A Journey Through the Flames of War in the Republican Era

These people are all very shrewd. Fighting is against discipline and will result in school punishment. Today's incident has caused such a big commotion that the punishment will definitely be severe. If they continue to investigate, they will all be in deep trouble for bullying and humiliating new students in the past, and expulsion is a possibility.

There was no deep-seated hatred between the two sides. The "baptism of fire" when they were new recruits had long passed. The fighting and brawling over the past few years was simply two groups of overly energetic "troublemakers" who couldn't stand each other and were seeking excitement during the arduous and monotonous military academy life. It was nothing serious.

Today we have a way to back down and turn hostility into friendship, so why not do it?

Furthermore, Musk's group, traditionally arrogant and self-important white supremacists, were completely convinced today. They were utterly defeated by the fighting and assassination skills of these three Chinese men. Especially considering they had brought in boxing experts, they were still outmatched. Song Hongfei's Chinese kung fu was particularly astonishing, leaving a lasting and unforgettable impression on everyone. They were completely convinced.

They believed that if they were outmatched, they would readily admit defeat and that there was nothing shameful about it.

Being defeated by a strong opponent is not a disgrace; what is disgraceful is not daring to challenge a strong opponent.

Due to cultural differences, Eastern armies have always considered surrender and capture as shameful, while Western views are different. They believe that as long as a soldier has fulfilled his duty, when he is out of ammunition and food, surrounded, and there is no point in continuing to fight, he should lay down his arms and surrender to avoid unnecessary casualties. This is not to be blamed, and he will still be a national hero and respected by the people.

Sometimes, Europeans and Americans can have a very simple way of thinking.

Brigadier General Louis nodded and said, "Very good, good morale, keep it up." Then he strolled away leisurely.

"Yes, sir!" Old Cat saluted, watching Brigadier General Louis depart.

Old Cat turned back, his piercing gaze fixed on the crowd. After a long silence, he spoke solemnly and slowly: "Having endured the arduous and monotonous life at West Point, you are destined to be an extraordinary group of people. On the brutal battlefields to come, you will join hands and rely on each other. This kind of camaraderie can only be forged in the struggle of fighting side by side, among comrades. You will experience the hardships of war together, huddle together in the same trench, share the same cigarette, and encourage and comfort each other in the most difficult times. I hope that each of you will not let down the years of growth you have spent together at West Point, enduring hardships and trials."

Old Cat's deep gaze swept over the crowd, across the empty, desolate parade ground, as if accompanied by the howling wind, looking towards the distant, cold, and deep-gray mountains. It was as if he were recalling the bloody and brutal trench warfare, a veritable "meat grinder," that had taken place more than a decade ago in the distant Marne, Somme, and Argonne forests.

Everyone remained silent, deep in thought for a long time.

"Now, it seems your feverish minds have cooled down, but your bodies are shivering with cold! Given that each of you has an excessive amount of energy, I'm going to give you a warm-up to release your excess energy!"

Suddenly, a glint flashed in the old cat's eyes, his expression changed, and he roared, "Everyone, pick up your wooden rifles and run around this parade ground immediately! Three miles up, three miles down! Go, go, go!"

Several powerful jets of water then sprayed out fiercely.

That day, West Point cadets and faculty witnessed another unforgettable scene: a group of fierce cadets, armed with wooden rifles, were ordered to change positions in various ways, such as holding a thrusting stance, holding the rifles behind their heads and necks with their hands behind their backs, or holding a rifle in each hand. They ran like a bunch of madmen, shouting various slogans at the top of their lungs, while being chased and sprayed in the face by high-pressure water cannons from the military police. They ran for miles and miles, and the scene was truly tragic.

Don't think that "Old Cat" will let you finish the run comfortably. These people are wearing thick bayonet-fighting protective suits and helmets and masks. They are already quite heavy. With the military police supervising them spraying them with high-pressure water from time to time, their clothes, thick sponges and canvas of the protective suits have long been soaked with water, weighing dozens of kilograms.

Soaked from head to toe, and having to hold up the cold, slippery wooden gun in various positions while running must have been incredibly uncomfortable, leaving everyone in the West Point astonished and apprehensive.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Winters, the "Old Cat" instructor, and Brigadier General Louis stood far away in front of the building, chatting happily and watching the scene with great interest.

Song Hongfei and his group, along with Musk and his crew, were all complaining bitterly, each thinking to themselves, "This old cat is truly a formidable character."

But no one dared to stop or slow down, otherwise they would be met with a barrage of high-pressure water from the military police, who would then order them to keep running.

That day, they were forced to run until they were all out of breath, until their heavy, soaked training shoes rubbed their toes and soles raw, causing excruciating pain with every step, before they were allowed to end this miserable punishment.

When they appeared the next day, they walked slowly and unsteadily like ducks, their arms trembling, as if they were having spasms.

The next day, Song Hongfei and his two companions were punished for "conducting inappropriate training in private," and were forced to clean the stables for two weeks and help bathe each horse. Musk and his group, on the other hand, were punished by cleaning the toilets for two weeks.

The atmosphere in the stables was indescribable. The smell of the animals was so strong that it was impossible to eat until you got used to it. Even medical masks couldn't block out the strong odor. The three of them had to run outside the stables from time to time to breathe in fresh air.

The three were miserable and extremely depressed, especially Song Hongfei, who had grown up in a wealthy family and had never done anything like this before.

They angrily gave each horse nicknames like "Winters," "Louis," "Musk," and "Mayweather," but the thought of riding them freely after cleaning them, galloping through the beautiful meadows and forests, filled them with delight. Meanwhile, Musk and his team had to clean toilets in a busy building, a prospect that would be incredibly embarrassing in front of everyone. Then, the thought of the famous boxing champion Mayweather currently squatting in a toilet scrubbing a toilet seat made the three of them burst into laughter.

When they compared the two, they all felt relieved.

This battle caused a sensation, generating a huge impact within West Point Military Academy and the U.S. military, especially attracting the attention of a combat instructor in the U.S. Marine Corps. Anthony Biddle—a renowned U.S. military combat master, a master of fencing, boxing, and hand-to-hand combat, who had participated in World War I.

Upon hearing of this, Biddle made a special trip to West Point Military Academy to learn more about the combat from the parties involved. He also discussed and researched the matter with three Chinese students, including Song Hongfei, and even practiced bayonet techniques and Chinese Kung Fu. Later, combining his decades of practical research, Biddle created the "Biddle Bayonet Combat Technique System," which has had a wide influence in the U.S. military.

"Bidell's bayonet technique" emphasizes the rotation of the waist and legs, with simple, swift, and small movements, making it highly practical. Later, it gradually integrated and developed, becoming the prototype of the US military's bayonet, dagger, and unarmed combat skills system. Bidell himself is known as the "father of bayonet fighting" in the US military.

Although the U.S. military has always prioritized firepower, and even in close combat, U.S. soldiers are generally equipped with Colt M1911 pistols for their powerful close-range firepower, there are relatively few instances of them engaging in bayonet combat in actual battles. However, this does not mean that the U.S. military is incapable of bayonet fighting; in fact, the U.S. military's bayonet and hand-to-hand combat training is highly professional and systematic.

Biddle believed that as a soldier fighting on the front lines, when faced with situations such as running out of ammunition, weapon malfunctions, or the need for silent covert operations, one must engage in melee combat with the enemy. Furthermore, hand-to-hand combat can cultivate a soldier's fighting spirit and courage, so bayonet skills must never be abandoned.