The Flames of Resistance Against Japan in Jiangnan

"I am Xue Geming, the commander of the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Independent Regiment of the 19th Division of the 10th Army Corps of the Red Army. Now, I can solemnly tell you all that we welcome comrades who sincerely wish to join the Red Army. Now, all you need to do is eat well and rest well. Tomorrow, we will naturally arrange for people to handle this matter. At that time, those who want to join the Red Army can simply sign up. Also, tomorrow you can explain this to others: we welcome anyone who wants to join the Red Army!"

He paused here, then continued:

"However, joining the Red Army is very tough and tiring, and sometimes there might not even be enough to eat. Are you all afraid?"

"Not afraid!"

First a few people said it, then many people said it.

Xue Geming glanced around; all he saw were eager eyes. He sighed inwardly, nodded, and said:

"Alright, everyone, let's eat first, let's eat meat!"

Having said that, he said no more. The cooks immediately followed and prepared meat for each prisoner. The prisoners, who had been even more excited when they learned that this was the highest-ranking officer of the Red Army who had defeated them, felt somewhat relieved upon hearing his words and automatically lined up to receive their meat.

The fact that the prisoners could deduce such a result surprised Xue Geming and He Changgong, but they were mostly pleased. Back at the headquarters of the Hubei-Henan-Anhui Independent Regiment, temporarily set up in a landlord's house in a rural area of ​​Jinzhai County, the two couldn't help but laugh together. Just as they were about to discuss some matters, Yu Xiuguang, Guo Ligen, and several others entered. It was because of today's great victory that everyone was so happy.

You know, there have been far too many frustrating days in the past, and this time everyone can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Putting aside the previous victory that brought a period of stability and peace, just look at this victory—the results speak for themselves.

Needless to say, in the near future, the White Army authorities probably won't have the strength or energy to cause trouble here again. Therefore, even in the worst-case scenario, this period of stability can last for at least a while. This time will be enough for the Red Army to rest and regroup before fighting again, at which point the chances of victory will be much greater. If the Red Army wins, those of them doing local work will be much more comfortable.

Therefore, after finishing their business, the group rushed over. They chatted happily for a while, and then the other officers of the Independent Regiment, as well as the battalion-level military and political leaders of the five battalions, also came in one after another. Their reactions were similar. It turned out that when the Independent Regiment distributed pork to each prisoner, it caused a strong reaction from the prisoners; a large number of them wanted to join the Red Army. Of course, it wasn't because they wanted to join the Red Army just for this meal of meat, but because the Independent Regiment's actions had deeply moved them. These officers felt this was a good thing for the Independent Regiment, so they all came to hear their superiors' opinions.

Upon hearing this, Xue Geming and He Changgong couldn't help but laugh, as they had just encountered the same issue. However, it was best that these people had arrived; it would be a good opportunity to hear their opinions. So, they asked everyone to sit down and discuss it.

At the start of the meeting, everyone was excited. Many suggested expanding the staff. After listening to a few people speak, Xue Geming couldn't help but smile wryly.

The opinions of those who had already spoken were largely the same; they all wanted the compilation expanded. Xue Geming and He Changgong remained silent, simply listening. Only after everyone had finished expressing their opinions did He Changgong speak first:

"Expansion is a good thing, but our own troops have only recently expanded and stabilized, and we're already rushing to expand again. As a result, the combat strength of the expanded troops may not be as strong as before! There's an old saying in my hometown, 'Don't bite off more than you can chew,' which means that if you're greedy for too much, you'll end up losing more than you gain! The regimental commander and I are worried that although your organization has expanded, your actual command capabilities may not keep up. In the end, having more men will only lead to defeat!"

Upon hearing this, Xue Geming's gratitude towards He Changgong deepened. He Changgong's words were insightful and to the point; this was exactly what Xue Geming was worried about. Experience truly matters, and this veteran political commissar was indeed a wise man! His unit's expansion had indeed been too rapid; further expansion would likely significantly diminish its actual combat effectiveness. With more men, if quality couldn't keep up, a defeat would be catastrophic, and so many men might scatter!

But shouldn't we expand the force? With so many trained prisoners of war in front of us, it would be unreasonable not to take them in, as they wouldn't suit his taste or be realistic!

Therefore, expansion is out of the question; and upgrading the staffing level is also definitely not an option. The key is how to adjust the staffing structure! It's important to understand that such an expansion would result in a shortage of cadres, especially at the grassroots level!

Therefore, He Changgong's words effectively brought this issue to the forefront. Those battalion-level commanders, if truly committed, would accept this pressure. They should understand that the pressure would be much greater afterward; reforming prisoners of war is no easy task. If they volunteered, the entire burden would fall on their shoulders. But it would be best if he and He Changgong brought it up themselves, allowing these battalion-level commanders to take the initiative – that would be the ideal scenario!

I imagine these guys, in order to improve their strength and avoid defeat, will definitely put in a lot of effort to tinker with their troops! Well, how should I put it? The more they tinker, the better! I love tinkering! Troops grow stronger and expand through tinkering! But relying on just a few of them definitely won't work; it has to be the collective effort! I think He Changgong's provocation should have some effect!

Xue Geming looked calmly at everyone, but his mind was in turmoil. Sure enough, just as he had guessed, everyone at the meeting started arguing, each patting their chests to express their determination. One said there was nothing to worry about, another said he wasn't afraid of bayonets, so why would he be afraid of messing up these guys? Another said that as long as the leadership agreed, they would handle everything else, and he guaranteed to train soldiers who met the requirements within a month. Yet another vowed that even if he worked himself to death, he would definitely build this unit into a highly capable fighting force, and asked the regimental commander to rest assured.

Seeing that everyone agreed, Xue Geming knew he had achieved his goal. He and He Changgong exchanged a smile, and He Changgong nodded. Finally, it was Xue Geming's turn to speak. Upon hearing the young regimental commander speak, everyone fell silent in conviction. Xue Geming glanced at everyone, including several leaders from the Jinzhai County Committee, and then began to speak: