Yuan Shikai believes that the German army is the strongest in the world, and his new army basically operates according to the German model. A is right and B is wrong.

After the fiasco of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, there was a high voice in the Qing court for reforming the army as soon as possible. It is said that Qiang Bing is a rich country, higher than China, but its army is not strong. This opportunity fell to Yuan Shikai.

Yuan Shikai has been leading troops in North Korea for a long time and has experience in training new troops. In addition, Hu Hu appointed by the court is a big loser, and the nerd doesn't know how to train the new army at all. In fact, Yuan Shikai also recommended himself. He wrote a letter to Li Hongzao, and put forward a plan to rectify the old army and train the new army in detail. You must be prepared to recommend yourself.

In Yuan's plan, Yuan Shikai thinks Germany is the only country worth learning. Japan's military strength is also thanks to Germany. By studying Germany, Yuan Shikai meant the German army. Then why do you have to learn from the German army? The Mei Qing brothers think there are several reasons.

The first reason is that Huai Army and Xiang Army have always had relations with Germany. As early as 1879, Li Hongzhang sent overseas students to Germany for further study. Mainly study the German infantry training, enemy, ambush, disposal, traction and other technologies. Later, Zhang Zhidong also began to follow Germany's example, learning western methods and practicing foreign guns. Even the Tianjin Beiyang Military Equipment School, which was founded later, let the Germans be instructors.

In addition, this has a lot to do with Von Hanneken, Li Hongzhang's consultant, because he is German. Von Hanneken, a German soldier, was recruited by the Embassy of China in Berlin after his retirement. 1879 went to Tianjin, China as a military teacher and concurrently served as Li Hongzhang's adjutant.

Von Hanneken's task is to build forts in Lushun, Dalian and Weihai. After all, he received professional training in the German army and brought many fresh western games to the Qing army. When Hu Hu really trained the new army, he naturally thought of Von Hanneken, and the new army formally followed the example of the German army.

Beiyang new army is training.

What are the characteristics of the German army? In the military system, Germany adopts the conscription system, that is, all soldiers are conscripts and must serve for several years according to the regulations. In the past, the Eight Banners System, green camp System and Recruiting System were used in Qing Dynasty, but the Eight Banners System and green camp System could not guarantee the quality of soldiers at all. The recruitment system is to spend money to recruit people, focusing on serious corruption problems such as luring people with benefits and eating empty salaries. Soldiers only contribute for money, although they also have motivation, but they have no sense of national honor and mission, and lack dedication. Therefore, Von Hanneken suggested reforming the military system, changing it to the conscription system, and strictly enrolling students. The government grants land subsidies to military families.

Von Hanneken also suggested that "the soldiers crossing the country are skilled, and the orders should be heard by one person, and the instruments should be used uniformly". In other words, the whole army is under the command of the supreme commander, and all arms rehearse their formations and use the same type of weapons.

Although the German-style reform plan was put forward, Hu's management level was too poor and the court spoke highly of him. In less than a year, Hu was laid off, and Yuan Shikai took over the new army in this situation. Yuan Shikai compared the armies of various countries in the world, and he also agreed that the German army was the most powerful army in Europe. Although Britain is strong, it is only the navy that is more powerful. Before the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, the Qing court sent a group of ship administration students to study in Britain and France, but they were finally defeated by the Japanese. The Germans pay attention to unified command and overall coordination, which is in line with China's national conditions.

Learning from Germany is a major reason why the Japanese army is strong. Japan worships Germany as its teacher, while China simply takes fewer detours and worships Germany as its teacher. Besides, this new army itself has the foundation laid by the Germans. In this way, Yuan Shikai firmly embarked on the road of Germany.

Yuan Shikai further proposed to the Qing court that the new army should be divided into three steps: standing army, reserve army and reserve army. The standing army is equivalent to the active force, and the rest is equivalent to the reserve and militia. Different steps, different pay. The standing army is 4.2 Liang per month. After three years, retreat to the reserve army at a rate of 1 2 per month. After repeated years, he withdrew from the reserve army at a rate of 0.5 taels per month. These reservists should be ready to be called at any time, especially when the war breaks out, and they will go to the battlefield with weapons at the command.

In order to comprehensively study the German army, German instructors were introduced into the preparation and training of the new army. Yuan Shikai took the initiative to hire 10 instructors from Germany to take charge of various training and management of the new army. At this point, Yuan Shikai's "German New Army" was basically completed. These new troops should not only use German weapons and learn German military exercises and tactics, but also all non-commissioned officers should learn German.

While reusing German instructors, Yuan Shikai certainly did not forget to train China people. First, important talents who have returned from studying abroad. These people have high knowledge, understand foreign languages and are familiar with western culture. What is important is that they have a broad vision and western thinking. For example, Duan, who studied artillery in Germany, was appointed as the battalion commander of the third battalion of the left-wing artillery regiment, and he was appointed to supervise and act as the chief teacher of the artillery regiment in the military equipment school.

In order to train follow-up talents, Yuan Shikai also applied to the imperial court to send students to study in Japan. Japan is close and is also the military system of Germany. Therefore, studying in Japan is the most affordable. This proposal was approved by the Qing court, and a large number of new army noncommissioned officers were sent to Japan to study, and Chiang Kai-shek was one of them.

Influenced by Yuan Shikai's training of the new army, government officials in other places have also practiced their own new army. For example, Zhang Zhidong's "Self-improvement Army" in Hubei, Nie Shicheng's "Wu Yijun" in the northwest, Rong Lu's "Wu Weijun" and so on. There is no doubt that they are all practiced in accordance with western military methods, and German instructors are invited, using German equipment. In the end, these new armies were basically incorporated by Yuan Shikai.

I learned the German art of war by using German equipment, but it seems that the German art of war didn't tell Yuan Shikai, such as how to avoid the intervention of the revolutionary party. While Yuan Shikai practiced the new army, the revolutionary party forces also developed and expanded in the new army. For example, Chiang Kai-shek and Wu Luzhen went to study in Japan. It was these revolutionary forces that ruined the Qing Empire.