The rise of a great power: starting with military industry

Chapter 209 Ma Long Training Base
Liu Tao took a breath of cold air.

I thought I had misheard and couldn't help but use an ear pick.

"Leader, did I hear correctly?" Liu Tao couldn't help but speak out.

One of the leaders said, "You heard it right. The army is now focusing on streamlining its troops, and is unable to build a training base. Now your Panshan Machinery Factory wants to build a combined brigade, and it also needs a training base. Why don't you hand over this training base to your Panshan Machinery Factory, and the army will fully cooperate with you."

Liu Tao didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

The leaders' calculations are very clear.

Want to establish a combined forces brigade? Yes!
Want to build a training base? Yes!

Panshan Machinery Factory took on this important task, and the army could only provide support, but as for money, there was none!
The implication is that only if we agree to build a training base can we have a combined brigade.

If we do not agree to establish a training base, there will be no combined brigade, only a combined battalion.

"Building a combined brigade and training base is a great achievement, and young people with abilities should take on more responsibilities," the leader said earnestly.

What else can Liu Tao say about this?

On that day, Liu Tao and others continued to stay in the headquarters to discuss where to set up the training base.

The first choice, of course, is to set it up in Yun Province, because Yun Province is the base camp of Panshan Machinery Factory, and it is convenient to supply weapons and ammunition.

"Our Yunnan Province belongs to the southern extension of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The terrain is divided into two parts, east and west, with the Yuanjiang Valley and the wide valley in the southern section of the Yunling Mountains as the boundary. The eastern part is the eastern Yunnan and central Yunnan plateaus, with small undulating terrain and an average altitude of about 2000 meters. It is characterized by gently undulating low mountains and rounded hills, and various types of karst terrain have developed. The western part is the longitudinal valley area of ​​the Hengduan Mountains, with alternating high mountains and deep valleys, a large relative height difference, and steep terrain. The southwest is generally 1500 to 2200 meters above sea level, and the northwest is generally 3000 to 4000 meters above sea level." The chief of staff at the headquarters was introducing: "The terrain in the southwest is only gradually becoming gentle when it reaches the border area. The river valleys here are open, and the general altitude is 800 to 1000 meters. Some areas drop to below 500 meters, forming the main tropical and subtropical areas of Yunnan."

"Chief of Staff, is there an area of ​​about 500 to 1000 square kilometers with complex terrain that can be used for training troops?" Liu Tao said, "Border areas are definitely not suitable. They are not suitable for confidentiality and are likely to make neighbors nervous."

The chief of staff thought for a moment and pointed to the Qujing area. "This is located in the Wumeng Mountains, which is the transition zone from the eastern Yunnan Plateau to the western Guizhou Plateau in the middle of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. It is closely embedded in the lake basin area of ​​the central Yunnan Plateau in the west, and gradually transitions to the Guizhou Plateau in the east. The middle part is the watershed area of ​​the Yangtze River and the Pearl River. The terrain is high in the northwest and low in the southeast. The highest point is Guniuzhai, Dahailiangzi, Huize County, with an altitude of 4017.3 meters, which is the main peak of the Wumeng Mountains. The lowest point is at the confluence of the Xiaojiang River and the Jinsha River at Xiangbi Ridge, Wangjiashan, Nagu Town, Huize County, with an altitude of 695 meters and a relative height difference of 3322.3 meters."

"The entire area is crisscrossed with mountains and valleys, and the military sub-district is set up here." The chief of staff pointed to the Malan District.

Malong District is located on the north side of the Niutou Mountain paleo-uplift and the south of the Wumeng Mountains. It belongs to the northeastern Yunnan hilly area of ​​the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. It is located in the watershed area between the Jinsha River system and the Nanpan River system and is surrounded by mountains. There are valleys, hills and rivers in the middle. It is divided into 11 small dams of more than 8 square kilometers by seven rivers flowing into the Yangtze River system and the Pearl River system respectively. The terrain is high and steep in the southeast, and the central uplift slopes to the northwest in a stepped manner. The highest point is Niutou Mountain at the junction of Luliang, with an altitude of 2493.8 meters; the lowest point is at the riverside of Xiaomide Village at the junction of Yiliang, with an altitude of 1772.2 meters and a height difference of 721.6 meters.

Liu Tao's eyes lit up. This place is suitable as a training base.

This area has flat land, hills, valleys, rivers, and mountains. The terrain is complex, making it a perfect training base.

Moreover, this place is very similar to the mountains on the border, and combat training content that can be adapted to plateau cold areas, woodlands, mountains, etc. can be set up here.

Then everyone looked around the topographic map and found that it was exactly 1000 square kilometers!

There are more than 1000 people in the square kilometer area, so these people naturally have to move out of the area. After staying at the headquarters for three days and discussing how to build, Liu Tao and his team returned to Panshan Machinery Factory.

Panshan Machinery Factory, combined battalion headquarters.

"Director, do we really need to build such a large training base?" Li Fuguo thought it was too crazy.

Liu Tao said angrily: "Since the leader has said so, what else can we do? We can only build it!"

"Your next task will be very heavy. You have to form a combined brigade and participate in the construction of the Malong training base. Fortunately, our Panshan Machinery Factory has two branches there, so it will be more convenient for you to supply weapons and ammunition." Liu Tao said.

"If we want to build a combined brigade, should we find a division-level cadre to be the brigade commander?" Li Fuguo touched his head. "There are still so many battalion-level cadres. What should we do?"

Liu Tao rolled his eyes: "Just leave it alone!"

"Comrade Li Fuguo, you are the best in the country in terms of synthetic forces. No one is more suitable to be the brigade commander than you!" Liu Tao patted Li Fuguo on the shoulder, "For the battalion-level cadres, some will be promoted from the existing company commanders. Those with ability will be promoted to battalion commanders, and those with slightly less ability will be promoted to deputy battalion commanders. Company commanders will be promoted to battalion commanders and deputy battalion commanders, deputy company commanders will be promoted to company commanders, platoon leaders will be promoted to deputy company commanders, and deputy platoon leaders will be promoted to platoon leaders!"

"Of course, those who are capable can be promoted as exceptions after discussion!" Liu Tao said, "Some will ask for support from the leadership, and at the same time, we will send cadres to military academies for systematic training."

"In a few days, I will announce your appointment as deputy factory director and concurrently as the head of the armed forces department. You will be responsible for the formation of the combined brigade." Liu Tao said: "Comrade Zhao Guoping will serve as the political commissar, concurrently as the deputy head of the armed forces department and director of the political center!"

"Comrade Zhao Guoping will be your partner from now on. I hope you can cooperate and build the combined brigade as soon as possible." Liu Tao said.

Zhao Guoping hesitated for a moment, "Director, is this promotion too fast?"

"No, why should we hurry? Our Panshan Machinery Factory is a vibrant state-owned factory without so many rules and regulations. The capable ones are promoted, the mediocre ones are demoted, and the inferior ones are eliminated. This is the principle of employing people in our Panshan Machinery Factory." Liu Tao said, "You should discuss it internally first, and submit the list of cadres at all levels to me. If there are any cadres missing, please report it and I will personally go to the leaders to ask for them!"

Soldiers have made meritorious contributions and deserve to be promoted. Of course, not everyone can be a cadre, because being a soldier and fighting in wars does require talent.

Some people really don't have the talent, and are most suitable for being soldiers. But promoting them to become cadres may harm them instead.

So Liu Tao asked Li Fuguo and others to have an internal discussion first. After everyone's position was determined, he would seek help from military leaders on which cadres were lacking.

This is also because he believes that Li Fuguo, Zhao Guoping and others will not be nepotistic, but will act impartially.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be so confident in letting Li Fuguo and Zhao Guoping take over.

"First build the framework, recruit soldiers, and gradually replenish weapons and equipment, step by step!" Liu Tao said: "If we can form a combined brigade in three to five years, it will be great!"

Liu Tao was not in a hurry about this. After all, building a combined brigade was not something that could be done overnight.

(End of this chapter)