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Text丨Editor: Literature and History
Preface
In the TV series "Crossing the Yalu River", Mr. Peng Dehuai Peng severely reprimanded Liang Xingchu, the commander of the 38th Army, because of the delay of the 38th Army, and even threatened to "kill the horse". Is Mr. Peng really so fierce? Not only did the 38th Army and the 66th Army fail to fight well, but he was severely criticized. Wang Zifeng, the political commissar of the 66th Army, was unhappy, and he took revenge when Mr. Peng was in trouble. But this is all a special time. Wang Zifeng finally got the Order of the Red Star of the First Class. So how many of the stories in these TV series are true? Let's take a look with Xiao Yao to see what it is.
1959 was a turning point for Peng Dehuai. That year, he received a letter of great significance, and then attended the Lushan Conference. After the meeting, Mr. Peng's fate took a sharp turn. He was stripped of his military post, and although he remained deputy prime minister, his enthusiasm for politics seems to have waned considerably.
In 1965, he returned to politics and was sent to Sichuan to promote the construction of the "big third line". Although Mr. Peng was not the leader in this task, he still gave his all, and he showed excellent vision and deep understanding of the overall situation of the country. Whenever a decision is made, he actively provides suggestions and insights. However, in that particular era, it was almost impossible to stay out of it. After working in Sichuan for more than a year, Mr. Peng was recalled to Beijing, not to hold an important position, but to face criticism and accusations.
In 1967, a critical meeting against Mr. Peng was held in Beijing. The meeting site was noisy and chaotic. Mr. Peng stood alone on the stage with a withered face, watching the people in the audience excitedly accuse and criticize him. At that moment, one of the participants suddenly walked up to the stage and became agitated. He picked up a garbage basket and buckled it on Mr. Peng's head without hesitation, and then began to insult and push Mr. Peng.
Although the person who held the garbage basket was not punished in any way at the time, it seemed to be an eternal burden on his mind. On the cusp of political turmoil, everyone is paying the price for their choices, and Mr. Peng has experienced ups and downs from peaks to troughs in this tortuous process.
In 1927, Wang Zifeng resolutely chose to join the Communist Party of China, and began his revolutionary career full of challenges and glory. In that era full of beacon fire, Wang Zifeng not only showed his courage and wisdom, but also showed his extraordinary talent in the military and political fields.
He played an important role in many anti-encirclement and suppression battles, and with his superb tactical and decision-making ability, he led his troops to move forward bravely in the rain of bullets and bullets, and won many victories. In 1932, Wang Zifeng was promoted to the 129th Regiment of the 15th Army of the Red Fifth Army as political commissar, and the importance of this position is self-evident. Under the leadership of Wang Zifeng, this unit has not only significantly improved its combat effectiveness, but has also become a strong fortress of the party in the army.
His leadership style is both rigorous and passionate, and he is able to make the right strategic decisions when it matters most. He was not only concerned with the battle itself, but also with great attention to the life and state of mind of the soldiers. This all-round care made him deeply loved by his subordinates, and at the same time improved the cohesion and combat effectiveness of the troops.
In the harsh environment of the war, Wang Zifeng always maintained a clear mind and firm beliefs. His tactical flexibility and ability to quickly adjust his strategy to the actual situation allowed him to effectively command his troops in many battles and achieve victory after victory. In the spring of 1948, the troops commanded by Wang Zifeng demonstrated outstanding military talent in the Battle of Dongjingji. Skillfully using the darkness of night as a cover, he led a regiment of soldiers to launch a surprise attack, successfully annihilating the enemy defenders. After the war, the troops not only captured a large amount of enemy food, ammunition and weapons, but also greatly boosted morale.
When the Pingjin Campaign was in full swing, Wang Zifeng, as the political commissar of the 6th Column of the North China Military Region, led the troops to the Wanquan front line according to the instructions of his superiors. His military experience during the Agrarian Revolution was mainly accumulated in the 1st Red Army, and Peng Dehuai was an important commander of the 3rd Red Army. During the Anti-Japanese War, Wang Zifeng was active in the Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei region, while Mr. Peng worked at the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army. During the Liberation War, the work areas of the two were separated again, Wang Zifeng was in North China, and Mr. Peng was in Northwest China. So most of the time, the two don't cross paths much.
However, in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, the fates of the two were once again intertwined. As the political commissar of the 66th Army, Wang Zifeng participated in the Korean battlefield in October 1950. In that battle, his troops encountered the U.S. 24th Division and the British 27th Brigade. Due to the limitations of equipment conditions, the two sides reached a stalemate in the battle. In the heat of battle, the 66th Army not only forced the enemy forces to disperse, but also managed to shoot down an enemy bomber and capture four pilots. Unable to reach the intended position in time, the opportunity to annihilate more enemy forces was missed, and the enemy forces were able to retreat to the south of the Qingchuan River. Although this mistake performed well on the battlefield, it also caused Peng Dehuai's dissatisfaction.
At the post-war summary meeting, Mr. Peng mercilessly criticized the commanders of the 66th Army, including army commander Xiao Xinhuai and political commissar Wang Zifeng. With his usual straightforwardness and fierce style, Peng Dehuai deeply dissected and blamed their mistakes.
Wang Zifeng was shocked by Mr. Peng's strong reaction and couldn't come back to his senses for a long time. Peng Dehuai's criticism left a deep impression on his heart, and even gave rise to some misunderstandings and prejudices. In fact, however, Peng Dehuai's harsh criticism was not directed at individuals, but out of a serious attitude towards the war and high standards of military discipline. As an experienced military commander, Peng Dehuai has always emphasized the right thing and not the right person, and he believes that timely criticism and guidance are the key to enhancing the combat effectiveness and efficiency of the troops.
Although Peng's words are sometimes too sharp, his purpose is always to promote the growth and progress of the team and individuals. He also highly praised and encouraged his excellent performance. This military character of his has enabled him to show a unique firmness and decisiveness in dealing with military and personnel issues. Although Wang Zifeng received a short blow, he still showed due courage and talent in the follow-up battles and work.
In the third battle of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, the 66th Army finally made remarkable achievements. Fighting in concert with the 42nd Army, they managed to break through the enemy's defensive line and block the main force of the 2nd South Korean Division and part of the 5th Division in a fierce battle, annihilating a total of about 4,000 enemy troops. This achievement won honor and praise for the 66th Army. Subsequently, in the strategy of the Volunteer Army to shift to a full-scale defense, the 66th Army once again played a key role. They stubbornly resisted the attack of the US troops, defended the security of the front with fearless courage and tenacious perseverance, and displayed extremely high fighting spirit and sacrifice spirit.
Peng Dehuai spoke highly of and publicly praised the outstanding performance of the 66th Army. What always lingered in Wang Zifeng's heart was Peng Dehuai's previous harsh criticism. He was deeply dissatisfied with Mr. Peng's sharp words, and this feeling erupted at a later criticism meeting. Wang Zifeng's behavior shocked everyone present. His actions were extremely dangerous in the political environment of the time, as any inappropriate words and actions could lead to serious consequences. Although many of the generals present did not agree with his actions in their hearts, no one dared to publicly accuse him during that special period, lest they themselves be caught up in the political storm. Although Peng Dehuai was angry in his heart, under the situation at that time, he could only endure it silently.
In 1974, after a long and arduous political struggle, Peng Dehuai died of extreme physical and mental exhaustion. His life was full of turmoil and challenges, especially in his later years, when he was under tremendous political pressure, which had a serious impact on his health. Peng Dehuai's death was a deep loss to many of his former comrades-in-arms and followers, who mourned the loss of this revolutionary and outstanding military strategist of the older generation.
Historical justice has finally arrived. In 1978, at the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Deng Xiaoping presided over a meeting to rehabilitate Peng Dehuai. This decision not only restored Peng Dehuai's reputation, but also corrected the mistakes of history to a certain extent. Peng Dehuai's contributions and sacrifices have finally been duly recognized and respected. This decision is a great comfort and encouragement for Peng Dehuai's family, comrades-in-arms and supporters.
At the same time, Wang Zifeng was not politically impacted in this special political period, although he had misunderstandings and conflicts with Peng Dehuai. In fact, Wang Zifeng's military career continued to develop steadily. In 1988 he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Red Star, 1st degree, in recognition of his contributions over the years in military and revolutionary work.