readytorunbook Chapter 213 Medal Ceremony
Chapter 213 Medal Ceremony
With the arrival of the Jiashen year, the first medal of the Anmin Army system was successfully formulated.
This medal is beautifully designed. Its octagonal shape symbolizes unity and perseverance, while the central cloud pattern outlines a peaceful vision.
Zhang Chi stood in the Zhenwu Hall, looking at the shining medals, feeling complicated and indescribable.
He personally named it "Guanghua", which on the one hand implies that the heroic deeds illuminate the chaotic battlefield like the morning light, and on the other hand implies that the heroes' efforts will eventually bring glory to China.
This medal is divided into three grades, with the gold, silver and bronze medal bases distinguishing the degree of excellence of the achievements. The surface of the medal is made entirely of exquisite enamel craftsmanship, which is both solemn and glorious.
On January 30, as those who had made contributions in previous battles arrived in Myitkyina one after another, a grand awarding ceremony began.
In troubled times, all resources are naturally prioritized to the army. This time, not only the newly built Zhenwu Hall was used as the venue for the awarding of medals, but Zhang Chi, as the supreme leader, naturally also attended in person to award medals to meritorious personnel.
On that day, the Zhenwu Hall, which cost millions of dollars to build and was specially used for large-scale military activities, welcomed its first grand ceremony.
This building, which combines Chinese and Western styles and can accommodate tens of thousands of people, was opened for the first time, and a grand awarding ceremony was held here.
At the same time, the newly established radio station also broadcast the entire event live, with the signal beamed from the towering broadcast tower to military camps and towns thousands of miles away.
Every officer and soldier of the Security Army, except those on duty, gathered around the radio and participated in this glorious moment that belonged to them through sound.
"Dear listeners, Nanhua Broadcasting Station has officially started broadcasting. Today, we will broadcast the entire ceremony of awarding the Order of Glory for you." The unique and beautiful voice of Ouyang Yan, a famous Nanyang actress from Star City, traveled through the radio waves and echoed in all the radios.
She told the story of each recipient with emotion, making the audience feel as if they were in the Zhenwu Hall, witnessing the exciting scenes with their own eyes.
When Ouyang Yan read out the name of Second Lieutenant Xie Xuewen, the entire audience in Zhenwu Hall burst into warm applause.
"On behalf of the Pegu Security Army General Staff, we award Second Lieutenant Xie Xuewen the Order of Glory, Second Class, for his heroic feat of commanding a tank, single-handedly capturing five bunkers in quick succession, and successfully rescuing dozens of friendly troops. (See Chapter 182)"
Zhang Chi stood in the center of the stage, holding the medal in his right hand and slightly raising his left hand, motioning Xie Xuewen to come forward.
Xie Xuewen, the young driver, was now wearing a neat military uniform, with an upright posture and an unyielding spirit in his eyes.
He walked to the front of the stage with powerful steps, looked up at Zhang Chi, his eyes filled with admiration and excitement.
"Xie Xuewen." Zhang Chi slowly pinned the medal on the chest of his military uniform. "You deserve this. Your bravery and wisdom are not only a great contribution to the Anmin Army, but also a guarantee of a better life for all our compatriots in Nanyang in the future."
Xie Xuewen saluted solemnly, his voice resounding: "Thank you, Commander. I am deeply grateful at this moment. In the future, I will fight bravely to repay the Commander's training!"
Zhang Chi smiled slightly and patted his shoulder: "Work hard and kill more devils."
"Yes!" Xie Xuewen held his head high and chest out, his eyes shining brightly.
His back as he left the stage attracted the attention of the entire audience, and his heroic demeanor as a soldier was deeply engraved in everyone's mind.
And this is exactly Zhang Chi's purpose - to change the concept of "bandits joining the army" that has existed since the feudal dynasty and up to the Republic of China, and to use this anti-Japanese war to improve the status of soldiers and give them honor.
The subsequent award ceremony lasted for a whole morning. During this award ceremony, more than 600 Medals of Glory were awarded to the navy, army and air force.
Rows of officers and soldiers in neat military uniforms took the stage one by one and received medals representing honor from Zhang Chi.
The venue was filled with applause and cheers, each one a recognition of their heroic efforts.
However, many people were carried onto the stage.
The recipients lying on stretchers had lost their arms or had their legs wrapped in gauze, but they had smiles on their faces that came from the heart.
Their wounds are medals left by the battle, and their courage is also the light in this troubled world.
Zhang Chi looked at these young faces with mixed feelings.
These people used their flesh and blood to maintain a glimmer of hope for the nation.
However, the cruelty and ruthlessness of the battlefield made it impossible for him to ignore the heavy price behind these medals.
Zhang Chi can also see from this how brave and selfless the people of that era were in fighting the Japanese.
At this moment, he was filled with emotion and sighed silently in his heart:
How many family trees will have to open a separate page this time, and how many families will have to light a long-lasting lamp for them?
The only thing he could do was to take good care of them, ensure that they would have enough food and clothing for the rest of their lives, and bring them victory after victory, leading the Chinese nation to gain a place in the world.
Outside the Zhenwu Hall, officers and soldiers from all over the country also participated in this grand ceremony through the radio.
Beside the radio, some veterans listened to the broadcast silently, their eyes revealing their remembrance of their comrades and their desire for victory; the new recruits' eyes were red with excitement, as if they were about to step onto the stage and accept this supreme honor.
In a tank company, the company commander sat on the ground in front of a Sherman tank that had just been maintained and said in a hoarse voice:
"Brothers, we can't let Platoon Leader Jie take all the credit! Next time, your names must be included in the Medal of Glory. Do you have the confidence?"
The young crew members clenched their fists, their hearts ablaze with fire, their eyes as sharp as torches:
"Captain, just wait and see. Sooner or later it will be our turn!"
On that day, the Anmin Army awarded more than 600 Medals of Glory.
They are scattered in every unit of the navy, army and air force, adorning the chests of the soldiers and becoming a glorious emblem.
The troops still on the front line are all ready to go, waiting for the Battle of Mandalay to begin so that they can win honor for themselves.
-----
On the same day, the Japanese were also ready to fight, but they had already been frightened by the Anmin Army, so this time they learned to bully the weak.
"Today is the day to achieve success," said Lieutenant General Mutaguchi Ren'ya, commander of the 15th Army, as he stared intently at the map before him, his gaze fixed on Imphal. "The Eightfold Path, One World, will be realized."
According to reliable intelligence, in order to counterattack the European continent, the John people have transferred the main forces of the white colonies such as Kangaroo, Southern Cross, and Maple Leaf to Europe, leaving only the Sindhu colonial division composed mainly of a few Indian soldiers.
After all, in Prime Minister John's view, since the battle to liberate Pegu has been left to the Zhang Chi National Army, there is naturally no need for these main forces to stay in Southeast Asia.
He planned to wait until the little mustache was strangled first, and then transfer John's main force from Europe in one fell swoop, and then wipe out the Anmin Army and the Japanese in one breath.
However, Prime Minister John, who was calculating very well, could not have imagined that the devilish General Mutaguchi Ren would also play the game of switching homes.
In this way, Mutaguchi Ren'ya adhered to the idea of "If Zhang Chi hits me, I will hit John's people" and embarked on the road of pursuing military exploits.