Starting from the deputy company commander of the Soldier Assault Team

Neither Wang Jianguo nor Liu Weimin made a statement; they waited quietly and watched without interfering.

The meeting room grew increasingly lively, with officers supporting the opposing viewpoints speaking louder and louder, though the overall sentiment gradually shifted towards the blue side.

After all, many of the members of the directing team this time came from various departments of the General Staff, and their purpose was to promote reform and transformation through continuous military exercises.

Even the recently reorganized mechanized armored forces are accelerating their transformation towards information technology, let alone the earlier motorized infantry units.

The policy was set long ago: to reform towards mechanization and informatization. Only in this way can we have sufficient capability to defend our country in the face of an increasingly complex international situation.

The most crucial issue right now is whether the exercise is just acting or practicing for actual combat.

The Three Realms Joint Tactical Training Center was established in 1986, and the 871 Red-Blue Confrontation Exercise began in 1987.

They began exploring competitive training, but it was entirely based on a script, with red winning and blue losing.

The Gulf War in 91 and the Kosovo War in 99 raised a critical question: traditional routine exercises were merely theatrics, severely out of touch with modern warfare.

Realizing this point necessitates improvement, which is why General Wang Jianguo of the General Staff repeatedly used the Old A as the Blue Army to defeat the Red Army five times in six battles.

Promote the comprehensive implementation of mechanization and informatization reforms.

This has exacerbated tensions, prompted reflection, and led to attempts to change the methods and approaches of military exercises.

However, the resistance involved is indeed significant.

The mainstream view of the military is still to conduct exercises according to the old rules, follow procedures, ensure safety, and strive for a successful outcome.

However, as new officers grow up, they become increasingly averse to these theatrical exercises and cannot accept this model.

This contradiction is the biggest pain point in the military at present. As the General Staff Department responsible for the overall planning, program formulation, organization, implementation and evaluation of training for the entire army, it is necessary to promote the reform of the system and improve the combat effectiveness of the army.

Therefore, in the previous six exercises and this one, Wang Jianguo, as the Minister of the Training Department, personally went to the scene as the chief director to keep the top leader of the Red Army participating in the exercise in check and to promote the pilot work.

This is a very sharp contradiction between the two sides, and both sides have taken it into consideration.

The old rule is to stick to the written script and proceed according to the plan. The commander, as the executor, is not allowed to improvise or go astray.

The leaders took their positions, the signal flares were fired, both sides lined up, and at the appointed time, the exercise officially began.

Next, there are plans for who will attack, who will defend, which section to break through, and how to break through. Underhanded tactics are not allowed, preemptive attacks are not allowed, simulated poisoning is not allowed, and water, electricity, and communication cannot be cut off.

Night raids, surprise attacks, and undeclared wars are strictly prohibited.

When the time is up, the exercise will end. The red team will win and the blue team will lose. The purpose of the blue team is to be a training partner, to boost morale and showcase results.

Exercises are training, not a life-threatening exercise. They must be conducted according to rules, procedures, and order.

We must be fair, dignified, and civilized in our confrontation. Exercises are just performances; we should aim for the best possible outcome. As long as nothing goes wrong and we don't embarrass ourselves, safety comes first, victory second, and appearance third.

These are all old units with excellent traditions; we can't act recklessly and embarrass our brother units.

The newly emerging young officers did not accept this approach; as reformers, they were extremely averse to it.

Some young officers in some units have even shown signs of slacking off, shouting slogans like "If you use me in the exercise, you will surely lose."

Their demands are simple: the troops should train the way they fight, and the exercises should be the same as real combat. They require no script, no pre-planned strategy, and no predetermined outcome.

There is no so-called start signal flare. Entering the war zone means that the war has begun. No means are restricted: reconnaissance, infiltration, ambush, night fighting, road sabotage, bridge bombing, cutting power lines, scorched earth, water control, and psychological warfare.

In short, the exercises will be conducted in the same way as the actual battlefield; the enemy won't treat you fairly on the battlefield.

As a commander, one must be adaptable to changing circumstances. The enemy situation and the battle situation are constantly changing, and a commander must dare to make judgments, take risks, and take responsibility.

There is no fixed winner or loser. Exercises are rehearsals for war. There are no rules, no fairness, and no prior notice. Victory or defeat depends on individual ability. There is no one who is there to support or showcase another.

It's better to expose problems. Only by finding problems can we solve them, comprehensively improve combat effectiveness, and better defend our country.

Their goal is for the exercises to be as brutal as actual combat, so that actual combat can be as smooth as the exercises.

The Central Military Commission and the General Staff Department have long recognized this contradiction, and it is precisely the General Staff Department that should take the lead in resolving this contradiction and gradually and steadily advancing the reform.

Ultimately, both sides have their reasons and are not wrong; they are just in different positions, bear different responsibilities, and have different perspectives.

The old-fashioned approach of emphasizing rules and regulations stems from a sense of responsibility for soldiers' lives, respect for life, adherence to discipline, and a commitment to ensuring the stability of the unit.

The younger generation who want reform are responsible for the outcome of the war. The enemy will not wait for you to be ready. Only by eliminating formalism can we train a fighting force.

The Central Military Commission, as the commander-in-chief, and the General Staff, as the staff officers, understand both the old and the new schools of thought. They neither deny life nor shirk cruelty; their goal is to strike a good balance.

Ten minutes passed quickly, and the results of the vote were in. The General Staff officers, who had a slight advantage in numbers, gained a narrow victory and concluded that the Blue Team had not violated any rules.

Liu Weimin nodded. "Now that a conclusion has been reached, I will abide by the democratic decision."

Wang Jianguo smiled and said, "I just heard both sides make a lot of sense, especially someone who used the Battle of Chosin Reservoir as an example. That's a very good example."

Following rules and procedures is like our ancestors equipping themselves with warm clothes before going into battle, but the reality is that the enemy won't wait for us or give us time.

This is the cruelty of war. As soldiers, we are responsible for protecting our country and its people. When war comes, we must build a line of defense to protect our nation and its people.

This requires us to hone our skills so that we can eliminate the enemy anytime, anywhere.

However, exercises are not real combat. I believe that while we can make them as close to real combat as possible, we must also pay attention to the safety of our soldiers.

The best approach is for both parties to work together.

Training should be for combat, not just for show, but also requires maintaining a proper balance.

Now that a consensus has been reached, let's reply to the Red Team: the Blue Team's actions are within reasonable limits, and the exercise will begin promptly at 6:00 PM.

"Yes," the assistant director in charge of communications replied loudly.

The director's decision was quickly relayed to the command centers of both the red and blue teams.

However, the two sides reacted very differently to the same instruction.