Chapter 17: The Influence of Victory (Minor Revision)

  The results are still being counted, and the airbase guides are busy directing the aircraft to find airports for landing, notifying ground troops of the locations where their pilots parachuted and made forced landings, while also informing them of the locations where enemy planes crashed and made forced landings. However, the images transmitted back by the reconnaissance plane undoubtedly proved that this was a historic victory unprecedented in the history of the Chinese Air Force, with so many enemy planes shot down and so few losses on their own side, making the 6:0 air battle on "August 14" seem insignificant by comparison. The Chinese Air Force has endured humiliation and hardship for so many years, and finally received heaven's blessing! The bigwigs of the Air Force hugged each other in celebration of the victory, with Zhou Zhirou's eyes red as he personally reported the good news to Chiang Kai-shek.

  An hour later, the results of the battle were counted: 83 enemy naval 96-type attack aircraft were shot down, including 4 by ground forces; 23 enemy army 97-type heavy bombers were shot down, including 2 by ground forces; 14 enemy airmen were captured, and some personnel escaped into the deep mountains, where they are being surrounded; Our side only lost one I-152 and one I-16, with pilots parachuting to safety, no casualties.

  This was an unprecedented victory, and afterwards Director Chiang convened a press conference, inviting ambassadors from various countries in Chongqing and journalists to attend. After Chiang Kai-shek announced the results of the battle, all the participants were stunned. Although the Chinese army had always been prone to exaggerating its achievements, even so, this time the results were astonishing. However, afterwards Chiang Kai-shek took out a thick stack of photographs, some of which showed the wreckage of downed planes and others showed captured enemy pilots. Only then did everyone realize in shock that the Chinese government was serious this time. These data and photos were immediately transmitted to various continents via encrypted telegrams.

  The Ta Kung Pao and the Shen Pao newspapers immediately published extra editions to report the good news to the people of Chungking, who had long suffered from Japanese bombing planes. The Ta Kung Pao listed several "firsts": the first time such a large number of enemy planes were shot down; the first time ground troops shot down enemy planes; the first time such a large number of fighter planes took part in battle, etc. The Shen Pao suggested that the Chinese government change Air Force Day from August 14 to today to commemorate this great victory, but Chiang Kai-shek politely declined the suggestion. Chiang Kai-shek stated that August 14 was the day when our military first engaged in air combat with the Japanese and first shot down enemy planes, and the main reason for setting Air Force Day on this day was to mark the "first" occasion, not the number of planes shot down. If we were to consider only the number of planes shot down, we would achieve even greater victories in the future, wouldn't that mean that the date of Air Force Day would have to be changed frequently?

  The crowd was overjoyed to learn of the victory after the air raid alert was lifted, and some local clans and wealthy families organized people to go to the airport to comfort the air force. Each airport received many plaques and comfort supplies. Many people also came to comfort the Soviet Volunteer Air Force's base, although due to management reasons they were unable to enter Guangyangba Airport, but still sent many comfort goods. Colonel Bragoveshchensky represented the volunteers in expressing gratitude.

  －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－

  The Japanese side was extremely miserable. Yamaguchi Tahashi found that Lieutenant General Inoue Shigemi was waiting for him directly on the runway after landing in Hankou, and the two stood stiffly on the runway for an hour without finding any follow-up attack planes returning. Inoue Shigemi took Yamaguchi Tahashi, who had turned pale, to his office with a gloomy face.

  "Slap, slap, slap!" Yukari Iijima slapped several times on the face of Yamaguchi Takeru, and both sides of his face immediately swelled up. "Baka, you idiot, didn't I tell you to investigate thoroughly last time?"

  "General, this time it's my fault, I've let the Emperor down. I should disembowel myself to apologize to the Emperor!" Yamaguchi Tomohiro knew that he could no longer escape responsibility for this matter. "Our spies in Chongqing have been turned against us. Moreover, the Chinese air force seems to be able to accurately locate our planes and notify their fighter jets to come and attack. Please, General, take note of this!"

  "Go with peace of mind, I'll take care of your family out of hometown affection. I will personally lead the Joint Aviation Command to avenge you!" The Empire's resources were very tight, and after this battle, the First and Second Naval Air Fleets would take a long time to recover their combat effectiveness. This responsibility had to be borne by someone.

  "Hi!" Yamaguchi Mochiyuki took off his upper garment, drew out his own short sword, thrust it into his abdomen and then pulled it sideways. The action was very smooth. His deputy helped him alleviate the pain with a pistol shot.

  Somewhat later, Inoue Naruhiko received a phone call from Tōyama Saburō, who reported to him the losses of the Army Aviation Corps and then bluntly questioned the reason, making Kinoshita Satoshi headache.

  －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－

  In Chongqing, it was a sea of joy. Chiang Kai-shek and the high-ranking officers of the Chinese Air Force gathered again at Baishiyi Airport, where they held a victory rally on a temporary open space after inspecting three squadrons of fighter jets parked neatly along both sides of the runway. Almost all pilots who participated in the battle received medals, while the ground anti-aircraft artillery regiment also received its first medal. Pilots Wang Yuanbo, Wang Guangying, Gao Youxin, Wang Yukun, Zheng Songting, Hong Qiwang and others were awarded the title of "Ace Pilot" for having shot down more than 5 bombers in total. Xu Kangliang and his team members were also awarded the Second-Class Air Force Star Medal to commend their crucial bombing. Commanders such as Zheng Shaoyu also received medals to commend their meritorious command.

  After presenting the medals, Chiang Kai-shek delivered his famous 622 speech, in which he expressed the Chinese government's determination to fight against Japan and praised and thanked the efforts of the Chinese Air Force. Under the instigation of He Juncai, Chiang Kai-shek plagiarized Winston Churchill's later phrase "Never was so much owed by so many to so few", where so many referred to China's military and civilians, and so few referred to the aircrew and ground crew personnel of the Chinese Air Force.

  Apart from necessary combat readiness and duty, all airports are holding celebration activities. Today is destined to belong to the Chinese Air Force.

  －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－

  Both sides in the war would never know the impact of Lieutenant General Yamamoto Isoroku's death on the course of World War II. In the original history, Yamamoto Isoroku was a famous historical figure. Not only was he a well-known master of air combat tactics in the Japanese Navy, but also one of the commanders of the bombing of Chongqing. Although Yamamoto had big opinions about the purpose of Operation 101, he still carried it out faithfully. He extensively used incendiary bombs against Chongqing's geological features and building structures, making him a butcher with blood-soaked hands, guilty of war crimes that history would not tolerate.

  Although Yamaguchi did not advocate for war with the United States, he actively helped to perfect the plan of attack after strategic objectives were determined. Under his suggestion, six aircraft carriers of the Combined Fleet launched a surprise attack together, causing significant losses to the US military. After the successful air raid, Yamaguchi also correctly suggested conducting a third air raid, but it was not adopted. Later, Yamaguchi led the Second Air Squadron to fight in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, expanding Japan's territory. In the Battle of Midway in June 1942, Nagumo's incorrect command lost three Japanese aircraft carriers, but Yamaguchi's "Hiryu" survived. He ordered the remaining planes on the "Hiryu" to take off and sink the US aircraft carrier "Yorktown", but soon after, the "Hiryu" was heavily damaged in a US counterattack. However, Yamaguchi, who was not injured in the air raid, gave the order for all officers and men to abandon ship when he knew that the "Hiryu" could no longer be saved, but he tied himself to the bridge with the captain of the "Hiryu" and sank into the sea together.

  But now history has been altered, what about the subsequent surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Midway? Everything is unknown.

  －－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－－

  In the evening, Chiang Kai-shek secretly summoned He Juncai to the Huangshan government office, because today, apart from the Chinese Air Force's great victory, a major event affecting the course of World War II occurred in Europe - France surrendered!

  On June 9, the German army approached Paris, and this Paris fell into unprecedented chaos. The next day, Prime Minister Reynaud had to announce the government's withdrawal from Paris under internal and external troubles. The Minister of National Defense, Marshal Pétain, even decided that Paris would be an open city. This romantic capital was crying, and it began its darkest month in its building history. The president fled, the prime minister fled with his cabinet, the speaker fled with his members, and thus 2 million people from northern France fled south. The Third Republic may not know that once it left, it would never return to the capital. On June 22, in the Compiègne Forest, Marshal Foch's railway carriage where Germany signed the surrender treaty during World War I, French representative Huntziger and German Chief of Staff signed the armistice agreement. According to the terms of the armistice, Germany would occupy northern France and the Atlantic coast of France. The French army would be disarmed and demobilized. France would pay for the expenses of the occupying German troops, and all German political refugees would be handed over to Germany.

  From May 10, 1940 to June 18 (when the French government announced that it would cease resistance), France held out for only 40 days under Germany's blitzkrieg.

  "Unexpectedly, France, with all its grandeur, actually only resisted for 40 days before declaring surrender. Colonel He, what do you think of this matter?" Chiang Kai-shek suddenly felt that he had been resisting for so long and still had a sense of accomplishment.

  "Later generations analyzed from a military perspective, this is not even considered fast. France does not have a strategic geographical location and lacks depth in its defense strategy. Under the attack of German planes and tanks, it was difficult to resist." He Juncai spoke bluntly, "The Japanese are nothing special in Europe, despite being able to dominate in Asia."

  "What influence did France's surrender have on the world situation?" Chiang Kai-shek's prideful tone didn't get a response from He Juncai, and he somewhat uninterestingly asked his second question.

  Here is the translation:

  "Some major events that happened later I have already introduced to you, in the next half year, Germany occupied the entire Western European continent, and together with Italy invaded North Africa and other places. From July 10th onwards, a fierce air battle broke out over Britain, during the entire 'Battle of Britain', Britain lost nearly a thousand combat aircraft, and more than 147,000 people were killed or injured, with over 1 million houses destroyed, while Germany lost more than 2,400 aircraft. On the most intense day, Germany deployed 1,486 sorties, while the British military dispatched 727 sorties, and both sides engaged in a massive air battle." He Juncai introduced. Chiang Kai-shek finally directly understood what He Juncai meant, now the air battles between China and Japan are just child's play.

  "While the UK and France are only separated by the English Channel, it takes only half an hour to fly from a frontline airport in France to bomb the UK, so the battle is extremely fierce. The British army used technology similar to our floating airbase radar to gain a slight advantage, and with the support of the US and other British colonies, they barely repelled the German army."

  "Another important time is, according to history, today in September, Germany, Italy and Japan will sign the Tripartite Pact, formally forming a military alliance." He Juncai continued.

  "You told me this before, I didn't expect it to be so soon. It seems that our relationship with Germany is about to come to an end." Chiang Kai-shek sighed.

  "Mr. Chairman, the war in Europe is an opportunity for us, and we should seize it to expand on the favorable aspects for China and reduce the unfavorable ones." He Juncai has been combining some development routes of later generations' transmigration literature with his own experiences after coming to this world over the past few days, drafting a plan for future development, preparing to get Chiang Kai-shek's approval.

  "Tell me, these past few days the air force has achieved great results, but the overall situation of China's war of resistance is still extremely critical. What should be done to quickly gain the upper hand?" Chiang Kai-shek understood that this person from the future was now his greatest reliance. He also had a dream of building a strong nation. For so many years, step by step, he was about to personally achieve it, but the invasion by the Japanese bandits made all previous efforts futile. Now with such an opportunity to realize his ideals, he certainly wanted to seize it.