Chapter 52 2. He Long divides his forces

Lanxian County, Shanxi, 120th Division Headquarters. After He Long returned to Lan County from Yan'an, he got busy. From Lan County to Jizhong, there are two railways to cross, countless enemy strongholds, and numerous blockades. The difficulties are not small. How can we make good ideological and organizational preparations?In particular, there is an important issue that requires a unified understanding: how to arrange for the 120th Division to go to Jizhong, while continuing to persist in the anti-Japanese struggle in northwest Shanxi?Over the past few days, He Long exchanged views repeatedly with Guan Xiangying, Xiao Ke, Gan Siqi, and Zhou Shidi, and reached a consensus.

On December 11, He Long and others convened a meeting of activists above the 120th Division, conveying the spirit of the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, summarizing the work of the past year, deploying and discussing the tasks of Dongjin.The meeting lasted for 7 days.During the period, He Long and Guan Xiangying also convened a meeting of cadres above the brigade, focusing on discussing various work arrangements for the 120th Division's main force to persist in the base areas in Northwest Shanxi. He Long and Guan Xiangying both advocated that the task of going to central Hebei must be completed, and that the base areas in Northwest Shanxi should also be insisted on, and both must be considered.He Long said: The world in Northwest Shanxi was opened by us, and the base area in Northwest Shanxi is the basis for our eastward advancement, which cannot be left to others.The 358th Brigade must remain in Northwest Shanxi and let the masses know that we went to Jizhong and the 120th Division is still in Northwest Shanxi.

The meeting finally agreed to the plan agreed by He, Guan, Xiao, etc.: He Long and Guan Xiangying would lead two battalions of the 716th and 715th regiments of the 358th brigade (one battalion was left in Daqingshan) and an independent detachment to carry out the task of advancing eastward to central Hebei. ; 358 Brigade Commander Zhang Zongxun, Political Commissar Zhang Pinghua led the 358 Brigade Headquarters, 714 Regiment, Independent 1 Regiment (co-organized by Independent 2 and 3 Detachments), Independent 2 Regiment (renamed from Independent 4 Detachment) and Police 6 Regiment, The 6th independent detachment stayed in Northwest Shanxi.

At the meeting, He Long and Guan Xiangying also decided that Zhao Lin, secretary of the Shanxi Northwest District Party Committee, and Luo Guibo, deputy secretary, would continue to lead the local work in Northwest Shanxi in the name of the Democratic Movement Department of the Political Department of the 120th Division after He and Guan left.This decision not only considered the task of advancing into central Hebei, but also took care of the needs of maintaining the base areas in northwest Shanxi. It was a correct decision that was conducive to maintaining the overall situation of the War of Resistance behind enemy lines.Later facts proved that the 358 brigade stayed in Northwest Shanxi, not only controlling the hub connecting North China and Northwest China, ensuring the communication between the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and various base areas, but also enabling the Eighth Route Army to remain in an active position when Yan Xishan launched an anti-communist incident.

At that time, the anti-Japanese armed forces in the northwest of Shanxi included the troops under the Security Command (later reorganized into the 1st Army Temporary Division) and the Shanxi Workers' Armed Self-Defense Brigade, etc. New army unit.They were all anti-Japanese armed forces that appeared as united front organizations under the leadership and influence of the Communist Party.When Cheng Zihua, director of the Armed Forces of the War Action Association, went to Jizhong to serve as the political commissar of the 3rd Column of the Eighth Route Army, he made a special trip to meet He Long and Guan Xiangying, and reported in detail the situation of the armed forces belonging to the War Action Association.He said to He Long: "Boss, after I leave, these armed forces will be commanded by the 120th Division." Therefore, at this meeting, He Long and Guan Xiangying specially analyzed the situation of these armed forces, and discussed He, After Guan left Jin, how did the Shanxi Northwest District Party Committee deal with various relationship issues with them.

Xu Fanting, a native of Nao County, Shanxi Province, was a member of the Tongmenghui in his early years and participated in the Revolution of 1911. Later, he served as the brigade commander of the 6th Mixed Brigade of the 3rd Army of the National Alliance Army and the principal of the Military Political School of the National Alliance Army. In December 1935, because he opposed the Kuomintang government's non-resistance policy, he committed suicide by caesarean section in Nanjing Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum to show his aspirations, and survived rescue. After the "Xi'an Incident", in response to the call of the Communist Party of China, he returned to Shanxi to actively promote the anti-Japanese and national salvation movement, and served as the director of the general mobilization committee of the National Revolutionary War in the second theater.For such an influential patriotic progressive person, He Long and Guan Xiangying adopted a policy of full support.They asked the Shanxi Northwest District Party Committee and the 358th Brigade to actively help the anti-Japanese armed forces of the Zhandong Federation so that they can continue to grow and develop.He Long confessed: We must help Xu Fanting to make it a model of the united front for our cooperation with Yan Xishan.

The Shanxi Workers' Armed Self-Defense Brigade was organized by Cheng Zihua with the help of Guo Tingyi, head of Yan Xishan's Federation of Trade Unions.Most of the members of this force are workers from Taiyuan.Communist Party members Kang Yonghe and others have established party organizations in it and secretly recruited party members.For such a force, the key lies in what policy to adopt against Guo Tingyi.He Long and Guan Xiangying believe that our policy should be to "support and promote their progress so that they can change their anti-communist attitudes and cooperate with us."They suggested that the Shanxi Northwest District Party Committee actively do a good job of uniting Guo Tingyi, and carry out the necessary struggle against his negative side.

He Long also pointed out: The troops of the 120th Division in Northwest Shanxi and the Shanxi New Army are brother troops. After we leave, we must unite and cooperate under the unified leadership of the district party committee.In terms of combat command, it can be coordinated by the 358 brigade. These opinions are completely in line with the United Front Policy of the Communist Party of China, seeking truth from facts, and gaining the support of the participants. After the meeting, He Long immediately ordered four urgent preparatory work: 1. Send a division reconnaissance company to reconnaissance the enemy's situation along the railway line between Xinxian and Yangqu, and draw up a specific plan for passing the Tongpu Railway; 1. The headquarters will compile textbooks on several issues of plain guerrilla warfare for the troops to educate during the march; 3. Raise and replenish weapons, ammunition and food.He said to Chen Xiyun, the supply chief of the 120th division: "From now on, I will be in charge of the supply department, and you have to report to me once every two days."He Long emphasized that these tasks must be done in secret and completed on schedule.

On December 20, He Long, Guan Xiangying, and Xiao Ke issued an order to advance eastward to central Hebei. On the 22nd, it was snowing heavily and the wind was cold. He Long and Guan Xiangying led the division, the 716 regiment, the independent 1st detachment and the teaching group to set off from Lan County.