Pia Vindex

<p>Epic historical fiction with a focus on airborne operations spanning World War II and French decolonisation conflicts in Indochina Algeria and Cameroon. Detailed geospatially-referenced notes supplement the text. The first part of the trilogy is set in WWII: <em>Merkur</em> (Crete 1941) <em>Fustian</em> (Sicily 1943) <em>Dnieper-Carpathian </em>(Ukraine 1943-44) <em>Carentan</em> & <em>Brest</em> (Normandy 1944). Part Two is embedded in Indochina where the French deploy paratroops across the colony in a futile attempt to snuff out rebellion. <em>Tonkin </em>actions include <em>Lea</em> (1947) <em>Phu Tong Hoa</em> (1948) <em>Dong Khe</em> & <em>Colonial Route 4</em> (1950) <em>Nghia Lo</em> (1951) <em>Red River Delta</em> (1951) <em>Hoa Binh</em> (1951-52) <em>Lorraine</em> & <em>NaSan</em> (1952). Laotian engagements involve <em>Sam Neua</em> & <em>Muang Khoua </em>(1953). The narrative shifts to the central highlands - <em>Atlante</em> & <em>Dak Dhoa</em> (1954) then the hell of <em>Dien Bien Phu</em> (1954). The last chapters feature the Algerian War decolonisation in Cameroon and finally the Vietnam War - <em>Ia Drang Valley</em> (1965) & <em>Long Tan</em> (1966) battles.</p><p>In 1967 a torso washes up on banks of the <em>Mississippi</em>. Flashback to 1950 - a parachute drop in Indochina. The legionary Ulrich heads into battle again and recollects. In <em>Hannover</em> 1940 he celebrates Christmas with his medical student girlfriend Penelope. Clytemnestra the disloyal wife of his mentor Agemund sings arias. Cassandra the daughter of the Nazi gauleiter Zigethius gives Ulrich a Roman Ring. Zigethius antagonises Weis an Algerian Jew. Fearful Weis escapes to Indochina. There he prospers laundering drug money through his tea and rubber estates. In 1941 Ulrich and Agemund parachute onto the island of Crete. Ulrich then fights in Sicily Russia and Normandy. In 1944 Zigethius murders Agemund involved with the <em>Valkyrie</em> conspiracy. That year the Americans capture and imprison Ulrich. Clytemnestra dies in an Allied air raid. Her lover Zigethius however escapes justice because of his involvement with the secret rocket program. After the War Ulrich joins the Foreign Legion who ship him to Indochina. He fights in jungle battles along the Chinese frontier where the <em>Vietminh </em>annihilate the 1st BEP. After a firefight near <em>Hoa Binh</em> a female helicopter pilot Ishtari evacuates the wounded and briefly becomes Ulrich's lover. In 1953 in Laos the anthropologist Cassandra rescues Ulrich from vengeful communists. Insurgency spreads to the Central Highlands. Ulrich protects Weis' tea plantation but seduces his daughter Circe. As the situation in <em>Dien Bien Phu</em> deteriorates Ulrich parachutes into the entrenched jungle camp. Wounded Ishtari flies him out. The French lose their oriental colony and in 1955 Ulrich disembarks in Algeria but soon becomes disenchanted with the brutal conflict fuelled by racist inequality and shifting demographics. When the French guillotine his Arab friend Ulrich quits the Army and becomes a journalist. He reports on the independence struggle in Cameroon. Meanwhile in Algeria Circe joins the reactionary OAS but blows herself up in a bungled terrorist attack. In 1965 Ulrich returns to the Far East to report on <em>Ia Drang</em> and <em>Long Tan</em> battles. In Vietnam he encounters his former lovers. For a while Ishtari ferries wounded GIs to Penelope - now a trauma surgeon - but the pilot is shot down. Cassandra works with the hilltribes. Before the communists burn her alive the anthropologist inadvertently reveals the location of her father Zigethius to Ulrich who hunts down his enemy.</p>