After the outbreak of the All-out War of Resistance in 1937, the Red Army accepted the reorganization of the Nationalist military government and began to actively advance behind the enemy lines and attack the Japanese puppet army everywhere. The Red Army, which insisted on fighting guerrilla warfare in the south, was reorganized into the New Fourth Army, and although these fighters who had experienced hundreds of battles were enthusiastic about resisting Japan, because of the difficulty of supply, the weapons and equipment were the same as those of the ancient peasant uprisings, and many fighters still had large knives and spears in their hands.
Zhou Junming had just been appointed as the commander of the 8th Regiment of the New Fourth Army, and when he saw the old HanYangzao in the regiment and a large knife and spear, he felt that the responsibility on his body was not small, the equipment of the troops was extremely poor, if there was no source of weapons, how to fight with the Japanese army that was already in a semi-mechanized state.
After the 8th Regiment arrived in Shou County, Anhui Province, and assembled, Zhou Junming received orders from the Headquarters of the New Fourth Army to go to the eastern Anhui region to establish an anti-Japanese base area behind enemy lines. At this time, the Military Commission of the Nationalist Government was engaged in the defense of Wuhan, and the task of the 8th Regiment was to actively cooperate with friendly forces in combat, harassing and attacking the passing Japanese troops on the outskirts of Hefei.
After Zhou Junming led the 8th Regiment into the Shitangqiao area of Feidong County, it was sent out that the local vacuum was in a state, and the Kuomintang troops and local government had long since fled. At this time, Feidong County was the domain of bandits and bullies.
In the name of resisting Japan, these evil people changed their methods to levy taxes on the common people, and many people refused to pay them, so they mobilized the masses to go to their homes to rob them, either carrying grain or morning glory sheep. The common people are bitter and hateful, helpless to have no guys in their hands, and dare not do anything to the wicked.
After Zhou Junming and the 8th Regiment came to Feidong County, they did not see the enthusiastic revolutionary masses, no matter how the New Fourth Army propaganda and work, what the ordinary people in the Shitangqiao area should do, and they were indifferent to the anti-Japanese propaganda they carried out. Zhou Junming felt incredible, and after some field visits, he learned that the reason why the common people had strong resistance was because the bandits and bullies had ruined the reputation of the anti-Japanese resistance.
After finding the problem, Zhou Junming was determined to punish these evil people well. He learned that a bully surnamed Zhang was the most fiercest to the common people, and he had dozens of people's guns in his hand, openly set up cards to collect taxes in various places, and paid donations to resist Japan in the name of donations, and actually went into his own pockets.
How to resist Japan without eliminating the bandits, Zhou Junming was angry and decided to take this bully who was harming the common people. He personally led the team to the village of the bully surnamed Zhang, who was the opponent of the New Fourth Army, and was wiped out in three or two clicks, and the bully surnamed Zhang was also captured alive by the warriors. Then, Zhou Junming held a punishment meeting, collected all the crimes of this bully on the spot, and in the voice of the masses, the evil man was verified and executed.
The death of the bully surnamed Zhang made many bandit bullies running rampant in the township become cautious, afraid that they would be counter-attacked. At this time, the people were happy, and finally saw that there was a team to stand out for the people, and what reassured the people even more was that in the scope of the 8th Regiment's jurisdiction, the New Fourth Army emphasized fairness and justice, and there was no forced buying and selling in the market, which was a world of difference between the previous Kuomintang rule.
Seeing that the military discipline of the New Fourth Army was so strict, everyone gradually accepted the New Fourth Army's anti-Japanese and national salvation propositions, and many enthusiastic young people with lofty aspirations took the initiative to join the ranks of the New Fourth Army to serve the country. Facts have proved that whoever really treats the people, the people will sincerely support whom.