"My father was born in Henan, grew up in Henan, fought in Henan, and to this day, in the land of the Central Plains that raised him, his name has been deeply engraved in the hearts of the people, and his spirit will guide us to struggle unremittingly." On the morning of September 11, 2019, General Peng Xiaofeng, the former political commissar of the Second Artillery Corps, said the above words emotionally at the unveiling ceremony of the statue of his father Peng Xuefeng.
Peng Xiaofeng's impression of his father was vague, because he had never met his father. All he remembers is that he grew up listening to his father's heroic deeds. This famous eighth route army general, who struggled for his faith all his life, finally fell sadly when the War of Resistance was about to be won.
First, Peng Xuefeng's growth path
Peng Xuefeng is a native of Henan and was born in 1907. His grandfather Peng Rulan had some knowledge and opened a private school in his hometown. At the age of 5, Peng Xuefeng entered his grandfather's private school to study and enlighten. Because of his intelligence and studiousness, he was favored by the local rich and read to his son. Slightly older, Peng Xuefeng went to Tianjin and was admitted to the famous Nankai Middle School. His family was poor, and the tuition fees were paid for by his uncle Peng Yuyan.
The path to school for teenagers is not smooth. When Peng Xuefeng was 17 years old, Nankai Middle School was renamed "Yude Middle School" and moved to Beijing. At this time, Peng Yuyan stopped funding, and Peng Xuefeng faced dropping out of school. Because of his excellent character and learning in school, the principal Yu Xinqing admired him very much, so he let him teach Chinese in the primary school to earn tuition. Peng Xuefeng solved the urgent need and continued to go to school with peace of mind. During this period, Peng Xuefeng read books and periodicals such as "New Youth" to publicize progress, and came into contact with some teachers and classmates with progressive ideas, and began to form a new world outlook.
Soon after, a message came from Shanghai: the Japanese textile mill stopped working and stopped paying workers' wages. Worker Gu Hong was theorizing with the capitalists, but was shot and killed by the other side! On the morning of May 30, more than 2,000 workers and students took to the streets to expose the truth about the massacre of workers by capitalists, and as a result, they were rounded up by the concession patrols, and more than 100 people were arrested on Nanjing Road alone. After that, more than 10,000 people gathered at the door of the patrol room to demand the release of the students, but instead they were brutally suppressed by the British patrol, killing thirteen people, seriously injuring dozens of people, and arresting more than one hundred and fifty people. This is the famous May Thirtieth Massacre in history.
On June 1, Shanghai began a "three strikes" struggle of strikes, school strikes, and market strikes to protest the cruelty of imperialism. Soon, this trend spread throughout the country, forming a huge anti-imperialist patriotic movement. Under the leadership of the CPC Northern District Committee and Li Dazhao, Beijing students soon organized the "Shanghai Case Snow Shame Meeting." On June 30, under the leadership of the Beijing Federation of Students, more than 30,000 teachers, students and employees of schools in Beijing held a strike and marched in the streets to demonstrate. Peng Xuefeng also became the president of the student union of Yude Middle School and organized everyone to fight.
Second, the anti-Japanese hero Peng Xuefeng
In a chaotic world, it is not easy to study. Peng Xuefeng never forgot to study during the break between student movements. In 1929, he was admitted to the Faculty of Literature at the University of Northern Civilian States, but was unable to enroll because he did not have tuition fees. After that, Peng Xuefeng was transferred to the Shanghai Central Military Commission and began to contact the Red Army. He realized the importance of armed struggle and repeatedly reported to the Central Military Commission, asking him to "pick up the barrel of a gun and do a good job." In the end, the Central Military Commission agreed to his request, and Peng Xuefeng officially joined the Red Army.
Peng Xuefeng's initial position was political commissar of the Red Third Army Column, not a military cadre. However, in battle, he was very brave, always fearless of life and death, and in November 1933, he charged bravely in the Battle of Octagonal Pavilion and was seriously wounded. After recovering from his wounds, he returned to the battlefield, still at the forefront of the battle, without fear. On the road of the Long March, Peng Xuefeng fought a bloody battle at Loushan Pass, entered Zunyi City twice, crossed the Chishui River four times, marched into Tianquan City, climbed snowy mountains and meadows, beheaded the enemy Wuqi Town, made great meritorious achievements, was praised as an "outstanding young general and model political commissar" in the Red Army, and also won the "Red Star" medal issued by the Chinese Soviet Government.
After the Xi'an Incident, the Kuomintang and the Communists began to cooperate for the second time, and Peng Xuefeng served as the chief of staff of the major general of the Eighth Route Army headquarters and the director of the office in Jin. At this time, he handled a large number of military supplies and donations from all walks of life, as well as the most precious communication equipment and medicines. But Peng Xuefeng was honest and honest, spotless, and won the unanimous praise of all comrades.
Since then, Peng Xuefeng has read a lot of military books and improved his ability to command operations. From 1938 onwards, he began to enter the Central Plains Battlefield, successively serving as the chief of staff of the Eighth Route Army, the commander and political commissar of the guerrilla detachment of the New Fourth Army, the commander of the Fourth Column of the Eighth Route Army, the commander of the Fourth Division of the New Fourth Army and the commander of the Huaibei Military Region, and the leader of the strategic region behind enemy lines in central China. After that, he led his troops to repel the Japanese attack many times, which not only preserved the survival of the army, but also greatly improved the morale of the troops.
In addition to fighting wars, Peng Xuefeng's united front work has also done a very good job. He negotiated with the troops sent by Chiang Kai-shek to create friction on many occasions, and impressed the other side with profound knowledge and national righteousness, and finally he was always able to turn enemies into friends. The leader of the Wanxi Autonomous Government, Bie Tingfang, supported the army and respected himself, and Peng Xuefeng personally sent a letter to persuade him to jointly resist the Japanese. Later, Bei Tingfang said: "I am willing to cooperate with the Communist Party to resist Japan, and resolutely do not fight the Communist Party, let alone be a traitor." In the future, when the New Fourth Army or the Eighth Route Army needs help, I will resolutely help. Later, Bei Tingfang became a famous folk anti-Japanese leader, and there was also the credit of Peng Xuefeng here.
What is even more rare is that Peng Xuefeng also single-handedly established the cavalry unit of our army. In 1941, Peng Xuefeng, based on his mount "locomotive", constantly searched for Roman horses, established a cavalry regiment, and personally commanded the training. This cavalry later grew into three brigades, with a total of more than 500 warhorses, becoming a sharp attack force. In 1942, in the Hongze Lake area, Peng Xuefeng's cavalry regiment met the enemy, and in only 9 minutes, more than 300 Japanese troops were cut down in half, and more than 80 Japanese troops surrendered out of fear. Since then, the saber used by this cavalry has been called the "Snow Maple Knife".
In addition to fighting, Peng Xuefeng also maintained his nature as a reader. He not only read by himself, but was also very happy to teach his soldiers to read. He founded the cadet corps in Linfen, Shanxi, the teaching team in Zhugou, Henan, and the fourth division of the New Fourth Army, and founded educational institutions such as the Suiying School and the Fourth Branch of the Kang Da. Many of the warriors' enlightenment was done by Peng Xuefeng. In addition, he also extensively recruited young intellectuals to participate in the revolution, and reserved many outstanding talents for our army.
3. Died young
In 1944, the situation in the War of Resistance Against Japan was becoming clearer and clearer. Due to the tight pacific war, the Japanese army could only transfer a large number of experienced veterans to defend the island, and the pressure on the Chinese army gradually decreased. In the spring offensive of that year, Peng Xuefeng commanded his troops to liberate a large area between Sixian, Lingbi, and Suiyang after three months of fierce fighting, and took control of the entire Suisi Highway.
In April, the Japanese army was not willing to be defeated and gathered forces to attack Henan in a large scale. The 400,000-strong army of the Tang Enbo Army stationed in Henan retreated without a fight, and in just 37 days, 38 cities were lost. The Central Plains region once again became a purgatory on earth. In order to repel the aggressors, the Party Central Committee put forward the strategic principle of "developing behind enemy lines in Henan and controlling the Central Plains," and ordered Peng Xuefeng's troops to march west into the Yuwan-Suzhou Border Region, restore the base areas of Xiao County, Yongcheng, Xiayi, and Su County, and open up ties with the Suiqitai region.
On August 15, 1944, Peng Xuefeng led four infantry regiments and a cavalry regiment to advance westward. Along the way, Peng Xuefeng's forces connected with strongholds such as Xiaozhuzhuang, Juji, Yunxianji, Mazhuang, and Qinpolou, and recovered the vast area between Xiaoxian County, Yongbei, Zhongshan, Suxi, and Xianan. On September 5, Xuefeng led his troops to destroy the so-called "Luxi Defensive Line" formed by Liu Ziren, Liu Ruiqi, and Geng Jixun, and opened up the connection between the east and west of Jinpu Road.
At this time, the enemy Li Guangming's detachment, which was entrenched in Balizhuang in the east of Xiayi, continued to resist. Peng Xuefeng decided to personally go to the front line to direct the battle. Under great military pressure, the defending enemy abandoned the village at dawn on September 11, only to be defeated by our pre-ambushed cavalry regiment, dead, wounded, and captured. However, just as the battle was about to end, Peng Xuefeng, who was directing the battle, was suddenly hit in the chest by a stray bullet flying in the distance. He eventually died of his wounds and defended his homeland with his precious life at the age of 37. When the bad news reached Yan'an, all the commanders and fighters of our army were immediately immersed in grief. Comrade Chen Yi was extremely saddened and wrote eight poems of "Crying Comrade Peng Xuefeng" overnight. Chairman Mao also said with tears in his eyes: "The little Balizhuang actually damaged one of my generals!" Chairman Mao also jointly wrote an elegy with Zhu De, Peng Dehuai, and Chen Yi: "Twenty years of arduous undertakings are about to be completely completed, and we can't bear to see the glorious achievements, the heroic name will always be there, and the first generation is loyal, and we are a good example for the communists; the mountains and rivers of thousands of miles are broken, waiting to be cleaned up from scratch, the blood is splashing, the sacrifice for the country, full of sorrow and indignation, mourning the heroes for the Chinese nation." ”
Fourth, the Son inherits the father's aspirations
At the time of Peng Xuefeng's death, his wife Lin Ying was just 24 years old, pregnant, and looking forward to a happy family. After receiving the news of her husband's death, Lin Ying gave birth to a son strongly and named her Peng Xiaofeng. In 1948, Lin Ying started a family again and raised Peng Xiaofeng with her husband.
Although Peng Xiaofeng has not seen his father, he has always heard people mention his father's heroic deeds since he was a child. The image of his father has always been the driving force that guides him forward. Peng Xiaofeng inherited his father's wisdom and studied very hard. In August 1963, Peng Xiaofeng was admitted to the Kazakh Military Rocket Engineering Department with excellent results and became an aerospace expert.
Although there was no longer the shadow of war at that time, New China still needed to be built, and the troops still needed to be developed. After graduating, Peng Xiaofeng devoted himself to the research of rockets and missiles of our army. He also made brilliant achievements on the road he chose. In December 2003, Peng Xiaofeng was appointed political commissar of the Second Artillery Corps, and in June 2006, Peng Xiaofeng was promoted to the rank of general.