nycdaug Chapter 171: Bridge Defense (5)
Chapter 171: Bridge Defense (5)
The commander of the Japanese 115th Division hadn't gotten a good night's rest. The enemy's harassment continued throughout the night, with gunfire and explosions ringing out continuously. Early in the morning, he received a telegram from Commander Mutaguchi Ren'ya, ordering him to attack the Bhamo Bridge with all his might and, if necessary, to blow it up. Then, the commander of the 115th Division sent him a direct order to attack the bridge at all costs and blow it up immediately!
The rank of the regiment commander was still too low, and the Japanese high-level officials could not tell him the real situation. He could only follow the order and send all three battalions of his subordinates to launch a fierce attack towards the bridge!
Captain Wu had originally planned to abandon several lines of defense at appropriate times today, following Tang Xuesi's plan. Unexpectedly, the Japanese regiment launched a full-scale offensive early in the morning, a ferocious attack so intense that for him, a former lieutenant and platoon leader, it was his first encounter with such a large-scale frontal engagement. Qin Shi's training in guerrilla warfare had proven effective. Captain Wu immediately realized the enemy situation had changed and that the planned orderly abandonment of positions was no longer feasible. He decisively deployed the 2nd and 3rd companies of the reserve, and using the advantageous terrain to hold their positions, he fought the Japanese to the death.
About two hours later, Tang Xuesi hurried over with the 2nd Battalion. Seeing that Battalion Commander Wu had not given up his position and was defending it to the death, he felt relieved and quickly ordered the 2nd Battalion to join the battle!
The Indian Army's special forces had already airborne the previous night. Due to the wind, they landed in a valley over ten miles to the north. Coincidentally, a battalion from the Second Detachment of the First Column had just arrived. After the two armies joined forces, they immediately joined in the attack on the Japanese security brigade. Under the overwhelming force, the Japanese security brigade was instantly defeated. After consulting with them, Tang Xuesi decided that the captain of the special forces would take command, with the battalion from the Second Detachment assisting, to form a northern blocking cluster, ready to intercept the approaching Japanese 10rd Division brigade. Tang Xuesi hurried back with the Second Battalion to reinforce the bridge's defenses.
As the enemy changed, the guerrilla army also began to change. Qin Shi ordered Liu Xiao, the direct detachment, to rush to the bridge as quickly as possible and take over the command. In addition to the above two troops, a regiment of the 33rd Division of the Japanese army also rushed over along the highway. The enemy's intention was very obvious, to recapture the bridge and blow up the bridge!
The battle escalated immediately. The Japanese 115th Division attacked recklessly. Mountain artillery kept bombarding the area around the bridge. Japanese planes appeared from time to time and attempted to bomb the bridge. The US Air Force arrived in time to drive away the Japanese planes. The Japanese dropped bombs indiscriminately, causing considerable casualties to both sides of the battle.
Seeing that the frontline positions could no longer be held, Tang Xuesi decisively ordered a retreat to the second line and transferred a company from the 1st Battalion east of the bridge, which ultimately halted the Japanese offensive. The battle had begun early in the morning without a break, and by 3:33 PM, both sides were exhausted, especially the Japanese regiment. As the attackers, they had suffered heavy losses, losing nearly a third of their strength. The regiment commander had received orders not to halt the attack, and the 87th Regiment of the rd Division was already on its way and expected to arrive before dark.
Tang Xuesi's eyes were really full of bloodshot at this time. The 3rd Battalion was almost crippled, and even Battalion Commander Wu was seriously injured. The front line was now in the charge of the 2nd Battalion Commander, and the second-line position was also in danger. Tang Xuesi was preparing to transfer another company from the 1st Battalion in the direction of Dongqiao, but was stopped by Bai Lang. In the east, the enemy also began to move. The Japanese Bamao City Security Brigade came out in full force and was now engaged in a firefight with the deputy detachment commander and his men. If another company was transferred from the east, there would only be one company left and it would be impossible to hold on!
Tang Xuesi got furious and ordered the guard company of the artillery battalion to rush over and join the defense. The two rocket artillery companies in ambush no longer needed to hide in the mountains and forests, but could deploy directly on both sides of the bridge and use firepower to support the defense!
The roar of gunfire echoed from both sides of the Irrawaddy River and the Bhamo Bridge, reverberating through the valley. Its intensity completely surpassed any previous guerrilla warfare. The officers and soldiers of the First Detachment endured immense casualties and pressure, yet gradually grew stronger. They became the first guerrilla unit in northern Myanmar to undergo the remarkable transformation into a regular army.
However, the Japanese army still approached and gradually approached the bridge. The Japanese mountain artillery continued to bombard the bridge. Fortunately, the enemy's 75mm mountain artillery had little impact on the bridge. Dozens of shells exploded on the bridge, but did not cause major damage to the bridge.
Tang Xuesi was furious and concentrated the rocket launchers of two companies to launch a counterattack against the Japanese mountain artillery positions, destroying several Japanese mountain artillery pieces and forcing them to retreat, thus preventing the Japanese from continuing to bombard the bridge.
The battle lasted until dark, and the long convoy of the Japanese 33rd Division could be vaguely seen. Tang Xuesi became more and more nervous. If the heavy artillery battalion of the Japanese 87th Regiment established a position, it would be a fatal threat to the Bamao Bridge!
Bai Lang knew exactly what the arrival of the Japanese heavy artillery would mean, and this American professional soldier unleashed his resolve. Ignoring Tang Xuesi's dissuasion, he gathered the remaining soldiers of the 9th Assault Company and, reckless, charged the Japanese, plunging into the mountains and forests. They raced towards the heavy artillery positions being established by the 87th Regiment, determined to meet the enemy's artillery with their own flesh and blood until they destroyed it!
Just as dusk fell, Liu Xiao arrived with his direct detachment. Without time for handover, Liu Xiao assumed command and ordered the detachment's artillery battalion to bombard the Japanese at all costs. The entire detachment launched a relentless counterattack, crushing the 115th Division, a regiment now reduced to a mere shell, and retaking the positions lost during the day.
Furious at the 87th Division's defeat, the commander of the 115th Regiment, Toichiro Sakusaku, personally executed a battalion commander, a major, and ordered the remnants of the regiment to be consolidated into a reinforced battalion. At the urging of his chief of staff, the 87th Regiment suspended its offensive, rested overnight, and launched a decisive attack on the Bama Bridge defenders and the bridge at dawn the next day.
That night was a sad one for both sides who had engaged in battle during the day. Japanese Commander Mutaguchi Ren'ya personally ordered the 115th Division's commander dismissed and escorted to headquarters, where he faced severe punishment. On the guerrilla side, Captain Wu ultimately succumbed to his wounds. The entire 3rd Battalion consisted of only one platoon, Du Yiping, whose personnel were barely complete for the bridgehead defense. Tang Xuesi, even with the battalion reduced to a single company, found insufficient personnel. Consequently, he transferred the detachment's guard platoon to form a company. Their mission was to defend the final bridgehead. This was the only chance Tang Xuesi secured for the st detachment from Colonel Liu Xiao.
The positions west of the bridge were fully taken over by the direct detachment, and the First Detachment was transferred to the east of the bridge as a reserve force. Liu Xiao decided to fight a decisive battle with the Japanese 87th Division, vowing to defend the Bamao Bridge to the death.