Executive Summary of a Movie Treatment By Peter Chung Chieh and Shiao-Yu Chieh The Battle of Yenangyaung in Burma was an incredible victory for General Sun Li-jen and men of the 113th Regiment, New 38th Division of the Chinese Expedition Army in Burma. They rescued the British First Burma Division (FBD) from encirclement by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II in the China-Burma-India Theatre. They fought against the numerically superior Japanese 33rd Division and won. The victory was the result of long and hard work. When he was little, Sun Li-jen had a dream to build a strong army to win respect, dignity and equality for him and for Chinese. He acted on that dream and he made a big stride in the Battle of Yenangyaung, April 19, 1942. Years before the Battle of Yenangyaung, General
Sun directed his force to defend Shanghai. During that battle he was badly
injured. The setback in Shanghai made him more determined. He began planning to
rebuild an army to fight for the survival of Chinese people while still recovering
in a hospital bed. He and his followers sweated during training so that they
could avoid bleeding during battle. They were proud of their achievement at the
first encounter with the enemy in Burma at Yenangyaung and they strove for more.The UK Archive photo shows Destruction of Yenangyaung oil field in preparation for Burma withdraw before the encirclement of the British First Division by the Japanese 33 Division. The triumph at Yenangyaung did not save the war in Burma for the allies because of the chaos at higher command. But General Sun’s victory laid the foundation for international cooperation to free Burma from the Japanese occupation that began a year later. In this campaign, Generals Sun, Stilwell and Slim directed allied Forces to liberate Burma. Allied forces in Burma had won a total victory a few months before Japan surrendered. Reporters and civilians were also rescued from Yenangyaung. The former spread the victorious news around the world and Sun Li-jen became known as one of the great generals of WWII. King George VI awarded him the Commander of the British Empire and the Most Honourable Order of the Bath. The United States bestowed upon him the Legion of Merit for Offcers. China also honoured him with numerous medals. The victory also rid the Chinese of the label Sick-Men-of-East-Asia. Their achievement following Yenangyaung made them worthy of those honours. They earned their honours with their time, effort, dedication, sweat, blood and lives, but they were almost forgotten due to the national and international cold wars. They left everlasting legacies and their stories make the history pages shine. The triumph at Yenangyaung did not save the war in Burma for the allies because of the chaos at higher command. But General Sun’s victory laid the foundation for international cooperation to free Burma from the Japanese occupation that began a year later. In this campaign, Generals Sun, Stilwell and Slim directed allied Forces to liberate Burma. Allied forces in Burma had won a total victory a few months before Japan surrendered.The triumph at Yenangyaung did not save the war in Burma for the allies because of the chaos at higher command. But General Sun’s victory laid the foundation for international cooperation to free Burma from the Japanese occupation that began a year later. In this campaign, Generals Sun, Stilwell and Slim directed allied Forces to liberate Burma. Allied forces in Burma had won a total victory a few months before Japan surrendered. We are compelled to tell you these stories, but we are new story tellers. Bringing history to life on the screen is a collective creation. There are chances for you to make your contribution. We need your support, cooperation and involvement to make the project a success. Outside Links Battle of Yenangyaung on Wikipedia Battle of Yenangyaung in Dictionary Documentary: Battle of Yenangyaung (video) of Central China TVViceo Contact: Please direct all inquiries and comments to chieh@sunlijen.com |