Chapter 60 An ode to the limits of the human spirit

The most difficult part of fighting on the Eastern Front was not the almost crazy attack of the United Nations Army, but the "three shortages" of the Volunteers: one was short of food, the second was short of clothing, and the third was short of ammunition. This is a test of the volunteers' spiritual will and life limits. A lack of food.The United Nations Army not only bombarded the blocking positions of the Volunteers with aircraft and cannons, but also blocked the positions and the rear passages with strong firepower.It was even more difficult to deliver much-needed supplies to the positions.The soldiers of the 370th Regiment of the 42nd Army only ate a meal of sorghum rice when they first entered the position. This was the only full meal they ate on the position.In the next four or five days, the soldiers couldn't even eat half full or half full.

In the early morning of the 29th, the cooking team rushed through the artillery blockade and sent a straw bag of potatoes and half a bag of radishes to the 4th company's position. The company commander Li Zhaoqin ordered: The cadres are not allowed to eat any, and all the food will be given to the soldiers.In this way, each soldier was divided into two potatoes and half a radish on average.At this moment, what does two potatoes and half a radish mean?Means the life and death of a soldier. If you have a way of life, give it to the soldiers first, and leave the way of death to yourself.This is the relationship between leading cadres and the masses, officials and soldiers at that time.

This kind of relationship between the cadres and the masses and the relationship between officers and soldiers is the important secret of such a weak volunteer army being able to defeat the Americans. This is an important reason why volunteer soldiers are not afraid of death. Now I often hear the small meeting of the leadership meeting say that we must maintain close blood and flesh ties between cadres and the masses. How close?When the Chinese nation is facing peril, just look at how the generals of the volunteer army deal with it. When facing life and death, cadres rush forward regardless of everything, and the flesh-and-blood relationship will naturally become closer;

When faced with interests, the cadres rush forward without fear of sacrifice, regardless of their heads or backs. For the entire 124th Division, the rations at this time were only enough for three days. In order to supply more food to the front line, the military department of the 42nd Army requires: the army command organization, including the top leader-the dignified commander, only provides 4 taels per person per day; the second-line troops, each person supplies 6 taels per day; People are served 8 taels per day. Of course, under the blockade of the Americans, it is impossible to send all the 8 taels of food to the battlefield.

In this war, Wu Ruilin, the commander of the 42nd Army, was also short of food and clothing, tired and hungry. He even vomited blood and almost died on the battlefield, which frightened everyone.But he still insisted on being hungry and supplied the only food to the frontline soldiers. Later, when Mao Zedong met Wu Ruilin, he was very distressed and asked him not to do this again, and the commander's health must be guaranteed. Not much to eat, not much to drink. There was no water at all on the ground, and the supply was blocked, making it impossible to go up. All the soldiers were so thirsty that their lips were chapped, and they were extremely uncomfortable.When they were so thirsty that they couldn't stand it, many soldiers even drank their own urine.

Even hungry and thirsty, but also fighting intensively, it is really uncomfortable! It was an era of spiritual supremacy, and an era of heroism. In the face of crazy powerful enemies, the soldiers of the Volunteer Army were so hungry and thirsty that as long as they saw the enemy and had a combat mission, they would As if there was endless energy all over his body, he fought vigorously. They have only one idea: to defeat the Americans.