On December 7, 1944, the US 77th Infantry Division successfully landed at Omotak Bay on the west side of Laite Island, forming an encirclement situation against the Japanese army.
On December 10, the U.S. military captured the port of Omotak and continued to advance.
Yamashita Fengfumi decided to stop the Battle of Laite Island and allowed the remnants of the 35th Army to withdraw to the central and southern Philippine islands.
The Battle of Laite Island was actually over at this point, and the remaining actions of the Japanese army were nothing more than a trapped beast still fighting.
Although the US military basically controls Luzon Island, the work of cleaning up the battlefield is always going on.
Until July of the following year, the remaining Japanese troops on the island continued to attack the US military.
In order to defend Laite Island, the Japanese army invested 100,000 troops, but the result was that the entire army was annihilated. The reinforcements to Laite Island greatly weakened the defense power of Luzon Island.
Soon after, Yamashita Fengfumi, who had treated the British army with arrogance in Singapore, would taste the same despair as the US-Philippine coalition forces.
The U.S. military captured the entire Lite Island and used Lite Island as a base to launch an attack on Luzon Island, laying the foundation for the capture of the Philippines.
On December 17, 1944, Yamashita officially declared Manila an "undefended city."
Most of the houses in urban Manila are made of wooden structures, which are easy to burn, and the groundwater is shallow. It is impossible to build underground tunnels and underground positions, and it is impossible to conduct defensive operations here.
His plan was for the troops to retreat to the mountains for long-lasting defense to buy time for the "local decisive battle."
To this end, he divided the 270,000 Japanese troops on Luzon Island into three parts to guard the mountainous areas in all directions. The main force was the "Martial Arts Group" led by Yamashita himself. They would retreat to the northern mountainous areas and build positions with Baguio City as the center. , for lasting defense.
His plan was good, but he encountered a madman who was determined to live or die with Manila:
Iwabuchi three times!
Just before Yamashita Fengwen declared Manila an undefended city, a large number of people and materials were evacuating Manila through various channels.
After this order was officially issued, the evacuation speed became even faster.
The Japanese army in Manila resolutely obeyed Yamashita's orders, and they were no longer willing to bleed for this city.
The 17,000 marines commanded by Iwabuchi three times and the 4,000 army security forces left behind in Manila to take charge of public security will continue to fight bloody battles for this city to the end!
On December 17, the day Yamashita Fengwen announced the order, Takuma Shintani was ordered to lead all members of the Intelligence Section and some agents of the Japanese Army's secret service in Manila to escort a large amount of supplies to prepare to leave Manila.
Iwabuchi, who had been busy with defensive operations, actually came to see him off in person.
This was something that neither Meng Shaoyuan nor Takuma Shintani expected.
"Shintani-kun, are you really leaving?" Iwabuchi asked three times after he came here.
"Yes, I'm leaving." Takuma Shintani said calmly: "I also want to live and die with Manila, but I must carry out the orders of my superiors!"
Iwabuchi smiled sarcastically three times: "Well, I wish you a safe journey. If you have the opportunity to meet Commander Yamashita, please tell him that there are still some warriors in Manila who are willing to fight to the end for the empire!"
Takuma Shintani heard his sarcasm: "I will, Lord Iwabuchi."
His eyes stayed on Meng Shaoyuan, but only for a second before he quickly moved away: "Please take care!"
take care!
Meng Shaoyuan knew these three words, they were what he said to himself.
Please take care, senior!
Please take care, my brothers!
In the crowd, he saw brothers Xiaozhong and Shang Heng.
take care!
They're gone!
Iwabuchi silently watched these people gradually move away three times, and suddenly said: "They are all gone, and you are the most trusted by Takuma Shintani. Why don't you leave with them?"
"I'm here, and I still have unfinished tasks." Meng Shaoyuan knew
Iwabuchi asked himself three times: "Besides, not everyone is afraid of death, and not everyone is unwilling to shed the last drop of blood for the empire."
"Oh, really?" Iwabuchi said something unexpected three times.
Meng Shaoyuan said calmly: "I admire you very much, Commander. Even though Laite Island has been defeated and Manila is about to face a fierce attack, you still fight for the empire loyally and bravely. There are few people like you in the empire now. .
If we really all have to die here, then, Commander, let me accompany you to die here! "
Iwayuan turned to Meng Shaoyuan three times, stared at him for a long time, and then said: "You know, in the past, I didn't have much affection for you people. But now, I find that I was wrong.
Even among you, there are brave men like you. You are the true representative of Yamato Soul! Thank you, Taniguchi-kun! "
As Manila's top defense commander, he actually bowed slightly to Meng Shaoyuan.
In this extraordinary period, he needs the support of people like Shibu Taniguchi so much.
"Your Majesty Commander, what are you doing?" Meng Shaoyuan asked in a pretentious manner.
"Taniguchi-kun, you have seen with your own eyes that many people are running away." Iwabuchi said slowly three times: "But what you did can greatly inspire the determination of the soldiers who are still willing to fight to the death for Manila.
I have decided that from now on, you will be responsible for all intelligence and public security in Manila! "
Meng Shaoyuan was startled: "Does it also include those security forces?"
"Yes." Iwabuchi said calmly three times: "There are a total of four thousand army security forces staying in Manila. They are part of the army system. Once war breaks out in Manila, I am very worried about these troops.
I need someone to help me keep an eye on these people. If there is any accident, I want to know it as soon as possible to nip all possibilities in the cradle. "
Meng Shaoyuan understood that that person was talking about himself!
Staying in Manila by yourself is a separate purpose.
But he didn't expect that something like this would happen to him.
"I am willing, Your Excellency Commander!" Meng Shaoyuan agreed without even a second of hesitation: "I am willing to accept the leadership of Your Excellency, Commander, and I am willing to shed the last drop of my blood for Your Excellency, Commander!"
What he said was so sincere that he almost almost believed it.
Iwabuchi's eyes showed gratitude for the third time: "From now on, in addition to continuing to serve as the director of the Manila Secret Service, you will also serve as the deputy commander of the Army Security Forces. I will inform the security forces of how leftist the island is."
"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander." Meng Shaoyuan understood that from now on, he would become Iwabuchi's spy placed three times in the Army Security Forces.
"Then prepare to meet Shima Takashi and coordinate carefully, Taniguchi Chuzuo!"
Taniguchi center left?
Meng Shaoyuan was dumbfounded.
In the blink of an eye, have you become a Japanese center-left?
In this extraordinary period, it is impossible to go through the cumbersome procedures to appoint an officer!
