Chapter 44: Trench Performance Review, Promotion to Deputy Regimental Commander

Inside the Japanese headquarters, the brigade commander took a slow sip of water and said softly, "Tell me about your development over the past two months. Consider this an early debriefing."

Zhang Yun gestured to Liu Changqing, who once again pulled out his small notebook containing recorded data and began to report earnestly to the brigade leader.

"Ever since we were ordered to split our forces and develop independently, Platoon Leader Zhang and I took 15 men into the mountainous region southwest of Xiyang County to build up our forces, receiving enthusiastic support from the masses. Considering the enemy's strength, we stationed ourselves in the relatively remote Xiaowang Village, Liujia Town."

"Over the past two months, we have successively engaged in 11 battles, eliminating over 50 bandits and more than 1,170 Japanese and puppet troops."

"After three rounds of recruitment, our new recruit platoon currently has 582 soldiers. In addition, two soldiers have died in the line of duty, and this time we have brought over 300 men with us. Counting today's captures, we currently possess 30 light machine guns, 6 heavy machine guns, 5 mortars with over 1,100 rounds of ammunition, 2 infantry guns with 900 rounds of ammunition, 1 mountain gun with 842 rounds of ammunition, and roughly 80,000 rounds of rifle bullets at our base, along with about 260,000 rounds brought here."

"We also captured more than 20 grenade launchers, but they have not been organized into our units. This equipment relies too heavily on experience, so we do not plan to issue them. All soldiers are fully equipped with weapons, and we have ample ammunition and shells."

"Furthermore, yesterday we issued over 100 rifles and more than 40,000 rounds of ammunition to the Heshun Guerrilla Militia."

The brigade leader listened attentively throughout the report, only breaking into a gratified smile after it concluded.

"Comrade Zhang Yun and Comrade Liu Changqing, I am extremely satisfied with your work over the past two months. Your development has exceeded my expectations, and the scale of your troops and combat achievements have already surpassed all units in the brigade's training regiment. Especially the battle spoils—their quantity and quality even exceed the gains of the main force over these same two months."

He hesitated for a moment after speaking, but then continued:

"Although the order given to you at the time was that all battlefield captures within three months did not need to be turned in, I am afraid I must break my promise this time."

"During this counter-encirclement campaign against the Ninth Route in southeastern Shanxi, our brigade fought several consecutive hard battles with very good results, eliminating over 2,000 Japanese troops in total."

"Although we won the victories and captured a considerable number of rifles, machine guns, and infantry guns, ammunition is scarce. Our consumption has outpaced our captures, resulting in an overall deficit."

"To be honest with you, headquarters has already issued an order for us to take advantage of this victory to advance into Hebei and Henan, expand our base areas, strike at bandits, incorporate puppet troops, and continuously enlarge the revolutionary ranks."

"Right now, the main force is extremely tight on ammunition, with fewer than 20 rounds per person. Not only must we press our advantage in pursuit, but we also need to embark on a distant expedition to Hebei and Henan, making an urgent replenishment of ammunition imperative."

"The ammunition you recovered from recapturing the county town and from this recent operation—I need to take it to replenish the main force."

"However, I won't take yours for nothing. I am extremely satisfied with this debriefing. In view of your two comrades' outstanding achievements, I hereby appoint Comrade Zhang Yun as the commander of the Brigade Independent Detachment, at the deputy regimental level. Comrade Liu Changqing is appointed as the deputy detachment commander, at the full battalion level. The new recruit platoon will be upgraded to the Brigade Independent Detachment, a battalion-level combat unit. I will request the division headquarters to issue the appointment documents as soon as possible."

"If you can expand the troops to 2,000 men within a year, I will petition headquarters to upgrade you to a full regimental-level independent detachment."

"Considering that you have too many new recruits, you will not be assigned to accompany the main force in combat for now. Your current mission remains to take root in the base area, continue expanding the forces, and protect the masses from Japanese aggression."

"If you have any other difficulties, you can tell me as well. I will do my best to resolve whatever I can."

Hearing the brigade leader's words, both Zhang Yun and Liu Changqing were deeply moved. The brigade leader was a proud and confident man; had he not been facing genuine difficulties, he would never have broken his word to junior platoon-level cadres like Zhang Yun.

Of course, commander like Li Yunlong didn't count—that was the brigade leader's favored subordinate, the kind of figure who would shout "Congratulations on making a fortune" while busy cleaning up messes. Zhang Yun, Liu Changqing, and the others were previously just platoon-level commanders and hadn't reached the heights where the brigade leader frequently robbed them.

Although the brigade leader was breaking his promise now and demanding that the new recruit platoon hand over its spoils of war, he wasn't treating them unfairly. Even though the platoon had numbered over 500 men previously, it was still just a platoon-level unit. Taking into account the platoon's headcount and combat record, the brigade leader was directly promoting them to the battalion-level detachment rank and giving Zhang Yun the high-level appointment of deputy regimental commander, which was the limit of the brigade leader's authority. Anything higher required approval from headquarters.

This was equivalent to allowing Zhang Yun to leapfrog the company and battalion levels straight from a platoon leader to a deputy regimental-level cadre in the Eighth Route Army. This was a distinctive feature of the Agrarian Revolutionary War and the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression: rapid field promotions based purely on combat achievements.

Although the independent detachment was an establishment-outside unit not belonging to the main sequence of the Eighth Route Army, the expansion of the Eighth Route Army was currently raging like wildfire. Various divisions and brigades were successively developing guerrilla brigades, independent regiments, and independent detachments, and their troop levels were solid and real.

Since the brigade commander had put it this way, how could Zhang Yun and Liu Changqing refuse? Both stood at attention, saluted, and accepted the arrangement.

Zhang Yun said, "Brigade Commander, the main force is currently tight on ammunition. We are willing to hand over all captured supplies and ammunition to the brigade headquarters to replenish the troops."

Recalling how historical accounts showed the brigade leader repeatedly suffering from poisoning (from Japanese gas shells) during the subsequent offensive into Hebei and Henan, he hurriedly added, "In addition, we captured more than 600 Japanese gas masks today in the county town and here. Please take them along as well, Brigade Commander."

The brigade leader smiled with relief.

"You can hand over some of the light machine guns, but I don't want the rest of the rifles, mortars, infantry guns, or mountain guns. However, you should keep half a base of ammunition and shells for yourselves, and I will take the rest, including the medical supplies."

"What difficulties do you have in developing your troops that need solving? As long as I can resolve them, I'll solve them for you right now!"

Zhang Yun calculated silently in his mind. Fortunately, all the heavy artillery pieces were left behind, and artillery shells could easily be acquired by cashing out at a Japanese stronghold. The new recruit platoon—no, now the Brigade Independent Detachment's artillery unit—still retained its full strength without the slightest loss! As for the light machine guns, the unit actually possessed a surplus. For an infantry unit, light machine guns weren't always better in greater numbers; they needed to be organized rationally. They had originally planned to leave some for the militia anyway, so handing them over wasn't a bad deal.

No loss!

However, since the brigade commander had offered to resolve their difficulties, Zhang Yun wouldn't pass up such a good opportunity, as the unit indeed faced some challenges that required higher-level intervention.

"Regarding difficulties, I have two points in mind."

"First, our current station is deep inside enemy-occupied territory, where Japanese forces are relatively strong and the enemy-friend situation is quite severe. We hope to receive coordination and mutual support from the comrades in the Xiyang County Committee and Heshun County Committee. We will also strive to ensure the security of the northwestern side of the base area."

"Second, our detachment has too many new recruits and is urgently in need of company and platoon-level cadres. We hope the brigade headquarters can provide support and assistance."

The brigade leader pondered for a moment and said, "No problem. As for the Xiyang County Committee and Heshun County Committee, I will request headquarters to coordinate and have them cooperate with your work as much as possible. I believe headquarters will agree. Currently, most of the main forces are expanding outward; with you stationed to the north of the base area, the cadres and civilians in Xiyang and Heshun will be much safer!"

"As for company and platoon-level cadres, they have all been dispatched to develop forces, and every unit is short-handed. Ordinarily, I would have no one to spare for you. But this time we had many wounded soldiers in the Battle of Changle Village, and headquarters has ordered our unit to advance rapidly toward Hebei. The lightly wounded will return to the ranks, but the severely wounded cannot keep pace with our advance. Once these wounded soldiers recover, I will assign all the veterans from the 772nd Regiment to your Independent Detachment to serve as replacements and fill the roles of veteran soldiers and company-platoon cadres. There are probably over 100 such severely wounded soldiers, and they are all prime material for squad leaders, platoon leaders, and company commanders. As your detachment commander, you must make good use of them!"

Zhang Yun patted his chest and guaranteed, "Our garrison also has sufficient medical supplies. Let the moderately wounded come to our station to recuperate; we don't lack grain or meat there. Once they recover their health, they can join the detachment's work as soon as possible. As for the critically wounded, whatever medical supplies they currently lack, we will do our utmost to procure them."

"In short, these wounded soldiers are already officers of my Independent Detachment from this moment on. Their recuperation is our detachment's responsibility!"

(This chapter was suddenly subjected to review under the rule prohibiting the use of modern historical figures. Please understand.)