The soldier’s platoon-mates, each loaded down with 30 kilograms of gear, completely packed the bus. There were two men to a seat. Each with their rifle in between their knees, except for private Hufang who cradled a 18 kilogram AGS-17 30mm automatic grenade launcher and the four others, sight unseen, who had the unfortunate luck to be lugging the RPD 7.62mm squad light machine gun.
He noticed thick black cloth taped over all the windows save the driver’s. Fortunately, since he was one of the last soldiers on the bus he got to sit near the front and the only view.
After 30 minutes of driving, the platoon sergeant stood up. He fiercely gritted his teeth and said in a low rumble, “Get quietly out of this bus and form up on me, not a sound from any of you.”
The 19-year-old struggled to get up, get his pack, and get outside. He jumped off the bus and quickly trotted over to where his platoon sergeant was standing.
Behind the platoon sergeant was a smooth wall, perhaps about 20 meters away, somewhat reddish looking in the ambient city light. The soldier hazarded a glance over his shoulder and noticed a six-meter high wall of corrugated metal some ten meters behind him.
As the platoon formed up, he looked straight ahead again, then followed the wall up and up until he noticed some unusual poles or booms jutting out from the wall. Sweeping his gaze swiftly to the right he realized that this was no wall at all in front of him, it was a gigantic ship of some sort. The immenseness of it held him in awe.
The platoon sergeant firmly but softly called the platoon to attention, ordered right face, then file to the left march. First squad stepped out single file, crisply turning left one at a time, following the platoon sergeant up a ramp and into the massive ship.
The first thing he sensed was the smelclass="underline" oily, dusty, rusty. A few steps more and the private pushed through what must have been another hatch. This time noise assaulted him: the echoes of his own platoon were almost deafening. His feet crunched the floor underneath him. The floor was covered with rocks and dust. Someone ahead lost his footing and the young private fell over him in a tumble. Both men swore — but not too loudly, the platoon sergeant was easy to wrath.
After 15 minutes of standing in the dark, the private heard the sounds of another unit entering the ship. The platoon sergeant yelled to his men above the confusion, “See my red light?” The platoon sergeant held aloft his flashlight with a red lens on it. It glowed eerily in dusty hold. “Gather around it closely. Sit down. You may drink water. You may not smoke.” The sergeant’s voice grew uncharacteristically soft, “Try to sleep.”
With that, the first year conscript from Manchuria sat down on a pile of rocks in the dark and tried to get some sleep.
Fu Zemin read the telegram and rocked back in his chair. His father Fu Mingjie had been shot to death in a small village in Lipu! The bandit that did the deed was already dead, captured and executed by the local authorities. In addition, more than 100 suspected accomplices were also rounded up and were being questioned at the Lipu County Jail.
Fu thought of his privileged childhood in rural Lipu County. He and the other children of high-ranking Party officials had a special school. Later, he was sent off to Beijing to study and only came home to see his father once a year (although, at times, his father came to see him when he had business in Beijing).
Fu couldn’t fathom why anyone would harm his father. The county had grown and prospered under his stewardship. Oh, he knew there were some malcontents that somehow escaped the excesses of the Cultural Revolution of the 60s, but these reactionaries were few and discredited.
Fu began mourning — his father was dead. He would never live to see Fu’s rise. Never share in his son’s glory. He crumpled the telegram to his face and shed a tear.
It was July 19th. Evidently the Party knew about this crime for a few days. Given his current classified assignment and the routing of the telegram through Beijing, it probably took a while before the authorities could track him down.
He reflected on all his father had done for him. Providing him with the best education. Supplementing his modest income with generous gifts. Opening doors for him with the Party. His father invested in him, just like he invested in Lipu County. For his father, Fu was the future of China.
Fu pulled himself together. He had to be at Admiral Wong’s morning situation briefing in five minutes. The invasion of Quemoy would commence in less than 24 hours. There would be last minute glitches, of course, but Fu was confident they would all be overcome.
He could not grieve for his father now — that would have to wait until after success. And what better way to memorialize my father than to begin the process which will bring the wayward province back into the fold and make China whole again?
Fu pushed back his chair and got up. The command bunker outside Amoy was spacious and well apportioned. Expanded over the years, the PLA knew the bunker would someday be used in actions to retake Taiwan. He looked at himself in the mirror he had installed on the back of his door and spent a few seconds grooming himself and admiring the view. His eyes were still a little red from crying moments ago, but his glasses obscured the view enough that no one would notice. No one would dare look that closely at me anyway.
The briefing room was just down the hall. Admiral Wong’s chief-of-staff, a Lieutenant General in the PLA, was standing behind the podium, ready to begin the briefing. The general was always punctual — he never delayed a briefing for anyone — anyone with the exception of Admiral Wong.
Admiral Wong walked into the room and sat down. Fu sat to his right. The chief-of-staff began. “Let me begin by saying that all key preparations continue on schedule.
“The weather conditions should continue to be acceptable for amphibious operations. The heavy rain predicted for Taiwan next week may curtail some of the enemy’s flights while the fairly clear and mild conditions over the offshore islands will work to our favor. Meteorological factors are especially favorable for our planned use of chemical agents.
“Now, then, the enemy situation. Taiwan shows no signs of moving additional forces to Quemoy. They currently have five full strength infantry divisions on the island. In addition, they have a battalion of light armor, an advanced rocket artillery battalion, and a Patriot air defense battalion. We estimate enemy strength at 43,000.
“Friendly forces continue their orderly build-up and logistics activities. The 71st, 73rd and 85th Infantry Divisions are now in place opposite Quemoy. The 101st Artillery Regiment of the 10th Artillery Division is now occupying concealed firing positions within range of Quemoy. The 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division and the 10th Tank Division, less one regiment, are in their assembly areas around Fuzhou. By tomorrow, additional amphibious assets with arrive in the area capable of lifting one of these heavy divisions into combat per day.
“Our deception plan continues on schedule as well. The 37th Infantry Division from the 12th Group Army has successfully positioned itself in Fuzhou. This division traveled during daylight and made no attempt to conceal its movement or its heavy equipment. We intend it to dilute the Taiwanese focus on Quemoy by making them think the 37th has been moved into position to reinforce an effort to take Matsu Island.
“Our operational plans continue unchanged. We expect to begin the assault with a bombardment of Quemoy Island and Hsiao Quemoy Island on the morning of July 20th at 0800 hours. We will use rocket-delivered chemical munitions as well as high explosive, delayed fuse HE, and dual-purpose improved conventional munitions in the bombardment. We expect to draw counter battery fire at which point we will begin to eliminate the enemy’s artillery in a counter battery duel. The amphibious force of 7,500 troops of 73rd Infantry Division supported by the 103rd Tank Regiment of the 10th Tank Division will begin the invasion of Quemoy at 0810 hours.