When we once introduced the founding lieutenant general Tan Xilin, some friends questioned: Isn't Tan Xilin a major general? How did you become a lieutenant general?
When communicating with them, it was found that these people had confused Tan Xilin and Tan Youlin, Tan Xilin was the founding lieutenant general, and Tan Youlin was the founding major general, not a person.
In addition, there is another person in our army who has a higher status than the two of them, named Tan Zhenlin, who can be called "Tan's Three Masters".
The first is Tan Zhenlin, born in 1902 in Youxian County, Hunan Province, who joined the Communist Party in 1926, and was also a member of the Autumn Harvest Uprising when Chairman Mao led the Autumn Harvest Uprising.
After the rebel army captured the county seat of Chaling County, Hunan, the Workers' and Peasants' And Soldiers' Government of Chaling County was established, which was the first county-level government established by our party, and the chairman was Tan Zhenlin, who was only 25 years old at the time.
In the history of our army, Tan Zhenlin's status has always been very high, and after the establishment of the Central Revolutionary Military Commission of the Chinese Soviet Republic in November 1931, Tan Zhenlin was one of the 15 members of the Central Military Commission, basically at the level of marshal.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Tan Zhenlin served as the commander and political commissar of the 6th Division of the New Fourth Army, alongside Su Yu, Zhang Yunyi, Huang Kecheng and other generals.
During the Liberation War, Tan Zhenlin was even more senior as the deputy political commissar of the Third Field Army, and together with Chen Yi and Su Yu, he was called the "Three Giants" of Sanye.
With Tan Zhenlin's seniority and merit, it was enough to award the founding general, but because he left the army after the founding of the country, he was not awarded a title.
Of course, Tan Zhenlin also held a very high position in the local area, serving as secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee, and serving as vice premier for 16 years, becoming an important assistant to Premier Zhou.
Next, we will introduce the founding lieutenant general Tan Xilin.
Born in 1908 in Changsha County, Hunan Province, Tan Xilin was admitted to the fifth phase of the Whampoa Military Academy in 1926 and worked as a platoon leader in the Ye Ting Independent Regiment after graduation.
Like Tan Zhenlin, Tan Xilin also participated in the Autumn Harvest Uprising and climbed Jinggang Mountain with Chairman Mao.
During the Jinggangshan period, Tan Xilin also received a nickname, called "Rescue General", what does it mean? That is to say, he once saved Chairman Mao's life.
It was one day in 1928, when Chairman Mao was doing investigation work at the foot of the mountain, he was suddenly surrounded by a group of local armed forces, which was very dangerous, and after Tan Xilin got the news, he immediately rode on his horse and rushed over, repelled the gang of bandits, and saved Chairman Mao.
Later, Tan Xilin was also appointed head of the Central Military Commission's Guard Regiment, specifically to protect Chairman Mao and others.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Tan Xilin was transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by Premier Zhou as a diplomatic ambassador and left the army.
Many people may ask: Tan Xilin and Tan Zhenlin both left the army after the founding of the People's Republic of China, why does Tan Zhenlin have no military rank, but Tan Xilin has a military rank?
In fact, it is also very simple, because Tan Xilin ended his career as a diplomatic ambassador in October 1954 and returned to the army, just in time for the rank, so he could be awarded the rank.
However, because Tan Xilin left the army for more than 4 years, after returning, he suffered a bit of a loss in his position, so the rank was not very high, and only a lieutenant general was awarded, otherwise, Tan Xilin was enough to be awarded general.
Finally, there is the founding major general Tan Youlin.
Born in 1916 in Jiangling, Hubei Province, Tan Youlin joined the Red Army in 1930, serving as a guard for Mr. He and later becoming the political commissar of the 96th Division of the Second Red Front.
When he was awarded the rank in 1955, Tan Youlin could be awarded the rank of lieutenant general, but for various reasons, only a major general was awarded in the end, and Luo Ronghuan also apologized to him specifically, saying: "Comrade Youlin, your military rank is low, and by virtue of your seniority and position, your comrades-in-arms at the same time are awarded the rank of lieutenant general." I admit to you that we were not meticulous enough in our work. ”
But Tan Youlin did not mind at all, saying: "Many of my comrades-in-arms have sacrificed, I now have a home, my children are full of children, and I have become a general, what is not satisfied?" ”
In addition, Tan Youlin also has a very special identity, that is, premier Zhou's son-in-law.
Tan Youlin was busy with the revolutionary cause, almost 30 years old and not married, even Chen Geng was anxious for him, so he decided to find him a partner.
With the help of Chen Geng and Ye Shuai, a suitable candidate was found, that is, Xian Rufang, a Russian translator at Yan'an Foreign Chinese School, who was the daughter of Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao.
Tan Youlin originally felt that he was not worthy of others, but he couldn't stand everyone to match, so he decided to communicate first, and then he said it.
As a result, as soon as the two met, they became fond of each other and soon became married.
Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao were also very satisfied with Tan Youlin, and on the day of their wedding, they also specially gave up the cave where they lived to the two of them and used them as a wedding room.
Source: History Inn 2020
Author: Ma Shaohua