Rebirth: I am in Jin-Cha-Ji

"Next, let's talk about the construction of the base."

Chapter 009 Base Construction

"Captain Wang, Instructor Wei, I'm dissatisfied with both of you. Although I've been a member of the Party for almost six years, I've always been doing underground work, mainly student mobilization. I have no experience in base area construction."

"Teacher Li, you are too modest."

Everyone gradually became familiar with each other and the atmosphere of conversation became better and better.

Also relax.

Wang Qiuyun said, "Old Wei and I are both rough and tumble people. We were both illiterate before joining the Red Army. After joining the Red Army, we fought every day and had never done any work to build a base. It was a first for everyone."

"Yes, Teacher Li. You are an intellectual. If the two of us hadn't learned to read in the army, we would be illiterate."

The three of them were novices in base construction.

Never done it.

Li Shiping nodded to show his understanding.

After the Red Army formulated the strategy of "surrounding the cities from the countryside," most of the Red Army's members were farmers. As a result, most of the Red Army's lower-level officers and soldiers were illiterate, and many learned to read and write in the army after joining.

Li Shiping understood that Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun were in the same situation.

But even though he understood, Li Shiping said, "Even so, you two have experienced the Central Soviet Area. As long as we can learn even a little bit from the Central Soviet Area, I think we can build our base."

Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun both nodded, agreeing with Li Shiping's idea.

Wang Qiuyun spoke first: "I remember when we were in the Central Soviet Area, in addition to the regular Red Army, there were also local troops, guerrillas, Red Guards and other armed forces within the Soviet Area. I think we can learn from this."

"Old Wang is right. After we build the Shengxian base, our guerrilla army will be the main force. We can then establish the Shengxian County Brigade to cooperate with the guerrilla army to fight the Japanese. Then each district will establish a district squad, and each village will establish a militia. In this way, the entire base area's military and civilians will fight the Japanese together."

"Yes, that's it."

Wang Qiuyun understands the benefits of this model better than anyone else.

Because Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun first joined the Western Fujian Guerrilla Force, fighting alongside the main force. Later, as the force grew, it was upgraded to the main force. However, this was after the base was established.

Wei Hongjun saw that Wang Qiuyun was more interested in building the army and fighting. Li Shiping was an underground Party member who had been responsible for student mobilization and was not very familiar with base area construction. Therefore, Wei Hongjun took the initiative and said, "Then I will tell you my thoughts."

"Old Wei, you're smart and understand policy. We should have listened to you about the base construction. You're good in every way, except that you're slow and inarticulate."

Wang Qiuyun criticized her old partner Wei Hongjun.

Wei Hongjun smiled.

Wang Qiuyun's temper has improved a lot now. When he first joined the army, his temper was much more explosive than it is now. Years of experience as a grassroots officer have made him much more stable. It is precisely because he understands Wang Qiuyun's character that Wei Hongjun does not blame him.

Ignoring Wang Qiuyun's complaints, Wei Hongjun said directly, "For us in the Red Army, the most important thing in building our base area is the land revolution. It is precisely because of the land revolution that our Soviet areas have been able to grow and develop. Now that we are building our base area, the rural land issue remains the most important issue."

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

Li Shiping reminded Wei Hongjun.

Despite their brief encounter, Li Shiping had a favorable impression of Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun. However, he was still concerned that these two military veterans would disregard current policies. Since the second KMT-CCP ​​collaboration, the Central Committee had abandoned its stance during the Agrarian Revolution.

Wei Hongjun nodded and said, "Of course I know. Our biggest enemy now is the Japanese devils. In order to unite all forces that can be united to fight against Japanese imperialism, the land policy we implemented during the Soviet period must change. The central government's policy is to abandon the original policy of 'striking down the landlords and dividing the land' and instead implement rent and interest reductions. Therefore, I believe that the first step in building our base area is to complete the rent and interest reduction work. On the one hand, we must unite the enlightened landlords and get them to support our war against Japan. At the same time, we must reduce the burden on the farmers so that they will recognize our Eighth Route Army, support our Eighth Route Army, and join our Eighth Route Army."

"Makes sense."

Li Shiping agrees with Wei Hongjun's views.

He said, "Since the Japanese army entered Sheng County, although many former ruffians have defected to the Japanese, and many wealthy and powerful people have become Japanese running dogs, more people are disgusted with the Japanese and oppose the Japanese. They may be timid and dare not openly resist the Japanese, but they hate the Japanese from the bottom of their hearts. If we can win them over, it will be of great benefit to our anti-Japanese war."

Although Li Shiping is a party member, he is also an intellectual.

He usually has connections with some scholars and local landlords in Sheng County.

"Old Wei, what's there to unite with those landlords? Just look at those big traitors yourself, every one of them is not a landlord."

"Pharaoh!"

Wei Hongjun raised his voice.

He criticized: "The most important thing now is to resist Japan."

In fact, many cadres could not understand why the Red Army reorganized the Eighth Route Army.

To be honest, after ten years of fighting Chiang Kai-shek, the two sides harbored a deep-seated hatred. It wasn't something that could be erased by a so-called joint anti-Japanese war. Take Wei Hongjun himself, for example: six relatives died at the hands of the Kuomintang. Even more were his fellow villagers who joined the army. Not to mention the fall of the Central Soviet Area, where the situation back home was completely unknown.

This was true for Wei Hongjun and Wang Qiuyun, both of whom came from the base area in western Fujian, and many of their family members had died at the hands of the Kuomintang.

It's easy for future generations to discuss history, but for those involved, it was a blood feud. Therefore, regarding the joint anti-Japanese war, not only ordinary soldiers, but even many cadres couldn't understand it.

"Okay, okay, I made a mistake."

Wang Qiuyun raised her hands.

He immediately admitted his mistake.

Wei Hongjun understood that Wang Qiuyun admitted her mistake, but she would never admit it in her heart. However, as long as she didn't disrupt the overall situation, it would be fine. The relationship between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party was well known to each other.

So Wei Hongjun didn't care.

He continued: “My idea is that we should form a rent and interest reduction task force to launch a rent and interest reduction campaign in Sheng County.

However, in order to ensure the smooth progress of the work, I hope to have some open-minded landlords join this working group. "Teacher Li, you have been in Sheng County for many years and should be familiar with it. Who do you think would be the most suitable person to join?"

There were great differences between the policies during the Red Army period and those during the Eighth Route Army period.

The current policy is to reduce rent and interest, which requires the cooperation of local gentry. Wei Hongjun was not familiar with Sheng County, so he could only ask Li Shiping for help. Li Shiping said without hesitation, "Principal Yang Yonghui."

"Principal Yang Yonghui of the Caoyangzhuang Guerrilla Unit?"

"Yes. Principal Yang Yonghui graduated from Beijing Normal University. I heard he actively participated in the May Fourth Movement in his early years. He later served as a member of the Shanxi Provincial Committee of the Kuomintang. However, I don't know what happened after that, but he returned to Sheng County to devote himself to education. The Yang family is a prominent family in Sheng County and also a major landowner. Principal Yang Yonghui is well-known in Sheng County and has many students. If Principal Yang Yonghui can be included in the rent and interest reduction working group, most of the landlords in Sheng County will probably respond. This will ensure that the work in Sheng County will proceed smoothly."

"Principal Yang Yonghui, what do you think of this person?"

"He has a noble character and is a man of integrity. I have worked with him for several years and his character is precious. He is a man worthy of trust."

"Okay. After I finish my work here, I'll talk to Principal Yang and invite him to join our rent and interest reduction working group."

Although he had never met Yang Yonghui, Wei Hongjun understood from Li Shiping's words that Yang Yonghui had a high reputation in Sheng County.

This kind of person is the one we should unite with.

"Old Wei, just doing this won't work. No one has experience with rent and interest reductions. You can't just invite a wealthy landlord... ah, no, you can't just invite one person and implement rent and interest reductions. I remember when land reform was implemented in the Soviet area, every village had a land work team. Rent and interest reductions also require work teams."

Although Wang Qiuyun did not pay attention to this aspect, he had been in the Soviet area for many years after all.

It can be said that I have been influenced by it.

Building the Soviet areas, especially the rural areas, was never easy. At the time, every village had a work team responsible for land work. The current rent and interest reduction campaign will undoubtedly require the deployment of a large number of work teams.

Moreover, these work teams, after completing the rent and interest reduction, will be able to quickly become grassroots government staff in the future.

Wei Hongjun nodded and said, "I think after we set up the rent and interest reduction working group, we should also set up a rent and interest reduction training center. We should provide some simple training to the people in the working group so that they understand the policies of the Eighth Route Army and don't act recklessly. Leave this to me."

"Old Wei, just take responsibility."

"Aside from the rent and interest reduction working group, there's also the issue of military dependents."

Chapter 010: Military Family Security Issues

"Teacher Li, when you formed the Zhangjiagou Village guerrillas, did you have a plan for the families of soldiers? Including what to do if they died or were injured on the battlefield?"

The Eighth Route Army's expansion was not blind.

During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Eighth Route Army expanded rapidly. So many people eagerly joined, it wasn't just slogans that kept them coming. Later, online, it seemed everyone understood the fundamental principles. Just shouting slogans, just talking about fighting the Japanese, and a whole bunch of people would join. Unfortunately, this is all bullshit.

In fact, those ordinary farmers, without organization and education, what do they know about national affairs? Many farmers have never even been to the county town in their entire lives. Do you still expect them to fight against the Japanese for the sake of national justice?

Look at the Nationalist army, which began conscription on a large scale due to a shortage of recruits. Just shouting anti-Japanese slogans and expecting others to join you in the war? It's not that simple. Beyond just anti-Japanese slogans, you also need to provide them with concrete protection.

The anti-Japanese base areas behind enemy lines were in great difficulty.

However, there are many protection measures for soldiers who join the army, including their families.

Li Shiping shook his head in shame and said, "I was impulsive at the time and started to organize the Zhangjiagou Village Guerrilla Unit. I didn't think things through thoroughly in many aspects, including the issue of military dependents and the compensation for soldiers who died or were injured in the war."

"Teacher Li, you don't have to be like this. You've already opened up the situation in Sheng County. Otherwise, we wouldn't have been able to gain a foothold in Sheng County so quickly."

"Instructor Wei, how did the Soviet areas do it in the past?"

"I know this."

Wang Qiuyun began, "Back when we were recruiting soldiers in the Soviet areas, there were many different policies for military families. Some families didn't have young and middle-aged laborers, so the village would find people to help them farm. Military families also received certain exemptions from the public grain tax. In some places, military families were given free schooling. Old Wei, is that right?"

"Correct."

Wei Hongjun nodded.

Just as Li Shiping said, although Wang Qiuyun and Wei Hongjun had no experience in building bases, they had been in the Central Soviet Area for many years and had learned a lot about base construction.

Wang Qiuyun very accurately pointed out the problem of military dependents.

When you recruit soldiers, you naturally have to provide for their families. However, both the Red Army and the later Eighth Route Army were generally very poor. Many online novels depict the Eighth Route Army recruiting soldiers, paying them 20 or 30 silver dollars per person. Even for fallen officers and soldiers, the compensation was tens or even hundreds of silver dollars—a joke.

Where would the Eighth Route Army get so much money?

The Eighth Route Army was divided into several groups and sent to fight behind enemy lines. They only had the most important supplies. How could they possibly spend so much money on recruiting soldiers?

The Eighth Route Army used policies to protect the lives of military families.

Wei Hongjun said to Li Shiping, "Teacher Li, this matter still requires your intervention. You were responsible for establishing the Zhangjiagou Village Guerrilla Unit, so we will start with Zhangjiagou Village. However, we still need to discuss the details."

"it is good."

"Besides this, we also need to establish a Women's Rescue Association. Let the majority of women also participate in the anti-Japanese torrent. However, the Women's Rescue Association needs female comrades to come forward. Teacher Li, do you have such a candidate in mind?"

"Lesbian?"

"They need to be capable, bold, and careful. Of course, being educated is even better. In China, where men have been superior to women for millennia, mobilizing women to work is no easy task. Therefore, women who step forward to work on women's issues need not only the ability to mobilize and organize, but also the resilience to withstand pressure. They must be able to resolutely promote women's work despite widespread criticism and even ridicule."

“Yes, there really are such people.”

Li Shiping suddenly thought of something and said excitedly, "There's a woman in Zhangjiagou Village, known as Zheng Liusao. She's very famous in Zhangjiagou Village. And not just in Zhangjiagou Village, but also in the area within a radius of dozens of miles."

"Teacher Li, please tell me yourself."

In this day and age, it is actually not a good thing for a woman to be famous in the surrounding area.

Most of them are bad rumors.

But judging from Li Shiping's expression, that wasn't the case. That's why Wei Hongjun was very interested. Li Shiping said, "Zheng Liusao, whose original surname was Zhang. She married Zheng Liulang, so everyone called her Zheng Liusao. Zheng Liusao's family was very powerful in Zhangjiagou Village, and she had six brothers. Zhang Shan, a member of our guerrillas, was her younger brother. She was the only daughter in the Zhang family, so she was spoiled by her family since she was young, and even went to a girls' school in Datong. As for Zheng Liulang, he was an officer in the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army, so their marriage caused a sensation. However, they were married for only a year before Zheng Liulang died in battle, leaving her a widow."

"Did Mrs. Zheng Liu go to a girls' school in Datong?"