Special Forces: From the very beginning, I can upgrade the entry

Chapter 28: Reaching the Top—The Southeastern Military District Begins Military Reform

In late March, the Southeastern Military District’s official newspaper published an article titled “The Necessity of Adapting Composite Units to Local Conditions.”

The moment it was released, the article attracted significant attention.

Inside the Southeastern Military District Command Headquarters, a group of lieutenant generals and major generals sat around a large conference table. At the head of the table sat the district’s commander—a full general. The atmosphere was serious and focused. The commander tapped his knuckles on the table, signalling for attention.

“Everyone,” he said, “let’s discuss this article.”

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One of the district’s vice commanders, Gao Shiwei, spoke up first.

“Commander,” he began, “for a long time, our understanding of composite forces has been based on Western military doctrine. Frankly speaking, we’ve been blindly imitating them.”

“Many believe that multi-branch coordination and composite units are modern military innovations—concepts pioneered by European and American forces.”

“In fact, Western military history often credits Napoleon Bonaparte as the founder of composite forces. Around the early 1800s, he incorporated infantry, artillery, and cavalry into a single coordinated command structure.”

“This development is widely regarded as the birth of modern composite warfare.”

However, this article presents a bold counterargument.

“If the information in this article is widely disseminated,” Gao Shiwei continued, “it will shock the global military community.”

The room fell silent as the officers carefully considered his words.

The article’s author, Lin Yi, claimed that China’s military had been utilizing composite forces for over a thousand years—long before the West.

This was not just a theory—he backed it up with historical examples.

Lin Yi’s article highlighted an era 1,800 years ago—the Three Kingdoms period, when Zhuge Liang revolutionized the Shu Han military.

Zhuge Liang’s forces were not just simple infantry and cavalry.

He organized troops into specialized combat units, incorporating crossbowmen, shielded infantry, cavalry and charioteers.

These units worked together under unified command, focusing on tactical coordination—a true composite force in every sense. Even after Zhuge Liang’s death, this advanced military structure allowed Shu Han, a weaker kingdom, to resist the powerful Wei state for nearly thirty years. And this was just one example.

The article traced the evolution of composite forces throughout China’s ancient history:

Warring States Period: Large-scale use of ranged weapons (bows, crossbows, catapults, throwing spears).

Qin Dynasty: Fully integrated combat units, including spearmen, archers, siege weapons, and cavalry.

Han Dynasty: Transition from light cavalry to heavy cavalry and increased focus on long-range warfare.

Wei-Jin Period: Formation of large-scale tactical units combining heavy infantry, cavalry, engineering corps, and logistics.

Tang Dynasty: Peak of ancient composite warfare—where 1,000 elite Tang soldiers could annihilate tens of thousands of enemy cavalry.

Lin Yi’s historical analysis proved one thing—composite forces were not a Western invention.

China had mastered large-scale coordinated warfare centuries before the West.

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One of the senior generals spoke up.

“This article must be forwarded to the General Staff Department immediately.”

“I agree,” another general added.

“This article is more than just military analysis—it challenges the Western narrative about military history.”

“Once it reaches international circles,” he continued, “it will reshape global perceptions about China’s military development.”

The officers exchanged serious glances. This was not just an academic debate—it was a matter of national strategic significance. However, the commander raised a hand, silencing the discussion.

“Let’s set that aside for now,” he said.

“Our more immediate concern is how this article applies to our own military reform.”

The commander’s tone turned sharp and decisive. “We have seven major military districts,” he stated.

Northeastern Military District

Capital Military District

Northwestern Military District

Shandong Military District

Southeastern Military District

Southern Military District

Southwestern Military District

“Right now,” he continued, “several districts have already started their military restructuring.”

Northeastern & Northwestern Districts: Transitioning to mechanized composite divisions, emphasizing tanks and armored warfare.

Southern & Southwestern Districts: Developing light infantry and airborne units, focusing on mountain warfare and rapid deployment.

Capital & Shandong Districts: Still undecided.

The Southeastern Military District, however, faced a unique challenge. Its geographic terrain was highly varied with dense river networks, hilly and mountainous regions; and, coastal and island zones

“How should we restructure our forces?” the commander asked.

A heavy silence fell over the room.

Moments after, one of the vice commanders, Wang, finally spoke.

“Sir, Lin Yi emphasized the phrase ‘adapting to local conditions’.”

“I believe that’s the key to our restructuring efforts.”

Another officer, Gao Shiwei, nodded in agreement.

“Exactly. In fact,” he added, waving the newspaper, “Lin Yi has already given us a strategy—he just didn’t spell it out directly.”

The room’s attention shifted to Gao.

“What do you mean?” someone asked.

Gao grinned knowingly.

“This kid is smart,” he said.

“He never directly tells us what to do, but he lays out all the options—including their feasibility.”

“In this article, he barely mentioned composite divisions, but he extensively detailed different types of composite brigades.”

“That’s our answer,” Gao concluded.

“We should prioritize composite brigades instead of large-scale divisions.”

A moment of realization dawned on the assembled officers.

Composite brigades were more flexible and mobile than traditional divisions, better suited for Southeast China’s mixed terrain and easier to integrate with modern technology and information systems.

The district could specialize its forces based on geography:

Heavy Composite Brigades(for urban and industrial zones).

Medium Composite Brigades(for mixed terrain).

Light Composite Brigades(for rapid response).

Amphibious Composite Brigades(for coastal and island operations).

Mountain Brigades(for inland and high-altitude warfare).

The room erupted in agreement.

“This is it!”

“This is the direction we should take!”

The commander nodded approvingly.

“This plan will allow us to complete our restructuring faster than other military districts,” he said.

And so, the Southeastern Military District officially adopted composite brigades, setting the stage for its future transformation into a national model for military modernization.

No one expected that the person who initiated this entire shift was a rookie soldier who had been in the army for less than six months.

The name Lin Yi had already spread through the military district headquarters.

Very soon, it would reach the General Staff Department—and cause an even greater impact.