In 1960, the joint anti-bandit operation between China and Burma was in full swing. A PLA reconnaissance team was unexpectedly hijacked by a group of bandits in northern Myanmar while on a mission. Staff Officer Ye Chucai in the group attracted the attention of the bandit leader's daughter because of his handsome and dashing appearance. This girl named Isaac fell in love with Ye Chucai at first sight and insisted on marrying him.
Faced with the sudden "snatching of relatives", Ye Chucai fell into a dilemma. He had to keep himself safe without revealing his identity and mission. In this unexpected "wedding", Ye Chu experienced a series of tests: marksmanship, alcohol consumption, courage, and nothing could be left behind. However, just as the wedding was about to end, Isaac said something that everyone didn't expect: "The amount of alcohol is poor, you go!" "
What is the secret behind this statement? How did Ye Chucai resolve the crisis? And how did his comrades rescue him?
In January 1949, the Huaihai Campaign came to an end. This large-scale decisive battle, which lasted for more than two months, completely established the victory status of the PLA in Chinese mainland. However, after the battle, Li Mi, the commander of the Kuomintang 13th Corps, seemed to have evaporated from the world and was never heard from.
Li Mi's disappearance has attracted great attention from the PLA. They sent multiple reconnaissance teams to conduct carpet searches around the battlefield. However, Li Mi had already anticipated this situation. Skillfully disguised as a mute peasant, he blended in with the fleeing crowd and made his way south.
After several days of arduous trekking, Li Mi finally arrived in Nanjing. Chiang Kai-shek learned that Li Mi had escaped safely and immediately summoned him. Unexpectedly, Chiang Kai-shek did not punish Li Mi for the defeat in the Huaihai Campaign, but gave him a chance to make meritorious contributions.
Chiang Kai-shek knew very well that the rule of the Kuomintang on the mainland was a candle in the wind. In order to preserve his strength, he decided to transfer part of his military forces to the border areas. Against this backdrop, Li Mi received a secret mission: to go to northern Burma and regroup the remnants of the local Kuomintang.
In early 1950, Li Mi came to northern Myanmar. The terrain is complex, with high mountains and dense forests, which is very suitable for concealment and the development of armed forces. Upon his arrival, Li Mi immediately set about contacting the remnants of the Kuomintang scattered throughout northern Burma. At the same time, he also actively co-opted local bandits and ethnic minority forces to gradually expand his sphere of influence.
After a period of hard work, Li Mi successfully formed the so-called "Yunnan People's Anti-Communist National Salvation Army". On the surface, this unit operates independently, but in fact it is under the direct command of Taiwan's "Ministry of National Defense." Chiang Kai-shek had high hopes for Li Mi, hoping that he would establish a powerful anti-communist base in northern Burma in preparation for a "counter-attack on the mainland" in the future.
In June 1954, in order to further strengthen his forces in northern Burma, Chiang Kai-shek sent Liu Yuanlin, who had been the deputy commander-in-chief of the Kuomintang army, to northern Burma secretly. Liu Yuanlin brought with him a "special operations force" of more than 400 people, which undoubtedly greatly strengthened the strength of the remnants of the Kuomintang in northern Burma.
However, with the passage of time, this force, which was supposed to be "anti-communist and save the country", gradually degenerated into a group of bandits who did all kinds of evil. Relying on their military superiority, they wantonly oppressed the people of northern Myanmar and plundered local resources. Not only that, but they have also repeatedly engaged in armed conflicts with the Myanmar government and instigated rebellion and unrest in the border areas between China and Myanmar.
Naturally, this situation has aroused strong resentment from the Myanmar government. In June 1950, the Burmese government mobilized troops and launched a large-scale encirclement and suppression of the remnants of the Kuomintang. However, due to the complex terrain and the fact that the remnants of the Kuomintang had been entrenched in the local area for a long time and knew the terrain well, the encirclement and suppression operation ended in failure.
Three years later, the Burmese government again organized forces to encircle and suppress the remnants of the Kuomintang, but it still failed to achieve the desired results. This has not only brought shame to the Burmese government, but has also exacerbated the instability in the border areas.
The presence of remnants of the Kuomintang in northern Myanmar not only affects Myanmar's internal security, but also poses a serious threat to China's border stability. This issue is like a thorn in the relations between China and Myanmar and needs to be resolved urgently.
As the remnants of the Kuomintang (KMT) continue to grow in northern Burma, the Burmese government faces unprecedented challenges. These militants not only threaten Myanmar's national security, but also seriously affect local social stability and economic development. However, due to factors such as complex terrain and outdated weapons and equipment, the Myanmar government has not been able to make substantial progress in many anti-bandit operations.
In 1954, the Burmese government again organized a large-scale anti-bandit operation. The operation mobilized elite units of the Burmese Army, equipped with the most advanced weaponry of the time. However, the remnants of the Kuomintang once again succeeded in evading the encirclement and suppression of the Burmese army by virtue of their familiarity with the terrain and rich experience in guerrilla warfare. This failure made the Burmese government realize that it would be difficult to solve the problem on its own.
At the same time, the Chinese government is also paying close attention to the situation in northern Myanmar. The remnants of the Kuomintang not only threatened the stability of the China-Myanmar border region, but also frequently crossed the border to harass Chinese border residents. In order to maintain border security, the Chinese government decided to take action.
In June 1954, Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai led a delegation to visit Burma. This visit not only deepened the friendly relations between the two countries, but also laid the foundation for resolving the border issue. During the talks, Zhou Enlai and Burmese Prime Minister U Nu reached a consensus on the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and issued a joint statement. These five principles include mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence. This statement provides important guidance for future cooperation between the two countries.
In January 1960, Burmese Prime Minister U Nai Win paid a return visit to China. In Beijing, the leaders of the two countries signed the "Sino-Burmese Treaty of Friendship and Non-Aggression" and the "Agreement on the Border Issue between the Two Countries." The signing of these two documents marks the beginning of a new stage in Sino-Burmese relations. In particular, the signing of the border agreement has provided a legal basis for the two countries to jointly resolve the border issue.
On the basis of these agreements, China and Myanmar decided to set up a joint survey team to survey and determine the border between the two countries. This work not only helped to clarify the borders, but also created conditions for joint operations between the two countries in the border areas.
At the same time, the leaders of the two countries also had in-depth discussions on how to solve the problem of the remnants of the Kuomintang. After several rounds of talks, China and Myanmar finally reached a consensus on joint efforts to suppress bandits. According to the agreement, China will send elite troops to assist the Burmese army in encircling and suppressing the remnants of the Kuomintang in northern Burma.
In order to ensure the success of the operation, the military of the two countries began intensive preparations. China sent experienced military advisers to assist the Burmese military in developing detailed battle plans. At the same time, China has also provided Myanmar with a large amount of advanced weapons and equipment to enhance the combat capability of the Myanmar army.
In October 1960, the Sino-Burmese joint anti-bandit operation was officially launched. The Chinese People's Liberation Army sent an elite unit to join the Burmese army in a comprehensive encirclement and suppression of the remnants of the Kuomintang in northern Burma. The operation adopted a strategy of partition encirclement and gradual advance, aiming to completely cut off the retreat and supply lines of the remnants of the Kuomintang.
After the operation began, the Sino-Burmese coalition forces quickly achieved a series of victories. They conquered a number of strongholds of the remnants of the Kuomintang and seized a large amount of weapons and ammunition. In the face of a powerful combined military force, the resistance of the remnants of the Kuomintang gradually collapsed.
However, just as the anti-bandit operation was in full swing, a three-member Chinese reconnaissance team was accidentally hijacked by a group of local bandits while on a mission. This accident not only brought new variables to the anti-bandit operation, but also added a touch of legend to this military operation.
On October 15, 1960, the Sino-Burmese joint anti-bandit operation entered a critical stage. In order to obtain more accurate information on the enemy situation, the Chinese People's Liberation Army decided to send a three-member reconnaissance team deep into the hinterland of northern Myanmar. The team was led by staff officer Ye Chucai, and its members also included correspondent Zhang Ming and translator Li Guohua.
Ye Chucai, born in Hengyang City, Hunan Province in 1935, joined the Chinese People's Liberation Army in 1953. With his outstanding military talents and extraordinary courage, he quickly became an excellent reconnaissance staff officer. This mission, for Ye Chucai, is not only a challenge, but also an opportunity to prove himself.
In the early morning of October 16, Ye Chucai and his party quietly left the station and headed for the predetermined target area. They were dressed in local Burmese attire and carried sophisticated reconnaissance equipment and communications tools. To avoid attracting attention, they opted for a mountain path off the beaten track.
After a day's trek, the group successfully reached the predetermined area. They set up a makeshift observation point in a hidden cave and began to conduct detailed reconnaissance of their surroundings. Through the high-powered telescope, Ye Chu discovered that there was a suspicious camp in a valley about 5 kilometers away from them.
In order to get more information, Ye Chucai decided to lead the group closer to the camp. They cautiously made their way through the dense jungle, using the terrain cover to gradually approach the target. However, just when they were less than 500 meters away from the camp, the unexpected happened.
A shrill whistle suddenly pierced the silent jungle. Immediately afterwards, more than a dozen people with weapons appeared from all directions, surrounding Ye Chucai and his party. The men were dressed in a variety of clothes, some in traditional Burmese costumes and others in shabby military uniforms, apparently a group of local bandits.
Ye Chucai quickly made a judgment: this gang of bandits was likely to have ties to the remnants of the Kuomintang, and rashly revealing their identities could bring disastrous consequences. So, he wittily explained to the bandits in Burmese that they were merchants from Yangon who had strayed into the area.
However, the bandits apparently did not believe this statement. They brutally searched Ye Chucai and the others and found the communication equipment and maps they were carrying. The bandit leader was furious, believing them to be spies sent by the government, and ordered his men to tie them up and take them back to the camp.
On the way to be escorted, Ye Chucai has been observing his surroundings, looking for possible escape opportunities. However, the bandits are very vigilant and numerous, and rash action will only bring greater danger.
After arriving at the camp, Ye Chucai and the others were locked up in a simple wooden hut. Through the gaps between the planks, they can see what is going on outside. There were about 50 people in the camp, with uneven weapons and equipment, but they were all fully loaded. In the center of the camp, there is a relatively large tent, which appears to be the residence of the bandit leader.
Just when Ye Chu was thinking about countermeasures, an unexpected situation happened. A young woman walked into the cabin where they were being held. She was dressed in a colorful ethnic minority costume with curiosity and scrutiny in her expression. Through the translation of Li Guohua, Ye Chu learned that this woman's name was Isaac and she was the daughter of the bandit leader.
Isaac showed unusual interest in Ye Chucai. She carefully looked at Ye Chucai's handsome face and tall figure, and there was a strange light in her eyes. She then turned and left the hut, but soon returned with food and water.
This unexpected episode gave Ye Chu a glimmer of hope. He decides to take advantage of Isaac's favor for him to try to get more information and even seek a chance to escape. Little did he know, however, that an even more thrilling adventure awaited him.
Early the next morning, the door of the wooden house was slammed open. Several big men rushed in, and dragged Ye Chucai out without saying anything. He was taken to the center of the camp, where a large number of bandits had already gathered. In the crowd, Ye Chu saw Isaac who he had seen yesterday, she was standing next to a dignified middle-aged man, who was obviously the leader of the bandits.
When Ye Chucai was brought to the bandit leader, the situation was extremely critical. The bandit leader, Ah Kun, a burly middle-aged man with a scar on his face, looked at Ye Chucai with a cold gaze. Through the translation, Ah Kun sharply questioned Ye Chucai's true identity and the purpose of coming here.
In the face of aggressive questioning, Ye Chu remained calm and repeated his previous rhetoric. He claimed to be a merchant from Rangoon who had strayed into the place because he had lost his way. To add credibility, Ye also fabricated some details about Yangon's business activities. However, Ah Kun clearly does not believe this set of claims.
Just as the atmosphere was tense, Isaac suddenly spoke. She said something to her father in Burmese, and Ah Kun's expression softened slightly. After some discussion, Ah Kun announced an unexpected decision: if Ye Chu could prove his identity as a merchant within three days, they would be free; Otherwise, they will be executed.
This decision gave Ye Chucai a glimmer of life, but it also brought great challenges. How can you convince this group of bandits in three days without revealing your true identity?
After returning to the wooden house where he was detained, Ye Chucai immediately discussed countermeasures with Zhang Ming and Li Guohua. They decided to use the three days to continue gathering intelligence on the one hand and to find an escape opportunity on the other.
On the first day, Isaac came to visit them with food. Ye Chucai seized the opportunity and began to tell her about his "business experience in Yangon". He vividly described Yangon's bustling markets, the trading of rare treasures, and the intrigues between merchants. These stories aroused Isaac's great interest, and she began to come to the wooden house frequently to listen to Ye Chucai's stories.
Through the conversation with Isaac, Ye Chu gradually learned about the situation in this bandit camp. It turned out that this camp was not just an ordinary bandit den, but also a secret supply depot for the remnants of the Kuomintang. Although Ah Kun was ostensibly a bandit leader, he was actually ordered by the remnants of the Kuomintang and was responsible for providing them with material and intelligence support.
The next day, Ye Chucai, with the help of Isaac, was allowed to move around the camp to a limited extent. He took the opportunity to take a closer look at the layout of the camp, its defenses, and its weapons stockpile. At the same time, he also noticed a hidden path southwest of the camp, which could be an escape route.
Just when Ye Chu was racking his brains about how to escape, an unexpected opportunity appeared. That night, the camp suddenly fell into chaos. It turned out that a batch of weapons and ammunition delivered to the remnants of the Kuomintang was intercepted by the Burmese army during transportation, and Ah Kun had to lead most of the manpower to urgently dispatch to solve the problem.
Ye Chu realized that this might be the only chance to escape. However, how to escape without attracting the attention of the remaining guards is another difficult problem. Just then, Isaac reappeared at the door of the cabin. Her eyes flashed with a complicated light, and she whispered to Ye Chucai, "I know you are not businessmen. Let's go now. "
It turned out that the clever Isaac had already seen through Ye Chucai's disguise. But out of her good impression of Ye Chucai and her dissatisfaction with her father's collusion with the remnants of the Kuomintang, she decided to help Ye Chucai and others escape.
With the help of Isaac, Ye Chucai and the three of them successfully avoided the sight of the guards and came to the edge of the camp. Isaac directed them along the hidden path to escape. Just as he was leaving, Isaac gave Ye Chucai a document saying that it was stolen from his father's tent and might be useful to them.
Ye Chucai and the three of them took advantage of the cover of night to advance rapidly along the rugged mountain road. However, their escape was soon discovered. There was a hurried whistle and a stumble of footsteps behind him, apparently the rest of the camp in pursuit.
The escape was full of hardships. They had to cross dense jungles, cross rushing streams, and climb steep mountain walls. Every step of the way is the danger of being attacked by poisonous snakes or falling into a deep ravine. However, thinking of the relentless pursuers behind them, they did not dare to stop in the slightest.
Just when his physical strength was about to be exhausted, Ye Chu saw a military post in the distance. That's a forward stronghold of the China-Burma coalition! However, at this last moment, the bullets of the pursuers were already whistling past their ears.
At the last moment, the soldiers at the outpost noticed the anomaly here. A team of heavily armed soldiers immediately rushed out, protecting Ye Chucai and the three of them behind them, and at the same time launched a counterattack on the pursuers.
Under the cover of the outpost's firepower, Ye Chucai and the three finally escaped safely. However, what awaits them is an even more astonishing discovery. When they opened the document given by Isaac, they were shocked to find that it was a detailed deployment map of the remnants of the Kuomintang in northern Burma!
On October 20, 1960, Ye Chucai finally returned to the headquarters of the Sino-Burmese coalition army with important information obtained from the bandit camp. This hard-won information immediately attracted the attention of the high-level. After detailed analysis, military experts confirmed that this was indeed a detailed deployment map of the remnants of the Kuomintang in northern Burma, which contained key information such as the enemy's main strongholds, troop distribution, and supply routes.
The acquisition of this information has undoubtedly brought about a turning point for the Sino-Burmese joint anti-bandit operation. The command immediately convened an emergency meeting to develop a new operational plan. According to intelligence, the remnants of the Kuomintang were concentrated in three main areas in northern Myanmar: the mountainous areas north of Shina, the Kokang region, and the northern Shan State. By colluding with local bandits, they built a complex underground network for supply and intelligence transfer.
Based on this new information, the Sino-Burmese coalition decided to adopt a strategy of "splitting and attacking". They planned to launch an offensive on all three areas at once, cutting off the enemy's supply lines and gradually narrowing the encirclement. In order to ensure the success of the operation, the command also specially formed an elite special forces unit responsible for raiding the enemy's command center.
On October 25, the operation officially began. In the mountains north of Shina, an infantry division of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) fought in tandem with two battalions of the Tatmadaw Tatmadaw (TDF). Taking advantage of the terrain, they adopted the tactics of outflanking and successfully cut off the enemy's rear route. After three days of fierce fighting, the main remnants of the Kuomintang in this area were annihilated, and the remaining parts scattered and fled.
At the same time, in the Kokang area, another joint force launched a clearance operation. Fighting here is particularly difficult, as the enemy is deeply intertwined with local banditry and is extremely hidden. The coalition forces adopted a "encroachment" strategy, first clearing the periphery and then advancing step by step. With the cooperation of the local population, they gradually broke down the enemy's defensive line. By early November, order had been restored in most parts of the Kokang region.
The fighting in northern Shan State is more complicated. The terrain is complex and the jungle is dense, making it an ideal place for guerrilla warfare. To meet this challenge, the coalition forces have mobilized a force with extensive experience in jungle warfare. They used the tactic of "breaking up the whole into pieces", with small units going deep behind enemy lines, constantly harassing the enemy and disrupting their supply lines. This tactic had a noticeable effect, and the enemy's resistance was noticeably weakened.
At the same time as these three-front operations, the elite special forces also launched an operation. According to intelligence, they locked on an important command post for the remnants of the Kuomintang, located in a hidden valley on the Sino-Burmese border. In the early hours of November 5, special forces quietly infiltrated under the cover of night. They managed to break through the enemy's lines, smashed this command post in one fell swoop, seized a large number of important documents and communications equipment.
The raid dealt a heavy blow to the enemy. Without a central command, the remnants of the forces everywhere fell into chaos. Many small groups of troops began to surrender on their own initiative or tried to flee to the Thailand border.
As the war progressed, the cooperation between China and Myanmar became increasingly close. The two sides have not only closely cooperated in military operations, but also carried out all-round cooperation in intelligence sharing and logistical support. Such close cooperation has greatly enhanced the efficiency of the anti-bandit operation and has also laid a good foundation for the future development of relations between the two countries.
By mid-November, the fighting was nearing its end. Most of the remnants of the Kuomintang were annihilated or surrendered, and only a few diehards were still resisting. In order to end the fighting as soon as possible and reduce unnecessary casualties, the coalition forces adopted the strategy of "encircling but not fighting" and at the same time carried out political work. This strategy quickly paid off, and many of the besieged enemies laid down their arms.
On November 20, the China-Myanmar Joint Bandit Suppression Command officially announced that the operation had achieved a complete victory. In the battle, which lasted more than a month, the coalition forces destroyed more than 5,000 enemies, captured more than 3,000 people, and captured a large number of weapons, ammunition and important documents. More importantly, this operation completely dismantled the organizational system of the remnants of the Kuomintang in northern Burma and laid the foundation for long-term peace and stability in the region.
At the subsequent celebration meeting, Ye Chucai was awarded the title of "first-class hero" for his outstanding performance in obtaining key intelligence. His deeds soon spread throughout the army and became a model for inspiring officers and soldiers. The success of the Sino-Burmese joint anti-bandit operation has also become an important milestone in the military cooperation between the two countries and has opened up a new model for future regional security cooperation.