Damn the World, Ride a Submarine - Chapter 192



Only Krnovel

Episode 192 – Air Freedom Force

The figures of the Chinese People’s Army soldiers who surrendered yesterday began to appear one by one on the ARK situation room screen that was relaying information from each front.

According to reports, 7,500 soldiers surrendered yesterday. All of them were on the front lines.

GTO’s Liang Zhenyu (梁振宇) squadron commander began psychological warfare using surrendered soldiers.

Among the surrendered Chinese soldiers, someone chanted loudly.

– Fengyou ~ (Friend)

– Fengyou~

– Woman Ichi Sheng Huo Ba ~

– (Let’s live together)

– Woman Ichi Sheng Huo Ba ~

The Chinese soldiers were shouting at the top of their lungs.

‘Friend! Let’s live together’

The Free Taiwan Army also began to shout out loud at the touching scene.

– Fengyou~

– Fengyou~

– Woman Ichi Sheng Huo Ba ~

– Woman Ichi Sheng Huo Ba ~

In that quiet field, instead of bullets, people’s voices, the echoes of their hearts, and their hopes for life were bursting through the air.

I too was repeating their cries in my heart, hoping for a miracle. Like a prayer. ···.

‘Pengyou~ woman Ichi Shenghuoba~’

Did the prayer work?

Miracles began to happen. One by one, the Chinese soldiers in the forest and bushes stood up, threw down their guns, and began to walk toward our camp.

The miracle did not end there.

The Chinese soldiers who surrendered yesterday, the soldiers who were shouting ‘Pengyou’ were running towards the surrendering soldiers.

It was as if he was conscious of the bullets from the poison platoon flying behind the soldier who surrendered like yesterday.

They risked their lives and ran towards ‘Pungyou’. They walked slowly towards our camp, arm in arm, comforting and protecting their friends.

Seeing this, other soldiers from the Chinese camp also dropped their guns and started running, and they started to surge forward like a river that had burst its dam or a tsunami that was coming in during a typhoon.

The Chinese soldiers who had surrendered in such a rush turned around as if they had made a promise when they reached our camp.

And tens of thousands of people were shouting in one voice.

– Fengyou~

– (Friend)

– Woman Ichi Sheng Huo Ba ~

– (Let’s live together)

Our officers and soldiers who were watching the scene together in the ARK situation room were also seen to be overcome with emotion.

They were people, someone’s son, someone’s father, and someone’s lover.

It was a battlefield where people would die and be killed, but it was also a place where people could become friends in an instant.

…

The 500,000-strong Chinese People’s Liberation Army stationed in western Taiwan was virtually destroyed.

It was not the commander’s decision to surrender.

The voluntary surrender of soldiers on the front lines led to desertions and mutinies among the rear troops like dominoes.

In this way, the Chinese military’s command structure collapsed. The 500,000-strong Chinese army suffered more than 200,000 casualties, and more than 50,000 surrendered.

The remaining 250,000 Chinese troops were scattered throughout Taiwan, and the command and communication system was in disarray.

Eventually, in Tainan City in southern Taiwan, the Free Taiwan Army took control of the city while the Chinese army advanced eastward.

The Southern Division of the Free Taiwan Army, which had been active in secret, took over the city’s administrative authority and declared liberation.

The Southern Division of the Free Taiwan Army, supported by the OSS, rapidly grew in strength to 15,000 men.

The Southern Division of the Free Taiwan Army defeated or forced the surrender of the Chinese forces remaining in Pingtung, southern Taiwan, placing southern and eastern Taiwan within the Free Taiwan sphere of influence.

The Free Taiwan Army, which had taken complete control of the south and east, organized two divisions of 30,000 men into the Northern Recovery Division and advanced along Route 9.

The aim was to recapture Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. The 10,000-man OSS Freedom Division also joined the advance to support the Northern Recovery Division.

OSS task forces and GTO units were wiping out any remaining resistance while forcing the surrender of the Chinese troops still remaining in the mountains.

The number of Chinese People’s Army prisoners of war increased further, reaching 110,000. Of these, 60,000 were soldiers who surrendered voluntarily, and they called themselves the Air Freedom Corps.

The Air Freedom Force was meant to oppose the Chinese Communist Party. We decided to incorporate them into the regular military formation.

They were organized as troops under the Free Taiwan Army, not as prisoners of war.

It was necessary for the morale and management of the surrendered Chinese soldiers, but it was also due to the lack of logistical support troops for the Free Taiwan Army.

The Air Freedom Corps was able to play a sufficient role as a non-combat force resource.

Another 50,000 combat prisoners were held in a camp built in Pingtung, southern Taiwan.

The Air Freedom Corps was also actively mobilized in the conversion operations of the remaining Chinese forces together with the GTO.

– GTO (Ghost Tiger Operations): Tiger Ghost Squadron

With Tainan City secured, the 5th Strike Group was moved to the vicinity of Penghu County in the western waters of Taiwan to prevent additional Chinese landings of troops.

…

The Northern Restoration Division and the OSS Free Division, which were formed as separate units of the Free Taiwan Army, advanced toward Taipei via Route 9.

The northeastern Yilan County entered without bloodshed and advanced to Toucheng Town, just 30km from downtown Taipei.

The remaining 60,000 troops of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army were setting up a defensive line at the starting point of National Highway 9 and Highway 5, leading into Taipei.

Meanwhile, the Southern Division of the Free Taiwan Army was advancing north with an increased force of 20,000 men.

Although there was some minor resistance, they had no difficulty advancing northward, and had captured Chiayi County, the gateway to central Taiwan.

In addition, a spontaneous militia was formed in Yunlin County, located below Taichung in central Taiwan, and 3,000 militiamen liberated Yunlin County on their own and awaited the arrival of the Free Taiwan Southern Division.

The Southern Division of the Free Taiwan Army, which entered Yunlin County without bloodshed, absorbed the militia and increased its strength to 23,000, and was about to advance on Changhua City, which was like a gateway to Taichung.

We sent a SOTAC team from the OSS Task Force to the Southern Division of the Free Taiwan Army to guide the 5th Assault Group’s aerial bombardment.

– SOTAC (Special Operations Terminal Attack Controller): Special Operations Terminal Attack Controller

The Southern Division of the Free Taiwan Army, advancing northward at breakneck speed, easily captured Changhua City with the help of the OSS’s anti-aircraft support.

It has conquered more than half of western Taiwan, liberating three-quarters of Taiwan.

However, the remaining quarter was Taipei and Taichung, the core of Taiwan’s territory, and the remaining 150,000 or so Chinese People’s Liberation Army troops appeared to be trying to defend those two cities.

Meanwhile,

The Northern Restoration Division and the OSS Free Division were reorganizing their formations in the town of Tocheng in Yilan County, ahead of their advance on Taipei.

The OSS artillery brigade advanced northward and formed up against the enemy’s defenses.

Fighter-bombers from the 2nd Carrier Strike Group began an aerial bombardment of the Chinese Taipei defense line, and the OSS Artillery Brigade also began a preliminary bombardment.

Our overwhelming firepower forced the Chinese army to retreat their road-centered defense line to the outskirts of the city, and the Northern Restoration Division and the Free Division advanced accordingly.

For some reason, GTO’s psychological warfare to induce conversion did not work well.

Among the Chinese People’s Army, those soldiers who were ready to surrender had already defected, and it seemed that the remaining 110,000 or so Chinese soldiers were only those who were willing to fight to the death.

We connected the operational call to adjust the speed of the advance.

It was Commander Zhang Yuanfei, who directly led the OSS Freedom Division, Major General Jeong I-seong, and the Northern Restoration Division.

“I know you two are having a hard time, but please stop advancing for a moment.”

– yes?

– Taipei is just around the corner…

“Yes, I know. In terms of military power, the Chinese army has already been defeated.”

– But why?

– Just push a little harder.

“That’s not true. If we push the Chinese troops in Taipei further, they may hide in the city center.”

– Oh~

– That’s true, but···.

“If the Chinese army has to hide in the city center and engage in street fighting, civilian casualties will be a secondary issue, and if they turn into urban guerrillas, the war could be prolonged.”

– Even so, I don’t think they will surrender.

– Yes. Only the most hardened of the hardened Chinese soldiers remained.

“Yes, I know. At least we need a safety net to prevent them from sneaking into downtown Taipei from the defensive line.”

– how?

– …

“GTO and OSSIA agents are currently infiltrating Taipei. They are preparing to create a downtown cordon behind the Chinese defense lines.”

– ah ···.

– As expected, our leader’s leadership is…

“So, please slow down for a moment. I expect to hear from you soon. I expect that once the remaining Chinese forces realize that they are surrounded from the front and back, something will change.”

– What if I don’t surrender?

– That could be the case.

“If you continue to resist in that situation, there is nothing you can do. War is war.”

Even while conducting operational calls, GTO and OSSIA continued special operations and operations.

The GTO was organizing a militia in Taipei City, and OSSIA agents were moving weapons to Taipei together with OSS task forces.

Several OSS submarines were used to transport weapons to arm the militia off the coast of Tamsui District in northwestern Taiwan.

It was an operation to secretly transport about 5,000 personal firearms and ammunition by submarine.

It was not a difficult operation, as the Chinese navy had been completely annihilated, but it was a cautious operation, as the front line could be disrupted if the remaining Chinese ground forces noticed.

The arms supply operation and the creation of a citizen army were carried out without much difficulty.

Thus, a Taipei Citizens’ Army of 5,000 men was organized, and they formed a barrier to enter the city center along two defensive lines built by the Chinese People’s Army.

Bitan Scenic Area, where National Highway 9 enters Taipei, and Shiding District, where National Highway 5 enters Taipei.

This created the conditions for the Northern Restoration Division and the OSS Free Division to advance on Taipei.

…

Indiscriminate bombing and artillery fire continued on the Chinese defense lines along the Taipei front, followed by fierce gun battles between the Free Taiwan Forces.

Taipei City militia, trying to pull back the defensive line, fired warning shots at the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and then broadcasted warnings.

– Ah, ah. Listen up, Chinese People’s Liberation Army. All the transportation routes to Taipei City are under the control of the Free Taiwan Citizens’ Army.

– Anyone attempting to enter the city, even by taking a single step beyond the blockade, will be shot immediately.

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army, unable to move forward, could only be at a loss.

…