Canteen System Assistance Notes

"However, Mr. Kaiser told me that the quality of the main engine shafts produced by these new electric furnaces is so good that it would be uneconomical to use them in the free ships he builds - those block ships are not worth using such good materials and cannot be installed."

"No, wait, you mean because our product is so good and cheap, it can't be installed? What's going on?"

We are producing according to the specifications given in the order, right?"

Liu Helian felt like the reverberation of "Galaxy Brain" was playing in his head. His products were rejected by the shipyard because they were "high quality and low price". What the hell is this? Are we being excluded? "No, no, no, dear Liu, it's not exclusion or oppression, it's the requirements of the Federal Maritime Commission."

Hammer quickly shook his head to express his denial.

You know, we approached the Navy when we were seeking funding. Unlike the people at the Bureau of Ordnance, Vice Admiral Emory Land, the Director of the U.S. Maritime Commission, was very concerned about the new technology we had discovered. He believed that the shafting we were producing shouldn't be used on 'ugly expendable junk,' but should be used to manufacture more critical equipment, such as the valuable T3 Fleet Tanker. That's why he prohibited our components from being installed on Liberty Ships.

“So have we got the order for the T3 fleet tanker shafting?”

"Not yet. Congressman Carl Vinson, Chairman of the House Navy Committee, did not approve the proposal for additional shipbuilding budget. Fleet tanker production will not change this fiscal year, and existing production capacity has already been filled by other steel mills. We have to wait."

Because the ship shafting produced by Liberty Ship was of such high quality, 50 sets of the shafts were directly intercepted by the wartime Federal Maritime Commission. Because the alloy ingots produced were of such high quality, the partner manufacturer suspected that they had sent the wrong product and returned them.

Even the naval military orders that were originally basically certain changed from more to less, and then to nothing, because of the Navy Ordnance Bureau's "cautious" attitude towards new technologies.

As for the Ordnance Bureau, which is responsible for the armament and equipment of the Army... well, Liu He felt stupid the moment he had this idea: whether in the original time and space or now, those officials were able to ignore battlefield intelligence, insisting that "75mm guns are enough for Mantou", "90mm tank guns are too long and inconvenient to load on ships so they are not approved", and "There is nothing wrong with the M14 in Vietnam". Compared with the Navy's "caution" towards new technologies, they probably wouldn't even look at it.

"But just recently, about five days ago! Vice Admiral Land sent his deputy, Howard L. Vickery, along with a few bespectacled guys from the Naval Ordnance Bureau, to place an expedited order for six 14-inch, five-magnet gun blanks. I don't know their specific purpose, but guns that thick can only be used on capital ships, right?"

That was probably because of that naval battle... Liu Helian, who was familiar with the intelligence on the Battle of the Sunrise Islands, knew that after being severely damaged by the Yamato's 18-inch shells, the US military would not only improve the MKA-type guns, but would also try to improve the combat effectiveness of the existing 14-inch and 16-inch guns. Ordering some gun blanks to adapt to the new shells was a very normal plan.

"It seems our business hasn't been very good lately. Does the factory have any other orders? We can't shut down our furnaces until these 14-inch cannon blanks are finished."

This is definitely a "systemic problem," Liu Helian sighed. He hadn't expected the Donglian plant to encounter such a predicament. But he had already completed the technical work and imported it back to China, providing the metallurgical knowledge documented in numerous textbooks with a practical and experimental basis. His fundamental goal had been achieved, and he wouldn't lose out no matter what.

“Oh, man, there’s no shortage of orders.

Hammer thought for a moment and said, "Apart from these domestic products, we have other export orders!"

You previously ordered a batch of 30.8x 155mm gun blanks. Afterwards, the Soviets came and ordered a large batch of '53.5x 100mm gun blanks'. The quantity is huge, enough to occupy our production capacity until next year!

Chapter 740: I guess only a time traveler could do this (Part 2)

After temporarily settling the steel mill issue in Newark, New Jersey, Liu Helian and Zhou Bin headed for New York in their eMule-turned-Cadillac V16. En route, they briefly communicated with the Premier's delegation, exchanging intelligence.

Liu Helian informed the delegation that "Soviet comrades have ordered a large number of 10mm tank gun blanks from our steel mills." The delegation then informed Liu Helian that "to show support for the Chinese people's war of resistance, the US Navy has leased the cruiser USS Erie and the gunboat USS Tulsa from the KMT."

"The Erie and the Tulsa—I wonder what the KMT will name them?" Compared to Xiao Liu, who possessed a wide range of knowledge, Zhou Bin, while adept at economics, lacked naval expertise. "He Lian, what do you think of the quality of these two American ships?"

"Although the Erie is small in tonnage and lacks many guns, it's very seaworthy and a serious ocean-going gunboat. The Tulsa, on the other hand, is a weaker vessel, a coastal gunboat, but it's also capable of long-term cruising. Actually, this ship was once a member of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet, a colonial gunboat that patrolled our territorial waters.

"The Americans probably gave it with the idea that both sides have something to gain and it's 'equal'. I just don't know if the KMT can get enough sailors to sail the ship...

Liu Helian briefly introduced the two ships. Honestly, with the Republic of China's navy now practically nonexistent and its crews largely disbanded, the government likely couldn't relinquish these two warships, which had been "accidentally acquired" by the Eighth Route Army.

Never mind them. I'm sure no matter which faction the Kuomintang-controlled areas send out, there'll be a lot of arguments and a bloody storm." Liu He spun the steering wheel and drove into the front of his company.

"Let's just provide protection for our own fleet."

If venture capital is like opening a blind box, then naturally, at least nine out of ten blind boxes will reveal a pair of stinking, unwashed, month-old socks left to ferment in a stuffy environment. As an investor, you not only have to absorb the loss, but you also have to hold your nose and wash these biological weapons in the hope of recovering a tiny bit of residual value to mitigate your losses.

However, Liu Helian, a time traveler who also happens to be an investor, didn't have such concerns. Even if he couldn't achieve everything perfectly, he certainly had no problem choosing the right direction and the right industry. Therefore, based on the two premises of "spending all the money earned in America" ​​and "not eating alone," Liu Helian made a considerable fortune in the United States of this time and space, and spent most of it on purchasing supplies, machinery, equipment, munitions, and hired personnel for the Party and the base areas.

However, out of trust in this future comrade, and in accordance with the rules previously agreed upon by the Central Committee, Liu Helian was allowed to retain a small portion of the funds. After a brief discussion with Zhou Bin, he could freely use these funds to carry out some of the "organic activities" unique to time travelers.

Anyway, doing things in the United States is always more open than doing things in the country, right?

Among them is Celta Health Pharmaceuticals, where Liu Helian and Zhou Bin had just arrived.

This is a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Manhattan, New York, founded by Liu Helian before Christmas 1937.

Initially, Celta Health was a typical "white glove" company, serving as a platform for the CCP to purchase drugs, instruments, and medical equipment in the United States.

The main job was to work for a pharmaceutical trading company. But soon, the textbooks described

The United States, which "at that time lacked a mature legal system for pharmaceutical safety," quickly gave the comrades in charge of this work a warning:

Although the United States already had the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act at that time, and the FDA had regulatory powers, the entire American pharmaceutical market was still in a chaotic state of "as long as it doesn't kill people, it's fine", and there was no trouble at all for new drugs to be launched in later generations.

The Eighth Route Army's inexperienced purchasing staff were duped into purchasing some seriously unsatisfactory new technologies and products. Although they were eventually able to recover some of their losses through negotiation and legal action, the incident still left a deep impression on everyone.

The company's Party Committee convened a meeting with several of its subordinate Party branches to discuss the ins and outs of the incident, hoping to teach everyone a lesson and prevent it from happening again. However, upon learning of the incident, Liu Helian had another idea:

“If you can do it, why can’t I?”

Soon, under the command of a certain time traveler, Celta Health, originally a pharmaceutical trading company, quickly became Celta Health Pharmaceuticals.

And began to invest in hospitals and set up R&D centers in Long Island, New York.

The company began to receive technical information and papers sent from China, started to register patents in the United States, and welcomed its first project and research team.

"Clinical study on target organ damage of hypertension and its drug prevention and treatment."

Liu Helian had very good reasons for choosing this topic.

First, many CCP leaders, in the original history, passed away due to complications caused by high blood pressure. Historical data after the founding of the People's Republic of China in the original time and space also shows that the incidence of hypertension is also high among workers who engage in long-term physical work.

Therefore, developing drugs that can control blood pressure and treat long-term hypertension and conducting experiments in the United States will be beneficial to the health of the people and can extend life expectancy.

Secondly, although the concept that "high blood pressure is harmful to the body" would become popular in the future, in the 1940s, the concept that "blood pressure above normal levels is harmful" was itself a sham. At that time, not only was high blood pressure considered to be a sign of good health and normal organ function most of the time, but even the range of "normal" blood pressure had not been determined.

It is impossible for Liu Helian to bring out his titles of "master key" and "legendary consultant" in front of everyone, so it is also very important to conduct scientific research so that everyone can accept the concept that "high blood pressure is harmful" and be willing to actively cooperate with treatment.

So, under Liu Helian's remote control, several members of the Magic City Pharmaceutical Research Institute recruited by Celta and experts hired in the United States formed a mixed Sino-US team to advance experiments and investigations. Following the instructions of their financial backers, each took their positions, started the corresponding work, and began writing the corresponding papers.

A pharmaceutical team led by organic chemistry expert Zhuang Changgong quickly synthesized the new drug "nifedipine" based on the mysterious source of the drug, using the equipment of the pharmaceutical factory. They quickly conducted animal experiments to confirm its safety. Physiology expert Feng Depei predicted the pathophysiological processes and changes in the heart, brain, and kidneys under conditions of hypertension and designed relevant experimental procedures and testing methods.

Members of the company's commercial department acquired the patent rights to another "failed drug" in the United States: hydrochlorothiazide. This drug, later a potent diuretic and antihypertensive, had already been developed and marketed in the United States—but it was marketed as an antimalarial, making it inherently ineffective. Therefore, the patent price was very low.

American experts, in collaboration with an investigation company, began recruiting volunteers willing to participate in the experiment.

These volunteers all underwent blood pressure monitoring for two consecutive weeks, and were only selected for inclusion after their blood pressure was confirmed to be continuously higher than 140/90 mmHg and they confirmed their willingness to undergo medical autopsy after death.

Within the experimental group, the volunteers were divided into a "placebo group" and several "drug groups", and they regularly took placebo pills with no effect, the new drug "nifedipine", the traditional diuretic thiocyanate, the new diuretic-type antihypertensive drug hydrochlorothiazide and the traditional Chinese medicine-type antihypertensive drug mainly based on "Eucommia ulmoides extract", and underwent free physical examinations regularly.

At the same time, through cooperation with insurance companies and hospitals, Celta was able to set up a "healthy people" control group in addition to all volunteers to form a multi-faceted and mutually corroborating chain of evidence.

The project ran smoothly. With free health checks and even subsidies, volunteer recruitment was rapid, quickly reaching the required number for a full trial. Even wealthy Americans, seeking relief from migraines caused by high blood pressure, were willing to participate in the study, bringing their family doctors and blood pressure records to try Celta's new drug.

The Americans' "recklessness" and "low human rights advantage" at this time provided great convenience for Celta to obtain data.

In the long-term follow-up study that began in 1938, the survey company and the data team not only diligently collected blood pressure data, illness conditions, and causes of death (if any) of volunteers in different groups, but also performed medical autopsies on deceased patients to observe the damage caused by hypertension. In order to obtain information about kidney damage in living hypertensive patients, the outsourced American survey company even performed invasive renal puncture biopsies on them, with "full knowledge and signed consent" in exchange for a $100 stipend and two weeks of free vacation. This yielded a considerable amount of "inhumane" but extremely valuable first-hand data.

(Author's Note: Renal biopsy is invasive, but when performed by experienced physicians with clear medical indications, it remains an important diagnostic tool for many kidney diseases and is even the sole source of definitive pathological diagnosis for some diseases.)

The data were so sufficient that in 1942, the study, which was originally scheduled to last for five years, was forced to be "terminated early": the control group taking placebo pills had already suffered many deaths due to complications from hypertension, while the "drug group" that controlled blood pressure at this time had more side effects than the traditional diuretic thiocyanate. The volunteers in the other three groups had a lower probability of complications and were in better physical condition, and the differences were statistically significant.

Secondly, by deeply sourcing data from insurance companies and numerous public and private hospitals, the team obtained a vast collection of blood pressure samples from "healthy" individuals. Incorporating Professor Jernemann's theory of "confidence intervals," they were able to estimate and propose for the first time an overall confidence interval for blood pressure in the normal population, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent classification of hypertension.

Even the double-blind experimental method and control group experimental method used in this research have never been seen before. If we really look into it, Liu Helian and others can be said to have not only pioneered modern cohort studies, but also sounded the harbinger of evidence-based medicine, setting a benchmark for future human medical research.

Finally, all the experts involved in the study jointly signed and published the full paper in the famous New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), which caused a stir in the medical community. During the publication process, the editorial department of the journal did not want to print too thick an issue of the journal, so they artificially split the paper into two parts and made a supplement.

It also inadvertently became an interesting article with an always even number of citations. Its citations, derivatives and subsequent research have continued for decades, and it has become the starting point for many people's doctoral dissertations.

"So, our sustained-release nifedipine, hydrochlorothiazide, and Eucommia ulmoides antihypertensive tablets are selling like hotcakes now?"

Liu Helian held up the two-volume special supplement and, while handing out bonuses to Celta's researchers, was invited to speak on stage:

"No, no, no, our purpose is not to sell medicine. We conduct medical research not only to leave a Chinese footprint in the medical field, but also for the health of mankind and for the lives of all mankind. Now, some critics accuse our research methods of being unethical and inhumane.

"Bullshit! Our entire research process was conducted with the assistance and guidance of the FDA. It's legal and compliant, and has stood the test of history. How can it be called inhumane? We've passed all our reviews. If they question our results, they should just sue the FDA first!"

"Going forward, I hope all of you will remain undeterred by rumors and continue to work diligently. Not only will you achieve further success in subsequent research on the mechanisms of drug-induced blood pressure reduction, thereby enhancing my country's prestige, but you must also continue to make contributions to the health of the Chinese and global people..."

At this moment, Comrade Liu Helian, who was cooking chicken soup, not only did not know that his work would not only contribute a "Nobel Prize" to China in the future, but also did not know that this research result would not only protect many comrades in the country, but also extend the life of another world-famous leader for several years.

To a certain extent, he influenced the historical course of this world.

Extra Illustration: "Order No. Coke"

#(See illustration here)

Order No. 327 of the USSR State Defense Committee

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin October 13, 1942

As the war dragged on, the brutal enemy was still unwilling to face the tragic future of their eventual defeat, and continued to send more and more troops to Stalingrad, Crimea and the Caucasus fronts, trying at all costs to overwhelm our tenacious and stubborn Red Army with their soldiers and vassal troops that were about to reach their limit.

This idea is undoubtedly ridiculous and despicable, but our commanders, Red Army soldiers, and political commissars must clearly realize that the Nazis have one and only one goal - to conquer our land - and they will not give up this goal easily. Even if they suffer repeated failures, the Nazis will not give up slaughtering our people and destroying our motherland.

Since 1941, we have fought tenaciously, shedding blood for every inch of our homeland and defending every stronghold with all our might. Even now, our relocated factories have resumed production behind the Ural Mountains, continuously supplying tanks, planes, and artillery to the front lines. Our international anti-fascist comrades have also provided us with bedding, canned food, and medicine. All of this is a direct result of our tenacious fighting and our refusal to retreat.

However, we must note that the soldiers who are fighting the Nazis on the front line are facing such a situation:

In the face of enemy pressure and sustained combat, more than one unit's commanders and political commissars neglected the logistical support and maintenance of their soldiers. Some commanders and political commissars allowed cowards and corrupt criminals to control battlefield logistics while openly promoting the slogan "This is how our logistics are," even disparaging the diligent work of factories and workers in the rear and spreading rumors of logistical shortages.

We once faced serious problems of lack of discipline and order, and we still face such problems now: however, under strict supervision, those panic makers no longer dare to continue to act cowardly on the front line. Instead, they hide in the relative safety of the rear and continue to act as traitors to the motherland.

Their actions will be severely punished. In order to live up to all the loyal officers, soldiers, and political officers who dared to fight and overcome difficulties, we must enforce iron discipline: while fighting bravely and shedding blood, we must fully protect the lives of the soldiers and ensure their logistical supplies.

Carrying out this order means we can defend our country, enhance the fighting power of our brave soldiers, save our homeland, and destroy and subdue the hated enemy. I am convinced and certain that we should: 1. The front-line military committees and front-line commanders should:

(1) Resolutely eradicate corruption and cowardice in the army's logistics department and strictly prohibit any corruption that undermines the army's combat effectiveness; (2) Any traitor who withholds and refuses to distribute supplies when the army has sufficient supplies, or who spreads the message that the Red Army's logistics are inherently poor, must be resolutely dealt with by military law;

(3) Criminals who have committed the above two acts should be added to the "punitive battalion" and sent to the more dangerous areas of the front to give them the opportunity to wash away their crimes against the motherland with blood; (4) All troops on the front line should be given more Venus soda bottled by the Almaty soda factory, just like tea bricks, vodka and Mahe cigarettes.

2. The Army Military Committee and the Army Commander shall:

(1) Improve the distribution and management of logistical supplies within the troops as much as possible, and ensure the supply of clothing, food, clean water and beverages, just as the supply of weapons and ammunition is ensured; (2) Firmly punish officers and political commissars who neglect the logistical supply of soldiers by military law;

(3) Give the same attention to distributing Venus Soda as to distributing tea bricks, vodka, and Mahe cigarettes. Only in this way can we help the loyal soldiers in the army relieve the stress of combat and serve the motherland with all their loyalty;

(4) Tank, cavalry, artillery, and air force units should receive twice as much soda as general units.

3. Army and division commanders and political commissars should:

(1) Resolutely implement the orders of superiors, improve the management of the distribution of logistical materials within the troops, and ensure that the materials are effectively distributed to every company and every soldier; (2) Ensure that Venus soda, tea bricks, vodka, and Mahe cigarettes are delivered to every soldier to reward them for their heroic fighting.

This order should be read aloud to all companies, cavalry units, artillery batteries, air squadrons, groups, and staffs for confirmation. Chairman of the National Defense Council, Chairman of the Council of Ministers

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin

Chapter 741: Times are... changing back?

"I believe the bulletproof plate I wear can stop a 6.5mm Japanese Yusaka rifle bullet weighing 9 grams and with a muzzle velocity of 762 meters per second. I believe I will not waver or retreat - I trust my comrades, and they trust me."

Bang! A ballistic test gun modified from a Japanese Type 38 rifle was fired from its mount, firing a bullet that hit the center of the bulletproof insert solidly. "Ouch!"

"What the hell are you howling about!" Liu Guifu, a weapons expert who was conducting weapons testing, slapped the young worker on the head. "He was hitting the soap dummy, not you!" "I sculpted this soap dummy! It even has a name—'Akajiri Ichiro'!"

This young worker from the Luyi School of Art clearly had no intention of "breaking the act." Instead, he pointed at the fleshy mannequin with small round glasses, a mustache, and painted oil paint. "Mr. Akashiri Ichiro volunteered to sacrifice his life to take bullets for our revolutionary comrades and test their bulletproof vests. What an internationalist act!"

"Hahahaha! Voluntary! It's almost like being volunteered!"

"He's lucky, his bulletproof vest hasn't been penetrated yet—on the battlefield, the naked Japanese don't want to be so tough!" "He got shot so many times, even if he didn't die, he must have been scared to death..."

The young workers and researchers present burst into laughter, teasing the skilled engraver. Only after the alarm on the range cleared and the target officer confirmed it was safe to enter did everyone disperse with laughter and return to their respective workstations, busying themselves with the next step of "target inspection."

"The range has been cleared and is open for entry."

Liu Guifu took the lead and stepped forward to remove the bulletproof vest from the soap-like "Akajiri Ichiro"'s chest: "Let's see if this little Japanese soldier has survived this time..." He checked the back of the bulletproof vest - no penetration; while another worker attached a device with a sliding scale to the soap-like Japanese man's chest and reported the degree: "The dent depth is 23 mm, passing!"

In the age of cold weapons, whether in the East or the West, a suit of high-quality armor could give a person a significant advantage over the unarmored in close combat. Therefore, whether it was the knights of Europe or the elite soldiers of China, they would always wear expensive armor when going into battle.

Later, with the gradual popularization of gunpowder weapons, no matter how good the iron armor was, it could not withstand flying lead bullets, and its only disadvantage was slowing down mobility and consuming physical strength. As a result, on the battlefield, fewer and fewer people wore heavy armor.

But history always spirals upward, and conflicting forces constantly influence each other amidst their opposition. As warfare and technology evolved, steel helmets, designed to protect against stray bullets and shrapnel, first returned to infantry. Later, plate armor, long in decline, returned to the battlefield in the form of shrapnel-resistant armor—for example, German stormtroopers in World War I, Soviet combat engineers in World War II... These elite frontline soldiers, always clad in steel armor and armed with automatic weapons, resembled human tanks, unstoppable. (Correct group ID: 775111838)

Of course, considering the limitations of materials science and soldier load-bearing capacity, World War II individual armor was primarily designed to protect against stray bullets and fragments, and at best, small-caliber handgun rounds, offering no protection against typical full-strength rounds. However, Eighth Route Army soldiers, having witnessed the future development of individual protective equipment, expressed their disbelief.

As early as 1938, when the Huinong Steel Plant was in operation, the Eighth Route Army, which had a certain amount of steel production, tried to produce "bullet armor." At that time, the industrial sector, which was still relatively conservative, referred to the Soviet SN-42 protective suit. After adjusting the shape, it produced the Eighth Route Army's version of the "SN-42" and distributed it to the front-line troops for trial installation.

It was constructed from two 2mm forged steel plates, weighing approximately 7kg. It offered protection against artillery fragments and some pistol rounds, making it a relatively effective product during World War II. However, it received limited praise within the military. Frontline infantrymen felt it was too heavy, placing all the weight on the left shoulder, making it difficult to perform tactical maneuvers. Furthermore, its protection was limited to the "two holes" level of a rifle shot, making it ineffective.

Therefore, the frontline troops at that time basically did not wear it except for the clearing phase at the end of a few battles.

Engineers and artillerymen who often deal with explosions and shrapnel have given it positive reviews, but the reason is not that it can block deadly shrapnel, but that this thing that looks like medieval plate armor, when combined with earplugs and a helmet, can resist the shock waves generated by the explosion to a certain extent, and effectively alleviate the overpressure injury symptoms of "dizziness, nausea and vomiting" after artillery firing and bomb explosions.

However, they also reported issues like "the weight is concentrated on the left shoulder, causing fatigue" and "the steel armor is cold in winter." Finally, after considering these feedback, the Eighth Route Army SN-42 was changed from a single-shoulder design to a dual-shoulder design, with adjustments to the lining and hemming. The resulting design was officially named the "Type 38 Body Armor" and issued to engineers and artillery units. Update your book group: QQ 49643*1898

So is there a way to solve or alleviate the problems of traditional metal bulletproof vests, such as "insufficient protection to produce qualitative changes" and "wearing consumes physical energy and easily causes fatigue"?

After communicating with Liu Helian, who often came to the military industry system to "do some work", and consulting relevant information, the "light weapons and protection team" headed by Liu Guifu quickly chose the "bulletproof vest", an idea that had been repeatedly tested in the future in another time and space.

They rummaged through the canteen supply lists and the border region's industrial sectors, gathering items like thick canvas, Oxford cloth, kite string, epoxy resin coating, and EVA slivers, and began their righteous "technical building block" work. With the collaboration of the textile department, the Eighth Route Army's military workers spent over a year conducting multiple rounds of research and development and trial assembly, actively summarizing the soldiers' feedback. Finally, they established a basic design framework and produced the results.

After comprehensively considering factors such as the battlefield environment, tactical requirements, and budget realities, they chose surface-hardened steel plates rolled by the Fushite Steel Plant and wrapped them with tear-resistant Oxford cloth impregnated and reinforced with epoxy resin as the "constraint material" of the bulletproof insert to reduce the debris flying when the steel plate is hit.