Rebirth: I am in Jin-Cha-Ji

There are also hundreds of students who have studied in Sheng County.

Of course, not everyone has a high level of education.

Among the students who participated in the anti-Japanese war in the Gyeonggi region, those with only a high school education were very common, and there were also a large number of university graduates. In contrast, the scholars in Sheng County had only a high school education at most, and there were almost no university graduates.

However, even students with only a high school education are considered intellectuals in this era.

This is not an exaggeration.

Many units of the Eighth Route Army are now unable to process even their internal documents. This is because the troops lack educated personnel who don't understand the documents. The Eighth Route Army is even expanding so rapidly that it can't even compile rosters for new recruits.

In this situation, even if you graduate from elementary school, you are still the treasure of the army.

The students from Sheng County were very enthusiastic about joining the independent detachment, though they hadn't undergone particularly rigorous training. Even so, they played a significant role in the army and were highly valued by the Party organization.

In the past, concerns about their backgrounds prevented them from joining the Party on a large scale. Now, without such concerns, the Sheng County Party organization has recruited over 80 student Party members in just two months.

At the same time, more than 110 peasant activists who emerged during the rent and interest reduction work were also recruited.

The same is true in the army.

Wei Hongjun would take time every day to talk to activists among the soldiers. To do this well, Wei Hongjun memorized the information of more than 200 activists recommended by various battalions.

Then talk to them one by one.

After all, the number of Party members within the army is too small. Wei Hongjun must quickly recruit Party members, ensuring that squads, platoons, groups, and companies all have Party members. Wei Hongjun is currently selecting qualified soldiers from among these activists to become probationary Party members and Party applicants. Only with sufficient Party members and Party applicants can a grassroots Party organization be established.

There were traitors in the Eighth Route Army, but there were almost no traitors who could actually take the troops away.

This is because the grassroots party organizations of the Eighth Route Army were very stable.

In the early days of the Eighth Route Army, it incorporated many different anti-Japanese armed forces, and many of these troops were able to be successfully reorganized thanks to the perfect party organization.

This is what the independent detachment lacks now.

Therefore, developing party members in the independent detachment is currently the most important task for political commissar Wei Hongjun.

In about two months, Wei Hongjun recruited about 130 new Party members within the army. These were all activists who had emerged during previous battles. In other words, in about two months, Sheng County recruited over 300 new Party members.

It has greatly improved the situation of the independent detachment and Sheng County local party committee lacking party members and grassroots cadres.

It was at this time that the Central Organization Department formulated new policies.

This required all base areas to recruit a large number of party members. This was also the first time that party members were not recruited based on their background. Instead, they demanded that all regions recruit a large number of intellectuals. They demanded that the number of party members be increased tenfold or twentyfold to meet the current needs of the War of Resistance Against Japan.

Of course, it would take some time for this information to reach the independent detachment level at a normal speed. Because of current limited communication conditions, central decisions are slow to reach the grassroots level. It would take months, or even longer, for them to reach the grassroots level.

However, because Wei Hongjun had proposed the decision to recruit Party members to the military district, the military district immediately sent a copy of the central document to the independent detachment, which was considered a reassurance to the independent detachment.

Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun were not allowed to carry the bags.

The central government’s document further reaffirmed the independent detachment’s determination to vigorously develop party members.

Moreover, the Organization Department’s requirements are very detailed.

In recruiting Party members in the base areas, the principle of "development, consolidation, further development, and further consolidation" was adopted, advocating both a focus on the number of Party members and their quality. In the Kuomintang-controlled areas, the principles of "elite and hidden personnel, long-term ambush, accumulating strength and waiting for the right opportunity" and "small Party within, large Party outside" were proposed, emphasizing both strengthening the Party's ties with the masses and learning to protect itself.

Regarding enemy-occupied areas, the Organization Department proposed a new policy: "In addition to being highly capable, the leading organs should be located outside." This meant placing the leading organs closer to the base areas, directing activities in enemy-occupied areas from outside, rather than the previous practice of placing them inside. This was based on a review of past work in white areas, where once the leading organs were destroyed, the local Party organizations were completely paralyzed, with no personnel to be found. Therefore, the proposal to "place the leading organs outside" was proposed, as it would preserve the Party organization's strength while ensuring timely Party work in enemy-occupied areas.

These instructions play a guiding role in the development of the base area.

With the recognition of the Central Organization Department, Wei Hongjun's status in the base area was significantly improved. After all, when Wei Hongjun vigorously promoted the new party member recruitment policy, some cadres and veteran party members were actually worried.

After all, recruiting one or two student party members is not a problem, because over the past decade or so, many student party members came from bourgeois and landlord backgrounds.

However, the policy of recruiting student members on a large scale was no small matter. Yan'an had recruited so many student members in the past two years, without any policy to relax the background checks for new members. Yet, Wei Hongjun made the decision at the meeting to not consider family background as a factor in admissions. Regarding recruitment, as long as the individual performed well, their background was disregarded, and large-scale student membership was permitted.

The current document from the Central Organization Department affirms Wei Hongjun's approach.

The Party member development plan formulated by Wei Hongjun was several months ahead of the Central Organization Department. This was not only about Party member development, but also about the smooth implementation of several tasks formulated and implemented under Wei Hongjun's leadership.

The entire base area was now thriving. Local organizations and troops were recruiting large numbers of Party members. Han Weiguo, who was in charge of the security and intelligence systems, was also developing Party organizations. However, the Party organizations Han Weiguo was developing were underground.

Secret development.

A lot of people were also developed within the National Salvation Army.

Even party groups were formed within the National Salvation Army.

After Feng Anmin left Sheng County for the Third Administrative District, Wei Hongjun arranged through an insider to meet Cao Lei, the commander of the Second Regiment of the National Salvation Army, in the county seat. Cao Lei was in his thirties and not very tall, about 1.68 meters.

"Political Commissar Wei."

"Captain Cao, you look pretty good."

"Commissar Wei, you look better."

The two people knew each other, but this was the first time they had a face-to-face conversation.

Wei Hongjun smiled.

He said, "Captain Cao, we are different from others. The soldiers of our two armies are all from Sheng County. Unlike others, we can leave whenever we want. But Captain Cao should also know the situation in Sheng County. In the current situation, our two families can either cooperate or become enemies."

"Commissar Wei, this is the period of cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party."

Cao Lei frowned.

In Cao Lei's impression, the political workers of the Eighth Route Army were generally polite.

But now Wei Hongjun's words are too harsh.

Wei Hongjun took out a map and spread it out, saying, "I don't know if Commander Cao has received intelligence that the Japanese Army's Mongolian garrison has been officially established.

This includes the 26th Division, the 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade, and five reserve battalions, stationed in Datong, Suiyuan, Zhangjiakou, Huailai, Zhuo, Lu, and Xuanhua. In the future, we will face these Japanese troops, as well as the self-defense corps of the Chahar Autonomous Government, the puppet Mongolian army of the Mongolian Autonomous Government, and other traitorous armed forces. The anti-Japanese forces in Sheng County will undoubtedly be the focus of the Mongolian garrison's sweeps.

"I heard something."

"While Sheng County isn't exactly surrounded by mountains, it is certainly surrounded by them. Therefore, the roads leading into Sheng County are generally mountainous. The most suitable routes for large forces are the one from Xining County in the northwest, through the Wild Bear Valley, the other from Dingbei County in the southwest, and the road from Laiyuan to Xiaonan Mountain. Of course, the last is the road to Chunhua Fort. However, those three routes all involve long, mountainous treks. Even if a large force could pass through, it wouldn't be easy, especially for heavy weapons. There are even ambushes aplenty. So, truly, large-scale passage isn't easy. Even with a small force, we could inflict heavy casualties on the Japanese in these areas. But Chunhua Fort is different. The Japanese can truly penetrate this area with large forces, including heavy weapons, and they're unchecked. It just so happens that your National Salvation Army is currently stationed at Beiling Village, just south of Chunhua Fort. Whether the Mongolian garrison moves south or we head north, Beiling Village will be a must-pass route."

"Isn't this better for you?"

Cao Lei said calmly.

"Although our National Salvation Army is not as strong as the Independent Detachment, our two National Salvation Army regiments still have more than a thousand people. We are stationed in Beiling Village, which is just right for us to block the Mongolian Army from moving south. With us holding off the Japanese, you will have enough time to prepare."

"Captain Cao, you are wrong. You have only more than a thousand people in the National Salvation Army. How many Japanese troops can you resist? And how long can you resist? If a reinforced squadron of the Japanese army comes, can you withstand it? What if the Japanese army is an infantry battalion heading south? I don't believe you can withstand the Japanese troops, and I don't believe you can continue to resist the Japanese as the current situation develops. If we control Beiling Village, we will send a working group to develop northward, mobilize the people in the vast areas of southern Chahar such as Zhangjiakou, Xuanhua, Huailai, and Zhuolu, fight against traitors, and expand the army. In these places, not only the main force will be formed, but also various guerrillas, with a minimum of troops. "It's enough to expand by three to four thousand people. Once we have an army, we will establish a base here. This way, we will have a foundation here, we can get food, we can continue to develop, and we can continue to fight against the Japanese and traitors. This is the anti-Japanese war. But in Beiling Village, not only will your army not expand, but as time goes by, the army will not be able to survive. Because Beiling Village can't support you at all. Your army has been secretly selling weapons and ammunition recently, isn't it because of the lack of logistical supplies? You can't solve this problem on your own. When your army runs out of food, either the army will become bandits, or they will surrender to the Japanese and become traitors."

Cao Lei didn't say anything.

Because although what Wei Hongjun said was unpleasant, he pointed out the biggest problem of the National Salvation Army.

The National Salvation Army lacked the skills to establish a base, or to build a regime behind enemy lines. Without a base, the army lacked logistics and could only become a bandit. Beiling Village, with its small population, could not support over a thousand National Salvation Army troops. Cao Lei was not a native of Sheng County, but many of his men were.

Therefore, it is not easy to become a bandit.

But if he didn't become a bandit, given the current situation of the National Salvation Army, how could he support his troops? So he knew that the weapons and ammunition he sold were all going to the Eighth Route Army, but he had no choice. In Sheng County, the only army that could afford to exchange food for weapons and ammunition was the Eighth Route Army.

Cao Lei currently has a batch of weapons and ammunition, so he can maintain his position for the time being. But what will happen if all the weapons and ammunition are gone? And if the Japanese army attacks, can the National Salvation Army really withstand it with its current situation?

Cao Lei himself was a little skeptical.

Wei Hongjun asked, "Captain Cao, tell me why your troops behind enemy lines can't expand as fast as the Eighth Route Army?"

"Everyone knows that your party has strong propaganda capabilities."

"That's not the main reason. Although your Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek said that regardless of region or age, everyone had the responsibility to defend their homeland and fight the Japanese, the truth is that Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and other Nationalist army officials only one-sidedly emphasized the role of the army, viewing the anti-Japanese war solely as the army's. But where did the army come from? It came from the common people. If you don't mobilize the common people, if you don't educate and organize them, if you don't make them understand the urgency of the anti-Japanese war, why would they join the army? You say that most of the farmers in the countryside have never even been to the county town in their entire lives. If you don't reason with them, organize and educate them, how can they join the army?

If no one joins the army, how can the army expand? If the army doesn't expand, how can we fight? On the one hand, you want to fight and recruit soldiers, but on the other hand, you restrict anti-Japanese propaganda and the mobilization of the people. Isn't this a conflict? The end result is that to sustain the war, the Nationalist government needs soldiers, but no one is willing to join the army. So the last resort is to conscript men. Those conscripts are captured, ignorant, and pushed onto the battlefield. Can you expect such soldiers to fight the Japanese to the death? They don't even know why they were captured or why they are fighting. No propaganda or organization in peacetime, and finally they are taken to the battlefield and told to resist the Japanese and that the Japanese are evil. How much morale can these conscripts have to fight? The Nationalist army can conscript men in the rear, but can you do that behind enemy lines? This is why your army has been so slow to develop behind enemy lines. Your National Salvation Army is a waste in Beiling Village. If you give it to our independent detachment, we can use Beiling Village as a springboard to wreak havoc in the Chahar region."

Seeing Cao Lei's silence, Wei Hongjun continued, "Captain Cao, we can all be said to be soldiers from Sheng County and cannot leave Sheng County. In this case, we will definitely fight side by side for some time to come. We are determined to capture Beiling Village."

"What if I don't agree?"

Chapter 103: Revision 2

"Captain Cao, look at the map. Northwest of Beiling Village, Districts 10 and 11 are home to our Special Forces Battalion. To the west is District 1, home to our Fourth Battalion. South of Beiling Village, District 6 houses our Fifth Battalion. East of Beiling Village are the remnants of the Taihang Mountains, and to the north is Chunhua Fort. And Chunhua Fort is currently home to our Pingxi Detachment. To be frank, our Eighth Route Army can blockade Beiling Village at any time. Beiling Village is primarily hilly and mountainous, with a small population and limited food supplies. Your National Salvation Army has always survived on supplies from the former Shanxi-Suiyuan Army warehouses. Lately, those supplies have been running low, and we've had to rely on selling weapons and ammunition to survive."

"I know that it is you who are buying weapons and ammunition from us. In Sheng County, you are the only armed force that has been expanding its army and needs a large amount of weapons and ammunition."

Cao Lei was helpless.

"You didn't stop it either."

"Yes."

Leading troops to fight alone behind enemy lines.

Either grow up to be an independent person, or become a dictatorial person.

Obviously, fighting behind enemy lines wasn't just for Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun. Cao Lei also grew a lot while leading the troops alone behind enemy lines. They all had a tacit understanding of many things.

The National Salvation Army needs food, and the independent detachment needs weapons and ammunition.

Everyone does not confront each other explicitly and benefits from each other.

"Political Commissar Wei said something very right. Most of the people in our two armies are from Sheng County, and they are the sons of Sheng County. We need to cooperate to fight against Japan. Anyway, those weapons have not fallen into the hands of the Japanese and traitors. If they fell into your hands, you would also fight against the devils, right?"

"Captain Cao, you are right. Only by cooperating can we fight against the Japanese. After Feng Anmin left, your National Salvation Army was actually a discarded pawn. The Central Army, the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army, the Northwest Army, and the Northeast Army have all moved away from Chahar and northeastern Shanxi. There are no National Army troops within one or two hundred kilometers of Sheng County. Your only chance was to follow Feng Anmin to the Third Administrative District. But you gave up going to the Third Administrative District and chose to stay in Sheng County. Here you have no one to rely on, and you have no experience in surviving behind enemy lines.

Our Eighth Route Army has been surviving in encirclement and suppression campaigns since the Red Army period, and has been growing and developing in difficult environments, so we have very rich experience. Because of this, our Eighth Route Army's base areas have increased so much in a short period of time, and the army has expanded so quickly. If Captain Cao wants to continue to fight the Japanese behind enemy lines, especially in the northeastern Shanxi where there is no support from the rear, the only way is to join our Eighth Route Army. Your Second Regiment of the National Salvation Army, although it is called a regiment, its strength is not as large as a battalion of our independent detachment. But if you join our independent detachment, then the future manpower and logistics of your troops can be handed over to us. Of course, if you don't want to fight the Japanese, then you can ignore this suggestion. Captain Cao, you can think about it yourself, is what I said false?

Use both soft and hard tactics.

Tell Cao Lei that there is no future for the National Salvation Army.

Beiling Village, where the National Salvation Army was stationed, was directly surrounded by the Eighth Route Army. The National Salvation Army lacked a complete base, and without a base, it could not collect taxes. Without taxes, it could not support the army.

It's a vicious circle.

In fact, this is not just a problem faced by the National Salvation Army.

All the anti-Japanese armed forces that sprang up behind enemy lines faced this problem. They began with simple patriotism, or perhaps a desire to make a difference in troubled times. They coincided with the Japanese army's shortage of troops, allowing them to grow and prosper. Some units even numbered over 10,000 men. However, once the Japanese army began to prioritize the forces behind enemy lines, all of them faced a major problem: how to solve the logistics problem?

If you want to solve the problem of troop logistics, you need a territory, and a territory with political power. Only this kind of territory is an effective territory and can provide you with logistical supplies.

However, building bases behind enemy lines required capable cadres. Neither the Nationalist guerrillas nor the civilian anti-Japanese armed forces knew how to establish bases behind enemy lines. Therefore, when the Japanese began to sweep through these armed forces, their living conditions deteriorated rapidly.

The only way to survive is to have a force like the Eighth Route Army that is well organized and disciplined and can also develop bases.

By then, the anti-Japanese armed forces behind enemy lines will not have many choices.

Either they were destroyed by the Japanese army, or they defected to the Japanese army and became traitors, or they joined the Eighth Route Army.

"If I join the independent detachment, what will happen to my brothers?"

"Our Eighth Route Army does not engage in the system of direct and collateral branches. As long as we join our Eighth Route Army and sincerely fight the devils, we are all comrades. I will not talk about other units of our Eighth Route Army, but our independent detachment. Comrade Zhang Dahu, Chief of Staff of our independent detachment, and Comrade Wu Qinghe, Commander of the Special Service Battalion, are both former officers of the 29th Army. Comrade Li Wanfu, Commander of the First Battalion, is from the 53rd Army of the Northeast Army, and Comrade Song Zhiyuan, Commander of the Fourth Battalion, is also from the 53rd Army of the Northeast Army. Our Eighth Route Army welcomes all those who are willing to resist Japan and fight for the liberation of the country and the nation. If the Second Regiment of the National Salvation Army joins us, If you are a member of our independent detachment, you will be organized into the 7th Battalion of the Independent Detachment. It will be composed of four companies, and if necessary, we can add a company of new recruits. Our independent detachment will assign a political commissar to your unit. His main task is to implement the policies and discipline of our Eighth Route Army. In particular, the Eighth Route Army is very strict in terms of military discipline, as I believe you are aware. However, our military discipline does not disregard human feelings; it simply requires that troops cannot oppress the civilians. To survive behind enemy lines, we can only rely on the civilians. Whoever can establish good relations with the civilians behind enemy lines will be able to survive."

"Commissar Wei, let me think about it. I also need to discuss it with my brothers."