75 Years Ago, Our Predecessors Conducted a Night March of a Hundred Li in an Infiltration Operation—What Exactly Happened That Night

Keeping "That Night 75 Years Ago" in Memory

■ Zeng Xiangdong, PLA Daily Special Correspondent Yi Zhangfeng

When the video call connected and an elderly man appeared on the large screen in the study room—dressed in a Chinese People's Volunteer Army uniform, his chest covered in medals—the officers and soldiers could not help straightening up, sitting bolt upright.

Not long ago, a political education class at a certain detachment of the People's Armed Police First Mobile Corps welcomed a special guest.

"My name is Lü Xinru. I enlisted in 1947. During the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, our unit's designation was the 27th Army, 81st Division, 242nd Regiment…" The old man's voice was strong and clear. "In 1951, the division commander personally led the 2nd Battalion on a nighttime infiltration march, cutting off the enemy's line of retreat."

In one campaign, the predecessor unit of this detachment penetrated deep into enemy defensive lines, advancing more than 120 li in a single night of infiltration, conducting 18 engagements of varying scale along the way, and arriving at the designated objective 40 minutes ahead of schedule. For this, higher authorities awarded the unit the battle flag "Model Infiltration Battalion" (穿插模范营). The story Elder Lü recounted came from that battalion.

The officers and soldiers of the detachment had spent years searching for this surviving Volunteer Army veteran. The unit had undergone multiple reorganizations and transfers, and some historical records had been lost in the process. Generation after generation of officers and soldiers had heard of the feat of that hundred-li night infiltration, but what exactly happened that night—how their predecessors accomplished such a remarkable deed—remained shrouded in the fog of history, many details unknown.

In recent years, the detachment organized personnel to seek out revolutionary predecessors and collect relevant historical materials. Meanwhile, Elder Lü had long been giving talks in his hometown about the glorious combat history of his old unit, and he too very much wanted to know where the old unit had made its "new home" and how it had developed.

Last year, detachment cadres came across Elder Lü's story in the media. After communication and verification, they confirmed that the unit Elder Lü had belonged to was indeed the detachment's predecessor. Elder Lü was eager to come "home" for a visit, but given his advanced age, the detachment organized this "cloud" reunion of comrades-in-arms.

As Elder Lü spoke, the operational details hidden in the fog of history gradually came to light—

This kind of deep-penetration infiltration operation had no precedent in the 27th Army's combat history. Treating the wounded and supplying food were no small problems, but what everyone feared most was having their movements exposed and failing to complete the mission on time.

"At that moment, the division commander stepped forward on his own initiative to lead the infiltration. Before we set out, we each carried only a little dried rations, resolved to burn our boats (破釜沉舟) and resolutely complete the mission." Elder Lü gave a light pump of his fist.

At the time, the enemy had set up barbed wire, and the battalion's repeated demolition attempts failed to open a passage. "The battalion commander was extremely anxious—he grabbed the satchel charge right out of the squad leader's hands and worked at it himself, and finally blasted an opening." As Elder Lü spoke, he mimicked the battalion commander's motion of seizing the satchel charge.

That night, the officers and soldiers quickened their pace and rushed toward the objective area. They dared not take the main roads and could only move along narrow mountain paths. Where there was no path, they rolled down hillsides. The lead elements engaged the enemy while the following elements pressed forward with the infiltration, advancing in alternating bounds.

"We cut the enemy's telephone lines and destroyed their command system. Unexpectedly, in the darkness, the enemy's line-repair soldiers mistook us for their own people and swaggered right up to our column—and we caught them like turtles in a jar (瓮中捉鳖)." Elder Lü's memory of this breathtaking scene remained vivid.

A full night of marching on foot; nearly 20 engagements fought; the division commander and battalion commander charging at the front, advancing alongside everyone else; the lightly wounded caring for the seriously wounded, covering one another; enemy troops attempting to withdraw and flee were intercepted… The officers and soldiers below the screen applauded again and again for their predecessors' resourcefulness and courage.

Afterward, the political instructor reported to Elder Lü on the achievements the detachment had made over the years, with particular mention of one training assessment. On that occasion, the officers and soldiers had just completed a 40-kilometer fully-equipped road march when they were immediately required to conduct a 3-kilometer sprint—everyone's physical capacity had been pushed to the absolute limit. Staff Sergeant First Class Sheng Yongfei's old leg injuries flared up; comrades urged him to stop and rest, but he refused to give up, gritting his teeth and pressing on until he crossed the finish line. "You are outstanding as well!" Upon learning that the detachment had taken first place in the assessment, Elder Lü broke into a gratified smile.

"Salute!" At the close of the video call, all officers and soldiers paid their respects to Elder Lü.

"On that night 75 years ago, our revolutionary predecessors gave us a lesson through a charge that spared nothing and held nothing back. How well have we inherited that spirit of burning our boats (破釜沉舟) and pressing forward without hesitation?" The political instructor's words prompted deep reflection among those present. Officers and soldiers proactively examined problems such as "subconscious self-slackening and hesitation" (潜意识里的自我懈怠与瞻前顾后), and once again undertook introspection and self-analysis…