Chapter Ten Unifying Thoughts

  In the evening, Chen Haisong rushed back to Dongchuan Kou. Zhang Zhenyu had already looked at the gate several times and finally put his mind at ease when he saw him return.

  "Commissar, you don't know how worried everyone is. Next time try not to take risks, and bring a few more people with you when you go. The guards are currently learning Qinghai dialect from the captives, so in the future let them accompany you."

  Don't worry, I won't go on an adventure without any preparation. It looks dangerous, but actually the prior preparation was very sufficient, and nothing was exposed. We even had a meal together with Ma Yuanhai.

  "What's wrong? Nothing happened, did it?"

  "Before noon, the three guards returned, strengthening their defensive forces. The third artillery company is organizing training and finally has cannons. Commander Shi wants to restore combat effectiveness as soon as possible."

  "How are the captives?"

  "They're all fine, they didn't fight back or get beaten, and we even gave them food and drink, so they cooperated very well. I had them work together with the guards to take care of the horses."

  "Alright, it seems we'll have to stay overnight again, I'll leave this side to you, don't let your guard down."

  In the village, they went around and asked Cheng Wenjun and Shi Junfu to organize the defense well, to let the soldiers get familiar with the captured weapons as soon as possible, be able to disassemble and assemble them skillfully, and be ready to fight at any time. They also need to learn how to ride horses.

  He also went to see the wounded and the captives, telling Han Zhongliang's troops that they would have to stay for another day. He asked him to help round up the captives, teach the soldiers how to ride horses, and told them that the Red Army kept its word and would not make things difficult for them.

  At night, Chen Haisong and the guards rode horses to arrive at the front of Du's Manor.

  Blocked by the branches on the road, several people drilled out from both sides and came forward. Recognizing it was the political commissar, they stood at attention to report: "Report to the political commissar, the first company's second platoon of the guard is carrying out a sentry mission, please instruct."

  Chen Haisong jumped off his horse and said, "Continue to be on guard, I'll take a look myself."

  Paai Cháng ran out from the small woods on the side, made a brief introduction, there was an ambush post here, a machine gun position in the woods, and near Linze County town, there were also an ambush post and a machine gun position, all of which had been camouflaged.

  The latter half of the night shift came to take over the sentry duty. Chen Haisong inspected the equipment and cold-proof measures of the soldiers at each post, instructing them to improve the configuration of the crossfire points.

  Inside the village, it was already known that the political commissar had arrived. Wang Dajun and others rushed to greet him. Chen Haisong bid farewell to the sentry and walked into Dujiabao while talking.

  Arriving at Ma Bu's team headquarters, Chen Haisong asked Wang Dayong: "Is there any new situation?"

  "In the afternoon, a messenger came to Ma Yuanhai's command post with an order for Ma Baojun's brigade to advance towards Nijia Camp the next day and to quickly escort the captured prisoners to Zhangye, where they would be sent together with previously detained prisoners to Qinghai."

  "Alright, there's still time. How are the recovered comrades?"

  "Over 520 comrades were captured, more than 450 of whom were wounded, all lightly injured. According to them, the bandit army considered seriously wounded comrades a burden and an impediment to marching, so they were all killed."

  These comrades can soon take part in combat after simple treatment and rest.

  The female comrades are more troublesome, some feel that they have been ravaged by the enemy and are ashamed to see people, some are still seeking death, and some are very depressed, with few words and no food or drink.

  "Mental wounds take time to heal gradually and can't be rushed. Pay more attention in life, and it will slowly get better."

  "How many of them are cadres? From which troops?"

  "Of the 273 Red Fifth Army, mainly from the 13th Division's 37th Regiment, 14th Division's 43rd Regiment, directly affiliated units and logistics units, including 45 platoon-level cadres, 17 company-level cadres, and 2 battalion-level cadres;"

  The Western Route Army Headquarters had 247 people, from the Health Department, Supply Department, Arsenal, mostly agency cadres and logistics personnel. There were more than 70 cadres, more than 30 company-level cadres, and 7 regimental-level cadres.

  The female comrades are respectively from the Second Battalion of the Women's Independent Regiment, Headquarters Hospital and Supply Department, with 8 cadres and 2 company-level personnel.

  "Has the ammunition been cleared?"

  "This Ma Bu-liang is the elder cousin of Ma Bufang, and his equipment is quite good. He has 800 Japanese-style cavalry rifles with over 10,000 rounds of ammunition, 12 machine guns with over 10,000 rounds of ammunition, 60 shotguns with over 4,000 rounds of ammunition, more than 2,000 hand grenades, six mortars with 200 shells, 1,300 bayonets and 2,200 daggers."

  "Some people have guns and are already in formation, tomorrow we will first organize the troops, set up the framework of the combined forces, fully utilize the role of weapons, and improve combat efficiency."

  "Has our battle plan been reported to them?"

  "Generally speaking, there are some different opinions. Just waiting for you to come back and make a decision."

  "Alright, notify them, after lunch all the above cadres will have a meeting in the combat room."

  "Comrades, let me introduce myself first. I am Chen Haisong, the political commissar of the Red Ninth Army. It's a great pleasure to fight alongside all of you."

  The situation we are facing is extremely grim, and the fate of the entire Western Route Army is also very precarious. The Ma Bufang group in Qinghai, driven by the purpose of local separatism, under Chiang Kai-shek's coercion and temptation, regards us as a thorn in their side, a pain in their flesh, and must eliminate us to feel at ease. They have mobilized five regular brigades and more than ten reactionary militia groups, with a total strength of 70,000 to 80,000 men, intending to annihilate us in the Lintao area.

  According to intelligence analysis, at this moment the Red Fifth Army Corps has been almost completely lost. The Red Ninth Army, after the battles of Gulang, Yongchang, Heihe Ganju and Shahe, has suffered severe losses in strength and has retreated to Nijiaoying to merge with Headquarters and the Thirtieth Army.

  The entire Western Route Army is currently gathered at Nijiaying to implement defense, with a force of 13,000 to 14,000 people, fewer than 5,000 guns, and extremely scarce ammunition and food. It can be said that we have reached the critical moment of life and death.

  As those who have been educated by the Party for many years and vowed to fight for the Party's cause all our lives, we must take action, break through the enemy's battle plan, disrupt the enemy's combat deployment, cut off the enemy's combat resources, and thrust a steel knife into the enemy's most important and weakest point, making him unable to move, forced to withdraw from the battlefield, and rescue the main force from the midst of danger.

  "My plan is to reorganize the entire personnel into the Red Ninth Army Independent Regiment, disguised as the Longhua Fourth Workers' Militia Team, and launch a surprise attack on Zhangye under the pretext of sending wounded soldiers and receiving ammunition, eliminating the garrison, controlling supplies, rescuing comrades, expanding our forces, cutting off the enemy's supply lines at the front, and forcing the enemy to stop their offensive. Now, please let comrades express your opinions."

  One arm akimbo, standing in front of his chest, "I am Liu Gang, the combat counselor of the General Headquarters. I agree with this combat plan. This is the way our Red Army fights, avoiding the enemy's sharp edge, attacking where they are not prepared and catching them off guard, annihilating the enemy in movement. Only the specific action plan needs to be supplemented."

  A man with a bandage on his head stood up and said: "I agree too. I am Wang Feng, the deputy commander of the 3rd battalion of the 37th regiment of the 13th division. Since entering Hexi, we have been constantly defending and transferring, fighting without success, guarding without stability, being passive everywhere, and rushing around in a hurry, it's really suffocating to death.

  If we don't change our tactics, it's possible that the entire army will be wiped out. But the plan must be meticulous, with just a thousand of us taking control of the enemy's key strongholds - one misstep and all our previous efforts will be for nothing."

  "I agree." "I also agree."...

  "What are you doing? Suspecting the decision of the superior, arbitrarily changing the combat plan, privately establishing troops, disrupting the original formation of the troops, is not tolerated by party discipline and military law."

  I think we should immediately attack in the direction of Nijiaying and advance to join forces with the main force, obeying the command of the headquarters chief.

  Attacking Zhangye is a typical manifestation of opportunism and adventurism, it is the concrete embodiment of left-leaning thought, and also the manifestation of capitulationist and escapism thought at work. In essence, it is fear of death, being intimidated by the ferocious enemy.

  "I strongly object!" A bespectacled man in the front row stood up and turned around to wave his arms at the cadres.

  "Who are you?"

  "He is Zhao Qirui, an inspector from the Headquarters Guard Department, who came to our regiment for rectification and purging." A cadre looked at him with disgust and said hatefully.

  "Excuse me, Commissar Zhao, for our thousand or so men, how are we going to break through the enemy's encirclement and what if we're surrounded by the enemy's cavalry during the 50-60 li breakout?"

  Alright, as you said we are not afraid of death, we fight with the enemy to the end. Does it help the overall situation of the Western Route Army? Is our sacrifice worth it?

  Since the armed struggle began in 1927, we have faced powerful enemies everywhere, with blood rain and white terror. To preserve the flames of revolution and set them ablaze, it is essential to adhere to the correct strategy and tactics, that is, mobile and flexible guerrilla warfare and unexpected surprise attacks.

  "Human life is precious, and isn't it the case that each of us has devoted ourselves to the revolution in order to smash the old, evil system, overthrow the reactionary, rotten rule, build a socialist society without oppression, exploitation, full of fairness and justice, and fully enjoy the happy life brought by socialism?"

  We have never been afraid of death in the face of ferocious enemies, but we will not choose a vague and meaningless death.

  "To cherish one's own life and the lives of others is the responsibility of every cadre. As long as we have life, we can strive for our ideals; without life, nothing can be achieved."

  "Everyone is a loyal warrior of the Party, otherwise they would not have come here on the Long March. Who among us does not want the Party's cause to grow and prosper? Who among us does not want to complete the tasks assigned by the Central Committee?"

  From the headquarters to the ordinary soldiers, everyone's mentality is the same. They are all thinking about the best solution to complete their tasks. Is this wrong? If you don't even dare to think, how can you do a good job?

  Fully obey the commander's command, and if you can't accurately grasp the war situation, you are not a qualified commander. How can you mobilize the wisdom of grassroots cadres and soldiers, gather their ideas, and make up for the mistakes in details?

  In the soon-to-be-established independent team, everyone is equal. Before making a decision, anyone has the right to express their opinions and also has the obligation to listen to others' opinions. I hope that everyone will respect each other, with a responsible attitude towards the Party's cause, thinking about problems from an overall perspective, not allowing the use of authority or grand theories to suppress the majority's views.

  Don't just label others with this or that ism, thinking you're more revolutionary than others. If you really care about the Party's cause, then take a serious look at whether this plan is feasible and how it can be improved to play its greatest role.

  The establishment of a new regiment is the result of changes in the struggle situation and the need for new combat tasks. Without organization, scattered sand cannot even survive in the current situation, let alone go to war.

  Only by forming a new army can we, people from different troops and different positions, find our own place, play our role in future battles, form an iron collective, and complete the arduous tasks assigned to us by history.