The Red Culture of Linkou: The Secret Camps of the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces

The Red Culture of Linkou: The Secret Camps of the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces

Secret camps were where the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, with unyielding determination, carried out guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines under extremely harsh and difficult conditions. They preserved and developed anti-Japanese armed forces, expanded their strength. Hidden within the deep mountains and dense forests, they stockpiled military supplies, treated the wounded, repaired weapons, gathered intelligence, propagated resistance against Japan, and sewed winter clothing. In these remote wilderness areas, they built many secret campsites, which were referred to as "secret camps" by the soldiers of the United Army and local residents.

Secret camp culture is a distinctive feature of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army and also an important part of wartime culture. It holds significant value for studying the history of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army. The Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army created a unique way of life with regional characteristics of the northeast—the secret camps of the Anti-Japanese Allied Forces—and built surrounding supporting facilities on this basis, such as hospitals, repair workshops, campsites, grain storage, clothing factories, communication points, and printing houses. Relying on these secret camps, the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army engaged in tenacious struggles against the enemy. This was also the fundamental method by which they maintained their strength in the heartland of Japanese imperialist rule.

The Fifth Army of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army was an anti-Japanese armed force led by the Chinese Communist Party. Its development went through several phases: the Suining Anti-Japanese Allied Army, the Fifth Army of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, and eventually the Fifth Army of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army. Its commander was Zhou Baozhong, deputy commander Chai Shirong, political director Hu Ren, and chief of staff Zhang Jiandong. In the summer of 1936, the Fifth Army actively carried out guerrilla warfare in the areas of Sandao Pass and Diaoling, achieving many victories and annihilating a large number of Japanese puppet troops. In October 1936, Zhou Baozhong moved the army headquarters to the Sandao Pass and Diaoling area, setting up the headquarters at the Yan Tong La Zi secret camp in Sidaohezi, Sandao Pass. On March 14, 1937, the Jidong Provincial Committee of the CCP was established in Sidaohezi, Sandao Pass, with Zhou Baozhong serving as a standing committee member and head of the Organization Department. On September 29, 1937, the Jidong Provincial Committee of the CCP decided to establish the Second Route Army of the Anti-Japanese United Forces, with Zhou Baozhong as the commander-in-chief and Chai Shirong taking over as commander of the Fifth Army. According to the memoirs of Zhou Baozhong’s wife, Wang Yizhi, the secret camp in Sidaohezi was referred to at the time as the "Sidaohezi Valley Secret Camp" or the "Yan Tong La Zi Secret Camp." This area featured high mountains, dense forests, steep cliffs, and was largely uninhabited for miles. The secret camp here was the earliest and largest one established by the Fifth Army of the United Anti-Japanese Forces. The camp was entirely built from logs, consisting of several structures of varying sizes, ranging from over ten rooms to as few as five. The camp housed the army headquarters, general affairs office, quartermaster department, hospital, repair workshop, clothing factory, barracks, and more.

The ruins of this secret camp are now located in Sandao Pass Town, approximately 86 kilometers northwest of Linkou County. Through the medium of red tourism, visitors can follow in the footsteps of the martyrs of the Anti-Japanese United Forces, witness the battle scenes of those times, familiarize themselves with the activities of soldiers in the secret camps, understand the history of the Anti-Japanese United Forces and China’s revolutionary struggle. This holds profound cultural significance for promoting the spirit of the Anti-Japanese United Forces, educating cadres and the public with that spirit, and nurturing the younger generation.