Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 868 The Nemesis of Blitzkrieg: The Air Advisor Appointed in a Time of Crisis

Inside the Far East Army Commander's office.

Fang Wen did not repeat his previous analysis of the Japanese frontline tactics.

Instead, it reveals the essence of the Japanese military's Southeast Asian strategy from another perspective.

"Lieutenant General, whether we can launch a counter-offensive depends on the Japanese army's logistics. I believe their logistics cannot support a high-intensity, sustained offensive."

"Japan is an island nation with extremely scarce resources. Its mainland does not produce core strategic resources for war, such as oil, rubber, and steel. Its foreign wars have always been based on a plundering strategy of using war to sustain war. Because it has been deeply involved in the Chinese battlefield for many years, the continuous consumption of nearly a million troops and massive amounts of military equipment and fuel has already depleted Japan's war reserves. Its domestic industry and logistics system are already operating beyond capacity and are simply unable to support high-intensity operations on multiple fronts."

"More importantly, the United States has now imposed a comprehensive trade embargo on Japan, completely cutting off its overseas resource supply channels. The Japanese military's existing oil reserves have fallen below the warning line and are only enough to sustain short-term operations. Their large-scale offensive into Southeast Asia at this moment is not for the purpose of conquering the Malay Peninsula or annihilating the main British forces. Their core objective is only one thing: to seize resources."

Fang Wen turned around and pointed directly to the location of Sarawak on the map on the wall: "The Shell oil field in Sarawak is the oil supply point that the Japanese army urgently needs right now. All the offensives in the Malayan battlefield are essentially defensive offensives to cover the oil-producing areas and consolidate the occupation of resources, rather than wars of annihilation at all costs."

"This explains why the Japanese army was able to penetrate rapidly and divide the battle lines, but never concentrated heavy firepower to launch a devastating all-out offensive. They lacked oil and supplies and could not afford to expend resources. Their attacks appeared fierce, but in reality they were hesitant and lacked stamina. The intensity of their attacks was far less than it appeared."

A thorough analysis completely overturned Percival's previous understanding of the entire battle.

He had always thought that the Japanese army's unstoppable advance was due to overwhelming combat power and invincible tactics, but he never imagined that there were these reasons behind the Japanese army's fierce offensive.

Percival remarked:

"So this is what the Japanese army was like, but we also have our own problems."

He frankly revealed the core problem behind the British defeat: "I deployed 30,000 Indian colonial troops on the northern front, and they performed well in training. But in actual combat, they collapsed almost immediately when faced with the Japanese attack and infiltration, and the speed of the defeat was faster than I expected."

"I have to admit that the Japanese army's lightweight lightning infiltration tactics did indeed amplify all our weaknesses. But what really dragged down the Malayan campaign was the demoralized troops, weak combat capabilities, and lack of will to fight to the death among the colonial forces, which were fatal flaws in the quality of our own army."

Percival, as the commander of the British Far East Army, naturally knew the true situation on the front lines.

Therefore, both sides had their own weaknesses in this Malayan campaign.

It's not as simple as it seems on the surface.

In response, Fang Wen said, "I don't think the Indian army is suitable to join the counterattack. Their overall combat strength is hard to estimate, and they might even become an asset to the enemy. How many troops do you still have in the Malay Peninsula and Singapore?"

When questioned by Fang Wen, Percival did not hide anything and truthfully reported the current state of the British army.

"Currently, the Commonwealth has a total military force of approximately 10 in Malaya, of which only about 1.9 are regular British troops, with the remainder mainly consisting of British Indian Army, Australian Army, and Malayan Army."

"Currently, there are still fully organized and combat-capable troops in the Malay Peninsula, totaling more than 8 people."

"More than 20,000 of them retreated to Kuala Lumpur; more than 7,000 held their ground along the Perak River, using the river fortifications to delay the Japanese advance; there were 40,000 troops in Singapore. The remaining 10,000 troops held out on the northern front."

After listening to Percival's words, Fang Wen pondered in his heart.

Since the start of the war, the British army has been in a continuous retreat and has suffered repeated defeats, appearing to be at a disadvantage.

In reality, the British forces were not small in number, but they were scattered by the Japanese infiltration and cutting tactics, and despite their numerical superiority, they were unable to make any use of it.

Fang Wen spoke with certainty, directly presenting his solution:

"If you are willing to transfer a group of troops from the garrison in Kuala Lumpur to me for command, I can lead this force to launch a targeted counterattack, which, if successful, can thwart the Japanese offensive."

Percival frowned deeply, falling into a long silence as he weighed his options.

Changing commanders on the eve of battle has always been a major taboo in the military.

This ironclad rule transcends nationality and political affiliation; it is a universal rule applicable to militaries worldwide.

The troops on the front lines in Kuala Lumpur have long been commanded by local British officers, and their tactical system, command habits, and coordination between superiors and subordinates have long been established.

Fang Wen was not from the British military system; he had no British military rank or official position at headquarters, making him a complete outsider.

If a foreign general were to be rashly allowed to directly command frontline British field troops, the officers and soldiers on the front lines would inevitably feel resentment, and there might even be instances of them refusing to obey.

This would break the chain of command between superiors and subordinates, making it impossible to launch a counterattack and potentially causing morale to collapse and the army to crumble without a fight.

This is Percival's biggest concern and the most pressing problem at hand.

On the other hand, countless pieces of intelligence and past achievements flashed through his mind.

For the past two weeks, he has never stopped his in-depth investigation into Fang Wen.

He made numerous phone calls to the Governor-General of Burma and the Governor-General of French Indochina, and even directly contacted the British military intelligence department to thoroughly investigate the background of this young Chinese commander.

He learned that Fang Wen was by no means just an ace pilot; his most terrifying talent was his unique ability to command in the air and dynamically coordinate tactics.

In the previous Battle of French Indochina, the Japanese army also replicated the German blitzkrieg tactics, deploying a large number of light mechanized units and bicycle infiltration units to advance in three directions, attempting to break through the French defenses and capture Hanoi in one fell swoop.

It was Fang Wen's aerial command that accurately predicted the Japanese army's infiltration route, used air-ground coordination to disrupt the Japanese army's offensive rhythm, and targeted the division, blocking, and counter-encirclement, effectively crippling the two main Japanese assault forces. Finally, he concentrated superior forces to defeat the Japanese army's central force, achieving a stunning reversal.

The Japanese tactics, troop deployment, and infiltration methods used in that battle have many similarities to those of the Japanese forces in the Malayan theater today.

Therefore, the fact that others couldn't deal with the Japanese army's blitzkrieg tactics doesn't mean Fang Wen was incapable.

It could even be said that, at present, only Fang Wen possesses the practical experience and command ability to counter this tactic in the entire Southeast Asian battlefield.

On one hand, there are military rules and command risks; on the other hand, there is an opportunity to turn defeat into victory.

As he weighed the pros and cons, the hesitation in Percival's eyes gradually faded, replaced by decisiveness.

Holding on to the bitter end is a dead end. There is no battle that can be won by defense alone. It is better to break the deadlock, seek change, and take a gamble.

Percival looked up at Fang Wen: "I can give you command."

"However, in order to avoid the risk of changing the coach at the last minute, we adopted a compromise."

"Externally, your role is that of a specially appointed air tactical command advisor for the British Far East Command, overseeing all tactical directives on the Kuala Lumpur front."

“Internally, I will immediately dispatch a trusted officer to the front lines in Kuala Lumpur to replace the original frontline commander and take over command of the troops. Through him, you will be able to conduct wartime command.”

In this way, the dignity and hierarchical rules of the British military system were preserved, the resistance of the lower-level officers and soldiers was eliminated, and Fang Wen was able to carry out combat command matters without any hindrance.

Fang Wen replied, "Okay." Percival immediately picked up the office phone and issued a summons, ordering the commander of the Fourth Field Brigade, Tyler Maxwell, to report to the commander's office immediately.

Shortly after, Brigade Commander Taylor, dressed in standard military uniform, pushed open the door and entered.

He was a trusted general whom Percival had personally promoted. He was experienced in combat, calm and reliable, and one of the few frontline commanders in the Far East theater who Percival could completely trust.

"Lieutenant General, you wanted to see me?" Taylor saluted.

Percival raised his hand to indicate that he should dispense with the formalities, then pointed to Fang Wen beside him and solemnly introduced him: "Taylor, this is Mr. Fang Wen, the supreme commander of the Taishan Fleet, and also our Far East Theater's specially appointed air tactics advisor."

He then briefly introduced Taylor's identity to Fang Wen.

Then, getting straight to the point: "You must immediately proceed to the front lines in Kuala Lumpur to take over command from the original front-line commander and assume full authority over ground defense. Mr. Fang will also be going with you; his mission is to organize a counterattack, and you must cooperate with his operations."

Upon hearing this, Tyler Maxwell looked puzzled and resistant.

He was well aware of the perilous situation in Kuala Lumpur. Now, in this urgent situation, the commander not only sent him to the front lines to take over command from his colleagues, but also put a foreigner with no British military background and who had never commanded British ground troops in charge of the counter-offensive.

In his view, this was undoubtedly an absurd decision.

Taylor frowned, but dared not refute in public due to military orders, and the scene became somewhat tense for a moment.

Percival saw through his thoughts and said to Fang Wen, "Mr. Fang, please wait outside for a moment."

Fang Wen nodded, turned around and walked out of the office, gently closing the door behind him.

He pressed the switch on the belt buckle and activated his superpower.

Inside the office.

Percival directly informed Taylor of all the information he had gathered about Fang Wen, especially Fang Wen's achievements in using air power to control the ground and break the Japanese army's lightning penetration tactics during the French Indochina Campaign.

Finally, he said in a deep voice, "Taylor, we are all terrified of the Japanese infiltration tactics. No one in the British Far East can crack this tactic. Only Fang Wen has a mature system to counter it. I'm not gambling with luck; I'm seizing our only chance of survival. You just need to execute the plan; there's no need to question it."

A detailed explanation completely overturned Taylor's understanding.

The young foreign commander he had initially looked down upon actually possessed such extraordinary tactical talent and combat record, and was currently the only person capable of countering the Japanese fighting style.

All the resistance and disdain in my heart vanished, replaced by awe and solemnity.

A moment later, the office door opened, and Percival gestured for Fang Wen to come in.

When he saw Fang Wen again, Tyler Maxwell's demeanor was completely different.

He stepped forward and said sincerely, "Advisor Fang, I was rude just now. I and my troops will fully cooperate with you and execute your orders unconditionally in all combat operations on the Kuala Lumpur front."

Fang Wen cut straight to the point and put forward his operational requirements: "I do not need a large force to deploy on the front lines. Just select an elite force of no more than three thousand men and I will personally command the counter-offensive."

Three thousand people?

Percival looked on in astonishment.

"Aren't the troops too few? With this number of troops, it will be difficult to form an effective frontal breakthrough force."

Fang Wen explained: "What we need to do is to break the deadlock in a targeted manner, not to fight a chaotic battle across the entire front. The Japanese infiltration troops are operating in a dispersed manner, and their weaknesses are extremely obvious. My counterattack operation aims to eliminate their dispersed forces. Too many troops will only lead to chaotic deployment, reduced mobility, and exposure of targets, making it easier for the Japanese to detect and target them in advance. Three thousand elite troops are tactically flexible and have strong execution capabilities, which is sufficient to complete the tactical requirement of gradually eliminating the enemy by dividing them up."

Upon hearing this, Percival instantly understood Fang Wen's tactical thinking.

Conventional generals seek overwhelming force, while Fang Wen seeks precise breakthroughs and victory through skill.

If commanded properly, a large, cumbersome army can be less agile and deadly than a small, elite unit.

He stopped questioning and, after a moment's thought, replied: "The 2nd Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment is stationed north of Kuala Lumpur; the 1st Battalion of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment is the core wartime reserve force in Kuala Lumpur; and the 2nd Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlands Regiment is stationed south of Kuala Lumpur. These three units are all elite British troops and are currently the most reliable and capable fighting force on the Kuala Lumpur battlefield, with a total strength of just over 2,800 men, which meets your requirements."

Fang Wen immediately decided, "These three units."

The counterattack operation was thus decided.

Before leaving, Fang Wen needed to finish up the things he was doing.

Fang Wen did not linger, bid farewell to Percival, and left the British Army headquarters.

In the next two hours, he shuttled between two places. First, he went to the Sembawang shipyard to instruct the person in charge of ship modification to steadily advance the modification projects of the amphibious aircraft carrier and rocket frigate, and to urge them to focus on improving the reinforcement of the rocket launch deck and the debugging of the dock equipment. Then he went to the British military training base to arrange for his own operators to take his place as training supervisors and continue to complete the practical training of British rocket weapons.

With everything arranged, Fang Wen, accompanied by his bodyguard Gong Xiuneng, met up with Tyler Maxwell and boarded a gunship aircraft, flying directly to the front lines in Kuala Lumpur.

Fighter jets took off and sped toward the airspace over Kuala Lumpur, where the fighting was raging.

Several tens of minutes later, the fighter jet landed smoothly at Kuala Lumpur military airport.

Before disembarking, Tyler Maxwell said to Fang Wen, "Advisor Fang, please wait at the airport for a moment. I will go to the front-line command to complete the defense handover before arranging your duties."

“Okay,” Fang Wen replied.

Taylor then disembarked and got into a military vehicle driven by the people who picked him up, and left.

Inside the aircraft cabin, only Fang Wen and his accompanying bodyguard Gong Xiuneng remained.

Gong Xiuneng showed a hint of worry and asked, "General Manager, in the Hanoi operation, we had our own air force, and the French Air Force cooperated with us. The commander also completely trusted you. But this time, we don't have a single soldier. We rely entirely on commanding the British army. What if the coordination is poor or we slack off in battle?"

His concerns are very real.

Fang Wen replied, "It all depends on human effort. There is never a battle that is 100% guaranteed to be won on the battlefield. If you don't try, you will never have a chance to turn the tide."

He paused, his gaze darkening slightly, and added, "But you're right, we are ultimately outsiders, and the British army's execution and willpower are unknown. If it doesn't work, I will admit defeat and get you out of here safely."

Gong Xiuneng laughed: "General Manager, I'm not afraid of death, as long as you know what's good for you." (End of Chapter)