The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

The 533nd Mixed Brigade, reorganized from the 32rd Security Brigade, is directly under the command of the 33rd Army. It has a total of 7500 people and is composed of a brigade headquarters, five infantry battalions, an artillery battalion, a tank squadron, a motor vehicle squadron, a supply squadron, and a communications squadron.

The Infantry Battalion, compared to the previous Security Battalion, has a total strength of 1100 men. It consists of four infantry squadrons, an artillery detachment, and a communications unit. The battalion's artillery detachment is oversized, with 4 men, equipped with two Type 85 infantry guns and two 2mm mortars. This ensures that each squadron receives fire support from either an infantry gun or a mortar during combat.

Each squadron consisted of 185 men, including three infantry squads and one machine gun section. Each infantry squad consisted of 3 men, divided into three infantry sections. Each section consisted of 52 men, equipped with one Taisho light machine gun, two grenade launchers, one British-made Sten submachine gun, one pistol, and twelve Type 13 rifles. The squadron's machine gun section had two Type 2 heavy machine guns.

The two 75mm mountain guns previously belonging to the Public Security Battalion were reassigned to the newly formed Brigade Artillery Battalion, which now had a total of 12 75mm mountain guns and six 6mm field guns, significantly strengthening its firepower. The newly added tank squadron consisted of eight Japanese Type 105 light tanks or captured British Vesk medium tanks, as well as four armored vehicles. The so-called armored vehicles were essentially car chassis wrapped in sheet metal, equipped with a 8mm rapid-fire cannon and nicknamed "Iron Turtle."

The newly added motor vehicle squadron was a transport unit added to respond to rapid field mobilization. This was also the result of large-scale abandonment by the British army. In addition, multiple oil fields in Myanmar supplemented the Japanese army's oil shortage, which enabled the Japanese army's Burmese units to receive a certain degree of mechanized equipment reinforcement.

Brigade Commander Major General Jing Rui Yanbu was brimming with confidence. The commanders of his battalions and subordinate units flanked him, flanked by a sand table meticulously prepared by Chief of Staff Colonel Zhibu Takaguchi depicting the terrain north of Myitkyina. Zhibu patiently explained the terrain, their respective offensive missions, and more to the commanders.

According to Yanbu's idea, it is a waste of talent to let the current 32nd Brigade sweep the so-called guerrilla army in northern Myanmar. Any battalion under his command can completely defeat or even destroy a brigade-level unit of the Chinese and British troops, not to mention these so-called guerrilla forces composed of remnants of defeated soldiers.

Zhibu had already suffered a similar loss in Lashio and understood the true significance of the Front's sweep. To put it bluntly, it was about manpower and resources, squeezing out the remaining Chinese forces and suppressing Burmese resistance. This was to establish a strong rear base for the Japanese advance westward into India. The 33rd Army in northern Burma was also tasked with controlling Upper and Central Burma, preventing Chinese forces from advancing south from Yunnan and flanking northeastern Burma to support the 15th Army's offensive against India. Zhibu was reluctant to emphasize this to his immediate superior, Yanbu, but the Front's strategy clearly articulated the challenges facing the commanders of the various brigades and subordinate units.

After introducing the operational objectives and requirements of each unit, Zhibu added, "This time, the Front Army is organizing the 31st and 32nd Brigades and part of the 33rd Division, totaling 1.7 people, to conduct a large-scale sweep of northern Burma. The goal is very clear, which is to use the devastating blow to the resistance forces in northern Burma as an opportunity to firmly control the entire northern Burma and make northern Burma a source of materials and labor for the empire. Serve the empire's westward advance into India! All units must be decisive and swift in their actions. Anything that dares to challenge the imperial military power should be dealt a resolute blow! At the same time, all units should learn from the lessons of the 8th Battalion's failure in northeastern Burma and must not be blindly confident and advance alone. Our main opponent, the northern Burma guerrilla army, has a geographical advantage and is accustomed to inducing ambushes, so we must pay attention to it!"

"Alright, everyone needs to understand what the Chief of Staff means."

Yanbu interrupted Zhibu with great dissatisfaction and said, "Everyone has spent some time in China. Our consistent approach to dealing with resistance is to kill! Without mercy! The Three Alls Policy implemented by China is also applicable to northern Burma. All departments should remember that protecting the precious lives of imperial soldiers is the primary goal. Our warriors should not fall in vain on these worthless battlefields! I authorize everyone to use any means in this sweep. Strictly maintain order in the occupied areas of northern Burma!"

Yanbu's words cut through the air like a sharp sword. His eyes were filled with indifference and ruthlessness, as if in his eyes, the resistance was like ants, not worth mentioning. His words were also filled with contempt and disdain for the resistance, as if they were the most insignificant existence, not worth his attention.

Meanwhile, Qin Shi, Zhou Hu, and the others frowned as they analyzed the enemy and friendly positions on a detailed map of northern Burma. Intelligence and information gathered from various sources indicated that this Japanese sweep would be unprecedented in scale, and even a purposeful, targeted strategy. Clearly, the Japanese were not simply aiming to encircle and suppress the guerrilla column.

Recently, Qin Shi and Zhou Hu have met separately with the leaders of the four major tribes in northern Myanmar to discuss plans to maintain security in the region and combat the Japanese. However, the Kachin, led by their leader, Luodan Zhuona, subconsciously view the Han Chinese as invaders, harbouring memories of the Qing dynasty's massacres of the Kachin. They not only refuse to cooperate with the guerrillas but also actively seek to counteract them. The Kachin see the impending Japanese raids as an opportunity to drive out the Han. Some chieftains have even colluded with Japanese spies, constantly leaking information about the guerrillas' whereabouts. This has deterred other ethnic groups from readily acceding to the guerrillas' demands, let alone organizing their own self-defense forces.

"It seems that developing guerrilla columns in northern Myanmar and organizing all ethnic groups to jointly resist Japan is an arduous task and there is a long way to go!" Zhou Hu said with emotion.

At this time, the intelligence director, Major Wei Wei, rushed over and handed Zhou Hu a piece of intelligence from the overseas Chinese secret line. Zhou Hu took a quick look at it and quickly handed the intelligence to Qin Shi, saying, "Commander, the situation is urgent. We have to act as soon as possible!"

Qin Shi took a look at it. It was an action plan for various Japanese mopping-up forces. Three battalions of the 31st Brigade had already moved north from Gaolin, moving to the Meizha, Luoshe, and Nanma lines. Five battalions of the 3nd Brigade were pressing westward along Myitkyina, Mogaung, and Sanga. Two battalions of the 32th Division, having detoured from Baoshan in southern Yunnan, had already emerged from the Shaolao and Mangki lines, cutting off the guerrilla column's northward advance into China. The Japanese army had made it clear that they intended to encircle and destroy the guerrilla column north of Myitkyina. All signs indicated that the Kachin had reached an agreement with the Japanese to prevent the guerrilla column from entering the Kachin heartland. The guerrilla column now had two options: a head-on confrontation with the Japanese or a northwesterly approach into the Savage Mountains.