The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

Under the vast sky, more than a dozen large transport planes, under the close cover of the 10th Air Force, systematically and sequentially airdropped large quantities of supplies into the Grape Valley. Meanwhile, fighters and bombers from the 10th and 14th Air Forces bombed the main bridges, roads, and strongholds of the Japanese army in northern Burma.

The Japanese 3rd Air Corps faced immense pressure. They had to fully support the Imphal front while also dealing with the formidable threat from the US Air Force in Burma, a situation they found themselves overwhelmed. Faced with this predicament, the Japanese were forced to deploy aircraft from their cruiser wings stationed on the Indonesian islands to support the 3rd Air Corps and ease the tension.

For a time, the skies over northern Myanmar and eastern India became the scene of fierce air combat. The frequent dogfights exacted a heavy toll on both sides. Frequently, fighter planes were hit, billowing into billowing smoke as they plummeted to the ground, causing massive explosions. Those pilots who parachuted to safety became the focus of contention for ground forces on both sides.

Lieutenant Colonel Smith commanded the 14th Squadron of the 5th Air Force and appeared over Burma again. At this moment, the face of his wingman and close friend Martin appeared in his mind. He silently said in his heart that if he encountered the Japanese fighter plane No. 1121 again, he would never let it go!

In the air, Smith and his wingman were cruising. Nearby, several B-25 Mitchell bombers were dropping bombs on their designated targets. The fuselage of P-081 No. 40 was covered in densely packed stars, a testament to Major Smith's combat achievements over the years. He had become one of the most renowned ace pilots in the US 14th Air Force, and indeed throughout the entire Asian theater.

"Attention, attention, 11 Japanese Zeros at 4 o'clock, distance 120."

This was an alarm issued by another cruise crew. Smith knew that the Japanese would not dare to attack the bomber formation with only four fighters, which meant that other Japanese planes were coming from other directions.

Sure enough, the cruise plane at 2 o'clock also discovered three Japanese Zero fighters and had already engaged in fire.

Smith ordered the four P-4s of the escort squadron to cover the bombers' return, while he and his wingman headed towards 40 o'clock to engage the four Zero enemy planes.

In the blink of an eye, Smith entered the battle area. Before he could figure out the situation, a string of shells rubbed against his fuselage. As Smith rolled his plane to avoid it, a Japanese fighter plane flashed by.

1121, it’s this bastard!

Smith was furious and called to his wingman, "James, cover me!" Then, he made a big turn and met the Japanese plane.

The pilot on board aircraft 1121 was clearly not Tian Yuan, but a young and arrogant Japanese pilot. His predecessor, already a squadron leader due to his military exploits, had returned to Japan to train the new 5th Air Corps. The reason Sakashima was able to fly the old man's aircraft was entirely due to the current shortage of aircraft in the Japanese army.

Sakashima dared to launch a sneak attack on the ace fighter plane No. 081, which was full of stars. It was obvious that he was a newborn calf that was not afraid of a tiger. It also reflected the fanatical war thinking of the Japanese army under the militarist education.

After a few brief dogfights with the enemy plane, Smith immediately realized that the plane was not flown by the old Japanese soldier. He found the opponent's weakness and blew up the enemy plane in mid-air with a burst of fire. The rookie Jiudao didn't even have a chance to parachute and was directly killed in the air...

On the ground, at the temporary base of the Japanese 18th Division headquarters on the Gonglu front, Mutaguchi Ren'ya looked out at the vast mountains, the American planes roaring past, and the devastated ground. He raged at the 28th Army Commander, Sakurai Shozo, who was on the line. He cursed the damned terrain and the damned American planes.

Although Sakurai Shozo was his superior, his seniority and background were no match for Mutaguchi Ren. Although both held the rank of Lieutenant General, Sakurai showed no anger towards his subordinate. He knew full well that the old man was only temporarily taking the blame and would soon be promoted. Furthermore, the mastermind behind this flanking operation was General Watanabe, the front commander. The 28th Army was ordered to fully support the 18th Division in opening the northwest passage through Burma.

After Sakurai finished his phone call with Muta, his face darkened. Being scolded by one's own subordinates was unusual for a high-ranking Japanese officer. Sakurai knew that Muta was exploiting the situation, clearly showing disdain for him as commander. Sakurai truly hated commanding such subordinates and was eager to transfer the 18th Division and Muta out of the 28th Army as soon as possible.

However, Sakurai had no choice but to respond to Muta's request. After some thought, he picked up the phone again and ordered the 54th Division, responsible for coordination, to open a route to Grape at all costs. At the same time, he called the commander of the 3rd Air Corps again, demanding that he strengthen the fight for air superiority in northern Burma.

Liu Xiao's First Detachment was blocking the Japanese advance northward along the Benkan line. The natural barrier of the upper Mailikai River forced the Japanese to carve a path along the river to attack Putao. This gave the First Detachment an opportunity to use a small number of troops to stop the Japanese advance.

Guerrilla forces from various ethnic groups in northern Burma had already been dispatched, and with the assistance of some elite troops from the column's direct-affiliated battalions, they launched harassment operations against the Japanese. Classic Chinese guerrilla warfare tactics were deployed throughout the vast mountains and forests of northern Burma.

By this point, the ethnic groups in northern Myanmar had clearly seen the Japanese army's sinister nature. The Japanese army had already torn off its hypocritical mask and was utterly arresting people of all ethnic groups along the way, regardless of age or gender, and forcing them into the construction of the road. The Japanese army's cruelty was once again exposed. Those who resisted and those without any labor value were brutally executed. These actions further aroused the resistance of the various ethnic groups, fueling the guerrilla movement in northern Myanmar.

Miyazaki Shizuka, commander of the 148rd Battalion of the 3th Regiment, may sound elegant, but she was a complete militarist. During the Chinese campaign, she was shot in the thigh, leaving her disabled and retired from active service. Soon after, the Pacific War broke out, and the 6th Division, formed with remnants of the 54th Division, gave her hope and she rejoined the field army. She assumed command of the 148rd Battalion of the 3th Regiment, a rare example of a lieutenant colonel commander of a second-tier division in the Japanese Army.

However, his enthusiasm was extinguished by this untamed landscape. The brigade was ordered to build a simple road from Lessa to Putao. Over a month, they built over 20 kilometers, but stopped at Pasiga. Not only were they blocked and harassed by the resistance, but the rugged mountains ahead also severely hampered progress.

"Boom!" The engineering squadron blasted another small section of the cliff. Before the smoke had completely cleared, a small group of Japanese soldiers, assisted by a dozen Burmese police, drove a swarm of ant-like mountain dwellers forward. Just then, Division Commander Katamura personally called Miyazaki, ordering the Miyazaki Battalion to continue road construction for 24 hours. Simultaneously, a squadron from the division's direct engineering regiment would arrive to provide support.