The Fourth Outstanding Person of Huangpu Military Academy

The entry ceremony after the liberation of Guangzhou.

In reality, troops from the First and Fourth Armies were already in Guangzhou before the entry ceremony, but a sense of ceremony was crucial. So, on September 8th, the 28th Regiment of the 10th Division of the Fourth Army and the 1st Regiment of the 1st Division of the First Army assembled at the Huanghuagang Uprising Martyrs Cemetery and marched from Huanghuagang to Huiai Middle Road, ending at the Municipal Government Building and the City Defense Headquarters, completing the entry ceremony.

The troops of the Fourth Army marched in the front of the city entry ceremony.

Although the First Division of the First Army still has more than half of its soldiers from Guangdong, the name of Ye Ting's Fourth Army is inherited from the old Guangdong Army, which makes it more familiar to Guangzhou people. "The Fourth Army is the local Guangdong army."

“The welcoming crowd was a bit sparse.

Ye Ting looked around and saw that there were indeed not many citizens lining the streets to welcome him. After entering Huiai Middle Road, there was at most a single layer of human wall welcoming him on the street.

"We didn't specifically recruit citizens to stand on both sides of the street to welcome us. Hiring people would cost money." Chen Tianheng and Ye Ting rode side by side. "Besides, Guangzhou people are really a little... tired now.

Ye Ting nodded: "Within a few years, the flags on the walls of Guangzhou changed several times... Life for the common people was not easy."

"I hope our visit to the city this time can bring a bright future to the people of Guangzhou. ... Fellow countrymen, look forward to seeing you in high spirits today!" Chen Tianheng shouted the last words to the welcoming citizens, and then he clasped his hands together and greeted them to the left and right.

In front of the city government building, the two regiments lined up neatly, and Chen Duxiu and Deng Yanda appeared.

Well, now Nanjing calls the Democratic United Government of the Republic of China the "Chen-Deng Gang"

But today, Chen Duxiu and Deng Yanda want everyone to see that this government is not the Chen-Deng bandit gang, and the leader of this "gang" is someone else.

The crowd waited anxiously for a while, and finally the citizens in the front row burst into cheers.

Soong Ching Ling has arrived.

On September 1, the advancing coalition government managed to notify Soong Ching Ling, who was living in the Shanghai Concession. After hearing that the CCP's armed forces had entered Guangdong and intended to capture Guangzhou, she set out for the Huangpu River docks that same day. Because Nanjing was completely unaware of the situation in Guangdong (and the Cantonese clique itself was also largely unaware), the military and police monitoring Soong Ching Ling were not particularly vigilant and were unable to stop her. At the dock, Soong Ching Ling boarded an uncomfortable, dilapidated cruise ship bound for Guangzhou.

When Soong Ching Ling boarded the ship, the First and Fourth Armies had not yet entered Shaoguan.

My fellow countrymen. To the working people of the world and to the governments of all nations:

"The Democratic United Government of the Republic of China was officially established today in Guangzhou.

"It is the government of the workers, peasants, soldiers, merchants, and all patriotic working people throughout the country. It is the government that replaces the rule of imperialism and its agent, the Kuomintang, and continues to call on and organize the working people of all China to rise up and overthrow this rule."

The Democratic Coalition Government will follow the Premier's will, command the revolutionary army, carry the revolutionary war through to the end, eliminate the reactionary army, complete the great cause of unifying China, realize the Premier's great vision of 'equalizing land rights,' and build a new China that is equal, free, and democratic."

The democratic coalition government will safeguard the interests of the country and the people, strengthen the revolutionary army on land, sea and air, consolidate national defense, safeguard territorial sovereignty and integrity, and oppose aggression by any imperialist country.

The Democratic Coalition Government will also lead the people of the country to overcome all difficulties, carry out large-scale industrial and commercial construction and agricultural construction, eliminate the poverty and ignorance left over from old China, and gradually realize the modernization and industrialization of the country...."

He Xie translated

"After a year of fighting, we set out from Guangzhou and returned to Guangzhou. The handwriting of history has drawn a circle in the history books! Haha."

When the First Army moved into the Guangzhou military camp, Xu Xiangqian made a joke.

Chen Tianheng: "Yes, a year ago, the National Revolutionary Army, with the strength of Guangdong Province, launched the Northern Expedition and overthrew the Beiyang warlords across the country. Today, we are back to square one, still with the strength of Guangdong Province, fighting against the reactionaries across the country.

Xu Xiangqian: "However, I believe we will win in the end.

Lu Deming: "It's just that this Guangdong...dong!

Lu Deming said nothing, only sighed, and kicked his right foot forward. With a dull thud, the arch of his foot made contact with a cockroach, sending it flying out of the command center.

Chen Tianheng: "We should look at the bright side of things. We can eat Chef Liang's fried rice noodles again when we return to Guangzhou.

Xu Xiangqian: "Yes, yes, yes. One day during a break in training, let's go to his stall and eat again."

Chen Tianheng: "However, we have to go to Shijing first tomorrow."

Shijing Street is located outside Guangzhou City, in the northwest. Now to go to Shijing you have to go through a rural area first.

Of course, it has to be a very remote place, because the current Shibing Arsenal includes a smokeless gunpowder factory. If the explosives explode due to careless operation, it will not blow up the city of Guangzhou.

The Shijing Arsenal, formerly the Guangzhou Machinery Bureau, was founded by Zhang Zhidong during the Qing Dynasty and was Lingnan's earliest modern military enterprise. Despite the subsequent turbulent political landscape in Guangdong and China, the Shijing Arsenal continued to develop steadily.

By then, the Shijing Arsenal could produce 900 rifles, over 70 light and heavy machine guns, and 1 rounds of ammunition per month. Furthermore, in January 1927, the Shijing Arsenal produced shells for Stokes mortars and 75mm mountain guns, significantly contributing to the Northern Expedition's ammunition supply.

"The smokeless gunpowder factory at our Shijing Arsenal can produce nitrocellulose explosives. We now want to add another workshop to the gunpowder factory to produce TNT explosives, but this requires investment. We roughly calculated that it would require an investment of about 900 million yuan."

The chief engineer of Shijing Arsenal introduced the current situation of the factory to Deng Yanda, Chen Tianheng and his party who came to inspect.

Deng Yanda: "We need to produce our own high explosives, and we also need to increase our arms production. We don't have any Soviet aid for guns, artillery, and ammunition right now, so we have to rely on ourselves for everything."

Chief Engineer: "Arms production can be increased further, but the maximum potential for improvement is 30%. If we want to significantly increase arms production, we may need to add more machinery and equipment, such as expanding the ammunition production workshop."

Chen Tianheng: "Chief Engineer Liu, what basic industrial raw materials does the Shibing Arsenal need to import now?"

"Steel is imported. We import steel billets from Hong Kong and refine and process them ourselves. Nitric acid for the smokeless powder factory is imported, but short-staple cotton is purchased domestically. However, copper is also purchased domestically.

Deng Yanda: "We have to import steel. Can we solve the problem ourselves in Guangdong?"

"I'm afraid it doesn't make much sense," Chen Tianheng shook his head. "There are almost no iron ores and coal mines in Guangdong. If we build a steel plant, we will have to import iron ore and coal from outside. Isn't that the same thing?

Deng Yanda: "Yes.

Chen Tianheng: "Therefore, since we use Guangdong as our revolutionary base, it is impossible to cut off contact with the outside world. However, this also has an advantage, that is, contact with the outside world is not just with the Soviet Union.

Deng Yanda: "Shamian is the British and French Concession, and the Pearl River Estuary is Hong Kong. But I'm worried that Britain will not only refuse to trade with us normally, but will also impose a blockade on us."

Chen Tianheng: "In 1925, the Guangdong-Hong Kong General Strike, followed by Guangdong's blockade of Hong Kong, nearly turned Hong Kong into a stinking port. Yet, despite this, Soviet munitions ships continued to arrive from Vladivostok in 25 and 26, unloading their cargoes in Guangzhou. Commissioner Deng, I'm afraid some of our understanding of the international situation was subtly influenced by the Soviet Union."

Deng Yanda: "It's interesting to say that the first person to point out that we need to re-establish our understanding of the international situation was your General Secretary Chen Duxiu...

"Why did you British people come all the way to Guangzhou to collect the debt? It's not like I don't want to pay it back!"

The manager of Standard Chartered Bank rushed over from Hong Kong, wearing a suit and top hat, and stood respectfully before the angry Chen Duxiu, but his meaning was clear: "Mr. Chen, you must remember that you also borrowed 150 million yuan from Standard Chartered Bank.

Chen Duxiu: "This is the working capital of the United Reading Group. The group is operating well now. The principal and interest have been paid on time before, and there is no risk."

Manager: “The biggest risk is that United Reading Group’s headquarters and main operations are still in Shanghai, while you are in Guangzhou.”

The headquarters is in the International Settlement in Shanghai.

"But the Nanjing government may also forcibly reclaim the concession. It's hard for me to understand why you and your army didn't establish your own independent kingdom in Shanghai."

Chen Duxiu: "Well, United Reading has already planned to move, it is moving. The United Reading Group is moving to Guangzhou.

Manager; “Then relocation is an additional risk. Even without considering safety issues, the relocation costs and downtime during the relocation are expenses.

"Manager Smith, I'll take charge of this matter. I'm the actual manager," Chen Yun said. "United Reading Group's profit margin has increased by two percentage points this month compared to last. We now have a considerable amount of liquidity, sufficient to hedge risks. We're now changing our legal representative."

Manager: “Oh.

Chen Yun: In addition, we are about to launch a new round of financing or strive for a new round of loans. We hope the amount will be 500 million yuan.

Manager: "Is it for the business expansion of the United Reading Group?"

Chen Yun: "No, for manufacturing, Guangzhou.

"I can't make a decision until I see the project plan," the manager replied calmly.

N Hengde Xie De

"What? The General Secretary of the Communist Party of China is also the boss of a large company? Haha, hahaha!"

Smith returned to Hong Kong and held a small salon with executives from several British banks in Hong Kong to share information with each other. After Smith revealed the news, the executives of Barings Bank laughed out loud.

"So a few months ago, the Chinese Communist Party suddenly announced that it would no longer be under the jurisdiction of the Communist International. Is this the reason? They solved their own party funding through business operations?"

Smith: "In addition to this, the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party has a newly rising Central Committee member, Mao, whose brother has also opened a company that is no smaller than the United Reading Group, and its main business is commodity trading."

"If I were the general secretary of the Communist International, I would probably expel the party before they even quit.

The senior executives of the Bank of China present laughed together again.

“So, gentlemen, is Guangzhou worth investing in now?

asked a question from an HSBC executive.

Smith: “:Uh…”

"Mr. Smith, why do you hesitate now?"

"I'm afraid Mr. Smith is worried about the relationship between the Guangzhou government and Britain.

Smith: "No, it is very unlikely that the Guangzhou government will forcibly take back the Shamian Concession in the near future. The most likely policy it will adopt is similar to the 'transition period theory' proposed by the Nationalist government in January regarding the Shanghai Concession.

"How could the Communist government in Guangzhou adopt the diplomatic tactics of the Nanjing government?"

"No, no, no," Smith shook his head. "On the contrary, the Nanjing government might not be able to carry out this diplomatic strategy, but the Guangzhou government can. This is because the person who proposed the 'transitional period theory' is a Communist and is now the main military general or the top general of the Guangzhou government.

“So, does Standard Chartered plan to enter the investment business in Guangzhou?

Smith shook his head. "Although I have ruled out the aforementioned risks, the Guangzhou government still poses significant risks. Frankly speaking, I cannot make a positive or negative conclusion now, because I cannot determine how long this Guangzhou revolutionary government can survive."

"High risk also means high returns. If Standard Chartered Bank doesn't dare to follow suit, HSBC would like to give it a try.

Chapter 128: Guangdong Second Arsenal

I just went to inspect the Shijing Arsenal with Deng Yanda yesterday, and today Chen Tianheng came to Shijing again.

In the early years of the Republic of China, "whoever had a gun was king." Political factions and warlords viewed the gun as their lifeblood, and the arsenal served as their bulwark. For over a decade, whoever controlled the Guangdong government appointed their most trusted director of the Shijing Arsenal. Consequently, from the late Qing Dynasty until 1927, the Shijing Arsenal had over thirty directors.

Obviously, these thirty-plus factory directors were overseers responsible for controlling the arsenal, especially its production capacity, and most of them had no knowledge of arsenal manufacturing. In contrast, the factory's chief engineer and management committee members were relatively stable and possessed some professional knowledge.

The Ishii Bingqijumu factory currently has three workshops producing ammunition, that is, three production lines, two types of rifle ammunition and one type of pistol ammunition. The rifle ammunition is 79 caliber and 65 caliber.

"I know the revolutionary army now has a wide variety of firearms and ammunition calibers, and the arsenal's bullet production line can be changed to a different caliber. By simply changing the bullet head mold and adjusting the shell molding machine, it can be made. But it will take time.

Chief Engineer Liu Yuqian answered questions about ammunition procurement.

Chen Tianheng: "Our army currently has a large number of 79-caliber and 65-caliber firearms. Even with a monthly production capacity of 70 rounds of the three types of ammunition, it's not necessarily enough to sustain the high-intensity combat consumption of several armies. We really shouldn't change the caliber of the production line. How much time and investment would it take to establish a new ammunition workshop?"

Liu Yuqian said, "Building another rifle and bullet workshop would cost around 50 yuan, and if the machinery import channels from Hong Kong are smooth, it could be completed in two to three months. However, there is another issue: Shijing's smokeless gunpowder production capacity and copper processing capabilities also need to be expanded."

After talking about ammunition production, the next thing is firearms.

The "79 rifle" produced by the Shijing Arsenal is a copy of the Mauser 1898, not the Commission 1888. Because Shijing was built and put into production later than Hanyang, the imitation foreign firearms are relatively new.

We can skip the rifles for now. The biggest highlight of the Ishii Arsenal now is the imitation Madsen light machine gun.

Denmark's Madsen light machine gun is the world's first mass-produced light machine gun. The "ancestors" of other firearms are mostly imaginative and bizarre in shape, but the Madsen is not like that. Its design is very mature and reasonable.

The Madsen features a foldable bipod, a 20/30-round magazine, a right-shifted sight, and a short, straight stock. The famous ZB-26 actually resembles it in appearance. However, the Madsen was a light machine gun designed and finalized in 1902.

"Chief Engineer Liu, does Ishii have a department that designs firearms?"

Liu Yuqian: "You mean a design department like in foreign arsenals? There isn't one. It's just that some workers figure out how to modify guns themselves. I've done some of that myself.

Chen Tianheng picked up a newly assembled Madsen and said, "I'd like to add a handle here, something like this... Yeah. That way, it would be very convenient for soldiers to carry the machine gun over short distances."

“Also, add a small grip to the gun.

Liu Yuqian: "These two are minor changes, so they are easy to fix.

Chen Tianheng mentioned a few minor modifications that would make the Madsen more similar to the ZB-26. However, these are merely cosmetic tweaks (though certainly useful ones), and the Madsen's basic structure and automatic mechanism remain unchanged.

This machine gun isn't gas-operated, but rather features a long-recoil barrel. While this doesn't necessarily mean gas-operated guns are superior, the long-recoil barrel demands exceptional craftsmanship. If well-made, the Madsen light machine gun can be incredibly accurate; if poorly crafted, it becomes a large shotgun, like the Madsen currently produced by the Ishii Arsenal.

After discussing the product adjustments with Chief Engineer Liu, I learned that the production capacity adjustment of the Shijing Arsenal was not Chief Engineer Liu's business, but was related to investment.

After confiscating shares from Li Jishen of the Guangdong clique, the Guangzhou Revolutionary Government's Ordnance Committee became the largest shareholder of the Shijing Arsenal, but the Shijing Arsenal still had other shareholders.

Chen Tianheng: "Senior Fan, I didn't expect you to be the second largest shareholder.

Fan Shisheng, former commander of the 16th Army, has just taken office as the defense commander of Humen Fortress (at the army level) after the uprising.

Fan Shisheng smiled and said, "In the 12th year of the Republic of China, the Yunnan Army entered Guangdong and briefly controlled Guangzhou City and captured the Shijing Arsenal. Several military leaders of the Yunnan Army each held shares in Shijing, and I also got some. Later, Yang Ximin of the Yunnan faction rebelled and was put down. The shares of many senior Yunnan Army officials were stripped away and transferred to the hands of the Guangdong faction. However, I did not participate in that rebellion, so my shares were retained.

Chen Tianheng: "However, it would be best if you could find someone you trust to transfer your shares to, as you are now the commander of the Humen Fortress defense. ... The Ishii Arsenal needs to increase capital to expand production capacity and improve the technical level and manufacturing quality of its products. We have calculated the investment amount, and it will double. The Ordnance Industry Committee is ready to invest, and we will give priority to additional investments from shareholders. Everyone can contribute according to the proportion of their current shareholdings. If you do not want to contribute, the Ordnance Industry Committee will make up the difference. Of course, shareholders who do not contribute will see their shareholding proportion reduced accordingly."

"I'm the third largest shareholder. Based on the proportion, I'll invest 35 yuan. That's easy to negotiate. I'll send the check over in a few days.

The third largest shareholder, um, is Li Fulin.

The disbanding of Li Fulin's Fifth Army would take several months, as he had to ensure employment for his more than 10,000 men. However, the disbanding of the Fifth Army was already confirmed. Li Fulin himself would no longer hold a military position, but would only hold a position on the Guangzhou Municipal Committee, allowing him to hold shares.

"I should contribute 45 yuan, but I don't have that much on hand right now. "After I received the profit dividends from previous years, I used a lot to subsidize the army's daily expenses," Fan Shisheng said. "I can contribute 10 yuan."

The Ordnance Industry Committee holds the vast majority of the Shijing Arsenal's shares, and also the vast majority of new investments. Whether shareholder No. 2345... contributes his own money is irrelevant; the Ordnance Industry Committee has already prepared a plan to invest several hundred thousand more yuan.

Street Law

Outside Guangzhou West Gate, at Xinglian Village Wharf on the West Channel of the Pearl River.

"Hello, Mr. Zhong Daoyan.

Chen Tianheng shook hands with Zhong Daoyan who had just got off the boat.

Zhong Daoyan, born in 1892 in Pujiang County, Zhejiang Province, graduated from Beijing Normal University (National Beijing Higher Normal School) and worked as a teacher for a while before studying abroad, earning a master's degree in mechanics from Columbia University. Returning to China in 1926, he became technical director of the Jinling Arsenal.

During the First Division's garrison in Shanghai, it recruited many engineers and technicians from the Shanghai Arsenal, but lacked a senior technical officer. Fortunately, when the First Division was later stationed in Nanjing, Chen Tianheng found Zhong Daoyan at the Jinling Arsenal.