During the Anti-Japanese War, the Eighth Route Army was known for its "millet plus rifles", and they bravely fought against the invaders in a difficult environment with rudimentary equipment. In the Jin-Cha-Ji base area, there was a well-equipped unit known as the "Super Guard Company", and their equipment and combat effectiveness were among the best at that time! How strong is this force?
In the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei border area, there is such a special unit of the First Independent Division of the Eighth Route Army, which is different from the conventional anti-Japanese forces, because they hold not only rifles but also heavy firepower weapons in their hands. This team, known as the "Super Guard Company", was equipped with 12 light machine guns and 4 grenadiers, which was the elite of the elite in the Eighth Route Army at that time.
Behind the establishment of this unit is the careful consideration of the Communist Party of China. When Japan invaded China in 1937, the Eighth Route Army insisted on resisting the war behind enemy lines, but the overall equipment situation was quite backward. In the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Military Region, this special guard company is well-equipped and has become a rare "secret weapon." This is not only because of the weapons they have, but also because of the careful selection of their personnel, each member is an elite selected from the troops, the squad leader is mostly an experienced soldier, and the platoon commander is selected from the backbone of each regiment.
Instructor Xu Xin, only 20 years old, born in Lingshou, Hebei, he joined the army with four young people in the village, in order not to forget the original intention, the five of them were renamed benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, and faith, Xu Xin is the youngest among them. The young instructor performed well in the army, and after only two months, he was absorbed by the party organization and began to take up important positions such as instructor.
From 1937 to 1941, Xu Xin and his guard company performed many miraculous feats on the battlefield of resistance against Japan. In the autumn of 1941, the Japanese army began a frantic "sweep" of the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei border area, and their goal was to completely destroy this anti-Japanese base area. In the face of the Japanese army's iron wall, the guard company played a key role. They were not only responsible for reconnoitring the enemy on the front line, but also protecting the safety of large forces during retreat, truly "walking in the front when exploring the road and staying last when transferring."
During an encounter with the Japanese army, the guard company led by Xu Xin discovered the enemy's traces. In the face of the possible strength of a brigade of Japanese troops, Xu Xin and his team were undaunted, and quickly dealt a heavy blow to the Japanese army by using a fire network composed of grenadiers and machine guns. The Japanese originally thought that they would easily sweep the area, but they did not expect to be met with such fierce resistance from this small guard company. This battle not only greatly defeated the morale of the Japanese army, but also won valuable time for the other units in the base area to retreat and regroup.
In addition to this battle, Xu Xin and his guard company also carried out similar combat missions many times, and each time they were able to stand out from many comrades-in-arms and show extraordinary combat effectiveness. Whether it is reconnaissance behind enemy lines or launching a surprise attack, Xu Xin can always lead his team members to complete the task accurately, winning unanimous praise from superiors and comrades.
And the combat effectiveness of this guard company is not only reflected in their weapons and equipment. More importantly, each member of the team has undergone rigorous political and military training, and they are not only skilled fighters, but also staunch communists or youth league members. This firm belief allowed them to show extraordinary courage and wisdom on the battlefield.
The story of the Super Guard Company is not only a rain of bullets, they also took on a lot of tasks to protect the local government and the leadership of the party. At the most difficult times of the war, they were the personal bodyguards of the leaders, ensuring the safe conduct of many important meetings and events. It can be said that without their silent dedication and sacrifice, many important strategic arrangements for the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression could not have been smoothly implemented.
Such a team is undoubtedly the embodiment of heroes today. But in that war-torn era, they were more of an unknown fighter. They don't have a gorgeous stage, they don't have glamorous commendations, and some are just loneliness and persistence in the deep mountains and old forests. And it is this persistence that has created a legendary story of the Anti-Japanese War, and also given our successors the opportunity to draw strength from the long river of history.
Xu Xin, a young instructor, was not widely praised for his deeds in the post-war years, but in the eyes of those who knew it, he and his guard company represented the brightest stars of that era. Although their names may not be well known to most people, their sacrifices and courage form a solid foundation for the history of our national struggle. It is precisely with such a contingent that is not afraid of sacrifice and dares to fight hard that our War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression can finally achieve victory.
The story of this "super guard company" has left a profound inspiration for us. In that turbulent era, it was these ordinary and extraordinary soldiers who used their flesh and blood to build the Great Wall of Steel to resist the invaders. They are well-equipped, but more importantly they have an unwavering heart.