Songhu: Never Give Up

Chapter 26: The Six Tigers of West Point

Yue Qianli looked up and saw that the person talking to him was Major Zhang Tianshou, who was selected by the Navy. He nodded at him and said:
"It takes ten years for the army, a hundred years for the navy. Building a strong navy is a long way to go. I believe that the humiliation of China having a sea but no defense will eventually become a thing of the past!
The revival of the Chinese Navy still depends on outstanding people like Brother Zhang, and there is a long way to go."

Zhang Tianshou cast an admiring look at Yue Qianli. His words showed that he had his own understanding of the navy. He felt like he had met a soulmate. Then he took over his words and said:
“If we want to build a strong navy, we must have strong national strength to support it, which is exactly what we lack the most now;
Japan itself is a maritime country. Although they missed the Age of Discovery, they seized the tail end of the Industrial Revolution, completed the Meiji Restoration politically, defeated the Beiyang Fleet in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, and built a powerful navy with the indemnity from China.

Then they defeated the Russian navy in the Battle of Tsushima and gradually became the overlord of the Eastern Ocean. It will take China a long time to catch up with them. It will take at least 50 years!"

"Brother Zhang, don't be pessimistic. You have to eat one bite at a time. It takes ten years to grow a tree and a hundred years to cultivate a person. We don't have the conditions to build a strong navy yet, but we can first train a group of naval talents.
When our country gains independence and autonomy one day, I believe that we will gather the whole country's strength to build a strong navy and then defend our vast sea borders. Then Brother Zhang will be of great use!

The navy has never been built by buying a few warships. Talent is the first priority. We would rather have people wait for warships than have warships wait for people. "

Zhang Tianshou excitedly shook Yue Qianli's hand and said:
"Brother Yue, what you said is very good. It is better for people to wait for the warship than for the warship to wait for people. This gave me the motivation and goal to study in the United States.

Even if we don't have warships for a long time, we can't be without a navy!"

"Brother Zhang, what you said is also feasible for our Air Force and Brother Yue's Army. This is also the significance of our study in the United States this time. I believe that in the future there will be no more imperialist planes in the Chinese sky."

Zhang Tianshou saw that the person coming was Captain Zhou Xin of the Air Force, so he greeted him and said:
"This is what Brother Yue said, I dare not claim it as my own."

Captain Zhou Xin saluted Yue Qianli in the British style. It seemed that he had learned to fly in the UK. These were the country's elites. Yue Qianli was naturally happy to make friends with them. He also saluted him in return, and then heard Zhou Xin say:

"Brother Yue seems to have a lot of insights into the construction of the navy. I wonder if he has also dabbled in the air force. We can't keep it to ourselves."

Yue Qianli smiled and said:
"Brother Zhou, you are forcing me to teach a lesson! Since you have brought it up, I'm sure you won't be happy if I don't say a few words."

Zhou Xin made a gesture of invitation. Nowadays, no matter which country's air force it is, it seems that they are all arrogant and proud of being troublemakers, but they can really fight. Honest children cannot be pilots.

Yue Qianli thought for a moment and then said:

"Future wars will begin with a fight for air supremacy, which naturally includes naval battles. Without air supremacy, there will be no sea supremacy."

Zhang Tianshou seemed a little unconvinced after hearing this. The current air force is only an auxiliary branch of the army and navy, not even a branch of the military, so how can it decide the outcome of a war? Thinking of this, he interrupted and said:
"Brother Yue, isn't this a bit too forward-looking? If you're talking about decades or centuries later, I agree that naval warfare will still be dominated by battleships within thirty years.
Nowadays, the navies of various countries still use the tonnage of battleships and the caliber of main guns as the only standard to measure whether a navy is strong or not. "

What he meant was that it was not yet Feiji's turn to play the leading role, and even Zhou Xin thought so.

This is also the consensus of naval generals and experts around the world that the Air Force is just a branch of the military attached to the Navy and the Army.

"Brother Zhang, the reason why you think battleships are the overlords of the ocean is because current aircraft cannot threaten the tough battleships at all.
If one day the combat radius of aircraft is expanded to hundreds of nautical miles, and the bombs or torpedoes they carry can penetrate the armor of battleships, then won’t the bulky battleships become sitting ducks at sea? "

Major Zhang Tianshou fell into deep thought. After a long while, he said, "Brother Yue, I have to admit that your hypothesis is feasible. Today's aircraft can carry dozens of kilograms of bombs, and in the future they may be able to carry hundreds of kilograms, which is enough to blow up the thick armor of battleships.

It is unknown when this threat will be reached, but once it is reached and the warships have not found weapons and tactics to restrain it, aircraft will indeed become a nightmare for the ships.

This also applies to the army. Even battleships can be blown up, not to mention tanks and bunkers. If such a day really comes, fighting for air supremacy is indeed the most important thing. "

Zhou Xin bowed respectfully to Yue Qianli and said:
"Brother Yue, listening to your words is worth ten years of study. I have learned a lot."

"Brother Zhou, you are too polite. There is always a teacher among three people. We can discuss with each other, but it may not be right.

At a time when the country is in crisis, you and I have traveled across the ocean to study military affairs. We can learn from others’ experience and polish our own. In the future, when we return from our studies, we will fight the Japanese invaders to the bitter end on land, sea and air.

Yue Qianli's words were greeted with applause. Only then did he realize that several other students had also come over, so they gathered together to discuss the current situation.

As expected, they are all passionate men. Army student Wang Jianfei said passionately:

"Japan has not given up its desire to destroy us. First, the Kwantung Army invaded our four provinces outside the Great Wall, then it provoked a war in Shanghai in the east, and now it has begun to plot against Rehe, pressing forward step by step and making every inch of its advance.

There must be a war between China and Japan. You and I, seven feet tall men, will take the lead. Even if there is a huge gap between the two sides, we must fight to the death. It is better to die in glory than to live in disgrace! "

"Brother Wang, what you said is right. I suggest that the six of us follow the example of Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei in the Peach Garden and swear an oath of brotherhood in front of the sea. We will not stop until we defeat the Japanese pirates."

Yue Qianli quickly stopped him and said:
"This is not good. We are all comrades in the National Army. Isn't it too much to do this Peach Garden Oath..."

Zhou Xin said, fearing that the world would not be in chaos:
"Brother Yue, what do you mean by this? Are you looking down on us?
The six of us brothers traveled across the ocean to learn how to fight the Japanese invaders. When we are away from home, we need to take care of each other. Our sworn brotherhood will not affect anyone else. From now on, we will be the Six Tigers of West Point!"

Zhang Tianshou also stood up and said:
"I think this is the deal. Those who agree raise your hands. The minority shall obey the majority."

Yue Qianli could only laugh and cry. These people really wanted to stir up trouble. When they return from their studies, they will all be labeled as West Point.
Given the Kuomintang's penchant for factionalism, once they become prominent in the future, others will definitely classify them as one faction, and they will not be able to get rid of them even if they want to.

"Okay, five to one, whether Brother Yue raises his hand or not won't affect the overall situation!
Let's face the Japanese island and swear an oath of blood!"

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(End of this chapter)