As soon as the confessions from interrogating the British prisoners were obtained, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Upper Burma immediately sent telegrams to the embassies and legations of Upper Burma in various countries around the world. Because it followed China in foreign policy, the Republic of Upper Burma had only one legation in Germany, and its embassy in France was evacuated after the Vichy government surrendered.

On October 15, British local time, the Ambassador of the Republic of Upper Burma to the UK delivered a diplomatic note from the government of the Republic of Upper Burma to the British Foreign Secretary. After strongly protesting Britain's intrusion into the territory of the Republic of Upper Burma, the Ambassador of the Republic of Upper Burma warned the British government that if the British government did not withdraw British troops from the border within two days, the government of the Republic of Upper Burma would deliver a destructive blow to the British troops in the border area.

Perhaps because he had been "humiliated" by the Chinese Ambassador to the UK a few days ago, the British Foreign Secretary felt a bit numb to such a threat after receiving the diplomatic note from the Republic of Upper Burma. In the view of the British Foreign Secretary, since the Republic of Upper Burma with a population of a few million dared to threaten Britain, needless to say, China must have participated in this war.

After officially delivering the diplomatic note, the Ambassador of the Republic of Upper Burma to the UK immediately sent telegrams to Upper Burma embassies and legations in various countries. Regardless of whether it was day or night locally, the embassies or consulates of Upper Burma in those countries immediately contacted the foreign ministries of those countries and submitted a copy of the diplomatic note given to Britain by the Upper Burma Ambassador to the UK to the foreign ministries of those countries. At the same time, they contacted famous newspapers in the host countries to buy space and publish the news.

Fleet Street, where the British press gathered, upheld a high degree of political sensitivity and temporarily suppressed this news. The Irish region was close to Britain; after receiving the notification, local Irish newspapers immediately swarmed to the embassy of the Republic of Upper Burma in Ireland for interviews.

On December 6, 1921, Britain was forced to allow the 26 southern counties of Ireland to establish the "Irish Free State," while the 6 northern counties remained British. On December 29, 1937, Ireland adopted a new constitution, officially naming the country "Ireland" (Irish: Éire), declaring Ireland a sovereign, independent, and democratic state, while remaining within the British Commonwealth.

Time-wise, Upper Burma gained independence from China around 1930. In 1935, it ended the state of being under China's trusteeship ahead of schedule and was officially recognized by countries around the world as an independent sovereign state. Its time of true independence was even a bit earlier than Ireland's.

Emotionally speaking, the Republic of Upper Burma was Asian, and Ireland was considered a member of the white race, but both countries became independent from British colonial rule. This made the Irish naturally feel a bit close to the Republic of Upper Burma.

After listening to the Upper Burma Ambassador to Ireland recount the battle situation, a reporter immediately asked, "Mr. Ambassador, will your country really fight Britain to the end?"

The Upper Burma Ambassador to Ireland looked serious. He was originally just an ordinary citizen of Upper Burma. After passing the exam, he went to study in China. After completing his studies and returning to his country, he was appointed as ambassador. He had seen the magnificent cities of China and Britain with millions of people, and visited vast factories in the industrial cities of the two countries. The total population of one city in these two countries exceeded the total population of Upper Burma, and the industries of the two countries were incomparable to Upper Burma. After such a comparison, the Upper Burma Ambassador firmly believed that following China was absolutely right.

Facing the Irish reporter's question, the Upper Burma Ambassador answered in a slow and powerful voice, "I know that the population of the British homeland is ten times that of Upper Burma, and I also know that defeating one attack by the British army cannot defeat the British aggressors. But Upper Burma is an independent and sovereign country. Although the future war will be very tragic and we may face difficulties, we will never give up, never yield, and we will fight to the end.

"We shall fight in the forests, we shall fight on the plains, we shall fight with growing confidence in the air! We shall defend our homeland, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight relying on the rivers! Even if the British aggressors invade our territory, we will set up ambushes on the enemy's march route! When the British aggressors enter our cities, we will fight the British aggressors relying on every house! We shall never surrender at any time; we shall fight to the end!"

These words moved the Irish reporters. Although some reporters found these words somewhat familiar—as if Churchill had made a similar speech after becoming Prime Minister last year—the Irish had engaged in numerous struggles with British colonialists over hundreds of years. These words aroused strong resonance in them. They all stood up and gave warm applause and cheers to the Upper Burma Ambassador.

At this time in London, the British Foreign Secretary summoned the Chinese Minister to the UK, Deng Ying. As soon as they met, the British Foreign Secretary asked with a dark face, "Ms. Deng, the United Kingdom feels strongly dissatisfied with China's act of sending troops to Upper Burma!"

Minister Deng Ying felt that the British were exasperated to the point of near madness. Upper Burma's weapons and equipment were given by China, the personnel of Upper Burma's government system and military system were trained by China, and some radar stations in Upper Burma were also built with China's help. It could be said that Upper Burma indeed did nothing except provide manpower. But China precisely did not send troops to Upper Burma.

If the British Foreign Secretary believed that it was the Chinese who gave Britain a head-on blow, it could only prove that this former world hegemon had become hopeless to the pathetic point of not even caring about facts.

As the Chinese Minister, Deng Ying had no obligation to provide intelligence to the British Foreign Secretary. Deng Ying replied matter-of-factly, "Mr. Secretary, your irrational statement shocks me very much. If you insist on accusing China, please produce evidence. If Mr. Foreign Secretary thinks that baseless accusations can be treated as evidence, can I say that those fighting in Upper Burma are actually British people?"

Most of the British Foreign Secretary's anger was feigned. If there were no China behind Upper Burma, giving this country ten times the courage, it wouldn't dare to provoke Britain like this. Seeing that verbal pressure was ineffective, the British Foreign Secretary stopped pretending. He calmed down and asked as calmly as possible, "Ms. Deng, I am not very optimistic about whether China can benefit from the so-called world liberation."

Hearing the sincerity of the British Foreign Secretary, Deng Ying replied somewhat sympathetically, "World liberation will create a better market. Under the rule of colonialists, the colonial people do not have enough to eat or wear; what consumption power do they have? Mr. Secretary, have you seen the Sino-British trade volume in recent years?"

The British Foreign Secretary didn't expect a young woman opposite him to talk about such deep issues. He indeed wanted to know China's reason for starting the war, so he followed Deng Ying's words. "Sino-British trade has developed very well after Mr. He Rui took office."

"It's not that it developed well, but that after China's liberation, people's income increased rapidly with economic development. Chinese people will consume when they have money, and British companies can get more orders from this huge market of China. When Britain plundered unscrupulously in China, the market was destroyed, and trade couldn't grow no matter what." Speaking of this, Deng Ying's tone became involuntarily cold. "The British government's dumping of opium on China couldn't change this situation either."

The British Foreign Secretary knew very well the He Rui administration's hatred of drugs. Just this year, China had executed more than 30 British people who smuggled opium into China. He immediately replied, "I must emphasize that the opium trade is the act of Jews."

This was of course passing the buck, but the British Foreign Secretary did not feel guilty because the main force buying opium from China back then was basically British Jewish families. The British government was of course the chief culprit, so naturally, it had to pass the buck to the Jews.

Deng Ying ignored such a question. She continued, "Letting the colonies gain liberation and the local economy develop, trade with China will naturally increase rapidly. That is a big market of one billion people. Not only China but the whole world can gain huge benefits from such large-scale development. My government actually finds it hard to understand why Britain insists on such a backward concept as colonialism."

"Madam, what you said may make some sense, but such conceptual differences should not become a reason to destroy peace." The British Foreign Secretary tried to avoid war.

"Will Britain let the colonies gain liberation for greater economic benefits?" Deng Ying decided not to continue casting pearls before swine.

The British Foreign Secretary felt the Chinese attitude represented by Deng Ying. He could only reply, "China is destroying peace."

"China gives liberation to the world," Deng Ying countered tit-for-tat.

"Madam, does everything you say represent China's position?"

"Of course," Deng Ying answered very crisply. In the view of the Chinese government, it was precisely because Britain would not voluntarily give up colonialism that war must be launched. It was just that China did not want to declare war on Britain proactively at this stage. Making Britain clearly convinced that war was inevitable was one of Deng Ying's jobs.

"In that case, on behalf of the British government, I condemn China's act of actively destroying peace. China will be nailed to the pillar of shame in history."

"Your absurd understanding of the world shocks me. If your attitude is the attitude of the British government, I feel sad for the choice of the British people." After Deng Ying finished speaking, she stood up to take her leave. Of course, even if she didn't stand up to leave, the British Foreign Secretary would have issued an eviction order.

On October 17, the Upper Burma National Defense Force received the latest combat plan. This plan began to be formulated three months ago and received the final revision provided by the Chinese Southwest Theater Command on October 16. Based on the assessment of the troop deployment, troop characteristics, and combat level of the British Burma Army, the Upper Burma National Defense Force decided to launch an attack on the British Burma Army.

As the spearhead unit, Regiment Commander Dan Tuo was responsible for breaking through and interspersed the British army on the front. In the headquarters, Dan Tuo saw the military observation group represented by his teacher at the Baoding Military Academy, Senior Colonel Lu Xin. Seeing his class teacher, Dan Tuo was happy in his heart but suppressed his mood, listening seriously to the arrangements for this campaign by Lieutenant General Bomala, Commander of the Upper Burma National Defense Force.

The border line between Upper Burma and Lower Burma was in the hilly area between mountains and plains. The Upper Burma Army had 4 divisions, 36 battalions. The British Burma Army had 3 corps, 6 brigades, 36 battalions on the border. The numbers were about the same.

According to the battle the day before yesterday and earlier intelligence gathering, Britain had one air force group in Burma, about 100 fighters. The Upper Burma Army had two air force groups, about 200 fighters. Close to the front line, the Upper Burma Army set up several radar stations capable of monitoring the British Air Force entering the border line 24 hours a day. The Upper Burma Army had a mechanized regiment with three mechanized battalions under its command. The British army had a tank battalion, but it hadn't participated in the battle yet, so the position of this tank battalion was hard to determine.

Based on the comparison of military strength, the Upper Burma Army decided to implement a large encirclement. With the cooperation of two air force groups, taking the tank regiment as the guide, the 2nd Division of the Upper Burma Army would follow the tank regiment to break through the British defense line. Once the breakthrough was successful, the 2nd Division of Upper Burma would quickly occupy the railway and highway nodes, cutting off the British army's retreat route.

The three Upper Burma divisions on the front would continue to pressure the British army in the first phase of the battle. Once the encirclement was completed, they would continue to attack the British Burma Army with the cooperation of the Air Force in the second phase, striving to repel the British army, drive them into the pre-set encirclement, and finally annihilate them in one fell swoop.

36 battalions against 36 battalions, the troop strength was almost the same. The Upper Burma Army had the advantage of the Air Force and armored units used for interspersing. Even if this advantage was just over 100 more fighters and over 60 more tanks, Lieutenant General Bomala stated with full confidence, "The advantage is mine!"

After the meeting, the officers immediately went back to make preparations. Dan Tuo had already left the conference room, but he couldn't suppress his mood and returned to the operations conference room. Seeing his class teacher Senior Colonel Lu Xin talking to Lieutenant General Bomala and other generals, he stopped.

Lu Xin saw Dan Tuo and waved to him. When Dan Tuo came close, he introduced him to Lieutenant General Bomala and others: "This Lieutenant Colonel Dan Tuo was my student when I was teaching in Baoding."

Lieutenant General Bomala stared at Dan Tuo for a while, turned his head and said to Senior Colonel Lu Xin, "I attended Changshan (Shijiazhuang) Military Academy, and have always admired Baoding Military Academy."

Lu Xin didn't want the Upper Burma officers to have a school dispute, so he replied, "The two of us are classmates at the National Defense University. In the future, these young people will all have the opportunity to become our junior schoolmates."

Lieutenant General Bomala nodded and turned to Dan Tuo again. "Regiment Commander Dan Tuo, do you have any questions you want to ask Senior Colonel Lu?"

Dan Tuo immediately said, "Instructor, I still can't overcome my anxiety. Is there anything you can help me with?"

Lu Xin was a bit worried that Dan Tuo would say something inappropriate. Hearing such a frank question, he had no more worries in his heart. After a moment of thought, he replied, "The object of your operation is troops composed mainly of Indian soldiers. Under the command of British officers, such troops will show certain combat effectiveness in defense, but their performance in offensive warfare and mobile warfare is very average.

"In this campaign, our army takes the initiative to attack with mobile warfare, so intersperse boldly and attack bravely; do not linger in battle. Basically, there will be no situation outside the plan. The key to this is movement. If you feel that the defense of the Indian army is particularly stubborn, go around it.

"As for the British operational command, once surrounded, they will hold their ground and wait for reinforcements. Once reinforcements don't arrive, they choose to break out. When commanding colonial troops, they rely even more on these three standard axes. I think as long as the campaign command can be thoroughly implemented, victory can be expected."

Listening to the instructor's account, Dan Tuo soon brought himself into the perspective of the entire campaign. Although there was still some unease in his heart, it was no longer that inexplicable unease, but the worry that he would not be able to execute the mission effectively after encountering unexpected situations.

Seeing that Senior Colonel Lu Xin had finished speaking, Lieutenant General Bomala asked Dan Tuo, "Do you have any other questions? Lieutenant Colonel!"

"No more, Commander. I guarantee to complete the mission!" Dan Tuo answered loudly.

Bomala nodded. "Go and prepare quickly now. I expect you to complete the mission and kill the enemy to earn merit!"

Leaving the conference room, Lieutenant Colonel Dan Tuo ran directly to the divisional headquarters of the 2nd Division. In the divisional headquarters, as soon as the commander of the 2nd Division saw Dan Tuo come in, he said to this subordinate who performed outstandingly, "Your regiment is responsible for following the armored regiment closely in the attack. The vehicles given to your regiment have arrived; they are all halftracks."

Dan Tuo was overjoyed. This kind of halftrack could transport a squad of troops and equipment at a time. Due to the large force-bearing area of the tracks, the halftrack could travel unimpeded in the water network area. The assault route chosen this time was a large area of water network and wetlands where the defensive strength of the British Burma Army was weak.

Intense preparations were underway. On October 18, the early morning of the third day after Upper Burma formally demanded that Britain withdraw its troops in the border area within two days, Dan Tuo commanded his regiment to start the attack. In the plan, Dan Tuo's troops would all ride in halftracks. But the number of halftracks was insufficient, and this kind of halftrack was very cramped, with no protection on the upper part. Once ambushed by the enemy, it would be quite dangerous. So Dan Tuo discussed with the tank regiment and let some soldiers march sitting on the back of the tanks.

Firstly, it allowed the infantry to get off the vehicles and launch an attack at any time when encountering relatively solid enemy defensive strongholds. Secondly, it could save some space to load more fuel. Dan Tuo always felt that in this attack, the distance the halftracks had to run would be farther than in the plan.

The morning glow appeared on the horizon, but the ground was dim. The silhouettes of tanks, vehicles, and soldiers flashed before Dan Tuo's eyes. Seeing that the time was 5:30 am, Dan Tuo jumped onto a halftrack and issued the order, "Set off!" The convoy equipped with diesel engines emitted a rumble and drove towards the south.

At a high altitude invisible to vision, the Upper Burma fighter group protected the bombers and flew towards the British airfield near Rangoon.

Today was a sunny day. Unlike the dimness on the ground, the fighters in the sky looked down and saw the morning sun plating the sea of clouds with a layer of bright gold. On a bomber, the radio search team focused their attention on the instruments. No agreed signal appeared on the instruments now. More than 40 minutes passed. At 6:14, there were signals on the agreed band, three of them.

The operators immediately located the three signal sources and calculated the results using trigonometric functions based on the data. At this time, the plane shook, but fortunately, the operators had fastened themselves to their seats with seat belts. The operator responsible for optical observation saw that wind had risen at low altitude at this time, blowing away the clouds and revealing the earth beneath their feet. The observers were people with strong visual reaction capabilities. Even without comparing with the aviation map of Rangoon, they could correspond the terrain features under their feet with the Rangoon on the aviation map in their memory.

At this time, the radio receiver shouted into the headset, "Target is 15 degrees to the left front."

The Upper Burma Army bomber formation began to adjust its course, lower its altitude, and pounced on the British military airfield in Rangoon.