The expeditionary force began to dominate Southeast Asia by recruiting defeated soldiers

In the previous few days, when the Fast Column pretended to be defeated and retreated, the soldiers of the Amphibious Marine Corps led by Zhang Guangjun had already boarded the LVT-A1 amphibious tanks and detoured through the swamps on both sides of the road to get behind the Japanese northward detachment.

In the early morning of July 19, under the cover of mist, hundreds of LVT-A1 tanks and more than 3000 Marines prepared to launch an attack on the Japanese northward detachment from the rear.

The LVT-A1 tank, which can carry a squad of 12 infantrymen for amphibious operations, is not only an excellent "battlefield taxi", but also a mobile firepower point that can accompany the infantry in attacks.

"This is Seagull Cave, calling all crew members to conduct a radio check." The company commander of the vanguard company, who served as the vanguard, shouted on the radio channel.

"This is the Seagull Cave train, clear and loud."

"Here are two cars from Seagull Hole, clear and loud."

......

Accompanied by a slight rustling sound, the company commander's headphones were filled with the responses of the commanders of the company's 12 amphibious tanks, excluding the company headquarters vehicle.

"Very good, everyone, keep forming and move forward. Let's go and rip those little Japs' asses off!"

At the command of the company commander, 13 tanks formed two layers of goose-shaped formations along the road and the fields beside the road, and drove into the fog with a company of Marine infantry on foot behind the vehicles.

-----

The presence of the Irrawaddy River makes the air very humid, which causes fog to appear every morning.

In the heavy fog, although visibility is poor, the sound of the LVT-A1 tank engine can penetrate the thick fog and be heard over a long distance.

The Japanese artillerymen in the rear artillery position heard the sound of the engine early on. However, since the sound came from the south, their first reaction was that it was friendly troops coming from the direction of Mandalay in the fog.

When the LVT-A1 tank, which was taller and wider than the Japanese Type 95 tank (the LVT-A1 was much larger than the bean tank in order to accommodate people), rushed out of the fog, the Japanese infantry squadron stationed at the artillery position realized that it was the enemy who came.

"Enemy attack!" The panicked Japanese soldiers let out a shrill cry.

The Type 38 75mm field guns and Type 94 75mm mountain guns that had been deployed long ago were now facing north to cover the attack of the Japanese troops. The artillerymen had no time to turn their guns in such a hurry.

Faced with the high-explosive shells fired by the LVT-A1 tank's 37mm main gun and the flaming Garand semi-automatic rifles in the hands of the Marines, the Japanese artillerymen could only abandon their cannons and flee in all directions.

However, the Japanese infantry company bravely rushed towards the tanks.

The machine gunners turned the Type 99 light machine guns deployed on the periphery and fired fiercely at the tall amphibious tanks, covering the Japanese soldiers with rifles who rushed forward and fought with bayonets.

Although the front armor of the LVT-A1 amphibious tank was very thin in order to prevent it from sinking in water, it was still no match for the Japanese 7.7mm light machine gun. The Japanese's fierce strafing only made the armor clang loudly, which made the tank crew inside the vehicle very irritated.

On the contrary, the 37mm high-explosive shell fired by the LVT-A1 could send the Japanese machine gun crew into the sky with one shot.

"It's dark outside, get on board!" A group of Japanese soldiers rushed up through the fog with rifles in hand.

Black figures surged in the white mist.

"Take the lead bullet, idiot!" The soldier holding the Winchester shotgun was fearless in the face of danger. Facing the cold bayonet tips that were only a few meters away from him, he pulled the slide continuously, pulled the trigger, and fired No. 12 shotgun shells filled with countless lead bullets at the Japanese.

The Japanese soldiers were hit by lead bullets on their heads, leaving countless bloody holes and their charge momentum stopped immediately.

Even though they were brainwashed by Bushido, these elite Japanese soldiers from the 3rd Guards Regiment in the Oedo area of ​​the capital were still flesh and blood. With countless lead bullets embedded in their muscles, they could only roll on the ground and cry helplessly.

"A mine has been thrown, be careful!"

The soldier, having used up all the shotgun shells in the magazine, took off the cantaloupe grenade hanging on his body, pulled the ring, and threw it directly into the middle of the Japanese soldiers lying on the ground.

"boom"

After the explosion, the Japanese soldiers on the ground stopped moving.

-----

"Be careful, the Japs are coming again."

God is fair. The fog gave the Marines the opportunity to approach the Japanese artillery positions, but it also gave more Japanese infantry the opportunity to charge directly at the tanks.

After the initial panic, the Japanese soldiers of the 3rd Guards Regiment showed the qualities they should have as elite troops.

Under the command of the officers, the Japanese soldiers first took the assault pills and let out meaningless howls like ghosts and wolves.

Then some machine gunners and riflemen bravely fired at the tank's observation and aiming equipment. Even if they could not destroy the observation and aiming equipment, they would use smoke and fire to interfere with the tank driver's vision.

The remaining Japanese soldiers, holding cluster grenades and anti-tank mines, tried to take advantage of the fog to bypass the tanks of the Marine Corps.

"Damn it, the Japs are on drugs, be careful." The soldiers holding shotguns found that the lead bullets that always worked were useless this time. Even though the new batch of Japs who rushed up were covered in blood holes, they still continued to rush forward with pulled grenades in their hands.

Fortunately, at this time, his teammate Amin, who was holding an M3 submachine gun, changed the magazine and fired a burst of .45ACP pistol bullets (11.43mm, more powerful than 9mm PA bullets), finally killing the drugged Japanese soldiers.

"This is Seagull Cave. Keep moving forward and destroy the Japanese artillery positions."

As the company commander gave the order, the Marines fought back against the Japanese, destroying the artillery left behind by the Japanese and killing them.

"Damn it, if it was a year ago, if the commander asked me to blow up the artillery, I would not agree no matter what I said." A soldier muttered as he stuffed a grenade into the barrel of the Japanese artillery.

After fully replacing their weapons with White Eagle 60 and 82 mortars, and 75, 105, and 155 series barreled artillery, the soldiers under Zhang Chi had long since looked down upon these Japanese artillery pieces. After all, the captured artillery ammunition was difficult to replenish, and its range was not as good as that of the White Eagles.

Therefore, in order to prevent the Japanese from retaking the artillery and firing to cause casualties on their side, the Marine Corps simply destroyed all the Japanese artillery at once. As for the wreckage, they would take it back and make steel after the war when there was time.

(It's not realistic for infantrymen in TV dramas to grab the Japanese artillery and open fire directly. Even if the infantrymen know how to use artillery, they can't shoot accurately without a firing table or an artillery slide rule. They can only use the bayonet on the cannon to hit the other person's forehead. The only reasonable explanation is that this person was originally an artilleryman, had used Japanese artillery, and memorized the data.)

Before long, all the Japanese artillery was destroyed, the artillerymen were dispersed, and a squadron of infantry stationed there was almost wiped out.

More than 10 minutes later, after defeating a wave of Japanese squad-level reinforcements, the company carrying out the vanguard mission found a small village ahead of the road after passing through the thick fog.

"This is the Seagull Cave Turn. I found several stilt houses. There were messengers running in and out outside, and there were Yagi antennas on the roofs of the houses."

"Dongdong received, all the company, move towards the cave, we've caught a big fish!"