The award of the title in 1955 was a major event in the history of our army, and in this award, many interesting things have also arisen.
The most amazing thing is that Chen Geng and Tan Zheng, who were awarded the rank of great general at the same time, so the relationship between the two is really unusual, and from the relationship point of view, Tan Zheng is Chen Geng's brother-in-law.
Tan Zheng was awarded the rank of General, and Chen Geng, as the eldest brother, was indeed a little surprised, and smiled and said to Tan Zheng: "Your pen is better than a gun." ”
Tan Zheng also smiled: "I'm just a talent carrying a gun, it's all your credit to your brother-in-law, if you hadn't always encouraged me, I would have today." ”
How did Tan Zheng become Chen Geng's brother-in-law? Why was he awarded the rank of Grand General?
Tan Zheng married Okra, and Chen Geng became the eldest brother-in-law
At the beginning of the 20th century, in Xiangxi Township, the second capital of Xiangxiang County, Hunan, there were two large families, namely the Chen family and the Tan family.
Chen Geng is the eldest grandson of the Chen family, Tan Zheng is the eldest grandson of the Tan family, the two families are only 10 miles apart, as early as Chen Geng's father, the two families have intersected, so the Chen family and the Tan family can also be regarded as a family of family friends.
Chen Geng was born in 1903, Tan Zheng was born in 1906, and the younger Chen Geng was 3 years old.
Don't underestimate this 3-year-old, it is precisely because of this 3-year-old that Chen Geng and Tan Zheng have their own achievements in the youth of their lives.
Tan Zheng
After the local Qixingqiao new school, Chen Geng went to Tan's house to spend the night, Tan Zheng's father was very happy, since then, Chen Geng and Tan Zheng became a small child, and the two had a very close relationship.
Fast forward a few years, Chen Geng graduated from Qixingqiao Primary School and was admitted to Xiangxiang County Dongshan Senior High School.
Tan Zheng originally wanted to follow in Chen Geng's footsteps, but due to his father's opposition, he could only sigh with joy.
It is worth mentioning that Chairman Mao also studied at the Xiangxiang County Dongshan Senior Primary School, and chen geng and Chairman Mao are still "alumni" when it comes to it.
Tan Zheng could not go to Dongshan Elementary School, so he went to a private school in Willow Shop to study.
Liushupu is close to the Chen family, so Tan Zheng also stayed at the Chen family.
In the Chen family, Tan Zheng met a person who was very good to him, she was Chen Geng's sister, Okra.
Tan Zheng is 3 years younger than Chen Geng and 3 years older than Okra, he is in the Chen family, he is more loving and pitiful to Okra, and the two have also developed feelings for each other in the process of growing up.
Since Chen Geng went to Dongshan Primary School to study, he has learned a lot of advanced ideas and knowledge, and every time he comes home from vacation, Chen Geng will tell Tan Zheng what he learned in Dongshan Primary School.
Whenever Tan Zheng heard this, he was very excited, he always felt that Chen Geng's words had completely opened an unknown door for himself, and he was very curious and wanted to go to Dongshan Primary School to see it for himself.
But Tan Zheng also knew that his father was more "traditional" and would not agree to go on his own.
In the blink of an eye, it was three years, Tan Zheng ended his study career in Willow Shop, before leaving, Chen Geng's grandfather called Tan Zheng: "When your grandfather was alive, I hoped that he would have a good grandson, but unfortunately he left first, from these 3 years, you are a good offspring, good character, and good studies." ”
For The praise of Grandpa Chen Geng, Tan Zheng seemed very happy.
Before Tan Zheng left, Okra clinged to it, and Grandpa seemed to see something, so he smiled and said to Okra, "I know what is in your heart, Grandpa will fulfill you in the future." ”
Okra blushed suddenly.
Soon, Tan Zheng and his father came to the Chen family to propose to him, and the old man of the Chen family immediately agreed.
In 1923, Tan Zheng and Okra were officially married, and in the same year, he was also admitted to Dongshan High School.
Tan Zheng believes that he has also grown up, so he is more eager for advanced ideas and knowledge.
At this time, Chen Geng had graduated from Dongshan Primary School, participated in the revolution in Guangdong, and in 1924, he was admitted to the Whampoa Military Academy.
In China in the 1920s, the atmosphere of revolution swept the country, and Tan Zheng was not willing to become a primary school teacher after graduating from Dongshan High School, so he wanted to contact his brother-in-law Chen Geng to discuss a way out for himself.
Okra loves Tan Zheng very much, so she fully supports all of Tan Zheng's decisions.
After that, Tan Zheng wrote a letter to Chen Geng in Guangzhou, unfortunately, he sent the letter for a long time and never received a reply.
It was not until 1926 that Tan Zheng received a reply from Chen Geng in which Chen Geng told Tan Zheng that after graduating from the Whampoa Military Academy, he went to the Soviet Union to study, so he could not reply to him in time, at this time he was already in Wuhan, serving as a battalion commander, and if necessary, he could find him.
After getting the reply, Tan Zheng rushed to show Okra.
Okra encouraged: "Although write back to the eldest brother, you said that you will also join the Northern Expedition." ”
This time, Chen Geng quickly replied: "In a few days, the National Revolutionary Army will go to Xiangxiang to recruit new soldiers, and when the time comes, I will ask him to take his brother-in-law to Wuhan to cast a pen." ”
Tan Zheng was very excited, and the wish in his heart was finally coming true.
In March 1927, Tan Zheng came to Wuhan and met Chen Geng, after which, under the leadership of Chen Geng, he officially embarked on the revolutionary road.
At that time, Tan Zheng probably did not think that he had realized his dream, but he would also lose his good people.
In April 1927, Chiang Kai-shek established a separate National Government in Nanjing, which brazenly launched a "counter-revolution", and then the whole country gradually entered a period of "white terror", and at the behest of Chiang Kai-shek, the Hunan warlords also launched the "Ma-Ri Incident"
The situation of the national revolution was tense, and Tan Zheng never wrote a letter to his family in order not to bother his family.
At this time, Tan Zheng's father, Tan Run district, was thunderous and angry.
Tan Runqu is a relatively backward person, as can be seen from his previous disagreement with Tan Zheng's acceptance of a new-style education and his visit to Dongshan Primary School.
Later, when Tan Zheng joined the army, Tan Runqu was still very angry, and found Chen Geng's father and questioned him, saying that Chen Geng was uneasy and kind, and took Tan Zheng astray.
After Chen Geng's father's kind talk, Tan Run District figured out this matter.
However, when the "Ma Ri Incident" was disclosed in the newspaper, Tan Runqu became angry again, and he regretted that he could not stop his son Tan Zheng from becoming a soldier.
It is precisely because of this matter that Okra's life in the in-laws' family is very difficult, in the face of the accusations of her mother-in-law and father-in-law, she has a word of suffering, in addition, she also has a person to undertake the Tan family's large and small household chores.
Okra's body was already weak, and coupled with the mental blow, she soon fell ill.
What people did not expect was that the disease of okra has never stood up again.
Later, when the situation was relatively stable, Tan Zheng wrote a letter to his family, which learned the news that Okra had died, Tan Zheng was devastated, and the death of Okra gave him a great blow, and after more than 10 years, he has been alone.
The revolutionary cause has improved, but the good people have left forever, and Tan Zheng did not know at that time whether he was a blessing or a curse.
So, after joining the revolution, what contribution did Tan Zheng make to the party organization, and eventually made him obtain the rank of great general?
Chairman Mao's first secretary
After the defeat of the Great Revolution in 1927, Tan Zheng joined the Guard Regiment of the Second Front of the National Revolutionary Army.
This regiment is an armed force completely under the leadership of our Party, and its regimental commander is Lu Deming.
During the Nanchang Uprising on August 1, Lu Deming prepared to lead the guard regiment to participate, and later learned that the rebel army had gone south before the troops arrived in Nanchang, so Lu Deming led the troops to rest in Xiushui.
Soon, Chairman Mao, as the central commissioner, came to Xiushui, and Lu Deming also received a new order to follow Member Mao in carrying out the autumn harvest uprising, which is what we often call the "autumn harvest uprising."
Tan Zheng thus participated in the Autumn Harvest Uprising.
After the autumn harvest uprising, the troops moved to Jinggangshan, and on the way, due to the enemy's siege and interception, coupled with the long journey, many people could not hold on and broke away from the team, while Tan Zheng was firm in his faith and remained in the revolutionary ranks.
During the "Three Bays Reorganization", Tan Zheng was incorporated into the officer corps, which also shows that his position in the army has been established to a certain extent.
Later, to the surprise of Chairman Mao and others, just when the autumn harvest uprising troops passed through Dafen, they were ambushed by the xiaojiabi department of the local militia regiment, and the troops rushed to fight and were scattered by the enemy, and Zhang Ziqing's third battalion rushed away from the side and rushed for several miles in a hurry, until later, it returned to the troops.
Chairman Mao was also very angry at this time, and he was escorted to a small village in front of Jingzhu Mountain, and during the battle, Tan Zheng met Luo Ronghuan, a representative of the Secret Service Company, and the two were fellow Hunan villagers who had become acquainted at the time of the Autumn Harvest Uprising.
Luo Ronghuan said happily to Tan Zheng: "Commissioner Mao is in front, and I will take you to see him." ”
Soon, the two came to Chairman Mao together, and Luo Ronghuan introduced: "His name is Tan Zheng, and he is an officer. ”
Chairman Mao shook hands with Tan Zheng: "Where are you from?" ”
Tan Zheng: "Xiangxiang's." ”
Chairman Mao was a little interested: "Xiangxiang, Xiangtan is a neighbor, this time we asked Xiao Jiabi to fight a sneak attack, this battle is good, hit the three of us Xiang people on Jinggang Mountain." ”
Soon, under the leadership of Chairman Mao, the troops came to Jinggangshan and officially created the Jinggangshan Revolutionary Base Area.
Tan Zheng thus devoted all his energies to the revolutionary cause, and in October of that year, he joined the Communist Party of China.
One day, when Tan Zheng was working, someone suddenly came to inform: Committee Member Mao is looking for you to talk.
When Chairman Mao saw this, he smiled and asked him to sit down, and then asked, "You said that you graduated from Dongshan High School, and I am also a graduate there. ”
Tan Zheng: "No, no, you should be my husband." ”
Chairman Mao disagreed: "If you say this, your classmates are classmates, I am a classmate, I am your brother-in-law, which class are you?" ”
Tan Zheng: "I am in class 16, and Chen Geng is in class 9. ”
Chairman Mao nodded, and then he and Tan Zheng started a family routine, and when he learned that Tan Zheng had married Chen Geng's sister Okra, Chairman Mao was very surprised, and he asked: "So if you say so, your father-in-law is Mr. Chen Shaochun?" ”
Tan Zheng was shocked: "How do you know?" ”
Chairman Mao said happily, "Is your original name Tan Qinghe?" ”
Tan Zheng explained the reason for his name change.
Chairman Mao nodded again: "No wonder, your old father-in-law told me about you, well, today is the right number." ”
Tan Zheng: "My father-in-law also told me that you should find Mao Runzhi in Xiangtan and tell him that Chen Shaochun of the Willow Tree Shop in Erdu, Xiangxiang, accepted his proposal and sent Chen Geng and several other children to adulthood to the revolution, hoping that he would guide them on the right path." ”
Chairman Mao said with emotion: "Your old father-in-law is a good man, he is a hero of the revolution, and when the revolution is successful in the future, Tan Zheng will take me to visit his old man's home." ”
Tan Zheng quickly nodded, "Good." ”
It was through this long talk that Chairman Mao knew Tan Zheng better, trusted Tan Zheng, and was willing to entrust him with heavy responsibilities.
One day in February 1928, tan Zheng had just returned to the army after finishing his local work, and he received a notice: The new former secretary of the party committee, Member Mao, wanted to see you.
Tan Zheng did not dare to delay and immediately rushed to the office of the former committee.
When Chairman Mao saw Tan Zheng coming, he laughed: "Tan Zheng, you are a good clerk, when the Sanwan reorganization, many people ran away, you did not run, went up Jinggangshan, and also joined the party, I heard that you have a good foundation in ancient Chinese, the writing is also neat, we workers and peasants' revolutionary army, just lack of talent, I see, you come to the former committee as a secretary." ”
Tan Zheng was very excited, and quickly asked, "Where is the front committee, I will report now." ”
Chairman Mao laughed and pointed around with his finger: "The vanguard is here, I have a secretary, plus you a secretary, and a guard, from today onwards, we will share weal and woe..."
As a result, Tan Zheng became Chairman Mao's first secretary.
Since Tan Zheng joined the army, due to his high level of education, he has always been a clerk and political propaganda work, and after the "Zhu MaoHui Division", he successively served as the secretary of the regiment party committee, the secretary of the column committee, and the director of the military political department.
After the Arrival of the Red Army in Northern Shaanxi in 1935, Tan Zheng wrote "Opinions on the New Political Work in the Red Army," which played an important guiding role in the transformation of our army's political work from the agrarian revolutionary war to the War of Resistance Against Japan.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Tan Zheng successively served as deputy director of the General Political Department of the Central Military Commission and deputy political commissar of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia-Jinsui Joint Defense Headquarters.
During the Liberation War, Tan Zheng successively served as director of the political department of the Northeast Democratic United Army, deputy political commissar and director of the political department of Siye, and other positions; in Tan Zheng's revolutionary career, although he never led troops to the front-line battlefield, his contribution to the party organization in political work was enormous.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Tan Zheng successively served as vice minister of national defense, director of the General Political Department, and member of the Standing Committee of the Central Military Commission, and when he was awarded the title in 1955, he was awarded the rank of great general, and Tan Zheng was awarded the rank of great general, which also stemmed from his achievements in political work.