But+they+have+destroyed+the+windmill.+And+we+had+worked+on+it+for+two+years

Stalin and the Soviet Union page 26: This meant that roads, railways, canals and bridges, damns, power stations, factories and farms that had not already been wrecked were now destoyed by the Germans to prevent the advancing Soviets.

The way how peasants (Boxer) saw it was very devastating. All their work they have done in the windmill (5-year plan) has now gone to ruins. This shows how much life has gone to reckless misery for the peasants when they've put all their effort into this work.