In 1955, a founding lieutenant general and his old leader composed a good story, because he and his old leader were awarded the rank of lieutenant general at the same time, what is surprising is that in 1949, this person was still the commander of the People's Liberation Army division, why was he at the same level as the old leader only 6 years later?
This person's name is Tian Weiyang.
Wudian Town, Zaoyang City, Hubei Province, is the hometown of Liu Xiu, the "Ten Great Ming Emperors" Han Guangwu Emperor in history, known as "Ancient Emperor Township", after the founding of the People's Republic of China, people have no longer deliberately publicized Han Guangwu Emperor, but to publicize Tian Weiyang.
In 1906, Tian Weiyang was born in a peasant family in Huangcun Village, Wudian Town, and at the age of 7, he began to study private school, and at the age of 10, due to his family's poverty, he had to stop his studies and come to the landlord's home to work for a long time.
In 1927, Chiang Kai-shek launched the "April 12 Counter-Revolution" in Shanghai, on May 21, Xu Kexiang launched the "Ma-Ri Incident" in Changsha, and on July 15, the National Government in Wuhan announced the "Confluence of Ninghan and Han", and the whole country entered a period of white terror.
On August 7, the Communist Party of China held an emergency meeting in Hankou, at which the general policy of the agrarian revolution and armed struggle was determined, and Chairman Mao put forward the famous thesis that "power comes out of the barrel of a gun."
In various parts of Hubei, a vigorous agrarian revolutionary movement was set off, Tian Weiyang joined the local peasant self-defense forces, and in September, the northern Hubei uprising broke out, and under the leadership of the party organization, the peasant armed forces in Zaoyang, Xiangyang and other places began to attack the regimental defense bureau, drive out the local kuomintang armed forces, and punish the local tyrants and gentry.
In November, the CCP's Northern Hubei Special Committee held an uprising centered on Zaoyang, after which the troops formed a Zaoyang guerrilla group to engage in guerrilla warfare with the enemy, and in October 1928, due to the attack of the Gui warlords, the northern Hubei uprising finally failed.
The uprising failed, but Tian Weiyang did not lose faith in the revolution, and he went to the 5th Regiment of the Hubei Provincial Garrison of the National Revolutionary Army to join the army.
In 1929, Cheng Zihua held an uprising in the Daye area, and the rebel troops were later reorganized into the 5th Column of the Red 5th Army.
Tian Weiyang finally joined the Red Army as he wished.
After the troops came to Jinggangshan, they were incorporated into the Red Third Army, Tian Weiyang served as a platoon commander, company commander, battalion commander, regiment commander and other positions of the Red Army during the agrarian revolution, and in the Central Soviet Region, for his bravery in battle, Tian Weiyang was awarded the Third Class Red Star Medal.
After the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the Kuomintang and the Communists carried out the second cooperation, the Red Army was reorganized into the Eighth Route Army, Tian Weiyang was assigned to the 115th Division to teach the brigade, and later served as the chief of staff of the Suluyu detachment.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Tian Weiyang successively served as the regimental political commissar and deputy brigade commander.
During the Liberation War, Tian Weiyang successively served as the commander of the 11th Division of the 4th Column of the Northeast Field Army and the commander of the 122nd Division of the 41st Army of the Siye Army.
In Tian Weiyang's military career, the highlight of his life should be in the Tashan Blockade Battle in the Liaoshen Campaign in 1948.
After the main force of the Northeast Field Army surrounded Jinzhou, Chiang Kai-shek immediately sent the "East Advance Corps" commanded by Hou Jingru and the "West Advance Corps" commanded by Liao Yaoxiang to support Jinzhou.
Tashan is located between Jinxi and Jinzhou, is a small village with only 100 households, here is bordered by Jinzhou Bay in the east, Baitai Mountain in the west, 30 kilometers away from Jinzhou, 4 kilometers away from Jinxi, is the only way for the Kuomintang Army's westward advance corps to rush to Aid Jinzhou.
The 4th Column of Dongye was ordered to block the enemy in the Tashan area, and Tian Weiyang was then the commander of the 11th Division of the 4th Column.
At that time, before the battle began, Tian Weiyang told the commander of the corps, Cheng Zihua, that he hoped to take the lead, but Cheng Zihua comforted him and asked the 11th Division to be a reserve, and Tian Weiyang had to obey the order.
At the most critical moment of the Tashan blockade battle, Tian Weiyang led his troops to support many times, so that the troops finally successfully defended Tashan, Tashan was defended, the enemy's support troops could not fight, and Jinzhou was liberated.
After the liberation of Jinzhou, the war situation in the entire northeast has formed a situation of "closing the door and fighting dogs".
Therefore, some military experts gave the Tashan Blockade Battle a high evaluation: its significance far exceeded the victory of a local battlefield, it was related to the progress and even the outcome of the Liaoshen Campaign, and to a considerable extent affected the course of the liberation war from then on.
After the Liaoshen Campaign, Dongye waved the division south, the troops were reorganized into the Fourth Field Army, the fourth column was reorganized into the 41st Army, the 11th Division was reorganized into the 122nd Division, and Tian Weiyang continued to serve as the division commander, this year, it was already 1949.
After the peaceful liberation of Peiping, the 122nd Division was responsible for guard duties, and Tian Weiyang strictly ordered the troops to abide by the rules for entering the city and not to affect the normal life of the masses.
Subsequently, the 41st Army continued to march south, and Tian Weiyang once again led his troops to participate in the Battles of Hengbao and Guangxi.
After the founding of New China, Tian Weiyang was appointed deputy commander of the 41st Army.
At the end of 1950, Tian Weiyang was appointed as the commander of the 41st Army, when the troops were preparing to repair the Jingjiang Flood Diversion Project, Tian Weiyang was appointed as the deputy commander-in-chief, during this appointment, Tian Weiyang worked diligently and successfully completed the task, and the Jingjiang Flood Diversion Project was also the first large-scale water conservancy project in New China.
In 1955, when he was awarded the rank, Tian Weiyang was awarded the rank of lieutenant general, during the Liberation War, his old leader, the commander of the fourth column, and the first commander of the 41st Army, Wu Kehua, was also awarded the rank of lieutenant general, and Tian Weiyang and the old leader were awarded the rank of founding lieutenant general, which has also become a good story in the history of our army.
After that, Tian Weiyang successively served as the commander of the Guizhou Military Region and the deputy commander of the Kunming Military Region, and in 1977, the general died of illness at the age of 71.