Chapter 7: Serious injuries and illnesses have sharply reduced combat effectiveness

After listening to the introduction of the chief of staff, everyone had solemn expressions and heavy hearts, and they had nothing to say.

Yu Genshan broke the silence: "Captain Jiang, how is the situation of the wounded and sick?" ”

Dr. Jiang, the head of the regimental health team, said with a sad face and a heavy heart:

"Alas! Regiment commander, the condition of the wounded and sick is very serious, I will not talk about the lightly wounded, there are more than 100 seriously wounded with knife wounds and gunshot wounds, and they urgently need surgery, and the bullets and shrapnel from their bodies must be removed. Otherwise, once the purulent infection causes complications, the limb will have to be amputated, and even the person will die. However, the anesthetics and anti-inflammatory drugs necessary for surgery are almost exhausted. Commander, what can I do about this? Hurry up and find a way to get some anti-inflammatory drugs. ”

Yu Genshan said with a heavy heart: "This? Well, I'll figure it out as soon as possible. Yu Genshan turned his head to look at the political commissar and asked, "Political commissar, how is the morale of the troops now?" ”

The political commissar said with a resolute expression: "Our supplementary regiment is a unit of the old Red Army, with an iron will and a fearless spirit of sacrifice, which cannot be defeated or dragged down. Although the casualties are large now, the morale of the soldiers is still very high, so the regiment commander can rest assured. ”

"Alas!" Yu Genshan sighed heavily. "Chief of Staff, gather the bullets and grenades of the whole regiment and redistribute them to the combat units. Political commissar, which company of our regiment has fewer casualties and relatively stronger combat effectiveness at present? ”

Commissar: "Oh, I looked into it. The casualties of the second battalion were relatively small, especially the six companies of the second battalion, in addition to the wounded and sick, there were nearly 80 people who could participate in the battle, and what was even more amazing was the platoon of the six companies, although more than half of the soldiers were wounded to varying degrees, but only the original platoon commander and a few soldiers died. The other companies have only thirty or forty people, and some companies even less, which cannot but be said to be a miracle, and the combat effectiveness of the sixth company is currently the strongest and most morale-high company in the whole regiment, and the ammunition is also the most sufficient. Moreover, the soldiers of the sixth company each had a devil's 38 large cover rifle, three crooked machine guns, all of which were captured and replaced during the battle, and two previously issued Czech light machine guns. It can be said that the soldiers are strong and the horses are roaring, and the Sixth Company is now a new force in our regiment. ”

"Oh. Company Commander Fang, the sixth company is your company, right? Yu Genshan looked at Fang Jiren with satisfaction and asked.

"Yes, it's our six-in-a-row. Head. Francis replied in a whisper.

Yu Genshan asked Wang Fujiang, secretary of the county party committee: "Secretary Wang, have your county party committee and county government organs suffered big losses?" If you have any requests, just ask. ”

Wang Fujiang said sadly: "Our county party committee organs have sacrificed eight comrades, and several have been slightly injured, and the losses are relatively large. Please, please give us some more guns and ammunition. ”

"I'm afraid this is a little difficult, I'll try to find a way to solve it for you a little more. Lao Wu, how many days can our grain last? ”

"Commander, after tomorrow, our regiment will be completely out of food. The day after tomorrow, our soldiers, the wounded and sick, and the more than 200 fellow villagers will be hungry. Regiment commander, we must quickly find a way to solve the food problem, as well as salty salt and military shoes, so that our soldiers can't go barefoot and hungry to fight. Lao Wu, a member of the supplementary regiment, said dejectedly.

Political commissar: "Old Wu, now you go and take a few soldiers around the village to see if you can find some food in the villager's house, remember!" Be sure to keep the money. ”

"Yes." Lao Wu got up and walked out of the ancestral hall.

Yu Genshan: "Captain Jiang, do you have any difficulties in treating the wounded as soon as possible?" ”

Captain Jiang of the regimental health team, who was full of sadness and tiredness, sighed heavily and said:

"Alas! Regiment commander, I just said the situation of the wounded, there are too many difficulties. The old wounded have not yet recovered, and new ones are constantly being added. There are still more than a dozen penicillin left, and there are not many other medicines, and the worst thing is that there is no anesthetic for surgery. Alas! There are so many things missing. Commander, we have to find a way to solve it as soon as possible. ”

"I want to find a way? This? Okay, okay, I'll try to find a way to solve it. ”

Huang Zhongde, director of the Political Department of the regiment, looked sad and said anxiously:

"Regiment commander, political commissar, there is still a very serious matter to be done immediately. Over the past month or so, our regiment has been fighting all the way and going all the way, and there are some units that have been scattered and have not been rebuilt, and there are soldiers, militiamen, and civilians who have been wounded and straggled, as well as comrades-in-arms who have sacrificed their lives. It is also necessary to bury the bodies of the sacrificed comrades as soon as possible, and not let them be exposed to the wilderness. ”

Staff Officer Wu: "Yes. The regiment commander, the political commissar, and some soldiers and wounded who came back one after another in the morning and just now, they all told me that there are still many soldiers and wounded scattered in this area, and they are hiding in groups in the field, without food, drink, or ammunition, and they have basically lost their combat effectiveness, and they are in a very dangerous situation. Commander, hurry up and find a way! ”

Third Battalion Commander: "Regiment commander, political commissar, the soldiers of our three battalions who have returned one after another have also reported this situation to me. ”

Wang Fujiang: "The regiment commander, the political commissar, there are also comrades who have been wounded and left behind in our county party committee, we must find them back as soon as possible, and they must not fall into the hands of devils, they are the wealth of the revolution and the power of resistance against Japan." Some comrades still have top-secret documents on them, and they can't fall into the hands of devils. ”

Commissar: "Yes, this matter should be done immediately, and I am anxious about it." It's a daunting task. Commander, who do you think you should send? ”

"Urgency and danger! Commissar, you're right, but it's not easy to do, it's very tricky. Who should I send? Let me think. Alas! Yu Genshan sighed heavily and said in a heavy tone: "Comrades, our current situation is very dangerous and difficult, the troops have suffered heavy casualties, there are too many wounded, and we have to cover the safe transfer of more than 200 people and break through the encirclement, and there is a shortage of ammunition, food and medicine, what should we do?" Let's talk about it. ”

Chief of Staff: "Regiment Commander, we can't fight like this anymore, this kind of passive beating will consume our replenishment of the regiment little by little." ”

Yu Genshan said irritably: "You said lightly. I also know that this should not be a war of attrition. Then you say, how should we fight if we don't fight like this? ”

Chief of Staff: "Since the devils began to sweep up, we have become more and more passive, and the casualties have been more and more reduced, the main reason is that our regiment has dragged more than 300 wounded and sick people and more than 200 civilians, and the devils have been chasing too closely to evacuate and resettle on the spot. As a result, our army's forces are scattered, one thing is lost to the other, action is slow, and combat effectiveness is weakened, and this greatly limits the mobility and flexibility of our army, making it impossible for our army to give full play to the advantages of guerrilla warfare that is mobile, flexible, and rapid and changeable, and allows the devils to seize the weak point, so we are falling into a predicament and a desperate situation step by step. ”

Commissar: "Chief of Staff, if you have any ideas, just say it." ”

Chief of Staff: "I think so, in order to get out of the current predicament as soon as possible, we should divide the troops into two ways, one way to lead away the devils, and the other way to cover the wounded, sick and ordinary people to break through." ”

Francis categorically denied and said: "Impossible! Chief of Staff, what you said will not work at all. The devils in the north of the village pursued all the way to Morikura Village, and then the two wings were spread, and now the military posture of encircling our army has been completed, and a fully organized brigade of the Japanese army in the east has pounced again. At this time, it is impractical for our troops to attack separately in two ways to break through the encirclement, and this will further weaken our already weak combat effectiveness. Or rather, we have completely lost the best opportunity to split our forces and cover the breakout. ”

Staff Officer Wu said anxiously: "Then what should I do?" We have to find a way to let the little devils trap us in this place, right? ”

After a brief silence, the crowd began to talk about it.

At this time, the Eighth Route Army Replenishment Regiment had fallen into a desperate situation of life and death, and an even greater crisis was gradually approaching. However, Yu Genshan and his comrades-in-arms were at a loss and could not find an effective way to get out of the extremely dangerous situation in front of them.

Yu Genshan knocked on the table with his pipe and said, "Quiet, quiet, say one by one, don't make noise, say something useful." Yu Genshan looked around at the silent comrades-in-arms, and finally his sharp gaze stopped on Fang Jiren's face, and said solemnly: "Company Commander Fang, what you just said makes sense. However, there are also those who say that it is a mistake to withdraw troops and masses into the village in danger and passivity. How do you explain that? Tell me about it. ”

Fang Jiren felt a little aggrieved but confidently explained: "Regiment Commander, this is not the case, according to the enemy situation and the current situation of our regiment, we can only be ......"

Suddenly, fierce gunfire rang out in the distance outside the village, becoming more and more dense, and the people in the ancestral hall immediately became nervous. Yu Genshan suddenly stood up and shouted, "What's the matter?!" Staff Officer Wu took the scouts to find out immediately! There was silence in the ancestral hall, and no one spoke.

"Yes! I'll scout right away. Staff Officer Wu got up and walked out of the ancestral hall quickly.

Fang Jiren tilted his head and listened to it, and said to himself as he listened:

"Type 94 75mm mountain gun, Type 92 70mm infantry howitzer, Type 92 7.7mm heavy machine gun, Type 91 6.5mm crooked handle machine gun, Czech light machine gun, Tom M3 submachine gun, Type 43 submachine gun, medium formal rifle ......"

The people in the ancestral hall looked at Fang Jiren with surprised and puzzled eyes.

Fang Jiren stood up suddenly, looked at Yu Genshan, and said seriously and confidently:

"Regiment commander, I judged from listening to this noise that there should have been a battle five or six miles southeast of the village, like a brigade of devils and a battalion of the Kuomintang army. Oh no! The national army has no heavy weapons, it can no longer withstand it, and it is retreating. Regiment commander, let me lead my sixth company to rush over to stop the devils immediately, we must not let the little devils hit us, if the devils in the north of the village attack us at this time, then we will be more troublesome and more passive. Commander, please give the order. ”

"Shhhh Nonsense. Where did the Kuomintang troops come from in the western Hebei region? Still a battalion? Company Commander Fang, why are you so sure? Yu Genshan said disdainfully.

"Huh? Am I talking nonsense? This is a minimum of military common sense. Commander, can't you hear me? Believe it or not, if we hesitate, delay the fighters, and do not resolutely fight the devils back, our army will fall into an even greater crisis. Francis said unconvinced.

Yu Genshan still stared at Fang Jiren with a puzzled face, and after thinking for a moment, he turned his gaze to the chief of staff and asked, "Chief of staff, how do you think this sudden situation should be handled?" ”

The chief of staff looked at Fang Jiren convincingly, nodded and said praisefully:

"It can judge the location of the battlefield from the noisy and indistinguishable sound of gunfire, and can also distinguish the troops of the two warring sides, estimate the strength of the troops, hear the weapons and equipment, and guess the scale and situation of the battle. It's not easy, you're a god. It seems that you are very familiar with the weapons and equipment of the devils and the Kuomintang army, and you have quite a lot of combat experience. The chief of staff turned his head and said approvingly to Genshan: "Regiment commander, what Company Commander Fang said is right, we should indeed send a force over to block it immediately." But, Company Commander Fang, don't be entangled in the war, just beat the devil back or lure him away. ”

Yu Genshan decisively ordered: "Company Commander Fang, go ahead!" As the chief of staff said, I will send another company to follow up and cooperate with you to cover you. ”

"Yes, mission guaranteed!" Franciscan walked out of the ancestral hall in high spirits.

Looking at Fang Jiren's back, the chief of staff asked puzzledly, "Hey?" Regiment commander, why don't I know this company commander? I don't think I've seen him before, have you? Where did he come from? What's it called? It's impossible for me not to know the cadres above the company commander of our regiment? ”

Yu Genshan: "Of course you don't know, I'm afraid that no one here knows him, and I only officially met this person this morning." His name is Fang Jiren, and it has been less than two months since he came to us to replenish the regiment, and it turned out that he was a platoon commander of the sixth company of the second battalion. Now the commander of the second battalion has been seriously wounded, and the commander of the sixth company and the original platoon commander have also died, so this morning I have officially appointed him as the company commander of the sixth company. ”

The political commissar looked at Yu Genshan and asked vigilantly: "Regiment leader, is this Fang Jiren a party member?" Has it been reviewed by the organization? ”

Yu Genshan said helplessly: "I don't know if he is a party member." Now that the war is tense, all the eyebrows are burning, where can I care about examining him. Political commissar, take the time to go to the second battalion commander to investigate and understand all the circumstances of Fang Jiren. ”

The chief of staff opened his eyes wide and said in surprise: "What?!" This Francis has been in the army for less than two months? Then he's still a rookie, Commander, why didn't you say it earlier? Now that he is a company commander again, will he lead his troops to fight? Isn't this nonsense? Commander, you're doing this too hastily. Commissar, I think this is too much of a hanging. ”

The commissar said solemnly: "Yes." That's not going to work! Regiment Commander, at this time, we have entrusted such a person as Fang Jiren, who does not know the details, whose identity is unknown, and whose origin is unclear, without going through the strict examination of the organization, to entrust him with an important task, which seriously violates the principles of the organization and the procedures for the appointment and dismissal of posts, which is wrong and very dangerous. ”

Yu Genshan felt a little aggrieved, he argued: "Political commissar, what you said is right, in fact, I don't want to do this, I really can't help it." As everyone knows, more than half of our regiment's casualties have been reduced, more than half of the commanders at all levels have also been killed, and there are still those who are wounded and cannot participate in the battle command. ”

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement with Yu Genshan's opinion.

The commissar said very seriously: "Commander, I do not agree with your views and appointments!" When is it? At the most brutal stage of the national war that has a bearing on the fate of the country, and at the critical moment when the survival of all the officers and men of our supplementary regiment is at stake, we are not allowed to be the slightest careless, and without strict organizational review, how can you trust this Franciscan so much?! Have you considered the serious consequences that could arise?! ”

"The commissar is right." "Makes sense." "The commissar is right." There was a lot of talking. The Chief of Staff also expressed his agreement with the political commissar.

Yu Genshan argued: "This? This? Yes, it's true that I didn't think it through and didn't do it properly. However, I saw with my own eyes that in this morning's battle to cover the retreat of the troops and the masses, Francis was calm, resourceful and resolute, correctly commanded, and tactically appropriate. He took the lead, rushed to the front and picked up the big knife and slashed twenty or thirty devils with his own hands. In the face of the devil, Company Commander Fang was not afraid and sacrificed his life to fight. He killed the killer in pain, and killed the enemy with one move. I also have to support and cover other comrades. After a successful counterattack, he returned victoriously unscathed. Let me ask you, whether in the past or now, who else in our supplementary regiment can have such strong combat skills and superior martial arts as Fang Jiren? Yes? If any of you go to the battlefield to fight devils to the death, and can kill more than 30 devils in one charge, don't such people deserve our trust? Shouldn't he be reused? Political commissar, you also said just now, now the strongest combat effectiveness of our regiment is Fang Jiren's Sixth Company, doesn't this prove him? ”

Everyone was speechless and nodded one after another, expressing their agreement with Yu Genshan's evaluation of Fang Jiren.

Political commissar: "Regiment commander, you can't look at the problem so one-sidedly, you have a purely military point of view, but you ignore politics." Our Eighth Route Army, especially its commanders, is not only strong militarily, but must also be politically strong. The training and use of a military commander by our party and army cannot be regarded only as one thing at a time, still less an overnight matter, but only after the test of life and death in a protracted and harsh war, and this cannot be done by the slightest negligence or mistake, and we must be responsible for the party and our army. ”

Yu Genshan: "Politics? Hum! At present, the biggest politics is to resist Japan and kill the enemy, protect the family and defend the country! Repelling the devils in front of us, covering the county party committee organs and the masses to break out of the encirclement, and safely transfer out, this is the biggest politics of our supplementary regiment at present. Isn't it a test of life and death that Francis fought with all his life and death in battle, bravely killing the enemy with one as ten, and making outstanding achievements? Isn't this politically skilled? Commissar, you're saying I'm irresponsible? Now is a critical juncture, it is a time of competition, and it is also the time to employ people, and Francis is a rare military talent, why can't he hold a high-ranking job? ”

The political commissar interrupted Yu Genshan and said: "Comrade Regiment Commander! You are a typical one-sidedness, Gu Shunzhang, Xiang Zhongfa, and Zhang Guotao have higher positions, aren't they still traitors to the party and the enemy? ! Is there still less of such a painful lesson for our party and our army?! ”

Yu Heshan: "Political commissar, are you going too far?" This has nothing to do with Francis. ”

Commissar: "Far away?" Can't stand it? When something big happens, it's too late for you to regret it. ”

"Smack!" Huang Zhongde slapped his right hand heavily on the table and stood up with a "boom". Everyone was shocked, and their eyes turned to Huang Zhongde to look at him in surprise, not knowing what was going on. Huang Zhongde looked around at everyone and looked at Yu Genshan, and said in a heavy and vigilant tone:

"Regiment commander, political commissar, no! Something is going to happen, something big is going to happen! ”

The atmosphere at the regiment headquarters suddenly became tense, and everyone was surprised and confused, not knowing why.