Munitions Empire

Brunas, the school within the number one factory of Great Tang Group, had its classrooms fitted with new bulbs, and the lighting here had never been better.

All the students looked up, watching their teacher, or rather the principal, as he stood on the podium and eloquently expounded on novel ideas, "Future wars will be contests of comprehensive national power, and are not limited to the slaughter and competition on the battlefield! Finding ways to make your own country stronger is something you all should strive to do."

They had never heard such claims before, because for a long time in the past, renowned generals and formidable armies had been the guarantees of a country’s victory.

In those times, wars depended on a general’s command talent, as well as the training and courage of a group of soldiers.

In any case, in the eyes of the generals, the victory or defeat on the battlefield had nothing to do with the civilians, who were just part of the spoils to be divided after the war had ended.

But Tang Mo spoke to them of the importance of the people, or rather the importance of the entire country to the frontline battles.

Actually, generals from this era or even from ancient times, not all were oblivious to the overall strength of the nation, but those who did pay attention were fleeting and did not form theories that were taken seriously.

Now, Tang Mo had combined this knowledge to establish the concept of total war, making every student deeply understand the role of the rear, or the role of the nation, in modern warfare.

As time went by, the identities of the students sitting in front of Tang Mo became more complex: previously, they were just children from Brunas, mostly pupils who came from poor families and lacked the opportunity to study.

But now, many of the students were of nobility, some of them with fathers who were Lord Earl, and some with fathers who were Baron or Viscount, even a few were barons themselves.

Moreover, due to the great importance everyone placed on Tang Mo’s technology and the societal progress driven by technology, the students sent here from the nobility and officials were all exceptionally bright members of their families.

These individuals were all well-informed and remarkable, and many had studied at Shireck’s schools, understanding modern technology and willing to explore the future of human development.

In Tang Mo’s school, they became true academic elites, possessing time, money, and a foundation; all they lacked was a qualified guide.

Sometimes, one must despairingly acknowledge the existence of social hierarchies. Some people are born winners at the starting line. They are smarter, their fathers are wealthier, they are more diligent, and they have more and better opportunities...

Now, among those sitting in this classroom, there was the Prime Minister’s second grandson, the eldest son of the largest family in the South, and scholars who had worked half their lives at Shireck and now only sought to attain the true essence of knowledge.

Seated in the last row of the classroom, there were some generals from Suthers who took diligent notes, practicing grateful and cautious learning of everything here.

They certainly would not forget how they came by this precious opportunity to learn—the young secretary of the Prime Minister had given them this chance to deepen their knowledge, allowing them to listen to the "voice of the devil," which was an honor beyond measure!

Yes, to the commanders in Suthers, Tang Mo was no different from a demon. He was once a frightening figure who had deterred Sir Romel, Suthers’ new War God, with just a letter; now, he stood before them, amiably imparting the secrets of his numerous victories!

What kind of opportunity was this? It was a chance that might, in the future, allow them to surpass Viscount Romel and be ennobled by the King of Suthers as a prime minister!

Even, even one day, they might lead troops to expand their homeland’s territory, leaving their names in history to be remembered for generations!

Tang Mo had no idea with what purposes these students came here to learn; he only knew that when they left, like the graduates of Whampoa, they would become talents branded with a specific label.

These talents would eventually shine somewhere, destined to become a force for the development and growth of the Great Tang Group.

So, he taught with great dedication, passing on the knowledge he had organized to everyone present: "Only with sufficient food can society be stabilized, and only a stable society can have more secure families. These families provide the basis for workers in modern industry, and they are also the source and assurance of troops."

The officers from Northern Ridge were even more diligent, because their predecessors had already completed their studies here and benefited in the course of their service.

Now, in the ranks of Northern Ridge’s mid to high-level officers, at least one-third had undergone some degree of training at Tang Mo’s school, and these officers’ positions were clearly more important than those who hadn’t received such training.

Considering the relationship between the new Lord Earl and Lord Tang Mo, the later Northern Ridge officers naturally placed great importance on the learning opportunity here.

The enrollment pressure had eased, so Tang Mo had started to implement a policy of relaxed admission but strict graduation—getting into the school for study wasn’t hard, but graduating from it was no easy feat.

Several unfortunate kids were unable to graduate due to failing marks. Some of them chose to conclude their studies and enter the Great Tang Group for work, at least securing a meal for themselves, while the remaining two decided to stay at the school for further study, aiming to achieve excellent grades in the next assessment!

Yes, you’ve read that right, Tang Mo’s exam retake policy was slightly different from the modern one: passing the first test was sufficient, but getting an ’excellent’ grade was required for the second attempt, a ’perfect’ score was necessary for the third, and similarly a ’perfect’ score to graduate on the fourth try...

This was Tang Mo’s rule. He felt that since students had learned once more, they should perform better than before, hence he gradually raised the passing criteria.

Even if the students of the Great Tang Military Academy did not pursue a career in military command, they had to take courses in military theory.

After all, understanding a bit about the military would definitely help their political careers if they wanted to become competent and all-rounded talents.

In this lesson, Tang Mo aimed to elevate their perspective to the national level, combining military affairs with economic and political issues, to show them that winning a war depended on more than just battlefield factors.

He wrote "Primary Industry" on the blackboard and said, "That’s why the development of agriculture is extremely important, and should be a priority. Hence, we call it the primary industry!"

"It is the foundation of everything! As long as agriculture remains, there is potential for everything to develop! But if agriculture collapses, even the most powerful empire will crumble alongside it." His fingertips tapped the blackboard, producing a pleasant sound: "That’s why, before mobilizing the army, ensure the supply of provisions! In this area, emphasis can never be too much!"

"Your soldiers need to be well-fed and warm! Only then will they be in the mood to fight for you! If they go into battle hungry and wearing rags, yet manage to defeat a powerful enemy... then imagine... with food and weapons, what kind of formidable strength they would possess!" As Tang Mo spoke, he thought of that terrifying entity that once toppled seventeen strongholds of the Beautiful Country.

If only he had been there at that time, if only he could have sold some weaponry to those young revolutionaries, allowing them not to rely on poor guns like the Type 38 rifle but to carry Type 95 assault rifles, drive Type 99A tanks, and pilot J-20 fighter jets to confront those fiendish enemies—how great that would have been.

After pausing for a few seconds, he collected his thoughts and continued the lecture: "Similarly, industry is also important for a country; it is a crucial pillar that supports a nation’s external wars and expansion."

"In ancient times, those with sharper swords had an advantage on the battlefield; those with armor and powerful bows could defeat the enemy and emerge victorious!" He knew these claims weren’t absolute, but he had to admit that these factors were indeed key to victory on the battlefield.

The soldiers could defeat steel with the flesh and blood of their bodies, but it was the responsibility of the commanders, or the national leaders, to ensure they went to the front lines with as much steel as possible.

However, having said this, Tang Mo still emphasized, "Although we don’t deny the willpower and roles humans play in warfare, we’ll focus on that in the next class. In this lesson, I am only introducing the material aspects and their specific impact on warfare!"

He didn’t want his students to overvalue material capabilities nor to overlook their importance.

Even nations that had always cherished spirit and relied on their strong spirit for victory would value material aspects. On the contrary, they would view improving material conditions as a fast track to rapidly enhance their strength!

When the brutal reality of war became apparent to everyone, the fear of insufficient firepower became a persistent concern haunting the military commanders of a certain Eastern power.

Then came the establishment of an unrivaled number of top-quality rocket launchers and the boast of the strongest ground force on the planet of Blue Star, often initiating combat with a hefty barrage of firepower.

Therefore, Tang Mo advocated a development path that embraced both courage and steel, for as an arms dealer, he understood too well the direction of weapons development.

When unmanned drones and missiles began to determine victories far afield, courage remained important, but was no longer the deciding factor of war.

Only when there was no generational gap in weapons could courage decide the outcome of war. But with a gap present, courage could only serve to illustrate a tragic grandeur.

Back when the Japanese navy, relying on explosive shells, rapid-fire guns, and new ships with high speeds, devastated their enemies during the Jiawu Year, the brave commanders of the Northern Navy could only desperately shout to ram and sink the Yoshino.

Deng Shichang was defeated in the Jiawu Year, but was he to blame? No, he wasn’t! It was the Qing court that hadn’t provided new ships for ten years; it was the Li ministers who treated the navy like their own pet dog...

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There will be at least three chapters today, but I will be writing until late at night, so don’t wait up. Feel free to check in the morning.

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