June 16, 9:00 AM.
Japanese positions outside Singapore were attacked by the 97th Airborne Division. After a brief exchange, the 97th Airborne Division quickly captured the enemy's first line of defense before the enemy could react.
The gunshots quickly alerted Lieutenant General Masaharu Honma, commander of the Malayan Theater Command in Singapore.
"Report!" Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Maeda Masamitsu pushed open the door and entered, holding a thick stack of telegrams in his hands.
"Commander, the National League for Democracy has launched a full-scale offensive against us! The 5th Air Division has suffered heavy losses; the town of Thunau on the outskirts of Singapore, as well as the first line of defense, have all fallen!"
"What?!" Masaharu Honma exclaimed in surprise. "How did they do that?"
He had learned of the National League Army's operational plan from headquarters two weeks ago: first, to move south, then north, capturing island by island.
However, the headquarters misjudged the situation. Instead of heading south, the National League forces landed directly on Awaji Island, like a nail driven into the heart of the empire.
If this landing force cannot be dealt with in time, the entire strategic plan will be disrupted, which is something that Masaharu Honma absolutely cannot tolerate.
He even told headquarters that he would lead his troops to personally seize Awaji Island and capture Lin Feng!
However, to everyone's surprise, the eyes of the entire empire were focused on Awaji Island, and the National Alliance Army ultimately carried out its southward advance plan.
Maeda Masami replied, "Commander, this question doesn't need explaining. We need to leave Singapore immediately."
"Um."
Masaharu Honma nodded in agreement, “Immediately order all troops in the war zone to abandon the cities and move into the mountains to carry out a scorched-earth policy and ambush the enemy! At the same time, report to General Hisaichi Terauchi, the Supreme Commander of the Southern Army, and request instructions.”
"Hai!" Maeda Masamitsu accepted the order and left.
Masaharu Honma immediately directed the Singaporean troops to board the pre-prepared ships and begin their retreat to the nearby mountains. Although this move seemed foolish, Honma was well aware that the National League for Democracy (NLD) now held the advantage of timing, location, and popular support.
If he insists on staying in the city and fighting the National League army to the bitter end, he will definitely be the one who suffers in the end.
Moreover, the strategy for Southeast Asia has long been clearly defined by the headquarters.
The mission objective must be primarily to delay the enemy and wait for the main imperial forces to launch a counterattack!
At 11:13 a.m., Terauchi Hisaichi, far away in Port Moresby, received news of the Nation Alliance army's full-scale southward advance.
After listening to the report from Lieutenant General Tsukada, Chief of the General Staff, Terauchi Hisaichi fell silent.
After a moment, Terauchi Hisaichi looked up and asked, "Tsukada-kun, what's your opinion on this?"
"Commander, I believe that the National League Army's southward advance was already within our expectations."
After finishing his sentence, Tsukada added, "In any case, we should immediately order the front-line troops to move to a new position and wage guerrilla warfare against them in the mountains of Southeast Asia to buy as much time as possible so that the Empire's elite troops can capture Awaji Island and take Lin Feng, the chairman of the National League for Democracy, alive!"
"Yoshi!" Terauchi Hisaichi nodded and smiled. "Tsukada-kun, it seems you're already confident."
"Not at all, I am unworthy of such praise." Tsukada immediately became humble. "The commander had already prepared a plan. Now that the National Alliance Army is heading south, we can just follow the original plan. There is no need to worry about anything else."
“Hmm.” Terauchi Hisaichi nodded and smiled. “Tsukada-kun, I like what you have to say, so let’s do it this way.”
……………………
Soon, the Southern Army Supreme Command transmitted the order to all war zones, divisions, brigades, and independent air bases.
Upon receiving the order, all Japanese troops in the Malay Theater, West Indonesia Theater, and East Indonesia Theater moved into the pre-selected mountainous terrain and began setting up ambush positions.
Due to the complex terrain, the Japanese army had to adopt a variety of tactics.
For example, setting up defensive fortifications in the valley;
For example, digging trenches in mountain gullies to cover machine gun fire;
Alternatively, they could send out reconnaissance teams to monitor the movements of the National League for Democracy (NLD) forces and formulate plans for surprise attacks against them in advance.
Under such circumstances, as long as the National League for Democracy's transport convoys dare to appear, they will catch the National League for Democracy off guard and annihilate all these thugs who dare to offend them!
Unfortunately, despite their meticulous planning, the Japanese overlooked another crucial piece of information—Liu Qingshan never intended to join them in the guerrilla warfare in the mountains.
He would never risk the lives of his soldiers just to capture a hill.
Liu Qingshan's plan is simple: aren't you trying to force us into the mountains to fight a guerrilla war with you?
I won't do that. I'll seize the city and use my air and sea superiority to trap you on the island!
Then, the main force of the Cambodian National League for Democracy (NLD) was dispatched to quickly capture all the major cities in Southeast Asia, leaving half of the troops to garrison them while the other half was withdrawn to the Southeast Peninsula to prevent the Japanese from suddenly entering from western Guangdong.
The reason he made these arrangements was because Lin Feng had given him the task.
### Briefing on the National League for Democracy's (NLD) offensive in Cambodia in June 1942 ###
**June 18**
The 89th Mechanized Infantry Division of the 24th Army captured Kuala Lumpur.
The 91st Armored Division captured Batu Gajah, Anson, and Temerloh.
The 97th Airborne Division invaded Singapore.
• The 142nd Airborne Division captured Bandar Seri Begawan.
**June 19**
Singapore fell
**June 20**
In the evening, the 131st Mechanized Infantry Division and the 133rd Armored Division of the 32nd Corps landed in Bandar Seri Begawan.
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