Canteen System Assistance Notes

"Under these circumstances, the Pacific Ocean has become a bathtub for the United States and Japan, with two big men getting in, making it very narrow!"

The Chairman concluded, "On the other hand, if the United States, the Soviet Union, and our country join forces to encircle Japan, this international encirclement can truly defeat Japan."

The night was deep, and the cave dwelling was already shrouded in endless darkness, but the lights still burned, illuminating this small patch of earth. Here, in this gloomy night, lay a humble, kind, wise, yet somewhat lonely genius, striving diligently for peace and justice for his people. Carlson scribbled a final paragraph in his notebook, preparing to stand and bid farewell to the Chairman, concluding the evening's conversation.

Just before leaving, Carlson suddenly stopped:

"Comrade Chairman, please allow me to take the liberty of asking a question." "Go ahead."

"What does the phrase 'One World, One Dream' on the T-shirt you're wearing mean?"

Under the light of the desk lamp, the chairman's white T-shirt stood out. A bright slogan printed in both Chinese and English read: "One World, One Dream." This piqued Carlson's curiosity. "Oh?"

The Chairman thought for a moment and quickly replied, "One world, one dream. I believe that dream is peace and development. Regardless of which country in the world, the people generally love peace and are weary of war. They yearn for development and detest destruction. The dream of most people is to be able to farm and work in peace, to have enough to eat, to have a little income, and to buy a few feet of cloth to make a new dress for the New Year. It's such a simple dream, yet it's also very complex... But without peace, these things are impossible to achieve."

"We also believe that the dreams of the Chinese people are the same as those of the American people, and even the Japanese people. And now Japan's army is destroying peace.

Their people were also deceived and supported the war, so I

On the one hand, we must defeat the Japanese on the battlefield, and on the other hand, we must find ways to make the Japanese people realize the value of peace."

He said firmly, his eyes seeming to penetrate the mist of time.

Chapter 104: Border Area Chicks

Border area, Fushi.

Although the construction of the Air Force should be kept secret, looking at the entire border area, the only place that can meet the requirements of "staffing", "convenient living and maintenance" and "a slightly flat area" suitable for arranging an aviation school is the already crowded riverside airport by the Fushi River.

Starting in 37, a large roller was brought in from the Engineering School on the other side of the Yan River. Later, a steam-powered camel with a roller was brought in to level the ground. A few sheds were built and a few cave dwellings were dug. This became the headquarters of the "Eighth Route Army Air Force" which also served as the "Border Area Aviation School" - to the outside world, it was an annex to the Fushi Airport and the "National Revolutionary Army's Eighteenth Group Army Air Force Training Center" used to train pilots.

But for a long time, there was no one here.

-------one

"Ah! This American plane is really spacious."

Two short and fat twin-tail transport planes landed at Fushe Airport, and a ladder made of wood and metal was pulled by two donkeys and hung on the aircraft's door.

Now, there is a two-story "control tower" here, which houses radio equipment for communication and navigation, as well as some maintenance forces such as tanker trailers and service vehicles. Compared with when the passengers on the plane left, it is finally in a better state.

"But as far as I know, the Luoyang-built Type 14 transport aircraft, because it has fewer seats, can't compete commercially with the Daoyang-built DC-3 transport aircraft. That's why we can accept returns from airlines at a relatively low price. Hey! Forget us, even the Soviet Union can't build an aircraft that can compare to the Type 14 transport aircraft..."

After hearing this person's narration, all the trainees on the plane fell silent. The joy of having just completed such an arduous task of a long-distance flight from Xinjiang Province to here also disappeared - this was the first long-distance flight operated entirely by the Eighth Route Army pilots, and the instructors only supervised and controlled it. It was a very difficult subject.

"Chang Tiandi, what depressing words are you talking about! So what if we used American planes? We used German and French guns during the Long March, didn't we? The preserved fruits and warlords sent us these. Anything that can remove arm sores is a good plaster, isn't it?"

Seeing that everyone's morale was about to drop, Lv Jixi, the squad leader of this group of pilots, stood up in time and said, "Eat one bite at a time and walk one step at a time."

How can one enter a private school today and learn to read and write, and then pass the imperial examination tomorrow?

Comrades from the mechanics squad, don't you agree?!"

"Oh! That's right!"

The crowd walked away in a noisy manner.

The Eighth Route Army lacked an aviation foundation. They could purchase equipment and import aircraft, but they had to train their own personnel. Aside from a few individuals like Tang Lingyun who had received comprehensive aviation training, no one in the Eighth Route Army could fly or repair a plane. Therefore, the Eighth Route Army could only send personnel to aviation schools in the Soviet Union while utilizing existing aviation school facilities in Xinjiang to train its own pilots and mechanics.

Now, the construction of the aviation school in the border area has been basically completed, and the pilots and mechanics of the first training phase are able to fly and perform simple maintenance on the team and aircraft under the supervision of Soviet instructors. Although their training has not been completed even by the Soviet "emergency training" standards, the next courses can already be conducted here in the border area.

Looking at the several PO2s on the stand, the several Tired Tiger Moths being assembled, and the empty hangars prepared for the 116 and the Hurricane, Chang Tiandi sighed. Although he had been comforted by Squad Leader Lu, deep down, he still felt a little discouraged.

Compared with China, the Soviet Union was already a very powerful aviation country, with its own aircraft design and research and development, maintenance and manufacturing industries; and compared with those traditional Western powers, the Soviet Union's aviation industry still had some gaps compared with them.

Many aviation powers have decades of long-term research and technological accumulation in aircraft, cultivating generations of talent, and experiencing the baptism of world war to achieve their current status. Even the Soviet Union has some legacy and foundation from the pre-Tsarist era - then our aviation foundation is not even as good as that of the Soviet Union...

As a Party member who was admitted to the Yangcheng Aviation School in 1926 and went to the Soviet Union to study aviation in the same year, Chang Tiandi had a pilot and navigator "license" recognized by the Soviet Army, as well as a very solid foundation of aviation knowledge. He was also the pilot theory assistant of this study class, responsible for explaining aviation theory knowledge in Russian and English to everyone.

He also eagerly learned aviation knowledge, studied new aviation tactics, and paid attention to the new tactics, new theories, and new lessons that emerged in the "World War II rehearsal". He even used the extremely difficult and dangerous "German new single-wing fighter" mentioned in the battle report as an imaginary enemy more than once, trying to organize the Eighth Route Army Air Force in his mind to intercept such an illusory force. The relationship between Germany and Japan should be very close. Chang Tiandi felt that if Japan also purchased such aircraft, we would have to face such advanced "German-made fighters."

Perhaps because he understood the aviation field better, he became more and more pessimistic. Building a strong aviation force from scratch is no easy task!

The first batch of returning trainees had a lot to do. Combat aircraft, including the Type 16 and Hurricane, and twin-engine Anson trainer aircraft, capable of ground attack, would arrive soon. The mechanics, who comprised the majority of the group, needed to quickly apply their aircraft maintenance knowledge, consult printed materials, and prepare to maintain the incoming equipment, ensuring they were operational upon arrival.

Soon, only a few members of the pilot class remained on the airfield. With fewer people around, Chang Tiandi's state became even more apparent compared to An Tianjiang, Fang Taixing, and the others who were pointing at the planes, imagining the future, and even wishing to fly a real fighter jet right away.

"Director Lu, I..."

There was no one around, so Lu Jixi came over and pulled him aside. Before Chang Tiandi could speak, Lu Jixi raised his hand to stop him: "Old Chang, hey, in terms of age, you are older than me, should I call you Brother Chang?"

"How could that be? Professionally, you're the squad leader of the pilot class, and I'm the teaching assistant, assisting in the teaching." Chang Tiandi quickly waved his hands in denial, "I just..." "I just feel that we're so poor right now, and it's a bit far to build a complete air force, right?"

Chang Tian nodded and listened to the squad leader, who was a few years younger than him, saying, "Comrade Chang, as Communists, although we emphasize materialism, a good mental state has a strong and active effect on the material foundation.

"The road ahead is difficult. It would be unrealistic to build an air force without difficulties." Lu Jixi looked up at the western sky. Next, the planes coming to the border area

will fly from that direction; and the future pilots of the border area will

Fly into the sky facing the sun in the east.

“What should we do if we encounter difficulties?”

"Understand the difficulties, analyze them," he counted on his fingers, pulling Chang Tiandi to sit down next to the flagpole of the windsock, "then we create the conditions to solve the difficulties."

"To be honest, during this period, I have read a lot of the materials you translated, the textbooks provided by China, and the materials from the Soviet Union. I have also been studying the events on the Spanish battlefield." Here, Lu Jixi also sighed softly, "To be honest, I feel a little desperate, a little bit.

"But, I saw the suffering of the Spanish people in the newspapers and the war reports. I thought..." His tone became firm again.

"We must have a strong air force!"

Chapter 105: The Fledgling's Thoughts

Chang Tian nodded, he knew what Squad Leader Lu was talking about.

On April 26, 1937, the German "Condor Legion" launched a mass air raid on the Spanish town of Guernica. The bombardment lasted three hours, dropping over 4.5 tons of high explosives, destroying over 70% of the city's buildings and causing heavy casualties. This inspired the renowned artist Pablo Picasso to create the painting "Guernica," a denunciation of the devastation inflicted by fascism.

"Although the Spanish people survived the bombing and shared a common hatred for the enemy, the damage inflicted is irreversible." Squad Leader Lu pointed to the city of Fushi, which stretched along the river valley, where many newly erected chimneys stood. "Now our collection of bottles and jars is increasing. The border region cannot withstand a Guernica-style bombing. Therefore, we must nip such attacks in the bud."

If someone were to launch such an attack on us...

Chang Tiandi couldn't help but think of the bomber formation escorted by the "new German monoplane" again. When they appeared in a cluster, the 115th and 116th International Brigades were unable to stop them. "So what should we do? Even if our planes arrived, we won't be able to match the Japanese in numbers in the short term. How can we defend against such an attack?"

Who would have thought that upon hearing this question, Lu Jixi actually laughed out loud, "Brother Chang, we can't just be academics when studying aviation!"

He shook his head and said, "When talking about our Air Force, we can't always talk about it in the same way as air-to-air battles, air-to-air-to-ground - what do we want to do, what do we need to do, and what can we do now - we must always have a target in mind to make the discussion meaningful." Lu Jixi took out a few candies from his pocket and handed them to Chang Tiandi: In order to learn to fly, he actually quit smoking and took throat lozenges instead.

"Our Chief of Machinery, Comrade Wang Qifu, has said that the primary mission for aviation machinery and ground handling is to be able to maintain the foreign aircraft we're about to import. Then, we'll repair them and replicate their easily worn parts. Then, we'll disassemble and overhaul them, establishing an aircraft assembly and overhaul plant. Ultimately, we'll be able to manufacture and design our own aircraft. You see, once you think about it this way, the logic becomes clear, and the thinking becomes clear."

Lu Jixi put his hands on his legs and slapped them. "We, the air force flying in the sky, must also have our own goals and corresponding routes."

In other words...

Chang Tiandi rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought. Previously, he had always thought of it from the perspective of an air force campaign, always plotting how to defeat the opponents who seemed like a "World War II preview": the German Condor Legion and the "volunteer air forces" from other fascist countries. In such an arena, a small-time fighter like the Eighth Route Army Air Force would definitely not be able to achieve its goals.

Although we can currently do very little against the Japanese army that may be equipped with advanced German aircraft.

"I think our primary goal should be to ensure the security of the airspace around our base, and then to provide our troops with air superiority." [Chang Tiandi murmured, "The former actually requires an 'interception operation,' while the latter is a struggle for 'local air superiority.'..."]

"To put it simply, it means preventing the Japanese and the reactionaries from shitting over our heads." Lü Jixi simply summed it up, "Essentially, it's best not to allow enemy aircraft to appear overhead."

"That's right. Right now, rather than fighting for air superiority, thwarting enemy air raids and reconnaissance interceptions should be our primary goal. So, the fast I-16 aircraft can do this job," Chang Tiandi began to get into his groove. "The I-16 aircraft can fly up to 400 kilometers. It's much quicker to react than something like an I-15 for this job!"

He began counting on his fingers and spoke rapidly, "Right now, the main thing we can do is provide reconnaissance for the troops, and occasionally harass them... No, harassment isn't very meaningful right now. We need to equip our reconnaissance aircraft with good radios that can transmit reconnaissance information in a timely manner. This way, the troops will have an extra pair of eyes in the sky... This task can be handled by slower biplanes, such as the L-15, or the L-153 that the Soviet Union promised...

"Old Chang, the Air Force is more than just planes! While fighter jets are the best anti-aircraft guns, Spain's combat effectiveness this time, especially its large-caliber anti-aircraft guns, was also very effective. We have always had the support of the people, so if we receive timely notification when the enemy takes off, organize anti-aircraft evacuations, and prepare ambushes with anti-aircraft machine guns and artillery, we can also reduce or even prevent the enemy's intentions."

Compared to Chang Tiandi, who was trained in military training, Lü Jixi, who had experienced the Long March, clearly had a more "army" mindset: "Besides, planes are most vulnerable on the ground. Our army, with the support of guerrillas and civilians, can even bomb the Japanese planes on the ground, just like the 129th Division did last time!"

Due to limited conditions, the Eighth Route Army's Air Force will, for a considerable period of time, focus on interception operations and the struggle for local air superiority, with serving the Army's operations and maintaining the security of the base areas as its main tasks, and occasionally act as a flying scout... If the Japanese planes can be destroyed, then this goal will be achieved.

"However, long-range air strikes on ground targets are not an easy task."

However, this annihilation can occur in heaven as well as on earth.

Chang Tiandi felt like a window had been opened in his mind: "Director Lu, do you think our Air Force should form a ground force?" Huh?

This time it was Lu Jixi's turn to open his mouth wide.

"Director Lu, you know it's actually quite difficult for planes in the air to see clearly what's on the ground, especially over the complex and varied terrain of the Loess Plateau, or when the enemy has mastered anti-aircraft camouflage." Chang Tiandi began to get excited, jumping up from the stone pier of the windsock. "But ground troops are different. They can carry radio equipment and observe from a distance of a hundred meters. That way, aerial camouflage is no longer effective—especially against a target like an airport!"

"Except for the Japanese invaders' new Type 97 heavy bombers, the rest of their aircraft, even the Type 93 bombers modeled after the German Junkers, have a range of only 90 kilometers. If they want to bomb the border areas, they must land at an airfield near the border to refuel, then take off with their bombs loaded. In North China, there aren't many airfields capable of this. So, our targets are actually only a few."

He began to walk in a circle, counting on his fingers: "Although we don't have a long history of air force, we have a better mass base than the great powers. No matter how powerful the Japanese invaders are, they can't live without food and drink and travel to the surrounding cities and villages. Therefore, the Japanese invaders' airport will definitely be discovered by our army, and we can send this force to conduct reconnaissance.

"With the help of the people, this force can hide near the airport and observe the takeoff and landing of Japanese planes. When we know that Japanese planes are attacking, we can organize evacuation.

Air defense, and even guide the air force to intercept; and in wartime, they can

We can directly contact our team and guide our own troops or fighter planes to destroy the Japanese aircraft and facilities on the ground..."

As soon as the words fell, Chang Tiandi himself was stunned. He vaguely felt that behind the opened window, there was a foggy, but extremely vast and brand new world, inviting him in.

If there is such a ground force that is closely connected with the air force, then why are the targets of air force attacks limited to airfields and enemy aircraft?

Chapter 106: Momentum...Just Right (Summary Chapter)

The Air Force was thinking of some quite advanced ideas, while the traditional and ancient Eighth Route Army was developing along the route drawn up by the Central Committee towards the vast land of North China, going to the enemy's rear, to places that were ignored by the enemy and where their strength was weak.

At one time, anti-Japanese bases were established in Jin-Cha-Ji, southeastern Shanxi, southern Hebei, Hebei-Shandong border, central Hebei, and even eastern Hebei. In eastern Hebei, patriotic soldiers and civilians who had suffered oppression from the Japanese puppet regime, under the leadership of the Ji-Re Border Special District Committee, launched a widespread anti-Japanese armed uprising, sweeping across many cities and prefectures in eastern Hebei.

This was the Jidong Uprising in history. Unfortunately, the uprising lacked decisive leadership and strong enough forces. In the end, the rebel forces were surrounded by the Japanese army. The soldiers, miners and workers suffered heavy losses. The troops were dispersed and forced to break out in different directions.

In response, the Military Commission's forward command, deployed this time, directly instructed the 165th Division, advancing into Hebei Province, to dispatch a work group and corresponding combat units to provide support. A large number of salvaged rifles successfully armed the rebellious workers, and the workers and miners, naturally well-disciplined, were led by the work group to fight and retreat quickly. With the exception of Zhao Baosen and Li Fangqi's troops who remained in Yaodaishan, Lujiayu, and Panshan areas, the entire group successfully escaped the encirclement before the Japanese invaders could mobilize their forces and evacuated towards the "Pearl of Beijing and Tianjin" along the Pingjin Railway.

The North China Front Army, which hastily mobilized its forces, ended up with nothing.

Immediately afterwards, the 129th Division prepared for a full-scale deployment in Hebei Province, while the 165th Division, together with the Hebei-Central and Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei bases, led by Song Jiyao, Deng Shiqiu, and Lu Bizhi-Meng Zhushan detachments, successfully broke through the Pingjin and Pingquan railway lines, and opened up a retreat route. The newly formed Jidong Anti-Japanese Allied Forces fled along the Pingbei and Pingxi bases and successfully withdrew to the area controlled by our army, which made the Japanese and puppet troops furious and secretly glad.

They were angry that the target they were trying to encircle and suppress actually flew away, but they were happy that this large and powerful army did not establish any "base" next to the North China Front Army Headquarters.

However, at this moment, the 101st Division in Shandong Province once again demonstrated its style of 'not being satisfied with swallowing a million troops'. When the Japanese invaders shifted their focus to the retreating Hebei and Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei bases, the 115th Division, which was supposed to be responsible for containing the Japanese troops in the Cangzhou area, was obviously not satisfied with simply launching harassment and containing the Japanese reinforcements heading north. Under the original order of "completely harassing and containing the Japanese troops, and seeking opportunities to annihilate the enemy", the 10th Division dispatched its valuable mountain artillery battalion and assembled the corresponding troops to begin shelling Cang County, allowing many troops to prepare and deploy in places where the Japanese army could detect them, creating a huge momentum.

He expressed his intention to attack this key city on the Jinpu Railway.

Um, wait?

At this time, the Japanese mobile forces in Peiping had been attracted by the attacking forces from the two bases. There were not many Japanese troops in Cang County, and they were attacked by "howitzers". The North China Expeditionary Force, which was in a state of panic, could only let the 114th Division in Quancheng send a rescue force to Cang County for rescue.

As this telegram passed along the telegraph lines along the Jinpu Road, the 115th Division's Telecommunications Department had already downloaded the Morse code from the poles. Using a newly arrived STM32 telegraph decoder from the border region, it was translated and handed over to the 101st Division. Then, utilizing the nearly one-way, transparent radio communications, the 115th Division withdrew its main force from outside Cangzhou, leaving only a small number of troops for feints to maintain containment of the Japanese.

The main force of the 115th Division hid during the day and moved out at night, avoiding Japanese aerial reconnaissance while moving quickly to Mingdengsi Town in Dongguang County. Here, the 115th Division set up an expanded pocket formation, using its absolute superiority in manpower to split and encircle a battalion of reinforcements from the 114th Division heading north.

Then, after the mountain artillery battalion's four Shanghai-made mountain cannons and two Japanese mountain cannons arrived, the two regiments of the 115th Division launched a concentric attack on the Japanese troops in the encirclement under absolute superior firepower.

The Japanese 114th Division, which had little experience with the Eighth Route Army, used the truck and cart defensive positions that had been effective against the Kuomintang guerrillas, trying to exchange fire with the Eighth Route Army and hold their ground until reinforcements, but then all of them flew into the sky under the bombardment of turtle boxing and mortars.

Through short and powerful annihilation battles and blocking reinforcements, the 115th Division wiped out nearly 1000 Japanese troops, with only less than 200 casualties. Moreover, they successfully withdrew from the battle before the frustrated 102nd Division stopped its northward reinforcements and rushed over to try to retaliate.

The years of 1938 dragged on slowly, and the storm unleashed by the Jidong Revolution gradually subsided. During this period, the border regions and various anti-Japanese bases gained at least 3 workers skilled in blasting, processing, and mining. The Japanese army, scrambling across North China, could never find the imagined "main force of the Eighth Route Red Army," unable to engage them in decisive battle. Instead, they suffered continuous, piecemeal losses, seemingly mired in a quagmire.

However, things were not entirely smooth sailing. Aside from the Eighth Route Army's primary battleground in the enemy's rear, while many Nationalist troops on the front lines bravely resisted, the Yellow River's dikes remained breached, and the Japanese army continued its unstoppable advance through the Central China theater. The Japanese were able to gradually deploy their forces along the Yangtze River, approaching Jiangcheng, the "crossroads of nine provinces." The brutal Battle of Jiangcheng was about to begin. However, in Central China, the situation remained largely unchanged from history. Therefore, this battle would likely end in a final victory for the Japanese army, thanks to the bloody fighting of the anti-Japanese soldiers and civilians.

However, since then, the Japanese front has gradually stretched out, and its offensive has gradually slowed down. The war, which should have been a "quick victory," is gradually being prolonged and drawn out. Everything is just as Chairman Mao said in "On Protracted War."

In the raging flames of August 1938, even as the nascent Eighth Route Army Air Force was still exploring the brave new world of air-ground coordination, the Japanese army, advancing smoothly in central China but suffering repeated setbacks in northern China, was clearly growing increasingly frustrated. Under the direct coordination of the North China Expeditionary Force, at Yicheng, on the Yangtze River, where the main Japanese Army Air Force headquarters was stationed, several strange-looking twin-engine bombers rumbled. After refueling, they took off one after another, using the Yangtze River and railway as their guides, and flew north.

Next, they headed to Shimen, refueled and loaded their bombs, then prepared to launch a terrifying aerial bombardment against the Eighth Route Red Army's "nest," Fushi City, to inflict a devastating threat on the heinous Eighth Route Red Army!

Chapter 107: Not a New Threat

When it comes to air raids, most people who have watched the documentary in Liu Helian's Little Black Book will think of the following scene: in the endless darkness, groups of bombers are lined up in the night sky, the city below is lit up with bright searchlights, firing a series of artillery shells, and the flames of the explosions light up in the sky and on the ground at the same time, like a string of lanterns suspended in the sky and on the water.

Or, in the daytime with clear skies, huge four-engine heavy bombers formed an indestructible formation, dropping a series of fire rains representing death, while lower or higher, escorting fighters pulled out their tracks and fought head-on with interceptors.

When news of the Japanese air raid on Fushi arrived, some instinctively imagined this scenario unfolding above the city, a moment of fear or panic. After a long journey to the border region, over a year of construction, the comrades were finally getting enough to eat and wear, their comrades in the army had received new equipment, and everything seemed to be finally getting back on track. Could it be that this scenario would be completely obliterated by a bomb dropping from the sky?

After their instinctive reaction, they would realize: No! It was the Japanese who launched the air raid, not the British and American powers! Where did so many four-engine bombers and heavy bombs come from? Even the latest Type 97 heavy bomber can only carry one ton of bombs - you know, which four-engine bomber in the picture book can't carry more than 5 tons of explosives?

but.....

The German devils used only four and a half tons of explosives to blow up 70% of the buildings in the town of Guernica. How many tons of explosives could a mere city like Fushe withstand? After experiencing repeated roller coaster moods, almost all the Eighth Route Army troops were like wound-up springs, running at full speed.

Our army is no stranger to airplanes. During the Long March, the Kuomintang army used airplanes many times to detect our movements, drop bombs, and strafe and harass us. Although there was no way to have any impact on the overall strategic situation - there were even several times when aerial reconnaissance caused the Kuomintang army to misjudge our army's strategic direction - it was always very annoying.

To this end, our army has many means and experience summaries of marching, combat and even air expulsion to deal with aerial reconnaissance, but strictly speaking, our army has no experience in focusing on air defense for a city.

Fortunately, the Eighth Route Army included people like Tang Lingyun and Wang Qifu who had systematically studied air force in the Soviet Union and brought translated materials on urban civil defense. The border government followed suit and established its own civil defense system and purchased some equipment: such as wired radios with large loudspeakers and alarms that could be shaken to sound the alarm. In this way, at least when an air raid came, the basic militia responsible for city defense would no longer have to use suona to replace air raid sirens.

At the same time, thanks to a series of anti-air raid drills that began in 37, many colleges, universities, institutions, factories and mines in Fushi City already have a basic set of plans, so they don't have to run around like headless flies.