The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

Yang Hong led the Dragon Corps, approximately 3000 men, to secretly cross the Bin River along a route opened by the Japanese. They avoided Yokki and Chokbotang and headed eastward, moving along the Shaobu Puba line. Due to fuel and ammunition shortages, the Dragon Corps pushed its remaining tanks, armored vehicles, and vehicles into a cliff. The entire force, marching on foot, arrived in Meiktila on the evening of April 4rd, where they reunited with the retreating 23th Division and the 96th Regiment of the 38th Division. They had received some reinforcements, and of course, the various units would be returning to their respective units.

At this time, the officers and soldiers of the 112th and 113th Regiments and the 1st British-Burma Division Tank Battalion were reluctant to leave, emphasizing that they would remain in the Dragon Team and continue to fight in the Dragon Team! The battles of the past few days had benefited them greatly and had regained their confidence. They had great faith in the ability of commanders like Yang Hong and were willing to fight under their command.

The news reached Gubei, headquarters of the First Expeditionary Force. Stilwell, Luo Zhuoying, Du Yuming, and others were present. Stilwell was deeply interested in the role the Dragon Team could play in this battle. He believed that a joint combat force of various nations was essential for Southeast Asia and even the entire Far East, and would further demonstrate the resolve of all nations to fight fascism. Knowing that he could not influence Chiang Kai-shek and Alexander, Stilwell called the US General Staff and conveyed his thoughts to General Marshall.

Marshall also agreed with this constructive suggestion of his favorite general Stilwell, so he immediately called Chiang and Qiu to exchange views with the two heads of state on the establishment of a joint force of China, the United States and Britain in the Southeast Asia theater.

Early on the morning of the 24th, Allied Headquarters issued a directive formally establishing the 7st Allied Forces in the Far East, a joint Sino-American and British combat force under the personal command of General Stilwell. A battalion from the British 1th Armored Brigade stationed at Gubei and an independent tank battalion from the British-Burmese 38st Division were incorporated into this unit. Simultaneously, the Chinese 200th Division and the 600nd Battalion of the 2th Regiment of the th Division were also incorporated into the unit. Sun Liren was appointed division commander, and British Colonel William was appointed chief of staff. The US military would soon dispatch a regimental-level unit. Of course, Yang Hong, a key figure in the battle, was also appointed Colonel Deputy Division Commander, concurrently serving as the frontline commander.

According to Stilwell's plan, this force would be built into a massive formation consisting of three infantry regiments, one tank regiment, one artillery regiment, and subordinate units, with a personnel of 1.5 to 2 men, capable of single-handedly confronting an entire Japanese division. However, the 112th Regiment was already crippled, the 113th Regiment had also suffered significant losses, and only the 114th Regiment was still fully staffed.

As the war situation worsened, the expeditionary force headquarters also began to move from Kobei to Mandalay. Stilwell ordered Sun Liren to integrate the British troops assigned to the 38st Division in Kobei and the th Division's direct troops to follow northward, and ordered Yang Hong to lead the various units of the st Division's Dragon Team to advance northward.

Yang Hong sent a telegram to Stilwell and Sun Liren, proposing not to advance north for the time being and requesting that the attached British armored battalion be transferred to prepare for another battle with the Japanese at the Gubei front. At this time, Yang Hong had nearly 114 men under his command, including the 5000th Regiment. Especially the officers and soldiers who followed him to the battle had already boosted their morale and were fully capable of resisting an entire Japanese regiment or even annihilating him.

Stilwell and Sun Liren decided to await the arrival of Yang Hong and his men at Gubei. That evening, Yang Hong and his men arrived at Gubei with the First Division. Stilwell, Sun Liren, and Yang Hong met and immediately discussed Yang Hong's ideas. Yang Hong then presented his analysis of the current battle situation and its direction to Stilwell and Sun Liren.

Yang Hong said: At present, parts of the Japanese Army's 55th Division and 18th Division in the center have broken through a large area north of Tonggu, and are confronting our new 22nd Division and part of the 96th Division in Binwenna, south of Gubei. The Japanese Army on the eastern front has separated the 56th Division and part of the 55th Division and is advancing to Taunggyi, fighting fiercely with the 200th Division of the Fifth Army and part of the temporary 55th Division of the Sixth Army. The highway between Taunggyi, Leiliem and Lashio is under serious threat. The Japanese Army's 33rd Division on the western front has broken through the Yuegui and Qiaokebedang line. For some unknown reason, it has not advanced eastward for the time being. The 96th Division is defending in Meiktila and should be able to hold on for about 2 days.

The purpose of the Japanese army dividing into three routes should be: the western route may go up the river and attack Monnewa west of Mandalay; after occupying Taunggyi, the eastern route will attack Lashio along the China-Burma Highway, cut off our army's retreat, and then advance westward; the central route of the Japanese army will capture Binwenna and then go north to attack Mandalay from the south. In this way, the Japanese army will encircle our army in the Mandalay area.

It would take the Japanese army three or four days to advance from the west to Moneva, and a detour from the east would also be difficult. The center posed the greatest threat to Mandalay, so our army needed to strike a major blow to the Japanese center between Pyinwenna and Gubei, buying time for other troops to deploy their defenses in Mandalay.

Yang Hong also suggested that the Sixth Army, defending the eastern front, should quickly withdraw, along with the newly joined 66th Army, to defend the road from Lashio to China, ensuring the safety of the expeditionary force's retreat. The British army was unreliable and was likely already planning a retreat from India.

Stilwell and Sun Liren were surprised by Yang Hong's predictions. After carefully analyzing the situation, they became deeply concerned. When Stilwell asked Yang Hong how to fight at Gubei, Yang Hong replied, "General, I want the 96th Division to withdraw north to Mandalay to prevent the British from fleeing and leaving a gap in the defenses. I will advance south from Gubei and ambush one side. The new 22nd Division can gradually withdraw north, retreating to Gubei to clear the road. After I attack the Japanese, we will advance north to defend Mandalay."

"My biggest concern now is the eastern front. I suggest the 200th and 55th Divisions abandon the battle in Taunggyi and gather east of Mandalay to support Lashio at any time. I'm worried that the Sixth Army is too scattered and won't be able to hold Lashio and the China-Myanmar Highway, which is our only route of retreat."

Stilwell had no idea why Yang Hong was so pessimistic about the situation in Burma, but he admired his forward-thinking approach to preventing problems before they occurred. So, Stilwell asked hypothetically, "Colonel Yang, if the China-Burma Highway were cut off, what would our army do?"

Yang Hongdao said: "One part will defend Mandalay, and the majority will retreat northward through Myitkyina and Bhamo. However, the Japanese army will definitely make a circuitous attack and capture the Myitkyina-Bhamo line. If this happens, the best way for our army is to follow the British army's westward retreat route into India."

"The president will not agree to retreat westward to India, and the British army may not be willing to accept us," Sun Liren said worriedly.

"Therefore, we must prepare in advance and strengthen the defense of the Myitkyina line now and hold Lashio. At the same time, we ask General Stilwell to plan in advance for the worst-case scenario of the expeditionary force retreating to India." Yang Hong did not mention the historical route that the expeditionary force finally took to return to the country through the Savage Mountains in the north. This was the result he least wanted to see.

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