Although Yang Mingzhi was aware of the final outcome of this war, various experts after the war concluded that the defeat of the Axis powers was inevitable, whether from an economic perspective, industrial production capacity of the participating countries, technological level, or military strength.
But in August 1944, the war situation in the southern Soviet Union was very bad, and the US military had not yet gained the strategic initiative in the Pacific.
If someone said that the war would be completely over in 1945, no one would believe it now.
For Yang Mingzhi, he can only consider the three-thirds of an acre of Pripet Swamp at the moment, and his broader stage has not yet been established.
As for the ordinary people involved in the world war, victory in the war is really far away!
Being able to have a small piece of peaceful land amidst the war and being able to continue living is the greatest luck.
For soldiers, it is an unshirkable obligation to join the Patriotic War.
Stalin once said on the radio: "We must train the most timid cowards into the bravest warriors."
The veterans have long been mentally prepared to sacrifice everything. The newly recruited militiamen have to train a large group of middle-aged and young women into soldiers who dare to fight and kill. It is really a long process!
Natasha has had a long vacation. She doesn't know when she will be able to leave the hospital. Due to the sore joints all over her body, she doesn't even think about touching a gun.
Kharkov became stronger, the youth battalion expanded to 500 men, Nina and Shura became officers, and there was also younger brother Kostya. This child obviously gained a lot of weight.
After a brutal war in which tens of thousands of old comrades died, the Guerrilla Republic ushered in tens of thousands of newcomers.
The troops even reached a campaign-level joint operation with large guerrillas in western Ukraine and the Soviet Bryansk region. Natasha could understand with a little thought that after this battle, the Guerrilla Republic had grown strategically.
!
"There will definitely be no war in the future. We will recharge our batteries. When winter comes, we can catch the enemy by surprise! By then, the commander will definitely allow me to participate in the war again! I will definitely destroy the 500th enemy!"
She really dreams of making new achievements again. The admired sister Pavlyuchenko is already a thing of the past. She is the most combative woman in the entire league. Obviously, as long as she works hard, she can surpass that Simon Haye.
Become the strongest sniper in the world.
Whether Natasha's long-cherished wish will come true, Natasha doesn't know. The only thing she knows clearly is her physical condition. In her current condition, going to war is really asking for death. Sacrifice? Bah! I want to destroy five hundred enemies, and I want to stand.
Waving a red flag on that building in Berlin!
For Natasha, August 10th is really a day of rest, but for others, life is still hard.
The more than 5,000 civilians brought by Kovpak only spent the night in the settlements on the right bank. After dawn, they had to walk to Catfish Village to wait for further arrangements.
In the same way, thousands of soldiers also had to return to their military camps. As for the officers and soldiers of the Kovpak Corps, they were ordered to walk to the Blacksmith Village to wait for further rest orders.
Early in the morning, three jeeps parked in the settlement on the right bank. The driver was ordered by the headquarters to pick up Kovpak and his brigade captains and report to the Blacksmith Village first.
"What a great day!"
After sleeping for a night, Kovpak felt much more comfortable. He saw that a large number of civilians had begun to carry their luggage and formed a long queue, passing through the crescent-shaped pontoon on Pripet.
Perhaps because the responding troops disliked people's wastage in crossing the river, there were some kayaks floating on the river to transport civilians across the river.
You have to rush to the headquarters of the Guerrilla Republic early in the morning, which is said to be a place called Blacksmith Village?
Cove Park has never been there, but it should be a geomantic treasure.
The jeep drove him through the winding dirt road. Walking next to the car were a large number of civilians and soldiers. Everyone had eaten a lot of potatoes, mushrooms and fresh fish soup early in the morning. He could see that everyone
His steps were sonorous and his face was filled with happiness. In the guerrilla zone in the Bryansk Forest, he could not see such faces among his own people. What he could see were the pain of thousands of people losing their homes and the pain of losing their homes.
Hatred of enemies and traitors.
He knew that the responding troops, especially the group of grassroots political commissars dispatched, promised the civilians a lot about a bright future with a stable life.
"If this place is really so stable, I will stay here for a while. After recharging my energy, I will need a large amount of supplies to evacuate."
The battle will never end until the war is won.
After completing this long battle, Kovpak won an unprecedented victory, but also suffered a real hemorrhage. He will eventually return to the forest in northeastern Ukraine and continue his guerrilla warfare career.
It's time to plan for the future.
He was no longer in the mood to look at the surrounding scenery, and was thinking of getting to the headquarters and asking General Berekov for some treasures.
Well, at least the powerful rocket launcher must have ten or eight rockets!
Soon, the vehicle arrived at a village that was bustling with people. Under the forest, there were wooden houses everywhere, big and small. The roads in the forest were crisscrossed, and there was an endless stream of people coming and going.
"Comrade driver, is this the blacksmith village?"
"No! Sir, this is Catfish Village. Many sick and wounded were sent here yesterday, and the serious patients were sent to Blacksmith Village to the east. I think we still have twelve kilometers to drive."
"Well, I never thought your base area would be so vast."
But Catfish Village alone is what blows Cove Park away!
He looked left and right and clearly saw that some buildings were actually made of stones, and some seemed to be covered with cement. Isn't this a swamp? Isn't there mud everywhere? Where do so many building materials come from?
Haha, he simply didn't know that the Guerrilla Republic had small brick-making workshops and cement factories.
Soon, Kovpak made an even more shocking discovery. He picked his ears and clearly heard the sound of a train whistle.
"Comrade, I know you have trains here and have laid railroad tracks. What do you usually transport by train?"
"Well... it's probably sulfur ore and fertilizer. There is a sulfur mine south of Catfish Village, which you may know. We also built a small fertilizer factory there. It is because of this factory that we can produce it on a large scale.
It is a raw material for weapons and can ensure high potato yields."
"This...is this true?"
"Of course! All of this was built under the orders of our commander." The driver's words of praise became more and more frequent, and the whole article was full of praise for Yang Mingzhi.
Kovpak fell into silence. He didn't understand that the swamp should have been completely destitute, and a Chinese from the east became the cause of change.
It may not only be the commander's personal merit, especially when Kovpak learned that the fertilizer plant actually has two functions: producing fertilizers and producing explosives.
Soviet biologist Lysenko persuaded Stalin and Beria that before the outbreak of the war, the Soviet Union stepped up the construction of many fertilizer plants. The reason for the construction was the multiple utilization of ammonium nitrate.
He knew that the Guerrilla Republic was using chemical fertilizers and TNT obtained from various channels to make the powerful Amato. It was said that this was a masterpiece created by Commander Berekov and the chemistry professor he had never met before? No! I’m afraid that professor was too
Referring to some of Comrade Lysenko's theories, even that professor is a supporter of the Lysenko school?
Maybe that's not the case. That Belekov has real talent and knowledge, and he is a rare talent in any country.
Since that person had such ability, why didn't he build his own country? Instead, he traveled 10,000 kilometers to help the Soviet Union fight the Patriotic War? He even became a Soviet citizen? Could it be that he was simply promoting the spirit of internationalism?
Thinking of this, Kovpak thought he understood better what kind of person Commander Berekov was, but now he is even more confused.
Unknowingly, the driver reminded him that the blacksmith village had arrived.
"Ah! Is it finally here?"
"After passing this outpost, we will enter the blacksmith village."
Today's Blacksmith Village has as many as 50,000 soldiers and civilians living here or living there as guests! The troops of the Red October and Gypsy Brigades were allocated a piece of land, and the soldiers set up a large number of simple wooden sheds as temporary barracks.
Due to the loss of a large number of soldiers, the barracks inherent in Blacksmith Village were largely empty. The surviving soldiers sadly sorted out the belongings of their fallen comrades, keeping some for themselves and giving some to the organization. Yang Mingzhi's attitude towards civilians can be called the entire guerrilla republic.
The best, after all, the "people's soldiers' thinking" has formed its three views. Isn't it natural for the military to give priority to civilians?
Of course Salinchkin praised Yang Mingzhi's decision very much, so he temporarily housed tens of thousands of civilians in vacant barracks.
Turning military camps into civilian residences is a temporary measure. In the future, a large number of new settlements will be established in the swamp until more than 30,000 newly arrived civilians can live comfortably.
Regarding the arrangements for civilians, the rest and recuperation of soldiers, as well as new large-scale civil engineering and settlement construction, this is exactly what Yang Mingzhi and others will start discussing on the morning of August 10th.
This type of problem is the most difficult one at present. Yang Mingzhi decided to hold a meeting. He didn't know how quickly he could work out a solution, but the efficiency must be fast. If some results can be discussed this morning, implementation should begin in the afternoon!
There were many people attending this meeting.
Sarinchkin (Second Secretary of the Supreme Soviet of the Partisan Republic, First Secretary was temporarily appointed by Ponomarenko)
Lyudbalev (Legal Governor of Gomel Region)
Yang Mingzhi (Lieutenant General Commander of the 6th Group Army)
Yevlov (Deputy Commander of the 6th Army Major General)
Fuming (Political Commissar of the 6th Army)
Boumazhkov (Captain of the Red October Brigade)
Pavlovsky (Vice Captain of the Red October Brigade)
Karmanov (Captain of the Gypsy Brigade)
Kovpak (Commander of the Corps)
Rudnev (political commissar of the Corps)
Bobosky (First Secretary of the Catfish Village Soviet)
Warmansky (First Secretary of the Black Earth Village Soviet)
Kavitsky (First Secretary of the Blacksmith Soviet)
The above thirteen people are the main leaders of the current military and civilian leaders of the Guerrilla Republic.
Yang Mingzhi had not prepared much for this meeting, and of course there were not many issues that needed to be resolved. The problems facing the Guerrilla Republic were diverse, and the biggest problem at the moment was personnel placement.
Those who should come gathered in the large office of the headquarters. The environment here was also slightly decorated. For example, the map that had been laid out on the large table that had been put together for a long time had been replaced by a pile of water tanks.
Yang Mingzhi was the person with the highest military rank and the organizer of the meeting. He sat in the host's seat, sitting upright with Chinese solemnity and wearing all the medals of honor neatly in accordance with the regulations of the Soviet army.
A huge map of the region hangs on the wall behind him. Above the map is a sketch of Marxism-Leninism. The flag of the 84th Guards Division, which was riddled with holes in the war, hangs on the wooden wall on the right.
They arrived one after another, and Yang Mingzhi was already very familiar with the faces of these people.
Especially Kofpak, this old man's old face is really full of surprise.
"Berekov! I came to your blacksmith village. It's incredible that you actually built a city."
He held his hand and kneaded it hard. Yang Mingzhi quickly responded: "The city is big and has many problems. Come, let me introduce this comrade to you..."
Yang Mingzhi introduced Salinchkin, and the identity of Commissioner Stalin immediately aroused Kovpak's awe.
In any case, Belekov came from China, and Salinchkin was a close associate of the leader.
Kovpak immediately saluted and then reported on his pre-war work duties.
Before the war broke out, both of them were engaged in political work. Yang Mingzhi did not interrupt these two people and continued to greet other people who arrived.
Everyone arrived at 9:30 in the morning. Looking at the clock, it was time for the meeting to start.
Soon, the entire office fell silent. Twelve people were sitting upright, with their eyes wide open, waiting for Yang Mingzhi, who was standing with a manuscript in his hand, to speak.
"Everyone, you have been fighting on various fronts for a long time. I have only one purpose in calling you here today, which is to solve our immediate priorities. We are now facing a greater test, what is it? It is about the vast number of soldiers and civilians.
placement issues.”
At the beginning, Yang Mingzhi just said some nonsense and summarized the current issues of military and civilian resettlement.
He came to a simple conclusion: "Including the more than 10,000 people brought by Comrade Kovpak who returned, the total number of soldiers and civilians in the areas controlled by the Guerrilla Republic currently exceeds 80,000. On June 20, our army launched a military operation
At that time, the army and civilians only exceeded 60,000. After a big battle, we actually increased by 20,000. Therefore, we must build a large number of buildings, and at the same time, we must build new settlements. Now I want to hear your opinions.
"
On this issue, the three collective farm village chiefs have the most say.
Kavitsky, who has always been proactive, immediately stood up and expressed his opinion: "I fully support your opinion. Blacksmith Village is the most populous settlement at the moment, with a total of more than 40,000 soldiers and civilians. According to any standard, calling it a village is no longer appropriate.
, she is completely a city. In my opinion, our legal city name of Novgomel should belong to the blacksmith village."
Yang Mingzhi waved his hand: "The city of Novgomel calls our three collective farms. We will discuss this later. I am very happy that you support my opinion."
"Of course! Isn't this a big trouble right in front of us?!" As he spoke, the straightforward Kavitsky didn't even care about the presence of big figures like Salinchkin, and his straightforward character drove him to continue speaking.
"Everyone, our Catfish Village has been bombed by the Germans, and the airport has been turned into a fish pond. Our mine has also been bombed, with more than a thousand casualties! Now, we have crammed more than 40,000 people into a small
In Blacksmith Village, although we all built houses under the woods, with 40,000 people gathered in one place, the Germans did not need to target and bomb. As long as they dropped some bombs, we would definitely suffer heavy casualties. While the Germans were recovering from their war wounds, we
We must seize the time to divert people out."
"What he said is very good!" Salinchkin said at the right time; "During this period of work, I increasingly feel that it is just based on the original building, adding and modifying houses, or crowding refugees in
The old barracks of the fallen soldiers are no longer suitable for the times. As far as I know, some barracks were originally used to house ten people, but now they actually house more than twenty people! At night, young babies cry loudly, and twenty people all live there.
No peace."
Yang Mingzhi was not clear about this example, but Salinchkin expressed his support. If others had any objections, they were keeping it to themselves.
It is entirely because this issue is too difficult. Who would object? At most, they would put forward their own suggestions on details.
Look around, they all show support!
Salinchkin urged: "Comrade Berekov! Now that you have made a decision, announce it immediately! The sooner you confirm it, the sooner we will implement it."
"Okay! Guard! Bring me the map again." (To be continued)