The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

On the evening of the 28th, Du Yuming received information from various units, gaining a general understanding of the Japanese forces he was battling. The Provisional 55th Division, advancing southward, had already engaged in a firefight with the 33rd Division and had spotted a component of the 18th Division flanking westward. The New 22nd Division had also spotted a component of the 55th Division north of Tonggu, and fierce fighting ensued at Nanyang Railway Station and Yongkegang, north of Tonggu. The 96th Division, located between the two divisions, was being harassed by flanking Japanese units and Burmese resistance forces. The 200th Division in Tonggu was under siege from three directions by the 55th Division, and a battalion of the 56th Division's advance team had been spotted east of Tonggu.

Clearly, the Japanese forces in the Tonggu area numbered at least two divisions, and they were reinforced. The 55th Division, in particular, boasted a heavy artillery regiment and a tank regiment. Du Yuming's preliminary estimate placed the Japanese forces around Tonggu at 200 to 22 men. Du Yuming's forces primarily consisted of the 55th, 22nd, and 55th Divisions, along with parts of the guerrilla detachment. The main forces of the 96nd and 200th Divisions would take more than two days to arrive, and the th Division might take another five days or more to reach the north of Tonggu. Even if all these forces reached the front lines, their total strength would still be inferior to the enemy. It seemed that the original plan to press the Japanese forces to the right bank of Kabawinkl and annihilate them would be impossible. The th Division in Tonggu could be completely surrounded by the Japanese.

Without hesitation, Du Yuming immediately ordered all units to halt their southward movement and to select key points for defense. He ordered the vanguard of the Temporary 55th Division to assist the new 22nd Division in defending key points such as the Nanyang Railway Station north of Tonggu. He also ordered Liao Yaoxiang to lead the main force of the 22nd Division to penetrate the Japanese northern defense line and open up the retreat route for the 200th Division.

Due to the butterfly effect of Huang Yong and others, the losses suffered by the Japanese 55th Division have far exceeded the same period in history, especially the death of the 55th Division Infantry Commander Tomitaro Horii, who was the first Japanese general officer killed in the Southeast Asian battlefield. It can be imagined how furious the Japanese 15th Army and even the entire Southern Front were. The 56th and 18th Divisions, which had been delayed, have quickly caught up. The various units of the 55th Division even vowed to annihilate the entire expeditionary force in Tonggu!

The casualties of the 200th Division at this time were far greater than those of the same period in history. The 598th Regiment was almost crippled, and the 599th Regiment had less than a thousand people left. The division's direct units were also weakened to varying degrees. Only the 600th Regiment remained relatively intact, and the 200th Division's deputy commander, Gao Jiren, was also seriously injured in the battle. By this time, the Expeditionary Force, including the 200th Division, had already learned that the 600th Regiment's surprise attack had killed Japanese Major General Horii Tomitaro. The headquarters had already issued a commendation. Huang Wei was promoted to colonel and appointed deputy commander of the 200th Division and commander of the 600th Regiment. Pu Zhengsong was promoted from captain to lieutenant colonel and appointed deputy chief of staff of the 600th Regiment. Most officers of the 600th Regiment were promoted, and others, such as the Baoding Medal, are not mentioned one by one.

Early on the morning of the 29th, Dai Anlan received Du Yuming's order to retreat, requiring the 200th Division to withdraw that evening. Dai Anlan immediately summoned key officers to discuss the withdrawal arrangements. Huang Wei knew it was time to step forward. He said to Dai Anlan, "Commander, I suggest that the 600th Regiment remain behind to provide cover, while the remaining troops withdraw tonight."

Division Commander Dai also knew that the 600th Regiment was the safest option at this time. He nodded and asked, "Deputy Division Commander Huang, tell me about your plan."

"My idea is this. This morning, all units will continue to hold their positions strictly. At noon, taking advantage of the Japanese army's lunch time, the 600st and 600nd Battalions of the 598th Regiment will take over the front-line positions of each unit. Each unit will take turns defending behind the 599th Regiment. After dark, according to the sequence of the 22th Division Direct Regiment and the th Cavalry Regiment, they will take turns to detour northward from the west bank of the Xitang River in the northeast and merge with the nd Division." Huang Wei calmly informed everyone present of the plan.

"Will the 600rd Battalion of the th Regiment and its direct-subordinate teams remain on the west bank of Tonggu Bridge?" asked Commander Dai.

Huang Wei leaned over to Dai Anlan and whispered in his ear, "I've already dispatched the 600rd Battalion of the 600th Regiment. I'll tell you the details later." He then continued, "The 600th Regiment's direct-subordinate units will gradually take over the positions of the various units this afternoon. However, the various units will need to assist the 600th Regiment in completing some arrangements this afternoon. Chief of Staff Wu and Deputy Chief of Staff Pu of the th Regiment will contact you for details. If possible, a unit of the divisional engineering battalion will assist the cavalry regiment in guarding the Tonggu Bridge east of Tonggu, and then we will retreat together."

Commander Dai thought for a moment and said, "Leave the anti-tank artillery company behind to defend together."

"No, Commander, the anti-tank gun is our treasure. I'm afraid we won't be able to retreat with it." Seeing Commander Dai's doubts, Huang Wei calmly explained, "Don't worry, Commander, the 600th Regiment will not fight the Japanese to the death. I have a way to bring the 600th Regiment out intact."

The Japanese army's attack began again. The 144th Regiment was in the north, the 143rd Regiment was in the west, and the 112th Regiment was in the south. The 112th Regiment, in particular, attacked very fiercely, which was related to the humiliating attack they suffered. The new regiment commander, Yukizo Oharazawa, personally commanded the front-line battalion, and the 500st Battalion of the 112th Regiment, with more than 598 people, went out in full force to attack the weak points of the th Regiment.

The commander and deputy commander of the 598nd Battalion of the 2th Regiment had both been killed. Their replacement was Du Yong, the former commander of the 2st Company of the 1nd Battalion. He remained calm and ordered the remaining 1 or so soldiers of the 1st Platoon of the 10st Company to block the enemy along the necessary offensive route for the Japanese. After several days of street fighting, the soldiers had become highly skilled. They took advantage of abandoned houses, broken walls, and other favorable terrain, deployed staggered firepower, and used a large number of incendiary bombs and grenades made from wine bottles to create pre-buried weapons, strangling the enemy.

The Japanese were no longer willing to deploy their expensive, show-off tanks; both sides resorted to infantry engagements. At a street corner, a group of approximately thirty Japanese soldiers, supported by two grenade launchers and two heavy machine guns, charged toward the 1st Company's position. As the Japanese entered the pre-buried bomb area, the 1st Platoon immediately activated their bombs, instantly blasting the foremost Japanese soldiers skyward. Then, a soldier hurled a cluster bomb consisting of four or five grenades and a Molotov cocktail. Explosions erupted in succession around the enemy, and the spray of gasoline set the surrounding area ablaze. Several Japanese soldiers, also ignited by the gasoline, fled screaming in front of the position.

The Japanese brutally shot their wounded comrades to death. Machine guns continuously fired ammunition at the 1st Platoon's hiding spot. Enemy grenade launchers posed a significant threat to the 1st Platoon soldiers, and after several explosions, three soldiers from the 1st Platoon lay in a pool of blood. The 1st Platoon leader, Lao Kou, personally operated a Czech machine gun, firing a few bursts, suppressing the enemy grenade launcher attack. The platoon's grenadiers also took advantage of the situation and fired a rifle grenade, which exploded at the Japanese machine gun position...

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