바람 부는 대로, 물결 치는 대로

As the way wind blows, as the way waves travel.

Sadong, August 8th, 1948

"Bulgae," the cadet said, proudly, pointing at the heavy tank.

"That is anti-revolutionary! Ancientist!," the second cadet protested.

"Hardly! It is history. Correct thought acknowledges the flow of history," the first said, learnedly.

"Quiet!" Tu Lying-su said. The entire unit snapped to attention as he bustled in front of them, inspecting their uniforms. Half-fitting, Soviet-supplied tanker helmets and tunics. Yet their faces were far from green - they were cadets in the armoured vehicle sense, yet not in the combat sense. The entire 15th Tank Training Regiment was composed of veterans from the conflicts against the Japanese and the Nationalists in China. They were all veterans - the officers were all the most gallant men that the Constabulary and the Korean Volunteer Army could provide.

Following with Tu were adjutants, staff, and around three dozen members of the Soviet officer's detachment. They were mostly Korean ethnically - yet only a few of them spoke even half-decent Korean, so they, too, were followed by all the Russian translators that the People's Committee could dredge up.

Yet the purpose was one of great consequence for the nation - the 15th Tank Training Regiment, joined soon by the 16th and 17th would be he nexus of future Korean armoured units. The supply of tanks was certainly not lacking - the gracious Soviets had provided hundreds, including many of their most modern T-34-85s and, drawing the most interest, IS-2 heavy tanks. Immediately there was competition amongst the cadets for who would get to crew the heavies - who would form the vanguard-fist of an assault.

The first cadet, a bright 22-year-old named Park Hwan, stood with his shoulders correctly back as Tu Lying-su walked along the line. He looked into the faces of each of his recruits, before approaching Park.

"Do you know who I am?," he asked in a cold, direct voice.

"I do, Comrade Commander!"

"Then you know my connection with our great Chairman?"

Park looked straight ahead. He didn't know.

"He is my brother-in-law. I answer to him. You answer to him."

"That is my duty, Comrade Commander!"

"Your duty is to learn to command a tank, cadet. And I have chosen you to command our first heavy-type tanks."

"....Comrade Commander, I...!"

"You will lead the bulgae regiment. The Fire Dogs," he added helpfully, in Russian, to the Soviet advisors.

To be continued...