Rebirth: I am in Jin-Cha-Ji

The Fourth Field Army and the Fifth Field Army had been training on the Yangtze River for some time, and the Central Plains Military Region had been collecting ships and boatmen on the Yangtze River.

More than one million troops of the Fourth Field Army and the Fifth Field Army were ready to cross the river.

Once the troops begin to cross the river, the subsequent battle will not be too difficult.

Even though Chiang Kai-shek claimed to have trained over 600,000 American-equipped troops south of the Yangtze River with American aid, their combat effectiveness was definitely not as strong as the semi-American-equipped and American-equipped troops that were previously annihilated by the People's Liberation Army.

The Nationalist troops south of the Yangtze River were definitely no match for the People's Liberation Army. Even if the People's Liberation Army's speed in liberating the South wasn't as rapid as in history, it wouldn't be too slow.

Therefore, the Central Committee has begun to let each liberated area start to form a cadre group to go south.

The Central Committee tasked the North China Bureau with organizing a 15000-member cadre delegation for the southern mission. In the past, mobilizing so many cadres would have been a headache for the North China Bureau, as it comprised over cadres.

But it's different now.

The North China Bureau has enough cadres.

Not to mention 15000 cadres, even adding another 10000 would not be a problem.

But after hearing Marshal Nie's words, Wei Hongjun realized that this number of cadres was far from enough. The North China Bureau should now play a greater role and send more cadres south. The more cadres from North China, the greater the influence of the North China Bureau would be.

This is not only a good thing for Marshal Nie, but also for North China Bureau cadres such as Wei Hongjun and Yang Quanwu.

So Wei Hongjun said, "Commander, don't worry. I will personally take charge of this matter and will train a large number of qualified public security and civil affairs cadres in a short period of time. This will not affect the establishment of the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Internal Affairs across the country."

Wei Hongjun was truly experienced and adept at training cadres. Because the 8th Column was a rising star, Wei Hongjun not only recruited cadres from everywhere but also trained many of his own. Otherwise, how could the cadre needs of the 8th Column and the base area be met? Wei Hongjun single-handedly established and developed the Chahar Cadre School. Later, he established the North China Military and Political University, training batches of cadres. Whether it was sending cadres to the Northeast or organizing the cadre corps to take over the Pingjin Campaign after the Battle of Pingjin, Wei Hongjun personally participated in and oversaw these efforts.

The same is true now.

The situation in North China is much better now than before.

Not only Wei Hongjun is experienced, but many cadres are also very experienced.

"Then I thank you for your support of my work."

"Commander, what you said makes me feel ashamed."

Wei Hongjun immediately waved his hand.

Marshal Nie is the official secretary of the North China Bureau.

If he really wanted the North China Bureau to do this, would the North China Bureau be able to object? It was just that Marshal Nie respected Wei Hongjun, so he was discussing this with Wei Hongjun. Marshal Nie respected Wei Hongjun, so Wei Hongjun naturally appreciated it.

The two haven't seen each other for a long time.

So after finishing the discussion on cadre training, they also started to talk about other things. Wei Hongjun told Marshal Nie about the current situation in North China, and Marshal Nie also told Wei Hongjun about some of the current situation in the Central Committee. Wei Hongjun said: "Commander, the areas south of the Yangtze River are all newly liberated areas. Although the Red Army's former Soviet areas were in the south, that was more than ten years ago. These newly liberated areas are bound to have a large number of bandits, stragglers, spies, secret societies, and so on. In addition to setting up public security bureaus, the newly liberated areas should also set up public security forces like we do in North China. It is impossible for all field army troops to be involved in these things."

"Ah."

Marshal Nie nodded.

"I have already reported this matter to the Central Committee based on the situation in North China. The Central Committee has also considered this aspect. After the troops cross the river, each unit must form a public security force to cooperate with the local government in suppressing bandits, countering espionage, and suppressing secret societies.

"Commander, I would like to adjust the current situation of the North China Public Security Force."

Wei Hongjun has discussed the situation of the public security forces with his subordinates many times, as the public security forces also have many problems.

However, changing is not an easy thing.

The North China Military Region Public Security Corps currently has approximately 80,000 personnel. This is no small force. Furthermore, the Central Government is based in North China, so adjustments to the North China troop are a sensitive matter.

It just so happened that Marshal Nie came over today, so Wei Hongjun discussed it with him.

"Talk about it."

"After six months of experience, I've discovered quite a few problems within the public security forces. I've discussed this with Comrades Du Liqing, Yu Ping, and Kuang Fuzhao, and we've identified three issues that must be addressed. One is that the various units are scattered and disorganized. Managing these units, not just by the Public Security Corps, is challenging even for the Public Security Column and the various brigades above them."

"What about it?"

"In our public security forces, some large counties with large populations and a lot of business are stationed with a public security regiment. Smaller counties with smaller populations and smaller areas, where there aren't many major issues, have a public security company stationed there. Some old liberated areas with a strong mass base have public security companies stationed there. Counties with a moderate mass base and a lot of business have public security regiments stationed there. This stationing alone is quite chaotic. Our North China Public Security Corps currently has four public security columns under its jurisdiction. In addition to the two public security columns stationed in the Peiping-Tianjin area, there are two public security columns in several other provinces, totaling 28 public security regiments and nearly 400 public security companies. While stationing them as regiments presents few problems, stationing them as companies presents a significant challenge. With so many units scattered across the country, unified management is extremely difficult."

"Ah."

Marshal Nie nodded.

The public security forces are indeed scattered all over the place.

Transportation and communications were poor in those days. Troops were not concentrated together, but rather scattered across various counties in company-based units. With poor transportation and communications, it was difficult for higher-ups to manage and control the troops vertically. This was not only difficult for the Public Security Corps to manage, but also for the Public Security Brigades below them.

Marshal Nie also led troops to fight.

This was the case with the troops in Shanxi, Chahar and Hebei during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

Not to mention during battles, even in normal times, it was difficult to communicate with the troops below. Therefore, at that time, Marshal Nie fully delegated power to the various military sub-districts in Jin-Cha-Ji. Since communication was difficult anyway, it was better to delegate power to the sub-districts and let them exercise their freedom.

But we can't be so rough now.

After all, after the founding of New China, it was impossible to allow such a situation to happen.

"Furthermore, with such disorganized troops, it's difficult to resolve logistical issues. Currently, the public security forces have a massive staff just in the logistics department responsible for handling logistical issues and liaising with local governments and field troops. One-third of the public security force's personnel have little to do with its actual work. This seriously undermines the force's combat effectiveness."

The troops were scattered everywhere.

Just to supplement their logistics, a large logistics team is needed.

These logistics units are all within the public security forces. In fact, many of the officers and soldiers in the public security forces' logistics units were not originally from these units. However, due to logistical difficulties, they had no choice but to expand the logistics staff.

"In addition to these local public security forces, the security forces currently include the security forces of various important factories and the public security forces on the railways. When all these are taken into account, the situation of the public security forces becomes even more complicated."

"anything else?"

"There's also the issue of coordination between the public security forces and local governments and public security bureaus. Over the past six months, we've seen numerous issues. When local governments want to mobilize public security forces, it takes a lot of time just to negotiate with the local military command and public security forces. Furthermore, when it comes to operations, the public security forces rarely obey the orders of local governments and public security bureaus."

Wei Hongjun also had a headache as he spoke.

Some local governments and public security bureaus are staffed by retired military personnel. When they work with the public security forces, the situation is somewhat better because they all have military backgrounds. However, when cadres who come purely from the local Party, or even from underground Party organizations, collaborate with the public security forces, numerous problems arise.

The actions of both sides have caused serious conflicts.

Local governments and public security bureaus believe they are local leaders and command the public security forces. However, public security officers believe that fighting is the military's job. Local governments and public security bureaus don't know what fighting is.

Marshal Nie didn't say anything.

Because this situation is normal.

"What about third?"

"The boundaries between the army and public security forces are blurred. Although we have established a public security corps, many of the tasks handled by the army and public security forces currently overlap. Precisely because there is no clear distinction, the division of labor is unclear and the integration is not close enough. Now the various military regions are busy dealing with these issues, affecting normal work."

Marshal Nie read the situation report on the public security forces written by Wei Hongjun.

After listening to Wei Hongjun's words, Marshal Nie asked, "Are you planning to reorganize the public security forces?"

"Yes."

Wei Hongjun nodded.

He said: "North China is no longer in a war era. So my idea is to clarify the tasks of the public security forces. Let our field troops and public security forces have completely different tasks. There must be a clear division between the field troops and public security forces. Whose tasks are whose tasks, don't confuse them."

"That's how it should be. The reason the distinction wasn't clear before was because the public security forces had to go to the battlefield just like the field troops when needed. When some stragglers were strong, they needed the support of the field troops to wipe them out together. But now that there's no fighting in North China, a distinction needs to be made. In the future, the other liberated areas will face the same problems as North China. Let's reform the public security forces first and set an example for the rest of the country."

Marshal Nie supported Wei Hongjun's idea.

The public security forces must be completely separated from the field forces.

Wei Hongjun continued, "Then we will unify and reorganize the public security forces, unify their organization and logistics, centralize management, and decentralize their duties. Only through unification and reorganization can we streamline personnel, end the current chaotic organization and logistics management, and retain more combat personnel.

"As for coordination with local governments, my suggestion is that the commander of the public security force be appointed to the local party committee, and the director of the local public security bureau be appointed as the political commissar of the public security force. That way, when something happens, the local party committee can make the decision, and the public security force can be mobilized."

Shuai put down the report and said, “I support your idea in principle.

You can convene a meeting of the North China Bureau and the North China Military Region to formulate a reorganization plan for the North China Public Security Forces and then submit it to the Central Military Commission."

"Yes."

"Speaking of adjustments to the public security forces, the North China Military Region has another issue that needs to be resolved as soon as possible. That is the corps of the North China Military Region."

"Commander, does the Military Commission intend to dismantle the corps organization of our North China Military Region?"

"Correct."

Marshal Nie said, "Both the Chairman and the Commander-in-Chief believe that the Corps organization is only a wartime organization. With so few battles left in North China, retaining the Corps organization is useless. After the Corps organization is abolished, all units will be under the command of the Military Region. Currently, among the old liberated areas, only our North China Military Region still retains the Corps organization. For example, the Northeast Military Region currently has only division-level units under its jurisdiction."

Wei Hongjun nodded.

The disbanding of the XPCC was inevitable. Historically, if it weren't for the Korean War, the XPCC would have been disbanded soon after the founding of the People's Republic of China. The reason for this was simply because the XPCC had too much power.

It is easy to form hills.

Another reason is that the Corps is too large and the central government simply does not have the money to support it.

If the corps is disbanded, a lot of staff will be reduced.

Among the old liberated areas, the Northeast and North China Military Regions possess the most comprehensive military district organizations. However, after the Fourth Field Army entered the Great Wall, the Northeast Military Region no longer had a corps organization, and its jurisdiction mainly consisted of division-level units. However, the North China Military Region still has two corps organizations.

23rd Corps and 24th Corps.

It is the most special of all the liberated areas. Previously, it was a special case, so the North China Military Region retained two corps. But now that North China is stable, there is no reason to continue to maintain the corps.

He said, "Commander, I will convene a meeting of the North China Military Region to discuss how to dismantle the corps."

"it is good."

Marshal Nie looked at the time.

Several hours passed while I discussed some issues with Wei Hongjun.

Marshal Nie still had a lot of work to do at the Central Committee, so he stood up. He looked at Wei Hongjun and said, "Hongjun, from now on you will be fully responsible for North China affairs. Don't have any concerns. The North China Bureau can make its own decisions on daily work in North China. There is no need to report to me, let alone wait for my approval. Once the North China Bureau has made a decision, it can be carried out. Although I am still the Secretary of the North China Bureau, the focus of my work is no longer on the North China Bureau. Including any important work of the North China Bureau, do not report it through me, but report it directly to the Central Committee. Report to whichever leader or department in charge of the Central Committee should report it.

This was not Marshal Nie's deliberate attempt to test Wei Hongjun's "loyalty".

But it is Marshal Nie’s true opinion.

It was precisely because of the sudden US and Soviet interference in the domestic war of liberation that the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee was postponed. Otherwise, the current situation would be completely different. Marshal Nie knew that once the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee was held, he would be fully promoted to the Central Committee and would not concurrently hold the position of the North China Bureau. The North China Bureau would be completely handed over to Wei Hongjun.

This is the central government’s idea.

That is why the Chairman asked Wei Hongjun to act as the secretary of the North China Bureau.

Now that he had arrived at the Central Committee, Marshal Nie was unwilling to allow the leadership to believe that he still controlled the North China Bureau. While everyone knew that Marshal Nie came from the Jincha and North China Bureaus, this was different from Marshal Nie still controlling the North China Bureau after arriving at the Central Committee. At this critical moment, Marshal Nie could not afford to allow anyone to use him as leverage.

Wei Hongjun nodded.

"Commander, I understand."

"Okay, get busy."

Chapter 747: Disbanding the Corps