Rebirth: I am in Jin-Cha-Ji

Chapter 031 Li Wanfu

After Yang Yonghui decided to cooperate with the Eighth Route Army, he also readily decided that the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas would use the banner of the Shengxian Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Army.

Although Wei Hongjun was very envious of Yang Yonghui's Caoyangzhuang guerrillas, he knew that impatient people can't eat hot tofu.

Therefore, Wei Hongjun gave the Caoyangzhuang guerrilla team the designation of the Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Army Independent Team.

From then on, the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas used the number of the guerrilla army independent team.

After the meeting, Li Shiping returned to Zhangjiagou Village. He still had a heavy workload. He needed to recruit local Party members in Sheng County and rebuild the local Party committee. He had also been traveling around the rural areas of Sheng County's Third District, promoting the Eighth Route Army's ideas and promoting anti-Japanese resistance.

This time, I hurried back to select some bright and resourceful individuals from the guerrilla army who came from rural areas. To work in the countryside, we can't just send students there. They are knowledgeable, energetic, and ambitious, but many come from wealthy families and don't have a deep understanding of rural conditions. Therefore, we must assign them staff members who come from rural backgrounds.

This can also cultivate real rural cadres.

In the future they can become the backbone of rural work.

When Chairman Mao was leading the workers' movement, he said this: "Since it is a labor movement, it cannot be led by intellectuals alone, as this would lack core strength. We must recruit key figures from among the active workers into the Party and allow them to become the core leaders of the labor movement. Only in this way can the labor movement have core strength."

The same is true for rural movements.

Leaders may need knowledgeable people with broad horizons, but the backbone of rural work must be farmers. They are most familiar with the countryside and the farmers' thinking. Wei Hongjun couldn't leave all rural work to Yang Yonghui's group of students.

So we plan to draw some rural activists from the guerrilla army.

Moreover, the guerrilla army is now recruiting in full swing. As the person in charge of recruiting for the guerrilla army, Li Shiping must rush back as soon as possible. It can be said that Li Shiping's current work tasks are very heavy. Although Li Shiping has some party members under him, these party members also have their own responsibilities and their work tasks are also very important.

The base was just being established and people were needed everywhere.

After Li Shiping returned, Yang Yonghui began selecting personnel for the rent and interest reduction work group. Although Yang Yonghui had many students under his tutelage, not all of them were qualified for rural work. He planned to select those from wealthy rural families, as they understood rural areas better than students from urban areas.

Wei Hongjun met Li Wanfu, the deputy captain of the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas, who was formerly from the Northeast Army.

"Captain Li."

"Political Commissar Wei."

Li Wanfu looks to be in his thirties.

He wasn't short, about 1.75 meters tall. He looked completely different from the first time I met Zhang Dahu.

Zhang Dahu seemed to have lost hope, was in a daze, and didn't care about anything. From the Rehe War, the Great Wall War to the July 7 Incident, a series of defeats had almost made Zhang Dahu lose confidence.

Therefore, we need to encourage Zhang Dahu and let him see hope.

But Li Wanfu is different.

There was a fierceness in his eyes, and he was still full of fighting spirit.

Wei Hongjun quickly changed the content of his conversation.

"Captain Li, are you from Northeast China?"

"Yes. I'm from Fengtian Hailong (Meihekou)."

"Principal Yang and I have reached an agreement. The Caoyangzhuang Guerrilla Unit will become an independent unit of the Shengxian Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Army. What do you think, Captain Li?"

Wei Hongjun really cared about Li Wanfu's attitude.

The Caoyangzhuang guerrilla unit was established primarily due to Yang Yonghui's personal reputation. Many people joined the Caoyangzhuang guerrilla unit because of Yang Yonghui. However, after the unit was established, Li Wanfu presided over its daily training.

Li Wanfu is most familiar with the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas.

Military cadres like Li Wanfu, who graduated from regular military academies and had fought in battles, were what the Eighth Route Army needed most. Even if Li Wanfu didn't command battles in the Eighth Route Army, he would still be qualified to stay and train new recruits.

Therefore, when encountering military cadres like Zhang Dahu and Li Wanfu, Wei Hongjun always adopted the strategy of winning them over and absorbing them.

"Political Commissar Wei, I participated in the Battle of Zhiluo Town."

"The Battle of Zhiluo Town?"

Wei Hongjun was surprised at first, but soon recovered.

During their time in northern Shaanxi, the Northeastern Army engaged in several battles with the Red Army. Initially, they were engaged in an encirclement and suppression campaign against the 15th Army Corps. The Battle of Zhiluozhen saw them engage the newly arrived Central Red Army and the 15th Army Corps. The Northeastern Army deployed six divisions for this campaign, but were severely beaten by the Red Army, with two divisions suffering devastating losses.

Li Wanfu was an officer of the Northeast Army, so it was normal for him to participate in the Battle of Zhiluo Town.

"I was still a prisoner of the Red Army at that time."

Li Wanfu didn't feel embarrassed at all when talking about this.

Tell this history very frankly.

Wei Hongjun really didn't expect that Li Wanfu had such a history. So Wei Hongjun didn't say anything for the time being, to see what Li Wanfu meant. Li Wanfu saw that Wei Hongjun's expression became serious, so he smiled and said, "That was my first time to come into contact with your party and the Red Army. I learned a lot that time in the Red Army prisoner camp. At that time, your party's proposal of 'ending the civil war and uniting to resist Japan' was unanimously recognized by our Northeast Army officers and soldiers. Our hometowns were occupied by the devils, and even many officers and soldiers left their parents and relatives in the Northeast. Everyone wanted to go home and fight back, but they were sent to the Northwest to fight the Red Army. Everyone couldn't figure it out, but they didn't know what to do. Soldiers eat food, and if the superiors told us to fight, we could only fight. But for those of us who can't even go home, the biggest dream is to fight back home. Unfortunately, we don't know how to go back home. It wasn't until that time in the Red Army prisoner camp that we really felt it was possible."

"The September 18th Incident is not the responsibility of you, the officers and soldiers of the Northeast Army. The responsibility lies with those above us."

"We all prosper together and we all suffer together. Our Northeast Army has been reviled by the whole country since the September 18th Incident. Later, we suffered another disastrous defeat in the Rehe War of Resistance and became a laughing stock of the whole country. After the Xi'an Incident, the situation of our Northeast Army became even more difficult. The troops were either downsized or used as cannon fodder in various stations. Of course, these are not terrible. What is terrible is that when the July 7th Incident broke out, although everyone said they wanted to fight against Japan, in fact, everyone had their own little thoughts. During the July 7th Incident, the 29th Army had already exchanged fire with the Japanese army, but there was still an internal debate about whether to fight or make peace. This was also the case within our Northeast Army. Later, when we were blocking the Japanese army in Baoding, the Central Army, Northeast Army, Northwest Army, and Zhensong Army seemed to be fighting together, but they all had their own little plans. No one wanted their troops to fight to the death, so of course they could not stop the Japanese. I didn't feel a future in the army, so I left the Northeast Army."

As Wei Hongjun listened to Li Wanfu's words, he became more and more interested in him.

Because Wei Hongjun felt that Li Wanfu was not just an ordinary military commander. On the contrary, Li Wanfu considered many other issues. He was an officer with thoughts.

"After I left the Northeast Army, I thought about finding a way to defeat the Japanese and fight back to my hometown. When Principal Yang found me, I was actually very happy. I thought about training the soldiers well to fight the devils. But after I really started training the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas, I realized that I thought too simply. The army training is easy, but the people in the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas came because of Principal Yang's reputation. Although there are many students among them, they don’t really understand what it’s like to fight the Japanese and how we should fight the Japanese. The whole team looks a bit, but it’s a mess inside. I have no way to deal with these. I used to be in the Northeast Army. I hadn't considered these things until I was captured by the Red Army. Only then did I realize that some troops were different, like your Red Army. After we were captured, not only did the Red Army leaders come to teach us, but we also talked to your soldiers on a regular basis. They were just ordinary Red Army soldiers, and some had only been in the Red Army for a few months and were illiterate. But they were different from our soldiers. Although they had little education, and many were even illiterate, they knew why they were fighting. When I saw them, I finally understood why our Northeast Army had lost several battles against your Red Army.

Chapter 032 Li Wanfu 2

"After the Red Army was founded, there was a lot of confusion within it. In the early days, many of us didn't know what to do, where to go, how to build bases, and so on. It wasn't until the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) at the Gutian Conference that the Red Army was given a principle. The CCP stated that the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was an armed group carrying out revolutionary political tasks. This principle distinguished the Red Army from other warlord armies and truly began our journey towards becoming a new kind of army. Therefore, our Red Army placed great emphasis on political education, ensuring that all officers and soldiers knew what kind of army we were, why we fought, and what our goals were. Only by understanding this could one become a qualified Red Army soldier. We call this faith. It was precisely because of this faith that our officers and soldiers were able to create one miracle after another. Even under the difficult circumstances of the Long March, our troops were not defeated or dragged down, and eventually reached northern Shaanxi."

"Yes, that's it."

Li Wanfu nodded.

Then he said excitedly: "After I finished high school, I was admitted to the Northeast Military Academy. Then I joined the Northeast Army and fought many battles with the troops. But before I was captured by the Red Army, I never thought about these things. We fought when our superiors told us to. As for why we fought and what the purpose of the war was, many of us didn't care. What would happen if we won or lost, we didn't think about it. Because we were all soldiers who got food. But after I met the Red Army, I realized that soldiers also have to know why they fight and what they want to gain in the end. If we don't have these, wouldn't it be the most common war among warlords in the Republic of China?"

Wei Hongjun nodded.

Why was the Red Army able to grow and become stronger, and why was the Eighth Route Army able to grow and become stronger behind enemy lines?

This is a systemic problem.

Later television dramas and novels often feature a prominent military commander, a personal hero who, with a single wave of his arm, rallies countless followers and elevates the troops' combat effectiveness. But it's never that simple.

A force that relies on personal prestige to gather together can fight a favorable battle without any problems. However, once faced with an unfavorable battle or difficulties, the force will fall apart. Such a force cannot survive for long behind enemy lines.

If the Red Army had relied solely on the personal charisma and prestige of certain leaders to fight, it would not have been able to complete the 25,000-mile Long March. This is why the CCP attaches the greatest importance to the political education of its troops.

Only by truly ensuring that soldiers understand why and what the war is about, and only by understanding this and giving officers and soldiers the conviction to fight, can the troops remain united in the face of adversity. This foundation, coupled with strong troop discipline, allows the troops to survive behind enemy lines. If the troops' tactical prowess is enhanced, then they will become a strong army.

Consider the historical example of the 129st Regiment of the 386th Brigade of the 771th Division. They were ambushed and dispersed by the Japanese. In any other unit, they would have been wiped out. But the 771st Regiment was a Red Army unit that had participated in the Long March. After being dispersed, they forcibly regrouped within hours. At last check, virtually all the lost officers and soldiers had returned.

This is the army that cannot be defeated or dragged down.

"I originally wanted to build the army of my dreams in the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas. But I soon realized that I didn't have the ability to do so. These days, I've been wondering what the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas lack. Some time ago, the Zhangjiagou Village guerrillas suddenly defeated the Japanese army one after another, and some people said that the Eighth Route Army had arrived in Zhangjiagou Village, so I have been thinking about visiting you. I wanted to see how you build your army and how you fight. I didn't expect you to come to Caoyangzhuang instead."

"Captain Li, are you welcoming our cooperation?"

"Political Commissar Wei, I'll be honest. After this year's events, including my time in the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas, I feel like I'm lacking something. But I know you Red Army members have it. Currently, the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas are primarily students and farmers, and I can't do anything on my own. I'd like to ask Political Commissar Wei for some of your grassroots officers, including your political cadres. I want to personally experience how your Eighth Route Army builds its troops and educates its soldiers."

Li Wanfu is very serious.

Wei Hongjun was very happy.

Wei Hongjun understood that Li Wanfu was already very close to the Eighth Route Army ideologically. With a little effort, and after a while, it would be a natural progression for Li Wanfu to join the Eighth Route Army. Furthermore, if Li Wanfu joined the Eighth Route Army, he would become a staunch Eighth Route Army soldier. This was because he had already joined the Eighth Route Army ideologically.

Therefore, Wei Hongjun smiled and said, "Captain Li, there is one thing I need to make clear to you first."

"Political Commissar Wei, please speak."

"Although the Shengxian Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Army was not yet a regular unit of the Eighth Route Army, it was a local unit affiliated with the Eighth Route Army. Our Eighth Route Army was neither the Central Army nor the Northeast Army. We had limited funds and it was even very difficult.

Our troops didn't receive a salary, only a small allowance. This was when we had money. If we didn't, our troops would have to farm to feed themselves. It can be said that life for our Eighth Route Army fighting behind enemy lines was extremely difficult.

Even the allowances received by our central leadership in Yan'an might not be as good as the salary of a battalion commander in the Northeast Army."

"That's no problem."

Li Wanfu nodded.

He assured her, "I don't come from a wealthy family. I grew up in the countryside. Besides, our hometowns have all been taken over by the Japanese, and we've all become homeless. How can we be picky?"

"Another point is that our Eighth Route Army has strict discipline, which is very different from other troops. Captain Li, I wonder if you've heard of our Red Army's 'Three Disciplines and Eight Points of Attention.' These are iron laws in our army. Anyone who violates them could be shot."

"Only with iron discipline can we have elite soldiers. When we were in the prisoner camp, we also heard the Red Army's 'Three Disciplines and Eight Points of Attention'. With the exception of a few Red Army troops from northern Shaanxi, most of your Red Army came from the south. Yet, your Red Army was able to integrate with the people of northern Shaanxi, regardless of region. We in the Northeast Army are all soldiers from the Northeast, all from the Northeast. Yet, even so, our Northeast Army has never integrated with the people in the Northeast like this."

I promise to accept the discipline of the Eighth Route Army."

"I feel relieved when I hear Captain Li say that."

Wei Hongjun smiled.

With Li Wanfu's support, the Caoyangzhuang guerrillas would have no problem becoming a guerrilla army unit. So, Wei Hongjun nodded and said, "This is how it is. I will assign one political officer and three military officers to your independent unit. Although they are called military officers, their ranks are actually quite low. They were only company- and platoon-level officers in the Red Army before, but I can guarantee that they are all veterans. Their tactical capabilities at the squad and platoon levels are outstanding. I know Captain Li is a graduate of a regular military academy, so you should also help them with military matters."

"Learn from each other. Some of your Red Army's fighting methods are very worth learning from. My Northeast Army was well-armed at the time, and our officers were all graduates of regular military academies. But we were beaten to pieces by the Red Army every time we met. Our Caoyangzhuang guerrillas and the Zhangjiagou Village guerrillas were formed almost at the same time, but the Zhangjiagou Village guerrillas were able to win the battle and defeated an entire Japanese squadron. As for our Caoyangzhuang guerrillas, to be honest, we don't have the confidence to defeat even a Japanese squadron, let alone a Japanese squadron."

"Captain Li, I'll be honest. Your independent team is short of military and political cadres, and the guerrilla army is short of them too, and the shortage is severe. It's not just the grassroots cadres that are in short supply, but also the veterans. The only solution is to train our own cadres. Guerrilla Army Commander Wang Qiuyun and I have decided to hold a short-term training course within the guerrilla army. We'll have our grassroots commanders attend, and the commander, chief of staff, and I will all give lectures to train our officers. You can also select some capable soldiers from your independent team to study. After a brief period of one or two months, they'll be able to serve as grassroots commanders."

"I'll keep this in mind. I actually have a few good candidates."

"That's good."

Chapter 033: Transforming the Caoyangzhuang Guerrilla Force

After talking with Yang Yonghui and Li Wanfu, Wei Hongjun returned to Zhangjiagou Village without stopping.

But within just two days, Zhangjiagou Village was bustling with activity. Li Shiping's work was quite solid, and young people from many of the surrounding villages were joining the army.

Wang Qiuyun and Zhang Dahu were also busy.

Busy training troops.

After the army is expanded, its combat effectiveness will drop rapidly because there are limited veterans and too many new recruits.

There's only one way to improve combat effectiveness, and that's to intensify training. After Wei Hongjun returned, Wang Qiuyun immediately rushed over. After the recent expansion, Wang Qiuyun felt a lot of pressure. The daily food consumption alone was no small amount.

The number of people joining the army also fell short of expectations.

If the Eighth Route Army had a large force but few guns, the current guerrilla army was completely different: fewer men and more guns. Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun had originally wanted to form district squads, but now they couldn't even fill the guerrilla army, let alone district squads or village militias.

Wang Qiuyun also deeply felt that it was necessary to establish a base.

Only a stable base could provide the troops with sufficient logistics and manpower. Without a base, relying solely on captured troops to supply the massive amount of supplies the troops consumed daily would be impossible. The same was true for manpower. Although Li Shiping worked hard, he still fell far short of the required personnel. So, upon hearing that Wei Hongjun was approaching, he immediately inquired about the situation.

"Old Wei, what's going on?"

"What's the hurry? Let me drink some water first."

"How can I not be anxious? You said that when we were both fighting in the army, we never had to worry so much. Every day, we only had to think about military training and fighting. But now we have to think about base construction, recruiting soldiers, and military logistics. Lately, I feel like I've aged more than ten years. I couldn't sleep at night these past two days when you were away. Every morning when I open my eyes, I have to think about how much food the army will consume that day and how many people I can recruit today."