The founding general Xu Haidong was an outstanding general in the history of our army, and he made outstanding military achievements in the middle of his decades-long military career. In 1955, when our army conferred the rank, Xu Haidong was ranked second among the top ten generals, which can be said to be his full affirmation of revolutionary merits.
Xu Haidong was born into poverty, and at a young age, he shouldered the burden of supporting his family, and once did such a hard job as a kiln worker, and he did it for 11 years.
He was eventually able to become an excellent military expert, fully interpreting the meaning of the phrase "although it is hard work, it is golden to see gold in the yellow sand".
Xu Haidong was able to fight in the habit of fighting and fought many beautiful victories, especially in the agrarian revolutionary war and the War of Resistance Against Japan, he led the Red Army and the Eighth Route Army to deal a heavy blow to the enemy, and his merits will forever be recorded in the annals of history.
However, Xu Haidong always had one regret in his heart, that is, he read very little and did not attend the famous Whampoa Military Academy.
During a conversation with Marshal Xu Qianqian, Xu Haidong personally mentioned this matter, but thus untied his heart.
It was in July 1931 that the Red Fourth Army was expanded into the Red Fourth Front, and Xu Xiangqian, the former commander of the Red Fourth Army, became the commander-in-chief of the Red Fourth Front.
When the troops were expanded, Xu Haidong, former commander of the Thirty-eighth Regiment of the 13th Division of the Fourth Red Army, was recuperating from his wounds in the rear hospital in the mountains, and it was not long before he recovered from his wounds.
However, Xu Haidong returned to the unit to see that the commander of the regiment had been reappointed after the expansion of the Thirty-eighth Regiment.
It is reasonable to say that with Xu Haidong's seniority, he can completely go to another regiment to become the leader of the regiment. However, Xu Haidong had a deep affection for the old troops and was unwilling to leave the Thirty-eighth Regiment, so he took the initiative to ask to stay and become the deputy regimental commander.
Xu Xiangqian was very happy to learn that Xu Haidong had returned from injury and immediately invited Xu Haidong to talk.
The two had met several times before at meetings of the red fourth army cadres, and this was the first time they had spoken alone.
As the two chatted, they mentioned Xu Haidong's past with Li Shuzhen, Shi Jitang and others who had traveled south from Wuchang to Guangdong, at which point Xu Haidong suddenly sighed: "I know that the commander-in-chief graduated from the Whampoa Military Academy and participated in the Guangzhou Uprising. In fact, on the way to Guangzhou, one of the things I longed for the most was to go to the Whampoa Military Academy. ”
"Oh?" Xu Xiangqian smiled and said, "Since you got there, why didn't you go to Huangpu?" ”
Xu Haidong said embarrassedly: "I want to take the exam, but I am afraid that I will not be able to pass the exam." ”
"What's there to be afraid of?"
"I have a low level of education, and I have only attended the old school for three and a half years..."
"After three and a half years of study, the ink in my stomach is not less!"
Xu Haidong rubbed the back of his head with his hand: "I am a rough man from a dry kiln worker, and I can't compare with the commander-in-chief." ”
"Haha... I also worked as a grocery store apprentice! Xu Bumped the Cigarette Bag Ash forward and said with a smile, "You said it was your rough person, so who is the thin person?" ”
"The commander-in-chief is a teacher, and he is a high-caliber student from the Whampoa Military Academy, of course, he is a thin person!" Xu Haidong couldn't help but smile.
Xu Xiangqian sighed and said, "Huangpu this gate, whether you enter or not!" ”
"Why did the commander-in-chief say that?" Xu Haidong was puzzled.
"When I entered Huangpu in April 1924, I was a first-term student, and I was supposed to study for two years, but in fact I only studied for half a year." Xu Xiangqian shook his head and said, "If you think about it, how much can you learn in just half a year!" ”
"After all, it is not the same thing as whether you have entered or not." Xu Haidong said.
"Actually, Saion lost his horse, and he knew that it was not a blessing. If you don't enter Whampoa, you still have to join the party! Xu Xiangqian said with a smile.
Xu Haidong listened stunned: "What party?" ”
"Isn't it the Kuomintang?" Xu Xiangqian said, "At that time, the first class taken by Huangpu students was to send each student a form to fill out first, and if they filled it out, they would join the Kuomintang, otherwise they would have to leave." ”
Xu Haidong nodded and said, "You are also forced by the situation, but it is always a good thing to enter the Whampoa Military Academy, and when you come out, you will fight!" ”
"Not necessarily!" Xu Xiangqian shook his head, "Some people have studied there for a long time, and it is not okay to start a war." And you have never entered the gate of Huangpu, nor have you read the books of Huangpu, but you have become a member of the army, and the more you fight, the better! ”
Xu Haidong said: "The commander-in-chief has passed the award. Our situation can be described by an old saying, that is, the blind old woman goes to the temple fair - can only touch and walk. ”
Then he added: "All these years we have been like this all the way, pulling the team to touch and walk, fighting guerrillas to touch and walk, after one defeat after another, we have also achieved some victories, but every step forward, almost can only grope forward ..."
When he said these words, he closed his eyes and extended his hands forward, comparing the blind man's groping forward movements.
"Good! Well said! Xu Xiangqian slammed the cigarette bag pot in his hand to the ground: "Aren't we All Red Army like this, crossing the river by feeling the stones, feeling the stones and going up the mountain..."
As he spoke, he also drew with his hands like Xu Haidong did.
"Hahaha..." The two looked at each other and laughed out loud at the same time.
"Thankfully, we don't have to be blind mothers-in-law in the future, and we will move forward." Xu Haidong said, "If you continue to fight with the commander-in-chief, our team can let go of their legs and run in a big stride!" ”
Xu Xiangqian hurriedly waved his hand: "We must work together to sum up and sum up the experience of touching and walking in the past, and in the days to come, we will take fewer detours and win more battles!" ”
Finally, Xu Haidong said with emotion: "Listening to Jun's words is better than reading ten years of books." In this conversation with Commander Xu, I untied a knot in my heart, and I will never feel sorry for not having entered Whampoa again! ”