Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 340, Section 338: Stationing at the Hutuo River, Frontline Positions Arranged, Opponent: Japanese 20th Division
10 month 26 day.

The Taishan Independent Regiment and the Provisional Seventh Division set off fully equipped.

The Independent Regiment led the way, followed by the new recruits of the Provisional 7th Division. They entered Taiyuan from the south gate, passed through the city, and headed towards the Xinkou defense line.

This was a special request from the Taiyuan Garrison Command, hoping to give the people of Taiyuan confidence through this action.

After all, the Taishan Independent Regiment and the Provisional 7th Division were different from other units.

(The road leading into Taiyuan from the south gate, during the Republic of China era.)
At 8 a.m., the troops set off.

The grand procession entered the city through the south gate and traveled north through the city via the city's main road.

Just as the Taiyuan Garrison Command had anticipated, this unit greatly shocked the people of Taiyuan, who flocked to the roadside to watch.

Two Taishan Pine Tanks led the way, these 3-meter-tall steel behemoths, their roofs almost level with the roofs of the shops along the roadside.

The tank, weighing over 20 tons, was thankfully tracked, preventing it from crushing the cobblestone road surface, but its imposing presence was undeniable.

(A street in Taiyuan during the Republic of China era.)
The real cheers came from the crowds lining both sides of the street.

"Well done, Independent Regiment."

"This huge iron object, even the Japanese probably don't have one."

"No, my third uncle was shot and returned to the city. He told me that the Japanese tanks were much smaller than this."

“Look behind them, their guns, their uniforms, and the foreign soldiers.”

People's attention then turned to the soldiers of the 3rd Battalion of the Independent Regiment marching behind the tank.

Thompson submachine gun, sniper rifle with scope, fragmentation grenades, and neat uniforms and bulletproof helmets.

It looks just like the Nationalist Army's military police.

Then, military vehicles drove by, carrying squad machine guns, mortars, ammunition, and other military supplies.

The infantry gun and dual-purpose machine gun towed behind the vehicle were even more eye-catching.

Further on were soldiers from the Provisional 7th Division.

These Sichuan soldiers, who still looked somewhat inexperienced, marched forward with their heads held high and backs straight, carrying 98k rifles, as ordered by their commander.

Each battalion-level unit is equipped with an armored mobile command vehicle, which the soldiers jokingly call the "Iron Turtle," thus distinguishing different unit orders.

And that's not all. Eight planes flew over Taiyuan City; these planes were also from the Taishan Independent Regiment.

People spontaneously and enthusiastically applauded to send off this seemingly elite unit.

The 3rd Battalion of the Independent Regiment and the Provisional 7th Division passed through Taiyuan City.

The infantry would board troop transport trains on the northern section of the Tongpu Railway. Once the trains reached Xinzhou, they would disembark and join the tank company and convoy, then march eastward until they reached the south bank of the Hutuo River in Dingxiang County for defense.

Meanwhile, Fang Wen led his flight squadron to Fuping, preparing to open the secret seaplane airport there as a strategic transit point.

The flight formation flew over the Hutuo River and headed east.

The area below was no longer a plain; the terrain had changed to undulating mountains.

Half an hour later, the flight formation arrived over Fuping County.

Fang Wen, having activated his mechanical perception ability, did not detect any Japanese warplanes from the radar detection device, nor did he find any Japanese troops in the county town on the ground. He then notified the escort fighters to return to base.

He then led four gunboats to land at the Shahe Water Airport outside Fuping County.

The plane landed, the cabin door opened, and the soldiers inside jumped ashore one by one, forming a defensive formation in the airport.

Fang Wen then disembarked and spoke with officers of the Independent Regiment who remained in Fuping County.

"Have the Japanese army been here?"

"I heard from people in the city that a small group of Japanese troops were lurking in the mountains, but they were subsequently attacked by the Eighth Route Army."

"The Eighth Route Army also has troops here?"

"Yes, but there shouldn't be many people, and they didn't come to the county town."

"If you see any Eighth Route Army troops, report to me immediately."

"Ok."

After a brief conversation, Fang Wen confirmed that no large Japanese troops were present in Fuping County due to its mountainous terrain.

In that case, the defense forces I deployed to Fuping this time should be able to deal with small groups of Japanese troops.

Not to mention they also had gunboats and aircraft, so they weren't afraid of the Japanese army, which lacked mechanized forces.

He led his team into the city and visited the local gentry who were currently in charge of affairs in Fuping County.

The elderly man, who claimed to be a former scholar who had passed the imperial examinations in the Qing Dynasty and had also served as an official, was very concerned about the current situation, and Fang Wen gave him a brief explanation.

"The Japanese army is blocked on the east bank of the Hutuo River. Currently, the two sides are locked in a stalemate. You are located in the Taihang Mountains, and there is Mount Wutai to the west. For the time being, there is no need to worry about a large-scale Japanese invasion. I plan to set up a transit point here for air raids on the Japanese army to the west."

"That's wonderful. Please feel free to tell me your needs." The old man happily agreed.

"We need to pay close attention to the movements of the Japanese army. If we discover that they have appeared in Fuping, we should inform them as soon as possible so that we can respond in a timely manner."

"That's right. I will notify the people in each village so that everyone can keep in touch and report any discoveries immediately."

Using beacon fires for communication was an ancient method of military communication, but it was also a good method in the mountainous area of ​​Fuping.

Fang Wen talked with the old man for a while, leaving behind 30 long guns and bullets for the defense of the county town.

The old man was overjoyed. The county town was short of weapons. He quickly thanked Fang Wen and offered to treat him to a meal at a restaurant in the county town.

Fang Wen declined, saying, "I'm busy with military affairs and have to go back soon. Goodbye."

He then returned to the seaplane base, leaving 50 soldiers behind, and led four gunboats westward.

The plane flew over Mount Wutai, and ahead lay a plain landscape.

Fang Wen, in a state of mechanical perception, took this opportunity to observe the situation of both sides at the Xinkou defense line.

Looking down from the air, Daixian, Yuanping, Xinzhou, and Taiyuan are all located in a narrow strip of land in the middle of the Taihang Mountains.

The mountainous terrain on both sides was difficult to traverse, so the Japanese army had to break through this narrow strip of land in order to enter the heart of the Central Plains.

Therefore, the Japanese army, with its back to the Wutai Mountains, assembled on the east bank of the Hutuo River, ready to launch an attack and cross the Hutuo River at any time.

This river is the last defensive stronghold in this narrow strip of land.

The National Army defended the west bank of the Hutuo River, attempting to block the Japanese army.

Behind the Japanese army, the Eighth Route Army, skilled in mountain warfare and capable of rapid marches, advanced through alternating mountainous and plain areas, constantly disrupting Japanese supply lines and recapturing occupied territories.

He turned his gaze south to the lower reaches of the Hutuo River, near Dingxiang County. It was the end of the entire Xinkou defense line. Because it was the end of the defense line, no troops had been deployed to defend it, which is why the Taishan Independent Regiment and the Provisional 7th Division were sent to fill the gap.

After completing his observation, Fang Wen found no signs of the Japanese troops moving in this direction.

He then returned to base.

The Taishan Independent Regiment's aviation squadron returned to base. Four fighter jets flew back to Xi'an to stand by. The four gunboats, due to their slower flight speed, would take more than three hours to reach the front line from Xi'an, making them unable to react quickly. Therefore, they remained at the Jinyang Lake waterborne airport in Taiyuan, ready to launch attacks at any time, and also to go to Fuping.

While the other pilots were on standby, Fang Wen could not. He was still the commander-in-chief of the Independent Regiment and the Provisional 7th Division, and he also needed to keep a close eye on the ground forces.

Therefore, after a short rest, Fang Wen took off again in his Water Tiger No. 4 gunboat.

At noon, we arrived at the lower reaches of the Hutuo River.

At this time, the troops had just reached the lower reaches of the Hutuo River. Large numbers of soldiers assembled in battalions under the orders of their officers.

As Fang Wen circled in the sky piloting a gunboat, he considered how to arrange the ground troops' positions based on what he saw.

After considering the matter, he landed the gunboat on the river and summoned officers of battalion level and above.

After the officers assembled, Fang Wen made a deployment arrangement in front of the unfolded military map.

"In the narrowest part of the river, the 3rd Battalion of the Independent Regiment set up defensive positions, and on its left and right, the Provisional 7th Division assigned eight battalion-level defensive positions."

Following his orders, each unit carefully noted down the instructions, preparing to immediately begin construction work on the front lines upon their return.

Apart from the 3rd Battalion of the Independent Regiment and the 8 battalions of the Provisional 7th Division stationed at the front lines, the remaining four battalions were kept in reserve in the rear.

In addition, 700 to 1000 meters behind the front-line positions, there are three small, higher mounds where air defense positions were set up, forming a cross-type air defense.

These anti-aircraft positions were located at a certain altitude, which not only allowed them to defend against Japanese aircraft, but also enabled them to lower their gun barrels and launch downward attacks on Japanese troops crossing the river.

At the same time, it is also a buffer defense point after the front-line positions are lost. The retreating troops can take advantage of this terrain to build a second layer of defense and then fight back.

Further back, 3 kilometers behind the front-line positions, were infantry artillery and mortar positions.

Finally, there are tank companies, which are mobile units that provide support in different areas as the battle situation changes.

The deployment meeting concluded, and the officers of each unit began leading their soldiers into action, following Fang Wen's orders.

Sichuan Army soldiers and soldiers of the Third Battalion of the Independent Regiment took off their coats and dug trenches and fortifications with their shirts down.

The troops in the rear were also busy, building camps and wartime hospitals, and helping the artillery dig concealed fortifications.

Everything is in the midst of intense preparations.

To prevent being ambushed by the Japanese army during this period, Fang Wen also personally led patrols near the position two to three times a day.

Despite this tense preparation, the Japanese army did not appear.

The two days passed peacefully.

On October 28, Fang Wen prepared to continue his patrol and reconnaissance mission to the front lines.

Shortly after takeoff, the onboard communicator suddenly made a report.

"Commander, we received a call from Shanghai with a special code. Should we decode it?"

The coded telegram from Shanghai could only be from a secret intelligence station planted by Fang Wen in Shanghai.

Fang Wen agreed to the messenger's request to decode the message, and a moment later, the messenger read the message aloud.

[Shanghai Naval Intelligence Report: The Japanese army has breached the last line of defense along the Suzhou Creek, and the Nationalist army is currently retreating south of the Suzhou Creek.]

Fang Wen couldn't help but frown.

It still happened.

The battle to defend Shanghai, which lasted for more than two months, ultimately ended in this manner.

The Suzhou Creek was the last line of defense, and the south bank was the foreign concessions. Large-scale fighting would end there.

He continued listening to the messenger read the telegram.

[A unit of 800 soldiers from the 524th Regiment, led by Regiment Commander Xie, held the Sihang Warehouse in Shanghai to cover the main force's retreat, repelling enemy attacks multiple times.]

Commander Xie, Fang Wen recalled the man's image. He had fought alongside him in Shanghai, and the first real combat exercise of the gunboats took place on the 524th Regiment's position.

This is an elite regiment of the National Army's German-equipped division; how could it possibly stay behind to cover the retreat of other units?

It seems this was a performance, a display of heroic fighting to prove to the foreign consuls and Shanghai citizens on the south bank of the Suzhou Creek that the National Army was capable of fighting.

Fang Wen didn't know what to say, nor did he want to spoil the mood, so he replied calmly, "Understood. Send a telegram back to Shanghai, instructing them to temporarily halt intelligence gathering and drug sales, and to go into full-scale infiltration, awaiting reactivation."

This was for the safety of the secret intelligence station in Taishan. After the Japanese army occupied Shanghai, they would purge the intelligence agencies in Shanghai, especially the intelligence agencies of the Nationalist government.

Fang Wen couldn't help but think of Yue Jinping. After Shanghai fell, the Shanghai station of the Fuxing Society, where Yue Jinping worked, would be in great danger.

He hesitated, then added, "Add one more thing: have them keep an eye on Jin Yezi, and report immediately if Jin Yezi is in danger."

Jin Yezi was his special code name for Yue Jinping, and only the head and deputy head of the intelligence station knew who he was.

After making the arrangements, Fang Wen cleared his mind and continued his patrol.

Twenty minutes later, he arrived at the Hutuo River position and, activating his mechanical senses, began observing the east bank of the Hutuo River.

This time, the situation was discovered.

A Japanese army force is moving south from the north; it appears to be a reinforcement force that has been deployed to the lower reaches of the Hutuo River.

Fang Wen estimated the enemy's marching speed and estimated that they would arrive in three hours.

He immediately sent a warning to the ground troops, while he himself flew back to Taiyuan.

Since this unit will be the enemy of the Independent Regiment, it is essential to welcome them with fireworks.

After the plane returned to Taiyuan Jinyang Lake Water Airport, Fang Wen immediately made arrangements.

"Gong Xiuneng, immediately notify the gunboat squadron to prepare."

"Alright, another big battle is about to begin." Gong Xiuneng opened the cabin door with a happy expression, jumped onto the sea airport dock, and quickly went to give the notification.

Looking at Gong Xiuneng's retreating figure, Fang Wen was not so relaxed.

The enemy force numbered nearly 6000, which should be the Japanese 5th Division.

Military operations of this scale must be handled with utmost care.

He thought of the Japanese spies lurking in China. These insects were everywhere, and the news that Dulitu had been sent to garrison there had probably already reached the Japanese military intelligence agency.

In that case, the 5th Division's military operations would likely be supported by air force aircraft.

Sending gunboats and aircraft to launch air raids would likely be dangerous.

Therefore, Fang Wen also sent orders to Xi'an's fighter squadron to coordinate an air raid.

Coordinated airstrikes require aircraft from both Xi'an and Taiyuan to operate together.

It may seem like a lot of trouble, but it is the most reliable arrangement. Combined with Fang Wen's mechanical perception to detect enemy activity in the air in advance, they can fight head-on against those they can fight, and retreat to avoid their sharp edge if they cannot fight.

Xi'an City, outside Xiguan Airport.

Upon receiving the order, the fighter squadron, which had been on standby for some time, immediately boarded its fighter jets and took off.

They would arrive at the Hutuo River position in one hour and 30 minutes, so the gunboat squadron did not take off immediately, but deliberately waited an hour before setting off.

An hour later, the gunboat squadron took off and rendezvoused with four fighter planes outside Taiyuan.

A formation of eight aircraft flew towards the Hutuo River, dozens of kilometers away.
As they approached the airspace above the Hutuo River, Fang Wen's mechanical senses detected the situation through his radar detection device.

As expected, the Japanese had devised an aerial interception plan.

Ten aircraft reported the incident 100 kilometers to the east, and another ten aircraft reported it 200 kilometers and 300 kilometers further away.

Clearly, the Japanese army was worried about not being able to encounter the air raid formation of the Taishan Independent Regiment, so they divided their fighter planes into multiple batches. This way, the fighter planes could cover a relatively long period of time, ensuring that the 5th Division could build garrison fortifications on the east bank of the Hutuo River.

Fang Wen sneered. If it were 30 fighter jets, he might choose to retreat temporarily, but 10 fighter jets could not stop the Taishan fighter jets' air attack.

This time, he will be involved in both air combat and ground attacks.

(End of this chapter)