The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

"Orders: The subsequent transport forces are to immediately begin clearing and retreating. Remove all captured materials, especially the train repair shops and other factories, as well as the mining machinery and equipment. Remove all machinery and equipment that can be moved. Remove all railroad tracks. Ships that can sail upstream should be moved, and any that cannot be moved should be blown up. Also, blow up all the machinery and equipment that cannot be moved. Also, blow up the important military and political facilities built by the British."

"Yes."

The British colonized the world to obtain cheap raw materials and develop markets, so they built numerous factories and mined numerous mines in northern Myanmar. Naturally, these machines and equipment could not be left to the British. During their withdrawal, the People's Liberation Army carried out a systematic, massive demolition operation, completely destroying northern Myanmar's defenses and military installations. Military warehouses and other vital military and civilian facilities were demolished. Towns were reduced to ruins, and all land and water transportation was paralyzed. This severely damaged northern Myanmar's infrastructure, returning it to a state of decades past, and severely weakened Britain's war capabilities in the region.

Furthermore, the PLA carried out a post-war relocation campaign and confiscated a large amount of military and civilian supplies, much of which the British likely used to wage war against the liberated areas. After the war, Kinin Maungde visited Bhamo and Myitkyina, two key towns in northern Myanmar. The devastating sight of ruin and ruin left him speechless.

Burma during the British colonial period and the Burmese people's anti-British struggle during British rule. In the early days of British occupation, Burma was designated a province of British India, governed by a commissioner appointed by the British Governor-General. In 1897, Burma was upgraded to an "autonomous province," with the British Lieutenant-Governor-General serving as Governor. A nine-member Provincial Legislative Assembly was established, with the Governor-General serving as Speaker and appointing all members. The Legislative Assembly served only as an advisory body and lacked legislative power.

Shortly after the PLA's attack, the British colonists learned of the incident via telegram. The news was immediately reported to the highest levels of government, but the British colonial authorities were remarkably slow to react. The PLA's sudden attack on Bhamo and Myitkyina was clearly unprepared for, leaving the British colonists in complete disbelief, bewildered, and stunned.

The PLA's current self-defense counterattack against Britain was unlike the previous self-defense counterattack against Vietnam. That previous counterattack was so arduous, not only due to the terrain and support from countries like the Soviet Union, but also because Vietnam is a socialist country where every citizen is a soldier. Throughout Vietnam's history, especially in recent times, war has been almost constant, starting with the war against France, then continuing with the wars against Japan, the war against the United States, and the civil war that led to unification. With decades and centuries of combat experience, the Vietnamese are a nation of soldiers, and every one of them is capable of firing a weapon. Under the guidance of Chinese officers, the Vietnamese government has also made significant efforts to promote military education, with almost every student and peasant now able to fire a gun. This is understandable, as the people are motivated by their desire to protect themselves and their families. Through our military's teachings, the Vietnamese also learned to wage a people's war, with almost everyone, from children to women, taking up arms in resistance. This was the reason the PLA suffered heavy losses during the Vietnam War.

However, the British colonists would never have been able to organize the colonists to resist the PLA. Ever since they arrived in South Asia, they had been plundering like crazy. They plundered the land, stealing vast quantities of food, money, and wealth, yet paying no attention to the lives of the locals. The locals hated the British colonists to the core. Aside from a few traitors who profited, the vast majority of the people wished the British colonists dead. How could they possibly help the British colonists fight the PLA? The locals would never attack the PLA unless the PLA had seriously harmed their interests.

Furthermore, the Yunnan-Myanmar border boasts a significant number of ethnic Chinese, or people of other ethnicities who have been assimilated to a significant degree of sinicization. Bhamo and Myitkyina are both strategic transportation hubs, and trade is usually prosperous. Even now, amidst the standoff between the People's Liberation Army and the British, no one would have imagined the PLA would proactively invade. This is because the Qing court consistently maintained a policy of tolerance on the border, with the most important of all orders being to refrain from provoking border conflicts and to maintain peace and stability. Faced with the sudden appearance of the People's Liberation Army, not only the British troops were stunned, but also the entire local population was filled with expressions of disbelief.

The PLA continued to expand its victory, and the British army was defeated and quickly collapsed. At this time, the British Empire, which had always been arrogant, realized how weak it was. Facing the attack of a powerful army, Britain had no way to deal with it. Faced with the PLA's continued attacks, the British colonists fell into panic.

Upon receiving the news, Kininmond immediately reported it to his superiors and mobilized troops stationed in India to support Burma. Prime Minister Banernan convened a meeting to discuss countermeasures, ultimately deciding to send more troops to Burma to defeat the PLA and recapture Myitkyina and other areas. He also ordered the Chinese ambassador, Sadaoyi, to use diplomatic means to resolve the issue.

Unfortunately, the British officials at 10 Downing Street in the UK did not know that this was a powerful weapon that had repeatedly proven effective against the Qing Dynasty, as it relied on intimidation and threats to force China to retreat.

The method that was effective against any local forces of the Qing Dynasty has no effect on the liberated areas led by Zhang Yinghao. Zhang Yinghao is even more powerful than the world now.

Anyone in the world understands Britain's future. Zhang Yinghao has seen through the British. If Zhang Yinghao was afraid of the British, he would not have sent troops to fight back. Zhang Yinghao only does what he thinks he should do. He will not accept what the British want him to do.

However, just when all the British officials were sharpening their knives and preparing for a big fight with the People's Liberation Army, what surprised all the British was that a few days later, the British officials received another telegram from the front line, saying that the British army had won a brilliant victory in Myitkyina and Bhamo areas, and recaptured one town after another.

Regardless of whether it was true or false, British newspapers that received the instructions began to report in a series of articles: "... the Qing rebels were despicable and shameless. They launched an undeclared war and launched a despicable sneak attack on our Burma Province. However, under the heroic and fearless fighting of our soldiers, the Qing rebels were defeated. The scarred army has unconditionally withdrawn from our territory. Our brave British Empire soldiers have won every battle... and have achieved an extremely glorious victory." and so on.

The PLA's capture of Myitkyina, Bhamo, and other vast areas of northern Myanmar resulted in the seizure of British colonial supplies, resulting in a substantial haul. This included not only the British reserves and equipment, sufficient to sustain tens of thousands of troops for several major wars, but also mountains of supplies seized at river ports and railway stations. These included gasoline, diesel, rails, bridge equipment, copper, aluminum, electrical wiring, communications equipment, rubber, various engines, generators, machinery, and ores such as iron, tin, and antimony. Not including food, the total amount exceeded 10 tons.

Among them were over 1,200 tons of steel, 4,500 tons of iron, over 900 tons of copper, over 1,300 tons of lead, over 7,000 tons of rails, over 500 tons of copper and iron wire, over 1,300 tons of brass, over 2,000 tons of machinery, over 4,000 tons of bedding and textiles, over 1,000 tons of salt, and over 5,000 tons of gunpowder. More importantly, the PLA also seized a firearms repair shop and a factory manufacturing bullets and shells, complete with all the necessary machinery and equipment. These machines, equipment, and supplies now became the basis for the British colonialists' plans to invade Yunnan.

Li Lao Hu looked at the mountains of supplies and the shameless reports from the British, and his face flushed, then he was furious. He'd seen shameless people, but never such shamelessness. The PLA had clearly been withdrawing from south to north, from west to east, in a slow, coordinated retreat, perfectly completing the war's objectives and achieving their original purpose. The British troops who had arrived didn't dare confront the PLA directly, but simply followed behind them, watching helplessly as our army retreated. If you really put it that way, the British had indeed easily recaptured all their lost territory. If you just read the British reports, anyone would think the PLA had suffered a crushing defeat and the British a resounding victory.

Li Lao Hu was so angry that he immediately sent a telegram to Zhang Jianping, requesting to fight again, requesting to fight the British in the Myitkyina area again to let the British taste the power of the People's Liberation Army again.

After receiving the telegram, Zhang Jianping said nothing and directly forwarded it to the Central Military Commission for instructions. After reading the telegram, Zhang Yinghao handed it directly to Cai E, who was serving as a staff officer next to him. Zhang Yinghao was very attentive to the outstanding people who were able to study abroad at this time. He even established a Federation of Overseas Chinese to be responsible for the affairs of overseas Chinese and students. Comrades overseas would take the initiative to contact them and try their best to provide them with help and win them over. In particular, comrades who were willing to support the revolutionary cause could be sent directly to the liberated areas and arranged for them to work according to their majors.

Cai E was not the only one. The other two of the "Three Great Chinese NCOs" from the Tokyo Army Academy, Jiang Fangzhen and Zhang Xiaohuai, were now serving in the People's Liberation Army. The PLA lacked these individuals who had attended regular military academies, and their arrival naturally filled some of the shortcomings of the military academy established by Zhang Yinghao.

Of course, in Zhang Yinghao's eyes, the military knowledge learned in Japan was inherently flawed. Much of the content was outdated, and direct application in China would inevitably be inadequate. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao didn't care if Jiang Fangzhen and his colleagues were the "Three Great NCOs" or geniuses. Even if they joined the Forward Party, Zhang Yinghao wouldn't let them lead the troops directly. They would need to attend the military academy Zhang Yinghao established for training and study, and only after they had a clear understanding of the PLA's philosophy and nature could they actually perform their duties. Cai E, however, had been assigned to the General Staff Headquarters due to his outstanding performance.

After Cai E finished reading the telegram, Zhang Yinghao asked directly: "Songpo, although we didn't publicize this self-defense counterattack against Vietnam, our comrades know the details. You also know how much we captured and how little we lost in the previous self-defense counterattack against Britain. Do you think we can fight another one just because the newspapers of the great powers are talking nonsense?"

Cai E was silent for a moment and then said, "Chairman, I don't think there is any need to fight anymore. The number of prisoners alone exceeds 20,000, although most of them are red-headed Indians. However, the British army has suffered heavy losses and has no spare energy to attack us immediately in the short term. It is just a verbal advantage. If we still actively attack them now, then Britain will certainly mobilize its troops to Burma with all its strength, and then a major war will inevitably break out on the Yunnan-Burma border in the near future. If we let the British take some verbal advantage now, we can gain a longer period of peace. Moreover, if we fight the British army now, then our only place of attack can be Lashio. The British army here must be well-prepared and there is a train. Even if our army is going on a long expedition, if the purpose is not to seize land, then the final victory will be a pyrrhic one."

Zhang Yinghao smiled, remembering the words from Sun Tzu's Art of War: "...a lord should not raise an army out of anger, nor a general out of resentment." He nodded toward Cai E, then turned to the signalman and said, "Call back Comrade Zhang Jianping. Just one sentence: Don't raise an army out of anger, and don't attack out of resentment."

"Yes."

Zhang Yinghao was extremely happy at this moment. The victory in this self-defense counterattack against Britain had brought the Liberated Areas immense benefits. Besides the vast quantities of seized supplies, the greatest benefit was territorial gains. Britain would no longer be able to interfere with the PLA's operations in Jiangxinpo and the Hugang Valley for a short period of time. They had essentially secured 27,000 square kilometers of Jiangxinpo, over 20,000 square kilometers of the Hugang Valley, and, with Jiangxinpo as their center, over 70,000 square kilometers of northern Myanmar. In other words, the Liberated Areas had essentially secured over 80% of what would later become Kachin State, Myanmar.

Although northern Myanmar is located in the Hengduan Mountains and has many mountainous areas, the water and heat conditions here are very good. As long as it is well developed, the Jiangxinpo area will become a large granary, enough to produce food for one million people, which will be of great help in alleviating China's food shortage problem.

The key now is to gradually complete land reform in areas like Jiangxinpo and gain the support of the local people. Of course, developing Jiangxinpo is urgent. By bringing vitality to this desolate land and improving the lives of the local people, they will naturally support the Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army. Both the Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army have now developed a relatively mature model for integrating into ethnic minority areas. Given enough time to achieve seamless integration, the Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army will be able to take root in Jiangxinpo and the Hugang Valley, and no one will be able to drive them away. The PLA's recent beating of the British has bought them ample time.

Of course, capturing Jiangxinpo also carries a significant strategic significance: the Hugang Valley borders the present-day British Indian state of Assam to the north. Furthermore, Jiangxinpo borders Zayu County in the north, and the northwestern part also borders British Indian state of Assam. The northern part of British Indian state of Assam is the pseudo-state of Achalur, illegally established by India in southern Tibet in a previous life. Now that the Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army have seized Jiangxinpo and most of the Hugang Valley, supplying southern Tibet will no longer be as difficult as it was in their previous lives, ultimately leading to the loss of a vast swath of territory. Of course, Zhang Yinghao doesn't need to elaborate on these matters; comrades should simply understand that Jiangxinpo, the Hugang Valley, and other areas have been inherent Chinese territory since ancient times.

Chapter 375:

After Zhang Jianping received Zhang Yinghao's telegram, he took a look at it and immediately breathed a sigh of relief. As he expected, the Chairman was still as wise and powerful, with a clear mind, and did not agree to Li Laohu's request to send troops again.

Zhang Jianping was in high spirits, even reciting Sun Tzu's "Art of War" along with Zhang Yinghao's telegram: "Act when it suits your advantage; stop when it doesn't. Anger can be turned into joy, resentment can be reconciled; a destroyed nation cannot be restored, and the dead cannot be brought back to life. Therefore, a wise ruler should exercise caution, and a good general should take heed. This is the way to ensure the safety of a nation and its army."

After Zhang Jianping finished reciting, he turned to the correspondent next to him and said, "Directly forward this telegram from the Chairman to Comrade Li Lao Hu."

"Yes."

Li Lao Hu and his men had been attacking too smoothly and had captured too much spoils. Now they were too eager to fight. If Zhang Jianping forced them not to attack, it would lead to misunderstanding and even resentment among the PLA soldiers. As a last resort, Zhang Jianping could only hand this issue over to the Central Army.

As long as the Military Commission issued an order, he only needed to execute it. It was not his responsibility to issue an order for an active attack again.

With the approval of the Central Military Commission.

Moreover, Zhang Jianping did not want any further disturbances in Myitkyina. Starting a war on two fronts was a military taboo. The PLA's sudden advance into Bhamo and Myitkyina coincided with its advance into the Menghen area. The PLA was currently breaching the Yunnan-Myanmar border near Laos, rapidly advancing along the Lancang River into the Mekong River, the Nu River into the Salween River, and the ancient Tea Horse Road to Siam. To restore the frontier to the Ming Dynasty's state, this campaign must achieve its intended goal: to establish a border with Siam.

Why did the PLA choose this area to advance deep into Indochina? It's because it borders rivers on two sides, sharing two natural borders. Furthermore, it's deep within Indochina, yet also deep inland. Even if Britain and France sent troops in, the PLA could confidently hold it. Furthermore, this area originally belonged to Siam, ceded to British Burma in 1893, making it a natural place for the PLA to occupy.

Zhang Jianping processed a few documents when something suddenly struck him. He picked up his pen and began writing. He paused, then turned to another correspondent and said, "Send another telegram to Comrade Li Lao Hu. Ask him to immediately deploy the weapons, equipment, and supplies of a captured division to support the comrades advancing into the Menghen area. The comrades in the Menghen area may not only face simultaneous attacks from Britain and France, but also, after bordering Siam, they may even have to face an imminent attack from the Siamese army. This is the most important thing right now."

The correspondent took the telegram written by Zhang Jianping and immediately replied: "Yes."

After reading the telegram forwarded by Zhang Jianping, Liu Qi asked directly: "Chairman, why are the British newspapers reporting such a complete distortion of right and wrong?"

Obviously, Liu Qi had also read what the British had published in the newspaper. Zhang Yinghao thought for a moment, chuckled, and said, "It's not easy to be a gang boss! To understand why the British are confusing right and wrong, we must first understand what kind of world we live in today. The current world is a world of the survival of the fittest, a world of crazy expansion. Britain is the world's hegemon, maintaining the current world order, the colonial system, and the hegemony of the British pound. Naturally, Britain will strongly oppose our challenge to the order established by the British.

Therefore, Britain absolutely cannot retreat. Even if it loses a little, saving face is more important. If Britain chooses to retreat now, it will be a fatal blow to the colonial system that Britain currently maintains. Think about it, if the British are defeated again and again by the weak us, the vast majority of colonial people will wonder if Britain is no longer strong. Then, can India resist British colonization? Can Myanmar, Singapore, Australia and other places also resist British colonization?

Therefore, Britain must remain strong to the end. If Britain shows any sign of weakness, or even defeat, then the colonies will inevitably become unstable, just like the uprisings in many parts of Myanmar today. Given the opportunity, the angry colonists will immediately rise up and overthrow the rule of the British colonists. If the British fail to suppress the rebellion, the spark will spread like wildfire, and a storm of rebellion will erupt in colonies around the world, and the so-called British Empire on which the sun never sets will be doomed.

The current population of the United Kingdom is only 35 million, but the UK controls a staggering 370 million people worldwide. This means that only one in every ten Britons is native to the UK—a terrifying ratio. Britain's ability to maintain its vast colonial empire and engage in rampant plunder relies heavily on the inherently overwhelming advantage of industrial nations over agricultural ones and its past dominance. It's simply because the colonists, fearing the British's past dominance, dare not resist.

Comrades, think about this: the Qing Dynasty was still a unified nation, but it remained terrified of the foreign powers. After being repeatedly crushed by them, it now knew the attitude of its colonies around the world toward the British colonists, just like a mouse seeing a cat. This is one of the reasons why Britain can still act with such arrogance. Therefore, they must trumpet their victories and their prowess. Once the weakness of the British colonists is exposed and the colonists no longer fear them, the fate that awaits Britain is disintegration.

After listening to Zhang Yinghao's analysis, all the comrades nodded. At this time, Shen Ruo suddenly said: "Chairman, the British Minister Plenipotentiary to China, Sir John Sawyer, has sent a protest against our attack on Burma. He said that we are provoking Britain and must apologize and pay compensation for this incident. Otherwise, we will be responsible for all the consequences. How should we respond to him?"

Hearing Shen Ruo's words, Zhang Yinghao smiled and said, "Your Ministry of Foreign Affairs can just take the British newspapers and talk to them. Tell them that you have won the victory and we are willing to cooperate with you. We know how powerful Britain is and are willing to acknowledge Britain's victory. The British should then understand what I mean."

Hearing Zhang Yinghao say this, many comrades were stunned. What did this mean? Cooperating with the British to tell lies, cooperating with the British to confuse right and wrong?

Shen Ruo thought about it for a while before answering, "The Chairman means that this matter ends here and that we acknowledge the British hegemony and the international order they established?"

After hearing Shen Ruo's answer, Zhang Yinghao was quite satisfied. However, many comrades still couldn't understand it and still looked confused.

Looking at the expressions of his comrades, Zhang Yinghao sighed inwardly and said directly: "Comrades, you can't get fat in one bite! Look at us now. If we tear down the city wall, can we only do it bit by bit? If we cut down a tree, whether we use an axe, a hatchet or a saw, can we only chop down a tree bit by bit? Since Columbus landed in America in the 1490s, and since Spain has been conquering and colonizing the American continent and the Caribbean, a series of colonial countries such as Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, France, and Britain have emerged. The colonial system has been established for more than 500 years. It is like a towering tree, and now it is the most luxuriant. We are now like a child chopping down a tree with a knife. We can't hurt the foundation of the colonial system at all.

We advocate seeking truth from facts and basing our actions on facts. The reality is that the colonial system is still very powerful, we are still very weak, and the center of the world is in Europe. These are the harsh realities of the present, and we must acknowledge them. To resolve the problems of the colonial system, we still have to rely on European countries. The best we can do now is to give them a helping hand, using the ant-moving-house approach to gradually wear down the colonial powers' strength.

"Chairman, how long do we have to wait?"

"We say we are materialists. We believe that the development of productivity is the fundamental driving force for social progress, and we believe that the masses are the creators of history. The vast majority of people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America are now colonized. This is inconsistent with our ideal of liberating all humanity. Moreover, the oppression and exploitation of one by another is unjust. Such a system is bound to be overthrown. With the development of productivity, we have reason to believe that social change will inevitably come, and the vast majority of colonized people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America will rise up and be liberated. At that time, the colonial system will inevitably collapse. As for when?"

Zhang Yinghao frowned again. Seeing everyone looking at him, listening intently, he wanted to say that there was no solution to this problem within the foreseeable future. After all, the method of colonization based on land occupation and military force had indeed collapsed after a few decades, with the exception of a few rare regions. However, there were also economic and cultural colonization methods that were countless times more sophisticated than the current ones. Even Zhang Yinghao didn't know when they would be resolved. However, in order not to dampen the morale of his comrades, Zhang Yinghao spoke directly: "Materialist dialectics holds that external factors are the conditions for change, while internal factors are the basis for change. External factors act through internal factors. As of now, the vast majority of the people of Asia, Africa, and Latin America have not yet awakened. To completely overthrow the current colonial system, barring unexpected events, it could take two to three hundred years. If special circumstances arise, it would take at least several dozen or even hundreds of years."

"Chairman, what constitutes an exceptional circumstance?"

"Haha, the US currently produces 15 million tons of steel, Germany 9 million tons, and the UK, third in the world, produces just over 5 million tons. Yet, the UK controls a population of 370 million and a territory of over 30 million square kilometers. The US and Germany are overproducing, but they have nowhere to sell their products. Even small capitalist nations like the Netherlands, Belgium, and Portugal possess 647 million square kilometers of colonies. The imbalance in economic and political development among these imperialist powers inevitably necessitates a redistribution of colonies and spheres of influence. This unique situation necessitates a world war between these powers. Only in this way can the peoples of Asia, Africa, and Latin America escape colonial rule and enslavement by the great powers."

Of course, there's no point in overthinking it now. We're still very weak, and our country hasn't yet been unified and liberated. So for now, we can only desperately strive for China's independence and the interests of the Chinese people. In short, we can't afford to offend the Western powers right now.

"Chairman, if we took the initiative to attack Burma, wouldn't that be considered a huge offense to the British?" "Haha, that's completely different. Do the British want to destroy us? Of course they do. But why didn't they come to destroy us? Because it wouldn't be worth it. Let me give you an example. If the British had attacked Tengchong this time and immediately retreated, would we have rushed to Tengchong and immediately marched into Burma to teach the British a lesson? No! We would have stabilized the situation in Tengchong first, and then we would have taught the British who had marched into Tengchong a lesson. If the British had admitted their guilt, we might not have taken the initiative to attack Burma, right? So if we occupied Myitkyina and Bhamo and didn't retreat, the British would definitely attack us with all their might, just like if they occupied Tengchong now, we would also fight them with all our might. But if we took the initiative to retreat, as long as the British didn't go crazy, they would definitely not attack us immediately."

"Chairman, is this also the reason why we didn't publicize this victory?" "Yes, that's one of the reasons! We must have a materialistic view of time and guard against arrogance and impatience. What we need to do now is to desperately develop production. The increase in productivity will inevitably lead to changes in production relations and ultimately social change. We can't think that we can solve the problem of colonialism in a day or two, or a year or two. We've been in revolution for four years, and we haven't overthrown the Qing Dynasty yet. So don't think that we can change our backwardness and bullying in a few years. Don't think that we can defeat all our enemies with one blow. Moreover, resolving one contradiction will bring another; struggle is the eternal theme. What is our current situation? We are struggling to survive in the cracks. We must be like a mad dog, biting and fighting anyone who touches our interests. In other words, if we can only maintain our current interests, we must be completely prepared to overturn the table at any time and be ready to fight to the death.

The current colonial system protects the interests of the colonizers. Any vested interest group desires to solidify their interests, and colonialists are no exception. The British and French colonizers naturally wish for time to stop, for their interests to be passed down through the ages. Our own country has yet to be unified and liberated, so we simply cannot spare the energy to challenge the vested interests of the British and French powers or to try to shake them. As the saying goes, to destroy someone's wealth is like killing their parents. Challenging the established order of the great powers and the colonial system would require a redivision of the world, a problem that would inevitably require a world war. We must cherish our limited resources and be adept at protecting ourselves in order to achieve ultimate victory. We currently lack even our own navy, making us incapable of conducting cross-sea operations. We lack the capability and experience to wage large-scale warfare. If Britain and France were to take matters into our own hands, we might avoid strategic annihilation and even achieve ultimate victory. However, tactically, we would inevitably lose territory and territory in a short period of time, and these losses would undoubtedly be devastating. This is not what the Progressive Party desires.

So now that the British are inclined to resolve the issue through diplomatic means, we should honestly tell them that we will not touch their vested interests. We also believe that your vested interests can be passed down for generations, and we will not touch your fundamental interests in the colonies. We are willing to formulate our future strategy under the order you set. As materialists, is it difficult for us to deceive a capitalist diplomat who is still in a colonial country?

After hearing Zhang Yinghao's words, the comrades present suddenly felt enlightened, their faces a look of sudden enlightenment. Judging from the global situation, the PLA's surprise attack into Burma was completely insignificant. As long as the Progressive Party and the PLA did not infringe on the fundamental interests of Western imperialism, everything could be negotiated. After hearing this, Shen Ying said directly, "Chairman, I know what to do."

After listening to this, Zhang Yinghao frowned and said, "Our army is still advancing into the Menghen area. After we liberate the Menghen area and border Siam, your Ministry of Foreign Affairs will have a good talk with the British. As long as they recognize that the Menghen area is our inherent territory of China and that the current Line of Actual Control is the border, we can sign an agreement if we can, or a memorandum if we can't. Then we can unconditionally release all captured British soldiers. However, the workers and technicians captured in Myitkyina and Bhamo cannot be released for the time being. We still need them to train apprentices for us."

"Okay, do the released British soldiers include the British troops captured in Tibet?" Zhang Yinghao pondered again and said, "They can be included."

At this time, Cai E asked: "Chairman, we admit that the border line is just a blank piece of paper. The British can tear it up and attack us at any time, but we have to let tens of thousands of prisoners go. Isn't that too much of a loss?"

"Haha, those Indian and Burmese prisoners will not be released. They don't matter to the British. Colonial people are simply consumables to the colonizers. They can have as many as they want. Only the British soldiers will be released. As for whether it's a loss, well, let time test it and history make the final decision!"

Chapter 376:

While agreements must be adhered to once signed, Zhang Yinghao didn't believe peace with the British would last long. The PLA's advance into the Menghen region disrupted the Indochina Peninsula's stability and challenged the British colonial system. The British would never allow Chinese influence to re-enter the Indochina Peninsula. Furthermore, the Forward Party and the PLA's mission to overthrow the Qing Dynasty and liberate all of China was inherently contrary to the interests of the great powers. Zhang Yinghao's desire to uphold and protect China's interests inevitably compromised the interests of the great powers in China, a matter beyond his personal control.

Zhang Yinghao wanted only a brief peace. After several victories over the British, he naturally needed to reward them with a sweet treat. Otherwise, due to public opinion, the British would inevitably continue to cause trouble in the liberated areas, perhaps even determined to launch a war against them and fight to the bitter end. Moreover, once the British recognized the liberated territories such as Jiangxinpo, Hugang Valley, and Menghen area, it would be virtually impossible for them to be separated from China.

If using these prisoners could help determine China's territory and ease tensions with the British, it would be worthwhile. As for whether the British would immediately arm and attack the liberated areas after releasing these British troops, Zhang Yinghao didn't care. If the British really wanted to attack, a few thousand extra troops wouldn't be much.

At this moment, the messenger ran in and reported: "Report, Commander-in-Chief Zhang Jianping sent a telegram. The vanguard advancing to liberate the Menghen area has encountered Siamese soldiers on the Yunnan-Siam border after liberating Menggen City. Please give us your instructions."

"Haha, speak of the devil, and here he comes. Comrade Shen Ruo, I'll leave the contact with the British diplomats to you."

"Yes, I will send a telegram to Chungking immediately."

"Also, tell the French diplomats that the existing border with Laos remains unchanged."

"clear."

Watching Shen Ruo's departing figure, Zhang Yinghao suddenly said, "Immediately call back Comrade Zhang Jianping: Eliminate the British forces in the Menghen area immediately. There is no need to rush to determine the border line with Siam. Build bridges and roads first and develop quietly. If we are attacked by the Siamese, British, or French forces, we must resolutely fight the anti-aggression war together with the locals."

"Yes."

The PLA advanced into the Menghen area, penetrating more than 200 kilometers into the Indochina Peninsula. If Britain and France recognized or acquiesced to the PLA's occupation, the Forward Party and the PLA could slowly absorb this land. If Siam, France, or Britain sent troops to attack, the PLA would immediately shout anti-aggression slogans and join the people of the Menghen area in resisting the invasion of the European and American imperialists, waging a just war against aggression. If this were the case, the PLA and the Forward Party would be able to quickly gain a foothold in the Menghen area and take root. However, Zhang Yinghao felt that the most likely scenario was that Britain and France pressured Siam to send troops to fight the PLA. After all, this land originally belonged to Siam and had only been away from Siam for eleven years.

Liu Qi walked over and said to Zhang Yinghao, "Chairman, after the liberation of the Menghen area, we will not have any land demands in Myanmar for the time being."

"Haha, Britain and France are all white people. Even though they have developed industries and advanced weaponry, I'm not worried about them in the inland areas. After all, the racial differences are there. But don't forget those local headmen and the people they took away? Those are the ones I'm most worried about."

"Will Britain and France still support these people to fight against us?"

Zhang Yinghao frowned slightly and nodded gently. The answer was self-evident. Masters like Yingfa were the best at using dogs, and could be said to be masters of using their legs.

After Zhang Yinghao resolved the Central Military Commission's issue, he returned to his office and began to review the progress of the comrades he had previously sent to Northeast China. Although Zhang Yinghao didn't have a clear understanding of the situation in Northeast China, he knew that the comrades sent there were brave and hardworking, and the development of many teams had far exceeded Zhang Yinghao's original expectations.

Thanks to the Russo-Japanese War, the comrades sent to the Northeast had no shortage of soldiers. Not only were they provided with food for their soldiers, but even banditry was no problem. Banditry was rampant throughout the Northeast, and many bandits defected to foreign powers, receiving covert support from Japan, Russia, and other countries. The Japanese even organized many bandits into so-called "volunteer soldiers" and infiltrated them into patrol teams and police. The Northeast was now a chaotic place where anyone with a gun could become a king.

In troubled times, heroes emerge. Even if Zhang Yinghao hadn't sent troops into the Northeast, a large number of influential figures would have emerged, taking advantage of the chaos. After Zhang Yinghao's deployment, countless heroes emerged. However, the development of Liu Wenxiu and his men not only squeezed the development space and momentum of these original figures, but also, because Liu Wenxiu and his men knew what they were doing in the Northeast, with clear goals and strict organizational discipline, unlike the bandits who acted on instinct, many of these influential figures ended up in Liu Wenxiu's ranks, losing their original historical significance. It's unclear whether this was a blessing or a curse for them, but it was definitely a blessing for China.

When 007 was first sent to the Northeast, the 540 men were divided into 90 groups of six. Now they are spread across almost the entire Northeast region. Although Liu Wenxiu and his team have integrated and reorganized the troops several times, the command is still chaotic, there is no central agency, and they cannot form a joint force.

This was also due to Zhang Yinghao's initial inconsideration, as he had not anticipated the ferocity of the comrades he had sent to the Northeast. No, it shouldn't be said that Zhang Yinghao was inconsiderate or that the comrades were too ferocious, but rather that Zhang Yinghao, in the gentle land of Chengdu, Sichuan, had no idea of ​​the devastation the Russo-Japanese War had brought to the people of the Northeast.

During the Russo-Japanese War, almost all areas where the two armies passed through or engaged in battle relied on the civilian population for food, completely disregarding the Chinese in Northeast China as human beings. Beans, millet, and sorghum were harvested to make horse fodder, leaving the land barren for thousands of miles. A memorial submitted by Shi Shijie, the magistrate of Liuhe County, noted, "At the time when the crops were ripe, the Russian army, claiming they would hinder their battle, harvested all the vines near the official roads, and released their horses to graze the crops farther from the roads."

The land of Northeast China was ravaged, civilians massacred, and property looted. In the Russo-Japanese conflict, houses were used as bunkers, and wherever the army passed, homes were demolished and looted. The people were left homeless. During the Battle of Shahe alone, hundreds of nearby villages were burned to the ground. These displaced villagers, once contacted by Liu Wenxiu and his men, would immediately join the army, and with a little training, they would become loyal fighters.

Northeast China was short of everything, but not men and weapons. Liu Wenxiu and his men were all 007s. While not incredibly daring, they were relentless in seizing Japanese and Russian weapons. Trains at that time were only traveling 20 to 30 kilometers per hour, making it possible to catch up on horseback. In some areas, just like the guerrillas on TV in my past life, even running or riding a bicycle could keep up. The railway was Liu Wenxiu and his men's best supply station.

Comrades in Northeast China not only continuously recruited Party members and cadres in the region, but Zhang Yinghao also continuously dispatched political cadres to the region. These Party members and cadres sent to the Northeast not only shouldered the important task of training Party members in the Northeast, but also ensured that the independently developed armies in the Northeast still adhered to the principle of the Party commanding the gun, thus maintaining a basic number of Party members within the army. Of course, to avoid situations where laymen commanded the experts, or where they interfered due to unfamiliarity with the situation in the Northeast, Zhang Yinghao did not allow them to touch military command.

Liu Wenxiu's troops expanded rapidly. At that time, the population of Northeast China was only about six million, mostly concentrated in Liaoning Province. Therefore, Liu Wenxiu's unit had, by far, developed the most rapidly. However, these ninety small units now controlled the vast rural areas of Northeast China, organizing over four million civilians. Every village under their control had a militia, and all women and children received basic military training and were practically proficient in firing rifles, effectively turning the entire population into soldiers. According to the information Zhang Yinghao had obtained, the regular troops under their control currently numbered over 250,000.

Seeing this, Zhang Yinghao was not sure how strong these armies were, and whether they could fight tough battles. However, seeing how fast these comrades were recruiting troops, Zhang Yinghao immediately remembered very clearly what he had said when he was training these comrades, "You little bunnies, remember this: under the premise that the Party commands the gun, our Forward Party and the Revolutionary Army have never been dissatisfied with having more soldiers and more generals. How far you can develop depends on whether you have the ability to do so. Just don't cry if you are outdone by others." It seems that these comrades basically have no chance to cry.

Zhang Yinghao was happy but could only give a wry smile. Was he crazy about becoming an official? Zhang Yinghao also knew that these troops would not be able to succeed without reorganization. Zhang Yinghao put down the documents, thought for a moment, and immediately picked up the phone and dialed a number. After the call was connected, Zhang Yinghao said directly into the microphone: "Please ask Comrade Hu Songhui to come to my office immediately."

"Yes, Chairman."

Upon hearing the answer, Zhang Yinghao hung up the phone. He then picked up the reorganization plan for the Northeast Army, drafted by the General Staff and the General Political Department, and began to read it again. This plan was drafted after careful consideration by the General Staff and the General Political Department, following the submission of lists by the Northeastern troops themselves. Zhang Yinghao had already read the contents twice. The plan was quite good, and in Zhang Yinghao's opinion, it was standard. He was unsure whether this organization could meet the combat needs of the Northeast. In Zhang Yinghao's opinion, each squad should have a light machine gun and at least one grenade launcher. Unfortunately, for China today, such an organization was still a distant dream. The logistics alone could drag down the army.

After reading the complete plan, Zhang Yinghao rubbed his eyebrows and sighed.

"We'll fight the battles we have with the weapons we have. I definitely don't know the troops as well as these comrades who are about to go to the battlefield."

After muttering to himself, Zhang Yinghao picked up a pen and signed his name on the last page, and wrote: If there are special circumstances, after reporting, the organization and equipment can be increased or decreased as appropriate based on the actual situation.

Zhang Yinghao had just finished writing and put down his pen when he heard a knock on the door. "Report."

Zhang Yinghao heard a knock on the door and immediately looked up to hear Hu Songhui shouting "Report." Seeing Hu Songhui coming so quickly, Zhang Yinghao immediately knew that he must have driven a car and said directly, "Come in."

Before Hu Songhui even stepped into the door, he asked, "Chairman, are you looking for me?"

"Yes, sit down."

Zhang Yinghao stood up, made a cup of tea for Hu Songhui, and placed it on his right side. He said, "Do you remember the 540 comrades sent to the Northeast?"

"Of course I remember. I brought them here myself. However, more than twenty of them have died in the Russo-Japanese War."

Zhang Yinghao hadn't expected Hu Songhui to actually count the number of people who had sacrificed their lives. After a pause, he said, "This is inevitable. For our country and nation, countless people have sacrificed their lives, shed their blood, and died. There have been sacrifices before, and there are still sacrifices being made now. There will be even more sacrifices in the future. Since we've decided to participate in the war, there will inevitably be sacrifices."

"I know this too."

Zhang Yinghao didn't get lost in the emotion Hu Songhui's words brought up, and said directly, "These comrades have done well in the Northeast, and now they urgently need a comprehensive reorganization. You've led so many comrades in this team, so I want you to represent the Central Military Commission and take charge in the Northeast."

"Am I also involved in the reorganization of the Northeastern troops?"

"No, you've read the reorganization plan. For now, just follow it! Find problems and then solve them. There's no such thing as a permanent solution. We won't be personally involved for now. We don't understand the actual situation in Northeast China, the actual situation of the Northeast's army, and even less so the actual situation of the Japanese and Russian armies. Rashly getting involved will only backfire. If you start interfering right from the start, you'll inevitably make mistakes. You're the representative of our Central Military Commission. Your role in Northeast China is to take charge and coordinate. Just make sure there aren't any disturbances during the reorganization process."

Hu Songhui picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea. After thinking for a while, he said, "I know what to do. What about after the reorganization of the troops?"

"Train soldiers, stockpile ammunition, and prepare for war. Well, we've already built several small blast furnaces in Northeast China. This time, you should bring a group of political cadres and arsenal workers to the Northeast to strengthen the Northeast's revolutionary base. Also, this time, Li Laohu seized machinery and equipment from a British weapons repair shop and a bullet and artillery factory in Myitkyina. We'll find a way to transport this equipment to the Northeast via the Lancang River to strengthen the arsenals we've established in the Northeast."

"Chairman, do you think the Russo-Japanese War is about to end? Who should we attack first?"