Chapter 108: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 108 Army Innovation Plan

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

(The book is gone; I just hastily typed four thousand characters, hoping I can revise it into something...)

After returning to Sichuan Province, Lv Muzhi submitted the organizational plan for the Central Mining Police Corps.

The Principal had long agreed to the proposal of entering Sichuan Province with armed police, so this plan was also approved for execution.

Lv Muzhi's Central Mining Police Corps was used to protect mineral resource development work, and its inspiration came from Minister Song Zhiwen's Central Tax Police Corps.

The Central Tax Police Corps was actually Minister Song's private armed force; its function was to suppress smuggling and collect taxes, totaling six regiments and over thirty thousand men.

Lv Muzhi's ultimate goal for the Central Mining Police Corps was set at the strength of two Class A divisions.

Speaking only of infantry regiments, according to the Class A square division, one division had four infantry regiments, so two divisions required eight infantry regiments.

Over these seven-plus years, excluding artillery and other special branches, Lv Muzhi had to figure out how to settle the organization of these eight infantry regiments (mine police regiments).

When the full-scale war of resistance broke out, they would be directly integrated into two Class A divisions! It shouldn't be a problem to even become a Ji Jun Zhang.

As for weapons and equipment, Lv Muzhi thought it over; at least regarding light weapons, German equipment would still be the mainstay.

After all, the country was flooded with Hanyang 88s, Old Sleeves, and such, and everyone was accustomed to using Mauser Rifles.

Most directly, it was because Fruit Preserve had direct military cooperation plans with Hans State; the Principal would use domestic mineral resources to exchange for Hans State's military support, without spending too much money from the Pacific Foundation.

He might as well take advantage of this east wind to negotiate with Hans State, demand weapon blueprints, and, based on the industrial foundation built by the United States, open production lines on a large scale.

But right now, the most important thing for him was still to recruit talent.

Zhang Fei, as his confidant, was sent directly to Whampoa's Ninth Class while there was no recent fighting, which would also facilitate his later promotion.

Chu Yunfei stayed with him to train a model regiment together.

There were also junior students from various Whampoa classes who were not highly valued; they should also be recruited under his command.

Lv Muzhi flipped through the class rosters of various Whampoa classes; those familiar people had already been taken and were not ones he could freely recruit.

For example, Huang Wei had already entered Chen Cheng's Civil Engineering Clique, Guan Linzhen had already been promoted to Brigade Commander, Song Xilian and Du Yuming were already Colonel regimental commanders; there was no reason for them to come to his Mining Police Corps, which had not yet made its mark.

Lv Muzhi flipped through Whampoa's Fourth Class; Hu Lian in the Fourth Class had also entered the Civil Engineering Clique, and Zhang Lingfu was in his career ascent period.

"This Chen Cheng, he sure moves fast!" Lv Muzhi muttered.

"Commander, the Ministry of Military Administration is calling." Zhang Fei held a telegram and found Lv Muzhi.

Lv Muzhi glanced over it; it turned out that the police force Lv Muzhi wanted was organizing concentrated training in Hankou, Shanghai, Zhejiang Province, and other places.

It had to be said that the Principal was very concerned about squeezing the warlords' troops' living space; once the proposal of stationing police in Sichuan Province was put forward, the Principal had people conscripted so quickly.

"Zhang Fei, I said long ago I would send you to Whampoa Military Academy? I can't delay it anymore. Whampoa's Ninth Class is recruiting now, and school starts next year. You go to Jinling to study at the military academy; when you come back, I'll give you a Colonel regimental commander position in the Mining Police Corps, and future promotion will be much easier."

Zhang Fei was very surprised and quickly saluted: "Thank you, Commander Lu, for your cultivation; letting me, a mud-legged man from Zhejiang Province, have a chance to advance!"

"What mud-legged man? When I was in the United States, I specifically found Chinese teachers to give you lessons and teach you literacy. The Chinese, geography, geometry, and such tested at the military academy, you've all learned; review your lessons well."

"Later I'll send a telegram to the Land University Teaching Office to have them send you past years' real exam questions to practice. Anyway, rest assured; I'll guarantee your admission to this military academy."

"Yes! Commander!"

"From now on, don't call me Commander. After so many years of life and death, you carried me to the hospital in the Battle of Nanchang. From today, we will address each other as brothers. I am one month older than you, so call me Brother Weiyue."

"Commander, can I call you that...?"

"Call quickly! Execute the order!"

"Yes! Brother Weiyue!"

Lv Muzhi nodded in satisfaction: "Also, I'll give you a courtesy name."

Zhang Fei scratched his head: "What courtesy name should I take? Only scholars and wealthy families have courtesy names."

"Hey, don't talk. Your surname is Zhang and your given name is Fei; simply take the courtesy name Zhang Fei (courtesy name)."

"I'm called Zhang Zhang Fei (courtesy name)? That's from the Three Kingdoms; how could I deserve that? Wouldn't people laugh if I said it out loud?" Zhang Fei waved his hand.

"Zhang Fei (courtesy name), it's settled. Zhang Fei is coarse yet meticulous; I think it suits you perfectly. This 'Yi' character means auxiliary wings, and 'De' naturally refers to your unswerving loyalty in following me for six years. That's how this Zhang Fei (courtesy name) comes about. When you go to the military academy, don't feel embarrassed; let your strength speak."

"Yes!"

After talking with Zhang Fei, Lv Muzhi went to Ganshui Town beside Qijiang, where an engineering team of several thousand people was leveling land and building factory buildings.

The factory building design blueprints were personally hand-drawn by Lv Muzhi; they were expected to be completed around May next year, and the steelmaking equipment ordered from the United States was still being custom-made.

The Qijiang iron ore had already been tested by American engineers; the ore quality was excellent, with an average iron content of 53.62%, qualifying as rich ore.

Tailored for the Qijiang iron ore, Martin Furnaces, Electric Arc Furnaces, and such used for steelmaking were being manufactured in American factories, and the American Worker Team coming to China was also being recruited and prepared.

At the same time, Lv Muzhi also planned railways within Sichuan Province, mainly the railways connecting Chongqing, Chengdu, and Panzhihua, and the railway planning between Xi'an was also being formulated; for the parts where the railway plan had been decided, the terrain was being surveyed.

Once the steel plant was completed, the pig iron produced could be used to build railways. As Liu Xiang, under his support, eliminated the small warlords within Sichuan Province step by step, railways could also begin construction. By then, wherever Liu Xiang's army advanced, Lv Muzhi's railways could be built there.

One month later, another telegram arrived in the Classified Telegram room. Hans State and Xia Guo were preparing to launch military cooperation. The Principal dispatched a Military Observation Group to Hans State to inspect the military, so as to reform the army. Lv Muzhi was selected as a member of the observation group, to gather in Jinling in half a month, and then go to Hans State for inspection.

It was February 1931, in Jinling. Inside the National Government Military Commission conference room, the atmosphere was solemn.

Not long after the smoke of the Central Plains War had cleared, reorganizing the army and preparing for war was put on the most urgent agenda.

The Principal sat at the Main Seat, with a host of senior generals and staff officers lined up on both sides; Lv Muzhi was also present.

The Principal got straight to the point, his tone heavy: "Last year's Central Plains War, although we achieved victory, the poor equipment, chaotic organization, and insufficient training of our army were fully exposed."

"If we cannot make up our minds to innovate military equipment, how will we face stronger foreign humiliation in the future?"

"Now, Hans State, restricted by international treaties and affected by the economic crisis, its domestic military industrial enterprises urgently need overseas markets and technical cooperation. Our Xia Guo possesses the strategic mineral resources it urgently needs. I have decided to launch deep military cooperation with Hans State, thereby reorganizing our army!"

The Principal then proposed several core agenda items: First, unify the complicated domestic firearm standards and improve the Hanyang 88 rifle whose performance has clearly fallen behind.

Second, draw on the experience of Hans State's National Defense Army to establish a model unit of the National Defense Army with unified organization, equipment, and training.

Third, plan various heavy weapons needed for army modernization, especially the development and deployment of suppressive firepower such as mountain guns, field guns, and howitzers.

Minister of Military Administration He Yingqin immediately stood up to report: "Principal, the military observation group to Hans State has been organized, its members including officers and technical experts from the Army, Artillery, Engineers, and other branches."

"I propose to lead the team myself; according to your wishes, Wei Yue will serve as Deputy Group Leader."

"Wei Yue has recently been engaged in industry, and this trip can also cover military-industrial technology and equipment introduction."

The Principal nodded in approval, turning his gaze to Lv Muzhi: "Wei Yue, you run mines and build roads in Sichuan Province, and behind that there is the construction of an arsenal; on this trip you must investigate carefully."

Lv Muzhi stood up and assented.

When the discussion turned to specific equipment planning, the Principal raised another crucial issue: "Besides inspecting various light and heavy weapons, you must also pay close attention to Hans State's Rhein and horses; the Mongolian horses currently in our country lack sufficient pulling power and often cannot move mountain guns, seriously affecting troop movement."

"I think we must immediately begin reforming horse administration, introducing fine horse breeds, and improving animal power!"

Upon hearing this, many generals nodded in assent; foreign cannons were designed according to the physique of foreign horses, and our country's Mongolian horses are much smaller than foreign horses, making it very difficult to pull cannons.

Horses are very important in the army; even in the industrial powers of Europe and America, it is normal for an infantry division to be equipped with several thousand mules and horses; so-called mechanization is actually mule-and-horse-ization.

Xia Guo's arch-enemy Japan also uses horses as its main means of transport.

Japan's Type A divisions are divided into two categories: one is the draft-horse division, the other is the pack-horse division; neither can do without mules and horses; a four-unit Type A division usually has six or seven thousand mules and horses.

Logistics supplies, guns and ammunition, shells—all rely mainly on mules and horses as transport, with automobiles actually accounting for a small proportion.

Moreover, given Xia Guo's mountainous terrain, the mobility of mules and horses largely determines the mobility of the army.

However, Lv Muzhi slightly frowned; it is already year thirty-one, and now they think of reforming horse administration—it is too late; without more than ten years of accumulation, fine horse breeds simply cannot be bred.

For now, we can only make do with domestic Ili horses and Mongolian horses.

After pondering for a moment, he stood up to speak: "Principal, esteemed officers, Muzi believes that improving horse breeds is certainly a long-term plan, but it is absolutely not the most urgent matter, nor the most effective strategy."

Lv Muzhi analyzed unhurriedly: "Reforming horse administration should indeed be done, but horse breed improvement has an extremely long cycle; selection, breeding, and promotion—without more than ten years of effort, significant results cannot be seen. With army reform imminent, we might as well put effort into other areas at the same time."

The Principal nodded: "Reasonable; tell us."

Lv Muzhi continued: "Muzi believes the solution should be two-pronged; currently the focus should be on 'equipment' rather than 'livestock'."

"First, effort should be put into lightening artillery, especially the seventy-five-millimeter caliber mountain guns commonly used in mountain warfare; they should be made easy to disassemble and pack-carry, with reduced total weight, so they can be effectively mobilized by existing horses or even manpower. This can be made a key technology introduction and R&D direction in cooperation with Hans State."

"Second, for units that must use heavier field guns, the method of increasing the number of draft horses can be adopted—using several horses to pull one cannon, sharing the weight; it can actually be pulled, but..."

"But what?" the Principal asked.

Lv Muzhi changed the subject: "If even that cannot pull the field guns, I think the most important reason is probably corruption."

In Lv Muzhi's view, although Mongolian horses are makeshift, they are not unusable; back then (in another timeline), the Fourth Field Army of the Liberation Army used domestic horses, fighting from the forests and snowy plains of the Northeast to the ends of the earth in Hainan, carrying thousands of cannons, using domestic horses; they could pull them, so why can't the National Government's horses pull them? This is worth deep thought.

"Our existing army horses—let alone Mongolian horses; even better breeds, lacking concentrated feed and often in a state of semi-starvation, cannot possibly exert their proper pulling power!"

"Therefore, the most immediate and fundamental measure is to improve the feeding conditions of army horses, ensuring they get enough concentrated feed such as bean cake and wheat bran daily."

"The dietary standards we set for horses are not low, but how much actually reaches the horse's mouth is unknown; how are the various units raising horses? We don't know!"

"Only when horses are full do they have strength! If horses are not full, it is normal that they cannot pull cannons... Improving horse breeds is a long-term matter; corruption in army horse feed is the truly urgent matter at present."

The hall fell silent for a moment; many generals fell into thought; no one could guarantee that their grassroots units had not skimped on horse feed; nominally horses ate better than soldiers, but as livestock, soldiers might not feed them up to the full standard.

The Principal smiled; this was indeed a difficult problem to solve.

But it no longer mattered; this problem would not be solved by the National Government army for a long time to come.

Everyone laughed it off, glossed over Lv Muzhi's question, and began recommending fine foreign horse breeds to the Principal.

Time flew by; in the blink of an eye it was September.

Lv Muzhi, accompanying the military observation group led by He Yingqin, had been lingering in Hans State for several months.

The observation group entered Hans National Defense Army camps, military academies, and arsenals, systematically inspecting their organization, training, tactics, and weaponry.

At a National Defense Army training base in the suburbs of Berlin, the advisor William, a retired general who had studied Xia Guo's national conditions extensively, was walking and talking with He Yingqin, Lv Muzhi, and others.

"Minister He, General Lu," William pointed to the National Defense Army troops conducting tactical exercises in the distance, "Based on your country's territory, population, and potential defense pressure, I believe at least sixty divisions built according to our country's standard National Defense Division are needed to meet the most basic defense needs and form an effective strategic defense force; otherwise, with Japan's national strength, your situation will be quite dire."

He Yingqin, hearing this, nodded with a grave expression: "Sixty divisions?! That would cost a lot of money... We hope your country can give us more support in equipment, training, and even military education."

"That is natural," William replied, "We are pleased to see a stable Xia Guo. Specific equipment lists, technology transfer, and personnel training matters can be discussed further; of course, in terms of minerals, your country should also actively export."

Lv Muzhi listened silently on the side, calculating in his heart how to use this opportunity to secure more core technologies and blueprints for Sichuan Province's future arsenal.

Just as the observation group was in Hans State deeply discussing the blueprint for building Xia Guo's German-equipped divisions, far away in the East, in a pear garden in Beiping, Zhang Shaoshuai was watching a performance by Master Mei Lanfang.

"The first batch of equipment Brother Wei Yue promised is actually a batch of steelmaking equipment ordered from the United States, said to arrive at Tianjin Port in three days..." Zhang Shaoshuai shook his head and listened while thinking.

Since Lv Muzhi proposed the "Industrial Innovation Plan," Zhang Shaoshuai had invested great enthusiasm; over half a year, he had successively moved machine tools, forging equipment, and thousands of skilled workers from the Fengtian Arsenal, disassembling them in batches, loading them onto trains, and shipping them south to the Gongxian Arsenal in Henan and the Hanyang Arsenal in Wuhan.

The core equipment of the supporting blast furnace was also dismantled and shipped to the Hanyang Iron Works, all in the name of "supporting interior construction, optimizing industrial layout."

The military industrial capacity of the entire Northeast had been almost emptied and moved south without anyone noticing, just to make room for the new American equipment soon to arrive.

Zhang Shaoshuai imagined the brand-new American electric arc furnace producing furnace after furnace of molten iron, producing weapons that were exquisite, able to rival or even surpass Japanese equipment, and his heart burned with excitement.

But his yearning for "industrial innovation" was soon interrupted by a burst of hurried footsteps.

"Young, Young Marshal! Not good! Fengtian urgent telegram! The Japanese army... the Japanese army is fiercely attacking Beidaying!"

"What?!" Zhang Shaoshuai's face changed drastically, and he hurriedly stood up and walked out of the pear garden.

"Send a telegram to the Principal, quickly!"

The events in Fengtian quickly spread around the world; the Military Observation Group, far away inspecting in Western Europe, also received the news early.

Minister He immediately decided to return to the country to deal with the sudden situation in time.

But Lv Muzhi was not in a hurry to return; he suddenly remembered several junior disciples studying in various Western European countries, and at this time of national crisis, Lv Muzhi decided to visit them.

Of course, the visit was a pretense; Lv Muzhi's true intention was recruitment; those students studying abroad had not yet found employment!

On the campus of the Berlin Army University, Lv Muzhi met Qiu Qingquan, who was writing diligently at a desk in a reading room filled with afternoon sunlight.

Thick Hans-language military textbooks and a stack of handwritten notes were spread on the desk, with several pages of just-translated manuscripts placed beside them.

"Yu'an, you are truly diligent," Lv Muzhi said with a smile as he walked forward.

Qiu Qingquan looked up at the sound, saw it was Lv Muzhi, and was extremely surprised, quickly standing up: "Brother Weiyue! How did you come here?"

Qiu Qingquan had long known that Lv Muzhi was now in the Southwest, a figure holding real power and rising in fame.

His own coming to Hans State to study was because Lv Muzhi had submitted opinions to the Ministry of Military Administration, selecting and appointing personnel, and had chosen Qiu Qingquan.

Lv Muzhi waved his hand to signal him to sit, and pulled over a chair for himself: "The domestic situation has changed suddenly; you must have heard about the Fengtian affair;

The inspection team is about to return to the country, and I happened to come see you pillars studying abroad."

Lv Muzhi casually picked up a page of Qiu Qingquan's translation manuscript and looked at it: "Ludendorff's Total War? Yuaan, indeed far-sighted; this theory is indeed the essential principle for our country's future resistance against the Wang Jingwei Regime."

Qiu Qingquan sighed, his tone heavy: "The Fengtian incident, heartbreaking! I am abroad, and can only study twice as hard, hoping to learn true skills and return to serve the country as soon as possible."

Qiu Qingquan finished speaking, then pointed to the textbooks on the table, saying somewhat resentfully: "This Berlin Army War College, after all, still keeps secrets; the latest lecture notes are often not given to us foreign students, so I managed to get them by hook or by crook, typed and copied them overnight; these things will surely be of great use when brought back to the country in the future!"

Lv Muzhi nodded appreciatively: "In extraordinary times, do extraordinary things; your dedication is admirable."

Lv Muzhi changed the subject and asked again: "Yuaan, what are your views on future wars?"

Mentioning his professional field, Qiu Qingquan's eyes immediately lit up: "Brother Weiyue is testing me?!"

Rest assured, I consider myself not to have wasted the country's tuition abroad; I have studied deeply, and in my view, if a great war breaks out, it will surely be the era when mechanized units with internal combustion engines as their heart shine brilliantly.

The countries of Xi Ou are all developing tanks and armored vehicles; the rapid assault and deep penetration of armored clusters will be the key to determining victory or defeat on the battlefield, just like the cavalry of the Mongols.

Our country must also establish a strong armored force in the future; if I return, I will definitely request to form an Armored Corps!"

Lv Muzhi listened seriously, able to feel Qiu Qingquan's enthusiasm and in-depth research on armored warfare, but still poured cold water on him: "Armored warfare must be viewed according to local conditions; our army doesn't even have several proper National Defense Divisions yet; as for an Armored Corps... do you want to be the first to eat the crab? That's good, but what I value is still your ability to command large units in operations."

Qiu Qingquan looked puzzled.

Lv Muzhi immediately extended an invitation: "I am acting on the Vice Commander's orders to organize the Central Mining Police Corps; the name indeed has suspicions of plagiarizing the Ministry of Finance's Central Tax Police Corps, but I guarantee that in terms of establishment and strength, it will absolutely be the strongest force in the country."

The Mining Police Corps is nominally police, but actually the core unit of the future National Defense Army; once the situation changes in the future, my Police General Regiment can be directly reorganized into a National Defense Army force.

I urgently need commanders like Yuaan who are both familiar with Oulu's advanced tactics and possess strategic vision and a sense of responsibility.

If you are willing to return and assist me, I can recommend you in the future to serve as a division commander and stand on your own."

Qiu Qingquan heard this and was shaken in his heart.

He had long known that Lv Muzhi had a deep background and close relations with the President, after all, he had known Lv Muzhi for many years.

Lv Muzhi operated in Sichuan Province, with abundant financial resources and industrial construction already showing initial scale, absolutely not comparable to ordinary local warlords.

The Mining Police Corps was nominally police, but actually an invisible main force tacitly approved by the President.

Following Lv Muzhi meant being able to get closer to the power center, and he could be considered to have clung to a big thigh.

Qiu Qingquan pondered briefly, then decisively agreed, stood up and gave a military salute to Lv Muzhi: "Thank you, Brother Weiyue, for valuing me! I am willing to contribute my dog and horse labor!"

At the Saint-Cyr Military Academy in Gaul Rooster Nation, Lv Muzhi found Whampoa Sixth Class graduate Liao Yaoxiang......