At the end of the Liberation War, the Kuomintang army faced unprecedented pressure, one of the most tragic of which occurred between 1947 and 1948. The commander of the 29th Army, Liu Huan, a general known as the "firefighting captain", showed loyalty and bravery on one battlefield after another, but he also worked step by step, and finally made amazing moves in a desperate situation. In the Northwest Battlefield, a tactic known as "siege and reinforcement", General Peng Dehuai gradually swallowed up the new force of the Kuomintang through a series of well-planned battles. What kind of historical iron curtain and human tragedy does Liu Huan's ending show us? Next, let's explore this little-known history.
Back in that era when the smoke of gunpowder was everywhere, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party launched a series of fierce battles for China. Among them, the Kuomintang 29th Army under the command of Hu Zongnan frequently fell into bitter battles under the strategic offensive of the People's Liberation Army. In March 1947, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) led by Peng Dehuai launched a crucial campaign in northern Shaanxi, which was not only an ordinary battle, but destroyed an important strategic fulcrum of the Kuomintang in the northwest.
Peng Dehuai's tactics were very clear, and he used the typical "mushroom tactics", which gradually weakened the enemy's combat effectiveness through successive small-scale rapid assaults. Although the 29th Army was brave, it gradually showed fatigue in continuous battles. General Peng's tactics were not only local blows, but also psychological oppression, making the enemy feel embattled and had nowhere to escape.
Liu Huan, the commander of the 29th Army, was known as the "Fire Captain", not only because he was repeatedly sent to dangerous battlefields, but also because he was able to stabilize his position every time, although victory always passed him. From Yan'an to Yichuan, from Qingjian to Yulin, every rescue is a great test of his will. At the beginning of 1948, when Hu Zongnan's army was no longer capable, Liu Jian was still pinned on high hopes, and leading his troops became the last hope.
Peng Dehuai knew very well that in order to completely defeat Hu Zongnan, he must first crush his army psychologically. His plan was to surround but not fight, taking advantage of the enemy's shortage of food and grass to force them into a war of attrition. And the most critical move is to set a big trap, specifically targeting Liu Huan's 29th Army. This is the famous Battle of Yichuan, a seemingly ordinary town, but it has become the key to determining the situation of the Northwest War.
In the Battle of Yichuan, Peng Dehuai sent two columns of troops, while the defenders had only one brigade. The seemingly insufficient 29th Army was caught off guard and surrounded by the People's Liberation Army. Liu Jian understood that this was a battle with no chance of winning, but he decided to stick to the end, showing the backbone and indomitable spirit of a soldier. When the battle was at its fiercest, Liu Jian chose a way that shocked everyone to end his life and blew up the grenade. At this moment, not only Liu Huan's life was zero, but also symbolized the complete defeat of the Kuomintang in the northwest battlefield.
Peng Dehuai felt extremely sorry after learning of Liu Huan's last move. He ordered Liu Huan's body to be wrapped in cloth and returned to Hu Zongnan, an act that not only reflected the brilliance of humanity in the war, but also showed Peng Dehuai's respect and courtesy to the enemy generals. This scene has become a very legendary stroke in the history of the Liberation War, and it has made future generations think more about this bloody war.
Liu Huan's fate is the epitome of the fate of countless soldiers in that era. They may be heroic or tenacious, but they cannot escape the torrent of history. Liu Huan's life is the ultimate display of loyalty and faith, even in despair, he chose to maintain the dignity of a soldier in his own way.
This history not only makes us feel the cruelty of war, but also allows us to see the brilliance of human nature. Although Peng Dehuai's strategy is subtle, it is also benevolent. He knew that behind the victory in the war was the loss of countless lives. And Liu Huan's choice undoubtedly gives us a profound lesson on how to face a desperate situation. They are like mirrors, reflecting the inner struggles and decisions of people in that era.
By reviewing and analyzing this period of history in the Liberation War, we not only saw the strategic contest, but also felt the choice and courage of Liu Huan, as a soldier, in the face of a desperate situation. Peng Dehuai's wisdom and humanity, as well as Liu Huan's bravery and tragedy, together constitute a complex and multi-dimensional historical picture. History is woven with countless such little stories, and every decision is full of weight.