The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

At the Burmese Guerrilla Column's base in the forested mountains near Zhenma, Qin Shi was discussing with Zhou Hu how to address the current predicament. Since its upgrade to a column, Qin Shi and his team have reorganized the unit, currently organized into three detachments and more than ten battalions. The First Detachment (brigade-level) is primarily composed of Expeditionary Force soldiers and consists of five battalion-level battalions. The Second Detachment, comprised of overseas Chinese guerrillas, consists of one battalion and several guerrilla units. The Third Detachment is composed of the recently defected Burmese armed forces, the Burmese National Independence and Salvation Army, and is composed of several battalions.

Qin Shi and Zhou Hu's approach to the Burmese issue was essentially the same: a combination of exploitation and precaution. After all, the Burmese comprise over 65% of Myanmar's population, a significant base. Failure to properly address this issue would have a significant impact on future development. Therefore, caution was essential.

Therefore, although Chachai, the commander of the 3rd Detachment, had Qin Shi's favor, Qin Shi only nominally appointed him as the deputy commander of the guerrilla column and commander of the 3rd Detachment. In reality, Qin Shi would basically not participate in their operations or control, except for limited weapons support and intelligence sharing. This approach ensured their independence while giving Qin Shi sufficient control.

Qin Shi was well aware of the future, particularly the struggles between the various ethnic groups in northern Myanmar and the Burmese. Therefore, he decided to focus the Burmese guerrilla forces' primary development in northern Myanmar. While the name Kokang hadn't yet emerged, Qin Shi, based on the actual conditions in northern Myanmar, had already begun preparations for the formation of four independent ethnic resistance forces: the Kachin, Shan, Kayah, and Chin. This was done not only to prepare for potential future developments but also to pave a solid path forward.

Throughout this process, Qin Shi needed to fully consider all factors to ensure his decisions were truly beneficial to future development. He also had to constantly monitor changes in the international situation so he could adjust his strategy and maintain a favorable position. Only in this way could he achieve his ambitious goals.

Due to the rapid expansion of the army, commanders at all levels were severely lacking. Consequently, Qin Shi implemented a system of high-ranking officers with low ranks within the First Detachment. For example, Liu Xiao, the First Detachment's commander, was a major, while all five battalion commanders were majors or captains. There was even a case where the deputy battalion commander of the 5th Battalion was a lieutenant. As for the officers rescued from the POW camp, Qin Shi and Zhou Hu were not impressed. Under the guise of an investigation, Zhou Hu had already dealt with several officers with the rank of major or higher, including the lieutenant colonel deputy commander of the 5rd Division who had surrendered. This ensured the stability of the army.

Qin Shi and Zhou Hu's policy towards the Overseas Chinese Detachment was clear and consistent: fully support their development. This meant not only verbal encouragement but also concrete actions, such as commitments from senior officials and the provision of large quantities of weapons, military training personnel, and other resources.

Thanks to this active support, the Overseas Chinese Detachment was able to rise rapidly. Their ranks grew, forming over a dozen guerrilla units of varying sizes, spread across eastern and northeastern Burma. These guerrilla units not only gathered crucial intelligence on Japanese military movements but also regularly attacked Japanese garrisons and patrols.

Due to the active activities of the Overseas Chinese Detachment, public security in the Japanese-occupied areas of eastern and northeastern Burma continued to deteriorate. Once peaceful villages became unsafe, and Japanese transport routes were frequently disrupted, causing significant distress to the Japanese. This situation also prompted the Japanese to realize that they needed to re-evaluate their strategy for governing the region.

Qin Shi had a bold plan: to visit the chieftains of the four major ethnic groups in northern Myanmar. This region was once home to the Chinese, and some of these ethnic minorities still maintain the chieftain system. The Japanese army's control over the region was relatively weak. Furthermore, the high mountains and dense forests, especially the primeval forests of northern Myanmar, known as the "Man-Eating Mountains," presented them with a perfect opportunity. For the guerrilla column, this area not only provided ample manpower but also served as an ideal place for rest and recuperation.

However, an unexpected event disrupted Qin Shi's plans. After approximately ten battalions of Japanese security forces arrived in Burma, they quickly established the 10st Security Division in Taunggyi. The 121rd Brigade was headquartered in Myitkyina, and the 533th Brigade in Lashio, clearly targeting guerrilla areas in eastern and northern Myanmar. As expected, during an attack in Nalang, the overseas Chinese guerrillas were ambushed by the 534th Battalion of the 534th Brigade. Not only did they lose a key guerrilla unit in the area, but the Japanese, using captured guerrilla core members, quickly paralyzed many of the overseas Chinese guerrilla's secret strongholds and liaison stations around Lashio. Using a traitor, they trapped the only battalion directly under the overseas Chinese guerrilla detachment, over 9 men, in the mountainous triangle of Naupa, Monnao, and Naulian. Among them was Liang Charlie, the deputy commander of the overseas Chinese guerrilla detachment.

Although Qin Shi knew this was likely a trap, he felt compelled to lead his direct battalion and two battalions from the First Detachment on a rescue mission. If he didn't go, the Overseas Chinese Guerrilla Battalion would be annihilated by the Japanese, dealing a heavy blow to the entire Burmese anti-Japanese forces. Before leaving, Qin Shi made detailed arrangements with Zhou Hu, Liu Xiao, Wei Wei, and others who remained behind to ensure they could respond to any emergency.

All signs indicated that the Japanese 533rd Brigade and its various garrisons had already begun operations, likely launching a large-scale sweep across northern Burma! To avoid encirclement and ambush by the Japanese, the guerrilla column headquarters and its four battalions had to move to the mountainous areas of northern Burma, out of the reach of the Japanese. However, despite this, Qin Shi still decided to lead his troops to Naupa to rescue the overseas Chinese guerrilla battalion.

When Qin Shi arrived at Naupa, he chose to proceed with caution rather than directly attacking the Japanese siege. While the Japanese were apparently encircling the Overseas Chinese Guerrilla Brigade, they were also secretly mobilizing mobile forces in the surrounding area, aiming to encircle and suppress other guerrilla reinforcements. This tactic put Qin Shi in a dilemma: if he forced a breakthrough, not only would his own troops suffer heavy losses, but the Overseas Chinese Guerrilla Brigade might also be annihilated; but if he did not act, the Overseas Chinese Guerrilla Brigade would also be in danger of being destroyed.