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In 1979, Wang Jinshui looked out at the winding mountains ahead, the front lines of the impending conflict. Just as he was about to give the order to attack the front, a sudden explosion interrupted his thoughts, and the sound came from the 551 heights not far away. There, the positions that were supposed to have been captured by our troops were now covered with smoke and dust.
1940: Wang Jinshui's persistence and choice
One day in February 1940, the 120th Division withdrew from the war-torn front to the relatively quiet northwest of Shanxi Province against the backdrop of China's War of Resistance Against Japan. This transfer was not only strategic, but also for reorganization and recuperation, and brought a brief respite to the division headquarters and companies. In the cold of spring, the troops marched on the muddy roads, and the soldiers were dressed in shabby military uniforms with tired but determined expressions on their faces.
In the tent at the division headquarters, Mr. He was discussing the future deployment and personnel adjustments of the troops with other senior officers. During the discussion, he made special mention of Wang Jinshui, a young officer who, despite his modest stature, excelled in battle, was brave and resourceful, and won the trust and respect of the soldiers. Mr. He believes that a capable officer like Wang Jinshui is more suitable to play a role in the division headquarters and can take on more strategic planning and logistical support work.
Mr. He found Wang Jinshui, and they sat down at a simple wooden table in the tent of the division headquarters, in which only a dim oil lamp shone flickering. Mr. He directly expressed his thoughts and hoped that Wang Jinshui would stay in the division headquarters and participate in more strategy formulation and resource allocation. He elaborated on the needs of the division headquarters and the role that Wang Jinshui could play in his new post.
However, Wang Jinshui was a little hesitant about this proposal. He stood at the door of the tent and watched the tense and orderly march of the soldiers in the marching procession outside. He knew that his strength lay in fighting on the front lines, fighting alongside his soldiers. Although Mr. He's proposal was tempting for his career development, he was more eager to contribute directly to the country in the fight.
In the end, Wang Jinshui made a decision. He expressed his gratitude to Mr. He, but resolutely expressed his thoughts. He asked to return to the marching ranks, to return to the front-line troops, to continue his combat duties. Although Mr. He was surprised by Wang Jinshui's decision, he also expressed respect for his persistence.
In this way, Wang Jinshui rejoined the marching team. He quickly sorted out his personal equipment, adjusted the supplies he carried with him, and rushed to the assembly place of the group just as the troops were about to depart. When the soldiers saw Wang Jinshui return, they all smiled in welcome, obviously happy about his return. Wang Jinshui returned to his familiar company, inspected weapons and equipment with his comrades, and prepared to devote himself to future battles again.
1948: The Call and Sacrifice of the Order
At the beginning of 1948, it was a bitterly cold winter in Jiangxian County, Shanxi, and an important meeting was being held here. Mr. He summoned a number of senior commanders of the Luliang Military Region to discuss the upcoming strategic deployment and personnel adjustments. Inside the conference room, heavy wooden conference tables were surrounded by figures in military uniform, and maps and documents were scattered on the tables.
At the climax of the discussion, Mr. He suddenly mentioned the urgent need for spy work, a position that is crucial for information gathering and internal security. His gaze swept firmly over every officer present, and finally stopped at Wang Jinshui. Mr. He made it clear that he needed Wang Jinshui to leave the combat team and become a spy to be responsible for He Long's defense.
Wang Jinshui was wearing a simple military uniform, standing in a corner of the conference room, and his expression was serious after hearing Mr. He's call. He had become accustomed to the artillery fire of the front line and the tension of the battle, and this sudden adjustment surprised him.
While Wang Jinshui was still digesting this information, Dun Xingyun stood up, and he was one of the important speakers of this meeting. With his usual resoluteness and authority, Don Xingyun supported Mr. He's decision. He said bluntly: "Everywhere is a revolution, and Mr. He wants people there, which means that it is more important there." Don Xingyun's words emphasized the rigor of the party and the army's rational distribution of talents and strategic needs.
When the other officers in the room heard this, they nodded their heads in agreement. In the face of the pressure of the organization and the firm attitude of Dun Xingyun, Wang Jinshui knew that he did not have much choice. Although he still longed to stay in the fighting ranks, he understood that he had to obey orders and take on new responsibilities.
1979: Heroic commander in the self-defense counterattack against Vietnam
In 1979, with the outbreak of the Sino-Vietnamese War, the flames of war spread again in southern China. The 33rd Division, a unit with Wang Jinshui as deputy commander, was quickly transferred to the front line to counter the Vietnamese invasion on the border. The damp and muddy spring added to the difficulty of the march, but the morale of the troops remained high.
In this campaign, the 99th and 97th regiments were the two main regiments of the 33rd Division, which were responsible for attacking the important defensive points of the Vietnamese army - Pingdingshan and 551 Heights. The 99th Regiment, under the direct command of Wang Jinshui, successfully captured the strategic Pingdingshan. It was a fierce battle, and the soldiers, under the cover of artillery fire and machine guns, advanced step by step, and finally opened a breakthrough in the enemy's defense.
At the same time, the 97 regiment faced a very different situation. The fighting on the 551 heights was extremely difficult, and the Vietnamese army placed dense mines and automatic fire points here, which seriously hampered the offensive of the 97th Regiment. After receiving a report from the front, Wang Jinshui decided to personally go to the operational headquarters of the 551 Heights in order to command the battle more directly and make tactical adjustments.
Wang Jinshui rode in a jeep along a rugged mountain road and through a smoky forest to the front-line command post of the 97th Regiment. Immediately upon arrival, he summoned the main commanders of the regimental headquarters, including the regimental commander and staff officers, and began to inquire in detail about the progress of the battle. In the humble command post, the regiment commander used a mud-stained map to show Wang Jinshui the deployment and firepower deployment of the enemy and us.
Wang Jinshui learned in detail about the details of the 97th Regiment's operations on the 551 heights, including the enemy's fortifications and the difficulties encountered by our troops in the attack. He walked over to the map and pointed to the key areas that had been locked on by enemy fire, asking for possible adjustments. After observing the layout of the Vietnamese army's defensive line on the spot, he decided to adjust the original tactics and ordered the 97th Regiment to temporarily avoid the enemy's heavy fire zone and instead launch a small assault from the flank to distract the enemy's attention and firepower.
This decision was quickly communicated to the companies, and the 97th Regiment began to reorganize its troops, adjusting them according to Wang Jinshui's instructions. Although the battle situation is still severe, this strategic adjustment provides a new opportunity for the team to break through.
Battles and reflections on the 551 Heights
With the successful capture of Heights 551, Wang Jinshui and his command team began to prepare to move forward to the command post to command future operations closer to the front line. They set up a makeshift command center on high ground, and team members were busy carrying communications equipment and maps, and the whole atmosphere was tense and orderly.
At this moment, a sudden explosion broke the original order and shook the entire high ground. The explosion came suddenly and violently, shocking the busy soldiers. Wang Jinshui immediately stopped what he was doing, his expression was serious, and he quickly dispatched a staff officer to find out the cause and location of the explosion.
Soon the staff officer hurriedly returned to report that the situation was unexpected. It turned out that the soldiers of the 1st Battalion decided to use explosives to completely destroy several Vietnamese bunkers and Type A fortifications when they were clearing the remaining enemy defenses on the high ground. These fortifications were an important line of defense for the Vietnamese army during the battle, but the soldiers of the 1st Battalion decided that now that the heights had been captured, there was no need to keep them, and chose to blow them up to prevent them from being used again by the enemy.
After learning this news, Wang Jinshui quickly went to the location of the 1st battalion. He saw several fumigated fortification pits that had been blown up, surrounded by rubble and twisted steel bars. He went to the instructor of the 1 battalion and asked with a stern face the reasons for this decision.
The instructor of the 1st Battalion stood on the charred ground and reported the situation to Wang Jinshui: "The high ground has been completely controlled by us, the enemy's fortifications have no use value for us, and there is a risk that they will be reused by the enemy. ”
Hearing such an answer, Wang Jinshui's anger was even worse. He waved the stick in his hand and pointed at the instructor, deputy battalion commander, and company commander of the 1st Battalion, and his voice was full of blame and dissatisfaction: "Is it a pig's brain? If you destroy the fortifications, will you be bombed on the mountain if the enemy counterattacks?" The stick slashed through the air and struck several officers on the shoulders and backs. Although the action was not forceful, it was enough to express his anger and disappointment.
The scene was at one point in an awkward stalemate. Seeing this, the surrounding regiment commanders, section chiefs, and staff officers hurriedly stepped forward and grabbed Wang Jinshui's arm while persuading him to calm down. Their intervention made Wang Jinshui gradually realize that his behavior was out of control and his emotions were a little excessive.
The officers and men present observed the scene silently, and the atmosphere was solemn. Wang Jinshui stood there, taking a few deep breaths, trying to calm his emotions. He looked around, his gaze finally falling on the three officers who had been lightly struck with sticks. Wang Jinshui's expression changed from anger to seriousness, and he realized that as a high-ranking military officer, he should not lose his temper in public.
In order to express his apology, Wang Jinshui walked to the three officers who had been beaten, bowed three times in front of each of them, and solemnly saluted after each bow. This move is very rare, especially in such a strictly disciplined environment as the army, and a deputy division commander publicly apologized to the officers and soldiers at his lower ranks, which undoubtedly demonstrated his deep self-reflection on his behavior and respect for the discipline of the army.
Resources:
From Selected Works by He Nian. The story of the life of the founding generals[M]. 2014