Eh	O
,	O
medics	O
were	O
quite	O
busy	O
.	O
Several	B-DATE
days	I-DATE
of	O
autumn	O
rain	O
turned	O
the	O
combat	O
trenches	O
extremely	O
muddy	O
.	O
The	O
Eighth	B-ORGANIZATION
Route	I-ORGANIZATION
Army	I-ORGANIZATION
officers	O
and	O
soldiers	O
soaking	O
in	O
the	O
muddy	O
water	O
fought	O
their	O
powerful	O
enemy	O
with	O
utmost	O
effort	O
.	O
With	O
bombs	O
exploding	O
next	O
to	O
the	O
trenches	O
,	O
they	O
showed	O
no	O
fear	O
at	O
all	O
.	O
When	O
their	O
blood	O
turned	O
the	O
yellow	O
soil	O
red	O
,	O
they	O
applied	O
iodine	O
solution	O
to	O
their	O
wounds	O
and	O
closed	O
them	O
with	O
bandages	O
.	O
They	O
wrapped	O
them	O
with	O
bandages	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
was	O
it	O
.	O
Under	O
the	O
powerful	O
offensive	O
of	O
the	B-ORGANIZATION
Eighth	I-ORGANIZATION
Route	I-ORGANIZATION
Army	I-ORGANIZATION
,	O
the	O
enemy	O
was	O
only	O
able	O
to	O
defend	O
itself	O
,	O
without	O
any	O
strength	O
to	O
fight	O
back	O
.	O
The	O
battle	O
proceeded	O
very	O
smoothly	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
initiative	O
steadily	O
in	O
the	O
grasp	O
of	O
the	B-ORGANIZATION
Eighth	I-ORGANIZATION
Route	I-ORGANIZATION
Army	I-ORGANIZATION
.	O
Since	O
the	O
strategic	O
objective	O
of	O
the	B-EVENT
Hundred	I-EVENT
Regiments	I-EVENT
Offensive	I-EVENT
was	O
to	O
smash	O
the	O
enemy	O
's	O
blockade	O
of	O
bases	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
of	O
critical	O
importance	O
to	O
destroy	O
the	O
roads	O
and	O
remove	O
strongholds	O
.	O
The	O
various	O
units	O
of	O
the	B-ORGANIZATION
Eighth	I-ORGANIZATION
Route	I-ORGANIZATION
Army	I-ORGANIZATION
taking	O
part	O
in	O
the	O
battle	O
wasted	O
no	O
time	O
destroying	O
the	O
roads	O
.	O
They	O
proposed	O
not	O
to	O
leave	O
behind	O
a	O
single	O
rail	O
,	O
a	O
single	O
cross	O
tie	O
,	O
a	O
single	O
railway	O
station	O
,	O
a	O
single	O
blockhouse	O
,	O
a	O
single	O
bridge	O
,	O
or	O
a	O
single	O
electricity	O
pole	O
.	O
They	O
mobilized	O
and	O
organized	O
the	O
masses	O
and	O
won	O
over	O
the	O
railway	O
staff	O
,	O
making	O
great	O
effort	O
to	O
destroy	O
the	O
railroad	O
,	O
the	O
stations	O
,	O
and	O
related	O
facilities	O
by	O
means	O
including	O
dismantlement	O
,	O
explosion	O
,	O
fire	O
,	O
and	O
water	O
.	O
I	O
was	O
in	O
charge	O
of	O
this	O
,	O
er	O
,	O
and	O
--	O
Er	O
,	O
er	O
,	O
due	O
to	O
this	O
--	O
To	O
cut	O
off	O
the	O
electricity	O
,	O
er	O
,	O
considered	O
a	O
deputy	O
commander	O
-	O
in	O
-	O
chief	O
responsible	O
for	O
these	O
electricity	O
lines	O
.	O
,	O
I	O
was	O
responsible	O
for	O
this	O
project	O
,	O
ah	O
.	O
The	O
militiamen	O
were	O
divided	O
into	O
two	O
groups	O
.	O
One	O
was	O
responsible	O
only	O
for	O
cutting	O
electrical	O
wires	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
other	O
for	O
destroying	O
roads	O
.	O
We	O
people	O
,	O
ah	O
,	O
were	O
under	O
his	O
command	O
for	O
the	O
time	O
being	O
.	O
We	O
all	O
took	O
part	O
in	O
destroying	O
roads	O
.	O
From	O
the	O
Zhengtai	B-GPE
road	O
,	O
from	O
,	O
um	O
,	O
Zhengding	B-GPE
to	O
,	O
um	O
,	O
Shijiazhuang	B-GPE
,	O
to	O
Taiyuan	B-GPE
,	O
more	B-CARDINAL
than	I-CARDINAL
400,000	I-CARDINAL
civilians	O
participated	O
in	O
destroying	O
roads	O
.	O
Most	O
important	O
at	O
that	O
time	O
along	O
the	O
Zhengtai	B-GPE
road	O
was	O
mainly	O
to	O
destroy	O
the	O
Jinxi	B-GPE
coal	O
mine	O
.	O
Soldiers	O
used	O
hay	O
cutters	O
to	O
sever	O
the	O
wire	O
net	O
,	O
charging	O
into	O
the	O
station	O
and	O
destroying	O
the	O
machine	O
room	O
and	O
water	O
tower	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
started	O
to	O
destroy	O
the	O
road	O
.	O
Of	O
the	O
three	B-CARDINAL
to	I-CARDINAL
four	I-CARDINAL
thousand	I-CARDINAL
civilians	O
participating	O
in	O
the	O
battle	O
,	O
one	B-CARDINAL
soldier	O
was	O
added	O
to	O
every	O
squad	O
of	O
16	B-CARDINAL
people	O
formed	O
.	O
While	O
destroying	O
roads	O
,	O
there	O
was	O
clear	O
-	O
cut	O
division	O
of	O
labor	O
.	O
Some	O
took	O
off	O
screws	O
;	O
some	O
uprooted	O
rail	O
spikes	O
;	O
some	O
knocked	O
off	O
joint	O
bars	O
;	O
some	O
removed	O
cross	O
ties	O
;	O
some	O
carried	O
away	O
rails	O
.	O
For	O
cutting	O
electrical	O
wires	O
,	O
the	O
militiamen	O
in	O
the	O
village	O
were	O
waiting	O
for	O
the	O
troops	O
to	O
come	O
,	O
Ah	O
,	O
Over	O
there	O
,	O
a	O
builder	O
of	O
the	O
surrounding	O
walls	O
sabotaged	O
transportation	O
by	O
pushing	O
over	O
his	O
surrounding	O
walls	O
.	O
It	O
was	O
built	O
during	O
the	O
day	O
,	O
and	O
at	O
night	O
,	O
overnight	O
militiamen	O
shoveled	O
it	O
over	O
.	O
The	O
task	O
of	O
the	B-ORGANIZATION
72nd	I-ORGANIZATION
Regiment	I-ORGANIZATION
was	O
,	O
er	O
,	O
this	O
destruction	O
battle	O
.	O
This	O
destruction	O
battle	O
went	O
on	O
for	O
a	B-DATE
day	I-DATE
and	I-DATE
a	I-DATE
night	I-DATE
.	O
Each	O
day	O
the	O
general	O
situation	O
was	O
different	O
.	O
-LSB-	O
-LSB-	O
They	O
attacked	O
small	O
bridges	O
and	O
small	O
districts	O
,	O
and	O
generally	O
looted	O
these	O
stations	O
.	O
-RSB-	O
-RSB-	O
They	O
carried	O
away	O
the	O
iron	O
,	O
the	O
iron	O
rails	O
of	O
the	O
railway	O
,	O
er	O
to	O
make	O
steel	O
.	O
Er	O
,	O
for	O
wood	O
materials	O
,	O
local	O
folks	O
simply	O
destroyed	O
them	O
by	O
fire	O
.	O
In	O
this	O
way	O
,	O
they	O
fought	O
the	O
battle	O
while	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
destroying	O
roads	O
,	O
stripping	O
the	O
entire	O
60	B-CARDINAL
-	O
li	O
-	O
long	O
railway	O
from	O
Xingtai	B-GPE
to	O
Neiqiu	B-GPE
within	O
just	O
a	B-DATE
few	I-DATE
days	I-DATE
.	O
In	O
this	O
way	O
,	O
a	O
blockade	O
line	O
of	O
steel	O
regarded	O
as	O
a	O
lifeline	O
by	O
the	O
Japanese	B-NORP
army	O
was	O
paralyzed	O
.	O
It	O
was	O
a	O
very	O
tough	O
battle	O
.	O
The	O
enemy	O
attacked	O
several	O
times	O
,	O
and	O
each	O
time	O
they	O
were	O
repelled	O
.	O
There	O
were	O
extremely	O
heavy	O
casualties	O
.	O
Overseas	O
Japanese	B-NORP
in	O
Yangquan	B-GPE
City	I-GPE
were	O
all	O
mobilized	O
to	O
participate	O
in	O
the	O
battle	O
,	O
including	O
children	O
of	O
15	B-DATE
to	I-DATE
16	I-DATE
years	I-DATE
of	O
age	O
.	O
They	O
wanted	O
to	O
have	O
,	O
overseas	O
compatriots	O
get	O
together	O
so	O
that	O
they	O
could	O
support	O
one	O
another	O
in	O
wiping	O
out	O
the	B-ORGANIZATION
Eighth	I-ORGANIZATION
Route	I-ORGANIZATION
Army	I-ORGANIZATION
and	O
foiling	O
our	O
movement	O
to	O
destroy	O
roads	O
.	O
The	B-EVENT
Hundred	I-EVENT
Regiments	I-EVENT
Offensive	I-EVENT
lasted	O
three	B-DATE
and	I-DATE
a	I-DATE
half	I-DATE
months	I-DATE
and	O
involved	O
two	B-CARDINAL
major	O
offensive	O
phrases	O
and	O
one	B-CARDINAL
anti-sweep	O
phase	O
.	O
During	O
the	O
first	B-ORDINAL
phase	O
from	O
August	B-DATE
20	I-DATE
to	I-DATE
September	I-DATE
10	I-DATE
,	I-DATE
1940	I-DATE
,	O
a	O
general	O
offensive	O
was	O
launched	O
on	O
major	O
transportation	O
lines	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
Zhengtai	B-GPE
,	O
Tongpu	B-GPE
,	O
Pinghai	B-GPE
,	O
and	O
Jinfu	B-GPE
lines	O
with	O
an	O
emphasis	O
on	O
destroying	O
the	B-FAC
Zhengtai	I-FAC
Railway	I-FAC
.	O
During	O
the	O
second	B-ORDINAL
phase	O
from	O
September	B-DATE
22	I-DATE
to	I-DATE
early	I-DATE
October	I-DATE
,	O
the	O
mission	O
was	O
to	O
continue	O
expanding	O
battle	O
achievements	O
,	O
to	O
destroy	O
the	O
flanks	O
of	O
transportation	O
lines	O
,	O
and	O
to	O
penetrate	O
puppet	O
strongholds	O
in	O
anti-Japanese	B-NORP
bases	O
.	O
During	O
the	O
third	B-ORDINAL
phrase	O
from	O
October	B-DATE
6	I-DATE
to	I-DATE
December	I-DATE
4	I-DATE
,	O
the	O
main	O
task	O
was	O
to	O
counterattack	O
a	O
retaliatory	O
sweep	O
by	O
the	O
Japanese	B-NORP
army	O
and	O
puppet	O
army	O
.	O
The	B-ORGANIZATION
Eighth	I-ORGANIZATION
Route	I-ORGANIZATION
Army	I-ORGANIZATION
smashed	O
successive	O
large	O
-	O
scale	O
sweep	O
operations	O
launched	O
by	O
the	O
Japanese	B-NORP
army	O
and	O
puppet	O
army	O
against	O
anti-Japanese	B-NORP
bases	O
in	O
Taihang	B-GPE
,	O
Taiyue	B-GPE
,	O
Pingxi	B-GPE
,	O
Beiyue	B-GPE
,	O
and	O
northwest	O
areas	O
of	O
Shanxi	B-GPE
,	O
among	O
others	O
.	O
To	O
those	O
who	O
have	O
never	O
experienced	O
wars	O
,	O
wars	O
are	O
vivid	O
stories	O
.	O
To	O
those	O
who	O
have	O
experienced	O
wars	O
,	O
war	O
is	O
the	O
course	O
of	O
life	O
,	O
part	O
of	O
life	O
.	O
There	O
are	O
,	O
At	O
that	O
time	O
,	O
the	B-EVENT
Hundred	I-EVENT
Regiments	I-EVENT
Offensive	I-EVENT
greatly	O
encouraged	O
the	O
vast	O
numbers	O
of	O
soldiers	O
and	O
civilians	O
,	O
with	O
news	O
of	O
fighting	O
spreading	O
rapidly	O
throughout	O
the	O
Taihang	B-LOCATION
Mountain	I-LOCATION
area	O
.	O
Few	O
of	O
the	O
veterans	O
who	O
participated	O
in	O
the	B-EVENT
Hundred	I-EVENT
Regiments	I-EVENT
Offensive	I-EVENT
are	O
still	O
alive	O
.	O
When	O
they	O
speak	O
of	O
the	B-EVENT
Hundred	I-EVENT
Regiments	I-EVENT
Offensive	I-EVENT
,	O
they	O
are	O
always	O
so	O
excited	O
.	O
Everyone	O
has	O
their	O
own	O
memory	O
,	O
has	O
the	B-EVENT
Hundred	I-EVENT
Regiments	I-EVENT
Offensive	I-EVENT
as	O
their	O
own	O
memory	O
.	O
;	O
er	O
,	O
I	O
got	O
five	B-CARDINAL
bullets	O
.	O
I	O
carried	O
these	O
five	B-CARDINAL
bullets	O
with	O
me	O
in	O
my	O
pocket	O
.	O
I	O
took	O
them	O
out	O
for	O
a	O
look	O
every	O
day	O
.	O
Hey	O
,	O
this	O
was	O
my	O
life	O
.	O
Hey	O
,	O
this	O
was	O
my	O
life	O
.	O
I	O
could	O
not	O
lose	O
them	O
.	O
The	O
squad	O
leader	O
said	O
,	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
when	O
you	O
are	O
given	O
a	O
rifle	O
,	O
you	O
need	O
to	O
shoot	O
.	O
I	O
will	O
watch	O
.	O
If	O
you	O
fail	O
to	O
shoot	O
the	O
enemy	O
,	O
I	O
will	O
punish	O
you	O
when	O
you	O
come	O
back	O
.	O
Do	O
you	O
know	O
lice	O
?	O
They	O
bite	O
.	O
How	O
do	O
you	O
scald	O
them	O
?	O
Hey	O
,	O
Well	O
,	O
you	O
boil	O
some	O
water	O
and	O
get	O
something	O
like	O
gunpowder	O
.	O
Then	O
you	O
loosen	O
your	O
pants	O
and	O
sprinkle	O
it	O
.	O
Clench	O
it	O
like	O
this	O
.	O
Then	O
,	O
you	O
shake	O
it	O
,	O
and	O
you	O
hear	O
a	O
cracking	O
sound	O
on	O
the	O
ground	O
;	O
hey	O
,	O
scalded	O
lice	O
.	O
A	O
washbasin	O
was	O
also	O
very	O
precious	O
.	O
How	O
was	O
the	O
washbasin	O
used	O
?	O
You	O
used	O
the	O
washbasin	O
to	O
wash	O
your	O
feet	O
,	O
used	O
the	O
washbasin	O
to	O
hold	O
your	O
meal	O
,	O
used	O
the	O
washbasin	O
to	O
wash	O
your	O
face	O
,	O
and	O
sometimes	O
used	O
the	O
same	O
washbasin	O
to	O
boil	O
water	O
.	O
So	O
,	O
this	O
washbasin	O
was	O
a	O
precious	O
washbasin	O
.	O
This	O
photo	O
taken	O
back	O
then	O
by	O
Eighth	B-ORGANIZATION
Route	I-ORGANIZATION
Army	I-ORGANIZATION
field	O
correspondent	O
Xu	B-PERSONNAME
Xiaobing	I-PERSONNAME
is	O
a	O
snapshot	O
of	O
Peng	B-PERSONNAME
Dehuai	I-PERSONNAME
directing	O
the	O
campaign	O
at	O
the	O
frontline	O
of	O
the	B-EVENT
Hundred	I-EVENT
Regiments	I-EVENT
Offensive	I-EVENT
.	O
Just	O
as	O
Mao	B-PERSONNAME
Zedong	I-PERSONNAME
once	O
praised	O
:	O
Who	O
dares	O
wield	O
his	O
sword	O
and	O
make	O
his	O
horse	O
rear	O
?	O
