Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Changjin Lake, a Hundred Battles, a Hundred Victories

Chapter 261 Rectifying the Atmosphere! Chen Ming Wants to Find the Old Political Commissar

After Chen Ming said this, the entire command room fell silent.

Even the busy officials on the side stopped what they were doing.

A subtle atmosphere permeated the command room.

I just discussed with the chief of staff how to take advantage of the arrogance of the Japanese Kwantung Army and prepare a good show to bury them.

And now, this very thing has happened right before Chen Ming's eyes.

The slap in the face came so quickly!

Although it was only Duan Peng who showed signs of being impetuous and arrogant.

But small things can reveal big things. If individual problems are so obvious, how could other cadres not have similar issues?

An army capable of winning battles must never develop an arrogant or complacent attitude.

Given the current size of the independent detachment, if the Japanese were to exploit any weakness, the losses would be incalculable.

Ideological work was handled by the political commissar.

Chen Ming's words were very serious.

"Old Chen, this is my fault for not doing my job well."

"I've investigated, and now the people in the base area are starting to sing folk songs like 'Our troops are heavenly soldiers and generals,' and there are also overly perfect heroic stories written by the cultural troupe cadres."

Political Commissar Zhang Zhengze began to open his notebook and recount his investigation point by point.

He wasn't unaware of the problem; he had been working on it for some time.

However, given the prevailing trend, it is difficult to achieve results without severe measures.

"The enemy is not scary; what is scary is that we start to believe that we are truly 'heavenly soldiers and generals'."

"Revolution is not a dinner party, but pride can turn it into a breeding ground for self-hypnosis."

Chen Ming spoke up.

"Old Zhang, let's put aside our work for the next few days and go to the grassroots level to conduct some unannounced visits among the people."

"To rectify this trend, we must understand the specific problems."

Zhang Zhengze had no objection upon hearing this.

Chen Ming was an efficient man. That very day, he disguised himself, changed into civilian clothes, and went to the grassroots troops for a secret inspection, accompanied only by the political commissar and Da Biao.

Without issuing notices, making prior arrangements, listening to reports, or requiring accompaniment or reception, they went straight to the grassroots level and directly to the scene.

This is Chen Ming's style of investigation: he can grasp the most authentic situation at the grassroots level and discover real problems.

Their first stop was the recruit camp to check on its conditions.

Upon arriving at the recruit camp, Chen Ming saw people arguing on the training field from afar.

"Ergou, you lost. These two bullets are mine. Why are you going back on your word?"

"No, these are my last two bullets. If I give them to you, I'll be in trouble if the platoon leader finds out."

"No, a bet's a bet. I won, so these two bullets should be mine."

The two argued, and the argument escalated until they even started fighting.

After the two started fighting, more and more new recruits gathered around and started jeering.

"Slap him harder! Slap him in the face! Didn't he eat?"

"Well done, don't embarrass yourself!"

"."

Seeing the chaotic scene, some of the more disciplined recruits immediately went to find the veterans in charge of training.

Not long after, a veteran arrived; he was the platoon leader of the new recruits' platoon.

When the platoon leader arrived, the new recruits stopped cheering, and the two new recruits who were fighting also stopped.

However, the way they looked at each other was somewhat resentful.

"What are you all doing? You're acting like the world is going to explode if you don't train?"

"With your appearance, how could you possibly fight on the battlefield?"

The platoon leader shouted.

"What's there to train for? The Japanese are just a transport team delivering equipment."

One of the fighters said indignantly.

This entire scene was witnessed by Chen Ming and the political commissar.

However, Chen Ming remained silent, his facial expression as still as a stagnant pool.

Those who know him well know that he is genuinely angry.

"Dabiao!"

"arrive."

"Go and bring me the battalion commander and political instructor of the recruit camp."

"New recruits gambled, using bullets as their stake, neglecting their training and becoming arrogant and impetuous."

"I want to see how he, as the battalion commander of the recruit camp, conducts his political education!"

Chen Ming spoke each word clearly and calmly.

"Yes."

Upon seeing Chen Ming like this, Da Biao didn't dare to delay and ran towards the recruit camp headquarters like a whirlwind.

Chen Ming then walked up to the troublesome new recruit.

"You're saying the Japanese soldiers were a transport team delivering equipment?"

The troublesome recruit, seeing someone approach him and question him, stubbornly replied:

"Am I wrong? Under Commander Chen's leadership, we have won one battle after another. All the weapons and equipment our troops have were given to us by the Japanese."

Upon hearing the recruit's answer, Chen Ming remained silent and tore off the mustache stuck to his mouth.

The platoon leader of the new recruits standing nearby took one look and his eyes narrowed instantly.

He immediately saluted and said, "Greetings, Commander!"

The other recruits stared wide-eyed when they saw their platoon leader salute Chen Ming.

Even when facing the battalion commander, his platoon leader never behaved like this.

Just how high is the rank of this commander who appeared at the recruit camp?

Battalion Commander? A cadre from the command headquarters?
Everyone was speculating.

At this moment, Da Biao had already arrived with the battalion commander and political instructor of the new recruits' camp.

The recruit camp headquarters was not far away. When the two officers learned that Chen Ming had arrived, they exerted all their strength and arrived very quickly.

After the two men approached Chen Ming, they both stood at attention and saluted.

"Hello, Chief!"

The new recruits were even more surprised to see this.

At this moment, Chen Ming slowly spoke:

"I am Chen Ming."

Upon hearing this, many new recruits stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what they were hearing.

If they hadn't seen their platoon leader, battalion commander, and political instructor all saluting and not refuting Chen Ming's words, they wouldn't have believed it.

The troublesome new recruit also stared wide-eyed.

"You must be Commander Chen Ming? Greetings, Commander!"

When faced with the salutes from the new recruits' platoon leader, battalion commander, and political instructor, Chen Ming neither returned the salute nor asked them to lower their heads.

Instead, he addressed the troublesome new recruit:

You said the Japanese soldiers were a transport team delivering equipment?

"Sir, I...I..."

Faced with Chen Ming's questions, the troublesome new recruit seemed incoherent, unable to utter a single complete sentence.

Chen Ming calmly walked up to the new recruits without saying a word. He simply rolled up his sleeves or unbuttoned his uniform jacket, revealing a hideous scar on his body.

“Given equipment? Look closely, this is the ‘equipment’ that a Japanese officer ‘given’ to me with his sword two years ago. It ripped me open, and I was only two centimeters away from meeting the King of Hell.”

"In that battle, we were the Second Independent Regiment, with more than 1,200 soldiers, and we were reduced to only 500."

"Tell me, what kind of transport team would risk the lives of their own comrades to 'deliver' them?"

He turned to all the soldiers present, his voice deep and powerful:
"Anyone who mistakes the Japanese soldiers for a transport team is insulting the blood of our fallen comrades!"

Upon hearing this, the troublesome new recruit blushed, feeling deeply ashamed.

Chen Ming then looked at the battalion commander and ordered, "Order the entire battalion to assemble immediately!"

"Yes!"

Upon receiving the order, the battalion commander immediately had the emergency assembly whistle sounded.

However, reality disappointed Chen Ming once again.

More than ten minutes passed, and the entire recruit camp still hadn't assembled, with some infantry recruits still without their weapons.

This is during the daytime, during training hours, not at night!

Ten minutes, ten minutes and they still haven't finished assembling. How much could have been done in ten minutes?

Looking at the crooked and shaky ranks of new recruits, Chen Ming's expression became even calmer, and he simply stared at the battalion commander of the recruit camp.

The battalion commander of the recruit camp felt his hair stand on end and was filled with fear.

At times like this, he would rather Chen Ming scold him, hit him, or kick him than remain calm!
Chen Ming ignored the recruit battalion commander and looked at the recruit battalion political instructor, questioning him:

"How long has it been since political education was conducted?"

“I’ve been busy with training lately.”

The instructor stammered and offered a vague explanation.

Seeing this, Chen Ming made a plan. He first looked at the battalion commander of the recruit camp.

His gaze was sharp and his voice was steady and powerful.
"Battalion Commander Zhang, as the military commander, you have neglected training, causing the combat effectiveness of the troops to decline."

"You are no longer worthy to hold this gun that represents command."

"Now I order you to hand over your sidearm!"

Under the watchful eyes of all the officers and soldiers in the battalion, the battalion commander's face turned from white to red. Finally, he tremblingly took off the Mauser pistol that had been with him for many years and handed it over.

Chen Ming took it, held it high for all to see, and said loudly:
"Look carefully! The organization gave you these guns so you could lead troops into battle and defend our country! Anyone who slacks off will relinquish command!"

Then, Chen Ming turned to the instructor, his tone somber but leaving no room for argument:

"Instructor Li, as the political commander, you have abandoned the ideological front, leading to a decline in the morale of the troops."

"You are no longer qualified to take on the responsibility of educating all the officers and soldiers in the battalion."

"Now I order you to hand over your 'Cadre Certificate' and 'Work Notebook'!"

The instructor handed over the items in shock.

Chen Ming, holding a notebook, addressed the entire battalion:
"What's written here should be the principles for saving the country and the people, and the magic weapon for defeating the enemy!"

"To treat it as a decoration is to lose the soul of our revolution!"

After completing the above actions, Chen Ming directly unbuckled the belts of the two men.

This symbolizes completely transforming them from "cadres" back into ordinary "soldiers".

Chen Ming then announced: "From this moment forward, you two are hereby removed from your posts as battalion commander and political instructor!"

"But according to the old rules of the Red Army and the Eighth Route Army, cadres can be promoted or demoted."

"You all start as soldiers, go to the front-line reconnaissance platoon, and use the Japanese bullets and practical work in the base area to earn back the qualifications you've lost, one by one!"

"Yes!"

The two men saluted, feeling deeply ashamed.

After dismissing the battalion commander and political instructor of the new recruits' camp, Chen Ming immediately dispatched a staff officer and a political officer from the command headquarters to take over their duties and rectify the atmosphere.

After leaving the recruit camp, Chen Ming said to the political commissar:

"It's shocking. The recruit camp is where the main force is replenished with blood. If even the blood is corrupted, how can the troops fight?"

"Although we will have a major battle with the Japanese next year, all units are actively preparing for war."

"But such trends must be nipped in the bud."

"I would rather win one less battle than have my troops rot."

"This is not a matter of dismissing one or two cadres; it requires a comprehensive overhaul from top to bottom."

"Give me a plan. If you feel it's difficult to get started, or if you have any concerns, I can ask the old political commissar for help."

Chen Ming was determined to curb the arrogant and impetuous atmosphere in the troops.

If the political commissar's methods fail, Chen Ming will have no choice but to ask the old political commissar to take charge of the situation.

"Yes."

Zhang Zhengze made up his mind and said.

He knew this was a test Chen Ming was giving him.

What I just said at the recruit camp was also meant for him.

The capable ones go up, the mediocre ones go down!

If this problem cannot be solved, then his abilities will not meet the requirements, and he will need to return to the rear to study further.

After their undercover visit to the recruit camp, the group continued their investigations at various military units.

Many problems were discovered, but they were not obvious and were covered up by the wave of victory and development.

This undercover investigation, however, exposed all the problems.

"Having problems is not scary, as long as we solve them."

"What's scary is that the problem goes undetected and grows slowly until it becomes so big that it takes a lot of pain to solve it, and then it's too late."

Chen Ming remarked with emotion.

During his several-day trip, he went deep into the grassroots to understand the situation and discovered many problems.

For example, the portrayal of the performing arts troupe is too exaggerated, and the stories are too individualistic and heroic.

The slogans posted on the grounds are out of touch with the times, and are empty and grandiose.

A series of problems, such as a restless and impatient atmosphere in the main combat troops.

Fortunately, it was discovered in time and was not difficult to deal with.

Our Party has always maintained its vitality by constantly identifying problems, correcting its course through problem identification, honing its skills through problem-solving, and correcting its path.

A few days later, Political Commissar Zhang Zhengze came up with a solution.

First, ideological rectification: using the weight of history to suppress superficiality and empty rhetoric.

This is a fundamental solution aimed at awakening the collective memory and original aspirations of the troops.

A "Military Spirit Exhibition" was held: instead of displaying captured machine gun cans, the exhibits displayed the belongings of fallen comrades.
A faded military cap, worn-out straw sandals, a water bottle with bullet holes, and a diary filled with crooked handwriting by a soldier in a literacy class.

Let the soldiers know that we don't rely on innate bravery, but on the experience these comrades gained with their lives.

Anyone who forgets their roots is unworthy to be their successor.

At the same time, the commanders were instructed to visit and comfort the families of the fallen soldiers, allowing them to personally experience the weight of life.

Let them know what happens to the families of fallen soldiers if they underestimate the enemy and cause too many casualties.

Launch a "roots-seeking campaign": have each company invite three veterans with the most scars to recount the "most devastating defeat" and "most difficult winter" in the history of the unit.

When new recruits hear that the army once survived the harsh winter by eating black beans and tree bark, they develop a new respect for the rice in their bowls.

Second, real-world training: using the strongest opponents to shed the most superficial enthusiasm.
This is a potent and immediate remedy aimed at restoring awe of the enemy.

The organization conducted a post-mortem analysis, selecting the victory with the lowest recent cost. Chen Ming personally led the cadres to conduct a "reverse simulation" on the sand table.

"If the Japanese commander had been a little smarter and placed another machine gun emplacement here, how many more of us would have died?"

This will shatter the illusion that "victory is easy".

Third, establish rules and regulations: use daily standards to tighten the reins of discipline.
This is a safeguard against the recurrence of the problem.

Reinstate "challenge-style training": Introduce "red-blue confrontation" to allow troops to train against each other.

Let those impetuous officers personally experience the feeling of being "annihilated" in the face of complex terrain and tricky tactics.

A "Battlefield Discipline Supervision Group" was established, directly led by the political commissar, specifically to correct any underestimation of the enemy or reckless actions during actual combat.

Commanders who cause unnecessary casualties among their subordinates due to arrogance should be immediately replaced, regardless of their battle achievements.

With this series of combined measures, the restless atmosphere in the military was finally brought to a halt.

A month later.

In the darkness of night, the political commissar said to Chen Ming, "The morale of the troops has finally settled down."

Chen Ming gazed at the starry sky and slowly shook his head:
"This is only treating the symptoms, not the root cause. The inner demon of 'pride' is a battle we must fight for a lifetime."

"If it can't defeat us, it will disguise itself after each of our victories and come back with a vengeance."

He turned around, his eyes burning like embers in the darkness:
"Therefore, the mission of our unit is not only to eliminate the Japanese devils outside, but also to constantly eradicate the 'proud Japanese devil' in our own hearts."

P.S.: Are you all having fun during the National Day holiday? I'm not the only one stuck writing and unable to go out, am I? My 30,000-word draft is still here! If it were still here, I'd be on the beach right now, enjoying the sea breeze and gazing at the stars.

(End of this chapter)