The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

"Hello, Commander Hu."

"Haha, I told you not to call me Chief. Just call me Comrade Hu Songhui. I heard that our Northeastern militia system is very well implemented. The Chairman praised you many times after hearing this."

"Alas, we are forced to do this. The Japanese and the Russians don't treat the people of Northeast China as human beings. We have no choice but to arm the people. If we can live a good life, who would be willing to do this?"

Hu Songhui listened and nodded. As he journeyed, crossing mountains and rivers, he had naturally seen countless ruins and countless displaced civilians, and naturally understood the suffering they had endured. Similarly, the brutal war had also given these comrades an opportunity to establish themselves, a prime opportunity for growth and development. As the saying goes, misfortune often brings blessings, and blessings often bring disaster. The rapid development of comrades in Northeast China was also due to the catalytic effect of the Russo-Japanese War, but Hu Songhui also knew that the past year had been difficult for the comrades in Northeast China.

After the pleasantries were over and Hu Songhui was welcomed and rested for the night, Hu Songhui immediately began to look through the materials on his comrades' respective developments in the Northeast, and then held a meeting with Lian Cheng Jue and the others to discuss and finally finalize the reorganization plan.

The reorganization plan this time is very simple. The Northeast is currently in an extraordinary period. It is impossible to completely disorganize all the troops and then reorganize them. Doing so will cause the troops to lose their combat effectiveness for a period of time, and the consequences will be very serious.

Chapter 390:

Following Zhang Yinghao's idea, the General Staff established a group army in the form of a corps, without disrupting the original troop structure. The subordinate units would remain under the command of their original officers and would be consolidated and reorganized in columns. Once the comrades had become familiar with the combat methods of large corps, they would be reorganized into a unified corps.

After Hu Songhui, Lian Cheng Jue, Liu Wenxiu and others finished the discussion, they immediately sent a telegram to the Central Military Commission for approval. After reading it, Zhang Yinghao did not say anything, but just adjusted the position of the political commissar appropriately and approved it immediately.

After receiving the order of approval, Hu Songhui and others immediately prepared to convene a party meeting. This was a must. The party's command of the gun was an unchanging principle, and the opinions within the party must be unified. The Northeast Liberated Area was now a complete military government, and it could be said that the army was in charge of everything. Especially now that the struggle was so fierce, and the Japanese and Russian sides could temporarily put aside their differences and attack the Liberated Area at any time, the importance of the army was even more prominent.

"Order: ...Establish the Northeast Military Sub-district, and form the Fifth Field Army based on Liu Wenxiu's forces. Comrade Liu Wenxiu will be Commander-in-Chief, Lian Chengjue will be First Political Commissar, Second Political Commissar...Sun Tongpao will be Chief of Staff, and Hu Songhui will be Director of the Political Department..."

"The Fifth Corps is commanded by Zhao Yong, with Hei Chengze as its political commissar and Wu Bingjun as its chief of staff. It is under the command of the Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Twelfth columns, as well as the Chifeng detachment..."

"The Sixth Corps is commanded by Li Hu, Political Commissar Lin Chenbiao, and Chief of Staff Tan Junlin. They are under the command of..."

"Commander of the Seventh Corps Du Lisan..." "Eighth Corps..."

"Supplementary Division..."

"Direct Division... 07th Column... 5th and 6th Cavalry Columns..."

Reorganizing within a unit is relatively simple. All you need to do is assign the relevant units to the corresponding units. Low-level officers rarely need to be moved. Officers only need to determine the superior-subordinate relationship and change the unit number.

The Northeast is currently in a state of disarray, like a snake without a head. Since Liu Wenxiu and his men are the most powerful in the Northeast, they can be reorganized based on them. The other units can simply change their designations and follow orders. Of course, the Fifth Field Army originated in the Northeast, and Zhang Yinghao would not likely keep this unit in the future. They would eventually be reorganized again and dispersed throughout the country.

Although it was just a simple reorganization, with no major changes, and even just a change of designation, the troops had a core, which greatly strengthened the leadership of the army, just like the originally loose forces became a fist. This was also one of the reasons why Zhang Yinghao still insisted on reorganization despite the turmoil in Northeast China.

After receiving the news of the troop reorganization and the latest situation in Northeast China, Zhang Yinghao checked the calendar. It was April 12th, and the Russo-Japanese War had not yet begun. Zhang Yinghao did not want to interfere with this historic naval battle. Although Zhang Yinghao could not remember the specifics of the Battle of Tsushima, he knew that Tsarist Russia had been defeated, otherwise Northeast China might have been lost. He also knew that Russia had suffered heavy losses, which had greatly weakened Tsarist Russia's power.

In fact, Zhang Yinghao's memory wasn't wrong. In this naval battle, the Russian 2nd and 3rd Pacific Fleets, with the exception of three ships that escaped to Vladivostok, were virtually annihilated. Total naval losses, including those sunk, captured, or detained by neutral nations, totaled 270,000 tons. This was greater than the combined losses of both sides in the famous Battle of Jutland during World War I. Tsarist Russian personnel suffered 4830 killed and 5917 captured, not counting those wounded or detained in foreign ports. The once world-leading Russian navy was reduced to a third-rate navy. The devastation of the war can be imagined, and the naval defeat directly shook the Russian Tsar's rule.

The Russo-Japanese War ended with a crushing victory for the Japanese Army and a crushing defeat for the Russian Navy, with neither side able to expel the other from Northeast China. However, after this battle, the weakness of the Russian Empire was clearly exposed to the foreign powers, and Japan was also on the verge of collapse. If this naval battle had not taken place, Zhang Yinghao would have been very unhappy.

"I hope the butterfly effect hasn't affected the ocean yet!"

Zhang Yinghao muttered this silently. Then he immediately drafted a telegram. He wrote: "I heard the reorganization is complete. Very good! Our army in Northeast China can temporarily reduce its forces and immediately strengthen military training to recuperate. We must gather supplies and accelerate the production of munitions. We must continue to mobilize the masses and strengthen the political power in the base areas. We must recruit and reform bandits and continue to expand our forces to at least 800,000 men. We must await orders from the Central Committee and prepare for war..."

After receiving Zhang Yinghao's telegram, Hu Songhui and Liu Wenxiu immediately understood its meaning. This meant they were urged to seize the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the newly reorganized troops and improve their combat effectiveness. It also gave them a final window to stockpile supplies and fully prepare for war. Although Hu Songhui and Liu Wenxiu didn't know when the central government would issue their combat orders, a sense of impending war was already brewing within the headquarters.

April 23rd is a day worth remembering. After nearly three years, the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway was finally completed and open to traffic. As for the other railway that the foreign powers wanted to build, the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway, it had long been abandoned due to the conflict with the British.

Five minutes before the ribbon-cutting ceremony began, Zhang Yinghao, Zhan Tianyou, Zhang Weiqiang, Wang Daniu, Thubten Gyatso, Quji Nyima, Dorje Sengge, Lin Tianli, as well as several worker representatives and migrant workers' representatives entered the venue collectively under the guidance of etiquette ladies.

Zhang Yinghao hadn't planned a grand ceremony for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a small railway line, but he still had to invite the necessary people, allowing them to witness the power of industry and the prestige of the Progressive Party among the masses. Furthermore, since there was a groundbreaking ceremony, a ribbon-cutting was necessary. It marked the completion of the railway's construction, giving an account to all the comrades involved and ensuring a thorough understanding of the work.

Staff members on either side walked to the front of the crowd, each holding a large red flower. Behind them stood a majestic locomotive, also adorned with a large red flower, pulling several carriages bound for Chongqing. Banners hung nearby, reading: "Chairman Zhang has arrived, and so has the train!", "The People's Government has built our road to happiness!", "Warmly celebrate the opening of the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway!", and "The people build the people's railway! The people protect the people's railway! The people's country will last forever." The nearby engineering corps waved a "Pathfinder" flag, and Party flags were also waved everywhere. The scene was lively and spectacular.

Today marks the opening of the Chengdu-Chongqing railway line. The crowds gathered for the ceremony were jubilant, filled with laughter and joy. Songs could be heard everywhere: "The people's government loves the people! The Party's kindness is inexhaustible!" "High-rise buildings have been built, railways and coal mines have been constructed, and the world has been transformed!" "The East is Red, the sun is rising, and China has produced a Zhang Yinghao. He works for the people's happiness. Hurrah! He is the people's savior."

Red songs such as "We Workers Have Strength," "We Are on the Road," "The Sky of the Liberated Areas," and "The East is Red" are now popular songs in the liberated areas. On such a festive occasion, the people's joyful singing and laughter, singing their favorite songs, fully demonstrate that the progressive Party has led the people in a great and popular undertaking.

Zhang Yinghao, Zhan Tianyou and others walked through the crowd. Someone immediately recognized Zhang Yinghao and shouted, "The Chairman is here, the Chairman is here, hello, Chairman."

The people nearby recognized Zhang Yinghao and shouted, "Hello, Chairman..."

Zhang Yinghao also immediately smiled and waved gently in greeting, saying, "Hello to you too, comrades, thank you for your hard work..."

Seeing Zhang Yinghao's response, the crowd immediately became more excited, and someone immediately shouted: "Long live Chairman Zhang."

Others also shouted: "Long live Chairman Zhang!"

Zhang Yinghao continued to smile and wave, his expression unchanged, and he also shouted: "Long live the people, long live unity..."

Thousands of people chanted "Long Live Chairman Zhang!" The scene was truly spectacular, the sound resounding. Zhan Tianyou, Zhang Weiqiang, Wang Daniu, and others, all aware of Zhang Yinghao's prestige among the masses, quietly followed him and greeted the crowd. As for Thubten Gyatso, Quji Nyima, Dorje Sengge, and others, they were immediately struck by the mystery. They understood that while this wasn't religious fervor, unlike their Buddhist beliefs, they could sense the people's heartfelt outcry. These people truly loved Zhang Yinghao. At his command, they were willing to follow and charge forward, even if the path ahead was a sea of ​​fire, even if it meant hell itself. As for the several worker and migrant worker representatives, they had clearly never experienced such a scene before. Hearing the thunderous roar, their legs trembled slightly. Some of them wanted to join the crowd in the shouting, but felt no need, remaining cautious, fearing they might make a mistake.

When those at the back of the line heard Chairman Zhang Yinghao had arrived, they immediately pushed forward, hoping to get a closer look at him. Chaos erupted. Police and other officials sprang into action, shouting and scrambling to maintain order. The host also called out over the loudspeaker, urging the crowd to quiet down. It wasn't until Zhang Yinghao and his group reached the tracks and stood there for a while that the scene finally quieted down.

The host saw that the scene had quieted down and that the time was almost up, so he immediately said, "Dear leaders, distinguished guests, and comrades, good morning!"

After hearing what the host said, Zhang Yinghao immediately raised his hands and clapped. The audience had already learned to clap, and knowing that the host was asking for applause, they also started clapping.

"In this beautiful season of warm breeze and vibrant spring, we solemnly hold the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the completion of the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway. Among the leaders who took time out of their busy schedules to attend the ceremony is: Premier Zhang Weiqiang."

Hearing his introduction, Zhang Weiqiang quickly raised his hand to greet the crowd. The crowd now knew that the Premier of the State Council was a very important official, and when they saw Zhang Weiqiang greeting them, they all applauded enthusiastically.

"His Majesty the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso, and His Majesty the 9th Panchen Lama, Choekyi Nyima."

Sichuan is no stranger to Tibet. Seeing two monks at the railway's ribbon-cutting ceremony—they were high-ranking officials in Tibet—they naturally extended a warm welcome, accompanied by prolonged applause. Thubten Gyatso and Choekyi Nyima followed Zhang Weiqiang's lead, raising their hands in greeting, then clasping their hands together and bowing slightly, chanting Buddhist mantras.

The host didn't try to stop the enthusiastic applause, and only introduced the next leader when it felt the applause was fading. After the last migrant worker representative was introduced, just as the crowd looked puzzled, the host said solemnly, "Also joining us for the ribbon-cutting ceremony is our beloved Chairman Zhang Yinghao."

As soon as the host finished speaking, the crowd immediately started shouting: "Long live Chairman Zhang, long live Chairman Zhang, long live, long, long live..."

This time, Zhang Yinghao didn't speak. Instead, he waved to the crowd in all directions, responding to their calls before lowering his hands. This order of introductions was arranged by Zhang Yinghao himself. If he had introduced himself first, the others might have become mere supporting roles. Introducing Zhang Yinghao last also showed respect for the other leaders.

"To all distinguished guests and friends, we extend a warm welcome and heartfelt thanks! We are deeply moved by the paralysis of transportation and the slowdown of all industries. Under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the People's Government, and with the support of the people, the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway has finally been completed today after nearly three years of construction! Previously, transportation in Sichuan relied primarily on inland waterways and post roads. Traveling from Chengdu by boat down the Minjiang River through Leshan to Yibin, then down the Yangtze River through Luzhou to Chongqing, took at least a week. The completion of the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway has reduced the travel time from Chengdu to Chongqing from a week to just over ten or twenty hours... Now, I declare the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway's completion ribbon-cutting ceremony officially open!"

As soon as the host finished speaking, music started playing, firecrackers rang out, and salutes flew into the sky and exploded.

Zhang Yinghao never wanted to be alone at such times, so he immediately began to lead the singing of "Chinese":

Five thousand years of wind and rain! How many dreams have been hidden. Yellow face, black eyes! The smile remains unchanged. Ten thousand miles of mountains and rivers are like a song.

No matter where you come from or where you are going

We share the same tears, the same pain. We hold the hardships of the past in our hearts. We share the same blood, the same seed. We have dreams for the future, and we forge them together. Hand in hand, we march forward with our heads held high, letting the world know that we are all Chinese.

As soon as Zhang Yinghao began, everyone in the audience burst into song. Thousands of people singing the same song itself represents countless things. As he sang, Zhang Yinghao observed the expressions of the crowd. Seeing many singing with solemn expressions, he knew they understood the song's true meaning. Many of the audience, in their later years, often recounted their experience of singing "Chinese" with Chairman Zhang Yinghao to their descendants. They said it was at that moment that Chairman Zhang made them suddenly realize that they were "Chinese," and that they had dedicated their lives to Chairman Zhang's ideals.

"Now, I would like to invite Comrade Zhan Tianyou, the chief engineer of the railway, to speak. Everyone, welcome him." Amidst the applause of the crowd, Zhan Tianyou walked to the loudspeaker and recounted the construction progress of the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway. He then said, "...During the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway, we have successively established a Jiaotong University, two railway technical colleges, four technical training schools... and trained 16 engineering corps to build the railway..."

Zhang Yinghao was very happy when he heard the data from Zhan Tianyou.

There are many factories in the country, among which there are factories that research and manufacture locomotives and carriages. Of course, their business also includes train maintenance.

In fact, as early as the end of 1881, the Kaiping Mining Bureau, under the advocacy of Li Hongzhang, was designed by British engineer Jinda. Chinese workers used the mine's boilers and winches to

The friend group o disc and car body removed from the machine were used to create a traction machine

The steam locomotive weighs over 100 tons and has a speed of over 60 miles per hour and is named "China Rocket".

The following year, they built a standard, sophisticated steam locomotive, far superior to the first, rivaling contemporary foreign locomotives. This first Chinese-built locomotive, while capable of pulling only a little over a hundred tons and possessing a relatively simple structure, fully demonstrated the ingenuity of Chinese workers. With the design drawings already in hand, building the locomotive was essentially a matter of copying the original, not as difficult as Zhang Yinghao had imagined.

Now the liberated areas are still expanding. Zhang Yinghao's favorite thing to do is to make these constructed things fission, one into two, two into four, because this is the fastest, most economical, simplest, crudest and most practical way.

After Zhan Tianyou finished speaking, he stepped down from the stage. Others came up and spoke a few words. Zhang Yinghao heard an engineer representative say: "...We have no money, so we can only speed up construction and work hard to serve the country. We have agreed to work overtime for half an hour after get off work. Comrades not only do not rest, but work even harder. That half hour is like an automatic conveyor belt today, and the work efficiency is twice that of normal working hours... Only by following the Progressive Party can our lives become better and better. Only the Progressive Party can lead the people to a better life. We create our own happiness with our own hands..."

A worker representative also said: "...All this proves that the people's government led by the Progressive Party is a government that serves the people; only the people's government can lead our people to happiness. Only under the leadership of Chairman Zhang Yinghao can we unleash such great strength and achieve today's victory..."

Zhang Yinghao didn't know who taught them these words, or if they came up with them on their own, but it didn't matter. When these words were said enough times, and the people themselves saw the facts, they would naturally believe them, and they would fight and struggle for them.

Amidst even more enthusiastic applause, Zhang Yinghao took the stage and, looking at the excited crowd, loudly declared: "The credit for building this railway belongs to the people. The people are the creators of history. Long live the people."

Zhang Yinghao's words completely captured the hearts of the people. Perhaps many people mistook "the people" for "you," but regardless of whether it was "the people" or "you," Chairman Zhang Yinghao recognized their contributions to the railway construction. How exciting was that? Their labor was recognized by their leader, Zhang Yinghao, and that was enough. After hearing Zhang Yinghao shout "Long live the people," everyone also shouted: "Long live Chairman Zhang..."

Zhang Yinghao raised his right hand high, then waved it downward. The crowd suddenly fell silent, and he continued, "The Chengdu-Chongqing Railway opened today. It is a major economic and transportation artery connecting western and eastern Sichuan, and has transformed Sichuan's transportation landscape. The sound of the whistle echoed through the towering mountains, awakening the green hills and clear waters. The completion of the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway has personally ended the history of the difficult roads in Sichuan. From now on, travel in and out of Sichuan will be convenient and fast. Local specialties along the line are quickly shipped out, and the lives of the people have greatly improved. Sichuan's rich products can now be continuously shipped to all parts of the country, promoting industry, developing the economy, and making train travel more convenient for people. Overall, it plays a significant role in promoting the circulation of materials, developing production, and economic construction in the southwest region. Sichuan will achieve leapfrog development! Sichuan's history has also turned a new page!"

The masses didn't understand much of what Zhang Yinghao said, but they understood that they could sell goods and travel by train, and that was enough. Wasn't this why they had worked so hard to build the railway? So, as soon as Zhang Yinghao finished speaking, enthusiastic cheers erupted, and the slogan "Long live Chairman Zhang!" resounded through the sky again.

"Why do we say that the credit for building this railway belongs to the people? Sichuan had just been liberated, and everything was in ruins. We also faced a blockade and embargo by imperialist powers. It was no easy task for us to build the railway ourselves. Some people asked where the rails, sleepers, and locomotives would come from. But one of the philosophies of our Progressive Party is that labor creates wealth. We firmly believe that the more difficult our country's situation, the more we need to work hard to build it. We always believe that if we wholeheartedly serve the people and build railways for them, the people will inevitably support us.

As expected, since the start of construction, flags have been flying at every construction site on the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway, and millions of migrant workers and engineers have been working with enthusiasm. At the call of the People's Government, the entire Sichuan province has been mobilized, and millions of migrant workers are working to build the railway. The people's enthusiasm for construction is soaring, and they all rush to join the effort, and once they've finished their work, they refuse to leave. The comrades who built the railway often say: "There is no difficulty that cannot be overcome, and there are always more solutions than problems!"

Countless railway builders toiled on the front lines, contributing their efforts to the nation's development. Without any machinery, these construction workers slept in the open air, working tirelessly day and night against the clock to build the railway. Faced with backward technology, severely insufficient investment, and extremely difficult construction conditions, they relied on hand-drawn construction plans, carried materials on their backs or on horses, and employed primitive tools such as hammers, shovels, hoes, steel chisels, and shoulder poles.

Under such harsh conditions, the people braved adversity and persevered, carving roads through mountains and building bridges over rivers, advancing step by step, engaging in a series of difficult yet remarkable battles with the mountains and rivers. With faith and determination, they overcame unimaginable difficulties, enabling the project to proceed smoothly, with frequent reports of success along the way. Throughout the construction process, the people fully demonstrated their arduous spirit of forging ahead despite challenges, persevering, overcoming obstacles, and forging ahead courageously.

We relied on the local people, pooled our wisdom and resources, and built the railway using local materials. Rails, screws, explosives, cement, and other materials were all homemade. People from across Sichuan enthusiastically donated sleepers. Young people gave wood for new beds, elderly people donated square timber for coffins, and some even donated camphor and nanmu wood they had treasured for years. A total of 1.5 million sleepers were donated across Sichuan. Due to the rampant malaria and widespread mosquito bites in parts of the area through which the railway passed, coupled with a severe shortage of construction machinery and the intense labor intensity, the casualties among the construction workers were severe. According to incomplete statistics, over the two years of construction, 100 people died along the railway line, 108 people were seriously disabled, and countless more were injured. What kind of spirit is this? It is the spirit of unity between the military and the people, of national unity and mutual assistance; it is the communist spirit of selfless dedication and unconditional dedication.

The people's railway is built by the people, and it is built for the people. Through the efforts of the people of Sichuan, we have completed the construction of the railway! In just over two years, the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway was successfully completed and opened to traffic! This is a victory for our people, a victory for our people. This event tells us that the people are the creators of history, and it also tells me that a happy life can only be created by our own hands.

In ancient times, there were heroes who, willing to die a thousand times for their country, treated death as a simple return. Today, there are countless heroic sons and daughters of China who would make mountains bow and mighty rivers give way. The Chinese people, past and present, have faced the abyss head-on, and have faced death with equanimity. Even with the perils of mountains and raging waves, we can transform the sun and moon into a new world. We Chinese have never feared hardship or danger; we forge ahead fearlessly. Even when the road is arduous, we continue to forge ahead; even when we know the road is frugally paved, we forge ahead; even when we have to live frugally, we donate generously. We bravely shoulder the heavy responsibility of our times and vow to build our great motherland well.

When will we wake up from the thousand-year-long dream? Who will sound the alarm in our sleeping hometown? In this national crisis, we should unite and work together to save the nation. I also swear here that the Progressive Party will be committed to practicing and lead the people of the country to lay the foundation for the Chinese cause, and work with the people to create a brilliant future. Please believe that if you follow the Progressive Party, your life will get better and better. Our Progressive Party also firmly believes that the brave and hardworking Chinese people, under the leadership of the Progressive Party and with the joint efforts of all the people, can fully use our own strength to build our own country. Long live the Chinese nation, long live the Chinese people! Long live the Progressive Party! "

Listening to Zhang Yinghao's words praising the working people, many people's blood boiled. When they heard Zhang Yinghao shouting slogans, they immediately shouted: "Long live the Chinese nation, long live the Chinese people! Long live the Progressive Party! Long live Chairman Zhang!"

Listening to the masses chanting slogans over and over again, Zhang Yinghao felt neither sadness nor joy. One of Zhang Yinghao's current tasks was to rally more people around the Progressive Party and concentrate more energy on building the country. Zhang Yinghao knew that at least a generation of sacrifice would be required to restore a happy life for the people. By allowing the people to build more now, they would enjoy the fruits of their progress sooner.

Zhang Yinghao waved his hand, and the scene gradually quieted down again. Zhang Yinghao spoke again: "We, Zhang Yinghao, our Progressive Party, our People's Government,

We will always be with the people and work together to build our country. The Progressive Party is also committed to working for the happiness of the people. Finally, we would like to thank all those who have worked hard to build Chengdu and Chongqing.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the comrades who have worked hard on the railway!"

After Zhang Yinghao finished speaking, the crowd cheered again. The common people were simple-minded. They just liked to have big men stand with them. That way, they dared to fight for their lives and felt that they would not suffer any loss. When Zhang Yinghao vowed to lead them to live a good life together, what else could they be dissatisfied with? In this era, people believed in oaths, and Zhang Yinghao, a big man who was so high and mighty in their eyes, swore in front of so many people, so he must be sure to do it. How could they not be happy?

The opening of the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway was a monumental event that impacted Sichuan and even the entire country, a historic event that will go down in history. It also marked the beginning of China's independent railway construction. Sichuan's independent construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway completely shocked the Western powers. The powerful organizational and mobilization capabilities demonstrated by the Progressive Party in building the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway even alarmed the British and French powers. They knew that if the Progressive Party could mobilize millions of people to build a railway, it would be able to mobilize even more people to fight on the battlefield.

Although some small railways for transporting coal and iron had been built before, the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway was the first trunk railway built in the liberated area. It was designed, constructed and built entirely by China. It was the first railway to be put into operation without the use of foreign funds and personnel, and was built entirely with domestic materials. It was a pioneering achievement in China's railway history and a leap forward for the Chinese people, but this was only the beginning of the infrastructure mania.

The opening of the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway has greatly enhanced economic and cultural exchanges among the various regions and ethnic groups along the route. During its construction, the railway received widespread support from the people of Sichuan, with a large number of migrant workers participating in voluntary labor, totaling over one million people. This is one of the reasons why the railway was built so quickly.

These are not the most important things. The most important thing is that through this railway construction, a large number of railway construction teams have been trained, and a large number of railway workers have stood up, demonstrating the strength of the Chinese people themselves and letting the people of the world know that as long as the Chinese people want to do something, they can definitely do it.

Zhang Yinghao had no intention of letting the railway construction team rest. After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Zhang Yinghao, Zhang Weiqiang, Zhan Tianyou, Lin Tianli and others immediately convened a new meeting.

Because during the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway, several railway routes were explored.

Line. Chongqing to Guiyang, Chengdu to Kunming, Guiyang to Kunming, Chengdu to Yuji, Xi'an to Baoji, Xi'an to Tongguan, Lanzhou and Yan'an railway routes. In addition to one

Except for the railway construction troops that are doing the finishing work on the Chengdu-Chongqing Railway, all other railway construction troops have already gone to other railway lines to start work and build new railways.

Chapter 391:

Zhang Yinghao's first priority was to do his utmost to connect all the provincial capitals with railways. Only in this way could the entire country work together, from south to north and from east to west, quickly mobilizing manpower and resources to focus on major tasks and resist the invasion of the great powers. Everything Zhang Yinghao was doing now was actually just preparation for war.

Zhang Yinghao no longer intended to stop the railway construction team. No matter how difficult it was, he had never heard of a country being destroyed by railway construction. Only when the roads were clear could the flow of people and materials be smooth.

After the railway meeting, Zhang Yinghao walked out and looked at the train with billowing black smoke from the front from afar, and the children racing with the train, a smile appeared on his face.

In this era, the thick black smoke rising from chimneys represented industry and prosperity. The huge chimneys that continued to be erected in the liberated areas were symbols of industry and urbanization. Chimneys represented the banner of advanced industrialization and a symbol of civilization.

Those who have traveled abroad and witnessed the industrial development of the great powers don't mind the smoke and dust that permeates the air, or the wastewater and exhaust gases that are released recklessly. Instead, they see these as signs of progress. Isn't this also the case in the great powers now? The smoke-belching chimneys and the rumbling machines are all so beautiful.

In an age where industrial wastewater is the milk of civilization, and industrial exhaust gases are a symbol of it, what is environmental protection? The concept of environmental protection is completely nonexistent. Countries around the world dump vast quantities of industrial wastewater directly into rivers, leaving countless dead fish floating in them, the stench filling the air, and the colorful, "extraordinarily beautiful" water. Yet, no one cares, because these are the foundation of their prosperity and the symbol of their civilization.

Zhang Yinghao took a deep breath of the slightly pungent air. It was true that industrial development destroyed Feng Shui. Many places that were once very livable were destroyed by the construction of a factory or a mine, making the local environment less livable. The water and soil were polluted by the wastewater and exhaust gases discharged by the factories. If this wasn't a destruction of Feng Shui, what was it?

In fact, this is also one of the reasons why China has not developed industry in history. The pollution caused by industry is too harmful to the water and soil. Some polluted land may not recover even for hundreds or thousands of years. This is unacceptable for an agricultural country.

The industrialization of the great powers began with the textile machine, but after summoning the capitalist system, they themselves could no longer control this demon they had summoned. The Communist Manifesto states that the bourgeoisie cannot survive unless they constantly revolutionize the means of production, and thus the relations of production, and thus all social relations. They must plunder everywhere, prioritizing profit. To survive, they must continue to desperately develop. Therefore, for capitalists, polluting the environment is no big deal, because their primary concern is survival. If they cannot survive, what does it matter to them whether they pollute the environment or not? After I die, who cares about floods?

This is one of the reasons why so many countries set carbon emission targets in later generations, but Western countries themselves did not comply with them, instead blaming other countries, especially China, for their large-scale emissions. They ignored China's efforts and played double standards to the fullest.

Zhang Yinghao was certainly aware of the environmental pollution problem and the consequences of discharging thick smoke and wastewater. However, in this era, he could no longer care about environmental pollution. Contemplating such issues now was pointless. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao would not even consider enacting any environmental protection laws. Doing so would tie his own hands and prevent industrial development. For now, Zhang Yinghao could only follow the Western path: pollute first, then clean up; in some areas, clean up while polluting. That was all. Once he unified the country and had sufficient self-defense capabilities, he would eliminate outdated production capacity.

Zhang Yinghao knew that Western countries had already accumulated enough technology; all they needed was an opportunity to integrate it with production and unleash it. In Marx's words, violence is the midwife of every old society that gives birth to a new one; it is the tool social movements use to carve out their own path and destroy rigid, dying political forms. The development of science and technology is the driving force behind social development, and war is a necessary process for social change, inevitably accompanied by the development of science and technology.

War is a catalyst for science and technology, stimulating its development and progress. The immense demands of war rapidly and organically organize the means of production, science and technology, organizations, and production processes. With this catalyst, the scientific progress of the great powers will experience a surge. War not only guides and promotes the direction and purpose of scientific research and development, but also serves as a testing ground for science and technology. On the other hand, science and technology are the giants of war, not only the driving force of war but also the guiding force for the future development of warfare.

Zhang Yinghao knew that if he slowed down, he would fall behind those frantic Western nations. In this unique era, the Chinese people truly possessed a national pride and work ethic unimaginable to those who came after them. In the past, China's first trucks, cars, and countless precision parts were, quite literally, hammered out by workers. But so what? This manual production method, still the original method of automobile production for the great powers, defied industrialization and machine production, and lagged decades behind the rest of the world.

However, after decades of accumulation during the Westernization Movement, China's Second Industrial Revolution was still in full swing, so the generation gap wasn't particularly significant. Zhang Yinghao knew what he needed to do: prepare for the future, laying the foundation and laying the groundwork ten years in advance. The problem Zhang Yinghao was currently addressing was the people's suffering from violence and starvation. As for environmental pollution, it wasn't really a concern for him right now. To put it bluntly, environmental pollution was a race against productivity growth and a matter of technological advancement. As long as productivity increased rapidly enough, at least the use of steam engines could be significantly reduced. This was the best Zhang Yinghao could do. As for the pollution-free problem, even two hundred years wouldn't completely solve it.

"Chairman, this is a list of tools and weapons developed in accordance with your instructions."

Back at the office, the comrades from the Weapons Research and Manufacturing Institute brought Zhang Yinghao a gift. Zhang Yinghao took the document and began to read it. Indeed, there were quite a few weapons he had been assigned to research. For example, a flamethrower, essentially a compressed air bottle, thickened gasoline or other liquid, and a simple ignition device. While the principle was quite simple, it was a powerful tool for conquering fortresses and tunnels. Although the flamethrower developed by the institute was marked as only capable of two consecutive effective sprays, it was sufficient for the time being.

The PLA's equipment was getting better and better. For example, in the past, every PLA soldier had a folding engineer shovel, one side serrated and the other sharpened to an incredibly sharp edge. This thing had many uses, including digging trenches, shoveling soil, and felling trees. In emergencies, it could also be used for bayonet fighting or even barbecues.

Each soldier also received a helmet. Zhang Yinghao had seen how to make iron pots in his previous life. Using a mold, he pressed each one into shape, making it incredibly simple and quick. Steel helmets weren't designed to protect against bullets, but rather shrapnel, so they didn't need to be particularly high quality. However, to reduce casualties among the PLA, Zhang Yinghao, despite resource constraints, still managed to manufacture and equip his troops.

Zhang Yinghao continued to study, and nodded in satisfaction. He had come up with quite a bit of research. Besides flamethrowers, there were mines, hand grenades, mixed incendiary bullets, incendiary bombs, special rounds, aerial bombs, and so on. Many of these were developed with Zhang Yinghao's input. For example, the production of special rounds, such as aluminum and magnesium, both produce chlorine gas, which is toxic and a key ingredient in their manufacture. Zhang Yinghao didn't have to use them himself, but he had to master the production and storage technology.

Of course, for things like incendiary bombs and mixed incendiary bullets, just by giving them a name, you can roughly know what they are used for and how to develop them. Of course, there are also many things that Zhang Yinghao drew up and asked their research institute to manufacture.

After these weapons are produced, Zhang Yinghao doesn't have to worry about them. They will be sent to the training division for testing, and they will figure out how to use them, experiment with new tactics, and then they will be deployed to the troops. If Zhang Yinghao still had to worry about these things, he would have died of exhaustion long ago.

However, after Zhang Yinghao saw the development of the several hundred kilograms of aerial bombs, his heart still beat rapidly. Zhang Yinghao had been waiting for this thing for quite some time! Because Zhang Yinghao knew that with this aerial bomb, he could send out a fleet of airships to bomb the warships of the great powers. In this era, there was no awareness of air defense. Not to mention completely driving the warships of the great powers out of China, but it would not be a problem to drive their warships out of places like the Yangtze River. In other words, the conditions for the People's Liberation Army to send troops to liberate the country were fully ripe.

"Chairman, Chairman, the Qing Dynasty has issued an order for all forces to massacre the revolutionaries and suppress the uprisings in various places. This is the latest news."

Li Tianqiao walked quickly into Zhang Yinghao's office, speaking as he handed him the documents. Not many people could enter Zhang Yinghao's office without prior notification, and Li Tianqiao was one of them. The fact that Li Tianqiao had rushed to see him must have meant something serious was going on. Zhang Yinghao sighed inwardly. It hadn't been a few days of peace, and yet something bad was happening again.