Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 692 Guderian's 'Iron Ring' Encirclement, the Dunkirk Evacuation Requires Aircraft

"Shall we go to the office now?" Pierre asked.

"We'll have to wait a bit longer." Fang Wen turned back and shouted into the cabin, "Bring the prisoners out."

Five paratroopers escorted three captured German officers out, and just one day later, these three captured German armored officers became the first German soldiers to arrive in Paris.

Pierre looked at the three German officers in surprise and whispered, "Who are they?"

“The 200 paratroopers who infiltrated behind enemy lines and captured prisoners will be taken away for interrogation by the GQG headquarters in Paris,” Fang Wen replied.

Ten minutes later, car headlights shone through the gate from the outside. The company guards, upon hearing the commotion, reported: "General Manager, it's the military police."

"Let them in."

"Yes."

The gate opened, and two vehicles drove in, one a truck and the other a military van. A squad of military police armed with submachine guns jumped off the truck and followed the officer.

"Hello, Mr. Fang, we are here to receive prisoners."

"Take them away." Fang Wen said, stepping aside. Five paratroopers led the prisoners and followed the military police into the vehicle and drove away.

After everyone left, Fang Wen, Pierre, and several French branch office employees went to the office at their residence to discuss the next steps.

At this stage, the more urgent the situation, the more advantageous it is for Fangwen.

Those who did not believe that France would be defeated, or who were not interested in Fang Wen's proposal, would be swayed by this situation.

Fang Wen looked at everyone in the office.

"I will have Pierre give me a brief overview of these people, and then I will assign people to keep an eye on them and maintain constant contact with the target. If he relaxes his guard, I will immediately report back by phone."

Pierre took out the list and explained it to the branch office employees who were unaware of the situation:
"The first one is Marcel Dallo, an expert in aerospace design and manufacturing. He founded Bloch Aircraft Company eleven years ago, and its MB2 bomber and other aircraft have been commissioned by the French Army. His company has a complete system for the research and development and production of military aircraft, and has a deep accumulation of knowledge in the structural design and aerodynamic layout of bombers and fighters. I know him very well, and I will be the one to communicate with him."

"The second person is Roger Robert, an expert in aerospace design and rockets. He participated in the design of the Japanese Nakajima Ki-12 fighter jet for five years, and after returning to the United States, he served as the technical director of CAPRA. In January of this year, the CAPRA R.40 heavy escort fighter jet design, which he led, passed the preliminary review of the French Ministry of Defense. This aircraft is equipped with a high-powered engine, has both escort and ground attack capabilities, and features innovative designs in wing structure and armor protection. In addition, according to my understanding, he is also researching rocket technology and intends to establish a company."

Fang Wen interjected, "I'll talk to this person."

Pierre continued: "The third is Marcel Eifard, an expert in aircraft design. He is currently the technical director of Curtiss Aircraft in France, and he is currently working on a new jet aircraft project."

Curtiss Aircraft of France is a subsidiary of Curtiss Aircraft of the United States. Although Marcel Eifard is French, he can leave France at any time by using his status as an employee of the American company.

Therefore, this person was only a potential target for this operation and was handed over to the branch office's French employee for follow-up.

There were several others in similar situations, and those individuals were also handed over to the employees of the division of labor companies for follow-up.

5 month 18 day.

Guderian's 19th Panzer Corps and Reinhardt's 41st Panzer Corps crossed the Oise River and captured Saint-Quentin and Le Cateau.

At this point, the German armored group split into two routes:
They advanced diagonally northwestward, passing through Cambrai and Arras, to contain the British and French allied forces on the northern border and within Belgium, preventing them from returning to defend their positions.

They marched straight in, making it appear as if they were attacking Paris.

Meanwhile, the German Army Group A in the rear continued to expand the breakthrough at Sedan, extending the front line to a depth of 60 miles.

May 19:
Guderian's forces captured Perone and advanced toward Armenia. Because they had left the Ardennes, their tank units were advancing 80 kilometers per day.

Another tank unit captured Laon, a city northeast of Paris serving as a barrier.

At this point, the German army had completely severed the connection between the French 2nd and 3rd Armies and the French forces in the north, and directly threatened Paris.

May 20:
Morning: Guderian's forces captured Ammi, completing a 90-kilometer forced march.

Evening: The German mechanized vanguard reached Abbeyville on the English Channel coast, completely severing the Allied forces in the north from mainland France.

As a result, under Guderian's command, the German armored forces formed a complete "iron ring" in northern France, encircling approximately 40 divisions of the French First Army, the British Expeditionary Force, and the Belgian Army in the Flanders region.

The city of Paris was rather quiet on the evening of May 20th.

Newspaper vendors were still loudly hawking their wares on the street, but passersby, hurrying along, had no interest in buying newspapers to learn about the situation.

The German army moved so fast that new military intelligence would emerge before newspapers could even be printed.

People mostly learned about the situation on the front lines through radio broadcasts.

On the radio in the café, the announcer's voice trembled uncontrollably as he broadcast the news that "Laon and Amian have fallen one after another." The once noisy café fell silent instantly. Some people clasped their hands together in prayer, while others slammed their fists on the table, causing the murky absinthe in their glasses to spill over.

At the train station exit, a long line of refugees carrying suitcases stretched out. Most of them were civilians who had fled from the north, dressed in rags, their faces covered in dust, with the cries of children and sighs of adults mingling together.

Meanwhile, another group of people were carrying their luggage and queuing to enter the station, boarding a train to leave Paris and head to more distant places to escape the war.

However, this pervasive pessimism was kept at bay by Montmartre in northern Paris.

This is Paris's money pit; even during wartime, many indifferent people linger here.

As night falls, the windmills of the Moulin Rouge continue to turn slowly, and colorful signs shimmer in the darkness, illuminating the surrounding streets as if it were daytime.

The waiters at the door, dressed in sharp suits, skillfully guided the guests through the streets, where cheerful jazz music and the crisp clinking of glasses filled the air, creating a stark contrast to the despair on the street.

The place was still packed with people, mostly well-dressed nobles and capitalists, as well as many foreign diplomats and journalists. They were holding champagne and embracing dancers, as if no war had broken out at all.

Fang Wen sat in a corner booth, an unlit cigarette between his fingers. This was a Parisian social custom; almost everyone in high society smoked.

Across from me, Roger Robert, slightly drunk, gazed out the window with hazy eyes, the Moulin Rouge lights reflected in the glass. "Robert," he said, "there's a poem in Chinese that's very fitting for this moment. Would you like to hear it?"

“I love poetry,” Roger Robert said, turning back expectantly.

Fang Wen pondered how to translate the poem, "The courtesan sings of love and loss, oblivious to the nation's ruin, across the river still singing 'The Flowers of the Rear Courtyard,'" into French.

After making the changes, he said aloud:
"It's a beautiful thing, it's a beautiful thing."

Although the words are different, they both express the idea that, against the backdrop of the motherland's fall and the flames of war, some people are still indulging in a life of peace and prosperity.

Roger Roberts froze, picked up his glass, and took a large gulp. The spicy liquid slid down his throat, but it did nothing to dispel the anxiety between his brows: "Mr. Fang, is what you said true? The German army has really reached the English Channel?"

Fang Wen took out his own 'Zhongxing' portable semiconductor radio, turned it on, and adjusted the frequency.

The announcer's tense and indignant voice came through the radio, reporting on the German occupation of Abbeyville.

"The Germans took only two days to get from Sedan to Abbeville!" Roger Robert exclaimed helplessly.

"Yes, who could have imagined it would turn out like this?" Fang Wen followed the other person's tone, "The R.40 fighter jet project you led, it's not in mass production yet, is it?"

Roger fell silent.

He put down his glass: "It took me three years to come up with this plan. I thought I could do something for France... but now, it's too late."

“It’s not too late.” Fang Wen’s voice was deep and firm. “Your talent shouldn’t be buried in occupied France. My company has a complete aircraft manufacturing plant in northern Myanmar, as well as a dedicated rocket laboratory. You can take your team and blueprints there. There are all the resources you need to continue your research and even mass-produce your fighter jets and rockets.”

Roger looked up, a flicker of hesitation crossing his eyes behind his glasses. He had considered leaving; the German advance was far exceeding everyone's expectations, and the fall of Paris was only a matter of time. But he couldn't bear to leave his homeland, and even more so, he couldn't abandon the project to which he had poured his heart and soul.

“I know you’re hesitant,” Fang Wen continued, “but you must understand that after the Germans occupy Paris, your research will either be looted or completely destroyed, and you yourself will be coerced into researching their weapons. You are a scientist, and your mission is to make technology serve justice, not to become an accomplice of the invaders.”

Just then, a commotion in the bar interrupted their conversation.

Two men in British military uniforms walked in. The man in the lead was tall and had sharp eyes, scanning the room. The Moulin Rouge manager rushed to greet him with a fawning smile, but was waved away by the man.

The man's gaze finally settled on Fang Wen. His Asian features were easily recognizable. He walked straight over and asked in fluent French, "Are you Mr. Fang Wen from Taishan Airlines?"

Fang Wen's heart skipped a beat, but he calmly replied, "I am Fang Wen. And you are?"

“I am John Sinclair, the British military attaché in France.” The man extended his hand, shook hands with Fang Wen, then took off his military cap and sat down. “Excuse me for disturbing you, but I have something important I would like to discuss with you privately.”

Fang Wen glanced at Roger. "Roger, please consider what I have to say."

After saying that, he followed Sinclair to a secluded spot in the backyard of the Moulin Rouge.

“Mr. Fang, as you probably know, the Allied forces are currently in a very difficult situation.” Sinclair got straight to the point, his tone grave. “The German army has already encircled the Flanders region, trapping forty Allied divisions there, including two hundred thousand British troops.”

Fang Wen understood immediately; he knew what Sinclair was referring to—the historical Dunkirk evacuation, also known as "Operation Dynamo."

It was precisely this retreat without continuing the fight that caused France to completely lose its ability to continue fighting.

“We have developed an evacuation plan, codenamed ‘Dynamite,’ with the goal of evacuating the stranded Allied soldiers back to Britain,” Sinclair continued. “But we lack sufficient transport. I understand that your Taishan Aviation has many civilian seaplanes with low-altitude flight and water landing capabilities, and the capacity is just right, which is exactly what we need.”

So that's why!
Fang Wen was surprised. He had originally thought that the British had approached him because they wanted him to participate in the air battle. If that were the case, he would definitely have refused in order to secure Taishan Airlines' new European routes.

Little did they know, the British were eyeing the idle seaplanes of Taishan Airlines.

Due to the war, most seaplane routes have been suspended. Of the more than 100 seaplanes, 20 are used by logistics companies, more than 20 are used for transportation services in Myanmar, and another 30 have been converted into gunboats.

Fang Wen plans to modify the remaining 50 Shuiyun-1 passenger planes little by little for his own use or for export.

Unexpectedly, when faced with being surrounded by German forces, the British actually thought of using the transport capacity of these planes.

Fang Wen smiled and replied, "Was it the Governor-General of Burma who told you?"

The officer stood straight in front of Fang Wen: "Part of MI6 is also collecting information on you, after all, you have technical cooperation with companies related to our country's military engine project. We sincerely hope that you can help the Allied forces retreat."

In response, Fang Wen said seriously, "Since you know so much about my company and know that Taishan's European branch has moved to Geneva, and that all future civil aviation flights in Europe are under the control of the Germans, if I lend you the planes, the Germans will definitely come after me. Unless, we change our approach and you directly purchase those planes."

"I'm sorry, I can't make a decision. Please tell me how many planes are available and what the price is?"

"We'll sell you these used planes at cost price, $15,000 each, for a total of 53."

"Okay, I'll report it right away. Please wait here for me."

"no problem."

Fang Wen walked back to the bar and sat down in front of Roger. Of the two officers, one left and the other sat down beside him to keep watch.

As soon as he sat down, Roger Robert leaned forward impatiently and asked in a low voice, "Was that British officer here for the front lines?" His gaze swept over the British officer sitting quietly beside him, who was watching the door warily, his hand always on the pistol at his waist, completely out of place with the atmosphere of revelry around him.

Fang Wen didn't answer directly. Instead, he raised his hand and called over a waiter, who poured a glass of whiskey and pushed it in front of Roger: "Try this. It's from Scotland. It's different from your absinthe. It's stronger. Maybe you need some alcohol to give you the courage to make a decision."

Roger picked up the whiskey and downed it in one gulp. The strong liquor burned his throat, but it also cleared his muddled mind a bit.

He thought of his laboratory, the blueprints filled with formulas, and the expectant eyes of the young engineers on his team. "I can't bear to part with it..." he murmured, "That's the fighter jet I built for France."

“It’s no use being reluctant.” Fang Wen tapped the table with his fingertips. “Do you know what will happen to the factory after the Germans occupy it? They will take your blueprints and make you design more advanced weapons for them to bomb more innocent people. The main Allied forces are now surrounded, and the situation is settled. You don’t have many choices. You can go to the United States now, or Africa. Of course, Taishan Military Industry is the best choice. We can take you and your team, as well as your families, away directly, guarantee your safety afterward, and provide you with complete research facilities and equipment.”

Roger was somewhat tempted, but as long as the fighting on the front lines continued, he wouldn't make a decision. After all, there was still hope for the French.

What if the Anglo-French allied forces break through the blockade and turn the tide of battle?
Just then, the door to the Moulin Rouge was suddenly pushed open, and the officer who had left rushed in.

(End of this chapter)