Speaking of Lin Biao's confidants, I think many people will think of Huang Yongsheng, Wu Faxian, Li Zuopeng, and Qiu Hui, because they were once known as lin Biao's "four king kongs". But the relationship with Lin Biao that I want to talk about today is far above the four king kongs, and he can be called Lin Biao's first confidant, he is the founding general Liu Yalou.
Liu Yalou, whose original name was Liu Zhendong, was born in 1910 in Wuping, Fujian Province. In 1929, after Liu Zhendong joined the Communist Party of China, he changed his name to Liu Yalou, saying that he would always follow the party in the revolution and go to a higher level. During the Red Army period, Liu Yalou was already a member of Lin Biao's command who could recruit good warriors, and it can be said that he had outstanding and dazzling battle achievements.
Since 1930, he has participated in successive anti-"encirclement and suppression" campaigns in the Central Soviet Region. Later, he followed the main force of the Red Army on the Long March, and repeatedly undertook urgent, difficult and dangerous tasks, such as forcibly crossing the Wu River, crossing the Chishui River in sizhou, and capturing the Luding Bridge. After arriving in northern Shaanxi, Liu Yalou entered the Anti-Japanese Red Army University. After graduation, Liu Yalou was appointed as the education director of Kang University, assisting Lin Biao, Liu Bocheng, Luo Ruiqing and other organizations in teaching work.
After the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, Lin Biao left the school and went to the battlefield, was appointed as the commander of the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army, and led his troops into the anti-Japanese front line in North China. Because he was mistakenly injured by Yan Xishan's troops in the Battle of Pingxingguan, Lin Biao went to the Soviet Union for treatment. Later, Liu Yalou was sent by Chairman Mao and the Central Committee to study at the Frunze Military Academy in the Soviet Union, where he and Lin Biao were in frequent contact.
During his studies in the Soviet Union, Liu Yalou was just in time for the Soviet-German war, Stalin thought that the German army would attack Moscow from Ukraine, but Liu Yalou thought that the German army was likely to attack from the direction of Belarus. It turns out that Liu Yalou was right. This incident made Lin Biao very impressed.
During the liberation war, the Northeast Field Army was in urgent need of staff officers, so Chairman Mao sent Liu Yalou to the northeast to serve as a staff officer for Lin Biao; when Liu Yalou took office, Lin Biao broke the routine of not going out to greet people, and shook Liu Yalou's hand and said: If you come, you will have three chiefs of staff on the roof of Liu Yalou.
It is precisely because of their unity and tacit understanding that the Northeast Field Army has repeatedly won surprising victories and successfully liberated the entire territory of Northeast China, laying a solid foundation for the founding of New China. Once, Lin Biao also gave his "Heavenly Opportunity" with an inscription: When life and death are at stake, everyone else is second, and only you are the most important. From this, it can be seen that the relationship between Liu Yalou and Lin Biao is indeed extraordinary.
After the founding of New China, Liu Yalou became the commander of the Air Force and was ordered to form the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force, and he went from nothing to North Korea to shoot down the US "ace" fighter, creating an incredible miracle. However, in 1965, Liu Yalou died of illness in Shanghai at the age of 55.
Although Liu Yalou was only a general, his memorial service was held according to the rank of marshal. With Chairman Mao's approval, the memorial service was held in Zhongshan Hall in Zhongshan Park on the west side of Tiananmen, and his old boss, Lin Biao, presided over the memorial service for him, and the 100,000 soldiers and civilians in the capital spontaneously came to mourn. Almost all the central leaders attended, hoping that General Liu Yalou would know about the underground and feel the honor of this marshal.