TV dramas often artistically process history for the sake of plot tension and appeal to the audience, and the description of the Eighth Route Army is an example. Compared to the heroic, omnipotent image on the TV screen, the real Eighth Route Army has more flesh-and-blood heroes who face harsh realities than the scenes described in the script.
1. Hard anti-Japanese life
Many people may not know that the Eighth Route Army faced extreme material shortages during the War of Resistance. Not only are the weapons and equipment rudimentary, but daily necessities are also very scarce. Their shoes tend to be straw shoes and eat simple tortillas and wild vegetables rather than the hearty food shown in the TV series.
Illustration: There are many real historical records and diaries revealing that Eighth Route Army soldiers often ate weeds, bark, and even raw yellow eels to feed themselves under certain extreme conditions.
2. Heroism and sacrifice
Despite the harsh material conditions, the soldiers of the Eighth Route Army persisted in fighting the Japanese army to the end. They are not like in the TV series every time they can win big, but every sacrifice and effort is for the future of the country.
Example: In the Pingxingguan victory, although the Eighth Route Army was far inferior to the Japanese army in materials and equipment, they successfully blocked the enemy with wisdom and courage and paid huge personnel sacrifices.
3. Work deeply rooted in the hearts and minds of the people
The Eighth Route Army is not only soldiers on the battlefield, they are also friends of the peasants and soldiers of the people. TV dramas may show their glorious side, but more often than not, they are helping to relieve the people's worries and help rebuild their homes.
Example: Villagers in many places still remember today that it was the Eighth Route Army who taught them to farm and run schools, bringing back to life their homes destroyed by the war.
Conclusion:
The real Eighth Route Army is not the omnipotent superman in the drama, they are real heroes, facing a harsher reality than the TV series. We should remember their true deeds and not be misled by the script. They paved the way for us with their lives, a heroic deed unmatched by any drama.