A Journey Through the Flames of War in the Republican Era

The core research findings have been transmitted back to China through the most confidential special channels of the Chinese National Military Council. For the Chinese government, which is facing difficulties both domestically and internationally, this is truly a timely help.

One day in March, the Chinese government convened a meeting of the highest-ranking officials from the Military Commission, the Ministry of Military Affairs, and the Ordnance Department to carefully study and plan future strategies.

At the meeting, the high-ranking officials of the Chinese government were all full of praise and excitement. Several top leaders exclaimed: "If young people can have such awareness and ambition to fight for the country and the nation, how can we, who sit in high positions, sit idly by and not see it? How can we only care about fighting for power and interests and completely forget the last words and instructions of the Founding Father?"

Because Song Hongfei was busy with both his studies and firearms design research, the high-ranking officials of the Chinese government decided, after deliberation, that the Military Commission and the Ordnance Department would organize a special project to provide all assistance, and decided to send Yu Dawei to the United States to handle matters related to the development of firearms.

Yu Dawei is a renowned mathematician, philosopher, and ballistics expert. At the age of 21, he went to Harvard University in the United States to study mathematical logic, earning his doctorate in just three years—a feat unprecedented in history. He later studied mathematics and philosophy in Germany. His paper, "An Exploration of Problems in Mathematical Logic," was published in the *Annals of Mathematics*, edited by Einstein. He was the first Chinese person to publish in this top-tier journal, the second being the renowned mathematician Hua Luogeng.

After obtaining his second postdoctoral degree, Yu Dawei conducted research in weaponry, ballistics, and military strategy in Germany until he returned to China three years later to serve as a counselor in the Ministry of Military Affairs, where he devoted himself to the study of the defense industry. A year later, he went to Germany again to continue his studies in military staff training.

Two years later, Yu Dawei was ordered to return to China and would concurrently serve as the chief instructor of weaponry at the Central Political School. Before returning to China, the Military Commission of the Chinese National Government assigned him to travel from Europe to the United States to specifically handle Song Hongfei's research matters.

Chen Yi, then Vice Minister of the Ministry of Military Affairs and Director of the Ordnance Department of the Huaxia Government, was overjoyed by Song Hongfei's research findings. At the meeting, he was as excited as other bigwigs of the Huaxia Government and immediately expressed his intention to organize and implement the project.

After the meeting, Chen Yi immediately summoned the two famous Lis from China's military industry—Li Chengan and Li Daichen, who are the most renowned military experts in China.

Li Chengan was the director of the Jinling Arsenal at the time, and Li Daichen was the major general section chief of the Design Section of the Ordnance Bureau and a full-time member of the Ordnance Research Committee. He was in charge of the planning and assessment of the manufacture of guns and ammunition in arsenals across the country. He authored works such as "Metallic Materials" and "Basic Industries that Urgently Need to be Rewarded".

After studying the material with great enthusiasm, the two military experts were so impressed that they exclaimed in admiration. They knew all too well what this meant for China's struggling military industry, and they were overjoyed, tears streaming down their faces.

Faced with the impoverished and dilapidated state of the domestic industry, Chen Yi, the director of the Ordnance Bureau, immediately organized the most capable and loyal personnel to study day and night, formulate the "Plan for Building New Ordnance Factories," and begin to reorganize the national ordnance industry.

A series of detailed plans and implementation schemes have been formulated for the construction of supporting industrial sectors such as steel, mining, metallurgy, power, electronics, machinery, chemicals, and materials, as well as for the training of engineering and technical personnel.

The lifeline of life and death must be firmly in our own hands.

The Ordnance Department's report was delivered to the Commander-in-Chief's desk as quickly as possible. With the Commander-in-Chief's approval, everything proceeded smoothly and without hindrance.

Using Song Hongfei's research findings as leverage, the Chinese government's long and arduous negotiations with the German states regarding military cooperation suddenly became much clearer. The logic is simple: interests between nations are perpetual. If you have valuable assets and leverage, you have a stronger voice and more confidence to speak.

In June, the Ordnance Department of the Chinese National Government convened a conference on standard weapons and decided to organize and formulate standard army weapons, unify domestic military industry standards, and standardize equipment and armaments.

One wave sets off a thousand others.

Although everything is still in its infancy and nothing is yet clear, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Innovation and reform are like seeds of hope, always able to sprout and flourish. And like the rising sun, always able to pierce the darkness and usher in the light.

Song Hongfei was filled with excitement. Before the outbreak of a full-scale war, China had finally not wasted several years of time, and its much-needed arms industry had been replenished. Although a few years was still too short, the war had finally begun, and China had not sat idly by.

The butterfly has already flapped its wings, and many things are being changed quietly. How will the course of history unfold? How will this change affect history? And to what extent?

Song Hongfei was a little uneasy, yet full of anticipation, and suddenly tears welled up in his eyes for no apparent reason.