Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Just as high-level game of chess was taking place within the joint command to determine the future direction.

A sudden battle broke out suddenly on the Siam-Myanmar border hundreds of kilometers away.

On the border between Siam and Myanmar, the mountains are covered with dense virgin rainforest.

This is a paradise for poisonous insects and a heaven for ferocious beasts. Even a hundred years later, it is still a forbidden zone for human civilization.

In the jungle after the rain, the hot and humid air seems to be able to squeeze out water.

Wei Dayong, the squadron leader of the second squadron of the reconnaissance brigade, is leading his squadron.

Like a group of ghosts, they moved silently on a muddy secret path.

As one of the sharpest knives of the reconnaissance brigade.

Wei Dayong and his brothers have long been accustomed to this kind of life of dancing on the edge of a knife.

Their mission was to infiltrate behind the Japanese defense lines, scout their supply routes, and create chaos when possible.

"stop!"

The vanguard walking in the front suddenly made a gesture.

Wei Dayong's eyes flashed and he squatted down instantly.

The entire team seemed to have pressed the mute button. Dozens of people immediately blended into the surrounding jungle without any sound.

Wei Dayong crawled forward, came to the side of the scout, and looked in the direction of his finger.

I saw a row of messy footprints on the mud not far ahead, mixed with some discarded empty cans with Japanese logos.

"It's the Burmese Independence Army. The Japanese wouldn't leave such obvious traces."

Wei Dayong showed a hint of sneer at the corner of his mouth, and lowered his voice and said: "Looking at the footprints, there are quite a few people, at least a platoon."

"The direction of travel is towards the temporary supply point behind us."

A murderous intent flashed in his eyes: "Order, everyone disperse and prepare for an ambush! Today, we will use these bastards to teach our brothers a lesson!"

Orders were passed down quickly through skilled tactical sign language.

The soldiers of the Second Squadron, like the most experienced hunters, quickly and silently occupied advantageous terrain on both sides of the trail.

They were all covered in elaborate camouflage and their weapons were wrapped in cloth to prevent glare.

Soon, a noisy sound of footsteps and incomprehensible Burmese conversations came from afar.

A Burmese Independence Army patrol of about forty to fifty people appeared on the trail in a casual manner.

They were poorly equipped, in disarray, gathered in groups of three or four, and had no sense of vigilance.

The moment the patrol team completely entered the ambush circle, Wei Dayong moved.

He did not order a shooting, but took out two modified American grenades from his waist, pulled out the safety, calculated the lead time, and threw them forward with all his might!

"Boom! Boom!"

Two violent explosions, like thunder from a clear sky, instantly exploded in the center of the Burmese Independence Army's ranks!

The sudden explosion blew several Burmese soldiers into pieces, and the team was instantly thrown into chaos.

"beat!"

Wei Dayong let out a low roar, and more than a dozen Thompson submachine guns and several Czech light machine guns that had been prepared for a long time spewed out deadly flames from both sides of the jungle at the same time!
“Da da da da—!”

The dense rain of bullets, like the scythe of the god of death, swept across the entire trail in an instant with a brutal and unreasonable attitude!
The soldiers of the Burmese Independence Army fell down in large numbers like cut wheat before they even understood what was happening.

The battle started suddenly and ended even faster.

In less than three minutes, the gunfire subsided.

All that was left on the trail was a mess and dozens of corpses.

however.

There was no sign of relief on Wei Dayong's face.

His eyes, as sharp as a falcon, scanned the surroundings vigilantly.

"Something's wrong!"

He waved his hand violently and shouted, "Evacuate immediately!"

Almost at the moment he finished speaking.

From a high ground about 400 meters behind their ambush position, the unique, dull and rhythmic roar of the Japanese Type 92 heavy machine gun suddenly sounded!

“Da-da-da—da-da-da—!”

The bullets whistled and instantly blocked their original retreat route!

Immediately afterwards, there were a few muffled "Boom! Boom! Boom!" sounds, and several grenades whistled in and exploded near the position where they had just hidden, raising large amounts of dirt and rubble!
It’s the Japanese army’s grenade launcher!
"Damn it! I fell into a trap!" Wei Dayong cursed in his heart.

This group of Burmese independence army is simply a bait thrown by the Japanese army!

Behind them, there was a well-equipped and well-trained regular Japanese army!

"Second squad, suppress the enemy with fire! Attract the enemy's attention!" Wei Dayong acted decisively, rolling in the hail of bullets and yelling to the platoon leader beside him: "First squad, follow me! Go through the ditch on the left! Take out the enemy's machine gun position!"

The situation changed rapidly, but Wei Dayong did not panic at all.

Immediately, based on the battlefield situation, we made the fastest and most effective response.

He knew that in this situation, passive defense would mean waiting for death.

Only by counterattacking with attack and destroying the enemy's firepower support points can we find a glimmer of hope for survival!
Wei Dayong personally picked up a Thompson submachine gun and led more than 30 elite brothers from the first team.

Like a civet cat, it drilled into a deep ditch washed out by rain on the left side, and with the cover of the terrain, it quickly penetrated into the flank of the Japanese army.

The difficulty of fighting in the rainforest was infinitely magnified at this moment.

In the deep ditch, the mud was above the ankles and every step was extremely difficult.

The slippery slope caused the soldiers to slip from time to time, and above their heads, broken branches and leaves were falling like rain as the Japanese heavy machine guns fired.

Wei Dayong took the lead. His burly body showed an agility that was inconsistent with his size.

He kept observing the Japanese army's firing points and judging the distance.

At the same time, he used tactical sign language to command the soldiers behind him to maintain formation.

After circling for nearly 500 meters, they finally reached the lower side of the Japanese machine gun position.

Wei Dayong made a gesture to several veterans behind him. They understood and quietly took out cluster grenades from their backpacks.

"Throw it to me!"

With a low roar from Wei Dayong, several cluster grenades drew a perfect parabola in the air and fell accurately into the machine gun position of the Japanese army!

"Boom - boom!!"

Amid the violent explosion, the Japanese army's arrogant Type 92 heavy machine gun instantly went silent, and several machine gunners were blown into the sky!

"Brothers! Follow me! Kill these sons of bitches!"

After destroying the enemy's core firepower point, Wei Dayong did not hesitate at all.

The first one jumped out of the ravine, holding a submachine gun, and like a tiger descending the mountain, launched a desperate counterattack against the Japanese positions on the hillside!
A row of soldiers followed closely behind, rushing forward shouting!

The Japanese troops on the hillside obviously did not expect such a fierce force to suddenly attack from the flank, and their formation was immediately thrown into chaos.

They hastily turned their guns around, but it was too late to organize an effective resistance.

Wei Dayong was like a fish in water, the Thompson submachine gun in his hand kept spitting out flames, knocking down the panicked Japanese soldiers to the ground one by one.

A brutal and bloody close-range hand-to-hand combat broke out on the muddy hillside!

"Kill~!"

"Bang, bang~!"

Almost everyone in the team carried a self-defense pistol, so the Japanese with bayonets could hardly get close to them before they were killed.

Before long, this Japanese force, about the size of a squadron.

Under the pincer attack from both inside and outside by the Second Squadron of the Reconnaissance Battalion, they were completely defeated!

The battle was over and Wei Dayong was gasping for breath.

His body was covered in blood and mud, and he could not tell whether it was his own or the enemy's. In this battle, they successfully defeated a Japanese squadron at the cost of more than ten casualties, killed dozens of enemies, and captured several Burmese independence army soldiers alive.

He looked at his brothers who were cleaning the battlefield and treating the wounded, then looked at the rainforest that was like a green hell, and a trace of solemnity flashed in his eyes.

The battlefield environment in the Burmese rainforest makes it easy to ambush the enemy, but it is also easy to be ambushed by the enemy, especially once you are ambushed by the Japanese army.

The next morning.

Wei Dayong and his Second Reconnaissance Squadron, which had just experienced a bloody battle, finally returned to the temporary camp outside Myitkyina with exhausted bodies.

The returning team was no longer as strong and well-organized as when they set out.

Fatigue was written all over everyone's face. Their military uniforms were soaked in mud and blood, sticking tightly to their bodies and emitting a sour smell.

There were more than a dozen wounded soldiers in the team, who were supported by their comrades or carried on simple stretchers.

What’s even more depressing is that there are several brothers wrapped in rain cloths who will never wake up again.

When the squadron adjutant reported the situation to the staff officer in charge of statistics, his voice was hoarse and his eyes were red: "Report, the Second Squadron encountered the Burmese Independence Army and the Japanese Squadron, successfully defeated them and annihilated most of them.

On the way back, due to the complex terrain and low visibility in the forest, we lost our way for a while and detoured for nearly ten kilometers.

Two seriously injured brothers were unable to make it to the end due to wound infection and high fever.

Zhou Weiguo, captain of the reconnaissance brigade, who was waiting at the camp gate, listened to the report silently.

His face, which was usually as firm as iron, was now furrowed with brows.

He walked up to Wei Dayong and patted his muddy shoulder heavily.

There is no blame, only silent comfort and understanding.

"Monk, you have worked hard." Zhou Weiguo said in a low voice: "Brothers, you have all worked hard."

"Go and rest first, treat your wounds, and eat something hot."

"We have won the battle. We will always remember our sacrificed brothers."

Wei Dayong raised his bloodshot eyes and looked at his superior.

This man who is as strict as a devil on the training ground, but as kind as a brother at this moment.

A warm current surged in my heart, and my lips moved, but in the end I couldn't say a word. I just nodded heavily.

The price of this victory.

It is much more serious than the cold number of "dozens of enemies killed" in the battle report.

That afternoon.

The joint combat meeting between the reconnaissance battalion and the newly formed 12th Army was held in a large military tent.

Zhou Weiguo placed the detailed combat report of Wei Dayong's Second Squadron, as well as the casualties, in front of Wu Ziqiang, commander of the new 12th Army.

Zhou Weiguo pointed at the report with a serious look on his face: "Commander Wu, although the Second Squadron successfully wiped out a group of Japanese troops and obtained important intelligence, it suffered nearly 20% casualties and exposed many problems in our continued combat in the jungle.

Difficulties in identification, difficulty in treating and transporting the wounded, and fragile supply lines were all more deadly enemies than the Japanese bullets and shells.

Wu Ziqiang looked at the names on the report with a frown on his face.

He knew that what Zhou Weiguo said was true. The New 12th Army would face exactly such a green hell in the future.

"Captain Zhou, do you have any ideas?"

"We can't just treat the jungle as an insurmountable obstacle." Zhou Weiguo's voice became firm, "We must make it our home ground and our ally!"

He stood up, walked to the map, and proposed his well-thought-out response:

“First, further reform the training model so that everything serves jungle warfare!
I suggest that all units of the new 12th Army add high-intensity jungle survival and navigation training.

How to determine directions, find water sources, identify animals and plants, avoid poisonous insects and beasts, and build temporary shelters must become essential knowledge for every soldier.

At the same time, we should establish a mobile medical team composed of military doctors, hygienists and local herbalists to specialize in the prevention and treatment of jungle diseases and wound treatment to reduce combat losses caused by injuries.

“Second, take the initiative to develop the jungle and turn passivity into initiative!

We can’t just passively move through it.

I advocate that the reconnaissance battalion work in coordination with the engineering corps to secretly open up our own network of military channels in key strategic areas in northern Burma and establish concealed, semi-permanent forward bases, material storage points and field first aid stations.

We will build our own 'islands' and 'routes' in this green ocean!"

"The third and most critical point is."

Zhou Weiguo paused, and his sharp eyes swept over everyone present: "Win the hearts of the people and closely connect with the local people!"

"The real kings of this forest are the Kachin people, mountain people, and hunters who were born and raised here for generations!"

"We must put aside our arrogance and use food, medicine, cloth and practical protection to win their friendship and trust."

"Let them willingly become our guides, our intelligence agents, and even our guerrilla allies!"

"Only by achieving unity between the military and the people can we truly gain a foothold on this land and completely trap, starve, and starve the Japanese to death in that dense jungle."

Zhou Weiguo's words are powerful and thought-provoking!
What he proposed was not just tactical improvements, but a complete, systematic strategy aimed at completely seizing the initiative on the battlefield in northern Myanmar!
After hearing this, Wu Ziqiang slapped his thigh and his eyes lit up with excitement!

"Captain Zhou! Your words are truly good advice, and they really touch my heart!" Wu Ziqiang stood up excitedly: "I, Wu Ziqiang, completely agree!
The brothers of the new 12th Army must not be just a group of young soldiers who can wield American guns, but must be the living kings who can dominate this forest!

My New 12th Army fully supports your plan!

If you want people, I will give them. If you want guns, I will give them guns. We will join our two families and start fighting right away!"

The two top commanders on the front line.

There was a surprising consensus on the future strategy.

And just as they were actively planning.

As they were preparing to make a big move in northern Myanmar, a top-level encrypted telegram from Chu Yunfei of the Joint Command was delivered to the headquarters of the New 12th Army.

The content of the telegram made Wu Ziqiang, who had just been immersed in strategic planning, feel a tremendous pressure in an instant, but also made his blood boil!

The telegraphic order is as follows:

"The newly formed 12th Army under Wu Ziqiang has four regiments under its command. After more than a month of training, it has begun to show combat effectiveness.

In order to support the main battlefield and allow the meritorious troops who have been fighting for a long time to rest, hereby order: your army shall immediately complete all combat preparations. Three days later, the entire army will set out to the Mindang area on the southern line to take over all the defense of the newly formed 22nd Division of the Fifth Army.

After completing the defense handover, the new 22nd Division was ordered to withdraw to the Myitkyina area immediately for a month of rest, replenishment and tactical retraining.

This order must be strictly enforced without any mistakes! Chu Yunfei. "

Command means trust.

To entrust such important front-line defense to a new army that has just completed basic training is an extremely bold adventure for any army.

But Chu Yunfei has absolute confidence in Wu Ziqiang and the new 12th Army.

"Pass on my order!" Wu Ziqiang put down the telegram, his voice was loud and full of determination: "All troops must assemble urgently!
Cancel all vacations!
Count weapons and ammunition, distribute rations and clothing!
Logistics, engineering, and medical units, immediately formulate an advance plan!
Three days later, we will go south to the front line and show the Japanese what kind of army our new 12th Army is! "

The order was issued to the entire camp of the New 12th Army.

The place was instantly enveloped by a tense, solemn atmosphere mixed with a bit of excitement like a newborn calf.

At the same time, on the front line of Min, at the position of the newly formed 22nd Division of the Fifth Army.

Days of hard fighting and rain have already made the officers and soldiers here extremely tired.

Division Commander Qiu Qingquan was patrolling the muddy trenches under sporadic artillery fire from the Japanese army, his face full of anxiety and unwillingness.

At this moment, a signalman came running over and handed him a telegram.

When Qiu Qingquan took the telegram, he initially thought it was another order urging him to hold his ground, and there was a hint of impatience on his face.

But when he saw the content of the telegram clearly, he was stunned.

"What? Rotation? Let us retreat and rest?" Qiu Qingquan could hardly believe his eyes. He looked over and over again before making sure he was not mistaken.

"Fuck it!" The always hot-tempered general's eyes turned slightly red. He crumpled the telegram in his hand, turned around and yelled to the adjutant beside him: "Go! Notify the regiments! Just say... just say fuck it, the battle is over! We can go home! No! We have to retreat and rest! Rest!"

This news, like a thunderclap and the warmest spring breeze, instantly spread to every trench of the New 22nd Division.

At first there was a brief, unbelievable silence.

Then, the suppressed sobs and low discussions finally merged into a deafening cheer that rose into the sky!

"Oh! It's time to take a break!"

"Damn it! I can finally get some good sleep!"

"Go home! Go home!"

Countless soldiers, covered in mud and haggard, either hugged each other and cried, or looked up to the sky and howled, or sat powerlessly in the mud, with it impossible to tell whether the water on their faces was rain or tears.

For these soldiers who have struggled on the line between life and death for too long, nothing can bring greater happiness and satisfaction than the two words "survive" and "get rest".

a few days later.

On the muddy road leading to Mindang, the two armies marched towards each other.

Towards the south was the new 12th Army, with neat military uniforms, brand new equipment, and a look of nervousness and curiosity on their faces.

Those heading north are ragged and look exhausted.

However, there was a hint of bravery in the eyes of the New 22nd Division who had survived hundreds of battles.

The soldiers from the two armies passed each other silently in the mud.

There were not many words, just an exchange of glances and a silent nod, and the most solemn handover was completed.

The vigor of the new army and the glory of the old soldiers intersect on this road leading to war and the future.
On the outskirts of Mindang, at the foot of a hillside that had just rained and was muddy.

The vanguard of the newly formed 12th Army, like a tireless swarm of ants, is taking over the positions of the newly formed 22nd Division in an orderly manner. The young soldiers have a bit of nervousness and curiosity on their faces as they are on the front line for the first time. Under the leadership of their respective officers, they reinforce fortifications, count ammunition, and familiarize themselves with the firing range. Everything seems to be in order, but it also reveals the unique immaturity of new recruits.

Not far away, a temporary handover command post was set up in a dilapidated village house that had half of its side cut off by artillery fire.

Qiu Qingquan, the commander of the newly formed 22nd Division, was covered in dust and had sunken eye sockets, but his eyes still shone like a hungry tiger. He had just completed a series of tedious handover procedures with Wu Ziqiang, the commander of the new 12th Army, who came to replace him, including the defense zone map, enemy situation report, and firepower point configuration.

"Commander Wu." Qiu Qingquan pointed to several areas marked with red pencil on the map, his voice hoarse but still loud: "Although the Japanese 18th Division in front of us suffered heavy losses from our troops before, the remnants are still tenacious in their fighting spirit, especially their infiltration team and accurate grenade launchers. We must be on guard. The defense of this line is in your hands."

Wu Ziqiang looked solemn and replied, "Don't worry, Commander Qiu, your division has held out here for several months, fought bloody battles, and made outstanding contributions. All of us in the New 12th Army admire you.

I, Wu Ziqiang, and the brothers of the New 12th Army will defend this line of defense with our lives and will never let the Japanese advance even a single step! "

The simple handover ceremony was full of the simplicity and solemnity unique to the battlefield.

The officers of the two troops saluted each other and exchanged glances, silently conveying the trust and entrustment between their comrades.

After the handover was completed, Wu Ziqiang did not leave immediately. Instead, he dismissed his attendants and said to Qiu Qingquan solemnly, "Commander Qiu, after this separation, I don't know when I can fight side by side with you again.

Before leaving, Commander Chu had a secret order for me to pass on, and asked me to congratulate Commander Qiu in advance."

Qiu Qingquan was startled when he heard this. His face, which was blackened by gunpowder smoke, showed a trace of surprise and confusion: "Oh? Why did General Wu say that? What are you congratulating me, Qiu, for?
Congratulations, I can finally leave this damn place, go back to the rear and sleep peacefully, without having to worry about the Japanese's cold guns and cold artillery anymore?"

There was a hint of self-mockery in his tone; months of hard fighting had already exhausted him both physically and mentally.

Wu Ziqiang showed a meaningful smile on his face, but his tone was extremely serious: "Commander Qiu is joking. Your Excellency (referring to Chu Yunfei) and the Joint Command have given very high praise to the performance of the new 22nd Division in Mindang and a series of previous operations! Your Excellency said that your division 'is not afraid of sacrifice, dares to fight hard battles, has the spirit of our Chinese military, and is a model of the expeditionary force'!"

He paused, and said word by word, "The Supreme Command and the Joint Command have jointly issued an order. In view of your outstanding command and repeated achievements, Commander Qiu, we have decided to promote you to Army Lieutenant General, transfer you from the Fifth Army, and return to the country immediately to form a new strategic strike corps of the National Army - the New Seventh Army, and you will serve as the first commander of the army!"

"What?! Commander of the newly formed Seventh Army? Lieutenant General?"

Even though Qiu Qingquan was known for his daring and fearlessness, he was stunned by this sudden appointment.

He was promoted directly from a division commander to be responsible for forming an army commander, and was promoted to lieutenant general.

This span is so huge that it is simply unheard of!

"Commander Wu, are you making fun of me, Qiu?" Qiu Qingquan's eyes widened and his tone was full of disbelief.

"This Seventh Army is the designation of the Guangxi clique's troops. How could it be..."

Wu Ziqiang smiled slightly, took out a formal transfer order with the joint seal of the Military Commission and the Joint Command from his briefcase, and handed it over with both hands: "Commander Qiu, oh no, now I should call you Commander Qiu.

Your Excellency's telegram and the Military Commission's official appointment document are here, absolutely true.

You will immediately resign as the commander of the new 22nd Division, and the Chief of Staff Liao Yaoxiang will temporarily take over the new 22nd Division. After a short rest, Commander Qiu will immediately return to China. The Chairman and His Excellency both have high hopes for this new unit. "

"Also, the Seventh Army has been disbanded due to poor performance, so Commander Qiu does not need to worry."

Qiu Qingquan took the heavy letter of authorization, and his fingers trembled slightly.

He spent half his life in the military, and all he wanted was to achieve great things and drive out the Japanese pirates.

Now, this opportunity was before him in a way he had never imagined.

"The New Seventh Army," Qiu Qingquan muttered to himself, his eyes flashing with excitement and confusion: "The number is auspicious. I wonder what troops are under its jurisdiction? What are their equipment like? Where is their base?"

Wu Ziqiang said: "Commander Qiu, the newly formed Seventh Army will have three new division-level units under its command: the newly formed 51st Division, the newly formed 52nd Division, and the newly formed 53rd Division.

The backbone of the troops will be selected from various war zones in the country, including veterans with rich combat experience who have recovered from injuries, and will be supplemented by some high-quality new recruits.

As for the specific location and details of the organization, you, Commander Qiu, will need to discuss this in detail with the Ministry of Military Affairs and the Military Service Bureau after you return to China."

"What about the equipment?" Qiu Qingquan asked. This was the issue he was most concerned about.

The combat effectiveness of a new force depends largely on the level of its equipment.

Wu Ziqiang showed a mysterious smile on his face. He lowered his voice and said slowly: "General Qiu, the equipment of this newly formed Seventh Army is naturally all American combat equipment."

"All American equipment?"

Qiu Qingquan was shocked again.

His intention was to use the captured Japanese weapons to equip his own army.

All American equipment, this is really a big deal.

Apart from the newly formed 12th Army, even the ace troops like the newly formed 11th Army do not have the treatment of being equipped with all American weapons.

He grabbed Wu Ziqiang's arm and asked anxiously, "General Wu, are you serious?! Are they all American weapons? M1 Garand? 105mm howitzers? And those American tanks? We have all of them?!"

Wu Ziqiang felt pain from being grabbed by him, but he also understood his feelings at the moment and nodded vigorously, saying, "It is absolutely true! Your Excellency and General Stilwell have reached a deep consensus with Washington on this matter.

This new Seventh Army will serve as our iron fist for launching strategic counterattacks on the Chinese battlefield in the future!
Its equipment standards will be completely aligned with, or even partially surpass, the current main forces of the expeditionary force!
From the individual soldier's M1 rifle and Thompson submachine gun, to the squad's Browning light and heavy machine guns, to the divisional and corps' 75mm mountain guns and 105mm howitzers, and even independent tank and motor vehicle regiments, they will all be the latest American products! "

"Oh my goodness." Qiu Qingquan felt a surge of blood rushing to his head, and he felt a little dizzy. He seemed to have seen a mighty army equipped with snow-white helmets, khaki uniforms, M1 rifles shining in the sun, and followed by a rolling iron stream. Under his command, they swept the Japanese invaders and recovered the lost territory!

His desire for victory and longing for powerful firepower instantly ignited all his passion!
"Good! Good! Good!" Qiu Qingquan said "good" three times in a row, punched the earth wall beside him, shaking off a piece of mud and sand, "Damn it! This is the kind of guy we should have to fight the Japanese! This is the treatment we Chinese soldiers should have!"

He took a deep breath, suppressed the ecstasy in his heart, and looked at Wu Ziqiang with burning eyes: "General Wu, please tell the Lord, and also tell the Chairman! I, Qiu Yu'an, accept this great trust and this great responsibility! Even if I have to break my bones, I will train this new Seventh Army into a real steel knife! A peerless knife that can stab the little Japanese to death!"

His innate bravery and arrogance were fully revealed at this moment. For a pure soldier, nothing is more attractive than commanding a well-equipped and powerful ace division!

Wu Ziqiang was also infected by his heroic spirit, and solemnly bowed and said: "General Qiu is mighty! Here, I wish General Qiu a successful start, and hope that he can quickly build the new Seventh Army into a pillar of the party and the country to safeguard the country and enhance the prestige of China!"

Qiu Qingquan nodded heavily. He walked to the door of the command post and looked at the veterans of the New 22nd Division who were heading north. Their faces were full of fatigue but also a bit of relief for surviving the disaster. He felt mixed emotions in his heart. (End of this chapter)