Republic of China: Ace Pilot

September 5th, early morning.

The new regiment departs.

Thirty French military trucks, lined up end to end, carrying over a thousand soldiers from the New 30st Regiment and Special Operations Battalion, along with boxes of ammunition and supplies, sped toward Lang Son.

Accompanying them were 200 French soldiers and five other supply vehicles.

There is a railway between Hanoi and Lang Son, but due to the tense situation and sabotage along the railway line, the troop will not travel by rail and will instead travel by road to ensure the safety of the march.

Around noon, Fang Wen in Hanoi contacted the New First Regiment via airborne radio and learned that they had already traveled halfway.

2 pm.

The new regiment took the initiative to send a telegram to report.

We have arrived in Chi Leng District, and it is still more than an hour's drive from Lang Son City.

But half an hour later, the radio station received a new call.

It was a telegram from Edmonton.

The telegram stated that a small Japanese unit was spotted in the southern suburbs of Dong Dang, where it briefly exchanged fire with a French outpost before departing.

There were no casualties on either side.

After reading the telegram, Fang Wen pondered.

The Japanese army probably hadn't finished assembling and couldn't possibly attack now; perhaps they were discovered by the French during the initial reconnaissance.

Half an hour later, the new regiment called again.

They have arrived in Lang Son and have been stationed in a military camp south of the city by the French army.

The next step is to conduct reconnaissance on the specific situation of the Japanese army.

To address this, Fang Wen approached the issue from three aspects.

They conducted aerial reconnaissance themselves, the Independent Regiment's special operations team infiltrated the border for reconnaissance, and they also obtained intelligence from Yoshida.

Then, at 9 p.m., the telegram time, he sent a telegram to Yoshida.

Inside the captain's cabin of the Second Fleet flagship, the JS Ashigara.

Yoshida listened to the radio waves while wearing headphones.

After he finished recording, he deciphered it using a codebook.

The telegram was brief, requesting information about the Japanese troops deployed to the border region of French Vietnam.

This was a piece of cake for Yoshida.

He searched through the naval bulletins and then drafted a telegram to report the situation.

Hanoi Red Sea Temporary Sea Airport.

Fang Wen looked at the telegram code on the paper and had already translated it in his mind.

The planned participants in the operation include: the Japanese 5th Division, the 4th Fleet of the Navy, and air forces (carrier-based aircraft + shore-based aircraft from Hainan Island).

The basic situation is consistent with Fang Wen's judgment.

The Japanese 5th Division was Fang Wen's old adversary.

During the Battle of Taiyuan, they launched an attack on the northern front. At that time, the northern defenders retreated, and the Independent Regiment was responsible for blocking them at the Hutuo River position, which was their first encounter with the enemy.

Later, when the Fifth Division attacked Taierzhuang, Fang Wen piloted a long-range bomber to cooperate with ground troops in bombing.

The 5th Division suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Taierzhuang and was transferred to the south.

As a result, Fang Wen encountered him again during the battle in Guinan.

Including this time, this will be their fourth encounter.

Therefore, Fang Wen made a plan in his mind.

Although the 5th Division suffered repeated setbacks and its overall strength would decline, it should still have more than 20,000 troops remaining after replenishment of personnel from the Japanese mainland.

Including its naval forces and air force, its overall strength was far superior to that of the French.

Therefore, Fang Wen hesitated whether to tell the governor about this situation.

After thinking for a while, he decided not to say anything. After all, the French were already known for their nature when fighting on their own soil; if things didn't go well or the pressure was too great, they would easily give up and surrender.

He's here to train his troops and, incidentally, to extract more resources from the French. This battle is inevitable, and he'll bring the French along.

After thinking it over, Fang Wen burned the telegram paper, pretending he didn't know there was such a secret telegram.

Time passed slowly. The new regiment had been stationed in Lang Son for two weeks.

During this period, Fang Wen would fly his plane to conduct aerial reconnaissance over the border every day.

Fang Wen already knew everything about the Japanese army.

As the deadline approached, Fang Wen held a meeting with the French troops at the Lang Son border command post to explain the military situation and discuss how to cooperate in defense.

Only Border Commander Edmonton and his close officers were present at the meeting.

Fang Wen stood in front of the hanging military map.

"Judging from the current situation, the Japanese army is gathering at the border in three routes. The following is my judgment based on reconnaissance intelligence."

Fang Wen spoke in French, and Edmonton and the other French officers listened attentively.

"Judging from the deployment of equipment, the central route is the main direction of the Japanese army's attack, with the target being Lang Son, a key military town in northern Vietnam. This town is not only the gateway to Hanoi, but also a key node of the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway. Taking Lang Son would open up the passage into the northern heart of French Indochina, and at the same time completely cut off the core line for China to obtain foreign aid through the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway. Its strategic significance is paramount."

In terms of troop deployment, the central route concentrated the core combat force of the 5th Division, with the 21st Infantry Brigade as the main force, supported by an independent tank company of approximately 30 tanks, the 5th Field Artillery Regiment with 18 75mm field guns and 6 105mm howitzers, and engineer platoons, totaling approximately 12,000 men, accounting for more than 40% of the 5th Division's total combat strength. It was the most heavily armed and well-equipped of the three routes.

Edmonton and the French officers' expressions changed drastically upon hearing this.

The mere presence of the Japanese troops in the central area was enough to make them feel powerless.

But they did not interrupt Fang Wen. "Judging from the deployment of the Japanese army on the southern route, its core mission is to cut off the railway line from Lang Son to Hanoi, disrupt the logistical supply route in northern French Indochina, and at the same time, contain the French reinforcements south of Lang Son, preventing them from moving north to support the main battlefield in Lang Son, thus relieving pressure on the main attacking force in the central route. Although this route is not the core direction of attack, it is directly related to the logistical disruption effect of the entire operation and is an important support for the Japanese army's strategy of 'encircling Lang Son and achieving a quick victory.'"

In terms of troop deployment, the southern route was mainly composed of the 41st Infantry Regiment under the 9th Infantry Brigade of the 5th Division, supplemented by part of the 5th Supply Regiment, a light machine gun company, and a grenade launcher squad, with a total strength of approximately 5000 men. Although smaller in size than the central route, it was highly mobile and adept at jungle warfare and raiding missions.

"Judging from the deployment of the Japanese army on the northern route, its mission was to control key ports and strategic points such as Lao Cai and Hekou on the Yunnan border. On the one hand, it was to block the land passage on the Yunnan-Vietnam border, completely sever the border connection between China and northern French Indochina, and cut off the possibility of China obtaining sporadic foreign aid through Lao Cai and other places. On the other hand, it was to prevent Chinese troops from sending troops from the Yunnan border to support the French army, while at the same time protecting the northern flank of the Japanese army on the central route, so as to avoid it being caught in a dilemma of being attacked from both sides when attacking Lang Son."

In terms of troop deployment, the northern route was mainly composed of the 11th Infantry Regiment under the 9th Infantry Brigade of the 5th Division, supplemented by part of the 5th Cavalry Regiment, a heavy machine gun company, and a field hospital, with a total strength of approximately 6000 men. This force size fell between that of the central and southern routes, with a focus on defensive and blockade missions.

At this point, Fang Wen finished recounting the findings of his reconnaissance over the past few days.

Edmonton struggled to speak. "Fang, is your intelligence accurate?"

"Really," Fang Wen replied earnestly.

Edmonton said helplessly, "In that case, I feel that with our strength, it is simply impossible to stop the Japanese attack."

Although he was one of the few hardliners in the French army, he was well aware of the situation of his own troops and couldn't help but feel the urge to back down.

Fang Wen would not let him back down.

"Actually, it's not that we can't fight. Wars can't be won simply by piling up the number of troops and equipment. If the Japanese army advances in this way, I have a weapon that can cause great damage. After using it, we can launch a raid on the rear command center, which will be very effective."

Upon hearing Fang Wen's words, Edmonton felt a glimmer of hope.

"What weapon?"

“Our secret weapon, which we produce ourselves in Mount Tai, is extremely energy-intensive. If you are willing to pay extra, I can deploy it for you.”

Can I take a look?

"Okay, I'll show you the power of this weapon, but you'll need to arrange a fire brigade and a bombing zone."

"Okay, I'll arrange it right away."

Fang Wen then ended the meeting and, after making the arrangements, boarded the plane alone with Edmonton.

The plane took off.

Fang Wen piloted the plane directly to an unnamed mountain area on the northern outskirts of Lang Son.

It was the height of summer, the sun was scorching, and the vegetation in the mountains grew wildly. Dense trees and shrubs intertwined to form a verdant sea of ​​trees, with layers upon layers of leaves that even the wind could hardly penetrate.

This environment was similar to the marching conditions of the Japanese army.

Edmonton peered out of the cabin window, his brow furrowed. The dense forest made it difficult for large Japanese troops to be accurately targeted by air fire.

He was genuinely curious about just how powerful the "secret weapon" Fang Wen had mentioned could be.

"Are you sure this is the place? Once a fire starts, it's very difficult to put out," Fang Wen asked.

“No problem, my men are already prepared nearby,” Edmonton assured him.

Fang Wen said to Gong Xiuneng behind him, "Take out the No. C third-generation napalm incendiary bomb and prepare to deploy it."

"Yes." Gong Xiuneng opened an ammunition box, carefully took out the black bullets inside, and placed them on the ammunition rack.

Then, Gong Xiuneng opened the bottom hatch, and strong winds rushed in from below.

Edmonton, who was watching from the side, quickly stepped back.

"Commander, preparations are complete," Gong Xiuneng shouted.

"Activate the security measures and await my command," Fang Wen replied.

Gong Xiu carefully operated the bomb rack and activated the bomb's safety mechanism.

After a while, the plane moved into the bombing position, and Fang Wen gave the order: "Drop the bombs."

Gong Xiuneng immediately pulled down the lever, and the third-generation napalm incendiary bomb fell down along the slide rail.

Edmonton held his breath, his gaze fixed intently on the forest below through the window.

The bomb was falling too fast; he only saw a fleeting shadow.

A few seconds later, a blinding orange-red fireball suddenly exploded on the ground.

The sound of the explosion had not yet reached us.

The next second, an even more astonishing sight appeared.

The moment the fireball exploded, the viscous burning liquid splashed outwards like molten lava, instantly adhering to tree trunks, bushes, and weeds.

The once lush green leaves ignited instantly upon contact with fire, and the crackling sound of the flames could be clearly heard through the headphones. The flames, like a mad beast, climbed wildly along the vines and branches, spreading over a range of tens of meters in the blink of an eye.

The dry vegetation provided ample fuel for the fire, and thick smoke shot into the sky like ink pillars, quickly obscuring half the sky. The once verdant mountain was burned with a charred gap, and half of the mountain's vegetation was engulfed in flames.

“God…” Edmonton instinctively gripped the cabin armrest, his pupils contracted, and he muttered to himself. His face changed from initial doubt to disbelief and shock, and finally turned red with barely concealed excitement.

He had served in the army for many years and had seen the power of artillery bombardment and the explosive effects of grenades, but he had never seen such a terrifying incendiary weapon. Unlike conventional bombs that only cause localized blast damage, it used flames as blades to turn the entire forest into a death zone, leaving even soldiers hiding behind bushes with nowhere to escape.

Fang Wen circled the plane once over the fire and said calmly to the sea of ​​fire below, "Napalm can burn at temperatures above 1,000 degrees Celsius. It has extremely strong adhesion. Once it sticks to clothing or skin, it cannot be extinguished and will only burn you alive. Moreover, in the height of summer, the vegetation is dry, and the fire will spread rapidly with the wind. If the Japanese army marches into such mountainous terrain, even if they only encounter a small bullet, the entire army will be thrown into chaos."

At this moment, the French soldiers who had been waiting at the foot of the mountain were completely panicked.

What was initially thought to be a routine weapons demonstration turned into a fierce fire. Flames engulfed the hillside, and thick smoke choked the soldiers, causing them to cough repeatedly. Some rushed towards the fire with buckets of water and fire extinguishing tools, but as soon as they got close to the edge of the inferno, they were forced to retreat by the scorching heat.

Someone tried to beat out the flames with tree branches, but the flames of the burning napalm were not extinguished. Instead, they wrapped around the soldiers' arms, scaring them so much that they screamed, dropped the branches, and rolled on the ground to put out the fire.

Chaos reigned at the foot of the mountain. Edmonton looked down at his panicked subordinates, his expression growing increasingly grave, yet he also realized more clearly that this weapon was the key to stopping the Japanese mountain offensive.

Fang Wen pulled the plane up, away from the thick smoke of the fire, his tone calm yet undeniably confident: "As you've seen, this weapon is far more effective against Japanese troops marching through the mountains than artillery shells or bombs. The Japanese main force attacking Lang Son from the central route will inevitably pass through the mountain road from Dong Dang to Lang Son. If we deploy in advance along their marching route and use the more powerful Type A shells, the area of ​​destruction and the lasting effect will be much greater. This will completely disrupt their offensive rhythm, and they might even collapse without a fight."

After a pause, Fang Wen added, "But the aftereffects of the bomb are also significant, as you've seen. The extensive destruction will create massive wildfires that may be impossible to extinguish by manpower alone."

Edmonton snapped out of his shock and turned to Fang Wen, his eyes no longer filled with helplessness, but with urgency: "Fang, how many of these weapons can you provide? I'll report the extra costs to the governor immediately and finalize it as soon as possible! Money is no problem as long as we can hold off the Japanese!"

He now fully understood that Fang Wen was not exaggerating. With such terrifying incendiary weapons, coupled with the defensive deployments of both sides, even if the Japanese army had a strong force on three fronts, they might not be unable to fight back.

As for the wildfire, this cost was nothing to him. (End of Chapter)