The surprise attack of the Chinese Expeditionary Force on the Battle of Mizhina (a large number of photos have been released for the first time)

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Surprise attack on Myitkyina

Most of the photographs presented in this article were taken by Bernard Hoffman during May 1944, and a few have been used in previous articles. The Surprise Attack on Myitkyina was a joint Sino-American commando force that crossed the primeval mountains and forests that were considered impassable, and caught the Japanese army by surprise. A few hours after the airport was occupied, General Stilwell led Pan Yukun of the 50th Division, Hu Su, commander of the newly formed 30th Division, and a group of war correspondents.

Although the airfield was quickly occupied, the battle to capture Myitkyina lasted more than two months, and the Japanese defenders engaged in suicidal defensive operations, which were eventually largely annihilated, and the commander-in-chief, Major General Minakami Genzo, shot himself after the defeat.

The Battle of Myitkyina was also one of the three "jade crushing" (total annihilation) of the Japanese, the other two at Songshan and Tengchong.

The battle of Myitkyina, by any measure, can be called one of the most daring actions in the history of warfare. Previously, the Chinese army in India under the command of Stilwell took the lead in the counteroffensive from northern Burma, planning to recover northern Burma and open a land communication line from India to China to break the Japanese blockade of China.

They had to advance south along the Hukang and Mongong valleys, two narrow valleys that connect north to south, to clear the way for the opening of a land route to China, with the ultimate goal of capturing important airfields and transportation hubs in Myitkyina.

The elite 18th Division of the Japanese army has been resisting stubbornly by virtue of the terrain, especially after the Chinese army occupied the Hukang River Valley, the Japanese army under the command of Tanaka Shinichi took control of the valley between Kamaiing and Mong Kung about 50 kilometers long, and the Japanese army believed that as long as Stilwell could not enter the Mong Kung River Valley, the Chinese army could not attack Myitkyina.

As long as the campaign dragged on until May-June 1944, the rainy season in Burma would be the biggest accomplice of the defenders, and the flooded valleys would not only make it impossible for the army to move, but also immobilize the Allied tank forces. But as soon as the Chinese army and the "Marauders of Merrill" appeared at Myitkyina airport through the seemingly impassable mountains, Tanaka's carefully planned defenses began to crumble, and even his own back roads would soon be cut off.

The Sino-American mixed task force marched into the vast forest in three directions, carrying sufficient supplies, for fear that if one of the columns encountered the enemy, the remaining two units still had enough strength to complete the surprise attack.

For 16 days, the three-way column cut off all contact with the outside world, as if it had disappeared into the jungles of northern Burma. On the 16th, an anxious Stilwell finally received a telegram from the commandos: they had successfully infiltrated the vicinity of the airport.

In the early morning of 17 May, a group of US bombers suddenly bombed the unsuspecting city of Myitkyina, and three hours later, the 150th Regiment of the 50th Division and the 89th Regiment of the newly formed 30th Division of the Chinese army suddenly entered the airfield.

Subsequently, US transport planes and gliders began to land intensively at the Myitkyina airfield that had just been occupied like swarms, and the Chinese troops stationed in India flew by planes over the Mong Gong River valley and the dark primeval jungle where the fighting had not yet ended, and came to Myitkyina in a steady stream.

Schematic diagram of the offensive in northern Burma

The next day, the headlines of the world's major newspapers were "Allied surprise attack on Myitkyina." This sudden victory also felt like a "slap in the face" to the proud British, because until then, Mountbatten had always believed that Stilwell and his Chinese army would not be able to attack any Burmese city without the strong assistance of the British and the main Anglo-Indian forces in the war.

Few people believed that Stilwell would launch his Battle of Myitkyina without first asking for help from the British. Churchill sent a telegram to Mountbatten, asking him to explain "how the Americans came down from heaven in Myitkyina."

It was the first Japanese fort on the Asian continent to be occupied by the Allies. Incredibly, no one told Mountbatten that the Allies were attacking Myitkyina. Mountbatten was furious that Stilwell hadn't briefed him in detail beforehand. Mountbatten told Churchill that he also intended to write a letter to Stilwell to ask him.

Fortunately, unlike the pompous Mountbatten, his staff officers and advisers were still on the line, and finally, Stilwell received a document signed by Mountbatten that reads:

"Under the bold leadership of Your Excellency, and with the courage and perseverance of the American and Chinese troops, you launched a surprise attack on the enemy and captured the Myitkyina airfield, achieving one of the most brilliant successes. The feat of Chinese and American troops crossing the Kumen Mountains will go down in military history as a miracle. ”

The following is a collection of photos, most of which are being shown for the first time in China, and individual photos may cause discomfort:

1. During the march, Brigadier General Merrill (who holds the map) held talks with the staff officers. The second from the right is Lieutenant Colonel Li Chun, China Liaison Officer.

2. The "Merrill Marauders" marched through the clearing to Myitkyina. On the same day, they arrived safely and soundly less than two kilometers from the airport.

3. The patrol team walked along the jungle path to protect the main team, and they vigilantly searched the bamboo forest and bushes. All of these soldiers carried automatic and semi-automatic weapons so that they could fire quickly in the event of an encounter with the Japanese. The second soldier also carried a curved Gurkha knife. Squads like this constantly patrol around the ranks to prevent possible surprises.

4. At the first-aid post in the bamboo forest, a "raider" is being treated for a foot injury. Two medical teams, one led by Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Seagrave. They move with the team. Medical supplies are packed in large boxes and transported on pack horses.

5. A pack horse slipped in the mud and then struggled to stand up, and most of the marching trails along the way were muddy, and the physical exertion was great during the march.

6. The American soldier lies on the ground, blowing the fire to heat the morning in the lunch box. They also ate canned K rations. Because of the rain at night and the humid and high temperature in the dense forest, the officers and soldiers who woke up the next day would feel stiff and sore.

To lighten the load, the "raiders" threw away all the utensils, leaving only a lunch box and a spoon. They even threw away towels, toothbrushes, mattresses, raincoats and a change of clothes. Each person carried only weapons, ammunition, and a military blanket.

7. Chinese and American artillery shelled the Japanese positions, and this light mountain artillery was dismantled into several parts, and together with ammunition, it was carried all the way to Myitkyina with livestock:

8. The use of artillery fire by the Chinese army:

9. Anti-aircraft machine gun position:

The American GI was not killed, but snooze on the machine-gun handle.

10. After occupying the airport, the transport plane began to take off and land forcibly under Japanese artillery fire, and the body was a Japanese soldier who was killed:

11. Japanese soldiers who were killed:

12. Battlefield ambulance and surgery:

13. General Stilwell and the "Marauders", the heavily armed man to the left of the general, carrying a carbine, pistol, and dagger, is Captain Dick Young, a Hawaiian-born Chinese who is Stilwell's personal assistant.

14. Myitkyina "News Agency": After two days of boiling in the waterlogged trenches, the war correspondents and photographers on the battlefield invariably gathered under a wrecked transport plane, and they established a "news agency" in the cabin and on the ground below, they felt that the fuselage was a good place to store film and spare cameras, and the navigator's desk above the nose was a good place to use a typewriter.

The damage to the plane was not significant, and although it was later damaged by Japanese fighters, engineers continued to remove parts from it to repair other aircraft. These army field photographers and journalists have a lot of food, because they can get canned rations for the U.S. military and fresh vegetables for the Chinese army.

The plane's radio station was not broken, and you could listen to programs from New Delhi and London, and they also used steel helmets to collect rainwater, successfully transforming the broken plane into an "apartment" that everyone was looking for.

In this photograph taken by Bernie Hoffman of Life magazine (above), the personnel of Myitkyina's "press headquarters" are (from left): Sergeant Dave Richardson of YANK magazine; Captain Clancy Top, Public Relations at Stilwell HQ; Sgt. Warren Bochran, photographer at Stilwell headquarters; Sergeant Dave Quaid, 164th Signal Photography Company; William Safran, 164th Signal Photography Company; Private Joseph Latzkowski of the 164th Signal Photography Company; Private Daniel Novak, 164th Signal Photography Company; Tillman Dedin of the New York Times.

In Hoffman's photographs, Tillman Dudin can be seen typing for The New York Times as Japanese guns are flying. Tillman was the only civilian journalist who remained in the war zone after the airport was occupied. All the other war correspondents were at the General Headquarters a few hundred kilometers away. They took General Stilwell's plane to Myitkyina for a press conference, and they all left after only 20 minutes, but Tillman decided to stay.

The brave journalist died in 1988.

15. The Chinese troops who were airlifted to Myitkyina for reinforcements, supplies, and evacuation of the wounded were:

On the afternoon of May 17, most of the 89th Regiment of the newly formed 30th Division; On 18 May, the remaining troops of the 89th Regiment were also airlifted to Myitkyina.

May 19, 14th Regiment of the 42nd Division; On July 25, the 90th Regiment of the newly formed 30th Division, an infantry regiment that had just been formed, was also airlifted here.

This is supposed to be a Burmese refugee from the village around the airport

The Chinese soldiers in the back looked quite happy

This article is original and refuses to be reproduced by any media.

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