In the decades that our country and the Party have worked hard for the establishment of a new China, countless people with lofty ideals have emerged, including fighters who fought bravely and bravely, generals who used soldiers like gods, experienced revolutionary pioneers, and legendary commanders who were young and promising.
In the 1949 Liberation War, during the Second Kuomintang Civil War, our army established four major field armies, and a total of 44 armies were divided into 13 corps to facilitate operations. The commanders of these corps are all dragons among men, shrewd and capable, and intelligent and courageous.
Among these revolutionary vanguards of New China, there is a general who is even more eye-catching, and he is Chen Xilian. Chen Xilian was born in 1915, and was only 34 years old when he commanded the Corps in the Liberation War, making him the youngest corps commander.
Throughout his life, Chen Xilian went through the Long March, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the War of Liberation, witnessed many turning points and great historical moments of our party and country, and his life was full of legends.
Fight bravely and make a name for himself in the military
In 1915, Chen Xilian was born in Hong'an, a famous general county in Hubei Province. He joined the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army at the age of 14 and was an uncompromising little soldier. At that time, people did not expect that this little soldier would become the youngest commander of the corps.
Don't look at Chen Xilian's young age, his bravery and enthusiasm in the revolutionary war are well known. Just two years after joining the army, the battalion commander praised at the battle summary meeting: "Don't look at Chen Xilian's young age, not tall, not afraid of death when fighting, and rush forward with one brain." ”
In the long run, after many battles, Chen Xilian won the reputation of "small steel cannon" in the army. In the Battle of Shuangqiao Town and the Battle of Huofeng Mountain, he charged bravely and made great contributions to the victory of the battle.
Like every brave and fearless revolutionary ancestor, Chen Xilian unswervingly followed the party, believing that the final victory belonged to the Red Army, so he was not afraid of sacrifice in battle. Chen Xilian has the epitome of the revolutionary fighters of our party in that era, brave and fearless, and his faith lasts forever.
Soon after, Chen Xilian, who had outstanding performance, served as a regiment-level political commissar in the Red Fourth Front, participated in the anti-encirclement and suppression, anti-three-way, and six-way siege campaigns, and repeatedly made battle achievements, which were praised by Li Xiannian as "capable of fighting, fighting without life."
Speaking of Chen Xilian's "don't die", the story of "flying knife cutting fingers" is enjoyable. After a fierce battle, Chen Xilian's finger was seriously injured, and the hygienist handled it with little effect. Soon after, the fingers died of lack of oxygen. He took two sips of wine in one breath and cut off his necrotic finger with one knife.
Of course, Chen Xilian is not a reckless man, as an excellent leader, he is thick and thin, and often has his own unique thinking. When it comes to fighting, he says to be brave and brave; when it comes to command, he has to deploy more carefully and reconnaissance more meticulously.
Surprise soldiers are frequent, and the battle achievements are outstanding
A few years after Chen Xilian became a political commissar, the War of Resistance Against Japan broke out in full swing, and he became a general under Marshal Liu Bocheng. In the most arduous years of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Chen Xilian proved with his actions the wisdom and responsibility of the older generation of Communists.
At the beginning of the War of Resistance Against Japan, Chen Xilian was entrusted with a heavy responsibility as the commander of the advance regiment of Liu Bocheng's 129th Division, directly under the command of the division commander. As a vanguard, he was given the power to fight first and then report to his superiors, which shows how much he was valued in the army.
Of course, Chen Xilian did not fail to live up to the trust of the party and leaders. In a few months, he led the 769th Regiment to repeatedly build miracles and gave heavy blows to the Japanese in many battles. Since then, Chen Xilian has begun to emerge in the military and won the respect of everyone with his military achievements.
Speaking of Chen Xilian's wisdom in using troops, the surprise attack on Yangmingbao was a heavy stroke in his military career, and it was also the heaviest page in his battle record.
On October 11, 1937, the frenzied Japanese army launched a fierce attack on Xinkou, Shanxi, China. China sent the National Revolutionary Army led by wei Lihuang, a Kuomintang general, and the Eighth Route Army led by Marshal Zhu De to resist.
At this moment, Chen Xilian was leading the 769th Regiment to carry out defensive deployment around the town of Yangmingbao. Chen Xilian, who was signaled that he could decide whether to attack on his own, was bold and careful, and after many days of reconnaissance and defensive deployment of Yangmingbao Town, he sensed that something was wrong with his combat experience.
It turned out that during the War of Resistance Against Japan, air supremacy was basically in the hands of the Japanese army with more advanced weapons and equipment, and our soldiers were often injured or even killed because of the sudden appearance of fighters in the sky. Therefore, it is urgent to find the enemy's air base in the war.
In Yangmingbao, Chen Xilian observed several enemy fighters taking off or landing every day. Chen Xilian judged from this that there was probably an enemy air base near the town of Yangmingbao.
If the enemy's airfield is destroyed, how many sacrifices will be reduced for our soldiers! The brave and decisive Chen Xilian understood that this matter was of great strategic significance.
Without further ado, when it was clear that the Japanese airfield was guarded by only two hundred men, he resolutely formulated a combat policy and adopted the night raid fighting method with the least loss. Taking advantage of the relaxation of the Japanese army, they attacked the airfield with a brave people's army.
The brave Eighth Route Army soon came into stark contrast to the Japanese. After an hour of fierce fighting, the Japanese army suffered countless casualties, and our army successfully took the Yangmingbao airfield and destroyed the enemy planes cleanly and neatly. When the main Japanese force arrived, all they were left with was defeat and ruins.
This campaign fired the first shot of our army's anti-Japanese victory and boosted the morale of the Chinese army and the confidence of the Chinese people. The prestige of the people's army is growing day by day, and Chen Xilian has made outstanding achievements in battle. Even when the marshal saw him, he praised him: "Chen Xilian can fight, and he is a rare general." ”
Old and strong, Dai Ye Shuai took charge of military power
After the founding of New China, Chen Xilian became vice premier of the State Council, and he was deeply respected by Chairman Mao, which can be described as an honor, and at the same time he also used his wisdom for the country and the people.
In 1976, Premier Zhou, Marshal Zhu De, and Chairman Mao died one after another, and the motherland was in a time of turmoil. The situation is turbulent, and the great motherland is in urgent need of strong leaders to stabilize the situation after it lacks the backbone of the main heart.
And the more difficult the situation, our Party and the revolutionary elders have shown extraordinary boldness and led China to continue to embark on an incomparably correct path.
At this time, Marshal Ye Jianying, as the elder of the CPC, opened up a path in the foggy situation, and even more wisely saw Chen Xilian, letting Chen Xilian preside over the work of the Central Military Commission on his behalf, so that the situation at that time could be smoothly transitioned.
Although Chen Xi held a joint important position and had outstanding ability, he was 61 years old at this time, and compared with the founding general, he was still young in seniority. Therefore, many people question the correctness of this decision. But history does not lie, and in the long river of history, the truth will show the true color of gold in the great waves.
Chen Xilian did not disappoint the expectations of the chairman and marshal; he was already a member of the Standing Committee of the Central Military Commission; he handled all military affairs in an orderly manner, took charge of the three services, and protected national security through those turbulent years.
At the same time, Chen Xilian has not only made great achievements in life, but also educated his children. His son Chen Zaifang was admitted to Peking University, and after graduation, he followed his father's glorious tradition to join the People's Liberation Army and became a lieutenant general through outstanding performance.
From a small soldier to a founding general, from the youngest corps commander to preside over the work of the Central Military Commission, Chen Xilian's life is full of legends. However, after careful reading, it is not difficult for us to find that there is no natural protagonist, only the proletarian revolutionary fighters who are enthusiastic and firm in their faith are dedicating their lives to the motherland.