On December 23, 1941, China and Britain signed the Agreement on Mutual Defense of the Burma Road, and on the 26th, a military alliance was concluded, and it was decided that China would form an expeditionary force to go to Burma to support the British army in its operations against Japan. In March 1942, the expeditionary force officially entered Burma to launch the Burma Road Operation, which was the first time since the Sino-Japanese War that the Chinese army went abroad to fight, and in 3 years in the counter-offensive in northern Burma and western Yunnan, a total of more than 49,000 Japanese troops were annihilated, and the expeditionary force also paid heavy sacrifices, with about 150,000 officers and men casualties, of which twelve senior generals have made heroic sacrifices, more than half of them sacrificed in foreign countries, and wrote a magnificent chapter with their own lives!
The first expedition was praised by the world for its bravery and tenacity in defending Tonggu and Ren'an qiang in various battles to save the British army. However, due to the lack of coordination, improper deployment, multi-headed command and other reasons of the Allied operations, the expeditionary force was always in a passive posture, failed to achieve the campaign attempt, and was forced to retreat to India and China; the second expedition was launched by the Chinese Army in India and the West Yunnan Expeditionary Force successively launched the Burmese Northern Yunnan West Expedition, successfully met the division at Qicheng Town, completed the task of opening the Burma Road, and then withdrew to the country and was abolished in April 1945. The fourteen senior generals who died during this period were: Ling Zemin, Chen Haiquan, Dai Anlan, Liu Shuren, Min Jilian, Hu Yibin, Li Zhulin, Chen Fan, Zhang Jianhong, Tang Tiecheng, Qin Zibin, Li Yi, Hong Xing, and Qi Xueqi.
Major General Ling Zemin, commander of the 288th Regiment of the 96th Division of the 5th Army
A native of Pingjiang, Hunan, he graduated from the sixth term of the Huangpu Military Academy and participated in the famous Battle of Kunlun Pass, where he was a pioneer and was wounded by a bullet in his left leg. In February 1942, he led the whole regiment into the Chinese Expeditionary Force, fought with the Japanese army at Binwen Xingcheng, commanded the battalions to resolutely counterattack, destroyed more than 10 Japanese tanks, inflicted heavy damage on the Japanese army, so he was promoted to major general, in April 1942, in the rescue of the besieged British army to guard the 642 heights of Baida Mountain, blocking the Japanese army, under the superior firepower of the Japanese army, the casualties were very large, continuous fierce fighting for 18 days, destroying 8 Japanese tanks, defeating the strong enemy, and finally running out of ammunition, surrounded by the Japanese army. The remaining officers and men insisted on repeatedly charging and killing the Japanese army until they were heroically sacrificed. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it was included in the second list of famous anti-Japanese heroes and heroes.
Colonel Chen Haiquan, commander of the 87th Regiment of the newly organized 29th Division of the 66th Army
In 1942, shaoyang people in Hunan, graduated from the sixth term of the Huangpu Military Academy, cleaned themselves, did not drink alcohol, did not gamble, did not prostitute, loved subordinate officers and men, paid attention to the rectification of military discipline, in 1942, accompanied by the Chinese Expeditionary Force to fight in Burma, was ordered to lead the 87th Regiment to defend the frontal position in the northern highlands of Gukaicheng, held out for 3 days, repelled several Japanese attacks, destroyed 6 Japanese tanks, both sides were seriously wounded, seriously wounded, but still commanded the troops to hold the position. On May 2, before his death, Chen Haiquan took off the symbol on his chest and ordered the messengers to present them to the military headquarters to report that he had fulfilled his vow to coexist and die with the position. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he was posthumously recognized as a revolutionary
Major General Dai Anlan, commander of the 200th Division of the 5th Army
After the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he successively participated in the Gubeikou War of Resistance, the Battle of Taierzhuang, the Battle of Xuzhou, the Battle of Wuhan, the Battle of Suizao (The Battle of Yang, the Battle of Changsha, and the Battle of Kunlun Pass in Guinan. In 1942, he led the 200th Division as the vanguard of the Chinese Expeditionary Force to participate in the battle in Burma, and won the Battle of Tonggu (annihilating more than 5,000 enemy troops, while the Japanese army strength was 4 times that of Daibu), recovering Tangji and other battle achievements, due to the British and Burmese army losing the city and the land, the Burmese war situation took a sharp turn for the worse, on May 18, 1942 in the Langke area commanded the breakthrough battle, on the 26th in the village of Maobang in northern Myanmar, martyred, heroic sacrifice. The Nationalist government posthumously awarded the Army Lieutenant General and was the first Chinese soldier to receive the American Medal in World War II. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it was included in the first list of famous anti-Japanese heroes and heroes.
Commander of the 599th Regiment of the 200th Division of the 5th Army, Colonel Willow
A native of Anshun, Guizhou, graduated from the fifth phase of the Huangpu Military Academy, he led his troops to participate in famous battles such as the Battle of Taierzhuang and the Battle of Kunlun Pass after the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan. In 1942, with the Chinese Expeditionary Force to fight in Burma, led the regiment to participate in the famous Battle of Tonggu, the lone army and four times the Japanese Kou fierce battle for 12 days, so that the Japanese army suffered heavy losses, in May 1942, on the way back to the country to lead the regiment as a rear guard, cover the breakthrough of the whole division, in the fierce battle with the Japanese army, heard that Dai Anlan was wounded, so he went to the rescue, Willow Tree was a pioneer soldier, and the deputy regiment commander was martyred. The National Government posthumously awarded the army major general, and after the founding of the People's Republic of China, he was included in the second list of famous anti-Japanese heroes and heroes.
Deputy Commander of the 36th Division and Director of the Political Department, Major General Min Jilian
Fengjieren, Sichuan, graduated from the fifth phase of the Whampoa Military Academy, and after the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, because he was good at politics, he successively served as a colonel instructor, a colonel commissioner of the Second Department of the Political Department of the Military Commission, and a deputy commander of the major general of the Suining Division in Sichuan. Because he hated the cruelty of the Japanese Kou, he voluntarily joined the combat troops, led the 36th Division to rush to the front line in Yunnan, and in May 1942, he and the officers and men of the whole division fought bravely against the enemy with patriotic will and flesh and blood at Huitong Bridge, eliminated the Japanese Kou, and unfortunately encountered the strafing and bombing of the Japanese Kou aircraft, and martyred the country in a heroic way.
Major General Hu Yibin, deputy commander of the 96th Division of the 5th Army
Jiangxi Xingguo people, Huangpu Military Academy iii graduates, participated in the Northern Expedition, after the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan led the troops to fight with the Japanese army, turned to fight in northern Hubei henan and other places, took the lead in the soldiers, fought bravely, was wounded twice, in March 1942 led the troops to join the Chinese Expeditionary Force, went to Burma to fight against the Japanese army, fought with the Japanese army in Pingmanna, led the troops to fight for eight days and nights, severely damaged the Japanese army, in the fierce battle with the Japanese army in northern Burma, in order to cover the safe transfer of the main force of the whole army, led the troops to stubbornly block the Japanese army in burying, several bullets in the body, and martyred the country. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it was included in the second list of famous anti-Japanese heroes and heroes.
Li Zhulin, commander of the Burma garrison, chief of staff of the expeditionary force station, and major general
Hubei Changyang people, graduated from the seventh phase of the Huangpu Military Academy, successively entered Nanjing, Wuhan Huangpu Branch As an instructor, after the outbreak of the All-out War of Resistance Against Japan in 1937, he led his troops to participate in the Battle of Songhu, was strafed by Japanese aircraft, and broke his toe. In 1942, he entered Burma with the expeditionary force and participated in the war against Japan, and in the Battle of Northern Burma, he was seriously wounded in the chest, and the medical treatment was ineffective, and he was martyred. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it was included in the second list of famous anti-Japanese heroes and heroes.
Senior Counselor of the Commander-in-Chief of the Sixth Theater of Operations and Major General Chen Fan
Hunan Phoenix, graduated from the fifth stage of the higher education class of the Central Military Academy, led the bloody battle of Jiashan after the outbreak of the All-out War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in 1937, which was the largest and fiercest battle in Zhejiang during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, in 1942, accompanied by the Chinese Expeditionary Force to fight in Burma, participated in many battles against Japan, and died heroically in Western Yunnan on January 31, 1944.
Zhang Jianhong, senior staff officer and major general of the 5th Army
A native of Fengtai, Anhui, graduated from the third phase of the Whampoa Military Academy, he covered Nie Rongzhen in 1927, participated in the Battle of Nanjing, the Battle of Wuhan, the Battle of Changsha, and the Battle of Kunlun Pass after the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan. On January 31, 1944, in western Yunnan, adjacent to Burma, Zhang Jianhong was martyred in a fierce battle with the Japanese army, and his blood was spilled on southern Xinjiang.
Tang Tiecheng, deputy director and major general of the combat vehicle training class of the army stationed in India
A native of Lingling, Hunan, graduated from the sixth phase of the Whampoa Military Academy, served as the commander of the 16th Division in Cheng Qian's Sixth Army, participated in the Battle of Changsha after the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, was ordered to expedition for the country in 1943, served as the deputy director of the combat vehicle training class of the army stationed in India, died in Langa, India on the first day of April 1944, and was buried in the "India Ranga Chinese Anti-Japanese Expeditionary Force Martyrs Cemetery" in Garkhand Province, eastern India.
Colonel Qin Zibin, commander of the 594th Regiment of the 198th Division of the 54th Army
Hunan Dayongren, Yunnan Daowutang graduate, grumpy, easy to get angry, often bumped into the superior, so for a long time did not get promoted, the soldiers under the opponent are very concerned, and his combat ability is very strong, good at using large knives, in May 1944, the Chinese Expeditionary Force in the capture of hokusai public house, led the soldiers to launch a fierce competition, one leg was blown off, a pair of hands were also hit by bullets, insisted on refusing to retreat, still personally commanded the battle, and finally captured the Hokusai public house, He died of his wounds on June 2, 1944. The National Government posthumously awarded the army major general, and after the founding of the People's Republic of China, he was included in the second list of famous anti-Japanese heroes and heroes.
Colonel Li Yi, commander of the 5th Regiment of the 2nd Reserve Division of the 6th Army
Hunan Liling people, graduated from the sixth phase of the Huangpu Military Academy, after the reorganization of the expeditionary force in 1943, led the troops to carry out guerrilla warfare in western Yunnan and northern Teng, in 1944 participated in the Battle of Tenglong, entered the northwest area of Tengchong Suburbs, attacked the city from the west gate of the city, and launched a fierce street battle with the Japanese army, fiercely fought for 45 days, suffered heavy casualties, and finally completely annihilated the Japanese army defending the city, during the battle, unfortunately, it was hit by the cold gun of the Japanese army and martyred. The National Government posthumously awarded the army major general, and after the founding of the People's Republic of China, he was included in the second list of famous anti-Japanese heroes and heroes.
Major General Hong Xing, commander of the newly organized 39th Division of the 2nd Army
In 1943, Hong Xing personally led 150 soldiers, armed with large knives, defeated Matsumoto at The Turf Pass, and was called "China's God of War" by the Japanese War Newspaper, who held Zhang Jinshan and Nantianmen in the Battle of Longling, blocked the main force of the Japanese Kou, and the whole division was almost exhausted! He died of serious injuries caused by a crash in his own jeep on the way back to a meeting at the Governor's Office. The Nationalist government posthumously awarded the army lieutenant general, and after the founding of the Country, he was posthumously recognized as a revolutionary martyr.
Qi Xueqi, commander of the newly formed 39th Division of the 2nd Army and Major General Qi Xueqi
A native of Ningxiang, Hunan, graduated from Tsinghua University, after the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, he led his troops to participate in the 1.28 Songhu War of Resistance and the 8.13 Songhu War of Resistance, giving the enemy who came to attack him head-on. In the spring of 1942, he was ordered to enter Burma from Yunnan, assisted the Allied forces in combat, participated in the Battle of Ren'an Qiang, rescued thousands of British troops, and then led the wounded officers and soldiers to encounter the Japanese army during the transfer process, shot and wounded and captured, preferring to die unyieldingly, and was assassinated by traitors in the Yangon prisoner of war camp. The National Government posthumously awarded the army lieutenant general, and after the founding of the People's Republic of China, he was included in the second list of famous anti-Japanese heroes and heroes.
There were also soldiers who sacrificed their lives to foreign countries, such as Liang Chongxin, commander of the 200th Division of the 5th Army, who was selected into the list of the third batch of famous anti-Japanese heroes and heroes, who fought against the invaders for the sake of the country and finally sacrificed their lives. The final victory of the Chinese Expeditionary Force not only effectively supported the Allied forces in the Sino-Indian and Burmese battlefields against Japan, opened up the international transportation line in southwest China, improved the positive energy of China's frontal battlefield, accelerated the collapse of Japanese fascism, and also struck at the arrogance of the Japanese army, greatly increased the national pride and pride, and was also enough to comfort the more than 100,000 officers and men who died for this purpose.
Hats off to the Chinese Expeditionary Force! True heroes of the people will never forget them!