The First Department of National Martyrs' Lonely City Blood War Chapter 40: Reorganizing the Heroic Army

  (Thickening my skin to ask for collection and votes! Xiao Qi can only stay on the list until Friday, so I'm shamelessly asking again. Let's be proud for a few more days, and there are still over 20,000 words before the new book list comes out!)

  After determining the list of officers in charge of each battalion, Song Yu-hang immediately decided to hold the founding ceremony of the 200th Mechanized Brigade the next day. The guests invited by Song Yu-hang for the ceremony were only Du Yuming, Yu Shao and Sun Li-ren. The first two were the commander and deputy commander of the New Fifth Army, and the 200th Mechanized Brigade was still under the jurisdiction of the New Fifth Army, while Sun Li-ren was a supporter mentioned in Soong Ching-ling's letter.

  The only difference is that Song Yuhang did not invite a reporter? Upon learning that there were no reporters for an interview, Du Yuming had to instruct his deputy to bring five reporters.

  The second day was fine and sunny, with a gentle breeze making the sun not so scorching. Almost without any preparation, the founding ceremony of the 200th Mechanized Division began.

  Eleven infantry brigades composed of 2,470 remnants of the 200th Division accepted the inspection by Du Yuming and others. Although the soldiers were wearing brand new uniforms and were in high spirits, Du Yuming keenly sensed that the troops seemed to lack the kind of momentum they had when they set out from within the country, where those who obeyed prospered and those who disobeyed perished.

  After the troops finished lining up and raising the military flag, Song Yuhang glanced at Du Yuming, Du Yuming nodded to him, and then Song Yuhang took the manuscript handed over by Xu Tu'an and walked quickly to the microphone.

  After flipping through the manuscript for a few times, Song Yuhang furrowed his brow and muttered: "Isn't this nonsense?"

  Although the whisper was not loud, the amplifier clearly transmitted it out. The leaders on the stage and the grassroots officers and soldiers below were stunned for a moment.

  Song Yu-Hang immediately crumpled up the manuscript and threw it off the stage, tapping the microphone with his hand to produce a loud, booming sound. Then, adjusting the microphone with his hand, he declared in a loud voice: "Before I announce the establishment of the 200th Mechanized Brigade, everyone has arrived! At ease! Attention! Everyone remove your hats and observe three minutes of silence for Commander Dai and the more than 10,000 brothers who sacrificed their lives at Songgu!"

  Although there was no prior arrangement, the leaders also quickly stood up and took off their hats, and the scene was immersed in a low-key atmosphere, with many people in the audience even bursting into tears.

  Du Yiming knew that Song Yu Hang was a psychologically calculating person, but he thought that this move today wasn't very clever, it would only make the morale even lower, perhaps this kid still had an ace up his sleeve?

  After the mourning, Song Yuhang said loudly: "In a strict sense, the defense of Tonggu was defeated, and we are responsible for it. It was our 200th Division that lost Tonggu. However, we heavily damaged two Japanese divisions in Tonggu, and now the Japanese 55th and 56th Divisions are still on the Tonggu front line, which is the best proof."

  Song Yu-Hang looked around at the soldiers below and pointed at one of them, saying: "You tell me why you came to Burma to fight against the Japanese devils?"

  The soldier looked around and realized he was being referred to. He hastily stood at attention and replied: "Reporting for duty, sir! Defending the country!"

  Song Yuhang nodded and continued: "What you said is not wrong, Myanmar has been a vassal state of China since ancient times, it is an inseparable part of China's interests. Today we come to Myanmar to defend this place, which is exercising the power that we have abandoned for over a hundred years. From a moral standpoint, defending Myanmar is defending our country, and the purpose of defending our country is actually to defend your own families and loved ones! The Japanese did all sorts of evil in our China, burning, killing, looting, raping women! What makes them so cruel? They can even disregard heaven's justice and international conventions?"

  "Your turn to answer!" Song Yuhang pointed to a lieutenant in the front row, who was taken aback at first, then stood up straight and replied: "Reporting to the superior officer, Japanese imperialism has been spying on our great China for many years, with ambitions..."

  "Stop!" Song Yuhang interrupted the lieutenant's answer, waving his right hand: "I don't understand what you're saying. All I know is that the Japanese army's weapons and equipment are more advanced than ours, their soldiers' tactics and skills are more proficient than ours. They think they can ignore all morality, erase humanity, take away our property, and **our wives, daughters, and sisters**."

  Song Yuhang's passionate speech inadvertently swung his injured arm, and he suddenly felt a sharp pain that made him break out in cold sweat. Enduring the pain, Song Yuhang continued: "Why should we not do what the Japanese are doing? Why should they burn, kill, and loot, while we still treat them with hypocritical benevolence? Do you want to follow me to avenge our ancestors' humiliation, drive the Japanese devils out of Burma, and then drive them out of China? After that, I'll take you to land in Japan, where you can do whatever you want!"

  "Sir, are all Japanese girls okay?" A sudden sentence from the queue caused a burst of laughter!

  Song Yuhang pretended to look down and scolded, "Who was the idiot who asked that just now? What's with this 'having a Japanese girl' business? How can you only have one? You need at least ten!"

  Du Yuming and a group of senior generals suppressed their smiles, Song Yuhang's speech made them feel as if they had entered a bandit's lair.

  Song Yuhang adjusted his expression and said loudly: "Are you willing to follow me to restore the glory of the 200th Division, avenge Commander Dai and our brothers?"

  "With a thunderous roar of approval, Song Yu-Hang loudly declared the formal establishment of the 200th Mechanized Brigade of the Fifth Army of the National Revolutionary Army!"

  In the midst of snowflakes and cries for revenge, amidst the slogans shouting to fight all the way to Tokyo, Du Yuming and others retreated from the scene.

  A meeting was held, and Du Yuming first instructed his deputy to confiscate the cameras and notebooks of several reporters he had brought with him. It wasn't until then that he understood why Song Yuhang hadn't invited any reporters.

  Sitting in the sweltering "Snow Not Come" (Chevrolet), Du Yuming was savoring Song Yuhang's previous words, especially that sentence "We are here to exercise the power we have abandoned for over a hundred years!" It made his blood boil! The greatest dream and achievement of a soldier is to expand the territory.

  Thinking of the Pingmian Massacre campaign this morning, Du Yuming was emotionally excited. This is a sure-win battle that will surely win a stunning victory and destroy the main force of the Japanese army in Myanmar. The results of the war will far exceed the previous Kunlun Pass campaign, even the achievements of Han's Ban Chao and Song's Di Qing will be overshadowed! One battle will bring out the military power and national prestige of the Chinese army.

  Song Yuhang, however, did not have the same good situation as Deputy Commander Du. His seven battalions were still just empty shells, and he had to do a good job of receiving new recruits and supplementary officers. Although it was tiring, Song Yuhang's face always wore a smile, as if he never knew fatigue.

  Unfortunately, the Japanese did not give Song Yu-Hang a chance to complete his reorganization. On April 26, the Japanese army directly attacked the British Western Road. Since the fall of Rangoon, the British troops had been retreating and abandoning key locations such as Pyinmana, Allanmyo, and Magwe. On April 25, the British 7th Armoured Brigade, which was preparing to destroy oil fields in Yenangyaung, was surrounded by the Japanese army. The British strictly blocked this news.

  On the 26th, early in the morning, all senior generals of the expeditionary force were invited by General Alexander, the supreme commander of the Myanmar Allied Forces, to Meiktila, twenty kilometers away from Mandalay.

  Maymyo is a famous summer resort in Myanmar, the place is not big, but the environment is extremely beautiful, exquisite and elegant European-style buildings are scattered among the green hills and blue waters.

  Every summer, this place becomes the office of the Burmese government, and now it has become the headquarters of the British army. Unfortunately, neither the British nor the Chinese have the mood to enjoy this rare coolness.

  Song Yuhang, who was busy reorganizing the troops, was also summoned by Du Yuming to Mei Miao. As for the British not drinking early tea and being in a hurry to hold meetings, all Chinese people were very surprised.

  Song Yuhang wished that all the British people would be captured by the Japanese, with an expression of "the sky is falling and the tall ones are crushed first", and his poor colonel's rank made him very eye-catching among many high-ranking military officers.