In China's military history, General Xu Shiyou is undoubtedly an admirable hero, and his military career has almost run through half a century of ups and downs. In 1955, when the tough guy general was awarded the rank of general, there was an unknown episode, which made General Xu's mood fluctuate. When we mention Xu Shiyou, most people think of his iron-blooded military talents, but do you know that he once had a big change of mood because of a phone call?
Xu Shiyou, a name that has left a strong mark in China's military history. His achievements span the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the War of Liberation and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and he is present in almost every battle. is such a general with great achievements, but at a special moment in 1955, he had a rather extraordinary experience.
In that year, the Chinese People's Liberation Army officially implemented the military rank system, which was the first time since the founding of New China. Xu Shiyou thought that he would be awarded a higher military rank - general, after all, he has performed well in many battles. But in the end, he was awarded the rank of general. This inevitably made him a little puzzled and dissatisfied in his heart, after all, on the battlefield, he always charged forward and established countless feats.
But Xu Shiyou is not the kind of person who will remain silent. In order to find out the reason for not being awarded the rank of general, he directly went to the then premier of the State Council - Zhou Enlai. Premier Zhou was notoriously amiable and one of the most respected leaders of the People's Republic of China. When Xu Shiyou walked into Premier Zhou's office nervously, Premier Zhou did not ask the reason directly, but first asked him to sit down, made a cup of tea, and slowly explained it in his characteristic gentle way.
After Xu Shiyou sat down, he bluntly expressed his doubts. In the face of the straightforwardness of this battlefield veteran, Premier Zhou only smiled slightly, and then lightly mentioned other generals, such as Su Yu and Xiao Ke, who are also generals, and their exploits are also obvious to all. Premier Zhou's words were like a basin of cold water, making Xu Shiyou realize that his dissatisfaction may only be caused by contrast and self-esteem.
Premier Zhou then said earnestly: "General Xu, although the war is over, the new era requires us to remain calm and sober, not only on the battlefield, but also in the new post. These words made the depression in Xu Shiyou's heart suddenly swept away. He began to understand that the level of military rank is not the only criterion for evaluating the value of a soldier, but more importantly, it can play a role in the new era.
Just when Xu Shiyou's mood had just calmed down, he suddenly received a phone call. A voice came from the other end of the phone: "I'm Little Soldier Enlai." This surprised Xu Shiyou, because this voice was Premier Zhou's, and Premier Zhou humbly called himself a "little soldier". At this moment, Xu Shiyou's mood fluctuated again. On the phone, Premier Zhou continued to talk to Xu Shiyou in a civilian tone, and he stressed that whether it is a general or a small soldier, everyone is working for a common goal, and the military rank is just a symbol of the position, and what really matters is everyone's contribution.
This phone call is not only a revelation to Xu Shiyou, but also a relief. He began to deeply understand that whether it is a general or a small soldier, everyone is a part of the country and has their own responsibilities and missions. Premier Zhou's humility and wisdom gave Xu Shiyou a clearer understanding of his role, and also made him realize that the real strength does not lie in the level of military rank, but in whether he can contribute to the development of the country.
After this conversation, Xu Shiyou's mentality has changed greatly. He is no longer entangled in personal gains and losses, but thinks more about how to play a role in his new position and how to use his experience and ability to make more contributions to the construction of the country. He began to take an active part in the construction of the country, not only in the military field, but also in social and economic development.
This transformation not only influenced Xu Shiyou's personal development trajectory, but also became an important cornerstone of his later achievements. In the years that followed, Xu Shiyou always maintained a normal heart, whether it was in the face of commendation or challenges, he was able to deal with it calmly, and this mentality gradually became a learning example for the people around him.
Through the story of General Xu Shiyou, we can see that a real hero is not defined by the level of military rank, but by how much he can contribute to the country and the people. Premier Zhou's words not only changed Xu Shiyou's mentality, but also taught us ordinary people a lesson: in any position, as long as you are conscientious, you will make the greatest contribution to the country. The life of General Xu Shiyou is the best interpretation of this concept. It doesn't matter who we were yesterday, what matters is what we do today and what we can contribute tomorrow.