Rebirth: I am in Jin-Cha-Ji

Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun's old leader Yang Quanwu had a fight with Political Commissar Deng Guo because of this matter.

Currently, the First Division still had some administrative authority over the Pingxi Detachment, but everyone knew that the Pingxi Detachment would soon be completely separated from the First Division and the Independent Division. After the Pingxi base was established, its status would be the same as that of the First Division, where the Independent Division was located.

In other words, after the Third Regiment left the First Division, it was like throwing a meat bun at a dog and never came back.

But what if the independent division is not satisfied?

Yang Quanwu was a member of the Double First Class, and was deeply loved by Marshal Nie, and even the Chairman liked him. So what? The formation of the Pingxi Detachment was something that Yan'an and the Eighth Route Army Headquarters supported. How could the Independent Division resist?

It was precisely because of this that the Eighth Route Army was able to prevent the emergence of warlords. Regardless of who founded the army, you could not claim it was your own. The army was the Party's army; this was an ironclad rule.

"The New Year has passed, so why don't we hold a meeting to discuss the direction of this year's work?"

"You are the political commissar, you just call the meeting."

"Ok."

Chapter 081 New Year’s Plan

1938 2 Month 14 Day.

A joint military and civilian meeting of the Shengxian base was held in Songjiazhuang.

Of course, despite the grand ceremony, there weren't many people present. They were all key figures from the base area's military and local leadership. On the military side were the independent detachment's commander, Wang Qiuyun; political commissar, Wei Hongjun; deputy political commissar, Li Shiping; director of the political department, Han Weiguo; and chief of staff, Zhang Dahu.

On the local government side, there are County Party Secretary Duan Chengwei, County Mayor Li Shaocheng, Organization Minister Liang Dayong, and Propaganda Minister Yang Yonghui.

In fact, the base is so large and the organization is very complete.

But it is only a prototype and is far from a real local government.

"Half a year has passed since the July 7 Incident. We have established the Shengxian Anti-Japanese Base, but this has also attracted the attention of the Japanese. How and when to develop our base in the new year requires the joint efforts of our army and local authorities. Therefore, we are convening this joint meeting of the army and the people in the base today to discuss the work for the coming year. Everyone, please share what you want to say, and we will summarize it in the end."

Wei Hongjun presided over the meeting.

As soon as Wei Hongjun finished speaking, Zhang Dahu said, "I want to say a few words first."

"Comrade Dahu, go ahead."

"I want to talk about the problem of our independent detachment. Although our independent detachment has established itself in Sheng County, it only has Sheng County, so we still don't have enough room to maneuver. If a large number of Japanese troops arrive in Sheng County, our base will be destroyed in an instant. Therefore, my suggestion is that in the new year we should form elite troops to attack everywhere. Just like a special forces battalion, each elite team is about the size of a platoon. We will attack the surrounding rural areas, especially the mountainous areas.

We must crack down on local traitors, gather supplies for the troops, and replenish their weapons and ammunition. This will also increase the influence of our independent detachment. If we can recruit soldiers and increase the strength of our independent detachment in those places, only by attacking from all sides can we expand our base.

The more our base area expands, the more room for maneuver we will have.

Zhang Dahu is the chief of staff.

All we are considering are military issues.

The Japanese army is not bothering the independent detachment now because the fighting on the front line has not yet completely ended. The main force of the Japanese army is still on the front line. However, once the fighting is almost over, a large force will inevitably sweep the base area.

Therefore, we must take advantage of the current opportunity to expand our base.

Zhang Dahu was deeply impressed by the actions of the Special Forces Battalion. Using elite squads, the battalion targeted the rural areas of Xuanhua and Zhuolu, killing traitors and increasing their influence. This not only deterred the traitors in Chahar but also inspired many local young people. Anti-Japanese guerrilla groups reappeared in the Xuanhua and Zhuolu areas. Some were organized by underground parties, while others were organized independently.

Zhang Dahu thinks this method is very good.

The special forces battalion used this method to raise funds, acquire weapons and ammunition, and develop its troops, and they did an excellent job.

"That's a good idea."

Wei Hongjun took note of Zhang Dahu's suggestion.

This method is indeed good.

This is similar to the model of armed work teams behind enemy lines, which were later used extensively by the Eighth Route Army. Of course, this is only similar; there are significant differences in many aspects. The armed work teams behind enemy lines emerged after 1940, when the Japanese army intensified its campaign against the Eighth Route Army, continuously encroaching on its base areas.

In order to cope with such an unfavorable situation, the Eighth Route Army formed an elite force called the Armed Work Team behind enemy lines to penetrate deep into the enemy's rear.

Their most important task wasn't fighting, but rather promoting and organizing anti-Japanese resistance behind enemy lines. The full name for the armed work team is "Armed Work Team." Historically, armed work teams organized new guerrilla units behind enemy lines, incited puppet troops to defect, provided intelligence to the main force, and, when necessary, disrupted enemy transportation lines. However, the Eighth Route Army was currently in its expansion phase, so this type of work team wasn't yet needed.

But this suggestion is still very good.

This development model is worth promoting, especially for troops that establish bases in areas where the Japanese army is relatively strong.

After Wei Hongjun finished compiling his preparations, he reported to the military region and division headquarters. If he could get the military region and division headquarters, and even the Eighth Route Army headquarters, to pay attention to this work team model in advance, it would be a good thing.

“There are three ways to increase our forces’ room for maneuver.

Wang Qiuyun began, "One is the Xining Anti-Japanese Base Area. Another is to infiltrate Xuanhua and Zhuolu to the north and establish bases in these extensive rural areas. The third is to go east and completely open up the relationship with the Wanping Base Area so that our base area and the Wanping Base Area can be connected. Military work in the new year can be carried out in these three directions. The method Comrade Dahu just mentioned is still very suitable for us to develop the Xining Anti-Japanese Base Area and the rural base areas to the north.

"Chief of Staff, you need to make military plans on how to develop in these three directions."

"Yes."

"When the time comes, the local governments must also keep up. Wherever the army goes, people must be sent to establish local governments. Only by coordinating with each other can we expand our base."

"Commander, Political Commissar, this is not our attempt to shirk responsibility. We are establishing a local government in Sheng County, and we are already short of cadres. Especially after the independent detachment took away cadres from Xining County to establish the Xining Anti-Japanese Base Area, we are now seriously short of cadres. In the past, this situation was always caused by the localization of the military, with the military sending cadres to serve as local cadres."

Duan Chengwei was not polite at all.

The shortage of cadres has reached a point where it is affecting our work. Sheng County doesn't have much of a foundation to begin with, and we need people everywhere.

Wei Hongjun wanted to say something, but he didn't say it.

Because these problems exist objectively.

"Local comrades, please share your thoughts as well."

The atmosphere was somewhat tense. Wei Hongjun shifted the subject and looked at several members of the Sheng County Party Committee. County Party Secretary Duan Chengwei said, "I recently visited the district squads in each district. Their situation isn't very optimistic. The independent detachment has handed the district squads over to the local authorities, but at the moment, we don't have many skilled military personnel in the local area. If the district squads continue to operate like this, it will be difficult for them to support the main force in combat. Therefore, my suggestion is that the independent detachment recruit some veterans to the district squads to improve their combat effectiveness."

Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun smiled bitterly.

The two of them had indeed relaxed a lot in terms of the district team's development. This was mainly because the main force of the independent detachment was now full of new recruits. The training of the first and second battalions of new recruits alone in the past forty days had kept Wang Qiuyun, Wei Hongjun, and Zhang Dahu busy.

Where is the empty management area team.

The independent detachment doesn’t have any veterans to give to the district team.

But what Duan Chengwei said also makes sense.

The district squad is an excellent supplement to the main force. Even in the future, when the main force expands, it can directly select from the district squad. Wang Qiuyun nodded and said, "Secretary Duan, this is our oversight. However, the independent detachment is currently extremely short of veterans, which has led to the current situation. We will resolve this issue as soon as possible so that the district squad can form combat effectiveness."

"Let me say a few words."

"Minister Yang, go ahead."

"I am very dissatisfied with the current development of education in the Shengxian base area. Everyone says that we need to develop education and eliminate illiteracy among the people.

But this work progressed too slowly. The army and local government took away those who could read, which seriously affected the development of education. Only by letting everyone learn to read can we make everyone understand more truths. In this way, everyone can support the anti-Japanese war more.

"Minister Yang is right."

Sheng County Magistrate Li Shaocheng nodded.

"When we recruited soldiers, we made an agreement for the families of soldiers. That is, the children of military families can go to school for free. But now, in Sheng County, there has been no progress in education in the past few months."

Wei Hongjun sighed.

There are a lot of problems to solve, and none of them are easy.

Developing education is easy to say.

The Eighth Route Army is currently lacking educated cadres, and the independent detachments are even more so. Consequently, those with education are being scrambled for by both the army and local governments. Just look at the First Battalion: those educated members of the former independent detachment have improved significantly since joining the army, adapting to military life.

This is especially true for local governments.

So much data and statistics require educated people.

There aren't many intellectuals left, and they've all been snatched away by other institutions. How could there be any left for education?

"County Magistrate Li, Minister Yang, this problem needs to be resolved. Let's see if we can establish a connection with the Wanping base this year.

We will then utilize the Wanping base to bring in some scholars from the Pingjin area. This is the only solution now.

Wei Hongjun could only give such an answer.

As Wei Hongjun spoke, he glanced at Han Weiguo. But Han Weiguo didn't respond. The underground transportation line Han Weiguo had built wasn't intended to serve the Shengxian Anti-Japanese Base Area. It was directly connected to the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region.

Wei Hongjun was also helpless.

Chapter 082 New Year's Plan 2

Everyone's expression has been very serious since the meeting started.

Because there are a lot of things to be solved, but solving these problems is difficult.

But no matter how tense the atmosphere is, we still have to say what needs to be said.

After this meeting discussed the general direction, everyone would return home to formulate specific plans for the new year. Sheng County Magistrate Li Shaocheng said, "There is another issue that I believe must be addressed.

"County Magistrate Li, go ahead."

"Sheng County is not a wealthy county. The southern part of Sheng County is basically mountainous, and the northern part is also composed of hills and mountains. So although there is arable land in these areas, the output is limited. The main grain-producing areas of Sheng County are Districts 1 and 2, both around the county seat. Our situation is not bad now, but if the Japanese army approaches and occupies the county seat, then Sheng County's most important grain-producing areas will be in the hands of the Japanese. If we can't get enough food from them at that time, there is a high possibility of food shortages. The independent detachment plus local government staff are already a large number of people."

Wei Hongjun put down his pen and asked, "County Magistrate Li, do you have any good ideas?"

Consider defeat before victory.

Planning ahead is always a good quality.

Clearly, Li Shaocheng possesses this quality. While Sheng County's anti-Japanese situation is currently strong, that doesn't mean it will remain so. After all, the Japanese army currently holds the upper hand. However, Li Shaocheng foresees the difficulties that will arise during future encirclement and suppression efforts.

This is related to Li Shaocheng's experience in the Soviet area.

Life in the Soviet area was very difficult when it was blockaded, and the Japanese army was far more powerful than the Nationalist army at that time.

"My idea is to encourage the people to open up wasteland. As long as there is wasteland that can be opened up, it should be opened up. Even if the yield per mu is only a few dozen kilograms, it is still food. Sheng County has many mountainous areas and the yield per mu is very low. But the yield per mu of some drought-resistant crops can still be guaranteed, especially corn, sweet potatoes and the like. I propose to mobilize the people in the base area to open up wasteland. If there is a lack of some agricultural tools, the local government will help them solve it. Let them plant corn and sweet potatoes on the mountain."1 In the impression of many later people, corn and sweet potatoes were fully popularized in the Qing Dynasty.

But that’s not the case.

In Shanxi, corn and sweet potatoes did not begin to appear until the reign of Emperor Guangxu, but the planting area was always small. Li Shaocheng had worked in rural areas and had witnessed the difficult conditions in the Soviet areas.

So his idea was to promote corn and sweet potatoes in the mountains of Sheng County.

"What's wrong with this?"

"Reclaiming wasteland is too difficult, and the benefits are too low, so the people are not very enthusiastic about it. Therefore, our county government suggests that in order to increase people's enthusiasm for land reclamation, we can collect less grain, or even no grain at all, in the first three to five years of land reclamation. Only when the people can see tangible benefits will they actively reclaim wasteland. However, the grain issue is not just a matter for our local area; it also concerns the military. Therefore, we need the support of the military."

Wei Hongjun looked at Wang Qiuyun, then at Li Shiping and Han Weiguo.

They all nodded.

Actually, this incident had nothing to do with the army. It was just that the Shengxian Anti-Japanese Base Area was somewhat different because it was founded by Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun. Even the local organizations in Shengxian were established with the cooperation of the army.

Therefore, the relationship between the party, government and military in Sheng County is very close.

That's why the county government proposed this idea at the joint military-civilian meeting. After all, this is related to the issue of public grain.