[Footnote 20: See Ho Yao-tsu, "The National Military Council," in _The Chinese Year Book, 1938-39_, cited, p. 361-3; Carlson, Evans Fordyce, _The Chinese Army: Its Organization and Military Efficiency_, New York, 1940, p. 26 _ff._; and frequent references in _China At War_ and the _News Release_ of the China Information Committee, both semiofficial, particularly the issue of the latter for July 15, 1939. A list of the highest military personnel and brief outline of the General Staff may be found in Woodhead, H. G. W., editor, _The China Year Book 1939_, Shanghai, n. d., p. 216-17, and p. 225.] The work of the Commission falls into two parts. On the one hand, it is the supreme directing agency for all the armies; on the other, the managing agency for a variegated war effort away from the combat lines. The Commission's work in theory covers all armies, but in practice confines its supervisory powers to the forces in Free China and--less clearly--to the major guerrilla units in the occupied areas. The Commission's governmental structure coordinates military and political functions. The Chief of the General Staff serves as assistant to the Chairman of the Commission. The Main Office serves to smooth interdepartmental affairs and to act as a central clearing point for orders and other transmissions. Beneath the Commission and the main office, there are twelve divisions with the rank of _Pu_. The Department of Military Operations (_Chün-ling-pu_) serves as a military planning and strategic agency. The Department of Military Training (_Chün-hsün-pu_) supervises training facilities, military schools, and in-service training.[21] The Directorate-General of Courts-Martial (_Chün-fa Chih-hsing Tsung-chien-pu_) and Pensions Commission (_Fu-hsüeh Wei-yüan-hui_) are explained by their titles; the pension program is probably behind that of every Western power, and the personal grants made by the Generalissimo under his own extra-governmental arrangements are more effective than governmental pensions. The Military Advisory Council (_Chün-shih Ts'an-i-yüan_) acts as a research and consultative body, in no sense cameral. An Administration of Personnel (_Ch'uan-hsü T'ing_) applies some principles of the merit system. A Service Department (_Hou-fang Ch'in-wu-pu_) is in charge of transportation, supplies, and sanitation. The National Aviation Commission (_Hang-k'ung Wei-yüan-hui_) has won world-wide fame for its spectacular work in procuring a Chinese air arm, and in keeping Chinese air power alive against tremendous odds of finance, transportation, equipment, and personnel; Mme. Chiang's association with and interest in its success has been of material aid. Finally, on the strictly military side, there is the Office of the Naval Commander-in-Chief (_Hai-chün Tsung-ssŭ-ling-pu_), formerly the Naval Ministry, controlling the up-river remnants of the navy. The War Ministry (_Chün-chêng-pu_) occupies an anomalous position in this scheme.