Age of Conquest Reborn

Chapter 1082: War in Southeast Asia (2)

Alexander, the commander-in-chief of the British Army in Southeast Asia who had a pathological hatred for Tang Qiuli, finally tasted the bitter pill. The Japanese, whom he treated as honored guests and close allies, attacked the strongest traditional British force without giving him any warning.

area, the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia, conducted a comprehensive raid.

On April 25, the 21st Division and the 126th Heavy Infantry Regiment of Japan's Southeast Asia Expeditionary Force, which attacked the southern port city of Yangon in Myanmar, rushed into the southern part of the almost ruined Yangon city. Previously,

Under the joint attack of naval guns and carrier-based aircraft of the Japanese Navy's First Fleet, the 7th Brigade of the British Army in Burma, which was fortified in the Yangon port area, has suffered casualties of more than half of its troops.

Major General Etheridge, commander of the British garrison in Yangon, quickly deployed more than 13,000 troops garrisoned in the city at the main strongholds leading from the port to the city. The Japanese suddenly attacked and the British were defeated.

The army was in a hurry, and Major General Etheridge would never have thought that the close allies the day before, the sweet brother and the sweet sister, who were so affectionate, would fall out in the blink of an eye.

After receiving an emergency call from the Yangon Port Guard, Major General Etheridge still couldn't believe it and loudly scolded the guard captain for lying about the military situation. Until the bomb from the Japanese plane exploded in the yard of the guard headquarters, splashing mud and air waves.

The glass was shattered into pieces, and unfortunately the major general's head was also cut open.

This time, he believed it. The reason was very simple. Only the Japanese could take action against the British Imperial Army in Rangoon. Etheridge only had time to shout a few words on the phone, "I am the commander of the Rangoon Garrison."

In the name, the port guard was ordered to hold their position and wait for reinforcements. "The phone line was cut without waiting for the port guard captain's reply.

Major General Etheridge called a captain's staff officer and ordered: "Go to the Governor's Mansion immediately and inform Governor Ebsen that the Japanese army has suddenly launched a large-scale attack on Yangon. Please ask the Governor to organize personnel to evacuate Yangon immediately.

Go!" Etheridge knew himself. With the strength of the British army in Rangoon, it was absolutely impossible to prevent the Japanese army from landing at Rangoon Port.

The total strength of the British army in Yangon originally consisted of one infantry division, one motorized mechanic division, plus two mixed British-Burmese brigades, and one light infantry brigade. The total strength was more than 46,000 people. With such a large number of troops, although

It cannot ultimately prevent the Japanese landing. At the very least, it can delay the Japanese occupation of Yangon, fight the Japanese for several rounds, and buy enough time for the British agencies and expatriates in Yangon to evacuate.

However, in order to prepare for a large-scale counterattack against the Japanese division troops entering the Indochina Peninsula, Alexander transferred two divisions of British troops to the border area of ​​Yunnan and Myanmar. Yangon almost became an empty city. Under the fierce Japanese attack

How long can it hold out under attack? What's more serious is that the British army did not set up decent fortifications in Yangon at all. It should be said that this is all Alexander's fault.

Etheridge knew better that it was only a matter of time before Rangoon fell. How long could a mixed force of more than 20,000 British and Burmese troops be able to sustain in the face of a three-dimensional attack by the Japanese army on land, sea and air? What he himself did was just try his best.

The only duty of a soldier, to put it nicely, is to resist with all his might, but to put it more realistically, it is to hang on for dear life and buy time.

If that bullshit Governor Ebsen and his yamen were not in Yangon, Major General Etheridge would have no reason to stick to Yangon. He would lead his troops to evacuate Yangon to avoid being surrounded and annihilated by the Japanese army with absolutely superior strength and firepower.

In Yangon, the soldiers were good, but there was no reason to risk their lives, so Major General Etheridge had no choice but to grit his teeth and set up defenses in the south of Yangon.

The captain's staff he ordered to notify Governor Ebsen came back, and he looked panicked. He was covered in mud and dust, and his beautiful military uniform was almost like a rag. He was very embarrassed. Etheridge's scalp tightened, and he had a premonition that something was going to happen.

Unfortunately, before the staff member could catch his breath, he hurriedly asked: "Have you notified the Governor himself? Have the government agencies and citizens started to evacuate?"

The staff officer rolled his eyes, full of horror, and replied: "Your Excellency, General, the Governor's Mansion was destructively bombed and razed to the ground during the first Japanese air raid. Governor Ebsen's whereabouts are unknown, and the scene is being

To carry out search and rescue, the counselor of the Governor's Mansion temporarily took over the powers of the Governor and asked me to come back and tell the general to please send troops to assist the evacuation of the Governor's Mansion and the overseas Chinese."

When Etheridge heard this, he almost jumped up and shouted loudly, "What? Send troops to assist in the evacuation? Are you kidding me? My soldiers are all in the south of Yangon, desperately blocking the Japanese advance, causing heavy casualties. At this time, no troops can

Withdraw, tell the counselor that there is nothing I can do, and the royal army stationed in Yangon can only hold on until four o'clock tomorrow morning. At that time, I will order the troops to evacuate Yangon."

Etheridge was telling the truth. By four o'clock tomorrow morning, the British and Burmese troops stationed in Yangon would have reached their limit. This also includes the time when the Japanese army stopped attacking at night. He had just received a report from the troops that the Japanese artillery fire had reached the limit.

It was so violent that it fell like a hail of artillery shells on the temporary barricades built by the British and Burmese troops. The outstanding descendants of Great Britain were mixed with bricks and rubble and turned into fragments flying in the sky.

Etheridge was panic-stricken, his light blue eyes glowing with a deathly gray sheen. It was only around four o'clock in the afternoon, and there were still twelve full hours before the scheduled evacuation time. He sent all the troops in Yangon to

After investing in it, he lost a quarter in less than a day. He almost lost confidence in the four o'clock in the morning promise he made.

Thirteen hours have passed since the Japanese army began their attack. Only then did Etheridge think of reporting the news of Yangon being attacked by the Japanese army to General Alexander, the commander-in-chief in northern Burma. This shows that before the Japanese army's sudden attack,

In front of them, the British commander, who had neither actual nor psychological preparations, was confused and did not abandon the city and flee. It was already commendable.

"Your Excellency, Commander-in-Chief, at 4 o'clock in the morning today, the Japanese army suddenly launched a three-dimensional attack on Yangon by land, sea and air. By 6 o'clock in the morning, the Japanese army landed at the port of Yangon, quickly occupied the port area, and continued to retreat towards the city center.

,I have ordered all the ministries in Rangoon

The team went into battle to buy time for the evacuation of government agencies and foreigners. Our defensive forces are too weak and we have not built strong defenses. In order to avoid the fate of the entire army being annihilated, we plan to evacuate Yangon at 4 o'clock tomorrow morning and transfer to

To the Mandalay area.”

The situation was extremely urgent. His garrison headquarters was constantly attacked by Japanese long-range artillery. In addition to reporting this shocking news, Etheridge also told Alexander, I have decided to run away, with or without your order.

, don’t think about letting me defend Yangon before it’s too late. With only such a small amount of troops, why should I defend Yangon?

From Etheridge's telegram to Alexander, it can be seen that the commander of the Yangon garrison is full of resentment. If you, the commander-in-chief, who is a piece of shit, had not transferred the main troops from Yangon, I would have

There is no problem in holding Yangon for a week. There are two fully-manned main infantry divisions with nearly 30,000 people!

Moreover, if the motorized infantry division was still there, it would be very convenient for Etheridge to run. The wheels of the car were always faster than the two feet. It is no wonder that Etheridge was full of resentment. At the beginning, Alexander was transferred

When he was in the army, Etheridge disagreed. Like his superiors, he was not wary of the Japanese. He just felt that there were too few defensive troops for such an important port in Yangon, a strategic location in southern Myanmar.

, I always feel that I don’t have much support.

For this matter, the two had a small dispute, which was not very pleasant. In the end, the official level crushed them to death. Alexander gave a hard order and transferred two divisions of troops. Etheridge resisted thirty

Six hours, on the one hand, because of the huge disparity in strength with the Japanese army, on the other hand, it was also to vent the resentment in his heart and make Alexander uncomfortable.

When he saw the telegram, Alexander was even more surprised than Major General Etheridge. He was so surprised that he almost collapsed. Alexander was in Myitkyina to centrally command and coordinate the various British troops transferred to northern Burma to join forces with the Japanese troops in the Savage Mountains.

Prepare for an all-out war against the Japanese divisions and regain lost ground along the Southeast Asian border.

The news of the Japanese army's attack on Yangon and Thailand was like a blow to the head, which made Alexander burst into tears and make him want to cry. He never imagined that the Japanese had betrayed their faith and started fighting without declaring, taking advantage of the main force of the British army.

Focusing on the opportunity in northern Burma, Alexander launched a surprise attack. Alexander believed that he was interesting enough to the Japanese and had done everything he had to do.

But why did the Japanese continue to attack Southeast Asia? He couldn't figure it out. Because he couldn't figure it out, he felt even more aggrieved. Grievance, anger, panic, fear, and all kinds of complicated emotions flooded Alexander's heart like never before.

He was at a loss. At this moment, as the highest military commander of the British colonies in Southeast Asia, he was completely confused.

In the headquarters in Myitkyina, Alexander sat dumbly for a long time. Suddenly he jumped up and shouted angrily: "I want to protest, lodge a serious protest with the Japanese government, and protest against this invasion of the British Empire."

Regarding the acts of aggression in overseas territories, Secretary, please draft a protest message immediately and send it immediately!"

None of the other British officers in the headquarters said a word, and no one took any action. They just looked at their commander with pity in their eyes and protested? The Japanese war against the British Empire has fully broken out in Yangon.

The battle is fierce and is about to be lost. On the Thai side, the Japanese offensive is surging. In less than a week, Bangkok will not be safe. At this time, what kind of protest can the commander-in-chief make?

Were they mentally disturbed by this shocking news, or were they kicked in the head by a donkey? The Japanese are determined to conquer Southeast Asia, and Alexander can solve it with just a paper of protest? He protested against Tang Qiuli, but

Is there any result? The Japanese took action, no less than the Chinese Tang Qiuli!

(To be continued)

!#