Chapter 190: Repaying Debts 1

May 10, 1938, Yan'an, Yangjialing Yaodong; smoke curled inside the Yaodong, yet the atmosphere was clear and cautious. The joy of the Taierzhuang great victory and the Jiangcheng air battle had already settled, replaced by a calm analysis of a longer‑term, more arduous struggle. The People's Education Press sat at one end of the long table, a cigarette between its fingers, its gaze sweeping over the standing committee members—Zhou Ming, Liu Wang, Liu Shaoqi and others.

"Comrades," he began, his voice low but with his usual penetrating force, "recently good news has come from the front lines one after another; Taierzhuang fought well, and the Jiangcheng skies also displayed vigor. This is good, great news, showing that our Huaxia Nation has blood and capable people; as long as the method is right, we can make Japan eat a loss."

He shifted his tone, becoming serious: "But the more like this, the more we must stay vigilant, not let victory cloud our heads, and certainly not take the enemy lightly or act rashly! Some comrades, seeing the Kuomintang win a few battles, think a swift victory is possible, or want to hard‑fight alongside the Kuomintang on the front lines; such thinking is unacceptable."

He stood up and walked to the crude hand‑drawn map of the whole country on the wall, his finger tracing from Xuzhou to Jiangcheng, then pointing to the vast Huabei and Huazhong behind enemy lines. "What is Japan? It is an imperialist nation with strong military, economic and political organization. What are we? A semi‑colonial, semi‑feudal weak state. That determines the war's protracted nature. Taierzhuang's victory was the result of a combination of mobile warfare, positional warfare, and guerrilla warfare, and also a victory won by countless officers and soldiers at great risk and with much chance."

He turned to face the crowd: "The Kuomintang's strategy essentially still relies on regular troops and foreign aid, hoping to resolve the issue through international mediation or external interference. Such reliance is unreliable. What is the Republic's responsibility? To unleash the masses behind enemy lines, enlarge the people's armed forces, establish solid bases, and wage a truly protracted war! Turn the enemy's rear into a front, use widespread guerrilla warfare to wear it down piece by piece, and collapse it!"

Zhou Ming interjected: "The People's Education Press has hit the crux. At present, within the Kuomintang, the victory at Taierzhuang has raised the war‑fighting clamor, but internal factional infighting and the lingering disease of preserving strength have not been eliminated. Although the Japanese have been set back, their main force is intact and will surely retaliate wildly. The Xuzhou front is under immense pressure. We must persist in independent, self‑reliant mountain guerrilla warfare and expand into the plains. The New Fourth Army in the Southern Direction must also open up the situation as soon as possible."

The People's Education Press nodded heavily: "Right! Tell the whole party and army not to fantasize about a 'swift victory' because of Taierzhuang's win, and not to become pessimistic because of temporary difficulties. We must establish the idea of a protracted war and prepare for a hard, long‑term struggle. Our focus must be on mobilizing the masses, establishing a regime, and expanding armed forces. The Kuomintang may wish to fight on the front, and we support that, but our own path must be walked steadily and firmly on our own!"

This meeting set the tone for unifying thought within the party and preventing blind action or dependency arising from partial victories on the front lines.

May 12, in Chaoxian, Anhui, at Jiangjia Hekou, just two days after the Yan'an meeting, a small‑scale yet highly significant battle broke out between the Jiang and Huai rivers, a thousand miles away. A unit of the 4th Detachment of the New Fourth Army, under the command of its leader Gao Jingting, cleverly set an ambush at Jiangjia Hekou, striking a Japanese transport squad. The battle was clean and decisive; more than twenty Japanese were completely annihilated, and the New Fourth Army suffered no casualties.

The news of victory reached Jiangcheng and Yan'an, carrying entirely different significance. In Jiangcheng, the military commission's battle report added a brief note. The principal, upon seeing it, said to the nearby Chen Cixiu, "The New Fourth Army? The people of Ye Ting and Xiang Ying? Their first battle is a success, not bad. Though small in scale, they eliminated the enemy without loss, showing tactical flexibility. In my name, I'll send a commendation telegram to encourage them to keep killing the enemy for the nation."

This commendation was more a political stance, showcasing his role as the national anti‑Japanese war leader, treating all anti‑Japanese forces equally and providing leadership. Yet deep inside, he was far more wary than pleased about this force led by the Republic and expanding behind enemy lines in Huazhong.

In Yan'an, the victory report was given a deeper meaning. The People's Education Press, holding the telegram, smiled at Liu Wang and others: "Look, Jiangjia Hekou, a sparrow battle, well fought! This proves the power of our guerrilla warfare and that development behind enemy lines is entirely feasible! We must broadcast commendation of the 4th Detachment, urging all units to learn this flexible, mobile tactic. A single spark can start a prairie fire; this Jiangjia Hekou is the first spark behind enemy lines in Huazhong!"

Just as the joy of the New Fourth Army's first victory had not yet faded, bad news from the northern front arrived in succession. On May 14, the Japanese Sakai Detachment captured Hefei, the Huainan battle ended, the Japanese flank threat was removed, allowing them to press more comfortably toward Xuzhou.

Despite the heroic resistance of the Yuwang Mountain troops and despite each unit's tenacious defense, the main force of the Huaxia Army in the Xuzhou area had been fighting bitterly for months, suffering heavy casualties, facing supply difficulties, and the situation grew increasingly unfavorable. On May 19, with the last rear‑guard units withdrawing, the strategic stronghold of Xuzhou finally fell into Japanese hands.

The news spread, shaking the nation again. The morale that had just surged because of Taierzhuang and the Jiangcheng air battle was inevitably hit. A shadow fell over the people's hearts: could Taierzhuang's victory be merely a fleeting bloom?

Jiangcheng, the brigade commander's residence.

The atmosphere was heavy. The brigade commander's face was ashen as he looked at the battle report of Xuzhou's loss. The defeat was expected, yet when it actually arrived, it remained hard to accept.

"Li Delin still couldn't hold it…" he murmured, his tone complex. It contained both anger at the campaign's loss and a barely perceptible, subtle feeling of disappointment at the setback of the Gui faction.

"Commander," Chen Cheng whispered in report, "Officer Li called; the main force split toward Wanxi and Yunan and successfully broke out, basically intact. Although the Japanese occupy Xuzhou, they failed to achieve the encirclement and annihilation of our main force, and their casualties are also heavy."

"Mm." the brigade commander nodded, perhaps a blessing in misfortune. He walked to the map, staring at Jiangcheng. "With Xuzhou lost, Jiangcheng is the next target. The Japanese will certainly come."

He turned, his gaze sharp: "Broadcast to the whole nation, commend the spirit of heroic struggle of each unit in the Xuzhou Campaign, especially praise the heroic sacrifice of the Yuwang Mountain troops! At the same time, strictly order each war zone to tighten troop discipline, consolidate defenses, especially the 5th and 9th war zones, and ensure preparations to defend Jiangcheng! Tell the nation's troops and civilians that the loss of Xuzhou is to preserve strength for future battles! The anti‑Japanese national policy will not waver!"

In the Yan'an Yaodong, lights shone brightly; the People's Education Press, Zhou Ming and others also learned of Xuzhou's fall at once. Their reaction was calmer, even seeing a new opportunity.

"As expected," the People's Education Press said, smoking slowly, "the Kuomintang's retreat on the front was inevitable. With Xuzhou lost, vast areas of Huabei and Huazhong will become behind enemy lines. The principal is surely overwhelmed now, busy tidying up the aftermath and consolidating Jiangcheng."

Zhou Ming said, "This is precisely our opportunity! The Kuomintang's main forces are withdrawing westward, Japanese troops are scattered across points and lines, leaving vast villages and small towns as power vacuums! We must seize the time and act swiftly!"

May 22, Yan'an, an urgent directive was quickly drafted and broadcast via radio, flying to party organizations and Red Army and New Fourth Army units across Huazhong and Huabei:

"After Xuzhou falls, the situation in Huazhong will change dramatically. The Japanese front line will stretch, their forces will be dispersed, and their control weak. The Kuomintang regime will retreat, and local chaos will ensue. Our party and our army must seize this once‑in‑a‑century opportunity, boldly penetrate behind enemy lines in Huazhong, unleash the masses, and widely conduct guerrilla warfare to establish guerrilla zones and bases! We must be independent and self‑reliant, rapidly grow our strength, not be shackled by the Kuomintang, and not make coordinating with the front the sole goal. We must take the lead and build solid anti‑Japanese strongholds behind enemy lines!"