The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 562 Plateau Border Defense!!!

The southwestern plateau border stretches 4000 kilometers from east to west, bordering five countries and regions, and has a very important strategic position.

Whether the southwestern plateau border defense is strong and consolidated is directly related to the peace of the motherland and the happiness of the people of the plateau.

The leaders of the headquarters attach great importance to and care about the border defense construction on the plateau.

This year, Liu Zhiye resigned from Yanda District and was transferred to work in the General Logistics Department.

In August, a working group led by Liu Zhiye from the General Logistics Department went to the border defense research site, and was attended by personnel from multiple departments including the headquarters, ordnance, quartermaster, military trade, finance, barracks, and health departments.

We will go deep into the plateau border and conduct on-site research on the border construction and logistics support work of the front-line units.

In order to cooperate with the headquarters' investigation, the Logistics Department of the Shu Provincial Military Region and the Plateau Military Region sent corresponding personnel to participate in it, forming a three-level investigation working group.

After all the personnel gathered together, they formed two research teams in the east and west directions, planning to complete the research work on the front-line border troops and dozens of border points in one month.

Through investigation, we need to accurately understand and clarify the location of each border defense point, altitude, terrain and roads, water and lighting, barracks facilities, food standards, quality of life, physical condition of personnel, performance and use management of weapons and equipment, and the effectiveness of the use of bedding and supplies.

After the investigation of each point, there should be a special report and detailed information.

After the entire research work is completed, a comprehensive research report will be formed; and an intuitive video documentary will be produced.

During the short stay in Shigatse, Deputy Director Yi Yuanchao actively suggested to Liu Zhiye that he go to the Eighth Hospital of the Garrison to inspect the work and visit all the medical staff.

The hospital was not originally within the scope of this investigation, but Liu Zhiye readily agreed.

The General Logistics Department is the leading body of the logistics system. It is a rare opportunity for the leaders to come to Gaoyuan for research and inspect the work of the hospital.

During this inspection of the hospital, all the staff were greatly encouraged and motivated.

Shigat is located in the back of the plateau, with a geographical area of ​​18.3 square kilometers. It leads to Jiangzi, Lhasa and other areas to the east, Ali to the west, East Asia to the south, and Haiqing to the north. Its geographical location is very important.

The border defense points are numerous, long, wide and highly dispersed.

Liu Zhiye first planned to go to the farthest border defense point of a certain regiment in Zhadong to conduct research.

The journey from Shigatse to Zhadong is more than 600 kilometers, with an average altitude of 4000 meters. It requires crossing many mountains and passing through the Lazi and Jiajia ferries. The air is thin and the road is rugged.

The accompanying assistant, Lao Wang, suffered from altitude sickness along the way. He felt chest tightness, shortness of breath, dizziness, and looked haggard while breathing oxygen.

On the way, they had to stop at a military station to rest for the night.

The next morning we set out for the next military station, had lunch, and then headed straight to a regiment in Zhadong.

Due to altitude sickness, Deputy Commander Wang was no longer able to go to the outpost and had to stay at the regiment headquarters.

The other personnel were divided into three groups, and early the next morning, they went to Kunjia, Junjia and Lizi border posts for investigation.

There are frozen snow-capped mountains, desert Gobi, no human habitation, very harsh climate and very inconvenient transportation.

Although Liu Zhiye is over 50 years old, his physical condition is better than that of the young people who are traveling with him.

This made the people around Liu Zhiye very ashamed. With his encouragement, the research team overcame the difficulties.
We went deep into the squad dormitories, entered the bunkers, guard towers, kitchens and canteens, and did not miss any facilities and supplies that we could reach and see.

People who came from the headquarters ate, lived and had close contact with the officers and soldiers, and experienced firsthand what it was like to survive in the plateau environment.

Through taking photos, video recordings and interviews, we made detailed records of their work, study, life, combat readiness, logistics support and other aspects, and wrote a special research report.

After completing the investigation of a certain border defense regiment, Liu Zhiye and his team drove to Changsuo and Gangcha to conduct investigations on several border defense points including Gang, Ta, Ka, Chang, and Cha.

Wherever Liu Zhiye and his research team went, they gained a deep understanding and experience that the frontline border defense troops in the southwestern plateau have been stationed on the top of snow-capped mountains for many years, facing high altitude and oxygen deficiency, long roads, poor information and extremely harsh environmental conditions.

There are several months of freezing period in a year, which is called "forbidden zone of life" and "permafrost" by biologists; in summer, there is heavy rain and fog, and border roads are often blocked by heavy snow, making it impossible for vehicles to pass.

Some border outposts are simple adobe houses with cat holes as their shelter. It is often the case that when it rains heavily outside, streams flow inside, and when it snows heavily from the sky, snowflakes drift inside.

In summer, the soldiers' quilts were wet, and in winter, the soldiers' body temperature while sleeping was not enough to melt the ice on the quilts.

Due to the shortage of fuel, people had to collect cow dung or even the bones of wild animals as fuel for cooking and heating.

They drank muddy ice water that they had carried back from miles away, and it was even more difficult to eat vegetables.

"Eating vermicelli in spring, kelp in autumn, and gnawing on bamboo shoots (referring to bamboo shoots and dehydrated vegetables) all year round" has almost become the norm, and sometimes it is difficult to even have a drink of vegetable soup.

Due to storage and transportation issues at the Kunga outpost, the rice in the bags had clumped together and the rice grains had turned into powder, but the officers and soldiers were still eating this spoiled rice every day.

The Chala Outpost was named the "Highland Red Border Defense Team" by the headquarters.

Stationed at a border checkpoint more than 5000 meters above sea level, rice needs to be cooked in a special pressure cooker for more than 30 minutes. Even then, the rice is often half-cooked because the air pressure does not meet the standard.

The difficulties of life are everywhere, even a normal haircut has become a problem.

This time, Liu Zhiye and other headquarters staff got off the car in Chala and walked into the sentry post. From a distance, they saw many "female soldiers" in the welcoming team, but when they got closer, they saw that they were all men in the army.

Liu Zhiye asked them why they didn't get a haircut, and the answer was: "The haircut tools are broken and we can't buy new ones."

Liu Zhiye burst into tears upon hearing this. He immediately contacted the logistics department to purchase barber tools as soon as possible and sent a special car to deliver them to the outpost.

From then on, the quartermaster department made the distribution of barber tools to border outposts a regular part of its support.

Liu Zhiye felt that it was the right decision to come to the border defense line this time. How could he really understand the situation here if he just read reports at the headquarters?
The frontline border defense troops are in a harsh natural environment. Not only are their material living conditions extremely difficult, but their spiritual life is also poor.

It is difficult to watch TV and movies here, and newspapers and letters are generally only available once every one or two months. The dull and difficult life forms an incredible contrast with the prosperous and flourishing rear.

These are true portrayals of border outposts.

Members of the General Logistics Department's research team were there firsthand and experienced it all. They were moved to tears by the border defense officers' spirit of "always being prepared, guarding the borders and defending the country, enduring long-term hardships, and working for the benefit of the people."

Yadong is located in the mountains just south of the plateau, with an altitude of 3000 meters. The altitudes of the surrounding outposts are all above 4000 meters. It borders neighboring countries such as Sikkim and Denmark.

There are high mountains, dense forests and cliffs everywhere.

There is a local saying: It takes one day to walk while it takes one day to hear someone talking.

The officers and soldiers of a border defense regiment of the Plateau Military Region guard here day and night, fulfilling their promise to the motherland with loyalty.

After Liu Zhiye led the research team to Yadong for a short rest, they divided into several groups and set out again on the research journey to Nai, Ze, Zhan and other border control points.

When they got here, they split into several groups.

Yi Yuanchao, together with a cameraman from the headquarters and a combat staff officer from a border defense regiment, went to the Zhuola outpost for investigation under the guidance of the combat staff officer.

There is no road access to the Zhuola outpost, so in order to move forward secretly, Yi Yuanchao and his team set out from Xia Sima at 5 a.m. before dawn.

The vehicle took Yi Yuanchao to the end of the forest road along the Yadong Valley, and then they got off the car and walked up the valley.

The valley was shrouded in hazy sand fog, and the only sound was the gurgling water.

It was summer now, and rhododendrons were blooming all over the mountains. The white, red and purple colors turned the valley into a sea of ​​flowers.

Above the snow line is a desolate silver world.

Zhuola Mountain means a place where rocks are piled up in Tibetan.

As the altitude increases, the air becomes thinner and the road becomes more and more rugged and difficult to travel with piles of rocks covered with snow all around.

The Zhuola outpost, which is 4687 meters above sea level, requires climbing over three hillsides with a slope of 60 degrees.

Looking up, I saw nothing but white snow and couldn't tell where the road was. I had to follow others and grope forward with difficulty in the waist-deep snow, taking one deep step and one shallow step.

If you can't lift your feet anymore, roll sideways. If you can't roll anymore, use your hands and feet and crawl forward.

Because of the snow that had entered my clothes and shoes, coupled with the biting cold wind, my clothes had frozen into ice cubes, and my trouser legs had frozen into lumps of ice. When I rubbed them with my hands, the cloth rotted, but the ice cubes still didn't fall off. My chest felt like it was stuffed with a ball of cotton, I couldn't breathe, and my heart started to ache from the rapid breathing.

Every step Yi Yuan took towards them felt particularly heavy and tiring.

It was already three o'clock in the afternoon, and eight hours had passed since we set out from Xia Sima.

When they were still nearly 500 meters away from the outpost, six soldiers came down from the outpost. They carried Yi Yuanchao into the outpost on their backs and laid him on the bed. At this time, they were completely limp and unable to move.

The soldiers did not even have time to catch their breath, but brought hot water, took off Yi Yuanchao's shoes and socks, covered their feet, and rubbed and massaged them.

A warm feeling surged into Yi Yuanchao's heart. What a lovely soldier!

At an age when they still need their parents to take care of them at home, now they are on an isolated island in the snowy mountains in such a harsh environment, taking good care of them.

The Zhuola outpost is built on a mountain top less than 200 square meters.

Among the undulating peaks, there are no plants, no insects, no birds, no buildings, and no smoke from cooking. In the distance, there are either gray cliffs or snow-capped peaks.

The strong mountain wind made strange noises, ruthlessly eroding the rocks and scratching people's cheeks.

Apart from two simple prefabricated houses with stone roofs, most of the outpost is made of stone bunkers built with rubble.

An aluminum water tank, 2 meters long and 1.5 meters wide and deep, is placed under the eaves of the board house to store melted snow from the roof for daily use.

The oxygen level here is only 50% of that in low-altitude areas. The soldiers who have been stationed here for a long time all have purple faces and cloudy eyes. Some have ulcerated lips and dry ears, some have peeling hands and turned-out nails.

There are about 300 windy days every year, the snowy season lasts for 10 months, and the lowest temperature is minus 40 degrees Celsius. However, the officers and soldiers know that they live in the prefabricated bunkers so that more people don't have to live in prefabricated bunkers. Therefore, they feel that living in the prefabricated bunkers is like living in a "Crystal Palace", which is sweet despite the bitterness.

Faced with this harsh natural environment and a group of border guards loyal to their duties, the cameraman from Yanjing cried while recording the video.

He said: "I have been to many border and island outposts, but I have never seen one with such harsh conditions. It is so touching!"

At dinner time, the officers and soldiers at the outpost used the only handful of wild leeks to make canned food to entertain Yi Yuanchao and his men.

At night, the soldiers gave their beds to Yi Yuanchao and the others, tossing and turning throughout a sleepless night.

The next morning, Yi Yuanchao bid farewell to the officers and soldiers at the outpost and set out on his journey back accompanied by three soldiers.

I was frightened by the vast white snow-capped mountains along the way, and I was about to go through another difficult journey.

When he was in trouble, the soldier handed Yi Yuanchao a sack, and he sat on the sack and slid down the mountain as fast as a sled.

Yi Yuanchao followed their movements and slid down the mountain smoothly.

It didn't take long for them to slide down to the foot of the mountain, which was much faster and easier than the difficult and dangerous way up the mountain. This trip to Zhuola outpost left Yi Yuanchao with an unforgettable and unforgettable memory!
On the other hand, when the officers and soldiers of a border defense battalion learned that the head of the headquarters was coming to inspect this "isolated" place, everyone could not contain their excitement.

Near noon, Liu Zhiye and others finally arrived at the camp after trekking through mountains and rivers.

More than 300 officers and soldiers stood tall in the wind on the helicopter. Just from their posture, one can tell that this is a well-trained force.

However, among the more than 300 officers and soldiers, from cadres to ordinary soldiers, none of them wore military uniforms, and their uniforms were not uniform. They were all colorful. Only their guns were unified.

Liu Zhiye was very surprised by the scene in front of him. At first he thought it was the militia here, but the accompanying staff said that they were indeed active soldiers of the border defense force, not militia.

As a leading cadre who grew up step by step from the grassroots, Liu Zhiye glanced at the officers and soldiers standing in two rows, and roughly saw who were cadres and who were soldiers from the configuration of their weapons.

Since the early 70s, officers above the platoon level in the army have been equipped with pistols;
The squad leader and deputy squad leader were equipped with Type 56 submachine guns. Those who were not equipped with guns were either soldiers from the kitchen squad, heavy machine gun squad, or artillery squad.

Liu Zhiye walked up to a squad leader and asked, "Why aren't you wearing military uniforms?"

The squad leader, who had been in the army for five years, replied: "Sir, we don't have uniforms to wear! I was only issued one set of uniforms on the day I joined the army, and they are already worn out.

This answer surprised Liu Zhiye even more. Could it be that the emperor was far away and the cadres even withheld their military uniforms? If so, it would be a serious problem.

Liu Zhiye looked at the accompanying staff with a stern face and asked: "Why didn't the border defense battalion even issue military uniforms?"

The accompanying staff told Liu Zhiye: "Although this is a unit under the jurisdiction of the military region, it is almost isolated from the outside world because there is no road leading to the outside world. The officers and soldiers here are basically self-reliant. If we want to get all the officers and soldiers here to wear military uniforms, we can only transport them by helicopter, which is very costly."

It turns out that there is no road here, and transportation is extremely inconvenient.

The road leading to the destination is still more than 100 kilometers away from completion. Construction of the road started more than ten years ago, and the roadbed has not been completed yet.

If the local military and civilians want to go outside, they can only risk their lives to cross mountains and ridges. The difficulty is just like the Red Army crossing the snow-capped mountains and grasslands.

The new recruits from outside who are about to be stationed here will also face a life-and-death situation.

They had to march here on foot, blocking the way with snow-capped mountains with unpredictable climates and rainforests full of poisonous snakes and leeches. Altitude sickness, landslides, mud-rock flows and other force majeure factors were the main reasons why this place was isolated from the world.

Most of the officers and soldiers stationed here are not locals, and due to inconvenient transportation, it is difficult for them to leave.

Every time I meet people from the mainland visiting here, I feel as excited as meeting my relatives from my hometown.

Thinking of this, Liu Zhiye told the officers and soldiers: "Don't be too reserved. If you have any difficulties, just tell us. The headquarters will do everything possible to help you solve the difficulties."

As soon as Liu Zhiye opened his mouth, the officers and soldiers became less polite and asked their leader to help them send the letters in their hands.

At one point, more than 300 people took out thousands of letters from their pockets.

Among them, some are letters written by officers and soldiers to their relatives in their hometowns thousands of miles away, and some are various official letters entrusted by the local government to the troops to carry out.

Apart from this, no one had any other requests. No one raised the issue of how to solve the problem of medicine and ammunition urgently needed by the troops. Liu Zhiye's mood changed significantly.

Since leaving the General Logistics Department, Liu Zhiye has also visited other border outposts, but he did not expect that in Mo County, which has such an important geographical location, the living conditions of the military and civilians are so difficult.

Not only is there no normal supply line, but even the communication methods are so primitive. It is very difficult to defend the motherland's border under such conditions.

In Liu Zhiye's view, if the troops want to win in modern warfare, they must have unobstructed transportation and communication lines.

In the self-retaliation war a few years ago, we were unable to defeat the "ungrateful bastard".

Part of the reason was that our army's communication lines were not smooth, making it difficult for infantry and tanks to maintain communication, allowing small enemy units to take advantage of the opportunity.

Nowadays, there are three highways leading to the plateau: the Yunnan Highway, the Qinghai Highway and the Shu Highway.

However, due to backward technology, these three highway lines are open to traffic for less than 100 days a year. Mountain collapse, heavy snow blocking the mountains, mudslides and earthquakes are commonplace, making the highway's transportation capacity very limited.

Therefore, the cost of transporting various materials from the inland to the plateau is very high, making the lives of the military and civilians in the plateau still very difficult.

Injuries and illnesses cannot be treated with modern medical technology, and military and civilians in areas without roads cannot receive various policy orders issued by the headquarters in a timely manner.

This is the major issue that needs to be addressed urgently.

During the nearly one and a half month of research work, Liu Zhiye led the team personally. He led the research team members to travel tens of thousands of kilometers and went deep into dozens of frontline border troops and outposts on the plateau.

With the help and guidance of the two military regions and the active cooperation of the vast number of frontline officers and soldiers, the members of the research team went deep into the front line.
They were hardworking and overcame numerous difficulties, carried out their work conscientiously and solidly, and mastered the detailed information of the front-line troops and outposts on the plateau border, providing a reliable basis for subsequent construction and support work.

Later, Liu Zhiye said at the research summary meeting: "Through this research, we not only grasped the basic situation of the frontier defense forces on the plateau,

More importantly, the troops stationed on the plateau have carried forward the spirit of "being able to endure hardships, being patient, starting businesses, and fighting" in their journey of defending the country on the snowy plateau.

They took root in the plateau border, determined to guard the border and defend the country, worked hard to complete... ..., established immortal contributions, and wrote a new chapter.

These deeply touched our research team and are worthy of our serious study. They are also the source of our motivation to care about border defense and strengthen its construction."
After returning, Liu Zhiye and his colleagues will report the progress of this investigation to the headquarters in a timely manner, come up with a specific border defense construction plan, and realize leapfrog development of border defense construction as soon as possible.

A video recording reflecting the hard life and difficulty in ensuring security for the border troops brought tears to the eyes of the head of the headquarters, "I never expected... that after so many years, the conditions for the border troops are still so difficult. No matter how tight the military budget is, we must strengthen border defense construction."

The speech of the head of the headquarters was like warm sunshine, ushering in the spring of border defense construction in the snowy plateau.

(End of this chapter)