On the eve of the defeat of the Great Revolution, did the Chinese Communist Party really neglect to build up its military power? There has always been such controversy. However, some little-known historical facts reveal a different picture - on the surface, the CCP does not seem to attach importance to military construction, but in fact it secretly controls some armed forces and directly exercises leadership over these forces. What role did these forces play at critical moments? How were they infiltrated and controlled by the CCP? For historians seeking the truth, this is undoubtedly a major topic worthy of in-depth exploration.
Ye Ting's Independent Regiment: The vanguard force controlled by the CCP
In the spring of 1927, the Northern Expedition of the National Revolutionary Army had entered its final moment. Among the main forces of the Wuhan Front, there was a unique armed force - the Ye Ting Independent Regiment. Although this unit is streamlined, it plays a key role in the vanguard under the control of the CCP.
The Independence Regiment was initially a small contingent of workers' pickets of less than 100 men. Their main task was to reconnoiter the terrain and suppress the reactionary forces while the army was advancing. Although the number of the Independent Regiment was small, the quality of the contingent was excellent, and most of them were veteran workers and members of the Communist Party, who had been trained in the Wuhan workers' movement and were full of enthusiasm for revolutionary ideals.
At the beginning of the establishment of the independent regiment, Zhou Shidi was appointed as the commander of the regiment and led the team to reorganize. After adjustment, the independent regiment has three companies, each with more than 30 people, and the total number of people is less than 100. Despite its limited numbers, the Independent Regiment was highly regarded among the troops for its excellent soldiers, excellent quality, and courage and skill. More crucially, this force is secretly and completely under the direct leadership and control of the CCP.
Soon after the formation of the independent regiment, it went through a severe test. In September 1926, the reactionary "Iron Guard" rebelled in Hanyang, and the main force of the National Revolutionary Army was forced to move to the direction of Wuchang, and could only temporarily withdraw from the city defense of Hanyang. Seeing that Hanyang was about to fall, the CCP urgently transferred Ye Ting's independent regiment to hold on.
Facing the heavy troops of the "Iron Guard" of several thousand people, the independent regiment of less than 100 people encountered a fierce battle with it at the head of Hanyang City. The artillery fire of both sides rang out in unison, and the officers and men of the independent regiment were only a few dozen meters away from the "Iron Guards" and engaged in hand-to-hand combat on narrow roads. Despite the great disparity between the enemy and us, the officers and men of the Independent Regiment still bravely killed the enemy, and at the same time skillfully took advantage of the position at the head of the city, causing heavy casualties to the "Iron Guards". Under the stubborn delay of the Independent Regiment, the main force of the National Revolutionary Army arrived in time and finally completely defeated the offensive of the "Iron Guard".
The battle cost the Independence Regiment dearly, with dozens of casualties. But their heroic performance won high praise from their superiors. General Zhang Fakui couldn't help but praise "such a team is invincible all over the world." Since then, the Independent Regiment has gained a reputation and is regarded as the vanguard armed force controlled by the CCP.
In the subsequent expansion, the independent regiment continued to grow. The CCP also received the numbers of three newly established units, namely the 24th Division, the 75th Regiment of the 25th Division, and the 2nd Front Army Guard Regiment. When they were first established, they were all based on personnel drawn from independent regiments. All of these four units are secretly under the direct leadership of the Chinese Communists, especially the independent regiments, and the appointment of cadres above the platoon level is entirely decided by the party organization, and transfers occur frequently.
In the era of warlord warfare, a force with such excellent quality and loyalty to revolutionary ideals is undoubtedly an extremely precious armed force of the CCP. With its heroic fighting and the tight control of the CCP, the Independent Regiment played a key role in the vanguard of the Great Revolution at the last moments.
"Airborne" induction: Captured officers join the separate regiment
At the beginning of 1927, the Fourth Army carried out a large-scale expansion of the independent regiment and other units. In the process, a rather rare thing happened - two captured Beiyang officers were "parachuted" into the independent regiment, serving as staff officers and adjutants respectively.
The origins of these two men are quite special. They were originally Beiyang officers captured on the battlefield of the Northern Expedition, but during their detention, they were systematically interrogated, educated, and assessed by the National Revolutionary Army, and showed a relatively progressive ideological consciousness and were willing to rejoin the revolutionary army. Taking into account their military experience, the Political Department of the Fourth Army, in accordance with the instructions of the Chinese Communists, carefully selected from this group of captured officers and reorganized a "training course for the rehabilitation of captured officers."
There are dozens of trainees in this training class, and they have not only received education in military theory and tactics, but more importantly, they have received a new type of ideological education and transformation. The whole process lasted two months, and in the end, only a few cadets achieved excellent results and were allowed to return to military service. And the two officers who were assigned to the separate regiment were the best of them.
At that time, the cadres of the Independent Regiment had some concerns about the identity of these two "outsiders". After all, they were originally prisoners of the revolutionary army, and everyone felt that there were unknowns about their ideological stance and revolutionary loyalty. At first, the army was suspicious of these two people, and there were also people secretly monitoring them. But over time, trust has been built on both sides.
Although these two "airborne" officers are not very old, they have a wealth of military experience. They have made great contributions to operational command and logistical support, and have greatly enhanced the combat effectiveness and mobility of the independent regiment. Other cadres of the Independent Regiment also absorbed a lot of advanced military theory and tactical knowledge.
What is even more precious is that through personal contact, the two officers deeply felt the spirit of the officers and men of the Independent Regiment who were simple, tenacious, and loyal to the revolutionary ideals. Under the influence of this spirit, they also gradually identified with the revolutionary ideas of the Communist Party. Someone has witnessed that whenever they encounter a major military operation, they are always the first to rush to the front line, and they are even wounded many times. In this way, through the baptism of blood, they have become members of the revolutionary army in terms of thought and action.
These two Beiyang officers, who had been captured, later did not have a clear revolutionary road. But in the early days of the Independence Regiment, their joining was undoubtedly a fresh force. And the incident itself fully demonstrates the wisdom of the Communist Party in absorbing progressive forces and the significance of the work of rehabilitating prisoners. In the tortuous revolutionary years, with sincerity and through education and reform, even Beiyang officers, who were regarded as "enemies", could change their stance and become followers and close comrades-in-arms of the revolution.
Ha Doo-in rebelled, the role of the remnant forces
In July 1927, Wang Ching-wei was expelled from the Kuomintang for opposing the three major policies, and the regime in Wuhan was in turmoil. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Xia Douyin, who was the former commander of the 11th Army of the National Revolutionary Army, suddenly rebelled and united with the pro-British faction to gather heavy troops, intending to raid Wuchang and seize power in Wuhan.
This mutiny had a huge impact on the CCP armed forces in the Wuhan area. At that time, Zhang Fakui's main force had already accompanied the National Revolutionary Army's Northern Expedition to the southern Jiangxi region, and only a few regiments remained in Wuhan. The main forces under the control of the CCP include Ye Ting's independent regiment (reorganized into the 72nd Regiment of the 24th Division), the remaining two regiments of the 24th Division, and the 75th Regiment of the 25th Division.
In the face of the sudden attack of Xia Douyin's rebels, the situation is very critical. Although the quality of the independent regiment is excellent, it is only a regiment after all. The other two regiments of the 24th Division and the 75th Regiment were all newly established, and most of the officers and men were new recruits, with little combat experience and limited combat effectiveness.
Under these circumstances, the local organization of the CCP in Wuhan had to focus on responding to emergencies and mobilizing and integrating all available forces as much as possible. First of all, they decided to temporarily concentrate all the other small armed forces controlled by the Chinese Communists scattered in Hankow, Hanyang, and other places, and to rapidly strengthen military training.
At the same time, the CCP has carefully studied the movements of other suspicious forces near Wuhan. For example, Li Pinxian's department stationed in Hankou was under the command of Tang Shengzhi, who was in the same warlord system as Xia Douyin, and no one could say whether there was some kind of tacit understanding or connection between the two armies. If they are really mobilized to resist Xia Douyin's attack, who can guarantee that they will not turn against each other?
Another example is the Second Army and the Sixth Army of the National Revolutionary Army stationed in Jiujiang and Anqing, although the main force is far away, if enough time is given, they may also be able to reinforce Wuhan. But the problem is that Xia Douyin's rebels have already pressed close to the city of Wuchang, and if they wait too long, Wuchang may have fallen.
In this case, a few forces controlled by the CCP, such as the Independent Regiment, have become the main force that can be relied on at the moment. Although their numbers are small, their officers and men have experienced countless baptisms of war, have been tempered for a long time, have excellent quality, and have extremely strong centripetal force. More importantly, the CCP has absolute control and command over them, and can play the role of the main force at the most critical moment.
Sure enough, under the sudden attack of Xia Douyin's rebels, the CCP organized and mobilized all available armed forces, including the Independent Regiment, to fight back. The officers and men of the Independent Regiment showed their strengths to the fullest, and while blocking enemy forces on the front line, they also served as military advisers and guided the tactical operations of other units. In the end, under the heroic and bloody battles of the Independent Regiment and other troops, Xia Douyin's attack was temporarily blocked, which won precious time for the subsequent counteroffensive.
This little-known history vividly illustrates the important role of the Independent Regiment and other forces controlled by the CCP in the final moments of the Revolution. At an extremely critical moment, the CCP had to rely on these loyal, reliable, and well-trained military forces to tide over the difficulties. Although these units are limited, their heroic performance is the mainstay of the critical moment.
The last battle before the defeat of the Revolution
The defeat of the Great Revolution was imminent, and in late July 1927, the Nationalist Government in Wuhan faced an attack by Xia Douyin's rebels. In the final battle of this revolutionary stage, the armed forces controlled by the CCP such as Ye Ting's Independent Regiment once again played a key role.
On July 21, Xia Douyin's rebels began an all-out attack on Wuchang. At that time, the main force of the National Revolutionary Army stationed in Wuchang had already gone north, and only the independent regiment (72nd regiment) under the leadership of the CCP, the remaining two regiments of the 24th Division, and the 75th Regiment were left behind.
In the face of several times the number of attacking forces, several CCP troops naturally fell into an extremely critical situation. In order to coordinate the operation, all parts formed the "Wuchang Defense General Headquarters", with Chen Zhuoyuan, commander of the 72nd Regiment, as the commander-in-chief, and Zhou Shidi as the deputy commander-in-chief. Song Yuankai, the adjutant of the Independent Regiment, was responsible for coordinating the deployment of the city's armed forces.
The city of Wuchang was in flames. On July 22, rebel artillery fire began to strafe the city of Wuchang. Several CCP troops and Xia Douyin's troops encountered large-scale street battles, and the two sides were only separated by one street, and guns and artillery were directly opposed.
At this time, Chen Zhuoyuan personally led the officers and soldiers of the Independent Regiment to rush to the forefront and bravely kill the enemy. After difficult street fighting during the day, at night, the two sides temporarily withdrew their troops, and the CCP armed forces such as the Independent Regiment only defended a few streets and alleys in the city.
At dawn on July 23, Xia Doo-in's rebels launched another onslaught. The artillery fire was intensive, and the smoke and dust in the former Wuchang city were billowing out, and there were broken walls and corpses everywhere. Chen Zhuoyuan had to order a temporary withdrawal from the city of Wuchang to stop the rebels outside the city.
In this desperate situation, the Zhou Shidi Independent Regiment fought the last battle of the Great Revolution. In the outskirts of the city, they fought in small groups, using guerrilla tactics to harass the rebels and weaken their offensive. The officers and men of the Independent Regiment were even more fearless of sacrifice and risked their lives to block a large number of rebels outside the city.
Although it cost dearly, the stubborn fighting of the Independence Regiment also bought precious time for the other scattered main forces of the National Revolutionary Army. On July 25, some of the main forces arrived for reinforcements, and a large-scale counteroffensive against Xia Douyin was finally formed.
In this fierce battle, Ye Ting's independent regiment completely lost its combat effectiveness. They suffered heavy casualties, several senior commanders such as Chen Zhuoyuan and Song Yuankai were killed, and the independent regiment was almost completely wiped out.
But in the end, Xia Douyin's attack was crushed, and Wuchang City fell into a stalemate between the two sides. Shortly thereafter, the Great Revolution was completely defeated throughout the country, and the Wuhan Nationalist Government was finally forced to evacuate.
This was the last battle of the Great Revolution, and it was undoubtedly the last battle of the Independence Regiment and other troops. Now, nearly 100 years later, this silent history is crucial. It not only proves the vanguard role played by the Independent Regiment and other troops in the process of the Great Revolution, but also confirms that the CCP attached great importance to the building of military strength in those years, although all this has been almost forgotten in the dusty history.
Destruction and Reconstruction: The Final Fate of the Independence Regiment
The defeat of the Revolution was undoubtedly a fatal blow to the Independent Regiment. After the Battle of Wuhan, this once heroic and good fighting force has been almost completely wiped out.
As the Wuhan Nationalist Government was finally forced to evacuate, the remnants of the Independence Regiment also scattered. Chen Geng and others, who were under siege, chose to break through, but soon all of them died. Zhang Zhizhong, the new head of the Independent Regiment, led a small group of remnants to retreat to the base area in western Jiangxi and joined Zhou Enlai, He Long and others.
Soon after, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made a decision to continue the name "Independent Regiment", and He Long was appointed as the new head of the regiment, responsible for the reconstruction work. However, the current situation is very bad, with only a few dozen men left in the independent regiment, and all the establishment, personnel, and weapons and equipment need to be rebuilt.
In order to rebuild the troops, He Long first mobilized a large number of people in the rural areas of western Jiangxi and recruited new recruits to enrich the ranks of the independent regiment. At the same time, he also dispersed some of his veterans to nearby villages to carry out military training and impart the Communist Party's military theory and tactical style at various levels. Some veterans remain in the base areas and serve directly as trainers for new recruits.
In this way, the independent regiment slowly made a comeback in the western Ganxi region. Although the establishment is still very weak and far from being able to compare with the original scale, military discipline and style are strict, the style of work is simple, and combat effectiveness has been gradually restored. Under the leadership of He Long, the Independent Regiment also began to pay attention to the development of the theory of rural guerrilla warfare and worked hard to put it into practice.
In the spring of 1928, the Independent Regiment received orders from its superiors and was reorganized into the backbone of the Ninth Division of the Red Fourth Army, and went north with Chen Yi and others to prepare to open up a new base area in the Soviet area. In April, the troops were led by Xie Zichang into northern Guangdong, and still retained the title of "independent regiment".
After entering the mountainous areas of southern Hunan and northern Guangdong, He Long's reconstruction force gradually grew and a large number of new recruits were added. At the same time, the troops also encountered numerous encirclement and suppression, and constantly fought with the enemy. It was not until the beginning of 1929 that the Independent Regiment entered the area of Pingjiang County in southern Hunan and settled down.
In Pingjiang, He Longtuan led its officers and men to actively propagate the revolutionary ideas of the Communist Party, vigorously develop the armed forces in the rural areas, and regroup. It can be said that after the fall of Wuhan, the independent regiment was reborn in the mountains and mountains of southern Hunan. Next, in the Pingjiang area, it will write a new heroic record.
With such a bumpy and legendary fate, where did the independent regiment go later? What important role did it play in the course of the revolution? All of this needs to be described separately. However, it is undeniable that the bravery of this army during the period of the Great Revolution did have a profound impact on the subsequent Chinese Revolution. From its destruction to its rebirth, the Independent Regiment is a microcosm of the revolutionary army's unyielding defeat.