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The Contest of the Far East
MacArthur marched north
General Peng secretly crossed the river
introduction
Dandong, Liaoning.
On the map of China, there is no city that can better witness the historical origins of China and North Korea. Among the many historical events, Hunan people can always be found.
In 1894, the Xiang Army, founded by Zeng Guofan, set out from here to Korea to resist Japan and aid Korea; half a century later, another Hunan general led a large army across the Yalu River.
He is Peng Dehuai.
Song Qunji, Secretary General of the Dandong City Spiritual Research Association for Resisting US Aggression and Aiding Korea:
Some historians have commented that any country in the world, any troop, his commander can lead the way to the front line in the current situation of the great enemy, which is not in the history of the world, that is, in China, the first appeared. As a general, walking in front of the soldiers, to the forefront of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, this is Peng Dehuai's style.
Wrestling far east - Five Commanders of the Hunan Volunteer Army on the Korean Battlefield Episode II: Ordered in Danger
On October 19, 1950, the main force of the Chinese Volunteer Army secretly crossed the Yalu River. Most of the soldiers did not know at that time that the person walking at the front of the line was their commander Peng Dehuai.
However, no one expected that after crossing the river, Peng Dehuai unexpectedly broke away from the army and mysteriously disappeared.
At this time, the United Nations army was moving towards the Yalu River at a very fast speed, and if they discovered Peng Dehuai's whereabouts before the volunteers, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Because this is not only related to Peng Dehuai's personal safety, but also related to the entire war situation.
Time seemed to freeze, and everyone was anxious.
So, where did Peng Dehuai go?
What kind of accident did he encounter?
The story has to start 20 days ago.
Part 1: In the face of danger, General Peng is commanded to go out on a mission - must send troops!
South Korea's first president, Syngman Rhee, spent 33 years in exile
On September 29, 1950, 14 days after the U.S. landings at Inchon, South Korean President Syngman Rhee was taken back to seoul.
The controversial president is incredibly sincere on this day. As he spoke, he burst into tears, and his speech made a harsh murmur from the trembling of his hands, which spread throughout the venue through the radio.
The fact that a head of state was so out of shape that it made all the people present feel a little embarrassed.
Finally, Syngman Rhee shouted: "A thousand words boil down to one sentence, let us thank the great savior of our nation." ”
Everyone understands that this great savior is sitting in the audience. He was MacArthur, then Commander-in-Chief of the United Nations Forces and Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Far East Army. At this time, there was an aura like a savior on the top of his head.
On the same day, MacArthur's army arrived on the 38th Parallel.
This wading landing was accused by many people in later generations of being a show
At this point, everyone was wondering what MacArthur's next plan was.
Will he cross the 38th parallel to Pyongyang, or even to the Yalu River, to show the Communists in the north that his muscles do not seem to age forever?
It is said that in that era, even if the dissemination of information was very underdeveloped, half of the world's people would know this face who liked to hold a large corn pipe and talk there.
I came back and MacArthur landed on Luzon in the Philippines
This is a photograph taken on October 20, 1944, on an island in the Philippines.
In 1942, macArthur's U.S. Far Eastern Army was forced to withdraw from the Philippine Islands after repeated defeats against the Japanese. Before leaving, he swore to reporters: I will come back.
Two years later, on October 20, 1944, MacArthur made good on his promise. On landing, he walked back and forth a few times in the murky waters to get the reporter to shoot, and then said: I said, I must come back.
The next day, this line immediately became the headline of the world's major newspapers, bringing tears to the eyes of people who had been ravaged by the Japanese army.
At that time, MacArthur was the embodiment of the savior, and the meaning of this symbol reached its peak after the landing of Inchon.
A battalion of the South Korean Third Infantry Division crossed the 38th Parallel without permission
On October 1, 1950, the South Korean army could not wait to cross the 38th Parallel and march north.
It seems that the private actions of Koreans do not represent MacArthur, but everyone understands that MacArthur is actually happy to see him succeed, which also helps to create an image of a world-class bodybuilder for himself.
This point, I am afraid, is that the current Hollywood star Schwarzenegger also has to look forward to the dust.
However, MacArthur never imagined that his performance would infuriate China.
When people ask: Will China interfere?
His answer was always this: If he interfered, they would bleed profusely.
Thus, the war escalated.
China, the war-torn country, has finally come to the foreground in an unexpected way.
U.S. troops land at Inchon, North Korea
On October 1, 1950, the first National Day of New China, that is, on this day, Kim Il Sung wrote this letter:
In the case of the enemy attacking the north of the 38th Line, it is eager to Chinese the People's Liberation Army to directly dispatch to assist our army in combat.
The recipient is: Dear Comrade Mao Zedong.
Three days later, a plane landed in the ancient city of Xi'an.
Yang Feng'an, then a staff officer of the Northwest Military and Political Committee
On October 4th, we were holding a meeting to study the economic construction of the northwest, and Beijing sent a special plane to pick up General Manager Peng to Beijing, saying that there was an emergency meeting, and General Manager Peng did not eat lunch and left immediately.
In 1950, Yang Feng'an was 26 years old, and his other identity at that time was Peng Dehuai's military secretary.
Yang Feng'an, then Peng Dehuai's military secretary:
He hurriedly got on the plane, I said who will go with you, he said to call Comrade Zhang Yangwu, Comrade Zhang Yangwu is in charge of local work, local economic construction is very skilled, so Comrade Zhang Yangwu first followed.
Peng Dehuai, who was concentrating on the economic construction of the northwest, thought of the details of whether to take the military secretary or the economic secretary to Beijing, thinking that he needed to return the economic construction of the northwest. But after arriving in Beijing, everything was unexpected.
Yang Feng'an, then staff officer of the Northwest Military and Political Committee and military secretary of Peng Dehuai:
What was discussed was not the issue of economic construction, but the issue of military affairs, the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. The leadership discussed several times, but the opinions were not very unanimous, at that time, our new China had just been founded, and we were waiting for the new, and we were worried that the contest with US imperialism would cause a fire. At this time, President Peng went, and the central authorities discussed the issue of sending troops to resist US aggression and aid Korea. At this last meeting, Chairman Mao said, what you said is reasonable, but other countries are in difficulty, and I can't get past it in my heart. Mr. Peng was very touched to hear this sentence.
After the meeting, Peng Dehuai stayed at the Beijing Hotel. This general, who had lived a simple life, later recalled the situation that night.
"I couldn't sleep that night, I thought it was a sofa bed, but I couldn't stand it, I couldn't sleep when I moved it on the carpet..."
It was also on this night that Peng Dehuai came to his own conclusion: we must send troops.
The next day, at the meeting on October 5, Peng Dehuai made a generous statement.
Decision to send troops
This oil painting, now in the Military Museum of the Chinese Revolution, has a vivid description of the day's meeting.
When Zhu De, Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, and Ren Bi were present, the core leadership at that time was present, and they listened to Peng Dehuai's speech. It can be seen that Chairman Mao's mood is very happy.
Today the long wisp is in hand, when will it tie the dragon? The chairman's pride is on the page.
He said: If you do not fight to resist US aggression and aid Korea, the US Seventh Fleet has already invaded Taiwan, and if US imperialism hits us again on the Yalu River and US imperialism crouches on the yalu River, this tiger will be able to find all kinds of excuses to carry out aggression at any time.
The words were finalized.
History remembers this day, and on October 5, 1950, China's invasion of Korea was a foregone conclusion.
MacArthur was in North Korea
At this time, the MacArthurs, who were in the korean battlefield, were overwhelmed and confused, but they did not know anything.
On October 8, the United Nations forces under MacArthur officially crossed the 38th Parallel. Many of them never came back.
Peng Dehuai was about to take command and go out on a secret inspection of the Sino-DPRK border, but unexpectedly this top-secret news was accidentally learned by a person.
What happened next?
Part 2: The United Nations army has been fighting head-on with the Chinese Volunteer Army for several months, and it is still unknown who our commander is
Pengjiaweizi, Wushizhai, Xiangtan County, Hunan Province.
Peng Dehuai was born here on October 24, 1898.
The son of this poor peasant, who lost his mother at the age of 8, tasted the cold and warmth of the world since he was a child, and gradually developed a will like steel.
Since joining the Red Army in the Pingjiang Uprising, this iron-boned man has always been the most trusted general of the organization. In the eyes of many subordinates, the general's character is simply impeccable.
Yang Ruipeng, who once worked in Yiye, commander Peng, still clearly remembers how he tricked Mr. Peng into eating a piece of watermelon.
Yang Ruipeng, staff officer of the former 19th Corps Headquarters:
I received a phone call saying that Mr. Peng was coming, what should I do? There is no food to eat, Mr. Peng has no food to eat, what to do? I tried to find a way to buy a little snack for Mr. Peng. We knew that Mr. Peng was very hard and simple, so we bought a watermelon, cut it open, and we ate a piece first. We knew he was coming and not eating, so we pretended to eat, and we ate a piece of watermelon alone. He said, hey, you're eating watermelon, let me catch up, I'll take a piece too. Mr. Peng ate a piece of watermelon, and after eating the watermelon, he went to the observation post, and I accompanied him to the observation post.
If it is specially prepared for him, he will not eat, he will not only not eat, but also criticize you, so we will eat a piece first, so that he will eat.
On October 7, 1950, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the so-called "Eight-Power Proposal".
On October 8, 1950, the organization officially issued an order to immediately form the Chinese Volunteer Army, appoint Peng Dehuai as the commander and political commissar of the Volunteer Army, and immediately prepare for the entry into the DPRK.
The day before, Peng Dehuai had already learned the news, and before leaving, he received his nephew and niece who were studying in Beijing to the hotel and gave instructions one by one.
Peng Dehuai's niece Peng Ailan:
He knows what he thinks, but he doesn't tell us because it's a confidential matter, and the other is afraid that we'll be sad. Only met once, and then separated.
Peng Dehuai did not let the secretary arrange another room for the children, saying that he could not add trouble to the hotel.
From left: Peng Xiulan, Peng Kangzhi, Peng Zhengxiang, Peng Dehuai, Peng Kangbai, Peng Meikui, Peng Gang
That night, six or seven members of the general's family slept together on the carpet of the room, enjoying themselves. Perhaps, he wanted to be with the children too much to be willing to spend every minute and second. This time to go to North Korea, the fate is unpredictable, when can we return? Can you still get it back? This is all unknown.
A little-known detail is that in order to ensure Peng Dehuai's absolute safety, in Chairman Mao's original plan, Peng Dehuai did not actually have to cross the river, but only needed to sit on the border to command.
Yinghua Mountain, Dandong City, Liaoning Province, is located here, where the National Memorial Hall for Resisting US Aggression and Aiding Korea is located. Viewed from the top of the mountain, the Yalu River is clearly visible in the distance.
Today, many people come here to remember the heroes, but few people notice that there was once a terrifying secret hidden here.
At that time, in order to build the museum, in order to select a site, a total of 29 places were selected, why was it finally determined here? It is because there is a command post here that the site of the museum is determined to be near here. What was the scene at that time? It was a hill, and now it looks like flat land, but at that time it was all a hill, with reinforced concrete, more than a meter of loess, and mountain stones on it. It is said to be anti-atomic bomb, and the command post where the atomic bomb is dropped can also be commanded as usual, and the specifications are quite high. But Peng Dehuai was close to the front line command, he did not enter this command post.
Yinghua Mountain, Dandong City
On the outskirts of Dandong, barbed wire stands neatly on the riverbank, indicating the existence of national sovereignty.
But on this stretch of the river, these remaining stakes have been deliberately preserved, and they are still witnessing the friendship between the Chinese and North Korean peoples.
Peng Lao always arrived in Dandong on October 11, 1950, and he immediately convened a meeting of the Thirteenth Corps to convey the central authorities' decision on resisting US aggression and aiding Korea. In the afternoon, they went to the Yalu River to inspect the crossing site and study the route of the volunteer army to cross the river at that time. During the observation, Deng Hua and Hong Xuezhi raised a question: If the Yalu River Bridge is blown up by the US military, then there will be great difficulties for the volunteers to cross the river and transport materials. At this time, Mr. Peng gave instructions here, saying that there should be more pontoon bridges on the Yalu River. That's exactly what it was. According to This instruction of General Manager Peng, the Northeast Military Region and Dandong conscientiously implemented this instruction at that time, so the Dandong Railway Bureau decided to erect a railway bridge upstream of the two bridges.
Yalu River pontoon bridge site
At the time, Peng Dehuai appeared in Dandong, which was enough news to make the US intelligence agencies crazy, but China's excellent secrecy work left the Americans ignorant.
However, the heavy curtain of history will always leave a gap.
In 1950, Shen Yuxiang was 20 years old. Late at night on October 11 of that year, an uninvited guest suddenly came to visit him.
Shen Yuxiang, former officer of the Security Section of the Liaodong Military Region:
The surname is Huang, the name is Huang Youcai, the two of us are comrades-in-arms in 1949, I am the communication class, he is the guard class, and the two of us live in the same room.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Shen Yuxiang was assigned to work in Dandong, and this comrade-in-arms was assigned to Shenyang, and the two sides rarely contacted. Old comrades-in-arms met each other and were extremely cordial.
Shen Yuxiang thus learned a shocking secret.
One night he came to me, and I happened to be in the security section, and he quietly told me that Mr. Peng had come. That's what I know. At that time, I absolutely could not say, nor could I say it, even my section chief could not say it, and to know was to know, not to say. In my heart, I had a number, and this war was commanded by General Peng. At that time, it was not public, I didn't know who commanded this war, some people guessed this, some people guessed that, some said Lin Biao, this and that.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Marshall
In fact, until a few months after the frontal battle between the Volunteers and the United Nations, U.S. intelligence still believed with certainty that it was Lin Biao, the former commander of The Four Fields, who led the Volunteers into the Korean War.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Marshall, after the fact, said very heavily that we thought we knew everything, but in fact we didn't know anything, but the other side knew everything.
The inspection of the border made Peng Dehuai, who was in danger, feel confident, and he secretly crossed the river, but unexpectedly lost contact with the troops and was under siege.
What kind of danger did he get into? And how did you get out?
Part 3: Mr. Peng secretly crossed the river, but unexpectedly lost contact with the troops and was under siege
For many, October 1950 was a thrilling month.
On October 11, Peng Dehuai arrived in Dandong for the first time, and that night, he prepared to cross the river in search of Kim Il Sung.
Unexpectedly, he received a telegram from the central government asking him to return to Beijing immediately.
It turned out that the decision to send troops to Korea had undergone another major change:
The Soviet Union, which had promised to send its air force to Fight in North Korea, suddenly changed its mind, fearing that it would lead to World War III.
When Mao Zedong received the notice, he hesitated, and he understood very well what it meant if hundreds of thousands of troops crossed the river without the cover of the air force. He had to think carefully.
Mr. Peng has always respected the chairman like a brother
A few days later, Peng Dehuai returned to Dandong, and he said to his subordinates:
I am a man of great suffering. From the moment I joined the revolution, I was in a bitter place, not to mention the Long March, the War of Resistance Against Japan was in the Taihang Mountains, the War of Liberation was in the Great Northwest, and this time I was going to Korea again. Everywhere you go is bitter, isn't that fateful? I'm telling the truth. We Communists are destined to deal with the word 'bitter' and the word 'poor'. If there is no suffering and poverty, what do we Communists want to do?
Peng Dehuai's words made everyone burst into tears. They all understood that even without the support of the Soviet Air Force, we, the Chinese Volunteer Army led by the Communist Party of China, would have to cross the river.
Soldiers of the Northeast Frontier Guard guarding the Yalu River before entering the dynasty
Liu Xiang is the former deputy squad leader of the Siyebing Station Department Automobile Regiment. During the Liberation War, he drove a large truck from the northeast to Guangdong, and later participated in the liberation of Hainan Island with Deng Hua's 15th Corps.
Liu Xiang, a veteran of a car regiment in the former Siye:
I participated in the campaign to liberate Hainan Island, and the squad leader was Li Yunchang's guard. A deputy squad leader said to me, you can't go. He knew I was married. He was the first to go, and he asked me to go again in the second batch. As a result, the first batch of Hainan Island was taken down. The ship went in the wrong direction, and the enemy was all sunk from above, and none of them came up, not one ship or two ships. I'm going to go and I'm going to die in the sea. My best friend, he sacrificed for me. Sometimes, life and death are moments.
In July 1950, Deng Hua was ordered to go north and formally formed the 13th Corps of the Northeast Border Defense Army, and Liu Xiang's unit was also assigned to Deng Hua's command and went north by train from Guangdong. At that time, Liu Xiang vaguely felt something.
Liu Xiang, a veteran of a certain automobile regiment of the former Northeast Border Defense Army:
Twisting songs everywhere, welcoming the People's Liberation Army, must be famous. Otherwise so welcome? Delicious food is constantly transported to the car, which feels particularly beautiful. It may be that there is a war, it is comforting us.
Liu Xiang's troops soon reached Shenyang. That night, Liu Xiang, who was asleep, was woken up.
Take the car to Shenyang. An old comrade, wearing a tweed suit, is an official at first glance, the minister of logistics. Talked to me for half a day, let me drive to whom I don't know, anyway, I want to eat and sleep well, let me drive for the chief. I said I couldn't do it. At that time, shortly after I joined the party, I was afraid that I would not be able to complete the task, and I drove a big car, and I was afraid that I would not be able to drive a small car. He said no, this is decided by the organization, selected and selected, many regiments have selected you as a person, this is an important task. But it didn't say which chief to ride.
The last day suddenly called me, Xiao Liu you pick, you see which car is good to drive, don't be embarrassed, you are familiar with which car you drive which car. 20 jeeps picked for me, and a few ministers stood there. I wondered, why do you treat me so favorably? Okay, I'll just pick this car.
During Peng Dehuai's War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Liu Xiang was always his driver.
In the Dandong Memorial Hall of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, a Soviet jeep is displayed, and Liu Xiang chose such a car that year.
They say that the car you choose is the most inferior.
At that time, Liu Xiang had just joined the party, and in order to show that party members suffered in the front and enjoyed the exemplary role in the back, he did not choose the best one according to his true thoughts.
On that day, he drove this Gass 69 to Dandong Airport on a mission.
Who will pick you up at the airport? I don't know! My car was parked very close to the plane, it was very dark, all wearing a coat, a large group of people got on the plane, some came down, some did not come down. Then someone came to my car, with a taut face, cloaked, quite powerful, and came back to the Phoenix Mountain Cottage for a meeting and got on the bus.
Sitting in the co-pilot's seat was a chief in a tweed coat. Liu Xiang strictly abided by organizational discipline and never inquired about the true identity of the passengers on the car along the way. At that time, sitting in the second row, there was Yang Fengan.
Yang Feng'an, the military secretary of General Peng
Yang Feng'an, then commander and staff officer of the Volunteer Army:
There was only one Liu Xiang, one of me, and two guards, in a jeep, the Soviet Union 8469, and a radio station. I didn't know about the radio at first, but I learned later that it was brought by the Communications Department, with a truck, a radio station, two translators, and three telegraphers, and followed by a truck. We crossed the river at the head of the troops.
The lads who went were particularly high, the night marchers, and where was the singing? It is all quiet, only the footsteps can be heard, try not to have a sound, can not have any movement. All you could hear was footsteps, clicking.
In 1950 Chinese Volunteer Army invaded Korea
The Yalu River flows silently, witnessing the darkness of the night, the sword has been sheathed.
That night, Liu Xiang and his passengers lived together in a village in Sinuiju.
It was late autumn, and the night in North Korea had become very cold, and the owner burned the kang.
Liu Xiang very politely asked the chief who had been sitting in the co-pilot's seat to sleep until the hottest kangtou.
The chief said, how is this arranged? Xiao Liu, you are young, sleeping on the kang head, the boss sleeps in the middle. When I looked, this chief was very kind. We slept together and talked for a while.
I got up very early, and when I looked around, there were all the guards standing guard. I thought to myself, this chief is big enough, so many guards.
Later, a few people came and said that they wanted to see the chief. I don't know which chief I see, so I quickly called the boss. I called the chief, and they went to another house, where we were chatting. I heard a sentence, now Deputy Commander-in-Chief Peng is in good health. As soon as I listened, hey, it's Deputy Commander-in-Chief Peng. At this time, I knew that it was Mr. Peng.
Time stands still.
Peng Dehuai is in North Korea
Later, many sources record this day, and on October 19, 1950, Peng Dehuai led the Chinese Volunteer Army across the Yalu River.
But in Liu Xiang's memory, there was another answer.
The time of going abroad is October 19, 1950, and the book is written about this time. It's actually the 18th. Once in a chat, Mr. Peng suddenly asked me, when are we going to go abroad? I said who remembers that. Remember, he said, this is history, October 18th. I followed up with a repeat. This is what Mr. Peng personally told me.
In the memoirs of Du Ping, then director of the Political Department of the Volunteer Army Headquarters, it is also clearly recorded that Peng Zong crossed the river on October 18.
In fact, no matter what day it is, it cannot change people's reverence for Peng Dehuai.
As a general, walking in front of the soldiers and reaching the forefront of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, this is Peng Dehuai's style and embodies Peng Dehuai's spirit. This is what we will always revere, so stand like this. Now when it's time for remembrance, flowers are laid here.
Mr. Peng, this person, urgently needs to understand the situation in North Korea, otherwise he does not understand the situation, how will hundreds of thousands of troops fight after they have passed? He was like this, anxious to go to the front line personally to understand the situation.
The next day, Peng Dehuai and Yang Feng'an continued to ride in Liu Xiang's car, looking for Kim Il Sung in the mountains and forests of North Korea. Unexpectedly, in the chaos of the soldiers, the truck carrying the radio in the back fell behind.
Since then, Peng Dehuai has lost contact with the large troops. At this time, there were only two guards around him with two shell guns, Yang Feng'an and Liu Xiang were not equipped with weapons at all, and the situation was extremely tense.
Marshal Peng Dehuai (first from left) at the Korean forward position
Perhaps coincidentally, on the same day that Peng Dehuai crossed the river, Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, fell. At this time, the U.S. military was huge and never encountered decent resistance again.
Gradually, some of the cautious rules of troop marching and deployment began to be ignored, and the advance all the way to the Yalu River seemed to be a road race.
Everyone wants to be the first to rush to the Yalu River and show the muscles to China. They even passed by Peng Dehuai, who was deep inside North Korea and was desperately looking for Kim Il-sung.
A few days later, the UN army paid the price for its carelessness.
Today's story ends here, tomorrow tells the third part of "Wrestling the Far East - Five Commanders of the Hunan Volunteer Army on the Korean Battlefield", "Attacking the Enemy Unprepared", please continue to pay attention.