The content of this article is written with authoritative sources, and the source and screenshots of the literature have been marked at the end of the article, please be aware.
During the war-torn years, Su Yu hurried through a small county town, carrying an urgent war report and going directly to the higher headquarters in Huai'an. I wanted to borrow the phone here, but I didn't expect the phone of the county party committee to be useless, and he not only didn't leave, but squatted down to chat with the county magistrate, why is this?
Battle of Xuantai: A decisive victory
On July 13, 1946, in the Xuantai area, the flames of war were ignited again. This battle was an all-out attack by the Chinese Red Army on the 83rd Division of the Kuomintang. The Red Army units had made sufficient tactical arrangements and intelligence gathering before the battle, and knew the enemy's weaknesses and dispositions.
At the beginning of the battle, the Red Army quickly launched a fierce offensive. They first took advantage of the darkness and terrain to their advantage, and carried out a raid. The Kuomintang troops, although well armed, were taken by surprise by the sudden attack of the Red Army. The infantry and artillery of the Red Army worked in tandem, and the fire coverage was precise and effective, quickly suppressing the defensive fire points of the Kuomintang.
Over the next few hours, the Reds launched a multi-pronged offensive, and the carefully planned encirclement tactics gradually became apparent. They cut off the logistical supply lines of the Kuomintang troops, making the Kuomintang defense more passive. The light infantry of the Red Army, which maneuvered nimbly in mountainous and hilly terrain, constantly broke down the Kuomintang defenses.
The two regiments of the Kuomintang 83rd Division and the two additional battalions suffered heavy losses in continuous battles, the command system was disorganized, and morale gradually declined. Taking advantage of this advantage, the Red Army intensified its offensive and continuously expanded its results. During the battle, the Red Army paid special attention to reducing its own casualties, emphasizing group coordination and fire support, so that the offensive was both fierce and orderly.
Towards the end of the battle, Zhong Xiongfei, the commander of the 56th Regiment of the Kuomintang, realized that the situation was extremely unfavorable for him. Nevertheless, he tried to organize the last resistance, trying to break through the encirclement of the Red Army. However, the Red Army had already foreseen this move and deployed sufficient forces to block the breakthrough. In the fierce fighting, Zhong Xiongfei's troops eventually collapsed due to the depletion of ammunition and the loss of communications.
Zhong Xiongfei and his more than 3,200 soldiers were eventually captured, which was a major blow to the Kuomintang. The Reds then cleaned up the battlefield and seized large quantities of weapons and military supplies, including light and heavy machine guns, rifles, grenades, and a large number of ammunition boxes, which they needed for supplies in the battles that followed.
The Kuomintang's response and redeployment
The crushing defeat in the battle of Xuantai shook the entire upper echelons of the Kuomintang. In the face of a sudden and major defeat, the Kuomintang chief of staff Chen Cheng and leader Chiang Kai-shek immediately convened an emergency meeting to re-examine the situation on the entire battlefield. At the strategic meeting, they analyzed in detail the tactics and movements of the Red Army and recognized the need for tougher and more concentrated forces to reverse the current unfavorable situation.
In the strategy of redeployment, Chen Cheng and Chiang Kai-shek decided to gather more than 100,000 troops, a decision aimed at completely changing the course of the war. They planned to launch a new offensive from northern Jiangsu to the Red Army-controlled Hai'an region in response to Xuantai's defeat.
In order to ensure that this offensive would strike quickly and effectively at the Red Army, the Kuomintang decided to take advantage of the geographical and waterway advantages it had in Jiangsu. They chose two main starting points, Jiangyan and Baimi, both of which were close to the Yangtze River to facilitate the rapid assembly and movement of troops. The 63rd Brigade of the 83rd Division was designated to set out from Jiangyan, while the 148th Brigade of the 25th Division, which was reorganized, set off from Baimi.
During the deployment, the commanders of the divisions and brigades were called to the General Staff Headquarters to receive specific combat missions and road maps. This meeting was not only a strategic deployment, but also a stern mobilization of commanders. Chen Cheng personally explained the importance of this operation to each commander, stressing that it was a key operation to restore the Kuomintang's military superiority in northern Jiangsu.
Subsequently, large quantities of supplies and supplies began to be delivered to the assembly points, including ammunition, food and medical supplies. The logistics department worked overtime day and night to ensure that all participating troops received adequate material support before departure. At the same time, engineering and transport units were mobilized, and their task was to ensure that all roads and bridges were suitable for the rapid passage of large forces, especially during the rainy season, when keeping the roads clear was a major challenge.
Su Yu's long journey
Su Yu received an order to report the latest battle situation at the front to the command in Huai'an in the shortest possible time. On the way from Hai'an to Huai'an, Su Yu experienced a trek of more than 200 kilometers. The journey was not only long but also difficult, and he had to change his means of transport several times, from walking to cycling to riding in a rudimentary country vehicle, each of which revealed the inconvenience and hardship of wartime traffic.
When Su Yu finally arrived in a small county town, he was covered in dust. Although this is not a destination, he plans to use the communication facilities here to communicate with his superiors in Huai'an. Su Yu originally planned not to stay here for too long, but considering the actual situation, he decided to use the county phone to complete the reporting task as soon as possible.
When he asked a local citizen about the county's telecommunications facilities, he learned that the county's telephone facilities were extremely limited, and that they were only located in the county magistrate's office. The man was a man in his early thirties, dressed in a shabby military uniform, with a dusty and tired face, but his eyes revealed unquestionable firmness and dedication. After listening to Su Yu's inquiry, he didn't say anything, just pointed in the direction of the county magistrate's office.
After listening to Su Yu's words, the county magistrate told him that the telephone was useless, because the telephone lines had been damaged due to the heavy rain for several days, and the communication equipment in the entire county was almost completely paralyzed.
Su Yu's unexpected conversation with the county magistrate
When Su Yu talked to the county magistrate, he briefly mentioned that he and Ji Qingtao came from Hai'an. This mention obviously touched the county magistrate's attention to the area. Haian is a strategic location, and any information about it is extremely important, especially for a local official on the front lines of the war.
As soon as the county magistrate heard the word "Hai'an", his face immediately became solemn. He quickly led Su Yu and Ji Qingtao to the open area on the side, and then squatted down, with an urgent desire for knowledge in his expression. He directly asked Su Yu about the latest battle situation in Hai'an, and his voice was full of concern and eagerness, as if he wanted to know every detail from Su Yu's mouth.
Su Yu was slightly surprised by the county magistrate's attitude, but he quickly adjusted his posture and squatted down with the county magistrate. Despite being a senior commander, Su Yu showed himself to be indistinguishable from a civilian in this informal environment, and he began to brief the county magistrate in detail on the situation in Hai'an, from the enemy's deployment to our offensive plan.
The magistrate listened attentively, nodding his head from time to time, interjecting to ask specific questions, such as the distribution of the enemy's forces and our losses. The conversation was like two old friends talking about world affairs, rather than a formal meeting between a county magistrate and a military commander.
During the exchanges, the county magistrate sighed from time to time, expressing strong dissatisfaction and indignation at the actions of the Kuomintang. He used an authentic dialect mixed with standard Mandarin to express mixed emotions about the current battle situation. Although Su Yu was mainly reporting on the situation, he also expressed his views on certain tactical options, which deepened the conversation.
The conversation continued for some time, until the county magistrate seemed to suddenly realize that he did not yet know the specific identity of the military commander. He patted his head and asked slightly embarrassedly, "Comrade, what is your surname?" As soon as this question was exported, Ji Qingtao couldn't wait to intervene, he probably felt that the county magistrate should know something about Su Yu, so he hurriedly introduced: "He is Commander Su!" ”
Move on: by water to Huai'an
After the county magistrate learned that the person standing in front of him was Su Yu, a senior commander in the Red Army, the scene suddenly became slightly embarrassing. The county magistrate hurriedly got up from the ground and apologized repeatedly: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't recognize the commander earlier." Although Su Yu and Ji Qingtao were covered in the dust of the road, the attitude of the county magistrate immediately became more respectful and enthusiastic.
Although it was late, the magistrate insisted on inviting the two officers to stay for dinner. He quickly ordered his men to prepare a meal, hoping to show support and respect for the Red Army through this simple dinner. Su Yu and Ji Qingtao wanted to decline, but considering that the continuous long-distance trek really needed to replenish their strength, they finally accepted the kindness of the county magistrate.
Dinner was quickly ready, and the table was filled with local home-cooked dishes, which were simple but freshly prepared. The three of them sat together, and the county magistrate continued to inquire about the situation at the front line while picking up vegetables, although they had been chatting at the door for a long time. At the dinner table, Su Yu briefly gave another overview of the battle situation, especially the upcoming changes in the war and the Red Army's response strategy.
After the meal, Su Yu observed that it was getting late and knew that they had to continue their journey to Huai'an as soon as possible. Although the county magistrate wanted to keep them for an extra night, Su Yu and Ji Qingtao insisted on saying goodbye and thanked the county magistrate for his hospitality. In view of the obstruction of land transportation, Su Yu decided to use the water route instead. They soon came to Yilin, a small town near the river, suitable for them to take a boat to Huai'an.
In Yilin, Su Yu and Ji Qingtao rented a small boat, and the boatman was an old local fisherman who was very familiar with the river. Although it was late at night, the boatman promised to be able to take them safely to Huai'an. As the ship slowly left the dock, the two men sorted out their gear on the ship, making sure that all the necessities were with them.
Along the way, the river is calm, and the lights on both sides of the river are reflected on the water, sparkling. Su Yu and Ji Qingtao exchanged a few short words, mainly about their plans after arriving in Huai'an. Despite the fatigue of the journey, it is rare for them to be able to take a short break and organize their thoughts.
After several hours of sailing, the boatman accurately delivered them to a small pier near Huai'an. It was already past eight o'clock at night, and the outline of Huai'an's city was particularly clear in the night. Su Yu and Ji Qingtao quickly went ashore and marched briskly in the direction of the Huai'an headquarters, an outstanding general in the People's Liberation Army who was about to start his new journey.
References:[1]Zhu Hui. Archives and Construction,2012(6):38-39