Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Changzhi, North China Joint Command.

The day we saw Sun Weimou and Cao Potian off.

Chu Yunfei sat back down behind his large mahogany desk in the office.

He didn't look at the documents on his desk about "anti-corruption" and "bond issuance," but slowly closed his eyes.

With a thought, his consciousness once again immersed itself in the system.

As Chu Yunfei meditated in his mind, a pale blue holographic screen, visible only to him, rippled out before his eyes like waves.

Current Merit Points Balance: 158,0000

Upon seeing this number, even the usually composed Chu Yunfei couldn't help but pause slightly.

The gamble of the Battle of Western Hubei not only broke the backbone of the Japanese 11th Army and achieved the feat of annihilating the Japanese Yangtze River Fleet, but also allowed Chu Yunfei to amass an unprecedented fortune.

In addition to the merit points accumulated previously
He now has enough merit points to exchange for even better defense industry technologies.

This is a trump card that will allow him to completely crush Okamura Yasuji's defenses in the upcoming decisive battle on the North China Plain.

His gaze swept past the dazzling array of light weapons and artillery blueprints, landing directly on the [Armored Vehicles/Medium Tank Technology] section.

The vast plains of Northeast China are different from the towering mountains of western Hubei.

The area was flat and undefended, making it the perfect stage for mechanized corps to operate.

Beat the Japanese.

Two legs and mules are enough; in fact, simply continuing to develop artillery would be enough to crush this pseudo-empire whose technological level is not high.

But as for potential future adversaries...

The few light tanks we currently have are not enough.

Combat units need a true main battle tank.

A medium tank capable of holding the line, assaulting enemies, and being mass-produced.

Chu Yunfei didn't know much about tanks from World War II, but he vaguely remembered some basic information.

From Germany, the most famous are the Leopard, the Tiger, and the No. 4.

The Panzer III is a light tank that does not need to be considered.

The Panzer IV tank was also known as the "German warhorse".

The long-barreled 75mm cannon it is equipped with is quite powerful, and its excellent sighting equipment and good ergonomics have always been the benchmark in the industry.

However, German tanks were too 'precise'. Their complex suspension systems and numerous parts far exceeded the processing precision requirements of North China's industry, which was a disaster for the logistics system that relied on extensive workers.

In the North China battlefield, where maintenance resources were scarce and road conditions were poor, a tank that broke down due to a lack of specialized precision parts was actually less valuable than a fixed anti-tank gun.

Moreover, the chassis of the Panzer IV has reached its limit and there is no room for further upgrades.

As for the Tiger and Panther series tanks, they were things that even the Germans themselves had difficulty maintaining, so it was of little use to the Republic of China at that time.

However, in other words...

Americans have made so many documentaries and movies about the Western Front.

They all unanimously exaggerated the deterrent power of leopards and tigers.

This is enough to prove how severe the psychological trauma the German tanks left on them.

Chu Yunfei even vaguely remembered that even during the Cold War, the Leopard and Tiger tanks were studied and developed as benchmarks for more than a decade.

Leopards are strong, but not suitable, so let's pass.

On the Soviet side, there were various models of the T-34 and the IS-2 heavy tank.

If you choose the T34, then you must choose the T34-85.
Without a doubt, this is the most legendary tank of World War II.

It boasts an excellent bulletproof shape, wide tracks providing superb mobility, and an 85mm gun capable of penetrating any active Japanese tank at long range.

More importantly, diesel engines are less prone to ignition and have an impressive range.

"It is indeed tempting...but..."

Chu Yunfei knew all too well that beneath the T-34's impressive specifications lay abysmal ergonomics and "blind" vision.

The cramped space left the crew exhausted after long marches, causing their combat effectiveness to plummet.

Its poor observation equipment and lack of radio (early and some mid-range models) made it extremely vulnerable to being "blind" in melee combat without infantry cover.

War is not simply a matter of piling up data on paper.

Tanks are driven by people.

If the crew is already exhausted before they even open fire, or can't even see the enemy, then even the thickest armor is just a moving iron coffin.

The Nationalist Army did not have many armored soldiers, and each one was extremely valuable.

Furthermore, the Soviet Union's rough tolerance standards are incompatible with the American precision machine tool system that North China is currently fully adopting.

T34/85 needs to be produced.

While it wouldn't require establishing a completely different set of industry standards, it would still be somewhat troublesome.

No one can afford to wait that long.

Chu Yunfei's best choice was none other than this.

It was actually a Sherman tank.

This is an industrial product that can barely be called perfect.

In the event of a potential large-scale war of attrition in the future.

Reliability is combat effectiveness.

The Sherman's engine and transmission system were incredibly robust.

It doesn't require frequent maintenance; as long as you add oil, it can keep running and firing. Furthermore, its spacious interior and excellent ergonomic design allow the crew to maintain high energy levels even after long-distance runs.

Its vertical stabilizer gave it the rare ability to fire from a short stop or even while moving, which meant it could fire first in an encounter.

What Chu Yunfei valued even more was that the system was universal.

The industrial system in North China is converging with American standards, and a large amount of aid equipment, lubricants, and bolt specifications are perfectly compatible with Sherman.

Choosing Sherman means that he can directly utilize the existing US aid logistics chain, and even obtain parts replenishment from the US military in the future, without having to start from scratch to make every gear himself.

Chu Yunfei even wondered if he could use his merit points to exchange for technical blueprints, and then use diplomacy to get the Americans to directly help build the relevant factories?
This is an unprecedented advantage compared to Soviet tanks.

At least, the Soviets at present do not have the resources to support them in building tank factories.

Thinking of this, Chu Yunfei's eyes gradually hardened.

He doesn't need the Tiger, which is invincible in one-on-one combat but is rare, nor does he need the T-34, which, although numerous, sacrifices the crew experience.

What he needs is a "battlefield all-rounder" that can run fast, stay in good condition, have good visibility, be repaired quickly, and provide the crew with sufficient survivability.

"Only living veterans are the most valuable asset."

The Sherman's later wet ammunition racks completely solved the fire problem, and the spacious escape doors could preserve the batch of armored soldiers he had painstakingly trained to the greatest extent possible.

"System, exchange for the complete set of technical drawings and key equipment information for the production line of the M4A3 (76)W HVSS medium tank."

The M4A3 (76)W HVSS medium tank can be considered the pinnacle of the Sherman family.

The 76mm high-velocity gun was sufficient to destroy even the Type 3 and Type 4 tanks of the Japanese army, which were still on paper, at normal combat range.

The wide-track HVSS suspension system solved the problems of excessive ground pressure and poor off-road capability in the early models.

The wet ammunition rack has completely shed its infamous reputation as a "lighter".

In Chu Yunfei's memory.

This tank was even able to hold its own against the T-34/85 on the Korean battlefield.

If used to deal with those flimsy Japanese tanks, it would be a complete game-changer.

As for the M51, a super Sherman, it was not within Chu Yunfei's consideration.

The reason is simple: the United States doesn't have the relevant technology right now, and the system consumes too many exchange points.

[Ding! Confirmed redemption of M4A3 (76)W HVSS related technical data?]

[Requires 300000 Merit Points.]

"confirm."

Chu Yunfei slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath. Although he had spent a considerable amount of his wealth...
But as he looked out the window at the vast expanse of sky and earth, an unprecedented ambition burned in his eyes.

With this.

In addition, there will be the upcoming US aid of engines and special steel.

The arsenals in North China will be further improved, and it is very likely that they will be developed into a proper defense industry cluster.

This is the only chance for the central region. Once the war is over, anyone who isn't a fool will know that priority should be given to developing port cities, cities along rivers, and cities connected by railways.

By then, places like Shanxi and Shaanxi will no longer have the opportunity for rapid economic development.

Chu Yunfei also wanted to personally build a real steel torrent.

On the North China Plain, they used tracks and artillery fire to give Okamura Yasuji a vivid lesson in "modern armored assault".

They also wanted to use American tanks to beat up the Russians in the Far East and reclaim the lands they had seized.
After exchanging for the production line technology of the Sherman tank.

Chu Yunfei did not rush to log out of the system.

His gaze lingered on the M4A3 holographic projection in the void for a long time, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Having main battle tanks alone is not enough."

Chu Yunfei understood perfectly.

Armored warfare in the later stages of World War II was no longer a simple matter of "tanks against tanks" or "tanks crushing infantry".

That was a systemic confrontation.

If these hundreds of expensive Sherman tanks were allowed to rush into the Japanese lines like headless flies without infantry cover or accompanying fire support, they would only be destroyed one by one by the suicide squads hiding in the trenches using spike mines, anti-tank grenades, or even simple Molotov cocktails.

The weaknesses of tanks determine the survivability of armored forces.

He needs to equip this steel beast with "fangs" and "armor".

"The barrel effect".

The word popped into Chu Yunfei's mind.

Flow of consciousness.

His gaze fell upon the list of [Auxiliary Vehicles/Self-Propelled Artillery].

The most pressing issue is the coordination between infantry and tanks.

Even the most elite troops in North China rely mostly on foot or trucks for marching.

But on the front lines, trucks are nothing more than metal coffins with no protection, and soldiers can't keep up with the speed of tank assaults when they get off to fight.

"I need a vehicle that can keep up with the Sherman's cross-country speed and provide infantry with light weapons protection."

Chu Yunfei's gaze locked onto the M3 half-track armored vehicle.

This US military "battlefield taxi" has a simple structure, with front-wheel steering and rear-wheel tracks, balancing road speed and off-road performance.

Although the armor was not thick, it was enough to withstand the Japanese army's 6.5mm Amisaka shells and artillery shell fragments.

More importantly, it is a perfect universal platform.

Equipped with an M2 heavy machine gun, it is an infantry fighting vehicle.

Equipped with an 81mm mortar, it is a self-propelled mortar.

Equipped with a quadruple M2 heavy machine gun, it becomes the fearsome "meat processing plant cutter" M16 anti-aircraft vehicle.

It can shoot down aircraft, and its direct fire can tear Japanese armored assault vehicles to shreds.

"With this thing, the armored forces can be considered fully formed."

Chu Yunfei made a pre-selection and exchange without hesitation.

In addition, there was accompanying fire support.

The deployment speed of towed artillery is extremely slow compared to the assault speed of armored forces.

Withdrawal would take even more time, making it completely impossible to adapt to the "hit and run" rhythm of mechanized forces.

Chu Yunfei's gaze searched the self-propelled artillery section and finally settled on a device that looked very much like a tank—the M7 "Priest" 105mm self-propelled howitzer.

The reason for choosing it remains "system universality".

The M7 uses the chassis of the M3/M4 tank.

This means that its suspension, engine, and transmission system are highly compatible with the Sherman.

There is no need to prepare a separate set of spare parts for logistical support.

Moreover, the power of the 105mm howitzer was more than enough to deal with the Japanese army's rudimentary field fortifications.

In offensive operations, it can closely follow tank formations, stop and fire within minutes to destroy enemy anti-tank gun positions, and then quickly move away.

Finally, there is the most inconspicuous yet most deadly logistical support.

The Sherman tank weighed over 30 tons.

Once a ship is stranded on the battlefield or stuck in the mud, it cannot be towed by manpower or trucks.

If you don't want to easily destroy your expensive tank, you must have a professional rescue vehicle.

M32 tank recovery vehicle.

Also based on the Sherman chassis, it has a winch and crane boom, which can tow damaged tanks back for repairs and re-entry into battle.

The M4A3 tank served as the spearhead.

The M3 half-track vehicle transports infantry to cover the flanks.

The M7 "Priest" provides on-demand indirect firepower.

M16 air defense vehicles clear low-altitude and ground-based soft targets.

The M32 rescue vehicle provided backup from behind.

This is not merely a tank unit; once successfully assembled, it will be an American-style "armored tactical group" capable of crushing the Japanese and confronting the Soviets.

It has many advantages, but also some disadvantages.

American equipment is notorious for being a "gas guzzler" and is particularly picky about fuel consumption.

Ford's GAA V8 engine requires high-octane gasoline to achieve its maximum power output.

The low-octane gasoline currently produced by the Yumen Refinery in China may even damage engines.

"System, exchange for hydrocracking and high-octane aviation gasoline/automotive gasoline refining technology and complete catalyst formulas."

This technology.

It can feed not only the tanks on the ground, but also the American aid aircraft that are about to arrive in the sky.

With a series of checkmarks, the merit points on the system panel poured out like water.

[Ding! Confirmed redemption of M3 half-track family technical data (including M16 variant)?]

[Current required merit points: 150000.]

[Ding! Confirmed redemption of M7 "Priest" self-propelled howitzer technical data?]

[Current required merit points: 150000.]

[Ding! Confirmed redemption of M32 tank recovery vehicle modification technology?]

[Current required merit points: 80000.]

[Ding! Confirmed redemption of high-octane fuel refining process package? 500000 Merit Points consumed.]

Including the previous Sherman production line, Chu Yunfei spent over a million merit points in one go.

But he didn't feel any heartache at all.

This is no longer just a collection of weapons, but the prototype of a complete, modern defense industry.

From iron ore in mines to crude oil in oil fields.

From the gears on the assembly line of the arsenal, they eventually converge into a steel torrent powerful enough to sweep across the plains.

It was foreseeable.

In the near future, North China will surely produce more industrial talents in this field, and on this basis, the industrial system will be further improved.

In the future, we will certainly be able to develop new weapons and equipment that are more suitable for corresponding terrains and battlefield operations. (End of this chapter)