One evening in May 1935, the golden sunset reflected on the surging Jinsha River, and the river surface was sparkling.
The main forces of the Red Army stopped here and looked north at the distant mountains on the opposite bank.
They had just finished several fierce battles with the enemy.
Although they successfully crossed the Jinsha River, the team was exhausted.
At this moment, a warrior on a fast horse galloped in, his face dusty, and he held a secret report.
The commander of the Red Army stepped forward, and after reading the content with a solemn face, he said in a deep voice:
"The situation is not good, we must cross the river and head north as soon as possible!"
It turned out that Chiang Kai-shek had already sent a large number of reinforcements to participate in the encirclement and suppression of the Red Army.
Although the Red Army soldiers were exhausted, they still gritted their teeth and quickened their pace in order to fight for fighters.
During the day, they were covered in sweat under the blazing sun;
At nightfall, they lit torches and groped their way in the darkness.
Food is scarce and the road is difficult, but in order to survive, they must take all the risks!
Dadu Riverside
Running desperately all the way, the Red Army finally reached the Dadu River.
The rising sun casts a faint halo, enveloping the bank of the Dadu River on the south bank of the Jinsha River.
The terrain here is dangerous, both sides are steaming mountains and valleys, and a turbulent Dadu River in the center is flowing endlessly, and the sound of water roars, which makes people feel awe.
This is not an ordinary river, but a large tributary of the Min River, which stretches for 1,062 kilometers.
The sound of the water in the Dadu River was like thunder, and there were bursts of roaring.
It was like a giant beast, blocking between them and the Sichuan security base.
They had just escaped the frantic pursuit of the enemy on the south bank of the Jinsha River, and although they were riddled with bullets, they still resolutely faced the next challenge.
As the vanguard of the Red 1st Division, the Red 1st Regiment, under the leadership of Yang Dezhi, who had just served as the commander of the regiment, immediately launched an attack on the Anshun Ferry, where the Sichuan army was stationed.
"Give it to me!"
Yang Dezhi raised his pistol, hissed and took the lead in the charge.
The brothers behind him, although exhausted after days of brutal marching, still gritted their teeth and followed, rushing to the artillery line on the top of the mountain.
In just over 20 minutes, Anshun Ferry has been firmly held in the hands of the Red 1st Regiment.
Yang Dezhi wiped his sweat and looked north - on the other side of the Dadu River, there were still layers of resistance.
The main forces are hurrying to rendezvous.
Liu Bocheng personally commanded the deployment of crossing the river on the front line, while Chairman Mao and Premier Zhou also inspected the shore to study the next move.
Our army has only a very small number of boats available at the moment.
It would take at least a month to cross the river with all its might, which was a serious disconnect from the approaching enemy forces.
The Red Army was in a state of scorching.
On the dark night before dawn on May 26, the moon was shining.
Wise leaders make the decision:
25 hours, more than 240 miles
This arduous task finally fell on the shoulders of Huang Kaixiang, commander of the Fourth Regiment of the Second Red Division, and Yang Chengwu, political commissar.
The 320-mile mountain road is winding and the road is extremely rugged.
The mountains are undulating, and from time to time there are paths that branch off into the mountains.
The officers and men of the Fourth Regiment trudged through it, and their bodies were damp with wind and dampness.
The rain mixed with sweat swept across his cheeks and the backs of his hands, and then melted into the mud.
The march alone was exhausting.
But what is even more hateful is that small groups of enemy soldiers are still lurking on both sides of the road, sometimes harassing.
The troops of the 4th Regiment had to disperse their formations, vigilant against enemy attacks on the one hand, and continue to advance in the face of bad weather.
The pursuers are approaching step by step, and the bridge must be captured on the 29th, otherwise the balance of forces between us and the enemy will change dramatically!
At 7 p.m. on May 28, the soldiers of the Fourth Regiment had marched 130 miles and wanted to rest for a while.
Who knew that the sky was not beautiful, and the black clouds pressed the city, and suddenly the heavy rain swept the mountains.
The rain was so heavy that there was no sign of stopping.
Faced with the remaining 100 miles, everyone did not dare to slack off, so they had to nibble on some dry food to fill their stomachs and continue to march.
As night falls, the mountain roads look even more muddy.
The four regiments did not dare to light torches, so they could only move forward in the dark in the dark night, and their hearts were pounding.
Many of the soldiers in the team were exhausted after days of traveling, their uniforms and rain soaked, and their legs were as heavy as lead.
I can't wait to rest, but once someone falls behind, the consequences are unimaginable.
The enemy's army was only one line away from the Jinsha River, and the speed was directly related to the life and death of the Red Army.
So, gritting his teeth, stepping step by step through the muddy wind, rushing in the thick of the night.
At dawn on May 29, in the hazy morning light, the remnants of the four regiments finally arrived at the bridgehead of Luding Bridge.
They endured hardships and perils and marched more than 240 miles in only 25 hours.
Covered in mud and collapsed, everyone was in tears of excitement - because they realized that they had just accomplished an earth-shattering feat!
Luding Bridge
When the soldiers of the Fourth Regiment saw the true face of Luding Bridge for the first time, everyone was deeply shocked.
The chain is more than 30 meters high from the river surface, the river is rushing, and the waves are surging.
The soldiers looked up at the black chains, and looked down at the raging waves—you know, they could fall from such places at any moment!
"This ...... That's how high that is!"
The whispers came and went, and many warriors felt indescribable awe in their hearts.
Spanning the turbulent Dadu River, the Luding Bridge is 103 meters long and only 3 meters wide, and is connected by 13 huge iron chains.
This bridge has a long history, started construction in the 44th year of Kangxi, and is the lifeblood connecting the Sichuan Basin and the plateau.
However, at this moment, the wooden base of the Luding Bridge has been demolished by the enemy.
Only the swaying iron rope was beaten by the waves, and the cold river wind whistled by.
Standing at the head of the bridge and looking into the distance, the view is full of mountains and rivers, and the majestic scene can't help but make people tremble.
On the high ground to the east of the bridge, the elite of the enemy army is stationed.
The machine gunner and artilleryman were in position, and the pinhole-sized gun holes were coldly aimed at the bridge deck.
This undoubtedly made the bridge capture mission even worse.
The Red Army had to make a desperate gamble in order to have the possibility of opening the situation.
In view of the tight defense of the enemy forces at the Luding Bridge, the Red Army decided to form a commando team and launch a lightning attack on the bridgehead.
How to select team members has become a top priority.
Under strict standards, 22 officers and soldiers finally stood out. Among them, Liao Dazhu, the commander of the second company, served as the captain of the commando.
Fly to capture the Luding Bridge
At four o'clock in the afternoon of the 29th, the Red Army bugle sounded, and the roar of artillery fire reverberated through the valley.
Heavy artillery fire began the battle to capture the bridge.
"For the victory of the revolution, rush!"
Liao Dazhu shouted, and took the lead to climb the chain, followed by 22 heroes.
Bullets whistled, and the chains on the bridge were rusty and cold.
The Red Army soldiers clung to the wire with both hands and staggered, and the comrades who followed behind them laid planks under their feet, allowing the group of heroes to move forward.
The bullets grazed by, the waves crashed under the bridge, and between life and death, they only gritted their teeth and moved forward step by step to win the victory.
After the successful capture of the bridge, the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Red armies converged and began the Long March.
22 warriors
The 22 warriors who participated in the capture of the bridge.
Who were they, and what rank were they given?
In 1935, the main force of the Red Army was on the Long March, which stretched for thousands of miles. There is a shortage of materials, but it must not dampen the fighting spirit of the revolutionary soldiers.
August 29 of this year is a special day.
The Military Commission of the Red Army posthumously awarded the glorious title of martyr who sacrificed his life at the Luding Bridge, and the bereaved family members were all awarded.
The rest of the surviving heroes were also honored in a simple and solemn ceremony.
In such poor conditions, these materials are really rare.
What is more precious is the red memory represented behind it - the trials of life and death, and the victories that accompany sacrifice again and again.
Of the 22 heroes who flew to capture the Luding Bridge, 4 have died on the bridge.
They are Wei Xiaosan, Liu Dagui, Wang Hongshan, and Li Furen.
Later, eight more were confirmed: Liao Dazhu, Wang Haiyun, Li Youlin, Liu Jinshan, Liu Zihua, Zhao Changfa, Yang Tianming, and Yun Guichuan.
The first one on the left, Li Youlin
There are also 10 warriors whose names are unknown, and who have become true unsung heroes.
Commando captain Liao Dazhu and instructor Wang Haiyun died heroically in the battle in northern Shaanxi in 1935.
Liu Zihua, the deputy squad leader, made meritorious contributions 5 times in his life and was seriously injured 9 times.
On April 17, 1951, he died of illness in Beijing at the age of 39.
Li Youlin, secretary of the party branch, fought side by side with Yun Guichuan, took the lead, and made great contributions to the victory of the bridge.
After that, Li Youlin participated in many important battles such as the Liaoshen Campaign.
Twenty years later, in 1955, Zhongnanhai held a grand award ceremony. Li Youlin returned from the battlefield, the army was cleaned up, and he was finally awarded the rank of colonel.
And Yun Guichuan, the hero who charged side by side with the commando captain Liao Dazhu, continued the Long March after seizing the bridge, and made meritorious contributions in Lazikou.
The final destination is unknown.
Liu Jinshan, the party branch secretary of the first battalion and the third company of the Red Fourth Regiment.
This combat hero not only participated in the capture of the Luding Bridge, but also continued to go north with the army, experiencing many thrilling battles such as forcibly crossing the Wujiang River.
Twenty years later, at the 1955 investiture ceremony, Liu Jinshan stood straight, his face exuding frost and glory.
He was finally crowned with the rank of colonel in the vast world of New China and received the commendation of the party and the people.
Zhao Changfa, the special machine gunner when he flew to capture the Luding Bridge.
According to records, his whereabouts after the Long March are a mystery, and he does not know where he will end up.
Yang Tianming, a Red Army soldier born as a member of the Communist Party.
In Shanghai in 1963, this veteran soldier finally ended the long march of his life and passed away heroically.
After the wind and rain, the Luding Iron Rope Bridge is eternal
Luding Bridge is immortal, and the fire of their youth will always burn.
They ignited the flame of revolution with their blood and forged a legend with their lives.
Here, I would like to pay my highest tribute to the 22 heroes who flew to capture the Luding Bridge!
Perhaps, the names of the 22 martyrs should be engraved on the side of the Luding Bridge one by one to commemorate their outstanding contributions to the capture of the Luding Bridge.
Let future generations remember and cherish the magnificence of the revolutionary martyrs.