introduction
In 1955, at the ceremony of awarding the title of founding general, General Zhan Caifang was awarded the title of lieutenant general, but Admiral Xu Shiyou, General Chen Xilian and others walked up to Lieutenant General Zhan Caifang and respectfully saluted the former old chief with a standard military salute.
Pictured by General Zhan Caifang
We poor people must unite and fight to the end against the landlords and the rich
On September 12, 1907, General Zhan Caifang was born in a place called Heishizui Village on the edge of Gaoqiao Town, Huang'an County, Hubei Province, and like most people in that era, Zhan Caifang's family had many children and sisters but had little income, and his parents were farmers who pointed to an acre and a half of the land to eat from the sky, and it was lucky to be able to feed a family without starvation.
According to Zhan Caifang's recollection,
He was orphaned at the age of 12, and his mother died of overwork in the countryside when he was seven years old. His father and second sister died of illness in the years of poor grain harvest, poisoned by eating wild vegetables by mistake and had no money to treat them, and died of life and pain on the earth kang at home.
At that time, Zhan Caifang, who had no relatives, could only rely on his eldest sister Zhan Houdi, who had married out early, so that he could not be starved to death. After that, Zhan Caifang and his sister and brother-in-law lived together until he was 16 years old.
Pictured zhan caifang and his wife
Zhan Caifang's sister and brother-in-law treated him very well, but after all, one more mouth required more grain, and in that turbulent era, the common people were still alive and exhausted.
Looking at his nephew, whose niece is getting bigger and bigger, and his sister's family's income is not very good to raise him, Zhan Caifang proposed to his brother-in-law that he wanted to go out to work.
Zhan Caifang's brother-in-law, yu Chuchen, was one of the few readers who had obtained xiucai vouchers at that time, and his idea was also more enlightened than that in the three years of living with Zhan Caifang, he also paid special money for him to go to a private school for a year, but unfortunately, the bad year only studied for one year, and Zhan Caifang was thrown home by Mr. Zhan Because of tuition fees.
This time out to work, Yu Chuchen first wanted to listen to Zhan Caifang's own ideas, and considered whether to let this 16-year-old teenager leave his hometown.
“
I want to continue reading.
Zhan Caifang was silent for half a day and then held out such a sentence.
Yu Chuchen smiled and didn't say much, and soon introduced Zhan Caifang to his uncle, Mr. Dong Biwu. In this way, 16-year-old Zhan Caifang, under the introduction of his brother-in-law Yu Chuchen, ran to a middle school organized by Dong Biwu to work as a school worker.
The first time Zhan Caifang and Dong Biwu met was in the principal's office, when Dong Biwu asked Zhan Caifang: "I have long heard that you want to study, right?" ”
"Yes, because my mother died at the age of 7, my father died at the age of 12, and later I worked as a long-term worker in the landlord's family in order to survive. However, because his family was poor at that time, he went to private school for a year. ”
After listening to Zhan Caifang's answer, Dong Biwu also realized that this was also a poor person, so he agreed to Zhan Caifang to stay half-working and half-reading.
In order to find out how much Zhan Caifang had learned in order to assign classes, Dong Biwu pointed to the four big characters behind him for Zhan Caifang to recognize.
"Park, sincerity, courage..." Zhan Caifang could not answer the last word of 'Yi'. Of course, Dong Biwu did not embarrass him, but patiently told him the meaning of this word.
After listening to Dong Biwu's explanation, 16-year-old Zhan Caifang immediately said:
Sir is right, we poor people must unite to fight the landlords and rich people to the end, and resolutely cannot be merciful.
”
At this time, although Zhan Caifang was only a half-grown child, he saw the contradictions of this society at that time very thoroughly, although his words were still very naïve, he was to the point, and he already had the courage and sense of responsibility of a revolutionary.
Although Zhan Caifang's path of study was fulfilled, in his view, the responsibility of struggle was far more important than study, so Zhan Caifang, who had only been in middle school for one year, bid farewell to Dong Biwu and returned to his hometown to join the peasant movement.
Figure 丨 Dong Biwu
In the spring of 1927, Zhan Caifang officially joined the Communist Party of China, and in November led the local people to participate in the revolutionary wave of the Jute Uprising.
The jute uprising marked the armed forces in the Eyu-Anhui region, fired the first shots of armed resistance against the right wing of the Kuomintang, and successfully occupied the Huang'an area.
After the Jute Uprising, Zhan Caifang served as a platoon leader of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army's Edong Army, and was later promoted to be the leader of the Workers' and Peasants' Guerrilla Brigade in Huangpipo. During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Zhan Caifang entered the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University to study, and served as the deputy captain of the brigade among the cadets of the same period, and was subsequently elected as the leader of the advance brigade of the second branch of the Anti-Japanese War.
After graduating from kang da, he was appointed by the organization as the deputy commander of the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region, the deputy commander of the Third Military Subdistrict, and concurrently served as the chief of staff, and was promoted to deputy commander of the Jireliao Military Region in 1944.
It's here
During the Liberation War in 1945, Zhan Caifang served as the commander of the Jidong Military Region, and two years later went to the northeast to serve in the Northeast Democratic United Army as the commander of the Ninth Column. Before and after the founding of New China in 1949, General Zhan Caifang served as the commander of the 46th Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
Pictured zhan Caifang and his comrades-in-arms during the Red Army period
At the end of the Liberation War, Zhan Caifang served as deputy commander of the Hunan Military Region, commander of the public security forces of the Central and Southern Military Region of China, and concurrently served as an adviser to the deputy commander of the Guangzhou Military Region.
It can be said that Zhan Caifang reversed his life on the road of revolution, and he also changed the path of many others on the road of changing his life.
He said
General Chen Xilian and Hua Guofeng had a sense of understanding, a life-saving grace for General You Taizhong, and a generous friendship for General Xu Shiyou.
Changing yourself also changes others
Chen Xilian and Zhan Caifang's first encounter was shortly after the jute uprising, when Zhan Caifang had no choice but to flee from the Japanese Kou's sweep, and in desperation, he had no choice but to turn to his hometown and evade the Japanese army's sweep in a family of rice, and this fellow was Chen Xilian's mother.
In the following period, Zhan Caifang used Chen Xilian's family as a secret contact point for the guerrillas, and every time he went to the village to carry out activities, he had to visit the mother and daughter first.
At that time, Chen Xilian was only thirteen years old, although he was not big, but his ambition was not small, he had more than once Zhan Caifang said that he was quite a Red Army thing, but Zhan Caifang saw that this child was too small, and every time he politely refused.
Figure 丨 Chen Xilian
Until 1928, Chen Xilian, who had been in charge of the family at that time, had learned to work for the landlord's family to make a living. One day, when he was herding cattle, Chen Xilian suddenly made a stomach trouble, and the pain caused him to roll on the ground, and he happened to be seen by the son of a landlord who was passing by.
Because Chen Xilian was lying on the ground, the son of the landlord's family ran over to Chen Xilian, who was moaning, without asking, just punched and kicked, and even pulled out the belt around his waist to whip, and scolded while beating: "Tell you to be lazy, tell you to be lazy." And this past was still fresh in Chen Xilian's memory until after liberation.
Chen Xilian, who was bullied by the landlord, could not sleep and rubbed the leather whip mark on his body after returning home. Just in the pain, Chen Xilian suddenly thought of Zhan Caifang, and immediately got up from the bed and searched for it overnight.
Chen Xilian, who was planning to sleep at the time, suddenly saw the guard soldier on duty leading a gray-headed boy to the door, and he was also surprised. After looking at it for half a day, I found that the boy with bruises on his face was actually Chen Xilian.
I want to be a Red Army!
Chen Xilian looked at Zhan Caifang and said very stubbornly.
Zhan Caifang still refused and quipped, "You don't have a gun yet?" How can you be a Red Army? Let's talk about it in a year! In another year you will be a Red Army. ”
Zhan Caifang thought that this young man would return with the same excitement as usual, but this time it was unexpected.
I have been herding cattle for landlords since I was 8 years old, and I have been herding cattle for 6 years, but these 6 years have been beaten up, and I have never thought about this kind of day again, I have always heard that you specialize in beating the rich and beating bad eggs and helping the poor, so I want to join your team!
Chen Xilian was not persuaded to retreat but cried and said such a thing to Zhan Caifang.
Pictured by General Chen Xilian
Zhan Caifang was silent, looking at Chen Xilian in front of him for a long time, this half-grown child reminded him of the half-grown self, and like Chen Xilian, Zhan Caifang's family at that time was also poor in the family and tortured for the landlord.
Remembering this, Zhan Caifang agreed to Chen Xilian's request and agreed to his joining the Red Army. But it was still because Chen Xilian was too young at that time, how young to become a soldier on the battlefield was going to be in danger. I can only reassure again and again that I will say:"
next year. I'll definitely pick you up next year.
He sent Chen Xilian, who had been at home for several days, back overnight.
In 1929, this year Zhan Caifang was appointed as the commander of the Eighth Brigade of the Seventh Red Army, and it was also in this year that Chen Xilian was received by the Red Army and became a glorious Red Army soldier
In the following career, he fought on the battlefield and was finally awarded the rank of general.
After the founding of New China, although Chen Xilian was a general, he never forgot Zhan Caifang, the old chief, because it was Lieutenant General Zhan Caifang who admitted himself as a soldier, which can be described as the grace of knowledge.
After the story with Chen Xilian is over, let's talk about xu Shiyou's story.
Picture 丨 Xu Shiyou
Xu Shiyou's love of drinking was well known, but at that time the Red Fourth Front had a clear prohibition on such issues - no one in the army was allowed to drink alcohol without permission.
This military order applies to everyone, but it is not very good to put on Xu Shiyou's head alone. Of course, Xu Shiyou would not blatantly violate military orders, he would often secretly pour the kettle with liquor and take a sip when there was nothing to do.
Once, when Xu Shiyou was stealing a drink in his bedroom, he happened to be discovered by Zhan Caifang, who was the political commissar of the Red Fourth Army and Xu Shiyou was the deputy commander.
It is a big thing for senior military cadres to take the lead in violating military orders, and although drinking alcohol is only a small thing, the nature of different people has also changed.
Because Zhan Caifang has been a vegetarian for many years, his nose is particularly good, and he was later called 'Mr. Zhai'. Therefore, as soon as he entered the door, he smelled the faint smell of wine in Xu Shiyou's room, and immediately ordered the accompanying personnel to check elsewhere, saying that he wanted to talk to Deputy Commander Xu.
At that time, as soon as he entered the door, Xu Shiyou hung his water bottle on the bedside, planning to hide the sky and cross the sea, but he had already been caught in the eyes of Zhan Caifang, who was sharp-eyed.
Only to see Zhan Caifang walk to the bed, pick up the kettle and look at it, did not open it, but carried it to Xu Shiyou and asked: "What is this?" ”
Xu Shiyou knew that he could not hide, and he did not speak but smirked vigorously, reaching out to grab the 'kettle' in his hand when he was not ready.
Zhan Caifang saw that Xu Shiyou was still thinking about playing a little clever, and he was about to unscrew the kettle. Seeing that things were about to be destroyed, Xu Shiyou quickly pulled Zhan Caifang aside and whispered, "Don't open it." Inside was wine. ”
Don't you know? The army does not allow alcohol to be drunk, and you, the deputy commander, have really made a good start.
Zhan Caifang immediately said with a straight face.
Xu Shiyou immediately stood up and said solemnly: "Report to the political commissar, if I don't drink, I don't have the strength, and my brain is not good." ”
Looking at Xu Shiyou's weak heart, Zhan Caifang thought about it, but also remembered the rumors of Xu Shiyou drinking and fighting, and did not say much, just put the kettle into Xu Shiyou's hand, turned around and walked towards the door without a word.
And then later
Zhan Caifang forced the public to allow Xu Shiyou to drink alcohol in the army
Because of these two events, he formed a deep friendship with xu Shiyou in his military career.
Of course, compared to Chen Xilian's kindness and Xu Shiyou's generosity, zhan Caifang is his savior as far as You Taizhong is concerned.
Pictured by General You Taizhong
In 1935, when the Red Army crossed the meadow, Zhan Caifang served as the political commissar of the third regiment of the first division of the Red Army, and when inspecting the troops, Zhan Caifang saw several soldiers carrying a seriously wounded person, walking in the direction of deviating from the large troops, and immediately dismounted for questioning.
"Where are you going to send him?"
When these soldiers saw the chief's questioning, it was not good to go forward, so they stopped and said, "His wounds are too heavy, and it is estimated that it will be difficult for us to survive, and we..." At this point, these soldiers had no voice.
At that time, the Red Army was hard, the grassland was full of danger, and Zhan Caifang heard a voice from their mouths, these soldiers were planning to abandon this seriously wounded person.
Zhan Caifang didn't say much after guessing the truth, after all, it was still understandable. But he looked at the wounded man lying on the stretcher, thought for a while, and then said to the soldier carrying the stretcher: "
Still so young, looks good physique, don't throw him here, in the future he will be a good bearer of a machine gun, give him to me, I will take care of him, watch him create, resign yourself to fate!
Zhan Caifang put the badly injured soldier on his horse and led the horse himself to start walking.
Just like the famous military writer Lan Xiaolong said, human potential is infinite, with the help of Zhan Caifang,
The warrior who was supposed to die on the grass miraculously survived, and in the days to come, he followed Zhan Caifang's side to kill the enemy and make meritorious achievements, and was given the rank of general at the award ceremony, and the general who awarded this title was You Taizhong
。
A general mentor who is awarded only the rank of lieutenant general
It is not too much to say that such an old chief, an old squad leader, and the savior of a Red Army general is awarded the rank of great general, but why is he awarded a lieutenant general?
Although Zhan Caifang was the old leader of Xu Shiyou, You Taizhong, Chen Xilian and others during the Red Fourth Front, the merits zhan Caifang established in the subsequent Liberation War were too few, and even compared with his subordinates, his performance could even be described as inferior.
The reason for this result is still related to the style of Zhan Caifang's command team. Zhan Caifang has always been mainly seeking stability in the command of the troops, so in the late stage of the War of Resistance Against Japan, a large number of rising stars relied on various strange battles and miracles and repeatedly built up their miracles, but he himself chose to plan to move later in order to reduce the sacrifice of fighters as much as possible, which also left the opportunity for the latecomers to come first.
Picture 丨 Zhan Caifang
However, although Zhan Caifang fought safely and steadily, it did not mean that he had not achieved military achievements. During the Liberation War, Zhan Caifang led the local armed forces with extremely poor equipment to drag the enemy's 50,000 troops in a cruel environment by relying on a steady word. When fighting Jinzhou, he was always safe, and he changed his image in the past to raid Jinzhou Airport, directly blowing up five fighter planes of the Kuomintang troops.
Chairman Mao also specially praised this:
In the Battle of Jinzhou, the enemy was annihilated by 20,000, and the Ninth Column and other units all had merits, but sneaking into jinzhou airfield and destroying five fighters was the credit of the Ninth Column family.
Although the surprise attack on Jinzhou Airport won Chairman Mao's praise, looking at the entire Northeast Liberation War and even the National Liberation War, it can only be said to be eye-catching but it cannot influence the war situation, and a large number of young and outstanding commanders are also leading the way.
Although Zhan Caifang was an old revolutionary veteran, but there were not many meritorious servicemen, and the number of generals approved at that time was only so few, it was impossible for an old senior to be partial, and the Central Committee finally decided to rely on military merit to judge and strive to be the fairest. Therefore, there are many interesting things that Zhan Caifang brought out of the army and finally surpassed Zhan Caifang in rank.
Picture 丨 Battle of Jinzhou
After the announcement of the ceremony in 1955, many of Zhan Caifang's old subordinates were upset about it, and they felt that it was wrong for them to have a higher rank than their old chief, and they felt a little ashamed. They believe that military ranks should rely on seniority and generations, and the ideas of the old era have not been completely changed.
They believe that the rank of the military should be based on the level of seniority, and if it is based on the theory of military merit, then the military generations will not be confused.
Seeing his old subordinates speak for him, Zhan Caifang was touched but did not agree, he said:
The central authorities' awarding of titles this time is actually very fair, and everything is divided according to the level of battle merit, which avoids some generals who are not in charge and rely on mixed qualifications to hold high positions, and in this way, it also takes care of some capable young generals.
This is why after the ceremony, several generals wearing the rank of general took the initiative to go to a lieutenant general with only two red stars on his shoulder to salute collectively after the end of the game. At that time, the founding generals led by Xu Shiyou, Chen Xilian, and You Taizhong saluted this elderly lieutenant general, which really touched many people.
Figure 丨 Conferral Ceremony
After all, in the eyes of these admirals, although Zhan Caifang is only a lieutenant general, he will always be their revolutionary leader, and their old chief, so this salute is reasonable, and it is a thing to be done.
On December 2, 1992, this highly respected "general mentor" died in Beijing at the age of 85, he was a vegetarian all his life and did not want to kill more, and used help and training to realize his self-worth.