The War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression Begins in Songhu

Chapter 421 Return Journey (Two-in-One Chapter)

At the same time, Liu Fusheng and others dropped a bomb.

The explosion inside the Gah aircraft carrier caused the massive 40,000-ton vessel to shake noticeably.

At the time, he was directing operations from the bridge; this was Captain Tsutomu Okada, the commander of the aircraft carrier Gah.

He lost his footing and his right hand, which reached out to grab the handle, missed and he was knocked to the ground.

As he fell to the ground, his head slammed hard against the floor; immediately, a sharp pain shot through him, and a trickle of blood slid down his forehead.

Even so, when Okada Jisaku got up from the ground, the first thing he shouted was not 'medic'.

Instead, he turned and yelled at the communications officer on the bridge: "Where are the planes? Where are our planes at Weizhou Island Airport? Why haven't they come yet?"

No wonder this Japanese colonel was so impatient.

The main reason was that during the explosion, he faintly heard a creaking sound from the keel, indicating that the key structural components of the Gah aircraft carrier had been damaged.

In addition to other damage, this main aircraft carrier of the empire will need to be repaired in the shipyard for at least half a year to be fully recovered.

If the Nationalist Air Force continued its relentless bombing, causing even greater damage to the ship, he had no idea how terrible the final outcome would be for the Gah.

But the Nationalist Air Force pilots overhead seemed to have no regard for their lives, constantly diving down to drop bombs and straf the enemy despite the anti-aircraft fire; the anti-aircraft fire alone was not enough to drive them away.

Therefore, if our air force doesn't arrive soon, the consequences for the Kaga aircraft carrier are simply unimaginable.

However, the next second, the communications soldier's reply sent Okada Jisaku's heart plummeting to the bottom:
"Colonel, we have just received a report from Weizhou Island Airport that they were also subjected to a fierce attack by the Nationalist Air Force half an hour ago."

Several of their planes that were forcibly taken off were attacked and shot down by the Nationalist fighter jets circling overhead as soon as they took off.

Three minutes earlier, the last runway had also been damaged by Nationalist bombers, and they were unable to take off any aircraft until the runway was successfully repaired.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, Okada Jisaku roared:

"Immediately notify the aircraft currently cooperating with the 18th Division to return immediately and drive away these Nationalist Army aircraft. Let those army idiots die."

"These are my words! I, Okada Tsujisaku, said them."

In fact, Okada Jisaku had thought of one thing immediately after the air raid:
The eight aircraft currently conducting reconnaissance and surveillance missions over the 18th Division's marching route and surrounding areas were to be immediately returned.

However, by last night, General Headquarters had already learned of and approved the 18th Division's marching method.

Furthermore, he issued a strict order to Okada Jisaku, requiring him to fully cooperate.

So after the attack, Okada Jisaku thought that Beihai Port was only a few dozen kilometers away from Weizhou Island, and that planes from the airport there could come to support them immediately, so he suppressed such a thought.

Now that they learned that even Weizhou Island Airport had been attacked and that planes there were unable to take off, they naturally couldn't spare any attention for the 18th Division.

The most important thing is still this aircraft carrier, the Gah, and its own future.

As for the strict orders from headquarters? What's there to be afraid of? As long as the Garr survives, the naval leaders can simply take this case to the Heavenly Locusts...

Ten minutes later, at a location only two or three kilometers from the entrance to the basin where Dadong Township is located.

When I saw a Type 97 carrier-based aircraft that had been circling overhead suddenly fly southwest, towards Beihai Port.

The commander of the Japanese 18th Division, Seiichi Hisamoto, raised his wrist to check the time.

He immediately frowned deeply and began to shout:
"According to the previous agreement, this plane was supposed to fly until 2 p.m. before returning when it was running low on fuel, but it's only 12:30 p.m. now, so why did it leave?"

"Signal soldier, ask the pilot what exactly happened!"

Upon hearing this, a Japanese communications soldier in the back of a truck five or six meters away immediately began operating the radio in front of him.

Soon after, he reported bad news to Okada Jisaku:

"Your Excellency Division Commander, the pilot replied that Beihai Port was subjected to a fierce air attack by the Nationalist Air Force. Caught off guard, the fleet suffered heavy losses, especially the aircraft carrier Gah, which was severely damaged."

Not only did he receive orders to return to provide support, but other aircraft that were cooperating with us also had to return immediately.

Furthermore, it is estimated that the next batch of aircraft originally scheduled to replace them will not be able to arrive.

Upon hearing this bad news, Kuno Seiichi's expression darkened further, because he sensed something was very wrong with it.

Or perhaps, he had a huge question in his mind at that moment.

The main reason he couldn't understand was why the National Revolutionary Army would use its last remaining air force resources to launch a surprise attack on the fleet anchored in Beihai Port.
Could it be that they intend to use this "besieging Wei to rescue Zhao" tactic, a Chinese strategy, to draw back the carrier-based aircraft that were cooperating with their operation, making it easier to ambush their 18th Division?

To be honest, Seiichi Kuno was also quite uncertain about the above doubts.

If that's really the case, then the person who devised this tactic is incredibly insane, to an almost unbelievable degree.

If that's not the case, why would the Nationalist Air Force take such a bizarre action? Was it a counterattack against the bombing of Shuangqing?
Considering all of the above, Naruhito was undecided for a while about whether his 18th Division should continue its advance.

Ultimately, starting this morning, increasingly urgent telegrams from Nanning requesting reinforcements, along with urging telegrams from headquarters and the South China Area Army, led Kuno Seiichi to make a decision.

"It's alright! We've been so careful all the way here, we're not afraid of being ambushed."

After telling himself this, Nagato Seiichi mounted his warhorse and continued to lead the 18th Division into the basin where Daito-go was located.

However, as he passed through a narrow pass leading into the basin, a thought suddenly occurred to him.

He began to give instructions: "Notify the 114th Infantry Regiment to leave two companies here to establish positions until our army has completely passed through this basin."

This served as a kind of insurance arrangement for their 18th Division...

At 12:53, as Mina was controlling the plane to climb and escape the dense anti-aircraft fire on the sea surface, she once again picked up the water bottle on the side of her seat.

He finished off the last one or two ounces of the 'Guangxi Briefcase' in one gulp.

Just as he exhaled a strong smell of alcohol, a hurried voice came through the radio:
"Commander Mina, we have spotted eight Japanese carrier-based aircraft to the northeast, at a distance of about 9 kilometers. What should we do now?"

Upon hearing this, Mina immediately looked quite embarrassed.

The eight Japanese carrier-based aircraft that appeared from the northeast must have been the same eight that were originally sent to the 18th Division to help with reconnaissance and guard duty.

Their appearance signifies that the primary objective of the Nationalist Air Force's operation has been achieved.

For at least two or three hours, it would be impossible for the Japanese to provide any support to the 18th Division until they repaired the runway at Weizhou Island Airport that had been bombed.

Hu Biao and his forces could immediately begin their encirclement and annihilation campaign against the 18th Division; in other words, by this point, they were already capable of immediate retreat.

But if they left now, none of Mina or the Nationalist pilots present would be willing to do so.

There's no other reason! Even after paying a heavy price of 11 aircraft, the Japanese aircraft carrier Gakh was still not destroyed.

Although its once beautiful flight deck is now riddled with craters from the bombing.

The area was littered with the bodies of Japanese sailors, ground crew, and pilots, as well as the wreckage of the aircraft; fires raged in many places, and smoke rose high into the air.

But it remained floating there, showing no sign of sinking.

Aside from their bad luck, the most crucial reason was that the maximum yield of aerial bombs carried by the Nationalist army aircraft was only 100 kilograms, and the quantity was quite limited.

The most numerous aerial bombs were 50 kg and 25 kg, which had limited damage to the Gah aircraft carrier.

Throwing it up would be like scratching an itch, but it wouldn't cause fatal damage either; at this moment, although the damage to the Gah aircraft carrier looks quite large, the damage to the overall structure is limited.

It's important to know that in the original history, the reason why the military air force was able to take down this thing was not only due to incredible luck, but also because the SBD Dauntless dive bombers that participated in the attack used 227-kilogram aerial bombs, which were far more powerful.

Another crucial point is that one of the bombs hit the bridge.

The fire resulted in the immediate deaths of the captain and a large number of key officers, leaving the damage control site without effective command. This caused the fire to spread to the gasoline tanks, triggering a massive explosion that broke the ship in two, ultimately leading to its sinking to the bottom of the sea.

Should we evacuate immediately, or destroy the Gahe at all costs first?

Regarding this question, Mina, who had already drunk a full jug of water, enough to fill a liter of "Guangxi briefcase," made a decision in a very short time under the influence of alcohol.

The entire process took only a few seconds.

There was no other way! It would take half a day to walk nine kilometers, but with the speed of those eight Japanese carrier-based planes, they could fly there in less than two minutes.

Now, the Nationalist army has only 15 aircraft left in the skies above Beihai Port.

They consist of 6 fighter jets and 9 bombers, giving them a considerable numerical advantage.

However, after continuous flying and fierce fighting, the Nationalist pilots were severely exhausted in both spirit and physical strength, and each aircraft had varying degrees of damage.

They were no match for the eight Japanese fighter planes, which were of better quality and had stronger combat capabilities.

Once they get entangled with them, coupled with the support of dense air defense firepower on the sea, the ROC Air Force in the current airspace might really be wiped out.

Having made up her mind, Mina issued the order in an uncompromising tone:
"I order all aircraft to immediately form a combat formation and return to base."

Brothers, please remember! You are not running away, but returning home gloriously after completing your combat objectives; and you are the last remaining seeds of the Chinese Air Force, so living is far more meaningful than dying here.

Finally! Brothers, fighting alongside you today is one of the most precious experiences of my life, Mina. May we meet again someday.

After hearing Mina's words, which sounded like a dying wish, Liu Fusheng felt a great sense of foreboding.

Before he could do anything, he saw Mina piloting the I-15 fighter jet, which already had many gun holes and gaps on its fuselage, once again dive down towards the Gahe.

Liu Fusheng's premonition was correct; Mina was now preparing to pilot her fighter jet to ram the enemy ship.

They still planned to ram the bridge of the Gakh, kill the captain and a large number of key officers, and replicate the results of the original soldiers in history.

The reason for making this decision is quite simple.

We can't just think about our own pleasure; we must leave some seeds for the Chinese Air Force.

Therefore, Liu Fusheng and the remaining pilots had to evacuate immediately; with so many brothers killed in battle, no one would be satisfied without destroying the Gah. So let them crash into it, and give it one last try.

Anyway, after she died in battle, she was able to be perfectly resurrected in the modern world.

Mina's decision led Liu Fusheng and all the surviving KMT pilots present to witness a scene they would never forget:
That woman, who could drink even more than these men, and whose jokes, when drunk, made them blush, was as beautiful and unique as an elf.

Piloting the fighter jet, it swooped and weaved through dense anti-aircraft fire before finally crashing into the bridge of the Gakh.

Then, in the flames of the massive explosion, it vanished completely.

"Commander Mina! It's our greatest honor to know you." After muttering this to himself, Liu Fusheng used all his strength to shout an order into the communication channel:
"According to military rank and regulations, I am now in command. I order everyone to return to base immediately and survive, to survive for Commander Mina."

No one answered, because at that moment, every surviving pilot was in tears…

*******
Alright! Now that the air battle has come to a complete end.

Let's turn our attention back to Dadong Township, the main battlefield in the fight against the reinforcements.

At 1:03, after receiving news that the vanguard of the Japanese 18th Division had crossed the southern pass and officially entered the basin.

Hu Biao's spirits lifted, and he shouted, "Communications Company!"

As soon as the words fell, several lieutenants and second lieutenants rushed over and stood straight in front of him, their faces full of anticipation for the start of this great battle.

Hu Biao did not disappoint them, immediately uttering a series of orders that these people wanted to hear:
"I order! All artillery units to immediately depart from their concealed positions and be fully deployed before 3 p.m., making all necessary preparations before firing."

All other participating units immediately went into hiding at their designated positions according to the original plan.

The sound of cannon fire was their signal to attack, and they immediately launched an attack on the enemy in front of them.

Finally, I want to tell my brothers in this battle that the Japanese soldiers of the 18th Division were one of the main perpetrators of the Nanjing Massacre. If we do not want a similar tragedy to happen again in Guinan, please give it your all in this battle.

No matter their rank or status, kill them all, leave no one alive.

Thanks to Hu Biao and his comrades' revelations to foreign journalists during the Battle of Taierzhuang, the atrocities committed by the Japanese in Nanjing are now widely known.

So when he heard that the 18th Division was one of the main perpetrators, he was surprised to learn that they were among the main culprits.

Everyone present gritted their teeth, their desire for battle growing even stronger.

Several officers from the communications company immediately went down and, with their men, relayed the relevant orders via radio, telephone, or even mounted their warhorses and galloped off to deliver them.

In short, the area surrounding the basin in Dadong Township, with its mountains and dense forests, quickly became bustling with activity.

Almost everyone had only one thought in mind when they set off: "To annihilate the 18th Division and comfort the spirits of the 30 compatriots in Nanjing."

Of the remaining time travelers, Hu Biao and the others, except for the unfortunate Zhang Yishou, also known as the third brother, are still staying at Kunlun Pass.

Every single one of them, when the communications company went to relay the orders, had already led their troops to different areas to rendezvous with their respective assault teams.

The reason for this was that the assault force, consisting of tanks, cavalry, modified vehicles, and accompanying infantry, was divided into three teams, intending to launch an attack on the Japanese from multiple directions simultaneously.

Ten minutes later, the four bigwigs, Bai, Chen, Li, Zhang, and others, who were outside Nanning City, received news that war was about to break out in Dadong Township.

Their faces lit up with joy at first, but then turned serious.

His face lit up with joy! That was to put enough pressure on the Japanese troops in Nanning City. The troops outside the city had suffered heavy casualties under continuous attacks and were now really unable to continue fighting.

Fortunately, all that effort has finally paid off.

Their faces were grave! It was still two hours before 3 p.m., the time Hu Biao had requested, but they had no reserve troops left to deploy.

But these last two hours are crucial; we can't afford to let our guard down.

After gritting his teeth, Commander Bai was completely determined to go all out:

"Organize all my guards, as well as the cooks, grooms, clerks, and other logistical personnel from the front-line command post, and send them up to reinforce the attacking troops."

No matter what, you must launch a fierce attack, continuing until 3 PM..."

At the same time, in the bald-headed principal's official residence in Shuangqing City.

This top official of the Nationalist government would usually have lunch around this time, and then take a nap without fail.

Today, facing the food in front of him, the bald principal had no appetite whatsoever.

He didn't even plan to take a nap; he just sat there, staring blankly in the direction of Guinan.

The same scene also occurred outside a cave dwelling in the Baota area.

Because based on recent intelligence, they clearly know one thing:
The ultimate outcome of the Battle of Guinan, and whether it can open up the most important overseas supply route for China, hinges on the major battle that is about to take place...

(End of this chapter)