preface
This year marks the ninetieth anniversary of the "918 Incident," and when it comes to the past, many people will feel sincerely angry at the fact that hundreds of thousands of Northeast Troops retreated to Guannei without firing a single shot. In the face of the Japanese army's step by step, the northeast region was not without rebels, and General Ma Zhanshan, who was responsible for garrisoning Heihe, fired the first shot of the anti-Japanese struggle.
General Ma Zhanshan
When Ma Zhanshan is mentioned, many people know that he is a famous patriotic general and a legendary figure in the history of China's War of Resistance Against Japan. However, although he was a general of the Nationalist army, he had a tacit understanding of contacts with the leaders of the Cpc, and he was even highly praised by Chairman Mao.
Ma Zhanshan: Public hatred and private hatred, I will repay it
One day in 1938, Chairman Mao received a Kuomintang general in Yan'an, and he was Ma Zhanshan, who fired the first shot of armed resistance against Japan. There are not a few bloody generals in the Kuomintang, but why Chairman Mao treated Ma Zhanshan, who was born as a bandit, with such high courtesy, this has to start from Ma Zhanshan's experience.
Ma Zhanshan was born in 1885 to a peasant family in Jilin Province. When he was just born, he was black and thin, and the local gentleman named him Ma Zhanshan, that is, if he occupied the mountain, there would be grass to eat, and he would get ahead.
Bandits of the old society
In the old China, if the children of poor families wanted to get ahead, there was no way out by relying on the examination and taking the relationship, and the only way was to go into the mountains as bandits and occupy the mountains as kings.
In order to maintain the family's livelihood, 7-year-old Ma Zhanshan came to the home of a local rich man to become a horse, he wanted to live in peace and stability, but he did not think that such a job did not last long.
One day, a horse in the rich man's house was accidentally lost, but the rich man did not say that Ma Zhanshan had led the horse out and sold it, he put all the blame on Ma Zhanshan, and even wanted to drag him to the local government. Ma Zhanshan, in a fit of rage, concealed his family from coming to the nearby mountains and grassy areas to become bandits.
When he first fell into banditry, the thin Ma Zhanshan was not favored by others, but Ma Zhanshan was brave and fierce, and he also mastered a good marksmanship, and soon broke out of his own world among the bandits, and under the recommendation of everyone, he became the "mountain king" here.
The grass falls for the Ma Zhan Mountain of Kou
In the eyes of everyone, the bandits are the representatives of the robbery of the family, but the bandits led by Ma Zhanshan are a special case, and when they fall into the mountains and grasses, they not only do not oppress the local people, but also defend the interests of the country and the nation.
In 1904, the Russo-Japanese War broke out, and the imperialists committed numerous crimes on Chinese soil while fighting each other, and the local people suffered greatly. Ma Zhanshan felt that falling into the grass was not a long-term solution after all, and he should lead everyone to find a way out for the country and the nation to make contributions. So he accepted the reorganization of the local government and joined the Northeast Army.
In the ranks, the most important thing is righteousness and strength, Ma Zhanshan is more capable, but also very moralistic, soon by the superior leaders appreciated, the position has also been promoted, he has successively served as a sentry commander, a company commander, a battalion commander and other positions. In 1925, Ma Zhanshan was promoted again to the position of brigade commander of the Fifth Brigade of the Northeast Army.
In 1928, the Japanese caused the Huanggutun Incident, zhang Zuolin was seriously injured in the explosion, and then died of his injuries. Ma Zhanshan said sadly:
"This is a public vendetta and a private vendetta, and I will repay it."
Ma Zhanshan's heart hated these Japanese.
Huanggutun Incident
At the end of 1928, the Beiyang government was overthrown, and Zhang Xueliang announced that the northeast was changed and submitted to the jurisdiction of the National Government in Nanjing. Soon, Ma Zhanshan was reused and served as commander of the Heihe Garrison District.
Ma Zhanshan: Those who invade our province will swear to die in a battle
On the night of September 18, 1931, the Japanese Kwantung Army blew up the railroad tracks themselves, but blamed it on the Chinese army, and they used this as an excuse to shell the Shenyang North Camp and deliberately provoke war. In the face of Japanese aggression, the Northeast Army pursued a policy of non-resistance, which led the Japanese army to occupy Liaoning and Jilin provinces without bloodshed, and in November concentrated its forces to launch a large-scale attack on Heilongjiang.
Ma Zhanshan was appointed as the chairman and military commander of Heilongjiang Province, and after receiving the appointment, he made up his mind to fight the Japanese. Ma Zhanshan went to the provincial capital of Qiqihar, where he mobilized among the warriors:
"Although I am in a corner of Heilongjiang, it is still called a pure land... Then whoever invades our province will swear to die in a battle. ”
The Japanese launched an offensive against northeast China
In order to facilitate unified command, Ma Zhanshan set up the Heilongjiang Military-Government Unified Command, and he immediately convened a military conference to discuss the next step of dealing with the enemy. He transferred three infantry regiments, a cavalry regiment, and an artillery battalion of the Northeast Tun Reclamation Army to the south of Daxing for deployment. At the same time, the strength of the three brigades was transferred to the north bank of the Nen River to meet the enemy's attack at any time.
On the morning of November 4, the Japanese army, under the cover of aircraft, marched north from Jiangqiao Station and launched a large-scale attack on the Chinese army through the Nenjiang Bridge, and the fighters put up heroic resistance. Ma Zhanshan personally came to the front line to take command and shot down several enemy aircraft.
After the Battle of Jiangqiao was launched, patriotic youth, peasants, and students from all over the country rushed to the front line, and they gave great support to the soldiers in terms of manpower and material resources. There were even many enthusiastic young people who joined the anti-Japanese troops in Ma Zhanshan, and they made significant contributions to the cause of the War of Resistance at the cost of their lives.
A scene from the Jiangqiao War of Resistance
The Battle of Jiangqiao caused great repercussions in the world, and newspapers and periodicals of various countries spoke highly of the battle. The Beijing-Tianjin Times said:
"Ma Zhanshan is the only senior Chinese official in a country full of disasters."
Soon, letters of solidarity from all sides followed, which further stimulated Ma Zhanshan's patriotic enthusiasm.
Due to the large difference in strength between the enemy and ourselves, Ma Zhanshan repeatedly called the Nationalist Government in Nanjing to request support, but he did not receive a single soldier, one shot, one bullet, but the Japanese army received a large amount of replenishment and support. After more than half a month of resistance, Ma Zhanshan had to issue an order to retreat, moving the provincial capital to Helen, and the Battle of Jiangqiao was declared over.
The Battle of Jiangqiao is of great historical significance, and the kuomintang and the Communist Party of China and all sectors of society have highly praised it. Chairman Mao also clearly stated at the later Seventh National Congress of the Communist Party of China:
"China's War of Resistance Against Japan began in 1931."
After the Battle of Jiangqiao, Ma Zhanshan lost one-third of his troops, and his situation became very difficult. In order to lead the soldiers in a long-term war of resistance, he decided to first "commit himself to thieves" and use their psychology to buy themselves off to expand their armed forces.
Ma ZhanShan is in the northeast
In March 1932, Ma Zhanshan served as the governor of the puppet Heilongjiang Province, and also served as the military and political minister of the puppet Manchukuo, and public opinion was in an uproar. However, during this time, Ma Zhanshan did not do a single thing for the Japanese, and at the same time, he refused to sign any traitorous documents on the grounds of illiteracy.
More than a month later, Ma Zhanshan led more than 200 members of the Guard to leave Qiqihar and arrive at Heihe, where he electrified the whole country and raised the anti-Japanese banner again. This time, he obtained more than two million silver dollars, more than three hundred warhorses, and more than a dozen trucks from the Japanese army, which greatly supported the local anti-japanese cause in the northeast.
Because of the deception, the Japanese army hated Ma Zhanshan to the bone, and they carried out a large-scale encirclement and suppression of Ma Zhanshan's troops. Ma Zhanshan's forces were outnumbered and could not receive any support, and after they ran out of strength, they were forced to retreat to the Soviet Union, ending more than a year of resistance in the northeast.
Soldiers of the Northeast Anti-Japanese Volunteer Army
Although Ma Zhanshan's anti-Japanese activities failed, the anti-Japanese flame in the northeast region was not extinguished. The Communist Party of China mobilized the masses of the people in the northeast region to wage a tenacious struggle against the Japanese aggressors and dealt a bitter blow to the Japanese army.
Chairman Mao: After a while, you should be ready to go back, otherwise Chiang Kai-shek will take advantage of the opportunity to make trouble
In 1936, the Japanese army accelerated the pace of aggression against China, but Chiang Kai-shek, despite the opposition of the people of the whole country, personally came to Xi'an to urge Zhang Xueliang to "suppress the Communists." Proceeding from the perspective of the great national righteousness, Zhang Xueliang mobilized military advice and detained Chiang Kai-shek and many other Kuomintang members.
Ma Zhanshan knew in his heart that the purpose of Zhang Xueliang's military advice was to resist Japan. To this end, he actively responded to the eight proposals put forward by Zhang Xueliang, Yang Hucheng and others, and sent a telegram to the whole country to demand that they unite to resist Japan.
A few days later, a CHINESE delegation headed by Zhou Enlai came to Xi'an, and they played the role of the backbone of the mediation process, which gave Ma Zhanshan a new understanding of the Chinese Communist Party.
A scene from the Xi'an Incident
In July 1937, the Japanese army launched a full-scale war of aggression against China, and Ma Zhanshan deliberately rushed back to Nanjing from Tianjin and asked Chiang Kai-shek to rush to the anti-Japanese front to resist Japan. Chiang Kai-shek appointed him commander of the Northeast Advance Army, responsible for pacification of the four northeastern provinces.
After taking office on Ma Zhanshan, he led his men and horses to Datong, where he was responsible for the preparation of the headquarters of the Advancing Army and invited people from the northeast to assist him in handling the work.
During his time in Datong, Ma Zhanshan also carried out a political offensive war, recruiting and reorganizing a large number of pseudo-Mongolian troops, further expanding the strength of the advancing army and dealing a heavy blow to the enemy. When Chiang Kai-shek learned of this, he said with emotion:
"This horse is small, and he has a lot of appeal."
In mid-May 1938, Ma Zhanshan came to Chongqing to report on his work and replenish the materials needed by the troops. Under Ma Zhanshan's soft and hard bubble, the Nationalist government only allocated him more than 500 rifles, 30 light machine guns, and more than 10 pistols, which made Ma Zhanshan's heart very disappointed.
In mid-July, Ma Zhanshan returned to Xi'an to meet With Hu Zongnan and raised issues about the transportation of supplies. Hu Zongnan did not want to support Ma Zhanshan, and he resigned: "The weapons I give you must pass through Yan'an, and there is no way to ensure its safety." ”
Kuomintang general Hu Zongnan
Ma Zhanshan, who had close ties with our Party, was well aware of our Party's practices, so he assured Hu Zongnan: "Commander Hu is assured that I will deal with any problems that arise." Although Hu Zongnan was reluctant, he had no choice but to carry out the orders of the Nationalist government and allocate certain materials to Ma Zhanshan.
Ma Zhanshan thought to himself that when he passed through Yan'an this time, he must meet Chairman Mao and thank the Communist Party of China for his assistance.
What he did not expect was that Ma Zhanshan had a small accident on the way to Yan'an, and when his motorcade came to the vicinity of ganquan straw shop, which was only 50 miles away from Yan'an, Ma Zhanshan saw many pheasants foraging for food, and he was immediately interested.
After a few thuds, several pheasants fell to the ground, and while the warriors were preparing to pick up their prey, an accident occurred. Only to hear a "boom", the muzzle of the shotgun in Ma Zhanshan's hand suddenly exploded, his left hand was blown to the point of blurring blood and flesh, Ma Zhanshan lost consciousness due to excessive blood loss, and the entourage took him to a nearby hospital.
Xiao Jinguang, as the head of the Yan'an security guard, paid special attention to Ma Zhanshan, and he organized doctors to carry out a comprehensive rescue of Ma Zhanshan. With Ma Zhanshan's consent, the doctor performed 3 finger excisions on him.
After careful treatment by Yan'an Hospital, Ma Zhanshan's injuries gradually recovered.
A few days later, Chairman Mao made a special trip to visit Ma Zhanshan. When Ma Zhanshan learned of this, he excitedly stepped down from the bed, shook Chairman Mao's hand, and said: "I didn't know that Chairman Mao was coming. ”
Chairman Mao inquired in detail about Ma Zhanshan's injuries and comforted him:
"I see that your injury is still very serious, about the medical problem, Yan'an came to find a way for you, you don't have to worry."
Immediately afterward, Chairman Mao said humorously:
"In a few days, you will be ready to go back, you are a famous anti-Japanese general, and if something happens in Yan'an, Chiang Kai-shek will definitely take the opportunity to make trouble and bring me stains that cannot be washed off."
Chairman Mao during the Yan'an period
Ma Zhanshan laughed and said, "It's okay, I can't die." The two men had a lively conversation in pleasant laughter and exchanged their views on many issues.
Half a month later, Ma Zhanshan recovered from his injuries, and Chairman Mao specially organized the Yan'an military and people to hold a grand welcome meeting for him. Chairman Mao said in his speech:
"General Ma Zhanshan is more than half a hundred years old, but he still stands in the forefront of the anti-Japanese struggle against the enemy, and this spirit deserves our admiration."
Ma Zhanshan was very grateful to the PARTY Central Committee and Chairman Mao for their warm hospitality, and in his speech he expressed his willingness and determination to cooperate with the CPC. That night, Chairman Mao also invited Ma Zhanshan to visit his cave, and the two men talked for a long time about the anti-Japanese situation, and Ma Zhanshan was gradually impressed by Chairman Mao's wisdom.
After a period of recuperation, Ma Zhanshan's injuries were no longer serious, so Chairman Mao sent someone to send him to Yulin and stayed with General Deng Baoshan to continue his recuperation.
After Ma Zhanshan returned from Yan'an, he reorganized the troops, and he put some Communists in some important positions and let them actively carry out anti-Japanese propaganda, which further strengthened the combat effectiveness of the troops.
Ma Zhanshan advised Fu Zuoyi: "When you fight, you will become a sinner for thousands of years."
In 1945, the Chinese military and people won a great victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan, but Chiang Kai-shek blindly wanted to engage in dictatorial rule. In order to seize the fruits of the victory of the anti-Japanese resistance in the northeast, he set up the northeast camp and the security headquarters, and made Ma Zhanshan a committee member, and together with Fu Zuoyi launched an attack on our army.
In the first battle with our army, Ma Zhanshan was defeated, and he was discouraged from then on, and began to retire in the name of seclusion, staying in Beiping. Chiang Kai-shek sent people many times to invite Ma Zhanshan out of the mountains, but he felt that the Kuomintang was unpopular and that if he launched a large-scale civil war, sooner or later it would fail, so he refused Chiang Kai-shek's kindness.
A scene from the Liberation War
In 1948, the Chinese People's Liberation Army won victories on the battlefield. In November of the same year, the people's army began to approach Peiping. Chiang Kai-shek knew that Peiping would be difficult to keep, so he tried his best to woo Fu Zuoyi, and at the same time sent planes to prepare to take Ma Zhanshan, the general of the Northeast Army, and others to Nanjing, but Ma Zhanshan and others sternly refused.
On December 13, 1948, the People's Liberation Army completed the encirclement of Beiping City. Fu Zuoyi and Ma Zhanshan were worried, and they began to consider the future of Beiping City.
After the siege of Peiping, people in our party were very active, and they actively carried out ideological work against Ma Zhanshan and a large number of other senior generals, and Ma Zhanshan very much recognized the ideas put forward by the Cpc. The party organization hoped that Ma Zhanshan could do Some of Fu Zuoyi's ideological work so that Peiping would be free from the engulfment of war and peaceful liberation would be realized.
Ma Zhanshan was a close friend of Fu Zuoyi, and Fu Zuoyi trusted him very much. He analyzed the current situation with Ma Zhanshan in detail: "There are three roads in front of us: one is to transfer the elite troops of Zhangjiakou to hold firm, the second is to retreat the troops safely through the sea road if they cannot be defended, and the third is that when they have no choice, they can leave everything behind and fly to Nanjing. ”
General Fu Zuoyi
Ma Zhanshan said directly:
"These three roads are not feasible, the situation in Zhangjiakou is grim, and the troops cannot get them back at once." In addition, Tianjin was surrounded, and it was unrealistic to retreat from the sea. If we return to Nanjing, we will only be punished by Chiang Kai-shek, because the chairman of the committee has never looked at us squarely in his heart. ”
Ma Zhanshan continued to exhort:
"Don't ignore a million or two million people because you're alone, because if you start a war, you'll be a sinner for eternity."
Fu Zuoyi finally agreed to the chinese communist proposal, and Peiping City achieved peaceful liberation, all of which were inseparable from the efforts of General Ma Zhanshan.
In 1950, when the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea began, Ma Zhanshan took the initiative to ask for help and wanted to go to the Korean front to participate in the war, so he submitted the application to the Party Central Committee, and the organization felt that he was old and seriously ill, and refused his request.
Peiping City was peacefully liberated
In November 1950, Ma Zhanshan's condition deteriorated. On his deathbed, he left a will for his children:
"The ideal country of my life has been built. Although I am sick and have been away from the world, you must obey the instructions and work hard under the leadership of the people's government, and you must not slacken off. ”
General Ma Zhanshan's life is full of legends, and in the face of national righteousness, he has always maintained his integrity and principles. Now the Scythian is gone, but his soul lives on and will exist in the heart of every Chinese.