Chapter Fifty-Three: Reorganizing and Regrouping Again

  Today, the conference room in Taoyuan County is brightly lit. After all troops returned to Taoyuan County and rested for a day, all division-level and above cadres arrived at the command center today, preparing for a week of combat summary and preparation for the next phase of combat.

  "Please report on the achievements of our Seventh Army Corps this week, Comrade Political Commissar." Liu Hua was the first to stand up.

  "Well, comrades, everyone is fine. After a week of military training, our Seventh Army Corps has achieved great results, and the results are extremely significant." As soon as he finished speaking, the comrades below looked at the political commissar with smiling faces.

  Here is the translation:

  Below, I announce the results of the battle: one division annihilated over 5,100 enemy soldiers, captured 1,800 people, seized 30 mortars, 4 mountain guns, and countless ammunition, especially cannonballs. After this replenishment of cannonballs, our mortar shells reached 400 rounds per door, and mountain gun shells reached 450 rounds per door. However, the casualties were a bit heavy, with over 600 deaths and more than 200 serious injuries.

  The two armies annihilated 4,500 enemy soldiers, captured 500 prisoners and seized a large quantity of ammunition but no heavy weapons. The casualties were not particularly heavy, with 110 deaths and 150 serious injuries.

  Three armies annihilated 3,800 enemy soldiers, captured 2,000 prisoners, seized a portion of their weapons and ammunition, as well as a large quantity of food, totaling 300,000 kilograms of grain, and 200,000 silver dollars. Our casualties were 300 dead and 120 seriously wounded.

  This time we have a total of 25 million rounds of ammunition, 1 million hand grenades and countless weapons.

  Looking at the ones staring at him with their eyes wide open, "That's all, there's nothing else." The political commissar said with a smile.

  The comrades below heard this sentence and immediately laughed.

  "Comrades, this time we can be said to have achieved a great victory, but comrades, we also see that we have many shortcomings, the most important of which is that our Seventh Army Corps has too many captured soldiers and too few old Red Army men. So after a week of military training, you should be able to discover your own major shortcomings. Therefore, during this period, before the General Headquarters sends out the battle telegram, we must make good use of this time to train our troops well." Liu Hua took a sip of tea.

  "Comrades, this time's military training and drill may be the last one for us in a while, maybe from now on we will face long-term battles, so you must seize the time. My requirements are simple, I want you to fill up all personnel vacancies, require the troops to reach full strength, then focus on training individual combat skills. From the last ambush battle of the 1st Division, I found that our soldiers were in disarray during close combat, so we must seize the time to practice bayonet fighting and other drills. In short, I want you to train the troops to their best within the shortest time possible." Seeing the quiet crowd below, Liu Hua continued.

  "Comrades, that's all I have to say, do you have confidence or not?" Liu Hua shouted loudly.

  "Yes." everyone said in unison.

  "Alright, since everyone has confidence, we must seize the time. Still the old rules, I'll follow the First Division, Commissar Gao will follow the Second Division, Director Li Qing will follow the Third Division. All troops except for the guard battalion will leave the city and prepare for training exercises, starting tomorrow."

  The political commissar nodded.

  "Alright, the regimental commander has made everything clear. Now it's up to you all to carry out the tasks. You must pay attention, especially to the regimental commander's requirements for the mass movement of grievances. You must seize the time to do a good job on the ideological and political work of your comrades." The political commissar said, nodding his head at Liu Hua.

  "Alright, dismissed." Liu Hua said as he saw the political commissar looking at him.

  "Alright, Director Li, now that everyone has left, let's have a chat." Liu Hua looked at his two old partners as he saw the crowd walk out of the conference room.

  "Commander, have you got another idea?" Director Li Qing said with a smile, looking at Liu Hua.

  "Haha, Director Li, I just wanted you to stay and take a look at our military division's foundation, and discuss our training process for this period of time. Director Li, how much ammunition reserve does our division have now?"

  "Alright, Commander, our logistics department currently has a stockpile of 4 million rounds of ammunition, 120,000 hand grenades, and around 1 million kilograms of food." Liu Hua looked over at him.

  "Alright, good. Director Li, tomorrow when you go to each division, issue 200,000 rounds of ammunition for training purposes. I don't require the soldiers to hit every shot like the snipers, but the accuracy rate must be improved. Also, practice grenade throwing and bayonet fighting. I will make our Seventh Army Corps invincible, the most powerful force in our Red Army." Looking at Liu Hua's confident gaze, the two nodded together.

  "But, Commander, using so many bullets for training, isn't that a bit... Those are 6 million rounds of ammunition!" The political commissar Guan Xiang reminded hastily, perhaps because he was used to being short on guns and ammo in the past.

  "Heh heh, Commissar, don't worry. Today we're using so many bullets for training, even the soldiers with the worst marksmanship can be trained well. Maybe after using so many bullets, we'll sacrifice fewer soldiers and capture more supplies. So I think using so many bullets for training isn't a loss for us."

  "Alright, the commander said so, I'll carry out the order." The political commissar nodded after hearing Liu Hua's words.

  The next day, Taoyuan County suddenly became much quieter, with most of the troops leaving the county seat to gather and train at their designated locations. The three men from the military division also set off early towards their destination, marking the beginning of another round of drills for the Red Seventh Military Division, as shouts and gunfire echoed everywhere.

  Liu Hua arrived at the command post of the First Division. The three men divided their work again, so that each regiment had a division-level cadre to inspect and guide the training work.