The military rank system is an indispensable and important measure for the new Chinese army to enter the modernization and regularization. On February 17, 1953, the Central Military Commission decided to formally establish a military rank implementation committee, with a special office under it, responsible for presiding over the planning of the implementation of the rank system, military uniforms, and military rank identification.
In the autumn of 1954, the officer's uniform and rank logo were basically determined, and a batch of sample uniforms and rank logos were specially ordered, all hung on wooden models. These wooden models were placed in the small auditorium of Zhongnanhai, waiting for the approval of Chairman Mao and the Central Military Commission, and then began to be mass-produced.
The rank hierarchy of the People's Liberation Army is a reference to the rank system of the Red Army of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had the rank of "Grand Marshal", which Stalin received. Therefore, the Central Military Commission also decided to set up the rank of "Grand Marshal" in addition to the rank of the People's Liberation Army, and the Central Military Commission is ready to award it to Chairman Mao. In the small auditorium, the elaborate "Grand Marshal" uniform, equipped with the "Grand Marshal" rank logo, is placed in the most conspicuous position.
One morning in the autumn, Chairman Mao, Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, Peng Dehuai, and other party and state leaders came to the Zhongnanhai Auditorium to examine and approve the style of military uniforms and the marking of military ranks. After entering the auditorium, Peng Dehuai took the lead in speaking: "Well, I've seen it before." Today is to see how to dress up, whether there is the momentum of a mighty division and a victorious division! ”
Li Ping, the head of the military rank office, led Chairman Mao and others to the model wearing the "Grand Marshal." Chairman Mao smoked a cigarette while looking at the "Grand Marshal" uniform. Li Ping touched the "Grand Marshal" and introduced, "Chairman, this is the Grand Marshal's suit." Chairman Mao's face showed a look of disapproval, but such a look, and he quipped: "Grand Marshal? You stand aside. In a word, Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi, Peng Dehuai, Peng Dehuai and others laughed.
After reading the other marshals' uniforms and general uniforms, Chairman Mao instructed Li Ping: "The country has just been established, and we should proceed from the principle of economy as much as possible and try our best to be good-looking, unified, and regular. ”
The "Grand Marshal" was well-dressed, but Chairman Mao never did a good job, because he was not a "Grand Marshal." With his decades of military career and contributions to the building of the new Chinese army, Chairman Mao deserves to be named Grand Marshal, and this is unanimously agreed by everyone. To this end, Peng Dehuai specially reported to Chairman Mao on the rank of "Grand Marshal." After listening, Chairman Mao smoked a cigarette and said: "According to international and domestic experience, I can't ask for this Grand Marshal, and I don't feel comfortable wearing the Grand Marshal's uniform." ”
After the Central Military Commission held a meeting and discussed it, it felt that Chairman Mao's ideas were far-sighted, so it no longer demanded them and unanimously agreed with his opinions. At a meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, some members of the Standing Committee proposed that Chairman Mao should be awarded the rank of Grand Marshal, just as Grand Marshal Stalin of the Soviet Union, zhou Enlai and Deng Xiaoping should also be awarded the rank of marshal.
In response to this proposal, Liu Shaoqi and Peng Zhen specially explained at the meeting, saying that now is a peacetime, and the three of them each have civilian positions, and they all said that they do not want military ranks. The Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission, after repeated consideration and deliberation, have adopted to a certain extent the opinions of the members of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress: In the future, under special circumstances, if a large-scale war breaks out, they may still be awarded military ranks.
Chairman Mao's refusal to confer the rank of Grand Marshal to a certain extent promoted the smooth progress of the work of conferring titles, and finally 10 marshals, 10 generals, and 55 generals were selected.
On October 1, 1955, the Chinese People's Liberation Army officially implemented the rank system, because Chairman Mao did not accept the rank of Grand Marshal specially set for him. Therefore, the elaborate set of Grand Marshal uniforms and Grand Marshal rank logos became a cultural relics that no one had ever worn through in the history of our army, and was put into the military museum.