Rebirth: I am in Jin-Cha-Ji

Of course, this is not free.

The 120th Column took away the Chasui Detachment, and the 120st Division supported the Yanbei Detachment of the th Division with a large amount of supplies, weapons and ammunition. The th Division had a difficult time surviving in northwest Shanxi. There were two troops near Datong, one was the Yanbei Detachment and the other was the Chasui Detachment.

Because northwest Shanxi was poor and sparsely populated, the Yanbei and Chasui detachments were severely short of both logistical supplies and weapons and ammunition. However, the First Division of the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region was the wealthiest and most abundant in weapons and ammunition. With the support of the First Division, the Yanbei detachment was able to develop significantly. Therefore, the 120th Division agreed to merge the Chasui detachment into the th Column.

"Political Commissar, the situation at the Chasui Detachment is not very good right now. Not long ago, most of the landlord and bandit forces that the Chasui Detachment had reorganized rebelled and turned against the Chasui Detachment, causing heavy casualties."

"We don't mind heavy casualties, as long as we maintain our core strength."

Wang Qiuyun spoke.

"I heard that the 120th Division, sent to the Yanbei area to form those guerrilla forces, has a very sufficient cadre reserve. As long as we retain the core strength and quantity, we can restore the Chasui Detachment. Political Commissar, we are not clear about the situation over there. I mean, you go there to understand the specific situation, and then make a decision based on the specific circumstances."

"All right.

Wei Hongjun nodded.

The Column did not have a detailed grasp of the Chasui Detachment's specific situation, so it was necessary to go and see it in person.

"If there's anything important, I'll send a telegram."

Chapter 202 The First Team

After the various meetings on troop reorganization, troop defense zone division, and 1939 work plan, Wei Hongjun went to Xining County without stopping.

Wei Hongjun wanted to see the First Detachment's situation with his own eyes, including the base area they had established in Xining County. It had been a year since Gao Wei arrived in Xining County with a reinforced platoon, and this was Wei Hongjun's first visit to Xining County.

Xining County is located northeast of Datong and southwest of Zhangjiakou, directly threatening the transportation line from Zhangjiakou to Datong. Therefore, it was also a key area for the Japanese troops in Datong and Zhangjiakou to raid.

A few months ago, when the Japanese army launched a siege on Xining County with 25 troops, the Japanese and puppet troops who mopped up the Xining County First Detachment numbered over 3,000. This shows how important the Xining County base area opened up by the First Detachment was.

The First Detachment reported that it had 1400 main troops, 1100 local troops, and over 3000 militiamen. But Wei Hongjun was skeptical. Although the Eighth Column had previously experienced brutal counter-mopping-up operations, with the First Detachment facing over Japanese and puppet troops, the Eighth Column's counter-mopping-up operations had been resoundingly successful. The campaign had already lasted over three months.

All the troops of the 8th Column are recovering.

Not only had their strength recovered, but they were even stronger than before the counter-mopping-up operation. The Mongolian garrison suffered heavy casualties during the counter-mopping-up operation, with the 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade nearly annihilated. The 26th Division not only had an entire regiment annihilated by the First Division, but its troops even penetrated deep into Datong. Meanwhile, the garrison battalions in various locations, sweeping through the Eighth Column's base, had gained no advantage. Even in the Longyanchi base, a reinforced Japanese squadron was annihilated by the New Third Regiment.

It's not just that.

After the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region won the battle against the siege of the 35th Route Army, Fu Zuoyi's 26th Army took the initiative to attack, severely hitting the 13th Regiment of the th Division, which had just been replenished with new recruits, and completely wiped out the rd Mongolian Cavalry Division, achieving a great victory in Baotou.

After this series of battles, the Japanese troops in the Chahar area were once again seriously short of manpower, including the area along the Pingsui Road. Even the devils in Datong City were short of manpower, so the Japanese troops throughout Shanxi decided to withdraw.

It can be said that the heavy losses inflicted by the First Jin-Cha-Ji Division on the Japanese 26th Division and the 35nd Independent Mixed Brigade directly contributed to the offensive launched by Fu Zuoyi's 120th Army and the Daqingshan Detachment of the 26th Division against the 26th Division. Within a year, the 1938th Division suffered a series of defeats, and its primary combat infantry was virtually completely replaced. In particular, Fu Zuoyi's forces won three large-scale battles against the 26th Division in 26, severely damaging the division. In 1938 alone, three regimental commanders of the 26th Division were killed on the battlefield: two by Fu Zuoyi's troops and one by troops from the First Jin-Cha-Ji Division.

The successive defeats suffered by the troops stationed in Mongolia even directly affected the anti-Japanese situation in Shanxi. The Japanese army was facing a serious shortage of troops throughout Shanxi.

After the anti-mopping-up campaign ended, the 8th Column's units were accelerating the development of their bases and restoring their strength. Therefore, Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun both distrusted the First Detachment's report. Wei Hongjun also wanted to see the First Detachment's situation with his own eyes.

"Commissar, why are you here?"

"What, you're not welcome?"

"where?"

Gao Wei chuckled.

He smiled and said, "Isn't this an accident?"

"Call all officers above the battalion level in the detachment. I have something to announce."

"Yes."

The first team does not have a clear level.

It mainly depends on their development. However, after this year, the detachment's organization has been completed quite well. Wei Hongjun looked carefully and found some of the detachment cadres familiar, some unfamiliar.

However, after listening to the introduction of Huang Hao, the political commissar of the First Detachment, Wei Hongjun was also calculating the situation of the First Detachment in his mind.

More than twenty cadres came.

After everyone got to know each other, Wei Hongjun said, "Before the meeting, I would like to announce some new personnel appointments. Since the First Detachment is responsible for the development of the Ninggao Town base, the troops have a heavy workload. Therefore, the column has appointed Comrade Lu Weisheng, head of the Propaganda Section of the Column's Political Department, as deputy political commissar of the First Detachment."

Lu Weisheng stood up and saluted.

The First Detachment was formed a year earlier by a reinforced platoon led by Gao Wei and Huang Hao, along with guerrillas from the Independent Division who had been stationed in Xining County to establish a base there in late 1937. Over the past year, the Eighth Column had been heavily involved in combat and base construction, so support for the First Detachment was limited. The only support came from the transfer of two companies from the Tenth Battalion of the Third Division to the First Detachment.

Overall, the first team developed almost independently.

The Column also needed to strengthen its guidance of the First Detachment in many policy areas. That's why Wei Hongjun sent Lu Weisheng, a highly regarded figure in his own right, to the First Detachment. Lu Weisheng's purpose was to assist Huang Hao and ease his workload, and also to initiate a new type of military reorganization within the First Detachment.

"Comrade Huang Hao."

"arrive."

"The Cha'nan Special Committee has decided that Comrade Huang Hao will serve as the Secretary of the Ninggao Town County Committee, with full responsibility for the construction of the base areas in Xining, Yanggao, and Tianzhen counties. The work in the army and the local areas is very complicated, and the burden on your shoulders is heavy."

"Make sure to complete the mission."

"Okay. Now let's begin by conveying the spirit of the Eighth Column's just-concluded meeting, as well as the Column's mission requirements for your detachment.

1939 was a year of great development for the Eighth Route Army.

Wei Hongjun certainly wouldn't let it go. Developing the Ninggaozhen base was a crucial task for the Eighth Column in 1939. So Wei Hongjun conveyed the column's decision to the battalion-level and above cadres of the First Detachment.

"In order to support the First Detachment in developing its base in Ninggao Town, the Military Region has already coordinated with the 120th Division. The Chasui Detachment currently operating in the Chasui area will be incorporated into the First Detachment, including the Chasui Guerrilla Army."

"Political Commissar, is this true?"

"What do you say?"

Wei Hongjun glanced at Gao Wei.

Gao Wei said unconcernedly, "Political Commissar, you may not know this in Sheng County. The landlord and bandit forces that were reorganized by the Weicha Sui Detachment last year have basically all rebelled."

"I know. Setbacks are normal in a revolution. They started with only a few hundred people, but eventually grew to a force of two to three thousand. Their cadres were all capable. It's just that they weren't vigilant enough about the enemy. Your First Detachment is currently lacking these educated cadres."

"Oh."

Gao Wei did not like to be incorporated into the Chasui Detachment.

The two sides were unfamiliar with each other, one from the 115th Division and the other from the 120th Division, so cooperation was bound to present many problems. Furthermore, the troops operating in Chasui were primarily led by scholars, many of whom were even university professors, each quite famous.

Gao Wei had little experience, a low rank, and was a rough man, so he was unwilling to work with those scholars.

After conveying the column's decision, Wei Hongjun also consulted with the First Detachment cadres about their combat performance over the past year. After the discussion, Gao Wei, Huang Hao, and Lu Weisheng were left behind.

"Big man, tell me the truth. How many people are there in the First Detachment right now, and how many guns are there? I just counted, and your First Detachment has five battalions under its command. Not counting the others, these five battalions alone should have at least 1500 people."

Gao Wei felt a sense of familiarity when he heard Wei Hongjun call him "Big Guy".

Their unit was made up of soldiers from western Fujian. During the Soviet Area's Fifth Anti-Encirclement and Suppression Campaign and the Long March, most of the soldiers from western Fujian never made it to northern Shaanxi. Gao Wei was over 1.8 meters tall, and was definitely a big guy among the soldiers from western Fujian. That's why Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun had always called him "Big Guy"

"Commissar, we were just about to report to the column."

Gao Wei said mysteriously, "Political Commissar, our First Detachment currently has seven main battalions under its command. The detachment has approximately 3300 personnel.

"3300 people? Where are the weapons and equipment?

"Political Commissar, five of the seven main battalions of our First Detachment are equipped with Type 38 rifles and Type 65 Jin-made rifles. We also have no shortage of mortars, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and light machine guns.

"Where did you get so many weapons?"

Chapter 203 The Powerful First Team

"Political Commissar, after this victory against the mopping-up operation, the Japanese army not only withdrew its forces along the Pingsui Road, but also in Datong and Zhangjiakou. Especially after our column killed Tsuneoka Kanji and nearly wiped out the 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade, our Eighth Route Army's reputation in the Shanxi-Suiyuan area soared. Many of the civilian anti-Japanese armed forces that had previously operated in this area have joined us."

"Are there still civilian anti-Japanese armed forces in the Jinsui area?"

Wei Hongjun didn't believe it.

If you say it was in late 1937 or early 1938, Wei Hongjun could still believe it. After all, the Japanese army had just entered Shanxi at that time, and many local forces in Shanxi were unwilling to become traitors, so various resistance forces were established among the people.

But now it is 1939, and there is no civilian anti-Japanese armed force.

Even in areas such as western Hebei, central Hebei, and Shandong, where the civilian anti-Japanese forces were relatively strong, it was difficult to maintain independence after 1939.

Either be annihilated by the Japanese army or surrender and become a traitor. If you don't want to be a traitor and don't want to be annihilated, you can either join the National Army or join the Eighth Route Army. There is no third way.

In the Jinsui area, I have never heard of any powerful civilian anti-Japanese armed forces.

Huang Hao said from the side: "Political Commissar, there are many armed landlords and local armed forces in the Jinsui area. However, they were all honest before and did not have any conflicts with the Japanese. However, they did not have any conflicts with the Japanese army, nor did they have much conflict with us. They usually kept to themselves. Our Eighth Route Army is not strong in this area and cannot incorporate these armed forces like the columns. Therefore, they have always been on the outside. They are neither puppet troops incorporated by the Japanese army nor armed forces supporting the anti-Japanese war. However, this time the Japanese army failed to sweep our Jin-Cha-Ji base area and suffered heavy casualties. Then the 35th Army of the Jinsui Army severely damaged the 26th Division, which made these forces that were originally on the sidelines ready to move. Recently, many of their armed forces have begun to openly raise the banner of anti-Japanese war. Our First Detachment also took the opportunity to reorganize several of their armed forces."

Wei Hongjun nodded.

They understood what was happening. These people did not want to be traitors, but they did not dare to fight the Japanese army. Therefore, they usually behaved well and did not dare to clash with the Japanese and puppet troops, nor did they dare to clash with the Eighth Route Army.

Now seeing the Japanese soldiers enjoying themselves, they jumped out.

There are many local forces in the war of resistance. To put it bluntly, they are fence-sitters. But in this era of national resistance, such armed forces also need to be won over. We can't just push them to the Japanese side.

“Where do the weapons and ammunition come from?”

"Political Commissar, you should praise me and Political Commissar Huang for our ability to identify heroes."

Gao Wei patted his chest proudly.

"After breaking the Japanese mopping-up operation, we came into contact with an armed force in Mawangtun. This armed force consisted of about 200 people, with good weapons and equipment. They eventually accepted our reorganization. After the reorganization, we discovered that although they were a small force of about 200 people, their logistics, weapons and ammunition, as well as their accounts, were all done very well.

There was no chaos at all, so Political Commissar Huang and I went to meet with the unit's logistics manager. We discovered that he was a graduate of a regular military academy and had previously served as an officer in the 61st Army's Military Affairs Department. How could we let such talent pass us by? Our First Detachment was short of cadres, not just military and political cadres, but also technical personnel. So we asked him to help manage the detachment's logistics. Unexpectedly, within a few days, he had our detachment's logistics in perfect order, making them perfectly manageable. So, I discussed with the Political Commissar and decided to let him temporarily serve as the acting head of the detachment's General Affairs Section.

"In terms of the establishment of these military departments and institutions, both the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army and the Central Army do have much to learn from us. Our veteran leader was able to rapidly expand the First Division without any chaos because he dared to give free rein to experienced officers and learn from them how to regularize the military.

What the Eighth Route Army lacks for its development is cadres.

There is a shortage of cadres in all areas.

The bold respect for officers from the Northeast Army, Northwest Army, Shanxi-Suiyuan Army and Central Army was one of the important reasons for the rapid development of the Eighth Route Army.

Especially the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region, which was able to expand from a force of less than 3000 people to more than main force regiments today, was because it absorbed a large number of these officers.

Therefore, Wei Hongjun did not object to Gao Wei and Huang Hao's boldness in respecting the officers of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army.

Gao Wei said happily, "Political Commissar, after Zheng Laishan became the acting chief of the detachment's General Affairs Section, he brought a batch of arms to our First Detachment."

"What munitions?"

"Yan Xishan originally planned to form a youth army in the Jinsui area, specifically in Tianzhen. This was a unit affiliated with the Shanxi Youth Anti-Japanese Death Squad of the Sacrifice Alliance. The Sacrifice Alliance sent several hundred key members here, and the 61st Army helped them form the army. To form this youth army, Yan Xishan gave the 61st Army a batch of arms specifically for the purpose. Zheng Laishan was in charge of this batch of arms at the time.

Later, no one expected the Japanese army to advance so quickly, and they lost Datong before the Youth Army and the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army were established. When the 61st Army was defending Tianzhen, Li Fuying ordered Zheng Laishan to hide this batch of arms in Tianzhen.

"Is there still such a thing?"

Wei Hongjun was very shocked.

However, Wei Hongjun already understood the general situation.

After the Xi'an Incident, Yan Xishan was worried that the Japanese would invade Shanxi.