1932: Playing with the Japanese Communist Party with a doll

Separation of government and military...

Just when everyone was thinking this, Chuntian said something again:

"As for the composition of the Military Commission, it will be selected from major generals and above from all branches of the U.S. armed forces, and the Secretary of Defense will also be a member of the Military Commission."

"

The wise man immediately realized what was going on. This was a slap in the face followed by a reward.

Because in the previous system design of the United States, the military was absolutely prohibited from personally participating in "military construction and military command"! (Although it is becoming increasingly relaxed)

Hard to imagine?

In short, in the politicians' designs, the army is merely a tool for executing politics and cannot have its own will. Even if what the government produces is a mess, the army can only bite the bullet and eat it.

Therefore, the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Navy are all civilian officials. Even if there is an exception like Stanley, he must retire completely and lose all his military ranks before he can take up the position.

This was possible in the past, but as the level of military specialization, military construction, and military command thresholds have become increasingly higher, the model of "the government is in complete control and the soldiers just accept" has obviously become increasingly impossible.

You can't expect a president and his staff who have been moving from state to state for a long time, or even immersed in politics for a long time, and have no military experience to focus on the military.

Both the Navy and the Army have long been dissatisfied with this situation. Now, Springfield is willing to give this power to the military—"the Military Commission will be selected from generals and above, and the Secretary of Defense will also be a member of the Military Commission."

Doesn't that mean that there is a high possibility of a defense minister who is a military man, or even a serving soldier?

This will undoubtedly make the soldiers happy.

It is really annoying to deal with those stupid civil servants who don't know anything but act like "I am your father".

Of course, this doesn't mean anyone has any ulterior motives, at least not yet. Moreover, everyone has guessed that the "specific rules" that weren't read out on the spot will definitely contain many clauses to constrain and check the military's power.

Even so, this was still a carrot that firmly tantalized the rabbits' appetites—the Army Chief of Staff position was vacant, and Chief of Naval Operations Stanley had just been dismissed in disguise!

The two highest military posts are already vacant, and the related posts below them are also up for grabs!

Who gets promoted? Who gets nominated?

Who can become a member of the Military Commission? Isn't it Ms. Field who has the final say?

For the sake of this piece of meat, they will be very well-behaved and able to tolerate some things for quite some time in the future.

"...Since no one has any further questions, I am announcing the third reform: the establishment of an independent branch of the military—the Air Force! From this day forward, the United States Armed Forces will be officially divided into three independent branches: the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force!"

With a loud "boom", the news shocked both the navy and the army. The conference hall was suddenly filled with suppressed gasps and whispers.

Establish an air force?

Is that such a big step?!

Yes, up to now, the United States still does not have an independent air force, but exists in the form of the "Naval Air Force" and the "Army Air Corps". Not only are the numbers very small and the status low, the only aircraft they have are also quite old and far behind the times.

The proposal of "Air Force independence" itself had been discussed among technocrats and aviation pioneers for nearly a decade, but in 1933, it was still a groundbreaking idea.

On the Army side, conservatives like MacArthur have been frantically suppressing and strangling the Army Air Force, continuously cutting its budget, prohibiting the Air Force from using the title "Air Force", and obstructing the promotion of officers in the Air Force system;

而海军方面的航空兵更是悲惨，包括后备役在内拢共就只有1200人,450架老旧飞机,曾经被寄予厚望的少将领导——海军航空局局长威廉·莫菲特还在1933年4月4日死于空难。

Not to mention the conservatives who looked down on the Air Force, even the Air Force itself was very confused about its future and had to succumb to the stigma of "flying army" and "deck toys";

Therefore, after hearing Springfield's proposal to make the Air Force independent, "Air Force generals" such as Major General Benjamin Floyds, Director of the Army Air Force, and Major General Ernest King, the new Director of the Naval Bureau of Aeronautics, all raised their heads in surprise!

We don't seem to be President Field's confidants, so why would she... "Everyone!"

Haruta raised his voice slightly:

"The importance of air power is undeniable! It's no longer just the eyes of the army or the support of the navy! It possesses the ability to change the dynamics of warfare and conduct independent strategic strikes! Distributing air power under the army and navy is a colossal waste of resources and strategically shortsighted!"

"Therefore, I have decided to divest the entire former Army Air Corps as the core backbone of the Air Force! This includes all active aircraft, pilots, ground crews, airfields, training institutions, and most aviation research and development resources. The former Commander of the Army Air Corps will become the first Acting Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

"Among the naval aviation forces, in addition to carrier-based aviation and the maritime patrol, anti-submarine, and observation forces required to directly support fleet operations, all land-based strategic bombing forces, land-based long-range patrol forces, air transport forces, and some technical research and development institutions are also assigned to the Air Force;"

"The Navy can retain the right to continue developing carrier-based aviation, but its equipment planning and armaments research and development must be coordinated with the Air Force, and an intelligence communication mechanism must be established to avoid duplication and waste of resources..."

This division plan is very clear - the Air Force takes away all the Army's aviation forces and all air forces that do not rely on aircraft carrier/battleship platforms and can independently perform strategic/tactical tasks, and the Navy retains the exclusive field of carrier-based forces.

The officers of the Army Aviation Department were instantly ecstatic. Years of frustration and a desire for independence almost rushed to their heads, and they had to use all their strength to maintain an upright sitting posture!

Ernest King of the Naval Aviation Force's face changed slightly. The loss of strategic bombing and some technical research and development resources was a heavy loss, but the continued retention of the carrier-based aviation force was a blessing in disguise.

Moreover, once the Air Force becomes independent and its importance is recognized, the importance of naval aviation will also be more highly recognized, thus changing things in other areas.

Ernest King had no intention of becoming just the Director of the Aeronautics Bureau. After allowing enough time for the atmosphere to buzz, Springfield clapped his hands.

"I know many of you don't believe what I say, and I completely understand why you think so, but I don't want to explain too much here. I just want to leave you with a question:"

"What if, within a few years, a high-performance, lightweight, single-wing fighter jet with over 1500 horsepower, a speed exceeding 500 kilometers per hour, a range exceeding 2000 kilometers, retractable landing gear, and a 20mm cannon appeared?"

"What if, within a few years, a bomber fighter jet appears with high-precision airborne radar, radio navigation, a pressurized cockpit, and a bomb load of over 800kg, over 1000kg, or even more?"

“If in these few years…”

"If all this comes true, answer me, is the Air Force still just an 'auxiliary support force' as some of you think?"

"

As soon as these "hypotheses" came out, the eyes of many young generals present instantly lit up! It seems that President Field really understands military affairs!

This isn't about aircraft at all, but about the major issue of the future military combat system reform!

Take the Navy for example. The technical difficulties Springfield just mentioned are almost all the fundamental reasons, aside from profit, for the "big ship, big gun" faction to oppose the "aircraft carrier priority faction."

Take this year's military exercise, for example. Carrier-based aircraft dropped 42 bombs on the battleship USS New York, with only three near misses. None of them directly hit, and none caused damage. The combat efficiency was so low that even the "carrier faction" couldn't stand it. How could they convince the "big ship faction"?

However, in the eyes of the "aircraft carrier faction", it is not their concept that is wrong, but the technology itself has not yet kept up with their concept!

If there were aircraft that could shoot more accurately, carry more bombs, and fly faster, would aircraft carriers still be so useless?

In the past, when they used this kind of argument to debate with the "big ship faction", they would only be ridiculed with comments like "airplanes have been around for years and it's still like this", which made them feel frustrated but speechless.

But now, Ms. Field's statement clearly supports them!

Some of the "big ships and big guns faction" and the "flying army faction" were worried, while others were thoughtful.

The former worried about the damage to their future prospects and interests, while the latter began to wonder whether their opposition to investing too much in aircraft was too short-sighted.

Perhaps Ms. Field has seen the future?

Chuntian didn't care about that. He came here today not to discuss things with everyone but to give orders:

"Major General Benjamin Floyd! Colonel Henry Arnold! Colonel Frank Andrews!"

"Yes! Ms. Field!"

The three leaders of the Army Air Force - the unlucky guys who were suppressed and even almost demoted to privates for opposing MacArthur - immediately stood up and responded, their faces full of excitement.

"From today on, the future of the U.S. Air Force is in your hands. I hope you can give me a satisfactory answer as soon as possible!"

"Yes! Saint Field!"

631 The Communistization of the US Army

“Yes! Saint Field!”

Major General Floys, Colonel Arnold, and Colonel Andrews, who were named, stood up suddenly in unison, their bodies like three taut springs. The excitement surging in their chests almost burst through their throats, and even their eyes turned red. They couldn't help but shout "Saintfield".

Especially the latter two, their minds immediately flashed back to the humiliation of struggling in the bureaucratic quagmire for more than a decade - budget cuts, obstructions in purchasing new aircraft, being used as "toys" assigned to infantry during exercises, and their paths to promotion being abruptly blocked...

Because they persisted in their reformist beliefs despite MacArthur's conservative tyranny, these two veterans of the Army Air Force were once benched in the logistics department. If their actions were not so "undignified" and led to opposition from others, they would have almost been demoted to privates!

But at this moment, all the humiliation turned into fuel!

Indeed, Ms. Field understands concepts like "strategic bombing" and "air superiority is the essence of victory," which are still not accepted by most people today!

Those conservatives who say planes are just the eyes of the Army?

Do you understand how a single aircraft can easily monitor and even control the patrol and defense range of a regiment or even a division?

Those conservatives who say the military needs warships to move troops outside the United States?

Perhaps in large-scale battles, but do they know what "rapid projection of power at an intercontinental level" means?

Those conservatives mocked the fact that airplanes couldn't even touch a battleship?

When their radar network is jammed and torn apart, and their warships are overwhelmed by the overwhelming bombardment in the harbor, they will know who is the master and who is the loser.

Ms. Field not only saw the value of the sky, but also gave it an independent life, allowing them to see the magnificent picture of future aerospace fighters soaring, a future that aviation pioneers have always dreamed of!

The Air Force, a brand-new giant, has officially been born, standing on the shoulders of the President's blueprint!

Such a president deserves the Air Force's eternal loyalty!

However, the above three items are not actually the core contents of the Springfield military reform.

"...Since the Air Force is about to be established, I will now announce the fourth military reform plan."

Just like before, the staff skillfully unfolded several new large maps:

"The current U.S. military command structure is fragmented and chaotic, with unclear responsibilities for various homeland defense commands, independent overseas military zones, the Army deployed in divisions or even regiments, and the Navy's fleet bases lack strategic coordination. The Army and Navy are not directly subordinate to each other..."

"But simply establishing a National Military Commission and a Ministry of National Defense is far from enough to address these issues, as there are still a large number of separatist forces at the local level that are affecting the exercise of federal military and administrative power..."

The generals swallowed their saliva.

It's crystal clear who this is talking about. My condolences, states.

Your good days of hundreds of years are completely over.

"...Therefore, in order to completely change this situation, I have decided to reorganize the U.S. military district system, abolishing the original four major army districts and reorganizing them into a large military district model."

As the generals held their breath, Chuntian waved his baton and pointed at the map of the homeland:

"Establish the Eastern Military District, with its headquarters in New York State, and encompassing Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey..."

"The core mission is to defend the American heartland, protect the Atlantic coastline, safeguard the nation's capital and the economic lifeline of the Northeast, and serve as the assembly point and deployment hub for the most important strategic reserve forces supporting the North Atlantic-European direction;"

"Establish the Southern Military District, with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and encompassing North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas..."

"The core mission is to ensure the fundamental security of the Gulf of Mexico region, strongly guarantee the normal operation of the core oil fields in the south, and oversee matters related to the 'Southern Revitalization Project'..."

And there is also the need to suppress possible rebellion in the south, right? The generals secretly complained in their hearts.

After the "Texas Rebellion" and the "White House Rebellion" were easily suppressed, do those guys in the South really have the courage to launch a new round of rebellion?

If there really is one, then he is an opponent worthy of serious respect. In the sense of pity.

"Establish the Central Military District, with its headquarters in Chicago, encompassing Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and...

"The core mission is to build bases such as ports, airports, and logistics hubs to support future trans-Pacific military operations, defend the vast Pacific coastline, and establish a frontier surveillance and containment system for Asia..."

"The Northern Border Defense Zone and the Southwestern Border Defense Zone will be established, under the command of the Eastern Military Region and the Southern Military Region, respectively. Their core missions are to prevent potential infiltration and smuggling from Canada, crack down on transnational crime, drug smuggling, and illegal armed activities, and ensure the security of large-scale labor camps and infrastructure projects along the border..."

"The commander of a major military region is a lieutenant general and reports directly to the National Military Commission. The Ministry of National Defense provides strategic guidance and resource allocation to each military region."

These contents were actually quite insignificant, just a reorganization of the existing military regions, a radical version of Roosevelt's historical military reform plan that had been aborted for the most part. But the following content brought the audience to a dead silence:

"The military district commander has peacetime management and coordination and wartime command authority over all federal armed forces within his jurisdiction—Army combat units, Navy shore-based units, Air Force base units, NGW local detachments, and the National Guard..."

"!! !"

All! Troops! Command!

Everyone was shocked.

This means that a military district commander who comes from the navy can command the army, a military district commander who comes from the army can also command the navy, and the commander of the air force base must also obey the combat deployment of the military district commander!

Of course, if a great figure emerges from the Air Force and becomes the commander of a certain military region, he will also have the power to manage the navy and the army, commanding a full range of forces!

The sheer scale of this reform is truly mind-boggling! Putting aside the fact that it will significantly strengthen coordination and cooperation between the army, navy, and air force, the most important aspect is that this division of military regions will bring together all of the federal armed forces, completely overwhelming any state within its jurisdiction!

In this way, the central authority will be strengthened to the extreme, the state power will be trampled underfoot, and the armed bases of local tyrants will be uprooted!

No wonder the National Guard wasn't called in for the meeting today. It turns out it's not just because power is so decentralized that calling them in is pointless, but also because "calling them in is pointless"!

NGW's disaster relief efforts spread "grace," while suppressing the Texas rebellion and arresting dozens of state legislators demonstrated "power." In the name of the Saint, the federal government combined grace and power, leaving the states powerless and afraid to resist!

Under the suppression of the federal military, all reforms will be forcefully pushed forward! Federal government?

Do not!

A true central government is about to be born!

However, this reform also brought about another problem: the power of the military district commander would be ridiculously large!

It is no exaggeration to say that whoever controls the military region holds the vital lifeline of military power and is more capable of rebellion than MacArthur!

Who is most likely to be the commander of those major military regions? Generals from the army.

After all, the main "territories" of the major defense zones belong to the army. No matter how far the navy or air force traverses the ocean or soars into the sky, they will eventually have to return to the land.