Chapter 331 13. Support from the people

As early as January 1949, various regions began the ideological mobilization and organizational arrangement before the cross-river operations. In February, the East China Bureau established a support committee for the front line. In March, the former headquarters of the Northern Jiangsu Branch was formally established.More than 14,000 young people in the Liberated Areas of Hebei, Shandong and Henan successively signed up to join the PLA.Factories, schools, and government agencies in Beiping and Tianjin have established labor committees to produce pennants and condolence gifts, and hold grand gatherings to warmly condolence and send off the Fourth Field Army going south.

At that time, "People's Daily" reported that people from all over North China warmly sent off the Northeast and North China People's Liberation Army who crossed the border and went south: "Wherever they passed, the people had repaired roads and roads in advance, sewed condolence bags, bought condolence items, and boarded the army. The colorful memorial archway, painted a new slogan, and established a guest house; men, women, old and young organized groups for service, supply, sewing and washing, condolences, etc., and separately prepared food, fodder, vegetables, vacated houses, pasted windows, laid kang mats, and boiled water. Greeting the People's Liberation Army crossing the border and going south." ("People's Daily", April 10, 1949) 338 women from 14 streets in Hejian, central Hebei, formed 71 condolence groups, including 19 in the Nanguan sewing group Women mend more than 90 pieces of clothes, shoes and socks a day.

The North Subei Branch Headquarters is responsible for the main front work of crossing the river. According to statistics, the achievements of the North Subei Branch Front Work are as follows: (1) Mobilization of civilian power: more than 123,000 miscellaneous migrant workers crossed the river with the army; more than 77,000 miscellaneous migrant workers served in the second line; about 1.464 million people participated in the construction of roads and bridges in the rear and short-distance transportation. (2) Various supplies: over 220 million catties of grain; over 220 million catties of grass; 300,000 catties of oil; 200,000 catties of salt; and 250,000 catties of meat.

(3) Expenditure: more than 600 million yuan; more than 30 million catties of rice; more than 30 million catties of grass. (4) Ship mobilization: 8,302 river crossing ships; more than 12,000 rear transfer ships. (5) Transportation construction: 1,946 kilometers of roads were built; 1,880 kilometers of telephone lines were installed; 421 bridges were built; 139 culverts were built; 76 large ships were built. (6) Other equipment: more than 93,000 catties of old cotton tires; more than 73,000 catties of cattail bags; more than 18,000 pieces of wood; 15,000 pieces of door panels; 19,000 pieces of felled trees.The above statistics show that the supply of food, grass, equipment and other military supplies "far exceeded the supply figures of the Huaihai Campaign" ("Subei Sub-branch Headquarters' Summary of the Work of the Northern Sub-branch in the Battle of Crossing the River", "The Battle of Crossing the River ", p. 223) to meet the actual needs of the troops in various aspects of combat.In addition, more than 6,000 cadres and more than 110,000 migrant workers in northern Jiangsu directly participated in the service work of crossing the river. Especially when crossing the river, they were in high spirits. The fastest boat made 19 round trips in one night; 4 regiments, and finally got through 11 regiments.

During the process of crossing the river, a large number of heroes and role models emerged. According to incomplete statistics, among the more than 36,000 people who have been demobilized, about 36,000 people have done meritorious service and completed their tasks.30% of the staff.For example, Yan Shengfu, a special hero in Jingjiang, set a record by sending 18 troops across the river in one night on a 7-mile-wide river. On the 3-mile-wide river, he sent 13 times in one night. Finally, he was bombarded by an enemy ship and the ship was about to sink. He calmly stabilized everyone's emotions, and pushed the boat into the water by himself, finally out of danger.

The 49-year-old special heroine, Grandma Han, made three trips overnight on the high tide of the seventeen-eight-mile river. Finally, the boat couldn't move when it reached the shallows.At the same time, there are superhero Zhou Shengyou who is known as "the hero boat on the Yangtze River" and the heroine Ye Dasao who won the title of "the first boat to cross the river". At the beginning of crossing the river, "Migrant workers from Lu'an and Hefei to Anqing Road sent army rations day and night like a tide, and the residents along the river saved their own food for the army. They made great contributions and were very touching." ("Middle Finger 5. Monthly Comprehensive Report, May 31, 1949) During the march of the People's Liberation Army to Shanghai, the Qingyang Port Iron Bridge destroyed by the enemy was repaired by the people along the river in just 4 days, which ensured the rapid reopening of the entire Beijing-Shanghai Road and provided strong support the liberation of Shanghai.