Republic of China: Ace Pilot

In order to completely control the war situation in French Indochina, Fang Wen knew that simply having air command authority was far from enough.

He must establish a highly efficient and unified command system that he is completely in control of.

However, he found that the military system in French Indochina was currently mired in serious factional divisions, which became the biggest obstacle to his control of the overall situation.

The old-school French military, who supported the governor's break away from the Vichy government, successfully seized the fruits of the previous coup. Relying on their military ranks, they firmly controlled the senior management of the army and commanded all the army units except for the 30,000 new troops, including the newly formed and most powerful armored tank force.

These people are conservative and stubborn, clinging to the mindset of traditional positional warfare, and are simply unable to implement Fang Wen's mobile defensive tactics.

While the Free French new-faction officers, led by Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire, agreed with Fang Wen's combat philosophy and controlled 30,000 new troops, they lacked sufficient power to mobilize core equipment such as tanks and heavy artillery, and were unable to influence the overall combat deployment of the army.

Currently, the forces that Fang Wen can directly command are only thirty American P-40 fighter jets, ten P-40 fighter jets from the Taishan Salvation Air Force, ten gunboats from the Independent Regiment Air Force, one thousand new Burmese troops, and thirty thousand newly formed French Indochina troops lacking combat experience.

Such forces are adequate for supporting operations, but they are undoubtedly insufficient to counter the large-scale mechanized offensive that the Japanese army is about to launch.

More importantly, the outdated command of the old-school officers could destroy Fang Wen's carefully planned defense system at any time, rendering all preparations futile.

Fang Wen knew that to break the deadlock, he had to completely remove the obstacles from the old-school officers and let the officers of the Free French faction who agreed with his tactical ideas take control of the entire army.

However, he could not intervene personally. As an outsider, directly intervening in the internal strife within the French Indochina army would not only provoke the displeasure of the governor and the colonial authorities, but could also lead to accusations of a foreigner interfering in the internal affairs of another country, which would be counterproductive.

The best approach would be to encourage the Free French faction to seize power, while he provides support and guidance from behind the scenes.

A few days later, Fang Wen hosted a small private banquet at his hotel in Hanoi, and specially invited Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire and core officers of the Free French faction.

The banquet was not attended by any old-school military officers or colonial officials, making the atmosphere exceptionally private.

Fang Wen put down his wine glass, his gaze slowly sweeping over the Free French officers present, his tone somewhat heavy.

"Gentlemen, we have gathered here today mainly to discuss the current crisis."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a power that penetrated people's hearts.

"France's defeat and surrender on the mainland, becoming a vassal of the Axis powers, was not only due to the disparity in troop strength and equipment, but also to the disastrous failure of command philosophy! Those old-school generals in high positions clung to the rigid thinking of the Maginot Line, unable to adapt or innovate. Faced with the German army's mobile penetrations, they had no choice but to hold their ground, which ultimately led to the complete collapse of the French army."

The Free French officers present instantly became serious. The defeat on French soil was a permanent disgrace in their hearts, and also the reason why they wanted to rise again and reclaim Indochina.

Fang Wen's words were like a sharp knife, piercing their sore spots. Complex emotions welled up in everyone's eyes, including anger, resentment, and a deep sense of powerlessness.

Seeing this, Fang Wen continued, "Now, history is repeating itself in Indochina. According to information from my intelligence network, the Japanese army's tactics are exactly the same as the German army's back then. They excel at flanking maneuvers, night raids, and rely on mechanized units for rapid breakthroughs. And the officers commanding our army are still those old-fashioned, stubborn officers. They don't understand mobile defense; they only know how to build up defensive lines. They don't understand inter-service coordination; they only know how to fight independently. Even if we have American equipment and 30,000 new troops, under their command, we will only repeat the mistakes of mainland France and be defeated by the Japanese army, turning Indochina into a Japanese colony."

“Mr. Fang, you’re right!” A young Free French officer couldn’t help but speak up, his voice trembling with excitement. “Those old-school generals stay in their offices all day long, they don’t even dare to go to the battlefield, they have no idea how formidable the Japanese army is, and they’re still fantasizing about using fixed defensive lines to stop the Japanese offensive. That’s just wishful thinking! We’ve proposed to them many times that we revise our battle plans, but they’ve turned a deaf ear and even said that we’re young and don’t understand war!”

Another officer chimed in, "Yes, their armored tank units are scattered across various defensive lines, making it impossible for them to utilize their mobility advantage. The new army's training has clearly improved, but they insist on interfering, forcing soldiers to practice positional warfare, which completely contradicts Mr. Fang's training philosophy. If this continues, we have no chance of winning!"

Lieutenant Colonel Lemerre remained silent for a long time, then picked up his glass, drank it all in one gulp, and a resolute glint flashed in his eyes.

He looked at Fang Wen, his tone somewhat veiled yet full of expectation: "Mr. Fang, you have pointed out the root of the problem. If... if our Free French faction were to gain full control of the army, and deploy troops and command operations strictly according to your operational concepts, are you confident that you can lead us to defeat the Japanese offensive?"

Fang Wen met Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire's gaze, his eyes firm and his tone leaving no room for doubt: "Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire, I can assure you that as long as you follow my command suggestions, strictly implement my operational plans, and give full play to the advantages of the New Army in jungle warfare, the mobility of the armored forces, and the support of the air force, coupled with the cooperation of the Yunnan Army of China and my troops, we can not only stop the Japanese army's offensive, but also severely damage the Japanese army, making them completely abandon their attempt to occupy Indochina!"

Fang Wen's words gave all the Free French officers present a strong boost of confidence.

The reason they had been holding back was because they lacked confidence and assurance, while Fang Wen's past achievements made them extremely convinced.

Having received Fang Wen's explicit promise, their concerns completely vanished, replaced by unwavering determination.

“Mr. Fang, we believe in you!” Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire stood up, straightened his back, and said solemnly, “Those old-fashioned officers have become stumbling blocks in the fight against the Japanese army. We can no longer let them ruin this war! Tonight, we will deploy our action plan, launch a coup, eliminate all the old-fashioned commanders, and seize control of the army!”

The other Free French officers also stood up and responded in unison, "We are willing to obey the Lieutenant Colonel's orders and Mr. Fang's command!"

Fang Wen nodded slightly, a barely perceptible smile appearing on his face.

He knew that his plan was already half successful.

He was not in a position to participate in what followed, but he could remain an observer.

This dinner party turned into a planned military coup.

Lieutenant Colonel Lemaître, as the leader of the coup, solemnly declared: "Gentlemen, this matter is of utmost importance. We must plan meticulously and act swiftly, without the slightest mistake. Major Parker Remington, you will lead the core of the new army to the Army Headquarters in Hanoi and arrest all the old-fashioned senior commanders there; Major Griffin Steele, you will lead your men to seize the headquarters of the Tank Regiment."

He had clearly planned this all along, and he announced the arrangements in one go, ordering the officers to lead their troops out and arrest all the commanders of each unit.

Of course, simply capturing the commander wasn't enough; the governor's support was also needed. Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire would go to the governor's palace to negotiate with the governor after the coup. In the dead of night, Hanoi was utterly silent, save for the faint glow of the streetlights.

Just as people were fast asleep, a series of hurried footsteps and deep commands broke the tranquility of the city.

As planned, Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire led several thousand new troops and swiftly seized control of Hanoi's military communications stations and gendarmerie, cutting off the communication channels and emergency response capabilities of the old-school officers. Meanwhile, other Free French officers led their trusted troops to raid the residences and offices of the old-school officers.

The old-school officers were completely unprepared for the sudden attack from the Free French faction.

Furthermore, since it was their own people who were mobilized, the soldiers of those units didn't even have time to react when the new army stormed into the command post to arrest people.

In just two hours, all the old-school senior commanders were arrested and then taken to a temporary prison in the city.

At this time, just as dawn was breaking, the coup had already ended successfully.

Without pausing for a moment, Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire tidied his appearance and went straight to the Governor-General's Palace in Hanoi.

The Governor's Office, having just learned of the situation, was already in complete chaos.

The governor and colonial officials were frantically discussing what had happened, but were powerless to do anything about it.

"All the army commanders have been arrested."

"They're being held in a hotel in Hanoi."

"What can we do? The military has its own operating rules, and we can't command it."

At that moment, the governor's secretary rushed in, shouting, "Lieutenant Colonel Lemaître is here!"

The governor tried to remain calm: "Have him come to my office."

When Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire entered the governor's office, the governor was sitting behind his desk, looking somewhat pale.

Upon seeing Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire enter in his uniform, looking serious, the governor abruptly stood up, his voice tinged with panic and anger: "Le Maire! You dare to arrest all the senior officers! This is a military coup! I must immediately send a telegram to the Free French headquarters explaining your situation!"

Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire showed no fear as he slowly walked up to the Governor and straightened his back: "Governor, I did not stage a coup, you are still the Governor. I am simply saving French Indochina, saving the French expatriates and colonists here."

"Salvation? You launched a coup, and now the army is without command, and Hanoi is in chaos. Is this salvation?" The governor glared at Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire and questioned him sharply.

“That’s right!” Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire said firmly. “Those old-school officers are pedantic, inflexible, and clinging to rigid command concepts. They are simply incapable of dealing with the Japanese offensive. If they continue to command the army, French Indochina will inevitably fall to the Japanese, and then you and the French expatriates here will become prisoners of war. We launched a mutiny to purge the old-school forces so that we can lead the army to fight against the Japanese and defend this land according to the correct combat concepts.”

He paused, then continued, “Mr. Fang has promised us his full support, including air support, oil supplies, and tactical guidance. As long as we control the army and strictly implement his plans, we will surely defeat the Japanese. As the Governor-General of French Indochina, you should prioritize the overall situation and support our decision, rather than blindly supporting those old-school officers who will only lead to defeat in the war.”

The governor fell silent; he knew that Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire was telling the truth.

He was not unaware of the incompetence of the old-school officers, but these were also his staunch supporters. Why not use them and instead let officers from Free France take their place?
But now, the old guard in the army has been eliminated, and the new army has taken control of Hanoi. Even if he opposes it, it will be of no use.

More importantly, he also knew that once the Japanese army occupied Indochina, his position as governor-general, and even his life, would be in jeopardy.

After a long while, the governor slowly sat down in his chair, the anger on his face gradually dissipating, replaced by a deep sense of powerlessness and compromise.

He looked at Lieutenant Colonel Lemaître and said wearily, "Do you...do you really have the confidence to defeat the Japanese army?"

“We are confident!” Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire said firmly. “With Mr. Fang’s guidance, the fighting power of the new army, and the cooperation of the Allied forces, we will definitely be able to defend Indochina. I implore the Governor-General to formally grant us full control of the army. We will fight the Japanese army with all our might, and you, after the victory, will be the one who leads French Indochina to glory.”

The governor closed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and finally nodded slowly, saying in a heavy tone, "Very well, I agree. From today onwards, all the troops in French Indochina will be under the command of your Free French faction. Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire, I appoint you as Commander-in-Chief of the Indochina Army, with full authority over the army's operational deployment and training. But I have one request: no matter what, you must continue fighting. We have no chance of failure."

"Please rest assured, Governor!" Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire saluted solemnly, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "I will certainly live up to my mission, lead the army to fight against the Japanese, and defend this land!"

Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire walked out of the Governor's Palace with a look of joy on his face.

He succeeded.

The first thing he did upon emerging was to immediately notify Fang Wen, informing him of the successful coup and the Liberal French faction's gain of control of the army.

At this moment, Fang Wen was inspecting the training of colonial pilots at the Hanoi military airfield.

Upon hearing the news, Fang Wen remained calm; this was just the beginning.

History only records the footprints of the victors. If you lose the next war, then all your efforts will be in vain.

His current task is to implement his plan, making temporary adjustments to the existing French Indochina army system, and building an efficient and unified command structure to fully counter the impending Japanese offensive. (End of Chapter)