Being able to serve as a division commander during the Red Army period is a very high starting point, and if normal development continues, by the time of the founding of New China, it is likely to be a corps-level cadre. For example, the founding general Yang Yong, who served as the political commissar of the Red 1st Division and the Red 4th Division during the Red Army period, was already the commander of the 5th Corps of the Erye at the end of the Liberation War; for example, the founding general Yang Dezhi, who served as the commander of the Red 2nd Division during the Red Army period, was already the commander of the 19th Corps of Iino at the end of the Liberation War.
Founding General Yang Dezhi
But there are always exceptions to everything, such as Liu Ziqi, who served as a division commander in 1933, when Yang Yong and Yang Dezhi were still regimental cadres. However, what is unexpected is that at the end of the Liberation War, Yang Yong and Yang Dezhi had become the commanders of the corps, and Liu Ziqi was still the commander of the division. In April 1951, he joined the 47th Army in the Korean War, and was still a division commander. In 1933, he became the commander of the Red Army division, and after 18 years of revolution, he was still the commander of the division, and he was not promoted to the first rank. Liu Ziqi's situation is very rare in our army, when the title was awarded in 1955, what rank should Liu Ziqi be given? Luo Ronghuan also made a mistake.
Like many founding generals, Liu Ziqi was also born in hardship, and his father rented a few acres of thin land from the landlord's family in the village, and after a year of hard work, most of the harvest was taken away by the landlord. Since Liu Ziqi remembered, there has never been overnight food at home. Life is difficult, and reading has naturally become a luxury. When he was 7 years old, the children of rich families carried school bags into the school, but Liu Ziqi was forced by life to come to the landlord's house as a cattle herding baby.
Many people think that herding cattle is a very simple job, and it is not enough to herd cattle on the hillside and watch it graze? But how could the ruthless landlord make Liu Ziqi so relaxed! At the same time as herding cattle, he also had to beat pig grass, and after releasing the cattle, he also had to do all kinds of chores. A little slower, the landlord's wife scolded, and Liu Ziqi suffered a lot for this. The mother was distressed by her son and tried to take him home many times, but when she came back, she could only starve, and although the cattle were bitter, there was still a bowl of rice to eat.
In this way, Liu Ziqi has been herding cattle in the landlord's house for nearly 5 years. When he was 12 years old, in order to let him master a skill and make a living in the future, his father sent him to the town to learn weaving with others. After three years of apprenticeship, Liu Ziqi became a weaver. Although the work is very hard, under the pressure of the capitalists, the wages obtained are pitifully small. At this time, Liu Ziqi was very confused about his future life and did not know where the way out was.
In 1928, Red Army guerrillas came to Liuyang and suppressed a group of landlords and bullies who were extremely angry and distributed their land to the poor people. With the support of the guerrillas, peasant associations were established in many villages. Liu Ziqi also participated in the revolution, serving as the leader of the Liuyang guerrilla regional joint defense team, and two years later was promoted to commander of the Second Division of the Liuyang Red Guards of the Hunan Self-Defense Army, and led his troops to participate in the siege of Changsha. Soon after, Liu Ziqi officially joined the ranks of the Red Army and served as the commander and political commissar of the 13th Regiment of the Independent Fifth Division of Jiangxi.
In April 1933, Liu Ziqi was promoted to commander of the Independent Third Division of the Xianggan Military Region, and led his troops to participate in many anti-encirclement and suppression operations in the revolutionary base areas of Xianggan, and made many military achievements. Later, he followed the Long March of the Red 6th Army, and after arriving in northern Shaanxi, he served as the commander of the 18th Division of the Red 6th Army. After the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, Liu Ziqi served as the chief of staff of the 359th Brigade of the 120th Division of the Eighth Route Army, which was a very high position at that time. When the title was awarded in 1955, Chen Shiyu, chief of staff of the 343rd Brigade of the 115th Division, and Li Jukui, chief of staff of the 386th Brigade of the 129th Division, were both generals.
Founding General Liu Ziqi
If this development continues, when the title was awarded in 1955, Liu Ziqi was at least the rank of lieutenant general. But unfortunately, after May 1938, he was transferred to the Jizhong Military Region, and successively served as the deputy commander of the 4th Military Sub-district and the 9th Military Sub-district, both of which were deputy posts, which invisibly affected his military achievements. Moreover, from April 1942, Liu Ziqi entered the Yan'an Party School to study, and did not lead the troops again until the outbreak of the Liberation War, serving as the commander of the 20th Brigade of the 7th Division of the Northeast Democratic Coalition Army, and was promoted to the commander of the 165th Division of The Four Fields in March 1949.
In 1951, Liu Ziqi participated in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea with the 47th Army and served as the commander of the 140th Division. He became a division commander in 1933, but after 18 years of the revolution, he was not promoted to the next level. In 1955, when the title was awarded, in the face of Liu Ziqi's situation, Luo Ronghuan also made difficulties. Liu Ziqi was at least a lieutenant general if judged by his position after the outbreak of the Red Army and the War of Resistance Against Japan; if we look at the position he was given at the time of his title, the major general was a little reluctant. For example, Fu Chongbi, who served as the commander of the 63rd Army of the Volunteer Army, fought the famous Tieyuan Blockade Battle, but in 55 years he was only a major general. Finally, after comprehensive measurement, Liu Ziqi was awarded the rank of major general.