The battlefield in Burma was like a purgatory ignited by the flames of war. Dark clouds hung heavily on the sky, and the smoke of gunpowder rolled like a demon, shrouding the land in the shadow of death.

The rumbling sound of cannons continued, shaking the earth, and every loud noise seemed like a heavy sigh of fate.

Du Yuming stood in the command center, his brows twisted into a knot, his eyes fixed on the huge military map on the wall.

On the map, the red arrows representing the Japanese army are like vicious beasts with bared fangs and claws, advancing madly into Myanmar.

The expeditionary force’s defense line was like a fragile dam hit by raging waves. It was in danger and could be swallowed up by the raging waves at any time.

Sun Liren hurried into the command center. Just by glancing at Du Yuming’s solemn expression, he knew the severity of the situation. “Commander Du, the Japanese offensive is extremely fierce. Our defense line…” Sun Liren said with some worry in his voice.

Du Yuming slowly turned around, his eyes as bright as torches, and he was extremely determined: “Commander Sun, we must hold on. The 200th Division has already engaged the Japanese army in Tonggu. This is the first battle of our expeditionary force after entering Burma. We can only win, not lose! This is not only about the outcome of this battle, but also about the dignity of the country and the hope of the nation!”

Sun Liren nodded solemnly: “I understand. The 200th Division is well-equipped, all equipped with German weapons, and its combat effectiveness should not be underestimated. However, the Japanese army is by no means an ordinary force. They have an absolute advantage in the air, and our supply and reinforcement are facing great difficulties.”

Du Yuming fell into deep thought, and after a moment he said: “I have requested air support from Chongqing, but it may not be available in a short time. We can only rely on ourselves. Tell the troops to hold their positions at all costs! Even if we fight to the last soldier, we must not retreat a single step!”

At this time, on the Tonggu battlefield, the sound of gunfire was deafening, as if it was an endless nightmare. Dai Anlan, commander of the 200th Division, stood on the battlefield, holding a telescope tightly in his hand, his eyes as sharp as a hawk, carefully observing the Japanese army’s every move.

“Commander, the Japanese army has started attacking again!” An adjutant hurried over to report, his voice filled with nervousness and excitement.

Dai Anlan slowly put down the telescope, his expression as cold as ice: “Notify all regiments, follow the predetermined plan, and fight hard! Let the Japanese have a taste of the power of our German-equipped division! Tell the brothers, behind us is the motherland, we have no way out, only to fight to the death!”

“Captain, do you think our German equipment can really scare the Japanese?” Private Li Dashan tightened the Zhongzheng rifle in his hand, with a hint of nervousness and expectation in his eyes, looking at Captain Zhang beside him.

Captain Zhang patted Li Dashan on the shoulder and grinned: “Dashan, don’t worry! Our 200-man division was formed by the Chairman’s personal order. It is equipped with all German weapons and the training is in accordance with German standards. The Japanese have never seen our strength before. This time, let them know why the flowers are so red!”

Outside the ancient city of Myanmar, the atmosphere was so tense that it seemed to ignite the air.

The Japanese 55th Division, self-proclaimed as an “elite division”, marched southward and rampaged across the battlefields of Southeast Asia. The division commander, Lieutenant General Takeuchi Hiroshi, was ambitious and wanted to quickly capture Tounggu and then open up a channel to attack the heart of Burma.

When he learned that the 200th Division of the Chinese Expeditionary Force was stationed in Tonggu, a scornful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth: “What can a small Chinese army do even if it has some German equipment? The bushido spirit of the Imperial Japanese Army will surely defeat them in one fell swoop!”

On March 3, the Japanese vanguard encountered the 19th Division’s guard troops near the Piyu River, and the Battle of Tonggu officially began.

“Attack!” With the order, the soldiers of the 200th Division, who had been lying in ambush, attacked the Japanese army like a tiger coming out of the mountain. The German MG34 general-purpose machine gun spewed out flames, and the dense bullets made the Japanese army unable to raise their heads. The Japanese army was caught off guard by this sudden and fierce attack, and they all fled in panic.

“It feels so good! The Japanese are always showing off their power, today we will let them taste the feeling of being beaten!” Li Dashan shouted excitedly, firing non-stop with the rifle in his hand.

While firing, Captain Zhang shouted, “Everyone hold on, don’t let the devils get away! Listen to my command and take turns to cover each other and move forward!”

The first battle was a success. The 200th Division successfully ambushed the Japanese army, killed more than 200 Japanese soldiers, and destroyed many Japanese vehicles. This battle made the Japanese army look at the 200th Division with new eyes, and also greatly increased the confidence of the soldiers of the 200th Division.

However, the Japanese army was not willing to accept defeat. The next day, they mobilized heavy troops and launched a frenzied attack on Tonggu under the cover of airplanes and artillery.

“Boom, boom, boom!” Japanese artillery shells fell on the Tonggu position like raindrops. For a moment, the air was filled with smoke and flames shot up into the sky.

“Get down!” Captain Zhang shouted, and everyone lay down on the ground. The blast from the shells hit him in the face, and Li Dashan felt like his ears were almost deafened.

After the bombardment, Japanese infantrymen rushed up like a tide, guns in hand.

“Brothers, put on your bayonets! Fight the Japs!” Company Captain Zhang stood up, pulled out the German-made M1918 trench dagger from his waist, and rushed towards the Japanese army first.

“Kill!” The soldiers stood up one after another, holding their Zhongzheng rifles with bayonets, and engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat with the Japanese army.

Li Dashan stared with red eyes, stabbing one Japanese soldier after another. Suddenly, a Japanese officer swung a saber and slashed at him. Li Dashan quickly used his rifle to block, but was shocked by the Japanese officer’s strength and retreated again and again. Just as the Japanese officer was about to attack again, Captain Zhang rushed over and stabbed the Japanese officer in the chest with a dagger.

“Dashan, be careful!” shouted Captain Zhang.

“Thank you, Captain!” Li Dashan looked at Captain Zhang with gratitude and continued to fight.

The battle lasted all day, and the soldiers of the 200th Division repelled the Japanese attack again and again. But the Japanese attack became more and more fierce, and the casualties of the 200th Division became more and more serious.

“Division Commander, the enemy’s offensive is too fierce, and we are running out of ammunition!” the staff officer anxiously reported to Dai Anlan.

Dai Anlan frowned: “Notify all troops to save ammunition and not to shoot without orders. Organize a death squad and prepare to engage in close combat with the enemy!”

“Yes!” As night fell, the battlefield became quiet for a while. Inside the ancient city, there were broken walls and ruins everywhere, and the pungent smell of gunpowder filled the air. Soldiers lay exhausted on the battlefield, some bandaging their wounds, and some wiping their weapons.

“Company commander, do you think we can hold Tonggu?” Li Dashan asked softly while lying on the ground, looking at the night sky.

Captain Zhang was silent for a while, then said, “Yes! We can definitely hold on! As long as we have one man left, we will never let the Japanese set foot in Tonggu! Dashan, are you afraid?”

Li Dashan shook his head: “I’m not afraid! My father said that we Chinese can’t be cowards. As long as we can beat the devils, it’s worth dying!”

Captain Zhang patted Li Dashan on the shoulder and said, “Good job! I’ll treat you to a drink after this battle!”

However, the Japanese army did not give the 200th Division a chance to breathe. The next morning, the Japanese army launched another attack. This time, the Japanese army invested more troops and weapons, and the battle was more intense.

“Report to the division commander, the right wing position is in danger! The enemy has broken through our defense line!”

“Send the reserve troops up and make sure to take the position back for me!” Dai Anlan gave the order decisively.

The reserve troops quickly rushed to the right wing position and started a fierce battle with the Japanese army. The two sides fought back and forth and the position changed hands many times.

“Kill!” The soldiers of the 200th Division shouted slogans and fought bravely. They rushed towards the enemy one after another regardless of the Japanese artillery fire and bullets. With their tenacious resistance, the Japanese attack was finally contained.

Under the cover of tanks, the Japanese infantry charged towards the 200th Division’s position like a tide. The heavy tracks of the tanks crushed the land mercilessly, making a terrifying roar. The Japanese soldiers held their guns and shouted, looking unstoppable.

However, as soon as they approached, they were hit by the 200th Division’s fierce fire. The German MG34 general-purpose machine guns let out a crisp and deadly roar, and dense bullets rained down on the Japanese army. Each bullet carried the anger and hatred of the Chinese soldiers and was accurately shot at the enemy. Japanese soldiers fell down like harvested wheat, and the charging formation was suddenly in chaos.

“Good job!” a young soldier shouted excitedly, his eyes sparkling with excitement, “These German weapons are different. The Japanese are in trouble now!”

The veteran beside him patted his shoulder and said calmly: “Don’t be too happy. The Japanese won’t be repelled so easily. Keep hidden and prepare for the next round of attack! The war has just begun, and there is still a long way to go.”

Just as the veterans expected, the Japanese army soon organized a new round of charge. This time, they increased the intensity of artillery support. Countless shells whistled down on the positions of the 200th Division like raindrops, explosions came one after another, and flames shot up into the sky. Mud, sand, and soldiers’ limbs were thrown high into the air, and the entire position instantly turned into a living hell.

“Get down!” Dai Anlan shouted, and was the first to lie on the ground. The soldiers around him also quickly sought shelter, lying on the ground tightly, silently praying in their hearts that they could escape this round of fatal artillery fire.

After the artillery fire, the Japanese army launched another charge. Dai Anlan stood up and raised his arms and shouted: “Brothers, fight! For the country, for the nation, kill!” The voice seemed to have endless power, penetrating the smoke and resounding throughout the battlefield.

Soldiers raised their guns and shot at the Japanese. For a while, the battlefield was filled with gunfire and shouts of killing. The German-made Mauser rifle took advantage of its long range and high accuracy, effectively hitting the Japanese at a long distance. Every pull of the trigger meant the fall of an enemy. The German-made grenades were so powerful that they exploded in the crowd of Japanese soldiers, and flowers of death bloomed, causing heavy casualties to the Japanese.

However, the Japanese attack became more and more fierce. They continued to send more troops, swarming towards the 200th Division’s defense line like ants, trying to break through the defense line with their superior force.

“Commander, we are running out of ammunition!” A soldier ran over anxiously to report, his face full of worry.

Dai Anlan frowned and gave a decisive order: “Notify the logistics troops to replenish ammunition as soon as possible. At the same time, tell the brothers to save ammunition and not to shoot without orders! Every bullet must play its greatest role and cannot be wasted!”

At this moment, the roar of an airplane suddenly came from the sky. Dai Anlan looked up and saw several Japanese bombers flying towards the position. The eye-catching plaster flags on the wings were particularly dazzling under the sunlight.

“Oh no, it’s a Japanese bomber!” Dai Anlan shouted, “Quick, hide!” The soldiers looked for cover everywhere, some hid in the trenches, and some lay behind sandbags.

The Japanese bombers dropped a large number of bombs, which fell with a sharp whistling sound and exploded on the battlefield. The flames shot up into the sky, the smoke filled the air, and the entire battlefield seemed to be wantonly destroyed by an invisible big hand. Many soldiers died in the bombing, and the battlefield was also bombed into pieces.

“Commander, a hole has been blown in our defense line!” An adjutant ran over anxiously to report, with a hint of despair in his voice.

Dai Anlan’s face changed, and he shouted without hesitation: “Organize a death squad and block the hole for me! At all costs! As long as we still have one person, we must not let the Japanese break through the defense line!”

Soon, a death squad was formed. The members held German MP38 submachine guns, their eyes were full of determination and resoluteness. They shouted slogans and rushed towards the hole that was blown open. The powerful firepower of the MP38 submachine gun was fully exerted at close range, and the dense bullets made it difficult for the Japanese army to resist for a while. The members of the death squad bravely rushed forward regardless of life and death, and finally successfully blocked the hole.

However, the Japanese attack did not stop. They continued to send more troops and launched rounds of attacks on the positions of the 200th Division. The battle entered a white-hot stage, and both sides tried their best. Under the leadership of Dai Anlan, the soldiers of the 200th Division resisted tenaciously and repelled the Japanese attack again and again.

The battle lasted for a day and a night, and the 200th Division’s position was still firmly in their hands. But the soldiers also paid a heavy price, and casualties continued to increase. The position was full of corpses and wounded, and the blood dyed the land red.

“Division Commander, we have held on for a day and a night. Our troops have suffered heavy casualties. Should we consider retreating?” an adjutant suggested cautiously, with fatigue and helplessness in his voice.

Dai Anlan shook his head and said firmly: “No, our mission is to hold on to Tonggu. We must not retreat without orders from our superiors! Moreover, we must let the Japanese know that we Chinese soldiers will not surrender easily! Even if we have only one breath left, we must fight to the end!”

At this moment, a signalman rushed in: “Division Commander, Commander Du called and ordered us to continue to hold on. Reinforcements are on the way!” (End of this chapter)