The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Unbeknownst to them, the PLA had already crossed the Yalu River and entered North Korea. Another force was advancing across Changbai Mountain into the heart of North Korea. Another main force crossed the Tumen River and entered North Korea. Other forces were also attacking on all fronts, either to delay or destroy the Japanese. These three armies cut through the first line of defense like a rolling knife through butter, completely breaching it in just half a day.

However, the PLA's main attack target was Sinuiju, which sits across the river from China's Dandong and is a crucial port for trade between North Korea and China. Furthermore, the area surrounding Sinuiju is flat and a major grain-producing region for North Korea. Sinuiju also has trains that can only reach Pyongyang, a key military stronghold for North Korea. This was a crucial battleground for both China and Japan, with both sides deploying significant numbers of troops.

Kuroki Tameshige, one of the masters of the "pig-rush" tactic, was in no position to withstand the PLA's all-out attack. Faced with the headquarters' orders, Kuroki Tameshige was immediately caught in a dilemma. He didn't know whether to follow the headquarters' orders and hold on to the end, or to retreat immediately according to the actual situation and regroup his troops to fight again.

Kuroki Tamemasa could hesitate, but the PLA had a clear goal. They had to establish a standoff with the Japanese army before they could gain support from the foreign powers. Otherwise, the Japanese army would continue to enter Korea and mobilize more troops, putting the PLA in a passive position.

Zhang Yinghao breathed a sigh of relief after learning that his troops had successfully entered North Korea. He immediately sent a telegram with instructions: "Flexibly utilize air superiority, employ mortars, blasting tubes, and other flexible and mobile weapons, and quickly penetrate the enemy. We must deplete the Japanese army's manpower as much as possible, promptly eliminate pro-Japanese forces, and win over the middle forces to reduce the pressure for the subsequent confrontation..."

Liu Wenxiu and his men naturally understood these principles. At this point, the PLA was operating abroad, free to destroy anything without worrying about harming innocent civilians. Since many houses of this era were wooden, the incendiary bombs left only ruins. Airships even penetrated deep into North Korea, dropping incendiary bombs on cities like Kusong, Heichong, Deokchon, Anju, and Sukchon. It could be said that the entirety of North Korea was a battlefield for airships.

After breaking through the Japanese army's Yalu River defense line, the People's Liberation Army did not stop and immediately advanced deep into the enemy territory. The mountainous areas in northern Korea had experienced sneak attacks by the People's Liberation Army and were sparsely populated areas. At least until now, the Japan-South Korea annexation treaty has not been signed, and Korea still has nominal independence. It is impossible for Japan to rule Korea openly, and Japan's rule in these areas is relatively weak.

While the People's Liberation Army boldly penetrated, a steady stream of troops crossed the Yalu River into North Korea, encircling and destroying the already surrounded Japanese forces. Heavy artillery slashed the mountains, bombs pounded the ground, and the Japanese, who had no concept of tunnels, were completely slaughtered. The efficiency of the attack astonished Liu Wenxiu and Zhang Feng, who were deeply attracted by this large-scale assault tactic. Both Zhang Feng and Liu Wenxiu realized that the mode of warfare would change with the advancement of weaponry. Warfare would become increasingly efficient, and the demands on soldiers, and even more so on officers, would become increasingly high.

Seeing the results of the battle, Zhang Feng said excitedly: "The Chairman's tactics are incredibly powerful. They must be invincible in China. If they are used against the Beiyang Army, it will be a piece of cake."

Liu Wenxiu also replied happily: "Haha, why use a sledgehammer to kill a chicken!" "What a pity, there are still not enough armored vehicles. If there were hundreds or thousands of them, we could directly sweep across Korea and drive the Japanese army into the sea."

Liu Wenxiu shook his head and said, "We can't drive the Japanese army into the sea. The Japanese army controls the sea, and Korea is Japan's weak underbelly that we hold in our hands. Once we really show our might and drive the Japanese army into the sea, our long coastline will be difficult to defend. Just like Vladivostok now, although it is a port, it is completely blockaded by Japan. Even if we liberate it, it will be basically useless for the time being."

"Indeed, we must break Japan's maritime hegemony. Otherwise, we must endure and keep all of Korea for our control. However, North Korea's iron ore is basically concentrated in the north. If we liberate northern Korea, it will be another heavy blow to Japan, and our hatred for Japan will be even greater."

"We Taiwan is still in the hands of the Japanese. Sooner or later we will have to fight the Japanese army!"

---

Chapter 728: First update!

Zhang Feng and Liu Wenxiu now have a national perspective and are considering the issue holistically, which is a huge step forward. Zhang Yinghao's analysis is indicative of the fact that Japan is now a bad neighbor. Such a bad neighbor with ill intentions towards the owner should be driven out as soon as possible. A courtyard should be built, and bad neighbors should not be allowed to threaten the owner's rights and interests.

However, Liu Wenxiu and his men were also aware of their own strength. The current navy of the liberated areas was only just beginning. If they really wanted to drive Japan out to sea at all costs, Japan would definitely develop its navy with all its might, posing a great threat to the coastal areas. They would also pursue and block the Chinese navy, preventing China from developing its navy, which would be disadvantageous to China.

Korea is the best place. Japan is an island nation with few resources. Keeping part of Korea for the Japanese would allow Japan to continuously send troops and supplies to Korea, depleting Japan's resources and national strength.

Let North Korea become a piece of chicken ribs, a bone, tasteless to eat, but a pity to discard. Moreover, Japan also needs North Korea as a springboard or buffer, and it is impossible to completely abandon North Korea. In this way, the strategic initiative between China and Japan will be in China's hands.

This is the struggle between great powers. The competition is never about the gains and losses of a city or a place, but about the struggle for the general trend. Only by grasping the general trend can we gain the initiative. However, this general trend is not something that everyone can understand.

Of course, expanding territory was exciting news for China. Ancient Chinese monarchs have always been prominently featured in history books, especially those who successfully expanded territory. Of course, those who failed were often criticized, and the pressure was immense.

At this time, Liu Wenxiu and his men also crossed the Yalu River and received new news.

"Reporting to the commander, our army has launched a bombing raid on Turtle City. Because the Japanese were caught off guard, our airships have destroyed at least two ammunition depots. Now half of Turtle City has been burned to the ground!"

Gucheng boasts favorable geographical conditions, situated on a plain with well-developed transportation, including extensive roads and a railway. Eastward, it connects directly to Taecheon and Yongbyon, southward to Jeongju, and westward to Suncheon, making it a safe and secure rear area. To counter the Liberated Areas in Northeast China, the Japanese established a large supply transfer station in Gucheng. Its destruction, a devastating blow to the Japanese, was a significant loss.

Liu Wenxiu heard this and immediately said, "Very good! Wars are all about logistics. With such losses, I don't think the Japanese can continue to fight. Napalm incendiary bombs are indeed useful and can burn a large area, but they are still no match for white phosphorus bombs. Tsk tsk, it's a pity that the Chairman doesn't allow their use now."

"Haha, many houses in North Korea are made of wood these days. When it comes to arson, how can white phosphorus bombs compare to napalm? However, such bombs cannot fall on us Chinese. Otherwise, we would be derelict in our duty, and we would be sorry for the country, the party, and even more sorry for the Chairman."

"Yes, we sent troops to North Korea just to avoid something like this. We started a war just to avoid war, haha..."

"Let these cities burn. We'll just spend some effort rebuilding them. If we don't burn them down, fighting street battles with the Japanese will not only take a lot of time, but also result in huge casualties. It's not worth it..."

"Report, a telegram has arrived from the front. Before our army could form a siege, Kuroki Weizhen fled south. Our army is pursuing him."

"Alas, this shows that our assault speed and power are not enough? Order the cavalry and armored vehicles to continue the pursuit. They should boldly penetrate and advance. If they encounter any obstacles, they can bypass them. We will ensure the safety of their rear and pursue them with all our might."

The Japanese army now had no concept of deep defense and was still using the same old defensive methods. They were constantly being defended and were therefore passive. At this point, the Japanese army's thin defenses had been breached and were in tatters. Retreating Japanese troops were everywhere, and there were no dedicated defensive fortifications in the rear. Now the battle was a race of speed. They absolutely could not allow the Japanese army to organize any more resistance. They had to crush the enemy once and for all and advance as far south as possible to capture more territory.

"Order the road construction team to immediately repair the damaged railway. Every extra meter the train can travel reduces our logistical pressure. The smooth passage of trains is one of our assets in the fight against Japan."

Just as the bombing was satisfying, the repair workers are now feeling gloomy. Previously, they were eager to blow up everything for victory, but now they have to start repairing the destroyed railway bridges for the sake of victory. What kind of thing is this?

The bombing of Japanese arsenals by airships and the threat posed to Japanese logistics by the PLA's rapid penetration tactics soon created a huge logistical problem for the Japanese army. The already weak logistics were further jeopardized by the PLA's sustained offensive. Without logistical supplies, ammunition, and artillery, rifles, artillery, and even spears were no match.

"Commander, there are Korean volunteers coming to surrender." Zhang Feng asked: "Are the Korean volunteers an insurgent army?"

At this time, a comrade who specializes in Korean studies immediately replied: "Since the signing of the Ganghwa Treaty between Japan and North Korea, Korea has been invaded and enslaved by the capitalist powers headed by Japan. Imperialism and feudal traitorous groups have turned Korea into a colony step by step. The Korean people have also continuously risen up to oppose the imperialist aggression and the capitulation and treason of the ruling class.

On February 23, 1904, Korea was once again forced to sign the unequal "Korea-Japan Protocol" with Japan, which recognized Japan's right to free military action in Korea and permitted Japanese interference in its internal affairs. On August 22 of the same year, Japan forced Korea to sign the first "Korea-Japan Treaty," effectively placing Korea's financial and diplomatic power in the hands of the Japanese. In November of the previous year, the Japanese government had coerced Korea into signing the enslaving "Japan-Korea Protectorate Treaty," granting Japan control over all of Korea's foreign affairs, the power to dispatch troops, and the ability to directly issue orders to local officials. With Ito Hirobumi as the first Governor-General, the Korean government became a puppet government. Korea effectively became a Japanese colony. Under the terms of this treaty, Japan sent Ito Hirobumi to monopolize Korean state affairs, requiring even the Governor-General's permission and oversight for the Korean king to receive ministers and envoys. As Japan tightened its control over Korea, the Korean people resolutely opposed the "Japan-Korea Protectorate Treaty," sparking a new wave of anti-Japanese struggle, led primarily by peasants: the Righteous Army Movement.

"Is the Righteous Army Movement organized? Is there any ideological guidance?"

Zhang Feng knew very well that a peasant uprising would be useless without organization and ideas. He also understood the meaning of Chairman Zhang Yinghao's words: a peasant uprising could not succeed in the era of breech-loading rifles.

"Not yet. They are usually in groups of dozens or even hundreds of people. Now there should be several hundred volunteer soldiers. However, the activities of the volunteer soldiers are mostly in the central region of Korea. There are only a few in Pyeongan Province and Jagang Province, and the number of people is relatively small."

Liu Wenxiu and his men naturally did not know that if they had delayed the attack by a few months, by July, Japan would have forced the Korean army to disband completely. The troops that resisted disbandment joined the Righteous Army Movement, and the number of volunteers increased dramatically, and they were equipped with military commanders and modern weapons.

If they had attacked then, they would have avoided much trouble. Unfortunately, Zhang Yinghao only remembered the 1910 Treaty of Annexation between Japan and Korea, and nothing else. Furthermore, Japan might have immediately attacked Manchuria, and time was of the essence. Along this long border, no matter which side attacked first, they could have penetrated the other's territory. The PLA would have naturally struck first, and war would have broken out in Korea sooner or later; it had simply happened earlier.

Liu Wenxiu said, "The current Sino-North Korean border, with the Yalu and Tumen rivers as the dividing rivers, was gradually formed after the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty. Previously, northern Korea was all Han territory. However, the main plains of Korea include the Pyongyang Plain, the Zaining Plain, and the Yeonpaek Plain. These plains are located in the west and south of Korea. The Pyongyang Plain is also the population center and main agricultural area of ​​Korea, where crops such as rice, corn, and soybeans can be widely grown. Therefore, as the population grows, Korea will inevitably expand northward. This is the same as the historical expansion of our country from the Central Plains to the present territory."

"The commander is right. Koreans are originally a branch of the Han Chinese. After the Shang Dynasty was destroyed by the Western Zhou Dynasty, the Shang Dynasty noble Jizi (a relative of King Zhou of Shang) led 5000 immigrants to establish the first regime in Korea: Jizi Joseon. The territory of Jizi Joseon was on the Korean Peninsula and the Liaodong Peninsula. Since then, the territory has changed several times, forming a traditional border with the Yalu River and the Tumen River as the boundary. However, due to the Qing Dynasty's ban policy, North Korea has repeatedly invaded the north. In the late 19th century, the two rivers, especially the upper reaches of the Tumen River to the source of the river, were rarely visited by people due to long-term bans. The Changbai Mountain was rarely visited. The Qing court only proposed a rough territorial demarcation boundary and did not send administrative and military officials to the region. In other words, it never exercised effective sovereignty over the region. Therefore, Korean border residents have never stopped sneaking into the Chinese border despite the ban.

These areas have many shallow rivers, unclear boundaries, and poorly defined sources, leading to frequent illegal border crossings by border residents, causing numerous diplomatic disputes between China and North Korea. To prevent such incidents, the Qing Dynasty repeatedly dispatched personnel to inspect the border areas along the upper reaches of the Yalu and Tumen Rivers. In 1902, the Qing government established Linjiang County in the upper reaches of the Yalu and Tumen Rivers. After we liberated Northeast China, Koreans frequently crossed the border into the region, even those who were volunteers seeking refuge and rest in the region.

"The Qing Dynasty, or China itself, has always been like this, a historical limitation. There were almost no clear borders around the Qing Dynasty, only vague territorial concepts like those of traditional powers. When it was strong, it was fine. All nations came to pay tribute, and all under heaven was the king's land. All the people in the world were his subjects! But when it was weak, the Qing Dynasty was unwilling to draw borders, and other countries were naturally very willing to force the Qing Dynasty to draw borders. Whether it was southern Xinjiang, western Xinjiang, or northern Xinjiang, it was the same. It can be said that there was not a single demarcation that did not cause the Qing Dynasty to suffer losses."

"Yes, that's how the Qing dynasty was. What's the Chairman's current attitude? Will he recover the homeland, or will he simply drive out the Japanese and hand it over to the Koreans?"

"It's not clear yet. I'll send a telegram immediately to ask. But what should we do with these volunteers?"

"Who are our friends and who are our enemies? This is the primary question of the revolution. Our main enemy now is Japan. These volunteers are part of the united front and need to be united. Even if we turn against each other in the future, that will be a matter for the future."

"I understand."

--.---

Chapter 729: First update!

Zhang Yinghao knew that with the current strength of the Northeast, it was impossible to drive the Japanese army into the sea. The Japanese could also bomb the railway, and the PLA's logistics would be completely unreliable. Moreover, the Japanese army had a naval advantage. Even if the field army could really show its prowess and drive the Japanese army into the sea, Zhang Yinghao would not allow it. Zhang Yinghao also worried that Japan would launch an "Incheon Landing" and cause irreparable losses to the PLA.

However, Zhang Yinghao's attention was no longer focused on the Northeast at this time, because after the People's Liberation Army liberated Zhejiang, the armies of the great powers in Shanghai could no longer sit still. They not only sent warships into Taihu Lake, but also sent warships and soldiers up the Yangtze River to tentatively attack the liberated areas and test the People's Liberation Army's combat effectiveness and determination to fight.

Naturally, Zhang Yinghao had no fear or hesitation in the face of the powers' tentative attacks. He ordered the front-line troops to give the powers the most resolute counterattack and even sent gunboats from Jiujiang and other places to support them. He was willing to fight against the powers' warships at all costs and must defend the Yangtze River.

Zhang Yinghao knew that sending inland gunboats to confront foreign warships at sea would be a futile effort, but a direct confrontation on the Yangtze River would undoubtedly be no problem. These gunboats were equipped with 150mm rapid-fire guns at the front and 105mm guns on the sides. While these cannons might sound impressive, they were actually old and had a limited range. Their maximum range was only 7,000 to 8,000 meters, with an optimal range of around 4,000 meters. During the First Sino-Japanese War, these guns were only fired at close ranges of 3,000 meters.

Zhang Yinghao knew that as long as the Liberated Areas could block the foreign warships from advancing up the river, it would be a mystery whether the foreign infantry would dare to advance inland without the cover of their warships. Of course, Zhang Yinghao was prepared to burn his boats and crossbows. If the battle went against him, he was ready to use sunken ships and rocks to delay the foreign warships.

Of course, Zhang Yinghao also deployed cannons in locations that were conducive to coastal defense artillery fire. Zhang Yinghao actually wanted to emulate the bombardment of the Amethyst in his previous life and use infantry artillery to attack the warships of the great powers.

Zhang Yinghao had done some research in his previous life and discovered that the artillery units that bombarded the Amethyst were equipped with Japanese 75mm field guns and 105mm howitzers. At the time, the Liberated Areas had no shortage of high-quality gunpowder, and the range of their shells was no worse than in the original history. Recreating the infantry-to-warship bombardment of the Amethyst was not impossible. Amusingly, in the previous life, the Nationalist government had spent a fortune trying to recruit talented overseas personnel who could not return to China. However, after hearing about the bombardment of the Amethyst, many overseas personnel realized the difference between the Communist Party and the Communist Party. They were willing to stand up to foreign powers, say no, and stand up straight. Consequently, they responded to the call and chose to return home.

Zhang Yinghao knew that China had been bullied for decades, so he couldn't afford to be timid in the face of the great powers, and his image couldn't be broken. He had to accept all the threats of war from the great powers. If the great powers were determined to launch a war with all their might, there was nothing he could do.

Therefore, it's better to be prepared. Zhang Yinghao also dispatched airship units to Chizhou and Tongling to be on standby. If the foreign powers launched a large-scale attack with warships and infantry, the airships would immediately take action and bomb the foreign powers. In this era without the concept of air supremacy, it was simply wishful thinking for the foreign powers to invade inland areas along the Yangtze River like Japan in the past.

The Yangtze River is currently in its dry season, and only small destroyers are currently navigable in its middle and lower reaches. The great powers understand that destroyers are too weak to enter the Yangtze River, and would have no advantage in the event of a conflict. Furthermore, under the influence of Zhang Yinghao's "cannonism," the People's Liberation Army has placed great emphasis on the development of artillery. R&D departments have been focusing on developing larger caliber cannons and are also researching torpedoes.

Zhang Yinghao knew that if the Yangtze River were flooded, the cruisers of the great powers, especially the armored cruisers, would be able to enter the river. In that case, the difficulty of the war might be different. The firepower and defense capabilities of the armored cruisers were far superior to those of destroyers. Of course, generally speaking, engaging in a firefight between warships and coastal defense guns, especially in the Yangtze River, where the maneuverability of warships was severely restricted, was a fool's errand.

Zhang Yinghao's bottom line in the war against the invaders was Wuhu. If the invaders broke through the Wuhu defense line, Zhang Yinghao would immediately dispatch more flexible and maneuverable aircraft, using white phosphorus bombs and poison gas bombs. He would even resort to maneuvering aircraft loaded with explosives to directly ram the invaders' warships in a suicide attack.

Zhang Yinghao didn't want to start a large-scale war with the foreign powers right now, but he knew that only when he was well prepared would the enemy dare not invade. Therefore, the people along the Yangtze River in Ma'anshan had been evacuated, and now they just had to wait for the foreign powers to attack...

Since the great powers wanted to invade China, they naturally made small moves all the time, and their target was naturally southern Xinjiang.

Under pressure from Britain and France and the strategic need to attack to the north and defend to the south, the army did not sweep across Guangxi when liberating it, but launched a revolution from within Guangxi, making the situation in Guangxi province now very complicated.

Why didn't the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom stay in Guangxi to continue developing after the Jintian Uprising, but instead traveled thousands of miles to Nanjing to establish its capital? One of the important reasons was that the people in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom were simply unable to resolve the conflicts between the natives and Hakkas in Guangxi who were killing each other.

What Zhang Yinghao is holding in his hand now is a new document from Guangxi, which describes what is happening in Guangxi now.

Zhang Yinghao said many times at the Forward Party Party Committee and government meetings that the situation in the liberated areas where "imperial power does not extend below the county level" must disappear, and the "turmoil" in the liberated areas must end immediately after the People's Liberation Army wiped out the Qing forces and the landlords and gentry, and then turn to developing production.

For Zhang Yinghao, the most fundamental sign of the end of a period of unrest in a region is the complete takeover of all judicial power by the liberated government. Whether it's the Hakka-native conflict in Guangxi, the former chieftains of Yunnan and Guizhou, the slavery system in Tibet, the swordsmen of Shaanxi, or the Hui-Han conflict in the northwest, as long as someone kills someone, the new government's response to these "strongmen" is simple: execute them.

These regions were economically underdeveloped, plagued by complex conflicts and intense struggles. Coupled with the Qing court's instigation, the situation was utterly chaotic. In Guangdong and Guangxi, the feud between the Tujia and Hakka peoples was particularly intense. With centuries of mutual hostilities and ethnic tensions compounded, how could the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom resolve this issue? Naturally, Hong Tianwang and his comrades fled Guangxi. It wasn't that they didn't want to stay in Guangxi, but rather that they couldn't.

But for Zhang Yinghao and the Progress Party, these conflicts were not a major problem. Conceptually, the concept of "Chinese nation" fully encompassed the conflicts between the Tujia and Hakka peoples. Tujia and Hakka, they were all one people, and the only way to resolve these conflicts was through internal resolution. However, with the imaginary community of the Chinese nation, the conflicts between the Tujia and Hakka peoples could be more easily mitigated through education. Of course, to fully resolve the conflict between the Tujia and Hakka peoples, the most important thing was to develop production; otherwise, the conflict would inevitably flare up again.

Whenever the Forward Party arrived in a region, it mobilized the masses and integrated them. The first order of business for the People's Liberation Army upon arrival was conscription. After political education, the recruits in Guangxi were able to recognize that the conflicts between the natives and the Hakka were insignificant compared to the conflicts between ethnic groups and the state. Furthermore, Zhang Yinghao's favorite image to use in military and party member training was a picture of the late Qing Dynasty, depicting the entire country surrounded and in constant danger of being divided. In the face of such a crisis of national extinction, the conflicts between the natives and the Hakka were indeed insignificant.

Therefore, these educated comrades were unrelenting and unrelenting in their response to the chaos in these areas. The resolutions of the Forward Party specifically instructed that after the establishment of the new government, large-scale armed conflicts would not only be suppressed by armed police and weapons confiscated from both sides, but also that local villages and strongholds be forced to dismantle their defensive fortifications. Without the protection of their tortoise shells, fear of retaliation from the other side naturally led to a more restrained fighting and a reluctance to kill.

As for those heroes who enjoyed killing, their villages had to hand them over. If they surrendered honestly, that would be fine. Otherwise, the new government would arrest those who protected them. Labor reform was the least harsh punishment, and even execution was possible. The goal was to prohibit killing among the people, and murderers must be handed over to the government. Relatives of the murderers and those related to the victims would be present at the public execution.

In the old days, those who claimed to have built this road and planted these trees were required to pay a bribe to pass through. Even strangers would disappear inexplicably after passing through a village. This was often due to money, clans trying to demonstrate their authority and prestige, or simply a ruthless individual who wanted to kill someone.

The People's Liberation Army showed no mercy to these people, beating them where necessary and executing them where necessary. Especially after the crackdown began, the number of heroes and brave men executed across the country was estimated at around 80,000, if not 100,000. Under the high pressure of the Progressive Party and the new government, social attitudes suddenly shifted. In particular, after many people convicted of hooliganism were paraded through the streets with dunce caps on their heads, young women in many areas dared to go out at night.

In the past, government authority didn't reach the grassroots level. Village fights were allowed, and murders were allowed. At most, the villages would cease to interact with each other. This is a common theme in countless movies and dramas: the hatred between two villages, but the men and women at the grassroots often engage in dramas of mutual hatred and love, or even stories of them overcoming obstacles, eloping, and ultimately being together.

China has a profound cultural tradition, preferring to demolish ten temples rather than destroy a marriage. Therefore, even between enemies, many elders generally turn a blind eye to the marriages of their descendants. Those who haven't studied the relevant content may not understand the harms of consanguineous marriage, but they do know the traditional prohibition of marriage within three or five generations.

The result of the resentment and lack of interaction between villages was a higher rate of inbreeding and a higher rate of birth defects, cases the older generation was naturally aware of. After liberation, the new government vigorously promoted the dangers of inbreeding, and the civil affairs department even banned marriages within three generations. With the barriers that hindered interaction removed, the practice of marriage exchange naturally increased. Why? Those who understand understand. These changes were particularly pronounced in the old liberated areas, such as Yunnan, Guizhou, Gansu, and Shaanxi.

With the successful examples of Shaanxi, Yunnan, and Guizhou, the new government emboldened its efforts to reform the newly liberated areas. Since the stigma of the old era would ultimately need to be washed away with blood, the new government took the initiative in doing so. Therefore, they used weapons to criticize those who resisted the new government. Thunderous measures reveal the compassion of a bodhisattva, but even when a bodhisattva lowers his brow, his eyes are filled with wrath.

With the new government in a strong position, the people naturally became realistic. This is always the case. When the state is willing to use violence to solve the problem of violence among the people, just like after each crackdown, the people will immediately become peaceful and harmonious, and behave like good children.

Of course, the reports Zhang Yinghao read weren't about investigative reports on changes in the civilian population, but rather reports on counter-revolutionary coups and military crackdowns. As for those who secretly claimed to be emperors, a few police officers could solve the problem. Such incidents would not be reported to Zhang Yinghao, because he considered such incidents a joke.

However, the report Zhang Yinghao received was unusual: it was a report on a small-scale rebellion within the army. While the PLA's political education had never been relaxed and was highly effective, neither the Buddha, Jehovah, nor Allah could change everyone's mind. Jesus was even crucified because of prejudice. Zhang Yinghao was prepared for this. Strong individuals possess unique personalities. While everyone might not follow their lead, they would likely follow their ideals.

After the liberation of Guangxi, due to various reasons, the policy of recruiting soldiers from different places was not yet implemented. This led to the formation of new troops that included both Tujia and Hakka people, and even people from two neighboring villages that hated each other being assigned to the same squad. When the People's Liberation Army suppressed local tyrants and landlords, they did not care whether they were Tujia or Hakka. When necessary, they suppressed Tujia, Hakka, and even Han people.

This is when the problem arose. When suppressing the Tujia, the Hakka soldiers worked even harder, which made the Tujia soldiers unhappy. When suppressing the Hakka, the Tujia soldiers worked even harder, which made the Hakka soldiers unhappy. This led to a certain degree of chaos within the army. Tujia and Hakka soldiers began to dislike each other and even fought each other. This time, a small-scale rebellion broke out within the army.

According to the investigation, the French were behind the rebellion. Zhang Yinghao didn't know if he had become a heartless person. When he heard about the military rebellion, he didn't feel any fluctuation in his heart.

Zhang Yinghao knew that the French had a significant and well-hidden presence in Guangxi. However, a fly won't bite an egg without cracks. In most cases, even if the fly was killed, the egg would quickly spoil. So, Zhang Yinghao wrote: "Strengthen discipline, and the revolution will be victorious. The army must strengthen political education, giving equal weight to both politics and military affairs, and both hands must be strong." Treat the Tujia and Hakka people equally, and conduct all affairs in accordance with military regulations and discipline. All soldiers within the army must reach a consensus: Everyone must obey the Party, the Military Commission, their superiors, and the people. One's position should not be above the Tujia or Hakka, but above the country and the nation. Comrades with meritorious service will be promoted only if they have served the Party and the country. Anyone who dares to bargain with the Party and the country, or takes a wrong stance, must be expelled from the army. A person's political rights are limited to official positions, and they only exist when they serve the Party, the country, and the people. This is the iron rule of our Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army...

Zhang Yinghao didn't know the specific situation of those officers or soldiers who dared to rebel, so he didn't issue any instructions. However, Zhang Yinghao believed that being aggressive and competitive within the military was fine, because the military was a group that fought for first place, and losing could mean death. However, fighting was a very serious problem, let alone rebellion.

When I was reading novels in my previous life, I also read about those time travelers who deliberately made the army fight, and then this time traveler actually asked whether his army won. Using this time traveler's twisted logic, it means: if you fight, you must win, and it can also cultivate the bloodiness of the army!

In his previous life, Zhang Yinghao initially thought it made sense, but now, he only wanted to vent his anger. This was apolitical. In Zhang Yinghao's current view, fighting, regardless of the reason, regardless of right or wrong, should be punished first. Of course, this was fighting, not self-defense, bravery, or war.

The military is the most disciplined of organizations and the most violent of tools. Therefore, this tool must be wielded with unwavering dexterity, never harming its own people. Therefore, any undisciplined and rebellious individuals within the military must be eliminated. These individuals may possess ability, personality, outspokenness, even a certain degree of charisma and scheming. However, once their interests are affected, they will resist relentlessly. This type of person has a name: factionalism. Zhang Yinghao conducted round after round of purges within the military, specifically to eliminate these individuals, and to do so at the organizational level.

As the organization grew, significant changes also occurred within the PLA. In the early days, whether within the military or other organizations, many comrades prioritized "face" when trying to get things done. After all, this was the limitation of the times. Without face, there was no appeal. If you didn't listen to me, you were not giving me face.

But now, with the system's continuous improvement and the extensive implementation of basic and political education within the military, those who still prioritize "face" are being steadily eliminated. For Zhang Yinghao, work is work. Whether you're a regimental commander, a division commander, or a squad leader, that's your position, that's your job. "Face" has nothing to do with it. If you do well, you keep doing it; if you're capable, you'll be promoted; if you don't, you'll be fired. It's that simple.

Especially in the military, things like face are useless. The military is on the front lines of military struggle, especially in this era, facing death at any time. For Zhang Yinghao, mobilizing the army to achieve his goals is enough.

For Zhang Yinghao, a problem in the rear was always better than a problem on the front lines, and it was better to have a problem early than late. Therefore, the small-scale rebellion now occurring in the army was an opportunity to gain a better understanding of his own troops. Zhang Yinghao wasn't particularly worried about the army. As long as the Party branch was established at the company level and the principle of the Party commanding the gun remained unchanged, no major problems would arise. The real problem was the Party, not the gun. Right now, it was just a minor problem with the gun. An occasional jam was normal; a repair would fix it. It wasn't a major issue.

After Zhang Yinghao finished his instructions, he put the matter aside. The army had been established for quite some time, and the relevant systems had gradually been improved. If even this small matter couldn't be resolved, and the relevant leaders lacked the courage and courage to take responsibility, they should be replaced. If Zhang Yinghao still had to personally intervene, he would be exhausted.

Zhang Yinghao is currently very busy, and being his secretary is no easy task. Even though the Party, government, and military now have their own teams, Zhang Yinghao still holds the power of guidance and leadership over them, and hasn't been treated like a deity. Zhang Yinghao's secretary now works three shifts, and Zhang Yinghao, aside from rest and sleep, works day and night, always having endless work to do.

When Zhang Yinghao drafted the Constitution for the Liberated Areas, the first article was about transitional powers, and the second stipulated that China was a socialist state led by the Forward Party and based on the worker-peasant alliance. The first plenary vote of the National People's Congress transferred a series of supreme powers to Zhang Yinghao. As long as the current Constitution was not abolished or rewritten, and as long as the National People's Congress did not issue an order to abolish this first article, Zhang Yinghao could, if he so desired, exercise all powers on behalf of the entire nation, ignoring any resolutions of the Party, government, and military, and making his own decisions.

Zhang Yinghao knew the power and destructive potential inherent in this. Therefore, up to this point, he had never once used this power. Whenever he discovered a problem, he would convene a meeting with his comrades to resolve it, always adhering to the principle of centralization.

Zhang Yinghao holds his current position based on his own foresight. He knows he's no genius, just an average person, at best, lacking exceptional intelligence or emotional intelligence. Therefore, he's always willing to listen to his colleagues' opinions on many matters, learning from each other and working together to understand how to govern the country.

Zhang Yinghao knows that in any era, the more perfect the system and laws are, and the more people abide by them, the fewer troubles they will face. When formulating laws and systems, it is important to consider the purpose of these systems and laws.

Under Zhang Yinghao's propaganda, or in other words, there is almost no need for deliberate propaganda. As long as the facts are stated and the reasons are made, everyone knows what kind of pressure China is facing at this time. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao is very relieved about this. Any organization, as long as there is consensus, common interests, and strong external pressure, will generate powerful motivation, which in turn will promote the rapid growth of comrades.

Why did Zhang Yinghao, recklessly, dare to start a war in Northeast China? It was to unleash the potential of his comrades. In the past, China's struggle for national salvation was essentially a self-help effort built on the brink of national extinction. With the ambition to transform the world and the commitment to liberating the people, the Communist Party, through the blood and fire of war, closely united with the people and ultimately achieved revolutionary victory.

The group of people led by Zhang Yinghao generally failed to reach that level, either in terms of thought or action. However, Zhang Yinghao knew a saying: If there is no law at home and no enemies abroad, the country will perish.

Therefore, even before he could deal with the weak Qing Dynasty, Zhang Yinghao had already begun planning his strategy in the Northeast. When Liu Wenxiu and his men dared to raid Lushun, Zhang Yinghao immediately supported them. And after thinking about what was happening in Russia, Zhang Yinghao once again resolutely mobilized troops in the Northeast and Mongolia, driving the Russians out of the Far East.

The two foreign wars created two major enemies for the Forward Party, one on land and one on sea. On land, they faced pressure from Russia, while at sea, they faced pressure from Japan. Furthermore, Japan occupied Korea, a country bordering China. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao was not worried about his comrades' lack of motivation.

But now, Zhang Yinghao also realized the problems of the Korean War in his previous life. If Northeast China wanted to stabilize, the Korean Peninsula bordering Northeast China could not be Japan. Therefore, the so-called 38th parallel was still very necessary for China. Only with a buffer zone could Northeast China be better developed.

Zhang Yinghao now believed that as long as the foundation was firmly established, under his leadership, groundbreaking weapons like airplanes and tanks would soon appear, ushering in the era and becoming the protagonists of war. As long as these weapons began to appear on the battlefield on a large scale, the tiny nation of Japan would inevitably be defeated.

For China now, if it wants to take the strategic initiative, there is another place that is very important, because North Korea and Vietnam are the two wings of China's strategic security, and these two places should be grasped in the hands. However, fighting on two fronts is a taboo, and Zhang Yinghao is still waiting for an opportunity.

Of course, in addition to the two wings, Outer Mongolia and other places must be seized in order to take the initiative against Russia. For the current Russia, if there were no time travelers, normally, almost no one would use troops as recklessly as Zhang Yinghao, because the long border line is full of places for war. This is also why Tsarist Russia still had to take advantage of the situation and be cautious when forcing the Qing Dynasty to sign an unequal treaty. Moreover, it is not to occupy the northeastern part of Mongolia, but just to establish a Yellow Russia. It is like using a stick to fight a wolf, and you are afraid of both ends!

Chapter 30: First update!

Zhang Yinghao often wondered if there were more time travelers in the world, then wars would be infinitely more brutal. Time travelers believed they controlled the future, believed they could control the situation, and even considered themselves saviors. This was the reason why so many of the novels Zhang Yinghao read in his previous life often depicted nuclear annihilation.

Therefore, in previous generations, China fought major wars in both Vietnam and Korea. This is because these two regions are crucial to China's national security and serve as China's strategic wings. Meanwhile, Russia, despite stationing millions of troops along the border, has only seen a few minor skirmishes, such as the Zhenbao Island counterattack. This is because the long border is a headache not only for China but also for Russia.

However, in this era, many problems in China's north have been solved, at least the problems in the Far East and East Siberia have been solved. However, Zhang Yinghao has never relaxed his attention to the crisis in the north, so as long as he has time, Zhang Yinghao doesn't mind giving his comrades more courses on the north.

".......Classmates, the north is known as a land of bitter cold, and the grassland people have been honed on the grasslands since childhood. Both the warriors and the horses are more suited to the grasslands and more suitable for grassland warfare. This is something we in the interior cannot compare to.