During the Red Army, Xu Haidong was the regimental commander under Chen Geng. Chen Geng once said humorously: "One of the most glorious things in this life is that he was the leader of Xu Haidong for a few days, he was a famous 'Xu Tiger', when I was the leader, he did not bite me, but helped me fight many hard battles." ”
(Chen Geng)
In early February 1932, the area around the tofu shop near Huangchuan County was covered in heavy snow. More than 20 regiments of the enemy pressed against the Red Army from Henan. The Red Army then engaged in a vicious battle with the enemy in the snow of the tofu shop.
Xu Haidong and his Red 36 regiment were placed in the enemy's main direction of attack by Chen Geng, commander of the Red 12th Division. The Red 36 regiment fought bitterly for a day and a night, and at dawn the forward position was breached by the enemy. When Xu Haidong saw this, he immediately ran over, threw off his cotton coat, wore a white shirt, wielded a large knife, and flew in the snow to meet the enemy soldiers. When the warriors saw it, they knew that it was time for a decisive battle, and they all ran up, so another hand-to-hand battle began. After more than an hour of killing, Xu Haidong led the whole regiment to finally beat the enemy soldiers down again.
(Xu Haidong)
The gains and losses of the forward positions of the Red 36 regiment are related to the victory or defeat of the overall battle. Chen Geng had been staring in Xu Haidong's direction, and three times he had sent people to convey orders to Xu Haidong: "We must hold on!" "Hold firm!" "Attract the enemy tightly!"
Xu Haidong's answer is always two sentences, one is: "The chief is assured, we will be able to withstand it!" Another sentence is: "The chief is assured, the people are in the position!" ”
In three days and three nights, the enemy launched more than 20 charges, but failed to cross the positions of the Red 36 Regiment. The decisive battle between the two armies was carried out until the afternoon of the fourth day, and the enemy finally could not hold back and was discouraged. At this time the General Command of the Red Army issued an order to counterattack. Suddenly, the Red Army attacked on all sides. Xu Haidong led the Red 36 Regiment to also kill from the front. The men and horses of more than 20 regiments of the enemy were desperately fleeing backwards. As a result, more than 2,000 people who did not have time to run away were all taken prisoners...
At this time, the division commander Chen Geng came, saw Xu Haidong and said, "Your regiment has fought this battle well!"
Xu Haidong said: "It is the superior who commands well, and the brother troops coordinate well!"
Chen Geng said, "In this battle, the 36th Regiment has fought!"
Xu Haidong was a little proud and said unceremoniously: "Ha! Yes, cadres and soldiers have been trained. If I fight for a few more days, even my brother-in-law will become a good company commander!" As he spoke, he laughed.
Unexpectedly, Chen Geng said, "Well, don't talk too much first, I came this time to transfer a few battalion and company commanders from your regiment, and if you are incompetent, I will scold you Xu Tiger!" ”
When Xu Haidong saw the posture of the division commander, he stuck out his tongue and did not dare to "brag" anymore.
In January 1932, Chiang Kai-shek launched an "encirclement and suppression" campaign, and the army marched south along the Shanghuang Highway. Chen Geng led his troops to participate in the Third War of Encirclement and Suppression in the Eyu-Anhui Soviet Region. The Red 12th Division assembled in the shuangchunshu area, and Chen Geng issued an order: "The 34th and 35th regiments are blocking the enemy frontally." The 36th Regiment, as a reserve, was responsible for mobilizing the masses, raising grain and engaging in 500 pairs of military shoes. Before Chen Geng could finish speaking, Xu Haidong, the leader of the 36th Regiment, jumped up and said breathlessly on the spot: "Why did you ask my regiment to do this?" I don't do it! ”
Zhang Shihai gave Xu Haidong a job, and Xu Haidong said that he was still unwilling to do this mother-in-law's mother-in-law's work, so it was better to charge and kill the enemy on the battlefield, and proposed that the regiment of the faction do this work. Chen Geng was furious: "You tiger, that is, you have many opinions." That's an order. It doesn't work, 3 minutes, you think about it for another 3 minutes. "
Xu Haidong didn't have to think about it or didn't want to do this job. But he knew the weight of the word "order", so he had to give a military salute to the division commander and political commissar and say "Execution!" Before leaving, he looked back and said, "I just hope that next time I will put it in an important position and fight more battles." He went to the door and vented again: "Let me make shoes and collect grain every day, Lao Tzu is about to become a woman and a Taoist family." Chen Geng listened, pointed his hand, and angrily called him back. Xu Haidongpi smiled and said, "Make a complaint, why is the division commander so serious?" I'm done with the task. ”
After three days of hard work, Xu Haidong prepared grain and military shoes, and he asked Chen Geng to join the war. Chen Geng agreed, taking into account the heavy casualties of the 35th Regiment in battle. Xu Shiyou of the 34th Regiment listened to Xu Haidong of the 36th Regiment and said, "Hey, there is a good drama to watch, and the 'stinky tofu' returned to the tofu shop." Originally, "Xu Laohu" was also nicknamed "stinky tofu". Chen Geng smiled and said, "'Stinky tofu', this battle is only allowed to win and not to lose." ”
The opponent of the Red 12th Division was 6 regiments of Tang Enbo, and the enemy relied on the superiority of troop strength, and the large army was pressed. At the time of the crisis, Xu Haidong began to undress, and finally only a pair of pants remained. He yelled, "Even if you die, you have to beat these black skins down!" He snatched the large knife from the guard's hand and jumped out, and the whole regiment of soldiers followed Xu Haidong and roared angrily towards the enemy. Xu Shiyou saw the situation and drank: "The big knife ball is not up, when will it stay?" The 34th Regiment also rushed up bravely. Tombaugh's 6 regiments were scattered by heroic Red Army fighters. Chen Geng ordered the counterattack of the 35th Regiment, the Battle of Tofu Shop, and the Red 12th Division annihilated more than 2,000 enemies and won a total victory.
After the war, Chen Geng said to Xu Haidong: "In such a vicious battle, you have suffered little casualties, you are still alive, it is really a great fate!" Xu Haidong smiled and said, "Of course." The bullet is 'vegetarian', click, just turn around. He also said, "All those who die on the battlefield are afraid of death." ”
When Chen Geng heard him say this, he immediately became angry: "Nonsense." Then he said, "How many martyrs have sacrificed, and if they hear your words, they will not be chilled." Are you right to say such a thing as a sacrificial comrade? Although you are loyal and commendable, it really makes me very sad that you say such irresponsible words. Chen Geng also said, "My surname is Chen's unbelief!" I only believe in Marx, and I believe that bullets can kill people. It doesn't fly in front of me and stand still and salute. Xu Haidong was honest from then on, and he did not dare to say such a big word again.
Decades later, Chen Geng and Xu Haidong met and talked about this matter again, Xu Haidong smiled and said: "I was not afraid of anyone at that time, I was afraid of you Old Chen, your ideas are many." ”
Chen Geng said seriously, "My ideas are exclusive to you." If I hadn't packed up your pride, would you be a general like me today? ”
Later, when Xu Haidong saw Chen Geng, he shouted from a distance: "The division commander has come, standing upright and saluting." Many years later, Xu Haidong still said with a deep thought: "Chen Geng is my first good division commander.