When the title was conferred in 1955, Chairman Mao personally proposed that Xu Guangda be awarded the rank of general.
After Xu Guangda learned of this news, his first feeling was not happiness, but some trepidation, and he said to his wife: "After decades of ups and downs, Zhou Yiqun, Duan Dechang, who fought side by side with me. There are many more young comrades-in-arms who cannot be named, spilling their blood on the land of the republic, "one will achieve ten thousand bones"... When I think of them, I have received such a great honor, I am really ashamed..."
Soon, Xu Guangda found the old leader He Long: "Boss, it is too high to grant me the rank of great general." ”
He Long: "What is high, in my opinion, neither low nor high, 10 marshals, 10 generals and several vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission have repeatedly studied, weighed, and taken care of the decisions of various aspects, comprehensively considering the factors such as battle merit, seniority, and mountain heads, who is still qualified to be a general in the Red Second Army at present?" ”
Even though He Long was like this, Xu Guangda's heart was still very uneasy, and after thinking about it for a long time, he wrote a letter to Chairman Mao and the leaders of the Central Military Commission, deciding to resign from the rank of general:
"Chairman Mao of the Central Military Commission, Vice-Chairmen:
I have learned that these days, the matter is like a small mallet constantly beating the drum of the heart, I thank Chairman Mao and the leaders of the Central Military Commission for their high weight on me, and while I am happy, I am afraid and uneasy, I ask myself: On virtue, talent, capital, and merit, do I wear four stars, and my heart is at peace? ....... The contribution to the Chinese revolution is, realistically, insignificant. Don't say that compared with the generals, you are ashamed in your heart, and you are not ashamed of yourself compared with some of the more senior generals. Comrade Wang Zhen, who has worked with me for a long time, has made outstanding achievements, erected the banner of Xianggan, reclaimed the famine in Nanniwan, returned from the south to the north, threatened the enemy's guts, marched into Xinjiang, and achieved brilliant results...."
After Chairman Mao and the leaders of the Central Military Commission received Xu Guangda's letter, they were deeply moved, and Chairman Mao spoke highly of it: "Five hundred years ago, the great general Xu Da, the second degree of Pingxi, and the wisdom and courage of Zhongzhou; five hundred years later, the great general Xu Guangda, several times gave up his title, and his fame was famous in the world!" ”
In the end, the Central Military Commission still did not agree to Xu Guangda's application for demotion, and still awarded him the rank of great general.
But today we want to talk about Xu Guangda is not the protagonist, but the name he mentioned in the letter, Wang Zhen.
When the title was awarded in 1955, when the relevant departments in charge of the appraisal of the title were considering the generals of the whole army, Wang Zhen was one of the candidates for the general, and later he was not rated as a major general, but as we all know, Wang Zhen's status in our army is also very high.
In his later years, Wang Zhen once talked to the staff around him about the "five most important" in his life, and we can clearly know from his five most important events that Wang Zhen's contribution to the revolution is enormous.
The happiest thing: escorting Chairman Mao to the leek garden in Changsha
In August 1925, Wang Zhen, who was then the leader of the workers' picket squad, suddenly received an order from his superiors, who asked him to escort a gentleman named Mao Runzhi to a leek garden in Changsha with three people in a hand-cranked car on the railway.
Wang Zhen's name was Wang Zhenglin at the time, and on the way to escort Chairman Mao, Chairman Mao asked him: "You have been doing work for the revolution since you were very young, why?" ”
Wang Zhen replied: "For the liberation of the toiling masses."
Chairman Mao was very happy when he heard this: "Yes, the working class is like the locomotive on your railway. However, the locomotive of the working class must not only pull forward a long train, but also pull the Chinese toiling masses, pull our great Chinese nation, and pull the great motherland forward! ”
Wang Zhen's heart lit up, and Chairman Mao continued meaningfully: "To carry out the revolution, we must be prepared to sacrifice, including our own lives!" ”
Wang Zhen replied loudly, "I am not afraid of death!" For the liberation of the toiling masses, I am willing to sacrifice my life! ”
After arriving at his destination, Wang Zhen waved goodbye to Chairman Mao, and at that time, he did not know that the person named Mao Runzhi he was escorting along the way was the famous Mao Committee member.
In 1930, Wang Zhen, who was the leader of the Liubei guerrillas, met Teng Daiyuan, the political commissar of the Red Third Army, in Liuyang, and Teng Daiyuan introduced him to Chairman Mao, the general political commissar of the Red Army.
Seeing Wang Zhen, Chairman Mao recognized him: "You are not the king who sent me with a hand-cranked car a few years ago..."
Wang Zhen was very excited: "Report to the General Political Commissar, I was the same Wang Zhenglin at that time, and the showmen of our guerrillas said that using the name of "Wang Zhen" was easy to remember and loud, and using this name to issue a notice was a big shock, and it was able to calm down the landlords' old wealth and vigilante groups, so they changed it to this name."
Chairman Mao asked him if he would like to become a regular Red Army, and Wang Zhen nodded excitedly.
Soon, the Independent Division of the Red Army in Eastern Hunan Province, Wang Zhen and his troops were reorganized into the Third Regiment of the Independent Division, and he served as the political commissar.
The most satisfying thing: led the soldiers of the 359th Brigade to reclaim Nanniwan
Shortly after the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Wang Zhen was appointed brigade commander and political commissar of the 359 brigade, and in 1939, due to the anti-communist upsurge of the Kuomintang, the central government transferred the 359 brigade back to the border areas.
In the border area, Wang Zhen led his troops to repel the Japanese army's repeated attempts to cross the Yellow River forcibly on the yellow river, and Chairman Mao praised: "Your 359th Brigade has made great contributions under the leadership of Comrade Wang Zhen. When you go to the east, the east is safe; when you go to the south, the south is safe; this time you are in the north again, and the north is safe. In short, no matter where you go, you have not failed to live up to the great trust of the Party Central Committee and the people of the border areas. ”
In 1941, Chiang Kai-shek ordered the Kuomintang to launch the Anhui Incident, and thousands of people in our New Fourth Army died innocently, for which Chiang Kai-shek also ordered the blockade of the border areas and the non-supply of supplies.
Wang Zhen then in accordance with the orders of the central authorities, with the 359 Brigade to reclaim Nanniwan, at that time Nanniwan tens of miles of deserted, in order to better complete the task, Wang Zhen personally took the lead in doing the demonstration, everyone was enthusiastic, in 1941, the 359 Brigade reclaimed 1.1 acres of wasteland.
Under the efforts of Wang Zhen, the Nanniwan of the barren mountain forest became "pingchuan rice fragrant, fat duck full of ponds." There are crops everywhere, and cattle and sheep everywhere are "good in northern Shaanxi".
In 1943, the Northwest Bureau commended 22 production heroes, and Wang Zhen ranked first.
Soon, Chairman Mao came to Nanniwan to inspect and was very satisfied with the current situation in Nanniwan; Chairman Mao stayed in Nanniwan for 5 days, saying: "The 359 Brigade led by Comrade Wang Zhen is a model for implementing the Tuntian policy. Thank you for creating new ways for the party to build and raise troops. Now we can say this: Our Party and our army can resist to the end and completely defeat Japanese imperialism! ”
The most proud thing: leading the troops to go south and north.
In 1944, Chairman Mao approached Wang Zhen and told him that the Central Committee had decided to send a detachment to the south, the task of which was to advance into Southern China, meet the Dongjiang Column, open up the Wuling Anti-Japanese Base Area, and link Central China with South China.
Chairman Mao said: "If the international anti-fascist war is quickly won, Chiang Kai-shek will never allow you to put this knife in his throat, and he will first concentrate his strength on eating you." In this way, you will fight alone, and the struggle will be very cruel, and you may even be completely annihilated, including yourself. ”
Wang Zhen: "No matter what happens, we will resolutely complete the task"
After inspecting the troops on November 10, Wang Zhen set out from Yan'an with a detachment of more than 5,000 people going south, passing through Shanxi and Henan in the first step, meeting with Li Xiannian's Fifth Division of the New Fourth Army, and then, together with Zhang Tixue's troops of the Fifth Division, crossing the Yangtze River south and opening up the Xiang'egan guerrilla base area centered on southern Hunan and linking the north of the river with the south of the river.
In July 1945, Wang Zhen led his troops to continue south, and at the end of August they reached nanxiong county in Guangdong, when Japan had surrendered, chiang kai-shek was very angry and ordered Xue Yue and Yu Hanmou to eliminate the southward detachment on the Border between Xiang and Guangdong.
In the face of the incoming enemy, Wang Zhen was not afraid, and many times he took the lead as a soldier, and a month later, he led his troops back to Jiangbei and got out of danger, and then he again met with the Fifth Division of the New Fourth Army, and the troops were reorganized into the Central Plains Military Region, and he served as deputy commander.
In the Battle of the Central Plains in May 1946, Wang Zhen led the 359th Brigade to break through successfully, and returned to Yan'an at the end of September, Chairman Mao was very excited to see Wang Zhen, he said: "Wang Beard, you have suffered! Nine deaths, back to Yan'an, amazing! Your mission is well done, very well! ”
Since then, Wang Zhen has had the nickname of Wang Zhen's beard, and Wang Zhen's beard was formed because he had not shaved after commanding the battle for a long time.
The proudest thing: to create the agricultural reclamation cause of the motherland
In 1954, Wang Zhen, as the commander of the railway troops, came to the Northern Wilderness to visit the railway soldiers who were about to retire, and here he looked at the vast motherland and said: "This virgin land is really a good place to engage in agricultural mechanization!" ”
Soon, he sent a report to the central authorities, suggesting that the railway soldiers organize veterans to build farms in the northern wilderness to provide the country with scarce grain, and the central authorities immediately agreed.
In 1955, the first batch of people who reclaimed the Northern Wilderness began to work, in the first year, they reclaimed 140,000 mu of wasteland, sowed 40,000 mu, harvested more than 3,300 tons of grain and beans, after that, Wang Zhen continued to work hard, in two years, they developed the reclamation area of the agricultural pasture to 13, harvesting 150 million catties of grain.
In 1956, the Central Committee decided to establish the Ministry of Agriculture and Reclamation, and Chairman Mao named Wang Zhen as minister.
Under the leadership of Wang Zhen, the former "Northern Wilderness" has become the "Northern Northern Cang" that everyone aspires to.
Happiest thing: spending a lifetime with your wife
In 1937, Wang Zhen was the brigade commander of the 359 brigade, when he was in a high position, but he was still single, the leader He Long, Guan Xiangying were anxious for him, this year, from the north to the north of the country came some exiled female students.
Wang Jiqing, a 24-year-old female student, was assigned to the 120th Division as a missionary.
He Long saw that Wang Jiqing and Wang Zhen were more compatible, and became a red bride among them, and through his efforts, Wang Zhen and Wang Jiqing were successfully married, and in 1938, the two gave birth to a child.
Wang Zhen, who was fighting on the front line, was very happy, and said with a smile: "Well, there are people after Lao Tzu fighting devils!" ”
During the Cultural Revolution, some people wanted to criticize Wang Jiqing, and Wang Zhen rushed forward to protect his wife: "Who dares to come up, Lao Tzu fights with him!" At this time, no one dared to move, and some people complained to Chairman Mao.
When Chairman Mao heard this, he smiled and said, "Who told you to mess with him!" Wang Beard was like this when he fought in the war, shirtless! The king's beard is not to be troubled! If you are in a hurry, he will really fight with you. ”
Chairman Mao went on to say: "Wang Beard is a hero in battle, production is a model, it is impossible to oppose me, this man must be protected." ”
In this way, under the protection of Chairman Mao, Wang Zhen survived a special era.
February 6, 1993 is Wang Jiqing's 80th birthday, Wang Zhen specially bought a large cake with the words "Happy Birthday to his wife", unfortunately, a month later, Wang Zhen died of illness at the age of 85.
The party organization gave Wang Zhen a high appraisal: "Comrade Wang Zhen's life is a life of unremitting struggle and selfless dedication for the cause of the party and the people, a brilliant life, a magnificent life. ”