Blood-Red Front

The promotion ceremony took place the next day.

Lin Zhiyuan received a new military rank and participated in the experience exchange meeting organized by the General Staff Headquarters as the commander of the 404th Infantry Division.

To Lin Zhiyuan's disappointment, the officers attending the exchange meeting were mostly talking about the firepower advantage of the newly promoted army.

Most importantly, based on the original owner's memories, Lin Zhiyuan discovered that all the officers who spoke on stage seemed to be conservatives.

Lin Zhiyuan frowned as he watched the officers on stage suggesting the import of advanced foreign weapons.

Lin Zhiyuan waved to the second lieutenant beside him and asked in a low voice, "How many more are there before it's my turn?"

"Not counting Division Commander Zhang on the stage, you are ranked fifth from the back."

Lin Zhiyuan nodded. He couldn't stand listening to this nonsense anymore and didn't want to waste his time.

When the officer on the stage finished speaking, everyone applauded, and Chen Xiu, who was presiding over the meeting, was about to call on the next person from the list, Lin Zhiyuan stood up.

"Commander Chen, I'll go next." With that, Lin Zhiyuan strode forward.

Chen Xiu was taken aback, then laughed and said, "It seems that our Commander Lin can't wait to share his experiences in the Battle of Binxi."

"In that case, please proceed."

Standing on the podium, Lin Zhiyuan looked around.

"The commanders who spoke earlier included division commanders and corps commanders. They all fought bloody battles on the Binxi battlefield. It's clear that they were deeply impressed by the firepower of the rising nation."

"But I don't know if they've ever been to the front lines, or actually fought on the front lines."

"In modern warfare, firepower is king, that's true, but in my opinion, their suggestions are far too farsighted. They haven't looked down at their feet, at their soldiers, or at what they need."

The expressions of the crowd below the stage changed. Being overly ambitious and talking big on paper were not good words.

"Commander Lin, I don't agree with what you said!" Someone stood up; judging by his rank, he was also a major general.

"Planning strategies within the command tent and winning battles a thousand miles away, commanding from the center is what senior officers should do."

"For a division commander to go to the front lines and serve as an infantryman is, in my opinion, a true dereliction of duty!"

"You're right, the commander's task is to direct operations from the center." Lin Zhiyuan nodded. "But the prerequisite for strategic planning is to have a thorough understanding of the front lines."

"I have a question for this officer."

"you say."

What is the current trench layout of our army?

"Our trenches are modeled after those of the Prosen Empire, and are fully functional, with outpost areas, combat areas, and rear areas, making them a typical deep defensive position."

The major general, who had stood up, looked like he was giving instructions.

"A textbook-perfect explanation." Lin Zhiyuan gave a thumbs up. "It's just a pity that the newly promoted army doesn't fight in textbooks."

Ignoring the somewhat annoyed major general, Lin Zhiyuan said, "If I could, I would like to equip the 404th Division with a heavy artillery regiment right now, and preferably add a tank regiment as well."

"But even though I think about it, I know it's impossible."

"Compared to advanced weapons, I think what frontline infantry need most is a safe position."

"Earthwork operations are very inconspicuous, but they can effectively increase our army's chances of survival on the battlefield."

"In Lujia Town, the 6th Regiment added reserve positions and deep positions to the standard positions, constructed flanking fire and reverse fire, and dug a large number of anti-artillery cat ear holes."

"Relying on this set of positions, the 6th Regiment was able to hold off the attack of tens of thousands of troops from the newly established army with only one regiment."

Many officers in the audience fell into deep thought.

They had all read the battle report from Lujia Town; the circular position on the south bank had dealt a heavy blow to the Chusheng Army.

If the 6th Regiment had other units cooperating in the operation, the Chu Sheng Army would not have been able to outflank and attack the flank of Lujia Town, and the circular position would not have been abandoned voluntarily.

It's hard to say how many casualties the newly promoted army will have to suffer to take this position, or even whether they can take it at all.

The major general standing there was very annoyed by Lin Zhiyuan's disregard.

"I admit that you fought very well in Lujia Town, but that doesn't mean that advanced weaponry is unimportant."

"If we had purchased aircraft instead of building them six years ago, we would have had sufficient planes and tanks, and the Battle of Binxi would have had a different outcome!"

"Too expensive!" Lin Zhiyuan said.

"Speaking of artillery alone, the price of purchasing one Bofors mountain gun is enough to produce a battalion of Kremlin mountain guns, but one Bofors is far less valuable than 12 Kremlin mountain guns."

While the Kremlin-style mountain guns did have a relatively short range and were not very effective in counter-battery operations, this did not mean they were incapable of firing. If they couldn't fire mountain guns, they could still fire infantry guns.

Lin Zhiyuan preferred to equip ten infantry divisions with outdated, copycat mountain artillery battalions rather than equipping a few elite divisions with advanced Bofors mountain artillery battalions.

Lin Zhiyuan's opinion on earthwork operations was met with widespread agreement, but when it came to weapons, everyone present unanimously objected.

"Weapons still need to be advanced, and outdated production capacity should be eliminated."

"That's right, buying directly is the fastest way to build up combat power."

"We are all veterans of the bloody battle of Binxi, and we should know that the issue of weapons must be expedited."

When the topic of Binxi came up, Lin Zhiyuan's temper flared up.

"The bloodshed of Binxi wasn't your blood, nor mine; it was the blood of those who died!"

"What they need more is a large number of copycat mountain guns and a large number of mortars, rather than just one or two advanced artillery pieces."

Lin Zhiyuan couldn't understand why these people's thinking was so stubborn.

The two sides started arguing right there in the hall, with Lin Zhiyuan practically pointing his finger at them and calling them comprador lackeys.

But he was ultimately just a division commander and couldn't change anything. In the end, he could only take care of his 404th Division first.

The meeting ended unhappily.

Lin Zhiyuan ignored everyone else and strode out of the staff headquarters.

Just as he was about to get on the bus to return to Lynch, he suddenly heard someone calling his name.

"Commander Lin, please wait a moment. Minister Ren would like to have a chat with you."

"Minister Ren? Minister Ren Huasheng of the Political Department?"

"Yes, it's in that car over there." The person gestured.

Lin Zhiyuan nodded and walked towards Ren Huasheng's car.

As he opened the car door, Lin Zhiyuan saluted, "Minister Ren."

"Come in and sit down," Ren Huasheng said with a smile.

After Lin Zhiyuan got into the car and closed the door, the car started driving along the road.

"Zhiyuan, time flies! In the blink of an eye, you've grown up so much and become an excellent soldier."

"You did very well in Lujia Town."

"Thanks to Minister Ren's strong support," Lin Zhiyuan said sincerely.

"Without the help of the local government, the 6th Regiment would probably have been completely wiped out if it had tried to hold off the 14th Brigade for three days."

"Hehehe...that's because you commanded it well," Ren Huasheng said.

"However, I still have to say a few words to you. The exchange meeting is supposed to be a place for friendly interaction, so why did you slap someone in the face in public?"

Lin Zhiyuan got angry when he heard about the exchange meeting.

"Those guys only see the advanced weapons, but they can't see the soldiers below."

"What do soldiers mean to them? Are they just numbers on a casualty report?! They all have parents, they are flesh and blood!"

During battles, if someone has to be sacrificed, Lin Zhiyuan will not hesitate at all. But if there are ways to reduce the number of deaths in the army, Lin Zhiyuan will definitely do it.

"That's just polite talk," Ren Huasheng said with a smile.

"Do you think they don't know that something is better than nothing? It's just that as conservatives, there are some things they have to openly support."

"Why didn't Lao Lin tell you?"

Upon hearing Ren Huasheng's words, Lin Zhiyuan finally realized what Lin Xing meant when he said that some things shouldn't be said.

"But you can't just lie through your teeth," Lin Zhiyuan said.

"Forget it, what's past is past," Ren Huasheng said.

"However, our country is indeed currently in talks with Rossiya regarding military aid. What are your opinions on the purchase of supplies?"

"loan?"

"That's right."

"Steel, medicine, 76mm field guns, 37mm anti-tank guns, anti-aircraft guns, 120mm mortars, T26 tanks—as many as you need."

Lin Zhiyuan opposes the commander's focus solely on weapons, but if someone offers loans, the more the better.

As long as we win the battle, the loan will naturally be repaid.

"What about the plane? Why didn't you mention the plane?" Ren Huasheng asked curiously.

"The Rossian Empire won't sell us their advanced aircraft, and the rest will probably be insufficient to compete with the rising powers for air supremacy."

"If we are going to import them, I would suggest importing a large number of U2 trainer aircraft, and it would be best to import the production line so that we can produce the fuselage ourselves by importing engines."

"Training aircraft?"

Lin Zhiyuan nodded. "Although I don't want to admit it, we can't compare to the industrialization of newly emerging nations, so we can only fight asymmetric wars."

"During the day, we don't fight for air superiority with the newly launched aircraft; at night, we bomb their airfields."

"The U2 trainer I'm talking about, although it doesn't have much air combat capability, can be easily converted into a night bomber."

"Moreover, this aircraft is made entirely of wood and linen, which makes it inexpensive to produce and allows it to take off and land without even needing to build an airport."

Ren Huasheng nodded: "I remember importing a batch of this aircraft a few years ago, but this is the first time I've heard of night bombing. I'll have someone investigate it."

"By the way, Lao Lin proposed a plan to the Ordnance Bureau to design and produce a 100mm mortar. That must have been your idea, right?"

"That's right. Although the 100mm mortar is inferior to the 120mm mortar in all aspects, given the current transport capacity of the Xia Army, the 100mm would be a better choice as a regimental and divisional artillery piece."

"I will have someone prioritize the design, and it is expected that the design will be finalized within half a month."

"Thank you, Minister Ren."

Lin Zhiyuan then exchanged many more questions with Ren Huasheng about the battlefield and the domestic situation, until the driver suddenly slammed on the brakes and stopped in front of a large building.

"This is the Ordnance Department of the Ministry of Military Affairs, which is responsible for the storage and distribution of military equipment," Ren Huasheng explained.

"The Ordnance Department has four Berlusconi 105mm field cannons. Whether you can get them depends on your methods."

"A 105mm cannon? The Ordnance Department has this treasure?" Lin Zhiyuan perked up instantly.

"It was brought back from outside the Great Wall 6 years ago."

When talking about the area beyond the Great Wall, Ren Huasheng couldn't help but sigh.

At the time, he was not yet the director of the political department and had no say in the General Staff Headquarters. Chang Zhongshi spearheaded the international mediation, but ended up falling into a ditch.

"Minister Ren, I need to go to the Ordnance Department first," Lin Zhiyuan said urgently.

"Go ahead, I'll keep an eye on the mortar issue you mentioned."

"Thank you, Minister Ren."

Lin Zhiyuan got out of the car and headed straight for the gate of the Ordnance Department.

The ordnance department was bustling with people, all seemingly there to request weapons.

Lin Zhiyuan found someone to lead the way and headed straight for the office of the director of the Ordnance Bureau.

The office door was open, and Lin Zhiyuan knocked.

"Bang bang bang".

The secretary at the door didn't even look up. "The director isn't seeing guests. Go to the second floor and find Section Chief Sun."

"I am Lin Zhiyuan, commander of the 404th Division. I have urgent business to discuss."

The secretary was somewhat annoyed. "What Lin Zhiyuan? Ma Zhiyuan? I told you, the director isn't seeing guests!"

"I hate people like you the most! If you go to the chief for everything, how is he supposed to do his job?!"

My father is Lin Xing.

The secretary, who was getting up, froze for a moment, and when she looked up, she had a smile on her face.

"So it's Commander Lin. I was blind to his greatness."

"Please wait a moment, I will go and report to Director Song right away."

The secretary invited Lin Zhiyuan to sit on the sofa, while she quickly walked into the director's office in the inner room.

A moment later, the secretary came out and said, "Commander Lin, Director Song requests your presence."

Upon entering the director's office, Director Song put down his pen and smiled, "Zhiyuan's here, please have a seat."

"Director Song, I have a favor to ask."

"Just give me a call if you need anything, there's no need to come in person."

Lin Zhiyuan didn't stand on ceremony and went straight to the point: "I heard that there are four Berlusconi cannons in Kuli, and I want to go to the 404th Division."

"Cannon? Is that true?" Director Song looked at his secretary beside him.

"Chief, this cannon does exist, but it's not made by Bailu. It's a copy made by the Guanwai Arsenal. Its range is slightly shorter than the original, only 16 kilometers."

"Oh... I remember now." Director Song patted his forehead.

"There were four cannons among the things we brought back from outside the Great Wall. They've been stored in the warehouse for six years. I wouldn't have remembered them if you hadn't told me."

"Director Song, are these four cannons still usable?" Lin Zhiyuan asked.

"Absolutely no problem," the secretary affirmed. "It was sealed before being put into storage; it won't spoil for several years."

"Then why haven't they been issued yet?" Lin Zhiyuan asked curiously.

"There are many reasons. One is that we have very few shells, less than 200, and we don't have the production capacity."

"Another problem is that this gun is too heavy. The cannon alone weighs 3.5 tons, and it cannot be pulled by mules or horses at all. The Prosen 105mm howitzer that we imported only weighs 2 tons, and it is towed by truck."

The Bero cannon uses wooden wheels, which cannot be towed by trucks. If rubber tires are to be changed, the gun carriage will have to be replaced, which will increase the weight by several hundred kilograms.

Moreover, even after the gun mounts were replaced, the Xia army did not have any heavy trucks to tow them. At this time, the Xia Kingdom's heavy tractors were all imported along with the Prosen heavy artillery, one for one, with no surplus.

"I want this cannon!" Lin Zhiyuan said confidently.

As long as these four cannons can deliver the decisive blow at the crucial moment, it doesn't matter if they explode later.

"It's not that you can't have it if you want it, but you'll have to figure out how to transport it yourself."

Director Song didn't care much about the four cannons. After all, Lin Zhiyuan was one of the conservatives, and these cannons were just gathering dust in the warehouse. Taking them out to fire at Chusheng would be a worthwhile investment.

"No problem." Lin Zhiyuan nodded. "Just give me a note, and I'll have someone come and get it."

"No problem." Director Song quickly drafted an allocation document. "Anything else you want?"

"I still have a mountain artillery battalion, but the cannons were destroyed in Lujia Town. Could you give me 12 more mountain guns? Any model is fine."

"That won't do." Director Song shook his head repeatedly. "It doesn't matter if the four cannons are given to the 404th Division, but each mountain gun has a plan when it leaves the factory, and I can't allocate them arbitrarily."

"However, I will try my best to take care of the 404th Division and give you priority in the allocation of weapons."

"Thank you, Director Song." Lin Zhiyuan cupped his hands in thanks.

"Director Song is very busy, so I won't bother you any longer."

"Goodbye!"

"Secretary Li, see Commander Lin out."

"Commander Lin, please."

……