Canteen System Assistance Notes

Chapter 34: The Confrontation (3) Slightly Serious

Canteen System Assistance

By Forgotten Maple X

2259 words

2020-10-09 12: 00: 00

Fortunately, as a regime that nominally represents the country, the KMT still has some practical talents.

After the Japanese army conducted exercises in Fengtai Town and "found fault" in Wanping City, and then brazenly launched a full-scale war of aggression, the negotiations for preserved fruits finally accelerated. Practical officers such as Wang Lu drew up a series of lists, mainly involving equipment, supplies and personnel of the Air Force and volunteer instructors.

Therefore, Guosu's air force aid plan seems relatively normal:

By introducing complete sets of ground handling and aircraft overhaul equipment, as well as fighters such as the I-15, I-16, and SB-2, a preliminary air force foundation was established. At the same time, following the Soviet Union's suggestion, an assembly plant was established in Gaocheng. This way, Soviet aircraft could be transported to China in parts and then assembled into new aircraft. By the way, aircraft maintenance personnel and workers could also be trained.

This seemed like a very plausible plan. Although our Yang Junshen felt that buying a "useless" assembly plant was a waste and asked the Soviets to convert it into aircraft, and changed the delivery method to complete aircraft being shipped to China, the plan seemed a bit incoherent. However, regardless, the first part of the $5000 million loan promised by the Soviet Union was finally spent.

Next, when preparing to talk about the army part, Voroshilov, who was sitting opposite Yang Junshen, raised a point. Given that another domestic military force, the Eighth Route Army, would also play a role in the future anti-Japanese war to defend the country, they must also have a share of this part of the supplies.

When the Soviet Union provided a $5000 million loan to Guoxuan, it initially insisted on giving the Eighth Route Army a share of the profits, with some saying 10%, others 20%—but it was definitely a certain amount. The Eighth Route Army's negotiating team, led by Political Commissar Wang Da, was actively working to allocate these shares, prioritizing urgently needed domestic supplies and seeking similar assistance to strengthen its ability to respond to Japanese aggression.

Historically, the Soviet Union's insistence on this was ultimately thwarted by the rapid failure of the preserved fruit and protests against it. Ultimately, the Soviets didn't want to, but had to, maintain the KMT. It's like having to choose between canned Swedish herring and Laoshan White Snake Grass water to avoid starvation.

In Guosu's eyes, this was definitely an act of the Eighth Route Army preparing to "resist Japan in the name of resistance but actually engage in civil war."

Compared to Yang Jie, who naively replied, "Of course, the Eighth Route Army is also one of the group armies under our command," Zhang Huainan, a member of the preserved fruit delegation, was much more astute: Why was the Soviet Union suddenly reiterating its seemingly abandoned request for aid to the Communist Party? Was it because the Eighth Route Army had already resumed contact with the Soviet Union?

He immediately telegraphed back to China to report the situation, and using his identity as a member of the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, he sent the report directly to Chiang Kai-shek's desk: The Communist Party may have resumed contact with the Soviet Union and was asking for support from the Soviet Union!

Although I facilitated the second KMT-CCP ​​cooperation, I am still an opponent of the Communist Party. Zhang Huainan soon received an urgent telegram from Chiang Kai-shek: We must prevent the Communist bandits from obtaining strong support from the Soviet Union!

Jiang Tingfu immediately sent an official letter to the Soviet Union, demanding that the Soviet Union stop providing support to the Communist Party.

Voroshilov explained to Guosi that now that the Kuomintang and the Communist Party have reached a unified anti-Japanese war agreement, supporting China's two major anti-Japanese forces does not harm China's interests. In the Soviet Union's view, China's expulsion of the Japanese invaders can not only protect the Soviet Far East security, but is also China's current primary contradiction. The two countries should have common interests.

Even so, Jiang Tingfu still insisted that the Soviet Union not provide aid to the Communist Party, and that profit-sharing loans were out of the question. He even declared that if the Soviet Union insisted on providing military equipment to the Communist Party, it would be preparing to trigger a civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party!

Because it wasn't a recognized government, Political Commissar Wang could only argue through the Communist Party, arguing that they only fought back when attacked. Who had instigated the previous encirclement, siege, and blockade? After the Japanese invasion began, as a legitimate government, you didn't even dare to declare war. Your anti-Japanese enthusiasm was even lower than that of the Eighth Route Army. How could you be so ashamed?

Furthermore, with the victory at Fanzhi Pass and other battles supporting this, the newly re-equipped Eighth Route Army had already demonstrated a far superior combat capability to that of the Nationalist Army's similarly organized units. The Soviet Union's attitude began to shift. Voroshilov stated to Jiang Tingfu, "It is undesirable and unacceptable to completely deny Soviet aid to another anti-Japanese force. China should focus all its efforts on resisting the invaders."

After reporting the change in the Soviet Union's attitude, Jiang Tingfu received a reply from Chiang: "We will fight for our rights and will never give in. However, we must prioritize securing Soviet aid, or at least ensure that Soviet aid materials remain under our control."

Huh? Why is the old man starting to back down?

Just as Ambassador Chiang Kai-shek had approached the People's Foreign Affairs Committee, the Soviet Union conveyed a new proposal to the Eighth Route Army: "Supplies purchased with Soviet aid loans can be handed over to the committee composed of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party for unified distribution. We can only take non-military supplies that are related to the people's livelihood. Arms and equipment can be transferred to other friendly forces.

"However, the three parties should jointly ensure the smooth and safe passage of the Northwest Passage, build roads and set up post stations to facilitate the passage of aid convoys to China."

Jiang Tingfu didn't hear any problem with this statement: considering the overall situation of the war, the Eighth Route Army could take less arms, no loans, and only some non-military supplies, with the specific distribution being supervised by a tripartite committee. When did the Eighth Route Army ever consider the overall situation? Oh, it seems that the Eighth Route Army has always been concerned about the overall situation...

However, out of the caution of a qualified diplomat, he decided to report this information back to the country and seek the president's opinion.

Not long after, Guo Su's delegation to the Soviet Union received a telegram that read: "Yes, the Communist bandits are poor. Without Soviet loans, their supplies are limited. We should pay attention to their smuggling of guns, artillery, and gunpowder. However, we should not allow the Soviets to join the Material Distribution Committee. The committee should be under our unified control... The construction of roads is a matter of great importance and should be arranged immediately."

The negotiations finally reached the first consensus, and Jiang Tingfu breathed a sigh of relief. After several months of continuous confrontation, the two sides had been arguing with each other over proportions, aid materials and distribution, which consumed a lot of his energy. Now both sides seemed to have taken a step back, and there was finally a glimmer of hope for a successful signing of the agreement.

The Chinese and Soviet sides initially agreed on the following key points: The Soviet Union would provide loans to Guofu and, through various means, provide various types of equipment, including the Air Force, armored forces, and 20 infantry divisions; both sides would jointly guarantee the construction of the Northwest Passage, and the Soviet side would send soldiers to escort the transportation of materials through the Northwest Passage; the Communist Party would not receive Soviet military supplies, but would only be granted the right to purchase non-military supplies at its own expense, with the purchase of these materials at its own expense being determined; the three parties would establish a material distribution committee, with the specific membership ratio to be determined later...

At first glance, it seemed like a treaty acceptable to all parties. Jiang Tingfu sent the draft back to China in a diplomatic pouch, awaiting Chiang Kai-shek's approval for the final negotiations and bargaining. However, not long after, he received another expedited telegram:

"The situation has changed. The priority now is to sign the agreement as quickly as possible and obtain Soviet aid!"

What happened?

Chapter 35: The Confrontation (IV) The Iron Test

Canteen System Assistance

By Forgotten Maple X

2434 words

2020-10-10 12: 00: 00

The Kremlin.

It was already very cold in the Soviet Union in November. Stalin's office was heated, and the wood in the fireplace was burning. Occasionally, there was a crackling sound to remind people in the office that this was the leader's office and it was still working hours.

Dalinzi looked at the Sino-Soviet Non-Aggression Treaty in his hand - an agreement that should have been signed in August but has only arrived now - while smoking his pipe and looking up at his watch.

After a while, the office door opened and three people came in: Molotov, Voroshilov, and Dimitrov. They greeted Comrade Stalin as arranged and then sat down in their chairs.

"Comrades, we have finally reached this agreement. Thank you for your hard work." Stalin nodded to Voroshilov. "So I am very interested in why Chiang, who had made so many demands before, suddenly softened his stance in the last month."

"Comrade Stalin, it may be difficult for us to know the internal decisions of the Nationalist Government, but based on the current intelligence, we can draw this conclusion." Voroshilov did not say it in a final word, but slightly deflected, "It is very likely that Italy joined the Fascist Axis in November and began to inform Japan of our cargo ship information. For the safety of shipping, our embassy in China informed Chiang Kai-shek that the Soviet Union would no longer primarily deliver aid to them by sea.

"Plus, Japan has already occupied China's largest port, the Magic City, and the risk of maritime transport being cut off is already very high. Chiang Kai-shek may be afraid that if the matter drags on, we will be unwilling to assist them, so he is in a hurry to reach an agreement."

Voroshilov concluded, "After all, Chiang's army was divided into many factions, and Chiang always believed that as long as he controlled weapons and food, he could control everything."

"But we still need Chiang after all." Stalin added, puffing on his pipe, "No matter if he is corrupt, stupid, or margarine, as long as he exists and has not surrendered to the Japanese, he is valuable."

He continued, "Comrade Molotov, what does our assistance to Chiang Kai-shek mainly consist of?"

"Comrade Stalin, as far as I know," said Molotov, who was in charge of Soviet diplomacy and had a good understanding of the aid to China, "the first tranche of $5000 million in loans is equivalent to approximately 2 million rubles in goods, including aircraft, tanks, and infantry weapons, as well as personnel, transportation, logistics, and ancillary costs. Chiang Kai-shek has requested infantry equipment for 20 Chinese-style divisions, and we intend to provide that as well. The Red Army will also send an advisory group to help them familiarize themselves with our equipment and train soldiers to meet the requirements."

"However, considering the rate at which he's losing troops, Chiang Kai-shek will likely spend all of his first loan in the first half of next year, requiring us to refinance him. Therefore, the People's Foreign Affairs Committee has contacted other departments and we can accept payment from Chiang Kai-shek in the form of tin ore, tungsten ore, pig bristles, and other goods. This is an offer that Western countries cannot provide, and Chiang Kai-shek cannot refuse."

"Very good. I hope this can help Chiang's army hold off the Japanese. But now, Chiang's German-equipped army has been defeated by the Japanese, and even the former capital has been occupied by Japan." Stalin shook his head and looked at the map hanging on the wall. He became a little annoyed. "If our friendly party really had the military strength mentioned in the previous telegram, we wouldn't have to pinch our noses and choose Chiang."

Dimitrov lowered his head. Liu Helian's report had been handed over to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The results of the preliminary investigation had come out, and the conclusion was obvious: For a considerable period of time, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union had misjudged the strength of the domestic red forces, issued many wrong instructions, and even allowed some speculators to take advantage of the situation.

After all, according to that person, the Red Army had nearly a million soldiers, equipped with airplanes, tanks and artillery, with bases spanning several provinces and extremely strong economic strength. With such capabilities, why didn't you, the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, attack cities, develop industries and factories and mines, and enrich the disciplined working class? Isn't that a problem?

Now that the actual situation is clear, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union has no reason to criticize their choices.

"I met their representative Wang, and he said that he had studied at Sun Yat-sen University in Moscow. Is that true, Comrade Dimitrov?" Stalin pulled out a handwritten document from behind the agreement and turned to Dimitrov.

"Yes, Comrade Stalin, I can confirm that."

"His Russian is quite good, but he still requires an interpreter to be present. He speaks Chinese and the interpreter translates. Ha, what an interesting person." Stalin put down his pipe, tapped his chin, squinted his eyes, and looked at the handwritten document.

"I asked him how many troops he had, including artillery and air force. He replied that he had four Chinese-style divisions, about 30,000 troops, and a guerrilla force three times that number. The artillery was still in its infancy, but they had established an artillery school and had recently begun producing mortars. The air force hadn't taken off yet, but they had sent students to the Soviet Union to study air force development.

"Comrade Dimitrov, did they elaborate further in the request they submitted to you?"

"Yes, Comrade Stalin," Dimitrov breathed a sigh of relief. He recalled and spoke quickly, "They requested that the Soviets sell them infantry weapons to equip their newly formed troops. They also hoped that we could provide them with some production equipment so that they could produce mortars and light artillery, which are said to be the only artillery over there that can produce artillery shells. The air force requested some old-fashioned trainer aircraft and a few fighter jets. Wang didn't ask for much. He said that in the short term, their air force's main mission was reconnaissance and preventing Japanese air raids."

"Previously, they had a comrade named Liu He—yes, the one who invented the 'individual artillery'—who purchased a lot of industrial equipment. The categories were quite diverse, but their activities were roughly centered around these goals: rather than directly acquiring arms, they preferred to build their own factories," Dimitrov summarized. "Because they primarily used foreign currency for purchases, they didn't need Soviet loans, so there weren't any obstacles in that regard."

"Their attitude is very good and they are very organized, but..." Stalin thought about it. Judging from the performance of the two sides, the Communist army is more reliable and has a more down-to-earth attitude towards work, but its strength is still too weak and it is temporarily unable to play a role in resisting the Japanese army; the Guosu side is obviously synonymous with chaos and backwardness, but it has stronger power and the legitimate right to represent a country.

The Soviets needed a force to hold back Japan, ensuring the security of the Far East and allowing them to focus on the Western Front. Whether it was the Red Army or the White Army, as long as they could hold back the Japanese, it would be a choice that served the Soviets' interests.

However, investment also requires returns. If there is a better option, no one would want to eat bread with insects.

Stalin picked up his pipe again and knocked it hard to knock out the ashes.

"Comrade Vorovich." This was Voroshilov's nickname. Stalin seemed more relaxed when he called him that.

"Comrade Joseph Vissarionovich, I'm here."

"What kind of cutting-edge divisional artillery is the Soviet Union about to equip? I remember one being mentioned at the ministerial meeting before."

"If you're referring to cutting-edge technology, the great Soviet Army will soon be equipped with a new 122mm artillery piece—the M30. The design has been frozen, and final design work is underway. The Ninth Artillery Factory is preparing to build production equipment, and production will begin soon."

"Very good," Stalin relit his pipe. "Perhaps we can arrange a somewhat difficult test for our friend."

Chapter 36 Heading East

Canteen System Assistance

By Forgotten Maple X

2370 words

2020-10-12 12: 00: 00

Let's rewind the clock a few months.

At this time, Wang Tiechui led his new recruits towards the river.

The river ahead was none other than the Yellow River, the so-called Mother River of China. At the western edge of Shaanxi Province, its flow had slowed, its waters a murky yellow. Now, they were gradually approaching it, as if they were moving away from home.

The Central Committee ordered that the Third Independent Recruit Regiment of the First Detachment of the Garrison Corps would be organized into a supplementary regiment with the recruits from the 115th Division, added to the combat sequence of the 115th Division, cross the Yellow River to the east, and rush to the anti-Japanese front!

"Everyone has it! Look at the slip in your hand! It's different from the number you just reported!"

Tiechui yelled at the remaining 11 people in his class, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven! We'll be on the boat soon. Stick your butts firmly to the boat clappers! There are numbers on the boat, so sit one person at a time, just like in the movies, okay?"

"understood!"

"That's good to know! When you get to the river, you have to listen to the person with the white towel on his sleeve. The person with the white towel on the boat also has to listen to his instructions. Do you understand?"

"understood!"

He responded with a bang. Tiechui led an infantry squad, which had 12 men, including him, and they were given 11 newly issued "Water-Link" rifles. He himself held a "Belgian submachine gun." As soon as he got it, he knew it was a little different from the "Flower Machine Gun"—the magazine wasn't the same reel, nor was it the short 20-round straight box, but a 32-round double-stack box, mounted on the bottom of the gun instead of the side, which was much more comfortable.

When they opened it, they found that there were 32 round-headed yellow pistol bullets inside, instead of the previous long and pointed bullets.

Thanks to military training, Tiechui knew this thing was a 9mm Pa... something called a Pa... pistol round, not the Mauser rounds used in the previous speed-and-slow action rifles. The border region had recently produced a batch, and along with the other side-magazine-equipped ones they'd bought, they were all given it.

While thinking, he took out two bullets from inside - this thing is very valuable, and the spring is difficult to fix, so saving its life is important.

Tiechui and his squad stood at the designated spot, waiting to board the boat. Along the Yellow River, numerous ferryboats plied their craft in the setting sun, ferrying people, horses, and equipment to the other side.

This boat was probably a large wooden boat used for transporting goods, capable of carrying more than 30 people. However, Comrade Tiechui knew that ordinary fishermen and boatmen did not have such large boats, so this boat must have come from Lao Xi.

In the distance, a boat arrived at the shore. At the wave of a small flag from the white-toweled officers at the on-site command post, the twelve members of Wang Tiechui's squad formed a single file and scurried aboard. Sure enough, there was a white-toweled officer on board, accompanied by several boatmen, who invited everyone to sit down.

"It's all done firmly!"

The boatman pushed the pole, and the boat lurched back from the sandbank. Tiechui felt a sense of weightlessness, but luckily, he wasn't seasick. However, a few of the unlucky ones were already turning pale. "Those who are seasick, throw up! Don't vomit in the boat, or the commander will make you wash the boat!"

"What's the matter? I've seen a lot!"

The old boatman with a turban looked calm and composed, clearly a man of experience who had seen a lot. "It's okay if you vomit. I see the cooks across the way have already laid out steamed buns and pickles for you. No matter how much you vomit, you can just eat it all back when the time comes."

Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere on the boat became much more relaxed. At least they hadn't eaten yet, so if they vomited, at least they wouldn't waste dinner. If I had to vomit my lunch with chicken thighs, I would be heartbroken. Tiechui leaned against the side of the boat, watching it drift unsteadily into the middle of the Yellow River like a flattened leaf.

and many more.

Tiechui suddenly thought of something: I heard from the old Red Army soldiers that the food had never been so good before. Not to mention chicken legs, lard, and white flour, just being able to eat egg rolls and multi-grain pancakes was already a New Year's Day special - and there was probably only one possibility to eat these delicacies at a stall other than during festivals.

The next battle will be a brutal one where everyone will die.

He hurriedly looked down at his chest pouch. The submachine gun had not been loaded with a magazine and the safety was off, but in his hand he had a 32-round magazine with only two rounds missing and an empty magazine. In the pocket on his buttocks, there were more than 60 rounds of shotgun shells!

Damn...how could I have forgotten about this!

The soldiers beside him were chatting with the machine gun squad across from him, their members armed with two strange-looking rotary machine guns. He perked up and checked the ammunition the gunner had on him—hmm, there was a rotary machine gun hanging from the top. The gunner had two assistant gunners, one of whom was carrying a cloth bag, which should have at least two magazines stuffed inside. Another was carrying a wooden box, which should have quite a few rounds in it, right? Hammer checked it out. Each machine gun had... five magazines, so at least... 47 times 5, that's 235 rounds—and that doesn't even include the loose ammunition in the box!

Tiechui remembered that each soldier in his squad was given 10 rounds of reloaded bullets, and after crossing the river, they would receive another 20 rounds of new bullets.

Alas, this time we are going to fight the Japanese, no wonder, it will cost human lives!

Tiechui felt his head grow slightly colder. He looked up at the clouds, which were gradually losing their red glow from the setting sun, the same hue as the red on a girl's face in winter. In the past, in the Fengtian Army, riflemen had a maximum of five rounds of ammunition, and ten was considered a great achievement. Even the heavy machine guns he had previously commanded typically only had two canvas belts for 200 rounds.

On the Red Army side, it wasn't that they didn't want to issue ammunition, but due to their poverty, they simply couldn't afford it. Squad Leader Wu Jin's two "Seven-Pulled Donkey" rifles only had two magazines each, each containing 60 rounds of granular ammunition. The riflemen were even worse off than the Jilin Self-Defense Force, a branch of the Fengtian Army. Sometimes each soldier didn't even have a magazine of five rounds.

So, when will there be as many bullets fired as today?

The answer is that when the Red Army is in dire straits, it's time to prepare to spearhead the counterattack, to become a "suicide squad." During the Battle of Shanchengbao, Tiechui had seen the vanguard platoons leading the counterattack. They were fully armed, carrying precious machine guns, each man receiving three magazines and four grenades. While the Central Army was dazed by the grenade blast, like wolves in the Northeast, they charged fiercely from the flanks, mowing down large numbers of men like rice, crushing the entire opposing battalion's charge and bringing it to a complete standstill.

At that time, his machine gun had run out of bullets.

The warriors achieved great results, but they also suffered heavy losses. Of those who rushed out, less than two-thirds returned, and almost all the rest were injured.

From a selfish perspective, the new squad leader, Comrade Tiechui, didn't want the young men he'd trained to take on such a daunting task right from the start. He himself was somewhat afraid of his own death, unwilling to die forever on this land so far from home, just after stepping onto the battlefield of the Anti-Japanese War. He thought of his fellow townsman who had fled with him but was killed by stray bullets, of the comrade who succumbed to the infection, and of the calm but helpless face of Squad Leader Wu.

However, he also knew that this was a task that could not be shirked, or rather, something that a man of eight feet tall must do. Tiechui thought of his father who died in the mine, the hungry workers, and the children who had no education and had to help work in the mines.

If one day, they could eat white steamed buns with vegetables every day...

The fire in his eyes rekindled:

Damn it! When a person dies, the bird flies up to the sky. I’m afraid of his grandma!