Introduction
After the second cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communists, the Red Army units were incorporated into the battle sequence of the Nationalist Government Army and became the Eighteenth Group Army of the National Revolutionary Army. However, after the reorganization of the Red Army troops, many veteran soldiers of the Red Army were very remorseful about the fact that they had become "Kuomintang soldiers", and the people's hearts and morale in the Eighth Route Army were adversely affected...
The Eighth Route Army changed into a new uniform
At the end of August 1937, the main force of the Red Army was reorganized into the Eighth Route Army of the National Revolutionary Army, and the Eighth Route Army in northern Shaanxi was happy that it could fight the Japanese with "just words" after receiving the appointment of the Nationalist government. The soldiers of the former Red First Army, with the help of their compatriots in northern Shaanxi, went to greet the new uniforms issued by the Nationalist government.
According to the "Biography of Tan Zheng", "It was early autumn, and the soldiers stood in rows on the yellow land, and after a loud trumpet, the soldiers changed into the new uniforms that had just been issued. ”
There are no special markings on the new uniforms issued by the National Government, no ranks, no badges, the whole body is mainly yellow-green, grass and wood gray, and the materials of the clothes are burlap. After the soldiers changed into their new uniforms, they were full of energy. A phalanx was arranged and displayed to the compatriots in northern Shaanxi.
After the new military uniform was put on, the soldiers found that there was something wrong with the hat of the new military uniform, how could the hat emblem be the "blue sky and white day" emblem of the Kuomintang? The warriors wondered. The local people next to them also followed the discussion, and some people said: "How did the Soldiers of the Red Army become Kuomintang soldiers?" Wouldn't it be that they also defected to the Kuomintang? ”
Someone among the soldiers said, "Alas, look at this hat, how ugly the Kuomintang hat emblem is, the sky is blue and the sun is white, it's really awkward!" Another said, "If we put on the costumes of the Kuomintang, will we be considered surrendering to them?" The incident of the Eighth Route Army changing into a new uniform has been talked about in the mouths of the military and the people.
In view of the various erroneous understandings among the soldiers of the troops, Tan Zheng, as director of the Political Department, tried in every possible way to carry out various propaganda and education on the troops. Actively channel the resistance of the warriors. In his report to Chairman Mao, he said:
"Chairman, this reorganization of the unit has produced a lot of negative effects in the unit. Our political work is not easy to do. ”
Tan Zheng then reported to Chairman Mao the "Military Hat Incident." Chairman Mao said: "This is a wrong understanding, and you general political leaders will study and study it, and I think you will first take a unit as a pilot project and carry out propaganda and education." ”
With Chairman Mao's support, Tan Zheng had a bottom in his heart, and he summed up Chairman Mao's understanding of China's War of Resistance and came to the soldiers to solve their doubts for them.
What you wear is not always anti-Japanese
Some of the soldiers in the army still retain the "old ideas". This cannot be blamed on the conservative and short-sighted warriors. It is the suffering of the past that makes them very disgusted with the "blue sky and white sun". According to the Biography of Tan Zheng:
"Many soldiers of the Red Army joined the Red Army because they were forced by the Kuomintang reactionaries to go nowhere and joined the Red Army. They hated the Kuomintang to the bone. ”
Tan Zheng first of all wants to solve the ideological problems of the soldiers and help them untie the knots of the past, so as to unite people's hearts and restore morale. He came to the soldiers and said to them, "We were originally from the Red Army, and now we have to wear the clothes of the Nationalist Army, so are we not the Red Army, but the Kuomintang?" ”
Tan Zheng saw that the warriors did not react, as if they were thinking about something, so they said loudly, "Of course not!" We are not only the Red Army in the past, but also the Red Army now, and in the future we will be even more the Red Army, and we will always be the contingent led by the Party, which will never change! ”
The soldiers were inspired by Tan Zheng's words, and one by one they all raised their spirits and wanted to hear what the general political commissar could say. Tan Zheng told the soldiers: "Now that China has reached a moment of crisis, the Japanese army is invading our land every moment, what should we do?" ”
The warrior replied, "Throw them out!" Tan Zheng then said, "Yes, get them out!" But can we drive the invaders away on our own?
We should talk about unity and unite all the forces that can be united on the land of China in order to drive out the Japanese. We will not be able to defeat the Japanese without unity, unwillingness to interact with friendly armies and friendly parties, and a policy of fighting alone! ”
Tan Zheng knew best in his heart that the soldiers were not unwilling to cooperate with the Kuomintang troops, but that they did not want to become Kuomintang soldiers because of this. So he said to the soldiers: "In those days, we climbed snowy mountains, crossed meadows, and wore ragged clothes, weren't we still the Red Army?" Now that we are wearing the new uniform of the Kuomintang, will we not still be the Red Army, and we will still be able to resist Japan? Our aim is to resist Japan, not to be a Kuomintang. ”
After listening to Tan Zheng's education, the "knots" in their hearts were finally solved. Gradually accepted wearing the "Kuomintang hat".
The first political work education was very successful, and in order to expand the achievements of the battle, Tan Zheng ordered all units to hold an oath-taking meeting to solve the ideological problems of the soldiers.
The common people admitted that the wrong team had arrived, and thought that the Kuomintang had come
At the end of 1937, all the troops of the Eighth Route Army changed into new uniforms and wore "blue sky and white sun" hats. The soldiers can accept wearing hats, which is because of the silent efforts of Tan Zheng and other political workers. In order to consolidate his thinking, Tan Zheng also compiled basic anti-war teaching materials and formulated anti-war slogans.
According to the "Biography of Tan Zheng", "At the meeting of the General Political Department of the Central Military Commission in northern Shaanxi, a comrade's speech inspired Tan Zheng to formulate anti-Japanese slogans. Subsequently, it was formulated:
"The people of the whole country are united and united in defending North China, Northwest China, and all Of China!" The anti-Japanese slogan of the Eighth Route Army.
In order to motivate and educate the soldiers of the Eighth Route Army, Tan Zheng successively compiled textbooks such as "Anti-Japanese Emergency Mobilization Textbook", "New Soldier Textbook", and "Must Read for Eighth Route Army Soldiers". According to the description in the "Biography of Tan Zheng", the content of these textbooks mainly tells about the injustice of the war of aggression launched by Japanese imperialism and the great decision we made to resist Japan and save the country. Many heroic deeds and the great historical framework of our country for thousands of years have been publicized.
Tan Zheng also compiled political ideas into rules and regulations and distributed them to the whole army. After reading this, Chairman Mao praised it and said: "Tan Zheng, talk about politics!" ”
The problem of the soldiers' thinking was solved, but the Eighth Route Army was still difficult to distinguish from the people. Therefore, there was also a period of oolong.
According to the "Biography of Tan Zheng", "After the 115th Division fought the Battle of Pingxingguan, several cadres of the Eighth Route Army Headquarters wanted to go to the localities to mobilize the masses and organize anti-Japanese forces. But after arriving at the local area, the people still thought they were Kuomintang troops, and they were too frightened to hide at home and did not dare to go out. ”
At that time, in order to show that they were the Eighth Route, the soldiers were carrying buckets behind them, and when the people saw them, they understood that they were the team of the poor, the Eighth Route Army. Later, Shu Tong, a senior cadre of the Eighth Route Army and a great calligrapher, wrote with a brush on the top and bottom of the bucket."
Eight-way
"Two words. Solve the embarrassing problem that the people can't distinguish between the troops.
Since then, the word "Eight Roads" has been continuously updated, and finally marked on the clothes of the soldiers of the Eighth Route Army, even if they do not wear bucket hats, the people also know the word "Eight Roads".