The Fourth Outstanding Person of Huangpu Military Academy

……

"Chen Tianheng?"

After walking out of the Academic Affairs Building, Chen Tianheng met Zhou Enlai and Ye Jianying downstairs.

Chen Tianheng: "Hello, Director Zhou! Hello, Director Ye!"

Zhou Enlai: "Vice President of the Young Military Personnel Association. Hmm... When were you in the barracks? When did you return to Whampoa?"

Chen Tianheng: "Reporting to Director Zhou, the new recruits of the Training Regiment are still receiving centralized management and education at the Recruiting Office and have not yet been assigned to the various battalions. For the next week, I and the principal officers of the First Training Battalion will be on the Whampoa Military Academy on a daily basis."

"I'm going to give a speech at the Young Servicemen's Association tomorrow. Will you be there?"

Zhou Enlai's words clearly meant he was looking for an opportunity to have an in-depth discussion with Chen Tianheng. Chen Tianheng frowned, thought for a moment, then rolled his eyes. "Director Zhou, tomorrow is Wednesday. Tomorrow evening is the War Research Association's regular seminar on war tactics. Key members of the War Research Association are requested to attend if possible. I remember Director Ye, you also said you would come, right?"

Chapter 47

"Some people say the War Research Society and the Young Soldiers' Association are two sides of the same coin, but that's not entirely accurate."

"The War Research Society has far fewer members than the Youth Army Society. Furthermore, the War Research Society isn't a subset of the Youth Army Society. There are also some students who only joined the War Research Society and not the Youth Army Society."

This was Zhou Enlai's first visit to the War Research Society to attend a seminar.

As the director of the Political Department of the Whampoa Military Academy, it seems that I am not the right person to lead this military and academic society...

However, Zhou Enlai quickly understood what the seminar was discussing.

The subject under discussion is a war game on the following topics:

——Attack Chen Jiongming!

"The purpose of our War Research Society is to focus on the future, study wars, and win wars. As early as June and July of this year, the War Research Society conducted three simulations: the Merchant Corps Rebellion, the Yunnan-Guangxi Army Rebellion, and the Chen Jiongming Rebellion. All three simulations took place in the streets of Guangzhou. Sure enough, not long after, the Guangzhou Merchant Corps Rebellion occurred."

"Chen Jiongming's simulations in June and July were based on the assumption that he would suddenly launch an attack on the Grand Marshal's Office and the Kuomintang central organs while in Guangzhou, and how we would suppress the rebellion. This simulation is about a field battlefield."

"Chen Jiongming's base was in eastern Guangdong, where he renamed his army the Guangdong Rescue Army. When Premier Sun set out for the north, Chen Jiongming, believing Guangzhou was leaderless, launched an uprising in an attempt to seize all of Guangdong. We responded with the Whampoa student army and the Guangdong and Fujian armies that had surrendered to the Guangzhou revolutionary government."

Chen Tianheng briefly introduced the background of the deduction to Zhou Enlai.

Ye Jianying: "Chen Jiongming has always been hostile to the Guangzhou revolutionary government. He is currently hiding in eastern Guangdong, but he may also accept the enthronement and silver support from the northern Zhili clique and march on Guangzhou. As for our response, I think it is better to launch an expedition to the east and unify Guangdong as soon as possible, rather than waiting for Chen Jiongming to launch an attack on Guangzhou before we respond."

Chen Tianheng: "It's a more advantageous strategy to launch an Eastern Expedition before Chen Jiongming takes action. Xu Xiangqian, change the settings. If the revolutionary army takes the initiative to attack, how should we fight?"

Xu Xiangqian: "It's difficult to set. The combat effectiveness of the Guangdong Army and the Fujian Army is a mystery. We experienced it when the Merchant Corps suppressed the rebellion. Setting their combat effectiveness too high is definitely not in line with the facts, and setting it too low is also wrong. I remember that when suppressing the rebellion, there was a unit of the Guangdong Army under Xu Chongzhi that was very tough."

Jiang Xianyun: "Director Ye, if the National Revolutionary Army marches eastward, it can only muster 5 men at most, including the Guangdong Army and the Fujian Army. Chen Jiongming's Guangdong Rescue Army has 7 troops. It's a bit unreasonable for us to use 5 men to actively attack 7 men."

Zhou Enlai: "Unless our Eastern Expeditionary Army can significantly surpass Chen Jiongming's army in morale, fighting spirit, combat quality, weaponry, and logistical support."

……

The deduction in the classroom ended quickly.

Because the War Research Association no longer needs to use sand table simulations, the first-term students can now conduct "real-person simulations."

The teaching regiment was established and the new recruits will be added to the various battalions and companies next week. The members of the combat research association can lead their soldiers to attack and defend in the training ground, which is closer to reality than a sand table.

Although the offense and defense in the training ground are just one company attacking and one company defending, the most studied by the War Research Association now is the infantry squad, platoon and company tactics.

"Director Zhou, when you were working and studying at the Renault factory in France, did you ever study their car production line?"

After the simulation ended, Chen Tianheng took the initiative to find a topic before Zhou Enlai started talking.

"I worked at the Renault factory for only three weeks before the police were called," Zhou Enlai said. "Renault's manager called in the police, saying I was a 'dangerous agitator,' inciting unrest among the workers. They called in the police, and expelled me and several of my colleagues. I studied the Renault production line while working as a porter in the mold shop. The most amazing thing I found was that a steel part, which I had previously thought was extremely complex and required many people working for a long time, could be rolled out in a flash in the workshop."

Jiang Xianyun: "Wow, Director Zhou, you've only worked in the factory for three weeks, and you've not only learned French, but you can also use it to incite the workers to revolt?"

"I was in Renault in 1920. France had just experienced war, and the economic situation was dire. Workers had to work 13 hours a day for less than their pre-war wages. They said, 'This is simply not a life for human beings.' With just a little bit of agitation and propaganda, the workers would rise up and demand their rights. Okay, Chen Tianheng, let's get down to business."

Zhou Enlai knew that Chen Tianheng was trying to change the subject, but he still patiently answered the questions in detail before turning the subject back.

"I've noticed that you, Jiang Xianyun, and Chen Geng, well, you all work in perfect harmony. You often have the same ideas in your heads, and you always advance and retreat together."

Chen Tianheng: "So the three of us were called the Hunan Trio. Although Jiang Xianyun and Chen Geng were Party members and I wasn't, we liked each other during the entrance exam and naturally became good friends after entering the school."

Zhou Enlai: "The Political Department of the Whampoa Military Academy, under the leadership of Liao Zhongkai, the Party representative of the Military Academy, is the leading body in charge of the Military Academy's political education, Party affairs, and propaganda work. The Party affairs mentioned here refer to the Kuomintang's party organization, institutions, and operational affairs within the Military Academy. This was the case when Director Dai, the first director of the Political Department, was in office. Just because Director Dai left and I took over as director of the Political Department, the Party affairs of the Political Department will not become the Party affairs of the Communist Party."

Zhou Enlai was subtly telling Chen Tianheng not to avoid suspicion by quietly avoiding the Political Department Director just because he was a Communist Party member. Chen Tianheng nodded, "Director Zhou is right."

"In the Political Department, we're promoting the Soviet Red Army's experience, establishing a political work system, adjusting and strengthening the organizational structure, and conducting political education and propaganda for all faculty, staff, and students. This is work that began when Whampoa Military Academy was founded. Now that the Whampoa Training Corps has been established, the Military Academy's Political Department is also responsible for the training corps' political work. I will be devoting more time to this. Party representatives should be appointed at all levels of the training corps, including regiments, battalions, and companies. I will also serve as the Party representative of the training corps. Chen Tianheng, your training corps' 1st Battalion will also have a Party representative. What are your thoughts on this?"

Chen Tianheng: "I propose that Jiang Xianyun be appointed as the Party representative of the 1st Battalion."

Chen Tianheng expressed his thoughts without delay. Zhou Enlai looked at Chen Tianheng and Jiang Xianyun with a smile and said, "This is the suggestion made by the commander of the first battalion. I have noted it, but I will not make a decision right now. I will announce it together in a few days."

……

Chen Tianheng not only decided on the candidates for the party representative, but he also decided on the three company commanders for the 1st Battalion.

The company commander of the first company was Chen Geng, the company commander of the second company was Xu Xiangqian, and the company commander of the third company was Du Yuming.

As with the selection of party representatives, the final decision on Chen Tianheng's preferred candidate lies with his superiors, but Chen Tianheng is very confident that he can make this idea a reality.

Because Chiang Kai-shek would most likely agree with his candidate plan. Not only that, Chiang Kai-shek might even interfere with the work of the Political Department and let Chen Tianheng get the candidate he wanted.

The organization of the 1st Battalion was quickly determined, and Jiang Xianyun was finally chosen as the party representative.

"Chen Tianheng, did you graduate from Hunan First Normal University?"

Zhou Enlai found another time and walked and talked with Chen Tianheng on a relatively remote path in Huangpu.

"Yes, I enrolled in 21 and graduated in 24 with a three-year program."

Zhou Enlai: "Hunan First Normal School is a place where talented people are born. Mao Runzhi, Cai Hesen, He Shuheng, Ren Bishi, Li Weihan, all graduated from the First Normal School. Even earlier, there was the revolutionary pioneer Chen Tianhua, who was a member of the class of 03, the first class of Hunan First Normal School."

Chen Tianheng: "This is mainly due to the fact that the New Citizen Society in Hunan was centered around the Hunan First Normal School, so the revolutionary ideas of the First Normal School were particularly active."

Zhou Enlai: "The group of students from the First Normal School during the time of the New Citizen Society produced many elites. Many of them later graduated and went abroad to study. I never expected that 20 years later, Hunan First Normal School would once again produce outstanding talents."

"I don't deserve it. Whether someone is an outstanding talent depends on how much they contribute to the country, the cause, and the revolution. If I do something and change things for the better in the revolutionary tide of the future, then I probably won't blush when I hear the word 'outstanding talent'."

Zhou Enlai: "Dr. Sun Yat-sen joined the revolution at the age of 28. Now, at 59, he is still working tirelessly for national reunification. After all, this is a revolution that will change the world. We must overthrow the warlords and the imperialist powers, save China, and revitalize it. Our generation has much to do."

Chen Tianheng: "Yes, we all need to have the determination to 'face the wall for ten years to break through it.'"

"Chen Tianheng, it seems that you have decided to do something. However, I might be able to give you a suggestion here."

“Think more before you do that.”

……

“Everyone has it!!”

"stand at attention!!"

12 month 2 day.

The students of the first batch who had known each other since they entered Whampoa Military Academy, together with nearly a thousand new recruits, stood together.

Next to Chen Tianheng’s 1st Battalion was the 2nd Battalion, and next to that was the 3rd Battalion. All members of the teaching regiment had gathered.

Chiang Kai-shek spoke, followed by the regimental commander, He Yingqin. After the formalities were completed, the 1st Battalion's 400-plus men rushed to their assigned training ground—the northeast corner of the large parade ground.

"I am your commander, the commander of the First Battalion, Chen Tianheng!"

"We came here to serve in the army, not to get promoted, make money, or marry concubines. We came here to be revolutionary soldiers. What is a revolutionary soldier? It is the most heroic, tenacious, and loyal soldiers in Chinese history, forged by the combination of military force and the revolutionary Three Principles of the People."

"An army like ours is to be used to save the country and the people, not to fight the old warlords who bring disaster to the country and the people. We must overthrow the warlords and unify China, not collude with them. We must unite the revolutionary force with the people, making the revolutionary force the people's force, rather than making ourselves the people's enemy."

"We are the First Battalion of the First Training Regiment of the Whampoa Military Academy. The Training Regiment is the model for the future National Revolutionary Army. We, the First Battalion, are the model among models!"

(14 words applied for listing, and it's still 'under review'. Forget it, I'll post one more free chapter before going to bed...)

Chapter 48

While the newly graduated first-term Whampoa Military Academy students were forming a teaching corps, the second-term students also reported for enrollment.

The second term enrolled 4559 students, roughly the same number as the first term. However, the first term had grown in size—the original 400-plus students now had to be joined by 158 students from the Jianguo Xiang Army Military Academy and 22 Yunnan cadets who had migrated to the Yunnan Army, totaling over 600.

There are also some differences between the second and first batches. While all four teams in the first batch were infantry, only one team in the second batch was infantry. Three-quarters of the troops were technical support units, such as artillery, engineers, and logistics.

It is also for this reason that relatively few of the second-term graduates later became famous generals. It is not easy for those with engineering backgrounds to be promoted to military command. Artillery officers may have had more opportunities for promotion in the Soviet Army, but not in China today.

"Zhou Yiqun, I heard that you were accepted into the Red Star Society just one week after you started school?"

Among the second batch of freshmen who applied to join the War Research Society, Chen Tianheng saw Zhou Yiqun's name.

"Brother Zhou showed me several articles he wrote, all of which were published in newspapers and magazines. After reading them, I immediately decided to recruit him." Chen Geng patted Zhou Yiqun on the shoulder and said.

Zhou Yiqun was an outstanding political cadre in the Red Army. He introduced He Long to the Party and served as director of the Political Department of He Long's 20th Army. During the Nanchang Uprising, he commanded the 3rd Division of the 20th Army and served as political commissar of the Second Red Army Corps (Luo Ronghuan served in the First Red Army Corps). He died in a skirmish in Yueyang County in 1931.

Zhou Yiqun was born in 97 (1897) and is 28 years old this year. He is an over-age student who was admitted with special approval.

Because of his age, he also had a wealth of experience. After graduating from high school, he worked at the Education Association of Tongren County, his hometown in Guizhou Province. In 1919, he went to Japan to study. While studying political economy at Keio University in Tokyo, he came into contact with Marxism-Leninism. He returned to China in 1923 and founded the magazine "Guizhou Youth" in Shanghai.

"Guizhou Youth" is not only aimed at Guizhou people who have "drifted to Shanghai", but is actually a youth revolutionary magazine whose purpose is to "awaken the people's class consciousness in order to confront the power class."

After the publication of "Guizhou Youth", because of its similar stance and views, "China Youth" magazine quickly regarded the former as an ally. Not only did the articles often echo each other, "China Youth" also advertised in its own magazine to recommend "Guizhou Youth" to readers.

However, despite the alliance between the two magazines, the two editors-in-chief never had the opportunity to meet. So Zhou Yiqun sat in the editorial office and daydreamed that Xiao Chunv, the editor-in-chief of China Youth, must be a heroic and brave female warrior...

"Then, you met Instructor Xiao in Huangpu, right?" Chen Tianheng said with a wicked smile.

In 1924, Zhou Yiqun traveled to Guangzhou to apply for the Whampoa Military Academy. After missing one exam, he finally entered the second term of the Quartermaster Department in October. Meanwhile, Xiao Chu'nu (a Communist Party member since 1922) was assigned by the Party to serve as a political instructor at the Whampoa Military Academy, also starting in October.

Chen Tianheng was bringing up something that was not relevant to him, and Zhou Yiqun blushed. "Yes, I have. In fact, I saw him in Shanghai in March 1935, when I was about to come to Guangzhou to apply for the Whampoa Military Academy."

"You signed up for the War Research Society after joining the Red Star Society, but the War Research Society isn't just an organization devoted solely to military scholarship," Chen Tianheng said. "We actually have our own politics, too, which is why some people often lump us together with the Youth Army Society. Besides politics, the War Research Society also emphasizes literature. In other words, members of the War Research Society must constantly enrich and improve themselves in almost every area of ​​their lives to be competent for their future missions. Zhou Yiqun, do you know why a military commander needs to be well-versed in literature?"

Zhou Yiqun: "The core of true literary works is actually about human nature. A military commander faces human opponents, and the people he commands and controls are also human beings. Therefore, reading literary works and acquiring a certain level of literary literacy can help a military commander gain a deeper understanding of human nature, which in turn helps improve his ability to lead troops."

"Oh wow," Chen Tianheng was a little surprised, "Did you figure this out?"

Zhou Yiqun: "At the beginning of the year, I decided to apply to the Whampoa Military Academy. In addition to preparing for the exam, I also paid attention to and learned about various aspects of the military. I slowly figured it out. It took almost a year."

Chen Tianheng: "To figure it out in just one year is quite remarkable. Literary literacy helps one understand human nature, but understanding human nature alone isn't enough to become an excellent commander; it's only a necessary condition, not a sufficient one. ...Alright, in that case, I'll use my direct access privileges as president of the War Research Society. From now on, you'll skip the probation period and become a second-term member of the War Research Society."

When he said this, Chen Geng quickly looked around and confirmed that Hu Zongnan was not in the small classroom of the War Research Association. Only then did he feel relieved.

The probation period for members is one month, and Hu Zongnan is now in his second probation period...

"Senior Chen, what will be examined during the membership probation period?"

The person asking the question was Lu Deming, from the second infantry class.

Chen Tianheng: "Lu Deming, right? Don't worry about the probation period. You can also go straight to the train."

……

The next applicant, Chen Tianheng looked at the name on the list and said in a somewhat uncertain tone:

"Qiu Qingquan? Are you Qiu Qingquan?"

A student with a square face and sharp eyebrows stood up and said, "Yes, yes, I am Qiu Qingquan."

I just said that there weren’t many celebrities in Huangpu Phase II, but it turns out that these few celebrities all showed up in a cluster.

Qiu Qingquan studied at the Department of Sociology of Shanghai University in 1922. In 1924, he applied for the Whampoa Military Academy and was assigned to the second phase of the engineering corps.

Chen Tianheng: "Your test scores are also excellent, similar to Lu Deming's. I've already used the through train twice...why don't you tell me if you think it's necessary to take the through train and become a member directly?"

Qiu Qingquan: "Everything is up to the chairman to decide. Either a direct train or a one-month inspection is fine."

Hey, this Qiu Qingquan is very polite, sophisticated, and well-mannered.

Qiu Qingquan was a fierce general in the National Army. He had a bold and fierce fighting style and was unruly. He always had a bad relationship with his colleagues and superiors, so he was called "Crazy Qiu".

The current 22-year-old version of Qiu Qingquan...is not the crazy Qiu in the future.

Chen Tianheng speculated that perhaps environmental factors played a role in this "Crazy Qiu." Perhaps his rebelliousness stemmed from the ridiculous system of the Kuomintang military, and perhaps his poor relationships with his colleagues and superiors were due to the fact that most of them were idiots, hence the "Crazy Qiu."

Of course, this is just a guess. Whether it is true or not will depend on future observations.

In any case, Qiu Qingquan's test scores are here, and his total score in the second phase of the exam is also among the top 20 among more than a thousand candidates.

"Instructor He is here!"

At this time, Huangpu Chief Instructor He Yingqin and several instructors from the tactical group came to the War Research Institute.

All the students stood and saluted. He Yingqin politely waved his hand: "Please do as you please, everyone. I'm not here to direct the work today, I'm just here to observe and inspect. Chen Tianheng, I have a question for you."

Chen Tianheng: "Chief Instructor He, please speak."

He Yingqin: "I recently heard that your First Battalion, during its infantry offensive training, had its subordinate infantry companies practice a tactic that involved dividing the troops into several groups. This is different from what is prescribed in the drill manual."

Chen Tianheng: "Our battalion is also practicing the line infantry offensive tactics prescribed in the Whampoa Military Academy Manual, and has fully met the standards set forth in the manual. The grouped offensive tactics are a small-group assault method developed by the War Research Institute based on the German Stormtrooper tactics. We at the War Research Institute believe that future infantry offensive tactics will inevitably develop towards small groups."

He Yingqin: "The Whampoa Military Academy Manual was developed by Soviet military advisers and is a direct translation of the Soviet Army's infantry attack regulations. This attack regulation is consistent with the infantry attack tactics that China has used since the formation of the New Army. However, the tactics you have developed are said to involve three or five infantrymen rolling forward on the ground. This is a huge difference from the manual."