In May 1945, the Teaching Brigade of the Northeast Anti-Japanese Federation was stationed in the Soviet Union, and the officers and soldiers found that their daily meals suddenly became abundant. Brown bread has become white bread, the amount of luncheon meat has increased considerably, and even cigarettes, butter and sugar, which have been available in limited quantities, have begun to be available in unlimited quantities. Faced with the doubts of the officers and soldiers, the Soviet instructor just said mysteriously: "This is the supply standard of the second-line troops of the Soviet Army during the war." What kind of war is coming? What does this sudden change in food portend? What role will the Northeast Anti-Japanese Federation Teaching Brigade play in this war?
The formation of the Teaching Brigade of the Northeast Anti-Japanese Federation
On September 18, 1931, the Japanese Kwantung Army launched the 918 Incident and occupied the three northeastern provinces in just a few months. In the face of the national crisis, patriots from all over the Northeast organized anti-Japanese armed forces to defend the country to the death.
Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, these anti-Japanese forces scattered throughout the Northeast gradually came together. In 1936, the CCP began to reorganize the Northeast Anti-Japanese Forces, and by October 1937, the Northeast People's Revolutionary Army and other anti-Japanese forces were reorganized into the 1st Army to the 11th Army of the Northeast Anti-Japanese Allied Army, which were unified under the leadership of the CCP.
The growth of the Northeast Anti-Japanese Federation attracted great attention from the Japanese army. They no longer sent a small number of security forces and puppet troops to deal with the Anti-Japanese Union, but mobilized the main force of the Kwantung Army to launch a large-scale encirclement and suppression. In the face of the huge disparity in the strength of the enemy and us, the Anti-Japanese Federation suffered heavy losses. By 1942, six of the eleven corps commanders had died in battle, two had defected to the enemy, and the remaining units had been forced to retreat into the Soviet Union.
Although the Anti-Japanese Union suffered heavy losses, their heroic deeds of bloody battles moved the Soviet Union. In 1942, the command of the Soviet Far Eastern Military District decided to take over the remnants of the Anti-Japanese Federation, integrate it into the Soviet army, and establish the "88th Independent Infantry Brigade of the Red Banner of the Soviet Far East", referred to as the "88th Brigade".
The 88th Brigade is headed by Zhou Baozhong, former commander of the Fifth Army of the Northeast Anti-Japanese Alliance, with four infantry battalions, a radio battalion, a mortar company and a teaching brigade, with a total of 1,500 people. The commander of the first battalion was the later North Korean leader Kim Il Sung.
At the beginning of its formation, the Soviet army had high hopes for the 88th Brigade. This unit is the essence of the Anti-Japanese Federation, and it not only has excellent military quality, but also has a firm will, loyalty and reliability. The many years of guerrilla warfare have forged their indomitable will and outstanding combat effectiveness.
The Soviet Army distributed advanced weapons and equipment to the 88th Brigade, including heavy machine guns, light machine guns, submachine guns and other modern weapons with powerful firepower, which far exceeded the equipment level of the Eighth Route Army, the New Fourth Army and even the Kuomintang Army at that time. The Soviet army also sent instructors to teach advanced military theories and combat skills, which greatly enhanced the combat effectiveness of this special unit.
In this way, an elite anti-Japanese force quietly took shape in the Soviet Far East. Although they have temporarily stayed away from the land of their motherland, they have never forgotten their mission - to fight back to the Northeast and liberate the whole of China. In a foreign land, they are ready to take on new battles.
Training life in the USSR
For the fighters of the Northeast Resistance Alliance, who had just retreated to the Soviet Union, everything here was completely new. They bid farewell to their comrades-in-arms who got along day and night in the mountains and forests of Northeast China, bid farewell to the eventful years of bullets and bullets, and began a special military career.
In the Soviet Union, the food, uniforms, weapons and equipment of the officers and men of the 88th Brigade were all provided by the Soviet army. At first, the fighters were a little uncomfortable. When they were in the Northeast, they slept in the open all year round, and it was common for them to be hungry. But here, being able to eat a kilogram of bread every day, as well as vegetables, meat, and even desserts, is an unprecedented "luxury".
The Soviet Union's treatment of the 88th Brigade was not only in terms of material supplies, but also in terms of military training. Even in the bitterly cold weather of minus thirty or forty degrees, the Soviet instructors required the soldiers to undergo high-intensity training. This is nothing for the battle-hardened anti-United Nations fighters, who have been honed in a difficult environment.
In the camp of the Soviet army, the fighters of the Anti-United Nations began to systematically learn modern combat theories and skills. Soviet instructors taught not only infantry tactics, but also the driving of cars, tanks, armored vehicles, and motorcycles, as well as special operations subjects such as radio communications, parachuting, map reading, demolition, and battlefield photography. The officers and men were enthusiastic about learning and mastered many skills in a short period of time.
Although they are in a foreign country, the soldiers of the Anti-United Nations have never forgotten their mission. They frequently crossed the border and infiltrated the northeast to attack Japanese military columns, railway stations, command posts and other targets, dealing heavy blows to the enemy. In each operation, they collected a large amount of information on the enemy's situation, which provided valuable first-hand information for the Soviet army to understand the situation of the Kwantung Army.
Soviet officers were full of praise for this particular Chinese unit. They not only praised the courage and tenacity of the officers and men of the Anti-Japanese Union, but also admired their noble quality of dedicating themselves to the cause of national liberation. A Soviet general once commented: "The soldiers of the 88th Brigade are real heroes, they are not afraid of strong enemies, they dare to fight, and they are an example for us to learn." I believe that with their participation, we will soon be able to defeat the Japanese fascists and liberate the invaded Chinese land. ＂
In this way, the training life in the Soviet Union continued day by day. With the dual blessing of material support and modern training, the 88th Brigade's combat effectiveness has improved by leaps and bounds. They were always ready, waiting for the clarion call for the final charge. For this group of Chinese soldiers, the days in the Soviet Union are unforgettable, but what haunts them even more is the fallen homeland. There is only one belief in their hearts: to fight back to the Northeast and liberate the whole of China!
The mystery of the sudden increase in food
In May 1945, the 88th Brigade stationed in the Soviet Union underwent an exciting change - the quality of food suddenly improved. Brown bread turned to white bread, portions of luncheon meat increased, and cigarettes, butter and sugar, which had always been available in limited quantities, began to be eaten casually. This change, while seemingly ordinary, was significant at the time.
It turned out that not so long ago, the Soviet-German war had ended, and the USSR had achieved a great victory. And in the Far East, the Soviet army was brewing a large-scale combat operation against Japan. The improvement of food standards is the embodiment of the wartime supply standards of the Soviet army. This shows that the Soviet Union is preparing to launch a general offensive against the Japanese Kwantung Army entrenched in northeastern China.
Hearing this, the 88th Brigade boiled up and down. Everyone understands that the Soviet army is fighting against Japan, and the Northeast Anti-Japanese Federation will inevitably play an important role. For many years, they were prepared for this day. Brigade commander Zhou Baozhong couldn't hold back the excitement in his heart, and immediately wrote a letter of request to Stalin, the supreme leader of the Soviet Union, begging the Soviet army to let the 88th Brigade serve as the vanguard of the offensive.
Stalin quickly granted Zhou's request. Immediately afterwards, the officers and men of the 88th Brigade began to be sent to various armies of the Soviet Army one after another as guides and special tasks. 160 people went to the 1st Soviet Front, 80 to the 2nd Front, and 100 to the 3rd Front. They shouldered the heavy task of leading the Soviet army deep into the hinterland of the northeast and cooperating with the Soviet army to annihilate the Japanese army.
Before the operation, the officers and men of the Anti-United Nations also risked their lives to secretly infiltrate various parts of the northeast to reconnoiter the defensive deployment of the Japanese army. They drew up detailed maps of the distribution of Japanese fortifications and firing points, and this information became an important basis for the Soviet army to formulate combat plans. From late July to early August alone, the 88th Brigade sent 280 soldiers to carry radio parachutes to Mudanjiang, Jiamusi, Harbin, Changchun, Shenyang and other areas to provide guidance for the Soviet Air Force to bomb Japanese targets.
These intelligence achievements have not come easily. Reconnaissance personnel need to approach the Japanese positions and record in detail the structure of the fortifications, the deployment of troops, the deployment of firepower, etc., and the slightest mistake may be discovered by the enemy. However, with excellent military qualities and a fearless spirit of sacrifice, they still completed their task. Before the Soviet army launched an offensive on August 9, the combat map in the hands of the Soviet generals clearly marked all the key nodes of the Japanese defense, which were exchanged for the lives and blood of the soldiers of the Anti-United Nations.
Behind the changes in food is a great war that is coming, and it is the dawn of liberation that the Chinese people are looking forward to. For the officers and men of the 88th Brigade, it is their lifelong wish to be able to participate in this war and fight side by side until the final victory. At this critical moment, they were ready to fight a new battle, vowing to drive the Japanese out of the northeast and usher in the dawn of new China.
Cooperate with the Soviet army to liberate the Northeast
On August 9, 1945, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan. The Soviet Red Army launched an all-out attack on the Japanese Kwantung Army from the east, north, and west of the northeast, with a total strength of 1.6 million troops. And the officers and men of the 88th Brigade have long been ready and began their last battle.
Before the Soviet offensive, 280 fighters of the 88th Brigade had secretly infiltrated various important cities in the northeast and parachuted into the heart of the enemy. Their task was to guide bombing targets for the Soviet Air Force, striking at important military installations of the Japanese army. These targets were all reconnoitred by them in advance, and they had detailed information.
When the Soviet planes roared and the anti-United Nations fighters radioed back the coordinates of the target, in an instant, the Japanese arsenal, command post, and pillbox were blown to pieces, and a large area of fire illuminated the night sky in the northeast. The Japanese army was caught off guard and plunged into chaos.
The Soviet ground forces took advantage of the victory to pursue and advanced to the major cities in the northeast with a thunderous momentum. The soldiers of the 88th Brigade served as the lead, leading the Soviet troops to bypass the heavy Japanese defenses and go straight to the heart of the enemy. They are familiar with every inch of land in the Northeast, where there are swamps, where there are mountain roads, where there are Japanese fortifications, and they know it all.
With the cooperation of the 88th Brigade, the Soviet troops were like a sharp sword, plunged into the heart of the enemy. On 12 August, the Soviet army conquered the Mudanjiang River; on the 15th, Jiamusi and Hailar were conquered one after another; on the 19th, Harbin was recovered; on the 20th, Changchun was liberated; and on the 24th, Shenyang and Dalian were liberated one after another. In just half a month, most of the important cities in Northeast China have seen the light of day.
And in every liberated city, the officers and men of the 88th Brigade played an important role. They either directly participated in the battle and charged into battle, or led the way for the Soviet army and opened a breakthrough for the attack, or cut off the enemy's retreat and cooperated with the Soviet army to encircle and annihilate the Japanese army. From Mudanjiang to Shenyang, the 88th Brigade participated in the battle to conquer 57 major cities, and made great contributions to the liberation of Northeast China.
The liberation of Northeast China was an important symbol of China's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. It not only ended the 14-year miserable life of the people in Northeast China, but also opened the door for the revolutionary forces led by the Communist Party of China to enter Northeast China. Under the cover of the 88th Brigade, a large number of troops of the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army were stationed in the northeast, and soon joined up with the local anti-union forces to establish the Northeast Democratic Alliance Army, laying a solid foundation for the founding of New China.
For the officers and men of the 88th Brigade, this was a hearty victory. For many years, they have left their homes and fought bloody battles for this day. When the five-star red flag flutters high in the sky above the northeast and when the dawn of liberation shines on the faces of the people in the northeast, all their sacrifices and efforts will be rewarded in the best way.
end
It all started with the meal that changed its taste in May 1945. That was the turning point of history, the dawn of victory, and the starting point for the liberation of the Chinese people. It is a generous and tragic heroic hymn composed by the officers and men of the 88th Brigade with their lives and blood.