Chapter 50 "Soldiers Council" is a creation

The Soldiers' Committee is another bold creation of Mao Zedong's break with the old military tradition, and it is a specific operational form of the institutionalization of Red Army democracy. The army of the reactionary ruling class has no democratic system, there are sharp class contradictions, and confrontation between officers and soldiers is a common phenomenon.The main body of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army came from the Kuomintang army, and naturally brought some bad styles of the old army.Before the adaptation of Sanwan, Mao Zedong witnessed the various manifestations of inequality between officers and soldiers in the army: unequal treatment for officers and soldiers, needless to say salary, clothing, even food is cooked in separate kitchens; Soldiers defended in the slightest; soldiers made mistakes, officers and even squad leaders were whipped, punched and kicked at every turn... Mao Zedong really couldn't stand it.He had served as a soldier in the Hunan Army for several months, and he had a personal experience of the suffering of the soldiers.

Mao Zedong did not want the Revolutionary Army of Workers and Peasants led by him to still retain the bad habit of inequality between officers and soldiers in the old army, he wanted to completely change it.Therefore, when Sanwan was reorganized, Mao Zedong decided to establish a new type of relationship between officers and soldiers, and implemented democratic system reforms within the Workers’ and Peasants’ Revolutionary Army. Openness" and other principles, and set up a soldier's committee in the company. Luo Ronghuan recalled this in "Autumn Harvest Uprising and the Initial Period of Our Army": In order to wipe out all bad systems and habits in the army, Comrade Mao Zedong took many revolutionary measures decisively.For example, the Soldiers' Council was created at this time.In order to oppose the old army's method of leading troops, realize political equality between officers and soldiers, and establish a new method of leading troops, it is necessary to implement a democratic policy.Soldiers' committees are an organizational form of democracy.At that time, the Soldiers Committee had a lot of power, and officers had to be supervised by the Soldiers Committee. If they did something wrong, they would be criticized and even sanctioned by the Soldiers Committee.On the surface, this seems to encourage extreme democratization and egalitarianism, but the main problem at the time was to resolutely reverse the old army’s method of leading troops and establish a new type of relationship between officers and soldiers—class unity.The actual situation in the army is that there is not enough democracy, rather than a problem of extreme democratization and egalitarianism.Therefore, only by doing so can the remnants of warlords be wiped out more thoroughly and effectively, and only with democracy can the consciousness of the masses be raised and a solid centralization established.Before the Autumn Harvest Uprising, officers had four dishes and one soup for every meal, which was very different from the treatment of soldiers.After the reorganization of Sanwan, because the struggle was very difficult, what was most needed at that time was for officers and soldiers to share hardships, so the treatment was changed to be exactly the same. Cadres and soldiers eat the same food and wear the same clothes. This is a remarkable reform.It made the relationship between officers and soldiers closer, and played a positive role in the testing and transformation of cadres.

It is not easy to change the "rules" that have been formed for a long time in the old army! "Officers broke the law and were punished by the Soldiers Committee. How decent is that!" Some officers who wanted to maintain their "dignity" objected. "Officers and soldiers have the same living conditions and the same treatment, so why do you want an officer? Since ancient times, officers and soldiers are different!" Some officers who wanted to keep their "privileges" were dissatisfied. Mao Zedong made up his mind: "Our workers' and peasants' revolutionary army is not the old army of the past! Officers and soldiers are equal. If there is salt, it is the same salt, and if there is no salt, it is the same taste. What's wrong? This is called loving soldiers like children."

Mao Zedong's opinions were supported by the majority of comrades in the Front Committee, as well as by the majority of officers and soldiers of the Revolutionary Army. The Sanwan adaptation first established a soldier committee in the company. Then, on the basis of summarizing experience, Mao Zedong gradually established a soldier committee organization at the battalion, regiment, and army levels.Xiong Shouqi, Liu Yan, Zheng Zheng, and Hu Bentian, outstanding fighters from poor workers and peasants, were members of the first Soldiers Committee of the Workers and Peasants Revolutionary Army.After joining forces in Jinggangshan, Chen Yi was elected as the director of the Military-level Soldiers Committee of the Fourth Red Army.

In "Report on the History and Situation of the Zhu Mao Army", Chen Yi gave a detailed introduction to the composition and function of the Fourth Red Army Soldiers Committee: "For the organization of the soldiers of the Fourth Army, soldiers committees are set up in the regiments, battalions and companies. To participate in) the Soldiers Committee, the soldiers of the whole company choose 5 to 7 people or 9 people as the executive committee of the soldiers committee of the company, and one person is elected as the chairman; the number of people in the whole battalion is 1 representative for every 5 people to form the whole battalion soldier representative meeting, and 11 people are elected Organize a battalion executive committee with up to 13 members, and elect one person as the chairman; according to the number of members of the entire regiment, every 10 people will elect one representative to organize the whole regiment representative meeting, elect 17 to 19 people to organize the entire regiment's soldier committee, and elect one person as the chairman; the whole army 30 or 50 people elect 1 representative to organize the army representative meeting, elect 19 to 21 or 23 people to organize the sergeant executive committee, and elect 1 person as the chairman; the sergeant executive committee elects 5 to 7 people as the standing committee, and the group elects 5 to 7 people as the chairman The Standing Committee, the battalion has 3 or 5 members as the Standing Committee, and the company has no Standing Committee organs. The Standing Committee of the Corps has organs for daily work in the Political Department, and the Standing Committee of the Battalion does not have organs. The tasks of the military committees at all levels are as follows: (1) Participate in the management of the army. ( 2) Maintain the discipline of the Red Army. (3) Supervise the economy of the army. (4) Conduct mass movements. (5) Conduct political education for soldiers."

During the years of hard struggle in Jinggangshan, the soldier committees at all levels played a major role.It participates in the management of the army, represents the interests of the soldiers, especially directly participates in the economic management of the army, and achieves economic openness, so that the soldiers can deeply feel the difference between the Fourth Red Army and the old army. The popular ballad in the Jinggangshan base area, "To be a soldier is to be a Red Army. Workers and peasants are welcome everywhere. Officers and soldiers are the same. No one will oppress people." .

In the environment of "red rice, pumpkin soup, gold quilt, and body covering", the top leaders of the Red Army led by Mao Zedong and Zhu De lived the same hard life as the soldiers, and they never engaged in specialization.Once, the old cousins ​​sent some fish and eggs to Mao Zedong to replenish his body.After discussing with the soldiers committee, the cooking team felt that the actions of the old cousins ​​also expressed their own feelings, so they specially made four dishes and one soup for Mao Zedong.Mao Zedong immediately convened a meeting of party representatives from all companies, explaining that cadres should take the lead in implementing democracy in the army, and should share weal and woe with soldiers, and must not engage in specialization.Afterwards, he brought the party representatives with the four dishes and one soup, and distributed them to the soldiers' dining table table by table.After the distribution, he brought the party representatives a pot of bitter gourd and ate it with relish.Seeing this scene, the soldiers were moved to tears. The soldier Chen Sanzai stepped forward and said excitedly: "Commissioner Mao, bitter gourd tastes bitter. If you don't eat fish or eggs, eat some pumpkin." Mao Zedong After hearing this, he laughed and said humorously: "Eat bitter gourd first, then eat pumpkin. This is called bitterness before sweetness." That's right."

After listening to Commissar Mao's words, the commanders and fighters received a lot of education, and some cadres who were not used to being restrained by the Soldiers Committee became active in supporting its work.In this way, the authority of the Soldiers Committee is greater, and its directors work more freely and boldly. Zeng Zhi recalled: "The Red Army company established a soldier's committee and implemented a democratic system. Once, a comrade in charge of the army gave a speech at the former Chenzhou soldier's committee and asked the soldier's committee to also manage discipline. He said: 'Soldiers who violate discipline must spank their butts. , Officers have to be spanked if they violate discipline. Are all officers and soldiers equal!' This kind of statement is obviously inappropriate now, but it was done in accordance with this spirit at the time. There are many things to manage by the Soldiers Committee: The second is to manage publicity and education; the third is to do mass work; the fourth is to manage the life of the Red Army soldiers. These tasks have a wide range and heavy tasks. Some things cannot be handled by the soldiers' committees, and they cannot be managed well, and some things have virtually produced absolute egalitarianism Later, the Red Army units used vivid facts to conduct education among soldiers to criticize absolute egalitarianism, which enabled some troops and Red Army soldiers to overcome and correct absolute egalitarianism. Once, Commander-in-Chief Zhu told the Red Army soldiers This is a question for everyone to discuss. Two people were wounded on the battlefield at the same time. The injuries were almost the same. One was the company commander and the other was a soldier. At that time, there was only one stretcher. As a result, the soldiers almost all said, "the company commander should be carried away first", and gave various reasons. Later, it was clear that the soldiers' committee was only in charge of the life of the Red Army soldiers.... Recalling that Jinggangshan learned Chairman Mao's army building line and policy, and contacted At that time, I saw the troops in Jinggangshan with strict discipline, showing the moving scene of the army and the people as one family, the integration of the military and the government, and the unity of the officers and soldiers. Only then did I begin to understand why the Red Army can have such a strong combat effectiveness and such a high political awareness. I think A very important reason is here.”

The internal democratic reform of the army, with the establishment of soldiers' committees as the main content, has truly enabled the Red Army to achieve equality between officers and soldiers and share weal and woe. However, such reforms will not be easy. When reforming Wang Zuo's army, the party representative He Changgong proposed to abolish the beating and scolding system in the army. Some cadres who were accustomed to using sticks to manage the army immediately opposed it, and they still went their own way. One day, a cadre brutally beat and scolded the soldiers again. He Changgong went directly to Wang Zuo: "Why are some cadres still beating soldiers?"

Wang Zuo said disapprovingly: "Birds are bred, soldiers are bred. How can you do it without beating or scolding?" He Changgong pointed out solemnly: "If this is the case, then the Revolutionary Army of Workers and Peasants implements equality between officers and soldiers, and the officers do not fight soldiers. When fighting, everyone is very brave. How can this be explained?" Wang Zuo smiled and said, "I don't need to beat and scold people, but the cadres below are used to beating and scolding, and if they don't beat their hands itchy, how can they control it?"

He Changgong told him about the principle of equality between officers and soldiers advocated by Mao Zedong during the Sanwan reorganization, and asked him to give an order not to beat anyone. Wang Zuo pondered for a while, then slapped his thigh and said: "I accept what Commissar Mao said!" After that, he ordered the orderly: "Just say I said it, and you are not allowed to beat people. Whoever beats people in the future, Just beat him." In this way, cadres in Wang Zuo's army beat and scolded soldiers less and less. Through education, political democracy in the Red Army was gradually realized, and in particular, beatings, cursing, confinement, fines for running, and punishments for sunbathing, which were commonplace in the army, gradually decreased.There was once a captain who had serious warlord habits and beat soldiers more severely. Mao Zedong mercilessly criticized: "There is a blacksmith in the Fourth Red Army who beats Red Army soldiers like iron." After education, the relationship between officers and soldiers in the army Gradually, they got along well. At that time, the main cadres in the company had horses, but no one rode them. They were used to carry wounded soldiers in wars and sick ones in normal times. Economic democracy is also better practiced in the military.At that time, in the company, the squad leader or deputy squad leader was responsible for the purchase, and a soldier was the deputy purchaser.Every month, the Soldiers Committee has to settle the accounts and divide the meals.Divide the end of the meal, some buy cigarettes to smoke, some buy some mochi straw sandals.The soldiers were very satisfied with these methods. After such frequent and profound internal and external struggles, the army has truly achieved "the unity of the army and the people, and the unity of the officers and soldiers", the political sentiment is high, and there are very few instances of desertion.Luo Ronghuan recalled: "I remember such a story: Comrade Mao Zedong once led the 3rd Battalion of the 31st Regiment to go down the mountain to meet the 28th Regiment returning from southern Hunan to Jinggangshan. They passed through the eastern Guangxi area at night and were attacked by the enemy. The troops were beaten We dispersed, and everyone was in a hurry. But when we assembled the next morning, only one stretcher soldier was missing. Unexpectedly, when the troops returned to Jinggangshan, the stretcher soldier had already returned.” The establishment and soundness of the Soldiers Committee was an important symbol to distinguish between the Red Army and the White Army during the Jinggangshan struggle.It had a positive impact on the political unity within the army, the improvement of military technology and tactics, and the transformation and training of cadres. As Mao Zedong commented in "The Struggle at Jinggangshan" and "Report of the Jinggangshan Front Committee to the Central Committee": "The material life of the Red Army is so meager, and the fighting is so frequent, it can still be maintained. In addition to the role of the party, it is by implementing Democracy in the army." "So in such a hard life, in such a fierce struggle, without any complaints, companies, battalions, and regiments all have military committees, whose duties are to supervise the officers, represent the interests of soldiers, and participate in the army Management, political training internally (within the army), mass movement externally, the soldiers committee is sound, the political department can be eliminated, and all the staff can work in the soldiers committee organization, which is better than setting up a political department separately.” After the Central Military Commission published Chen Yi's "Report on the History and Conditions of Zhu Mao's Red Army" in the "Military Bulletin", it commented: "There are many valuable experiences in this that deserve the attention of each of our comrades, such as their establishment...they deal with it. The principles of supply and expenditure in the military (economic equality between officers and soldiers, and absolute disclosure of expenditure)... are all 'unique' in China, and have never been seen or heard in the past."