frightfiction Chapter 227 The Battle of Mandalay Begins
Chapter 227 The Battle of Mandalay Begins
In the entire salient area, Zhang Chi's deployment can be described as precise and large-scale.
The four infantry divisions - the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 6th Divisions - were responsible for breaking through the Japanese defense line from the front and expanding the occupied area.
At the same time, two mobile forces - the 11th Motorized Brigade and the 13th Brigade - will be responsible for rapid maneuvering along roads and railways to ensure a strong threat to the Japanese flanks.
In terms of artillery firepower, Zhang Chi’s preparations should not be underestimated.
机动炮兵第 101 旅，装备了谢尔曼M4底盘改装的155mm重自行火炮和M8 75mm轻自行榴弹炮，负责主攻火力的压制与伴随进攻部队的支援。
The 103rd Artillery Brigade is equipped with towed 155mm and 105mm howitzers, ready to provide strong and continuous fire support in battle.
In addition, Zhang Chi also established a new unit - the 909th Independent Heavy Artillery Regiment, equipped with 24 newly arrived White Eagle 155mm "Long-legged Tom" cannons. Their mission was to suppress the small number of Type 89 150mm cannons that the Japanese might have.
Finally, the 14th Self-Propelled Rocket Artillery Regiment, equipped with 54 Sherman Organ Pipe tanks, took on the task of blocking the battlefield, specifically responsible for sudden and intensive artillery coverage of the Japanese assembly points and reinforcement routes.
"As long as the Japs don't do anything stupid and move out the Type 96 150mm cannon from the Kwantung Army's Hutou Fortress, or transfer the Type 4 400mm heavy rockets from Iwo Jima, our firepower suppression will be absolutely invincible." Zhang Chi pondered over the map, his tone revealing a hint of relaxed confidence.
He knew that the real heavy firepower of the Japanese was still in the country and in the fortresses of the absolute defense circle, and the firepower of the incomplete Pegu Corps was not enough to shake his elite corps.
Since this was a huge force of more than 10 people, Zhang Chi did not give the command to Qi Quan, but led the army personally.
Qi Quan, as the front-line commander, was responsible for coordinating and commanding the battles on the front lines.
The goal of the entire combat plan was clear - to quickly break through the Japanese's front-line defenses, and then the two motorized brigades would advance rapidly along the railway line, directly using a small-scale pincer attack, "cross punching left and right" to hit Mandalay, an important transportation hub.
At the same time, Zhang Chi also assigned important tasks for operations in other war zones.
Hao Yi will lead the Infantry Training Division, the 2nd Infantry Division and the 7th Armored Division to capture Lashio as soon as possible, and then expand territory in Shanbang, occupy a large number of mining areas there as soon as possible, and threaten the flank of the Japanese defenders in Mandalay from the east.
Bai Minghui was sent by Zhang Chi to lead the 4th Infantry Division and the newly formed 11th and 12th Infantry Divisions westward into Sindhu, pretending to rescue Imphal, but actually carrying out an unusual mission.
Before leaving, Zhang Chi had a low conversation with Bai Minghui, saying mysteriously and humorously:
"Leave the rescue of Imphal to the New 1st Army. Just make sure no defeated Japanese soldiers escape across the border."
"Don't worry, Commander. This is not a problem. I can handle it." Bai Minghui nodded to show that he understood, but Zhang Chi's words made him a little confused. If he was just slacking off, did he need to be reminded specifically?
Zhang Chi suddenly smiled and added quietly, "By the way, when you were a tomb raider (see Chapter 75), didn't you dig up a golden Buddha? Didn't you have a great time digging into the tomb?"
Seeing a hint of joy climbing onto Bai Minghui's cheeks, Zhang Chi narrowed his eyes:
"This time, I've sent you some experts. They're no ordinary people. The princes of ancient Sindhu were much richer than those of Pegu. Once you enter Sindhu, enjoy the pleasure of 'going to the tombs.'"
Afterwards, Zhang Chi handed over the team of synths who had performed so well in the Kerala temple last time to Bai Minghui.
Seeing that they all had white faces, Bai Minghui thought they were just "technical experts" hired by Zhang Chi at a high price, and didn't think much about it.
Previously, when he had "dug into tombs" in Bago, his lack of expertise had effectively reduced him to a groundhog, digging holes everywhere. But this time, with the help of experts, Bai Minghui was confident he would reap a rich harvest.
The battle horn has been sounded, and Bai Minghui, an old man with a childlike heart, has once again started his promising career of "searching for treasures in tombs".
-----
In this battle, the Japanese had no advantage over the Anmin Army in terms of manpower, artillery, tanks or aircraft.
The only advantage of the Japanese is that there are a large number of veterans in the army who have fought from July 7th to the end, as well as a large number of grassroots and middle-level officers who have gone through the Army Primary School and even the Army Officer School.
On the other hand, within the Anmin Army, not only was Zhang Chi originally an "emergency stock" who graduated from the crash course of the Fifth Branch of the Whampoa Military Academy after the war broke out, but as the Anmin Army continued to expand, a large number of battalion and regimental-level officers were promoted by Zhang Chi on the front line during the continuous fighting in the past one or two years.
Although they also received "supplementary lessons" from the White Eagle instructors, and had the "military academy" and "cadre school training" organized by Zhang Chi to help them improve, there was still a certain gap compared to the Japanese devils who had undergone more than ten years of training.
It is also impossible for Zhang Chi to rely on constant sacrifices and war to eliminate a group of natural generals with spiritual intuition like Li Yunlong and Kong Erlangzi.
Therefore, Zhang Chi felt that the best way was to give full play to the firepower advantage, try not to use any "unique tricks", and complete this battle in an upright and steady manner.
Use the manpower and ammunition projection to offset the advantage of the higher quality of the enemy's officers.
(Using the concept of Hearts of Iron 3, the Japanese officers are more skilled)
"We can't give the Japanese time to react. Once the battle begins, we must immediately cut off the connection between the Japanese group in Imphal and Pegu."
With Zhang Chi's order, the air force and artillery were the first to move out.
The fierce artillery fire and the huge amount of bombs dropped directly stunned the Japanese on the front line.
As for the promised "cold guns and cold cannons", are we just going to compete based on the quality of the soldiers?
Zhang Chi, why did you suddenly launch a large-scale attack without any moral principles?
General Tanaka Shinichi, who stayed behind in Pegu, had already gotten used to the "cold gun and cold artillery" small-scale combat for nearly two months. When he received the telegram from the front line, he thought it was another "crying wolf" incident.
"It's just another exploratory attack."
Not long after Tanaka Shinichi put down the first telegram and signaled his adjutant to investigate again and report back, he received the next report.
Soon, telegrams saying "Our unit is under attack" flew onto Tanaka Shinichi's desk like snowflakes, and the latter realized that Zhang Chi was serious this time.
Shinichi Tanaka rushed to the combat command room and found that according to the markings on the map, the Japanese troops stationed along the nearly 500km defense line from the border of Sindhu Pegu in the west to Lashio in the east were under attack along the entire line.
Just when the Battle of Imphal was halfway through, the Battle of Mandalay was officially launched by Zhang Chi.