Chapter 30 Heroes Conference

The victory of the anti-"mopping up" struggle in the autumn of 1943 greatly encouraged the soldiers and civilians in the Jinchaji Border Region, and the sound of gongs and drums celebrating the victory resounded throughout the border region.In this struggle, many heroes and role models emerged in the border area, and their glorious deeds concentratedly demonstrated the bravery, tenacity and fearless fighting spirit of the soldiers and civilians in the border area.The Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Branch of the Communist Party of China, the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region Administrative Committee (i.e. the Border Region Government), the Jinchaji Military Region, and the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region Senate Council and other party, government, military and civilian leading organs decided to hold the Border Region’s First A conference of heroes.At that time, Comrade Nie Rongzhen had already gone to Yan'an. Comrade Cheng Zihua acted as the secretary of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Branch Bureau and the political commissar of the military region, and Comrade Xiao Ke acted as the commander of the military region. Comrade Xiao Ke presided over it, and was composed of Song Shaowen, director of the Border Region Administrative Committee (referred to as the Border Committee), Liu Lantao, deputy political commissar of the military region, Zhu Liangcai, acting director of the Political Department of the military region, and Cheng Fangwu, chairman of the border region council.Because the Organization Department of the Political Department of the Military Region is the business department responsible for the work of heroes and models, the Organization Department of the division of labor is responsible for the specific preparations for the Heroes Conference. I am the secretary general of the conference, and I will go all out to prepare for the conference.

On December 30, 1943, the Administrative Committee of the Border Region promulgated the Regulations on Rewarding Fighting Heroes against "mopping up". Model workers (including models supporting the army and loving the people).All divisions and special areas immediately carried out publicity work and hero selection activities in conjunction with celebrating the victory.After more than a month of careful selection and review, all localities submitted the materials of the selected heroes to the preparatory committee for research and approval. Our organization department, together with the Propaganda Department, Jinchaji Daily and other units, invited some "talented" The typical materials are compiled into a document, prepared to be introduced at the meeting, and widely publicized through newspapers and periodicals.

The Heroes Conference was held in Fuping County from February 10th to 14th, 1944. Since the bases in Central Hebei, Eastern Hebei and Pingbei were separated from Beiyue District and the transportation was inconvenient, they did not participate. Only Beiyue District representatives will participate (representatives from other districts will hold their own meetings to award awards).A total of 104 heroes and models were selected by Beiyue District. Because some heroes and models are still recuperating in the hospital, only more than 70 people actually attended the meeting.Some of these heroes and role models have long been known, while others are new models that emerged during the anti-"mopping up" campaign in the autumn.

On the morning of February 10th, the Heroes Conference opened. Cheng Zihua, Liu Lantao, Song Shaowen, Zhu Liangcai, Cheng Fangwu, and Mr. Guo Renzhi, the representative of the Anti-Japanese Alliance in the Border Areas, and other leading comrades attended the meeting.In front of the gate of the venue is the archway of the "Heroes Conference" made of branches, reeds and colorful paper flowers. On the screen wall is hung a large picture of "Victory is in sight", which is very solemn and grand.In the center of the rostrum of the venue are large watercolor paintings of Chairman Mao Zedong, Commander-in-Chief Zhu De, and Deputy Commander-in-Chief Peng Dehuai; The harvest scene of the soldiers and civilians grabbing the crops side by side reflects the festive mood of the combination of military and civilian labor and force in the border area and the double victory of combat and production.

Director Song Shaowen first delivered an opening speech.He said: "This meeting of heroes is the first time in the history of the border region. The significance of this meeting is to organize the whole border region well, fight Japan and grow crops. All heroes and models are active on all fronts. , Comrades who have done a good job. Now I want you to tell us all the good ways to attack Japan and grow crops. The leading organs of the party, government, military and civilians in the border region must learn from you with humility. You are all excellent organizers, and we must organize today , rely on your influence to promote the entire border region, make everyone follow you, and make everything better."

Then, three heroes and model representatives from the local area began to speak at the conference, reporting their deeds and introducing their experience. "Border Explosion Hero" Li Yong spoke first.Li Yongyuan had been awarded the title of "Hero of Explosions in Beiyue District". In the anti-"sweeping up" battle last fall, he and his militia guerrilla team exploded another 69 landmines in three months, killing and wounding 364 enemies. Blow up five cars, create landmines and cold gun sniper closely combine brilliant results and new experience to kill the enemy.His combat experience, popularized throughout the region, has become an important principle in militia tactics.Li Yong introduced his guerrilla team's battle experience and experience at the meeting. When he said that he and the guerrilla team used landmines to ambush the enemy in Wuzhang Bay, the crowd climbed to the ridge to watch the excitement. The devils were blown to death, wounded, and embarrassed by their fathers and mothers. They forgot that they were in the battlefield of war, and they all danced and applauded for joy. The delegates could not hear it. Confused, he also laughed heartily, and the whole venue was filled with the joy of victory. "Border Sharpshooter" Li Dianbing followed up with a speech.He has learned to hunt since he was 20 years old, and he has practiced good marksmanship. In the battle against "sweeping up", he shot and killed 17 enemies with "sparrow battle" and rescued 14 women from danger.Beiyue District publicized his deeds and promoted his shooting practice experience. Every autumn, hunting and production were carried out to train the militia.The representatives were deeply impressed by Li Dianbing's brave spirit and infallible marksmanship.The third speaker was Li Chengshan, a second-class combat hero.He is a famous Hercules, one person can pull out a pole of the enemy.During the seven years of the Anti-Japanese War, he cut off 500 catties of the enemy's wires every year and destroyed the enemy's communication lines.In the anti-"mopping up" battle, he led the guerrilla group to plant landmines, and successively used 80 landmines to blow up 20 enemy cars and wound 15 vehicles, killing and wounding more than 110 enemies. Great achievements have been made on the front of the enemy's transportation and communication.

On the second day, Du Qingmei, the second-class fighting hero in the special area, Tan Baolou, the second-class fighting hero in the division, Ping Anfu, the first-class fighting hero in the division, Deng Shijun, the "fighting hero of the border soldiers", Jia Yu, the second-class explosion hero in the special area, and Xing Xing, the second-class fighting hero in the division. Shulin, Yan Fuyuan, the second-class fighting hero of the division, and seven heroes and models spoke one after another.The second-class combat hero Du Qingmei was the self-defense captain of a certain village in Lingshou County. The guerrilla team he led fought ten times in the anti-"mopping up" battle, planted 45 land mines, and killed and wounded 86 Japanese and puppet troops.Once, the devils dug up a grain cellar in a fellow villager and carried away most of the grain. Du Qingmei arrived after hearing the news, guessing that the enemy would come to carry the grain again, so she planted mines in the remaining grain pile and disguised it. Sure enough, The next day the enemy came to carry food again, and nine of them were killed in one blow. "Fighting Heroes of Border Region Soldiers" Deng Shijun is a young company commander who participated in the 25,000-mile Long March and made great achievements in the "Hundred Regiments War". In the early days of anti-"mopping up" in autumn, their company was surrounded by Ganshigou Village in Pingshan. He heroically led the entire company to break through the triple siege of more than 1,500 Japanese and puppet troops, killed and wounded more than 30 enemies, and successfully broke out of the encirclement. However, only one health worker in the company was missing, and there were no other casualties.During the Beiyuegou battle in the late stage of the anti-"mopping up", more than 2,000 Japanese and puppet troops launched a surprise attack on me. The five companies of the regiment were under the threat of firepower from the enemy's combined attack circle. In order to cover the breakthrough of the whole regiment, Deng Shijun led a company Climb over five hills, compete with the enemy for the commanding heights, and win the commanding heights with the bravery of hand-to-hand combat. The enemy counterattacked seven times and was repelled.After the whole regiment broke through, he led five soldiers to cover the whole company and withdraw from the position, and fought desperately with the enemy. He dropped more than forty bombs by himself; , In the end, he took five soldiers and a few wounded to transfer safely in the dark, and successfully completed the cover mission.Deng Shijun's speech won warm applause.In his speech, An Fu, the first-class combat hero in the first district and the leader of the flying shooting team of the fifth company of a certain regiment, introduced that their flying shooting team cooperated with the militia guerrilla team to carry out the "sparrow war". In the war, most of the day and night were spent fighting, sometimes attacking large groups of enemies who went out to "clear and suppress", and sometimes attacking and destroying enemy convoys escorting food and supplies.Once, the six of them pinned down more than 1,500 enemies and fought for a whole day, disrupting the enemy's plan to attack Langya Mountain.The battle deeds of Jia Yu, the second-class explosive hero and guerrilla team leader in the fourth special zone, posing the "mine array" are also very popular.The enemy took the main road and bombed the main road; took the small road and bombed the small road, just as Jia Yu said, "Our landmines seem to be hanging on Gou Ri's ankles-wherever we go, we bomb them!" One day, more than a hundred devils After entering his village, he rested by the cypress grave in the north of the village. Ten minutes later, when the enemy wanted to leave, Jia Yu immediately blew up a land mine. There was a blast, killing six of them, and the enemy was so frightened that they carried three seriously wounded and dropped dead bodies. He ran away in a hurry.In addition, Yan Fuyuan, a second-class combat hero and squad leader of a certain unit, showed his talents in the Jianlong attack and set fire to enemy buildings; The captain of the Ministry, Tan Baolou, cleverly set up minefields to blow up the enemy's cars again and again, which made the delegates delighted to hear the stories, and all admired the bravery, resourcefulness, wisdom and courage of the fighting heroes.That night, the Border Committee, the Border Council, and the Frontier Anti-Japanese Federation jointly hosted a banquet for the heroes and models present at the meeting.

Speakers at the conference on the third day were: labor hero Hu Shunyi, female labor hero Han Fengling, model production organizer An Youcheng, labor hero Han Xicai, model doctor Xing Zhulin, model nurse Lu Junjie, model district cadres Qi Jin, model Village cadres Cui Xizhu and Dong Chunrong; the last speaker was Rong Guanxiu, a model supporter of the army.Rong Guanxiu is from Shangpansong Village, Pingshan County. He has been the director of the Women's Rescue Society for six years. He has always loved the Eighth Route Army and led the women in the village to do a good job in supporting the army.At that time, she was in her forties and her feet were bound, but she still actively participated in the work of rescuing the wounded.Once, there were many wounded and there were not enough people to transfer the wounded, so she organized all the women in the village to participate in carrying stretchers. Six young women carried one stretcher, and eight older women carried one stretcher together, and the wounded were transferred to the rear hospital in time. .In this anti-"mopping up" struggle, she rescued several wounded in a row.Once, in an emergency, a wounded person she took care of needed to hide quickly. Since the cave was too high from the ground, she squatted down and used it as a ladder, and asked the wounded person to climb into the cave to hide while she stood Stand guard on nearby hills to protect the safety of the wounded.Another time, she volunteered to take care of a seriously wounded person who was dying when he was transferred to their village.The wounded man was in a coma for four days and nights. She guarded him day and night with motherly love, poured boiled water, fed soybean milk and tofu brain to the wounded until he regained consciousness, and served the wounded to eat; Cover the wounded, and have no complaints about being cold.Rong Guanxiu's great maternal love for his children and soldiers was respected by the representatives of the audience, which aroused bursts of applause.The comrades in charge of the party, government, military and civilian leading organs were deeply moved after hearing her speech, exchanged opinions on the spot, and immediately decided to give Rong Guanxiu the honorary title of "Model of Supporting the Army in Beiyue District-Mother of Children and Soldiers", and decided to hold a public meeting the next night. At the party, a glorious red flag was presented as a commendation, and women in the whole district were called on to learn from her.In the war environment back then, leading cadres and leading organs made decisions so decisively and in a timely manner that they were able to achieve immediate results. This style of work can be used as a reference today.

Among the "Model Supporting the Army" is Cui Luotang, a poor farmer in a small village under Wuhuiling in Yi County.Once, the troops were transferred urgently and entrusted the care of two seriously wounded people to Cui Luotang.When the enemy "cleared and suppressed", he withdrew his family and carried the two wounded to the mountain to hide.Later, due to the serious situation of the enemy, he was unable to hide himself, so he carried the wounded on his back to the guerrilla area to hide. The wounded recovered and returned to the team.His deeds are also very touching.He did not attend the Heroes Meeting this time due to illness. Based on his merits, the leading comrades of the Border Region decided to bestow upon him the honorable title of "Model Supporting the Army in Beiyue District—Big Brother of the Soldiers".

In the evening, the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Branch Bureau and the military region jointly hosted a banquet for all the heroes.Same as last night, comrades in charge of the party, government, military and civilians were all accompanied at each dinner table. Leading cadres such as Cheng Dai Political Commissar and Director Song toasted each table with wine glasses.After the meal, the leading cadres of the sub-bureau and the military region also talked to one or two heroes each, so as to understand the situation and exchange feelings. Two days before the Heroes Conference—February 8th, which is the Lunar Lantern Festival, the border region held a meeting of more than 8,000 people from all walks of life in the border region to "celebrate the first anniversary of the establishment of the Border Region Council, the sixth anniversary of the establishment of the Border Region Government, support the government, love the people, support the army, and give priority to family members." Cum Fighting Hero Awards Conference".The people at the scene lined up to welcome the hero representatives who came to participate in the Heroes Conference.At the awards ceremony of this congress, twenty-three army combat heroes (including nine first-class combat heroes, five second-class combat heroes, and nine third-class combat heroes); nine local combat heroes (including first-class combat heroes) One, six second-class combat heroes, two third-class combat heroes), a total of 32 combat heroes were awarded a special silver medal; the rest of the combat model workers were awarded certificates.In addition, there are also a large number of physical prizes: the famous militia fighting heroes Li Yong and Li Dianbing awarded Bu Ke guns (or rifles), bullets and mules (or cattle); the famous labor heroes Hu Shunyi and Han Fengling awarded Farm cattle (or mules, donkeys) and farm implements such as shovels, iron mills, and picks.The remaining combat heroes, labor heroes and combat model workers will choose two or one of the prizes from rifles, bullets, mules, cattle, donkeys, picks, iron mills, picks and other prizes as appropriate.In addition, heroes and models of all levels were given daily necessities worth between 200 and 1,000 yuan (border coins).In addition to the famous combat heroes Deng Shijun, Yang Shiming (director of the political office of a certain district team in the first division, who did not attend due to injury), and Zheng Hongnian (deputy company commander of the Army Middle School, who did not attend due to injury), each of the combat heroes of the army will receive a bonus of 5,000 yuan. Combat heroes will be rewarded in kind with a value of 600 to 1,000 yuan as appropriate.Rong Guanxiu, a model supporter of the army, rewarded a mule, a pickaxe, and other objects worth 200 yuan.Because some heroes and models could not make it to the meeting on February 8th, on the evening of February 12th, when the "Fireline Theater Troupe" performed "The Death of Yue Fei" Peking Opera to express condolences to the heroes and models, and thousands of people from nearby villages came to watch the play, a supplementary event was held. In order to expand the influence and further create the propaganda momentum of being a hero and learning from the hero.

On the morning of the fourth day of the conference, Hao Wuliang, a model of armed struggle in the first division, Shao Zinan, a model worker in the fourth division, and Tian Yugong, a combat model in the second division and deputy platoon leader of the reconnaissance platoon, continued to speak.Tian Yugong vividly described his work experience in opening up new areas.Because he conscientiously implemented the party's policies, cared about the interests of the people in the enemy-occupied areas, and gradually organized the masses in the enemy-occupied areas secretly to carry out struggles against the enemy. The traitors and puppet soldiers in that area panicked and said: "The decision of our life and death It’s not the Eighth Route Army, it’s the common people; whoever dares to harm the common people and is captured by the Eighth Route Army will surely die.” The delegates laughed happily when they heard this scene.In the afternoon, the General Assembly conducts "temporary motions", that is, free speeches.At the beginning, it was a general statement, and the spirit of the conference should be well implemented, and the honor should be maintained and carried forward.The speeches at the meeting became more and more enthusiastic, and finally a revolutionary competition was launched, and the challenge was in full swing.The heroine of labor, Han Fengling, proposed to learn from Rong Guanxiu, and used her farm cattle to help "anti-survivors" (abbreviation for the families of anti-Japanese soldiers), orphans, widows, and families without labor to farm, and challenged the old labor hero Hu Shunyi.Rong Guanxiu and Li Dianbing proposed to emulate Hu Shunyi and Han Fengling and do a good job in production.An Youcheng put forward his own production plan and called on everyone to challenge him. He must organize 80% of the village's labor force to participate in the work change team, consolidate a village cooperative, and increase the production of 30 ounces of grain in the whole village to ensure that the resistance against the genus does not stop. Difficulties make soldiers not want to go home.In the end, the meeting passed a tribute message to Chairman Mao, Commander-in-Chief Zhu, and Deputy Commander-in-Chief Peng, reporting on military and civilian combat and production conditions in the border area, promising to fight tenaciously, launch a large-scale production campaign, and continue to carry forward the achievements.At the same time, the conference also passed a letter of sympathy to the soldiers and civilians who were wounded and sick in the anti-"mopping up" battle, expressing condolences to them. In the evening, a solemn and grand flag-giving ceremony was held.Comrade Liu Lantao, deputy political commissar of the military region, announced on behalf of the party, government, army and people in the border area that Rong Guanxiu was awarded the honorary title of "Model of Supporting the Army in Beiyue District - Mother of Soldiers". The red flag of honor.This glorious flag was made by the secretariat of our conference with the wisdom and hard work of many comrades in one day.It uses a big red cloth as the base, and on the upper middle of the red flag is a cut-and-paste portrait of Rong Guanxiu's half-body profile: she wears a bun on her head and a white towel around her neck, showing the kind and kind character of the soldiers' mother and the strong and fearless hero At the bottom of the portrait, there are six big characters "Mother of Zidi Bing" written horizontally. This is written by me with a brush and cut and pasted by several lesbians from the theater company with yellow cloth.This kind of award flag design was considered ingenious at the time, which made the glorious flag shine a lot.Rong Guanxiu took the stage to receive the flag amidst the warm military music, and the audience burst into thunderous applause, pushing the flag-presenting ceremony to a climax.Then, the party began, and a multi-act drama "Soldiers and Common People" was performed.This flag-giving ceremony played a great role in promoting the work of supporting the military and giving priority to the whole border region. On the 24th, the last day of the conference, Cheng Zihua made a speech on behalf of the political commissar.He listed the experiences and deeds of some heroes and models present at the meeting, and made a sharp contrast between the old society and the current new democratic society, explaining that it was absolutely impossible for the old society to produce such heroes. Such heroes can only be produced in a democratic society.At the same time, he pointed out that in the past, not enough was done to discover and praise heroes and role models. Some staff members did not know how to use this to promote their work, and they would not make good use of the mass line of "coming from the masses, going to the masses". work method.In the end, he urged everyone to seek progress, not to be complacent, and to rely on the masses, otherwise they will collapse.He pointed out that heroes develop. Li Yong in the autumn of 1943 during the anti-"mopping up" in the three months was a step ahead of Li Yong in May; The achievements of the hero also surpassed that of Li Yong in May, which tells us that if we want to maintain our title of hero, we cannot do without progress.At the same time, the combat hero should also be given the title of being a labor hero.The leading organs should pay attention to the promotion work of cultivating, consolidating and improving these heroes and models, and regard it as the most glorious work.Then, Director Song Shaowen of the Border Region gave a speech.He emphasized that everyone should influence others and push everyone when they go back. If everyone does this, they can quickly organize and complete future combat and production tasks.Mr. Guo Renzhi, the representative of the Anti-Japanese League, made the last speech. He encouraged everyone not only to be heroes themselves, but also to help others become heroes. Everyone started a fierce revolutionary competition. Then, the meeting read and passed the "Declaration of the Battle Heroes and Model Congress of the Border Region to the Military and Civilians of the Border Region", reported the situation of the meeting to the soldiers and civilians of the Border Region, and issued "fight more victories, kill more enemies, seize more weapons, and more Proposals to defend the anti-Japanese democratic base areas well" and "organize well, do a good job in production, everyone strives to be fighting heroes and labor heroes".In the end, Director Song Shaowen announced several decisions of the party, government, military and civilians in the border area: 1. Comrade Li Yong was awarded the title of "Soldier Explosion Hero of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Area" and Comrade Li Dianbing was awarded the title of "Sharpshooter of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Area" ( The rest of the combat heroes are heroes of each special area); 2. Comrade Deng Shijun was awarded the title of "Fighting Heroes of the Soldiers of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region" (the rest were all combat heroes of the respective divisions); 3. Comrade Rong Guanxiu was awarded the title of "Beiyue The title of "Model Supporting the Army in the District - Mother of the Children's Soldiers" was given to Comrade Cui Luotang with the title of "Model of Supporting the Army in Beiyue District - Brother of the Children and Soldiers"; 4. It is proposed to select Comrade Jia Yu as a combat hero in the special area and submit it to the special area for evaluation Donation; 5. The combat heroes and combat model workers who died honorably in the battle in 1943 will be investigated and reviewed by the military region and border region administrative committees respectively, and the troops will be promoted, compensated, commended, and given posthumous titles; Local monuments, publicity and praise, pensions, posthumous titles.The five-day Heroes Conference ended successfully amidst the passionate slogans. After the conference, the party, government, military and civilian leading organs of the border region and the garrison troops, militia, and the masses warmly sent off the heroes and model representatives to return to their combat posts.The farewell crowd lined up in a long line, beat gongs and drums, and shouted slogans to see them off; the heads of the military regions and border regions personally helped the famous heroes draped in big red flowers to ride on horses or rewarded mules and donkeys.When I led the big chestnut mule awarded to Rong Guanxiu, Comrade Zhu Liangcai, the acting director of the Political Department of the military region, personally helped Rong Guanxiu to ride on the mule, and then I led the mule slowly through the crowd and sent her on the road, Rong Guanxiu burst into tears With eyes full, he said repeatedly: "Thank the Communist Party, thank Chairman Mao, and thank the head of the border region!" This kind of gift of "leading the horse and following the stirrup" expressed the incomparable reverence and gratitude of the soldiers in the whole region to the mothers of the soldiers; The action of senior cadres "leading the horses and stirrups" for the masses is indeed unprecedented. Therefore, it became a good story in the whole border area for a while, and it has been passed down to this day. People have never forgotten this exciting scene for decades. "The power of role models is infinite." After the Heroes Conference in the Border Region, each sub-region and special area held the Heroes Conference in the region one after another.In order to turn the advanced deeds of the heroes into the actions of millions of people, the leading organs of the border region set off a mass movement in the border region to learn from heroes and models.From the glorious deeds of heroes and models, the soldiers and civilians in the border areas have been deeply educated and greatly encouraged, and the spirit of revolutionary heroism has been greatly promoted.Once this movement was carried out, it generated enormous material power, pushing the unity of the army and the people, the struggle against the enemy, and the mass production movement to a new peak.