路，断绝缅北日军的交通线，也有利于自身的后方补给和空中支援。如果作战进展顺利，驻印军在曼德勒附近与从中国云南西部出击的远征军会师后，就可直捣缅甸南部；如果这时英国人兑现在仰光登陆的承诺，收复缅甸全境应该胜券在握。但是，英国人坚决反对从英帕尔出击，理由还是那一条：中国军队不得涉足缅甸南部。——英国人把史迪威逼进了一条死胡同：中国驻印军只能从印度东北端的利多出发，进入被英国人称为“无法通过的谷地”的野人山中——胡康河谷，然后向南折往密支那，再从密支那以南的八莫附近打到滇缅公路上去。这条路易守难攻，将令日军处在“一人守隘，千人难过”的有利态势下。如果选择这条路线出击，对于中国驻印军来讲无异于背靠绝地而攻天险。 史迪威决心就从这条路打回缅甸去。 我们不得不通过一个耗子洞，还要一边前进一边继续打洞。这个耗子洞就是三个河谷地带：胡康谷地，其重点是叫做坚布本（坚布山）的山脊；第二条是通往南北铁路干线的孟拱谷地；第三条就是位于铁路另一侧、是缅甸中央走廊的开阔的伊洛瓦底江谷地。日军在最北面的重要驻军和空军基地密支那，就位于孟拱谷地以南四十英里，在铁路线和河流的一侧；从密支那有一条公路向南，连接着通往中国境内的旧滇缅公路。指定北部战区司令部所属各部所走的道路是一条茂密的丛林小路，长满枝藤，有的时候一小时只能前进一英里。这条路的两边是连绵的山脉，由于大雨的冲刷，山坡方向多变，这里是世界上最难作战的地方。 一九四三年十月，随着中美联合工兵部队即将向日军据守的新平洋推进，急需更大的掩护兵力。重庆军事委员会和盟军联合参谋部緩商后，决定中国驻印军于年底向缅甸发动反攻。 中国驻印军的反攻计划是： 第一，方针 （一）军以协同友军歼灭敌人之目的，于一九四三年十二月中旬先向缅北进攻，夺取孟拱、密支那要点，然后经八莫向曼德勒前进，将敌压迫于曼德勒附近地区，包围而歼灭之。 第二，指导要领 （二）军应于攻势开始前集中于利多附近地区，俟利新（利多至新平洋）公路完成后，即向新平洋附近跃进。 （三）军集中时，应派有力部队占领新平洋以北各山路口，掩护集中及筑路。跃进时应增强掩护队兵力，推进至孟关东西之线，担任掩护及搜索敌情。 （四）军集中后，应分遣有力一部至葡萄附近，扫荡该地区以南及孙布拉蚌附近之敌，并与滇西兵团联络。 （五）军应先发动攻势，将敌兵力吸引于缅北方面，使友军由缅南登陆容易。 （六）军攻势作战应分期实施，第一目标位于孟拱、密支那之线，第二目标为卡萨、八莫之线，第三目标为曼德勒。 （七）军攻击前进时应与友军密切联系，并对通敌各溪流小径严防敌之渗入及扰乱，确保军侧背之安全。 （八）敌如以重兵来犯，军应利用地形极力拒止而抑留之，俟友军攻势得手再勇猛前进，期与友军包围敌人而歼灭之。 （九）敌如以少数兵力拒止我军或企图脱离战场时，军应迅速南下，做参加曼德勒会战之准备。 （十）要请美空军对缅北各要点尽量以轰炸摧毁，并配属有力空军协助本军作战。 （十一）军作战地域内之游击队应不断扰乱敌之后方，册应军之攻击。 第三，搜索及防空防毒 （十二）军航空队应搜索孟拱、密支那及卡萨、八莫方面之敌情，并妨害其行动。 （十三）高射炮营应沿东京路（由利多经新平洋至孟拱）逐次跃进，占领阵地，担任防空。 （十四）掩护队应努力搜索当面之敌情，并妨害其行动。 （十五）各部队前进间之防空自行处理，兵站及飞机场之防空由航空队长负责。 （十六）森林及隘路内之防毒由重迫击炮团（即化学兵团）担任之。 第四，兵团部署 （十七）左侧支队兵力约步兵两团、山炮兵一营，由利多 空运至葡萄，扫荡该地区以南及孙布拉蚌之敌后，即向密支那前进。 （十八）右纵队以步兵一团、山炮兵一营为基干，由打洛经隆京向孟拱西侧地区前进，并酌派一部掩护右侧背之安全。 （十九）左纵队（军主力）沿东京路由新平洋向孟拱前进。 （二十）军直属部队随左纵队前进。 第五，通讯 （二十一）交通以东京路为主干，其道路、桥梁之修绻由工兵团担任之。 （二十二）军与各部队间之通信以有线电为主，无线电及飞机补助之。 （二十三）军与最高统帅部及友军间通信联络以无线电为主，有线电及飞机补助之。 （二十四）军与航空队间之通信由航空队通信队任之。 第六，补给卫生 （二十五）利多为兵站主地，应储备粮株三个月份、弹药三十基数及必要卫生材料。 （二十六）东京路为主要兵站线，除在沿线设置仓库补给站及空运投掷场外，并须准备能逐渐向孟拱、卡萨方面推进。 （二十七）各部队补给除利用汽车、驮马及人力输送外，并用飞机投掷。 （二十八）东京路沿线，应利用森林、房屋，设置医院及医疗所收容伤病官兵。 一九四三年五月，中国驻印军新编第三十八师一一二团前进到野人山中，接替了一一四团掩护筑路的任务。十月二十四日，根据既定作战计划，奉中国驻印军参谋长兼缅北前线指挥官波德诺将军的命令，作为驻印军反攻缅甸前锋的一一二团，从野人山中的唐家卡等地出发，向新平洋（今欣贝延）、大龙河和塔奈河一线攻击前进。 包括史迪威在内，美军指挥官们没有想到，他们一开始就犯了一个低级错误，那就是他们对当面日军的动向并未掌握。史迪威和波德诺都认为，缅北日军第十八师团和第五十六师团主力，依旧在中国云南境内的腾冲、龙陵一带，一一二团当面的日军防御松散且兵力薄弱。而实际情况是：日军第十八师团已从中国云南境内调回缅甸，且几乎在驻印军反攻命令下达的同时，接到了攻击中国驻印军的作战命令——酝酿甚久的中国驻印军反攻缅甸的作战，竟然在两军迎头对进的态势中拉开了序幕。 日军占领缅甸后，由于在太平洋岛屿作战中接连失利，其东南亚战略也随之由进攻转入防御。实际上，从一九四三年起，日军就一直在进行应对盟军反攻缅甸的准备。其基本思路是：首先确保缅北占领区，继续阻断中国的国际援助通道；其次是防止缅甸南部被盟军攻占；再其次是伺机攻击印度。为此，日军大本营专门成立了缅甸方面军，任命河边正三中将为方面军司令官，下辖第十五军、第五十五师团和方面军直属部队。第五十五师团负责缅甸西南沿海的防御，缅甸境内的防御则由第十五军承担。 日军第十五军的战斗序列是：司令官牟田口廉也中将；所辖田中新一中将指挥的第十八师团，担任缅甸北部的作战任务；柳田元三中将指挥的第三十三师团，担任缅甸中部的作战任务；松山祐三中将指挥的第五十六师团，担任中国境内云南西部占领区的防御任务。日军大本营十分清楚，仅凭第十五军的三个师团，要想抵挡盟军的反攻可谓势单力薄。为加强第十五军的兵力，日军在泰国曼谷临时编组了由佐藤幸德中将指挥的第三十一师团，命其尽快抵达缅甸北部，加入第十五军的作战序列；同时命令驻扎在中国南京的由山内正文中将指