The New Fourth Army was an important force during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
It is not mentioned as often as other divisions, but within the troops, everyone knows that it is rich.
There is a saying circulating in the New Fourth Army:
"Rich Seventh Division, A Whole Army".
What does this mean?
That is to say, the money handed over by the Seventh Division can feed the entire New Fourth Army.
It's not easy.
Small place, big achievement
In 1941, a serious battle took place in southern Anhui.
The New Fourth Army suffered heavy losses.
At this time, the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China ordered the rebuilding of the military headquarters of the New Fourth Army and appointed Comrade Chen Yi as the acting commander of the New Fourth Army.
In the process of reconstruction,
At that time, it could be said to be the weakest of the seven divisions of the New Fourth Army.
The other divisions had at least three brigades of strength and were strong.
But what about the Seventh Division?
This was really not a big force in the New Fourth Army at that time.
The range of activities of the Seventh Division was also limited.
The Japanese and Kuomintang troops squeezed them into a small area.
Mainly, it is in the eastern part of Chaonan Mountain and Wuwei County.
Think about it, how much can such a small place do?
However, it is such a weak army.
As long as there is sunshine and rain, it can thrive.
The revolutionary cause is not achieved overnight, but requires efforts step by step.
The land of fish and rice, the military and civilian family
In this small land, the soldiers of the 7th Division began an arduous struggle.
Although the scope of the Seventh Division of the New Fourth Army is not large, it has taken deep roots in the Wanjiang region.
Wanjiang, a place reminiscent of the land of fish and rice.
The land here is fertile and the rivers are crisscrossed.
It is this rich land that provides the foundation for the survival and development of the Seventh Division of the New Fourth Army.
Walk into the village of Wanjiang.
You will find that the people here have a special trust in the New Fourth Army.
This trust is not built overnight.
Under the old locust tree at the entrance of the village, you can often see the soldiers of the New Fourth Army and the villagers sitting together to do family work.
They speak the same dialect and eat the same hometown food, just like a family.
This kind of intimate relationship is the foundation of the New Fourth Army's foothold on this land.
While resisting Japan, they also led the masses to develop production.
Gradually, the idea of "one family of the military and the people" really took root in this land.
Raise the army with business, and hide troops in the city
From 2,000 to 4,000 people, the ranks of the 7th Division of the New Fourth Army doubled in one year.
It's not a simple digital growth.
Rather, flesh-and-blood fighters joined the anti-Japanese team.
Behind these figures is the trust and support of hundreds of ordinary people against the Japanese forces.
However, the growth of the military also brings new challenges.
Weapons and equipment can't keep up, and sometimes even a full meal becomes a luxury.
The soldiers trained hungry, but they never wavered in their determination to resist Japan.
To solve this dilemma.
In 1942, Cai Hui came to the Wanjiang Military Region and immediately established the Wanjiang Trade Bureau.
He personally served as the director.
The General Directorate of Trade manages all aspects of the 7th Division of the New Fourth Army:
The Wanjiang Trade Administration is like a small economic management department.
It has to manage the local economy and ensure the army's material supply and financial revenue.
At the bazaar of the Wanjiang River.
You may see some ordinary businessmen, but they may be fighters or supporters of the New Fourth Army.
While doing business, they secretly raised materials for the anti-Japanese cause.
This strategy of "hiding troops in the city" made it difficult for the Japanese puppet army to detect.
In small workshops by the river, workers work day and night to produce military supplies.
in the field,
The entire Wanjiang region seems to be a huge "logistics department", silently supporting the development of anti-Japanese forces.
This model of development of the Seventh Division of the New Fourth Army.
It has given full play to the CPC's idea of "relying on the masses and mobilizing the masses."
They not only fought the Japanese puppet army militarily, but also opened up a new world in the economic field.
Tangjiagou
Tangjiagou is a small place, but it has become an important port of the Seventh Division of the New Fourth Army.
It's not a big place, but it's well located.
Cai Hui took a fancy to this place and asked Zeng Xisheng to send a lot of troops to protect it.
With the army guarding it, this place is much safer.
It didn't take long for Tangjiagou to be lively.
There are more and more people doing business.
Every day, thousands of catties of goods come in and out here.
Cai Hui is not idle,
What these companies produce, they sell to the places occupied by the enemy.
It's one thing to sell something, it's another thing to buy something.
Cai Hui bought it back from the enemy-occupied area, but it was all some baby bumps:
These things are all used in wars.
Some were even transported to Yan'an.
Although Tangjiagou is small, the things that can be done are not small.
It was like a big warehouse for the revolutionary ranks, sending a steady stream of what needed to the front.
Rich Seventh Division, A whole army
The Seventh Division of the New Fourth Army is not an ordinary unit.
When it comes to money bags, they're really bulging.
The officers and men of the Seventh Division are really living a good life.
Of all the units of the New Fourth Army and the Eighth Route Army, their military spending was the most sufficient.
Other troops may still be gnawing on the nest.
They ate rice all at once.
Not only did I eat well, but I also took care of the odd expenses in life.
This was a rarity at the time.
Look at other troops, it's good to have cigarettes to smoke, how dare you think of toothpaste.
In 1945, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was finally won.
Thirty thousand regular troops, these are well-trained fighters.
Besides
This team, not only in large numbers, but also controls a considerable area.
So many places, so many people, are the objects that the Seventh Division wants to protect.
In 1947, when the Seventh Division was about to be dismantled, the assets under their management reached a staggering number:
One hundred million.
That's not a small amount.
You must know that in those days, one or two taels of gold could cover the income of several ordinary people for a year.
It represents the hard work of the Seventh Division over the years.
They fought valiantly not only on the battlefield, but also in peacetime.
They develop production, manage the locality, and work for the welfare of the common people.
Although the Seventh Division was eventually dismantled, they left behind more than just these material possessions.
What's more, they left behind valuable experiences:
How to develop and grow in a difficult environment, and how to handle a good relationship with the people of one side during the war years.