The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

After nightfall, Oda's battalion successfully captured the outer positions of southern Imphal and advanced to several streets on the edge of the city, essentially achieving the regiment's objectives. By this point, the battalion had only a little over 300 infantrymen remaining, and even including other technical troops, the total number did not exceed 500. Compared to the initial full strength of 1,300, this represented a loss of nearly 70%. Despite this, Oda received no orders to rest; instead, new combat orders mandated a continuous attack through the night, aiming for the city of Imphal.

Faced with this situation, Oda felt helpless and hopeless. He was particularly overcome by an indescribable sadness when he saw the two hundred newly arrived soldiers from the division's supply corps, who had no combat experience. Many of these recruits were still teenagers, their tender faces heartbreaking. Gazing at these young, unfamiliar faces, Major Oda began to doubt whether Japan could win this so-called "holy war." At this moment, he deeply felt the empire's plight and crisis, and was filled with anxiety and unease about the future.

Oda had no choice but to keep the children with him and distribute the others to the three integrated infantry squadrons, bringing the three squadrons back to about 150 men. Oda had to organize all the personnel in the battalion, except for the artillerymen of the two 92mm infantry guns and four 4mm mortars, including the signalmen and medical soldiers, all of whom were equipped with rifles as the final reinforcements.

Oda continued his assault formation and launched an attack towards the city. The 2nd Squadron was in the front, with the 3rd and 4th Squadrons flanking on either side, and the entire battalion headquarters providing support, all rushing forward...

Oda's immediate opponent was still the 113th Battalion of the 4th Regiment, but the situation had changed. The 4th Battalion had received support from an armored detachment from divisional headquarters. This detachment consisted of two tanks, an armored vehicle, and a 2mm direct-fire gun. Battalion Commander Wang Chengwu quickly communicated with the British detachment commander, York, and they devised a strategy: the tanks and armored vehicle would be hidden at a street intersection, using the broken wall as a barrier, ready to launch a counterattack at any moment. The direct-fire gun, meanwhile, would move with the frontline troops, specifically targeting the Japanese's most concentrated firepower points.

Wang Chengwu redeployed the entire battalion, approximately 250 men, into four reinforced platoons and a direct-support unit. They deployed in a ladder formation, alternating cover between them and operating together. The direct-support unit served as a reserve, ready to support each position at any moment. In the pitch-black darkness of the night, with the Japanese unable to draw upon heavy artillery support and caught in the complexities of urban fighting, the Chinese military's response became more composed and composed. They flexibly employed various combat methods, employing sophisticated tactics that elusively challenged the Japanese.

A small Japanese troop, located near a European-style office building in Block R, was ambushed by a Chinese combat team. In just a few minutes, over a dozen Japanese soldiers were killed or wounded, including the newly appointed squad leader. Sergeant Ichirō Watanabe, who took command and led a counterattack, was again attacked by a hidden Maxim heavy machine gun, resulting in the loss of several more soldiers. At this point, the British-style Sten submachine gun, now in widespread use by the Chinese, proved crucial. Often, a large combat team of two or three, armed with a submachine gun and a few grenades, could inflict massive casualties on an entire Japanese unit at the slightest lapse. Of course, this was also due to the Japanese army's limited manpower. By this point, each Japanese squad (or squad) consisted of fewer than ten men, with only three or four veterans. These seasoned veterans, having long forgotten their fraternal ties, often allowed the incoming supply troops to charge first.

"Boom!" another muffled explosion, followed by "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!" a volley of bullets whizzed by. Private First Class Takeshita Tosaburo was thankful to have escaped the blast. Private Second Class Ryouta Pu (Korean) who was walking in front of him was killed instantly. Takeshita fired randomly at the Chinese hiding spot and threw a grenade.

"Boom!" The rubble thrown up by the explosion crackled and hit his helmet and back. Takeshita didn't care about it and quickly rolled forward, hiding in the corner of a broken wall. At this moment, he wanted to seize a Sten submachine gun, just like Sergeant Gangcun, so that he could use it to fire continuously and replenish the Chinese soldiers less than 10 meters away. Just now, Gangcun quickly killed a sneak attacking Chinese soldier because of his submachine gun. Although the Chinese soldier detonated the explosives tied to his body, Sergeant Gangcun dodged it based on his experience, but the two soldiers following him were not so lucky. One died and the other was injured. The injured man had both his arms blown off and screamed. Gangcun had no choice but to kill him with a knife.

At this moment, no one had the energy to sympathize or treat such a seriously wounded soldier. His howling would not only dampen everyone's mood but also potentially invite a surprise attack from the enemy. Takeshita felt no sorrow for the dead; just like the fallen Liang Tianpu before him, he even felt they deserved their death. Truth be told, Takeshita hated these Korean soldiers. They constantly violated military discipline and, during the charge, they were always tempted to retreat, leaving others to die. Takeshita vaguely remembered how, upon entering Burma, the Burmese people waved flags and cheered, enthusiastically welcoming the arrival of the Imperial Japanese Army. However, just over a month later, the Burmese forces that had originally fought against the Chinese and British troops now turned against the Imperial Japanese Army. Takeshita had long forgotten how he had abused the Burmese women and children, but he felt deep contempt for the Korean soldiers' abhorrent behavior. In his mind, the Burmese military's change of attitude was entirely due to these second-rate, inferior colonial soldiers!

Without giving him more time to think, the sergeant kept instructing him to move forward from behind. Takeshita took the grenade that Ryouta threw at him, hung it around his waist, lowered his head and bent over, and carefully moved forward with another recruit.

Lieutenant Kimura Akito, the captain of the Third Squadron, was unhappy with the pace of the troops' march. This fervent militarist, hoping to gain another promotion through military merit, approached Squad 1, pointed at the vaguely visible building ahead, and shouted at Acting Captain Watanabe Ichirō, "The casualty figures are は要らない。その建物だけが欲しい。军旗がその建物の上に扬げられているのを見せてほしい！ (I don't want casualty figures, I want that building, and I want to see the military flag flying above it)!"

Watanabe gathered several soldiers around him and personally led the charge. Kimura stood in front of a Type 92 heavy machine gun and ordered the machine gunner to suppress the Chinese army's counterattack with firepower. Two small-caliber mortars from the squadron were also deployed, "boom boom boom" continuously firing shells at the surrounding area of ​​the building...