During the revolutionary war years, many generals went up in their posts. For example, Chen Xilian, who served as a division commander and division political commissar during the Red Army period, had become a corps commander by the end of the Liberation War. But there are always exceptions to everything, such as the protagonist We are going to talk about today, Li Chiran, who became the political commissar of the Red 27 Army when he was 22 years old, but became the political commissar of the 12th Division of the 4th Army of Iino 13 years later. Not only has the position not been promoted, but it has also regressed. In 1955, when the title was awarded, in the face of Li Chiran's situation, Luo Ronghuan, who was in charge of the military rank evaluation work, also made difficulties.
General Li Chiran
Li Chiran was a native of Shaanxi Anding, with two older brothers and three older sisters, and although his father was a silversmith, he was honest and honest, plus the world was not peaceful at that time, and people's lives were not rich, so the business was not easy to do. Li Chiran was clever and clever since childhood, and his father pinned his hopes on him and named him Li Zonggui. When he was 7 years old, his father sent Li Zonggui to a private school, and the annual tuition fee was 4,000 yuan. Li Zonggui's studies were very good, and three years later he was admitted to the second highest school in Wayao Fort, and during his school studies, he participated in the revolution and served as the leader of the school children's regiment.
In 1929, 15-year-old Li Zonggui joined our party under the introduction of Xie Zichang and changed his name to Li Chiran. After graduating from high school, Li Chiran first opened a mill, using this as a cover to engage in underground work. Later, according to the instructions of the organization, he came to Xuejiaqu No. 23 Primary School in Anding County as a teacher, and his actual identity was that of the secretary of the North Second District Party Committee. In June 1933, Li Chiran led people to post slogans welcoming the Red Army guerrillas in the county seat according to the instructions of his superiors, but was arrested after being discovered by the enemy. In prison, he fought resolutely with the enemy and did not reveal any secrets.
Li Chiran's revolutionary guide Xie Zichang
The enemy became angry and used all kinds of torture on Li Chiran, leaving him with a lifelong disability on his leg. In August 1934, under the strong rescue of the organization, Li Chiran was released from prison. Xie Zichang personally arranged for him to serve as an instructor of the first company of the Red First Regiment in the Red Army in northern Shaanxi. Li Chiran soon showed his outstanding military command talent on the battlefield, led his troops to raid Hejiawan, annihilated a company of Gao Guizi's troops with one company, and captured 80 rifles and 9 light machine guns. After that, Li Chiran led his troops to win consecutive battles, and in less than two years, he was promoted from company instructor to political commissar of the Red 81st Division. The speed of promotion is unmatched.
During this period, due to his bravery in battle, Li Chiran was wounded many times, the most serious of which was a serious head injury and fainted on the spot. After the war, guards pulled him out of the pile of dead bodies. In general Li Chiran's later years, the scar on the top of his head was still clearly visible. In November 1936, Li Chiran was appointed political commissar of the Red 27 army at the age of 22. At that time, the chief of staff of the army was Li Shouxuan, who became a founding lieutenant general when he was awarded the title in 1955. Li Zhimin, the political department of the army, was even more powerful, and became a founding general when he was awarded the title in 1955.
General Li Chiran and his wife
After the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Li Chiran served as the political commissar of the Fifth Regiment of the Eighth Route Army's Left Guard Corps. During his tenure, he first assisted the brother forces in eliminating the bandit armed forces entrenched in the HuanglongShan and Guanzhong areas. This was followed by the defeat of the Japanese army attempting to cross the Yellow River twice, in December 1938 and May 1939, thus safeguarding the Yan'an Border Area. In March 1941, in order to expand the source of troops, the Remaining Corps of the Eighth Route Army sent Li Chiran to Jinchaji to recruit troops. Li Chiran crossed many lines of defense of the Japanese army and came to the Anti-Japanese base area of Jin-Cha-Ji, recruited more than 800 new soldiers and trained them.
When Li Chiran completed his mission and prepared to return, his superiors gave him a difficult task: to escort 3 million French tenders back to Yan'an. At that time, due to the blockade of Hu Zongnan's army, the economy of the Yan'an Border Region was very difficult. Power generation equipment, medical equipment and medicines are in short supply, and these things require legal tender to be purchased in the national area. Previously, Nie Rongzhen had twice sent people to escort the 3 million French coins to Yan'an without success, and sacrificed several comrades.
Nie Rongzhen
In order to complete the escort task, Li Chiran chose an extremely difficult route of travel. First, it crossed the Wutai Mountain, the "roof of North China", and then continuously crossed the rapids such as the Shahe River, the Tuotuo River, the Qingshui River and the Fenhe River, and finally crossed the Pinghan and Tongpu Railways, returned to Yan'an in victory, and handed over 3 million French tenders to the organization intact. Xiao Jinguang, the commander of the Left Behind Corps, not only personally praised Li Chiran, but also gave him his beloved mount.
After the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Li Chiran participated in the War of Liberation, following Ichino in fighting against Hu Zongnan and Ma Jiajun in the great northwest, and successively participated in the Battle of Yichuan, the Battle of Xifu Longdong, the Battle of Fuyu, and the liberation of Lanzhou, and made many achievements. In February 1949, Li Chiran was appointed political commissar of the 12th Division of the 4th Army of Ichino, at the age of 35. At the age of 22, he served as the military commissar of the Red 27 Army, but after 13 years of revolution, he became the political commissar of the division. In 1955, when the title was awarded, in the face of Li Chiran's situation, Luo Ronghuan, who was in charge of the military rank evaluation work, also made difficulties.
Luo Ronghuan
Li Chiran's seniority and contributions during the Red Army period were enough to award lieutenant generals, and he also made special contributions during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. However, at the end of the Liberation War, his position was that of the divisional political commissar, and the major general was a bit reluctant. In the end, Luo Ronghuan personally consulted Li Chiran, saying that everything was subordinate to the organization and that it was acceptable to confer any rank on himself. In the end, Li Chiran was awarded the rank of major general, and was awarded the Order of August 1, 1st Class, the Order of Independence and Freedom of the Second Class, and the Liberation Medal of the First Class. In 2006, General Li Chiran died of illness at the age of 92.