Zhang Tingfa was a major general in 1955, but he joined the Red Army in 1933 at the age of 15 and was a veteran revolutionary, and later became a political commissar of the Air Force and a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee.
From the beginning of the Anti-Japanese War, he served under Liu Deng and served as a staff officer and chief of staff in the headquarters. He is not very old, but he has a good temper, and he is quite liked and loved by Liu Deng.
From September 1946 to the end of the year, in less than three months, Liu Deng's army fought successive battles such as Longhai, Dingtao, Juye, Juancheng, and Huaxian. Among them, in October, Liu Deng's division launched a surprise attack on Liu Ruming's brigade, the enemy of Juancheng, destroying more than 9,000 enemies and achieving an unprecedented victory.
After the battle, Liu Deng decided that the field army would leave the battlefield to recuperate. Before leaving, Political Commissar Deng repeatedly told the soldiers: "We must reduce the burden of the common people and use less big cars." ”
When the headquarters set off from Handan, everyone took two large trucks. But before he arrived in Puyang, it rained heavily, flooded the road, and the car could not go, so Zhang Tingfa, chief of staff, had to hire seven carts from the common people. After arriving in Puyang, Political Commissar Deng said that he would reduce the burden on the people and use fewer carts. At this time, Zhang Tingfa was not present and did not know. When the headquarters set off again, because the water had not yet receded, the truck could not go, Zhang Tingfa still arranged for everyone to take the big car. Political Commissar Deng looked angry and seriously criticized Zhang Tingfa and said:
"It's still so many big cars, what's the matter, why don't you carry it out?"
Zhang Tingfa was young and vigorous, and the more he was criticized, the more angry he became: He had finally found seven big cars, and he was still being criticized! He felt very aggrieved, and in a fit of anger, he said, "Wow!" During the meal, he lifted the dining table, turned it upside down, and then shouted loudly:
"I'm quitting! I'll go back to the Sixth Column!"
Zhang Tingfa served as chief of staff in the Sixth Column, and when Commander Wang Jinshan saw him coming, he said: "You can't leave! Now that you are fighting, as soon as you leave, you will become a person who has escaped from the battle and wants to be killed!"
Zhang Tingfa had no choice but to go back obediently.
As a result, he met with Political Commissar Deng. Political Commissar Deng said: "Zhang Tingfa, the soldiers are arrogant! You have come to us." I am the supreme person in charge of the war zone, criticize you, you still have opinions!"
Zhang Tingfa didn't say a word.
Subsequently, during the march of the troops, Liu Deng ignored him for three days.
However, Zhang Tingfa was born in the old Red Army after all, although he was only 28 years old, but he finally figured it out, and on the fourth day, he took the initiative to find Political Commissar Deng and said: "I was wrong." ”
Political Commissar Deng did not criticize him, and said patiently:
"When we do things, we must have the views of the masses, and we can't do it alone. In this place, the Kuomintang came, and we came, and the common people were overwhelmed by such a heavy burden. We must lighten their burdens as much as possible and protect the interests of the common people, so that we can win the war! Remember, we cannot be like the Kuomintang and ignore the lives of the common people. ”
Zhang Tingfa said ashamedly: "I must learn a lesson." ”
Political Commissar Deng nodded, and finally said: "You have been revolutionary for many years, although you are very young, you are already a high-ranking cadre, and in the future, you must strengthen your ideological cultivation and not make similar mistakes again." ”
This incident made Zhang Tingfa write about it for a lifetime. Later, he became a political commissar of the Air Force and a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, and talked about this matter many times, saying: "We must put the interests of the common people first. This is the foundation of our victory. ”
Chen Guanren's "The Great River Goes East: Why They Follow Mao Zedong" and "The Great River Goes East: Why They Rallied Under Mao Zedong's Banner" (a set) by Chen Guanren and published by the Communist Party of China History Publishing House account about this incident. The book is the society's annual bestseller, which chronicles the true history of why the Chinese followed the CCP and its leaders in the 20th century, and is a popular red history bestseller for readers.