Chapter 89: Respected Surname and Great Name
"I heard from the secretary that you had an urgent matter to discuss with me, so I came over as soon as we took a break. Mr. Wang, what are you doing here?" Zhang Yu Sheng was in the middle of an important meeting when it was time for a break, and his secretary reminded him that Zhang Yu had something urgent to discuss with him. He rushed to the resting room without even eating lunch, but unexpectedly found that Zhang Yu had brought Wang Zhuo along, guessing that the one who actually had something urgent was not Zhang Yu, but rather Wang Zhuo.
"Mr. Wang, please sit down! Secretary Wang will bring us lunch in a moment. You're looking for me so urgently, does that mean the Liuzhou to Chengdu route can be opened?" As soon as he sat down, Zhang Yusheng didn't notice Zhang Yu making faces and winking at him from across the way, still smiling and inviting Wang Zhuo to sit down and talk. It was probably because every time Wang Zhuo came to see him, it was always with good news, so Zhang Yusheng had gotten used to hearing good news and didn't even notice Zhang Yu's hint.
"I just received a report, the plane has successfully landed... In theory, the air route can be opened now!"
"That's good, that's good! This great poet Li Bai exaggerated the difficulty of Shu Road. Railways and highways, we can build them now, and with aviation, the problem of Shu Road is no longer difficult." Zhang Yusheng had just finished speaking when his secretary knocked on the door, indicating something, and quickly brought in two masters carrying dishes, which they placed on a small tea table before retreating. "Let's eat first, we'll talk later!"
After finishing a few small dishes like a whirlwind, Zhang Yusheng had not put down his chopsticks when Zhang Yu spoke up: "This Wang Zhi is here to discuss something with you, I have an appointment this afternoon so I won't join you. Oh right, Wang Zhi, the plane will be flying back this afternoon, don't forget to tell me at that time. All our projects are going smoothly one after another, but the significance of this success is extraordinary!"
After finishing, Zhang Yu nodded slightly to his brother and patted Wang Zhuo's shoulder before leaving the rest room and heading straight to the parking lot. He hadn't driven himself for a long time, but he didn't expect to be driving such a troublesome person today. "Being smart is good, but being too smart can be a bit dangerous!" At noon, there weren't many people entering or exiting the underground parking lot. Zhang Yu muttered to himself as he walked, and when he arrived at his own car, he found that Yu Ran and the others were waiting for him with half-closed eyes.
"When did you two arrive? Have you had lunch?" Zhang Yu had just sat down and was trying to make amends with the two of them, but halfway through, he had abandoned them without even notifying them where they were going, which was really inconsiderate.
"Commander, we had lunch and rushed here. We just arrived a little while ago and you came down right away. By the way, where are we going next?"
"Go to the Asia-American Special Vehicle Research Institute! Let's see how far our armor research has progressed, this experiment can't be delayed again and again, it's more troublesome than having a child!" Zhang Yu said before falling asleep. Although the space was a bit cramped, not taking a nap would have worse consequences and curled up body pain compared to Zhang Yu who preferred to take a nap.
The car quickly left the General Affairs Department, the special "State Council" headquarters building of this autonomous region's underground parking lot, and went straight to an institute in Ya Mei after security checks. This institute, like other companies' research units, also chose to move to the High-tech Development Zone. The Ya Mei Special Vehicle Research Institute is the largest research unit under Ya Mei, and engineering vehicles are their main direction. After receiving the notification from the Army Research Armored Vehicles and R&D funding, they gathered over 100 technical personnel to study this topic, with a simple name - Tank.
The main road of the High-tech Development Zone, also known as the High-tech Avenue, was still bustling with traffic even at noon. After passing by Gongda and Zhonghang, it turned right at an ordinary intersection and entered a nondescript industrial park. Research units generally don't pay attention to appearances, just like researchers themselves. This industrial park had two experimental buildings, a large-span experimental factory, and a large area of land that was not fully utilized, similar to other parks, with much of the land temporarily used for greening. However, its walls were much higher than those of other units, topped with barbed wire, and security guards patrolled with police dogs from time to time, making their security measures distinctly different from others.
In the experimental factory, Zhang Yu first found not the project leader, but Wang Hanmin, who was sitting on a chair with many people, talking and fiddling with his boxed lunch. He was originally doing firearms, but he was very familiar with the requirements of the People's Liberation Army for weapons and equipment, so the army trusted him very much, and let him temporarily play as one of the military representatives to enter the institute, participating in the research and trial production of tanks.
Zhang Yu arrived, and Wang Hanmin couldn't eat anymore. He put the boxed lunch aside and jogged over. "Last time, due to some minor technical issues, the whole car experiment was postponed. I believe this time it will definitely be fine! Chief Engineer Xu and Deputy Chief Engineer are still in the research room, discussing with two German army officers who fought against British tanks at the Battle of Somme River. They want to learn more about that."
"Let's go, but you fill your belly first, I'll wait for you!" Zhang Yu said, gesturing to the young man who was holding a boxed lunch for Wang Hanmin to hurry up and return it to him. At this moment, they hadn't even finished eating yet, which showed that these people still took the scattered tank seriously. Everyone was still struggling with their boxed lunches, and Zhang Yu wasn't in a hurry to leave the experimental factory either. With nothing better to do, he slowly walked towards the tank that was still in its "skeletal" original state. If it weren't for Wang Zhuo's questioning, this tank research project would have been a great success, absolutely perfect.
When the army decided to conduct tank research, Zhang Yu and Zhang Yusheng conspired to select a classic tank as the first generation of tanks for the People's Army. Whether it was Germany's Panther or the Soviet Union's T34, or America's M4, both men believed that they did not quite fit China's actual situation. Tanks are a combination of spear and shield, the culmination of human wisdom in war to maximize killing the enemy while preserving oneself.
The British had already used the "Mark" tank on the European battlefield to overcome the trench warfare that was a test of strength and endurance, and the autonomous region had a good industrial foundation and could naturally produce better tanks. However, the key is that the tank did not have specific strategic and tactical requirements for the People's Army, as China has many mountains and few plains, with complex and varied weather conditions. The most likely areas to use armored forces would be in Northeast China, North China, etc., of course, tanks must also be able to operate in the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, etc. In short, as the People's Army's first-generation tank, there were very few restrictive conditions that could be considered, and only a few primitive tanks from Britain and France could be referenced.
Fixed superstructures or sponsons, also rotating turrets or turret-less structures, but generally equipped with small-caliber guns, 37 to 75 mm short-barreled, low-velocity guns were all available, of course, there were also indispensable machine guns, and some tanks only had machine guns installed. In the eyes of the manufacturers, the enemy they envisioned was either hiding in trenches or charging in large groups, their tanks were mobile gun platforms or shields, the main force on the battlefield was still infantry, and tanks were just tools to help infantry break through enemy trench lines, equipping small-caliber, high-rate-of-fire guns and high-rate-of-fire machine guns for close combat all reflected their thinking.
Of course, there is also a limiting factor for designers, that is, the poor performance of the engine. Even the best engine can only allow a 28-ton tank with a full load to travel around 65 kilometers, which indirectly limits the tank from being equipped with larger caliber guns. Moreover, its armor protection capability is extremely weak. In short, the design fully reflects that its firepower is mainly used for annihilating living forces, and the armor can only defend against bullets and shell fragments. The control is as simple and mechanical as driving a tractor, with frequent mechanical failures, extremely poor ride quality, and no communication equipment or weapon sighting instruments. These are the true portraits of the current powerful tanks, which will be referred to as the first generation of tanks for the time being.
The second generation of tanks will have stronger armor protection and mobility, with a greater emphasis on tactical performance. They will no longer use small-caliber guns, but instead 75mm or larger caliber short-barreled howitzers as the main armament, although other weapons can also be equipped. Tanks will also have various sighting devices and will be powered by electric or hydraulic systems. Features such as gun stabilizers, torque converters or simple differential steering mechanisms, suspension systems, etc. will appear, because the second generation is one that emphasizes tactical performance in mechanized warfare, where tanks are a major protagonist of war.
"We are building a mechanized army, our greatest enemies are the Russians in the north and the little Japanese devils in the east. After the Soviet Union is destroyed, Nicholas II will rebuild the Romanov dynasty, it's impossible for Russia to become our strong enemy, the most threatening one is the little Japanese devils, and war with Japan is absolutely unavoidable... Our navy can't compare with Japan's for now, but our air force and army must be strong..."
Looking at the skeletal state of the tank, Zhang Yu remembered his elder brother's words of caution about building armor. The greatest obstacle to the revival of China was not England, France, or America, those powerful countries far away from Asia. As long as they could balance their interests and strategies, they would not interfere with any country or force. The Soviet Union, which directly threatened the Western capitalist world, was doomed to be destroyed. But China was deep in the Asian continent, vast in territory and population, and the imperialist powers did not have the heart to intervene too much in Chinese affairs, because Japan existed.
Japan is currently a major power in Asia without controversy, and its desire for China's vast land and rich resources has not been just one or two days. The People's Army will inevitably have a day when it directly confronts the Japanese devils, and the battlefield will not be the mountainous and remote western regions, but rather the coastal provinces, especially the troublesome three eastern provinces, which are the favorite places of the Japanese people.
From the perspective of the People's Army, although the navy and air force have begun to grow, they cannot form a fighting force without a certain period of growth. In a war with Japan, the army will inevitably be the mainstay, and if the army can make some achievements in armored forces, it will undoubtedly be the People's Army's absolute trump card.
The People's Liberation Army's first-generation tanks were positioned as medium tanks, directly skipping the light and heavy tanks with no development prospects. They comprehensively studied medium tanks and attached great importance to the combination of armor protection and mobility performance. Therefore, the final selected tank was the Type 59 medium tank developed by the Republic in accordance with the Soviet T-54A model. Its 105mm rifled gun had strong firepower, and its armor protection and mobility were also very good.
It has a fixed-shaft gearbox with 5 forward gears and 1 reverse gear, and uses a multi-plate dry clutch, second-level planetary steering mechanism, and single-side external meshing straight-toothed wheel reducer. The action device adopts torsion bar suspension, with 5 steel-borne wheels on each side, and a hydraulic shock absorber is installed at the first and fifth wheel positions on both sides. The 580-horsepower twelve-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine allows the 34-ton tank to reach a top speed of 50 km/h, accelerating from zero to thirty in just thirteen seconds, with a range of nearly 600 kilometers.
So this type of tank did not undergo too many changes, and after Zhang Yu stole it to the Asia-American Special Vehicle Research Institute, if following the traditional habits of the People's Army weapons and equipment research, all trial production work should be completed within 21 years. Mid-term, and then start a comprehensive experimental testing period of at least half a year or two years, but usually around one year can complete the preparation for listing, so everything goes smoothly, probably in 1922 The year will be completed.
But like firearms, if named by year it's not elegant, the "Type 22" tank probably wouldn't be liked by many people. The Type 15 sniper rifle has a nickname called "Sharp Shield" and also "God of Death", so tanks should have a strong name too. Many suggested names such as "Tyrant Tiger" or "Hunting Leopard" were not adopted, so until now this pile of tank parts still doesn't have an official name. Maybe when it's formally mass-produced, a good name will emerge for use, but for now the technicians' main focus is still on research.
"Commander, I've finished eating."
Wang Hanmin's reminder interrupted Zhang Yu's train of thought, and soon the three of them followed Wang Hanmin to the research room. Meanwhile, the technical workers at the experimental factory quickly resumed work after lunch. The autonomous region was capable of manufacturing various trucks and tractors, as well as tanks with low technical difficulty, especially with detailed drawings. However, the 59-style tank was from another time and space in the 1950s, and the autonomous region's industry, although relatively developed in the current world, could not easily bridge the thirty-year technological gap.
"In 1916, in the area of fifteen kilometers from Spwo to Combles, we saw tanks for the first time. In the third stage of defense on the Somme River, the British launched an attack with dozens of tanks. They used tanks to cover infantry and launch attacks on our positions, while our bullets hit the tanks with a clang, sparks flying everywhere, but did not stop the British advance at all. In fact, before shooting at it, many of our soldiers were intimidated by it, dozens of roaring monsters advancing towards us irresistibly..."
"The unstoppable tank soon crushed our barbed wire, and our concentrated firepower was almost useless. However, its cannons and machine guns swept through our positions like a broom. We had no choice but to retreat while fighting, and after pulling back, we used massive artillery fire to stop their advance. Of course, the intense shelling also made them suffer heavy losses and forced them to withdraw..."
"How exactly did the British use these tanks, I mean what tactics did they employ?"
Hou Yong and Xu Da, two engineers, were chatting enthusiastically with a former German officer when Zhang Yu and Wang Hanmin arrived at the conference room. However, they did not interrupt their conversation until one of the officers finished speaking, at which point Zhang Yu timely interjected.
"This... actually, we didn't have much experience fighting against tanks. But in fact, although their tanks were not suitable for the rugged terrain of the battlefield, they played a very good role in the attack, which was really eye-opening to us, especially their tactics."
"The British arranged three tanks in a group, advancing in a triangular formation. The first tank was responsible for destroying our barbed wire and opening up a path all the way to our front line, then turning left, making itself parallel to our position, at which point it would use its right-side cannon and machine gun to unilaterally suppress us with fire, while we couldn't hurt it in the slightest; the second and third tanks also advanced together, their task being to dump large amounts of wood blocks into our trenches, then turning left, carrying out the same slaughterous work as the first tank. After the second and third tanks were in position, the first tank waited for a moment before beginning its assault on our depth, with the third tank covering or following up the attack..."
Zhang Yu listened with great enthusiasm, tanks have not been born for a long time, and those who can personally fight against tanks on the battlefield are even fewer. The autonomous region was able to dig up two treasures, which would be beneficial. "Have you ever thought about what tactics tanks should have? My intention is that if you let you command the tank battle, what kind of tactics should it be?" Zhang Yu asked another person with a higher military rank, who looked very unusual as a lieutenant colonel.
"We?" The former major looked at Zhang Yu in surprise, he was no longer a military officer. The person in front of him actually said that he wanted to try commanding an armored tank unit. With a calm smile, he looked at his partner, who had already told enough about his battlefield experience. He shook his head and said: "Mr., first of all, I'm sorry to say that I am no longer a proud soldier of the German army. Being able to get a job in the Asia Group is already lucky, but I really don't dare hope that I can lead troops onto the battlefield again..."
"I'm terribly sorry, Colonel. What I meant to say is, if you were to follow your true inner thoughts, how would you utilize this new type of war machine, the tank?" Zhang Yu persisted, eager to hear the former German officer's genuine thoughts. He didn't know why, but he felt it was absolutely necessary.
Zhang Yu's persistence made the lieutenant colonel very helpless. He looked at Xu Da and Hou Yong, then looked at his own partner, smiled faintly, and said: "If I were in command, my troops would have to concentrate on using tanks, trying not to engage the enemy head-on. Because tanks have poor defensive capabilities and poor mobility, simply using them as firepower support for infantry is extremely unreasonable. Their clumsiness will inevitably affect the unit's advance and retreat. A simple infantry attack or tank attack alone is ineffective."
"We might as well concentrate our tanks and use them in conjunction with a certain number of mobile infantry units. We can fully utilize the advantages of the tank's powerful firepower, avoid its weaknesses in terms of protection and mobility, bypass the enemy's frontal defenses through flanking or penetrating into their rear or flank, so that we can maximize the firepower advantage after concentration. Moreover, at that time, the enemy artillery that poses the greatest threat to our tanks will also be unable to exert its advantages, while the enemy soldiers' rifles and machine guns will be powerless against us. The cannons and machine guns on our tanks will bring unimaginable nightmares to the enemy, quickly and effectively exploiting their advantages. Of course, all of this is just baseless speculation."
"Major, you have great ideas on tank usage, I'm glad you're now working for the AsiaMe Group," Zhang Yu said, extending his right hand to shake hands with the major. "I think if we can improve the disadvantages of tanks' mobility and protection, your ideas will be even more outstanding. Sorry, I haven't asked for your surname yet, I'm Zhang Yu!"
"Former Quartermaster of the German Empire Army, Major Heinz Wilhelm Guderian!"
