The Fourth Outstanding Person of Huangpu Military Academy

The porridge factory manager said: "There are also people who gamble every day. When they lose all their money, they come here to get a bowl of porridge. After eating the porridge, they go to borrow money, and then continue gambling again after borrowing money. Do we give porridge to people like this?"

Xiang Jingyu: "Unless he was caught gambling at someone's house and taken away. Since he wasn't caught or taken away, and he came here on his own, holding out a bowl of porridge, you have to give him a spoonful."

The porridge factory manager rolled his eyes and mumbled in Cantonese, "Yes."

"When winter comes, more people go to the porridge factory in Guangzhou to get porridge, right?"

Yang Kaihui asked Xiang Jingyu.

"Yes. More this winter than last."

Yang Kaihui: "It couldn't be due to the Great Depression. I was working in Hong Kong, and many businesses there went bankrupt. The streets were filled with unemployed people."

Mao Runmin: "No, no, Guangzhou is actually going against the Great Depression. Western countries are experiencing a Great Depression, but we are experiencing a great prosperity now. There are so many people getting porridge at the porridge factory because Guangzhou's population is almost three million now."

Yang Kaihui: "So many?! Is this the latest government statistics?"

Xiang Jingyu: "The less precise statistics, including estimates, are indeed close to three million."

Mao Runmin: "At the end of 1927, Guangzhou's population was only one million. In just over three years, it tripled. Even if the unemployment rate is lower than before, in absolute terms, it's probably still higher than before."

Yang Kaihui returned from Hong Kong during the Spring Festival, but Mao Runzhi did not return. He was in western Hunan investigating the local peasant movement.

Xiang Jingyu… Xiang Jingyu didn't have to worry about Cai Hesen now, but Cai Hesen hadn't returned either. There were no direct flights from the Soviet Union back to Guangzhou in those days; ambassadors could only return to China if their positions were changed.

Chen Tianheng also came to join in the fun. It’s the New Year and you have to pay your New Year’s greetings.

"Sister Kaihui, Runzhi will be back in three days," Chen Tianheng said. "The Air Force Aviation Transport Department has a transport plane going to Xiangxi on a mission, and Runzhi will come back on the way back."

Yang Kaihui: "He'll be back in three days? That's great! I'll be back in Hong Kong the day after tomorrow, and the office will resume operations."

Chen Tianheng and Mao Runmin: ...

"Happy Chinese New Year Uncle Chen"

Mao Anying, Mao Anying and Mao Yuanzhi peeked out.

Chen Tianheng: "Hello, Happy Chinese New Year. I didn't bring any books this time, but I did bring some red envelopes."

Yang Kaihui: "Chen Tianheng, last time you gave them books, I confiscated The Adventures of Tintin and Mickey Mouse. If you give them books next time, just give them books like 1000 Mathematical Problems."

Chen Tianheng: “…Ahem!”

"Chen Tianheng is also very good at coaxing children, sister-in-law," Mao Runmin said, "I think we should introduce Chen Tianheng to a partner."

Yang Kaihui: "Chen Ying is also worried about this matter in Hong Kong. She's very picky."

Chen Tianheng: "No need, no need, I don't have the time." Xiang Jingyu: "I think so too, marriage is dispensable."

Chen Tianheng: "I think what Sister Xiang said makes a lot of sense."

Finally freeing himself from the attention of these two families on his life's major events, Chen Tianheng wanted to tell Xiang Jingyu something serious: "Sister Xiang, Peng Shuzhi is in Hong Kong now. He will probably be traveling in and out of Guangzhou frequently in the near future."

"Humph, this ungrateful person, why mention him?"

Now Xiang Jingyu gets angry when she hears Peng Shuzhi's name.

Chen Tianheng: "The Central Committee's request for Mao Runzhi to take time off from Xiangxi is related to the frequent activities of Peng Shuzhi and his current group."

A Fokker F.VII of the Air Force Air Transport Department landed in Guangzhou. Mao Runzhi emerged from the aircraft.

"Secretary Mao," Chen Tianheng said, "Sister Kaihui went back to work yesterday, but she left this package for you."

A big bag, but very light, containing some sweaters, windbreakers, jackets, gloves and the like.

Mao Runzhi: "Is Trotsky himself no longer in Hong Kong?"

Zhou Enlai: "He had been hiding in Hong Kong for the past two years, but two months ago, he was assassinated by a group of unidentified people. When the British Hong Kong government learned of this, they decided to deport him. I don't know which country he has now gone to."

Mao Runzhi: "This kind of theoretical confrontation, without him actually debating, seems to have little effect."

Zheng Chaolin's lectures at Sun Yat-sen University were merely academic, with the audience consisting of students and teachers. However, the activities of the "Trotskyists" suddenly became more active, which is a phenomenon worthy of attention.

During his two years in Hong Kong, Trotsky wrote an autobiography and reorganized his thoughts since 1905 into a book. This book, "The Permanent Revolution", is the theoretical basis for all the actions of the Chinese Revolutionary Communist Party today.

Therefore, Trotsky's theory must be discussed and a document circulated within the party.

"I can see that some of the ideas contained in Trotsky's book, The Permanent Revolution, were formed between 1905 and 1917, and some were formed after 1922, when the Soviet Union was founded."

At a theoretical discussion meeting convened by some members of the Central Committee, the Standing Committee members spoke first. Li Dazhao, who has been studying theory more extensively in recent years, commented:

"Between 1905 and 1917, his views clearly interacted or influenced each other with Lenin's. During this period, Lenin gradually formed the view that 'the communist revolution can first succeed in backward countries,' while Trotsky proposed that 'the revolution should first seize power in backward countries and then sweep across developed capitalist countries.' But by 1922, Trotsky's views had clearly changed."

Chen Tianheng: “This has a lot to do with the war between the Soviet Union and the German Empire after the October Revolution, and the outcome of the war in Eastern Europe, especially Poland.”

Li Dazhao: "Yes. Trotsky commented on many things after 1922, occupying a large part of his works. He clearly pointed out that the new regime would become corrupt and degenerate. Only continuous revolution could prevent the revolution from failing and continue until communism was achieved."

“‘World revolution’ now forms an integral part of Trotsky’s theory of ‘permanent revolution.’ But it is precisely this theory of ‘world revolution’, as originally formulated, that contains the greatest errors.”

At the meeting, Chen Duxiu first seized upon Trotsky's theory of world revolution and criticized it. Chen Duxiu? A Trotskyist? No, Chen Duxiu now had the lowest opinion of the Trotskyists among the members of the Party Central Committee.

After all, this isn't the original historical dimension. In the original history, he was furious when the Communist International blamed him for the failure of the Great Revolution. Then he saw a man named Trotsky saying, "It would be a crime for the Soviet Union not to donate blood to support revolutions in other countries," and he became a fan.

In fact, Chen Duxiu was only a fan for a few years. In 1937, when the Trotskyists said that China's nationwide war of resistance was harmful to China's realization of communism, Chen Duxiu immediately turned against them.

Li Dazhao: "On the subject of world revolution, I would like to quote Chen Tianheng's speech at the Huangpu Teachers and Students Conference in 1927 in memory of Comrade Pavlov. That speech has been included in the Party's historical documents."

Chen Tianheng: "Hmm? When?"

"Just before the Spring Festival," Li Dazhao said, "the sentence that impressed me most was, 'When you make friends with others, respect them over time; when it comes to friendship between nations, the best friendship is to maintain distance.' Even if we acknowledge that there are many revolutionaries around the world like Pavlov who wholeheartedly and selflessly dedicate themselves to revolutions in other countries, when many people gather together, they 'unknowingly' 'take Peter the Great's playbook' wrong, inevitably aiding revolutions in other countries while stealing from them. Once this happens, it is devastating to the relationship between the two sides, to their respective revolutionary causes, and even to the revolutionary cause of the entire world."

Mao Runzhi: "Nationality and class are two separate entities, objective entities that are not subject to human will. We cannot turn a blind eye and only talk about class while erasing nationality. At the same time, nationality and class are dialectically unified. When we understand these two things, we must see both their differences and their interconnectedness."

Li Dazhao: "I only gained comprehensive information about some of the events surrounding the Northern Expedition last year. During the Chiang-Feng War, Chiang Kai-shek released all of Feng Yuxiang's documents regarding his relationship with the Soviet Union, particularly the Soviet Embassy in Beijing. We previously believed many of the rumors were fabricated by Chiang Kai-shek to deliberately smear the Soviet Union, but now we realize that wasn't entirely false."

"Therefore, our party should resolutely oppose Trotsky's view. World revolution is not and cannot be launched by one victorious country to other countries. Regarding Trotsky's new view after 1922, that another revolution should be carried out in the countries where power has been seized to oppose the newly formed interest groups..."

Li Dazhao: "This is also completely erroneous. In essence, this was a power struggle between Trotsky and Stalin, but in the book Trotsky changed his narrative."

Mao Runzhi: "Comrade General Secretary, I disagree with this. I believe that the solution proposed by Trotsky and the facts exposed by Trotsky should be viewed separately. The signs and symptoms that have emerged in the Soviet Union are not fabricated by Trotsky or our fantasy; they are facts, objective existence. After achieving revolutionary victory and seizing national power, the Party has become a ruling group and has gradually become detached from the people, standing in opposition to them. This is a situation that must be taken into consideration."

Li Dazhao: "Well... Comrade Mao Runzhi, even if these phenomena do exist, it does not seem to indicate that the Communist Party of the Soviet Union will inevitably become a ruling group separated from the people."

Chen Duxiu: “Hmm…”

"Comrade General Secretary, Comrade Secretary Li Dazhao, I would like to express my views." "The situation mentioned by Secretary Mao Runzhi is something we should indeed consider." Chen Tianheng spoke.

Chapter 79: The First Mortar Division of the Revolutionary Army

Although Zheng Chaolin was extremely reluctant and protested several times, unfortunately, the facts did not go against his will.

Now, people who have heard his speeches in Guangzhou have simplified Trotsky's doctrines into "if you don't fight, you will die" and "the law of communist cycles."

When the winter vacation ended, Zheng Chaolin got the opportunity to perform on stage - "When Trotsky Met Sima Guang"

This time, the student union also waived Zheng Chaolin's venue fee, but when he walked up to the podium, he found that the stage was decorated like a theater troupe, with two actors playing Sima Guang and Trotsky standing on the stage. Trotsky's beard and glasses were exaggerated like a cartoon, and Zheng Chaolin immediately wanted to escape.

But since we are already here, we have to finish the show. There are students, teachers and audiences in the audience.

Not only did the students in the audience not let him leave, but the person who was performing against him - not those two actors, but Liang Shuming - kept asking him questions.

Zheng Chaolin didn't want to talk, but Liang Shuming kept asking questions. After a few rounds of question-and-answer sessions, two actors backstage summarized the key points of their conversation, composed a song, and sang it using Cantonese opera repertoire.

These two actors are not from a opera troupe, but top students from Sun Yat-sen University. They are really capable of understanding the conversation between the two people and summarizing and adapting it into a song.

"The formation and decline of ruling groups in communist countries is not at all a cyclical law of Chinese dynasties," Zheng Chaolin refuted Liang Shuming. "It's simply not the same thing. In an industrialized country, land annexation is not a fundamental national crisis. Land annexation does not necessarily lead to a social crisis, and the absence of land annexation does not mean that the country has not yet faced a social crisis."

Liang Shuming: "I know, I know, the communist cycle is not caused by land, but it is still a cycle. If there is any difference, it is that this cycle is shorter."

Host: "Yes, yes, yes. In modern society, transportation and communication speeds are so fast."

Liang Shuming: "With a single telegram or bill of exchange, capital could flow across thousands of kilometers. A single landlord could buy up thousands of acres of land in an entire village within a year. The rise and fall cycles of feudal dynasties in ancient agricultural societies lasted for 300 years, but modern dynasties don't even take 300 years; they can complete a cycle every 30 years."

Zheng Chaolin: "I partially agree with this. Thirty years is enough for major problems to arise within a ruling group. After another thirty years, these problems will accumulate into fatal contradictions, and the revolution will fail. But this is not about land..."

Actor: "Thirty years to rise, thirty years to fall~~~The rise and fall of a country~~~~~~~~ah~"

There is something inexplicably funny about having Trotsky speaking Cantonese and singing the template tune of Cantonese opera.

"Chen Tianheng, I've noticed that among the dozens of members of your Central Committee, not a single one has read When Trotsky Met Sima Guang."

Chen Ying asked.

"The Chinese Revolutionary Communist Party is not the Chinese Communist Party. We are completely distinct from them," Chen Tianheng said. "The Central Committee will issue a document on Trotsky, but it will take several more discussions. As for me, I might as well go to the movies."

"That leaves me with another question. You once said that movies without sound weren't good, and then, when you finally got to see a movie, you chose a silent one."

Chen Tianheng looked at the movie ticket in his hand, "City Lights".

"That's only in most cases. But in a few cases, there are also classic silent films."

When Hollywood had already upgraded its film-making technology to talkies, Chaplin still stubbornly insisted on silent films. This "City Lights" was probably the last masterpiece of Hollywood's silent film era.

This movie was released in Guangzhou cinemas a month later than in the United States, which is about the time it takes for a fast cruise ship to cross the Pacific Ocean.

Chen Ying also asked if they wanted to watch another screening of "Wild Grass and Flowers", as she and her boyfriend were going to watch it later, but Chen Tianheng declined.

Ruan Lingyu, Ruan Lingyu, and Ruan Lingyu again. I will definitely not watch it, so that I won't have any connection with Ruan Lingyu.

"Xiaopeng," Chen Tianheng asked Chen Ying's boyfriend, a fourth- or fifth-tier actor, "When you smile in real life, your mouth doesn't seem crooked at all. But when you're in a movie, you have this devilish smile with a crooked mouth. It's become your signature expression."

"Ahhhh, this, Brother Chen," Zhang Xiaopeng said awkwardly, "This is all arranged by the director."

The central theoretical seminar was held for the second time.

Needless to say, most Central Committee members considered Trotsky's theory of world revolution unfeasible. Soviet aid to the Chinese revolution taught both parties a lesson. Even if Soviet aid enabled the southern revolutionary government to launch the Northern Expedition and defeat the Beiyang warlords, it also gave rise to the Chiang Kai-shek regime. Chiang Kai-shek's faction received more aid than the Communist Party and Wang Jingwei combined.

Trotsky's discussion of the current situation in the Soviet Union, namely the "law of communist cycles", the latest addition to the theory of permanent revolution, caused widespread discussion among the Central Committee members.

Chen Tianheng estimated that even the third theoretical seminar on this topic might not be able to clarify it.

"Reporting to the Commander-in-Chief, the first phase of the First Division's exercise has concluded, and the Divisional Staff is summarizing the progress of the exercise!"

Zheng Dongguo, commander of the 1st Division of the 1st Army, reported to Chen Tianheng.

Chen Tianheng looked at Yu Chengwan, commander of the Second Division, and Lin Biao, commander of the Third Division. "The First Division conducted the exercise, but you all witnessed it in person. Tell me, what's the biggest difference between this exercise and last year's?"

Lin Biao: "After the three different caliber mortars were inserted into the company, battalion, and regiment levels, the infantry regiment's firepower almost doubled, and its offensive capabilities were substantially improved. The infantry regiment could now launch attacks against most temporary and even semi-permanent field fortifications without the support of mountain and field artillery."

Yu Chengwan: "At the same time, the total weight of ammunition consumed per battle by infantry units at all levels has also increased. Now companies, battalions, and regiments all have mortars, and mortars have a very high rate of fire. Mountain artillery can fire seven or eight rounds per minute, which is very fast. When concentrated firepower is needed, mortars can easily fire more than ten or even twenty rounds a minute. Logistical supply capabilities must keep up."

Chen Tianheng: "In mobile warfare, what kind of changes did the use of mortars bring to the battle?"

Lin Biao: "Mortars also play a vital role in mobile warfare, but the problem right now isn't the mortars themselves, but communications capabilities. We need the kind of dialogue radios the armored training units currently use. These allow reconnaissance units on the front lines encountering enemy forces to quickly transmit information to headquarters and artillery positions, enabling mortars to quickly fire on the enemy."

Chen Tianheng: "In five years at the earliest, and ten years at the latest, the infantry will equip this device to the company level, and even lower levels."

Zheng Dongguo: "Ah, could it be that by then the revolutionary army could be generally equipped with cars, and we would be fighting on wheels?"

"The number of cars will increase, but walkie-talkies and radios won't be equipped in the way you imagine," Chen Tianheng said. "By then, you'll have a soldier carrying a backpack and talking as he walks."

The First Division was equipped with mortars in accordance with the new regulations. The commanders and staff of the 2nd and 3rd Divisions also came to learn, but the one who had the most thorough understanding of mortar operations was the First Division commander Zheng Dongguo.

"Commander-in-Chief, we no longer feel that 6.5mm ammunition has a limited range," Zheng Dongguo said. "The 60mm and 82mm mortars have completely changed the battalion and company tactics."

The maximum sight range of the Type 38 rifle is 2000 meters, but in reality its effective range is not that far. The current definition of the performance parameters of the Type 38 rifle by the Revolutionary Army is:

The effective range is within 400 meters. At this distance, a single rifle can theoretically effectively shoot at a single target (only in theory).

400-800 meters is the effective range of a squad. A squad firing a salvo of rifles can achieve a realistic hit rate on a single person at a distance of 800 meters.

Above 800 meters is the range for group fire. At this distance, a platoon or even a company's rifles firing in unison can pose a small threat to a group of targets 2000 meters away. It's "a little," because infantry can barely see anyone beyond 800 meters. While bullets still have killing power at 800 meters, they drift here and there, and no one knows where they'll end up.

In the past, rifles had to be able to fire at ranges of 800-2000 meters. Although firing at such a distance would have only a slight effect, it was still better than no effect at all.

Now that mortars are widely deployed, things are different. Infantry companies can use 60mm mortars to fire a few rounds at targets more than 1000 meters away at any time. This is much more useful than stray bullets that fly here and there.

Chen Tianheng: "So, in the current infantry company structure, rifles can basically focus on firefights within 400 meters, while mortars are responsible for ranges above 400 meters and below 2000 meters. Have you considered further increasing the effectiveness of rifles in combat within 400 meters?"

Zheng Dongguo: "You mean, the infantry squad's rifles are semi-automatic?"

Lin Biao: "I think it would be more advantageous to have submachine guns in the general military. The First Regiment was once equipped with submachine guns during the Northern Expedition, but they were later distributed to the First Division and other units of the First Army. The First Regiment no longer has submachine guns in its general military. Now, the arsenal should be given the task of mass-producing submachine guns, and the establishment of one to two submachine guns per infantry squad should be restored."

Zheng Dongguo: "That's not right, Lin Biao. Submachine guns are only effective within 200 meters." Lin Biao: "There are also light machine guns for 200 to 600 meters. I've seen exercises, and in infantry combat, the effective killing distance between the two sides is not 200 to 400 meters, but within 200 meters."

Zheng Dongguo: "No, no, it's just that the battlefield conditions of today's exercise are quite special..."

Like the First Army and the Fourth Army, research on tactics for the newly organized troops was already in full swing before they were fully equipped.

每个步兵连2门60毫米迫击炮,每个步兵营4门82毫米迫击炮,每个步兵团4门100毫米迫击炮。全师三个战斗团一共有54门60迫、36门82迫、12门100迫和12门37平射炮，另外团侦连和师侦营也配备了少量迫击炮。这样不算师属山野炮，全师的火炮数量就有100多门。

After this equipment change, the firepower of the First Army's First "Mortar Division" on the Chinese battlefield was already a bit beyond the standard.

Chen Tianheng: "Comrades, there's actually another piece of news that the General Staff hasn't officially announced yet. The General Staff's adjustments to the infantry divisions haven't been finalized yet. In the future, more artillery will be incorporated into the infantry divisions."