To replenish the regiment's temporary base, we had to choose the valley as a last resort. We led the Japs by the nose in the mountains for five or six days. Every day, the number of people fighting the Japs became less and less. The regiment leader became more and more at ease as he fought. Fortunately, he completed the task of containing the enemy.
If the Japs hadn't had good guns, lots of bullets, grenade launchers, large numbers of troops, well-trained troops, and the use of force in the mountains that the Eighth Route Army was familiar with, the Japs would have been no match for the Eighth Route Army!
In a dilapidated tent, under a dim oil lamp, four people were having a meeting around several grenade boxes piled into an uneven makeshift table.
"Comrade Su Qing, our regiment is relatively far away from enemy-occupied areas, but it guards the mountain access to the east and southeast of the division. It has an important task..."
"Our defense area only extends from the mountain entrance to the division headquarters in the east. Outside the mountain to the east is the six-district defense area, and to the south there are independent regiments on the front line. Although most of our defense area is in the base area, this is not something that intelligence work cannot do without Reason." Su Qing frowned: "So, I think this is not an excuse to rely entirely on troop reports to supplement intelligence work. We should know the importance of intelligence work. Those are our eyes. Without intelligence, we are blind!"
"Don't we have soldiers who are passing on information to our brothers? Can't we just use them to form a team?"
"So we need to change from passive transmission to active collection. In addition to soldiers, we also need to involve ordinary people in the work of defending the base area."
"There is an independent regiment in the south and the Sixth Division in the east. We don't even have a security force in our station. Where can we collect enemy intelligence?
The first battalion commander felt that it was a bit of a fuss: "Our regiment is in the hinterland of the base area. Even if the Japs get intelligence and are raided, they will have to pass through the sixth division in the east and the independent regiment defense area in the south. Besides, our troops are scattered everywhere. How can any Japs take notice?" "
"Assuming there are spies, we don't have any preventive measures at all! Just like this time, we don't start preparations until the Japanese attack us at our doorstep. If it's just our troops, the impact won't be big, but how will the masses face it?"
"Most of the soldiers in our supplementary regiment are mountain children. How can there be spies?" The first battalion commander was puzzled.
"What if someone comes out of the mountain and is arrested and convicted? Furthermore, what if someone has relatives outside the mountain and is used by the enemy to threaten soldiers or villagers?"
"Well, what you said makes sense. There's no need to discuss it further. Just do as you say!" the group leader made the final decision.
"I believe that we should first establish an intelligence exchange system with the Independent Regiment and the Sixth Division, and then gradually develop our underground intelligence system in each township and village. If circumstances permit, we can put more spies eastward, southward, and into the county. We also need strong support from the regiment headquarters and each battalion and company." Su Qing made a rough plan with an expressionless face.
"Director Su, you are right. As for me, I have no problem fighting the Japanese. I don't understand what you are talking about. You are responsible for this matter. If I need to cooperate, we will do our best to support you!" The leader felt that this The method is good, I didn’t understand it before, but this time the teacher finally transferred someone to come over.
"Well, I ask you to recruit a group of veterans, and then develop some ideologically progressive elements from the common people, who will be trained by me to carry out independent intelligence work!" Su Qing put forward his request.
"The common people in our base area all support the Eighth Route Army! There must be no problem. Let's do it like this. Each battalion will be assigned a class, and that's it!" The regiment leader stopped talking about intelligence and turned to another question: "Now we discuss how to deal with ghosts. And the issue of protecting the people who enter the mountains..."
"⋯"
The ensuing discussion is what each battalion commander likes. As for how to fight guerrillas with the Japanese in the mountains, and how to lead the Japanese in circles in the mountains, each of them expressed his or her own opinion.
Su Qing slowly became distracted while listening to the heated discussions among the comrades in the new environment.
This was the longest march since I joined the Eighth Route Army. When I left the wine station with the investigation team and went to the division headquarters to be examined, it was actually not a big deal. If I didn't say that Hu Yi was my lover, maybe nothing would happen, but I He is a loyal soldier of the organization and cannot tolerate himself breaking the rules.
The army's 8528 regulations did not prohibit soldiers from falling in love. Neither I nor Hu Yi could meet the conditions. What's more, Hu Yi was a bit cold to begin with. His consciousness was not even qualified to join the party, which may have satisfied his expectations of a hero. .
Unexpectedly, as soon as they arrived at the supplementary group after breaking up with the Independent Group, they encountered the Independent Group being driven into the mountains by the Japanese.
That guy didn't know his situation and went to the division headquarters. There's no need to guess what his purpose was.
Pulling his thoughts back, he was talking about how to organize the relocation of the people and how to ensure food supply after entering the barren mountains.
"The Japs are now in the valley behind us. If we go further east, we will be out of the mountainous area after another day's walking. The reconnaissance soldiers came back and reported that there was a large group of Japs at the mountain pass. The Sixth Division had been struggling with the Japs on the way into the mountains, and they were fighting fiercely. It’s hard, the plains are full of Japanese raids, and the people who didn’t move out in time suffered a lot from the Japanese!” The second battalion commander was in charge of the eastern part of the mountainous area, and the soldiers sent the information.
"If we go further east, although we can join up with the troops in the Sixth Division, it won't be of much significance. So, I suggest we go south."
"You have a bad idea. The Japanese obviously want to go to the division headquarters. Do you think he will follow you south?"
"Didn't the militia bring news? The division headquarters has been moved a long time ago. A large number of Japanese are searching. We can't do much if we go there. Now is the time to bite off a piece of flesh from the Japanese."
"I also think that the division headquarters said that a large number of Japs were entering the mountains from the north. These Japs did not arrive at the Division Headquarters on time. Our mission has been completed long ago. The Japs must hate us to the core. Therefore, I think if we go south, the Japs will most likely catch up. !”
...
Su Qing was not very good at arranging battles, so she wisely didn't say anything, and of course she didn't care. She was a political cadre!
Some soldiers and militiamen led the people to move north into the mountains. The large force of the supplementary regiment led the Japs to the east. They were already far away. Although the Japs were still hanging behind, in the mountains, the Eighth Route Army could not stand as long as it was not surrounded. The place of defeat.
The reconnaissance soldiers discovered that the vanguard of the Japs appeared in the west, and there were militiamen standing guard on the hills everywhere in the mountains. The Japs could be spotted from a long distance. Therefore, it was quite easy for the supplementary regiment to fight the Japs in the mountains.
The independent regiment headed north to reinforce the headquarters, but the situation is unknown.
The regiment leader actually regretted it. Logically speaking, he was closer to the headquarters, so he sent the independent regiment from the south to the north instead. Thinking about it, he was familiar with this mountainous area, which made him relieved. If he went to reinforce, the result would be that they were also unfamiliar with the north. Instead, it was a wise decision to let the independent group go and deal with the ghosts on their own territory, which was of greater strategic significance.
Now the civilians who were covering the area have been safely transferred and have been leading the Japanese around in a familiar place. At least, none of the Japanese who came from the south were able to sweep towards the division headquarters.
The Sixth Division also made great efforts. The Japanese who entered the mountains from the east were blocked by them for more than ten days, harassing them all the way. The Japanese also failed to encircle the division headquarters.
Before the mopping up, the current position was the edge of the defense area of the northern friendly Beishan Regiment and the supplementary regiment.
The Japanese raided many routes into the mountain from the east, but the main road was blocked by the Sixth District Gang. The Beishan Regiment defense area was also defended by the Sixth District militia and small groups of troops, who dealt with the Japanese on some small roads into the mountain.
The blockade established by the Japanese at the mountain pass prevented troops from the plain areas from entering the mountains for reinforcements, forming a super large circle along the foot of the Taihang Mountains. However, this circle was too big. With the few troops of the Japanese, after entering the mountains, , they can only run around in the mountains, and once food supplies are not available, the Japanese retreat will only take a few days.
Instead, a lot of vacuum zones were formed. The Eighth Route Army had ordinary people standing guard and could attack the Japanese transfer stations at any time!
Of course, if we can go east to join the Sixth Division, break through the blockade, and move into the enemy-occupied area where there is a shortage of major generals, we will have a better chance of fishing in troubled waters.
Most of the Japs' troops were deployed into the mountains for mopping up, so there would definitely be fewer Japs in the enemy-occupied areas. The regiment commander suppressed the tempting thought.
Even if he could defeat the security forces in the plains, no matter how great the results he achieved, it would be of little significance. What he lacked most in the mountains now was combat power.
Dealing with the Japs in the mountains, although not causing many casualties to the Japs, relieved the division's huge pressure.
