Liu Xiang not only paid lip service, but also gradually provided support to Liu Lang.
If the government made any major moves in the military system in 1935, in addition to continuing to pursue the red troops during the strategic shift and continuing to reorganize German weapon divisions and importing large quantities of arms, it was probably the first major military move in the country.
The scale was awarded.
From July 1934 to January 1935, the government re-formulated the "Official List" and the "Soldier Ranking List". In March 1935, a new military rank list was promulgated, dividing generals into first-level and second-level
, at the same time, the rank of special general was added. Starting from April, the government has successively awarded the title to senior generals of the National Revolutionary Army. China's military ranks have been standardized for the first time.
This is also the first time in more than 20 years since China transplanted the modern military rank system modeled on the Japanese military rank system in the late Qing Dynasty that the Chinese government has standardized the awarding of titles nationwide. While standardizing the integration of the country's military with general ranks,
It also curbs the proliferation of general ranks.
The reason why the rank of general before 1935 was too common is also related to the changes in China's political situation since the overthrow of the Manchu Dynasty. Especially during the Beiyang Government, both the central government and local military officials were awarded the title of general.
There are even division commanders and brigade commanders who hold the rank of general. For example, in November 1923, the commander of the 26th Army Division, Cao Jing, was awarded the rank of army general. Another example is Wang Ruqin, who was awarded the rank of army general on July 25, 1924.
General Ren Qinwei, the commander of the Eighth Division and the commander-in-chief of the garrison on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. In addition, there are many warlords in various places, so it is completely normal for him to be awarded the title of general.
It can be said that the rank of general was not very valuable before 1935. There were too many.
After the national government nominally unified the country, in order to avoid conflicts, it did not take any large-scale actions on general military ranks. As the control of national power further strengthened, the first formal conferment of military ranks on the national army was finally launched in 1935.
The basic principle is that brigade commanders, division chiefs of staff, and deputy division commanders are awarded the rank of major general; division commanders, corps commanders, corps commanders, and group army commanders are awarded the rank of lieutenant general; local warlord leaders and senior and powerful soldiers as well as some soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the revolution and the country are awarded the title
General; generals are divided into three levels: second-level generals, first-level generals, and special-level generals.
For the first time, China's original three-level general officer system was changed into a five-level general officer system similar to that of the Third Reich. This was of course influenced by the military advisors of the Third Reich behind the military rank reform.
Since the first half of 1935, officers from all over the country have been conferring general titles. Naturally, the special-grade general is the first bald man in China today, equivalent to a generalissimo. There is only one bald man in the country.
An old Shanxi man like Liu Lang, who had just concluded a business deal with someone a few months ago, became one of the eight first-level generals in the government. Liu Lang's cousin Liu Xiang, who had recently taken power in Sichuan, became a second-level general.
One of the ten second-level generals, alongside Han Fuqu from Shandong, Song Zheyuan from Peiping, Liu Zhi from Jiangxi, He Jian from Hunan, and Yang Hucheng from the northwest.
Obviously, Liu Xiang, who became a general as early as ten years ago, was somewhat dissatisfied with his failure to be included in the list of first-class generals. At the same time, a deep crisis arose. He had to strengthen his power while holding on to Sichuan.
own strength.
And Liu Lang, his capable nephew, is the key to strengthening his own strength.
Therefore, before Liu Lang returned to the Independent Regiment in the first half of the year, Liu Xiang, in the name of Commander-in-Chief of the Seventh Route Army and Chairman of the Sichuan Provincial Government, recommended Liu Lang to the national government for promotion to Army Major General. Originally, in Liu Xiang's view,
Come on, this is almost not difficult.
As a man who has twice won the Blue Sky and White Sun Medal for his meritorious service in fighting against Japanese pirates, Liu Lang, who has been promoted to colonel for more than two years, definitely has this qualification. The establishment of his independent regiment is not much smaller than that of a brigade with an establishment of 4,500 people. In addition,
As recommended by him, the chairman of Sichuan Province and commander-in-chief of the Seventh Route Army, the government will give him this face no matter what.
Liu Xiang has even made plans to expand the independent regiment into an independent brigade. The combat effectiveness of an independent brigade with two infantry regiments is definitely much stronger than the current independent regiment of only 3,000 people.
But to Liu Xiang's expectation, the Ministry of Military Affairs of the National Government approved his recommendation for Zhang Yan to serve as lieutenant general and brigade commander of the new 61st Brigade of the Seventh Route Army, but rejected Liu Lang's recommendation for promotion to Army Major General.
The reason is that Colonel Liu Lang is still young, and if he is promoted too quickly, firstly, it will be suspected of undermining others' achievements; secondly, he is afraid that the generals will be dissatisfied.
This reason seems nonsense, but it is a reason that Liu Xiang has to face with gritted teeth. Liu Lang's age is indeed a big problem. He was only 24 years old after 1935. With 24
He became a major general at the age of 50, so how embarrassed are the generals who only became major generals and lieutenant generals when they were nearly fifty years old!
Although Chairman Liu, who never avoids relatives when promoting talents, has nothing to say, he is naturally unhappy with this nonsense reason. In his opinion, this is the government's suppression of him. He does not want to promote Liu Lang to Army Major General because he is afraid that his Liu family is in Sichuan.
The strength is just too strong.
Two consecutive recommendations for Liu Lang's promotion were rejected. Even General He, the top leader of the Ministry of Military Affairs and the first-level Army General He, personally called Liu Xiang to appease and mediate. Only then did Liu Xiang stop using the opportunity of being awarded the title in 1935.
Liu Lang's thoughts as he pushed towards the ranks of generals.
That's why Liu Lang built a new town, and Liu Xiang immediately jumped out to cheer for it. I think there was a certain amount of compensation in it.
However, this was all without Liu Lang's knowledge.
Liu Lang himself knew a little bit about the 1935 conferment, and he didn't think about it and tried to take the next step into the ranks of generals.
However, he knew very well what the bald man was thinking. If he personally went to Nanjing to express his allegiance to the bald man, it would be a sure thing that the Army Major General's general star would be embedded in his collar, and he would become the independent regiment.
Expanding into an independent brigade should be a matter of course. The so-called excuse that you are too young to be a general is just a joke.
However, the allegiance the bald man wants may not be as simple as words. First of all, according to the bald man’s old routine, his independent group will definitely be mixed with sand, and several old brothers who have followed him for a long time will be transferred.
, they will be replaced by students of the bald boss; secondly, Guangyuan is probably not the place to stay.
Previously, the independent regiment that was still part of the Central Army was sent to Guangyuan to add sand to Sichuan. Now, at this moment, Liu Xiang has taken control of Sichuan, and the bald man will never let Liu Lang do it again.
This made the Sichuan Provincial Chairman, whom he disliked, even more powerful.
The worst thing is probably not this, but the fact that the independent regiment is very likely to move from northern Sichuan into western Sichuan to pursue the red troops who have obvious intentions of advancing. That is what Liu Lang least wants to see.
Although Liu Lang did not follow the Red Army all the way, and the soldiers of the several independent regiments who protected the young grandmother on the long march with the Red Army never sent a word, Liu Lang still paid attention to the Red Army through spies all over the Chinese Business Group in Eastern Sichuan and Western Sichuan.
trend.
Just like in the past time and space, from the beginning of 1935, they crossed Chishui four times and confused the hundreds of thousands of troops of the bald boss, then crossed south to the Wujiang River and entered Yunnan, and then moved all the way west to escape the pursuers, crossed the Jinsha River and entered Sichuan.
And arrived in Luding County in May.
Liu Wenhui's two regiments guarding Luding County were indeed as they had been in time and space, with no full-scale defense and interception. After the Luding Bridge was lost, the red troops were allowed to move towards the Western Sichuan Plateau.
If Liu Lang remembered correctly, in September they should have climbed over the six daunting snowy mountains in Sichuan, walked through the Songpan Grassland, and arrived at the Sichuan-Gansu border north of Aba. Only
It is necessary to defeat Hu Zongnan in order to enter Gannan and finally reach Shaanxi, successfully ending the red process of the great transfer of thousands of miles and re-establishing the famous red base.
If an independent regiment is mobilized to "suppress bandits", don't even think about fooling around like last time and even getting some weapons and ammunition. As a die-hard bald man, that person is already
Army Lieutenant General Hu will definitely keep an eye on the Independent Regiment for the bald man.
History has not been biased in this extremely important link. Liu Lang already feels that God has been kind to China, so why would he take the initiative to jump out and cause trouble?
Besides, even though his official position is not high, he is only a colonel, but he is supported by his uncle, so he should not live too leisurely in Sichuan, and the number of soldiers under his command is not just the three thousand officers and soldiers on the list.
The 4,000 militiamen who have been trained as regular troops in the countryside for two years will be usable soldiers even though they are not elite as long as they experience an actual battle.
In other words, Liu Tuanzuo can now mobilize more than 7,000 troops at any time, which is no less than the strength of Commander Ha'er of the Fourth Division.
Coupled with the various weapons he equipped the Independent Regiment, the combat power of the Independent Regiment at this time is by no means comparable to that of the Independent Regiment during the Great Wall War three years ago. If it were the Independent Regiment of this period, Liu Lang was fully confident that with the help of
The advantage of the mountainous terrain defeated the 8th Division, without relying on a sneak attack on their heavy artillery unit to achieve that result. The super maneuverability and firepower of the Storm Rocket Launcher will definitely let the little devils know what the power of technology is.
However, Liu Lang still underestimated his cousin's strong support for him.