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Zhang Zhen and Peng Xuefeng: strategic partners of the New Fourth Army
During the Anti-Japanese War, the 6th Division of the New Fourth Army, under the joint leadership of Peng Xuefeng and Zhang Zhen, became an important force in China's anti-Japanese military forces. Although Peng Xuefeng and Zhang Zhen had very different personalities, they worked closely together and jointly planned and executed a number of key battles, which greatly improved the combat efficiency and combat effectiveness of the New Fourth Army.
As a division commander, Peng Xuefeng had a resolute personality and acted quickly, often going to the front line to command operations, and his bravery won him the high respect of his subordinates. Zhang Zhen, on the other hand, pays more attention to the details of strategic layout and troop mobilization, and his plans are always meticulous and thorough, ensuring that every step of the action is supported by follow-up. This complementarity in character enables the 6th Division of the New Fourth Army to maintain an efficient combat state in various complex environments.
Under the leadership of Peng Xuefeng and Zhang Zhen, the 6th Division of the New Fourth Army participated in many important battles. On one occasion, when carrying out a sabotage mission behind enemy lines, Peng Xuefeng personally led the main force to quickly break through the enemy's defensive line, while Zhang Zhen was responsible for formulating the action route and schedule, as well as ensuring logistics supply and treatment of the wounded, ensuring that the whole division could move quickly and flexibly respond to changes on the battlefield. In this operation, the 6th Division of the New Fourth Army not only successfully cut off the enemy's supply lines, but also captured a large amount of enemy equipment and materials, accumulating important resources for the subsequent battles.
Peng Xuefeng's bravery on the battlefield and Zhang Zhen's tactical shrewdness made the 6th Division of the New Fourth Army repeatedly turn defeat into victory in disadvantage. In a night attack, Peng Xuefeng led the main force to directly attack the enemy's heavily defended stronghold, while Zhang Zhen carefully arranged multiple squads to make a detour and support from the flank, forming an encirclement trend. This flexible tactical deployment finally enabled the 6th Division of the New Fourth Army to win a complete victory in night operations and annihilate a large number of enemy troops.
As the war continued, the cooperation between Peng Xuefeng and Zhang Zhen became more and more tacit. Peng Xuefeng often reviewed the battlefield map with Zhang Zhen and discussed the next tactical arrangements. In a pre-war deployment meeting, Peng Xuefeng made a detailed analysis of the enemy's situation, while Zhang Zhen proposed several possible plans of action, and after full discussion, the two quickly determined the final attack direction and action plan. Through such cooperation, the 6th Division of the New Fourth Army was able to ensure that every operation could accurately hit the enemy's weak points and maximize the combat effectiveness of the troops.
Battle of Sunan: Zhang Zhen's military talent
After Peng Xuefeng's death, Zhang Zhen was appointed commander of the 11th Brigade of the New Fourth Army, which was an important decision for the entire New Fourth Army to ensure strategic continuity while inheriting the heroic spirit. After Zhang Zhen took over, he soon faced the severe challenge of the Sunan Campaign. The success of this campaign was crucial to elevating the position of the New Fourth Army in the War of Resistance.
The battlefield of the Battle of Sunan was on the front line with a huge disparity in the strength of the enemy and us, and Zhang Zhen faced a well-equipped and outnumbered puppet army. In preparation for this battle, Zhang Zhen carefully planned a number of tactical schemes, and he organized his troops to conduct rigorous reconnaissance and intelligence gathering to ensure that he knew the enemy's movements well. He personally reviewed topographic maps and enemy situations, meticulously planning each phase of the battle to ensure that he could respond flexibly during the battle.
Before the start of the battle, Zhang Zhen adjusted the formation and tactical layout of the troops, and divided the troops into several squads, each responsible for different combat missions. In particular, he stressed the importance of night operations, using the darkness to cover the movement of troops. During the battle, Zhang Zhen ordered the main force to launch a surprise attack at night, cooperating with the flank squads to flank the attack, this tactic effectively cut off the enemy's retreat route and plunged the puppet army into chaos.
After ensuring the accuracy of the tactical execution, Zhang Zhen also adjusted communications and logistics support to ensure that the front-line troops could receive timely supplies and support. He reorganized the logistics force and set up a number of temporary supply depots to ensure that ammunition and food could reach the front line in the shortest possible time. These thoughtful arrangements have greatly enhanced the troops' ability to fight for a protracted war.
At the height of the battle, Zhang Zhen did not stay at the command post, but went to the front-line command post and personally commanded the troops to carry out the offensive. While maintaining the sequence of troops, he also adjusts tactics in real time and makes quick decisions based on the actual situation on the battlefield. His on-the-spot command greatly boosted the morale of the soldiers, enabling the troops to maintain a high degree of cohesion and attack power in battle.
As the battle progressed, Zhang Zhen's tactical layout gradually showed its effect, the defense line of the puppet army was successfully broken through, and a large number of enemy troops were annihilated or captured. The battle ended in a complete victory for the New Fourth Army, with more than 2,000 enemies annihilated.
Shift to Central China: Zhang Zhen's battlefield maneuver
In the early days of the Liberation War, Zhang Zhen served as the commander of the 9th Column of the Central China Field Army, responsible for commanding a number of key battles. Under his command, the 9th Column became a well-trained and combat-ready unit. As the situation developed, the Central China Field Army merged with Shanye to form the larger East China Field Army, and Zhang Zhen was appointed deputy commander of the 2nd Column, which marked a new stage in his military career.
In the process of forming the East China Field Army, Zhang Zhen quickly adapted to the new job requirements by virtue of his rich battlefield experience and excellent command ability. In the early days of the merged troops, there were adjustments in the command system and tactical application, and Zhang Zhen played the role of a bridge and link in this process, helping the troops to achieve the optimal allocation of resources and the integration of combat effectiveness.
Under the direct leadership of Chen Su, Zhang Zhen participated in the planning and execution of the Soviet-Chinese campaign. This battle was an important confrontation in the War of Liberation, involving complex terrain and fierce confrontation between enemy and enemy forces. Zhang Zhen demonstrated his superb tactical application, and through flexible and mobile troop deployment and precise fire support, he commanded the troops to win seven consecutive battles in the Soviet Union and Central China, creating a brilliant record of "seven battles and seven victories." This achievement not only greatly boosted the morale of the East China Field Army, but also demonstrated Zhang Zhen's outstanding command ability in large-scale operations.
However, in the ensuing Battle of Lianghuai, Zhang Zhen and his troops suffered setbacks. In this battle, the enemy army took advantage of the terrain and sufficient logistical support to give the East China Field Army great resistance. In the face of a complex battlefield environment and fierce enemy fire, Zhang Zhen adjusted his tactical strategy, trying to weaken the enemy's combat effectiveness through multi-point breakthroughs and night battles. Despite the unexpected difficulties encountered during the campaign, Zhang Zhen's command showed his ability to react quickly to changes on the battlefield and adjust his plans.
Although the experience in the Lianghuai Battle was a setback, Zhang Zhen's countermeasures and measures to summarize and improve after the war were widely recognized by his superiors and colleagues. His timeliness in tactical adjustments and his emphasis on maintaining the morale of the troops strengthened the cohesion of the troops and accumulated valuable experience for subsequent campaigns.
Through the command of these battles, Zhang Zhen not only tempered and improved his military strategy and command, but also further established his position as the core of the East China Field Army.
A central role in the Huaye Command
With the establishment and reorganization of Huaye, Zhang Zhen's responsibilities as deputy chief of staff became increasingly important. In this new role, he not only had to deal with day-to-day military strategy and deployment, but also assumed the overall responsibilities of chief of staff because Chief of Staff Chen Shiyu often went out to command troops. This change brought unprecedented challenges and opportunities to Zhang Zhen's position in the Huaye Army.
During the merger process, generals from the mountains such as Chen Shiyu and several other senior commanders had different opinions and perspectives on the new command structure and strategic direction. Such dissenting voices within the chain, especially over strategic choices and troop deployments, exposes the entire chain of command to potential friction and conflict. In this context, Zhang Zhen's role is particularly crucial. Not only does he need to act as chief of staff in Chen Shiyu's absence, but he also needs to strike a balance between different opinions and strategies to ensure the coherence and effectiveness of decision-making.
Under Su Yu's direct leadership, Zhang Zhen participated in and commanded several important battles, including the Eastern Henan Campaign, the Huaihai Campaign, and the River Crossing Campaign. Each battle was a severe test of his military talent and an opportunity for him to demonstrate military leadership. In the Battle of Eastern Henan, Zhang Zhen assisted Su Yu in completing the strategic planning and breakthrough of the enemy's important defensive points. Through accurate intelligence analysis and troop scheduling, Zhang Zhen successfully helped the Huaye Army overcome the dual difficulties of terrain and enemy defense, and won the battle.
The Battle of Huaihai was a larger-scale and far-reaching military operation. In this pivotal battle, Zhang Zhen demonstrated his mastery of large-scale troop movements and tactical use. He assisted Su Yu in formulating a plan to encircle and annihilate the enemy's main force, and finally achieved a comprehensive encirclement of the enemy army through continuous battles and accurate force projection. The successful implementation of this strategy not only consolidated Huaye's strategic superiority, but also significantly enhanced the PLA's initiative in the entire battlefield.
The Battle of Crossing the River was a decisive action in the War of Liberation, and Zhang Zhen's performance in this battle was particularly crucial. He was responsible for coordinating and directing multiple units to cross the river at the same time, ensuring the safety and combat efficiency of the troops under the suppression of the enemy's strong firepower. Zhang Zhen's well-planned smoke screen and feint attack before crossing the river in this battle effectively misled the enemy army and created conditions for the successful crossing of the river by the main force.
Military Rank and Historical Evaluation: An Analysis of Zhang Zhen's Achievements
In 1955, the Chinese People's Liberation Army held its first military rank awarding ceremony, which was a major military reform since the founding of New China. In this year, Zhang Zhen was awarded the rank of lieutenant general. The conferment of this rank is an official recognition of the outstanding contributions he has made during his many years of military career. Zhang Zhen's performance in the War of Liberation, especially his key role in important battles such as the Soviet-Chinese, Huaihai, and River Crossing, undoubtedly proved his military command skills.
Despite Zhang's military achievements, the process of awarding military ranks was heavily influenced by the political and strategic considerations of the time. The awarding of military ranks in 1955 was not purely based on an individual's military merits or abilities, but more of a comprehensive process. In addition to taking into account military rank and historical contributions, the criteria for the award of titles must also take into account the balance within the military, especially the balance of power between the different military factions.
In the process of conferring the title, although Zhang Zhen has the status of deputy corps in the military, his background and the path of his military career determine his final military rank to some extent. Zhang Zhen was born in the Red Army, one of the main armed forces of the Communist Party of China in the early days, with a glorious history and an important position. While his military prowess and historical contributions are remarkable, the stability of the overall military structure and the geographical and factional backgrounds of senior commanders need to be taken into account when awarding titles.
In the 1955 awarding of military ranks, Mr. Zhang was awarded the rank of lieutenant general rather than general, in part because of his military position and the need for senior officers within the military at the time. While Zhang's performance in the Liberation War was enough to earn him a higher rank, the military's top brass had to weigh a variety of factors when making decisions, including how to strike a balance among generals from different factions and historical backgrounds to ensure the overall harmony and unity of the military.
Zhang Zhen's rank of lieutenant general, although it may not fully reflect his military prowess and historical status, was the result of weighing the interests of all parties in the political and strategic context of the time. Despite failing to attain the rank of general, Zhang Zhen's military career and his performances in important battles still earned him a place in Chinese military history.
References:[1]Wang Jianzhu. General Zhang Zhen: "The merit must be established by me, and the name is not from oneself"[J].Consultative Forum,2016,0(9):59-60