The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

Two days later, the Japanese 33rd Division, as expected, launched an attack, spearheaded by mechanized units, cutting a path along the edge of the no-man's land in northern Burma. East of Digboi, near the India-Burma border, the Japanese encountered a search party from the 71st Division and engaged in a fierce exchange of fire. Gao Jigui, Deputy Chief of Staff of the 71st Division, personally led the Special Forces Regiment and the 101st Regiment, tenaciously repelling the enemy's advance.

At the same time, the First Guerrilla Column in northern Myanmar received an order to attack from the Putao area and began ambushing and harassing along the line of the Japanese 33rd Division.

Zheng Dongguo and his men weren't concerned about the Japanese 33rd Division launching a large-scale offensive into northeastern India through the uninhabited area of ​​northern Burma. Such an offensive would be nearly impossible in a short period of time. By then, the airlifted 50th Division would have been deployed and could form a solid defensive line alongside the 71st Division along the Digboi and Ledo lines. With their superior numbers and firepower, they could easily annihilate any Japanese forces that entered India!

This unusually synchronized Japanese action alarmed Zheng Dongguo. After careful consideration, he began to take Huang Wei's earlier suggestion seriously. He quickly held a brief discussion with Merrill and decisively issued an order: Huang Wei was to lead the 200th Division by train and march south immediately, directly to Sardinia.

Upon arriving in Sardin, the 200th Division immediately took over the defense of the railway line south of the 14th Division. The 14th Division, in turn, was required to continue advancing, preparing to launch a counterattack against Ukhrul. Zheng Dongguo's intention was to utilize the new 14th Division's counterattack to test the true strength of the Japanese forces advancing northward.

Huang Wei will also take over the command of the area south of Sardinia, and will be fully responsible for commanding the combat operations of the 200th Division and the Special Mobile Column (Wang Congwu's unit) and other troops on the Sardinian front.

In addition, Merrill will personally lead his troops south to Sardinia and serve as the commander of the Sardinia garrison. In this way, all the troops on the Sardinia front, including the Indian Army's 8th Division, will obey Merrill's command and dispatch.

On the northern front, Liao Yaoxiang will be responsible for commanding the new 22nd Division, the 71st Division and various combat units of the headquarters, defending against the Japanese 33rd Division in the east and defending against part of the Japanese 55th Division moving north in the south.

Zheng Dongguo himself decided to go to Silchar in person to meet Mountbatten and explain his concerns and suggestions to him.

The meeting between Zheng Dongguo and Mountbatten ended on a sour note. Mountbatten's expression was filled with disdain, his eyes filled with contempt for Zheng Dongguo and discrimination against the Chinese military. In his eyes, a commander of an inferior ethnicity like Zheng Dongguo was not worth mentioning. He only recognized Chinese soldiers who had distinguished themselves in the Burmese campaign, such as Sun Liren, Liao Yaoxiang, and Yang Hong, as true soldiers.

Mountbatten thought Zheng Dongguo's thoughts and concerns were pure fantasy. In his mind, the British Indian Army's combat power completely surpassed that of the Chinese Army, and the main reason for the British Army's failure in Burma was Alexander's idiotic creation. The British Indian Army was superior to the Japanese Army in both equipment and manpower. He believed that even if the Japanese army concentrated three main divisions, the British Indian Army's 1st and 14th Army Groups' powerful manpower and combat effectiveness could completely destroy the Japanese army!

Mountbatten's arrogance made Zheng Dongguo feel helpless and angry. He realized that he could not change Mountbatten's mind and could only try his best to gain more support and cooperation.

The British Indian 1st and 14th Armies were originally slated for deployment to Britain or North Africa, but were temporarily dispatched to eastern India due to their failures in Burma. Their equipment was practically identical to that of the European War, boasting numerous armored tanks. The Japanese, in terms of their equipment ratios, were clearly the weaker force. Mountbatten was furious that the Japanese had dared to launch a large-scale attack on India, and he ordered Alexander to concentrate his main forces at Silchar, specifically to annihilate the Japanese 1st Division and other units.

In Mountbatten's view, he had organized such a powerful force that it was more than enough to annihilate a Japanese division of 2 people. He was looking forward to the Japanese army really concentrating three divisions to attack Silje as Zheng Dongguo said. In this way, he would annihilate the main force of the Japanese army in Burma in one fell swoop, take advantage of the situation to recapture Burma, and then counterattack Malaysia, becoming the new god of war of the British army!

Ideals are full of hope, but reality is skinny. A week later, the 55th and 112rd Regiments of the 143th Division of the Japanese Army suddenly appeared in Haflon. The British Indian 11th Division was caught off guard, and the Japanese army quickly occupied several towns and important places in the periphery.

The British Indian Army, with its superior weapons and fortified defenses, employed rigid tactics to counter the Japanese. The Japanese, having fought for years and possessing soldiers with experience and individual tactical prowess, completely overwhelmed the British Indian Army. Avoiding the British Indian Army's superior firepower and fortified bunkers, the Japanese employed conventional tactics such as circuitous maneuvers and splitting the enemy lines, gradually knocking out each of the British Indian Army's defensive points.

The British Indian Army launched a counterattack with tanks. Using Vesk light tanks as their maneuvering force and Matilda infantry tanks as their main force for a frontal assault, the 11th Tank Battalion of the 211th Division, with over 30 tanks and armored vehicles, approached the Japanese front lines only to be immediately surrounded and attacked by powerful Japanese mountain artillery and Type 211 anti-tank guns. Like precise hunters, the Japanese mountain artillery and anti-tank guns accurately pierced the British Indian tanks, reducing them to scrap metal. Lacking infantry coordination, the th Tank Battalion was quickly annihilated.

The 11th Division was quickly defeated. In just two days, it had retreated to the city of Haflon and the railway line. Alexander quickly transferred the 4th Division from the Silger line along the railway line.

At this time, the Japanese 31st and 18th Divisions suddenly launched a force, and part of the 31st Division rushed into Aizawl and defeated the British Indian 12th Division. The Japanese soldiers were as ferocious as hungry wolves, their bayonets flashing coldly, and every blow was filled with murderous intent, tearing open the British Indian defense line.

The main forces of the 18th and 31st Divisions bypassed Aizawl and advanced along the Aishkar Highway, soon appearing outside Silchar and engaging the main force of the British Indian Army's 7th Division. The Japanese army unleashed a powerful attack and defeated the British Indian 7th Division in one fell swoop.

Alexander quickly transferred the 14th and 25th Divisions to Silchar and quickly established defensive positions in the city. For a time, Silchar was in an uproar, the people in the city were in panic, the soldiers looked nervous, and the city was bleak.

In this battle, despite their superior weaponry and strong defenses, the British Indian Army's tactics were rigid, and their soldiers' combat experience and individual skills were far inferior to those of the Japanese. The Japanese demonstrated their strength with ferocity, crushing the British Indian Army. While appearing powerful on the surface, the British Indian Army was actually weak.