Rebirth: I am in Jin-Cha-Ji

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Chapter 464 Banner Land Policy

In the Luanping Battle, the 29th Division Headquarters, the 18th Regiment, three police battalions, the th Regiment of the Puppet Security Force, and the th Regiment of the Puppet Security Force were wiped out in one battle.

More than 8,000 Japanese and puppet troops were wiped out in this way.

They also killed the 29th Division's Lieutenant General Kamimura Toshimichi and the Chief of Staff Major General Kataoka Tsuyoshi.

The Battle of Luanping was a classic example of mobile warfare by the Eighth Route Army. Utilizing the "cow-pulling" tactic, the Eighth Route Army dispersed and ultimately annihilated over 13 Japanese and puppet troops. This battle brought fame to Cheng Shihua, commander of the 18th Military Sub-district; Zhang Zihua, commander of the st Brigade; Zhang Dahu, deputy commander and chief of staff of the st Brigade; Guo Lin, commander of the th Regiment; and Guo Yonghuai, political commissar.

The name of the Jin-Cha-Ji Army became increasingly famous throughout the country and even the world. Since the Eighth Column captured Zhangjiakou, the Jin-Cha-Ji Army had continuously annihilated Japanese and puppet troops in Hebei. Furthermore, the First and Third Divisions concentrated their main forces, fighting several major battles in which they completely wiped out two to three thousand Japanese and puppet troops.

Now in Rehe, another 8,000 Japanese and puppet troops have been completely wiped out.

It caused a national sensation.

Of course, what is more important is that after this battle, the anti-Japanese situation in Rehe ushered in a new situation.

Rehe was indeed an area that was under the key control of the Japanese and puppet troops.

However, Rehe's mobile forces were limited. Previously, Rehe's main mobile forces were the 29th Division, the Guard Division of the Fifth Military Region, and 8 police battalions.

What now?

The 29th Division was severely damaged, and the only troops still able to fight were the 38th Regiment and one infantry battalion of the 50th Regiment, totaling only about 4000 men. As for the Security Division, a division of nearly 9000 men, only about 2000 men remained. Of the eight police battalions, only three remained.

In the entire area of ​​Rehe, the Japanese and puppet troops only had about 7000 mobile forces left.

A battalion from the 50th Regiment and the th Guard Regiment were currently in Chifeng. South of Chifeng, in the Rehe area, the main Japanese and puppet forces, including their mobile units, were practically unavailable. Cheng Shihua's original plan of dispersing the troops, addressing the tribal groups, rescuing the civilian population, and expanding the base could now be implemented.

Soon the whole of Rehe was engulfed in flames.

It’s true.

The 13th Army Division and the th Column were united, operating as a company or battalion. Their primary mission was to eliminate the puppet regimes in towns and villages, break through the group tribes, and rescue as many civilians as possible.

Without the interference of the main force of the Japanese puppet army, the puppet police in the towns and villages were no match for the Eighth Route Army. Not to mention the large force of the Eighth Route Army, even a company of the main force of the Eighth Route Army could not stop it.

Thousands of group tribes were destroyed in a short period of time.

It can be said that the group tribes that the Japanese and puppet troops had worked hard for many years to complete in Rehe were shattered into pieces by the 13th Army Division and the th Column in a short period of time. As more and more people were rescued, they were very enthusiastic about joining the army.

After they joined the army, they actively participated in the struggle to destroy the Rural Maintenance Association. Even if they did not join the army, they returned to their hometowns and started farming again, which was also an effective support for the Eighth Route Army's anti-Japanese base in Rehe.

The Eighth Route Army base also began to expand from Chengde to Chifeng. Rehe has never been so lively as it is now.

People need personal experience to understand many things.

Just like the people of Rehe, especially the people of the group tribe, they have a real blood feud with the Japanese and puppet troops. They don't need to be mobilized. As long as they see that the Japanese and puppet troops are not invincible opponents, then they will be willing to join the Eighth Route Army to fight the devils.

As a result, the Eighth Route Army's strength in Rehe grew like a snowball.

The Kwantung Army Defense Force really couldn't bear it anymore at this time.

Cao Changchen had already ignored the lack of preparation and ordered the Ninth Garrison to enter Chengde. The garrison battalions under the Ninth Garrison began to move into the county towns around Chengde and Chifeng.

This was just the beginning. Cao Changchen had already drawn troops from the puppet Manchurian army, the puppet Mongolian army, the puppet Korean police, and the Manchurian police to quickly form the "Iron Stone Force." He also formulated a plan with the North China Front Army to cooperate in suppressing the Eighth Route Army in Jidong and Rehe.

Large numbers of Japanese and puppet troops entered Rehe from the northeast.

At the same time, Kusaba Tatsuya was recruiting young men from Manchuria to fill the 29th Division. After the outbreak of the Pacific War, Japan was expanding its military domestically, making it increasingly difficult to recruit new soldiers. Therefore, Kusaba Tatsuya no longer relied on recruits from within Japan, but instead recruited all the men from Manchuria.

With so many major events happening in Rehe, Zhangjiakou was also bustling with activity. After the Yixian meeting, Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun returned to Zhangjiakou.

The deployment for the Jining Campaign began. Wang Qiuyun had already taken the column headquarters to the front line, and the troops began preparing to attack Jining. Logically, Wei Hongjun, the column's political commissar, should have gone along as well.

But this time Wei Hongjun did not go to the front line.

Wei Hongjun is still stationed in Zhangjiakou because there are still many things to deal with in Zhangjiakou.

"Comrade Li Shaocheng, your progress in reducing rent and interest is too slow.

“Secretary Wei, the situation here is very different from our previous base.

Li Shaocheng reports.

Li Shaocheng was the county magistrate of Sheng County when the independent detachment established the Sheng County Anti-Japanese Base Area. He was also the first cadre to advocate for supporting the people in reclaiming wasteland and storing grain. Later, when Wei Hongjun put forward the slogan "Work hard to earn enough food and clothing," urging the people to reclaim wasteland and requiring both the army and local governments to participate in the reclamation, it was Li Shaocheng who was in charge of local reclamation efforts.

This is a cadre with great vision and a willingness to work hard.

Wei Hongjun is very optimistic about the cadre Li Shaocheng.

After the capture of Zhangjiakou, Li Shaocheng was given full authority to reduce rent and interest rates in the area surrounding Zhangjiakou, including the Chabei region. Although the Chabei detachment had been developing a base in the Chabei region for several years, its base construction lagged behind that of other detachments.

This is mainly due to the lack of sufficient cadres in the Chabei Detachment.

It has been more than three months since the troops captured Zhangjiakou.

But the rent and interest reduction work was slow, so Wei Hongjun went to question Li Shaocheng.

Li Shaocheng said, "After this period of investigation, the Chabei region is mainly divided into two types. One is the Han ethnic group, who mainly engage in farming. The other is the Mongolian ethnic group, who mainly engage in grazing. The situation in the Han ethnic group is relatively easy to deal with. We can simply follow our previous rent and interest reduction plan. The rent and interest reduction work we are currently implementing is mainly in these Han ethnic groups."

The famous journeys to the Northeast and the West.

There are many Han Chinese settlements in Chahar, which are composed of Han Chinese who went west from the middle of the Ming Dynasty to the present.

When Han people went west, in addition to doing business, many of them also looked for a place to farm.

The policy is relatively easy for them.

I am also very experienced in this area.

Wei Hongjun nodded and said, "You need to know quickly. These areas must complete the rent and interest reduction work as soon as possible, and then establish our grassroots government in these Han Chinese areas."

"Yes. However, the situation in Han Chinese areas is not that simple. Many Han Chinese residents rent farmland not from local landlords but from Mongol nobles. If you try to reduce rent and interest in these areas, you'll directly confront the Mongol nobles."

This was also the first time for Li Shaocheng to work in a place with so many Mongolians, so he encountered many problems for the first time.

I have been working hard to investigate the situation here during this period.

It is indeed complicated.

“What’s the situation in the Mongol-populated areas?”

"Secretary Wei, their situations are more complicated and different.

It's fair to say their lifestyle is completely different from ours. They do farm, but in small numbers. Farming is generally reserved for Mongolians living near Han Chinese settlements, while the average Mongolian subsistence depends on herding. The Mongol nobility own vastly more land, both arable and grassland. Some even own grasslands larger than an entire county. Their herding method is known to the local Mongolian people as "Suluk."

"Suluk?"

"It's Mongolian, and translated as 'group,' meaning herd." Mongolian nobles, including upper-class lamas and bannermen, would hand over their livestock to herders, asking them to tend them. This system of raising suluks also resembled a rental relationship. Herders raised livestock for the nobles, then paid rent according to regulations, keeping a small portion for themselves. However, the rent payments were extremely harsh, and at the end of the year, they could barely keep anything. It could even be said that herders had virtually no personal freedom. It's fair to say that these herders had no property of their own; everything belonged to the nobles and bannermen."

Wei Hongjun scratched his head after listening.

As expected, the problems in border areas are more complicated.

If the land relations in the interior can still be considered feudal land relations, then in some places in the border areas, such as Mongolia and Tibet, many of them are slave society relations.

Implementing land reform in these areas is more difficult than imagined.

"Secretary Wei, the biggest issue right now is policy—ethnic policy. How should we deal with these Mongolian princes and ministers? Should we unite them, or should we eliminate them? Only with clear policies can we formulate the next step."

Wei Hongjun thought for a moment and said, "Those who need to be resolved must be resolved, and those who need to be united must be united. The Mongolian princes and ministers who served as dogs for the Japanese and have blood debts should be dealt with without mercy. There is nothing to say about these people; they are not eligible for ethnic policies. Those with minor crimes who are willing to cooperate with us and support our efforts to reduce rent and interest can be united. No one can stop us from reducing rent and interest. There is no need for special policies for them. We should follow the same standards as we treat those landlords in the base area. I will have the Political Department cooperate with your work."

"Yes."

Li Shaocheng breathed a sigh of relief.

Ethnic policy is quite sensitive. Before the central government and the military region have a clear policy, Li Shaocheng dare not do anything rash.

Wei Hongjun asked, "How are you going to implement rent and interest reductions in the Mongolian Suruk system?"

"Just like arable land. Lowering the rents set by Mongolian princes and ministers will allow herders to graze freely, leaving more for themselves and improving their lives."

"Ah."

Wei Hongjun nodded.

However, he frowned and said, "According to your investigation, these Mongolian princes and ministers control not only livestock, but also vast grasslands and arable land. This issue still needs to be resolved, otherwise there will be many problems in the future. When you implement rent and interest reductions, you must thoroughly investigate the conditions of the arable land and grassland here. Organize these things in a record, which will definitely be useful in the future."

Now is the period of the Anti-Japanese War.

Some things cannot be taken too far. But the specific situation must be understood, only then can land reform be implemented here in the future.

"Yes."

"One more thing. You must quickly train more Mongolian cadres. As we expand northward, we will encounter more Mongolian tribes. We must have sufficient Mongolian cadres. While you are reducing rent and interest, you can also pay more attention to those brave and active Mongolian herders. Educate them, unite them, and absorb them into our party."

"Yes."

Chapter 465: Building a Stable Rear

After arranging the rent and interest reduction work, Wei Hongjun didn't have a moment's rest. Although it had been several months since the capture of Zhangjiakou, there were still many things that Wei Hongjun needed to deal with. This time, Wei Hongjun arrived at the Zhangjiakou garrison headquarters without stopping.

The 38th Regiment is currently stationed in Zhangjiakou.

Zhangjiakou garrison commander Wu Qinghe and 38th Regiment Commander Xue Yong saluted immediately when they saw Wei Hongjun coming.

"political commissar."

"political commissar."

Wei Hongjun nodded.

He gestured for them to sit down. However, just as they sat down, the commander of the 38th Regiment, Xue Yong, stood up and said, "Political Commissar, is it possible that the front line needs troops and needs us to go there? The commander is preparing for the Jining Campaign, and how can they do without our 38th Regiment?"

Xue Yong and the cadres of the 38th Regiment were all dissatisfied.

The 16th, 18th, and 25th Regiments, all of which were main forces, became the First Brigade, engaging in mobile warfare and ambushes. Since arriving in Rehe, the First Brigade has fought one major battle after another. As a result, the First Brigade's commanders have become renowned.

Who doesn't know the names of Li Wanfu, commander of the 16th Regiment, Guo Lin, commander of the 18th Regiment, and Chen Zuning, commander of the 25th Regiment? All three are renowned rising stars within the 37th Column. The 38th Regiment is currently fighting in Rehe alongside the Chadong Detachment. Even the independent regiments of the Chaxi and Chabei Detachments are able to participate in the Jining Campaign, with the th Regiment remaining in Zhangjiakou.

Although the 38th Regiment was formed by captured troops from the Central Army and the Shaanxi Army.

But since its establishment, the 38th Regiment has always fought in major and tough battles with the column. And during this process, the th Regiment has always performed well. But now, for some reason, it can only be stationed in Zhangjiakou.

Wei Hongjun listened quietly to Xue Yongluo's expression of dissatisfaction.

Wei Hongjun was very fond of Xue Yong because he was a cadre with strong beliefs and great ability. He had risen to the position of deputy regimental commander in Gao Guizi's Shaanxi Army unit and even developed a party group in the unit.

He was captured by the Japanese army and fought resolutely in Xiahuayuan. It can be said that he was a well-tested cadre.

After Xue Yong finished explaining the grievances of the 38th Regiment, Wei Hongjun said, "Sit down, sit down."

"Political Commissar, our 38th Regiment has been in Zhangjiakou for three months."

"Why, you're not happy about me letting you fix it up."