Regarding the use of cotton-padded clothes, some cadres disagreed, including Li Changfu.
Li Changfu responded to the headquarters like this: "Chief, if I didn't ask you for this before, when our army was still a hundred battle regiments, if there were combat missions in winter, we would run a few laps or march in a hurry. But now we
It has been transformed into a mechanized force. Everyone is sitting on a half-track vehicle, and the half-track vehicle is still uncovered. When it starts to drive, the wind is "whooshing" into the neck. It is fast, and it is unbearable.
No way!"
Then Li Changfu added: "Commander, we don't ask for more. One thousand sets, we can give them to comrades with missions..."
The leader pushed back without thinking: "A thousand sets of cotton-padded clothes, do you know what a thousand sets of cotton-padded clothes mean to the refugees? That's a thousand lives! Li Changfu, even if I agree to approve these cotton-padded clothes, you still have your subordinates
Are you able to wear them? Other troops even donated cotton-padded clothes, so good for you! You came here to ask for cotton-padded clothes!"
When the chief said this, Li Changfu did not dare to speak anymore.
But Li Changfu was dissatisfied, because he felt that if the problem of cotton-padded clothes affected the combat effectiveness of the troops and led to the loss of Yuncheng, wouldn't it ultimately affect the lives and safety of the refugees?
Therefore, isn’t giving cotton-padded clothes to mechanized troops a consideration for the lives of refugees and even ordinary people?
But this cannot be said.
The Eighth Route Army is positioned as a people's army, an army that serves the people and the country.
Therefore, whenever possible, the Eighth Route Army should put the interests of the people first.
This is not a simple matter of combat effectiveness calculation.
If we simply count combat effectiveness... we must give priority to supplying all cotton-padded clothes to the troops. Only when the soldiers do not starve and freeze can they fight better on the battlefield.
Or on the battlefield, if the Eighth Route Army soldiers are calculated based on their combat effectiveness, they should not save civilians: if a well-trained soldier saves civilians who have no combat effectiveness and no combat experience, of course his combat effectiveness will be subtracted.
However, from a strategic perspective, the Eighth Route Army must do this.
Because this is the purpose and mission of the Eighth Route Army, and it is also the meaning of the Eighth Route Army’s existence.
To put it simply, if the Eighth Route Army does not do this, that is, it prioritizes troops instead of civilians in the name of "combat effectiveness," then what is the difference between the Eighth Route Army and the stubborn army?
Aren’t the stubborn troops using the war of resistance as an excuse to exploit the people in various ways?
If the Eighth Route Army does the same thing, it won't take long before the Eighth Route Army loses the support of the people because its overall image is damaged... This is the most fatal thing.
On the contrary, if the Eighth Route Army keeps its word and would rather stay cold and hungry than give priority to ensuring the food and clothing of the refugees, the refugees will see it in their eyes and take it into their hearts, and so will the people.
Therefore, even if some soldiers do freeze to death and starve to death, tens of thousands of people will enthusiastically join this army and stand with the Eighth Route Army.
As a result, the combat effectiveness has not been weakened but has been doubled. Moreover, the Eighth Route Army units will receive support from the people no matter where they go. The combat effectiveness they can exert during combat can be said to be immeasurable.
This is the foundation of the Eighth Route Army and the reason why the Eighth Route Army was able to ultimately win.
Therefore, what the chief did was right.
Wang Xuexin had no objections, and Li Yunlong had no objections either.
However, Li Yunlong had no objection because the Independent Regiment had no shortage of cotton-padded clothes at all... The Independent Regiment had several looms of its own. These looms ensured the survival of the Independent Regiment while still generating a surplus, so Li Yunlong first took away the soldiers' cotton-padded clothes.
It's prepared.
The commander knew this, and so did the other troops, but they had nothing to say.
Because this is just like what Li Yunlong said: "Hey, let's call it 'do it yourself to have enough food and clothing'. I don't care if you farm and run mule and horse shops to make a fortune, and I'm not jealous either! Don't be jealous of me when I'm making cotton-padded clothes, we'll do it
Can people in cotton-padded clothes freeze themselves? Isn’t that a joke!”
When everyone heard this, they thought it made sense. It was agreed that each army would take care of itself, run mule and horse shops, and sell salt. No one had ever seen anyone hand over or distribute the extra money they earned to other armies! This time
Why do you ask the Independent Group to hand over the cotton-padded clothes?
Then the First Air Force and the Second Air Force also benefited from this.
Li Yunlong sent someone to give each of the pilots of the two units a set of cotton-padded clothes.
Li Yunlong also said very domineeringly: "These two aviation teams are both organized under our independent regiment, and I treat them equally!"
In fact, Li Yunlong was thinking that there would be places that would need aviation teams in the future.
What does a cotton coat mean?
The aviation team can just take care of it in the sky, and our independent group will make a profit!
Wang Xuexin received two cotton-padded clothes... Li Yunlong also publicly said this: "Don't say that I, Old Li, treat me differently. You have to think about it, who made the loom for our regiment? If there was no Xiaobei,
You all have to be cold and hungry, so this is what I say, Xiao Dongbei, if you are not convinced, just come to me!"
So Wang Xuexin had three cotton-padded clothes in his hands: one was a gift from Zhang Wanhe. Although it was in tatters and had several patches sewn on, Wang Xuexin still couldn't bear to throw it away.
It is not easy to own a cotton coat these days. How can you throw it away like this?
After receiving two sets of cotton-padded clothes, Wang Xuexin donated them without thinking... This was not Wang Xuexin's kindness, but the disparity in importance: the two cotton-padded clothes were just spares for him, but for the refugees
But it's probably two lives.
Just like what the chief said, at this point, even if he could stay, he wouldn't be able to stay with peace of mind.
The same is true for the pilots and staff at the airport, and even the bear pilots have donated their extra cotton-padded clothes.
When Captain Vladelov, the flight advisor, saw this scene, he said to Wang Xuexin with emotion: "Comrade Battalion Commander, I envy you very much!"
"Envy us?" Wang Xuexin asked strangely: "What do you envy us for?"
Although Mao Xiong is somewhat defeated in many aspects at this time, it is an indisputable fact that the third largest country in the world (the first sun does not set is no longer worthy of the name, but it is still number one after all). Its military strength, technology, industry, etc.
All are much stronger than China.
This should be because Wang Xuexin is envious of Mao Xiong.
But now, Vladelov is envious of China.
Captain Vladelov raised his head towards the soldiers who were donating cotton-padded clothes and said: "I envy you. You are spontaneous and without any compulsion. But we...you know!"
Then Captain Vladelov did not dare to say any more.
Wang Xuexin understood this, and Mao Xiong had gone too far in this regard.
It is precisely because of this that talents like Alexei fell into the hands of Wang Xuexin.