Air Force Command College Organizes Cadets to Conduct On-Site Teaching at Multiple Locations to Forge the Soul of Victory

In midsummer, the Air Force Command College organized more than 400 intermediate-level command training cadets to conduct on-site teaching activities at multiple locations under the theme of "Tempering · Forging the Soul · Innovation," guiding cadets to consolidate the foundation of faith and forge the soul of victory (胜战之魂) through studying the deeds of their predecessors and internalizing the spirit of heroes.

Fuzhou was the first stop of this on-site teaching activity. Braving a light drizzle, the cadets entered an aerial warfare history memorial hall at an Air Force base. Faded historical photographs, scattered wreckage of enemy aircraft, yellowed telegraph manuscripts — each exhibit silently recounted the course of battles fought long ago. A docent movingly narrated the stories of a group of aerial warfare heroes: "At the time, their average age was just over 20. They won victory through sheer fighting spirit and courage — the conviction that where they stood, no enemy could prevail (有我无敌)!"

Afterward, the cadets went deep into frontline units, entering underground shelters and combat positions, inspecting equipment and observing training. After the visit, the cadets engaged in discussion and exchange with unit officers and soldiers. "How can Air Force aviation forces coordinate effectively with forces from other services and branches?" "How can maritime and airborne combat forces operate in conjunction?" — the cadets asked questions enthusiastically, and the officers and soldiers answered each one. At the conclusion of the exchange, a consensus emerged: winning modern warfare requires both carrying forward the spirit of "aerial bayonet fighting (空中拼刺刀)" and strengthening joint operations awareness and system-of-systems combat capability (体系作战能力).

Carrying their reflections on winning battles, the cadets traveled west to Gutian. At the Chairman Mao Memorial Garden, the cadets, with reverence, presented a flower basket before the statue of the great man. The accompanying instructor organized an impromptu micro-Party-lesson (微党课) on the spot. The instructor's words carried weight: "The political work of our military took root during the Great Revolution, was established at the founding of the army, was laid on a foundation at the Gutian Conference, and has been continuously enriched and developed through practice. Our journey to find our roots is a search for the roots of our original aspiration, the roots of faith, and the roots of victory. Only when the roots go deep enough and hold firm enough can the branches and leaves of victory grow lush and green!"

Stepping into the Gutian Conference Memorial Hall and its former site, precious artifacts and historical photographs transported the cadets' thoughts back to that winter of 1929. The accompanying instructor told everyone: "The Gutian Conference of 1929 pointed the Red Army in the fundamental direction of building the Party through ideology and building the military through politics; the All-Army Political Work Conference held at Gutian in 2014 sounded the bugle call for the People's Army to set out anew with renewed resolve. As we forge ahead on the new journey and render service in the new era, we must carry forward and promote glorious traditions and fine conduct, and forever heed the Party's words and follow the Party's lead."

At the event, the cadets listened attentively and took careful notes. "The Gutian Conference laid the foundation for our military's political work and set the mold for the People's Army. Thereafter, 'a blazing sun bursting forth with radiant light' rose steadily in the hearts of the Red Army officers and soldiers. Returning to Gutian to find our roots is to search for the 'source code' of our military's march from victory to victory!" Cadet Mao Liangtao reflected deeply.

Leaving Gutian, the cadets arrived in Xiamen. At an aviation engine enterprise, upon learning that the company had developed multiple engine models through a process of "introduction — digestion — absorption — re-innovation," filling domestic gaps, cadet Yan Xiaohu exclaimed with genuine admiration: "As revolutionary soldiers of the new era, we should learn from this ambition to refuse to lag behind others and this courage to dare to blaze new trails and dare to experiment!"

"Ten thousand rivers and mountains — never forget the road you came from; a tree may grow a thousand feet tall, but its roots lie deep in fertile soil. I will bring the insights from this journey to find our roots back to my unit and transform them into a powerful driving force for rendering service at my post." At the conclusion of the activity, cadet Liu Yannan said with resolve.