On the march late at night, Yang Chengwu, the anti-Japanese general, was patrolling, and saw a soldier urinating on the side of the road, with a strange posture, and immediately ordered: Withdraw quickly, don't fall into the ambush of the Japanese army!
In North China in 1939, in the high-pressure environment of the War of Resistance Against Japan, there was a fierce competition between the Japanese army and the heroic sons and daughters of the Chinese nation. The Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region, as an important base of the Anti-Japanese War, was always facing severe challenges from the Japanese army. In the late autumn of that year, the Japanese army planned a large-scale sweeping operation in order to weaken the strength of the Eighth Route Army.
In the face of this pressure, the Eighth Route Army mobilized elite troops and strong generals to prepare for the necessary defense and counterattack. In this, General Yang Chengwu played a key role. He was not only an experienced military commander, but also a keen tactician with a high level of insight into enemy situations.
During an ordinary night patrol. General Yang Chengwu led his troops along the hidden path of the Taihang Mountains, and their task was to patrol and check the surrounding area for enemy activity. However, on this seemingly peaceful night, the small movements of a soldier aroused Yang Chengwu's alarm. The soldier stood on the side of the road, urinating in an unusual posture, as if he was constantly looking left and right. In the eyes of ordinary people, this may be just an ordinary behavior, but in Yang Chengwu's eyes, this is an unusual warning.
Yang Chengwu's intuition told him that this might be a trap for the Japanese army. He immediately ordered his troops to retreat and closely observed their surroundings during the retreat. Sure enough, shortly after they retreated, they discovered the Japanese ambush. It seems that the Japanese are planning to use the regular patrol routes of the Eighth Route Army to set up an ambush in an attempt to eliminate this force of the Eighth Route Army in one fell swoop.
On that gloomy night, General Yang Chengwu and his troops were hiding in the dense forests in the hinterland of Taihang Mountain, and in the dark night, only starlight was mottled on the rugged mountain road. Their original plan was to march along a path to the assembly site for strategic deployment the next day. However, due to the soldier's abnormal behavior, Yang Chengwu's alarm was aroused, and the entire plan of action took a sharp turn for the worse.
At the moment of decision-making, Yang Chengwu's heart was extremely heavy. He clearly knew that once he was ambushed and trapped by the enemy, the entire army would be in danger of being completely annihilated. His determination and experience played a crucial role at this critical juncture. He quickly gave the order to adjust the course of travel, and this order must be executed with the fastest speed and the greatest efficiency, because time is of the essence.
Troops began to move rapidly to the pre-set emergency routes. The route passes through more secluded forests and cliffs, and although the speed of travel is somewhat compromised, it greatly increases safety. Under the cover of night and dense woods, the soldiers moved cautiously, barely making a sound. Nervousness and alertness were written on each of their faces, and every step was careful to avoid drawing any possible attention.
General Yang Chengwu personally led the team, and he stopped from time to time to observe the movements around him, and arranged for scouts to go to investigate possible dangers. During the march, the scouts reported that they had spotted signs of enemy troops, which further validated Yang's previous judgment that the Japanese had indeed set up an ambush on their originally planned route. After learning this news, the tension in Yang Chengwu's heart eased slightly, because his timely decision had helped the troops escape the catastrophe.
While ensuring safety, Yang Chengwu did not forget to report this change and his response measures to his superiors. He sent a messenger with a detailed report on the battlefield situation and the movements of the enemy forces to quickly return to the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University through a hidden mountain road. This report is an extremely important reference for high-level decision-making, because it not only reflects the activities of the enemy army, but also demonstrates the ability of the Eighth Route Army to flexibly respond to complex battlefield environments.
After returning to the safe area, Yang Chengwu organized the troops to take a brief rest. During this operation, everyone experienced the importance of information on the battlefield and the power of efficient decision-making. Yang Chengwu also took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of discipline and vigilance, knowing that this war is far from over, and they must always be ready to meet more challenges.
A few days later, the top brass of the Eighth Route Army, who had gained experience from this march, reassessed the enemy situation in the surrounding area and adjusted their strategic layout. They decided to increase the density of night patrols, while at the same time improving the methods of reconnaissance and information gathering in order to ensure timely detection and response to any attempts by enemy troops.
Yang Chengwu's wise decision not only protected his troops from losses, but also added a guarantee to the safety of the anti-Japanese base areas. This incident eventually became a good story among the troops, and became a model for the brave outwitting of soldiers in the face of difficulties. Although this late-night march was full of crises and challenges, it also significantly improved the adaptability and coordination of the Eighth Route Army on the complex battlefield, and accumulated valuable experience for the subsequent battles.
From the Xibaipo Memorial Hall ed. Memories of Xibaipo Vol.7[M]. 2020
