The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

This has been a fact since ancient times. A core defensive issue facing the northern part of the Great Wall is that the mobility of cavalry has always necessitated widespread defense in the agricultural Central Plains, which was often hasty and inadequate. Almost all of you have attended my lectures and know that during the Han Dynasty, Emperor Wu of Han used cavalry against cavalry in his campaign against the Xiongnu. However, the Central Plains cavalry was no match for the Xiongnu. This is why Emperor Wu of Han was so eager for the Ferghana horses, which could travel a thousand miles a day. Ultimately, the Han Dynasty's victory wasn't solely due to military success, but rather to the comprehensive strength of the nation, which outlasted the Xiongnu.

So, since ancient times, whether it was the Han Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty, or the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the cavalry of the Central Plains was basically no match for the steppe cavalry, and not even on the same level. The saying "a full force of less than 10,000 cavalry is invincible" was true before the matchlock gun era. This is one of the reasons why the Russian Cossack cavalry was so powerful for thousands of years. And it is also for this reason that for two thousand years, the Central Plains has been deeply threatened by the nomadic peoples in the north.

Horses raised on the Central Plains pastures are simply not as suited to combat as those raised on the steppes. In ancient warfare, cavalry represented the ultimate in mobile military force, capable of appearing and disappearing without a trace. Therefore, the Central Plains dynasties never found a way to completely resolve the threat from the north. The only dynasty that could be considered successful in addressing this issue was the Qing Dynasty. I won't go into detail here; those interested can consult my previous article.

"So, in the past, only by mobilizing an army of tens of millions and then using cavalry to sweep the grasslands for several years could the threat from the north be eradicated and the nomadic peoples of the grasslands be eradicated. However, the logistics of a million-strong army could overwhelm any dynasty, so this was unrealistic. Moreover, this was only a phase in the eradication of one nation on the grasslands, not a permanent solution.

We all know that throughout history, ethnic groups from the north have come and gone, and have been destroyed one after another. So no matter whether they eventually merged into the Chinese nation or perished, there will always be another one.

For example, the Donghu initially occupied a wider area, but the Xiongnu eventually grew stronger and drove them out. After the Xiongnu were defeated by the Han dynasty, the Xianbei rose to power, occupying the entire grasslands formerly occupied by the Xiongnu. The Xianbei were later subjugated by the Han people and, taking advantage of the Five Barbarians' invasion of China, established a series of dynasties. The Rouran in the north rose again, completely occupying the northern desert grasslands previously occupied by the Xianbei. Later, the Turks rose and overthrew the Xianbei, becoming a powerful nomadic empire spanning North and Central Asia, confronting the Sui and Tang dynasties. Later, Tang Taizong, Tang Gaozong, and Wu Zetian, along with several other emperors, successively attacked the Turks, pushing them into western Asia. Consequently, the vast grasslands were occupied by the Khitans.

The Khitans, taking advantage of the rapid growth of the late Tang Dynasty, moved southward, conquered the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, and established the first formal minority dynasty, known as the puppet emperor Shi Jingtang. Later, the Jurchens rose to power, sweeping across the Khitans and, incidentally, the Northern Song Dynasty. Later, the Mongols rose to power, defeating the Jurchens and sweeping across Eurasia. For the first time, the entire Chinese region, the Central Plains, was completely occupied and ruled by nomadic peoples.

It wasn't until Zhu Yuanzhang's successful Northern Expedition that the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, ruled by ethnic minorities since the late eighth century, returned to Han Chinese control after six hundred years. Then came the Qing Dynasty, when barbarism triumphed over civilization, and nomadic peoples once again conquered the entire Chinese nation.

So, let me be sad. For thousands of years, with the exception of Emperor Wu of Han's battles against the Xiongnu and Emperor Taizong of Tang's sweeping across the Turks, it was often the northern ethnic minorities who posed a greater threat and advantage to the Central Plains dynasties, while the Central Plains dynasties always maintained a defensive posture. There was no other way. In ancient times, cavalry represented the highest level of combat power and mobility. If the cavalry could not match the others, there would be no strategic initiative. For thousands of years, nomadic peoples have always held the advantage of mobile warfare.

Until modern times, the invention of firearms, especially the emergence of machine guns, these weapons of equality have completely wiped out the advantages of grassland cavalry. Machine guns and cannons have blasted out the singing and dancing of the entire grassland and the hospitality.

But then again, the Chinese nation has fought against nomadic peoples and has won many notable victories. However, we did not take advantage of our victories to completely assimilate or eliminate the grassland peoples. This involves the concept of civilization.

Chinese civilization is an agricultural civilization, ruled by landlords. For these rulers, the ability to cultivate land was essential for generating tax revenue, and therefore justified conquest and development. Essentially, the purpose of conquering any territory was to allow people to cultivate the land and promote agricultural civilization. Without access to agriculture, landlords lacked motivation and were unable to fight, so they preferred passive defense over offense.

If a region wasn't suitable for farming, it wouldn't remain occupied after it was conquered. Instead, various protectorates, governorates, or Chanyu Prefectures would be established. As you can see, both the Han and Tang dynasties established protectorates for ethnic minorities. These merely sent a group of people to nominally rule, failing to assimilate these regions and, naturally, failing to truly integrate these regions into Chinese civilization. After all, farming wasn't feasible on the grasslands! The same was true on the mountains. Only the hills in the south could be cultivated through terraced fields. This explains why, after ancient occupation, the south remained a constant hold. It was because a few hills weren't a problem; it suited our agricultural civilization. Similarly, the Qing dynasty, regarding border regions beyond its reach, had only a vague geographical conception of traditional spheres of influence. Former Viceroy of India, Curzon, viewed India as a base for Britain to compete with the other powers in Central Asia and the Far East, allowing it to annex and exploit those Far Eastern countries whose "political boundaries," in his view, were still undefined. What did he mean by this? It simply meant occupying as many undefined territories as possible through military force.

Unfortunately, it was precisely this slightly biased civilizational barrier within China that repeatedly prevented us from completely conquering the entire desert grasslands. It also allowed nomadic peoples to migrate south, influencing and disrupting the Chinese civilization countless times.

After Zhang Yinghao finished his historical talk, he paused and asked, "Comrades, is there anything you don't understand? Or do you have any questions?"

"Chairman, in terms of the military, which dynasty do you think had the most powerful army?"

"That's a good question. Let's analyze it from several perspectives. We've talked about our three magic weapons before. Do you remember them? Party building, armed struggle, and the united front."

"We consider Party building in the ancient imperial court to be organizational building. Throughout the dynasties, which dynasty had the best organizational construction? Which dynasty relied on military power to establish its nation? Which dynasty united more people? If you carefully analyze these three aspects, you will know which dynasty had the most powerful army.

But today, I'd like to analyze this from another perspective. In Party lectures, we teach that practice is the only way to gain true knowledge. Our People's Liberation Army has grown from nothing to where it is today, having learned about warfare through war. To tell whether an army is truly effective in combat, one must first see it on the battlefield. Therefore, the battlefield is the best place to truly test a unit's combat effectiveness. A true mule or horse can be truly known through combat.

So, when you ask me which dynasty had the strongest army, my answer is that the army that fought the most battles is the strongest. We just discussed the threat posed by the ancient northern nomadic peoples to the Central Plains dynasties, but this issue wasn't truly resolved until the Qing Dynasty. Many dynasties throughout history have been able to defeat the steppe peoples, including the Han, Tang, and Ming dynasties. These dynasties didn't conquer the northern nomads in a single battle, but rather through comprehensive national strength.

From this perspective, the armies of the Han, Tang, and early Ming dynasties were still quite capable. However, when we were studying and discussing "On the Overthrow of Qin," we came across this passage: "Qin had spare strength to overcome its weaknesses, chasing the enemy north, leaving millions of corpses and blood flowing like streams. Taking advantage of opportunities, they divided the world and split the country. Strong nations submitted, weak nations came to the court..."

When the First Emperor arrived, he unleashed the remaining strength of the six previous emperors, reviving his long-term strategy to rule the world. He swallowed up the two Zhou dynasties and destroyed the feudal lords. He assumed supreme power and controlled the world. He lashed the world with a whip and whip, and his power resonated throughout the four seas. In the south, he seized the lands of the Hundred Yue and established them as Guilin and Xiangjun. The rulers of the Hundred Yue bowed their heads and tied their necks, submitting to his orders. He then sent Meng Tian to build the Great Wall in the north to guard the frontier, pushing back the Xiongnu for over 700 miles. The Hu people dared not come south to graze their horses, and the scholars dared not draw their bows to avenge their grievances...

We can know how powerful the Qin army was during the Qin Dynasty just from one sentence: The Hu people did not dare to go south and herd horses.

Practice makes perfect. The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period saw more than five hundred years of turmoil, and while there were no unjust wars during that time, what strategies hadn't emerged during those centuries? What strategies for strengthening a nation hadn't been tried and tested? Which powerful nation didn't destroy countless states? The Qin State was the epitome of this. It swept across the empire and unified the world. So, if we're simply judging by the elite of its military, I personally believe the Qin Army is the best.

Let's consider, from another perspective, the great figures of our nation's ancient history: Confucius, Laozi, Sun Tzu, Han Feizi, Guiguzi, and so on. Even today, we continue to study the knowledge they left behind, demonstrating their profound influence. I'm sure everyone here has read Sun Tzu's Art of War. Its content reaches the heights of dialectical materialism, and subsequent generations have only been able to tinker with its foundations. Even so, it was the Qin Dynasty that ultimately unified the empire. The profound implications of this are worth pondering for all of us.

Zhang Yinghao saw that his classmates were thinking, and continued: "But then again, the strength of the army needs to be supported by national strength, otherwise it will be just a mirage. Our China has produced many talents from generation to generation, and there are many strong armies, but how many of them can truly leave their names in history? These strong armies are often short-lived and then disappear in the long river of history. Why? Without ideals, the ruling class is the landlord class, and in the end, it will inevitably be the demise of the people and the collapse of the government!

Since we've come this far, let me elaborate a little more. Last time, I said this era is like the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period in ancient China. The Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Seven Hegemons of the Warring States Period represented the entire world during that era, while now it's just the entire globe. There were no righteous wars during the Spring and Autumn Period, so now, whether it's Britain, France, Japan, or Russia waging war against our country, they're all driven by profit, not justice.

In the "On the Six Kingdoms" we studied, there's a passage that goes: "Besides conquering by force, Qin also captured small towns and large cities. Compared to what Qin gained through victory, what it gained was actually a hundred times greater; and the losses suffered by the princes were actually a hundred times greater than those suffered through defeat." Therefore, Qin's greatest desire, and the princes' greatest fear, was not war.

Think of your ancestors, who braved frost and dew, cutting through thorns and brambles to acquire a tiny piece of land. Their descendants treat it with scant regard, giving it away like discarded grass. Today they cede five cities, tomorrow ten, and then they can sleep peacefully for a night. Then they wake up and survey their borders, and the Qin army arrives again. Yet, the vassal states have limited territory, while the tyrannical Qin is insatiable. The more they offer tributes, the more aggressive they become. Thus, without even fighting, the victory or defeat of the strong and the weak is already determined. As for overthrow, it is only natural.

The ancients said: "To serve Qin with land is like trying to put out a fire with firewood. As long as the firewood is not exhausted, the fire will not be extinguished." This is true.

The Qing dynasty, like the other six states, saw its entire north annexed by Russia, with millions of square kilometers of land ceded and relinquished at will. Qingdao was leased to Germany; Korea and Taiwan to Japan; Hong Kong, Myanmar, and other territories to Britain; Vietnam and Laos to France; and a vast expanse of concessions within the country. The Qing dynasty signed numerous humiliating treaties and paid countless gold and silver in compensation. With these concessions, the Qing dynasty served the foreign powers. Peace survives when it strives for struggle, but it dies when it seeks compromise. Therefore, the Qing dynasty's repeated concessions were like adding fuel to a fire; if the fuel wasn't exhausted, the fire wouldn't be extinguished, only fueling the foreign powers' appetites. The foreign powers grew stronger, while China grew weaker. The ultimate result was the complete occupation of China by the foreign powers, and the extinction of the nation.

I've always said that the Qing court couldn't represent China because it privately betrayed our national interests. It's the Qing rulers, or rather, the Qing imperial family, who betrayed our national interests. Did we, the common people, know about the treaties they signed? Were we consulted? Did we have a vote? None of that. They simply signed these traitorous treaties privately. Therefore, we don't recognize the treaties signed by the Qing as legitimate.

We say there's nothing new under the sun because we've already seen the end of the Qing dynasty through history. If the Qing hadn't fallen, China would have been suffocated to death by it. Now that the people have recognized the true nature of the Qing, it's naturally been overthrown, without even the strength to struggle..."

After saying this, Zhang Yinghao didn't plan to continue, so he changed the subject and talked about policy issues towards Mongolia and other places.

"Let's talk about something else. Our teachers have also discussed ecological issues in class. The ecology on the grasslands is much more fragile than that in our southern regions. For example, in Hunan, if you cut down all the trees on a mountain, or set the mountain on fire, the mountain will be lush and green again the next year. But it's different on the grasslands. Once the vegetation is destroyed, it costs a hundred times more to restore it, and once it becomes desertified, the cost of restoration is even higher. Once a piece of land becomes sandy and can no longer retain water, it is considered useless.

Therefore, in the northern grasslands, we must give priority to protecting water sources, grasslands, woodlands, wetlands, etc., we must combine the long-term and short-term interests of the people, and try our best not to open up farmland in the grassland areas.

Secondly, we must respect the customs and religious beliefs of the local people. Of course, we cannot spoil them. Everything must be done within the scope permitted by the law, rather than allowing local people to act recklessly under various pretexts.

The third thing is to make the locals our own people as much as possible. This is our most important thing. Our experience has proven that only by gaining the trust and cooperation of the locals can we make significant progress. Without their support, our work will be ineffective.

After finishing his lecture and returning to his office, Zhang Yinghao received a telegram from Liu Wenxiu and others requesting instructions. After a moment's reflection, he immediately called a meeting of the relevant comrades. He knew there was more pressing matter than just North Korea; there was a more pressing matter that needed to be addressed immediately, one that could no longer be put off. This matter was the administrative divisions in northern China.

Since Qin Shihuang abolished the feudal system and established counties, the superiority of the county system has been self-evident. Although there have been occasional setbacks, the county system has become an inevitable trend.

The People's Liberation Army liberated all of Northeast China, Outer Northeast China, East and West Siberia, Mongolia, and Outer Mongolia. However, the issue of administrative divisions has not been resolved. After all, many areas did not have a county system during the Qing Dynasty. For example, Heilongjiang was ruled through administrative agencies such as the General's Office.

After consolidating the opinions of his comrades, Zhang Yinghao, drawing on his past life's experience, proposed re-establishing Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, and Inner and Outer Mongolia provinces. From Chita to the Ergun River, he would establish Northern Xinjiang Province, with Chita as its capital. On the north bank of the Heilongjiang River, he would establish New Territory Province, with Blagoveshchensk as its capital. On the east bank of the Ussuri River, he would establish Jinghai Province, with Shuangchengzi as its tentative capital. As for the vast East Siberia region further north, he would establish a Northern Territory Province, with Okhotsk as its capital.

"Comrades, liberating Northeast Mongolia and recovering East Siberia are only the beginning. Our primary concern is how to effectively lead the region for long-term stability and ensure a better life for the locals. Effective leadership requires a legitimate government. These areas are vast and sparsely populated. Without establishing administrative districts and our own sovereign government, we will be unable to legitimately lead the locals. Over time, we will inevitably repeat the mistakes of the Han, Tang, Ming, and Qing dynasties, where we lost what we gained..."

Zhang Yinghao had his own views on administrative divisions. In his previous life, Hainan Island was established as a provincial-level unit, so in Zhang Yinghao's plan, Sakhalin Island and Taiwan would be directly established as provinces after liberation. However, since Sakhalin Island and Taiwan were no longer under his control, there was no need to write them down and alert the enemy.

As for the East Siberia region, if a province was simply named "Far East Province," it would sound like it was based on Western maps and have a distinctly colonial feel, so Zhang Yinghao naturally wouldn't use it. As for the Xinjiang region, Qianlong simply named it Xinjiang, implying a new homeland.

Just like the later disbanding of Rehe Province, with most of it returned to Hebei Province, and the establishment of an Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the previous Inner Mongolia Province was set up this way, becoming a long and narrow province, due to the strategic needs of the Soviet Union and Mongolia at the time. However, this situation would not exist now, so the corresponding geographical location would also need to be changed. Zhang Yinghao did not intend to continue to create Rehe Province.

In his previous life, there were provincial autonomous regions, which were determined by the historical development at that time. However, in this life, Zhang Yinghao did not intend to directly establish provincial autonomous regions. City and county levels were irrelevant. So Zhang Yinghao spread out the regions on the table and began to explain.

... Establish Northern Xinjiang Province from Chita to the Ergun River. Establish Xinyu Province south of the Greater Khingan Range and north of the Heilongjiang River, synonymous with the name Xinjiang given by Emperor Qianlong. Establish Jinghai Province east of the Ussuri River, and Northern Yu Province north of the Greater Khingan Range and east of the Lena River. These provinces represent the return of the old territories. As for Sakhalin Island, it is not yet in our hands, so we will put it on hold for now. As for North Korea, let's see how things develop. We'll start with land reform, and then hold a referendum to see whether the North Koreans wish to join China or become independent... "

Hearing that Zhang Yinghao had established so many provinces in one go, many comrades were immediately delighted. After all, a province was home to countless leaders, not to mention how many positions were added. Although some people preferred to serve in the central government, many also wanted to work in the local areas. Many people would rather be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix.

Zhang Yinghao also wanted to conduct a metabolism of the central government, promoting a group of outstanding comrades to the central government and delegating a group of comrades to work in the local areas. In addition, in the coming period, the construction of the north must be accelerated. The north needs to increase its strength, and the establishment of administrative divisions is also appropriate at this time.

Zhang Yinghao had pondered the establishment of these provinces for a long time. After all, it had been a century since Russia invaded East Siberia. Even the Outer Manchuria region had been ceded to Tsarist Russia decades earlier. Furthermore, after the First Sino-Japanese War, Japanese and Russian invaders had enslaved the local people after setting foot on Manchuria.

After the People's Liberation Army liberated these areas, there would naturally be a new atmosphere. However, these areas are now vast and sparsely populated, so the next issue is immigration. Relying solely on the Production and Construction Corps is not enough. Historically, the people who went to Guandong were those who could not survive in the local area. However, Zhang Yinghao believed that as long as Shandong and other places were liberated and land reform was carried out, the people in these places would have a way to make a living. Then, the number of people who went to Guandong in history would become scarce. Then, the time required for the population of Northeast China to rely on natural reproduction would be extended, and there would be a shortage of labor for the development and construction of Northeast China.

Now that these areas have been liberated, there aren't enough people to develop them—a pleasant dilemma, perhaps. But there's no rush now; transportation is too severe. Furthermore, Shandong and other areas haven't been liberated yet, and Emperor Yuan is still in the capital. There's no need to dwell too much; things will work out when the time comes. So, Zhang Yinghao simply worked with his comrades to resolve administrative divisions, the establishment of Party, government, and military organizations, and the staffing of cadres before stepping aside.

Chapter 1: Second update!

A family of a thousand is dominated by one person. While Zhang Yinghao emphasized division of labor and cooperation, this presupposed someone to generate ideas and ensure their implementation. The most challenging thing in this world is leading a team to do the right thing, and Zhang Yinghao was able to avoid all pitfalls and stay on the right path. Therefore, everyone in the Jiefang District was destined to revolve around Zhang Yinghao. Once Zhang Yinghao came up with an idea, the relevant departments would address it. Zhang Yinghao then simply had to monitor its implementation and, if it wasn't performing well, he would replace someone. It was that simple.

There will be big battles to be fought in the future. Although Zhang Yinghao is not a genius, as a time traveler, he naturally knows that a strong army needs a stable rear. No matter how powerful the army is, without a stable rear, it is like a rootless duckweed and cannot withstand any strong winds and waves.

There are many reasons why the Qin Dynasty was able to unify the world, but the destruction of Shu and the occupation of the Sichuan Basin, a source of grain and grass supply, was a major reason. There are also many reasons why Liu Bang won the Chu-Han Contention, but Liu Bang asked Xiao He to establish a solid base in Guanzhong, so that grain and grass and soldiers could be continuously sent to the battlefield. This was the only way to support Liu Bang in his repeated defeats and finally achieve victory.

Li Zicheng, despite possessing a powerful army, lacked a solid base and could only fight like a bandit. Although he captured the capital and destroyed the Ming Dynasty, his defeat at Shanhaiguan was a setback from which he could never recover. He was ultimately routed and defeated by the pursuit of the Qing army and Wu Sangui.

Therefore, every time Zhang Yinghao expanded, he had to first establish a stable forward base and a stable rear area. Only in this way could he be invincible. Even if he failed, he would have the capital to make a comeback.

Zhang Yinghao's favorite tree is the banyan, because it can form a forest. Even if the main trunk is lost, the branches can quickly develop into the main trunk. Even if they can't become the main trunk, at least they can support themselves. In fact, an organization should be like a banyan tree. To flourish, it must constantly seek places to take root. The main trunk and branches jointly provide nutrients for their prosperity, and they constantly grow branches and spread out.

Zhang Yinghao's liberated areas continued to grow and expand across China, much like a single banyan tree forming a forest. He dispatched his comrades to various parts of the country, allowing them to take root and establish a firm foothold there. Ultimately, wherever the People's Liberation Army liberated territory, his comrades would lead the way. This was actually the fastest way to liberate the entire country.

Zhang Yinghao is currently focused on domestic affairs and has no time to pay attention to foreign affairs. In Zhang Yinghao's eyes, domestic affairs are definitely more important than foreign affairs. As long as domestic affairs are resolved, foreign affairs will almost be solved.

Regarding the division of provinces and personnel arrangements, these details will not be announced for the time being. If the liberated areas were to blatantly annex East Siberia, it would undoubtedly cause a domestic and international uproar, and the great powers would inevitably resent and oppose it. For now, we're quietly entering the villages, without firing a single shot. This is unavoidable. Having liberated these areas, we must do everything we can to ensure lasting peace and stability. Therefore, the Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army must rise to the challenge, shoulder this responsibility, and withstand this pressure head-on.

Zhang Yinghao then announced the formation of a new group army. Following PLA tradition, the first, second, and third names, which might suggest ranking, were omitted. The fourth, considered unlucky, was also omitted, and the order went directly to the former Northeastern Sixth PLA and the Mongolian Seventh Field Army. Names like "Northeastern PLA" and "Mongolian Field Army" easily evoked regionalism and fostered the formation of interest groups, so Zhang Yinghao naturally avoided them. The PLA should be globally adaptable, deployed wherever needed. Although the PLA had previously reorganized its forces, it hadn't publicly announced them, and this time, they were taking advantage of the opportunity to form another group army.

Based on the different enemy forces, Zhang Yinghao organized the Eighth Field Army in Zhejiang, Fujian, and Jiangxi, the Ninth Field Army in Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan, the Tenth Field Army in Yunnan, Guizhou, Tibet, and Sichuan, and the Eleventh Field Army in Gansu and Xinjiang...

Zhang Yinghao also set up a border defense committee to unify the leadership of border defense forces and handle issues in border areas.

The People's Liberation Army had suffered heavy losses in numerous wars, and through the baptism of war, it had learned lessons. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao's courage to establish a group army now stemmed from the PLA, which was growing stronger with each battle, and the increasingly advanced Forward Party. A wide forest can support all kinds of birds, and to legitimately annex newly acquired territory, the delusional dreams of some scoundrels must be thwarted. Zhang Yinghao was also concerned about those who might try to take advantage of the situation, and he wanted to warn them to abandon any unrealistic ideas.

The People's Liberation Army has established a General Staff Department, a Political Department, a Logistics Department, an Intelligence Analysis Department, a Security Department, etc., as well as the various field corps, the People's Liberation Army and support forces under its jurisdiction. The entire army still adopts the principle of the three-three system.

The Border Defense Committee's primary mission was to defend the Sino-Russian, Sino-French, and Sino-British borders, primarily Mongolia, Northern Xinjiang Province, and Northern Territory Province, as well as the Yunnan-Tibet-Guangxi border. As for Xinjiang, it hadn't yet been fully liberated and was currently experiencing significant unrest. Zhang Yinghao waited for all the demons and evildoers within to emerge, then marched westward to completely liberate Xinjiang and suppress all enemies. Defense of the Sino-North Korean border, or more recently, the Sino-Japanese border, was primarily handled by the Northeast People's Liberation Army.

With the liberation of vast territories in the north, it was necessary to organize specialized border defense forces based on the actual situation. In fact, all troops were included in the reorganization. After such a long period of preparation, the central government also took advantage of the situation and issued orders for the reorganization of each strategic area.

In the near future, Zhang Yinghao will set up large military regions and war zones based on his previous life's experience. Only in this way can the army's combat effectiveness in fighting major battles be improved as much as possible.

For Zhang Yinghao now, the more military regions there are, the more full-time cadres will need to be supported, which is why he only plans to establish seven military regions. However, because the current transportation conditions are so poor, Zhang Yinghao established seven military regions instead of the later mature five war zones. Of course, this is just a plan now, and the specific situation will naturally be adjusted based on the future.

All parties were working intensively, with relevant orders being issued one after another. Honestly, this reorganization order came a bit too quickly, as the entire country hadn't yet been unified. However, Zhang Yinghao also intended to assign those areas that hadn't been liberated to their respective field armies for liberation. Otherwise, establishing a group army without any merit would be unacceptable.

At the same time, Zhang Yinghao also telegraphed the Fifth Field Army, urging them to liberate Vladivostok immediately and truly complete the mission of liberating Northeast China. As for Sakhalin Island, because it would require a sea crossing, Zhang Yinghao had no intention of going to war with Japan at this time, so he did not give any instructions.

The North Korean issue is very complicated, and Zhang Yinghao really doesn't know how to deal with it right now. North Korea is in a very sad state. In short, it can be described in a few words: bitterness and tears, the crime is deserved, and there must be something hateful about pitiful people...

In 1862, King Yi Hee of Joseon ascended the throne. However, due to his young age, his biological father, Daewongun, became regent, marking the beginning of a power struggle within the Joseon Dynasty. Unwilling to be a puppet of his father, Yi Hee, with the help of Queen Min, sought to force Daewongun to retire and rule directly. Queen Min, in turn, established a political power centered around a clique of relatives, opposing Daewongun's influence. With his father, Daewongun, on one side and his beloved Queen Min on the other, Gojong Yi Hee was sidelined.

As the two political factions fought each other, they sought external support. Initially, Queen Min brought in Japanese forces to suppress Daewongun. Later, during the struggle, Queen Min realized that Korea was still more powerful than the Qing Dynasty and gradually became more pro-China. Daewongun, initially conservative and repulsive to Japanese influence, gradually became closer to the Japanese.

The unstable political situation is the breakthrough point for the invasion of jackals.

In February 1876, Japan coerced Korea into signing the Treaty of Ganghwado, the first unequal treaty in Korean history. The first to do so will surely be followed by the last. The principle of unanimity among the great powers is no joke. Consequently, as the great powers continued to attack, Korea was forced to sign a series of unequal trade treaties. The Qing government, including the Manchus, became a participant in these acts, becoming a victim of the Korean invasion.

The Japanese were still not satisfied with this. In 1882, they simply instigated a military rebellion, drove out Queen Min, and supported Daewongun to return to power.

Upon learning of this, the Qing government dispatched Beiyang Fleet Admiral Ding Ruchang and Deputy Governor Ma Jianzhong with three warships to Korea. They also dispatched veteran Huai Army General Wu Changqing to lead troops to reinforce. Using Korea as a vassal state, they issued a warning to Japan not to take drastic action. Daewongun was then taken back to China and imprisoned in Baoding, and Queen Min was restored to power. This was the first battle between the Qing government and Japan in Korea, and the Qing government ultimately prevailed.

Just two years later, the Japanese became restless again. On the evening of December 4, 1884, the Japanese instigated another rebellion, imprisoned the king and Queen Min in Gyeongyu Palace, and formed a new government. Yuan Shikai, serving as the Qing imperial commissioner to Korea, immediately organized a counterattack, defeating both the rebels and the Japanese army led by Japanese Ambassador Takezoe. Queen Min regained power and re-established a new government.

Both of these battles ended with the Qing Dynasty's victory, and Yuan Shikai also won a foreign victory. Unfortunately, the Korean rulers did not have a good policy to govern the country, the Qing Dynasty became increasingly corrupt and declined, and Japan became increasingly powerful. The struggle on the Korean Peninsula not only did not end, but on the contrary became more and more intense.

On July 23, 1894, Japanese troops suddenly occupied the Joseon royal palace, overthrew the Min clan, and established the Joseon regime. Two days later, on July 25, Japan launched the Sino-Japanese War of 7-7. Daewongun, following his master's advice, announced the abolition of all treaties with the Qing government and concluded the "Japan-Korea Alliance" with Japan, targeting China.

The First Sino-Japanese War of 1894 concluded with the destruction of China's Beiyang Fleet and the defeat of the Qing Dynasty. This naval battle wasn't simply about the Qing Dynasty paying Japan a certain amount of silver in compensation; it also resulted in significant losses. The Qing Dynasty recognized Korea's independence, losing its traditional status as a major power in Northeast Asia. The long-standing tributary system finally collapsed, and a rising Japan emerged as a powerful nation, leaving Korea within its sphere of influence.

Unexpectedly, Korea, like Northeast China, attracted the attention of another hungry wolf. Eager to escape Japanese control and deeply disappointed with the Qing government, Korea actively sided with Russia, angering the Japanese.

The First Sino-Japanese War ended in April 1895. At dawn on October 8, Japan instigated the "Eulmi Incident". More than 30 Japanese ronin rushed into the Korean royal palace, Gyeongbokgung, and hacked anyone they saw. Queen Min was seriously injured and then tortured to death by Japanese thugs. Her body was doused with gasoline and burned to destroy the traces. The bones were thrown into a pool. Naturally, the pro-Russian forces in the Korean royal palace were also eliminated.

What followed was dramatic. King Gojong Yi Hee of Joseon fled to Russia with his son, prompting a series of diplomatic negotiations between Russia and Japan. After a year of negotiations, the two sides finally reached an agreement. King Yi Hee then returned to Joseon and announced the renaming of his country to the "Great Korean Empire." He also ascended the throne from king to emperor, changing the reign title to "Gwangmu."

Yi Hee ascended the throne, and Korea was renamed the "Great Korean Empire." However, this was unable to prevent Japan and Russia from preparing for war on their own soil. Historically, after the Russo-Japanese War and Russia's defeat, Korea became a full Japanese protectorate, losing its independent diplomatic rights. The Japanese established the Governor-General in Korea, with Ito Hirobumi, Japan's ambassador to Korea, as its governor-general.

The subsequent developments were even more dramatic. Unsatisfied with their gradual control of Korea's internal political power, the Japanese began plotting to annex Korea. Coincidentally, on October 26, 1909, Korean patriot An Jung-geun assassinated Ito Hirobumi, President of the Japanese Privy Council and Governor-General of Korea, one of the main culprits responsible for the fall of Korea, at Harbin Railway Station. This gave the Japanese an excuse to coerce the Joseon Emperor, Sunjong Yi Huai, into issuing an edict to negotiate and implement the merger of Japan and Korea.

After nearly a year of negotiations, Terauchi Masaki, the Japanese Governor-General of Korea and father of the invading leader Terauchi Juichi, and Yi Wanyong, a traitor to the Korean Peninsula, signed the Treaty of Annexation on August 22, 1910, annexing Korea to Japan. The Japanese Governor-General in Korea was transformed into the Governor-General's Office, and Terauchi Masaki became the first Japanese Governor-General of Korea, marking the beginning of 32 years of colonial rule over Korea.

In other words, the current Korea has not actually been officially declared to be destroyed. It was not until August 1910 that it was destroyed and incorporated into Japan and became a part of Japan.

The annexation of North Korea by Japan is a true reflection of the law of the jungle in this cruel world.

It can be said that Japan's smooth annexation of Korea fostered its ambitions for aggression and expansion. Without the smooth annexation of Korea, the Japanese would have had to think twice before launching the September 18th Incident. It was precisely because of the successful annexation of Korea and the seizure of Port Arthur and Dalian that Japan's ambitions swelled. They reached for more, extending their greedy claws to Manchuria, enacting a policy of aggression and expansion that saw Manchuria and Mongolia as Japan's lifeline, and subsequently launching a full-scale war of aggression against China.

After Japan invaded Korea, Korean patriots, unwilling to be slaves of a conquered nation, began anti-Japanese activities. This is the real reason why Zhang Yinghao is now unsure about how to deal with Korea: should he incorporate it into the country or leave it? Zhang Yinghao knows that once national consciousness begins to awaken, it will be extremely difficult for foreign races to rule this place.

As early as 1905, when the People's Liberation Army launched a surprise attack on the Japanese army, rebel forces emerged across Korea. Unfortunately, they were brutally suppressed by the Japanese army and fell into decline. Many progressive organizations in Korea decided to use China as a strategic rear base and the Sino-Korean border region as a base for their independence movement. Numerous patriots and volunteer soldiers entered the Sino-Korean border region in Northeast China to persist in the struggle.

However, Zhang Yinghao didn't plan to provide much help to these Korean volunteers. After all, in his previous life, he had given half of the Tianchi Lake in Changbai Mountain to North Korea, but that was impossible in this life. North Korea, the little brother, would always seek to expand northward whenever it had the chance. Otherwise, how could North Korea have so much territory?

There's a theory that after Japan invaded Northeast China in the past, they conscripted many Koreans to maintain law and order. However, Japan refused to issue weapons to these Koreans, so they used laundry sticks used by their families as weapons and were extremely aggressive. As a result, the local people in Northeast China called these Koreans "Korean Bangzi."

Shortly after Zhang Yinghao received Liu Wenxiu's inquiry telegram, another arrived. Shen Ruo came in with the telegram and said, "Mr. Chairman, the King of Korea, oh no, the King of the Korean Empire, Yi Xi, has sent a telegram through the great powers to protest our invasion of Korea and demand that we withdraw our troops. Mr. Chairman, please read this."

Zhang Yinghao took it and started reading it. It simply condemned the PLA's aggressive behavior, called on all countries in the world to jointly maintain peace and justice, and also called on the great powers to take action.

Zhang Yinghao smiled faintly. This Li Xi is really good! He didn't look for him, but he came to look for him!

A few years ago, when the Qing dynasty was weakened, Yi Xi, after completing some military reforms, launched an invasion of Manchuria. Although ultimately unsuccessful, it demonstrated his considerable ambitions. Furthermore, he attempted to rely on European powers to restore Korean independence. It seemed only a matter of time before he sent secret envoys to The Hague to appeal to the world, but the powers ignored him, and the Korean representatives were unable to even attend the conference.

Zhang Yinghao knew that Li Xi was now under the control of Japan. If Li Xi did not die, he would definitely ask him for help in the future. Unfortunately, Li Xi was very important to Japan and there was a high probability that he would not be able to escape from Japan's clutches.

"Protest if you want. Our starting point is the interests of the country and the people. Everything else is unimportant. You can reply and say that if the Japanese army withdraws from Korea and the armies of the great powers stop their attacks and immediately withdraw from China, our army will also immediately withdraw from Korea."

Zhang Yinghao knew that, according to Curzon's theory, Korea was currently an undetermined territory. Whoever conquered it would own it. As for how to deal with Korea, he would have to wait and see what Japan did next. He could afford to wait.

"Yes, Chairman!"

Chapter 30: The third update!

Zhang Yinghao knew that after the PLA's surprise attack and the recapture of Port Arthur from the Liberated Areas, the Japanese army, deprived of the resources of the Northeast, no longer had the capital to develop its army as it had in previous generations. No matter how powerful the Japanese navy was, its warships could not reach land. It could be said that the battle that drove the Japanese army out of the Northeast had already abruptly interrupted the rise of the Japanese army.

"Chairman, we just received news that our invasion of Korea has reached Japan, causing a huge uproar throughout the country. Rumors say the Emperor is furious, and now the Japanese people are also holding protest marches, demanding to fight to the end and defend Japan's dignity. For a time, the Japanese were all indignant, and supporting Korea became the Japanese battle cry."

Zhang Yinghao laughed and said, "Isn't this a good thing? Everyone is coming out to protest instead of going to production. This is good for us."

Li Tianqiao also laughed and said, "The Chairman is right. The demonstrations in Japan are completely incomparable to those in our country. The demonstrations in Japan might have started out okay, but with so many people, it didn't take long for them to degenerate into looting, smashing, and burning, ultimately requiring military suppression."

"This is one of the reasons why I dare to invade Korea now. After we drove Japan out of Northeast China two years ago, although the Russo-Japanese War ended, Japan suffered particularly heavy losses, causing domestic rice riots to last for a long time before gradually stabilizing. Then came the plague. If it weren't for the relatively short incubation period of the plague, it would not have been so easy for Japan to control the plague. In addition, Japan's Yawata Iron and Steel Works lacked raw materials and was under-utilized. It also owed a lot of debts to the great powers. Japan's vitality has not recovered at all. This time we attacked Korea, and Japan's accumulated supplies were basically exhausted. Japan's difficulties are bound to increase. Wars are fought on supplies. After this war, Japan will not be able to recover for at least two to three years. If we confiscate all the coal and iron mines mined by Japan in northern Korea, it will be really bad."

Zhang Yinghao knew that once Japan realized that its continental policy had failed, they would inevitably accelerate their southward advance. However, at that time, it would not be China's problem, but a problem that Britain and the United States would have to deal with.

Zhang Yinghao returned to his office and began gathering people to supplement the previous five-year plan. The liberated areas continued to expand, with provinces like Zhejiang and Fujian now liberated. The previous five-year plan simply couldn't keep up. Of course, this plan wasn't actually a five-year plan; it simply added some elements to the previous Sichuan plan. Zhang Yinghao was well aware of this.

The liberation of Fujian and Zhejiang yielded many high-quality resources, and Zhang Yinghao was delighted to receive the information. For example, the Fuzhou Shipyard, once the site of warship construction, could also produce guns, torpedoes, and other combat weapons, along with numerous skilled workers. This significantly filled a void in the liberated areas. There were also factories like Hu Qingyu Tang, a silk mill, and a spinning mill.

Zhang Yinghao immediately reacted when he saw the raw silk and thought of another way to weaken Japan. He immediately said to his comrades, "Comrades, you should all know that Chinese silk is world-famous. Otherwise, there would be no European Silk Road. China's raw silk mainly comes from tussah silkworms in the north and mulberry silkworms in the south. Silk is a bulk commodity, and Japan exports a large amount of raw silk every year. We need to limit Japan's development speed and reclaim Taiwan as soon as possible. We can start with the raw silk industry. Developing raw silk can also solve the employment problem of the people and increase their income."

If Zhang Yinghao wanted to develop the raw silk industry solely to suppress Japan, then that would be a small-scale move. But in order to recover Taiwan and solve people's livelihood problems, who could not support it? Who dared not support it?

"Chairman, we don't even know anything about silkworm nests!"