Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Shangganling

Chapter 297 Model Operas

In order to better leverage the advantages of guerrilla warfare.

Chen Chengxing specially arranged to set up landmine training courses and began to train militia captains from various places in batches.

The arsenal also compiled a booklet on "How to Manufacture and Use Landmines" and distributed it to everyone to facilitate the guerrillas in carrying out landmine warfare.

“Old Chen, when I communicated with the local comrades, they said that the local military and civilians could not understand the training of the militia captain.”

"Is there any way to make it understandable in one listen?"

After discussing the matter of the armed work team with his comrades in the local area, Luo Ping returned and found Chen Chengxing.

As instructed by higher authorities, all units were to vigorously promote landmine warfare, and to go deep into the masses to launch a people's war.

But now, not to mention the militia and the masses, even some cadres don't understand landmine warfare.

"This really needs to be thought about carefully," Chen Chengxing said, gesturing for Luo Ping to sit down and explain.

The larger the scale of mine warfare, the better the effect.

The key to promoting landmine warfare lies in teaching the troops and militia involved in landmine warfare how to lay mines.

However, this issue cannot be explained in just a few words.

After thinking for a moment, Chen Chengxing suggested, "Old Luo, what do you think about putting on a model opera?"

As early as the end of the Long March, Yan'an had already put on model operas to promote policies.

Chen Chengxing felt that it was entirely possible to combine landmine warfare with model operas.

Just like the apps that teach children knowledge in later generations, it combines education with entertainment.

"You know what, this is a good idea." Luo Ping thought Chen Chengxing's idea was good.

Ordinary people can't listen to theories, but when they're watching a play, their minds work perfectly.

"Leave this to me, I'll take charge."

Luo Ping went out, gathered a few people from the political department, and hurriedly left the brigade headquarters again.

Since we're going to put on a show, we have to do it well, and the most professional people when it comes to landmines and explosives are none other than the soldiers in the engineering battalion.

"Watch the play! Folks! The Eighth Route Army is putting on a show!"
After rehearsing for several days with several engineers, Luo Ping first arrived at Ningjia Village.

Hearing that there was a show to watch, the villagers, who were originally scattered, all gathered together in large numbers.

Local militiamen and civilians occupied suitable auspicious locations everywhere.

People were hanging everywhere—on the rooftops, on the walls, and in the trees.

The people were desperately lacking in entertainment, and watching plays was what they looked forward to most.

A dozen minutes later, Luo Ping saw that most of the people had arrived and signaled that the model opera would officially begin.

Several engineers dressed up in Japanese uniforms and picked up Type 38 rifles, pretending to be Japanese soldiers on a "mopping-up" operation.

As per the pre-arranged plot, the first "Japanese soldier" kicked down the door.

The Japanese soldier kicked the door open, and with a loud "boom," the landmine exploded, sending up a plume of black smoke.

The 'little devil' immediately lay down on the ground.

To make the demonstration more realistic, the engineers used mortars instead of landmines and carbon powder to simulate the explosion effect.

This way, the explosion of a landmine can be simulated, saving the public from being confused about what is happening.

"it is good!"

When the local people saw the 'little devil' fall to the ground, they were overjoyed and applauded.

Although the soldiers in the engineering battalion had never studied acting, their movements were stiff and they looked clumsy.

But the local militia and civilians thoroughly enjoyed watching it.

They were acting out a scene where the Eighth Route Army planted landmines to kill the Japanese soldiers, which naturally made the people happy.

The prepared engineering officers immediately stepped forward to explain where the landmines were buried and which locations were the most suitable for burying them.

Another "Japanese soldier" went to the henhouse to catch chickens, and the "landmine" went off again.

The Japanese soldiers who went to fetch water from the well and loot from the houses were also killed by the landmines that had been planted. At that moment, the militia immediately understood what landmine warfare was all about.

After the model opera ended, Luo Ping jumped onto the stage and asked, "Well? Did everyone understand it?"

"I understand now."
Seeing everyone's high spirits, Luo Ping immediately seized the opportunity and called over all the cadres and soldiers.

The engineers began explaining to them the techniques of pulling and pressing the trigger, as well as the skills of laying mines.

For ordinary civilians, the sappers only taught them how to lay mines; they didn't explain anything else in detail.

Landmine warfare is also dangerous; civilians can play a supporting role, while the main force will definitely be the local militia.

After the engineers explained the procedure several times, Luo Ping proceeded to the next step in order to better motivate everyone.

That was an exercise.

Luo Ping ordered the soldiers to lay 'landmines,' and then the engineers continued to play the role of 'Japanese mopping-up operations.'

Knowing they had a chance to bomb the "Japanese devils," the soldiers naturally put in a lot of effort.

The people also thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

The soldiers practiced the drills three or four times in a row, but many civilians were still unwilling to leave.

Even though everyone knew the ending, it was still very exciting to watch.

"I love watching the Japanese devils being killed; I can never get enough of it."
Finally, Luo Ping had no choice but to go on stage and say, seeing that everyone had already learned how to plant landmines:

"I'm sorry, folks, we don't have any landmines. We'll reschedule for another day, another day!"

Luo Ping still has some materials, but he can't use them all here; they have many more performances to do later.

However, Luo Ping had come up with a good way to carry out his work in the future.

He planned to set up a propaganda department specifically for producing model operas.

Using model operas to promote the policies of the Eighth Route Army was extremely effective.

Luo Ping led his performance troupe on a long tour of the Zhongyun Mountain area.

They used this method to attract everyone's attention and then taught many cadres and militiamen the tactics and techniques for laying landmines.

Relying on these key members, the militia guerrillas began to hold training classes at various levels in different places.

In just a few months, a nationwide blasting campaign was launched in the base area, with every village and household having a mine.

Zhongyun Mountain has little else to offer but lots of rocks.

Therefore, based on their actual conditions, most of the people built stone mines.

Moreover, stone mines are well-camouflaged, and the destructive power caused by black powder is not weak.

After the locals laid the landmines, they would immediately try to place them in the Japanese soldiers and puppet troops in the stronghold's pillbox.

After all, watching others act is nothing compared to the thrill of personally blowing up Japanese soldiers.

In order to better demonstrate their skills, the people came up with all sorts of creative ideas for burying and camouflaging landmines.

The Japanese soldiers were completely dumbfounded by this sudden turn of events.

During the sweep, landmines were found everywhere—in front of and behind people's houses, on piles of firewood, at wells, and even on the kang (heated brick bed), at the stove, under the pot, and in chicken coops.

They're out raiding to make money, not to step on landmines.

How can you make money if you don't go inside the house or rummage through things?

But if you go inside, you might get blown up.

Forced into a corner, the Japanese soldiers and their collaborators could only reduce the number of raids.

As the Japanese and their puppet troops reduced the number of sweeps, the landmines made by the people had nowhere to be used.

The only option left for everyone was to evolve from simply guarding their homes and protecting their villages to taking the initiative in attacking others.

Landmines began to be buried everywhere around the Japanese pillboxes and strongholds.

(End of this chapter)