Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Following the attack on Haiphong port.

In an effort to recover from the losses of the battle of Haiphong Harbor and stabilize the landing deployment, the Japanese army urgently dispatched three destroyers to be stationed in the nearby waters. The main guns on the ships were aimed at the outer perimeter of the port area, and the anti-aircraft weapons were on standby, alert for any possible air or ground attacks.

At the same time, the Japanese high command issued a cruel order: forcing the residents of Haiphong City and surrounding villages to clear the wreckage of the transport ships that had sunk into the docks within a specified period, dredge the waterways, and restore the port's navigation capacity.

Without large cranes or professional cleaning equipment, Japanese soldiers used their rifle butts to drive away unarmed civilians, placing the entire burden of clearing the wreckage on ordinary people.

Such arduous labor, coupled with the threat of clubs and bayonets, meant that even rest was impossible, once again demonstrating the brutality of the Japanese army.

On the dock, corpses were piled up together. The Japanese army forced the living laborers at gunpoint to transport the bodies outside the port area, and then dug a large pit to bury them.

The brutality and exploitation of the Japanese army caused widespread resentment among the people of Haiphong.

Some tried to resist but were shot dead on the spot by the Japanese army as a warning to others; others wanted to escape but were blocked by the Japanese blockade and forced to work in despair.

For a whole week, the people of Haiphong worked day and night, and under the coercion and enticement of the Japanese army, they managed to clear a waterway for ships to pass through by manpower.

As the first transport ship slowly entered the port, the people were already exhausted, their eyes filled with numbness and anger, while the Japanese soldiers stood on the dock, raising their guns and waving in celebration at the ship.

After the waterway was cleared, the Japanese army immediately launched a new round of material transportation and personnel landing.

To ensure the safe arrival of these supplies, the Japanese aircraft carrier fleet quietly entered the Beibu Gulf and formed a tight protective ring around Haiphong Port.

On the aircraft carrier deck, Type 97 and Zero fighters were neatly arranged, ready to take off and intercept at any time; every warship in the fleet was equipped with a large number of anti-aircraft guns - both Type 89 127mm twin anti-aircraft guns and Type 96 25mm anti-aircraft machine guns. The dense anti-aircraft fire network covered the entire port, guarding against attacks from the French Air Force and the Taishan Air Group.

At this time, Fang Wen had already been piloting the Taishan first-generation aircraft, conducting long-range reconnaissance at high altitude.

With his mechanical perception ability perfectly integrated with airborne radar, the Japanese aircraft carrier fleet in the Beibu Gulf, the transport ships at Haiphong port, and the landing Japanese soldiers were all clearly presented in his perception.

Seeing the Japanese army's tight air defenses and massive aircraft carrier fleet, Fang Wen knew there was no opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

Upon his return, he immediately convened a colonial air force operations meeting to explain the situation.

The colonial air force commander attending the meeting frowned: "With so many Japanese warships and aircraft carriers, should we still send fighter jets to attack their transport ships?"

The other colonial air force generals dared not answer this thorny question and all looked to Fang Wen.

Fang Wen shook his head: "No, the Japanese are currently at the height of their power. Their aircraft carrier fleet has tight anti-aircraft firepower, and a large number of warplanes are on standby. If we launch a rash attack, it will only cause unnecessary losses, which would be counterproductive." He paused, then continued, "We should avoid their main force for now, closely monitor the Japanese movements, and wait for the best opportunity to counterattack. The more Japanese personnel and supplies they land, the greater the pressure on subsequent resupply will be. We will have plenty of opportunities to counterattack."

"This is the only way!" Although the colony's air force commander was somewhat unwilling, he understood Fang Wen's considerations.

Other air force generals had no objection to this.

Under the strict protection of the Japanese Navy, Japanese transport ships continuously entered Haiphong Port, and batches of supplies and equipment were unloaded and transported ashore. More than 20,000 mechanized troops successfully landed, and the tanks that had been destroyed earlier were also replaced. Type 95 light tanks and Type 97 medium tanks were neatly arranged in the assembly area of ​​the port, stretching as far as the eye could see.

With ambitious plans, the Japanese high command, after a week of preparation, had all its troops and equipment in place, and a large-scale offensive against Hanoi was quietly brewing.

In early February 1941, before the night had completely faded, the Japanese aircraft carrier fleet in the Gulf of Tonkin launched a diversionary attack. The main guns of the ships opened fire fiercely on the French positions outside the port of Haiphong. Dense shells whistled past, bombarding the positions beyond recognition.

At the same time, the Japanese army, imitating the tactics of the German Blitzkrieg, launched its attack on Hanoi.

The Japanese mechanized forces, divided into three columns, advanced rapidly towards Hanoi with lightning speed. The central column, led by over 100 tanks and equipped with a large number of motorized infantry and armored vehicles, sped along the highway, breaking through the outer defenses of the French army and heading straight for the center of Hanoi. The left and right columns, on the other hand, outflanked and encircled the city, clearing out French strongholds along the way and cutting off Hanoi's connection with the outside world, thus forming an encirclement and completely isolating Hanoi.

Unlike traditional positional warfare, the Japanese blitzkrieg was characterized by speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness.

Tank units acted as the vanguard, using their powerful firepower and mobility to break through French fortifications and crush obstacles along the way.
Motorized infantry followed closely behind, quickly occupying the captured positions and mopping up the remaining French troops.

In the air, fighter jet formations took off from the aircraft carrier deck and launched airstrikes on French airfields, temporary command posts, and key transportation routes in Hanoi, destroying the French command system and supply lines and throwing the French army into chaos.

The French defense system collapsed instantly under the Japanese blitzkrieg.

The French troops originally stationed on the outskirts of Hanoi had no time to react and were crushed by the Japanese tank forces, losing their positions one after another.
French strongholds along the way were either captured or forced to surrender under the combined attack of Japanese air raids and ground offensives.

In Hanoi, the French command post was attacked by Zero fighter planes, and the entire building was destroyed.

Fortunately, the people in the building were evacuated in advance, and the French army command was not completely wiped out.

Upon learning of the Japanese offensive, Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire immediately organized the French army to resist, mobilizing all available forces to set up defensive lines on the roads and mountains surrounding Hanoi in an attempt to halt the Japanese advance.

However, the French army's new troops had limited combat capabilities. Although they were well-equipped, they lacked combat experience and were unable to mount an effective resistance against the Japanese mechanized forces' lightning attack.

"Report to the commander! The Japanese central tank force has broken through our first line of defense and is advancing towards the city. Our troops have suffered heavy casualties. Requesting reinforcements!"

"Report! The Japanese troops on both the left and right flanks have outflanked Hanoi to the west, cutting off our communication with the outside world. We are surrounded!"

One piece of bad news after another arrived, and Lieutenant Colonel Lemerre's face turned pale, his hands clenched into fists, and his eyes were full of anxiety.

With the fighting escalating to this point, where is Fang Wen? What about the air force he commands? And the main French forces?
Why didn't Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire request assistance from Fang Wen under these circumstances?
The reason why Lieutenant Colonel Le Maire never sent a distress signal to Fang Wen was not because something unexpected had happened, but because he and Fang Wen had secretly devised a plan to suffer a bitter defeat long before the Japanese army prepared to attack.

Using the "defeated" French New Army as bait, the Japanese mechanized forces were lured to advance deep into the country, extending their supply lines. When the Japanese army's morale waned and their supplies became critical, Fang Wen led the air force to launch an air raid on their logistics. The French elite launched a counterattack from the north and south flanks, leaving the main Japanese force in the center to encircle and annihilate them.

This is how Fang Wen integrates the essence of "The Art of War" into modern warfare. He has given the eight characters "avoid their sharpest edge and strike when they are exhausted and retreating" a completely new contemporary meaning.

At the time when the Japanese army's defenses were at their strongest and its offensive was at its most powerful, he chose to remain inactive and avoid direct confrontation.

When the Japanese army launched a blitzkrieg with its high mobility and seemed to be unstoppable, he remained calm and composed.

He knew that the fatal weakness of mechanized forces was never the firepower at the front, but the supplies at the rear.

The Japanese blitzkrieg advanced with lightning speed. Within a single day, the central tank force broke through three outer lines of French defense, and the vanguard was already approaching the outskirts of Hanoi. Along the way, the French New Army suffered heavy losses and retreated in disarray. Although they appeared to be in a sorry state, each retreat was precisely controlled, giving the Japanese the illusion of being "unstoppable" while cleverly leading them into a pre-arranged ambush. All of this was exactly what Fang Wen had anticipated.

With the precise calculations of his mechanical perception ability, combined with the fuel capacity, mileage, and speed of the Japanese tanks, Fang Wen had already concluded that the maximum range of the Japanese Type 95 and Type 97 tanks was limited, and they simply could not take Hanoi in one go without refueling.

The faster the Japanese army advanced and the farther they went, the longer their strategic depth became, and the more vulnerable their logistical supply lines became. Once the supplies were cut off, the mechanized units at the front would be rendered helpless and would collapse without a fight.

When the Japanese central vanguard arrived near Hanoi, and the left and right wings had just completed a partial encirclement of Hanoi, Fang Wen knew that the time had come.

A secret military airfield located southwest of Hanoi.

Fang Wen boarded the cockpit of the command aircraft and piloted it into the air first.

High in the air, he activated the command aircraft's full-battlefield communication relay station, and from that moment on, the entire battlefield's command and communication chain was opened.

The counterattack plan was launched! Orders were issued one by one.

"All fighter jets take off and target the Japanese logistics transport units to completely cut off their fuel and ammunition supplies."

"The main French forces in the north shall immediately launch an attack and use artillery to suppress the Japanese northern forces."

"French tank units on the southern route, engage the Japanese armored forces on the southern route, and slow their advance!"

As soon as the order was given, 40 P-40 fighter jets at the rear airfield took off in formation and flew eastward.

Fang Wen piloted the command aircraft to climb to a higher altitude, fully activating his mechanical perception abilities and combining them with radar detection devices for reconnaissance.

Continuous weak ground-based radar signal feedback was detected to the east.

It was a convoy of more than 50 military trucks, slowly advancing along the road. The trucks were fully loaded with tank fuel, ammunition and food. The escort was only a small number of armored vehicles and infantry, and the defense was relatively weak.

"Attention all crews, target Haiyang East 3, continue air strikes, do not let a single vehicle pass!"

As soon as Fang Wen gave the order, 40 P-40 fighter planes immediately took action, flew to the designated air raid point, and swooped down on the Japanese supply convoy.

The airborne machine gun opened fire instantly, a dense barrage of bullets hurtling towards the truck bed, while aerial bombs landed precisely, with explosions echoing one after another.

The truck, fully loaded with fuel, was hit and instantly burst into flames, with flames shooting into the sky and thick smoke billowing, engulfing the entire highway in a sea of ​​fire.

The escorting Japanese infantry and armored vehicles attempted to retaliate, but were held back by another group of P-40 fighters. Under the strafing fire of machine guns, Japanese soldiers fell to the ground one after another, and armored vehicles were hit in the tracks, lost power, and became scrap metal.

In just over ten minutes, the Japanese supply convoy was completely destroyed. The acrid smell of burning fuel filled the air, and scattered ammunition exploded from time to time, completely cutting off the supply source for the Japanese front-line troops.

Meanwhile, on the northern front, the main French force of 8000 men was already poised for action.

As Fang Wen gave the order, ten American M2A1 105mm howitzers opened fire simultaneously, and a dense barrage of shells whistled past, bombarding the Japanese northern route troops.

The Japanese northern route forces were advancing at full speed when they were caught off guard and subjected to fierce artillery fire, resulting in heavy casualties among the soldiers and a sudden setback in the advance of the tank units.

The previously arrogant Japanese army was stunned by the sudden ambush and had to stop its advance, hastily organize an attack, and engage in a fierce tug-of-war with the main French army.

The main French forces were different from the previous new army. They were seasoned veterans with rich combat experience, equipped with a large number of artillery pieces and heavy weapons, and relied on their pre-established high ground positions to firmly suppress the Japanese offensive.

The Japanese army made several attempts to break through the French defenses, but were repelled by heavy artillery fire. Casualties continued to rise, their initial momentum gradually dissipated, and they found themselves in a passive and defensive position.

On the southern battlefield, fierce armored battles were also taking place.

Twenty Type 20 medium tanks of the Japanese southern route force were advancing towards the south of Hanoi when they were intercepted by the only French tank unit.

Thirty American M2A4 light tanks stood in neat formation, their guns aimed at the Japanese tanks, and a clash of steel erupted instantly.

This is also Fang Wen's key command area.

He picked up the microphone.

"Tank units, take note: charge head-on, fire while the tanks are in the way, and do not stop without my order."

Some of the tank crew members were Taishan's drivers, who faithfully carried out Fang Wen's orders, and other French tank crew members also followed suit in the charge.

The two tanks charged and fired at each other on flat terrain.

The shell was fired and instantly struck the enemy's armor.

This shot immediately revealed the difference in skill.

The Japanese Type 97 medium tank, although called medium, had 25 mm of frontal armor, the same thickness as the M2A4 light tank.

Their main gun was a 57mm short-barreled gun with a muzzle velocity of only 420 meters per second. The main gun of the M2A4 light tank was the M5 37mm gun, which, although smaller in caliber, had a muzzle velocity of 884 meters per second.

In this face-to-face artillery engagement, the Japanese Type 97 medium tank was unable to penetrate the frontal armor of the M2A4 light tank, while the small-caliber guns of the American light tanks penetrated the armor of the Japanese tanks.

After a salvo from the tanks, five Japanese Type 97 medium tanks were hit and penetrated, but none of the M2A4 light tanks were penetrated.

Fang Wen smiled, picked up the microphone, and continued to give instructions: "Now, spread out to the left and right, and increase the distance between you."

This order eliminated the only possibility for the Japanese Type 97 medium tank to penetrate armor at close range, allowing the M2A4 light tanks to use their speed advantage to create distance and look for an opportunity for the next attack. (End of Chapter)