Chapter 6: The Middle Game Chokehold (3)
Three
"Damn it! Still not here." On a humid and sweltering night in September on the outskirts of Malang, a small town in eastern Java, Colonel Tang Jian, commander of the 1st Airborne Mechanized Infantry Battalion of the 22nd Airborne Division of the People's Liberation Army, stood anxiously on top of an improved Russian BMD-3-type 98-S airborne infantry fighting vehicle, holding a 97-style military binoculars in his hand.
In the pitch-black red forest before dawn, the 2 main regiments of the 22nd Airborne Division of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, with 2400 officers and men who had just landed less than 2 hours ago, also gathered quickly with an uneasy heart, nervously digging temporary fortifications and hiding places in the pre-selected area.
Seeing several anti-tank squads setting up H-8L portable anti-tank missile launchers in the newly built bunkers not far away, Colonel Tang Jian's head suddenly ignited a flame of anger that was difficult to suppress. "After landing, the primary task of the 22nd Airborne Division is to quickly establish a solid landing site in the airborne area, but you are not the main force in this airborne operation, and there will be no second batch of troops parachuting into the Dalmatian region. While the 77th Naval Infantry Brigade captures and restores the use of the Three Treasures Ridge International Airport, you will be responsible for attracting the enemy's main attention."
Recalling the words of Lieutenant General Ren Ying when explaining their combat mission to all cadres above the regiment level before departure, Colonel Tang Jian's dissatisfaction was reignited.
It should be said that taking over large airports under enemy control is the specialty of Chinese airborne troops, but now the war zone command has handed this task to the 22nd Airborne Division or its open or secret opponent - the 77th Naval Infantry Brigade, also a rapid reaction force, and instead used the elite 1st Airborne Mechanized Infantry Regiment as a decoy, which made Tang Jian feel a sense of being overlooked.
"If the concentrated air power had been put into battle at one time, Sanbao Ridge would have been recaptured long ago. I really don't know what 'they' are thinking!" The soldiers around him whispered to each other in hushed tones. Tang Jian couldn't help but clear his throat loudly to remind them of their duty as soldiers was to obey.
"There are currently two landing points for the Chinese troops - Sanbao Ridge International Airport and Tamiao area. According to our latest intelligence, the Chinese troops that parachuted into Sanbao Ridge International Airport belong to the 77th Marine Corps of the Chinese Navy, with a force of between 2 companies to 1 battalion, mainly consisting of light infantry. The Chinese troops that conducted large-scale parachute operations in the Tamiao area are from the elite 22nd Airborne Division, which has assembled nearly one airborne mechanized infantry regiment at the landing site in the Tamiao area. Due to our comprehensive artillery bombardment, the Chinese should have abandoned their plan to fully control Sanbao Ridge International Airport and can be expected to consolidate their landing site in the Tamiao area with all their might within the next 24 hours, waiting for the second wave of airdrops. Your mission, gentlemen, is to annihilate the Chinese troops at the Red Forest in the Tamiao area, thank you!"
After the attack on Sanbaolong International Airport was repelled, Lieutenant General Uesugi Atsushi, commander of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces' "Nanyo Deployment Force", received the latest telegram from the Japanese Ministry of Defense. Due to the failure of diplomatic efforts, the Japanese government has decided to engage in an all-out war with China, and before reinforcements arrive, the Japanese Ministry of Defense requires the Self-Defense Forces' "Nanyo Deployment Force" to fight a bloody battle to the end with the Chinese Expeditionary Army's landing forces with the idea of defending every inch of land.
The successor to Uesugi Junroku, who will take command of the front line, is Lieutenant General Hata Eitaro, Vice Commander of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces "Nanyang Expeditionary Army". As for the situation on the battlefield, Lieutenant General Hata was not as desperate as his predecessor. After all, only a few thousand Chinese troops had landed, and he believed that he had already read the chessboard.
"Our army is now concentrating on the 4th Mixed Brigade of Lieutenant General Shinoda Kōsuke and the Special Tank Brigade of Major General Uchida Saburō to launch a frontal assault on the Chinese army in the Tamagawa area. The two must annihilate this elite Chinese army that has just landed within 24 hours. The decisive battle in Southeast Asia is at stake!"
Honda's plan in front of the electronic sandbox seemed a bit ridiculous in the eyes of Shinoda, who disliked colleagues calling China "Shina". The reason was simple: if you didn't even dare to face his once glorious name directly, how could you possibly defeat him?
On the island of Wuri Dō, hundreds of kilometers away from the main battlefield, another smokeless war is being fiercely waged. The first batch of Chinese engineering troops and air force ground crew who arrived at the military airport on the island have begun to take over the unfinished work of their Japanese counterparts.
Because the main force of air transport troops will be mainly used for airlifting combat troops to the battlefield in Java, Chinese Air Force planes that frequently land on "Purple Wing Airport" named by Chinese special forces with their commander's name are mostly old An-30 and Y-7 military transport aircraft. There is also a dilapidated Y-5D military transport plane that seems to be suitable for a museum. The Chinese special forces standing guard with guns on one side of the runway looked at this antique with strange eyes, slowing down on the runway where Japanese engineer's blood and sweat had condensed, finally coming to a stop.
A young Chinese People's Liberation Army major general with two plum blossoms on his shoulder swiftly jumped off the plane. Witnessing this scene, Lieutenant Colonel Kang Wei doubted whether he was dreaming or his eyes were dimmed by age, but duty compelled him and his subordinates to quickly form up and salute.
"Comrades have worked hard. By the way, where is your commanding officer, Colonel Leng Zifen? I want to see her immediately."
"Report to Commander Leng Zhongxiao in the command center, this way."
Kang Wei took a step forward and replied in a loud voice. "Thank you. I'll go myself. Dismissed, continue to be on guard."
Kang Wei noticed that there was a bandage wrapped around his leg, and Ling Yu used force to hold his hand, then indicated that he could go by himself.
The temporary command center of the Ziying Airport was set up inside the former Japanese Self-Defense Force's airport special planning bureau. At this moment, under the dim light of the military emergency lamp, Colonel Ziying was alone flipping through a large number of engineering design documents left behind by Japanese engineers. On the island, the two main battalions of the 12th Ground Mobile Brigade of the Japanese Self-Defense Force, which had lost their heavy weapons, were still trying to resist. In the jungle, Chinese special forces were finding and annihilating the enemy one by one with great difficulty. For the Chinese army with outstanding individual soldier quality, it was only a matter of time before they completely controlled the island, but Colonel Ziying, who was always cautious, still placed a loaded 92-style 9mm pistol by his side.
At the sudden sound of footsteps outside the door, Leng Ziyun's hand instinctively moved towards the pistol on the table. "Who is it?" Just as the command center's door burst open, Leng Ziyun's pistol was already aimed at the familiar figure in the doorway. "It's me! Ziyun." The gentle voice that had echoed countless times in her lonely dreams resonated within the cramped space of the command center. "Ling Yue! Is it really you?" In an instant, Leng Ziyun's mind went blank, and for a moment, she even forgot that she was a soldier. She rushed towards her loved one, and the tears of joy overflowing from her eyes instantly moistened the glittering general's badge.
"Stupid girl, stop crying." He bowed his head and kissed the forehead of Leng Ziyun, which smelled of gunpowder. Ren Yuxing held him tightly, cherishing the happiness that he had almost lost, perhaps only after losing it did he understand its value. In his heart, he silently vowed never to let go again. The long kiss made them forget about time, until Kang Wei came knocking on the door with concern, asking if everything was okay, and they finally released their tightly clasped hands.
"Come, let me show you something." Cold Purple Wing pulled her lover's hand and took out a blueprint from the messy table, unfolding it in front of Ren Lingyu. Ren Lingyu, who had some knowledge of Japanese, was immediately drawn to the bold writing on the paper: "Wuri-dong Island Fortress Defense Map". Apart from the nearly completed large military airport, the engineering design personnel of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces had also designed more than 200 missile launch sites of various types for permanent defense of this key island, based on its natural conditions. Hidden in the dense forest were multi-layered anti-aircraft defense positions protecting the long-range anti-ship missile launch sites deployed at each strategic location. Some of these were even permanent underground silo-type launch sites. The island's transportation network, including a 5-kilometer underground railway, connected these defensive strongpoints to enable rapid redeployment of missile troops. Of course, logistics supply points such as underground hospitals and ammunition depots were also clearly marked on the map.
"Little Japan indeed has a trick up its sleeve, and such a plan was definitely not thought out after the outbreak of the Java crisis." Without long-term on-site surveying and mapping work, it would be impossible to have such detailed design drawings. It's really unknown how many high-ranking engineers from the Japanese Ministry of Defense disguised themselves as tourists and traveled all over Southeast Asia's mountains and rivers. "Unfortunately, all of this was done for us to wear a wedding dress." Putting away the design drawings, Ren Lei smiled confidently, and in the next two years, on the island fortress of Mutiara Island, which controlled the strategic waterway of the Malacca Strait in Southeast Asia, Chinese soldiers worked tirelessly to build the foundation stone of their dominance over the South China Sea. This later became the epic defense battle of Mutiara Island.
Of course, this is all after the fact. Under the condition of lacking large machinery, 500 Chinese engineers only took 6 hours to make the unfinished military airport basically usable. This miracle suddenly made the only advantage of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force - distance barrier - become useless. Now the Chinese air force can soar over Java Island in just 2 hours.
In the Japanese mainland, thousands of kilometers away from the South China Sea battlefield, responding to China's latest round of sudden and intense attacks has become an issue that the Abe administration cannot avoid. It can be said that the Japanese government was prepared for China's comprehensive intervention in the Indonesian conflict, with the rapid deployment of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces in the Java region being the best manifestation of this determination. However, Japan never expected China to be so resolute in defending its interests in the South China Sea, after all, it seems that China should have been accustomed to giving up over the past century!
It wasn't until the Japanese Combined Fleet's 2nd Escort Squadron Group was annihilated by the Chinese Navy at the Natuna Islands that Japan had to face the fact that they were up against a powerful and sacrificial nation. Bad news came one after another, first with the airport under construction on Mili Atoll being taken over by Chinese special forces, followed by rumors of Chinese paratroopers appearing all over Java, and diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict also proved futile.
To calm the public, the Japanese government and media took a blackout on the above news, but through radio programs from mainland China and Taiwan, many Japanese citizens still learned about the unfavorable situation of their "Southern Expeditionary Army" in the first place.
Especially the unofficial Japanese radio stations in Taiwan brought news that made Japanese citizens uneasy - "If the Japanese government and China engage in full-scale war, Japan's Air Self-Defense Force's attack on targets within China will lead to China's comprehensive counterattack against Japan, and China may use its long-range ground-to-ground missiles to strike military targets in Okinawa, Kyushu, and Honshu." A retired Taiwanese military officer said this when answering a reporter's question about the possibility of escalating conflict. In an instant, a tense atmosphere of hoarding and panic buying emerged in Japan, and before dawn, long lines of anxious citizens formed outside major shopping malls, while goods in 24-hour supermarkets and convenience stores were swept away. This was a rare boost to Japan's domestic market, which had been sluggish for years.
How to respond? The Abe Cabinet seems to be at a loss. After all, the distance between Java Island and mainland Japan is too far, and it is difficult for the Japanese Self-Defense Forces to organize effective reinforcements without forward bases. Although the Japanese Ministry of Defense has come up with several plans, the implementation code-named "Heiankyo" operation to defend against Chinese ballistic missile attacks has been secretly carried out in various parts of Japan.
"With just Japan's current power, we have almost no chance of winning a war against China."
Defense Minister Murota Mutsuki of the Haruichi Cabinet will frankly state to the many pro-war factions in the cabinet. For 50 years since the end of World War II, the construction of Japan's Self-Defense Forces has been centered on providing assistance to the US Pacific Fleet, and only today, when facing China's threats alone, did Japan have to face the embarrassing composition of its military: a large ocean-going fleet with little power in the absence of core forces such as large aircraft carriers and nuclear-powered submarines.
In 2004, the US government, forced to take a strategic retreat in East Asia due to global strategic considerations, proposed a package of arms delivery plans called "Special Compensation Treaty" to its most important allies in Northeast Asia - South Korea and Japan. The South Korean government signed the treaty without much hesitation, thereby acquiring weapons worth $9 billion, including 12 F-117A stealth bombers.
The US had explicitly proposed in the treaty to transfer the conventional-powered aircraft carrier "Kaga" and its air wing to Japan on a lease basis, but was rejected by the Japanese government, which thought it was unfair. Now it seems that if Japan had really taken over the "Kaga" at that time, today's Japan might have been able to dissolve China's maritime rights with three aircraft carrier fleets, but now it's too late to say anything.
The Japanese government has almost no possibility of restoring its command of the sea except for asking the US aircraft carrier fleet operating in Australian and Guam waters to provide assistance. However, the US government, which is now being distracted by Argentina's possible possession of large-scale lethal weapons, has clearly rejected Japan's request to mediate the Sino-Japanese conflict. The US has its own interests, and facing a rising China in East Asia, it needs time to adjust its poor overseas military deployment since the Bush administration.
At least until the threat from Argentina in South America is eliminated, the United States does not want to have any friction or conflict with China head-on. "It's not time yet for an all-out war with China. We still have around 30,000 ground troops on Java Island, with sufficient ammunition, and our Air Self-Defense Force has not completely lost air superiority. Let's first wipe out the Chinese airborne troops and then try to negotiate with the Chinese government!" Prime Minister Haruaki Spring had no choice but to deploy in this way in the face of the current situation.
For a time, the attention of both China and Japan was focused on the small town of Malang in eastern Java. The 1st Airborne Mechanized Infantry Division had already been waiting here. Taking advantage of the gap in the Chinese air force's actions, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces' 4th Composite Brigade and Special Tank Brigade, which had moved to the surrounding areas of Malang, were also ready for a decisive battle. Dawn was approaching...
